L

of the Ruffian expeditions to the North-Eaft, which in a manner demonftrate the communication between the Kamptschatkan and American fhores, form the leaft exceptionable part of this work; though, perhaps, they will not warrant all the inferences drawn from them by our author.

In the ninth chapter, the Welsh and Irish languages are com pared; and the doctor has inferted a lift of about one thoufand words in the Welsh and Irish, which have the fame fignification. The reader may have remarked, that we have omitted any particular obfervations on what this writer fays concerning the Welsh language and antiquities. The reafon is, because we think the hiftory of both much better authenticated than thofe of the Irifh, though they are far from being deftitute of the marvellous, and though their manufcripts are not always afcertained to any particular period. The quotation brought by Sir John Price from Thaliaffin, a Welsh poet, who lived in the fifth century, and who mentions the Welsh as being the remains of Troy, outweighs all the evidences brought by Dr. Parfons in fupport of the Irish antiquities, though he seems to have been ignorant that fuch a poet ever exifted. Sir John Price, it is true, undertook to defend Geoffrey of Monmouth's history, which is indefenfible; but the paffage he quotes from Thaliaffin undoubtedly proves, that the tradition of the Britons being defcended from the Trojans, was not the invention either of Geoffrey or Nénnius.

The three remaining chapters of this work difcover more critical learning than all which precede them; and many of the author's obfervations upon alphabets, though not new, are curious and inftructive. The tenth chapter contains the names of the numerals of moft of the nations of Europe; a table of the names, with remarks upon their deviations; and on the names of fome of those of Afia and America. In the eleventh chapter we find historical observations upon alphabets, and the invention of letters; with a table of fome of those of Europe:' and the twelfth contains remarks upon the foregoing alphabets; an enumeration of alphabets; the number of letters originally tein feveral; of primary and fecondary letters; of the rife and deviations of the European alphabets, from the original set of characters.

..

After having thus candidly reviewed this work, we cano not help lamenting that the author has bestowed fo So much time, labour, and expence, upon a fyftem, which, ag as he has managed it, is untenable. We find in it little bathat is new, and lefs that is ufeful. It is, upon the eritro whole, a cento collected from the observations and works of to a former writers. The doctor terms his own difcoveries and

conclufions anecdotes, which, though a very uncritical phrafe, comes very properly from his pen, fince they are fuch as we believe were never before drawn from fuch premises. To conclude: we are forry that Dr. Parfons has disturbed the remains of his good friend Japhet; and we should recommend to him, if poffible, to recommit them to the fame comfortable state of non existence where he imagines he found them.

III. Barford Abbey. A Novel. In a Series of Letters. Two Volumes, 12mo. Pr. 6s. Cadell.

THE

HE title of this novel is taken from the place where its principal scenes are laid. Mifs Warley, the heroine of the piece, a nonpareil of beauty, virtue, and all that, has just loft her generous protectress by the death of Mrs. Whitmore. She meets, however, with another, in the person of lady Mary Sutton, who is at the German Spa, and preffes Mifs Warley to come over to live with her; in the mean time fhe remits her three hundred pounds: fhe likewife engages one Mr. Smith and his wife, who are coming over at the fame time, to take care of Mifs Warley on her journey and in her paffage.

Mifs Warley retires to the house of Mr. Jenkings, a worthy old man, fteward to Sir James Powis, the lord of Barford Abbey, which is fituated in the neighbourhood. Jenkings has his reafons for being particularly fond of, and respectful to, Mifs Warley; and he being treated by Sir James and his lady, a most amiable woman, rather as a companion than fervant, Mifs Warley is invited to their houfe, where fhe is no fooner feen, than the wins the love and esteem of all. Lord Darcy, a young nobleman, of about two thousand pounds a year fortune, and a ward of Sir James, becomes enamoured of our heroine. The great foible of Sir James is a love of money; and his fon having fallen in love with a lady poffeffed of little or none, had lived for many years upon a government abroad, to the great concern of lady Powis. It appears by the letters which pafs between Mifs Warley and lady Mary, that Mr. Powis is a most accomplished gentleman, and correfponds with his mother. Lord Darcy's father had, upon his death-bed, in the most pathetic, affectionate manner, bequeathed the care of his fon to Sir James; fo that he is master of the young lord's fate, especially in the affair of marriage. Darcy, who is by no means indifferent to Mifs Warley, hints his paffion to his guardian, who abfolutely difcourages the motion, because she is supposed to have no fortune. Darcy entertains fuch a regard for the commands of his dying father, that he dares not think

of

of difobliging Sir James; and his behaviour is fuch as pizzles o Mifs Warley through all the first volume.

The second volume opens with the following letter, which we lay before the reader as a specimen of the author's manner, as well as to acquaint him with the fituation of the amour at that period. 9panflies no

• Mifs WARLEY to Lady MARY SUTTON. "Oh what a defigning man is lord Darcy! He loves me not, yet fain would perfuade me that he does. When I went yesterday morning to the Abbey, I met him in my way to lady Powis's dreffing-room.. Starting as if he had feen an apparition, and with a look which exprefs'd great importance, he faid, taking my hand,

Oh! Mifs Warley, I have had the most dreadful night !→→ but I hope you have refted well.

I have refted very well, my lord; what has disturb'd your lordship's reft?

What, had it been real as it was vifionary, would have drove me to madness.- -I dreamt, Mifs Warley, I dreamt every thing I was poffefs'd of was torn from me; - but now and here ftopt.

• Well, my lord, and did not the pleasure of being undeceiv'd overpay all the pain which you had been deceived into ?

No, my angel ? -Why does he call me his angel?

Why no I have such a sinking, fuch a load on my mind, to reflect it is poffible,-only poffible it might happen, that, upon my word, it has been almost too much for me.

Ah! my lord, you are certainly wrong to anticipate evils ; they come faft enough, one need not run to meet them :befides, if your lordship had been in reality that very unfortu nate creature you dreamt you were, for no rank or degree is proof against the caprice of Fortune, was nothing to be preferved entire ? -Fortune can require only what he gave; fortitude, peace, and refignation, are not her gifts.

:

Oh! Mifs Warley, you mistake it was not riches I fancied myself difpoffefs'd of;—it was, oh my God!--what my peace, my very foul is center'd in! and his eyes turn d round with fo wild a ftare, that really I began to fufpect his head.

I trembled fo I could fcarce reach the dreffing room, tho'. juft at the door.- The moment I turn'd from him, he flew like lightning over the stairs; and foon after, I faw him walking with Sir James on the terrace. By their geftures I could discover their converfation was not a common one.

1

Mr. Morgan comes this inftant in fight;a fervarit after him, leading my little horfe.I am forry to break off, but I must attend him ;- he is fo good, I know your ladyfhip would be difpleased, was I to prolong my letter at the expence of his favour -Yours, my much honour'd,my much lov'd lady,with all gratitude, with all affection,

F. WARLEY.'

In the mean time the plot thickens. The two lovers become paffionately fond of each other, and Jenkings and his wife begin to talk of doubts and mysteries which are to be cleared up by a certain day. This throws the young couple into terrible quandaries, puzzleations, and fufpicions; but lord Darcy not being explicit enough in his courtship, Mifs Warley endeavours to get rid of her paffion, and difpofes every thing in good earneft to go over with Mr. and Mrs. Smith to lady Mary, and actually fets out with the former in a post-chaife for Dover.

Lord Darcy, foen after her leaving Barford Abbey, prevails with his guardian to consent that he shall marry Miss Warley, who proves to be the daughter of Mr. Powis; and he, with his lady, returns to England. Darcy flies after his mistress to Dover, where he and his friend Mr. Molesworth receive a certain account that the packet which carried Mifs Warley had gone to the bottom of the fea, and that every foul on board had perished. Lord Darcy is diftracted, and falls fo ill, that his life is defpaired of. Captain Rifby, another friend of Darcy's, communicates the melancholy news to the family at Barford Abbey, where Mr. and Mrs. Powis had been moft affectionately received by their parents. This produces a moft interefting and affecting fcene, in which we think the author has done great juftice to the fubject, particularly in defcribing the fenfations of Mr. Morgan, an honeft fox-hunter, but a great humourist, and poffeffed of a handsome fortune, which he had fome thoughts of leaving to Mifs Warley, who had entirely captivated his esteem, but without the mixture of any other paflion. The detail, however, is too long to be inferted here, and the particulars are too interefting for any of them to bet omitted. Captain Rifby remains ftill at Barford Abbey, where his chief companion is Edmund, fon to Mr. Jenkings, an excellent young man. Molefworth having informed Rifby that Mifs Warley's body is thrown afhere, that gentleman fends him the following letter, which we think is well compofed and finely imagined.

'Captain RISBY to the Honourable GEORGE Molesworth My heart bleeds afresh.

Her body found! - Good heaven!It must not-shall not come to the knowledge of the family.

At

At present they fubmit with a degree of refignation. Who knows but a latent hope might remain ?-Inftances have been known of many faved from wrecks;- but her body is drove on fhore. Not a glimmering ;-poffibility is now out of the queftion. The family are determined to fhut themfelves out from the world ;no company ever more to be admitted;

།

never

to go any where but to the church.-Your letter was delivered me before them, -I was afk'd tenderly for poor lord Darcy. What could I anfwer?Near the fame; not worse, on the whole.They flatter themselves he will recover :-)) encourage all their flattering hopes.

Mrs. Jenkings has never been home fince Mr. Morgan fetch'd her; Mr. Jenkings too is conftantly here; -- fome times Edmund : - except the unhappy parents, never was grief like theirs!

Mr. Jenkings has convinced me it was Mifs Powis which E faw at . Strange reverfe of fortune fince that hour.

་

• When the family are retir'd, I spend many melancholy hours with poor Edmund ;- -and from him have learnt the' reason why Mr. Powis conceal'd his marriage which is now no fecret.- Even Edmund never knew it till Mr. and Mrs. Powis returned to England. Take a fhort recital :ic

will help to pass away a gloomy moment.

When Mr. Powis left the univerfity, he went for a few months to Ireland with the lord-lieutenant; and at his return intended to make the grand tour.In the mean time, Sir James and lady Powis contract an intimacy with a young lady of quality, in the bloom of life, but not of beauty. what I can gather, lady Mary Sutton is plain to a degree, with a mind- But why speak of her mind?

speak for itself.

By

-let that

her affections

She was independent; her fortune noble; difengaged. Mr. Powis returns from Ireland: Lady Mary is then at the Abbey. Sir James in a few days, without confulting his fon, fues for her alliance.Lady Mary fuppofes it is with the concurrence of Mr. Powis.His perfon, his character, his family, were unexceptionable; and generoufly fhe declared her fentiments in his favour.Sir James, elated with fuccefs, flies to his fon; and in prefence of lady. Powis, tells him he has fecured his happiness. Mr. Powis's inclinations not coinciding, Sir James throws himself into a violent rage.Covetoufnefs and obftinacy always go hand in hand: both had taken fuch faft hold of the baronet, that he fwore and his oath was without refervation he would, never confent to his fon's marrying any other woman. Mr. Powis, finding his father determined, and nothing,

after