Meek Eclogues murmur, ftrangled in the birth; ART. XV. Peter and fop. A St. Giles's Eclogue. 4to. Pp. 38, 2s. 6d. Murray and Highley. London. 1800, ANOTHER fatirical work on the fame fubject, but much inferior to the former. The author has overloaded his poem with tedious notes. There is a ftrange inconfiftency in his preface and his form. In the foriner, fpeaking of Peter and his opponent, he fays, "to their talents, of which no man can think more favourably than I do, I am ready to do homage ;" yet the whole tendency of the poem is to reproach both as characters deferving nothing but public indignation or contempt. The author's chief purpose, however, seems to be to brand the character of a Barrifter whom he calls SCURRA. He intimates, in the Preface, that this character is intended to reprefent a general affemblage of the bad properties of a fpecies of fcurrilous men, but the particular manner in which Scurra is mentioned in the poem plainly denotes fome individual Barrifter. We shall not prefume to form any conjectures upon the occafion, either as to the individual thus defignated, or as to the motives which have produced what, in this refpect, feems the offering of perfonal refentment, ART. XVI. The Parish Prieft. A Poem. 4to. PP. 48. 55. Black. 1800. HE laudable purpofe for which this poem was written must her from being rigid in the examination of its merits. It is avowedly a translation, with alterations, of a Latin poem entitled SACERDOS PARŒCIALIS RUSTICUS, written by the Rev. JOHN BURTON, Vicar of Maplederham, and printed at Oxford in 1757. The prefent work is dedicated to Sir JAMES LAKE, a worthy and accomplished Baronet; and the dedication is figned DAWSON WARREN. As the name of the tranflator does not appear in the title-page we know not how we are to defignate the author, but prefume that he belongs to the Church, What juftice he has rendered to the original, or what may be the merits of the additions he has made, we cannot tell, as we know no thing of that original. The poem before us does not poffefs much of the mufe's fire; but the verification is, in general, fmooth, and the duties of the Parish Prieft are described with fimplicity and correct. nefs. One of the motives affigned for this work is to rescue the Priest from the derifion of fcoffers; but the poem itfelf mentions the respectful manner in which he is treated by the people who witness his pious duties, and therefore this motive does not feem to be well. founded. We thall felect the paffage, which reprefents the happiness of retirement, and that which describes the tranquil end of the Parish Pricft, as fpecimens of the author's poetical talents. "How happy he, who through the vale of life, Yet while to loftieft hopes his thoughts afcend, Earneft his facred mifion to fulfill, And teach to fallen man his Master's will. "As when o'erloaded with the golden grain, No apprehenfive dread invades his breaft; Till time with gentle hand concludes the scene; Šinks in the Weft and ends à Summer day." This poem is embellished with a frontispiece, exhibiting the Prieft going through the church-yard to perform his facred functions, and the refpectful greetings of his ruftic flock, engraved by HEATH, and ! a vignette, reprefenting Edmonton Church, in its ancient ftate, engraved by BONNER. Both of thefe prints; but particularly the latter, are creditable to the refpective artifts. THE DRAMA. ART. XVII. Ramah Droog: a Comic Opera, in three Acts. IT T cannot be expected that we should enter into a critical analyfis of dramatic compofitions that are written with a total difregard of all critical rules; and merely to profit by the depraved taste of the day. When we inform our readers that one of the chief events, in the comic opera before us, arifes from the transformation of an Irish ferz jeant, into a pretended phyfician, and that he relieves a RAJAH from the effects of intoxication by a potatoe, we conceive that they will be fully fatisfied with us for detailing its dramatic merits. Mr. Cobb, the author of this farrago, is faid to be a refpectable man, and he poffeffes talents, according to report, that would enable him to produce fomething better. We are, therefore, forry to fee fuch men facrifice to the degraded tafte of the million, at a time when fen of abilities fhould endeavour to raise the stage from its present degenerate devotion to extravagant buffoonery or empty fing-fong. ÁRT. XVIII. The Jew and the Doctor: a Farce, in javo Atts. As performed at the Theatre-Royal, Covent Garden. By Thomas Dibdin. 8vo. Pr. 32. 1s. Longman and Rees. 1800. THE praife of this piece, like Mr. Cumberland's comedy of THE JEW, feems to leffon the prejudice with which the Mofaic tribes are generally confidered by all ranks of fociety. The intention is Hudable, and we should be glad if the general conduct of those tribes juftified the attempt. There is fome whim in the piece, but it is full of forced jokes. Indeed it seems as if the author had been long employed in collecting a mafs of common-place jefts in order to give them to the public in a dramatic form. But poor as this piece is, deferves more fupport than the levelling morality and shining cant of the German drama, which threaten more mischief to the British ftage, than all the folly and extravagance of our native writers, defpicable as they, most of them, are when compared with their predeceffors. ART. XIX. The Seige of Cuzco: A Tragedy, in five Ads. By William Sotheby, F. R. S. and A. S. S. 8vo. PP. 112. 2s. Wright. London. 1800. THE learning and poetical talents of Mr. SOTHEBY, and the direction of thofe talents, have procured him a juft eftimation in literary and patriotic circles. We do not think, however, that his abilities are particularly inclined towards dramatic compofition. This tragedy feems written in emulation of the far-famed Pizarro, and though we are by no means admirers of Kotzebue, we cannot think that Mr. Sotheby's work is to be compared with his in intereft, vigour, and variety. Mr. Sotheby has precluded himfelf from the plea of greater adherence to historical truth than the German dramatist, as the events in the fiege of Cuzco, though founded on an hiftorical bafis, are confeffedly fictitious. The conteft between Pizarro and Almagro is the bafis which the author, according to his own declaration, has chofen; but that conteft, which would have afforded good fcope for agitations and interest, arifing from alternate fuccefs and miscarriage on both fides, by no means forms a confiderable feature in this tragedy. The character of Pizarro is not drawn with much force or discrimination. Mr. Sotheby tells us that though his Peruvian perfonages are fictitious, he has endeavoured in their chief, Zamorin, to exemplify his own conception of the Peruvian character. We cannot, however, find any thing peculiar in the character of Zamorin. He is attached to his country and its inftitutions, and he is willing even to facrifice the deareft domestic ties on the altar of patriotifm; but this is an Roman trait, and by no means fo appropriate to Peruvian public fpirit and loyalty, as to give us a diftinct idea of those Peruvian virtues. If this character be intended as a rival of Rolla, the author has failed, for though we allow the romantic extravagance of old ROLLA, in being anxious to promote the happiness of his Cora, even at the expence of his own moft ardent defires, yet there is a ftriking fpirit of noble gallantry in the character that places him above Zamorin. The Siege of Cuzco is defective in incident and pathos, nor are there any of those furprizes, or that artifice of sufpence, which are calculated to arreft the affections and stimulate the imagination. Some of the lines are very rugged and unmetrical, fuch as "That ceafed from tears when he came; and the orphan 1 child, Who knew but him on earth, and at his prefence, Lifp'd the new name of father." "Down the ftrange bridge that floped its arch to the wave.” "Of innocent blood, fpilt upon earth, calls down," &c. The The following thought is obviously derived from SHAKSPEARE "What would you have? your gentleness shall force, As you like it. Entertaining a serious refpect for the literary attainments and genius of Mr. Sotheby, we regret the neceffity of giving fo unfa vourable an opinion of his dramatic labours. DIVINITY. ART. XX. Obfervations in Behalf of the Methodists, on a Pamph let lately published by the Rev. R. Polwbele, Vicar of Manaccan, Cornwall, entitled "Anecdotes of Metbodifm." By Samuel Drew, St. Auftle, Cornwall. 8vo. ftitched. PP. 70. Price 1s. Hurst. London. 1800. THIS HIS Mr. Samuel Drew, we understand, is the fhoemaker of St. Auftle, whose answer to Paine reflects so much credit on his talents. We are forry, that the pamphlet before us moft imperiously urges us to apply to Mr. Drew, a maxim drawn from an accurate obfervation of the human heart-that genius, in vulgar life, is too commonly the parent of prefumption.' For after hav ing perufed this daring defence of the fanaticifm and wild irregu larities of the Methodists, replete as it is with the most fcurrilous abuse of Mr. Polwhele, we hesitate not to class Mr. Drew (more on account of his audacity than his genius) with the Paines, and the Wolftonecrafts, and the Yearfeleys of the age. They, it is true, were enemies to Chriftianity, whilft Mr. Drew ftood forth its friend and champion: but, if this man be as found as he is fanguine, the moment will foon, perhaps, arrive, when he will affent to our po fition, that diffidence and modefty are lefs injurious to the cause of truth, than overweening conceit and vain glory. In defending his fraternity against Mr. Polwhele, Mr. D. ought, affuredly, to have kept in view the profeffional character of the perfon whom he was addreffing; and to have checked himself, when disposed to be abufive. But Mr. D. will fay, "Mr. P's. attack upon us was wanton and unprovoked; and, therefore, Mr. P. deferved no quarter." Admitting that it was wanton and unprovoked (though the reverse be to us very evident) does not the Gofpel, of which D. pretends to be an enlightened interpreter, admonish us not to render evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwife blefling"" What shall we fay to these expreffions, and others, fcattered over Drew's Pamphlet? "An artifice peculiarly his own"-" the unaccountable ignorance of the man"-" deep-rooted malignity"— " indecency and equivocation"-" lying wonders or wondrous lies -" apoftacy"—"a magiftrate or a broomstick"-" infanity"— "envy, hatred, malice, and uncharitablenefs"-" abominable falfhoods"-" this bydra of a lie"-" a daring piece of impudence and hypocrify"-" effrontery of conduct"-"confummate ignorance." FA 66 Thus |