Orange is the name of a pleafant fruit which groweth in Spain, and is ART. 18. The Battle of the Nile: a defcriptive Poem. Addreffed as We have already noticed a poem of the fame title, written by Mr. Sotheby, (Brit. Crit. for February, p. 187) a polifhed and animated compofition; the prefent well-intended attempt proceeds evidently from the pen of one who knows better how to fight than write. In one of his notes, the author mentions the difficulty he found in avoid ing too technical a ftyle; yet there are few readers on fhore who will think he has fucceeded, in fuch,paffages as this: Now through and through her fides the bullets go, We critics could hardly make a worfe figure in a fea-fight, than this modeft, and probably very gallant feaman, does in a book. So much depends on keeping to our proper element. ART. 19. Thalia to Eliza: a poetical Epiftle from the Comic Mufe to In this poem, which is not unfkilfully verified, and contains much Reform your poets!-No, reform your pit, Reform Reform your gallery-roarers, that in place Not at your authors rail, ye critic elves, Rail at your own vile atte, and mend yourselves. Those who at prefent decide the fate of plays and actors on the stage, well deferve this reproach; and the authors are doubtlefs fpoiled by the carelessness or ignorance of their judges. ART. 20. The Druriad; or Strictures on the principal Performers of Drury-Lane Theatre. A fatirical Poem: with Notes critical and explanatory. 4to. Is. 6d. Richardson. 1798, A moft motley performance, containing fome paffages well compofed, and fome very ill; many good criticisms, and many bad enough, The reader will find in it a lift of the performers at Drury Lane, with remarks on each. The perfon moft highly extolled is Mifs Decamp, who certainly deserves much praise, though not, perhaps, this extraordinary pre-eminence. The paffages molt worthy of being cited, in point of compofition, are ftrongly fatirical, and therefore we shall not cite any. The praifes of Mrs. Siddons, and Mifs Farren, are well intended, but feeble; nor has the author verfified even the encomium on his favourite actress, half fo well as his cenfure of one or two actors, DRAMATIC. ART. 21. Comus, a Mafk; prefented at Ludlow Cafle, 1634, before the Earl of Bridgewater, then Prefident of Wales: by John Milton. With Notes critical and explanatory, by various Commentators, and with preliminary Illuftrations. To which is added, a Copy of the Mask, from a Manufcript belonging to his Grace the Duke of Bridgewater. By Henry John Todd, M. A. Chaplain to the Right Hon. the Earl of Fife, and the Lord Viscount Kilmorey, and Minor Canon of Canterbury. 8vo. 200 pp. 6s. Rivingtons, &c. 1798. An elegant poem, accompanied by all the pomp of Variorum annotation, is not unlike a beautiful woman in a court drefs. It may be very necellary, for the honour of her family, that fometimes the fhould appear with thofe ceremonious decorations, but in a modeft and fimple attire, fhe will ever be more attractive. Mr. Todd, the very diligent compiler of the Lives of the Dean of Canterbury, is the editor of the prefent volume, and we should do him great injuftice if we did not, on this occafion alfo, commend his care and research: yet Comus is here, to our taste, much overloaded with notes, See Brit. Crit, vol. iii. p. 662. The The best editions of our English Claffics will foon be beyond purchafe, if they are to be thus extenfively illuftrated. Prefixed to the mafk, in the prefent publication, is Sir Henry Wotton's Letter, with ample annotations; a hiftory of Ludlow Caftle; of John Earl of Bridgewater, and his family; of Henry Lawes, the compofer; with remarks on the origin of Comus, Thefe are taken in part from former editors, but much augmented by Mr. Todd. From the Comus of Erycius Puteanus, which Mr. Hole had mentioned as the forerunner of Milton's performance, this editor gives confiderable fpecimens ; fufficient certainly to render it probable, that Milton had read Puteanus's book with attention, and had been led, perhaps infenfibly, to imitation." A copy of the mafk, printed verbatim from a manufcript belonging to the Duke of Bridgewater's library at Afhridge, is fubjoined in an Appendix. They who delight in copioufnefs of illuftration, will be highly pleafed with this edition, ART. 22. The Peckham Frolic; or, Nell Gwyn, A Comedy. In Three Acts. 8vo. 53 PP. 8vo. 53 pp. 15. Hatchard, Piccadilly. 1799. With fome attention to enliven a few parts that are unfkilfully managed, and to remove one or two allufions that are rather licentious, this dramatic whim, as the author modeftly terms it, in his Advertisement, might be rendered not unworthy of the ftage; though it ftill could hardly afpire to the title of a Comedy. The fubject is a suppofed frolic of Nell Gwyn, in bringing about a marriage between Sir Oliver Luke, a rich republican Knight, and Ann Killigrew. Sir Charles Sedley, Killigrew, Lord Rochefter, and Charles II, are all introduced with fome appropriation of character; and the incident of Lord Rochefter perfonating the King, produces a few comic fitua tions. We have heard it attributed to Mr. Jerningham, NOVELS. ART. 23. Letters written from Laufanne. Tranßated from the French. Two Volumes, 12100. 58. Dilly. 1799. This is a melancholy tale, but it is well related, and much intereft is excited throughout. The ftyle alfo is refpectable, and the fentiments, which in thefe times is no common fubject of praife, are in no inftance offenfive to delicacy or good morals. This remark may be confidered as more particularly alluding to the translations from German and French writers of modern date. ART. 24. Romances. By J. D'Ifraeli. 8vo. 8s. Cadell and Davies. 1799. We cannot think that this volume will materially add to Mr. D'Ifraeli's reputation as a writer. The poetical effay with which it commences, hows an extenfive reading, and an intimate acquaintance with the fubject on which it treats; but the reader will not be greatly delighted with the performance, confidered as a poetical compofition. The The epifode of the two Swans, at the conclufion, might as well have been omitted; and the price of the volume is beyond all moderation. We do not mean to fay that much amusement on the whole may not be derived from the perufal of thefe Romances, but they are certainly inferior to other productions of Mr. D'Ifraeli, and, in fome paffages, objectionable. MEDICINE. ART. 25. A View of the Perkinean Electricity, or an Inquiry into the Influence of Metallic Tractors, founded on a newly discovered Principle in Nature, and employed as a Remedy in many painful inflammatory Difeafes, as Rhematifm, Gout, Quinfy, Pleurify, Tumefactions, Scalds, Burns, and a Variety of other topical Complaints with a Review of Mr. Perkins's late Pamphlet on the Subject. To which is added, an Appendix containing a Variety of Experiments made at London, Bath, Bristol, &c. By Charles Cunninham Langworthy, Surgeon, of Bath. 8vo. 96 pp. 2s. 6d. Dilly. 1798. Mr. Langworthy is a ftaunch advocate for the Perkinian Electricity, as he calls it, or for the ufe of the Metallic Trators, invented by Dr. Perkins; ufes the fame arguments in favour of them, that Mr. Perkins had before advanced*, and adds a confiderable number of cafes in which they are faid to have been employed with advantage. Mr. L. is fettied at Bath, and with the view of giving opportunities to the medical prac titioners, of that place, to eftimate the real value of the inftrument, he offers his affiftance to any paupers in the hofpitals, and proposes operating in the prefence of their medical attendants. This is certainly candid, and it is right to obferve, that several of the cafes here pub. lifhed, are attefted by the fignatures of the patients, who are, in general, perfons of fuch credit, as entirely to preclude all fufpicion of an intention to deceive. ART. 26. A Treatife on Scrophulous Difeafes, Sherwing the goad Effects of factitious Airs. Illuftrated with Cafes and Obfervations. By Charles Brown. 8vo. 166 pp. 35. 6d. Allen, Paternofter-Row. 1798. Under the term fcrofula, the author comprifes phthifis pulmonalis, opthalmia tarfi, bronchocele, hydrocephalus, lumbar abcefs, rachitis, &c. After a fhort difcourfe on the nature of the feveral diseases, and pointing out the inefficacy of the modes of treatment hitherto employed in effecting a cure, he relates a number of cafes, under each head, in which the patients were confiderably relieved, or cured, by inhaling hyperoxygenated air, aided by mercurial purges, bark, fteel, and other tonics, adapted to the difeale. The difcharge in ferofulous ulcers was improved, he fays, and a difpofition to heal induced, by covering them with poultices of wood lorrel, as recommended by Dr. Beddoes, * See Brit, Crit. vol. xii, p. 499... ART. ART. 27. Medical Strictures, being a concise and effectual Method of treating a Variety of Difeafes, in which the Means of Prevention, Palliation, and Cure, are diftinctly pointed out, and the whole adapted to general Comprehenfion. By Richard Clarke, M. D. 8vo. 56 pp. 15. J. Rider, Little-Britain. The Doctor has infallible remedies for colds, fmall-pox, meafles worms, and, in short, for every disease afflicting the human body; differing in this, from many of his brethren, that he varies his medicines, he fays, according to the nature of the difeafes; but they are all equally infallible. Those who are defirous of experiencing the utility of them, are defired to apply to the Doctor, in Gough-Square, or to any, or all the bookfellers in Great Britain. DIVINITY. ART. 28. Sermons on various Subjects. By the Rev. Richard Marshall A. B. Fellow of Dulwich College, Surry. To which is added, an Addrefs to the Deity, in the Manuer of Dr. Fordyce. 8vo. 302 pp. 65. Richardfon. 1798. If all the volumes of Sermons which appear obtain even a moderate fale, there can be little reafon to complain of inattention to facred fubjects. The prefent volume contains twelve difcourfes, written with great fervour of piety; and we have no fcruple to encourage the author in his hope that by publishing them, "he is not preparing for himself either fhame or repentance." ART. 29. Sermons: to which are fubjoined fuitable Hymns. By Ed ward Butcher. 8vo. 456 pp. 78. 6d. Johnfon. 1798. Thefe difcourfes, as appears by an introductory Addrefs, were originally preached to a congregation of Proteftant Diffenters in Leather-Lane, Holborn. The author now dates from Sidbury in Devonfhire, but, remembering his former auditors, addreffes his volume to them. The Sermons are animated and practical; but we do not perceive any thing that very ftrongly diftinguishes them from many other collections. One of the belt is on Time, with the fingular text, and Pharaoh faid unto Jacob, How old art thou?" (Gen. xlvii. 8) which we have heard ufed by other divines. The opinion of the au thor on Joshua's command to the fun (p. 137) is not very clearly stated, and feems to amount very nearly to that of the Rabbis. Nothing, indeed, beyond conjecture can be proposed. ART. 30. A Charge, delivered to the Clergy of the Diocefe of Chichefter at the primary Vifitation of that Diocefe, in the Year 1798, by John Lord Bibop of Chichefter, Publifbed at the Requeft of the Clergy of the Diocefe. 4to, 1s. 6d. Robfon. 1798. The author of this Charge having often before addreffed the body to whom it is dedicated, in a vifitatorial capacity, as Archdeacon, now accosts them as Bishop, fignifying that he owes not his station to any request or wish of his own, but folely by royal indulgence to the unmerited |