DRAMATIC.

The Family Party; a Comic Piece, in Two As, as acted at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. 8vo. 15. D brett.

This little farce is written in the fpirit of Foote, and the author feems to have looked up to him in more than one instance, unless a rigid critic will infift that Papillon's ftory in the Lyar is only a copy of the servant of Bookwit, in the Lying Lover of Steele. With this fpirit of our Ariftophanes, we meet with much of the equivoque of the younger Colman, or rather, perhaps, of the author of the First Floor; and the acid united with fo much sweetness, must make an agreeable fherbet, a cooling liquor for the fummer evenings.

As It Should be: a Dramatic Entertainment, in One Att: as performed at the Theatre Royal in the Haymarket. 8vo. Lowndes.

15.

As thefe little pieces fhould not be tried by the rigid rules of criticifm, we may be allowed to be pleafed without a certi ficate from Ariftotle, and without being too exact in estimating probabilities. The character of Lord Megrim is, we believe, new; and the adventures in this bufy little drama are numerous; and the general conduct interesting.

Half an Hour after Supper: an Interlude, in One Act, as performed at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. 8vo. 15. Debrett.

The adventures of the novel-readers, in the Half Hour after Supper, are pleafing and entertaining; but they carry the jest farther than to be entertained with fictitious elopements. Two fharpers are introduced, one of whom catches the aunt, after he has been difappointed in carrying away the niece.

L'Ecole du Scandale, ou Les Mœurs du Jour, Comedie par Monfieur Sheridan: Traduite en François, par Mr. Bunel Delille, tvo. 25. 6d. Debrett.

This lively Frenchman, who, to ufe his own words, is as well acquainted with usurers, as the diffipated hero of the play, but not fo fortunate in an uncle Oliver, has tranflated Mr. Sheridan's pleasant comedy with great fpirit, and as much humour as his language will admit of. From what copy the tranflation was executed, we are not told: the only paffage which relates to it is worded with a studied obfcurity; it occurs in the Dedication to lord M'Donald.

You know, my lord, in what a myfterious way this piece, which was never printed except clandeftinely, was found latt fummer in a folio manufcript on my table; and, if you please to recollect, after informing you of the accident, I ran to Mr. Sheridan, to afk his permiffion" to tranfplant, in our climate, this precious flower, which would bear truit in every country, and do honour to the gardener." Mr. Sheridan was willing to give up the plant to my care, without being afraid of its dying VOL. LXVIII. Sept 1789.

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in my hands.' This teftimony does not amount to an acknowledgment that his copy was the original; or that Mr. Sheridan confidered it as a faithful tranfcript. In this ftate we cannot make it an object of our more particular regard: fo far as our recollection reaches, it is a faithful, and often an elegant tranflation of the comedy, as it is furreptitiously circulated, said to be printed in Dublin. 1

The author apologizes for giving this play the title of Ecole du Scandale, fince the proper French word for scandal is mediJance; but his apology is at the expence of the author. The first acts only, fays he, relate to fcandal. It may perhaps be afked, to what the fubfequent acts relate? Is it to medifance, fcandale, or any fingle word French or English?

In reality, Mr. Sheridan's play is calculated to make criticifm afhamed, and even difarm the Stagyrite of his severity; for almost every rule of the drama is violated, and the reader cannot, for a moment, believe a defcription, which is fo totally void of probability, real. But the fpectator forgets all the faults: he fees it again and again with fresh pleasure; nor does he for a moment think of the unity of time or place, or probąbility or confiftency,

MEDICAL.

A Treatife on the Diseases of Children with general Directions for the Management of Infants from the Birth. By Michael Underwood, M. D, A new Edition, revised and enlarged. In 2 Vols. 12mo. 6s. Matthews,

The first edition we commended in our LVIIIth volume, p. 425. It is now enlarged in almoft every part, andmany new complain's as well as new directions are added, till it is brought to more than double its former bulk. In general, we think it much improved; though, in this enlarged form, many circum. ftances, perhaps too trifling for medical practitioners, are admitted.

A Practical Treatife on the Gonorrhea, and on the fuperior Eficacy of the Cure by Injection. By Peter Clare, Surgeon. 8vo, 15. Cadell.

We examined the first edition of this little tract in Volume LI. p. 393, and we now perceive that its excellence or popularity, for they are by no means fynonymous, has brought it to the fifth edition, In this interval there have been fome omiffions, and formulæ for injections are added. We do not find any new arguments for the practice, which experience has not yet unexceptionably established, and which is certainly not advifeable in the early stages.

Speculations on the Mode and Appearances of Impregnation in the Human Female, with an Examination of the prefent Theories of Generation. By a Phyfician. 25. 6d. Elliott and Kay. Thefe Speculations are written with peculiar force, elegance,

and

and delicacy, The author oppofes every fyftem, except that (fuggefted first, we believe, in a Treatife of Midwifery, by Dr. Johnion, in quarto) of abforption. We think, however, that he fails in his attack on his predeceffor's fyftems, and in the Support of his own. The abilities, however, difplayed in this work are by no means inconfiderable; but in fuch an abstruse enquiry it is no disgrace to fail.

An Effay on the Erysipelatous Sore Throat. To which is fubjoined, an Account of a Cafe of Hemiplegia. By Thomas Reeve, Sur geon. 8vo. 15. 6d. Richardfon.

This Effay is plain and practical: we find in it little to blame and as little to praife. Our author's gargles are, however, neither warm nor antifeptic, enough; and the exploded contrayerva, with bark, are the proper medicines for this purpose. When the ftomach rejects bark, Mr. Reeve gives it in glyfters: this may be right; but, unless there is much putrid fever, eating a few pepper-corns will anfwer as well.

A Treatife upon the Typhus Fever: published for the Benefit of eftablishing a Lying-in Hofpital, in Baltimore. By George Bu chanan, M. D. 12mo. Is. Baltimore printed by Goddard. We have feldom met with a more peculiar work; every au thor quoted is either great or ingenious; and almost every name is mifpelt. We cannot accufe the printer of all thele faults. The fubftance is neither peculiar nor ftriking. Dr. Buchanan hints at the ufe of mercury in typhus, which we fhould fufpect would be injurious; and many parts of the treat ment which are common, he explains with great oftentation and parade. In general, we find nothing new or interefling in the pamphlet.

DIVINITY. A Differtation on the Message from John the Baptift to our Saviour; St. Luke vii. 19. With Remarks on the Hiftory of his Life and Minifiry. The fecond Edition. By C. W. Batt, A. M. 8vo. 25. 6d. ferved. Cadell.

We examined the first edition of this work in our LXVIth volume, p. 216. Since that time the discovery has been claimed by Mr. Wakefield; and our author tells us that it may be originally found in Dr. Jackfon's works, published near the middle of the last century. The conjecture, though a happy one, is not fo recondite but that it may have occurred to many different authors. The edition, before us is greatly enlarged and improved.

The true Ground and Nature of Spiritual Beauty and Deformity confidered and explained, with fame important Uses thence derias ed, in two Sermons, preached at St. John's Church, Manchefter, ty the Rev. 7. Clowes, M. A. 800. 15. Printed by C. Wheeler, Manchester.

To the fpiritualizers of the last century we are not much in

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debted either for the advancement of true religion or of real knowledge. Mr. Clowes, who goes on almost in their steps, is not more intelligible or inftructive: at least we own that we have no idea of the form of a fpirit;' and we do not think a • lamb, a dove, or a rofe,' beautiful merely because they are the reprefentative forms of that beautiful fpirit of life, from whence they fpring;' or a wolf, bat, or thifile ugly, becaufe they are the reprefentative forms in outward nature of a disorderly, montirous, and ugly life.'

Paffages concerning the Lord's Prayer, and its internal Senfe. Selected from the Writings of the Hon. Emanuel Swedenborg, Servant of the Lord Jefus Chrift. For the Ufe of the Lord's New Church. 12mo. 15. Chalklen.

That the refignation infpired by the duty of prayer, and by prayers being offered with a lowly and contrite heart, is one of the great advantages which the devout fupplicant reaps from the performance of that duty, may be allowed; but the divifion of prayers of the lips, of the understanding, and the will, is rather fanciful than folid. The preface is contined to disculsions of this kind, and the work itself is a commentary on the Lord's Prayer, col'ected from the works of the arch-vilionary mentioned in the title page.

A Pions Meditation, compofed in the laft Century, by John Whit fon, Efq. Alderman of the City of Briftel. To which is prefixed, fome Account of the Author, collected from authentic Records, by G. S. Catcott. Eno. 15. 6d. Palmer. Bristol.

Mr. Whitfon, from an obfcure ftation, by induftry, integrity, and a little good fortune, became mayor of, and reprefentative in parliament for the city of Bristol. He was pious, benevolent, and charitable. His piety is strongly evinced in the Meditation before us; more strongly indeed than his force of mind, or his literary acquifitions; but the last defect we ought not to blame as his fault, but to lament as his misfortune. This is the third edition of the Meditation, and it is reprinted by Mr. Catcott to introduce fome particulars of Mr. Whitfon's Life.

SLAVE TRADE.

The univerfal Rights of Humanity afferted, and applied to the State of the fuffering Africans. By Philadelphos. 8vo. 15. Gardner. This publication is in fact a very long fermon on the flavetrade, from the 24th, 25th, and 26th of the Acts. It contains many ferious and forcible arguments on the fide of the advo cates for the abolition. But the author in the following extract, and in fome preceding and fubfequent pages, has certainly milled himself, or means to mislead his readers. When he fpeaks of the Africans who are the objects of the flave trade, he lays,

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In former ages, bleft with ftrength of mind to conceive,

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and abilities to cultivate, not merely the more common arts and fciences of which Europeans make their boast, but to investigate thofe of the most abftrufe and complex nature, and elucidate them in short, their mental faculties have appeared equal, in past ages, if not fuperior, to thofe of colder climates; they have produced the most pious and judicious divines, the moit fagacious ftatefmen, the most accomplished and fuccefsful generals, the keenest and most penetrating lawyers, the most fage and learned phyficians, the most ingenious and skilful mechanics (which occationed a law about the year 328, or 329, to employ Africans in preference to others, through the wide, extended empire of Rome, for their docility in learning, and their supe riority of skill, after inftruction, in improving upon mechanical inventions), the moft brilliant characters in every walk of life, from the humble citizen to the elevated prince that wields the fceptre. And this may, in fome degree, be explained on rational principles: viz. A climate replete with ftriking, natural images prefented to the imagination and judgment, together with their food; which is adapted, not to burden the body, or darken the mind, but leave the faculties fufficient room to difplay themfelves to advantage. And as they once were eminent for thefe excellencies, to what can their prefent failure be af cribed, but a neglect of instruction, a lofs of those means of improvement they once happily poffeffed.'

We readily admit all this to be true of fome of the inhabitants of Africa, but not of the Negroes, who are the fole subjects of the flave-trade, as well as of this author's difcuffion. It is the fyftem of M. Volney unreafonably extended, which, even in a more limited fenfe, we found to be inadmiffible. The philofopher must obferve with a finile the abfurd extremes into which controverfial writers run. Whilft this author endeavours to exalt the Negroes above all others of the human race, others have not fcrupled to advance that they are only a fuperior fpecies of monkeys. The truth, as ufual, lies between the two

extremes.

Obfervations, occafioned by the Attempts made in England to effect the Abolition of the Slave Trade; fhewing the Manner in which Negroes are treated in the British Colonies in the Weft Indies. By G. Francklyn, Efq. 8vo. 23. 6d. Walter.

Mr. Francklyn has not only answered Mr. Clarkson, but the dean of Middleham; and gives, on the whole, a favourable, in general we believe a juft, account of the flaves fituation. We fay we believe it to be just, because we had occafion many years fince to receive more than one account in fimilar terms, before the party virulence and the heat of contest had contributed to obfcure the facts. The following inftance, and fimilar ones we have often hinted at, will fhow, that the Negro's state cannot be, in general, unhappy:

Thousands of Negroes have been made free by their maf

ters