POLITICAL.

Art. 45. An Alarm for illuflrious (though careless) Electors. 8vo, 6 d. Evans. 1774

A zealous declamation in favour of liberty and virtue. The Writer is very earnest with his illuftrious electors to improve their oppor. tunity, at the enfuing general election, of chufing reprefentatives who are really honeft, and patriotic. His pains and labour, in ringing this alarm bell, appear well-intended, though he fometimes pulls the rope with more violence than the occafion feems to require. Art. 46. The Petition of Mr. Bollan, Agent for the Council of the Province of Maffachusetts Bay, to the King in Council, dated January 26, 1774. Published with Illuftrations, in order briefly to fhew to the Impartial and Confiderate the Importance of perfect Harmony between Great Britain and the Colonies, their Merits, the Benefits thence accrued to this Kingdom in Point of Empire, Manufactures, Commerce, Wealth, and Naval Strength; and the Origin and Progrefs of their prefent unhappy Difference; with Intent to promote their cordial and perpetual Union, for their mutual Safety and Welfare, with which their Diffention is incompatible. 4to. 6 d. Almon. 1774.

The title fufficiently points out the nature and tendency of this publication; and the news-papers have told us what fuccefs the Petition met with.

Art. 47. The Polifb Partition illuftrated; in feven dramatic Dialogues, or Converfation Pieces, between remarkable Perfonages, Published from the Mouths and Actions of the Interlocutors. By Gotlib Panfmouzer, the Baron's Nephew. 8vo. 1 s. 6 d.

Elmsley.

Extremely fatirical on the principal interlocutors, who are, the King of Pruffia, and the two Empreffes. The dialogues are admirable; and the pamphlet will ferve as a very proper fpecimen to the four celebrated Letters on the prefent State of Poland; see Reviews,

vols. xlvii. and xlviii.

NOVELS and MEMOIRS. Art. 48. 'Twas right to Marry Him; or, the Hiftory of Miss Petworth. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6s. Noble. 1774.

In a letter addreffed to Meffrs. Noble, and placed at the beginning of this work, the Author declares himself folicitous of being ranked rather among the dull, than the dangerous novel-writers of the prefent age and as, in our opinion, there unfortunately appears a neceffity of referring him to one or the other of thefe claffes, we readily fubfcribe to his choice, and pronounce the "History of Mifs Petworth" perfectly innocent.

Art. 49. The Journey to London; or, the Hiftory of the Selby Family. 12mo. 2 Vols. 68. Noble. 1774.

This Selby family had lived very happily and comfortably on a fmall eftate in the country, for many years, till our Author cruelly thought proper to introduce them to the acquaintance of a Sir Thomas Lumley, whofe wife happening to be a very fine lady, excited in Mrs. Selby fo violent a defire of feeing London, and knowing the world, that, contrary to the advice of good Mr. Selby, the infifted on fpending one winter with her three children in town. This Lon

don

don journey, as the poet fays, produced "Misfortune on misfor tune, grief on grief." The fon married a kept-miftrefs; the youngest daughter was ruined by one of the Lumleys, and died of a broken heart; and the eldeft preferred feeing the world, as a common profti. tute, to returning with her father into the country. This hiftory, without one incident that is new to recommend it, is not very ill written. If the Author will accept this as any compliment, we mean it particularly in favour of the second volume.

Art. 50. The Affignation; a fentimental Novel, in a Series of Letters. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6 s. Noble. 1774.

It is impoffible to read over thefe volumes without remarking the quantity of blank paper which meets the eye at almost every page of this fentimental work: a circumftance, however, which we mention not as a blemish; but, on the contrary, as the greatest poffible excellence attending moft writings of this ftamp...

Art. 51. The Fatal Affection, or the Hiftory of Henry and Caroline. 12mo. z Vols. 6 s. Noble. 177.

The hero of this tale, the heart-fubduing Harry Villiers, marries an old woman of fixty-five, becaufe fhe has thirty thousand pounds; falls in love with a young Lady, a relation of his wife's, because the is very handfome; and would willingly perfuade her to go off with him, because he is a rafcal. To make ofe of the Author's own word, he Dufe take fuch vile affections as these. Art. 52. La Belle Philofophe, or the Fair Philofopher. 12mo. z Vols, 6s. Lowndes. 1774.

In reading over thefe two volumes, we probably imbibed fo much of the philofophy of the fair heroine of the piece, as to render us lefs fufceptible than ordinary to tender impreffions; for we can truly fay, we felt not one fenfation either of pain or pleafure, during the whole of the time which we paffed in converfation with this pretended philofopher in petticoats: who, by the way, is not much of a philofopher neither; for her history is as mere a novel-book, as any of the Mifs Jeffamys, or Delia Daintys, or Lady Flirts, or Sophy Slamakins, that ever the circulating libraries produced.

Art. 53. The Fashionable Daughter. Being a Narrative of true and recent Facts. By an impartial Hand. 12mo. 35. Domville. 1774.

This ftory, from the minuteness of the detail, from the earneftneis with which the transactions are related, and from the defcription of the characters introduced, appears to be really according to the profeffions of the Writer, a relation of true facts? It does not indeed contain adventures enough for a profeffed novel; and is to be viewed rather as a narrative than as a literary compofition. The outline of the story is fhort; a young Scots minifter rafhly entered into a clandeftine, but folemn, written, engagement with a young beauty, equivalent to a marriage; but without the public forms, which were poftponed to a more feasonable opportunity. Of this contract they availed themselves freely for fome time, until the father discovering the connexion, is faid to have behaved more absurdly than most fathers, however unfeeling, ufually do on fuch occafions; and the levity of the lady is not the leaft extraordinary circumftance in the adventure. Without denying the contract, or her letters in confe

quence

quence of it, the refufes to fulfil it, and her father fupports her in this refufal; though he thereby leaves her expofed to the lofs of reputation, which neither of them appear to value. Not content with this, they are faid to have practifed feveral artifices no less mean than malicious, to ruin the reputation and fortune of a man who merited better treatment for his readiness to act a proper part, though under no extraordinary temptations from any other motives than thofe which ought to influence a perfon of integrity. Thus ftimulated to juftify his character, we have the affair related at large, by a friend of the difconfolate hero (if not the hero himfelf) who characterifes all the parties in a manner that gives an air of probability to the whole. He certainly, according to this tale, fell into very bad hands in his amorous connexion; but making due allowance for his disappointment, he has fufficient confolation in being released from it, in a manner that leaves all the blame on the faulty fide.

The Writer has introduced several poetical quotations, to enliven his defcriptions and characters; but he would not have difguifed perfons and places under fuch harsh uncouth appellations, if his ear had been tuned to any judgment of harmony. From a puerile conceit, the scene of action is pointed out by the acroftic description of "a flourishing fea port town, which takes its name from the monarch of the wood, joined to the colour of nature's carpet." After infinite ftudy, we make the important discovery that the town of Greenock is a corruption of Greenoak.

RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERSIAL. Art. 54. A Letter to the Right Rev. Father in God, Shute, Lord Bishop of Landaff, from a Petitioner. 8vo. 1s. Johnfon. 1774. What fentiments his Lordship of Landaff will entertain of this Letter, or whether he will think it confiftent with his prelatical dignity to caft an eye upon the production of a poor diffenting teacher, we know not: as for us, we cannot help acknowledging, that this Letter has afforded us a great deal of entertainment. The Teacher treats the Prelate, indeed, with a degree of freedom which will, no doubt, be deemed, by a certain clafs of readers, highly indecent, if not extremely infolent; be this, however, as it may, there is a vein of pleasantry and humour that runs through the whole performance, which cannot fail of recommending it to the generality of readers, and there are some strokes of wit which will extort a fmile even from four ecclefiaftics, if four ecclefiattics ever fmile.

But the pleafantry of the Letter is not its only recommendation; it breathes a liberal and manly fpirit, and fhews the Author to be a man of abilities, and a hearty friend to religious liberty. There are fome things in it of a very ferious nature, which well deserve the attention of his Lordship of Landaff, and that of every bishop on the bench.

Our Author acquaints his readers that he referves his poetical talents for another occafion, when his Lordship of Landaff will be made the hero of the epic mufe. The thoughts of feeing a BISHOP the hero of an epic poem, give us great pleasure; and we hall be extremely forry if the Author fhould not prove as good as his word. For his comfort and encouragement, he may depend upon

the

the fervent and repeated prayers of many a pious and honeft Chriftian, to all the Powers who prefide over Foetry, for their gracious aid and protection.-Reason and argument have been employed to little parpofe. Who knows but that wit and fatire may produce fome good effect? And furely when bishops, who call themselves Proteftants, are, at this time of day, advocates for the continuance of penal laws for the direction of confcience, they are fair game, and deserve the keenest shafts of every fpecies of wit and ridicule.

Art. 55. Two Letters on the late Applications to Parliament by the Proteftant Diffenting Minifters: one, an Addrefs to the Dif fenting Laity on the Subject of thofe Applications. The other, An Enquiry into the lawfulness of the Declaration proposed to be fubftituted in the Room of Subfcription to the Articles of the Church of England. By Joshua Toulmin, A. M. 8vo. 8vo. 2 S. Johnfon. 1774.

Thefe Letters deferve to be ranked with the best performances that have been published on the fubject of the Diffenters' petition, being written in a candid, liberal, and judicious manner. The fecond

Letter, in particular, appears to be well calculated to remove the fcruples of those who object, not to the matter of the Declaration, but to making fo folemn an acknowledgment, at the requifition of the magiftrate.-Mr. Toulmin fhews very clearly, .in our opinion, that the Declaration propofed is not an acknowledgment of the magitrate's right to establish any, or what religion he pleases; that it is no more than is required in fome exprefs precepts of the New Teftament, and countenanced by the pattern of Chrift and his apostles; and that it is certainly recommended by prudence, and enforced by the neceffity of the cafe.

Art. 56. Arcana: or, the Principles of the late Petitioners to Parliament for Relief in the matter of Subfcription. In eight Letters to a Friend. 1. On Candour in Controverfy; 2. On Uniformity in Religion; 3. On the Right of private Judgment; 4. On Civil Magiftracy; 5. On Innovation; 6. On Orthodoxy ; 7. On Perfecution; 8. On Sophiftry. 8vo. zs. Dilly, &c. 1774

The Author, though not an elegant writer, appears to be a very fenfible man; and there are many ftriking, curious, pertinent, and entertaining obfervations in his Letters.

Art. 57. A Letter to the Rev. Mr. Bowman, Vicar of Martham, Norfolk; occafioned by a Prefent of his Book, intitled A Review of the Lorines of the Reformation*, &c. 8vo. 9 d. Norwich printed; and fold by Robinfon in London. 1773

The doctrines of Predeftination, Original Sin, &c. are here fmartly attacked, by a man of plain good fenfe, without any pretenfions to learning. Mr. Bell, the writer, appears to have conceived a very mean opinion of those, of whatever denomination, who unite with the Methodists (with whom he is particularly difgafted) in zealously contending for thofe tenets which, by fome, are diftinguished by the honourable appellation of FANATICISM.

See Review, vol. xxxix. for the year 1768, p. 374.

Art.

Art. 58. A Letter to a Layman, on the Subject of the Rev. Mr. Lindley's Proposal for a reformed English Church, &c. 8vo. 6 d. Wilkie. 1774.

A vehement declamation against the established church, chiefly on account of her Tritheifm. After endeavouring to prove that every fincere Unitarian is obliged, in confcience, to feparate from fuch a church, the Author particularly and earnestly exhorts his correfpondent to join Mr. Lindsey's propofed reformed church; in which, as we are here informed, a liturgy will be ufed, containing nothing fhocking to the understanding..

In recommending Mr. 1's fcheme, the Author thus warmly expreffes his zeal for the caufe of this good man, which he confiders as the cause of true religion itself:- Great and honourable in the fight of God, and of wife and good men, will thofe be, who fhall boldly ftand forth on this occafion, take this modest Apologist by the hand, encourage and fupport him in his difficulties, and at the fame time form themselves under a Chriftian miniftry which they can entirely approve,' &c.-Our Readers may remember that we gave them fome account of Mr. L.'s motives for quitting his ftation in the church of England, in our Reviews for the two preceding months, Art. 59. Loofe Hints on the Subject of Non-conformity; addreffed to the Right Rev. the Bishops, &c. By a Gentleman, formerly a Member of the Middle Temple. Svo. 6d. Johnson. 1773. The Author grounds this attack of the bishops, on a Whisper,' that their Lordships are shortly to roufe from their lethargy, and are, ere long, to exert their vigilance for the difcovery and exemplary correction of heretical pravity,

On the fuppofition that there is really a design formed of thus playing off the artillery of the church; and particularly that it is to be pointed against all thofe of the clergy who omit, or alter, ' any part of the hiturgy, the Author enters on a kind of effimate, by way of queries, of the general conduct and demerits of the clergy; and as he takes it for granted that conformity to one canon, &c. will not be exacted, without enforcing the whole, he makes it more than probable that there will be work enough to employ the fpiritual engineers. In fhort, he involves the whole body ecclefiaftic in an univerfal delinquency; but for the particulars we muit refer to the pamphlet; which is written with more feverity than civility.

Art. 60. A Scourge to Calumny, in Two Parts. Infcribed to Richard Hill, Eiq; By Thomas Olivers. 12mo. 1 s. 6 d. Nicoll. 1774.

Mr. Olivers is a ftaunch adherent to Mr. Wefley; and, of course, is much displeased with Mr. Hill for his harth treatment of Mr. W. in his Farragos, &c. for which and for Mr. Hill's other pieces, fee Reviews for the last three or four years.

But Mr. Olivers hath another, and more home-felt provocation to enter the lifts against the champion of the Calvinifts. The champion of the Calvinifts had, in his Farrago double Distilled, introduced our Author, in a manner fomewhat contemptuous; calling him by the diminutive Tom, and opprobriously referring to his trade.

For all thefe offences, Mr. Olivers hath most heartily belaboured his antagonist; at the fame time taking occafion to enter very fully into the vindication of Mr. W. whom he pioufly extols as being verily

and