"The redundant fyllable should be used as much as poffible, because it is the best means of giving that easy freedom to the verse, so extremely proper for dialogue.

8. The paufe fhould be inceffantly varied, and made, as much as poffible, to fall on the fyllable after the conclufion of that foot on which it is made, as fuch paufes give a remarkable smoothness and flow to the verfe.

"Thefe are fome of the precepts, which, from the perusal of our best dramatic writers, I have formed to myself on the fubject of our narrative iambic verfe. † My ear, and judgment, may very poffibly deceive me, but I cannot help thinking, at prefent, that their observation will tend to the perfection of this kind of metre, rendering it, at the fame time, more nervous, and melodious. By thefe, at leaft, I have endeavoured to form the numbers of the following performance, though it will very poffibly be found on examination, that I have (unintentionally) tranfgreffed them."

As to the play itself, as our limits will not afford room for a fatisfactory abftra&t, we might only injure the Author by a partial extract. Suffice it to fay, that we have perufed it with more pleafure, than we have received at the reprefentation or reading of most of the late imitations of Metaftafio. It may not therefore be improper to obferve, that this piece was offered fome years ago to the stage, when under the management of Mr. Colman, and by him rejected. Not that the Author mentions this circumftance in difparagement of that manager, whofe motives for rejecting his piece, he conceives might be partiality to others through," private friendship, urgent folicitation, &c." The writer, indeed, appears by his unneceffary apology for the rejecting manager, as well as by his professed respect for the abilities for theatrical managers in general, to have a great regard for thofe refpectable perfonages; but then he gives the best reafon for it in the world," he has not the pleafure of their acquaintance."

ART. XVI. The Dutch-man, a Mufical Entertainment, as performed at the Theatre-Royal in the Haymarket. By Thomas Bridges, Efq; Author of Homer in Burlesque. 8vo. 1s. Lowndes.

We are really forry to find the humour of the author of Homer in Burlesque, with which we have occafionally made ourselves merry, reduced fo low as to make us ferioufly fad. There is no liquor in the world, perhaps, fo vapid as perry when it has loft its pertnefs; though, when impregnated with that exhilirating quality, it may, for a while, out-parkle genuine champaigne. We have, indeed,

As in this line of Dryden, before-mentioned, where it is in the fyllable beyond the third foot,

"Neglecting the could take them. Boys, like Cupids." And this of Glover, where it is on the fyllable beyond the fecond,

"Then with her children, lovely as the mother."

+ I hope it will not be objected to me that they carry too much the appearance, and parade of pedantry, and art, when it is remembered, that Pope has faid, "Trec cafe in writing comes from art, not chance,

"As those move eafielt, who have learn'd to dance.”
Effay on Criticism..

observed,

་ང་ན་

obferved, on more occafions than one, that his wit ran fo low that, if it were tapped a peg lower, we fhould have all the dregs of the cafk. Let our readers judge from the following fcene, if our apprehenfions were not well founded.

DUTCH-MAN, and SOPHY his ward.-LETTICE liftening.

Myn. My dear chargee, you look fo charmingly, that the fun hining through a fog is but a mere dark lanthorn to your eyes. Sophy. You flatter my eyes, Mynheer.

Myn. I cannot flatter either your eyes or your complexion; because the colour of the finest Weftphalia ham is mere brick-duft, when compared to your ruddy cheeks.

Sophy. Why, Mynheer, will you ftrive to win my tender heart, when you have a wife, a happy wife, already.

Myn. (Spits, and making faces.) If you love me, Sophy, don't put me in mind of my fow, for whenever he is mentioned I grow as fick as a dog.

Lett. (Peeping.) Whether this Dutch-man is a fick dog, or not, I does not know; but I am fure he's a fad dog.

Sophy. You feem as if you would be glad to get quit of your wife, Mynheer.

Myn. Ay, and give a thousand ducats to any man that would fetch her, for then I would marry my dear chargee.

Sophy. If that's the cafe, inftead of giving money, I'll fhew you a way how to get money by parting with her.

Myn. Which way, my dear little lambkin, and duckling, and pilot fif, and all the pretty things on land or water put together. Sophy. But won't you, if you get a divorce, and marry me, begin to flight me, as you do this wife?

My. Slight thee; by this fnickerfneeing blade

Sophy. Pray don't fwear, Mynheer. Here, Lettice!

Enter LETTICE,

Lettice. Here I be, Madam.

Sophy. Pray tell Mynheer what you and I have done for him.

[Exit,

Myn. Why would not that dear creature tell me herfelf, Lettice? Lett. Because I fancies the blushes to own what a fuppreffion you have made on her heart, Mynheer.

Myn. O Donder and Blaxen.

Lett. (Peeps about.) But are we fafe, can nobody over-hear, thinks you?

Myn. Nobody.

Lett. We have found out, that your wife is in love with a young Englishman, that came over laft winter, to learn the most fashionable Bourish in fkaiting.

Myn. I wish he would fkait away with her on his back, next winter, I would pay him handfomely for carriage.

Lett. But I and my mistress watches her fo close, that we have found out they are to meet this morning in her dreffing-room. Mya. What to do, Lettice?

Lett. I gueffes what, and you and a good witnefs fhall fee if you pleases, with your own eyes; then you may get a divorce, and re

cover,

162 Abstract on the Mechanism of the Motions of floating Bodies.

cover two or three thousand ducats of the Englishman, for making a monster of a Burgo-mafter.

Myn. They don't call cuckolds monsters in England now, Lettice, they are fo cominon.

Lett. No, but they gives great damages, for all that; an English jury will give a thoufand pounds for hornifyzing a taylor, and nine thousand for hornifyzing a Lord, becaufe a Lord, if he happens to prove a man, is equal to nine taylors.

Myn. What a friend have I found in you, Mrs. Lettice, and what a treafure in my dear chargee; fuch a young head, fo full of brains, with fuch a sweet enchanting tongue, and fuch flesh and blood, and blue veins, O Donder and Blaxen, how happy fhall I be.

Lett. What ftrange footerkins thefe Dutch-men are, now is this fellow cooking my miftrefs like a calf's head, with tongue and brains for fauce.

SON G.

Myn. Water Zouchee is a dish

In the foremost rank of fish:
But no difh of fish or flesh,

Be it e'er fo firm and fresh,

Be it e'er fo nice and rare,

Can with Sophy's flesh compare..

[Afide.

[Exeunt.

If the readers have any appetite for more of this Dutch dish, we muft recommend them to apply to the vender of this curious piece of cookery.

MEC CH HAN I C S..

ART. XVII. Abstract on the Mechanism of the Motions of floating Bodies. By M. De la Croix, Commissary General of the Marine, &c. &c. &c. Tranflated from the French, published by Admiral Knowles, and now reprinted. 4to. 25. Robfon.

Of this work the tranflator fubfcribes the following recommendation in an advertisement prefixed.

"This little Treatife contains more knowledge in the art of shipbuilding than any book hitherto published that I have met with: the principles the author proceeds upon are just and true; I have verified them by a number of experiments, and they agree exactly with the calculations he gives: but what proved moft fatisfactory to me, was their answering perfectly well when put into practice, in feveral line of battle ships and frigates, that I built whilft I was in Ruffia. CHARLES KNOWLES.

After fo direct and explicit a commendation of this work, from a critic of fuch known abilities and experience, it might be deemed impertinent in us to add any thing, by way either of doubt or confirmation. Indeed the fubject is to extremely complicated and cu rious, that nothing but a matterly poffeffion of the theory of mecha nics joined to confiderable experience in the equilibrium of floating bodies, can enable the acuteft mathematician to decide properly on

the

the fubject. As the pamphlet is hence incapable of abstract, we must refer the reader, who would form a competent idea of the author's fyftem, to the publication itfelf. A general notion, however, of its ingenuity may be gathered from the striking comparison, which the author draws between the mechanifm of the compounded motions of floating bodies, and of those of the little figures, which we commonly call Equilibres.

"Let us take into confideration," fays he," thofe small figures of wood or ivory which we commonly call equilibres, fixed to inverted pyramids whofe vertex ferves them for a pivot; fo that being placed. upon a ftand, they will affume an erect pofition, or any other you pleafe, by means of a double counterpoife which hangs lower than the furface of their ftand. Hitherto they have been looked upon only as children's, toys, and confequently their mechanifm has been unheeded by the geometricians, yet at this time of day they may be deemed not unworthy of their profoundest fpeculations, upon account of the conformity there is between them, and the motions of floating bodies. "The little figure we are here confidering, has for its point of fuftentation, that point of the furface of its ftand on which the vertex of its inverted pyramid bears; which point meets with, in its point of fuftentation, an obstacle which its tendency to the centre of the earth cannot furmount; the centre of gravity of the little figure, and all its appendages, however remote from it, are kept fufpended there by; confequently this must be the point of fufpenfion of the figure. "That point of the capacity of a floating body which is immediately above its point of fuftentation, fuch as I have juft now determined, meets with an obftacle in that point of fuftentation which is likewife as infurmountable to its tendency towards the earth's centre, as is that which the vertex of the inverted pyramid of the little figure meets with in that point of the furface at the ftand on which it bears. The centre of gravity of the floating body, together with all its connected appendages, at whatfoever diftances from the point immediately above its point of fuftentation, are thereby kept fufpended; and confequently that point must be the point of fufpenfion of the floating body.

"The parallel I have been drawing between the points of fuftentation and fufpenfion of the little figure propofed, and of the floating body, appears to me alike fimple and evident And I may readily conclude from thence, that thofe two bodies are in their motions subject to the very fame laws. The following reflections will put this matter beyond all doubt,

"When the propofed little figure inclines:

"1°. It has for a line of fuftentation, the parallel to the horizon which croffes the furface of the ftand, which paffes through its point of fuftentation, and which is alfo parallel to the length of the fide on which it inclines.

"2°. It has for an axis of inclination the parallel to the horizon which paffes through its point of fufpenfion, and which bears all along upon its line of fuftentation.

"3. Its centre of gravity, and all its other parts, during its inclination, defcribé arcs or portions of curves, which are parallel to each

other,

other, and have always their centre or focus in its axis of inclination, and whose furfaces are perpendicular to that axis.

"And as it is at liberty to incline on every one of its fides it may be confidered as having as many poffible lines of fuftentation, and axes of inclination, as we can conceive diameters in the two horizontal circles which would have its points of fuftentation and fufpenfion for their centres.

"When it turns round upon itself, it has for an axis of such circular motion the perpendicular of its centre of fuftentation, and all its parts defcribe arcs or fpirals whofe centre or focus is ever in that perpendicular.

All thefe feveral determinations of its lines of fuftentation, of the axis on which it moves, and of thofe arcs or portions of curves which its parts defcribe during its different motions, are exactly the fame as I have affigned in my extract on the mechanism of floating bodies, and they are confirmed by all poffible experiments.

"That this parallel may appear the more evident, place a figure fimilar to the former on a hollow bowl or difh: ballast the dish in fuch fort that the ballafting may not fhift during its various motions; and when it floats at freedom, and without motion, let the pofition of the little figure it fuftains be erect: Laftly, let its centre be level with the furface of the water, and the common centre of gravity of itself, its ballaft and little figure below the plain of floatation. Place these two little figures, the former on its ftand, the latter upon ftill water, and leave them at freedom: then will you perceive them to fall into an ofcillatory motion continually decreafing, during which they will both preferve the fame point of fuftentation, and when it ceafes, they will reft upright.

"Twirl them round and their motion will be uniform.

Lastly, practife upon them the feveral operations specified in my extract, of the leavers upon which the forces which are applied to floating bodies do act; of the motions which they imprefs thereon; of the augmentations or the diminutions which they produce in their gravity; and, you will find in all thefe cafes, that the mechanisms of their motions are regulated by the very fame laws."

In a country, where the art of fhip-building is carried to greater perfection in practise than in any other, the tranflation of fuch a tract as the prefent cannot fail to be acceptable; although it requires fome acquaintance with mathematics to comprehend and profit by it.

ART. XVIII. ADefcription concerning fuch Mechanifm as will afford a nice or true Menfuration of Time; together with fome Account of the Attempts for the Discovery of the Longitude by the Moon: As also an Account of the Discovery of the Scale of Mufic. By John Harrifon, Inventor of the Time-Keeper for the Longitude at Sea. 8vo. 35.

fewed, pages 108. Jones.

During the courfe of our reviewing we have never been fo much at a lofs to exercise our function, as we now are, to give an account of the pamphlet before us. It is, indeed, with fome concern we are obliged to declare it one of the most unaccountable productions we ever met with. Mr. Harrifon fets out thus ;