Page images
PDF
EPUB

453* be bad, and carried him off a Captive from whom after everal Months Captivity, he made his Eftape, and Jerved as a Voluntier and Soldier in many Expeditions against them. Comprehending, in the whole, a Summary of the Tranfactions of the feveral Provinces in America; particularly, thofe relative to the intended Attack on Crown-Point and Niagara. And an accurate and fuccinct Detail of the Operations of the French and English Forces at the Siege of Ofwego, where the Author was wounded and taken Prifoner. Alfo a curious Difcourfe on Kidnapping. Written by himself. The Fourth Edition, with confiderable Improvements. 12mo. Price Is..

We imagine this story of Peter Williamfon to be, in general, matter of fact; with a few pardonable embellishments, by the hand of fome literary friend. It is printed for the benefit of the unfortunate Author,

Art. 13. The Double Difappointment; a Farce, as it is atted at the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. By the late Mofes Mendez, Efq; 8vo. rs. Noble.

As this diverting little piece has been frequently acted for fome years paft (tho' not published before this month) we fuppofe it fo well known, as to render a more particular account unnecessary, kom

Art. 14. ΤΑ ΣΩΖΟΜΕΝΑ ΤΩΝ ΕΛΕΓΕΙΑΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΙ ΝΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΛΥΡΙΚΩΝ ΠΟΙΗΤΩΝ - ΠΡΟΣΤΙΘΕΝΤΑΙ ΚΑΙ ΣΚΟΛΙΑ ΤΙΝΑ. 8vo. 3s. Οxon.

The shortest and cleareft account we can give of this performance, is that prefixed to it; which is as follows...

LECTORI S.

• Relliquias hafce fatis tibi commendabit vel ipfarum venuftas, vel magnorum Auctorum nomina; quorum quid fuperfit, fere nemo <est paulo re literaria provectior, qui non cupide anquifiverit, Elegiaca ex Athenæo, Stobæo, alliifque quibus erant difperfa, pleraque nos collegimus: Fulvii Urfini libro rariffimo præcipue ufi fuimus in Lyricis edendis; quæ autem fragmenta valde corrupta, aut paucorum effent verborum, poene omnibus confulto prætermiffis eamque auximus partem Iambis Simonides, Erinnes ode, Archilochi relliquiis, & fragmentis quibufdam Pindari. Scolia maxime haufimus ex Athenxo, apud quem eorum nonnulla curiofæ admodum materiæ & perquam elegantia, dudum nullo in medium proferente, latitarunt. Locis plurimis emaculandis, illuftrandis & reftituendis egregiam nanavit operam Cafaubonus; aliquam & nos. Omifimus interpretationem Latinam tum quod nulli fatis bone offendimus, tum quod ita facilia funt pleraque, ut ea omnino non egeant: fi quid vero difficilius occurrat, id in Notis, quas diverforum bene multas addidimus, fere femper explicabitur. Sine Accentibus denique canfte dedimus impreffa, partim rei ratione ad• dufti,

6

2

ducti, partim auctoritate Academiæ, quæ Theocritum fuum ita im* primi voluit. Vale'

We have nothing to add to this account, but that the work is neatly printed, and on a good paper.

R

Art. 15. The Landon Pocket-Book, for the Year 1760. In two Parts. I. A Compendious Memorandum-Book, properly divided to anfwer the most common Purposes in Bufinefs, for every Day through the Year. After which follow feveral ufeful Tables. II. A Common Place Book, with an Index, after the Plan laid down by the celebrated Mr. Locke. Very useful for registering in a methodical Manner, any miscellaneous Hints and Obfervations relative to Trade and Literature, which may occur to Mind, or be met with in Reading; and which are often loft for want of a proper Repofitory. The whole equally adapted to the Purposes of the Gentleman and Tradesman. Griffiths and Henderson.

I's. 6d.

If we allow the truth of the conclufion of this title, it is all that a publication of this nature can require.

POETICA L.

Art. 16. Daphnis and Menalcas: A Paftoral. Sacred to the Memory of the late General Wolfe, and humbly inscribed to the Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq; 4to. Is. Dodfley.

This is one of those humble imitations of ancient paftoral Elegy, which never fail to appear after the death of any confiderable perfonage. A complimentary introduction to the Patron of the Poem, as utual; the two Shepherds alternately praife and lament the Hero, as ufual; and one fings him dead, and the other, at laft, fings him to life again, as ufual alfo. The Poet's idea of a proper monument for the occafion, may, perhaps, afford a hint or two to the Sculptor who is to exhibit, to future ages, the fentiments of the prefent, concerning this General: Raife to his memory,' &c. fays the Poet, in the Paftoral ftile, and proceeds thus:

The Hero lies

As if in pleafing flumbers; closed his eyes,
That martial ardour still, in death, expreis'd,

That country's love which warm'd his dauntless breast.
With wreaths of laurel let his brows be bound,

With broken arms and truncheons ftrew the ground,

Plant armies, fenates, princes weeping round.
By golden armour, and a radiant creft;
A martial port, diftinguished from the rest.
Place noble Granby, Amherst, Townshend there,
Mourning their friend, and brother of the war.
Fixt as a ftatue near his much lov'd fide,
In filent forrow, place the beauteous Bride.

}

But

But oh!, what magic fculpture can exprefs
The parents grief, the mother's deep diftrefs!
Like Hector's mother be the matron laid,
A fable mantle o'er her reverend head,
Growing to earth, and grovling on the dead.
Then fhew the royal fire, with outfpread hands
And lifted eyes (as now, perhaps, he stands)
Invoking heaven, &c.

This

This sketch of the picture may be fufficient to fhew, that the Author is neither a very good nor a very bad poet. His rural Swains. like thofe of moft of his predeceffors, talk much too fublimely for perfons of their rank.

B-t

Art. 17. An Ode, facred to the Memory of General Wolfe. Folio. 6d. Millan.

Here we find the Heroe's virtues prettily rehearsed, but without that enthufiaftic fublimity of expreffion and thought fo effential to this kind of poetry: yet the following Hanza will fhew, that the poem is not entirely devoid of either.

Lo! Britain's Genius fmooths his brow fevere,

And on our triumph smiles with transport feign'd;
And strives to hide the gently stealing tear,

That mourns for victories he would have gain'd.

Illuftrious form! accept the Poet's pray'r!

For Britain's fake preferve the facred page!

From Time, from Death, the glorious pattern spare,
And point it to thy fons in ev'ry age.

There fhall they learn to bring thee conqueft home,
And if they fall-laurels like his fhall fhade their tomb.

Thus ends the poem: which is, undoubtedly, one of the best that has appeared on this interefting occafion.

Bt.

Art, 18. Triumph in Death, or Death triumphant, exemplified in the Death of the late glorious, and ever bleffed in Memory, Major-General Wolfe, 4to. 6d. Thrush.

The verfes are as nonfenfical as their title page.

Art. 19. The Defcent of Cæfar on Britain. A poetical Effay. 4to. 6 d. Davey and Law.

A very uninteresting performance, tho' the poetry is, in general, far from contemptible. B-t

Art. 20. On the Birth-Day of his Royal Highness George Prince of Wales, a Poem. Written on the 4th of June, 1759. By Mr. Thomas Morey. Folio. 1s. Cabe.

No doubt but this Writer had very substantial motives for informing the public, that his poem was written on the day which it celebrates, although we cannot guefs at his reafon for mentioning this

cir

circumstance; unless it were to hint to us, the facility with which he atchieved this great work-begun and finished in one day! But let him not plume himself too much on this circumstance; fince Truth obliges us to declare, that had he employed but half an hour in this production, it was half an hour thrown away: för, indeed, ninetimes nine fuch Poets as Mr. Morey would not make even a Tate.

Art. 21. A Monody on the Death of General Wolfe. 4to. I S. Thrush.

A nonfenfical Catchpenny.

POLITICAL.

Art. 22. The Soliloquy of the most renowned the Marshal Duke de Belle-Ifle. 8vo. 1

Seymour.

The Duke de Belle-ifle is here made to entertain himself with a ftupid recapitulation of all the advantages gained by the English, during the prefent war; but the Author has made the Duke talk rather in the language of a City 'Prentice than of a Nobleman: the fubftance too, is altogether worthy of the form. In a word, the scheme of this wretched, illiterate pamphlet, is no other than an impudent attempt to pick the pockets of its purchafers.

Art. 23. A Dialogue betwixt General Wolfe and the Marquis Montcalm, in the Elyfian Fields. 8vo. 6d. Rivington and Fletcher.

We fuppofe this comes from the fame profound Politician, who favoured us with the "Lamentations of the People of France; vid. the first article in our Catalogue for laft month. Need we fay more to recommend it to public notice?

RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERSIAL.

Art. 24. Dr. Free's Edition of the Rev. Mr. John Wesley's Second Letter, with Prolegomena for the better Information of the ftudious English Reader: and a perpetual Comment upon the original Text, addreffed to the Rev. Author. 8vo. is. Sandby, &c.

Dr. Free feems willing to have the laft Word with the Methodists. He appears very apprehenfive that these people are undermining the eftablished religion, and may, if fuffered to go on, proceed till they blow up the Church: but we fincerely with the good Doctor would make himself eafy on that head, and take to himself the excellent advice which Gamaliel gave to the Jews. "And now I fay unto "you, refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this work "be of men, it will come to nought."

THE

MONTHLY REVIEW,

For DECEMBER, 1759.

An Introduction to Phyfiology, being a Course of Lectures upon the most important Parts of the Animal Oeconomy: In which the Nature and Seat of many Difeafes is [are] pointed out, and explained; their curative Indications fettled; and the neceffary Connection between regular Practice, and a Knowlege of the Structure and Ufe of the Parts is evinced and illuftrated. By Malcolm Flemyng, M. D. 8vo. 6s. Nourse.

H

AVING thoroughly read a few of the twenty-eight Lectures which compofe this volume, and dipped into more of them, we think we may, with juftice to our Readers, let part of Dr. Flemyng's Preface give the fubfequent account of the purpose and limitation of this well-intended, ufeful, and laborious work, which he modeftly apologizes for at the same time.

Although many excellent Treatifes on the Animal Oeconomy have been published of late years, yet a compendious body thereof, comprized in one volume, of a moderate fize and price, but withal fo comprehensive as to serve, in a competent measure, for a foundation, in its kind, of a ⚫ rational and regular practice, to Readers previously inftructed in Anatomy, feemed to be ftill wanting in our language; efpecially for the ufe of beginners; and above all, for those whofe lot it may be to practife the Healing Art at home or abroad, by fea or by land, without having had the benefit Vol. XXI.

[ocr errors]

Ii

of

« PreviousContinue »