hand, the adventures recited, are to the highest degree wild and impro-
bable infomuch that the Author has hardly kept within the boundaries
of poffibility. The work is alfo defective in refpect of the moral; for
every thing turns out unfortunately for the best and most amiable perfo-
of the ftory. What Voltaire has obferved of Milton's Paradife
nages
Loft, may be here applied, with great propriety. The Devil, fays he,
is Milton's hero ;-and we fay the heroine of this performance is a Devil
too; for, furely, never was there, before, fo infernal a being in petti-
coats, as the Mifs Stanhope who makes the greatest though the moft
hateful figure in this abfurd history: a history which we are glad to
fay, for the honour of human nature, cannot be true. But the epithets
genuine, authentic, &c. &c. are now become words of courfe, in the title-
pages of the most romantic fictions.

Art. 35. The Adventures of Mifs Harriet Sprightly, a Lady of Pleafure. Interfperfed with the Hiftories and Characters, the Amours and Intrigues of feveral Perfonages well known in the po2 Vols. 5s. few'd. Serjeant. lite World. 12mo.

It will be eafy for every one who reads the title-page, to guess what kind of entertainment is likely to be met with, in the adventures of a prostitute.

Art. 36. The Amours of Lais; or, the Misfortunes of Love. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Wilkie.

1

The ftory of the famous Corinthian Courtezan, is here wrought up into a fort of Romance, quite in the French tafte; though we cannot but think that the modern embroidery looks oddly enough on the plain old Grecian stuff. It is like fewing lace and fringe upon a blanket.

Art. 37. The Faithful Fugitives: or, Adventures of Mifs Terefa M. In a Series of Letters to a Friend.

M

Vernor.

Calculated for the meridian of a circulating library.

12mo. 2s. 6d.

Art. 38. Memoirs of Mr. Walcott, a Gentleman of Yorkshire. 12mo. 2 Vols. 5s, Jones.

Such wretched fcrawling as this, is enough to difgrace any * library,

See the preceding article,

POETICA L.

Art. 39. The Demi-rep. By N. O. Author of the Meretriciad, 2s. 6d. Moran.

4to.

Were we now to fhew any civility to this Demi rep Writer, whose mufe we have formerly reproved for her meretricious behaviour, it might be fuppofed that we had been bullied into fome degree of complaifance for the dirty drab, by her grofs and groundless abufe of the Reviewers.

On

On the other hand, were we to find fault with the prefent performance, it would, poffibly, be imputed to refentment. Should we do neither, but give a specimen of this poem, without paffing any Judgment on its merit, we might ftill be liable to cenfure, from the foberer part of our Readers; who would not fail to blame us for circulating fuch licentious verfes.This Bayes of St. Drury may, therefore, if he pleafes, walk off in triumph; and boaft how compleatly he has puzzled the dull rogues!

Art. 40. Pride, a Poem, infcribed to John Wilkes, Efq. By an Englishman. 4to. I s. 6d. Almon.

If the Reader should expect to find, in this poem, a philofophical account of the nature and effects of pride, he will be disappointed. It is not fo much an ethic as a political epiftle, wherein the stale distinctions of parties, whofe very ghofts have vanished, are raked over again: yet one cannot but approve of thofe fentiments of liberty which run through the whole piece, and are in fome places not ill-expreffed. Thus, fpeaking of fome natural privileges which we have loft, he fays, The sportsman, then, unaw'd by flavish fear, Wanted, nor wifh'd an hundred pounds a-year : O'er Nature's wilds, like Nature's fon, he ran, Nor Lords denied what Heaven defign'd for man: Shall I the woods, the hills, the dales refign? Who dares forbid? Creation's bounds are mine.

น.

Art. 41. Ponteach; or the Savages of America. A Tragedy. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Millan.

Major Rogers, of whofe Military Journal, and Defcription of North America, we gave fome account in our Review for January laft, is the reputed author of this Indian tragedy; which is one of the moft abfurd productions of the kind that we have feen. It is great pity that so brave and judicious an officer fhould thus run the hazard of expofing himself to ridicule, by an unfuccefsful attempt to entwine the poets bays with the foldier's laurel. His journal, and account of our western acquifitions, were not foreign to his profeffion and opportunities; but in turning 'bard, and writing a tragedy, he makes juft as good a figure as would a Grubstreet rhymefter at the head of our Author's corps of North-American Rangers.

Art. 42. Political Epiftles on various Subjects of the present Times. Epiftle III. 4to. I S.

Nicoll.

See what has been faid of the two former Epiftles, in laft Month's Catalogue.

Art. 43. A Poem occafioned by the Death of the most iluftrious Prince William Auguftus, Duke of Cumberland. Humbly inscribed to her Royal Highness Princefs Amelia. 4to. 6d. Kearfly.

All

All hail George Pooke, or Sir William Brown, or whatever illuftrious Bard thou art, who haft written this poem, All hail! Bion's Adonis, and Mofchus's Bion, are poor models of Elegiac compofition, compared to this!

When those recreant wights, called Rebels, ran away from George's valiant Son,' how pathetic is the description of the dry belly-ach, with which they then happened to be afflicted!

Thro' night's brown horrors mixt with wind-blown rain,
They bound away, tho' rack'd with inward pain.
The Cholic of poor Albion is not lefs affecting:
Scotia's diftrefs'd, all Albion in great pain,
Entreat's that William may command again.

IS. Williams.

L.

Art. 44. Pynfent, a Poem. 4to. By an advertisement of infinite importance prefixed to this poem, the reader is given to understand that it was written in March laft.—It would indeed have been of just the fame confequence to the public if it had never been written at all; for private panegyric is certainly of a very uninterefting nature; and particularly where the merit of the fubject is problematical, it is quite impertinent.

Of this poem, the purpofe of which is to facrifice to the manes of Pynfent, and the popularity of Pitt, the following lines, on the acces fion of his prefent Majefty, may ferve as a fpecimen:

A youth fucceeds, a fight to England new,
Whom Nature, ftrict to Virtue's model, drew
Of manners mildly good, himself fincere,
He gives his heart to whom he trufts his ear.
But dread, unwary kings, the ills that come
From Flattery's lip, a court is Flattery's home,

Curious obfervation,-and altogether new!

L

Art. 45. The Demagogue. By Theophilus Thorn, Efq; 4to. Is. 6d. Robinson and Roberts.

The ingenious author of the verfes occafioned by the death of the Duke of Cumberland had described Albion as having a great pain in her bowels, but 'Squire Thorn gives her the Coup de Grace, and tears them fairly out. This was done by means of a German vulture,

Whose cruel talons Albion's Intrails tore;

Whose hungry maw was glutted with her gore.

The intent of this poem is to abuse Mr. Pitt; and it is, confequently, as impertinent with regard to the public and the cause of letters in general, as that which was employed in his praife.

น

Art. 46. A Poem to the Memory of the celebrated Mrs. Cibber.

4to. 6d. DodЛley.

Melpomene is introduced in this poem bewailing the Death of her favourite actress, in ftrains by no means unworthy of herself.

Clos'd

By Death's cold hand thofe features now are bound,
That once could every change of paffion wear;
Mute is the voice, whofe more than magic found
Stole like foft mufic on the ravifh'd ear.

The public is indebted to the Author of this Elegy, for The Alps, and feveral other pretty poems.

* Mr. Keate.

4.

Art. 47. The Methodist and Mimic, a Tale, in Hudibraftic Verfe.
By Peter Paragraph. Infcribed to Samuel Foote, Efq. 4to.
Is. 6d.
Moran.

There is humour and fatire in this Hudibrafic conference between Mr. Foote and a taberna le fint; who taking advantage of the late unfortunate accident which befel the former, and deeming it a proper juncture to attempt his converfion, repairs to him for that purpose; but meets with a repulfe, which is conveyed in a droll reprefentation of the cant and cunning of Squintum' and his difciples and a bold declaration of the mimic's refolution to renew his hoftilities against them,

Art. 48. The Recruiting Serjeant, a Tale. 4to. 6d. Wilkie.

This political Rhimefter feems to intend to be arch upon Mr. Pitt, and fomebody elfe, under the names of Capt. Plume, and Serjeant Kite. The verfes are fmart; but the Satire is too clofely wrapped up, to be clearly difcerned by the generality of readers.

RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERSIAL.

Art. 49. The whole Duty of Youth, with respect to their religious Conduct in Life. By a Divine of the Church of England. 12mo. Is. 6d. Law.

This little manual of inftruction, being written in the form of question and answer, and in a familiar style, adapted to the capacities of the youth of both fexes, may be of ufe in forming young and tender minds to piety and virtue.

Art. 50. Sermons on feveral Occafions, preached in Westminster
Abbey, and St. Margaret's, Westminster. By Peirfon Lloyd,
M: A. Second Mafter of Weftminster-fchool.
8vo. 5S.
Tonfon, &c.

Though there is nothing in these fermons, that renders a particular account of them neceffary, yet there is a plainnefs and fimplicity in them, which, to thofe who are fond of this fpecies of compofition, muft

be

1

be very pleafing and agreeable.The principal fubjects are.-The feripture-doctrine of temptation.-The right government of our thoughts. -Every man's life a mixture of profperity and adverfity, and the wildom of God in fo ordering it.-The divine omniprefence. The intemperate curiofity of prying into the fecrets of God, &c.-Private calamities not to be interpreted into divine judgments.-The duty and advantage of fetting our affections on things above.-The folly of all human confidence, and the wifdom of putting our trust in God.-The proper ufe of fcripture examples :-and a fermon preached at Lambeth chapel, Dec. 28, 1761, at the confecration of the bishops of Lincoln and Bristol.The Author's principles, with refpect to a certain very capital doctrine, appear to be what is generally understood by the term orthodox.

R. Art. 51. The Truth of the Chriftian Religion vindicated from the Objections of Unbelievers; particularly of John James Rouffeau In a Series of Differtations. By the Editors of the Chriftian's Magazine. 8vo. 5s. Newbery.

As thefe differtations have already appeared in detail, through the periodical courfe of the magazine above mentioned, they do not properly fall under our cognizance.. -The orthodox may now brandish their pens, and redouble their attacks on Mr. Rouffeau, (whom they will confider as an infidel, notwithftanding all his carneft profeffions to the contrary*) as he hath repeatedly declared his refolution never more to renew his connexions with the prefs: a declaration, by the way, the rather to be wondered at, as he is now fafely fheltered in that land of liberty in which, alone, his writings have neither drawn upon themselves nor on their author, the perfecution of zeal, nor the prohibitions of authority! We hope he hath not, fince his arrival in this country, feen any thing that may have given him juft caufe to doubt his perfect fecurity. For, though poor, friendlefs, obfcure writer, may dread the rigours of a King's-bench-profecution, yet, furely, fa diftinguished, fo admired a philofopher, fo virtuous a man, can have nothing to apprehend! No, Mr. Rouffeau! We dare venture to affure you, that while you continue to exprefs your fentiments with a decent respect to the esta blifhed religion, and legislative power of the country in which you now refide, you have nothing to fear from the fpirit of the laws, you have no reason to doubt the candour of the people; but may fafely and freely propofe to the public, whatever you conceive may prove conducive to their real inflruction, or their rational entertainment.-Be affured, Sir! that though TRUTH, and REASON, and a proper exertion of them in that fair FREEDOM OF ENQUIRY without which no church, no flate can long fubfift, fhould be banished from every other nation upon earth,--it is yet the glory and the pride of England, that THEY, and every honeft advocate for them, will find a fure afylum (and we truft will long con. tinue to flourish) in her happy foil!

See the Anecdotes relating to Mr. Rouffeau, in the APPENDIX to our 33d Volume, published in January laft.

Art. 52. A Dissertation on the Ancient Pagan Myfteries. Wherein

the