Bertram. De Pneumonia; Leith. De Gaftritide; Hayman. De Enteritide, Hicks. De Hepatitide; Scott. De Nephritide; Lhoyd De Hyfteritide; Brotherfon. De Rheumatismo Acuto; Dillon. De Erysipelate; Dale. De Variola; Macknight. De Variola Infitione; Douglas. De Rubeola; Lee. De Scarlatina. De Catarrho; Nankivell. De Phthifi Pulmonali; Halliday. De Gonorrhea Virulenta; Graham. De Synocha.

The third order, MORBI FEBRILES, contains, De Febribus Intermittentibus; Brandreth. De Typho, vel Febre Nervofa; Fearne. De Febre Flava India Occidentalis; Curtin. De Febre Maligna, an. 1779. Bell. Cautela de Venefectione in Febribus Continuis; Drennan. De Pefte; Thomas. De Cynanche Gangrænofa; Tailour. De Dyfenteria Contagiofa; Wardrop. De Febre Miliari. De Urticaria, Pemphigo, et Aphtha.

Order fourth, of MORBI NERVOSI, has the following fpecies: De Dyspepfia; Temple. De Hypochondriafi; Baynes. De Chlorafi; Dortey. De Colica; Metford. De Cholera; Leman. De Diarrhoea. De Diabete; Myers. De Hyfteria; Woolcombe. De Afthmate Spafmodico; Melliar. De Pertufi; Kirkland. De Epilepfia; Turpin. De Spafmo; Steuart. De Paralyfi; Wardrobe. De Apoplexia; Ruddiman-Steuart. De Mania; Stuart. De Rabie Contagiofa; Parry. De Arthritide; Nicoll. De Rheumatifmo Chronico; Cowling.

A.

ART. XIV. Edal Village: or, the Fortunate Lottery Ticket. In 2 vols. Small 8vo. Price 5 s. fewed. Lowndes. 1781.

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HIS little novel relates, in a strain fomewhat lively and uncommon, the adventures of an honeft and benevolent fhoemaker, to whom fortune had been peculiarly liberal, by a prize of ten thousand pounds in the lottery. Our Author beftows on the hero of his tale a name fuitable to his profeffion-Jerry Laft. After giving a fhort account of his humble birth, parentage, and education, with a touch at the company that frequented his fhop-the centre of news to the who village of Edal, and the beloved refource of little Ben the uther, from 'the pains and penalties of idleness,' after his fchool-hours-the Author proceeds to recount the main adventures of Jerry's life, and that in particular which gave birth to all the rest. Jerry, befides his stock in trade, was poffeffed of fifteen pounds ready cash-unfufpected, as he imagined, by any body. It was the wages of industry, earned with honefty. Many were the anxious thoughts how to difpofe of it: and his anxiety was increased by keeping his thoughts to himself. "What if I fhould throw the money away?-he reasoned-is it not my own ?—But if I should make a fortune with it-I know then what I would do and why not?-fuch things have happened, and may

happen

happen again." Not that the ambition of being the greatest man, and lording it over every one in the village, ever entered into his head. No: if he fhould chance to become rich-he would still be Jerry Laft, and continue to make shoes for his fair cuftomers he would still live on the fame spot; but his little fhop fhould be more complete, and his garden more ornamented: befides, he would clothe fuch poor folks as could not afford to purchase for themselves; and his goods he could afford to fell under the market-price. In fhort, poverty fhould vanish, and mifery ceafe.

Thefe phantafms often wandered through his brain whilst at work and the more he thought, the more eagerly he wished to accomplish them. The refolution was at length made-and the lottery was fixed upon.

The Author defcribes, with tolerable fuccefs, the different emotions of Jerry's heart on this important trial of his luck; and at laft brings the reader to that eventful period which pronounced Jerry a fortunate adventurer. After the space of fome weeks, working cheerfully at his trade, furrounded, as usual, by a company of news-mongers, a perfon, riding very brifkly, pointed towards this very ipot. Jerry's heart thumped moft violently; his colour went and came; his pulfe beat quick; the ftranger arrived-and afked short-if Mr. Laft lived there? Being answered in the affirmative-Then I give him joy of his good fortune, fays the ftranger; his ticket is drawn a ten thousand pound prize! I am come exprefs to acquaint him.

Jerry neither started up in an agony of joy-nor fainted away-though very near it: for notwithstanding repeated refolves of unconcerned behaviour, if ever this fhould be the cafe-the found of ten thousand pounds was like the report of a cannon in his ears, and had like to have got the better of his firmness. He felt a fort of dizzinefs and ficknefs, fuch as he had never experienced before :-a glafs of water would have been a cordial-fortunately every body's eyes were turned towards the ftranger, in amaze, afking different queftions, whilft Jerry recovered in part, and attempted to proceed with his work. Somebody kindly, though not intentionally, relieved him, by giving him a hearty thump on the back, taking the work out of his hands, fkimming it across the room, and telling him' he was a happy fellow !

Bob Swift immediately ftole away, to communicate this ftrange news amongst the neighbours :-meeting with Bett Bouncer, he tells her, that Jerry Laft had got a great fortune in the lottery. Bett meets Ann Page, and tells her the great news-and how Jerry had found a purfe of money. Ann runs home, and tells her grandmother (who is a little deaf) a long ftory of a purfe and money-and fuch like :-points towards

×

the

the shop where a croud was already collected ;-and a man on horfeback!Ann's incoherent tale-the fight of a horfe man-the found of a purfe-the buftle of the people-all put together, produced a fufpicion in the old woman, that things were not as they fhould be:-in fhort, that Jerry was turned highwayman: in full perfuafion of which, the goes on to propagate her fufpicions.

'The village was foon in an uproar; for the fame wish to propagate the news kept many from the fcene of action, until they had previoufly acquainted fuch and fuch a neighbour in confequence of which, and for want of right information, many whimfical ftories were quickly circulated; moft of them not much to the advantage of our hero's character. Bob Swift never flopped his career, till he arrived at the end of the village; but before he finished, he had almost forgot what he published at first ftarting-it was faid that he affirmed fifty thousand —at least. ...As the news had been fo induftrioufly circulated, and varioufly reported, curiofity to know fomething more operated upon most to haften towards Jerry's habitation. Old age, hobbling upon crutches, was in danger of being overthrown by the impetuofity of youth, running, and overturning every obftruction. Mothers, with crying infants in their arms, awakened out of fleep, could not ftay behind:-for if Jerry was a gentleman, they wanted to fee how he looked :-and if he was a thief, and going to be hanged, they wifhed for the laft fight of him!

Jerry's difgrace was at laft removed, and the fecret was out, which produced many furmifings, exclamations, aspirations, and ejaculations !-which his appearance, for the prefent, put a ftop to. He had withdrawn, after the furprize, occafioned by the meffenger, had a little abated, in order to dress himself; which being finished, he fhewed himself to the people, and appeared filly enough: for, in his prefent confufed ftate, he was at a lofs how to act, fpeak, or look.

His prefence, however, operated like a charm upon the byftanders; for notwithstanding they faw the identical perion of Jerry Laft, yet the idea of his being a rich man, produced a fort of awe, and restrained their usual familiarity.'

The Author next defcribes the revelries of the people of Edal Village, on their neighbour's good fortune-conducted by Ben the butcher, for his own emolument, at the expence of honeft. Jerry. We muft pafs over the variety of fubjects which are incidentally glanced at, or more defignedly difcuffed-together with the episode of Nanny and Lubbin, and hafte to the more ftriking events of our hero's life, after the acquifition of his fortune.

Jerry's wish was, to make the people happy; and it was to promote fo benevolent an end, that he liftened to the advice of the

interested

interested butcher-who propofed a roafted ox, in order to make a fplendid holiday for the villagers. Riot and diforder, intemperance, and fierce contentions, were the effects of a public rejoicing for Jerry's good fortune. His wifhes were not anfwered according to his expectations-for Jerry was no friend to drunkenness, fwearing, and loud uproar. His temper was mild and placid but, in his wifhes and attempts to communicate the happiness he felt, he was not always capable of diftinguishing the means that were proper to effect it, from those which had a tendency to render his benevolent intentions abortive. Jerry's mistake was the fource of much difquiet to his mind. His fituation was by no means enviable; he had a first glimpse of this great truth, that "Riches bring their cares." It was the with of his heart, after the space of a few days, to have returned to his work; but he had not courage enough to attempt the trial. The country affords none of thofe diverfions, by which a perfon, who has no better employment, may kill the time, as the phrafe is. Walking from place to place, from morning till evening, was most infipid amufement to one accustomed [to], and who ftill wifhed, to be in active life. His thoughts were in that confufed ftate, that reading had loft its ufual charms. Drinking, to a fober perfon, is harder than the most laborious drudgery and he verily dreaded the name of entertainmentshis firft had fucceeded fo badly. There was one thing towards which Jerry looked with fatisfaction, and this was an intended journey to London, as it would anfwer the different purposes of converting his paper into hard money, and feeing the town and its diverfions.'

Our hero's companions, in this journey, were his old friend, the little ufher, and Mr. Pounce, the attorney. There is nothing particularly ftriking in the character of the latter. He is like most other country-attornies, a man of confequence in the little circle of his practice !-and wholly bent on turning every thing, and every body, to his advantage. Little Ben is the fquire of our Sir Jerry and the Author fancies, that he fees fome fimilarity betwixt his two heroes, and the celebrated Tom Jones, and his facetious companion Partridge' and 'ftops a moment to compare them.' He had better have gone on with his ftory. The comparison is neither for the credit of himself, or his heroes. Any two men, picked out at random from the medley of mankind, would have as much fimilarity to Jones and Partridge, as Jerry and Ben are faid to have. The Author grants indeed-and what is ftrange too, he makes the conceffion, juft after he ftops to make the comparison-that Jerry Laft had little in common with Jones, except a good perfon. For our parts, we think Jerry Laft is more like Tobit than Tom Jones. As to little Ben, though as contemptible

and worthless a being as Partridge, yet he wants every requifite to make him that entertaining character which the latter be-comes in the magic hand of the inimitable FIELDING.

In the journey to London, fome trifling occurrences are noticed; and feveral common-place obfervations are made on them. On the arrival of our heroes, the Author defcribes the ftate of their minds on the first day's excurfion; and their vifits at Guildhall (which had been the temple of Jerry's good fortune), Westminster-Abbey, and the Chapel-Royal. Little Ben's foolish rencounter with a girl of the town; his talent at bargainmaking, and his attempts that way, in a flop-fhop in Monmouth-ftreet, conclude the firft volume. The fecond opens with an account of our traveller's firft vifit to the Play-house. Here we found the want of Partridge! Why will Authors doubly expofe their lack of invention, by attempting to tread that ground which hath already been occupied by fuperior genius?

After vifiting a work-fhop, for the purpose of afking those who fung cheerily at their labour, whether they were happy or not? and having been unanimoufly anfwered in the negative, the Author conducts Jerry-now Mr. Laft, and his friend the little Ufher, attended by Mr. Pounce the attorney, to the Bank, where they meet a motley herd of Jews, Gentiles, Turks, Infidels, and Chriftians, who, though they may differ in opinion about fome particulars, all agree, with great zeal, one hour in the day, and every day in the week, and every week in the year, to offer their devotions to the great god Mammon, the tutelar deity of this temple. [Voltaire hath expreffed this idea, and nearly in the fame words, in his Letters on the English Nation, when he fpeaks of the Royal Exchange.] At laft, after a preface to a character,' and a defcription of the character itfelf-which is that of a prating, bragging, officious, good-humoured Innholder the Author brings his travellers back to Edal Village. Their appearance at church is next defcribed; and the reflections on little Ben are juft and pertinent enough. He was frequently viewing himfelf; and as foon as church-fervice was over, when people fell into little groups to hear the news of the week, Ben's voice was heard upon the clack, but without either fquare or compafs, and in a very authoritative tone--for he had been abroad.It would not do. He was treated with contempt, being confidered as an interloper, and having ftepped into a place, which, if it had not been already filled, Self faid, he might have been the happy perfon inftead. Mr. Luft had money, and was the gentleman; but Ben was ftill the little ufher, in a new fuit, through the bounty of his friend, in confequence of being a favourite. Ben's reafon at prefent was blinded by folly: the rebuffs he will by and by meet with, will let him know how

the