The juft ideas, and varied improvements, introduced by Kent, and fince perfected by Brown, have adorned many parts of England with exquifite beauty. Upon the whole, towards the end of king George the Second's reign, the profeffors of the fine arts, and the lovers and judges of them were encreasing; exhibitions of pictures were begun under the auspices of the Premium Society; and the way was preparing for the noble revolution that was afterwards accomplished, and which will form one of the most pleafing fubjects of our future history.

Our furvey of things, brief as it was intended to be, would be imperfect, if we did not take fome notice of the diftinguished figure made by the writers in Scotland during this period, and efpecially in the latter part of it, when a wonderful ardour for literary eminence, and elegant compofition, animated the gentlemen who inhabited that, divifion of the united kingdoms. In philosophy we have already mentioned Maelaurin; and Simpson might be added in mathematics. Blackwell might juftly have been celebrated for hisdepth in antient literature, if he had not difgraced it by pedantry and affectation. The Scottish authors have particularly applied themfelves to metaphyfical difquifitions, and the cultivation of fentimental ethics. The turn begun by Hutchinfon was greatly improved, and appears ed in many ingenious productions, by which the knowledge of the principles and affections of the human mind has been highly promoted. When we fpecify Hume, Lord Kaims, Reid, and Adam Smith, we speak of them only historically, without confidering how far their refpective fyftems are founded in truth. Neither do we enter into the question, whether the English Hartley may, in any respect, have been more fuccefsful in explaining the mental conftitution. The progrefs of fociety and manners hath, likewife, been deeply investigated by the writers of North Britain, and feveral of their works of this kind will hereafter be noticed. We fhould remember, alfo, that to North Britain we are indebted for Hume and Robertson, our two claffic hiftorians. Arbuthnot and: Thomfon were natives of that country, though they refided wholly in England. In fhort, Scotland had its full fhare in contributing to the literary glory of the age.

Nor is Ireland to be forgotten in our prefent furvey. Ireland can boast of her Swift and her Berkley: Ireland can fay that, in liberal Theology, she hath produced an Abernethy, a Clayton, and a Leland; and that we owe to her another Leland, the tranflator of Demofthenes, and the historian of Philip of Macedon. It may be added in her favour, that he hath adorned England with fome eminent names that will occur in the profecution of our defign,

"In reflecting upon the period we have thus briefly defcribed, we perceive it to have been an active and bufy one, with regard to the cultivation of knowledge and literature. A vaft number of impor tant fubjects were difcuffed in it, and the difcuffion of them effected a great revolution in the fentiments of the kingdom. Extraordinary light was thrown on the very first objects that can demand the atten tion of man. Human reafon, on the whole, was much improved,

and

and a candid and enlarged turn of thinking increased. It wasa pe culiarly agreeable circumftance that the itate of things was progreffive;' fince the latter part of the reign of King George II. was not only fplendid in arms and commerce, but in the rifing fituation of every liberal art. What hath been the fubfequent condition of fcience, learning, and taste; what improvements have been made in them; what changes have taken place; and what have become the prevailing opinions and literary pursuits of the prefent times, will, in the courfe of our undertaking, be the subjects of diftinct and particular enquiry.

It has been conjectured that the publication before us is fuperintended by Dr. Kippis; and that a large proportion of it is of his compofition. We pretend not to know whether this be exactly the cafe but we can affure the public, that the work is by no means unworthy of the pen and repu tation of Dr. Kippis; and we hope that it will be continued with the fame diligence, ability, and candour which have bitherto diftinguished it.

ART. X. L' Ami des Enfans, par M. Berquin. A Londres, chez Elmfley. 24 vols. 11. 1s. couffus. 1782, 1783.

The Children's Friend. Tranflated from the French of M. Ber quin. London. Cadell and Elmfley. 1783.

THE firft volume of this work appeared in France in

the month of January 1782; and in March 1784, foon after it was completed, it obtained the prize adjudged by the French Academy to the most useful publica tion of the year. Before that, the French nation had received the volumes, as they appeared, with merited applaufe; to which is now added the general approbation of the English reader. M. Berquin has therefore every reafon to be fatisfied with himself and his performance.

The public are indebted to the author for a work that was very much wanted; as the books of the kind we have hitherto been in poffeffion of were but ill calculated to anfwer the end propofed, as moft of them were trifling and despicable compofitions, and many of them had rather an immoral than a moral tendency,*-.

With regard to the plan and defign of the work, Mr. Berquin muft fpeak for himself. He informs us in his Profpectus, that he has two things in view. To furnish amusement "to children, and at the fame time lead them naturally

66.

*We must except from this general cenfure the little that Mrs. Barbauld has done in this way, and, at the fame time express our regret, for her not having done more. ENG. REV. FEB. 1785.

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"to virtue by invariably painting it in the moft amiable "form. Inftead of thofe extravagant tales, and abfurd won"ders which have fo mifled their imaginations, they will "here meet only with fuch events, as they may obferve daily happening in their own families. No attempt is made to infpire fentiments which they cannot comprehend: It "is only with one another that they are brought into action, with their parents, + their family domeftics, and the ani"mals to which they are accuftomed. They are made to fpeak the language of fimplicity and nature. Keenly "interested in every event, they abandon themselves to all "the artlefs emotions of their early paffions. From this, in their "own faults they will feel their punifhment, and in the "pleasure of doing well heir reward. Every thing concurs to infpire a love of virtue, as the means of happinefs, and a deteftation of vice, as the fource of mortification and mifery. It is hardly neceffary to obferve "that this work is equally fuited to children of both fexes. "While mere children, fo imperceptible is the difference of their characters and purfuits, that feparate leffons are by no means neceffary. And an attention has been paid to bringing them together as often as poffible, with the defign of promoting that intimate union and affection between brothers and fifters, which we must ever fee with pleasure. Variety has been ftudied in the different little pieces contained in each volume."

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66

We shall not proceed further in tranflating Mr. Berquin's Profpectus; as what we have already laid before the public gives fufficient information with regard to the plan and object of the performance. It will be neceffary

however to add that each volume contains a fhort dramatic piece; written with intereft, and level to the capacities of children. It is intended that families fhould join in the reprefentation of thefe Dramas; that children, while the heart and understanding are improved by the moral of the piece, may be brought to fpeak with propriety, and may acquire that degree of affurance, and that grace and eafe which are of advantage in the world. The author informs us that he employed Moliere's expedient before he fent any of his articles to the prefs. The effect of every one "of them," fays he," has been tried upon children "more or lefs advanced in age and understanding, and

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We have not omitted tranflating "Les compagnons de leurs "jeux" through mistake; but because we think that children who brought into action with one another," are children brought into action with "their playfellows," and confequently, that Compagnons de leurs jeux" is a tautology.

are

"whatever

"whatever appeared not to engage their attention was ex"punged."

A more happy method of infuring fuccefs could not have been devised. Befides the Dramas we have mentioned, each little volume contains a variety of ftories, many of them in the dramatic form; all tending either to mend the heart, or to correct the understanding. Poetical pieces are sometimes inserted, which have the fame objects in view.

As a fpecimen at the fame time of the original work and the tranflation, we fhall present our readers with the ftory of

THE CANARY BIRD.

'Canary birds to fell! who'll buy Canary-birds? choice, fine Canary-birds! cried a voice that was paffing by the houfe where Jamima lived. Jamima heard it, and running to the window, looked into every part of the street. She then faw a man carrying upon his head a great cage filled with Canary-birds. They hopped fo lightly from perch to perch, and-warbled fo fweetly, that Jamima, in the eagerness of her curiofity, almost threw herself out of the window, in order to fee them yet nearer.

Mifs, faid the man, will you buy a Canary-bird?

• I will, If I may, anfwered Jamima; but I must not of my own accord: if you'll wait a little, I'll run and ask leave of papa.

The man readily agreed to wait; and feeing a large poft at the other end of the street, he went thither, and refted his cage upon it. Jamima, in the mean time, ran to her father's room, and, quite out of breath, called out: Papa! papa! pray come to the window! pray come directly!

Mr. GODFREY. And what is the hafte?

JAMIMA. Why here's a man that fells Canary-birds: I dare fay he has got more than an hundred; a great large cage quite full of them upon his head!

'Mr. GODFREY. And why are you in fuch joy about it?

JAMIMA. Why, papa, because I want that is, I mean, if

you will give me leave-I wish I might buy one.

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Mr. GODFREY. But have you any money?

JAMIMA O yes, papa, I have enough in my purse.

'Mr. GODFREY. And who will feed the

poor thing?

JAMIMA. I will, papa, I'll feed him myself. You fhall fee me: O, I am fure he will be very glad to be my bird.

Mr. GODFREY. Ah! I fear

JAMIMA. What, papa?

Mr. GODFREY. That you will let him die of hunger, or thirst. JAMIMA. I, papa!-I let him die of hunger, or thirit! O no, indeed. I will never touch a morfel of breakfast myself, till I have fed him. Mr. GODFREY. O Jamima, Jamima, how giddy you are! And one fingle day's forgetfulness will kill him.

Jamima, however, gave fuch fair promises to her father; fhe pleaded, entreated, hung by the fkirt of his coat, and begged his confent with fo much earueftnefs, that Mr. Godfrey, at length, could no longer refufe it.

'He then took her hand, and led her into the street.

They foon eame up to the man, and chose the most beautiful bird that was in his

1 2

cage:

cage: his feathers were of the brightest yellow, and he had a little black creft on the top of his head.

Who, now, was fo happy as Jamima? She gave her purse to her papa, that he might pay for it; and he then took money from his own to buy a very handsome cage, with two pretty drawers to hold feed, and a water glafs of cryftal.

No fooner had Jamima fixed her new favourite in its little palace, than the flew all over the house, calling her mama, her fifters, and even all the fervants, to fhow them the bird which her papa had permitted her to buy. When any of her young friends came to fee her, the first words the faid to them, were always: Do you know I have got the prettieft Canary-bird in the whole world? he is as yellow as gold, and he has a black tuft upon his head, just like the feathers in mama's hat. But come, and you fhall fee it: his name is Darling. Ichriftened him myself.

Darling was highly in favour, and fared extremely well under the care of Jamima. The moment the rofe every morning, her firft thought was to procure him fresh feed, and the cleareft water. Whenever there were any cakes or bifcuits at her father's table, Darling had his fhare firft. She had always fome little bits of fugar in referve for him and his cage was garnished all round with chick-weed, and various good little things.

Darling was not ungrateful for her attentions; he foon learnt to distinguish Jamima from the rest of the family; and the inftant he heard her footstep, he fluttered his little wings, and chirped without ceafing. Jamima almoft eat him up with kiffes.

In about a week he began to fing, and his fong was the prettiest in the world. Sometimes he would warble his wild notes fo long, that the feared he must have died with fatigue in the middle of his little air; then, after a few moments reft, he would begin again, - more fweetly than ever, and with fo clear and brilliant a tone, that he was heard all over the house.

Jamima, feated by the fide of his cage, fpent whole hours in lif tening to him. Her work was frequently thrown afide, that nothing might interrupt her looking at him: and when he had delighted her with all his little fongs, the entertained him, in her turn, with an air apon the bird organ, which he prefently strove to imitate.

By degrees, however, thefe pleasures became familiar, and lost their power of charming. Her father one day made her a prefent of a book of prints; and he was fo much taken up with admiring them, that Darling was neglected. Still he fluttered his little wings, and chirped, the instant he faw Jamima; but Jamima no longer heard

him.

'Near a week now paffed, and Darling had neither fresh chickweed, nor biscuit. He fung the prettieft little fongs that Jamina had taught him; he even compofed new ones for her himself; but all in vain: Jamima had other things in her head.

"It was now her birth-day; and her godfather prefented her with a great jointed doll. This doll, which the called Colombine, com pleated the downfall of Darling. From the times he rofe, to the hour of going to bed, fhe had no thought, and no employment, but to drefs and undrefs, again and again, this dumb little Colombine; to

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