Art. 3. The Principles of Religion made easy to young Perfons, in a fhort and jami iar Catechifm. By Samuel Lord Bishop of St. Davids. 12mo. 6d. Faden.

A Catechiẩm of forty-eight pages, we think, rather too long to be calied a Catechifm: had his Lordship's performance be a comprifed in as many lines, it might not have proved leis ufeful than thofe tedious productions of this kind, with which young minds may be more fatigued and difgufted, than delighted or improved.

POLITICA L.

Art. 4. Confiderations on the prefent dangerous Crisis. 8vo.

The welcome reception which these candid and judicious Reflections have met with from the public, is a fresh proof of the juftnefs of its difcernment, with regard to literary productions; and, indeed, we have rarely known an intance of its failing to diftinguish between fuch materly performances as the prefent pamphlet, and the ordinary produce of the press.

This very fenfible and fpirited Writer, who, like a cool, difinterested fpectator, ftands by, and fees the political game played by both parties, has truly marked the blunders and foul play on either fide: and, from the kilful obfervations he has made, we may planly perceive, that it is, indeed, high time the game were up.

As we would not anticipate the pleasure which the moderate and impartial Reader will find in the perufal of this ingenious little tract, we hall very briefly recommend it to their notice, by only obferving, that the Author has given, on the one hand, a fhort fketch of the errors of Lord Bute's adminiftration; and, on the other, a lively view of the unfair and felfish proceedings of his Lordship's opponents. He has rebuked thofe who were partially attached to the first, and fhewn the folly of those who have been duped by the laft. In a word, he has inconteftibly evinced the abfurdity and evil tendency of our entering into any contefts or competition for the fake of men, while measures alone ought to be the only objects of our attention.

As to the peace, this able Writer is a ftrenuous Advocate for it. He has likewife feveral remarks in favour of the late unpopular CyderAct, which, in many refpećts, (however unfeafonable, and difagreeable to the public) hath been mifunde:ftood by fome, and mifieprefented by

others.

Art. 5. A Letter from a Member of Parliament in London to his Friend in Edinburgh, relative to the prefent critical State of Affairs, and the dangerous Antipathy that feems daily to increase between the People of England and Scotland. 8vo. 1s. Hinx

man.

If this increafing antipathy is fo dangerous, why does this Writer strain his little talents to make the breach wider? Why does he infult the Faglifh with all the grofs fcurrility of a dull and malignant pen? Why

dogs

does he ftigmatize them as pimps, parafites, thieves, infidels, blafpheners, fodomites, and falfe fwearers " Laftly, why does he fo confiftently quote Lord Lyttleton, who fays, that the Scotch and English, are congenial, and filled with the fame noble virtues, the fame impatience of fervitude, the fame magnanimity, courage, and prudence, the fame genius for policy, tciences, arts?"

Art. 6. Confiderations on the prefent Peace, as far as it is relative to the Colonies, and the African Trade. 8vo. 1s. Bristow.

The defign of this pamphlet is principally to fhew, that the ends aimed at in the diffolution of the Royal African Company, are by no means anfwered by the prefent method of carrying on the trade to thofe parts where our forts are lituated. The chief caule of this failure is reprefented to be the mifconduct of the Officers of the faid forts, who act under the Africa Commitee, and monopolize the negroe-trade, by thei. fuperior advantages over other traders; thereby keeping up the flaves at a very high price, to the great detriment of our colonies in America.

Art. 7. The Blefings of Peace, and a Scotch Excife: Or, the bumbug Refignation. A Farce, in two Acts. 8vo. I S.

Abraham.

Altho' this is a low and contemptible piece of Grub-street, yet we are not forry to fee fo general a diflike to the late extenfion of the Excife: a mode of taxation altogether inconfiftent with the nature of Freedom, and which must be for ever odious to a people who are duly impressed. with the glorious idea of Liberty.We wonder that, in this age of general improvement, fome method hath not been difcovered for eafing this great and free nation of fo hateful a burthen, fo vile a badge of foreign flavery; and for fupplying the demands of government in fome way more agreeable to the fubject!

Art. 8. The Character of a difranded Courtier. 8vo. 6d.

Burnet.

We thought the mob of Writers which affembled to abuse Mr. Pit, on his quitting the Miniftry, had been difperièd long ago; but here is one folitary fraggler left behind, hallooing about the treets by himself; altho' nobody pays the leaft regard to his bawling, or even thinks it worth while to bid the parith-beadle take him to the round-house.

POETICA L.

Art. 9. Sincerity, a Poem. 4to. Is. 6d. Flexney.

This performance, written by Mr. W. Sharp, junr. of the isle of Wight, is not without fome traits of poetry; but it is written in a bad tafte. Its fault is not directed; the Author does not want powers, but his powers are ill employed. It is written with harmony, but without cafe; with fpirit, but without order; with variety, but, without connection. We muft, neverthelefs, applaud the fpirit and tendency

Dd 3

of

of the work; as nothing can be more commendable than the benevolent cilpofition, and zeal for Liberty, manified by this young Writer.

Art. 10. Geties and Valiar, a Stitch Pateral. 4to. 1s. 6d. Becket.

It is with peculiar ple fare we behold an Englishman ftand forth in defence of a fie ingdom, fo rudely attacked by another of our Countrymen, in the Proste y of F.mm; to which the prefent performance is a proper contrat. And if the Author doth not exceed Mr. Churchill in the fre and force of his numbers, he is at leat equal to him in the ealy and harmonious flow of his verification. The piece before us is, in our opinion, one of the mot truly poetical productions which hath appeared for fome time pal. The melodicus Bard fets out in ftrains that are as fweetly mañical as any we have met with in British patoral: Where Tweed's fair plans in liberal beauty lie,

And Flora laughs beneath a lucid fky;

Long winding vales where crystal waters lare,

Where blythe birds warble, and where green woods wave,
A bright-hair'd fhepherd, in young beauty's bloom,
Tun'd his fweet pipe behind the yellow broom.

Our poetical Readers will be particularly pleafed with one paffage in that part of his paftoral where the Bard fings the praises of thofe natives of North-Britain, who have been diftinguithed for their genius and literary productions: we mean the reprefentation of the Four Seafons appearing to Thomfon, and claiming the palm, like the fabled competition of the rival Goddeffes before the royal Shepherd on mount Ida. Firft, Spring addreffes the liberal boy:'

Her naked charms, like Venus, to disclose,

SPRING from her bofom threw the shadowing rofe;
Bar'd the pure fnow that feeds the lover's fire,
The breast that thrills with exquifite defire;
Affum'd the tender fmile, the melting eye,
The breath favonian, and the yielding figh.
One beauteous hand a wilding's bloffom grac'd,
And one enfolded half her zoneless waift.

Majeftic SUMMER, in gay pride adorn'd,
.Her rival filter's fimple beauty fcorn'd.
With purple wreaths her lofty brows were bound,
With glowing flowers her rifing bofom crown'd.
In her gay zone, by artful Fancy fram'd,
The bright rose blufh'd, the full carnation flam'd.
Her cheeks the glow of fplendid clouds difplay,
And her eyes flash infufferable day.

With milder air the gentle AUTUMN came,
But feem'd to languish at her fifter's flame.
Yet, confcious of her boundless wealth, she bore
On high the emblems of her golden ftore.

Yes

Yet could fhe boat the plenty-pouring hand,
The liberal fmile, benevolent and bland.
Nor might the fear in beauty to excel,
From whofe fair head fuch golden treffes fell;
Nor might fhe envy Summer's flowery zone,
In whole fweet eye the ftar of evening fhone.

Did WINTER hope the envied palm to gain?
Yes WINTER hop'd. What woman is not vain?
Behold," the cried, with voice that fhook the ground,
(The Bard, the Sifters trembled at the found)
Ye weak admirers of a grape, or rofe,
"Behold my wild magnificence of fnows!
"See my keen froft her glaffy bofom bare!
"Mock the faint fun, and bind the fluid air!
"Nature to you may lend a painted hour,
"With you may fport, when I fufpend my power.
"But you and Nature, who that power obey,
"Shall own my beauty, or fhall dread my fway."

She spoke the Bard, whofe gentle heart ne'er gave
One pain or trouble that he knew to fave,

No favour'd nymph extols with partial lays, ·

But gives to each her picture for her praite.

In celebrating the military virtue of the Scots, he thus nervously and feelingly mentions the gallant Wallace :

O'er the dear urn, where glorious Wallace fleeps,
True Valour bleeds, and patriot Virtue weeps.
Son of the lyre, what high ennobling ftrain,
What meed from thee fhall generous Wallace gain?
Who greatly fcorning an Ufurper's pride,
Bar'd his brave breaft for Liberty and died.

Notwithstanding the warm approbation we have fincerely beftowed on this little elegant poem, we mult own, we think the ingenious Author has not fhewn equal judgment, in addrefing it (fo unfeafonably too) to the Earl of Bute: but, perhaps, it was the more generous in our Poet, and must be regarded as a proof of his difinterestedneís, that he has chofen to pay his devoirs, not to the rifing but to the-fetting fun.

Art. 11. The Guardian Angel. 4to. 2s. Henderson. The following is the fubftance of a dialogue that paffed between the Author of this poem and his Guardian Angel :

G. ANG. Fear not, O`youth!

Thy Guardian Angel's in this form enfhrin'd,
Intent on purposes divinely kind:

Heaven heard thy prayers, and in proportion will,
As you're obedient, what you with fulfil;
Prefer thy wishes to the throne with speed,
Nor will the Queen difdain to interceed.

Post. I cannor, dire not this premption wic, G.Ass. Then your lucky hour plate.

When her needs tepenor Beings lay, They're belo as Lered, and you mal coey. Post. Butch' how direlaks, that an unknown, And we the paolk good no anons own? The King, Lise Heaver, expands His grac, where not alone defert demands.

G. ANG.

A forend Angel this! But he wanders from the subject, and enters into a long detall of the Queen's voyage and nuptials, telling the Poet how With tottering feet

She trod the yacht, her dearest Lord to meet.

And how Gallia came to oppofe her passage,

In a gilt chariot which dragoons furround.

As to the King, our Author promifes, that if he is a good man, and behaves himself as he ought to do, he fhail occupy that throne in heaven which was formerly in the poffeffion of the Devil.—Query, Whether this Writer is qualified to fhine molt as a Courtier or as a Poet?

Art. 12. Ode on the Return of Peace. Also the Speech of Europa. 4to. 6d. Becket.

A phenomenon which we cannot account for. The Author is no Pcet, and of this truth he feems, by his preface, to be confcious; what then, in the name of common fenfe, could induce him to write veries, and what is more, to print them? Does he think that any thing is good enough for the public, or that their ftomachs are so sharp fet fo. poetry, that whatever has the leaft form or appearance of it, will go down? if he has fallen into any fuch mistake, his bookfeller, no doubt, will foon cure him of it.

Art. 13. Ode in imitation of Horace, Ode I. ad Macenatem. Addreffed to his Grace John Duke of Montague, the most beneficent of Mankind. Jan. 30, 1748. To which is ful joined, the original Ode of Horace, illustrated by a new Interpretation. By Sir William Browne, M. D. 4to. Is. 6d. Owen.

It is unfortunate for this Author, for the public, and for ourselves, that our venerable friend Martinus Scrillerus is now upon his travels through foreign countries. He alone could have been equal to the task of reviewing the work of this punctilious Bard, this poetico-critico-heraldico-fculptorico ir William Browne ! Such a formal piece of compofition we do not remember to have feen fince the commencement of our Review Such affectation of fingularity, fuch literary Quixotifm, fo much grave trilling, and pompous infignificance, in the narrow compafs of a pamphlet, have we never yet met with. Wherever fophiftry could prevaricate, or fingularity could innovate, the fenfe of Horace has been perverted, and the text has been altered. Where the connection

and