The types were roafted after death : Their obelik was made of wood, The Reader will fee that thefe Hymns are much of a piece with Erkine's Gospel Sonnets, and the Hymns of the Moravians; and, tho' not fo obfcene, are nearly as abfurd. K-n-k Art. 3. A Collection of original Pieces; confifting of Poems, Pragues, Epilogues, Songs, Epiftles, Epigrams, Epitaphs, &c. By J. Wignel. 8vo. 4s. Printed for the Author, by Subfcription. Sold by Mr. Davies in Ruffel-street. Mr. Wignel appears to have been a Strolling Player; and, into the bargain, he is alfo a bit of a Poet. We do not find, however, that an over fond conceit of his abilities, in the rhyming way, prompted him to appear in print: the fame effect is often produced by very different cauíes books owe their exiftence fometimes to vanity, fometimes to poverty. To the latter, as the Author honeftly confeffes, the world is indebted for Mr. Wignel's volume. And truly, fince the poor man wanted it, we are glad to fee his fubfcription-lift fo well filled. We dare fay, he himself will agree with us, that it is the best part of his book. As to his verfes, not to difparage the works of one who does not pretend to be a Poet, there are Readers who may like them as well as thofe of Milton or Pope: and let that be the Author's confolation, let Critics fay what they will. For us, we rather prefer his Dedication to his brother Comedian, Mr. Shuter: in which, be not furprized, gentle Reader, he praises the faid Mr. Shuter, for his piety. And, what is more extraordinary, this is no joke, but a very ferious and well-intended encomium-We have fiequently heard, that this admirable comic Actor has, for fome time paft, turned his graver thoughts towards that great concern of all men, with which humour and levity have no connexion; and that, as may very naturally be expected from men who have lived as Mr. Shuter hath done, he is become a frequenter of Mr. Whitefield's affemblies. Mr. Wignel takes notice of this in his Epiftle dedicatory, and relates the following anecdote. "A Gentleman remarkable for his intimacy with a certain fashionable Author, (who, for the diverfion of the world, and his own emolument, has fometimes made too free with the natural defects, and innocent particularities of divers worthy perfons) endeavouring to tempt you by cer tain offers of advantage, to affift in conveying his low invectives, and perfonal abuse, to the town, was properly reproved by the following anfwer. Sir, Whatever idea you have of me, as an Actor and a Man, give ' me leave to inform you, I have fo ftrong a regard for Religion, and her Profeffors, with fo grateful a fenfe of the favours the Almighty has conferred on me, that I fhall never employ my weak abilities in the F 4 ⚫ ridicule ridicule of HIM OF HIS Servants. "This Chriftian-like reply, fays Mr. Wignel, astonished the Bean. He took fnuff, turned upon his heel, and affured the first Coxcomb he met, "That Shuter was run mad, and "that he had entered into partnership with the Bishop of Tottenham"Court." This anecdote, the truth of which we have other authorities for, is here related, Mr. Wignel fays, to obviate the opinion of those who may attribute Mr. Shuter's attachment to Mr. Whitefield, to views of gain; to fome female connections; or to a defign of diverting the Town at that reverend Gentleman's expence, Art. 4. Woman. An Epistle to C. Churchill, on his intended Pubdication, entitled, Woman: A Satire. By A, B, C. 4to. -I S. Williams. Mr. Churchill having fome time ago intimated a defign of writing a fatire, entitled as above, taking it for granted, that his intention must have been to fatirize the fair fex, the prefent Writer interposes in their behalf; pointing out other objects which, he conceives, more juftly cenfurable. The field is free: yes, Churchill, draw the pen; Players, Plausibles, and Minifters of State: We know not how far the Ladies may think themselves obliged to this their Advocate, or what effect his apology for them may have on the rugged difpofition of the Satirift: if, indeed, the latter had any real intention to be fevere on them at all; which, by the way, is not very certain. It was natural, however, for our Author, who is evidently a very juvenile Writer, to embrace fuch an opportunity of recommending himself to the lex, by endeavouring to ward off the stroke of fo formidable a hand. The merit of the defign may posibly prevail, alfo, with his fair Readers, to make them overlook the defects in its execution: as Critics, however, we must tell him, he hath paid no compliment to their tafte, by the many unpolished and difcordant lines which he hath permitted to difgrace his performance. K-n-k Art. 5. A Declaration, by an old Plebeian. 4to. 3d. Kent. The request of friends has been affigned in excufe for the publication of many a worthiefs production; it is now urged by this old Plebeian as his fole inducement for laying before the public thefe, his private thoughts: but they were not really hi, friends who advised this horelt man to expofe himself in print. We hope, however, that thofe who are difpofed to laugh at him for his bad writing, will pardon him for the fake of his principles, for which we have the utmost reverence, although they appear to the greateft disadvantage, cloathed in fuch miferable verfe, as this truly plebeian Writer has manufactured. His defign is, to recommend civil and religious Liberty; to decry all King craft craft, Prieft-craft, and impofition whatever; to curb the exceffes of inordinate zeal; and to cultivate the great principle CHARITY, among the various denominations that have obtained in the Chriftian world. The following fpecimen will fhew in what manner this laudable defign is executed: When Courtiers and Priests by interest are sway'd, If thefe abus'd functions had not with them been lifted. Whatever the Reader may think of the above lines, we can affure 'him, they are fome of the best in the pamphlet. Art. 6. Rodonde; or the State Jugglers. Canto I. 8vo. Is. Nicoll. A droll Mortal has here attacked Mr. Pitt, in Hudibraftics. The mode is new, but the matter, as far as we can judge from the contents of this first Canto, is pretty much the old story over again. But the Author's plan, is, perhaps, more extenfive than may be apparent from the fpecimen now published. Rodondo [Mr. P] is not the only perfon here fatirized. Several other characters are introduced, as friends to Mr. P. or as foes to Lord B-e. Mr. Wilkes, and Mr. Churchill, the fuppofed Writers of the paper called The North Briton, are handsomely chattifed in their own way: the latter, especially, is mauled with as much severity as he himself has mauled the Scots. We do not think it proper to retail períonal abufe in our Review, and therefore shall give no extracts from this humourous piece of fcurrility. RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERSIAL. Art. 7. A new, plain, and feriptural Account of the Nature and Ends of the Holy Eucharift, deduced from feveral important Paf Jages in the Old and New Teftaments. By Samuel Hardy, Curate of St. Clements in Ipfwich, Suffolk, 12mo. Is. Law. If the famous propofition advanced by the late pious Dr. James Fofter be true, that where Mystery begins, Religion ends, then is Mr. Samuel Hardy a very irreligious Writer; for he is a most zealous flickler for those myftical notions of the facrament which have been fo juftly exploded by feveral eminent and judicious modern Writers. The worthy Bibop Hoadly's Plain Account, he ftiles an infamous book; and gives bis own tract as a full and complete answer to it. He likewife falls foul on the Bishop of Glocester, for having joined his forces with thofe of the Bishop of Winchefter; and really we think Mr. Hardy's zeal leads him rather too near the borders of fcurrility. He may, however, in his away, be a very pious and well-meaning man; and by his earnest manner of treating his fubject, we are inclined to believe, that his zeal for what he apprehends to be the truth, is only blameable in its excefs; and may be founded in a laudable defire to approve himself a diligent and faithful labourer in his mafter's vineyard. Are 8. A Letter from a Clergyman to one of his Parishioners, whɔ was was inclined to turn Methodift. With an Appendix concerning the Means of Converfion and imputed Righteoufnefs. 8vo. Is. 6d. Hinxman. This judicious and fenfible letter is figned Richard Hardy, who appears to bear a very different character, as a divine, from Mr. Samuel Hardy, who wrote the tract on the Eucharift. He is a modeft, decent, and candid Writer, He, ftrictly examines and compares the feveral methodistical doctrines with thofe fcriptures from whence they pretend to have drawn them; and fhews how egregiously the Methodists have mifunderstood and mifreprefented them. His defign is not to enter into all the numberlefs abfurdities of modern enthufiafts; but, in a short, clear, and candid manner, to convince them that they err, not knowing the Scriptures;-to which they fo often and fo confidently appeal.-We think this treatife might do much good, if it could be effectually recommended to the attentive perufal of all who are in danger of being feduced by thofe enthufiaftic preachers now fo abundantly difperfed through moft of the British dominions. Art. 9. ACollection of Latin Sermons. By John Burton, D. D. Fellow of Eton College. (With other Pieces) relative to the Ministerial Office. 8vo. 6s. 6d. bound. Fletcher, We have here, collected in one volume, feveral pieces published at different times, under the following titles: Hophni et Phinees, five impietas facerdotum publice impictatis caufa-A Difcourfe made by the Right Rev. Dr. Sprat, Lord Bishop of Rochester, to the clergy of his Diocese, at his vifitation in the year 1695-Heli: five exemplum magiftratus intempeftiva lenitate peccantis-Samuel triplici nomine laudatus, Propheta, Populi Ifraelitici Judex, Scholarum Propheticarum Rector-De fundamentalibus dif Jertatio theologica--De praxeos theologica abufibus Sacerdos Paræcialis Rufticus. Of the merit of the collection, we need fay nothing, having already given our fentiments of the feveral pieces contained in it, excepting that entitled---De praxeos theologice abufibus---which is useful and judicious; and Dr. Sprat's difcourfe, which is an excellent one, and contains more good fenfe, and pertinent reflections, than are to be met with in many volumes upon the fubject. POLITICA L. R Art. 1o. A Letter to the Right Honourable the Earl of Bute, on the Preliminaries of Peace. From neither a noble Lord; a candid Member of Parliament; an impartial Briton, but, an Englishman. 8yo. Is. Nicoll, This Letter-writer need not have taken the trouble to tell us, he was neither a Lord, nor a Member of Parliament; we will venture to say, there is no one member, either of the upper or lower house, who can be at once fo illiterate and void of common fenfe as this contemptible fcrib bler. An Englishman! for fhame!-A driver of black cattle from Scotland would be afhamed of fuch English, and fuch nonsense, as are to be found in this pamphlet. 1 K-n-k Art. Art. 11. The Two Gentlemen of Verona, a Comedy. Written by Shakespeare. With Additions and Alterations, as it is performed at the Theatre - Royal in Drury-Lane. 8vo. IS. Tonfon. Although this Comedy is generally reckoned as one of Shakespeare's worft Performances, and even by many thought fo meanly of, as to be deemed the Work of fome inferior hand, in which Shakespeare bore but a very small Part; yet hath it been fo much more favourably regarded by the prefent Editor, as to be thought worth all the pains he hath taken to improve it. He obferves, in his previous advertisement, that it is the general opinion, that this comedy abounds with weeds; but he thinks no one who perufes it with Attention, will deny," that it is adorned with feveral poetical Flowers, such as the hand of a Shakespeare alone could raise.”—The_rankeft of the weeds he has endeavoured to remove, and we think with a careful and skilful hand.-Another part of his defign was to give a greater uniformity to the scenery, and a connection and confiftency to the fable, which in many places is vifibly wanted:" wherein we apprehend our Editor hath not been unsuccessful. He has also inferted two additional fcenes in the last act, of a humorous caft, and which, in our Opinion, are not inferior to any other parts, of the fame kind, in the original. Art. 12. The British Grammar: Or an Effay in four Parts, towards fpeaking and writing the English Language grammatically, and inditing elegantly. For the Ufe of the Schools of Great Bri tain and Ireland, and of private young Gentlemen and Ladies, 12mo. 3s. Millar. It has been long conceived, that the best way to acquire a grammatical knowlege of modern languages is, by firft ftudying thofe of the Ancients; whofe writings are confeffedly the models of elegance and beauty of ftyle. Our British Grammarian, however, is of a different opinion, and thinks nothing of this kind is now to be learned from them. "Will the greatest mastership," says he, "in Greek or Latin, or tranflating thefe languages into English, avail for the Purpose of acquiring an elegant English ftile? No-we know just the reverfe from woeful Experience! And as Mr. Locke and the Spectator observe, men who have threshed hard at Greek and Latin for ten or eleven Years together, are very often deficient in their own language. That the greatest Skill in, or tranflating from the Greek and Latin, will not, cannot, procure an elegant English ftyle, appears to be indifputable even from the following reafon, viz. That the learned fucceffively roaming over all the beauties of thefe ornate languages, have in courfe ranfacked all their fweets, and culled all the most expreffive and lively Flowers which now fo beautifully clothe the ftyle of our best Writers, adorn the British oratory, or embellish the most pompous and ravishing strains of a Mansfield's eloquence!" After this flourishing fpecimen of our Author's own ftile, we conceive the Reader will not prefume to call in question the propriety of those means he prescribes for acquiring a fimilar elegance. Away, then, ye Tyros! with Demofthenes, Cicero, and the reft |