etfi gravi annis, temporibus iterum evocando, fefe iterum erectam, nunc forfan Britannia, vifura fit? Magne fenex! nondum forfan omnium dierum fol occidit-O! fi talis qualis tu fuifti nunc patriæ adfit-O! fi tibi præteritos natura referat annos *.* Sketches from Nature, in High Prefervation, by the most 'bonourable Mafters. 480. 25. Kearfly. In these allufive Sketches we are prefented with a variety of remarks, fatirical or panegyrical, on a number of diftinguished characters. In 'fome of the Sketches the colouring is firong and profufe, in others too faint, or the figures too much obfcured by the fhades of allegory; "but in most of them there is a fanciful, if not a defcriptive relation, to the perfons intended. Oppofition Mornings with Betty's Remarks. 8vo. 1s. 6d. : Wilkie. A thoufand thanks to Mrs. Betty O'Neil, fruiterer in St. James's Street, for thus bonestly laying before the public the whole private tranfactions of oppofition, during the courfe of laft winter. The rendering fo effential a fervice to administration, was doubtless a prudent ftep towards obtaining the place of housekeeper to the treafury, which, it feems, Mrs. Betty has for thefe thirteen years been anxiodfly longing after. Mean while we think the ought not to renounce the pine and the orange to become purveyor of politics, this being a commodity which the must know is very apt to grow ftale: though we acknowlege ourselves much gratified with the curious minutes, which form the fubject of her prefent publication. Obfervations on the National Debt, with Proposals for reducing the Jaid Debt, and for rafing future Supplies, in an eafy and eligible Manner; by which the National Credit, and the Property of Individuals, will be preferved and improved. 8vo. 6d. Dilly. The author of thefe Obfervations propofes fome amendments, and additional refources, refpecting a method of discharging the national debt, fuggefted fome months ago in a pamphlet, which was noticed in our Review for January laft, p. 72. One part of this plan confifts of a scheme for a lottery, in which the tickets fhould each bear the price of fifty guineas. Another is the establishment of a bank, upon fuch a foundation as might be highly advantageous to government, as well as to individuals. * Hæc fruftra !-At non tum ille ereptus fatis, quo præfide rerum, nil desperandum fuit—fortunatus certè laborum, egregiufque animi; nec ulli veterum virtute fecundus.-Patriæ, extremo ipi-. ritu, devinctus: et, excedens è vita, jurare poterat veriffimum illud, pulcherrimumque jusjurandum, quod Cicero, olin, abiens magiftratu, juravit, "fua unius opera rempublicam effe falvam.” Grati igitur fitis, O cives, in ejus memoria decoranda, cui nullam jam aliam gratiam referre poteltis." Hh 4 The The Speech of the Earl of Sandwich, in the House of Lords. On Friday, the 14th Day of May, 1779, being the Fourteenth Day of the Sinting of the Committee of Enquiry into the Management of Greenwich Hofpira!. 4to. 15. Cadell. This Speech contains a full vindication of his lordship's conduct refpecting the management of Greenwich Hospital; a vindication which has fince been fo honourably recognised by the refolutions of the house of lords. POETRY. Satire for the King's Birth-day. By no Poet-laureate. 4to. IS. Wilkie. This author is not a poet of high rank in Parnaffus; but has projected his plan with fome ingenuity. He pretends to write a fatire on the king and the queen; but fixes upon fome circumftances in their refpective characters, which, though perhaps uncommon among perfonages of their elevated ftation, or among that infignificant race of beings called people of the ton, are yet in the highest degree meritorious and honourable. Meritorious Difobedience: an Epifle to a Miniflerial Marine Favourite upon his late unexpected Escape from the Hands of Justice. 410. 25. Bew. One of the productions of that impetuous author, who has employed his whips, his halters, his fcorpions, and his fcalping knives, against almost every confpicuous character in the state, except the immaculate patriots. Patriotic Perfidy, a Satire. 8vo. 25. Bell. This author directs his fatire against fome of the principal leaders of oppofition, and writes with energy; but introduces the words damn and curfe, much oftener than metaphors and fimiles. A New Plan to fave the State. Addressed to the Ladies. 4to, 15. Dodfley. This Plan, fo far as it can be traced amidst a feries of unconnected epifodes, is, that the ladies fhould endeavour to produce a reformation of manners by their influence in fociety. In a dedication to the public, the author expreffes a hope, that he fhall, at fome future period, be happy in the poffetion of her favours. But if he means the approbation of his poetical talents, he must first become a favourite of the Mules, with whom he feems at prefent to be very little acquainted. An Effay on Man, in his State of Policy; in a Series of Twelve Epiftles. By Thomas Delamayne, Efq. 410. 2s. 6d. Har rifon and Co. The title of this poem naturally reminds us of Pope's Effay on Man, and his enchanting harmony of numbers. Unfortu nately for Mr. Delamayne, this idea makes us perceive the deficiencies of his Effay in a more striking light. But fetting afide all prejudices and comparisons, the author fhall fpeak for himself. • Behold the bull, the lord of all the plain! Of the bird-race, who fly to various lands, From hence this gen'ral argument we bring, Here the poet places the fupremacy of kings on a very precarious foundation, the regal authority of the bee, the cock, and the bull. The first has been the fubject of many idle fictions; and the author perhaps cannot inform us, whether the hive is a monarchy or a republic. The dominion of the cock, and his prerogatives, entirely depend on chance: for nature produces as many cocks as hens; and the empire of the dunghill is abfolutely determined by the old woman, who fuperintends the rooft, when she fends all the young princes, except one, to the market, or into the kitchen. The fovereignty of the bull is equally accidental, and not the appointment of nature; for, if the farmer did not interpofe with his knife, the government of the pasture would be an aristocracy. The World as it goes, a Poem. 4'0. 2s. 6d. Bew. The Satiric Mufe prefents herself to the poet, and gives him a vifionary reprefentation of The World as it goes;' filled with groups of mercenary courtiers, ladies of eafy virtue, oppreffors, mifers, hypocrites, &c. She then addreffes him in these terms. These, these are fubjects for thy fong! Let themes like thefe thy manly ftrain prolong." The word prolong implies no limitation, and has a formidable found in the ears of the reader. Though he may perufe thirtyfeven pages with fome pleasure, he will be alarmed at the thoughts of thirty-feven volumes.-Befides, vicious characters are feldom reformed by metaphorical whips and scourges. We therefore would not advise the author to follow the admonition of that 'improba Syren,' that notorious jilt, the Mufe, or attempt to correct every scoundrel he meets with in the court and the city, but to content himself with one experiment, and Let the world go as it will.' The The Satires of Perfius paraphrafically imitated, and adapted to the Times. With a Preface. By E. B. Greene, Efq. 8vo. 21. Dodfley. This learned tranflator has a confiderable share of poetical imagination; but fuch a remarkable tendency to distract and confound his readers by a multiplicity of images, unnatural refinements, dark fentences, and diftant allufions, that they will be frequently obliged to apply to the text of Perfius for an explanation of the paraphrafe. Sila Satires of Horace, tranflated into English Verse, and, for the most part, adapted to the prefent Times and Manners. By Alexander Geddes. 410. 5s. ferved. Cadell. The Satires of Horace have been univerfally admired; and have occafioned a great number of imitations. Mr. Pope acquitted himself in this undertaking, as he did in every other, with great applaufe. But out of eighteen Satires in the original, he has only favoured us with imitations of three, the firit, the fecond, and the fixth, of the fecond book. Mr. Geddes has. given us nine: namely, the firft, the fecond, the third, the fourth, and the eighth of the first book; and the fecond, the fourth, the fifth, and the feventh, of the fecond book; he intends, however, to proceed, if this attempt should have the good fortune to meet with general approbation. The claffical reader will be able to form a proper judgement of his abilities by the following extract: Whence is it, Beattie, that we find Scarce one of all the human kind Which choice procur'd, or chance begot; His neighbour's place, he should be bleft Happy the man, (the foldier fays, The country 'fquire, whom knotty cause The lawyer, dun'd with dire debate, • The The doctor-but the plaints of all, So num'rous is the grumbling tribe! But, fhould fome god (the gods with ease A lawyer this, and that a 'fquire: be Why ftand ye mute?-'Tis given to chufe Sure Jove might burn with holy ire To fee them fneakingly retire; And, in his well-tim'd fury, fwear He'd never more indulge their pray'r.' Some of the principal characteristics of the Satires of Horace are concifenefs and perfpicuity, a natural fimplicity, gaiety and good humour. In all thefe qualities the ingenious tranflator has copied the original with great attention. His ftyle is concise, clear, and unaffected; and the Hudibraftic measure. has given an air of eafe and pleasantry to his numbers. Still however, it may be faid, there is fomething wanting. The original is more agreeable than the paraphrafe. But what is it, that gives it this fuperiority? It is, we believe, the curiofa felicitas, the inexpreffible charm of the claffic phrafe, which muft inevitably be loft in every tranflation: and all attempts will be defective, unless the author, like Mr. Pope, has that poetic fpirit, which enables him to adorn his copy with equivalent beauties. The Prieftefs of Devonshire Wall. A Poetical Satire. Embellifheduth Characters of distinguish'd Perfonages, &c. &c. &c. Part the First 410. IS. Dixwell. A defcription of a nunnery, or a house of polite reception, under the fuperintendence of Mrs. W***n, near Devonshire Wall; fuppofed to be occafionally vifited by trifling peers, and others of the ton. The apparent defign of the author is to expofe the votaries, who go to worship the Dryads and Hamadryads that refide in the nunnery. A Paraphrafe or Poetical Expofition of the Thirteenth Chapter of the Firft Book of St. Paul's Epifles to the Corinthians. By Chrif topher Anstey, Efq. Folio. 1s. Dodley. Every poet, who attempts to tranflate the Scriptures into verfe, feels the difficulty of preferving the fober majefty and unaffected fimplicity of the original. Few writers have therefore fucceeded. Mr. Anftey is one of those few, as the reader of taste will perceive by the following fhort extract: Verse 11.-When I was (1) a child, Ifpake as a child, I underfood (2) as a child, I thought as a child; but when (3) I became a man, I put away childish things. |