riety as might furnish fomething fatisfactory to every taste, and ferve as a little poetical library for fchool-boys, precluding the inconvenience and expence of a multitude of volumes.'- As taftes will for ever differ, fome may wish to have seen in it paffages from fome favourite, yet obfcure poet, and fome alfo from their own works; but it was the bufinefs of the editor of a school-book like this, not to infert fcarce and curious works, fuch as please virtuofo readers, chiefly from their rarity, but to collect fuch as were publicly known and univerfally celebrated. The more known, the more celebrated, the better they were adapted to this collection; which is not defigned, like the leffens of fome dancing-mafters, for grown gentlemen, but for young learners only; and it will readily occur to every one, that what is old to men and women, may be, and for the most part must be, NEW to boys and girls receiving their education. Private judgment, in a work like this, mutt often give way to public. Some things are inferted in this volume entirely in fubmiffive deference to public opinion, which, when general and long continued, is the leaft fallible teft of merit in the fine arts, and particularly in poetry. Whatever was found in previous collections, which experience had pronounced proper for fchools, has been freely taken and admitted. The ftamp of experience gave it currency. The freedom of borrow ing, it is hoped, will be pardoned, as the collectors, with whom it has been used, firft fet the example of it.' AB. Art. 66. The Sorrows of Werter: A Poem. By Amelia Pickering. 4to. 69 Pages. 5s. fewed. Cadell. 1788. The novel on which this poem is conftructed, whatever were its defects as to its moral tendency, was fo affectingly written that it engaged fingular attention. Writers were employed in tranflating it into various languages, and painters in embellishing it. Mils Amelia Pickering has thought it deferving the further diftinction of appearing in a poetic drefs, and has clothed The Sorrows of Werter in very harmonious verfification; as a specimen of which we shall tranfcribe the following ftanzas taken from the 6th Letter: Sweet Peace of Mind, oh, whither art thou fled? From thy pure fource fhall joys no longer flow? And every fancied blifs prove real woe? Alas! how foon the flowers of life decay! Bloom with the morn, and with the evening clofe! Why of that little are we then profufe? For oh, my friend! ere well we mark its use, Such is the deftiny of man on earth, But But fee! th' indignant fky unfriendly lowers, Many ftanzas, which are equally elegant and pleafing with the above, will be found in thefe pages; but we cannot flatter our fair authorefs (though the deferves much praife) with being equally favoured by the Mufes throughout her whole performance. Pegafus often tires before he gets to the end of his journey: great care ought, however, to be taken that this weakness does not appear. A poet should pay peculiar attention to his first and laft lines. Moo-y. Art. 67. Fourteen Sonnets, Elegiac and Defcriptive. Written during a Tour.to. 15 Pages. 15. Dilly. 1789. Thefe Sonnets, as the Advertisement informs us, were found in a traveller's memorandum-book; but they are not the Sonnets of a traveller who was glad to pick up any lame and hobbling Mufe to beguile the tedious way, and who wrote, like Sir Richard Blackmore, to the rumbling of his chariot wheels. They have fome poetic merit, and the admirers of the plaintive Petrarch, and his Englifh imitator, Mrs. Charlotte Smith of Bignor Park, will perufe feveral of them with pleafure. As a fample, we fhall give the 6th Sonnet, to Evening: Evening, as flow thy placid fhades defcend, Veiling with gentleft hufh the landscape ftill, And wood; I think of thofe that have no friend! From the broad blaze of day, where Pleasure flaunts, Unfeen; and mark the tints that o'er thy bed Hang lovely, oft to mufing Fancy's eye Prefenting fairy vales, where the tir'd mind Might reft, beyond the murmurs of mankind, Nor hear the hourly moans of Misery. Ah, beauteous views! that Hope's fair gleams the while Thefe two concluding lines are beautiful. Do Art. 68. The Temple of Health, a Poetic Vifion, occafioned by the univerfal Joy expreffed on his Majesty's happy Recovery. By a Lady. 4to. pp. 12. Is. 6d. Chalklen. 1789. Whatever may be the defects of this little piece in regard to the poetry, they are amply compenfated for by the warmth and energy of its loyalty. The fair writer muft not, however, be allowed to offer, to the difcerning public, fuch rhimes as run and fhone, or faw and Snow. When we read fuch a couplet as the following, • See here before thee England's heroes bow, we are obliged, to avoid difgufting the ear, for woe,' to read wow: By the Rev. Oxford. If the lady is very young, fhe will do well to wait a few years before she again ventures to claim the honours of the prefs. Art. 69. A Poetical Epifle, from Gabrielle d'Eftrees, to Henry the binfons, &c. Ungrateful man! ah me, what friend unkind Has drawn that fentence from my wand'ring mind? Come, and arrest me from an early tomb.' Not even Mr. Erfkine, to whom this poem is dedicated, who is reprefented as poffeffing an immeasurable ability, and adorning human nature with his existence, will be able to arreft this poem from an early tomb. It must fink by its own bathos. Ex. gr. I breathe my forrows, and he fcoffs my fears; I claim protection, and he shuts his ears. Moo-y. Art. 70. Ode, refpe&fully addreffed to Lord Belgrave, on his coming Mr. Minfhull is afraid that he fhall not be able to steer fafe among the rocks and fhoals of criticism; but he may difmifs his fears, as ftraws and feathers fwim uninjured by either. Do Art. 71. Homer's Hymn to Venus; tranflated from the Greek, with Egerton. 1789. I s. 6d. Founded on the late royal proceffion to St. Paul's. We hope the author will not be offended if we apply to his verfes what Pope faid of his Windfor Foreft, "Where pure defcription holds the place of fenfe." We cannot, however, infift much on the purity of defcription in this performance; but what is wanting in poetry is amply fupplied (as in a preceding article) by zeal and loyalty.. POLITICA L. Art. in fpeaking of this ample volume, it will only be neceffary to say, that it contains, ift, All the parliamentary proceedings and fpeeches on the Regency Bill, from Nov. 20, 1788, to March 10, 1789, when his Majefty's recovery put an end to the bufinefs. 2d, The three Reports of the Committees for examining the phyficians. 3d, Mr. Pitt's letter to the Prince of Wales, with the Prince's anfwer. 4th, The Regency Bill, as it paffed the Commons, and read a fecond time by the Lords. 5th, The Proceedings and Speeches of Lords and Commons of Ireland, on appointing the Prince of Wales regent without reftriation, with copies of their Addrefs to the Prince, and his Royal Highness's Anfwer. R Mr. Stockdale has alfo publifhed two octavo volumes containing a variety of tracts that have been written on the propofed regency; all of which have already been fucceffively mentioned in our Review, as they separately iffued from the press. m. Art. 74. Royal Reflections, from Monday the 23d of February, to Sunday the firit of March, inclusive. Comprizing the political Sentiments of convalefcent Majefty; wherein are Characters of the Q---n, the P--nc-ff-s, the H--r Ap--r--t, the Duke of Y--k, the Lords Th-r--w, S-d--y, C-m--n, B-te, &c. &c. 4to. pp. 38. 2S. Walter, Piccadilly. 1789. The " Royal Recollections * we fuppofe, fuggefted the idea of thefe Royal Reflections; though very different are the two performances in refpect of their aim and tendency. The former tract was fraught with ridicule which we could not approve the prefent publication is intended to do honour to the Royal Reflector, But, however laudable the defign of making his Majefty the author of a feries of good, pious, judicious, and benevolent thoughts and obfervations, the writer is not quite fo happy as his predeceffor, in the execution of his defign. Thus, in other arts, as well as in that of authorship (in mechanics, for instance), it has often been remarked, as Tompion, the watchmaker, faid of his journeymen, that the faddeft fellows are always the best hands." N. B. There is a mistake in p 28, which may fomewhat puzzle the young reader, who is not intimately acquainted with the Modern Hiftory of England: the author fpeaks of the famous Hugh Peters, as having milled the infatuated King James II. by his evil counfels. Hugh Peters was hanged long before James came to the crown. We fuppofe the author meant father Petre, the jefuit, who was James's fpiritual director. Art. 75. The Royal Error; or the dreadful Confequences to be apprehended from the intended Proceffion to St. Paul's on Thursday next. Addreffed to the King. By Kent. 8vo. pp. 34. Smith. 1789. IS. This was published a few days before his Majefty went in ftate to St. Paul's, for the purpose of offering a public thanksgiving to God for his recovery.-The author freely (too freely, perhaps) cenfures this measure, as being likely to produce much mischief. In his apprehenfion, the lives (not to enlarge on the lofs of property, broken limbs, &c.) of many people would be in great danger, from the immenfity and tumult of the crowd, the fall of fcaffolds, &c. &c. And therefore, as well as for other reafons here affigned, he concludes, that, in every view, the royal gratitude fhould rather have * See Rev. for Nov. laft, p. 468. been been expreffed in a more private than in fo public a manner. The ftyle of this address is such as must found extremely harsh and rude, in the ears of his Majesty's courtiers, if the pamphlet chanced to be feen within the precincts of St. James's, or Buckingham-house. THANKSGIVING SERMONS. 1. Preached at the Cathedral Church of Ely, April 23, 1789, being the Day appointed for a General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for his Majesty's happy Recovery. By Cæfar Morgan, M. A. Minor Canon and Preacher in that Church. 8vo. pp. 23. 6d. Cadell. 1789. Pfalm lxxi. 18. is the text; but Mr. Morgan begins his fermon with reflexions on a paffage from Cicero, which he puts at the bottom of the page, fhewing that the fentiment was perfectly confiftent with the religious tenets of the learned and noble Roman. Cicero's awe of the penetrating fcrutiny of a Being, on whom no artifices can impofe, against whom no difguifes can prevail, and whofe obfervation no finifter motive can efcape, is contrafted with the hopes of the Chriftian who enjoys a rational tranquillity under the conviction of the fuperintending providence of God, whofe mercy and good nefs are the foundations of the whole scheme of revelation. The divine mercy is exemplified in the restoration of his majesty's health, and the fermon concludes with fome ferious and pious exhortations which the nature of the occafion naturally fuggefts. R-m. II. At St. Laurence's Church, Southampton, April 23. By James Scott, M. A. Rector, and Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majefty. 4to. pp. 21. IS. Bew, &c. A rational, loyal, and pious improvement of the very folemn occafion. III. At Tooting, Surrey. What is faid of No. II. By James Bowden. 8vo. pp. 30. 19. may be justly applied to this discourse; which was delivered to a congregation of Diffenters. IV. The Country Curate's Addrefs to his Parishioners: preached on the 23d of April, &c. 4to. pp. 14. 15. Baldwin, &c. Our country curate dates his DEDICATION TO THE KING, from Coker; which we fuppofe to be the name of a village in Somersetfhire. The preacher laudably exhorts us to fear God, and honour the King; but when he adds, Let us cheerfully fubmit to his laws,' we are at fome lofs with respect to his precife meaning the king of Great-Britain not having the power of making laws. V. Preached at Southampton, March 15, by William Kingsbury, M. A. 8vo. PP. 38. Is. Bew, &c. The fickness and recovery of king Hezekiah are here properly confidered and applied, with due improvement, &c. This fermon, we *Na, ille [Strato] et Deum opere magno liberat et me timore. Quis enim poteft, cum exiftimet a Deo je curari, non et dies et noctes divinum numen horrere? et fi quid adverfi acciderit (quod cui non accidit?) extimefcere ne id jure evenerit? Acad. II. are |