Of hardy troops, 'tis known I reign the lord, Tho' not afraid more num rous foes to face." P. 7. Mr. W. Burke, perhaps, had not heard of " the Conquest of Canaan," an epic poem, written in America, by a Mr. Dwight*; if he had he was doubly unwife to attempt a fubject which his predeceffor had handled with fo much genius and ability, and with fo confiderable a knowledge of the art of poetry. The former exhibits a strong inftance of American genius, the latter certainly no proof of English modesty. ART. 24. Epifle from R-ch-d Br-nf-y Sh-d―n, Efq. to the 2s. 6d. What punishment does he deferve who makes Mr. S. guilty of fuch lines as these? Thy manly, liberal, manner I admire ; That I might own both you and Pitt act right. ART. 25. Poetical Effays, Latin and English; intended for Inftruction and Amusement. The Production of an adventurous Muje, in the moment of Contemplation, Leifure, Mirth, and Fancy. By the Rev. William Wainhouse, M. A. formerly of Queen's College, Oxford, Chaplain to the Earl of Dyfart, and Rector of Badgworth, near Axbridge, Somerjet. 8vo. 192 pp. 55,. Dilly. 1796. To this volume a long and refpectable lift of fubfcribers is prefixed; and the following is a fpecimen of what the author writes in moments of "contemplation, leifure, mirth, and fancy." TO MISS S. M. In the days of my courtship, To you, no lefs fragrant than tulips in May, Or the beautiful rofe-buds that fhoot forth in June, I fear that I fhall want of judgment betray, When I venture to offer a fweet-fcented, boon. A nice felling bottle! oh, what a conceit! Read the motto; what pride does a lover affume: * Printed at Harford, in New England, in 1785. Reprinted by Johnfon in 1788. 2 ART. ART. 26. The Lamentation of a Dog on the Tax, and its Confequences. Addreffed to the Right Hon. William Pitt. With Notes, by Scriblerus Secundus. 4to. Is. Symonds. 1796. A feeble attempt at humour; in which, among other whimfical things, the author, in the name of the canine fpecies, entreats that dogs may be fent to Botany Bay, to enjoy the fociety of Gerard (Gerald), Palmer, and Muir, celebrated by them who have longeft known them, for a blameless private life! &c. &c. ART. 27. Poetic Effufions, paftoral, moral, amatory, and defcriptive, by William Perfect, M. D. 12mo. 160 pp. 3s. 6d. Crosby. 1796. Thefe poems are written in the metre and manner of Shenstone's paftorals, which will always find a certain portion of admirers. They are diftinguished generally by eafe and elegance, with much ingenuity, and with confiderable pathos. DRAMATIC. ART. 28. Speculation, a Comedy, in Five Acts, as performed at the Theatre Royal Covent Garden. Written by Frederick Reynolds. 8vo. 29. Longman. 1795. The train of this fable lies among circumstances which folly and corruption have introduced into real life, to the great ease of the poet's invention. Enterprifes of fpeculation are the evil of the day. These are depicted by the familiar and fprightly pen of Mr. Reynolds, in colours which expofe them to just ridicule and cenfure. The dialogue and style are interefting; and if it could be neceffary to exemplify the merit of a drama which the public has fo warmly approved, we might, with eafe, felect a fpecimen, which would fully prove the truth of our affertions. NOVELS. ART. 29. Hannah Hewit; or, The Female Crufoe. Being the History of a Woman of uncommon, mental, and perfonal Accomplishments; who, after a variety of extraordinary and interefting Adventures, in almost every Station of Life, from fplendid Profperity to abject Adverfity, was caft away in the Grosvenor East Indiaman, and became for three Years the fole Inhabitant of an land in the South Seas. Supposed to be written by Herfelf. 3 Vol. 12mo. 10s. 6d. Dibdin. 1796. A feries of most wonderful and improbable events, very ingenioufly contrived and skilfully put together; to which we may add that the moral is a very good one. We prefume it to be the performance of Mr. Dibdin, whofe talents in another line have juftly obtained him confiderable Ꮓ BRIT. CRIT. VOL, VIII. SEPT. 1796. confiderable reputation. We doubt not that this book will have an extenfive circulation, which it certainly deferves far more than a vast majority of publications of a fimilar defcription. ART. 30. Agatha; or, A Narrative of recent Events. A Novels 3 Vol. 12mo. 9s. Dilly. 1796. A melancholy tale, but by no means ill-written. It will excite confiderable intereft in many readers, and, which is no fmall, recommendation, may be perufed by all without injury. ART. 31. Henrietta, Princess Royal of England, Daughter of King Charles I. An biftorical Novel. By the Comteffe de la Fayette. Tranflated from the French. With an elegant Portrait of the Princess Royal. Engraved by Granger. 12mo. 168 pp. 35. Allen and Weft. 1796. This is faid to be written by the grandmother of the prefent Marquis de la Fayette, and defcribes the intrigues of the court of Louis XIV. ART. 32. Auftenburn Cofile. In Two Volumes. By an unpatronized Female. 8vo. 6s. Lane. 1796. Whether the defcription of the author in the title-page be true or feigned, it is neither neceffary for us to enquire, nor perhaps eafy for us to difcover. Our duty is, to give impartial accounts of the books which come before us, whether from male or female, unknown or celebrated writers. Of these volumes, we can juftly fay, that they contain many tales of love, which may be read with fome amufement to the fancy, and without injury to morals. They are fomewhat overcharged, indeed, by melancholy and tragical incidents, which always lofe their effect by too frequent recurrence. The ftyle is fufficiently correct in point of grammar; but it is fo luxuriant, that the fun and moon are never permitted to rife, fhine, or fet, without a high-wrought defcription of each change in their appearance. The time of these events is that of the Crufade. Hiftorical novelwriters fhould confider, that the choice of fuch remote times precludes the exhibition of modern fentiments, manners, and characters, and thereby deprives their works of one great fource of intereft, inftruction and entertainment. ART. 33. Durval and Adelaide, a Novel, by Catharine Lara. 12mo. 274 pp. 3s. 6d. Ridgway. 1796. This novel faithfully preferves the unities which fuch fort of writings require. Violent love in the first act; tremendous forrows, miracles, and viciffitudes in the fecond, third and fourth; and a happy marriage in the last. DIVINITY DIVINITY. ART. 34. Thome Bennet S. T. P. Breve confilium de ftudio Præcipuarum Linguarum Orientalium, Hebrææ fcilicet, Chaldæa, Syræ, Samaritana, et Arabicæ, inftituendo et perficiendo. Iterum editum, et facrarum Literarum ftudiofis (maximè vero clericis junioribus) ardentif fimè commendatum. 8vo. 14 pp. 6d. Dilly, &c. 1795. The Hebrew Grammar of the learned Thomas Bennet, printed in the year 1728, is now fcarce, and its place may be adequately fupplied by many more recent introductions, particularly (for the pointed Hebrew) by the augmented Weftminster Grammar, lately published at Oxford by the Rev. T. A. Salmon. This fhort and very useful admonition, on the matters to be obferved, and the books to be confulted, in ftudying all the oriental languages, is reprinted from the works of Dr. Bennet,, and moft properly addreffed to the attention of the younger clergy. It certainly comprifes a great deal within a narrow compafs, and will be found an excellent manual for students. ART. 35. Certain Doctrines, teaching Duties and Devotions according to godliness. In 3 Vols. With a diftinct Preface to each, afferting the Dignity of Reafon, affifted by the Divinity of Revelation. Published by Heury Swindell, of Borrowfafh, in Derbyshire. 8vo. 662 pp. Adams, Loughborough. 1794. We are very far from defigning, in any cafe, to fpeak flightingly of books like this before us, which exhibit manifeft proofs of a fincere and fervent piety. But the task of a reviewer is two-fold; firft, to fet forth the purpose and tendency of a work; and then to fay, whether, and in what refpects, the purpose feems to be well or ill-executed. The former part of this task, in the prefent cafe, is eafy and pleafant to us; for, in this refpect, every thing that is favourable may be faid most truly. To recall the wandering attention of men to their eternal concerns, and to affift them, in all their various fituations and circumftances, in exercifes of piety and devotion, is the evident defign and endeavour of the refpectable author of this compilation. But, that he has executed this defign with great felicity of judgment, is more than we can venture to declare. There is an uncommon laxity and diffufenefs of thought, redundancy of expreffion, and reiteration of the fame fentiments, in every part of this work; which would have been more aptly entitled--Meditations and Prayers on a great variety of Subjects and Occafions. The prefaces, which are short, contain nothing remarkable. ART. 36. The great Sin of with-holding Corn; and the Duties of all Men in Times of Scarcity: Two Difcourfes, delivered in the Chapel of the Alylum for female Orphans, on Sunday the 8th, and Sunday the 15th of November, 1795. By the Reverend Septimus Hadfon, M. B. Rector of Thraffton, Chaplain of the Afylum, and Chaplain in Ordinary to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. 8vo. 16 pp. 65. Martin and Bain. 1795. Though the immediate caufe for thefe difcourfes is, by the great goodnefs of Providence, amply done away; yet, by attending to the admonitions here given, all that was artificial in the late fcarcity, would, in future, be prevented: and, in that fenfe, they may be useful in all feafons. ART. 37. The Church-Man's Answer to the Proteftant Diffenter's Catechifm: being an Attempt to vindicate the Hierarchy, Difcipline, and Ceremonies of the Established Church of England, against the Reflections thrown upon them in that Work. By the Rev. H. Smith, D. D. Reader of the Temple, and Chaplain to the Moft Noble the Marquifs of Dorbire. 12mo.. 128 pp. 1s. 6d. Rivingtons. 1795 That an inftitution calculated for general utility fhould be obnoxious to the cavils of a part of the community, fhould neither be confidered as a fubject of furprife, or even of regret. The national ettablishment of the English church has, probably, acquired a larger fhare of credit and efteem, with the different perfuafions of religious opinion, than any iuftitution of a fimilar nature. The chaftnefs of its fervice, the foundness of its doctrines, and the tolerance of its principles, have been fubjects of juft and general eulogium. Yet against this eftablifhment adverfaries have arifen, who feem to have confidered it effential to the vindication of their own diffent, to demonftrate the guilt of conformity in others. Of this defcription is the author of the Proteftant Diflenter's Catechifm; a tract abounding in mifreprefentation and invective, and calculated to throw a fpecious colouring over the cause of defection from the national church. To this tract no full and fpecific reply had hitherto appeared; and, as it must be confefled that the frength of our religious antagonists is accumulated in that fubtle pamphlet, refpect for the honour of our excellent establishment might feeni to demand, that fuch an attack upon her ceremonies and inftitutes should not be treated with filence and neglect. Such were the fentiments which appear to have induced the ingenious author of the prefent tract to awaken the dormant controverfy; and we have rarely perused a treatife which more perfectly fulfills its profeffed defign. Dr. Smith extracts the leading points objected in the Diffenter's Catechifm, and follows his adverfary, ftep by step, through all the charges on which he infifts. To each of thefe the doctor replies with a degree of ftrength, propriety, and fhrewdness that leaves the reader divided between contempt for the objection, and respect for the defence. Few tracts, of fuch a nature, deferve better of the public than this production of Dr. Smith. It is written with a clear comprehenfion of |