are most natural, terror, and pity? And is not the other, the art of making us laugh? now the gentleman, and the ruftic, in tragedy, have both fenfibility and tenderness of heart, perhaps, in a greater or lefs degree; but as they are men alike, the heart is moved by the fame touches; whereas in comedy the ftrings which must be touched for this purpose, are not the fame in the gentleman and the ruftic. The latter will laugh out on the coarseft jest, whereas the former is only to be moved by a delicate conceit: the paffions depending on nature, merriment upon education.

The fpectators of a tragedy, if they have but little knowledge, are almost all on a level; but with refpect to comedy, we have many claffes of people, all of whom will judge in their own way. The laughter of a theatre is of a very different ftamp with that which is given to good humour, conviviality, comolaifance, refpect, and flattery. In thefe artifice and wine, are the general motives; but in a theatre every spectator im-" partially judges of wit, by his own ftandard, and measures its extent and force by his capacity, and condition. Thus different capacities and conditions of men, making them diverted on very different occafions, it requires the highest exertion of genius, to diffufe wit or humour, fo as it fhall be universally felt.

If, therefore, we confider the end of the tragic and comic poet, the comedian must be involved in much more difficulties, without taking in the obftructions to be encountered equally by both, in an art which confifts in raifing the paffions, or the mirth of great multitude. The tragedian has little to do but to reflect upon his own thoughts, and draw from his heart those fentiments which will certainly make their way to the hearts of others whilft the comedian must take many forms, and change himfelf, like a fecond Proteus, almoft into as many perfons as he undertakes to divert. In fhort, to make the former, is to: get materials together, and to arrange them like a skilful ar chitect; but to make the latter, is to build, like Efop, in the air. Hence we would give the preference to comedy, which we would be understood, however, by no means, to pronounce as a dogma, but as an opinion we have a right to give upon a general fubject of enquiry.'

The remaining chapters are employed on the subjects of pantomime, farce, the education of the Greek and Roman actors, and general instructions for fucceeding in the art of acting.

In this treatife Mr. Cooke has delivered a concife and perfpicuous fyftem of Dramatic Criticism, compiled from the most approved writers, and interfperfed with judicious reflections of his own; but we cannot avoid remarking, that he fometimes appears deficient in elegance of ftyle, and correctnefs of language. As fuch defects are frequently occafioned by the hurry of compofition, we have reafon to believe that Mr. Cooke, in a future edition, will obviate this objection.

Or

XI. Imię

XI. Imitations of the Characters of Theophraftus. 8vo. 21.

THIS

Jewed. Leacroft.

HIS celebrated philofopher was a native of Lefbos, and ftudied fucceffively under Plato and Ariftotle, by the latter of whom he was particularly distinguished, on account of his genius. Upon Ariftotle's retiring to Calchis, Theophraftus fucceeded him in the Lyceum, where he taught philosophy with great reputation during a period of almolt forty years. The various tracts he composed are faid to have amounted to upwards of two hundred, of which only a few now remain.* By Cicero, who appears to have been a great admirer of his works, he is ftyled the moft elegant and learned of all the philofophers. That he derived not his knowledge from fpeculation within the walls of the Academy, but was intimately converfant with life and manners, is evident from his writings, as well as from collateral testimony. The feveral characters he has drawn are delineated with the colours of truth and nature, and discover no lefs juftness of defcription, than extensive obfervation of men and things.

The moral Characters of Theophraftus, with all the diftinguifhed merit which they poffefs, are in fome places imperfect, with respect both to matter and connexion. Whether this fault be owing to the philofopher, by whom they were written at a very advanced age, or proceeds from the mutilation and inaccuracy of tranfcribers, it is difficult to determine; but from the judgment of the author there is reason to conclude, that the latter of thefe caufes has operated in a confiderable degree. As a fpecimen of thefe Characters, we infert the following.

THE FLATTERER.

• The flatt'rer is a nurse to wait on,
And feed with pap, his baby great one,
And footh the froward pouting thing

With "That's a dear," and "There's a king."
He'll fmirk upon his lord, and cry,
How you arreft the public eye!
In truth, whene'er you come in view,
There's no one look'd upon but yõu:
But, à propos, the club laft night
Was vaftly num'rous and polite;
And there you had fuch honour paid,
Such juftice done, I fhould have faid;
For you, they all declar'd, might claim
A kind of full exclufive fame.
Thus prating, if a straggling mote
Should trefpafs on his lordship's coat,

Or thread fhould feem inclin'd to stray,
He picks it cringingly away.
Should a grey hair perchance arife,
It proves my lord extremely wife;
But, if his poll quite black appears,
It fiows great vigour at his years.
The flatt'rer, till his patron's heard,
Wo'n't fuffer you to fpeak a word;
But all the while, before his face,
Praises his manner, tone, and grace;
And then chimes in at ev'ry clofe
With What amazing thoughts are thofe !
Before his patron has well spoken
As vile a jeft as could be broken,
The fycophant begins to ftare,

And strains, and wriggles in his chair,
And bites his handkerchief in half
To ftifle the pretended laugh.

He'll ftrut before his lord, and bawl,

Stand back there, fellows! from the wall:
A plague upon ye, and a new rope!
You croud the greatest man in Europe.
He carries to his patron's fons
His pockets stuff'd with macaroons ;
And in his prefence he'll carefs 'em,
And kiss, and dandle 'em, and bless 'em,
And fwear he doats on 'em the rather
'Cause they're fo vaftly like their father!
'Tis plain the flatt'rer must have got
The length too of his patron's foot;
For, fhould his lordship but try on
A pair of pumps, 'tis ten to one
But he protests, he never knew
So neat a foot done juftice to!.
Soon as he learns my lord intends
A vifit to fome neighb'ring friends,
Off ftarts the flatt'rer to announce
His coming, and runs back at once,
And fays, I have propounded to 'em
The honour you vouchjafe to do 'em."
If he would court fome patronefs,
He's quite a connoiffeur in dress,
And skips and dances up and down
To half the mam'oifelles in town;
Defcants on all that women wear-
A very band-box chevalier,

He

He no where more completely fhines
Than when he with his lordship dines:
Of fmiles and praifes how profuse!
He fips and fmacks the rofy juice;
On ev'ry dish in rapture dwells,
Develops how each fauce excells;
Then turns, and wishes he could fee
His lordship eat more heartily.
His lordship's footman he outskips
To reach a cushion for his hips:
Then fits him down politely near,
And hangs in whispers on his ear;
Nor deigns the company a word,
But what's in def'rence to my lord.
Viewing fome houfe, he reads a lecture
On its majestic architecture;
Remarks with exquifite delight
That it's a moft enchanting fite;
The park too is immenfely pleafant;
That is, if their poffeffor's prefent :
Nay, he can even raise his battery
On base of other people's flattery,
And, though they dedicate like STEEL,
They don't do juftice by a deal :
And portraits, flatt'ring out of reason,
Strike him the moment that he fees one!

In fhort, he's like a fawning hound,

That barks, and jumps, and capers round,
And lets you play with him, or kick,

In hopes to get a bone to pick.'

In many parts of the work, the tranflator has used fo much freedom with the original, that the volume is rather an imitation than a faithful verfion of the Moral Characters of Theophraftus. It conveys, however, fuch an idea of the manner of this celebrated ancient, as may ferve to fhew, in what degree he united a genius for the vis comica with the abftrufe fpeculations of the philofopher.

XII. The Politician's Dictionary; or, a Summary of political Knowledge, 2 Vols. 8vo. 10s. in boards. Allen.

WE have frequently had occafion to obferve the utility of

Dictionaries in every branch of knowledge that can be acquired from books. At the fame time that the alphabetical arrangement is moft convenient for the reader, it admits of a greater variety of fubjects, and a more copious detail, than

would

would be confiftent with perfpicuity or natural connection in any other form of writing. If fuch be the advantage of dictionaries, even when restricted to particular arts or sciences, their value is proportionably increased when they comprehend a larger circle of objects, and those too of the greatest importance not only to individuals, but the general intereft of society.

Of this kind is the work which now lies before us, wherein the author has amaffed and elucidated fuch articles of information as are neceffary for those who would acquire a competent knowledge in the extensive science of politics; a science which, as well as being always ornamental, becomes daily more useful, and in fome degree requifite to British fubjeas.

In a publication of this kind, it is not to be expected that we are to enumerate the multitude of articles of which it confists: all that is practicable or incumbent upon us is to deliver a general character of the work. That our readers may be enabled, however, to form fome idea of the contents of this Dictionary, and the manner in which it is executed, we fhall mention a few of the articles, and fubjoin an extract.

The work begins with the article ACAPULCO, under which head the author gives an account of the commerce carried on between Spanish America and the Philippine islands, a trade of the greatest importance to that nation-In perufing the article AGRICULTURE, we meet with many obfervations on the state of Britain and other countries, with a variety of remarks on the advantages refulting from this internal fource of riches and national strength.-The article ARMY exhibits a diftinct, and we have reafon to think, an accurate detail of the number of troops, cavalry and infantry, of the moft confiderable powers of Europe, with the annual expence of the military establishment. The information here contained is of confequence to those who would form a judgment of the comparative force of the different countries.

.

The author has elucidated the Balance of Trade, and made just remarks on the various methods that have been proposed for determining this important problem. Nor has he omitted giving an account of COLONIES, a fubje&t particularly interefting at the present juncture.-Under the article ENGLAND, We have a minute account of the extent of the country, the rental, the quantity of products, with the general income, by agriculture, manufactures, and commerce.In treating of TAXES, the author difcovers political knowledge, as well as extenfive obfervation. We fhall conclude our detail of this work with annexing a propofal which the author advances under the article of

TRADE.

& We