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good fortune has been made by the fiction of crim. con, but now a plaintiff can fcarce recover a filling.

Frank. And is this law, Sir?

Præ. Yes, it is law; but nothing to what they do at the Admiralty, where the whole ocean's brought upon dry land-It was but the other day a prate was tried for feloniously robbing the good fhip St. Jofeph, on the high feas, four leagues off Cape St. Vincent, in the county of Norfolk.

Frank. Now you joke indeed, Mr. Præcipe!

Præcipe Joke! the devil a joke! Why man it has been proved to the fatisfaction of the civilians and the bar, that the Thirteen Colonies of America are fituate in, and part of the county of, Kent.

NOVELS.

Art. 31. Female Stability; or the Hiftory of Mifs Belville. In a Series of Letters. By the late Mits Palmer. 12mo. 5 Vols. 158. Newbery, 1780. If praife were not fo frequently and fo fhamelessly proflituted to ignorance or intereft, as we daily fee it is in the prefent age, this novel might be prefumed, from the very high encomiums bettowed on it in the public prints, to be worthy of general attention. Complaifance, too, might spare the fair fex, and humanity veil the errors of the dead. Truth however dictates a conduct the very oppofite to partial flattery and while our tribunal is respected by the Public, juftice forbids us to mislead their opinions.

With thefe fentiments we cannot pay any diftinguished compliment to the work before us. As a compofition it is defective; and as a picture of real life it is erroneous. It is in its morality alone that it is unexceptionable. The eager vifitors of a circulating library will however find an amufing, if not an highly interefling story and perhaps the tender-hearted female will be beguiled of her fears, by the fufferings of Adeline and the feelings of Louifa. Except in the conduct of the heroine, "female flability" is not the virtue of many of the ladies of the tale; at least it is fo imperfectly observed, that the who records their flory is obliged to acknowledge their imperfection. This novel abounds with weddings, and like Mrs. Centlivre's comedis, leaves very few of its perfonages in "ingle bleffednefs." Art. 32. The Young Philofopher; or the Natural Son. A dramatic Novel. 12mo. z vols. 65. Bowen. 1782.

This feems to be a tranflation from the French; as there are some errors in grammar not very confiftent with the lively and acute arguments obferved in other parts of the performance. The young philofopher, like many of his tribe, falls a victim to the arts of a dehgning woman: but, unlike too many who have once fallen, he recovers from his errors and is happy with the object of his more virtuous wishes. There are fome characters in this novel that are drawn with a lively, though careless hand They are difcriminated likenesses, as if real perfonages had fat to the painter. But they are mere outlines, with one or two exceptions; and they captivate, rather from their fingularity than their merit. The converfations are animated and fenible; and the fituations interefting. We thould recommend it more warmly, if we were not aware, that when pleasure is adorned with feducing colours, the beat reafonings of philofophy lofe their ef

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fect and frequently the moft awful fanctions of religion find their influence but weak, when oppofed to the delufions of wit and the force of paffion.

12mo.

Art. 33. Fashionable Follies. A Novel, containing the Hif
2 Vols. 6s. Dodfley. 1781.
tory of a Parifian Family,
The number of follies recorded in this work is 301! one more
might have been added to the catalogue, and that is, the folly of a
fenfible author in recording the most deteftable crimes under fo gentle
a title; and in relating with gaiety what ought never to be thought
of without abhorrence. But as Solomon truly obferves-" Fools
make a mock of fin!"

Art. 34. The Adventures of a Rupee: wherein are interspersed
8vo. 35. boards.
various Anecdotes, Afiatic and European

Murray. 1782.

This performance is ufhered into the world by a preface of a very • Ye modern writers of fingular caft, which begins in this manner. novels who excite filly paffions in filly people by wretched language'

6

It may be fo. And what then? Why, undoubtedly, this novel is written to fhew how a wife man can excite wife paffions by excellent language! And yet-for modefty and wifdem are infeparable!--the writer protests that the prefent performance is in his own opinion fo infignificant, that he should blush to affix his name to it, if he did not think it might bear fome rank. among the performances of the My work, fays he, is fame fpecies which every hour engenders.' barren of incident: and what incident it has may not be, in its kind, of importance but my obfervations from human nature are neither fo frequent nor fo great as the infignificant and ignorant imitators of Sterne and other novelifts daily exhibit in their affected and foolish productions. To this we fully affent: but that a man fo deeply confcious of his inability should publish this work, only becaufe others have exhibited productions more affected and more foolish than his own, would appear fomewhat extraordinary, if the author had not declared, that he would not permit criticifm' to decide on his deferts! This precaution was a wife ftep in a confcious author; because a four critic might otherwife have parodied the apology by remarking, that with equal propriety a thief may juftify his picking a pocket, by the more daring example of those who rob and murder on the highway!

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Thefe Adventures of a Rupee are fomewhat formed on the model of the Adventures of a Guinea: but they have neither the fhrewd reflections nor the varied entertainment of the latter.

The rupee paffes through feveral hands, and is made to fympathize very cordially, with the joys and forrows of the poffeffor. At Mifs Melville's meeting her lover after a long abience, our rupee seems particularly affected, and artfully throws, like the painter of antiqui"The mode that ty, a veil over scenes too tender to be expreffed. mortals have adopted of expreffing ideas by words now fails me (fays Rupee) entirely: for

"Who can paint the lovers as they flood ?"

However, they did not long continue in this attitude. Rupee had the inexpreffible fatisfaction to fee the young pair united by Hymen, while Pleafure fat fmiling on the work.'

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After feveral Afiatic and European adventures, our Rapee becomes the property of a certain good man, who though not a rich man, had been Governor of a rich ifland; and what is more furprising, this Governor of a rich island, who is not a rich man, is a foldier and yet a scholar.' This gentleman (fays Rupee) happening to fee me, refolved to purchase me of my crooked mafter; for I think I have before obferved, that gold never before improved itself to the degree that I have done.' A very modeft compliment! But Rupee had feen a deal of good company: and conscious merit will infpire a fort of medeft affurance. However Rupee is to wander no longer abroad. He hath feen enough of the world; and the world hath feen enough of him. I am (fays he) fafely laid up in a florehouse of a fociety of antiquarians, where with medals, bufts, infcriptions, and other of my learned brethren, I spend my hours in feparating Truth from the abes of Time! A curious kind of employment for Rupee and his brethren! And as curious an account he gives of it too! Our eyes can penetrate, with the fame eafe, the shade of antiquity, and the prejudices that furround the prefent day. We fay, without fear of punishment, that Alexander the Great was a man; and that Julius Cæfar was a bold man.' Courageous Rupee! Who can match thee and thy brethren for freedom of fpeech? However, as Rupee, by his own account, is like to pafs a number of years' in the cabinet, we hope he will fuffer none of its fecrets to tranfpire, through a foolish ambition of difcovering his own importance; but reft in peace amidst • the afes of Time!'

Art. 35.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Sky-Rocket; or Thoughts during the Eafter Recefs of Parliament, on feveral very important Subjects, and on feveral recent events. By , Efq. Member for

the County of 8vo. 1 S. Matthews. The Sky-Rocket! And why, in the names of all poffible tropes and figures, a fky-rocket? Perhaps, for we are really at a lofs, becaufe a sky-rocket is inclofed in paper, and these thoughts are alfo contained in paper; but (we do not mention it to alarm the honourable writer's apprehenfions on what is poffible to happen) fo fometimes is a pound of butter. Again, a paper cafe is no fky-rocket, unless it is filled with a due mixture of combustibles; and we can affure our readers, that the contents of these sheets are perfectly inoffenfive. Once more, a sky-rocket, when fired, rises in a uniform direction, whereas thefe thoughts go off in fuch a zig-zag manner, that if we must compare the pamphlet to any species of fireworks, we will call it a cracker. First, the author is ill-natured enough, being holiday-time by confeffion, to fling it among the legs of the difcarded Ministers, to make them jump. Then it bounces into the old cast, off minifterial budget, where it finges fome of the propofed taxes; particularly one that was rumoured on fervant-maids. It fprings next into the playhoufe, where it makes a furious explosion to alarm both the actors and the auditors. At last it bounces back again into the Houfe of Commons, among the irreligious part of the Members:but we must now difmifs the metaphor fuggefted by the author; for, in short, after various rambles, his conclufion is quite a fermon, on the difperfion of the Jews, on the propagation of the gofpel, on the ne

glect of the Members in attending the ftated prayers of the House, and on the prophanation of the Lord's day. It is a ferious compofition, which the author endeavours to enliven with humour; and there is just enough of the one to deftroy the effect of the other.

Art. 36. Sketches of the Lives and Writings of the Ladies of France. By Ann Thicknelle. I zmo. 3 Vols. 10 s. 6d. Dociley, &c. In our 58th vol. p. 466. (No. for June, 1778) we gave an account of the first volume of thefe Biographical Sketches; the fecond vol. of the fet now before us bears date 1780; and the third was printed in 1781.

With respect to the literary merit of this work, we must repeat what we have already faid, in the article above referred to, that though the language of thefe Sketches is not every where correct, yet they abound with traits of hiftory, and with entertaining anecdotes of the principal ladies, which cannot fail to procure them a confiderable number of readers-especially among the fair fex. Our principal objection to Mrs. Thickneffe's performance is, that (as mentioned before) feveral trifling articles, relating to perfons of whom little is faid, and who merit fill lefs, are inferted in it. We readily, however, fubfcribe to the juftness of the fair writer's own apology for the imperfections of her publication; which is as follows: The intreats the candid reader to overlook the many errors of the Editor [the lady modeftly declining the fuperior title of AUTHOR], and to remember, that the extracts from the female writers of France are only given as crude sketches: but we have endeavoured, adds the, to omit every thing that could awaken vice, and to felect only the moral fentiments, and the interefling anecdotes which we have found among a vaft pro-, fufion of inflammatory love-tales.' Mrs. T. concludes her apology, with expreffing, very properly, her concern to obferve, that Juch tales feem to be the rage of this kingdom, as well as in France.' This, the fears, has been the caufe' [it may have been one caufe] of that levity of behaviour among us, which was, till of late years, characteristic of French women only.'

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Art. 37. The Chefter Guide; or, an Account of the ancient and prefent State of that City. 8vo. I s. Lowndes. 1781.

Chester is a very fingular, as well as a very confiderable city. Our Readers had an ample account of it in our Extracts from Mr. Pennant's Tours. See, particularly, Rev. vol. Ix. p. 34.

Art. 38. The Southampton Guide; or, an Account of the ancient and prefent State of that Town. A new Edition, enlarged. 8vo.. Is. Law. 1781.

Southampton is a molt agreeable place; and this account of it will be useful and entertaining to thofe who repair thither for bufinefs or amufement.

Art. 39. The Lives of the most eminent English Poets; with cri-. tical Obfervations on their Works. By Samuel Johnson. 8vo. 4 Vols. 1. s. Boards. Cadell, &c. 1781.

This large odavo edition comprehends all the Biographical Prefaces of Dr. Johnson, detached from the ten volumes of the original fmail duodecimo edition, which was lately given to the Public, in connection with the elegant impreffion, in fixty-eight volumes, of the works of the moft eminent English poets, with heads by Bartolozzi, Sherwin, &c.

- Of

Of that edition we have given an ample account, in several detached articles.

Art. 40. Elays on the Hiftory of Mankind, in rude and in cultivated Ages. By James Dunbar, LL. D. Profeffor of Philofophy in the King's College and University of Aberdeen. The fecond Edition, with Additions. 8vo. 6 s. bound. Cadell. 1782. In our Review for Dec. 1780, we gave an account of the first edition of these ingenious Effays; and we are happy to find our opinion of their merit confirmed by that of the Publit in general. Among the additions made to the work, in this new impreffion, we obferve a very extraordinary character of Dean Tucker -For the honour of human nature, we hope the picture bears very little resemblance to the original.-There has been a literary quarrel between these Gentlemen; they have put each other out of humour; and we must not mind what people fay when they are in a passion.

MEDICA L.

Art. 41. The Works of Alexander Monro, M. D. F. R. S. Fellow of the Royal College of Phyficians, and late Profeffor of Medicine and Anatomy in the University of Edinburgh. Published by his Son, Alexander Monro, M. D. &c. &c. To which is prefixed, the Life of the Author. Illuftrated with Copper-plates. 4to. 11. 5s. Robinson. 1781.

We cannot better announce this valuable publication, than by copying the Advertisement prefixed by the Editor, the justly celebrated fucceffor of his father in the profeflional chair.

I flatter myself, that this collection of the works of my father, will prove not only acceptable to his pupils and friends, but ufeful to the Public, as many of them treat expressly on practical subjects, and that in all of them fome application to practice is pointed out.

To the works printed under his own infpection, I have added two pieces.

• The firft is an Oration De Cuticula Humana, delivered by him above 40 years ago in the Common Hall of this Univerfity, in which many curious circumftances are defcribed which had escaped the obfervation of former Anatomifts, particularly the appearance of the fibres that connect the Cuticula to the Cutis Vera, which fince that time has been annually demonftrated in the Anatomical Theatre of this place.

The other piece is an Eay on Comparative Anatomy, compofed from notes taken at his Lectures, and published at London in 1744.

But as this Efay was published without his confent or knowledge, and that of courie many errors had crept into it, I have endeavoured to correct thele, and made a few additions to it, from obfervations collected by himself with a view to a larger work on that fubject; but which, by various avocations, he was prevented from profecuting.

To the whole are prefixed an engraving, executed by Mr. Bafire, from an excellent Portrait of my Father by Allan Ramsay, Efq; and an Account of his Life, compofed by my brother Dr. Donald, Physician at London.'

LAW.

Art. 42. The Decree of the Barons of the Exchequer, delivered before Sir James Eyre, Nov. 17, 1777, in the great Caufe of

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