CRITICAL REVIEW. For SEPTEMBER, 1795. The New Annual Regifter, or General Repofitory of Hiftory, Politics, and Literature, for the Year 1794. To which is prefixed, the Hiftory of Knowledge, Learning and Tafle, in Great Britain, during the Reign of King James the Firft. Part the Second. 8vo. gs. 6d. Half-bound. Robinfons. 1795. 7E are unacquainted from which fide of the Tweed the authors of this volume may date their nativity; but we would advise them in future to adopt the motto— 'Nemo nos impune laceffit' for a more fevere chastisement never was inflicted than they have bestowed in the preface on fome of their opponents and we cannot but congratulate ourselves that we are not apparently the objects of their vengeance. We do not mean, however, to commend the irafcibility of the genus irritabile vatum.' The authors in queftion were certainly warranted in defending their own veracity, when wantonly attacked, but they have done it in rather too petulant terms. The fquab bles of men of letters generally afford entertainment to the public; but they feldom benefit either party: and they may fay as the frogs in the fable-' It is fport to you, but it is death to us. Of the entertainment thus provided, however, we will not deprive our readers; and, as far as their character has been unjustly attacked, we think we only do justice to our authors, by inferting their own vindication 'It was not our defign to have diverted the attention of our readers from the important events which at prefent agitate the political world, by any address in the form of a preface or advertisement, farther than was necessary to convey our thanks to the public for the very liberal encouragement which our laft volume experienced. But a respect for that public obliges us for once to relinquish our intention, as it is of fome importance, not merely to ourselves, but to the caufe of truth, to expofe the flagrant and abfurd falfehoods by which we have been ignorantly and maliciously attacked by interested and venal writers. C. R. N. ARR. (XV.) September, 1795. B • It |