Such a writer we can fully acquit of vanity, when he fays.

I think, perhaps, I know what verfe fhould be.

He certainly does know, and proves his knowledge in the most direft manner. The other little poems have merit in their respective ftyles. The fhort Ode, written oppofite to the title-page of the "Pleafures of Memory," is fine, but very gloomy. From this, as well as from other little traits scattered in there few pages, we collect that the writer has fuffered misfortunes; and we fear alfo that his opinions do not direct him to the best sources of confolation.

ART. 17. Defence of the Stage. A Speech, in Verfe, delivered in a. public Affembly, upon the following Question: "Do public and private Theatrical Reprefentations tend to vitiate or improve the Morals of Mankind" 8vo. 14 pp. 6d. Jordan. 1798.

Friendly, as we are, to the legitimate purposes of the stage, we took up with pleasure an argument in defence of it. The author's definition of the ftage is introduced by a fatire on the opera.

"I call not that the ftage, where dancers move,
In vefts tranfparent, to foft strains of love:
What, tho' her form half naked fhews

To blufhing crouds herself unblushing-Ross;
And PARISOT, in attitudes that speak,

Dyes with a deeper tint fair Virtue's cheek.
But this is not the stage."—

It is granted, p. 7, (in lines rather profaic) that fome plays have a bad tendency; but not fuch as are written in " thefe enlighten'd days." That we have lefs ribaldry, than in the days of Charles the Second, is true; and the cause may be, that our tafte is more refined; but as long as obfcene allufion, and double entendre (the feasonings of many modern comedies) are reforted to, the ftage will not be any great "improver of the morals of mankind.”

"Now on the stage, the fop-the knave—the fool,
All feel the lafh of manly ridicule-

Protected Senfe loud approbation greets,

And Folly from the general laugh retreats:

This only is the Drama's proper ufe,

All else is not the ftage-but its abuse." P.8.

It appears then, that the author defends the stage, not as it is, but as it ought to be. Here we cordially join hands with him; and our general approbation, or cenfure, of ftage-productions, is difpenfed, as they conform to, or oppofe this juft defence of them.

Specimens of moral inftruction are then brought from fome of our most popular tragedies and comedies, and the blame of the corruption of the age, is laid chiefly on the faults of female education. Education, however, as far as it goes, is little concerned in the matter; but the manners which are permitted as foon as education has ceased,

Р

BRIT. CRIT, VOL. XII. AUGUST, 1798.

both

"

both prove and increase the corruption of the age. The verles are in general profaic, and, for a speech, profe would certainly have been preferable.

ART. 18. The Egotift, or Sacred Scroll. A familiar Dialogue, between the Author of the Pursuits of Literature and Octavius. 8vo. 43 PP. Is. 6d. Murray and Co. 1798.

Mr. Invifible, as the prefent writer ftyles the author of the Pursuits of Literature, has here a very defirable antagonist; one who vents a great deal of anger, wi hout any wit to give it force or aim. We could wish for nothing better, in literary warfare, than to fee the cause of order and good principles fupported by fuch writers as that, and affailed by fuch as this. We have had occafion before to obferve, that Indignation does not make fuch good verfes as the did in Juvenal's time; we are now inclined to think that it is virtuous Indignation alone that makes good verfes. Vicious Rage is a mere poctafter. Nothing can be more flat than the raillery here attempted, both in verfe and profe. The only paffage that has any poetical merit or wit, is the fimile of the rofe in page 25.

ART. 19. Sentimental Poems, on the most remarkable and interefting Events of the French Revolution. Dedicated to his Serene Highness the Prince of Condé, by a foreign Officer, and tranflated by an Englife Nobleman. Second Edition. 8vo. No Bookfeller's Name. 1798. This poem was probably published for the benefit of fome unfortunate emigrant; without entering, therefore, into a critical analy is of its merits, we fatisfy ourselves with wifhing fuccefs to the objects of the author.

ART. 20. Windermere, a Poem. By Jofeph Budworth, Efq. Author of a Fortnight's Ramble to the Lakes. Svo. Is. Cadell and Davies. 1798.

We have frequently been entertained by the eafy and good-humoured" pen of this writer. The prefent poem contains fome fpirited lines, on a fubject which may well be fuppofed to awaken all the ardour and enthufiafm of a writer, who admires the bold and striking scenes of Nature.

ART. 21. Elegies, and other fmall Poems. By Matilda Betham. 12mo. 35. 6d. Longman. 1798.

We are not able to speak fo favourably as we could wifh of thefe poems, and wifh that the author had been fatisfied with circulating a few copies among her private friends; to whom, from local circumftances, as well as from the obvious fenfibility of the writer's mind, they would undoubtedly have been very acceptable.

DRAMATIC.

ART. 22.

DRAMATIC.

Knave or not? A Comedy, in Five Acts, as performed at the 1heatre Royal, Drury-Lane. By Thomas Holcroft. 8vo. Zs. Robinfons. 1798.

This author complains of the unrelenting oppofition which his productions have experienced for feveral years; and is willing to infinuate, that the failure of his pieces has been owing to political prejudices. He must have felt undoubtedly, that, in order to be heard with indulgence, it is neceffary for an author to enjoy the favourable opinions of his audience; and he may have had perhaps a few leffons to inform him, that where the public is offended with the man, they will fometimes take revenge on his productions. But we conceive, that there is a fuppofable degree of merit which would vanquish such obftacles; and that degree we have not feen in fuch of his dramatic works as have fallen under our infpection. We cannot but think, that fome comedies which we could mention, must have fucceeded, though the author had been known to be a modern philofophift. Such is not the force of the comedy of "Knave or not?"-There is little in it that can be called a plot; and what there does exift, is at once confufed and improbable. The character of Sufan is too coarsely ruftic for her fuppofed origin and qualities; Sir Guy Taunton is a Matt. Bramble, drawn with much lefs delicacy and propriety than in feveral other places. Sir Job Ferment is no very bad picture, of what has fo often been painted well, a hen-pecked hufband; and the foolish fondnefs of his lady for her fpiled fon is reprefented with fome effect. Monrofe, the principal character, is furely a good deal of a knave, yet with little contrivance or effect. The rett are of little confequence. Some paffages indicate general ill-humour and difcontent in the writer, and are not perfectly juft. Yet thefe would hardly have condemned it, had not the probable defign of their introduction been taken into the account. The comedy may furely die without much complaint or regret on the part of the Mufes.

NOVELS.

ART. 23. Santa-Maria; or, the Myfterious Pregnancy. In Three Volumes. By J. Fox. 12mo. 10s. 6d. Kearfley. 1797.

Tales of wonder involving the intrigues of nobles, the management of friars, and the fieges of caftles, &c. are now the fashionable food of the day; and the vapid novel feems in danger of being frightened out of existence by the terrible romance. As far as events of this nature are concerned, Santa-Maria is not without its merit; though we queftion if our lovers of romance will find a fufficient proportion of the horrible blended with the circumftances of the narration. Much cannot be faid in favour either of the fentiments or the ftyle:

P 2

-nor

-nor have the characters thofe bold and original ftrokes which intitle the author to any unufual degree of praife. The circumstance on which the plot is founded is obviously and culpably indelicate, and the developement of it, in the letter of the monk Conrad, violates nature equally in the extravagant atrocities it confeffes, and in the abfurd bombaft of the expreffions. If the wonder-working brains of novelifts cannot produce more probable or agreeable fictions, we would advise them to defcend for ever to the fafer regions of fact.

ART. 24. Keeper's Travels in Search of his Mafter. 12mo.

Newbery. 1798.

Is. 6d. A most agreeable, and indeed most useful addition to Mr. New. bery's library for children;-the moral is good, the style easy, and the tale fufficiently interefting.

ART. 25. Obedience rewarded, and Prejudice conquered, in the Hiftory of Mortimer Lafcelles; written for the Amusement and Inftruction of young People. By Mrs. Pilkington. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Vernor and Hood.

1797.

A book written with the fame object with the preceding article, and certainly entitled to fimilar commendation.

ART. 26. Anecdotes of Two well-known Families, prepared for the Prefs by Mrs. Parfons. Three Vols. 8vo. 10s. 6d. Longman. 1798.

However defirous the parties really concerned in thefe volumes may be, to lay the anecdotes of their ancestors before the world; we much doubt whether the public will be amufed or inftructed in the perufal of them: the incidents are by no means well connected; the language by no means elegant; and although Mrs. Parfons "may hold it a duty to her friends and the public, to lay the bantling at the feet of its own parent," yet the fair novelift must be well aware, that the is undoubtedly anfwerable for the dress with which she has ornamented it for public infpection.

ART. 27. Inftructive Rambles. By Elizabeth Helme. Two Volumes. Small 8vo. 5s. Longman. 1798.

At prefent, when nothing but a novel is thought capable of amuting the minds of young people of either fex, and when it is confidered what falfe fenfibility reading of that ftamp generally implants in the heart, it certainly muft, or, at leaft, ought to be, the earneft with of every one, that fomething equally amufing, but more beneficial, might be put into their hands, during the hours of recreation: a talk of this kind Mrs. Helme has, with the best intentions, undertaken; and we can, with fatisfaction, recommend it as a work of great fimplicity, morality, and entertainment.

ARTE

ART. 28. Edmond of the Foreft; an Hiftorical Novel, in Four Volumes. By the Author of Cicely, or the Rafe of Raby. Four Volumes. 8vo. 145. Lane. 1797.

There is in these volumes what will make them acceptable to various readers; a great deal of imagination. They excel alfo in the defcriptive parts; and the author has altogether made an agreeable use of that part of British hiftory, which relates to the fanguinary contefts between the two Rofes.

ART. 29. The Church of St. Siffrid. In Four Volumes. 8vo. 143. Robinfons. 1797.

The author has brought together a molt fingular collection of names; Lady Caerleon, Sir Francis l'Efterling, Carloville, Fitz-Piers, Lady Trecaftle, Sir Dennis Castlebar, &c. &c. &c. These feveral individuals, with a great many more, having been involved in the customary entanglements with one another; a happy marriage finally takes place between Conway and Ethelreda, the hero and heroine of the Drama.

LAW.

ART. 30. A Colle&ion of Decrees, by the Court of Exchequer, in Tithe Caufes, from the Ufurpation to the prefent Time. Carefully extracted from the Books of Decrees and Orders of the Court of Exchequer (by the Permiffion of the Court) and arranged in chronological Order, with Tables of the Names of the Cafes and the Contents. By Hutton Wood, One of the Six Clerks of the Court of Exchequer. Royal 8vo. Volume First. 13s. 6d. to be followed by Three more, at the fame Price. Printed for the Author; and G. G. and J. Robinson, 1798.

In a fhort preface to the firft volume, Mr. Wood gives the following account of his plan and his labours.

"The manuscript from which it (i. e. the work) is formed, was the laborious production of more than feven years, and has been honoured not only by the favourable attention of the prefent Lord Chief Baron and the reft of the Barons of the Court of Exchequer, but by the ap probation of many refpectable and diftinguished characters at the bar. "The feveral cafes will contain the fubftance of the plaintiff's bill and the defendant's anfwer, together with the material allegations of thofe fubfequent pleadings, which the refpective parties thought it neceffary to exhibit to the court. To which will be added, the judgment of the court, and the reafons occafionally given for fuch judgment, as pronounced by the Earons on the whole cafe thus brought before them, and entered in the book of decrees and orders by the officers belonging to the court.”

Of this ufeful work, no more than the firft volume has been hitherto published. It carries the series of decifions from the fecond of

Charles