Author of the piece before us endeavours to establish his pofition in favour of the comic mufe. To the gorgeous fictions of tragedy, with all its tumid graces of imagery and diction, he prefers the more humble portraits of comedy, and the delineation of manners. Comedy, he obferves, is founded in nature; tragedy is fupported by art. The performer who represents terrific phrenzy, or excels in ftudied declamation, may be entitled to praife; but the actor who gives a picture of contemporary manners is more valuable to the interests of fociety by the former we are astonished; by the latter we are taught.

Having thus taken his ground, the Effayift thinks he may fafely allow to Mrs. Siddons the higheft excellence in tragedy-fecure of his point in favour of Mrs. Jordan. He defcribes the latter in a variety of characters, fuch as the Country Girl, the Romp, the Virgin Unmasked, Mifs Hoyden, and many others. The conclufion of this fyllogifm is obvious.

The pre-eminence of the comic genius once established, and Mrs. Jordan being difplayed in the brightest colours, it follows that Mrs. Siddons muft defcend from her throne.

Of this little tract it is but juftice to fay, that it is written with art and elegance. To decide upon the merit of actors or actresses is not within our province, as Reviewers.

Should the ingenious writer of this pamphlet have a number of followers, we fhall not think it a matter of wonder. Dryden fays, were Virgil and Martial to ftand for parliament men, we all know who would carry the election.

M..

Art. 18. The Country Wife; an Entertainment. In two Acts.
Altered from Wycherly. As performed at the Theatre Royal,
Covent Garden. 8vo. 1s. Lowndes, &c. 1786.

Art. 19. The Virgin Unmasked; a mufical Entertainment. In
one Act. By Henry Fielding, Efq. With Alterations. As per-
formed at the Theatres Royal in Drury Lane and Covent Garden.
8vo. Is. Payne, &c. 1786.

Of the two preceding articles it may be fufficient to obferve, that the former has been cut down to an after-piece, and the latter has undergone fome trifling alterations, evidently for the purpose of introducing Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Jordan (rival actreffes) to a London audience.

Art. 20. The Children of Thefpis; a Poem. Part I. 4to. 35.

Bew, &c. 1786.

A..

The Rofciad of Churchill feems to have ufurped all dominion over the performers of both our theatres. Since his time many attempts have been made. The late Mr. Hugh Kelly wrote Thefpis*, or, a Critical Examination, &c. in which were found many good lines, and fome brilliant paffages; but the vigour of Churchill ftill remained unrivalled. Of the poem now before us, the fate will probably be the fame as that of Thefpis: it will divert for a time, and be forgotten. Churchill will long be remembered, and the reafon is, he has given the diftinctive features, the fpecific qualities of the

* See Review, Vol. XXXV. p. 388,

feveral

feveral performers, whom he thought proper to pafs in review before
the Reader." The Children of Thefpis" is not fo happy: a great
deal is faid under every article, but for the most part it is general
praise or fatire, indiftinct and unappropriated. The peculiar talents
of the performers are not defcribed, and their characteristic defects
remain untouched. The Author feems to have a rapid and flowing
facility in the kind of verfification which he has chofen, the hand-
gallop of Anftey; but it may be owing to that very facility that we
do not find any acuteness of criticism, nor indeed much expence of
thinking. The piece has, notwithstanding, great variety, and may
amufe thofe, who like, at this feafon of the year, to have their win-
ter amusements recalled to the imagination. It may be added, that
all, who love to fee patriots and statesmen severely mauled, may here
enjoy the mangled characters of Mr. Fox, Mr. Burke, Mr. Sheri-
dan, and others.

M.

Art. 21. The Green Room Mirror; clearly delineating our pre-
fent Theatrical Performers, by a genuine Reflection. 8vo. 25.
Macklew. 1786.

It is not enough that the actors are reviewed and lashed in the poem called The Children of Thefpis: the Author of the Mirror makes them again pafs mufter in plain profe. The piece is beneath the dignity of criticism. We fhall only fay of it, "If the jargon of unintelligible language, unnatural metaphor, and falfe glitter deferve recommendation, the Public are folicited in favour of this Writer."

POETRY.

Art. 22. A Poem on the Happiness of America; addreffed to the Citizens of the United States. By David Humphreys *, Efquire. 4to. 25. Newbery. 1786.

This Writer unites in himself the two characters of the Vates of the ancients, being at once a poet and a prophet: but if his infpiration in the latter capacity be not lefs equivocal than the former, the Americans have little to hope for from his predictions t. He is not, however deftitute of poetical talents. Art. 23. Mifcellaneous Poetry. By Mrs. Weft: written at an E. early Period of Life. 4to. 2s. 6d. Swift. 1786.

Eafe and fimplicity are the diftinguishing chara&eristics of the first productions of this ruftic Mufe. Mrs. Weft is the wife of a Northamptonshire farmer, and, as we are informed, is a perfon of a truly refpectable character. Prompted by nature only, with little advantage from books, the expreffes her genuine feelings and fentiments, in numbers which, for neatness and harmony, will entitle her to rank with Mrs. Leapor, Mrs. Mary Jones, and Mrs. Cockburn.

Mrs. Weft fpeaks of her natural inclination for poetry, in an introductory Elegy, addreffed to a friend, who advifed her to publish her compofitions: and from this poem we shall select a verse or two, by way of fpecimen of her manner :

* Colonel in the service of the American States.

† We were better pleased with this gentleman's former piece, intitled, "A Poem addreffed to the United States of America:" See Review, Vol. LXXII. p. 388.

F 3

• Oft,

y.

Oft, as the fwains their joyous concourfe held,
As Mirth and Song prolong'd the feftal day,
By Fancy's fafcinating power impell'd,.

Her devious feet have wander'd far away.
Then in fome fhady covert, unperceiv'd,

To times remote her penfive thoughts have turn'd,
When ancient Heroes deathless fame atchiev'd,
And fell ambition its deftruction mourn'd.
The black battalions fhadow all the plain!
The rifing tumult rends the trembling air!
It dies away; and now that plaintive ftrain
Mourns for the fate of fome much-injur'd fair.—

*

*

*

*

Ah! vagrant Mufe, by thee too foon deceiv'd,
My infant heart thy choral fongs approv'd;
I pour'd thy native wood-notes unperceiv'd,
And thee, ere reason dawn'd, to madness lov'd,
Soft Senfibility, thy fatal child

my

With magic power enflav'd ductile mind,
Then, while fuccefs on all my wishes fmil'd,
Her touch to extacy each joy refin'd,
And, oh! my friend! yet, why to thee explain
A truth thy feeling heart must oft deplore?
She too can aggravate the stings of pain,
Till weary nature can fuftain no more.

With fuch a bofom inmate fhall I dare

The unknown paths of public fame to try?

*

*

*

Thefe lines will fuffice to introduce Mrs. Weft to the acquaintance of our Readers.

The pieces in this little collection are chiefly of the Elegiac kind; befide which, there is a Legendary Tale, of confiderable length; and a pretty Ode on Spring.

In her prefatory addrefs, the Poetefs modeftly apologizes for fach defects as may be observed in performances which have only been to her " an agreeable relaxation, without having the power to detach her from the effential duties of domeftic life."

Art. 24. A Monody on the much-iamented Death of Samuel JohnJon, LL.D. By the Author of The Field Negroe, Antigua Planter, Grey's Cliff, Kirkstall Abbey, and other Mifcellaneous Pieces. 4to. Is. Baldwin.

There is an obfcurity in this Monody, through which we have in vain attempted to penetrate. The numbers flow melodioufly over the ear, but the words make few diftinct impreffions on the mind. Speaking of the tombs in Westminster Abbey, our Poet fays,

Here cold Ambition afks a final paufe,

And yields fupine to Death and Nature's laws;
Here the young Cupids in the shrine above

Mock the cold fpectres of departed love.

Here, by a pen of unavailing gold,

The tale of woe and penury is told.

Here

Here Genius makes the humble earth its bed,
And fad cold tears from colder ftones are fhed;
The worm here twines like Virgil's monftrous snake,
The golden letters fade, the columns shake;
Sepulchral atoms blot th' æthereal view,

And mildew thrives where verdant laurels grew.
E'en time itself betrays a loft regard,

And makes each tomb as mortal as each bard.'

Young Cupids mocking the cold fpectres of departed love-fad cold tears feed from colder stones fepulchral atoms blotting an ethereal view-and the worm of the tomb twining like Virgil's monftrous fnake -are phrafes which appear to our cold fancies vox et præterea nihil. We might apply the fame remark to many other paffages in this poem; particularly when the poet makes Dr. Johnfon

From tangled fcience prune the spiry thorn, Which clouded fenfe and learning's early morn :" when he says, that

His mind look'd into things with piercing eye,

To charm the defert and to brave the fky:'

and when he fpeaks of death's diftilling affection's purer kifs,' of fame's loud trumpet founding within the ftone;' and of a crimfon landscape fwooning in fnow.'

In the midft of many faults, we meet, however, with feveral good lines; among which are the following:

And now his urn fhall drink the falling tear,
And bleeding friendship learn to forrow there;
Surviving Bards fhall there the hours beguile,
And pilgrim feet inveft the diftant aifle;
There, oft at morn, or ev'ning's awful prayer,
Some friend, fome tender fervant linger near,
With genuine grief fhall mourn death's fatal dart,
Bend to his fhrine, and fmite a faithful heart;
With rapture trace each feature of his bust,
And foftly penfive wipe th'unhallow'd duft.'
LAW.

E.

[The following article has been fent to us by a Correfpondent; and as the Author of the publication to which it relates maintains a doctrine that We have ever opposed, the character here given of the work is inferted merely to evince our impartiality.]

Art. 25. An Examination into the Rights and Duties of Furors; with fome Obfervations on the Law of Libels. 2s. 6d. Whieldon. 1785.

This pamphlet is written profeffedly to encounter the popular doctrine, that jurors are judges of the law as well as facts, in all in ftances; and fecondly, to affert their right to determine on all the matter of a libel, as an excepted cafe from the jurifdiction of the courts of justice. This is an hazardous, because a new method of treating the queftion, and it requires a very able and experienced pen to manage a fubject of fo much nicety as the examiner's diftinction makes it. How far he merits the former character, will appear from the fpecimens here offered to the reader. From the boldness of his attempt, it does not feem that he has had time to acquire very much

F4

much of the latter; and the fervour of its ftyle juftifies the fufpicion of a no very advanced age in its author.

In confidering the rights and duty of jurors, he deduces his principles from, 1ft, The nature of the inftitution; zdly, the reafon of the thing; and 3dly, the conftant practice of the courts of law. On the first he is full and explicit; and hesitates not to bring into his fervice even the 29th chapter of Magna Charta itself. • Numerous inftances,' fays he, daily occur of perfons fuffering the very extremity of thofe evils against which the chapter of Magna Charta is faid to provide, without the intervention of a jury, and folely by the law of the land. A man fhall be taken and imprisoned on a capias ad refpondendum. If he abfconds, and cannot be found, but is returned quinto exactus, he shall be outlawed; this outlawry is attended with a forfeiture of all his goods and chattels to the king: and a man's deftruction is completed when, if he pleads guilty to an appeal of murder, he shall be hanged; and not in any one of the cafes which we have offered is recourfe had to trial by jury. In fhort, wherever the facts afferted by the plaintiff or profecutor are allowed by the defendant or prifoner, the lex terra will not fuffer the abfurd and pfelefs delay of trial by jury to find what is already admitted, but eps in with its judgment on the confeffion.'

On the fecond head the examiner brings down the authorities of M. De Lolme and Dr. Towers to answer or refute themselves. On the third, he apologizes for feeming to make the courts judges in Jua propria caufa, when they attempt to afcertain the limits of their power; and thus accounts for his frequent appeal to authorities and precedents. Where elfe,' fays he, fhall we feek the boundaries by which the authority of the different courts is restrained, but in the folemn adjudication of the fuperior courts of juftice? If I claim, by prefcription, a way through my neighbour's field, I can prove my right only by evidence that my ancestors have exercifed the fame right time immemorial. And this evidence fhall be fufficient to establish my title, becaule it is the very beft that can be adduced.'

His general conclufion from all thefe premifes is, that a jury is to take the law from the judge, and him only, becaufe they cannot take it in evidence; and that if they differ from him on any other ground than the facts, they incur all the guilt, though they may escape the punishment, of perjury, But it being effential to a libel that it be falfe and malicious, the jury are to judge of that falfity and malice as a matter of fact totally and exclufively within their province.

Thefe are the general outlines of the work before us. Of the execution our readers must judge for themselves. To the principle, if we had room and leifure, we might urge fome objections. One of the moft material will fuffice at prefent: That it is fcarcely neceffary to at the encreafing authority of the courts in general; and that jurors will be induced to exert the power, rather by general arguments than by that clofe and profeffional reafoning which this Author advances in their fervice. With respect to ftyle, the lime labor et mera feems to have been not fufficiently attended to. The beginning a paragraph fo often with a then' is very tiresome,

Wherein then it may be afked-The excellence then confifts