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will grow indolent, inactive, and troubleiome, and only contrive methods to tax the generofity of an European. "The greateft part of thefe people never fail to defraud Europeans when ever it is in their power, and take every method to overreach them in the way of trade; they will difguife their perions and change their names in order to defraud them of their lawful debts, which they are fometimes permitted to contract at the Company's factory; and all debts that are outstanding at the fucceffion of a new Governor are entirely loft, as they always declare, and bring plenty of witnefles to prove, that they were paid long before, but that their names had been forgotten to be ftruck out of the book. "Notwithstanding all thofe bad qualities, they are the mildeft tribe of Indians that trade at any of the Company's fettlements, and, as the greateft part of them are never heated with liquor, are always in their

fenfes, and never proceed to riot, or any violence beyond bad language.

"The men are in general very jealous of their wives; and I make no doubt but the fame fpirit reigns among the women; but they are kept fo much in awe of their husbands, that the liberty of thinking is the greateft privilege they enjoy. The prefence of a Northern Indianman ftrikes a peculiar awe into his wives, as he always affumes the fame authority over them that the mafter of a family in Europe ufually does over his domestic fervants."

Mr. Hearne is a philofophical obferver, without being warped by any theory, which, with the best judges, will be the best recommendation. He is attentive to nature inanimate, animated, and human, and an air of probity and candour pervades his work.

Memoirs of Emma Courtney. By Mary Hays. In Two Volumes, Twelves. 220 Pages. Robinfons.

NOVEL writing, as it peculiarly extends its influence over the unformed minds of the rifing generation, merits the highest applaute, or the deepest execration, in proportion as its aim and effect are the increase of VIRTUE or the fuppreffion of VICE; for, notwithstanding the fpecious doctrines which have too frequently been inculcated to the contrary,, every character is ultimately HAPPY OF MISERABLE in proportion as these oppolite qualities guide the fentiments of the mind, and prompt the feelings of the heart. To female characters, indeed, the tenor of this fpecies of compotion is particularly important; for it is from this fource that they, in general, derive thofe primary notions which tend 1o powerfully to direct their future conduct, and to lead them to their fate in Lite. The perfection of human nature confifts in a high cultivation of the noble faculty of REASON, and in a proper regulation of the PASSIONS; for it is by the intemperate and indiscreet indufgence of inordinate paffions that our reason is dethroned, and our nature difgraced. Love is the great and unrivalled Monarch of the female breaft; the fuperior paffion to which every other is ubtervient; and on the difcreet indulgence of which, earthly felicity almost entirely depends. To exhibit the dangerous and dreadful confequences which mut unavoidably flow from cherishing VOL. XXXI. JAN. 1797

in early life the romantic fenfibility and refined feelings which, particularly in female bofoms, prompts the imprudent indulgence of this MASTER PASSION, is the object of the present performance, and the fair Author has executed her philofophic and benevolent task with extraordinary ability. "It has been commonly the business of fiction," says she, "to pourtray characters, not 'as they really exift, but as we are told they ought to be a fort of ideal perfection, in which nature and paffion are melted away, and joining attributes wonderfully combined. In delineating the character of EMMA COURTNEY I have not had in view thefe fantastic models. I meant to reprefent her as a human being, loving virtue while enslaved by passion, liable to the mistakes and weakneffes of our fragile nature. Let thofe readers who feel inclined to judge with feverity the extravagance and eccentricity of her con duct, look into their own hearts, and fhould they there find no record, traced by an accufing fpirit, to foften the alperity of their cenfures, yet let them bear in mind that the errors of my heroine were the offspring of fenfibility; and that the refult of her hazardous experiment is calculated to operate as a warning rather than as an example."

An attempt to give an outline of the pleafing, affecting, ingenious, and natural itory by which this virgin work,

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fo eloquently inculcates the very important moral, that the fineft feelings and moft virtuous affections, when carried to excefs, or directed to improper objects, become pregnant with mifery, and that the paffions fhould furrender themselves to prudence and reafon, would be doing injustice to the fair Author, for it is fo entire and connected, that its feveral parts cannot, without mutilation, be compreffed or disjoined. The reader, however, muft not expect to find the heroine of this inftructive piece a mere love-fick maid, pouring out the effufions of extravagant paffion; the is a character of a much higher defcription and more exalted fpecies; a character anxious to conquer the vifionary notions which the prejudices `of education had implanted, and to difpel the mifts of ignorance in which a folitary infancy had involved her naturally virtuous but bewildered mind. "Every thing I fee and hear," fays fhe, "is a difappointment to me; brought up in retirement; converfing only with books; dwelling with ardour on the great cha racters and heroic actions of antiquity, all my ideas of honour and distinction were affociated with thofe of virtue and talents. I conceived that the pursuit of truth, and the advancement of Reafon, were the grand objects of univerfal attention, and I panted to do homage to thofe fuperior minds, who, teaching mankind to be wife, would at length lead them to happinefs. Accustomed to think, to feel, to kindle into action, I am at a lofs to understand the distinction between theory and practice, which every one kems eager to inculcate, as if the degrading and melancholy intelligence which fills my foul with defpondency, and pervades my understanding with gloom, was to them a fubject of exultation. Is virtue then a chimera? does it exift only in the regions of romance? Have we any intereft in finding our fellow-creatures weak and miferable? Is THE BEING who formed them unjuft, capricious, impotent, or tyrannical?

To admire, to esteem, to love, are congenial to my nature. I am unhappy becaufe these affections are not called into exercise. To venerate abstract perfection requires too vigorous an exertion of the mental powers. I would fee virtue exemplified. I would love it in my fellowcreatures. I would catch the glorious enthusiasm, and rife from created to uncreated excellence. Cut off from the fociety of inankind, and unable to expound my fenfations, all the ftrong affections of my foul feemed concentrated to a fingle point. Without being conscions of it myself, my grateful love for Mrs. Harley had already, by a transition eafy to be traced by a philofophic mind, transferred itfelf to her fon. He was the St. Preux, the Emilius of my fleeping and waking reveries."-Thefe extracts will fully evince to the reader, that Emma Courtney is extremely unlike the heroing of a common Novel, and discover that the Writer is not unacquainted with the celebrated works of ROUSSEAU, who very juftly obferves, that" people general do not fufficiently confider the influence which the firff attachments between man and woman have over the remainder of their lives; they do not perceive that an impreflion fo ftrong and fo lively as that of Love, is pro ductive of a long chain of effects, which pass unobferved in a course of years, yet nevertheless continue to operate till the day of their deaths.”—An infinuation appears in the Preface of these memoirs, that the incidents and characters are copied from life; they are written indeed of and from an exifting perion to the fon of the deceased object of her affection; but whether this be the fact or not, it is certain that it is a work of extraordinary merit, from the perufal of which much moral benefit, if properly underftocd, may flow, as it inculcates the principle that Nature is uniform in her operations, and conftantly punishes deviations from rectitude with miiery and pain.

An Authentic Account of the Shaksperian ManuJeipts, Sc. By W. H.Ireland. 8vo. is.

Debrett.

THE confeffion of a most enormous forge

ry by the delinquent himself, with scarce one word of contrition or repentance for his offence. On the contrary, with the impudence of detected guilt, he has the audacity ye infult his principal detector, and so ridicule

the fimplicity of Dr. P-r and Dr. W-- Th who appear to have fuffered themselves at ons time to be impofed upon by the daringness of his affertions. The effrontery with which this young unprincipled impoftor relates the circumftance of his fraudulent practices to impofe on the public and on individuals deprives him of every claim to pardon, and in truth feems to call aloud for more punish

ment

ment than may arile from the mere contempt or indignation of every perfon in a wellordered fociety.

The Italian; or, The Confeffional of the Black Penitents. A Romance. By Ann Radcliffe. 3 Vols. 12mo 155. Cadell and Davies.

In this romance we do not think Mrs. Radcliffe has been fo fuccessful as on fome former occafions, though we admit it exhibits many of the fame beauties, as well as the defects, of her former compofitions. The fame beautiful defcriptions of the fcenery, fometimes extended to a tedious length; the fame terrific events, but extravagant and improbable; and the fame kind of characters, either diabolically wicked, or unnaturally perfect, conftitute the prefent performance. Many of the faults of this work may, how ever, be defended from the nature of the work. The wildness allowed to romance admits of much licence; but fuch a charac ter as the monk, even in a romance, humanity revolts at the idea of. The fcenes in the Inquifition, and many other parts, feem intended only for the purpose of lengthening the work. Mrs. Radcliffe has talents which might be better employed; and we shall be glad to fee her engaged in the service of truth and nature, free from the wild extravagancies of the performance now under our confiderat.on.

Hubert de Serrac. A Romance of the Eighteenth Century. By Mary Rebinfon. 3 Vols. 12mo. Hookham and Carpenter.

This is a romarge of a more fober and probable caft than the preceding, though there are not wanting in it fcenes of horror of the fame kind, which we do not conceive add in the leaft to the value of it. The characters in Mrs. Robinton's work, particularly Hubert, are natural and well difcriminated; and there are interfperfed through the whole many reflections on the conduct of human life, which thew the author to be an attentive obferver of the manners of the world, and coníequently better qualified to inftru& it than most who undertake this fpecies of composition. What we leaft approve of in this work is an evident partiality towards French Philofophy, and fomething too much of the cant of French Democracy.

EDWARD. Various Views of Human Nature, taken from Life and Manners chiefly in England. By the Author of Zeluco. 2 Vols. 8vo. 16s. Cadell and Davies.

We are glad to get out of the regions of romance, and amufe ourselves once more with the views of real life and manners. Dr. Moore's Novel contains no adventures but fuch as may reasonably be fuppofed to have really happened; and his obfervations on life and manners are fraught with good fenfe, threwdnefs, and accuracy. The hero is a foundling, who cafually is brought under the obfervation of a benevolent lady, whofe family protects him, and his behaviour in which he had been treated. At the concluevery situation justifies the partiality with fion he difcovers his family, and is rewarded

in the manner that his conduct merits. The characters in this work are fuch as may bẹ feen every day in real life; they are pleasingly grouped, and placed in fituations which renIn the conduct of the performance, there is der them interefting objects to the reader, nothing extravagant or out of the verge of probability, and the fentiments are fuch as are Moore feems to have availed himself in this favourable to Religion and Virtue. Dr. novel of a hint given him by Mr. Gibbon, printed in his pofthumous works.

William and Ellen. A Tale. 8vo. Reynell.

This tale imitates the verfification of "The Hermit of Warkworth," and is an interesting story pleatingly told The author has, however, left fome flovenly careless rhimes, as far and brow, breathes and leaves, take and back, wait and beart, which very much disfigure his performance.

A Letter to the Right Honourable William Curtis, Lord Mayor of the City of London, on the National Debt and Refources of Great Britain, interspersed wub Obfervations Financial, Commercial, and Political, and in Reply to Paine's "Decline and Fall of the Engla "Syftem of Finance." By Simon Pope, of the Stock Exchange, Gent. 8vo. Stock-.

dale.

Mr. Pope in this pamphlet exhibits a profpect of the refources of Great Britain in oppofition to the clamours of the foes of the country, calculated to inspire confidence in the people and difmay in the enemy.

THEATRICAL JOURNAL.

DIC. 19.

HARLEQUIN AND OBERON; OR, THE

CEACE TO GRETNA, a new Pantomime, was acted the first time. at Covent Garden. fettonances of this kind are hardly entitled

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to the notice of criticism; but, as hey afford entertainment to those who frequent the Theatre at no other time than during the feftivity of the holidays, we think it neceffary to obferve, that the prefent is one of the best,

of that fpecies of entertainment which has been exhibited for fome years. The fcenery is beautifully picturesque, and is worked with much facility and perfection, and the machinery managed with the utmost adroitnefs and effect. The tricks and changes are various; and the Fantoccini exhibits one of the most whimsical and diverting fcenes ever prefented on the stage. The fuccefs, as might be expected, has been very great.

21. A Mr. Faulkner, we believe from Dublin, appeared, the first time in London, at Drury Lane, in the character of Oreftes, in the Diftreft Mother. As we cannot prefume that this performer will be feen any more as a capital actor, we shall decline enumerating his defects, which were many, and, apparently, infurmountable.

1797. JAN. 7. THE HONEY MOON, a Comic Opera, by Mr. W. Linley, was acted the first time, at Drury Lane. The author, who was also the compofer, feems to have devoted his attention and talents chiefly to the Mufic. He has, accordingly, fucceeded as the compofer, though he failed as author. The Mufic was fimple, elegant, and pleafing; but being unfupported by the dialogue, the whole could not efcape the difapprobation of the audience. It was accordingly laid afide.

10. A CURE FOR THE HEARTACHE, a Comedy, by Mr. Morton, was acted the first time at Covent Garden. The characters as follow:

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Mr. Murray.
Mr. Pope.
Mr. Quick.
Mr. Munden.
Mr. Lewis.
Mr. Waddy.
Mr. Fawcett.
Mr. Hull.

Mr Furkey.
Mrs. Mattocks.

Mrs. Pope.
Mifs Wallis.

Oakland, a tenant of Sir Hubert Stanley, an old English Baronet, becomes acquainted with the fervants of Mr. Vertex, a rich Na bob, who has bought an estate adjoining to that of Sr Hubert, and who lives there in a tile of Eaftern magnificence. O land is ent.ced to play by Bronze, the Gentleman of Mr. Vortex, rums himfelf, and is obliged to quit his farin.

Young Stanley, the only fon of Sir Hubert, returns from his travels, and a match is agreed on by the fathers between him and Mifs Vertex ; but his heart is engaged to Mifs Ellen Vortex, the niece of the Nabob, whom he had feen at Spa, and who now redes with her uncle. He hears of the propofition of marrying Mifs Vortex with rap

ture, and goes to Bangalore Hall to pay his refpects to the lady: Both Mifs Vortexes being prefent, an embarraffment takes place, from which, however, he is relieved by his frank avowal of his attachment to Mifs Ellen Vortex, who is represented to have given up to her uncle all her claims of fortune left by her father for 5000l.

Sir Hubert had mortgaged his eftate to Mr. Rapid, a taylor retired from business; and that old gentleman, accompanied by his fon Young Rapid, comes down for the purpofe of advancing 20,000l. more upon the eftate. Young Rapid is ignorant of his father's wealth; but, while he is afleep after their journey, difcovers by accident the purpofe of his father's journey, and his immenfe poffeffions, which the old Gentleman at length acknowledges to him amount to a plumb. Ned, upon this, determines to fa on, to df, and become a man of fashion. Mr. Vortex, hearing of their aurival in his neighbournood, and accidentally learning their bufinefs, refolves, by way of mortifying Sir Hubert, to invite them to his houfe, and Mifs Vortex encourages his plan, in the hope of fupplying her recent loss of a lover. -Ned has been long attached to Jeffe Oak. land, who, as well as her brother, is now be come a fervant in Mr. Vortex's houfe. A match is agreed upon between Ned and Mifs Vortex. A duel meanwhile is fought between Young Stanley and Ned, in confequence of Sir Hubert being traduced at the table of Mr. Vortex. Elien and Jaffe, both interested ip the event, fly to Sir Hubert, who thus becomes acquainted with the predilections of both.-Ned, who has feveral qualms of confcience at forfaking Elen, is, in a moment of tender contrition, entrusted by Mr. Vortex with the fecret of his being poffeffed of about one hundred thousand pounds belonging to Ellen: Vortex produces the receipt of Ellen, by which the relinquishes her claim for five thousand pounds, which Ned tears in pieces. Miss Vortex, fupported by her maid Jeffe, is languishing for the arrival of Ned, who, entering, throws himself at the feet of his Jeffe. Mifs Vortex, enraged, quits the Stage. Sir Hubert Stanley and Ellen enter, and Young Rapid makes known the fraud of Vortex, and the lovers are made happy.

This Comedy has character and humour; and, though in fome inftances bordering on farce, and in others permitting too great a facrifice to be made to the part of one individu-l performer, it met with deferved fuccefs. The Da ogue is neat, and not unfrequently elegant. There is a number of excellent points and sprightly equivoques, and the whole produced the effect intended by the author. The performers alfo did great juftice to their feveral characters.

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POETRY.

EFFUSION

WRITTEN IN THE NEW FOREST, HAMP

Mild emblem of Patience, adieu ! No more thy careffes I prize;

SHIRE, AFTER AN ABSENCE OF TEN No more the dear path I purfue

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Where Pleasure and Happinefs lies.

Away, foft affectionate pet!

For thy foothing endearments are vain, It fills me with tender regret

To hear thee fo fondly complain.

Ah why did the quit thofe proud courts Where nought but magnificence reigns, To join in our innocent Sports,

And visit our peaceable plains?
In pity the fhould have conceal'd
Thofe charms which fuch paffion diffufs,
And ne'er those perfections reveal'd
Which ruin fo closely pursues.

For now, with her virtues impress'd,
I think of her merits in vain,
And the paffion that tortures my breast
Must its anguish in filence contain.
For lowly and mean is my lot,

Contented and humble at most;
My name no proud t'tle has got,

And love is the All I can boaft.
Oh torturous, heart-rending thought!
That worth is dependant on gold;
That virtue and honour is bought
With the riches a villain may hold.

SOFT is the breeze when wanton Zephyrs Shall fuch my affection poffefs?

play

Amid the fplendor of meridian day;

Sweet is the role that fcents the vernal gale When laughing Cefes crowns the yellow vale ;

Yer, to my mind, far fofter, fweeter prove The glowing beauties of the maid I love. July 9, 1796.

EDWIN.

Shall the purchafe from riches arife? And a mifer that beauty caress

Who with fcorn from my poverty flies?

Then adieu to the tender defires

Too warmly, too fondly carefs'd; And adieu to thofe emulcus fires That kindled falfe hopes in my breast.

A SHEPHERD's COMPLAINT TO HIS For I know my pretenfions are vain,

LAMB,

IN THE MANNER OF SHENSTONE.

DIEU to each beautiful scene,

Apo thote haunts once to fondly ad

mir'd';

And adieu to thofe fports of the green, Which my bofom with rapture infpir'd! Adieu to the rich verdur'd held,

Where the gay dance encircled the tree, And to all that once pleasure could yield, Adieu, my fond lamb, e'en to thee!

Once this heart thy fweet innocence mov'd, When thy gentle fimplicity taught

Thofe virtues I tenderly lov`d,

And with meekest humility fought,

My hopes I must learn to refign; 'Tis fruitlefs, 'tis weak to complain, For, alas! the can never be mine.

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JULIUS.

ON SCOTLAND.

BY R. BURNS.

•HEIR groves o' fweet myrtles let foreign lands reckon,

Where bright-beaming fummers exalt the perfume;

Far dearer to me yon lone glen o' green brec

kan,

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