ject, and from the fame hand. The reader would be better pleafed by copious extracts from the piece itself, than by any fuch remarks on trivial imperfections as we can make, or fuch compliments on particular paffages as we feel ourfelves impatient to beflow.

Our author, ftating the Ariftotelian fyftem of the world's eternity, and refuting it from the latenefs of hiftory, arts, fciences, &c. has a feries of beautiful lines, which the limits of our Review will not permit us to infert; we will therefore only borrow the following paffage, which will fufficiently awaken the curiofity of our readers to perufe the whole poem with a degree of pleafure equal to that which we received on the fame occafion, Thee, univerfal king, thy peopled earth,

Thro' every nation, every tribe, adores,
And thro' rude ignorance, with favage rites,
And uncouth geftures, howls her hymn of praife;
Tho' fenfelefs idols, or created lights

Of heaven ufurp thine homage; yet to thee
Their voice is rais'd to thee their incenfe fmokes ;
To thee in grove and vale their temples rife.

:

With feathery crown, and flaming gems adorn'd,
The gaudy Mexican from cups of gold

Pours out the captive warrior's reeking blood
At Vitzipultzi's fhrine; while with loud fhouts,
In mystic maze the virgins of the Sun

Dance round the bleeding victim. Near the banks
Of Zaara, whence the merchant, dreadful trade!
Comes fraught with flavery to Caribbean ifles,
The tawny African o'er ocean's ftream
Spreads forth his arms; on bended knee implores
The howling Winds; and begs the Storm to drive
The cruel Chriftian far from Congo's coaft.

Where Efperanza to the Indian main
Extends its rocks, the filthy native bows
With humble reverence to the Moon: From her
He asks ripe fruits, and fertil seasons mild;
And ever as the fwells the impetuous tide,
With antic dances, and rude carol, greets
Her rifing bears. On rich Gloconda's walls
Ten tedious, nights, and ten long fleepless days,
The felf-tormented Bramin fits: if Fo
Well-pleas'd behold his pain, it recks not him
That torn with hooks of fteel his mangled flesh
Pours ftreams of blood, or from his burning head
With livid light the fpiral flames afcend.

See where the turban'd caliph o'er the fields
Of fertile Syria fpreads wide-wafting war,
And famine: nor can groves of ravag'd palm,
Olives and figs, nor defolated vines

That crown'd the bank of Pharphar, lucid stream!
Nor widow's piercing fariek, nor orphan's tear,
Melt his obdurate foul for not the luft
Of frantic power, or empire unconfin'd,
But raging zeal, and hope of future blifs,
Arm him with tenfold fury. On he goes

How a luxurious Jamaica-merchant can, with propriety, be compared to an old Roman dictator, who held his own plough, and roafted his own turneps, we are at a lofs to comprehend. And here a long, inglorious lift of names,

On my disturbed imagination croud, &c.'

The imaginations of party-zealots are abfolutely difturbed; and we wish for their own peace, and for that of the nation, that they would endeavour to correct and cool them.

But fee! where Liberty, on yonder strand,
Where the cliff rifes, and the billows roar,
Already takes her melancholy stand,

To wing her paffage to fome happier shore.

Stay, Goddess! ftay, nor leave this once-blefs'd ifle,
So many ages thy peculiar care,

O! stay, and cheer us ever with thy smile,

Left quick we fink in terrible despair.

And, lo! fhe liftens to the mufe's call;

She comes, once more to cheer a wretched land;
Thou, Tyranny, shalt tremble to thy fall!

To hear her high, her abfolute command.'

We shall certainly be a happy people, if, on any emergency, true Liberty will be fo tractable, and fo eafily perfuaded to continue her refidence in our island.

15. An Elegiac Poem, on the Death of William Beckford, Esq. late Lord Mayor of the City of London. 8vo. 6d. Swan.

A moft lamentable elegy! in the perufal of which we have grieved more for the writer than for the death of our patriotic hero. We shall give a stanza as a specimen of his powers in the pathetic.

But oh! alas! I can't forbear,

To drop my pen, and shed a tear!
My Grief awhile t'impart;
Then for a moment eas'd again,
His praife I'll fing in lulling ftrain,

And footh my fwolen heart.'

The following stanza we quote as an example of his perfpicuity, and propriety of fentiment and expreffion.

Thro' all the beaten paths of life,

He calmly pafs'd thro' noife and ftrife,
And reach'd the bleft abode;

Oh, Grave! at length thy victory's gain'd,
Neither his fting has Death refrain'd,

Or horrors would explode.'

Thefe

These party-writers often as grofly mistake the characters of those whom they praise, or fatirize, as their own talents.

He died the finished man, fays our bard. This is an encomium of great latitude, and is here very foolishly applied. It is the part of little, inhumane minds to infult the athes of the dead, when we are warranted by truth and virtue to spare them. We fhall, therefore, on this occafion, only observe, that he, to whom titles and bribes were trifles, on account of his immenfe fortune, by no means deferved the character of a finished man, merely for oppofing administration, however vigorous, and at the fame time juftifiable, his oppofition might have been.

16. A Poem. Infcribed to the Memory of the Rt. Hon. William Beckford, Efq. late Lord Mayor of London. And dedicated to John Wilkes, Efq. Alderman of Farringdon Ward Without. 8vo. 6d. Baldwin.

Some writers, whofe prudence is more refined than that of other men, endeavour to raise for themfelves a phantom of reputation, partly by humility, and partly by infult. Such we fuppofe was the aim of the author of the piece before us. In his dedication, he fays, the poem fubjoined is beneath the criticifin even of an hireling Reviewer.' And towards the conclufion of his poem, he fpeaks thus modeftly of himself,

• Me, chance, not genius, to the Mufe's bower
Had led, the trifler of a vacant hour:

To me no pow'rs of tuneful verse belong,
Obfcure alike the poet-and the fong.'

By calling us birelings he undoubtedly means that we are mercenary prostitutes. We fhall calmly deny the charge, by afferting, that impartiality, tempered with candour, is the controller of our fentiments. Could we give the other fair meaning to the world hireling, as he introduces it, viz.. that we write for payment, —we should acknowledge the truth of the imputation. They deferve commendation rather than blame, who act honeftly for their intereft. Intereft actuates mankind in every fphere, from the throne to the ftall of the cobler. But the most rapaciously selfish are thofe men, who court the affiftance of faction to obtain places of dignity and emolument; and who are only deified by the writers of their own party, men equally deftitute of reflection and moderation.

But if this gentleman was really convinced that his dedication to Mr. Wilkes was an infignificant compliment, and that his poem was an indifferent one, what view could he have in paying Mr. Wilkes that elaborate compliment, or in giving the

world

world a few infipid verses, at the expence of betraying to it the poverty of his talents?

Our author's politicks in his dedication, are very trite and uninterefting. The topics, which he only repeats, have been often difcuffed. He traverses a field in which harveft-home has been long ago fung. There is hardly an ear of corn left in it for the most needy and induftrious gleaner.

Nor is he more ftriking as a poet than as a politician. His poem is greatly fuperior to the Elegy, of which we have taken notice above; but there is nothing in it characteristic of genius; nothing which warms the heart, or informs the under ftanding.

17. The Magic Girdle: A Burletta. Taken from the French of M. Roufleau. Set to Mufic by Mr. Barthelemon, and performed at Marybone-Gardens. 4to. 6d. Becket.

This piece confifts of two acts. Trufalo, a pompous, oftentatious coward, was appointed guardian to Cephifa, by her father's will. He is deeply in love with his ward, and determines to marry her; but the young and enterprising Horatio is the object of her warm affection, and his fuit is favoured by Violentina, Cephifa's aunt. Horatio is introduced, in the habit of a conjurer, by Violentina to Trufalo, who is defirous to know the event of his paffion for Cephifa. The pretended magician frightens Trufalo into a compliance with his ceremonies, without which, he tells him, he cannot give him the information he defires. Horatio, with Cephifa and her aunt, bind Trufalo. Horatio calls his familiar fpirits, who inflict on Trufalo their different punishments. He roars for quarter: Horatio promises Trufalo, to difmifs his agents, and fet him free, provided he will fign whatever shall be required. Trufalo agrees to the condition, and is obliged to fign the articles of marriage betwixt Horatio and Cephifa.

The parade of a boaster and the pompous fcience of a conjurer are humorously ridiculed in this entertainment, which is well calculated to ferve it's purpofe ;-to play round the head, not to steal upon, and engage the affections.

18. A fair Account of the late Unhappy Disturbance at Boston in New-England; extracted from the Depofitions that have been made concerning it by Perfons of all Parties. With an Appendix, containing fome Affidavits and other Evidences relating to this Affair, not mentioned in the Narrative of it that has been published at Boston. 80. IS. White.

This narrative appears to be well authenticated, and we muft own, that we think it greatly exculpates the military con

cerned

By God's fupreme decree and high command,
He now returns to blefs his native land;
Nor dreads the threat'nings of the wat'ry deep,
Or all its forms, with JESUS in the fhip.'

We almost think ourfelves criminal, for having transcribed paffage, which represents our bleffed Redeemer embarked on the fame bottom with the head of a mercenary fect.

26. A Funeral Ode on the Rev. Mr. Adams, who departed this Life, at Rodberow, Gloucestershire, Auguft 10, 1770; and on the much lamented Death of the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield. -Together with verfes comp fed in America, by a Nigro Girl feventeen years of Age, on Mr. Whitefield.

Price one penny, but not worth a fingle farthing.

27. An Elegiac Poem, on the Death of the Reverend Mr. George Whitefield. 4to. Price 6d.

Wills.

George Whitefield again!-Indeed we are almost ready to with (notwithstanding the prefent want of feamen and foldiers) that all his poets had accompanied him to the other world.We will for once, indulge the wish without restraint; for, on recollection, methodists are rarely ever ferviceable to any but their pastors.

This Poem is wretched ftuff. Good devil, carry it back to our publisher; we will fay not a word more about it.

NOVE L.

28. The Modern Couple; or the Hiftory of Mr. and Mrs. Davers. 2 vols. 5s. fewed. Noble.

By husbands who take too great liberties after their marriage, and by wives who are apt to carry their refentment too far, this novel should be read with attention; because it may be read with advantage, if properly regarded.

POLIT I C S.

29. Confiderations on the prefent State of the Peerage of Scotland, 8vo. 6d. Cadell.

This little pamphlet, wrote on account of a late election of one of the fixteen peers of Scotland, is the acknowledged production of lord Ellibank, a nobleman greatly celebrated for genius, knowledge, and uncommon facility, as well as elegance of expreffion: what may perhaps appear more extraordinary, is that, in a very advanced age, he retains more fire and strength of imagination, than generally falls to the fhare of youth. The Pamphlet before us is written in a tyle fuited to the dignity of the fubject. It recommends to the peers of Scotland, the prefervation of their own independence and importance. The motives by which they are incited to this duty by lord Ellibank, are fuch as freedom, not faction, would infpire; and there has not escaped a fingle ftroke of fancy from his lordship's pen, to leffen the fubject he writes on; though all who know him, know how difficult he fometimes finds it, to check the fallies of a rich and luxuriant imagination.