regular; that the tranfitions from one fubject to another are too violent; and that the remarks on the abftract principles of government are neither entertaining by their novelty, nor convincing by their folidity. To the faftidious critic, the descriptions in which Mr. Lufon has indulged himself may appear too florid. They mark, however, the livelinefs of his fancy and the keennefs of his fenfibility; and if we grant them to be defects, we muft alfo grant, that he amply compenfates for them by his good fenfe, by his modefty, by his generous zeal as a patriot, and his virtuous principles as a citizen. Pm rr

ART. XIV. A Trip to Holland. Containing Sketches of Characters; together with curfory Obfervations on the Manners and Customs of the Dutch. Vol. II. 12mo. 2s. 6d. fewed. Becket. 1786. Ncouraged by the fuccefs of his firft volume, the Author of

the manners, &c. of the Dutch; and tells us that in spite of all the critics in the univerfe,' he will produce a relation of his travels into other parts of the world; we must however do him the juftice to say, that in a note, he add, this muft not be underftood as alluding to the periodical publications called Reviews, the writers of which have fpoken of his former volume with candor and impartiality.

We shall tranfcribe the following chapter for the amusement of our Readers, the rather as it contains a facetious obfervation of Diderot, with which, perhaps, all our Readers have not met; notwithstanding it bears fomewhat hard upon the gentlemen of our order:

OBSTINACY-AMSTERDAM.

"No! if I do, I'm a Dutchman," exclaimed I. There is nothing vulgar in this, I hope-Egad I am a little afraid-for in that cafe, I fhall, no doubt, be told by the critics

Aye, and I could inform the critics that- Heyday! what the plague am I about? Monfieur Diderot has obferved-"Le role d'un auteur eft un role affez vain: c'est celui d'un homme qui fe croit en etat de donner des leçons au public. Et le role du critique? Il est bien plus vain encore; c'est celui d'un homme qui fe croit eu etat de donner des le, ons à celui qui fe croit en etat d'en donner au public."

"L'auteur dit: Meffieurs, écoutez-moi, car je fuis votre maitre. Et le critique; c'est moi, Meffieurs, qu'il faut écouter, car je fuis le maitre

de vos maitres."

Now, if this be faid of authors and critics, how great, how very great must be the arrogance and felf-fufficiency of the hypercritic!-No! I will never attempt it. If I do, I'll be fhot.

But as the reader may poffibly be furprised at my having employed to unclaffical an expreffion as that at the head of the chapter, I will tell him what occafioned it.

Among the feveral peculiarities and excellencies of the Hollander, oblinacy is not in the loweft rank; and were a man poffeffed of the

patience

patience of an Epictetus or a Socrates, he would run fome little hazard of lofing it in a country like to this.

I had engaged a chaife to carry me a few miles out of town. Now, the driver of it would not only go the road and pace which were the moft agreeable to himself, but infifted on taking me to a houfe which I had been particularly cautioned to avoid. The conteft was warm between us; and at length, on his requesting that I would put up at the hotel he had chofen for me, I haftily answeredand by way of proving that I would maintain my point-No! if I do, I'm a Dutchman!

Thus did I foil him at his own weapon, and fo the matter ended.'

If the Reader, who has been a purchafer and approver of the firft volume of this jeu d'esprit, is pleafed with the above fpecimen of the second (which, for the honour of our judgment in felection, we hope he will), we affure him that the other chapters are equally entertaining, and are written in the same style of imitation of the Author's right-reverend father in fcribble, the humorous Yorick. — There are fome errors of the prefs, which, for the ufe both of the Author and Reader, we will point out, viz. page 80, line 9, for efficaces,' r. efficaces; and in the next line, for jouis,' r. jouit. Page 85, line 4, for bons,' r. bon. P. 123, the 3d line of the note, for 'on,' r. ou. P. 131, line 7, for Concordia,' r. Concordiâ.

We will here bid good bye, for the prefent, to this amufing Author, with the following observation; viz. that if ever he fulfils his promife of publishing a farther account of his travels, in the fame Shandyan manner, his volumes will not meet with the worse treatment at the hands of the critics, if he leaves out fuch expreffions as what the plague,' if I do, I'll be shot,' &c. which we were forry to fee in the prefent publication; as they certainly add neither to the force nor elegance of the style which the ingenious Writer has adopted. ***

ART. XV. The Difbanded Officer; or, The Baronefs of Bruchfal: a Comedy. As performed at the Theatre Royal in the HayMarket. 8vo. Is. 6d. Cadell. 1786.

WE

WE are obliged to Mr. Johnstone for introducing, in this profeffed imitation of Leffing, the German drama to our ftage. It has not, we think, all the truth and nature of the genuine English drama; yet there is a vein of fentiment, a glow of generofity, that pervades and animates the fcene, and renders it both interefting and entertaining. The fable of this Comedy is perhaps rather too thin and meagre for the English theatre, yet the story is protracted without wearying the attention. The coflume, though local, is not ill adapted for exhibition in this country, where every reader and fpectator must congratulate himself on feeing the infide of an inn at Berlin; which we will

3

prefent

prefent to our Readers as a characteristic fpecimen of this Comedy:

BARONESS. LISETTA. KATZENBUCKEL (putting in his head.)

Katz. Have I your ladyship's permiffion?

Lif. O, 'tis our landlord. Let your body have the goodness to follow your head, that the door may be fhut.

Katz. (entering with a pen behind his ear, paper and ink in his band) I come, my lady, to wish you a very good morning; as likewife to you, my pretty maid.

Lif. A civil man this.

Bar. We thank you, Sir.

Lif. And with you the fame, Sir.

Katz. Dare I take the liberty of afking whether your ladyship has flept well under my poor roof?

Lif. The roof is vell enough, but the beds might have been better.

Katz. Should there be any thing that does not fuit your lady. hip, you have only to please to give your orders. Lif. Ay, ay; I mean to do that prefently.

Katz. This done, I come at the fame time.

frem behind his ear.)

Lif. Well, what now?

(taking the pen

Katz. Your ladyfhip knows, without doubt, the wife regulations of our police?

Bar. Not I, indeed, landlord.

• Katz. We, landlords, are forbid to lodge any ftranger, of whatsoever rank or condition they may be, above four and twenty hours, without fending their names, their rank, their business, the probable length of their stay, and fo forth, to the proper officers. Bar. Very well.

Katz. Your lady fhip will therefore be pleafed to-(feats bim jelf at a table to write.)

Bar. Certainly: my name is

Katz. A moment's patience, if you pleafe. (writes) Berlin, 22d day of Auguft, 17 &c. came to the Vulture-Now your name, if you pleafe, my lady.

Bar. Baronefs of Bruchfal.

• Katz. Of Bruchfal?-From whence, my lady?

• Bar. From my estate in Saxony.

Katz. Eftate in Saxony-hum, Saxony

Lif. Well, why not Saxony? Pray is it a crime, here in Pruffia, to come out of Saxony?

Katz. A crime! O Lord, no: that would be a new kind of a crime indeed! From Saxony, your ladyship. Saxony the fair, the free, the-ay, a, Saxony: but Saxony is very large, and has many, what fhall I call them, diftricts, provinces.-Our police is very par ticular, my lady.

• Bar. I understand: from Thuringia, then.

Katz. Thuringia, ay, ay, that will do (writes and then reads). The Baronefs of Bruchfal, from her eftate in Thuringia, with her woman and two fervants.

Lif. Her woman! Meaning me, I fuppofe?

• Katz,

Katz. Yes, my pretty maid.

Lif. Now, landlord, inftead of woman, please to put down maid. The police is very particular, you know: 66 a miftake of that kind "might fpoil my marriage, and I might remain a maid, which is "not my intention." I was born upon her ladyship's eftate, was brought up with her ladyfhip; we are both of one age, for next Candlemas we fhall both be one and twenty. My name is Lifetta, and my firname Willinger. "I fhould be happy that the police "fhould be fo well acquainted with me, as to have no room for any "apprehenfions upon my account."

Katz. Very well, I fhall fet all that down by and by. But now, my lady, your business here?

Bar. My bufiness !

Katz. Ay; is your ladyfhip come to folicit any thing from his Majefty?

• Bar. No, no: I come here upon my own private affairs. Katz. True, please your ladyfhip, but what may they be? • Bar. They aree-Faith, Lifetta, I believe we shall be taken up. Lif. Hark you, landlord, but it must go no further than the police; we are come to kidnap one of the King's officers.

Bar. Lifetta, are you out of your fenfes ? Landlord, the madcap is jefting with you.

Katz. Ay, ay, with me fhe may jeft as much as she pleases, but not with the high and mighty police.

• Bar. I'll tell you, landlord: I am quite a novice in fuch matters; fuppofe we were to defer your report till my uncle's arrival: he will be here before the four and twenty hours can expire," and "he will beft know how much he must tell of his affairs, and what "he may conceal."—Is his apartment ready?

Lif. Or have you fome honeft gentleman to turn out on't first ? Bar. Indeed, landlord, in fuch a cafe, you ought not to have taken us in. The perfon you have turned out on our account is, I hear, an officer.

• Bar. So much the worfe; he is then unfortunate, and may deferve a better fate. The King cannot know the merit of all the people in his fervice.

Katz. O yes, he does, he knows them all, all.

'Bar. But then he can't reward them all.

Katz. O yes, they all had reward enough during the war. But if they will live away in time of peace, we landlords must take heed. I might fafely have let this Colonel run a month or two longer here, but 'tis as well as it is. Apropos, your lady fhip underftands jewels, no doubt. I must fhew your ladyship a beauty of a ring: (taking the ring out) look here, what fire! the middle ftone weighs above five carats.

• Bar. (looking at the ring) What do I fee! That ringKatz. Ay, that ring is worth to one's own brother 300 pistoles. * Bar. Look, Lifetta.

• Katz.

Katz. I did not fcruple a moment lending 80 on it.

• Bar. Don't you recollect it?

ྃ་ Katz. Madam!

Lif. The very fame; on the infide of the setting is your cypher; look, my lady.

• Bar. It is, it is: how came you by this ring, landlord?

• Katz. "That ring-very honeftly," very honeftly indeed, Madam; my dear, fweet lady, do not bring me into trouble: many things may have changed mafters during the war, without the confent of the original proprietors. I had it, I am fure, from a man I cannot fufpect, from a very good man.

• Bar. From the beft man breathing, unless you measure his merit by his wealth. Quick, fly, bring him to me.

Katz. Whom, my lady?

Lif. Why, don't you hear? Our Colonel.

Katz. Colonel, yes he is a Colonel I had it from, and 'twas he lodged here, in this

Bar. Here, Holberg lodged here! "He pledged this ring to you!" How came he into fuch difficulties? Where is he? Is he in your debt? Lifetta, the casket (Lifetta opens it). Speak. Does he owe any one elfe? Here is money; here are notes; all are his. Where is he? Speak.

Katz. He was here a little while ago.

• Bar. Odious man! how could you treat him fo unfriendly, fo hardly, fo cruelly?

Katz. Your ladyfhip will pardon

Bar. Quick, go, bring him here.

• Katz. I don't know where he is, but his fervant is ftill here: would your ladyfhip please that I fhould go and fetch him?

ill

Bar. I pleafe! run, fly, and for that fervice I will forget how you have treated him.

Katz. Madam

Bar. Quick, begone. (pushes him out)"

The characters, particularly thofe of Rhof and Warmans, are well difcriminated. They, as well as the difbanded officer and the Baronefs, are at once nation I and general. The Prologue and Epilogue are both fuitable the piece, though we think the latter rather calculated for the meridian of Paris, than of London. C.

MONTHLY

CATALOGUE,

For AUGUST, 1786.

POLITICAL.

Art. 16. The Propriety of an Actual Payment of the Public Debt confidered. By Sir Francis Blake, Bart. 8vo. 1s. Debrett. 1786.

T

HE queftion difcuffed in this pamphlet is of fuch great magnitude, that having been charged, on the part of the Author, with mifapprehenfion of his meaning on a late occafion; we fhall

* See lait vol. p 461. See alfo, p. 576, Appendix.

now