two idle ftories above mentioned, which the maker of them, in his advertisement, would impofe upon his readers for true hiftories. We fancy thefe may be numbered among the many forgeries of the greatest booksmith of the age.

Art. 13. The Art of Farriery, both in theory and practice. Containing the caufes, fymptoms, and cure of all difeafes incident to Horfes. With anatomical defcriptions illuftrated with cuts, for the better explaining the ftructure, and accounting for the various diforders of thefe ufeful animals. As alfo many rules relating to the choice and management of horses of all kinds, and useful directions how to prevent being impofed on by jockies. Wherein fome egregious errors of former writers are occafionally pointed out. By John Reeves, farrier, at Ringwood Hants. The whole revijed, corrected, and enlarged by a Phyfician. To which is added, a new method of curing a strain in the back finews, and the anatomy of a horfe's leg, with fome obfervations on shoeing, by an eminent furgeon. 8vo. 6s. Newbery.

With respect to this performance, let it fuffice to obferve, that our Author feems to have confiderably availed himself of the Labours of preceding writers on the fame fubject; and though all his propofed improvements on thefe are not of equal importance, there are feveral that appear to deferve attention. The addition concerning a fprain, with the anatomy of a horfe's leg, for which the publick are obliged to Mr. Dale Ingram, furgeon, are, by no means, the leaft ufeful part of this compilation.

2

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Art. 14. A collection of letters, and ftate papers, from the origi nal manufcripts of feveral princes and great perfonages in the two laft centuries; with fome curious and fearce tracts, and pieces of antiquity, modern letters, &c. on feveral important fubjects, in two volumes. To which are added memoirs of the unfortunate prince Anthony the first of Portugal, and the oeconomy of high-life. Compiled by L. Howard, D. D. Rector of St. George's, Southwark, and chaplain to her royal highness the Princess Dowager of Wales. 4to. 2 vols. One Guinea. Printed for the Author, and fold by Withers in Fleet-ftreet.

Thefe volumes, (which were printed in the year 1756, but did not fall into our hands till very lately) contain a number of letters, papers, and fome few poems, written upon affairs not only of public concern, but comprehending alfo others of a private nature, and fome pieces of familiar correfpondence, very few of which merit prefervng. As the fubjects of these papers are various, fo likewife are the times in which they were wrote; (from thofe of Richard III. to the prefent) and they are promifcuously placed, with little regard to ei ther the one or the other.

Kk 3

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From

From the indigefted manner in which they are prefented to the world, they appear to no fmall difadvantage: Dr. Howard, however, in his preface, apologizes for this irregularity; by informing his readers, that, while he was preparing the work for the prefs, a fudden accident of fire confumed the greateft part of the collected manufcripts. The check which the publication thus met with, caufed, it feems, many cenfures to be paffed upon our collector; andinduced him to advertise his readiness to return the fubfcription-money to those who were not willing to wait a longer time for the promifed collection: which we are told only one accepted. His defire to produce the work as foon as poffible, and clear a reputation very freely dealt with, made him fend a letter to the prefs as foon as he received it, which was often followed by another of a prior date. Hence that confufion in the arrangement of the pieces, which he fays he has endeavoured, in fome measure, to rectify by the index; but no fuch index appears in the fet we perufed; in which there is only a common table of contents.

The tract at the end, intitled, The Economy of High Life,' is of the Doctor's own writing.

POETICA L.

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Art. 15. A Bone for the Chroniclers to pick; or a take-off Scene from behind the curtain. A Poem. By a candid Obferver of men and things. 8vo. 6d. Scott.

A fmart fatire on the principal manager of Drury-lane theatre. It feems to come from a writer, who has been difappointed in his view of bringing a play upon the faid theatre; and who, in his preface, intimates his having also been perfonally ill-ufed by the great Taker-off of the age whom he here endeavours to repay in his own coin. The oddness of the title of his poem, A Bone, &c. will be readily accounted for by those who read the news-papers entitled Chronicles; in which certain accounts of the plays acted nightly at either houfe are commented upon, with continual eulogiums on the productions, and performers, of Drury-lane.

Art. 16. Woman. A Fragment. 4to. 1 s. Withy.

This poetical fcrap anticipates all criticifm; for our modest Bard thus invokes his flatternly mufe:

Come then a tale, nor let that tale pretend,
To numbers, order, elegance, or end.

It must be confeffed, that he has fucceeded to his wifh, if he is ambitious of being ranked among the mob of Authors who write with cafe; and with whom negligence and incoherence are the ftandards of perfection. Neverthelefs there is fomething of fpirit and fmartness in this rambling piece, which proves the Writer not to be totally void of genius. The Reader, probably, will not diflike the following defcription of a Modern fine Lady.

Th'

Th' alluring Lucia in that riper age,

When eyes and tongue all tongues and eyes engage,
Crept from the rude advance of caftern light,
Sips in her fleep the flatt'ry of the night.
On morning flumbers paft atchievements fteal,
And vanity on vifion makes a meal.
Faft through her foul a valt fucceffion flies
Of routs, of earthquakes, op'ras, lace, and lies.
Oh did fuch fpestres fill appear in fleep,
Beauties and Beaux in bed would ever keep!
Too foon the lov'd delufion fcapes away,
And Lucia fpies at twelve the break of day.
Then, at the toilette, as th' exploring eye
Runs here and there on tucco wet and dry,
Recruiting Cupids for th' approach of night,
Her nimble finger taps the patch aright;
Adds, moiftens, fmooths, or magnifies a grace,
And kindles up the fuel of the face;
Culls, from the fresh fupply of ev'ry morn,
What beft will darken, and what beft adorn,
What France or India, water, earth, or air,
Pall mall, or Covent-garden has to spare;
Whatever heads of milliners devife,

To bend what nature meant a bone to rise,
Or, where ungracious freckles vex the fair,
To bring a troop of loves t'inhabit there;
Deck'd with whatever is in windows ey'd,
With rings and ribbons, patches, pearls, and pride.
Already reck'ning captives yet unled,
She fwell in majelty of white and red.

Ev'ning arriv'd, foft feafon of the day,
When stars are apt in fpite to lead aftray,
Hidden with hues, the gift of hungry art,
Exactly varied in each varying part;
Sweet as ambrofial gales of fpicy lands,
In form of effence dropp'd on British hands;
By chance the calls to kill at ev'ning prayer,
Perhaps a patriot, and perhaps a play'r.
Or if the drum fhould beat to love's alarms,
And four contending kings advance in arms,
Amour and av'rice feize the foul by turns,
And now for Mammon, now for Man fhe burns,
As fhifts the veering fortune of the fight,
The vict'refs or the victim of the night.

R-d Art. 17. The Wedding-Night; or, the Perplex'd Lovers. A Tale. 8vo. I s. Thrush.

Miferable trash; probably the work of fome wretched balladmaker.

Art. 18. Characters of the Age. A panegyrico-fatirical Poem. (wrote in the year 1757.) With notes variorum.

KK 4

To which

is

is prefixed, an Addrefs to the Shade of the late Lord Bolingbrokes 4to. I s. No Publisher's name.

An imitation of the famous poems published fome years ago, entitled, the Caufidicade, the Epifcopade, &c. and, like them, abounding with more farcafm than poetry. It muft, however, be observed, in juftice to this anonymous Bard, that he feems not to have exerted the utmost of his poetical abilities in this production; and that he appears to have defignedly kept pretty clofe to his rough-caft model, the Author of the Caufidicade, of whofe verfes he does not exprefs any high admiration; for he thus invokes the muse which inspired that rumbling Writer.

O thou Mufe that fage Morgan infpir'd

With doggrel call'd verfe, that was fo much admired;
Whate'er be thy name, and where'er be thy flation,
Aflift me to celebrate this happy nation.

It must also be allowed, that fome parts of this poem, particularly the panegyrical fketches, are by no means unharmonious: fuch, for inftance, as the verfes in praife of Lord Lyttleton; for which we refer to the pamphlet, p. 21-23.

The characters here fatirized, are thofe of the D of C-b-d; the late D of M-bh; the Gentlemen of Exeter College, Oxon; G1 Ce; C-1 D--nb-r; Sir J-n M- mt, Mr. F-x, Ld H-dw-k, the D-e of Ne, Mr. Nt, Sir J▬▬s L——————————r, L-d Ay; and another, who being as underneath characterised, needs not be named, viz.

Horfe racer, cock-fighter, gocfe-driver and p-——r,
(Or what other title thou pleafeft to bear)

To leave thee unfung, would be reckon'd a fhame,
While each groom, in each ftable, thy feats does proclaim.
Your betting and riding N--wmt can tell,

And Ar affirms that you throw a die well.

In arts bleft as thefe, to improve for the future,

All our young British worthies, may you be their tutor !

The above are our Satirii's land werthies; the following are ce Jebrated for their atchievements by fea, viz. a Mn, a Pt, a He, a Ks, and an A----n. Thofe who have the honour of his applaufe are the Kg of P-a, Mr. P---t, Mr. L-- -, L--d Lyn, L-d Ch---rfd, Ld Gre, Meff Braddock, Howe, Lockhart, Gilchritt, Wa:fon, Pocock, and Clive; together with fome of our prelates, living and dead; and the truly venerable Dr. Hales brings up the rear.

This publication, however, is very ill timed. The title-page tells us, it was wrote for the year 1757; fince when many happy changes of circumftance have happened. The English, whom the Author

Pofterity,' fays the Author, in his note on this paffage, will fearce believe, that the Nobility and Gentry of this century, not contented with the ufual diverfions, laid confiderable wagers whether geefe or turkies could " run fafe. However what I have related is fact,'

charges with behaving ill, and doing nothing, either by fea or land, have greatly retrieved their reputation on both elements; and in particular, the behaviour of the late D. of M. in 1758, must have justly rendered his memory refpectable, both in his own and even in the enemy's country, where he was equally feared and honoured, as an active and generous foe...Not to mention the mal-apropos publication of the fatire, juft at the time of the Duke's death; for which, indeed, the Writer is not answerable, as we can witnefs for him that it was published a day or two before his Grace's death was known in England. Of this circumftance we could not but take notice, becaule of the ill timed appearance of fuch a production. As to the Author, we know not who he is, nor are able fo much as to gueís at him: neither do we approve of either his poem in general, or his principles. He has abufed fome worthy characters, for which his formance is highly blameable; and we fufpect him to bear no great good will to the prefent Royal Family: or, at leaft, to fome who' are its moft undoubted friends. For this, (if our fufpicion is juft) ́ he is himself, perhaps, rather to be pitied than condemned; as it must be more the misfortune than the crime of an individual, to be. blind and infenfible to the happiness which the whole nation, in general, and poffibly himfelf in particular, enjoys, under the prefent happy establishment,-beyond whatever it experienced in any former reign.

O blind to truth, and God's whole fcheme below,

To fancy Blifs to Chains, to FREEDOM Woe!

Who fees and follows that GREAT SCHEME the beft,
Bett knows the bleffing, and will mott be bleft.

MEDICA L.

per

Art. 19. The Construction of the Nerves, and Caufes of Nervous Disorders practically explained. With a distinction of thofe difeafes into two kinds, hitherto not fufficiently obferved, tho' effential to their cure. With plain directions for nervous patients, in regard to management and medicines; and a few useful receipts. By Chriftian Uvedale, M. D. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Baldwin.

This pamphlet, which is now acknowleged by Dr. Hill, with his name prefixed to the laft edition, was first published under the name above-mentioned; with an affirmation in the title page of its being a faithful account of his own [Dr. Uvedale's] practice, pub'ifhed at the request of fome patients, who have found its benefit.' This faithful account it was poffible the public might fuppofe to be fuch from Dr. Uvedale, whom they knew not, but not equally poilible they would fully digeft, with regard to Dr. Hill, whom they know; whence we find it omitted, not imprudently, in the title-page of the edition to which his real name is prefixed. Nevertheless, as the performance itfelf is the fubject of our confideration, by whatever little artifice it may have on upon the public, we fhall obferve in general, that it treats of the Nerves themfelves in the lump or aggregate; of their diforders arifing from heavinefs, or from too much fenfibility, together with the caufes and treatment of fuch diforders. These are all comprized in twelve fhort chapters, which, to render the fale more ex

five, are delivered in as plain a ftile as poffible, with fcarcely a Engle term of art. Even the ufual names of different nerves dif

ea.es