mencement and continuance, the method of reducing them one to another, and all of them to the years before and after the coming of Jefus Chrift, and an eafy and familiar explanation of the feveral uses of these computations, in affigning the precife date of important events, and the advantages arifing from fuch difcoveries, in a variety of inftances. From hence it is made very apparent, that these are so far from being abftrufe and idle curiofities, that, on the contrary, they are of the utmost utility, and that nothing in hiftory can be known with any degree of certainty without them, or the remains of antiquity, which are the fureft guides, be applied to illuftrate or correct the facts tranfmitted to us by antient Authors. The second part is a fort of Palæography, exhibiting to the eye the forms of the antient letters in all languages; together with the contractions and the notations met with on antient coins and marbles, fo as to render antique infcriptions in general eafily read, and perfectly understood. This learned treatise has been exceedingly well received in Italy, where the study of antiquities has long prevailed, and where it still prevails as much as ever. It will notwithstanding be very acceptable in other countries, where many of the Literati bend their thoughts the fame way; and though they have not equal opportunities of viewing and improving themselves, by contemplating the fplendid ruins of antient magnificence, yet are they not altogether deftitute of fuch precious relics, or incurious about them, as is evident from the collections and discourses of feveral of our learned countrymen, whofe writings, even on thefe fubjects, have been defervedly admired by the Italians themfelves. Saggio fopra la Filofophia degli antichi Etrufchi, Differtatione rico-critica: di Gio Maria Lampredi. That is, An Effay on the Philofophy of the antient Etrufcans, an historical and critical differtation, by John Mary Lampredi. Florence, printed by Andrew Bonducci, 1756. 4to. This is confidered as a very scientific, as well as laborious performance, calculated to give fome competent idea of the old Tuscan Philosophy, fo highly revered, and fo much celebrated by the ableft Writers of Antiquity. Mr. Lampredi divides hist fubject into feveral heads, viz. Natural Theology, Cofmogony, Ceraunoscopy, i. e. the judgments to be formed from thunder and lightning, Phyfic, Botany, Mechanics, and Politics. He has with great care collected, and with great accuracy ranged under each head, every paffage that is to be met with in either Greek or Latin Authors, and thereby faved other learned men an an infinite deal of trouble, and at the fame time raised a trophy to the honour of his country, and placed a very dark and per plexed fubject in a better point of light, than that in which, it has hitherto ftood. C MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For SEPTEMBER, 1758. POLITICAL. Art. 1. Things fet in a proper Light. Being a full answer to d T 8vo. HE unwary Reader may conclude from the title, that this is an answer to, and refutation of, Things as they are. But it is in fact a wretched performance, without any meaning. From the ridiculous puff in the title-page, and the infipid compliments paid to the Author of Things as they are, one might fufpect that noble Author, or fome of his friends, to have dreffed up this notable An fwer. Such bafe practices, and fuch vile productions, do vaft difcredit to Literature. They deter men of learning and judgment from looking into any fugitive pieces; by which means many ingenious and ufeful treatifes efcape the notice, and lofe the encouragement, due to their merit. We cannot fufficiently deteft the mean and fhameless fcribblers who throng about the press, and have made the name of Author fo difreputable, that men of fpirit are ashamed of the character, however refpectable in itself. R-d Art. 2. An Efay on Monopolies; or, Reflections upon the Frauds and Abufes practifed by wholefale Dealers in Corn and Flour. 8vo. 6d. Dodfley. This pamphlet contains few reflections but what have already been more amply enlarged upon. The Author particularly inveighs against the ufe of bolting mills, and attributes many abufes to the introduction of those engines. R-d Art. 3. The Political Touch-flone: or, a New Whet for Patriotifm. Humbly infcribed to the Right Hon. William Pitt, Efq; 8vo. Is. Coote. For what reason this pamphlet is entitled the Touch-flone, we are at a lofs to conjecture. The Author, however, had a right to call it any ftone but a whet ftone. That would have been a palpable mifno mer. He cannot say with Horace, Fungar vice cotis: for instead of fharpening, he has the faculty of making every thing dull. In our opinion, this piece had been more properly chriftened the Rollingflone, for it makes every thing flat, by the preffure of its own dead weight. What is to be tried by this Touch-ftone, non-conftat. If the Author's wit is to be proved by this teft, it will appear to be made up of a base compound, which he endeavours to palm upon the Public for true Attic. POETICA L. R-d Art. 4. Madrigal and Trulletta. A Mock-Tragedy. Acted under the direction of Mr. Cibber, at the Theatre-Royal in Covent-Garden. With notes by the Author, Dr. Humbug, Critic and Cenfor-General. By J. Reed. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Reeve. Mr Reed, it feems, is a tradefman, a rope-maker. This circumftance does him credit as an Author; as many who are Writers by profeffion, are, beyond all comparison, inferior to him in merit. He feems to have read the productions of the British Theatre with good tafte; and he has here fo humouroufly parodied, and applied, a variety of bombaftic paffages, in the writings of fome of our moft eminent Authors, that it is impoffible to perufe his comic fcenes, without sharing in the diverfion which this facetious performance must have afforded its merry Author in the writing. We remember another piece nearlyof the fame kind, and nearly of the fame degree of merit, publifhed a few years ago, entitled, Diftrefs upon Diftrefs; or, Tragedy in True Tafe. By George Alexander Stevens, a Player. Art. 5. A New Birth-day Ode for 1758, as it was prefented to his Royal Highness George-William-Frederic, Prince of Wales. By the Author of, Mattins; or, an Univerfal Hymn to the Great Creator. A Pindaric Ode, now on Subfcription, and which will speedily be published. Folio, 6d. Cooper. This feems to be the crazy work of fome unhappy ftudent, prema turely difmiffed from the college in Moorfields. It is hard to determine which are the most apt to conceit themselves poets, the madmen, or the fools. The prefs feems equally obliged to both; but the Reviewers are very little obliged to either. Art. 6. Truth, a Vifion; infcribed to the Prince of Wales, on his Birth day, June 4, 1758. By John Lockman. Folio, 6d. DodЛley. As Mr. Lockman's poetical talents are very well known to the Public, and as this vifion is wrote very nearly to the standard of his other productions, we think it unneceffary to enter upon the particular me rits of this little piece. Art. Art. 7. The British Genius revived by Success. A Poem. Humbly addreffed to his Royal Highness Prince Edward. By Mr. Howard. Folio. 6d. Hope. ་ Thefe complimentary Verfes were published before our troops were repulfed at the Bay of St. Cas. If Mr. Howard fings again this year, we hope he will have no worse occafion to change his Notes to Tragic. MISCELLANEOUS. Art. 8. A fhort Addrefs to the Society of New College, in Oxford, accafioned by a paragraph in a late Dedication. 8vo. 6d. Staples, This relates to a College-difpute, concerning the election of a Warden of Winchester, and feems intended as a fneer on Dr. L-'s dedicatorial compliment to his Patron. As the controverfy is local, and the allufions obfcure, our Readers will not expect a more particular account. R-d See the Dedication prefixed to his Life of William of Wykeham, Art. 9. A Letter to the Rev. Dr. Lowth, Prebendary of Durbam, in vindication of the conduct of the Fellows of New College, in Oxford, in their late election of a Warden of Winchefter. 8vo. I s. Baldwin. This is upon the fame fubject with the foregoing; but the point in difpute is more clearly explained, and copioufly treated. The Warden of Winchester,' fays the Writer, is to be elected either from ⚫among the Fellows of New College, or from thole of Winchefter, or fuch as have been Fellows of either College, & licita de caufâ et honefta recefferunt, i. e. have left their fellowship upon some jutt and honeft occafion. Recedere a focietate Collegii, i. e. a flatu et condi⚫tione focii, is, in a ftatutable sense, recedere a Collegio. Thus has it ⚫ been invariably understood for above three centuries; and accord⚫ing to this fenfe, the Warden of New College hath ever been looked upon to be as eligible to the Headship of Winton, as any ⚫ other perfon. But the Vifitor, upon a late prefentation, was pleased to reject ⚫ Dr. Purnell, under a new-discovered interpretation, that he was not eligible by the ftatute. Upon this point his Lordship argued thus: The Warden is to be elected as before specified; but Dr. Purnell is ⚫ not a Fellow of New College, neither is he a Fellow of Winchef. ter, nor can he be faid to have left the College, fo long as he con⚫tinues within its walls, and prefides over it; and therefore is not eligible to the headship of Winton. Upon this new construction, without ever previously acquainting the Society with it, he claims a ⚫ devolution, fets afide Dr. Purnell, and, by his own authority, fub• ftitutes Mr. Golding in his room. · This decifion Dr. Lowth, in his Dedication of his Life of William of Wykeham, to the Bishop of Winchefter, hath been pleased. to compliment as wholly difinterested, and perfectly upright. On ⚫ what principles he hath done fo, the Author of the following Addrefs 7 dress thinks proper to enquire; and, as the Doctor hath affured bis Reader, that be hath been careful to affirm nothing pofitively, without fufficient warrant, it is to be expected that his reafons and autho⚫rities for this avowed approbation of the Bishop's conduct will, ́in ⚫ juftice to the Society of New College, be fubmitted to the judgment ' of the Public.' The Writer's Addrefs to Dr. Lowth, is genteel, and at the fame. time fpirited and farcaftic. He has critically examined the Doctor's conduct, and has likewife thrown out fome fevere animadverfions on the behaviour of his friend, Mr. Golding. Upon the whole, this treatise, as a piece of compofition, is worthy of a member of that learned feminary. The arguments are clofe, and well connected; and the ftile is manly and correct. But as the difpute is, in fome degree, of a private nature, in which few of our Readers can be interested, we fhall not fwell our article by entering into the merits of this controverfy. R-d Art. 9. A congratulatory Letter to the People of England; illuftrating the plan executed against Cape Breton. 8vo. 6d. Thrush. Rubbish. Art. 10. A Series of above Two Hundred Anglo-Gallic, or Nor man and Aquitain Coins of the antient Kings of England; exhibited in fixteen copper-plates, and illuftrated in twelve letters,, addreffed to the Society of Antiquaries in London, and feveral of its members. By Andrew Coltee Ducarel, L. L. D. and F. S. A. To which is added, a Map of the Antient Dominions of the Kings of England in France, with fome adjacent Countries. 4to. 15s. Withers. In the first of thefe letters, Dr. Ducarel thus unfolds the purport of his undertaking. My defign,' fays he, has been to explain and illuftrate, as far as I am able, the Anglo-Gallic coins ftruck in France, from the reign of William the Norman, to that of King ⚫ Henry VII. and thereby enable the curious collectors to enrich their ⚫ cabinets hereafter with fuch of them as relate to the antient hiftory of this Kingdom.' It is no more than juftice to fay, that our Author has evinced both industry and fagacity in the execution of his defign. Such as are not profeffed Antiquarians, may, perhaps, be inclined to ask, to what good purpose has all this industry and fagacity been employed?-But though. we may not apprehend ourselves obliged to give a precife anfwer to this question, let us, with Mr. Pope, be permitted to express our hope that the time will come when, Britain, confcious of her claim, Pore. L Art. |