POETRY. The Grave; by Robert Blair : to which is added Gray's Elegy in a

Country Church Yard. A neru Edition, with Notes, Moral, Critical, and Explanatory. 8vo. 15. Fielding.

The first of these poems was highly celebrated in Heron's Letters: soon after which, we apprehend, the present edition was published. It poffeffes great merit; and though the senti. ments are commonly trite, they are generally delivered in a novel and energetic manner, that imprefies them--feelingly on the mind. The notes are trifling and insipid. On Mr. Blair's fyling the yew a

• cheerless unsocial plant we are told, what every parith apprentice knows as well as the annotator, that many church-yards have yew-trees planted in them. Though we do not owject to the epithets here applied to the yew, as from the general location of that tree we annex a melancholy idea to it; yet it is probable that the custom of planting them in church-yards was original.y intended to con, vey very different sensations; and that they were considered, from their perpetual verdure, as pleasing einblems of the immortality of the soul. The. notes are, in general, of equal, but not superior importance, to that we have quoted. The Vindication of Fame; an Ode, in Honour of John Howard,

Eli.' 410. Iso · Dilly. The Triumph of Benevolence; a Poem. Occahoned by the National

Design of creeting a Monument to John Howard, ' Efa. A New Edition, corrected and enlargeilo: 10 which are added, Stanzas on the Death of Jonas Hantvay, tlf: 410. is. 6d. Cadell.

We apprehend the first of these poems to be a juvenile performance. It is written with animation and spirit; but a confusion of metaphors, and incorrectness of expression, are likewise frequently visible.- The others, which are published for the benefit of the Howardian Fund, have already been mentioned with, * approbation. Poetical Effufons of an Epicurean Philosopher contrased with those

of a Cbrifiian t'hilosof ber. 410. Is. Becket. The reader who could be pleased with these infipid Effufions, would certainly be no Epicurean in any intellectual refinement. Poems for Young Ladies, Seleeted by Dr. Goldsmith. 12mo. 35.

Jewed. Johnson. Several collections of this kind have already been published by different compilers, and many of the same poems, and extracts of poems, may be found in all of them. They are generally selected, those now before us as well as the others, from the works of the most eminent English poets. They are calculated both for instruction and rational entertainment, and are equally adapted to either sex. * See Crit. Rev. vol. lxii. p. 312.

Тbe

The Progress of War. A Poem. 410. 45. Egerton. This poem recites the progress of war from Cyrus to Frederic. It is totally an inanimate production ; alike destitute of the ardor of the foldier and the enthusiasm of the bard.

DR AM A T I. C. Richard Cæur de Lion. A Comic Opera, as performed at the Theatre Royal, Covent-Garden. By L. Macnally, Efi. 8vo. Is. Cadell.

This piece is distinguished by the same name as that we noticed in a late Number. It approaches more nearly to the opera of M. Sedaine. The friend of Richard is in his proper sphere; and we do not lose the interesting appearance of the queen. The plot is more artless, the events more natural, and the principal incident is relieved by rural scenes, properly adapted to a musical performance. We speak from the mature deliberations of the closet, abstracted from the splendor of the scene, and the vortex of fashion. The First Floor ; a Farce. In Two Afts. As it is now acting at

the Theatre-Royal, in Drury-lane. 8vo. IS, Dilly. The incidents of this piece are supposed to happen in the first floor of a lodging-house, to which a father brings his daughter, to preserve her from a lover, of whom he did not approve. The lodgings were those of his son, who was turned out of them for no uncommon fault, a little deficiency in the regular payment of his rent, and were almost, on the moment of the father's arrival, taken by the gentleman whom he had endeavoured to avoid. This produces a pleasant series of mistakes, which are heightened by the landlady's attachment to her vain and simple shopman, and his fondness for a servant in the house. The difficulties were at last increased so much, that we trembled for the author, left he should not be able properly to explain them. The denouement was rather abrupt, and put us in mind of Bayes' method of getting off his dead men, or of the fortunate interference of an enchanter in a pantomime.

The dialogue is full of spirit, wit, and equivoque. It is the thunder and lightning of the Rehearsal, repeatedly flashing, but with too quick fuccellion to make the proper impression. Some of the wit, as well as some of the situations, were too evidently artificial : the pun lay in ambush for a sound,' or the actor must have been blind indeed to have mistaken. These are exuberances which might have been curtailed, and the farce would yet have remained one of the most witty and pleasant petits pieces in our language. The Prologue is very happily adapted to the uncertain tendency of the title. Ward's Translation of Ramsay's Gentle Shepherd. 8vo.

Robinsons. • In great attempts 'tis glorious even to fall.' Let Mr. Ward console himself with this reflexion, when we pronounce, as we must, that his paitoral comedy is greatly inferior to the beautiful original.

DI.

25.

DI ν Ι Ν Τ Υ. Confirmation. A Sermon preached at the Vifitation of the Righie

Reverend the Lord Bishop of London, in the Church of Thaxted, in Ellex, on Wednesday, May 26, 1786. By the Rev. John Howlett. 4to.

Is. Richardson. This is a very sensible and judicious discourse from Acts viit. 17.

• Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.' The author supports the propriety of the rite, as it is a commemoration of the imposition of hands by the apostles; as it is a folemn and public resolution, likely to affect a generous young mind. He supports the manner in which it is performed, the period chosen for it, from these views of its propriety and its utility. On the whole, this is a sensible, practical, and judicious sermon, well calculated for the younger part of Mr. Howlett's audience, and suitable to the occasion, on which, he tells us, he was called on by authority to preachi' We were surprised, that in defence of confirmation he had not urged what has been by many considered as its foundation. In our baptism, our godfathers and godmothers engage for us; we promise by a proxy ; and it is both natural and reasonable that there should be a period when the obligation becomes perfonal. At our confirmation we take these promises on ourselves; and we are taught in our Catechism, that there is a time when we come to age,' that we are bound to perform' what has been already promised for us. The period, the solemnity of the rite, the prayer, and the imposition of hands, are all well adapted to this change ; and our author's method of defending them is equally adapted to this other view, in his opinion, pero haps, too obvious to be insisted on. The Sagra Privata, or, Prirate Meditations and Prayers of Bishop Wilson ; accommodated to general Use. 12mo. 25. 6d. Dilly.

The editor of this little volume has separated it from bishop Wilson's works, to make it better known, and more generally useful. It is to repeat what has been often said, when we ob. serve, that Dr. Wilson's Sacred Meditations and Prayers are diftinguished by a fervent spirit of devotion. The Sacra Privata, in this form, will be of great utility; and as these prayers are designed for general use, what relates only to the clergy is omitted.

MISCELLANEOUS The Melody of Speaking delineated; or, Elocation taught like Mufic,

by visible Signs, adapted to Tones, Infle&lions, and Variations of Voice in Reading and Speaking; with Directions for Modulation, and exprefing the Pasons. By J. Walker. 8vo. 25. 6d. Robinsonss

By several ingenious productions, as well as by teaching pupils, Mr. Walker has approved himself an able gram marian in the English language ; and is no less distinguished for his accurate acquaintance with its Itructure, than for a peculiar happiness in pronouncing it with elegance and propriety. The Latter of these departments is the subject of the present treatise ;

in

1

in which he distinctly points out, and illustrates, by well chofen
examples, the different inflections of the voice either in read.
ing or speaking. His remark, that a circumflex may confift of
a falling and rising side, equally with a rising and falling one,
which is the only kind in the Greek and Latin languages, is
particularly worthy of notice ; as is likewise his very jult divi-
tion of emphasis into the emphasis of paffion and of sense. The
excellent rules which he delivers for modulation evince him to
be endowed both with a critical judgment and a fine ear. We
acknowlege, that to ourselves they are sufficiently obvious;
though we think, at the same time, that the praxis of them
would have been facilitated to learners by printing in Italics,
at leatt the words which pertain to one species of emphasis.
With regard to this circumitance, however, our opinion is by.
no means decided : we are even inclined to admit, the force
of the reasons which have influenced Mr. Walker's conduct;
and it is a question, whether the most precise notation of the
accents or emphasis could, to many learners, convey explicitly
the proper infection of the voice. The ear, not the eye, is
the fittest organ of perception in this case. On which account,
we would earnestly recommend the oral alliitance of this inge-
nious author, to all those who wish to attain the too much
neglected, though highly ornamental accomplishment, of ele-
gant and proper elocution.
A Plan for rendering the Poor independent on Public Contribution.

By the Rev. John Acland. ' 8vo. Is. Rivington.
• Tua ręs agitur,' is the motto of this publication. It never
was better applied ; and as, in our opinion, no system that we
have seen bids fairer to serve the great purpose it treats of, we
recommend it to the attention of our readers.
A Series of Prints of Ancient History, designed as Ornaments for

those Apartments in which Children receive the firft Rudiments of

their Education. 2470. rod. ferved. Marshall. A Description of a Set of Prints of Ancient History; contained in a

Set of easy Lessons. 2410. 10d. Sezved. Marshall. The subjects of these prints are well chofen, and the prints are neatly executed. The language of the descriptions is clear, natural; and unaffected; without puzzling the young mind with an intricate series of events, or chronological dates. Confilia: or, Thoughts upon several Subjects. By Samuel Birch.

The Second Edition. Small 8vo. 25. 6d. Cadell. We reviewed the former edition of chis work in our Fiftyninth Volume, p. 317. To this second edition Mr. Birch has added his name, and the work is somewhat enlarged. We for. merly complained that we found his observations too short, and that they might have attracted more attention, if crnament had not been to Iparingly employed. The first objection is now Isifened, but the latret remains. We read, however, the fore

I 2mo.

IS.

25. 6d.

mer edition with great pleasure ; and the quick fucceftion of another, shows that it has been received with attention by the public. We are always happy to be able to confirm its award; and our pleasure is increased by finding that, amidst profligacy and distipation, the cause of virtue and religion is not discountenanced. A Spelling Book, designed to render the Acquisition of the Rudiments of our native Language easy and pleasant. By Mrs. Teacbwell,

Marthail. This is a very useful little book, well arranged, and properly referring to the different lessons of our author which are explained by it. We will every success to the benevolent designs of Mrs. Teachwell, who, in a humble sphere, has contrived to render the first paths of learning more accellible and more easy. Every Man his own Proctor. 8vo.

Cadell. Containing instructions in what manner to obtain probate of wills and letters of administration, without the assistance of a proctor. This production is well calculated for the use of those who have business in the ecclefiaftical courts. Saruney Mackintosh's Traz els through Ireland. 12mo. Is. 6do

Adlard. The very dregs of itinerary narrative. I be Paper-maker's and Stationer's Afiflant. By John Paine,

Junior. 12m0. 6d. Symonds. We are here presented with a list of all the different papers, their tables, rates, and sizes, with the several duties, said to be, and we doubt not, exactly calculated. This Afiftant will be useful to manufacturers and dealers in paper; and, likewise, in respect of taxation, to revenue officers. Rance Comica Evangelizantes; or, the Comic Frog turned Methodift.

8vo. Macklew. Whatever censure may be due to the conduct of particular sectaries, the sacred page of Scripture ought always to be preserved religiously inviolate from ridicule. Profane licentioufa ness is a iymptom of foliy, not of wit. We must, therefore, inform this author, that if his capacity leads him to imitate Voltaire only in indecent sarcasms again it the doctrines of Christianity, he may become, what he deserves, an object of universal contempt.

The Maniacs, a tragi-comical Tale. 410. 15. Ridgway. The production of some contemptible scribler, as void of decency as of abilities.

A Candid Enquiry into the Case of the Prince of Wales. According to the calculation of this author, the king is debtor to his royal highness in the sum of 594,000l. for which, it is insinuated, an action should be raised against his m -

-Y ERRATUM.Dr. Geddes' Profpcctus of the Bible should be 7s, 6d, instead of il.

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