this patriotic affociation reduced! to worse than total annihilation: to be laughed at by the very mob of the majority; and infulted by the jeering exultations of every minifterial pamphleteer!-alas! for the poor, unfortunate Coterie !' POETICA L. Art. 12. Ifrael in Babylon. An Oratorio. The Music felected from the Works of Geo. Fr. Handel. 4to. Is. Griffin. If few of our oratorios are capable of affording any pleasure to the Reader, their authors may comfort themselves with the following couplet : What though our fongs to wit have no pretence, CONNOISSEUR. Art. 13. Preferment, a Satire. By John Robinfon. 4to. Is. Nicoll. Pointless fatire is the most infipid fpecies of composition within the province of poetry; but, as this Author says, Dull poets ever are a techy race, therefore, write on, Sir!- Write away, gentlemen!If phlegm oppreffes you, discharge it in this harmless manner-enjoy the conscious fatisfaction that you hurt no creature living, and that you are useful at leaft to fuch of his Majelly's poor fubjects whofe humble employment is to pick up materials for the paper-mill. Art. 14. Mumbo Chumbo: A Tale. Written in the ancient A humorous frontispiece, in which is a distant view of Whitefield's tabernacle, plainly hints the Author's main defign; but the principal figure is a monftrous idol, to whom, in fome heathen country, human facrifices, particularly innocent young children, are offer'd; and whofe horrid rites are kept up by the juggling tricks of the priests. From the flavish adoration paid to this monfler, our author takes occafion to expose the enormities of fanaticifm, and Mumbo Chumbo preachers in our own country.-The friends of reafon and common fenfe are undoubtedly obliged to him for the goodness of his defign, whatever may be thought of his poetry-which we cannot highly commend. His defcription of Credulity deferves particular notice: Then when you hear a noify preacher bawl, "Believe! Believe! 'Tis faith your fouls muft fave!" His empty words concern you not at all, No more than if you heard a madman rave. For naked faith, all barren of good fruits, Will quickly perish at the very roots; Credulity! Credulity! Great fource of human woe! Which, when obtained, caufeth cruel fmart. It may indeed b' admitted as a doubt, Whether this treacherous foe-man hath not flain Than unbelief e'er number'd in its train ? The Reader is not to imagine, from the foregoing extract, that this Writer is an enemy to FAITH, from which he has diftinguifh'd CREDULITY. He fhews a becoming zeal for revealed religion, while he farcaftically expofes thofe fenfelefs devotees who are a difgrace to Chrif tianity; and who, by their follies and crazy freaks, impede its progrefs more than all the oppofition of its profeffed enemies. Art. 15. Parthenia, or the Loft Shepherdefs: An Arcadian Drama. 8vo. Is. Newbery. Beamings of genius, agreeable fallies of fancy, and pretty poetical expreffions are fcattered through this little paftoral Drama, which is a clofe imitation of Shakespear and Milton in the fame fpecies of poetry. Art. 16. Amana: A Dramatic Poem. By a Lady. 4to. 2s. 6d. Johnston. In the preface to this poem we are informed that the subject is taken from the Adventurer, No. 72 and 73, and from the dedication we find that it is written by Mrs. Griffith, author of the Platonic Wife. It appears, likewife, that the originally intended it for the stage; but whatever might be the difqualifying circumftances which prevented its reception there, it may not be unacceptable as a poem to thofe who love refined fentiments, and good morals. Art. 17. Marriage, an Ode. Folio. IS. Dodfley. To vindicate the liberties of human nature is the beft and noblest employment of the Mufes, and every impartial mind muft neceffarily enter into that juft indignation which the Author of this Ode expreffes on a fubject where thofe liberties have been egregioufly infringed. Indeed the oppreffive reftrictions of the late Marriage Act are now discovered to be no lefs impolitic than unnatural; and we are willing to hope that the legiflature may be induced by motives, as well of good policy as of humanity, to repeal an Act, which, by deftroying the freedom of the connubial choice, took away the natural right of the fubject in the most important circumftance of life; an act, which (not to enter into the motives of it) inftead of fecuring and facilitating conjugal happiness, threw a restraint on those fympathies and affections, which are the very means that nature has appointed to promote it. That werit fpecies of tyranny, tyranny, which, however unnatural, parents are too often induced, by felf-intereft, caprice, or the peevishnefs of age, to exercise over their children in this material part of their happiness, is juftly, likewife, the object of the Poet's cenfure. His ftyle is animated, and his numbers are harmonious. Art. 18. The Choice of Apollo: A ferenata. As performed at the Little Theatre in the Hay Market. Written by John Potter. The Mufic compofed by Mr. William Yates. 4to. 6d. Henderson. A compliment to the King, as an encourager of the polite arts; and may rank with Colley Cibber's Odes. Art. 19. The Voluntary Exile; or, the English Poet's Sermon in Verfe, &. Part the First. With Variety of Notes. 4to. 2s. 6d. Almon. Cur old friend, and the old friend of his country, the Rev. Dr. Free, has here given us a new fatire on the times; and paid off both church and flate, very handfomely. Among other objects of his anger, the Scots come in for a hearty trimming; and the whole Stuart-race is fo be-devil'd! But, read the book, good people! It is a curiofity in deed! * It is not all fatire, however; for the Dr. has generously made a very notable apology for the late Mr. Churchill; particularly for his laying afide the gown, and for his parting from his wife, and living with another woman. Art. 20. Education, an Effay. By Gibbons Bagnall, M. A. Baldwin. 4to. I S. The principles contained in this Effay are, for the most part, just and commendable; but we cannot fay much for the poetry. We must also obferve, that several of the fentiments are very trite, and the expreffion fometimes borders on puerility. Our Readers will form a judgment of Mr. Bagnall's manner, from his encomium on fome modern English writers. After praifing Sherlock, Swift, and Addison, he thus proceeds; Smooth is the flow from Atterbury's quill; Be wifely here the firft foundations laid. + The prefent Bishop of Bristol; author of Differtations on the Prophecies, 3 vols. 8vo. See Review, vols, XII, and XX. This gentleman was not, we are afraid, born to be fortunate in poetry. Some years ago, he attempted, but did not compleat, a new tranflation of Fenelon's Telemachus, in English verse; of which he publifhed a fpecimen. See Review, Vol. XV. p. 8z. NOVEL S. 12mo. 5s. few'd. Burnet. Art. 21. The Parafite. 2 Vols. There is a class of readers to whom thefe pages may be entertaining, but, perhaps, there are none to whom they can be useful. The Author feems not to have had any moral view, or, indeed, any other, except that of conducting a low and defpicable character through fuch a variety of ridiculous fcenes and circumftances, as never, furely, waylaid any one human being. MISCELLANEOUS. Art. 22. A compleat Hiftory of the late War, or annual Register of its Rife, Progrefs, and Events, in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. By J. Wright, Gent. 8vo. 2 Vols. 10s. Steele. The fame character, given in our laft month's Catalogue, of another 'Compleat History of the late War,' may be applied to this, with very little variation. The prefent compilement feems to have been originally published in fome magazine, or other periodical collection :-A conjectore not a little countenanced by the number of curious prints with which Mr. Wright's performance is finely decorated. Art. 23. Love in High Life; or the Amours of a Court. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Knowles. The introduction to this hermaphrodite production, (half history, half romance) informs us, that the Author became accidentally poffefied of Some Memoirs, originally collected by a Petronian genius, who had taken uncommon pains to make himself a thorough mafter of the rife, progrefs, and viciffitudes of galantry, from the days of Alexander the Great, down to the prefent times; and thefe cu ious and valuable memoirs, we fuppofe, are to be detailed out to their highly edified readers, in a series of little, dainty, pocket volumes, like the prefent; which comes no farther down than the amours of Cleopatra, with Cæfar and Antony What a world of in rigue, and amorous nonfenfe, has this Petronian genius to buftle thro', before he will be able to make his way down to the prefent times! And what a fine figure would fuch an author have made in the court of Charles the Second !-In that of George the Third, we imagine, he would be very little diftinguifh'd. Art. 24. A Treatise on Parish Rates, occafloned by the Disputes that R. Baldwin. This piece is addreffed to the gentlemen acting in the commiffion of the peace for the County of Norfolk, and elsewhere: a circumftance which ferves to point out to us, in what part of the kingdom it is wherein the difputes about Parish-rates have of late broke out with heat and animofity. The Author, who appears to be a fenfible writer, and well acquainted with the laws and cuftoms relating to his fubject, firft enquires how the law in regard to parish-rates now ftands; fecondly, whether there be any defects therein, and lastly, whether any thing may be propofed by way of remedy? The church-rate, we learn, is to be made by the church-wardens, and the major part of the parishioners aflembled in veftry but the poor-rate is to be made by the church-wardens and overfeers, without calling in the affiftance of any other of the parishioners. Hence grievances have arifen, and great complaints of unfair, unequal affeffments. To remedy which, the Author, reafonably taking it for granted, that it would be much better to have one uniform method (mutatis mutandis) than two, fo diametrically oppofite,-propofes, that the poor-rate be made by the parish officers, and the major part of the parishioners; as the church-rate is. He ftates the good effects that must arife from this regulation; and then enquires who are the perfons that are to be taxed, and for what? After which he proceeds to enquire into the manner and the rule of taxation; this being a point on which great difputes have arifen. On all these, and fome other particulars which we have not room to enumerate, the Author makes feveral judicious obfervations; and expreffes himself in fuch a manner as fhews his earnest defire to extinguish the flames which have been kindled in many parishes; and which, if a ftop cannot be put to them, will, he apprehends, in all probability, fpread over the whole country. Particularly from attempts to throw the whole power in making the poor-rate into the hands of two or three perfons in a parish. Art. 25. Genuine Memoirs of Mr. Charles Churchill. With an Account of, and Obfervations on, his Writings: Together with feme original Letters that paffed between him and the Author. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Pridden. The difappointment and the indignation we felt, on the perufal of thefe genuine Memoirs, is not to be expreffed; for there never was a viler impofition on the Public-That the Author fhould chufe to conceal his name, had, indeed, a very fufpicious appearance; as from that circumftance alone, a juft conclufion might be formed by every reader of the advertisement which announced the appearance of this publication, with respect to the authenticity of the original letters, faid to have paffed between the Author and Mr. Churchill. If the memoirs are true, and the letters real, wherefore should the Author fear to be known?-We cannot, indeed, take upon us to aver, that the three letters, here afcribed to him, are not genuine; but we verily believe them to be a mere forgery. Churchill could not have been the writer of fuch poor, common-place, ranting fluff. In brief, the memoirs and the letters are evidently the product of the fame miferable pen. As to the few anec dotes of which the biographical part is compofed, they are very trivial; fome of them falfe;-and one material am fion may ferve to prove the anonymous Author a ranger to Mr. C.'s perfonal hiftory. Had he really been the intimate friend of this celebrated Bard, as he pretends to |