"Farewell! I'm disappointed too--- We both have been unlucky-- I hop'd to meet three scholars here, A bruiser, and a jockey!" p. 13 The Nuns of the Desart; or the Woodland Witches, in 2 Vols. By Eugenia De Acton. Lane and Co. 1805. Pref. p. vii.— MISS EUGENIA is doubtless considered by Mr. Lane as one of his first rate female performers, for, in a preface written with the most unblushing front, she talks of assisting to effect, by her performances," the reformation of the moral world." "I employ," says she, "to the utmost, my delegated power." The fruits of which are The Nuns of the Desart, or the Woodland Witches; and the characters that attract most notice here are Hindo, an ape, which, being asked by one of the witches, or fortunetellers, "how the wind appeared," replies, "blue, checked with scarlet, and spotted with black." Vol I. p. 313*. Brimo, a talking dog, and Zotto, a parrot, that holds conversations, and sings these instructive verses: "The sound of the drum Will strike the 'squire dumb; And Dicky must budge." P. 112. The parrot excepted, this is all bunglingly attempted, at the end, to be ascribed to ventriloquism; we, however, can ascribe it to nothing but a native weakness of intellect" in the writer, who, after deceiving men and women in her story, with this, and much even more miserable artifice, composes a preface, saying, "I am actuated by a blended design of instructing and entertaining," and adds—“It is indispensibly necessary that I likewise blend a short but consistent system of morality with probable story." P. xi. In this age of crops, it may not be amiss to observe, that, by a biped whose tail is pendant from his head," v. i. p. 75, Miss Eugenia means a man with a queue; and this is her refined senti * Our grandmother, who studied the same learned book of patural history as Miss Eugenia, used to say that no animals but pigs saw the wind. ment of perpetual virginity :-" I think it is the sweetest thing in the world, and it is so delicate too, to die an oldmaid." P. 315. To crown the whole, Miss De Acton assures us, (Pref. p. x.) that it is totally unnecessary to refute what has been said (but by what good judges we are not told) that she has imitated Fielding!! Times past; or Sketches of the Manners in the last Century, a romantic Melange. In three Volumes. Lane and Co. 1805. On our author's excusing himself for not polishing his work, his friend expostulated with him. "But really," said the writer, “I have so many irons in the fire, that-" Here his friend judiciously interrupted him, with "Poh! poh! make no excuses! be in no hurry! Clap it in the same place with your irons: it will do, I warrant." Advertisement. The man who will not take the advice of a person of judgment, and his well-meaning friend, is unworthy of our notice! Literary Hours, or critical, narrative, and poetical. By Nathan Drake, M. D. in three Volumes. Volume the third. 8vo. pp. 552. LITERATO otio quid dulcius? What, says Cicero, is more sweet than literary ease? We know of nothing; and when men of taste, judgment, learning, genius, and piety, can find time to indulge in literary hours, that produce such fruits as Dr. Drake's have been fertile in, we are not aware of any thing that could arise, in the world of letters, combining more profit, pleasure, and instruction to the public. Delightful hours! O thus for ever flow. Langhorne. If this be really our author's wish, as it would appear from the first line of his motto, why seek to stop them? The title-page informs us that the work is in three volumes;—this, then, is the third and last, which we sincerely regret. Its contents are, 1. On the Limits of Imitation, as applied to Poetical Expression. Ode to Laura. Ode to Pity. Epitaph. 2. On the Life, Writings, and Genius of Robert Herrick. 3. Sir Egbert, a Gothic Tale. 4. Poetry-Ode to Fancy-On Content-Lines to Zephyr. 5. Observations on the Merits and Defects of Sylvester's Du Bartus, with Selections from his Version. 6. Legendary Tale. 7. On the Scandinavian Mythology-Character of Odin-Outline of the Scandinavian Mythology. 8. On the Passion of the Scandina vians for War. 9. On their Love for Poetry. 10. On their Gallantry and Deference towards Women. 11. On their Religious Rites and Ceremonies, &c. 12. The same, concluded. 13. The Spectre, a Legendary Tale. 14. On the Life, Writings, and Ge nius of Michael Bruce. Whether we consider Dr. Drake as a man of correct taste, sound judgment, elegant learning, happy genius, or well-regulated piety, he is alike the object of our esteem, and we hope that shortly resuming his polished labours, he will long continue to direct, illustrate, and embellish the literature of the country. The Young Rosciad, an admonitory Poem, well seasoned with Attic Salt, cum Notis variorum. By Peter Pangloss, Esq. L. L. D. und A. S. S. pp. 35. 2s. Gordon. 1805. WHERE the author of this poem recommends, at p. 33, the retirement of Master Betty from public life, and a devotion of a few, at least of his early years, to the improvement of his mind (now lamentably barren) the advice is wholesome, and contains much good sense; but when the Doctor tells us that his poem is "well seasoned with attic salt," we find him "false as dicers' oaths." Shakspearehem! Nor do we think that he travels the right road into Master Betty's good opinion, when, in proposing himself as his tutor, he uses such language as this: "I've a wondrous rod in pickle, "Your pretty little bum to tickle." P. 32. The Doctor's sentiment with respect to the young hero's exorbitantly expensive engagement at the theatres, may be gathered from this passage in his Epistle Dedicatory to the two managers. Partiality to children is amiable, when discreet---Æsop himself played with boys, and Socrates diverted himself with the youth of Athens---but, tempora mutantur.' Boys condescend to play with you, and upon you, and consequently with the public at large." P. v. There is some humour in this note, where a green-room conversation is supposed to take place. Their respective manners must be imagined. "KEMBLE.---I certainly had a voice in engaging the boy for Covent Garden, as I thought the novelty might bring grist to the mill, wherein I have a share; otherwise I should have strongly opposed any such innovation---he is certainly clever---but Hamlet he should not have attempted. “COOKE.---I deny that, Mr. Kemble; his Hamlet is excellent, so is he in every other character but Richard---I am astonished at his temerity in undertaking it. "JOHNSTON.---In my humble opinion, gentlemen, he does ample justice to every part but Young Norval. The author seems, however, to think otherwise---he says he is the only Young Norval he ever saw. The venerable gentleman has forgot, no doubt, that he passed the very same compliment to me some very few years back; but he is now in his 86th or 87th year---that accounts for it. "POPE.---Psha! sheer-envy, by the gods! The very parts, Gentlemen, you object to are, in my mind, what he is most adapted for; but to attempt Frederick, in Lovers' Vows, was the height of folly---call it by no worse a name ---He has not one requisite for that arduous character," We have the Doctor's own authority, and his works, to prove that he is an A. S. S. but we have none to affirm that he is either a wit or a poet. He is, however, by no means illiberal in treating of Master Betty's talents, considering how other authors have written on his side of the question. Thoughts on the Trinity. By George Isaac Huntingford, D. D. F. R. S. Warden of Winchester College, and Bishop of Gloucester. 8vo. pp. 116. 3s. Cadell and Davies. 1804. Ir is incongruous with the nature of our work to go deeply into subjects of this description, but it would ill consist with our duty and inclination to neglect to recommend any publication that tends to corroborate the pious dispositions of the meek, and to promote the best interests of mankind in general. Such is, in the highest degree, the quality of the treatise before us. The learned prelate controverts all heterodox opinions with a brevity and conclusiveness altogether admirable. We shall produce two instances of the last importance. In opposing the affirmation that where mystery begins, religion ends, he observes "The assertion is erroneous. For nothing can be so mysterious as the existence of God. Yet to believe that God exists, is the foundation of all religion." Clause 2. The weakness of the Unitarian doctrine, when preferred to the Trinitarian, is forcibly shewn at p. 95. "Men," says his lordship, "good, and acting on the most pure intention, have indeed imagined they could comprehend God's essential nature and eternal existence better in unity than in trinity. Their thought, however, could be but imaginary. For, provided they maintained, (what most have maintained) not any materiality, but the spirituality of God, they could then no more form an accurate idea of God's essential nature and eternal existence in unity, than they could in trinity. They could precisely and distinctly know nothing in one, or in the other case. And wherefore? For the same reason that a man born blind knows nothing of light in the solar orb. We have no power of mind commensurate to any particle of such a subject as divine essential nature and eternal existence." Whatever the human intellect can do to set this point in a clear light, is here done. Here is every thing short of demonstration, which, in our finite state, we must not hope to reach. P-VOL. XX. Scenes of Life, a Novel. By T. Harral, Esq. S Vols. Crosby and Co. 1805. 'SQUIRE HARRAL has some cleverness, and is not wholly without presumption. Of these volumes he says, "Whatsoever reception they may experience-I stand self-acquitted." Where is the author that don't? Amongst other good scenes, the Debating Society, p. 155, vol. 1. is well conceived, and a very fair piece of satire. If the gods had not made Harry Maitland so poetical, it would have been more comfortable to the reader. The conductor of the Oracle will find, by this work, vol. 1. p. 5. that he has done more mischief than he imagines-Lady Stanley's dead!! .O thou wicked editor-Patrasti factum vile. Glasse's Miss Bailey. Sonnets and other Poems: to which are added, Tales in Prose. By Mrs. Finch. 8vo. 4s. Blacks and Parry. 1805. ON reading Mrs. Finch's lamentable Sonnets, we could not but exclaim with Tilburina: "Now, too, the feather'd warblers tune their notes -The lark! "The linnet! chafinch! bullfinch! goldfinch! greenfinch! -But O to me, no joy can they afford, 66 -Nor lark, "Linnet, nor all the Finches of the grove!" The Critic. Though we cannot admire Mrs. Finch when she attempts to soar, we think respectably of her when she descends, and hops about in simple prose. Harry Dee; or the Scotchman detected, a Poem, in four Parts. By Edward Longshanks. 8vo. 1s. Jordan and Co. 1805. I SHOULD think it cruel, says the Rambler, to crush an insect who had provoked me only by buzzing in my ear; and would not willingly interrupt the dream of harmless stupidity, or destroy the jest which makes its author laugh. We shall exercise all the moralist's humanity towards Mr. Longshanks. The unexpected Legacy. By Mrs. Hunter, of Norwich. 2 Vols. 9s. Longman and Co. THE title of these sheets is best made out by their forming a |