Other diftinguished perfonages are here introduced, particularly the French Ambaffador, who alfo, as here set forth, obtained a copy of the Memoirs, to be transmitted to France; but which also failed of producing any beneficial confequences to the authorefs, who, now, moft feelingly complains of her diftrefsful fituation; though the feems to be much, and justly, confoled by the reflection that, in this free country, he is no longer within reach of the fangs of def potifm.

Art. 39. Memoirs of the Countefs de Valois de la Motte; containing a complete Juftification of her Conduct, and an Explanation of the Intrigues and Artifices ufed against her, by her Enemies, relative to THE DIAMOND NECKLACE; alfo the Correfpondence between the Queen and the Cardinal de Rohan.-Tranflated from the French, written by herself, 8vo. pp. 289. 10s. 6d. ftitched. Ridgway. 1789.

Thefe Memoirs are given to the world, as containing the vindication of injur'd innocence.'

Seated as I am,' fays the Countefs, in that happy kingdom, where Liberty ftretches forth her hand to the diftreffed, and affords a welcome afylum from the vindictive terrors of oppreffive tyranny, I now proceed to remove the veil which has fo long obfcured this myfterious tranfaction, and expose to public view, characters whose crimes receive additional force from their elevated fituation.

I flatter myfelf that, independent of my own vindication, thefe Memoirs will not prove unentertaining. The moral and philofophic reader will therein find fresh room for reflection and obfervation on the depravity of human nature; the courtly and political reader will probably find a fatisfaction in developing the myfterious intrigues which were in agitation, at the period of the tranfactions; and the curfory reader will, I hope, be amply gratified in finding those matters explained, which have probably much excited curiofity.'

The ***** of ****** stands foremost, the most striking figure in the extraordinary group here exhibited; and (if the Memoirs before us are to be depended on) her M. has a good chance of being configned to that fort of everlasting fame' which a diftinguished poet has allotted to Oliver Cromwell *.

The next portrait, in point of importance, is the Cardinal de Rn; who is, on this occafion, prefented to the English nation as a character, the moft contemptible,-and fomething more.

In the back-ground of the canvas, we behold Minifters of State, Courtiers, Judges, Lawyers-all, now, forced, in their turn, to feel the ftroke of the executioner, and to receive the mark of the branding-iron.

We now seem to understand the obfcure history of the Diamond Necklace, fomewhat better than we did before; but, ftill, it is envelloped in mysterious circumftances. The Countess acknowleges the part which the acted in that ugly bufinefs; at the fame time vindicating herself, on the principle of ferving and obliging the Q. by her affiftance in procuring for her M. this magnificent and enor

"See Cromwell damn'd," &c.

POPE.

mously

moufly expenfive toy, on terms, and in a mode, fuitable to her limit. ed circumstances, and thofe of the intriguing Cardinal, at that juncture: the unwary Countefs not having, all this while, on her part, the smallest idea that she was contributing to the injury of any human Being.

The principal blame of the tranfaction, fo far as it had, in the first intention, any appearance of fraud, is laid on the wretched C—1, and his private arrangements. Somebody, however (when the tranfaction came to light), was to be the object of punishment on this occafion; and in courfe, on all fuch occafions, where the honour of crowned heads, and the fafety of powerful princes, are concerned, are we to wonder if we should see the hand of Juftice tremble while it holds the scale, and, confequently, the equipoife not duly preserved? We have a homely proverb-" the weakest goes to the wall."

It is impoffible for the humane reader to perufe these Memoirs without being impreffed with commiferation for the hapless writer, whose interesting and well-written tale furnishes a ftriking moral for the intriguing retainers of a court. They will here fee what confequences may be expected from improper compliances with the vices or follies of the great.

We must not omit to inform our readers, that this publication contains thirty-one letters, which are given as genuine tranfcripts from the originals that paffed in a fecret correfpondence between the ***** of ****** and the C-1 de Rn. In the conveyance

of these letters, the Countefs fays, she was the chofen inftrument; and that having opportunities of copying them, fhe availed herself accordingly; but, we must confefs, that we are not perfectly satisfied with this affurance. Were the letters, on both fides, given to her, for conveyance, unfealed? We do not recollect any paffage in the book, mentioning that circumftance.-She fpeaks of a great many other letters, of inferior account, which the committed to the flames, on the first apprehenfion of being taken into cuftody. For the authenticity, therefore, of thefe curious but fcandalous State-papers, and, indeed, of the whole publication, we have only the authority and fanction of the Countefs de la Motte herself.

To conclude, we must do this unfortunate lady the juftice to remark, that fmarting as the ever muft remain under the fenfe and remembrance of what she has fuffered, the yet appears to regret the neceffity which has impelled her to expofe the fecrets of her royal mistress. It has been my wifh,' fays he, to fave the honour of

In one place the price feems, indirectly, to be mentioned, viz. 1,600,000 livres.

+ She feams, however, extremely folicitous to gain and to merit the entire confidence of her readers. In one place she makes the following folemn appeal: God both fees and hears me. I in his prefence take this folemn oath, that were I in my laft moments, I would repeat all that I have here written as being the genuine truth; yes, in my laft dying will, I would not alter a letter of this declaration, the first it has been in my power to make with freedom.'

the Queen; but in the abyss into which I am more and more deeply plurged, can I at this day turn my thoughts to any thing befide the fhatter'd remains of my own honour? The Public must at length pronounce between HER MAJESTY and the atom fhe has crush'd.'

2s. 6d.

Art. 40. A Sketch of the Life and Character of the late Dr. Monfey, Phyfician to the Royal Hofpital at Chelfea; with Anecdotes of Perfons of Rank, in Church and State. 8vo. pp. 86. Nunn, Great Queen-ftreet, Lincoln's-inn-fields. 1789. Some ingenious friend of Dr. Monfey's, who appears to have been intimately acquainted with that fingular character (by fome compared to Swift), has here thrown together, in a careless, rambling, and defultory way, a number of anecdotes and circumstances relative both to the Doctor and to his patrons, his affociates and acquaintance, whether in the higher or lower ranks of fociety. If his work is not regularly biographical, it is, however, a very entertaining fomething, which fhews that the author poffeffes a confiderable fhare, not only of vivacity, but, occafionally, of judgment; which are not always concomitants. For the information of those readers of our Journal, who, refiding in remote parts of the kingdom, knew little of Dr. M. we fhall extract a fhort paragraph from the general sketch of his character, with which the prefent performance concludes:

Dr. Monfey had strong paffions, pointed wit, and a lively imagination. His curiofity was ardent, infatiable, and often troublefome; but then his communication was rapid, copious, and interesting. He poffeffed a vein of humour, rich, luxuriant, and (as is the nature of all humour) fometimes grofs, and sometimes inelegant.'

Art. 41. Original Letters of the late Rev. Laurence Sterne; never before published. Crown 8vo. pp. 216. 3s. fewed. Longman, &c. 1788.

The name of Sterne is fuch a favourite with the Public, that we are interested in every thing which is reported to come from his pen. If the letters now before us are to be confidered as an imitation of his epiftolary performances, they certainly excel every former attempt of the kind, and may even be pronounced not unworthy of that hitherto unrivalled genius. We here observe a fimilar felicity of expreffion, and delicacy of fentiment; and we meet with many of thofe admirable touches which make their way immediately and infenfibly to our beft and pureft affections. With pleasure we add, that we meet with none of thofe errors with which feveral of Sterne's works are juftly chargeable: no ribaldry, no paffages that have any tendency to raise a blufh on the cheek of modesty. We can, therefore, recommend this volume to thofe readers who have a tafte for the beauties of compofition, and feeling fufficient to enter into the fentiments of a writer, whoever he be, that is intimately acquainted with the fecret receffes of the human heart. $. Rr Art. 42. Select Views in India, drawn on the Spot in the Years 1780-1783, and executed in Aqua Tinta [acqua tinta]. By William Hodges, R. A. Imperial Folio. 2 Vols. Sewell. Though we do not ufually notice in our Review the publications of prints, yet the hiftorical defcriptions accompanying the views of the ruins, buildings, &c. which Mr. Hodges has reprefented in thefe

fuperb

fuperb volumes, are fuch as entitle the work to a place in a Journal of the literary productions and polite arts of the country.

We have here proofs, if any had been wanting, of the antiquity of architecture in the Eaft Indies, together with a reprefentation of the prefent appearance of objects in a large part of Bengal, especially the towns, fortifications, places of religious worship, &c.

From the ftyle of building, there is every reafon to think that it was brought out of Perfia, especially in the buildings that were erected fince the time of Tamerlane: the great fimilarity which it bears to the Gothic architecture, is a circumftance that may serve to amufe the inquifitive antiquary; and the refult of his researches may, perhaps, lead to difcover the reafon why the architectural tafte was, at one and the fame period, exactly alike at the eastern extremity of India and the western boundary of Europe, or the means by which thefe diftant people, who adopted the fame principles, had communications with each other. Mr. Hodges gives the view of a gate leading to a mofque at Chunar Gur, as a remarkable inftance of the perfect fimilarity between the Indian and Gothic architecture, in which not only the general form of the structure, but the leffer decorations, as the lozenge filled with rofes, the ornaments in the spandels of the arches, the little pannelling and mouldings, are exactly fimilar.

The Pagodas, bearing a refemblance to the Egyptian Pyramids, in many circumftances, except in their fize, may fuggeft an inquiry whether the Egyptians and Indians, at fome very early period, might not have had connexions with each other; we fay early period, because the pyramids, both in Egypt and India, appear to be the first or earliest buildings that occur in each country: thofe of the Hindoos, particularly the earliest, are formed by fimply piling ftone upon ftone, without any other opening, or inlet for light, than the door, which is only about five feet high.

Of thefe views of buildings, the most remarkable for its antiquity, is the ruin of the city of Oud, which, Mr. Hodges fays, from the authority of Dow's tranflation of Feritfha's hiftory, was the capital of the country twelve hundred years before the Chriftian æra. To enter into a particular defcription of each plate would be tedious to our readers, and at the fame time would convey ideas much inferior to thofe that might be acquired by a fight of the engravings, which, as being executed in acqua-tinta, are truly beautiful. The fize of each plate is 19 inches by 13. R...... m.

Art. 43. A brief and poetical Declaration from a Recovering Minifter to his Friends. By the Right Hon. W. Pitt, Chancellor of the Exchequer. With Intelligence extraordinary. 4to. pp. 23. 1s. 6d. Ridgway, 1789.

A tolerable piece of burlefque, confidering that it comes from the lofing fide, which is feldom feen to laugh. The ridicule, however, of the Georgium Sidus, after being obferved for a time, rifing from his chamber in the Eaft,' is, furely, rather mal à propos to the general NATIONAL REJOICING, which took place within a day or two after the appearance of this fcoffing piece of wit.

Art.

Art. 44. A Letter from a Gentleman on board an Indiaman, to his Friend in London, giving an Account of the Island of Joanna, in the Year 1784. 8vo. 1s. Stockdale. 1788.

This letter is but a flimfy compofition, confidered as a publication; though as a private letter to a friend, it was important enough for the fubject. Some little confequence is indeed affumed from correcting the erroneous reprefentations of this ifland by the Abbé Raynal, and Major Rooke; from the exaggerations of both of whom, the author makes large drawbacks; a fate that will often attend writers of the greatest abilities, who venture to form opinions on the representations of others: and this ifland, according to the anonymous Letter-writer, is not fo picturefque in beautiful landfcapes as the Abbé describes it, nor do the inhabitants merit the refpectable character given of them by the Major.

Joanna is one of the Comora iflands, and is here placed in 12° 30 S. lat. and in 44° 15′ E. long. The hills in the island are covered with wood, but are fteep and difficult of accefs. The vallies exhibit only a miferable town, with a few irregular plantations of cocoa nuts and there is not one mule or afs in all the island. The original natives, in number about 7000, occupy the hills, and are generally at war with the Arabian interlopers, who established themfelves on the fea coat by conqueft, and are about 3000 in number. These latter are described as poor miferable beings, who not being able to carry on any extenfive degree of cultivation, on account of their being expofed to the depredations of the mountaineer natives, fubfift chiefly by fupplying the India fhips who touch there for refreshment, with a few cattle and tropical fruits. As for their ability to accommodate ftrangers on fhore, the writer fays, one day's trial will convince any man, that he will be much more comfortable on board his fhip, or in a tent, than in their filthy hovels. Even in the house of their prince, the best decorations of the walls are fixpenny lookingglaffes, and broken china; an old cheft, or a bed, are the only feats to be found, and the paffages are choaked with dirt. Art. 45. Hints for City Amusement; or Bank Oratory anticipated, &c. 8vo. 6d. pp. 24. Harley. 1788.

N

A humorous anticipation of fpeeches expected to be made, at a General Court of the Proprietors of the Bank of England, in Sept. laft, 1788. It was first published in the Whitehall Evening Post; and is now reprinted with corrections and additions.

POLITICAL.

Art. 46. Hiftory of the Royal Malady, with Variety of entertaining Anecdotes. To which are added, Strictures on the Declaration of Horne Tooke, Efq, refpecting " Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales," commonly called (the Hon.) Mrs: Fitzherbert. With interefting Remarks on a Regency. By a Page of the Prefence. 4to. pp. 88. 55. Sold by the Author, in Sloan Square. 1789.. An impudent, audacious publication, which fhould not have been honoured with the, leat notice in the M. Rev. had it not produced other tracts, which muft, in courfe, be mentioned, in connection with their unworthy parent.

REV. March, 1789.

T

Art.