tire fatisfaction of every impartial and competent judge of the fubjects in difpute. Art. 17. Suplément au Miniftere de Mr. Pitt, avec une Récapitulation exacte de toutes les Démarches de ce fage Politique depuis le 5 Septembre 1761, qu'il quitta le Ministére, jufqu' au 30 Juillet 1766, qu'il a etè créè Comte de Chatham, et garde de Sceau privé d'Angleterre, contenante un espace de prés de cinq ans : par le Colonel Chevalier Champigny. A' Cologne, &c. [That is] Supplement to the Miniftry of Mr. Pitt, with an exa Recapitulation of the entire Conduct of that fage Politician from the 5th of September 1761, when he quitted the Ministry, to the 30th of July 1766, when he was created Earl of Chatham, &c. By the Chevalier Colonel Champigny. 8vo. 6 s. Williams. As this performance confifts almost entirely of tranflations from our own language, and a recapitulation of facts with which most Englishmen are well acquainted, it were unneceffary to fpeak particularly of its contents. In juftice to the Author however, we cannot help obferving, that, in general, he has rendered more than juftice to the pieces he has tranflated, and that his language is throughout correct and elegant. MEDICA L. Art. 18. The Lady's Phyfician; a practical Treatife on the various Disorders incident to the fair Sex, with proper Directions for the Cure thereof. Written originally in French, by M. Tiffot, M. D. Tranflated by an eminent Phyfician. 8vo. Pridden. IS. Whether this be really a tranflation from M. Tiffot or not, and how eminent foever may be the tranflator, we pronounce it, without the leaft helitation, to be a mere catch-penny. THEATRICAL. Art. 19. The Country Girl; a Comedy; altered from Wycherly: as it is acted at the Theatre Royal in Drury-Lane. 8vo. Becket. Is. 6d. As it is but feldom that we can deem fuch of our new theatrical pieces as have any pretenfion to the name of Original productions, to be wor thy of more diftinction in our Journal, than a place in the Monthly Catalogue; the unknown Alterer, therefore, of one of Wycherly's plays, will not take it ill, if we use the fame freedom with the present publication-of which we shall fay nothing more, but leave the Editor to fpeak for himself, in the following extract of his preliminary advertisement : The defire, fays he, of fhewing Mifs Reynolds to advantage, was the fift motive for attempting an alteration of Wycherly's Country Wife. Though near half of the following play is new written, the This title is not new: Antony Brewer, a dramatic author, of confiderable eminence, and cotemporary with Wycherly, wrote a comedy called The Country Girl; which the author of the Companion to the Play-houfe tells us, was often acted with applaufe. Alterer Alterer claims no merit, but his endeavour to clear one of our moft celebrated comedies from immorality and obscenity. He thought himself bound to preserve as much of the original, as could be prefented to an audience of these times without offence; and if this Wanton of Charles's days is now fo reclaimed, as to become innocent without being infipid, the prefent editor will not think his time ill employed, which has enabled him to add fome little variety to the entertainments of the public. There feems indeed an abfolute neceffity for reforming many plays of our moft eminent writers: For no kind of wit ought to be received as an excufe for immorality, nay it becomes fill more dangerous in proportion as it is more witty-Without fuch a reformation, our Englifh comedies must be reduced to a very small number, and would pall by a too frequent repetition, or what is worse, continue fhameless in fpite of public disapprobation.' The revifing and correcting moft of our old acting comedies, would certainly be very laudable; as there is too much licentioufness in alu oft every one of them: but great care and fkill would be required in ufing the liberty of altering them, left the manly vigor, and sterling wit of their original authors, be too much impaired or allayed. Were the rage of reformation, rather than its true and liberal fpirit to prevail, there would be the utmost cause to fear, that we fhould proceed as erroneously as Jack did, in the Tale of a Tub, and entirely demolish the coat, in rending away its frippery ornaments. Art. 20. The Cunning Man, a Mufical Entertainment, in Two Taken, with fome alterations, from Rouffeau's Devin du Village; which has been fo highly applauded at Paris. As a literary performance, it is but a trifling paftoral entertainment; but as a musical compofition, it is neither anworthy of its original author, nor of the gentleman who has taken the pains to introduce it on the English theatre. MISCELLANEOUS. Art. 21. A Letter from M. de Voltaire to Mr. Hume; on his difpute with M. Rouffeau. Tranflated from the French. 8vo. 6d. Bladon. Mr. Rouffeau having thought fit to rank Mr. Voltaire among the number of his enemies and calumniators, the latter, to prove the injustice of the charge, abufes and ridicules poor Rouffeau, moft unmercifully, in this letter to Mr. Hume. It is really cruel, and ungenerous, in the highest degree, thus wantonly to attack, and wound, and mangle, a man whofe feelings are fo extremely acute, and who is fo apt to fmart and agonize at every pore! It may be sport to Mr. V. but it would be no dishonour to his character if it had been a little tinctured with the delicacy and fenfibility of the Swifs philofopher, whom he fo much affects to defpife! Art. 22. The Charter granted the Tenth Year of King William III. to the Eaft-India Company of England, 1698. 4to. Is. 6d. London printed in 1766. Sold by D. Wilfon. All that is requifite for us to fay, relating to this publication, is, that it appears to be an authentic copy of the charter. 4 POETICAL. POETICA L. Art. 23. E--l of Ch----m's Apology, a Poem. 4to. is. Almon. Sir William Pynfent's ghoft has appeared a fecond time to his adopted heir, in order to be-rhyme and Billingsgate him, for becoming a lord. The ghoft really makes very paffable verfes; though we think none of them proper for an extract in this place. * See the article here alluded to, in the poetical division of our last month's Catalogue. Art. 24. Odes dedicated to the Honourable Charles Yorke, Efq. By Robert Andrews, Author of the English Virgil dedicated to the Honourable Booth Grey, Efq. 4to. 1s. 6d. Printed by Baskerville, and fold by Johnfon and Co. Robert Andrews is really the most out-of the-way genius we ever met with. After the paltoral mufe had thrown pears at his pate for his English Virgil (fee Rev. Vol. XXXIV. F. 405.) he was fill fo daring as to infult the lady of the lyre, in fuch odes as -eye hath not seen, nor ear heard. Eafe, harmony and imagery, the established characteristics of lyric compofitions, are nothing to Robert Andrews. He mounts his Pegafus, darts through the clouds, dafhes down the ftars, kicks out the.. fun, and crushes the moon into a cream cheese. What has not that wicked Baskerville to answer for, who, by the beauty of his filver types, has allured poor Robert to make all this elementary mischief! NOVEL S. Art. 25. The Hiftory of Mifs Harriot Fitzroy, and Miss Emilia Spencer. By the Author of Lucinda Courtney. 8vo. 2 Vols. 6s. Noble. Pretty tittle tat:le for the amufement of Mifs Polly, while Monfieur is preparing her Parifian wig, and quite as proper furniture for the infide as that is for the outfide of her head. However, to do this Novelist juftice, we must own that she appears to be one of Mr. Noble's very best hands. SERMONS. I. The Form of Sound Words to be held faft.-A Charge delivered Oct. 2, 1766, at the Ordination of the Rev. Mr. John Reynold, to be Paftor of a Church of Chrift meeting near Cripplegate, and publifhed at the Requeft of the Church, &c. By John Gill, D. D. Keith. II. At St. Nicholas, in Newcastle, Sept. 4, 1766, at the Anniversary Meeting of the Sons of the Clergy. By John Darch, B. D. Fellow of Baliol College, Oxford, and Vicar of Long Benton, in Northumberland. White, &c. III. The Chriftian Salutation; a farewell Sermon, delivered Oct. 12, 1766, on the Return of the Congregation under the Care of the Rev. Mr. John Rogers, from their occafional Affo-. ciation with the Church meeting near the Maze-pond, Southwark. By Benj. Wallin. Buckland, &c. IV. Preached at the Ordination of Mr. Samuel Wilton, June 18, 1766, at Lower Tooting, Surry. By Philip Furneaux. Together Together with an Introductory Difcourfe by Andrew Kippis. Mr. Wilton's Confeffion of Faith, and Anfwers to the queftions propofed to him by Francis Spilfbury; and likewise a Charge delivered by Samuel Morton Savage, B. D. Is. Buckland. V. Preached in the Cathedral-church of Glocefter, Sept. 10. 1766. at the Annual Meeting of the Three Choirs of Glocefter, Worcester, and Hereford, and publifhed at their joint request. By Charles Bifhop, M. A. Rector of Rudford, and Undermafter of the College-fchool in Glocefter. Hawes and Co. VI. At the Parish-church of Fawley, in Bucks, Aug. 10, 1766. By Thomas Powys, A. M. Newbery. CORRESPONDENCE. T HE Reviewers are much obliged to Philalethes for his favour of Nov. 8. They imagine he may be right in his conjecture relating to the writer of the Effay on Preaching*; but cannot venture fo far with him as to join in his aut Diabolus-aut d'Alembertus!' Nor do they deem it right to think aloud, with respect to the real authors of fuch anonymous productions as occafionally pass in Review before them; although they are generally pretty well fatisfied of fuch identity. When writers do not publickly affix their names to their performances, others have no right to point them out: except in thofe inftances where fecrecy is obviouffy out of the question.-On a reconfideration of Pompadour's Memoirs, we are, frankly, inclined to acquiefce in our Correfpondent's idea of that performance.-Reviewers were never yet understood to be POPES. As to the conftruction which Philalethes puts on the Bishop of Gloucefter's fermon De Propaganda Fide t, we chufe to be filent, and leave his abridgement, as he terms it, to the judgment of our Readers: O ye inhabitants of the Colonies! 'tis true ye are all a pack of rogues, rafcals, philofophers and infidels; but ftill, as your land is now become a morfel delicious enough to excite a priestly appetite, I fhall do my utmost to fend my family to make a meal upon it.'-In every other fenfe, our Correfpondent acknowledges, the fermon feems extremely ingenious; but its effect, he doubts, will be little other than as if a man sent an abufive card to a stranger, and added to it, that he would do himself the pleasure of eating a bit of bread, and drinking a glass of wine with him, if agreeable.' With respect to the Bull which our Correfpondent faw grazing at the bottom of p. 236, the Reviewers have no concern in that business: the animal was not on their premises. * Vide laft Appendix to the MONTHLY REVIEW, THE MONTHLY REVIEW, For DECEMBER, 1766. Proceedings and Debates of the House of Commons, in 1620 and 1621. Collected by a Member of that Houfe. And now publifhed from his Original Manufcript, in the Library of Queen's College, Oxford. With an Appendix: in which fome Paflages are illuftrated from other Manufcripts. In Two Volumes. 8vo. 10s. bound. Oxford, printed at the Clarendon Prefs, and fold by D. Prince at Oxford, and J. Rivington in London. 'N a kingdom, which boafts of liberty as the principle of its conftitution, the debates of the national aflembly cannot fail to be the objects of public curiofity. Though the people find to their coft that fenatorial eloquence is feldom exerted but for the intereft of the fpeaker, and of his connections, yet the mul titude will always, in fome degree, be the dupes of a specious harangue. Hiftory indeed and experience furnish ample proofs to the ftudious and obfervant, how fhamefully the leaders in debate proftitute their principles, by changing them from time to time as their views and fituations vary. Nevertheless the interested zeal of fome, the ftupid veneration of others, together with the inexperience of a rifing generation, will always fupply a majority to fupport the pretenfions of fuch political impoftors: and as the gift of eloquence will always carry along with it fome degree of fafcination; hence every fragment of fenatorial controverfy becomes interefting, and the public are foolishly folicitous to know what was faid, inftead of applying their attention to examine what was done. The principal merit of a collection of parliamentary debates, is that of their being genuine; for in the far greater part of thofe now extant, the harangues fuppofed to have been made, never paffed through the lip, of any public fpeaker, but were compofed by fome obfcure rhetorician in his clofet. But with respect to the debates under prefent confideration, there is noVOL. XXXV. thing Ee |