moft horrible ingredients, but fuch, however, as cannot be omitted. The period immediately preceding the prefent convulfions is not unfkilfully illuftrated in an anonymous book, entitled Domeftic Anecdotes of the French Nation*, from which we felected fome curious and entertaining materials. Corrupt as the manners of that nation were before the Revolution, there feems to be this ftriking difference between that time and the present, that then its depravity might be exaggerated, as in the book here mentioned; now alas! it cannot. In elucidating obfcure points of Ancient Hiftory, two very learned authors have lately laboured with great ability. Dr. Vincent, in a fhort differtation on the Manlian Legion t; and Mr. J. Whitaker, in two octavo volumes, on the Courfe of Hannibal over the Alps. The former is a queftion in which only thofe will feel interested, who have gone into the minutiæ of that curious fubje&t the ancient Tactics, and therefore is with propriety written in Latin: the latter is a point of univerfal curiofity, including one question which has been as much canvaffed as any in antiquity, the ufe of vinegar by Hannibal to mollify or plit a rock. They who read Mr. Whitaker's two volumes will also find many topics of confiderable import introduced collaterally, and very fkilfully elu- . cidated. The main queftion will require examination on the spot. With the mention of this able work we nuft conclude this part of our narrative. BIOGRAPHY. The publication of the fifth volume of the Biogragraphia Britannica, by Dr. Kippis §, called upon us to give our fentiments of that important work. We commended it, and fhall continue fo to do, unless in any fubfequent volumes we fhould fee realized the faults which the fufpicion, we truft, rather than the No. III. p. 239. + No. II. p. 144, ‡ No. VI. p. 661. 4 knowledge, 1 knowledge, of fome of our correfpondents, has imputed to it. The task of writing the new matter for it, and correcting the old, is arduous and laborious, and we know ourselves how neceffary commendation is to fupport the fpirits under long exertions. We wish of course, in common with the public, that it could proceed more rapidly; but rapidity and accuracy are feldom compatible. In our preceding volume we began our account of Mr. Chalmers's Life of Ruddiman, and we concluded it in the prefent † with ftrong and juft commendations. It is a work, containing not only excellent materials for that which we have just mentioned, but many other notices well deferving attention. ANTIQUITIES. * The useful affiduity of Mr. Maurice permits no volume of our work to be concluded without the neceffity of commending fome of his. Since our laft Preface the fourth and fifth volumes of his Indian Antiquities have appeared, fo amply ftored with learned and very important enquiry, that though we have dedicated two articles to them, we have not been able to conclude our account. He traces the remains of primitive truth, as difcoverable under the Oriental fictions, with a degree of acutenefs which is equalled only by his diligence. Nor do his conclufions feem, in general, to want folidity. Under what clafs to place Mr. Dallaway's Enquiries into the Origin and Progrefs of Heraldry in England §, we have a little hefitated, but it is of fmall importance. Without making a feparate head for Heraldry, we fhall here tell the Antiquary that in this fplendid work he will meet with much agreeable information, and much curious research; and if the Antiquary know it, the Hiftorian and the Herald, who are of the fame family, will not long want the intelligence. * Vol. III. p. 611. + No. I. p. 61. No. IV. p. 363. VI. 629. §. III. p. 231. GEOGRAPHY, GEOGRAPHY. As one of the eyes of Hiftory, Geography claims place in this part of the arrangement, and Mr. GoldJon's Obfervations on the Paffage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (ufually called the North-west Paffage), may tend, not only to improve the fight of that eye, but to render an effential fervice to navigation and to commerce. We wish undoubtedly that no effort fhould be relaxed which tends to fuch great objects, and fhall wait with fome impatience for the refult of fuch attempts as may yet be made in those feas. TOPOGRAPHY. By a process rather fingular in publication, we have had occafion to notice the fecond volume of Mr. Polwhele's Hiftory of Devonshire †, before the first has appeared, without being clearly informed of the reafon for this unusual deviation. The work, however, has merit, and, from the detached nature of its parts, little inconvenience can arife to the purchaser from this circumftance. We have nothing elfe to remark in this branch of writing, except Mr. Wyndham's elegant Picture of the Ifle of Wight, an account of an interesting fpot, delivered with fuch tafte and vivacity as cannot fail to be pleafing to all readers. TRAVELS. Nor have we, in the kindred clafs of Travels, much to recite. Dr. Cogan's Account of the Rhine, and the places he vifited in its neighbourhood, is the only book of foreign Travel that has fallen under our notice in this half year: while Mr. Lettice's Letters in a Tour through various Parts of Scotland, have been No. III. F. 263. + No. VI. p. 623. No. III. p. 314 § Nɔ. IV. p. 391. || No. IV, p. 409, added added to the recitals of travellers in our own island.Both have merits which may recommend them to the curiofity of readers of various kinds. POLITICS. We have no great work on this momentous fubject to record at prefent, and though pamphlets come forth continually, as thick and numberless, As the gay motes that people the fun beams, Of there are few that can demand mention in an enumeration of this nature. A book by Mr. Greville on the political arrangement of our Indian territories, entitled British India Analyfed, is the moft confiderable production of this kind that we have had occafion to notice. It contains much ufeful matter. fmaller publications of a political kind, we may fatisfy ourselves with bringing forward, an anonymous Letter on the meeting of Parliament † in 1794 'The two Leters of Mr. Miles to the Duke of Graft of and Lord Stanhope, the tract of M. Mallet du Pan, entitled Europe in Danger |, the Count de Montgaillard's State of France, and the tract of Mr. Peacock, on the Structure of the House of Commons **, which contains a fenfible difcuffion of the plans hitherto propofed for the purpose of Parliamentary Reform. To thefe we may add that fingularly able pamphlet, imported from America, which in addreffing Dr. Priefly on the fubject of his emigration † to that country, fights, with no fmall fkill and fuccefs, the caufe of our Government against that doughty antagonist. POETRY. The British Mufes have not wanted our tribute of admiration, within the laft fix months. Nor is it No. V. p. 523. p. 277. No. II. tt No. V. p. 498, No. I. p. 21. No. II. p. 187. Nó. III. without without a peculiar fatisfaction that we report the moft diftinguished proofs of their favour to have been manifefted by a perfon whofe fituation moft demands it, the Profeffor of Poetry at Oxford. The Tears of Affection which this writer (Mr. Hurdis) has poured out, on the death of a beloved fifter, muft draw tears of fympathy from every eye, and will affect but too powerfully thofe who are wounded by any fimilar misfortune. We grieve for the caufe, but applaud the poetry; and are pleafed to fee the harmony and felicity of Cowper rivalled by a friend of Cowper. The very uncommon talent of writing blank verfe with eafe, energy, and effect, is certainly poffeffed in an extraordinary degree by both thefe authors. The fecond volume of Mr. Jerningham's Poems puts in a claim for praise lefs fplendid, but yet confiderable: and the Cambrian Bard, Mr. Williams, had he not been too eager to facrifice to the grim idol Democracy, might have circulated his Poems through England with general approbation. Maria Logan's Poems alfo have merit. Nor has the dramatic Mufe been filent. The Siege of Meaux by the Poet Laureat§, Fontainville Foreft by Mr. Boaden, and the Count de Villeroi, an unacted tragedy by an anonymous Author, all evince poetical abilities, and will be always acceptable in the clofet. Among smaller Poems, we have not feen any fo complete, as the Golden Age, written in the form of an Epiftle from one learned Doctor to another. it is only too fhort; the fame degree of spirit and elegance would have pleased throughout a much longer compofition. The Purfuits of Literature**, very erroneously afcribed by common fame to the author of the Baviad, are very inferior. There are but very few good lines in the Poem; the chief spirit of the publication is contained in the notes, nor are its attacks, either in verfe or profe, in every inftance juftifiable. It seemed, however, on the whole, to deferve mention here. No. V. p. 541. * No. II. p. 169. + No. IV. p. 424. ‡ No. I. ENGLISH |