Gray's Inn; and to the United Parishes of St. Laurence-Jewry and St. Mary Magdalen, Milk-Street. 8vo. Is. Flexney. 1769. This is a plain, practical difcourfe, upon part of the above parable; and is principally addreffed to young perfons. It appears to be the defign of the Author to engage their attention to thofe inward principles of piety and goodnefs, by cultivating which they may be formed to usefulness and happiness. This we apprehend to be his meaning, when he explains the phrafe of taking oil in their veffels with their lamps, by having and maintaining Chrift's religion: not merely their being profeffors of Chriftianity, or having a cold belief of its In this view his dif truths, but acting upon and agreeably to them. courfe is ferious, fenfible, and well calculated to promote the great ends of piety and virtue. Art. 23. A Letter to a young Gentleman at Oxford, intended for Holy Orders. Containing fome feafonable Cautions against Errors in Doc trine. 8vo. 1 S. Robinfon and Roberts. The Writer of this Letter is a great enemy to thofe crying and damnable fins, herefy and fchifm; efpecially the Arian herefy, the invention of which he afcribes to Satan: fo that now we know what religion the devil is of. He here (the Author we mean, not the old Arian gentleman juft mentioned) warns his young friend against the errors of infidelity, enthufiafm, lukewarmnefs, and fuperftition; against Confeffionalifts, Monthly Reviewers, Blafphemers, Reprobates, and Methodifts. This zealous Champion for orthodoxy feems, indeed, to be a very good fort of man: only, like honeft Parfon G-r's wife, a little too hot." Art. 24. Sermons. By the late Rev. Mr. Sterne. Vols. 5, 6, 7. As thefe difcourfes were publifhed by the Widow of Mr. Sterne, there is no doubt but they are the productions of that pen to which the public is indebted for the fermons of the celebrated Yorick: but we fee no other reafon for the fuppofition.--For aught that appears, either in the matter or the manner of thefe posthumous publications. they might have been the work of Mr. Sterne's curate,-or of aný other curate in the kingdom-It was well obferved, in a cenfure of the 3 vols. now before us (published in one of the Chronicles) that it is a very injudicious kindness in our furviving friends, to publish the fweepings of our studies." NOVELS. Art. 25. The Hiftory of Eliza Mufgrove. 12mo. fewed. Johnston. Had the sheets of this work been corrected with due care at the printer's, the penfive amufement it affords would have inet with no interruptions. The bafenefs of parents in facrificing the welfare of their children from fordid confiderations, and the folly of thofe who are depraved enough to accept fuch facrinces, are pathetically exemplified in a narrative that will affect any reader, thole excepted, who have children they refolve to diffofe of, in the literal acceptation of of the common phrase: For when avarice has rooted itself in the heart, it is rendered totally infenfible of humane impreffions. N. Art. 26. The Sibyl; A Novel. By a Lady. 12mo. fewed. Johnfon and Payne. 2 Vols. 5 S. Sir Nicholas Fairfax, a baronet of fordid difpofition and brutish manners, lives at variance with his fifter, Lady Jane Beaufort, and brings up two beautiful daughters at his remote country-feat, Ivycaftle, in total ignorance of the world; intending that a young coufin of theirs, then abroad, should take his choice of them: and he is made, without any preference of paternal affection, to entertain the abfurd refolution of facrificing the fortune and interefts of the rejected fifter, in favour of her who fhould be chofen. Eliza is the happy fifter; andy Beaufort the aunt, though perfonally a stranger to the young ladies, contrives to introduce a gentleman captivated with Henrietta, the other fifter, to Ivy-caftle, in the difguife of an old fortune-telling gypsy. Here his predictions favour his intentions; which end in the aunt very unjustifiably perfuading Henrietta to leave her father's houfe, and her being married the next morning to the old Sibyl, now transformed into a young baronet: fhe is then brought back, and all matters are accommodated with the father. This is the outline of a ftory, neither natural nor defenfible; but improbable circumstances required, perhaps, improper measures to rectify them. N. Art. 27. The Small Talker; A Series of Letters from a Lady in the Weft of England, to Lady Anne D——, abroad. 12mo. 2 s. 6 d. Johnfon and Payne. By the appellation Small Talker, we are to understand a general lover, a man who makes a cruel sport of engaging the affections of every female who comes in his way. This volume contains an interefting ftory, rendered ftill more affecting by the levity of one of the above defcribed worthless characters: and there can hardly be any reader of either sex so giddy, as not to receive fome good hints from it, the impreffion of which will last- at leaft while it is reading. N Art. 28. A Sketch of Happiness in Rural Life, and of the Mifery that attended an Indifcreet Paffion. Small 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Millan, 1769. A fhort epiftolary account of a journey into the New Forest, Hampshire, fomewhat after the manner of our quondam friend the admirable Shandy: but as the narrative lays claim to a foundation of facts, the melancholy ftory of the author's friend gives the whole letter a ferious turn; fo that the imitation is not that of Triftram in his joyous moments. The performance, however, poffeffes one degree of merit which diftinguishes the Author among his competitors in this ftyle of writing;--he does not misunderstand his original fo much as to fuppofe that indelicacy would give his copy a fufficient refemblance to it. The Author propofing to spend some time with a rural family at a certain lodge in the New Foreft, thus relates his first arrival, which will ferve as a fpecimen of the performance. • Paffing Paffing through the wilds of the new foreft, my fancy would point out the fpot on which ftood, fair and flourishing, a noble city, town, village or villa, all, all deftroyed by the accurfed will of one tyrant; in purfuit of that pleafure which caufed the depopulation of fo rich a country, his fon fell: oh! may tyrants themselves meet the ftroke of juftice, when they attempt to wreft the laws of the conftitųtion to infamous purposes. As I approached the confines of the lodge, with an enthufiaftic pleafure, I hailed the fpreading oak, where, under the kind protection of its fhade, 1 fhould laugh at the troubles of society, and enjoy the cafe of obfcure retirement. I faw the house, and alighted-I brought the reins of the bridle over the horse's face, and hung them on the pale,-then went forward-the door wide open, with feeming hofpitality invited me to enter-I did-The door belied not the fentiments of those who dwelt within-unknown they faluted me with kindness, time had worn me from the memory of the old man, as well as from that of his wife; none else were prefent. I told my name; with the utmost fimplicity of joy they welcomed me to the lodge-Martha was called-Martha, the darling of their age-the ftranger was anounced-Martha, clean and as chaste as those who guarded the veftal fane, entered the room, God protect me! faid fhe, having kicked her foot against something that had almost thrown her down as fhe was advancing-her appearance fo full of innocence and fimplicity, drew from me an involuntary amen, and I believe I added, may foul befal him who fhall dare to offer violence unto thee--if I did not utter the words, I am fure that I devoutly wished it-Martha approached, her fingers were intermixed, and her arms hung negligently down, fo that her hands came to a point-fhe dropped a curtfey of kind falutation, and a hearty welcome fparkled in her eyes-fhe blufhed,-and holding down her head, efpied my boots; but foon recovering herself, the demanded of her father, if my horfe had been taken care of—a negative reply drew from her, " poor beaft, the flies will fting him to death"-could there be a keener reproach?—I felt it-faid I to myself, beaft that thou art, fo foon to forget the obligations which thou oweft to thine horse, and to requite his fervices with ingratitade, by expofing him to the fcorching heat, and to the tormenting flies- Martha perceived I was embarraffed-fhe called her brother William came- -William led my horfe into the ftable, I faw that he was well cleaned, and that he had good hay. Then-then —no, I could not quite forgive myself what muft they endure, who having been brought into life, and conftantly received the moft affectionate marks of friendship, should they requite their benefactor with neglect, desertion, cenfure and vile reproach-occurred to my recollection, the hugeness of this ingratitude reconciled me to myfelf, and I was stroking my horfe when Martha told me―tea ́is waiting. The father, mother, Martha, William and myself were at the table, the tea was made; the exhilarating ftream was poured into the neat stone cups, the most delicious cream was added, and the sweetest bread and butter, made by Martha's own labour, crowned the repafthere the voice of fcandal is not heard; these happy abodes リ abodes know not the arts of defamation; fecure themfelves in innocence, they have no idea of the wiles of popular life; their hours pafs unalloyed by envy years fucceeding years with the utmost ferenity-and age fteals upon them unperceived. Happy people! free from the hurry of the bufy world, and the phrenzy of ambition-bleft with the bounties of providence, industry furnishes their homely fare, and contentment gives a zeft to the various employments of ruftic life-Ye Eaft-India murtherers and plunderers, and all ye who riot in the wages of rapine, extortion, and injuftice, fay, can ye boat eafe and tranquillity like this ?' In this fequeftered part of the world, the Author difcovered a loft friend, who here abandoned himfelf to defpair, for having been forced by an uncle, on whom he was dependent, to contract a marriage recommended merely from interefted motives; in which compliance he made a facrifice of a former tender attachment, the reflection on which imbittered all his moments. But when his deferted love had funk into a fettled melancholy, which ended only by drowning herfelf, and his uncle died of grief at the fad effects of his avaritious fchemes, he grew quite frantic, and retired to pine away in this Foreft, where his wishes for death were gratified by his being accidentally gored by one of the red deer who was pursued by the hounds. There is an obfervable inconfiftency between this story, and the mention of it in the title: there, indifcretion is charged on the lover; in perufal, however, the uncle is exhibited as the blameable party. We are informed by the Introduction, that this fhort letter is pubLifhed by the Writer as a fpecimen, and that if the public use it well, a continuation of his ramble is at their service: but if this letter is neglected, he threatens revenge by configning the remainder to the flames. This taste of his writing, however, for it is but a taste, would incline us, chiefly indeed out of regard to the Author, to beg him, even in that cafe, to alter his vengeful resolution, and think what pangs of repentance he will feel, the moment the curling flames fnatch inevitably to that oblivion fo much dreaded by Authors, excellencies no one but himfelf can then regret the lofs of. would thus deprive himself of the confolation to be derived from honouring a minority of admirers as the difcerning few. He N. Art. 29. The Hiftory of Mifs Sommerville. Written by a Lady. Small 8vo. 2 Vols. 6 s. in Vellum. Newbery and Carnan. If a novel is agreeably written, without having fome farther view, a moral purpose, or at least humour, to recommend it; or, if it contains good inftractions without being conveyed in an entertaining form, the work has no real claim to commendation. The adventures of the 'unfortunate Mifs Sommerville, interwoven with thofe of her friends, though too long to enter into, are very agreeably delivered, and will not fail to intereft thofe readers who are poffefed of any fenfibility. They will be particularly affected by her unhappy fate, after all her difficulties appear to have been furmounted :--For this narrative does not depart from human nature and probability, fo far far as to wind up the adventures of all the parties to a happy confummation. Some bafe characters, graced with all the pageantry of wealth and title, are held up defervedly to deteftation, and though the catastrophe is fatal in the principal perfonage of the history, the lively reader will meet with much entertainment in perufing it. POLITICAL and COMMERCIAL. N. Art. 30. The Queftion ftated, whether the Freeholders of Middlefex loft their Right, by voting for Mr. Wilkes at the laft Election. In a Letter from a Member of Parliament to his Constituents. 8vo. I s. 6 d. Woodfall. Though there is little credit due to the profeffions of an anonymous title-page, yet the prefent masterly pamphlet is generally fuppofed to have been really the work of a celebrated baronet, member of parliament for a great fea-port town in the northern parts of this kingdom. It is written on the popular fide of the question, and contains many obfervations and arguments which highly merit the attention of the Public, and will afford great pleasure to the zealous friends of, and flaunch advocates for, the glorious caufe of Liberty. Art. 31. The Cafe of the late Election for the County of Middlefex, confidered on the Principles of the Conflitution, and the Authorities of 4to. I S. Cadell. * written by owen Anghead. He Here we have the other fide of the queftioh, ftated with all the accuracy of an able lawyer; and fuch we fuppofe the Author to be. is well verfed in parliamentary proceedings; and he propofes to fhew, from the records of parliament, and the authorities of law, that the houfe of commons is legally invefted with the power they have exercifed with refpect to the late determination of the election for Middlefex. He farther contends, that, in the general principles of reafon and conftitutional policy, they ought to have fuch a power;that it cannot, confiftently with the prefervation of public liberty, be lodged any where elfe; and that, in the inftance in quellion, they have exercised this right not only according to the established law and ufage of parliament, but in conformity with the adjudications of the courts at Westminster, on the like occafion. His reafonings on thefe points, if they do not entirely fatisfy the mind of the penetrating reader, will, however, convince him of the great abilities of the writer. A pofition of which the author of the Queftion ftated, does not feem to be fo clearly convinced. Art. 32. A Letter to the Author of the Question Stated. By another The author of the Queftion Stated having mentioned with applaufe Dr. Blackftone's Commentaries on the Laws of England; but, at the fame time, intimated that the learned commentator had, upon a late occafion, departed from the principles which he had inculcated and avowed in that celebrated performance;-the writer of this letter, who is probably no other than Dr. B. himfelf, has thought it expedient to refute this charge of inconfiftency, to vindicate the genaine fentiments |