that very reason, in fome measure obliged to acquaint our Readers, that it is now re-printed, with fome additions, and will for the future be fold at the Price, and by the Bookfeller, above-mentioned. We are very glad to find the subject so much attended to. Art. 16. Memoirs of the Chevalier Pierrepoint. 2 Vols. 12mo. 4s. few'd. Dodfley. A taftelefs and infipid performance, deftitute of action, paffion, and character. It may, nevertheless, go down with your curd-and-whey gentlefolks, (as a certain writer calls a certain fet of readers) or with those who, in our Author's own words, may be able to make a good repast on an indifferent Olla Podrida. Art. 17. The Statutes at Large, from Magna Charta to the End of the Eleventh Parliament of Great Britain, Anno 1761. Carefully collated and revifed, with References, a Preface, and a new and accurate Index to the whole. By Danby Pickering, of Gray's-Inn, Efq; Reader of the Law Lecture to that honourable Society. 8vo. 6s. Cambridge printed, for Bathurst in London. The learned Editor of this work, thinking it expedient to defer the publication of his preface till the whole be compleated, it is not in our power to gather, from the prefent volume, what improvements may be intended in this octavo edition; we must therefore defer any farther account of it till the publication be finished. Art. 18. The Humourist. 12mo. 3s. Coote. Confifts of Effays in profe and verfe, not entirely deftitute of wit and humour; but fo ill-written, and fo profufely interlarded with commonplace reflections, trite ftories, and low jefts, that they will afford but very little entertainment, and will frequently give great disgust, to a reader of taste and difcernment. Thefe Eflays are dedicated "To the moft high, mighty, puiffant, omnifcient, cognofcitive, and illuftrious Deciders of common sense, the REVIEWERS, of Great Britain and Ireland." An excellent ftroke of humour, doubtless! for which we give the Author due credit, valeat quantum valere poteft. Art. 19. Propofals for enriching the Principality of Wales: Humbly fubmitted to the Confideration of his Countrymen, by Giraldus Cambrenfis. 8vo. Is. 6d. Glocefter printed for the Author, and fold by Dodfley and Millar in London. A fenfible and judicious pamphlet, apparently written with the most benevolent and public-fpirited view, viz. that of enriching the principality of Wales by agriculture and commerce. To this end, the Author recommends a method for improving the eftates of that country, for a plenteous increase of the neceffaries of life, and of rendering that part of our island rich and populous. As thefe are not the reveries of a vifionary vifionary projector, but the practicable scheme of a fhrewd and obferving patriot, it is with pleasure we embrace the opportunity of recommending the ferious perufal and confideration of this pamphlet, to every perfon, who may be concerned in the benefits it points out; a fingle publication of this kind promifing to be of more real public utility, than a hundred of thofe literary or political fquibs, that engage the attention, or inflame the paffions of the indolent, without having any tendency to the service of mankind. Art. 20. A Poftfcript to Dr. Smith's Harmonics, upon the changeable Harpfichord: which, being fupplied with all the useful flat and sharp Sounds, and tuned in the beft Manner, is made as harmonious as poffible; and yet the Execution of Musick upon this perfect inftrument is the fame as upon the common Harpsichord. 8vo. 6d. Dod. This little pamphlet contains an account of an excellent improvement in the conftruction of the harpsichord; we cannot enter into a particular defcription of it, however, for want of the plate by which it is illuftrated. Art. 21. The Naval Repofitory: Or young Seaman's beft Inftructor. Containing a most accurate Defcription of a Ship of War; with every Word of Art made ufe of in a maritime Employ.-The Duty of every Officer on board.-The Conftruction of a Ship of War, from the laying of her Keel to the Launch.-A Defcription of the Mafts, Yards, Rigging, &c.-Ceremonies ufed on board a King's Ship, in entertaining a Prince or Grandee.-Of Anchors, Cables, &c.-Of ordering Fleets in chacing, engaging, boarding, and Ariking.An approved Method to make Salt Water fresh.-The Distances between the feveral Ports in England, Wales, and France.-A compleat Lift of his Majesty's Navy, with their feveral Commanders, and Number of Guns and Men they carry.-The Pay of every Officer and Seaman. With Variety of Anecdotess relative to the fame. By an Officer in the Navy. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Wilson and Fell. Although this publication may not be altogether without its ufe, as a vocabulary to confult occafionally, we conceive a young feaman will learn more from one voyage, than he will recollect after repeated perufals of this pamphlet. That our naval Officer may have given a very juft explanation of the feveral fea-terms he hath here enumerated we do not difpute; we must have better authority or better arguments, however, before we can fubfcribe to every thing he affirms concerning the construction, management, and failing of fhips. To mention a particular inftance, he tells us, that "the loofer a fhip is, the better way fhe will make through the water; which is fimilar, fays he, with a man having too ftrait a waistcoat, and cannot make his way fo faft as though he was loofely attired, having no room to work or exert itself." Is not this an excellent illuftration? We do not take upon us, nevertheless, to contravert contravert the fact, though we think it, at beft, highly problematical This Officer's lifts, alfo, are not fo compleat as one might expect from a gentleman in the fervice, if indeed that be the cafe of this compiler. Art. 21. Fingal reclaimed. 8vo. 6d. Hinxman. The defign of this little pamphlet is, to prove that the poem, entit led Fingal, is of Irish, and not of Scottish original, as hath been pretended by the Editor. Among other plaufible pretences, in fupport of his argument, he obferves, that neither Hero nor Bard, throughout the whole poem, ever mentions the name of Scotland, nor defcribes it by any peculiar circumftance; while, on the other hand, they dwell with an evident pleasure on the feveral names of Ireland. To this he adds, that their Miftreffes and Wives were chiefly Irish; and that the epifodes of the poem are founded on family anecdotes, on the amours of the Irish: things, fays he, which no man could take pleafure in relating, or be even fuppofed to know, who was not a native. He throws out many fhrewd reflections also, tending to convince the Reader of the truth of his opinion. Nay, he proceeds fo far, as to charge the Editor almost with plagiarifm; giving examples of feveral paffages that bear a very ftriking refemblance, indeed, to fome in Homer. He affects to think it crucl alfo, that the Tranflator hath declined giving the public fome fpecimens of the original, after having fo highly extolled the verfification of it; putting him in mind of his promife, that the public expect to fee the faid original lodged in fome of our public Libraries. Although this Author may be right in fome of his remarks, we can by no means approve of that illiberal ftrain in which he treats Mr. Macpherson, the ingenious Editor of the Poem in queftion. • See Review, vol. XXVI. p. 41, 140, 157. +++ The pamphlets from Er have been received, and perufed with pleasure, on account of their judicious compofition; altho the fubject, being of a private and local nature, may feem to exclude them from a place in a Literary Review. Befide, in all Controverfies, both Parties fhould be heard; but with refpect to the prefent debate, we have only heard one: in fapport of which, indeed, the Evidence is fo very strong, that we think it eafy to forefee which way the cause muft go, on a fair and full hearing. We with pleasure obferve too, that the Decorum which obtains among well-bred men in personal altercations, is by no means violated, altho' the party hath fometimes indulged a vein of fatire, for which he appears to have received fufficient provocation.-Had the feveral pieces which have been published, pro and con, in this Difpute, duly fallen in our way, as they came out, we should not have over looked them. [ 8 ] THE MONTHLY REVIEW, For FEBRUARY, 1763. Emilius and Sophia: Or, a new Syftem of Education. Tranflated from the French of J. J. Rouffeau, Citizen of Geneva. By the Tranflator of Eloifa. 4 Vols. 12mo. 10 S. fewed. Becket and De Hondt. [Concluded.] AVING already mentioned the contemptuous manner in which Mr. Rouffeau affects to treat that philofophical fpirit which, he thinks, prevails too much among modern Writers, it would be fuperfluous to take notice of the farther instances of a like nature, which are afforded us in his Savoyard's Creed. The Philofophers, however, are not the only Writers over whom our Author gives himself airs of confcious fuperiority. The Divines are here treated with full as little ceremony, and, indeed, on much the fame pretenfions; Mr. Rouffeau appearing not more deeply verfed in theological than in philofophical controverfy. Mere reading, we confefs, is not fufficient to make us Metaphyficians or Theologifts: much thought and reflection, doubtlefs, are requifite; but we fear our Author's mortal aversion to books, may have carried him too far. It is impoffible to employ our reafoning faculties without previously acquiring fome degree of knowlege; and knowlege is not to be radically acquired from mere ftudy and reflection, but from experience or information. But, however pernicious, books may be imagined, to the generality of the world, furely nothing can be more expedient for a Writer, than to fpend much time in reading; particularly fuch books as relate to the fubjects on which he may think proper to employ his pen. It is for want. of having fufficiently done this, that very ingenious Writers are fometimes found labouring in defence of certain principles, or ftarting difficulties against others; all which have been demonftratively proved, or clearly obviated, by preceding ControverVOL. XXVIII. G fialifts. fialifts. Thus, when we fee our Savoyard Curate hammering about the proofs of the exiftence of the Deity, the Freedom of human Will, the Caufe of Motion, and the poffibility of Matter's being endowed with a capacity of Thinking, we conceive ourfelves attending to a mere Tyro in philofophy, ftill ftumbling at the threshold of metaphyfical feience. In like manner, in matters of religion, when we find him making ufe of the fame arguments as Charron and others have done before him, without taking any notice of the replies made by the learned advocates on the other fide the queftion, we cannot help thinking him ignorant of the state of the controverfy, however invalid fuch replies may have been, or whatever force may be allowed to the arguments thus revived.. For thefe reafons, we fhall not enter into any particular difcuffion of the tenets or arguments advanced in this fuppofed Creed; which abounds with paradoxes and inconfiftencies, in our opinion, totally irreconcileable to reafon. Some may think the Author, nevertheless, excufable, as he hath made the Speaker declare himself to be ignorant whether he is in the right or wrong; and that, tho' he fometimes affumes an affirmative tone, yet his affirmations are to be taken only as fo many rational doubts. There appears to us, however, fomething very prepofterous in the character of the reverend Sceptic he hath here introduced; a man at once fo confcientious and pious, so temporizing and hypocritical: for fuch, notwithstanding his many fine fpeeches, and the fpecious colourings, with which he ft ives to glofs over his conduct, we are apprehenfive, our latitudinarian Curate will appear to the majority of his Readers. Indeed, we think our Author hath been particularly unfuccefsful in his endeavours to unite, in one character, the principles of a Sceptic with the practice of a Devotee. Among the pagan Philofophers, it is true, nothing was more common than for them to conform to the practices of a religion whofe tenets they difbelieved. The God of the Chriftians, however, requires to be ferved in fincerity and truth; fo that we cannot help thinking it little better than mockery, for a man, who believes fo little in the tenets of a Religion, to profefs fo profound a reverence for its forms and difcipline. As we hope, nevertheless, that our Author's intention was good, we recommend this part of the work to the Reader's candour, and proceed to attend his Pupil, who now enters on a more natural and pleafing investigation. Emilius, being now grown to man's eftate, fets out, with his Tutor, in fearch of a wife: with this view he is firft introduced to the Parifian Ladies, and made a little acquainted with the manners of the town. The latter, however, are fo foreign to his tafte, and the former fo very unlike that amiable picture which |