the purpose of exciting in us an abhorrence for our fellow-freemen, the French. Politicians fhould have deplored, and not execrated their errors; it is as if Balak bad faid unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, and curfe this people.'

Mr. White finishes his preface with this declaration :

I am happy in having poffeffed a fufficiency of health and leifure, to enable me to act the part of tranflator to M. Mirabeau®, and to his patriotic colleague, M. Rabaut de Saint Etienne. The legiflators of France, as long as their labours contain nothing injurious to the true principles of Chriftianity, and are directed to no other object than the happiness of human kind, fhall have the best wifhes of one who, while he laments their mistakes, must admire their magnanimity.'

We have, on another occafion, expreffed our concern that feveral of the French patriots, who have perceived and juftly rejected the abfurdities and impofitions of Popery, fhould have proceeded to the other extreme, of disavowing Christianity, fo entirely oppofite to Popery in its nature and tendency! We truft they may correct this error !-We join with the tranflator in a fenfible and short note, that appears in one part of this work: Strange it is, and truly to be lamented, that fuch very able men, who faw into other abufes with fo penetrating an eye, could not difcriminate between the ufelefs lumber of religion, and the pure and inestimable spirit of Chriftianity. By a kind of infatuation, they all laboured to undermine what is the very cement of civil fociety!"

The editor's notes are short, and not numerous: we might have taken notice of fome, and of various paffages in the work, had our limits allowed it.-The few lines that follow, being part of a defcription of the ftate of the French people, while enflaved by their Grand Monarque, and his minions, may ferve, perhaps, to imprefs or amufe the mind of the reader:

Moral flavery, that fpecies of infignificance peculiar to minds ftript of independence and of liberty, chained every thought to one thought, and every will to one will. Opinion likewife had her defpotifm, and her throne was fet up at court, for public opinion was not yet in being, her fevere tribunal was not yet erected. Bon ton was the title given to that law, fo often capricious, and perpetually defpotic, which a few women, and womanish men, caused to be executed imperiously, by the boyish arm of foppery.'

To this remark is fubjoined a note,-of the juftice, feverity, or pleafantry of which the reader will judge as he thinks proper : Thus, a Marechal of France hath given a name to a new-invented hair-powder, and taught his countrymen the art of fubduing one flink by another.'

* A work now under review,

1

1

Thefe

Such as are more

Thefe are remarks of the lighter clafs. weighty we are obliged to pafs over; and it is the lefs neceffary to rehearse them, as feveral works of the kind are already before the public.

We have no doubt of the fidelity of Mr. White's translation; and we cannot but think that even thofe perfons who are unfavourably difpofed toward the French revolution, may be entertained and informed by the perufal of this volume: judging with impartiality, it will furely be concluded, that the powers of Europe (which can certainly have no right to prefcribe, by force, a government for millions of people,) are fadly mifapplying the blood and treafure of those whom they call their fubjects, in labouring to thwart and overturn the measures and conftitution of a great nation,-a nation, which, as far as appears, without their interference, would adhere to its principle, peace with all mankind!

Το

Some pages in the latter part of this book contain reflections on the prefent ftate of affairs, by the fame author: they are in the form of propofitions or corollaries, and appear to us to contain what is curious and well worthy of attention. thefe is added, a chronological table of the principal decrees which have been paffed, and of the most remarkable events which have taken place during the fitting of the Conftituent National Affembly. This table commences at the 4th of May 1789, and finishes with the 30th of September 1791.

Additions to the

MONTHLY CATALOGUE for AUGUST, 1792.

Art. 20.

FRENCH REVOLUTION,

La Rebellion des Betes, &c. i. e. The Rebellion of the Beats; an allegorical Fable. By G. Polidori. 8vo. pp. 29. 19. Jeffery. 1792.

TH

HE rebellion of the beafts is the prefent revolution in France. The king is the Lion: the affembly are Apes: the generals are Foxes; and fo on to the end of the piece, which, we think, poffeffes no great portion either of wit or humour.

EDUCATION.

Art. 21. A New and Complete Italian Grammar: containing a fhort Introduction to the Italian Pronunciation: plain and concife Rules and Obfervations on the Nine Parts of Speech, exemplified and fanctioned by Paffages taken from the best Italian Writers; fuch as Boccaccio, Bembo, Petrarca, Taffo, Ariollo, Metaftafio, &c. to which are annexed inftructive and entertaining Exercites: a fhort Appendix on Italian Orthography: a Vocabulary English and Italian, and a number of Phrates which very frequently occur in Converfation: a felect Collection of fmart Repartees, Witticifins,

cifms, &c. in Italian: a Collection of elegant and interefting Italian Letters upon various Subjects: fpecimens of Italian Poetry with the Rules thereof: a Table, which prefents in one Point of View, a clear and fuccinct Method of declining every Noun and Pronoun, and of conjugating every regular Verb: an alphabetical Lift of the irregular Verbs, conjugated in those Tenses in which they differ from the regular ones: a Tranflation, as literal as poffible, of the Italian Paffages quoted in the Course of the Grammatical Rules and Obfervations. The whole laid down in a clear and methodical Manner, and interfperfed with many useful Notes, calculated for the Attainment of the Italian Tongue in its greatest Purity and Perfection. By A. Vergani, Teacher of the Latin, Italian, and French Languages. 12mo. pp. 284. 3s. 6d. Bound. Baldwin. 1791.

The contents of this volume are fufficiently enumerated in the long title from which it is evident, that much is included in this grammar, which has no connection with grammatical fubjects. Were these extraneous matters difcarded, and fome alteration made in the order of treating what would remain, we fhould be able to recommend this treatise of M. Vergani as offering a concife and easy method of inftructing fcholars in the Italian tongue.

Art. 22. Sketches of Female Education, partly original, and partly felected from the most approved Authors, for the Inftruction and Amusement of young Ladies, both in public Seminaries and private Families. By Thomas Broom, Teacher of the Claffics, Geography, and other Branches of polite Literature, at Wokingham, Bucks. 12mo. pp. 214. 25. Bound. Law. 1791. We recommend this little tract to the attention of the fair readers for whom it is defigned. The author extracts with fome freedom from preceding writers, and he does not fail to acknowlege it. The chapters on Order, on Mcdefty, on Reflection, on Female Condu& and Behaviour, and on the Government of the Paffions, are, in our opinion, highly deferving of a careful attention: we find in them quotations from the Spe&ator, from Fordyce, and, under the last head, fome pages from Watts's well-known treatife on the fubject: to thefe we add the chapter on religion; as well as other parts of the book. Geography, aftronomy, rhetoric, &c. employ feveral pages, which afford fome general and not unufeful apprehenfion of the fubjects. The volume clofes with that fenfible letter to a newly-married lady, written by Mrs. Chapone; with which many readers are already well acquainted.

Art. 23. A Short Introduction to the Ufe of the Globes; containing an Explanation of the principal Terms, and Rules for the Solution of the moft ufeful Problems, with a variety of Examples, intended for the Learner's Exercife. By Thomas Molineux. 12mo. pp. 49. 1s. 6d. Lowndes. 1792.

The particular advantage to which this fmall volume pretends, above others of the fame kind, is, that it is calculated to leffen the labour of the mafter, by furnishing the learner with exercifes which, after fome introductory inftruction, he may easily perform without

affiftance. The piece feems very well adapted, as far as its plan extends, to answer the purpose intended by the author.

POETRY.

Art. 24. Eighty-nine Fugitive Fables, in Verfe; moral, prudential, and allegorical, original and felected. 8vo. pp. 232. 38. 3d. Boards. Murray. 1792.

This felection is made with tafte and judgment. The pieces, which have been in part gathered from the earlier magazines, and other miscellaneous publications, and are in part original, are on fubjects of importance in the conduct of life, and are generally written in eafy and elegant verfe. The fables are divided into three claffes; the first, moral, which inculcate fome virtue; the fecond prudential, which difplay maxims of practical wisdom; and the third allegorical, or pieces formed on allegorical personification. We commend this volume as a compilement which conveys useful leffons of moral and prudential inftruction, in the agreeable form of eafy and fometimes elegant verse.

Art. 25. The Idyllia, Epigrams, and Fragments, of Theocritus, Bion, and Mofchus, with the Elegies of Tyrtaus; tranflated from the Greek into English Verse. To which are added, Differtations and Notes.. A new Edition, corrected. By the Rev. Richard Polwhele. 8vo. 2 Vols. pp. 544 in both. Boards. Cadell, &c. 1792.

10s. 6d.

The public approbation of this work having been expreffed by a demand for a new edition, Mr. Polwhele has republished it in an octavo fize. For an account of thefe tranflations, fee Rev. vol. lxxviii. p. 308.

Art. 26. A Collection of Poems. By a young Lady. 12mo. pp. 200. 5s. Boards. Evans. 1792.

This young adventurer in the walk of poetry, fays, in apologizing for her productions, that they were written in the closest retirement, where she enjoyed not thofe pleasures that generally attend our youthful days, and had no refources, no pleafing amufement, but what the derived from her pen, to relax the mind.' This might be a very good reason for writing verses, but certainly is no apology for publishing them. Whether any better reafon can be found in the publication itself, the reader may in part judge from a few couplets:

'Tis thou alone that banisheth defpair,

And wipeth from her eye the widow's tear.'

But let us all reflect how it came fo,

From whom, from whence did this last bleffing flow.'

A fpot that's found by Nature's potent hand,

A fmall eftate Jurrounded with good land.'

Till this young lady has learned to perceive the inaccuracies and inelegancies of her prefent work, of which the above are very small

Probably this word is mif-printed: fhould it not have been

form'd?

fpecimens,

fpecimens, we would advise her to write only for her own amufement, or for that of her partial friends.

We are truly forry that we can afford no greater encouragement to a young writer, who, we doubt not, poffeffes an amiable character-which is of infinitely more value than poetic reputation, deftitute of private worth.

POLITICAL.

Art. 27. Buff; or a Differtation on Nakedness: A Parody on Paine's Rights of Man. 8vo. 6d. Mathews. 1792.

By fubftituting, in a few fentences of Mr. Paine's work, for fome of his most important words, others of a very different import, and leaving the lefs fignificant parts of the fentence as they were, he is here made to plead in favour of naked nefs. By a like dexterity, it would be just as easy to make Mr. Paine's opponents argue in favour of putting the people into ftrait waistcoats. Some readers may fancy that there is wit in these attempts. To them we shall confign the prefent performance; after remarking, that fuch witticisms will have no effect in perfuading the world, that there is no happiness in every man's being at liberty to cloath himself as he shall judge most fuitable to his own comfort and convenience.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Art. 28. A Letter to James Bofwell, Efq. With fome Remarks on Johnfon's Dictionary, and on Language, &c. 8vo. pp. 87. 2s. 6d. Kirby. 1792.

It feems a very fair maxim, that he who undertakes to correct the writings of others, ought himself to know how to write. What attention may be due, on this maxim, to the remarks of the author of this pamphlet, will be beft perceived by an extract: -which we need take little pains to felect; for in point of style (if fuch writing can deserve the name,) the writer clofely adheres to the rule of Horace; Servetur ad imum, &c. Much difpleafed with the honours which have been paid to Johnfon's powers, and particularly with the authority which has been given to his Dictionary, after quoting Mr. Bofwell's encomium of Dr. Johnfon's lexicographical excellence, the letter-writer thus proceeds:

All this is faid of the Dictionary, and much more; (I hope the reader will not lose fight of it, though I do not comment on it now) and if authority could alone prevail, (and does it not; and, am I to ask, when, where, and how?) we need go no farther. But to use a very vulgar, fince a very comprehenfive, nay proverbial expreffion -and whenever I meet with a proverb, Mr. Bofwell, I heartily embrace it, and do affure Mr. Bolwell that Sancho himself did not love proverbs more than his humble fervant, who would heartily recommend the embraces of them all, and all around, for they are wifdom :-Yes, to use such phrase, I would fay,-" the proof of the pudding is the eating;" and that proof, or teft, my readers fhall foon have; whereby fairly, and honeftly, and truly to judge for themselves, and to compare it with this account of the work, as here given in by Mr. Boswell; I mean a small selection, and a very small one it shall be, not to tire themfelves or me, from the work in

question;