Achitophel. Unhappy Dryden! have we forgotten thy courtly pliancy both in politics and religion under Charles II. and Papist James? Had this anonymous writer lived in either's days he too would have crammed Epifcopacy down the throats of the Scots, and, in the moft gentlemanny manner have applauded the royal dragoonings of the island into religion and the good order of fociety. We cannot tarry to difcufs the complete justice of the fatires and dunciad of Pope; nor the preface to the 1ft dialogue, fhowing the intent of the poem, which we have remarked already. Our readers will pardon us for these protracted animadverfions on its outlet. What we have faid here will convey an idea of the nature of the work; and ferve for the criticism of many a myfteri. ous note and ambiguous line, which we muft pafs without examination. The characteristics of the whole of the profe compofition, are ftrength in a confiderable degree, pedantry in the extreme, (we mean that of hinting, relating enveloping things in foreign languages, which would have been better and more honeftly told in English,) and often a tumor of expreffion, and profanity of metaphor, fresh from the pattern of Burke and the school of Gorgias Leontinus.

The first dialogue between the author and his friend Octavius confifts of 126 couplets. It condemns in middling verfification, with little fancy fave in the laft 32 lines, to contempt and ridicule, the names of Dr Lawrence, Dr Pricftley, Dr Wolcot, Mr Hayley, Dr Darwin, moft of the modern female novelists; Mr Volney, the an. thor of "CrazyTales," Mefirs Knight, Madan, Thicknefs, Coxe, Barrington, Walpole, and many others; along with all the labourers in that part of English antiquities relating to Shakfpere. The whole is an imitation from the ancient Satirifts. The firit Satires of Juvenal and Perfius; the

ft of the fecond book of Horace,

copied in a manner inferior to that of Pope, Boileau and others, are the stamina of the whole work. There is confiderable ability difplayed in the adaptations of claffical topics to the subjects of his verfe, particularly in the tale of Actaeon to the commentators of Shakfpere. Still, however, it is very well known that fuch adaptations are the easiest efforts of genius; and may often be made fuccefsfully by thofe who have none. In all thefe cenfures the Satirift, though fometimes juft, yet in general betrays a difpofition to condemn the foibles of men of genius with entire or partial forgetfulnefs of their great excellencies. To come to particulars, our poet, on the fcore of patronage, we suppose, with no murmuring sigh,

Can own, well-pleas'd, that now the meaneft Bard

"Bavius and Maro find the fame reward. (p. 46.)

A note informs us, that this alludes to the eternal fleep of the French. We ferioufly wifh that they, with their madnefs and atheistical nonfenfe, were enjoying the benefits of this repofe; and far from difturbing the peace or principles of Britons. But if they now venture on the eternal map, it is only from lefs to more, for this author prays (p. 297) for the return of the fabbath.

"When France before the CROSS believ'd and flept, "(Reft to the State, [their Grand Monarque,] and flumber to the foul!) "Ere yet the brooding ftorm was heard to roll." [viz. the reformation.] Next of Dr Lawrence: "The Doctor may for Fox and Port. land vouch,

"With fpectacles on nofe, but empty pouch. (p. 48.)

We may ask why Dr Lawrence is thus infulted? why, because he may have vouched for Fox and Portland, and not for Mr Pitt? Allufions to perfonal appearance, when necessary for running down a hated character,

are

are never avoided by this author. In fhort, the reader may take the following clue of Ariadne to guide him through all the cenfure and applaufe in the P. of L. If any scholar, lawyer,, member of parliament, Peer, or Bishop, have ever dropped a word either in writing or speaking about reform, rights of the people, injuftice or illegality of the measures or conduct of the minifter; in fhort, if he have not bawled War and the Ruin of Nations with Edmund Burke; this frantic zealot claffes him among the Atheifts and Levellers of France, among the enemies of religion and his country. The gentlemen of the minority and Mr Fox, whom we do not defign in every point to defend, he ranks among the mad incendiary focieties which have threatened the nation. We hefitate not a moment to tell this emiffary of flander, that not even the revolted allegiance of Ireland thought of delivering the kingdom to the French. May the INDEPENDANT CONSTITUTION of Britain, KING, LORDS, and COMMONS, not only be faved from prefent danger, but improve by reform when the times will. admit of it, until fuch malignant and; gangrening twinklings as his, be hurled from her political horizon. We have fufficient proof of our affer tions. Through the whole book, there is no distinction made between a French or British anarchist, and a favourer of the minority. Whatever may be the faults or foibles of either fide of the Houfe of Commons, we fincerely believe and hope that both, though perhaps by different meafures, defire to protect and benefit their country. The reader, in the course of this book, will obferve the rewards of merit fingularly diftributed. He will find the eloquent and learned Mr Erskine, for no fingle crime whatfoever, perfecuted through the whole compofition with calumnies which a fuitable proportion of dullness can only disappoint in their defign. Pp.

324, 362, 363, 364. and elsewhere, he will be informed of Mr E's being only fit for bluftering in the hall of Aeolus, viz. in the defence of juftice; of his being no ftatefman, and always appearing lefs among perfons of that defcription; of his fwallowing opium, while we are left in the dark with regard to the quantity fwallowed by others; and abundance of the like difrefpectful and unneceffary farrago. Though Gibbon fhowed the moft decided violence againft our religion, yet, among all the levellers of nations, among the Voltaires, the Rouffeaus, and the CALVINS (fee page 278) of obnoxious memory, no twitch of chaftifement marks the underminer of the Chriftian History. Authors may affirm that Troy, nay, that Mofes or Jefus never exifted, yet they are ingenious venerable men; though they infult truth, yet they merit praife (p. 281.) But Politics are the meteor which directs our champion's courfe. From thefe arofe the caricature of Dr Parr (p. 217,) the fectarianifm of Grafton and Wilberforce (p. 303,414,) hence Fox becomes the leader of a French faction (p. 440,) and claffes with the enemies of his country. Nothing can be found more lamentable, than when men, otherwife of fome abilities, of warm imaginations, poffeffed of a little Greek and other college endowments, crawl out like Monks from their cells to preach up a crufade, to relate vifions of falling Empires; to prefcribe rules for the opinions of the world concerning men or books. You will fee thefe men belying every political perfuafion fave their own; (paffim) every form of religion but their own, (p. 278. 414.) ; fupererogating on the laws of felf-defence, and deliberating feriously on exterminating nations. With all the infignia of a pedant, they will prefent you with a differtation on St. Paul's great coat, proving it to have been a Roman Panula in the midft of fpirited attack

of

of party politics, (p. 332.) He who has had the misfortune to dissent from them in this particular, may bid adieu to every hope of mercy. How miferable are mortals! Infuriated by fhadowy differences of opinion, friends at variance with friends, they fight, they fall, and glut one common grave. This is the fin, which has more than ruined Tooke, and for which Erskine (p. 362.) can never atone. This is the criterion of merit and demerit; it prepares for the caricature of every foible; and an expofition of every fault. It remains for us to complete the proof of that fact; we shall, in the fequel, confirm the charges of profanity and blafphemy. In this volume, wherein the author has “faid all that he wished to fay," we ftill lament one capital defect. The Herculean note-maker has forgotten a concordance to them. Seven or eight hundred couplets of rhyme we could examine with facility; but how fhall we trace the fame fubject through thousands of piled-up annotations? It is like the labours of the mine and the anvil; but gold is not the folace, nor pleasure the reward of our toil. Hear him next on Prieftly (p. 50.)

If I may write, let Proteus Prieftley tell He writes on all things, but on nothing well;

Who, as the demon of the day decrees, Air, books or water, makes with equal eafe."

Of this sentence we are forry to fay that much of it is certainly true; but had the author of the P. of L. known aught except Greek roots and the pedantry of the fchools, he would not have been the inflictor of it. We are Do ftrangers to the religious and philofophical tenets of Priestly, we shall ever be the readieft to expose them. But the reviewer of the literature and science of England, when we, and ours shall be together in the dust, will one day, while numbering up the benefactors of mankind, place his buft by the shrine of Lavoifier. He

will regret, if he be a Briton, that there was found one who could triumph over the march of Priestley through the dextral gate. (p. 360.) "Say, would your thought to Homer's pomp afpire,

"Or wake to loftieft rapture Pindar's lyre? p. (1.)

At the word Pindar a dreadful note founds the charges of obfcurity, (a ftrange accufation by the bye against Peter!) of pride, felf-conceit, blafphemy, impiety, obfcenity, contempt of all decency and order, of low wit, &c. againft Dr Wolcot. We are afraid that Peter will not care to meet "this man among the tombs;" Bedlam does not invite the fallies of thy comic Mufe. We can affure thee, however, that this luminous antagonist is liker to the Apollo of Homer, "dark as night," than thine own patron, "the merry God of metre." Come forward, and laugh this owl into his ancient hole; we do not believe a fyllable of thy indictment. Thou haft even outdone Dr Horfley in fin, thou haft fneered at Majesty, Pitt, Fox, and people, nay, perhaps at our literary Purfuer himself, hence thou art verily a vile person.

A beautiful couplet or two follow, lamenting the want of royal patronage to "the felf-supported, melancholy Gray" (p. 52.1. 50.) This the author, like all other rewarders of merit of his kind, laments too late. If government be fo dependant on literature as he pretends, and which we deny not, why does

Pitt view alike, from Holwood's fullen

brow,

As near obferving Friendship dares avow, The fount of Pindus and Bæotias bog. With nothing of Mecenas but his frog?

[ax-gathering infignia] (p. 116.) Hear the reason, and applaud; Stiff from old Turgot and his rigid fchool, He never deviates from this wholesome

in rural affairs, does not know, that the pasture-field, which is either naturally sheltered, or sheltered by plantations, is prized higher than that unfheltered, although the foil be equally good, or even fuperior in quality? If we enquire into the caufe, it will be found, not only to depend on an early rife of herbage, by means of the fhelter afforded to the lands; but alfo, that cattle, who have it in their choice, in cold feafons, to indulge in the kindly fhelter afforded them by trees, feed the better. Nay, we may fafely prefume, that no animal can fatten in discontent, or in an uncomfortable condition *. That the kind ly shelter, and alfo the kindly shade of trees, are comfortable to paftur ing flocks, may be demonftrated by watching their movements-in the ftormy blaft-under a fcorching fun. How keenly will they fly to the shel ter! How anxiously will they court the shade!

No doubt, from fmothering up fmall fields, already comfortably fituated in point of climate and shelter, with clofe plantations, there can few advantages proceed, especially while the fields are under corn crops. But, what relation has this to reducing widely-extended, bleak tracts, into commodious compartments, whether of corn or pasture lands? It may be argued, that even the desirable or fa. lutary effects of shelter may be produced, by fimply planting fingle rows of trees around the inclofures. Granted, in many cafes. But, in bleak, unfheltered fituations, fingle rows are reared with much uncertainty of fuccefs.

But, by planting a ftripe of moderate breadth, even on good land, is there an inch of ground wafted? What crop would ultimately pay better? Moreover, might not the mar

gin of the field be as much shaded by the tops, or impoverished by the roots of a fingle row, as by a ftripe of any given breadth? Might not the trees, in a fingle row, become as tall as thofe in a broad ftripe? and, might not their roots fhoot as far into the field, as thofe in the outmoft row of a belt?

For improving the climate of bleak, barren, extended plains; next to, or rather in conjunction with a rational culture of the ground, nothing can be more advantageous than the judicious difpofal of plantations, generally denominated ftripes or belts. On more varied furfaces, the difpofition of thefe, together with clumps of different fhape, as may beft fuit the fituation in point, will frequently be found tending to this defirable purpofe, namely, improving the climate; more efpecially, if skill be displayed in the difpofition.

The good effects of fhelter thus afforded will foon be vifible, not only on the immediate, but on the more remotely fituated lands. Wherefore, in the difpofition, it becomes a matter of confideration, to place the clump, ftripe, &c. fo as to answer a two fold purpose, if conveniency will permit.

In many cafes, according to fituation, waste corners may be turned to advantage in this point of view, without encroaching much on the adjacent arable lands: perhaps only fo far as to afford good hedge fences, by touching on the better margins of the tilled ground; or, in order to render the whole more agreeable to the eye, embracing part of a jutting angle, fegment, &c.

In cafes, which are not unfrequent, where the furface is broken by crags, rocks, abrupt ridges, &c. it would certainly tend to the advan

tage