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polar diftance, then fubtract it from the polar diflance +." Now, if Mr. Moore had but luckily recollected, that it is impoffible for any one fide of a triangle to be greater than the fum of the other two, he would immediately have feen that what his forefathers had done, in this refpe&t, was quite fufficient; and that his addition was entirely a work of fupererogation.

Art. 22. The Univerfal Syftem: or Mechanical Cause of all the Appearances and Movements of the visible Heavens; fhewing the true Powers which move the Earth and Planets in their Central Rotations. With a Dissertation on Comets, the Nature, Cause, Matter, and Ufe of their Tails, and the Reafons of their long Trajectories: likewife an Attempt to prove what it is that moves the Sun round its Axis. 8vo. 1 s. boards. Buckland. 1779. The Univerfal System seems to be written by a fenfible man*; and to contain a sketch of an ingenious theory, calculated to remove fome difficulties in the fyftem of the univerfe, as explained both by Cartefian and Newtonian philofophers; and though the Author's reafons may not be confidered as demonftrations, yet the probability and ingenuity of fome of his conjectures render this brief fyftem worthy the attention of attronomers.

PHILOSOPHICAL.

Art. 23. An Account of the Experiments made at the Pantheon, on the Nature and Ufe of Conductors, &c. Read at the Meetings of the Royal Society. By Benjamin Wilfon, F. R. S. &c. 4to. 3 s. 6d. Nourse. 1778.

We have already noticed this account of Mr. Willon's Experiments, in our Review of the last volume of the Philofophical Tranfactions [Monthly Review, June 1779, page 415]. The relation of thefe Experimental Obfervations is here republifhed, in a feparate form, for the benefit of those, we fuppofe, who may not have an opportunity of confulting the Tranfactios. ferve, that to this republication the Author has annexed fome new We should further obexperiments made with the Leyden phial, refpecting the proper termination of conductors: but thefe cannot be rendered intelligible, without a fight of the plates that accompany them.

It may be acceptable to electricians to be informed of a method, here defcribed, by which Mr. Cavallo repairs coated phials, &c. that have been cracked or perforated, either by a fpontaneous dif charge, or other accident.He removes the outfide coating from the fractured part, and then makes it moderately hot by holding it to the flame of a candle; and while it remains hot, he applies burning fealing-wax to the part, fo as to cover the fracture intirely; taking care that the thickness of this wax coating may be greater than that of the glass. Laftly, he covers all the fealing wax, and part of the furface of the glafs beyond it, with a compofition made with four parts of bees-wax, one of refin, one of turpentine, and a very little oil of olives. This he spreads upon a piece of oiled filk, which he applies in the manner of a plaister.- With this method,

+ Practical Navigator, p. 149.
The Preface is figned John Lacy,

fays

fays Mr. Wilson, I have seen several phials fo effectually repaired, that, after being frequently charged, they were at laft broken by a fpontaneous discharge, but in a different part of the glass.

POETICA L.

Art. 24. Sophia to Alonzo; an heroic Epiftle. 4to. 1 S. Bathurst. 1779.

This Epiftle, though conceived with more paffion than tenderness, and expreffed with more force than harmony, is not one of the worst imitations of Ovid that have come before us. There are ftrokes of nature in it which do credit to the juftness of the Author's pencil. Art. 25. The Lovely Moralift: An Epiftle from a late unfortunate young Lady, to her Lover the M-r-s of C-r-n, a few Hours before her Death, after the News of a late domestic Accident. With Notes and Illuftrations, 4to. I s. 6d. Faulder, This Epistle, like the former, is written after the Ovidian model. We have not much to fay in praise of its execution. The impropriety and impertinence, to speak in no harsher terms, of making free with private character, merely upon the credit of a newspaper. anecdote, are fufficiently obvious.

Art. 26. A Collection and Selection of English Prologues and Epilogues; commencing with Shakespeare, and concluding with Gar rick. Crown 8vo. 4 Vols. 14 s. bound. Fielding and Co. 1779.

The defign of this compilation is to be a refervoir of all the prologues and epilogues in our language, worth preferving, given in a chronological fucceffion, after the manner of Mr. [Dr.] Percy's Collection of ancient English Ballads; fo as to intitle these volumes to a place in a library; and by prefenting the various fpecies of them, whether in profe or verfe; in dialogue or declamation; in argument, fupplication, or defiance; to fhew the latitude with which they have and may be ufed. For our writers have deviated greatly from the original purpose of these exordiums and perorations; the licentia poetica of Englishmen partaking the nature of their libertas politica, which fpurns at defpotifm, and would no more be governed by the laws of Aristotle, than by those of Alexander.' PREFACE. Art. 27. An Epistle to John Count O'Rourke, Colonel of Horse, Knight of the Royal Order of St. Lewis, and formerly Lord Chamberlain to Stanislaus King of Poland. 4to. I S. Lewis. 1779. A compliment to the Count, reciting his high birth (being defcended, it is faid, from the ancient Irish Kings), his virtues, his military attainments, and his Military book: fee Review for laft June, Art. 41, of the Catalogue.

The Poet introduces, likewife, a copious panegyric on the Irish nation; at the fame time lamenting, and enumerating, the great hardships which poor Hibernia hath endured, from the burthens laid upon her by the English; but he gratefully acknowledges the late very favourable regard fhewn to her by government.

""Twas thine, great GEORGE, with lenient touch, to calm
Her heart-felt throbbings-thine to pour the balm
Into her rankling wounds, thofe wounds to heal,
And give her earneft of her future weal."

The foregoing lines are here given as a fair fpecimen of the poetry.

5

MISCEL

MISCELLANEO U S.

Art. 28. Thoughts on the Times, but chiefly on the Prefligacy of our Women, and its Caufes. Addreffed to every Parent, Hufband, and modeft Woman in the three Kingdoms. In two Parts; fhewing First, the Danger of public Incontinence; the Abfurdity of our Female Education; the Folly and bad Tendency of a fashionable Life, and the Evils that arife from French Refinement; and Secondly, how feldom Men-Midwives are neceffary; that their Practice is dangerous-that it is repugnant to Modefty, tends to deftroy the Peace of Families, and endanger Virtue. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Bew, &c.

An indecent attack upon indecency-on what grounds it is made, we pretend not to judge.

Art. 29. The Hiftory of the Royal Abbey of Bec, near Rouen in Normandy. By Dom. John Bourget, Benedictine Monk of the Congregation of St. Maur in the faid Houfe, and Fellow of the Society of Antiquarians of London. Tranflated from the French. 8vo. 3 s. fewed. Conant. 1779.

To those who are not bleft with the true antiquarian inspiration, this hiftory must appear as dry and uninterefting, as the register of births and burials in any country church; affording not one curious fact or interesting anecdote: we will not therefore walle either our own time, or that of our Readers, by making any extracts from it. Art. 30. Pictures of Men, Manners, and the Times; interfperfed with Defcriptions of the Country, and Rural Enjoyments. Written in the Year 1777. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6 s. bound. Boofey.

1779.

These two volumes confist of thirty chapters, each of which treats on fome different topic. They are written in rather a lively manner, and may afford fome entertainment,-the more, perhaps, becaufe they abound with fatire ;-fatire, which, indeed, is frequently too just, as particularly when it is employed on the remarkable delicacy of the times,' the luxury of the age,' the bleffings of the cardtable,' &c.

Art. 31. Lucubrations, Civil, Moral, and Hiflorical. Small 8vo. 1 s. 6 d. Scott, Chancery-lane. 1779.

A man of literary decency would not difgorge indigeftions wantonly in public view, but relieve a weak ftomach from crudities in the utmost privacy. One Shandy in the memory of man is fufficient; but this hodge-podge brother of the fervum pecus tribe

has yet to learn,

That nine fuch fcribblers will not make a Sterne.

Art. 32. Exercises upon the different Parts of Italian Speech, with References to Veneroni's Grammar: To which is fubjoined, An Abridgment of the Roman History, intended at once to make the Learner acquainted with Hiftory, and the Idiom of the Italian Language. By F. Bottarelli, A. M. I 2mo. 2 s. 6d. bound. Nourfe. 1778.

A work of this kind has been fo much wanted, that it will be a fufficient recommendation of thefe Exercises, to fay, that they appear to be judiciously adapted to facilitate the learning of the Italian language.

Art.

Art. 33. The Playhoufe Pocket Companion; or, Theatrical Vade Micum. Containing, I. A Catalogue of all the Dramatic Authors, who have written for the English Stage, with a Lift of their Works, fhewing the Dates of Reprefentation or Publication. II. A Catalogue of Anonymous Pieces. III. An Index of Plays and Authors. In a Method intirely new, &c. To which is prefixed, A Critical History of the English Stage, from its Origin to the prefent Time. With an Inquiry into the Caufes of the Decline of Dramatic Poetry in England. 12mo. 3 s. Richardfon and Urquhart. 1779.

As great wits are generally faid to have fhort memories, and may be as liable to have fhort pockets; they are here offered a memorandum book, filled with names, titles, and dates, equally adapted to the deficiencies of both.

Art. 34. The Annals of Europe, or Regal Register; fhewing the Succeffion of the Sovereigns of Rome, Conftantinople, Adrianople, Trebizond, Turkey, Ruffia, Germany, Lombardy, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Poland, Pruffia, England, Scotland, and Ireland: Together with the Bishops and Popes of Rome, from the Foundation of their States to the prefent Time: With the principal Events in each of their Reigns, and the Time when they happened. To which are added, Tables of the cotemporary Princes from the Year 800, and an alphabetical Arrangement of all their Names, fhewing the Time of their Acceffion and Death, with concise Characters of all, as handed down by the best Hiftorians. 8vo. 5 s. Boards. Newbery.

1779.

The length of this title-page renders it unneceffary for us to fay any thing in explanation of the defign of this book; and the utility of the defign is too obvious to need illuftration: we have therefore only to remark, that the work feems to be executed with fufficient accuracy to render it a ufeful manual to the readers of history. In the doubtful periods of antiquity, the common dates are adopted, notwithstanding the decifive arguments by which the Newtonian chronology is fupported. 'Tis aftonifhing, that in a matter fo clearly decided, and on fuch authority, new writers should still blindly follow the beaten track.

Art. 35. A View of the Earth, as far as it was known to the Ancients: Being a fhort but comprehenfive System of claffical Geo! graphy, exhibiting, I. A Defcription of the feveral Empires, Kingdoms, and Provinces, their Cities, Towns, Rivers, and Mountains, mentioned in the Greek and Latin Claffics. II. An accurate Abridgment of the Eneid of Virgil and Odyffey of Homer, in a Geographical Defcription of the Voyages of Æneas and Ulyffes. With the Travels and Voyages of St. Paul. Being a Work abfolutely necessary for the right Understanding of the Claffics. Adapted to the Ufe of Schools and Academies, and illuftrated with a new Set of Maps. By R. Turner, junior, of Magdalen Hall, Oxford. 8vo. 3s. Boards. Dodfley. 1779. As it is probable that the claffics were understood long before this fketch of ancient geography appeared, we cannot, with the Author,

pronounce

pronounce his work abfolutely neceffary for the right understanding of them: we muft, however, do him the juftice to acknowledge that it is executed in fuch a manner, that it may be very ufeful to the claffical fudent.

Art. 36. The Dyer's Affiftant in the Art of dying Wool and Woollen Goods. Extracted from the philofophical and chemical Works of Meffrs. Fergufon, Du Fay, Hellot, Geoffroy, Colbert, and Julienne. Tranflated from the French; with Additions and practical Experiments. By James Haigh, Silk and Muflin Dyer, Leeds. 12mo. 5 s. 6 d. fewed. Leeds printed, and fold by Rivington, London. 1778.

This appears to be a useful compilement, on a fubject concerning which very few books have appeared in this country. The art of dying is, in itself, one of the moft curious; and in a commercial view, one of the most important. In a word, it is an art, in the improvement and perfection of which, the philofopher and the mechanic are equally interested.

Art. 37. A Dictionary of the Bible; Hiftorical and Geographical; Theological, Moral, and Ritual; Philofophical and Philological. By Alexander Macbean, A. M. 6 s. bound. Carnan. 1778.

8vo.

A dictionary of the Bible ought to be wholly confined to the explanation of the proper names and more difficult terms contained in the Bible. Instead of this, we find the technical language of Calviniftic theology, and of puritanical mysticism, plentifully difperfed in alphabetical fhreds through this volume; the unavoidable confequence of which is, that the literary and fcientific parts of the work are crouded into a very narrow compaís: it may however be of fome ufe to those who have not an opportunity of confulting larger works. Art. 38. Directions to Servants; particularly thofe who have

the Care of Children. 8vo. 6 d. Dodfley, &c. 1779.

The Author treats his subject under the following diftinct heads: -Importance of Servants who have the Care of Children—The real Interest of Servants-Directions to Servants in regard to Children. On each of these heads the Writer gives a number of fenfible, and fome fingular precepts. Among the first is the following: Take more care in what you fay or do before children than before the world; for they may not only imitate, but misunderstand you.'— From the novelties we have felected what follows: Children should have nothing faid to them on religion by fervants. And even parents fhould avoid it while children are young, and until they have attained all neceffary previous knowledge.'-All prayers should be carefully avoided; because children muft mifapprehend them. They should have no idea that a good may be obtained but by a right temper and behaviour,' &c.-As this is a point that merits the moft ample and ferious confideration, furely the Author should either have treated it more at large, or have been filent upon it. The little page that he has employed on this fubject, may, perhaps, only ferve to unfettle the minds of many well-meaning people, without fatiffying the doubts or fcruples of any individual.

Art.

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