been 66

for the most part accurately, defcribed; nor is less atten tion beflowed on domeftic tranfactions. In the character of Lord North's adminiftration, given at the close of it, the author juftly remarks, that the calamities which occurred during that period are not to be ascribed wholly to Minifters, but also to Parliament," which, by its approbation, fanétioned their acts; and to the people themfelves, of whom the greater part was eager for commencing and continuing the war". We might add, that the courfe of events, and the rapid increase which took place in the population and power of the American colonies, naturally led to a feparation; and that fuch an event would probably have taken place before the prefent time (with more or lefs ftruggle) even under the wifeft adminiftration. The circumfiances which produced the peace of 1783, and the terms of that treaty, are next fet forth, and the debates on that fubject detailed. On the coalition between Lord North and Mr. Fox, the author's opinion appears to agree with that which was expreffed at the time, by a great majority throughout the kingdom. In difcuffing the merit of Mr. Fox's India Bill, though he admits it to be pregnant with thofe dangers which were pointed out, and flates it to have completely fitted to establish an oligarchal confederacy, headed by Charles James Fox", yet he allows it to be "the effort of an expanded and towering genius". With the highest refpect for the talents of that flatefinan, we confess this is not the light in which it has appeared to us. That it was a very violent and daring measure, we are not difpofed to deny; but what great effort of genius it required, to devife an Act of Parliament which fhould, at one ftroke, annihilate all the rights of a great chartered body, difpoffefs them of their whole property, and place it under the abfolute controul of a fet of individuals, we are fo dull of apprehenfion as not to difcern. The author objets to the measure, on trong, and we think juft, grounds and properly obferves, that Mr. Fox had not evince that neceflity by which alone it could be justified. Mr. Pit's propofed India Bill is then flated, and its rejection by the Houfe. The remaining events, to the establishment of Mr. Pitt as Minifter, and the confequent diffolution of Parliament in 1784, are alfo clearly detailed; and some observations added, on the fortunate union of talents and firmness, which enabled that Miniiler to triumph over his adverfaries, and to maintain the ground which he had taken, in defence of the monarchy and conflitution. With thefe important events clofes the third volume of this Hiftory.

(To be concluded in our next.)

BRITISH

BRITISH CATALOGUE.

POETRY.

ART. 15. Poems. By Charles A. Elton. Foolfcap 8vo. 5s. Longman and Co.

1804.

This is one of thofe numerous productions, in which we find nothing to commend highly, or rigorously cenfure. We infert the fol lowing, as one of the most pleafing fpecimens of the author's verfificazion.

"From Cottage Couch, where flamber'd Mary,
A lovely maid beyond compare:
The village bells, one morning early,
Arous'd this faireft of the fair.

"Not brighter beams the ftar of day-break,
Or Phoebus from his orient sky,

Than when the tale of Nelfon's glory
Flashed tranfport on her lustrous eye.
"My William now, my fweeteft William,
Her virgin voice exulting cried,
Has won at length the meed of valour,
The laurel wreath, for which he figh'd.
Yet love-fick throbs of thrilling anguifh
Invade the calin that lulls her breast;
Yet tears her heart with foft forebodings,
By turns elated and depreft.

"She fearful fnatch'd the lift of glory,
By rumour wafted from the deep,
Where shine the brave in honour's annals-
Then trembling paus'd, to fmile and weep!
"Perhaps", with tender grief exclaiming,
"Such was my gallant William's doom;
Perhaps with verdure unavailing,

The laurel fhades his watery tomb."
"He spoke, when-O difpel thy terrors!
A well-known voice was heard to say ;
And William fprang on wings of gladness,
To kifs the ftarting tear away."

"Sarah" is not a name the moft peculiarly adapted for poetry; but we may conjecture, by a most affectionate Dedication, that it is endeared beyond that of any other to the author's feelings and fenti

ments.

ALT.

ART. 16. Great Cry and little Wool; or the Squads in an Uproar or the Progress of Politics; or Epiftles, poetical and picturesque. Writ ten by Toby Scout, Efq. a Member of the Oppofition; and edited by Peter Pindar, Efq. In Two Parts. 40. Is. 6d. each. Walker.

1804.

The decent fuppofition on which thefe Epiftles (as they are called, forfooth!) are founded is, that a late indifpofition of the greatest and moft revered perfonage in this kingdom was to prove fatal. The effects of this expectation on persons alluded to are described with great coarfenefs. As to the poetry, one part of it may afford as good a fpecimen as another, for it is all of the butterwoman's stamp.

Prepare thy two ears, Coufin Nic,

Lo; our fenfes are all of employ full;
And our ftomachs, of poverty fick,

Will speedily fing "O be joyful!"

Hope peeps from a cloud on our squad,

Whafe beams have been long in deep mourning: 'Tis a lane, let me tell ye, my lad,

Dev'lish long that has never a turning."

The elegance of the rest of the two Parts is at least equal to this beginning.

ART. 17. An Ode, entitled the Humorous Convocation, alias the Barber's Shop, on Saturday Evening. By William Henry Hitchener. 4to. 1s. 6d. Ledger. 1804.

We do not know this Mr. Hitchener, but conjecture he may be the fhaver himself, though no cunning one certainly, who, waiting for his customers on a Saturday right, continues to while away the time in ftringing fuch rhymes as thefe:

"Should they a landing gain,
Who's he among us that would not stand forth,
And rather facrifice whate'er he's worth,

Nay, e'en his family with his blood intrench,
Than fee our fair ones cherished by the French."

DRAMATIC.

ART. 18. Guilty or Not Guilty. A Comedy, in Five Alts. First acted at the Theatre Royat, Haymarket, May 26, 1804. Written by Thomas Dibdin, Author of the Jew and the Doctor, Birth Day, Will for the Deed, Cabinet, English Fleet, Family Quarrels, Il Bondocani, School for Prejudice, Five Thousand a Year, St. David's Day, Naval Pillar, Mouth of the Nile, Horfe and the Widow, Valentine and Or Jon, &c. &c. &c. The Third Edition. 8vo. 108 pp. 2s. 6d. Lackington and Allen. 1804.

The fubftitution of farces, in five acts, for legitimate comedies, has now become so much a matter of course, that when we are obliged, by our

duy

duty, to perufe them, we expect to find in the dialogue only a few bad puns, and in the plot nothing but unmeaning buttle and abfurdity. In the piece before us, however, we do not find even these merits to any degree; and we thould have been wholly at a lofs to account for the fuccefsful reprefentation which we believe it had, and the third edition which it has reached, but that one circumftance, though not very new or ably managed, tends to give the plot a degree of intereft, which it would not otherwife excite. One of the principal characters lies under ftrong, but doubtful, imputations of very atrocious guilt; and, as he strongly afferts his at least comparative innocence, and is more than once prevented from coming to an explanation, this uncertainty and fufpenfe, we prefume, interefted the feelings of the audience, and carried the piece to a fuccefsful conclufion. In other refpects, we cannot perceive much dramatic merit in the piece, and as a literary performance it ranks ftill lower. One of the characters compares himfelf to the ftatue of Anger leaning on Despair". This we fuppofe is an imitation of Shakespeare's Patience on a monument"; how fuccefsful, the reader will determine. The title-page shows this writer, whatever may be the merits of the performance before us, to have contributed largely to "the public ftock of harmless pleafure", though not perhaps to deferve a very high rank, even among the dramatic authors of the prefent age.

NOVELS.

ART. 19. Circumstances refpelling the late Charles Montford, Efq. By George Harley, Efq. 8vo. Liverpool printed; fold by T. M'Greery, Houghton-it reet. 1804.

We confefs we have been agreeably deceived with the perufal of this interefting publication. From the title, we were induced to expect the memoirs of a man, whofe memory might indeed be dear to the circle of his own peculiar relatives, but the minutiae of whofe life could hardly have formed the fubject of interest or attention to an impartial and unprejudiced public.

There can, however, be no doubt, that at least the greater part of thefe Circumftances" are imaginary and fictitious. The ftory, though fimple in itfelf, is extremely well told; and, however we may regret its melancholy termination, we must own our intereft has been highly excited, and cur tafte much gratified, by the perufal.

An excurfion to Paris is made the vehicle of many judicious remarks on the prefent ftate and government of that country. We are induced to fubjoin the following extract, as a fpecimen of the author's ftyle, and as containing a comparifon, which we have often feen more copioufly argued, with lefs eff ct.

Since my ftay here, I have of courfe been at the levee of the chief Conful. I was anxious to fee what fort of a man he was, of whom we are all accustomed to read in hiftory and romances, as rifing from obfcurity to the most brilliant fortune-from humble rank to a throne. I hear him on all fides compared to Cæfar. There appears

to me, however, but few points of fimilarity. Bonaparte, from his childhood, feems to have had no enjoyment but in command, and thofe purfuits which might lead him to the attainment of his favourite object. Cæfar was a man of univerfal paffion, as diffipated as he was ambitious; as ardent in pleafure as in battle; warm in his friendships; and contending for the affections of a woman with as much anxiety as for the empire of the world. Bonaparte has no friends, and no attachments. The latter obtained the fovereign power in a country torn by factions, and fighing for the gift of peace from any hand. The rulers he had to overthrow were marked by the groffeft corruption at home, and the most difgraceful reverfe of fortune abroad. Cæfar created the divifions on which he founded his empire; and his antagonists were Cicero, Pompey, and Cato. Cæfar was eloquent, a finished scholar, and the best bred man of his age. Bonaparte is flow in his utterance, a man of fcience, but of little tafte; in his manner cold, ftiff, and inflexible. When Cæfar fell, even the authors of his death, though they rejoiced for Rome, wept for their friend; in lofing Bonaparte, we might tremble for France, but the man would furely be unlamented. Cæfar was the victim of his bold and generous confidence of all around him. Bonaparte, as he has nothing of his feelings, will probably efcape his fate.'

A Comedy, entitled "Love in Marriage", is fubjoined, of which we are forry not to have it in our power to fpeak fo fatisfactorily.

ART. 20. Aubrey. A Novel. By R. C. Dallas, Efq. Author of Per cival. Four Volumes. 12mo. 18s. Longman and Co. 1804.

In faying that this production is fuperior to the generality of Novels, we fhall be thought by many to exprefs ourselves but coldly of its merits. Aubrey does, in fact, deferve a higher commendation. It is written with cafe, and excites fo much intereft in the mind of the reader, as to hurry him paft thofe errors, which perhaps upon a more minute inveftigation might deferve fome cenfure, or challenge a more rigid criticism.

Ro

ART. 21. The India Voyage. By Mrs. H. Lefanu, Daughter of the late Thomas Sheridan, M. A. Two Volumes. 12mo. 8s. binfons.

1804.

The pen of a female has always a claim on our indulgence; and, where we cannot commend, we wish to be concife; let it therefore fuffice, that after the ufual embarraffments in which the "Mortimers" and Mandevilles" muft neceffarily be involved, all parties finally enjoy that happinefs which fo many of our fair countrywomen poffefs, without the neceffity of an "India Voyage”.

MEDICINE.