ART. XII. Supplement to the Antiquities of England and Wales. By Francis Grofe, Efq. 4to. Vol. I. containing 20 Numbers, at 3s. each. Hooper. 1785. WE E have frequently * had occafion to commend the elegant and accurate works of Mr. Grofe, and we are happy in being able to lay before our readers a continuation of, or as the Author ftyles it, a fupplement to, the beautiful and valuable work, of which we gave an account in our 49th, 52d, and 55 h volumes. In the advertisement, prefixed to this Supplement, our Author fays, on the completion of my fourth volume of the Antiquities of England and Wales, I proposed to have taken leave of the Public, and to have laid down my pen and pencil, for the reafon mentioned in the preface to that volume, namely, left a further continuation might have betrayed the original encouragers of the work into a greater expence than they at first expected, or intended. This reafon, cogent as it feemed to me, has not by the majority of the purchasers been deemed fufficient, and ever fince the laft publication I have been flattered with repeated folicitations from a great number of respectable perfons, all requiring an extenfion of the work. In answer to my fcruples, they have given it as their opinions, that as the book has been regularly clofed, a fupplement will not fubject the original encouragers to the inconveniences I apprehended. This, with my own fondnefs for the fubject, has induced me to refume my labours, and I will promife the purchafers that all the plates fhall be executed in a manner at least equal to the best in the former volumes.' Mr. Grofe has faithfully fulfilled this promife, for in our opinion these plates are executed in a manner truly excellent. The very learned and curious preface which we have so much applauded, has many additions made to it, containing not only explanations and illuftrations of the subjects there difcuffed, but much new and original matter, that cannot fail of being highly acceptable to the lovers of English antiquities. Among the views and defcriptions given in this fupplement, the following have more immediately attracted our notice :-Beverftone Caftle, Gloucefterfhire, the property of the family of Sir Michael Hicks.-Warblington Caftle, Hampshire.-Charlcombe Church, Somerfetfhire.-The infide of Bodyham Caftle, Suffex, whofe mouldering towers and rugged walls, beautifully mantled with ivy, afford a moft picturefque fubject for the pencil.-Ipres Tower at Rye in Suffex.-The great Hall in the palace of Mayfield, Suffex.-Two plates of Michelham Priory, Vid. Monthly Review, Vol. xlix. 378. lii. 233. Iv. 199 & 203. Ixxi. 299. lxxii. 373. +5 Suffex. Suffex.-Shelbred Priory, Suffex: we have here a curious fpecimen of monkifh wit, making different animals bear teftimony of the birth of Chrift; uppermoft ftands a cock in the act of crowing, from whofe beak is a label with these words, Chriftus natus eft-next a duck, quando quando-from a raven, in hac nocte -a cow, ubi ubi-and laftly, a lamb who bleats out Beth-lam. From a poftfcript we learn, that Mr. Grafe is continuing his ufeful labours, and that the Public may expect a second volume of this fupplement, which is publishing with all convenient speed, and with which we are forry to hear, the work will finally close. ART. XIII. The Works of Arthur Murphy, Efq. 8vo. 7 Vols. 11. 15s. Boards. Cadell. 1786. MR R. Murphy's literary character cannot receive much additional luftre from any applause that we could bestow on his works. The Public have long been entertained with them; and their ingenious Author hath, for many years, been happy in the enjoyment of that general approbation fo justly due to his merit. The prefent collection comprehends all that the Author has written, or, as he fays in his Preface, all that he would now be answerable for, except an Essay on the Life and Genius of Henry Fielding, and a tranflation of Marmontel's Belifarius + Moft of the pieces which are here offered to the Public have, already, at different times, made their appearance: such of them as we have formerly noticed, we shall now barely enumerate; paying, as we proceed, fomewhat more attention to those productions of Mr. Murphy's pen, which have never before been published. The first volume contains The ORPHAN OF CHINA: we gave an account of this tragedy in our 20th volume, page 575.ZENOBIA: see our Review, vol. xxxviii. 244. 579. The GRECIAN DAUGHTER; vol. xlvi. p. 259: and ALZUMA; vol. xlviii. p. 212. The fecond volume contains, The APPRENTICE: fee Rev. vol. xiv. p. 78. The UPHOLSTERER : vol. xviii. 415. The OLD MAID: xxv. 473. The CITIZEN: xxviii. 166. No MAN'S ENEMY BUT HIS OWN: XXX. 70. THREE WEEKS AFTER MARRIAGE: liv. 414. In the third volume we have THE WAY TO KEEP HIM : xxiv. 158. ALL IN THE WRONG: XXV. 472. THe Desert ISLAND: xxii. 135. For an account of this work, fee Rev. vol. xxvi. p. 364. Bb 2 Vol. Vol. IV. KNOW YOUR OWN MIND: lviii. 435. THE SCHOOL FOR GUARDIANS: Xxxvi. 71. THE CHOICE, a Comedy (written for Mrs. Yates, and acted on her benefit night, at Drury-Lane, in March 1764); in which the characters are well drawn, and the ftyle is animated by the ufual spirit of its Author. This volume concludes with NEWS FROM PARNASSUS; an introductory piece, performed at the opening of Covent Garden theatre, Sept. 23, 1776. It is a lively fatire on critics, players, bookfellers, &c. The 5th and 6th volume contain the Gray's-Inn Journal, a weekly publication begun in 1752 and continued for two years. In this edition Mr. Murphy has made great retrenchments. Many things were merely fuited to the day. All fuch he has judiciously difcarded, and retained only as much as might fhew the general plan. Among these papers the Reader will find many ingenious effays on various fubjects. The work, being fimilar to the Spectator, Tatler, &c. affords ample fcope to a man of genius, for the difplay of his abilities: and in his imitation of those admired models Mr. Murphy has happily succeeded. He has given a true picture of the times, and agreeably ridiculed the prevailing follies of the age. His criticisms, abounding with learning and judgment, evince the Author's tafte for polite literature, and fufficiently demonftrate that he has not facrificed to the Mufes in vain and the morality which he everywhere inculcates, proves the great regard that he conftantly pays to virtue and good manners. The feventh volume contains a POETIC EPISTLE TO DR. JOHNSON: fee Review, vol. xxiii. p. 412. THE EXPOSTULATION, a Satire; first published in 1761. We find no account of this piece in our Review; unlels The Examiner, a Satire, be the fame production, with a different title: fee Rev. for Nov. 1761, p. 398. We imagine that the Expoftulation, and the Examiner, are one and the fame fatire: the objects of which were Churchill, Lloyd, and other literary characters, with whom our Author was at that time engaged in a paper war.-The other pieces, in this volume are a collection of PROLOGUES and EPILOGUES. THE GAME OF CHESS, a Poem, tranflated from the SCACCHIA LUDUS of Vida. The original of Vida who (to ufe Mr. M.'s words) has given to a game of chefs all the grandeur of a battle in Homer or Virgil,' has been univerfally admired. The fecond Canto, which defcribes the beginning of the Game, is fo fraught with poetic fancy, that we will felect a part of it, in order to give our Readers an idea of the poem itself, as well as of the merits of the tranflation.-The board and men, being placed, Apollo and Mercury are fuppofed to play the game, by directing two contending armies: V Th' immortals take their feats; around them ftand Of leffer deities a duteous band. The white battalions to Apollo's fway Submit; and Mercury the Moors obey. By lot they try, which ftate fhall claim the right, The foot, who fall whole hecatombs of war; Vulnera, nequicquam: neque enim vis ulla nocendi eft Hinc atque hinc fubeunt, late et leca milite complent, Nec mora, furgit eques bellator lævis utrinque, Et mediis hinc inde infultant cætibus ambo, Quod nequeant revocare gradum: fonat ungula campo The next piece, in Vol. VII. is a Latin translation of Pope's Fit murmur, tractimque fonant ftridoribus agri Libratur fallax interdum gratia vincit, Around thefe wonders as I caft a look, Or fettling, feize the sweets that bloffoms yield, The poor, the rich, the valiant, and the fage, Their pleas were different, their requests the fame ; Haud Some |