and by no means the refult of that manly reafoning which discovers itself in other parts of your excellent commentaries.'

He acknowledges, that it is a very ungrateful task to expofe the vices of any clafs of men whatever};'- -but yet he obferves, in his vindication, it often happens, that the good of the public requires this facrifice. For my part, quoth he, I fincerely wifh, (and who that reads his pamphlet throughout can doubt his fincerity) that experience would give a fanction to the fair teftimonial you have produced in favour of the unblemished lives of the clergy; and yet, to our great misfortune, experience contradicts every thing you have advanced upon this fubject.'

His manner of fupporting this last affertion, however, is very fuperficial, or rather he does not fupport it at all. He feems, at prefent, only for a little vaporing and flourishing about, rather than for an earnest attack on the clergy-but he promises, that if the Doctor fhould reply, (which does not feem very likely), he will then confirm all that he has advanced, by the most authentic teftimonies.'That indeed will be doing fomething; but we fufpect that he does not himself fuppofe the circumftance on which his doing it is made to depend, will ever happen; for certainly, till he publishes his name, a gentleman of Dr. B.'s eminence in the world cannot take the leaft notice of this anonymous letter.

POLITICAL.

Art. 25. Balaam and his Afs, a'Parody addreffed to the Freeholders of Middlefex. 12mo. 1 S. Griffin.

A piece of minifterial wit, as keen as an alderman's joke. There is alfo a moft ingenious copper-plate device prefixed;-an afs carrying the city petition.

SWIFT.

O Grubftreet! how do I bemoan thee !'Art. 26. A Letter to the right honourable Lord North, firft Lord of the Treasury, recommending a new Mode of Taxation, through which Vice may be checked, and the Poor be relieved. 8vo. Is. Dilly. The new mode of taxation recommended in this pamphlet is, to remove the taxes from the neceffaries of life, which may easily be done, by impofing fresh ones on luxury in all its branches.' Thus the Writer propofes duties to be paid by fpectators at operas and plays, proportioned to the feats they fit in, and on the entrance to the public gardens; for the collecting of which, receivers fhould attend at all the doors; a duty on fubfcriptions to Almack's, Portlandhouse, and all ball-affemblies throughout the kingdom; horse-races, and cock-fighting; a tax on hounds, hunting horfes, fowling-pieces, fwords, livery-fervants, and hair-dreffers.

All this is very plaufible in theory; but the Writer must be a very young politician, and upon reflection will be convinced, that the laudable defire of effecting a reformation in the articles of luxury, has made him forget that the fupplies of government must be raised. The inability of mankind to difpenfe with the neceffaries of life, is a fecurity for the funds required. Whereas, in proportion as luxury is checked, the taxes laid on them would be reduced, and the fupplies fail! This plan of reformation is therefore begun at the wrong end.

AL.

Art. 27. The Middlesex Elections confidered on the Principles of the Conftitution. By a Country Gentleman. 8vo. Is. Bladon.

Another very fenfible tract added to the refpectable catalogue of thofe that have appeared on the part of the people, in the present great conteft concerning the rights of election for parliamentary reprefentation. The Author undertakes, particularly, to refute the cafe of the late election, &c. See Review for July laft, p. 77.

Art. 28. Obfervations on the late Disturbances in the Nation, and the unreasonable Behaviour of the People. By Phileleutherus Clericus. 8vo. 6d. Ipfwich printed, by Jackson, and fold by Hingefton, &c. in London.

In this warm declamation against mobs and tumults, the Author endeavours to fhew, that the late popular commotions in and about London, have been artfully ftirred up by a factious party, and that the people have no real grievance to complain of, nor the leaft caufe for any riotous difturbance whatever. There is now, fays he, no difpenfing with the laws, no invafion of people's rights and properties, no encroachment upon authority of parliament, no depriving of a perfon of his liberty, except through his own fault; and at the head of the government a juít and good king, who confults the true welfare of the nation.'From a bare perufal of this paffage only, without dipping farther into his obfervations, fome might be apt to fufpect that Mr. Phileleutherus Clericus may be a fly dealer in irony; but we can affure our Readers that this is not the cafe; the honeft gentleman is really in earneft.

Art. 29. The Conflitution of Ireland, and Poyning's laws explained. By a Friend to his Country. Dublin printed, London reprinted. 8vo. 1 s. Johnston. 1770.

The Writer of this tract gives a fhort hiftorical view of the Irish conftitution, deduces the rights of the Irish to English privileges, and complains of fome late ftretches of prerogative with refpect to moneybills in that kingdom.

DRAMAT I C.

Art. 30. Timanthes, a Tragedy. By John Hoole. 8vo. I s. 6 d.

Becket.

In characterifing this tragedy, we fhall take the liberty of borrowing from ourselves; for we have already given a juft idea of it in the character of the original opera on which it is founded.

In our account of Mr. Hoole's tranflation of Metaftafio †, speaking of the Demophoon, we obferved, that the fubject is of the molt pathetic and affecting nature; that the paffions and fentiments raised upon it, are fuch as we feel at our fouls; that there is a variety in the diftrefs which leads us from one fenfation to another; that the event is fo finely fufpended, that attention and curiofity are continually kept awake; that there is a fimplicity in the conduct, and a propriety in the characters of this piece; and that the fpeeches are animated with the most vigorous ftrain of poetry.'-This may all, with very little variation, be faid of Mr. Hoole's Timanthes, which is, in a great measure, to be confidered as Metaftafio's Demophoon, This is very true; but who may we thank for it ?

† See Review, vol. xxxvii. p. 81.

R 4 !

with

with a title better adapted to an English ear.-The alterations neceffary in the transformation of an Italian opera into an English tragedy, are judicioufly anade, and the pleafing circumftance of an happy catastrophe may alfo, perhaps, have contributed not a little to the fuccefs which this performance hath defervedly met with on the theatre in Covent-garden; for we have obferved, (contrary to what Aristotle remarked of the dramas of the ancients) that thofe of our tragedies which end fortunately for the favourite characters, have always best pleafed the audiences ;-and we think it is most natural for them to have that effect, notwithstanding all that Mr. Addifon, and other critics have faid, in preference of thole pieces in which the heroes and heroines are left to fink under the weight of their calamities.

GARDENING.

Art. 31. A Treatise on the Ananas or Pine-apple, containing plain and eafy Directions for raifing this most excellent Fruit without Fire, and in much higher Perfection than from the Stove; illustrated with an elegant Copper-plate, in which is exhibited a new Pine frame, &c. peculiarly adapted for that Ufe; with another, fhewing the Fruit coloured from Nature: to which are added, full Directions for raising Melons. By Adam Taylor, Gardener near Devizes, 8vo. 3 S. ftitched. Printed and fold by Robinfon and Roberts, &c. in London. 1769.

Mr. Taylor, writing from his own experience, a degree of credit is due to his work, which nothing but a contrary experience of others can invalidate. The obtaining a uniform degree of heat, is the first requifite in the railing delicate plants, and a pure air the next ; if dung can be applied to procure the former without injuring the plants by unwholefome fteams, it will certainly facilitate the culture of tender exotics. The method of overlaying the glass panes of the frames without putty at the bottom, is a good way of draining, off the condensed moisture; and if a gentle ventilation, or fucceffion of air, could be effected on one fide, analogous to that fometimes made in chamber-windows, to operate in mild weather, when tilting a frame cannot be ventured, which, if not closely watched, often proves injurious in our changeable climate; it might still farther promote this confined mode of vegetation.

MATHEMATICS. Art. 32. Univerfal Arithmetic, or a Treatife of arithmetical Compofition and Refolution. Written in Latin by Sir Ifaac Newton. Tranflated by the late Mr. Ralphfon; and revised and corrected by Mr. Cunn. To which is added a Treatise upon the Measures of Ratios, by James Maguire, A. M. The whole illuftrated and explained in a Series of Notes, by the Rev. Theaker Wilder, D. D. Senior Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. 8vo. 2 vols. 10s. Johnfton. 1769.

Newton's univerfal Arithmetic is a book too well known to ftand in need of any recommendation in a literary journal: of the translation alfo of this valuable work, by Ralphfon and Cunn, none of our mathematical Readers can be ignorant. Dr. Wilder has here made pade fome important additions and improvements to that tranflation, particularly in his very useful collection of notes; in the drawing up of which, he availed linfelf of the various illustrations of his great

author,

author, in the works of 's Gravefande, Reyneau, Bernoulli, Maclaurin, Colfon, Campbell, &c. As to the regular and continued comment of Caftilioneus, he objects to it: 1. The many and material errors of the prefs, which are infuperable to young ftudents, and his great prolixity. 2. The commentator's deviating from the method of rotation ufed by his author, and thereby occafioning much unneceffary trouble to the student. 3. The price and bulk of the book, which he objects to, as too great, in respect of its utility. This, as the Doctor justly remarks, is occafioned, not only by the additions from other authors, although the fubftance of them is thrown into his foregoing notes; but alfo by his increafing the number of fchemes to two-thirds more than it originally was. Our Author gave geometrical queftions as exercises for the ftudent, fuppofing him already well versed in geometry, and in those other fciences on which their folutions depend; it feems, therefore, a fuperfluous undertaking in the commentator, to draw folutions and conitructions from principles different from thofe which the author ufed; and to explain not fo much what the author has done, as what he might have done.'

Dr. Wilder has had alfo the ufe of three manufcripts left by his predeceffor, Dr. Maguire, (whom he fucceeds as teacher of the mathematics to the under-graduates of the univerfity of Dublin;) vix. 1. An unfinished treatife of arithmetic, containing remarks and criticifms, collected from Wells, Jones, Kerley, Wallis, Dodfon, and others with many things of his own, the proof of the rules of finding compound divifions from the nature of the algebraical operations; and which is inferted in this work. z. An unfinished treatife of equations drawn up, fo far as it go s, in a molt elegant and clear, though concife method. 3. The complete treatife on the measures of Ratios, a tranflation of which is here inferted entire. This, as well as the unfinished treatifes on arithmetic and equations, having teen originally written in Latin †.

Dr. Halley's method of refolving equations, hath been generally annexed to Ralphfon s tranflation, with which our learned Editor has now connected his valuable notes; but Maclaurin's methods of approximation are here preferred to Dr. Halley's theorem because these contain the method of deducing not only the Doctor's, but all other theorems for that purpofe; which we think a very judicious fubftitution.

Upon the whole, we look upon this publication as a confiderable addition to the flock of mathematical knowledge in this country; and we think the public much obliged to Dr. Wilder for so valuable a communication.

It is pity that Dr. Wilder's own edition is fo chargable with this imperfection, as we find it to be; although this defect is, in fome meature, remedied by the three pages of erraia at the end of the fecond volume.

Thefe three treatifes, Dr. Wilder informs the public, are now in the prefs; the profits of the impreffion, if any, to go to the arned Author's heirs; the lofs, if any, he generoufly adds, to be fustained folely by me,'

PO TICAL

POETICAL.

Art. 33. The new Brighthelmftone Directory, or Sketches in Miniature of the British Shore. Small 8vo. I s. 6 d. Durham. 1770. In proportion as we applaud the very agreeable and entertaining Rath guide, we cannot but commiferate his unhappy mistaken imitator, the Author of the new Brightbelmftone Directory.

Art. 34. Rodondo, or the State-Jugglers. Canto III. 8vo. 1 s. W. Nicoll. 1770.

About feven years ago, we mentioned the two preceding cantos of this doggrel fatire on the patriots. The Writer proceeds in the fame vein of lack-luftre poetry; but grows more and more negligent of his verfes, as he becomes more grofs and filthy in his ideas and to fuch excess of naftiness is he now arrived, that he feems, indeed, admirably qualified for the poft of poet-laureat to the worshipful united companies of night-men and scavengers.

Art. 35. An Ode to Palinurus. 4to. A fpirited remonftrance from Parnaffus.

I S.

Wilkie.

Art. 36. Providence. Book I. By the Rev. Jofeph Wife. 8vo: I s. 6d. White. 1769.

Of this poem, which is now publifhed as a new piece, (no notice being taken of a fecond edition in the title) our Readers will find fome mention in the xxxv. vol. of our Review, p. 322.

NOVEL S.

Art. 37. The Unhappy Wife. A Series of Letters. By a Lady. 12mo. 2 Vols. 5 s. fewed. Newbery.

Another fcandalous catchpenny, founded on the fame story with that of De Vergy's + book, but much inferior to the Frenchman's performance in refpect to the writing. In truth, here is scarce any writing, either as to quantity or quality, the whole of the two volumes confifting only of a few flimfy fcraps of forged letters, and fictitious advertisements of affignation, pretended to have been originally inferted in the news-papers.-Of all the worthless productions of this kind which have been impofed upon the public, we never perufed any fo totally uninterefting and unentertaining as the prefent; which, at the fame time, into the bargain, is, in a great measure, unintelligible alfo.

Art. 38. Nature. A Novel. In a Series of Letters. 12mo. 3 s. Murdoch.

A licentious performance, fitted to inflame the paffions, to defecrate virtue, and to ferve as a pander the mind of an amorous Reader.

Art. 39. The Hiflory of Mifs Harriot Montague. 2 vols. 12mo. 5 s. Rofon.

Thofe who read the aftonishing adventures of Mifs Harriot Montague and her friends with a proper frame of mind, will be puzzled to determine whether to laugh at the ridiculous bundle of unnatural fictions crouded into two fmall volumes, or to deteit the impiety of

* See Review, vol. xxviii. (1763) p. 73, and 161.

+ See Review for December laft, p. 480.