as well as of amufing their fancies, from the perufal of The Young Widow.' Yet, while we allow our author this advan tage, we cannot compliment him on his fuccefs in what appears to us his new employment. The epifode of Giuliana is excellent though at the expence of a little proba ility: the letters of Cornelia will perhaps be styled sermons; and, with all our refpect for religion, we think the third volume hangs he vy on the hands; while Cornelia's motive for rejecting Seymour becaufe of his tendency to infidelity, will not appear to many readers a fufficiently valid one for the hinge on which the whole plot turns. We fhould not have noticed this part, but to point out a strong contraft in our author's gentle treatment of feduction, and a life of avowed incontinency in Edmund and Sylvia. The story does not end happily; but, not to leave the reader in diftrefs, the author gives a fupplement, and refumes the narrative, after a period of fifteen years, to unite the children of Cornelia with thofe of the brother of Edmund. From the increased bulk of the fourth volume, this addition feems to have been made at the fuggeftion of fome experienced critic, who knew the prevailing female rafte for a happy, and confequently, in their opinion, for a matrimonial conclufion.

Doncafter Races; or the Hiftory of Mifs Maitland. A Tale of Truth. In a Series of Letters. Published from the Original, with interefting Additions. By Alexander Bicknell. 12mo. 5s. Stalker.

Mr. Bicknell was editor of Mrs. Bellamy's Apology, Captain Carver's Travels, &c. and he tells us, in his preface, that thefe works have been indebted in no inconsiderable degree to his pen for the univerfal approbation fhewn to them.' We point out this confeffion by the author of interefting additions,' that the public may be aware of the deception; and not quote as authentic, memoirs and travels which owe their merit to the editor, and his own fupplementary remarks. In the work before us, we know not how much is real, and how much may be styled interefting additions;' but the whole is trite, flimfy, and improbable. The remarks on Egypt, fo artificially brought in, and fo unfkilfully gleaned from Savary and Volney, may be perhaps the work of the editor; but, for the future, we must diftruft an author who will first deceive, and then boast of his deception.

Priory of St. Bernard, an Old English Tale, being the firft lite rary Production of a young Lady. 2 Vols. 12mo. 55. Lane. There is, as may be expected, much fancy, a luxuriance of defcription, and no little improbability in this work. The young lady steps in the veftiges of mifs Lee and other novellifts, and violates a little the truth of history, by reprefenting Richard as fickle, inconftant, and unjuft. Yet, on the whole, it is a pleafing piece; and the young lady's opinion, that all her fe male perfonages are happy in the married state, shows thar fhe

berfelf

herself entertains favourable expectations when fhe follows their example: we hope fhe will not be difappointed.

The Spectre. In Two Volumes.

Stockdale.

Small 8vo.

65. fewed.

Our author's aim, in this novel, has been to mix general obfervation and more ferious difcuffion with adventure. This plan has, however, as little novelty as the ftory of the Spectre, which, in fubftance, has been repeated'y detailed, particularly in the Sylph, and more clofely in an old novel entitled the Apparition. There is great improbability alfo in the conduct, and little that can intereft in the character or fituations.

The few difcuffions which occur in this work deserve a better character. Perhaps the criticifin on Emmeline is too fevere: the defence of public chools is on a better foundation; and we muft neceffarily approve of it, fince, in a former examination of the queftion, we were led to reason from the fame pofitions, The little epi'ode in the Grecian iflands, we could have wished to have been more extended: at prefent the modern Greek poetry is m ft interefting; but fome of the thoughts resemble. fo much the concetti of the Italians, and fome thole of little fugiti e English poems, that we hesitate in allowing their authenity on anonymous authority. The first is perhaps one of the beft.

The rofe, when dews of night are shed,
That folds its leaves and bows its head,
Shall to the genial beams of day
Its blufhing beauties full difplay.
Ah! when fhall Anthia's beauties rife
Avain to blefs thefe longing eyes?
Eyes that must clofe in endless night,
If the delay to charm their fight.
She comes, the lovely virgin fee!
She comes again to love and me.
Before the radiance of her eye
The gloomy fhades of forrow fly.
Not fo reviving morning's light
To flow'rs that wither, chill'd by night,
As the fweet hopes her imiles impart

To cheer with joy my drooping heart.'

Yet, notwithstanding fome fimilarity, we ought not to be too faftidious, for many paffages in thefe volumes fhow that the author is a man of taste, of judgment, and of learning.

MISCELLANEOUS. The Authentic Correfpondence between the Duke of Richmond and Lord Rawdon. With an Appendix; containing Authentic Papers refpecting the Affair between the Duke of York and Lieut. Col. Lenox. 8vo. 15. Ridgway.

The correfpondence between the duke of Richmond and lord Rawdon relative to fome expreffions fuppofed to have been used

by

by the former in parliament, took place in February 1782, and was at that time fully detailed in the public prints. To that correfpondence, however, which the editor of the prefent pamphlet very induftriously refeues from oblivion, he has added authentic papers refpecting the affair between the duke of York and lieut. col. Lenox ;' in which he has likewise been anticipated by the news papers We are forry that the editor cannot employ his time to no better purpofe than malignantly raking into the embers of difcord which cannot be too foon extinguished.

Letter to the King: in which the Conduct of Mr. Lenox and the Minifter, in the Affair with his Royal Highness the Duke of York, is fully confidered. By Theophilus Swift, Efq. 8vo 1s. 6d. Ringway.

In this Letter, Mr. Theophilus Swift profeffes to have fully confidered the conduct of Mr. Lenox and the minister in the affair with the duke of York; but had he confidered it a little more fully, his opinion would have been very different. That the minifter fhould be dragged into a difpute in which he had no concern, may juftly appear furprifing; but the artisce probably fuited the pu pole of the author, who appears to be a violent party-man. A Letter to Sir William Augußus Brown, Bart. on a late Affair of Honour with Colonel Lenox; and the Correfpondence with the bon. Colonel Phipps. By heophilus Swift, Efq. 8vo. 15. 6d. Ridgway.

This letter relates to the late affair of honour, as it is called, between Mr. Swift and colonel Lenox. Mr. Swift endeavours to exculpate himself from two imputations; one is, that he dif covered a fanguinary difpofition, and the other, that he betrayed an unfair defign in offering to go out alone with the colonelWhether he vindicates him felf on either of thofe heads to the fatisfaction of impartial judges, is not very clearly afcertain d. But there is a previous imputation of a different nature, which it may be as difficult to difprove, as it would have been eafy not to incur; we mean that of rafhnefs and imprudence. Mr. Swift profeffes to entertain the ftrongeft fenfe or the obligations of religion and morality, yet he could deliberately, and without the fmalleft provocation, obtrude his officious and intemperate endeavours to rankle a wound, which every duty, and every liberal confideration, as well as humanity, fhould have prompted him rather to affuage. Mr. Swift might certainly have faved himfelf the trouble of entering his pamphlet at Stationer's Hall, for neither the fubject nor the author's conduct can give it any pretenfions to popularity.

A Short Review of the recent Affair of Honour between his Royal Highness the Duke of York and Lieut. Col. Lenox. By the Captain of a Company in one of the Regiments of Guards. 8vo. Is. 6d. Bell.

The author of this Review appears to give a candid and just

account

account of his fubject. He vindicates the conduct of lieut. col. Lenox through the whole of the tranfaction, and with such obfervations it must be acknowleged, as cannot but force the affent of all impartial and difinterefted readers. Thole who have injuriously attacked the character of col. Lenox, may have rendered this publication expedient; but enough is now faid to fatisfy the demands of truth and justice.

An Address to the Diffenters on Claffical Literature. By E. Cogan. 800. 15. Crowder.

We think the Diffenters are much obliged to the author of this well meant and fentible Addrefs. If, as we fufpect, the complaint be just, that this otherwife refpectable body of men are, generally fpeaking, peculiarly deficient in claffical knowledge, the fooner they attempt to remove this ftigma the better. The caufe and the remedy of the evil are here pointed out.

We cannot altogether agree with this and other authors in one refpect, viz. that we have no orators, in modern times, equal to the ancient ones. It should be confidered, that the orations which are handed down to us from antiquity, are either ftudied, precompofed productions; or, perhaps, written in the clofet long after the time of their pretended delivery. We very much doubt whether the extempore, unpremeditated fpeeches, which are fometimes heard in the British fenate, are not equal to any thing of the kind among the ancients.

As to the main object of this Addrefs, we think that it be hoves the Diffenters ferioufly to attend to it. In recommending his brethren, in diffent, to apply for affiftance, in their schools, to the clergymen of the establishment, Mr. Cogan manifests an unufual degree of good fenfe and liberality.

The Rights of Diffinters from the Eftablished Church. In Relation principally to English Catholics. By the rev. Jofeph Berington. 8vo. 25. Robinfons.

Mr. Berington's different publications led us to conclude that he was himself a diffenter from the church of Rome; at leaft his opinions on fome tenets of the Romish church, are fo different from thofe of other Catholics, that we apprehend he is confidered by many as a weak and falling brother. His account of the Revolution, with a few exceptions natural to his principles and fituation, is extremely juft, and he labours to clear himself and his fociety from the charge of Jacobitifm; an attempt not very dif ficult, fince the divine right of fucceffion is no more. He contends that the oath of allegiance fecures their fidelity; but he does not give his opinion of that power claimed by the pope of difpenfing with oaths. In other reipects, according to his repre fentation, the claims of the Catholics are at least as fair as those of the Diflenters. We are forry that we have not yet met with arguments fufficiently strong to convince us of the justice of either.

Private

Frivate Worth the Bafis of Public Decency. An Address to People of Rank and Fortune. By a Member of Parliament. 4to. 35% Richardfon:

We have feldom read a more interesting and ufeful address, where the author, in the most forcible and elegant language, and occafionally with the warmest indignation, imprefles on His reader the neceflity of beginning a general reformation, by an attention to the moral duties; and fhows very pointedly that this attention, to be effectual; fhould originate in the first ranks of fociety.

But how the characters of fuch as fill the fuperior walks of life may affect inferiors, and operate on public decency, is an object peculiarly interefting to all who have any fincere regard for the laws of heaven or the laws of England. And it is not cafy to make a confcientious election among candidates for pow→ er, who are chiefly distinguished by politics without morality, morality without religion, and religion without morality; who cover private profligacy by public pretenfion and who fubfti tute prudery for virtue, or refove all human and divine obligations into mere form or etiquette. What are all these but certain traits of the fame low, unprincipled character? And furely he can be no patriot, however eminent and popular, whofe abilites are prostituted in fabricating apologies for obli quity, or who does cheerfully forego a little of his own inclination for the benefit of others: no philofopher, who afferts Hot the dignity of his nature at the expence of his paffions; and no statesman, in whose measures there is a general diffidence, of whofe integrity there can be a doubt, whofe principles are as pliable as his propenfities are unaccommodating."

We have transcribed this fhort paffage as a fpecimen of our author's manner, and as fome hint refpecting the intended ap plication of his fentiments. Both the one and the other have our warmest and most unreferved approbation.

A Statement of Facts, occafional of, and relative to, the late Dif turbances at the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh. By James Fennel 8vo. IS. Bell.

It appears that Mr. Fennel, having unfortunately incurred the difpleasure of fome perfons at Edinburgh, has retired from the stage, to fave the managers from the confequences with which he was threatened, by retaining that performer. In fuck a fituation we cannot but fympathife with Mr. Fennel, who, according to the prefent Statement, feems to have been arbitrarily and cruelly treated. If, however, he should continue in his refolution of relinquishing the ftage, we hope he will choose fuch a part in the drama of life, as will render him lefs dependant on the caprice either of individuals or the public.

A Defcription