laid on property, in a multitude of inftances utterly deftructive of it; which tax, by reasoning on the principle on which the duties on tea fhould be lowered, we must think cannot be permanently productive, but which, if now withdrawn, may leave a great deficiency in the old revenue from windows. To atone for the fufferings by this tax, the greatest national objects have been facrificed; a vaft revenue on a luxury has been thrown away, which might have been even improved to near, or perhaps quite a million fterling per ann. and the fmuggler equally defeated. In confequence of giving up this revenue, fo enormous a confumption of this foreign luxury, and of the forts in the original coft moft expenfive, has been induced in this country, that Great Britain will have a much larger fum to pay for it than has ever yet been paid by the Company in China, and through the medium of fmugglers in Europe. It is likewife well worthy of ferious confideration, what effect the prodigious increase in the ufe of tea (which chiefly lies among the lower and middling claffes of the people) may have on the produce of our own foil, malt. The one certainly muft, in a great degree, be a substitute for the other.' Whether there may be a latitude of probable confumption remaining, beyond what the fmuggler fupplied, fufficient to justify the Author's apprehenfions, we may perhaps doubt, but will not undertake to deny. Art. 25. The Commutation At candidly confidered in its Principles and Operations. Being an Answer to, and Confutation of, a Pamphlet intitled, The Principles of the Commutation Act eitablished by Facts, by Francis Baring, Efq. By a Northumberland Gentleman. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Newcastle printed; and fold by Robinsons, London. 1786. This candid confideration is expreffed in the dogmatical strain of common-place politics, that often paffes current in public companies; and, probably, the Author is the oracle of his club. As one fpecimen of the ease with which he takes up his facts, it may be obferved, that Mr. Baring having declared, with refpect to the return of houses charged to the window tax, that he had " very little doubt that the houses and cottages exempted on account of poverty, amount to 600,000 ;" an exemption which fome perfons might account for from the number of windows in them not rifing to taxation; this Author, however, with more penetration, traces the caufe to the American war! He fhall fpeak for himself: May it please your Majefty, you, ye Lords and Commons, attentively to look upon the work of a few short years, and seriously to confider the effects of the late moft unnatural war, which [effects] have not yet spent their full force; but which have already obliged you to exempt fix hundred thousand (nearly half) of the householders of England and Wales from paying the commutation-tax on account of poverty.' We infer from this pathetic reprefentation, that the houses exempted from payment of this commutation tax, were nevertheless rated to the former duty on windows; but owe their prefent exemption to the American war! Be it fo; we fhall leave the Author in full poffeffion of his argument. The pamphlet is dedicated in a farcaftic ftyle to the late Duke of Northumberland, under the fignature of L 2 Jona. Jona. Thompson, and dated from Higham houfe, Northumber land. LAW. Art. 26. An Abftra&t of such Acts of Parliament as are now in force, for preventing the Exportation of Wool and other Commodities, Tools, and Implements ufed in the Manufacture thereof and alfo for preventing the feducing of Artifts into foreign Parts. With a copious Index, extracted from the Statutes, and printed by Order of the Chamber of Manufacturers of Great Britain. By William Nicholfon, Secretary. 12mo. No Bookfeller's Name nor Price. What more can be faid of abftracts of this kind, than that they will be useful to all who are concerned in the fubjects to which they relate, in proportion to their clearnefs and accuracy? This excerpt, in particular, appears to be carefully and judiciously executed.-The object is of great national moment; and the laudable views of the Chamber of Manufacturers, in laying this little compilement before the Public, are too obvious to require any explanation. Suffice it, therefore, to obferve, that its contents ought to be well known to every one who wishes well to the trading intereft of this country. AGRICULTURE. Art. 27. Curfory Remarks on Inclofures, fhewing the pernicious and deftructive Confequences of inclofing Common Fields, &c. By a Country Farmer. 8vo. IS. Debrett. 1786. Thefe appear to be the genuine remarks of a farmer, who has urged all the objections that occurred to him against the inclofure of common land. He argues, as many have done before, that inclofing fuch land tends to the aggregation of fmall farms, and of courfe to depopulation; many thousands of inhabitants being fenced out of their livelihood, and out of their country, which is thus deprived of their labour: that small landholders, after being cajoled or intimidated into a concurrence in fuch undertakings, are fwallowed up by their more opulent neighbours; and that the prices of provifions have rifen progreffively with the extenfion of inclosures. DRAMATIC. Art. 28. I'll tell you what A Comedy, in Five Ads, as it is performed at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. By Mrs. Inchbald, 8vo. Is. 6d. Robinsons. 1786. Though there are evidently two diftinct ftories in the fable of this Comedy, yet they are artificially interwoven with each other, and, united, create a degree of humour and intereit, that must recominend the piece to the reader as powerfully as, we are told, it has recommended it to the fpectator. The characters, though not original, are natural: the fatire en divorces, and modifh marriages, is well conceived, and duly futained; and the diftrefs of Mrs. Eufton, arifing from the ill judged implacability of a parent, is truly affecting. The Prologue and Epilogue, the last efpecially, are fpirited and appofite. Art. 29. The Widow's Vow. A Farce *, in Two Acts, as it is acted at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. 8vo. 1s. Robinsons. 1786. To this piece is prefixed an Advertitement, confefling the Author's obligation for the plot of her piece, and the plot only, to a French The advertisements afcribe this farce to Mrs. Inchbald. 2 comedy; comedy; but to the excellence of the English performers only for her fuccefs.' There is an ungracioufnefs in this coftive acknowledgment to M. Patrat, the Author of the French comedy, not very creditable to the English ftage; and we are forry to fay, that the Advertisement (confidering the Authorefs as an Actress) carries with it too ftrong a tincture of the Green Room. The performers alfo are Italicifed. not by us, but by the Authorefs; and when we recollect that they are, as the herself ftyles them, ENGLISH Performers, though in the Haymarket, we believe they will hardly think themfelves much họnoured by the diftinétion. Ambiguity of fex in the hero of the piece, the main hinge on which the whole fable turns, gives a natural air to that pruriency of style and fentiment, for which female writers for the flage have been remarkable. The aæquivoque is well fuftained, and gives birth to many pleafant fituations, tending to excite laughter, and to fhew the abfurdity, as well as the brittle quality, of a widow's vow. "Frailty, thy name is Woman!" The Prologue to this Farce is a good Prologue, and so it would be to any other Farce as well as this. Art. 30 Songs, Duets, rios, &c. in the Siege of Curzola, a Comic Opera, performed at the Theatre Royal in the Haymarket. 8vo. 6d. Cadell. 1786. It is difficult to speak fairly of the compofition of fongs, when the drama to which they belong is not before us. Many of thefe airs may have merit in the mouths of the perfonages by whom they are delivered, and in the fituations wherein they are introduced. will, however, venture to pronounce the ftanzas on the Spanish Armada to be a good English ballad. POETRY. We Art. 31. A flight View of the Village and School of R. In Imitation of Gray's Eaton College. 4to. Is. Dilly. 1785. Whether it be, that imitators are confidered in the light of rivals, or that their attempts imply a degree of vanity which we are unwil ling to gratify, or whatever other caule may be affigned, the fact is certain, that readers are feldom difpofed to beftow praife on profeffed imitations. The prefent piece bears fo faint a refemblance to the beautiful original, of which it would be a copy, and falls fo far fhort of its richness of imagery, poetical diction, and harmony of numbers; that we apprehend the prop on which it leans will not be able to keep it from falling into oblivion. Let the Reader judge from the following verse: Yon, garden next demands my lay, Soft pleafure with utility, Pine apples there in beauty vie The gourd winds flowly up the wall! Art. 32. Alnwick's Condolence; a Paftoral Elegy, in Memory of the late moft noble Hugh, Duke of Northumberland. By Henry Lucas, A. M. Author of the Tears of Alnwick, Poems to her Majefty, &c 4to. Is. Dodfley, &c. 1786. O rueful fight! Behold! how loft to SENSE, The millions ftand, fufpended by SUSPENSE!' Yet one line more, if the Reader wishes for a farther specimen : Art. 33. A Collection of Songs, by the inimitable Captain Morris. There is a degree of wit in fome of thefe fongs; but too many of them are written in Rochefter's worft ftyle of obfcenity. Art. 34. Probationary Ode for the Laureatfhip of the Royal Academy. By a Tag-Rag of the Sacred Nine. 4to. is. Faulder. 1786. When Lyric Peter drops the quill, And will not write, there are who will.' So fays, or fings, this Tag-Rag of the Sacred Nine;' and if Peter Pindar, Efquire, fhould refign [See Rev. for June, p. 465.], he bids fair to be his fucceffor. A Poem. Art. 35. Julia to St. Preux. A Poem. Werter to Charlotte. 4to. By the Author of 15. Murray. The moral is bad, and the poetry is worse. Art. 36. The Little Spelling-Book for Young Children, enlarged and improved. Small 4to. 6d. Johnfon. 1786. In our Review, Vol. LXIX. p. 172, we recommended the firft edition of this little work, for which, as we then hinted, the Public are indebted to the ingenious and good Mrs. Trimmer. This edition has received feveral very requifite and proper improvements. Art. 37. Easy Leffons for Young Children. Small 4to. Johnfon. 1786. 6d. For this little volume, we are alfo obliged to Mrs. Trimmer, who, in the Advertisement, has given us this account of it: The following book of leffons is defigned as a fupplement to the Little Spelling Book, as it was impoffible to introduce in fo fmall a volume (a principal part of which is occupied with other matter) leffons confifting of fo great a variety of words, as young children may be taught to read. The chief object of the prefent performance is to furnish fuch a variety.' The above extract is fufficient to fhew the plan of the Authoress. The leffons are divided into two parts; the first containing words of one fyllable only; the fecond, words of one, two, and three fyllables. On the whole, we recommend this elementary production to all our Readers, who have children of the age to which it is peculiarly adapted. MISCELLANEOUS. Art. 38. The Beauties of the British Senate: taken from the Debates of the Lords and Commons, from the Beginning of the Ad ministration ministration of Sir Robert Walpole, to the End of the fecond Seffion of the Administration of the Right Hon. William Pitt; being an impartial Selection. To which is prefixed the Life of Sir Robert Walpole. 8vo. 2 Volumes. Ios. 6d. Boards. Stockdale. In this age of compilation, every thing of a literary nature is provided in hashes and minced-meat for those who do not know how, or have not time, to purvey for themfelves. Thus we have the Beauties of Richardfon, of Sterne, of Johnfon, of Chesterfield, and, at length, of the British Senate: and in due time the good citizens of London may be furnished with the Beauties of their Common-council. These volumes may ferve, as Foote faid, for " light fummer-reading," when the mind is vacant, when a person is at a lofs for a fubject of amufement, and dips into a book for any thing. On fuch an occafion if American Affairs, East India Affairs, or Civil Lift, do not Arike his fancy, the table of contents will direct him to Attack, Defence, Eloquence, Anecdote, Remarkable Sayings, Similies, Humour, Satire, Wit, &c. In due time, perhaps, a new Joe Miller may grow out of our Senatorial Debates! Art. 39. English Claffics abridged: being select Works of Addidifon, Pope, and Milton, adapted to the Perufal of Youth of both Sexes at School. To which are prefixed, Observations on the several Authors. By J. Walker, Author of Elements of Elocution, Rhetorical Grammar, &c. 12mo. 3s. 6d. bound. Robinson. 1785. Nearly one half of this mifcellany confifts of papers felected from the Spectator: the remaining part contains Pope's Effays on Criticifm and on Man, and select paffages of Milton's Paradife Loft. The Editor has prefixed a few remarks on his Authors, chiefly explanatory of his defign in the selection, which appears to have been, to execute a hint of Mr. Knox, who wishes to confine young people, at fchool, to the perufal of three or four English authors: a limitation, which, in the prefent ftate of letters, would be as ridiculous, as the old college ftatute, which obliged the ftudents to dine every day upon mutton. Art. 40. Comments on the laft Edition of Shakespeare's Plays. By John Monck Mafon. 5s. Boards. Dilly. 1785. It would perhaps require a volume, of equal fize with that here prefented to the Public, to point out the particular paffages in which Mr. Mafon has corrected the text in the laft edition of Shakefpeare, as well as thofe in which he has often fuccefsfully, and fometimes unfuccefsfully, fuggefted new readings. Annotations on the text of Shakespeare are innumerable, and verbal criticism is inexhauftible; yet, on the whole, it may fafely be pronounced of the comments of Mr. Mafon, that they are evident proofs of the acuteness and ingenuity of the critic, who has in many places inconteftibly amended the text, and given a natural and eafy explanation of the obvious meaning of the poet,-overlooked or mistaken by former commentators. He has, in confequence, refuted the too hafty and Not the laft edition, by Reed, but that which immediately preeded the date of Mr. Mafon's book, in 1779. L 4 too |