MISCELLANIES.

ART. 62. Tras published at the Cheap Repofitory for moral and religious Publications. I 2mo. Between 4 and 500 pp.

45. 6d.

neatly bound. Marshall, Queen-ftreet, Cheapfide. R. White, &c. 1796.

We were greatly pleafed at receiving, in this little volume, a ftrong proof of the fuccefs of the most benevolent and judicious undertaking that has lately been conceived. For the thought, and chiefly for the execution of this plan, the nation (we will fay no lefs) has been indebted to the well-known worth and talents of Mrs. Hannah More; who judged, very wifely, that the most effectual way to counteract the trash that is ufually circulated at a low price, was to circulate, ftill more cheaply, compofitions of a better tendency. In this excellent defign, fupported by the zeal of the Bishop of London, and many other perfons of eminent fituation, Mrs. More has laboured moft fuccefsfully. A large fubfcription has been procured, repofitories have been opened, and the prefent volume contains nearly fifty fmall publications, all affording ufeful entertainment on moral and religious inftruction. So great has been the fale of these admirably executed tracts, that about two millions have been printed, in different forms, fince March 1795, befides great numbers in Ireland. The hawkers are fupplied with them at a cheap rate, and they already fupplant, in moft places of fale, the nonfenfe, or worfe, that was before offered to the purchafers. The tracts are in general written with much ingenuity and judgment; they are plain enough to be understood by the lowest reader, and attractive enough to please all claffes. Moft heartily do we wish continuance of fuccefs to this patriotic plan, and hope that our notice of it may contribute effectually to that end.

ART. 63. Military Obfervations, in a Tour through Part of France, French Flanders, and Luxembourg. By J. C. Pleydell, Efq. late Lieutenant-Colonel, and Equerry to the Duke of Gloucester. 4to. 71 pp. 7s. 6d. Wingrave. 1795.

We do not think thefe obfervations will add much to the military reputation of the author, or furnish any great degree of information to those who wish to know the ftate of the French frontier. They have also been fuppreffed fo long, that the greater part of those which relate to the French army had become obfolete, even before the revolution.

ART. 64. Military Reflections on the Attack and Defence of the City of London, &c. By Lieutenant-Colonel George Hanger. 8vo. 118 pp. 3s. Debrett. 1795.

Had Colonel Hanger communicated the contents of this pamphlet confidentially, either to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, or to the Commander

Commander in Chief, we think he would have deferved the thanks of his country; but we are at a lofs to guefs how he will justify the public expofure of what he conceives to be the most vulnerable part of the British empire. For the fame reafon that we object to this publication, we shall avoid entering into any difcuffion of the fubject of it, and fhall only regret, that the Colonel's claffical or grammatical knowledge does not keep pace with his military fcience. In one point, however, we fully agree with him, namely, that as the French, by acquiring poffeffion of Holland, have turned the left flank of Britain, it is neceffary that a new fyitem of defence fhould be adopted by this country, and government feems, in fome degree, to have paid attention to his advice, by the chain of pofts which they established last year round the county of Kent. This book appears to us to be a fufficient answer to thofe who doubt the neceffity of fo large a force as has been raised for internal defence. It alfo proves, we think, that nothing but the moft abfolute neceffity fhould induce this kingdom to make a peace with the French, while the Texel, the mouths of the Waal, or the Scheld remain under their dominion. We do not, however, implicitly fubfcribe to the mode of defence which the Colonel propofes, nor do we think corps of markfmen would have been a good fubititute for the regiments of light cavalry, which have been raised, The light infantry companies, at prefent attached to every battalion, are perhaps the beft chaffeurs in the world, being equally qualified for acting in line, or for defultory warfare; and in a defensive war, where an enemy is to be perpetually harraffed, and their fupplies cut off, bodies of light cavalry can act with more promptitude and effect, than irregular corps of infantry, however active and alert they may be. Of all troops perhaps the horfe- artillery, fupported by cavalry, is the beft calculated for this fervice.

In the duties of a partizan, Colonel Hanger difplays confiderable abilities, but when he becomes a theoretical politician, and enters into calculations on the subject of corn, we must remind him of the old adage, ne futor ultra crepidam ;" and before he writes another pathetic addrefs to his "brather foldiers," upon the abufe of their pay, we would recommend to him to inform himself what their pay is, which the first foldier he meets in the streets will probably be able to inform him.

ART. 65. Letters, written in France, to a Friend in London, between the Month of November, 1794, and the Month of May, 1795, by Major Tench, of the Marines, late of his Majesty's Ship Alexander. 8vo. 4s. Johnson. 1796.

Major Tench was taken prifoner by the French in Admiral Bligh's fhip, the Alexander, and he relates agreeably enough the incidents to which he was witnefs during his captivity. The book is no further of importance than to fhow the ftrong contraft between the treatment fhown by the French to their prifoners, and the humane and generous tenderness which the English, on all occafions, teflify to their enemies. Some anecdotes of particular places and individuals are interfperfed, the commemorating which probably beguiled the weary hours of Ma

jor

jor Tench, and will alfo contribute to the entertainment of his readers.

ART. 66. The Life of Caius Julius Cæfar, drawn from the maft authentic Sources of Information. By Charles Coote, L. L. D. 8vo. 3s. 6d. Longman. 1796.

The author fays he was induced to this undertaking, by not having feen the life of Cæfar in any feparate publication, and profeffes to have drawn his materials from the best and original fources. The ftyle is good, the references appear to be faithful, and the volume will be found ufeful and amufing to young ftudents. The more material circumftances of Cæfar's life are fo familiar even to school boys, that we doubt how far in point of circulation the expectations of the writer will be answered.

ART. 67. The Ranger, a Collection of periodical Effays, infcribed to the Reverend T. Atwood, M. A. by the Hon. M. Hawke and Sir R, Vincent, Bart. 2 Vols. 8vo. 7s. 6d. Martin and Bain.

This is a kind of publication which has of late multiplied upon the public, which may be confidered perhaps as a proof of at least its local fuccefs. The Ranger probably does not afpire to a place in the first rank, but it may be reckoned very high in the secondary class of fimilar performances. Some agreeable and elegant, if not animated verfes, are interfperfed with lively fpecimens of tales, didactic and moral effays, with occafional attempts at humour, which are far from unfuccefsful. Thefe volumes will avail to amuse those vacant hours, which, from the want of fuch refources, would perhaps be far lefs profitably employed.

ART. 68. The Fable of Cupid and Psyche, tranflated from the Latin of Apuleius; to which are added, a poetical Paraphrafe on the Speech of Diotima in the Banquet of Plato, four Hymns, with an Introduction, in which the meaning of the Fable is unfolded. 8vo. 152 pp. 49. Leigh and Sotheby. 1795.

The ftory of Cupid has been again and again tranflated, and is probably familiar to every defcription of our readers. Mr. Taylor, whofe diligence we fhould be glad to fee exercifed more beneficially to himself, as well as to the public, tells us, that this fable was defigned to reprefent the lapfe of the human foul from the intelligible world to the earth. At his mode of making out this pofition, fome will fmile, and others will stare. We fhall only obferve of his tranf lation, that it is faithful, but exceptionably tumid in point of style, though perhaps Mr. T. ftudied to make it fo. The author must not be offended with us if we honeftly confefs, that we can by no means praife his poetry. We will not give extracts which would degrade Mr. T. in the public opinion, but we muft in juftice obferve, that his lines are generally heavy and profaic.

In his appendix, Mr. Taylor accufes us of malevolence, and attributes the imperfections of his labours on Paufanias to the indigence

of

of his circumstances, which compelled him to finish his tafk in the fpace of ten months. The charge of malevolence against a man of whom we never had the most diitant knowledge, and against whom we could not poffibly have any prejudice, we thall only generally repel, by declaring that, in our criticifms on Paufanias, we were influenced by no perfonal confiderations, nor indeed any thing elfe than a fenfe of duty. Mr. T. may be affured that his complaints of indigence excite in us the finceret commiferation. This is a circumftance of which we had no knowledge, and we heartily hope it may never again impede Mr. Taylor's efforts to acquire the meed of literary fame.

ART. 69. Letters on the Drama. 8vo. 3s. 6d. 3s. 6d. Elmfly. 1796. These letters are from the fame pen as the Battle of Eddington, and are entitled to the fame kind of commendation. A gentleman who writes for his amufement, and without any views of future advantage, is too apt to difdain the minuter rules of compofition, indifpenfably neceffary not only to an author by profeffion, but to the laws of perfect compofition. Thefe letters are twelve in number, and evince, amidst fone carelefs and fome fuperficial obfervations, an excellent understanding, and a good taste.

ART. 70. An hiftorical Defeription of Dunkirk, from its Origin in 646 to the Year 1785. By H. E. Diot. 410. 51 pp. Faden. 8s. 1794.

This is a tranflation of a manufcript written for the ufe of M. Calonne, when minifter of France, which was purchafed in the fale of that nobleman's library. It is exceedingly well drawn up, and is lefs oftentatious and more impartial than any French work we have ever read, wherein the interells of foreign powers were fet in oppofition to those of France. It will afford both information and amufement to those who are curious to know of what importance Dunkirk is to this kingdom. There are feveral well engraved plans, which, of course, enhance the price.

ART. 71. The Coin Collector's Companion, being a defcriptive Alphabetical Lift of the modern provincial, political, and ather Copper Coins. 12mo. 56 pp. 6d. Spence. 1795.

A catalogue of no lefs than four hundred and twenty coins, the value of many among which may be judged by this, that one of them is Mr. Spence (the publifher) himfelf, feven months imprifoned, as it expreffes, for high treafon in 1794.

ART. 72. The Triumph of Acquaintance over Friendship, an Effay for the Times. By a Lady. Izmo. 2s. 6d. Cadell and Davies. 1796.

This performance is by a Lady, and one of confiderable talents, yet we cannot help lamenting that the object, which is to prove that true friendship is incompatible with the ftate of fashionable manners, has not

been more perfpicuously marked. Her attempts at irony are fometimes not unfuccefsful, but are liable to the fame imputation of want of clearness. A good and feeling difpofition is, however, to be traced without ambiguity.

FOREIGN CATALOGUE.

GERMANY.

ART. 73. Anthologia Græca, five Poëtarum Græcorum lufus. Ex recenfione Brunckii. Indices et Commentarium adjecit Fridericus Jacobs. Tom. I. VIII and 250 pp. text; Tom. II. 264 pp. Tom. III. 254 PP. Tom. IV. 300 pp. in 1. 8vo. Leipfic, 1794; Price 4 rixd. 16 gr. on writing-paper, and 36 rixd. 8 gr. on common paper.

ART. 74. Anthologia Græca, five Poëtarum Græcorum lufus. Ex recenfione Brunckii. Tom. V. qui Indices complectitur.

Likewife with the feparate title,

ART. 75. Indices in Epigrammata, quæ in Analectis veterum Poëtarum a Brunckio editis reperiuntur. Auctore Friderico Jacobs. Leipfic, 1795. VI and 443 pp. in 8vo. Pr. 1 rixd. 16 gr.

The first four of these volumes exhibit only an exact copy of the text of the epigrams from the Analecta of Brunck. Mr. Jacobs has indeed admitted the corrections recommended in the volume of notes, by the former editor, into the text, and inferted in their proper places the epigrams he found there. Of the caufes by which he was induced to make fo few alterations in the arrangement of this work, and none at all in the ftate of the text, he fpeaks with becoming modefty. We do not, however, fcruple to fay, that had Mr. J. ventured to form a plan for himself, and confided more in his own judgment, the work would have been executed in a very different, and better manner. There is at prefent in it a total want of unity, harmony, and completion; qualities to which the former editor, with all his enthufiafm, feems to have been perfectly indifferent. It is indeed exceedingly difficult to conceive upon what plan this collection was formed. We think, however, that we are juftified in afferting, that many pieces are indebted for the places which they occupy in it to mere accident only, as the editor was unwilling to conform to the choice of the more ancient poets, as pointed out in the well-known Proemium of Meleager, and could not well include all the reft under the vague title of Lufus Poë

tarum.

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