POETICA L.

Art. 27. The Ancient English Wake; a Poem. By Mr. Jerningham. 4to. I s. 6d. Robson. 1779.

That primitive fimplicity of manners, fo oppofite to the artificial refinements of polished life, and which is fuppofed to characterize our uncultivated ancestors, is not eafy to delineate. It will therefore be thought no flender compliment to the abilities of this ingenious Writer to fay that, in this part of his prefent work, he has difplayed the fame judgment and taste which have been remarked in fome of his former publications.

Whatever may be the difficulties that the poet encounters, who attempts to defcribe manners at a diftance fo remote from the prefent, they are, in a great measure, counterbalanced by the advantages he will gain in the conftruction of his fable. Unrestrained by an attention to that propriety of conduct and occurrences which is expected in modern ftory, he may give a loose to the reins of fiction, without danger of exciting either wearinefs or difguft. Events, which in themselves are not only romantic but improbable, will frequently, when viewed through the medium of antiquity, affume an air which is at once both graceful and engaging. That falfe glare of colouring, which fhocks the eye of the fpectator when brought too near, will, when placed at due diftance, acquire a mellownels which has every effect of just painting. This obfervation may, with peculiar propriety, be applied to the principal incident in the poem before us.

As a fpecimen of the poem, and as a juftification of the opinion we have given of it, we fhall fubjoin the following extract:

The hoary paftor near the village-fane

Receiv'd the honour'd chief and all his train:
This holy, meek, difinterested man

Had form'd his ufeful life on duty's plan :
Unpractis'd in thofe arts that teach to rife,
The vacant mitre ne'er allur'd his eyes.
Regardless still of diffipation's call,
He feldom tarried at the feftive hall,
Where all around the ftoried texture hung,

Where pfaltries founded, and where minitrels fung;
But to the humble cot's neglected door

The facred man the balm of comfort bore:
Still would he liften to the injur'd fwain,
For he who liftens mitigates the pain:
There was he feen reclining o'er the bed,

Where the pale maiden bow'd her anguish'd head;
Where, reft of hope, the yielding victim lay,
And like a wreath of fnow diffolv'd away:
With feeling foul the paftor oft enquir'd
Where the meek train of filent grief retir'd,
Shame that declines her forrows to impart,
The drooping fpirit, and the broken heart,
He ne'er the friar's gaping wallet fed,
But to the widow fent his loaf of bread:

His fee to ROME reluctantly he paid,
And call'd the Pardoner's a pilf'ring trade,
The facred Pfalter well he knew to glofs,
And on its page illuminate the Cross:
The written Miffal on the altar feen,
Inclos'd in velvet of the richest green,
Difplay'd initials by his fancy plann'd,
Whole brilliant colours own'd his skilful hand,
This gaily-letter'd book his art devis'd,
The temple's only ornament compriz'd:
The hallow'd fervice of this modeft fane
(Far from the fplendour of a choral train)
Could boat no labour'd chaunt, no folemn rites,
No clouds of incenfe, and no pomp of lights,
But at the plain and lowly altar ftands
The village-priest with pure uplifted hands,
Invoking from above, Heav'n's guardian care,
In all the meek fimplicity of pray'r.'

Art. 28. Epifle from the Honourable Charles Fox, Partridge
Shooting, to the Honourable John Townsend, cruising. 4to. is,
Faulder. 1779.

Few poems that we have lately met with have afforded us more pleasure than the little epiftle which is now before us. It is not only terfe and elegant, but replete, alfo, with a kind of pleafantry which is, in fome degree, peculiar to itfelf; a pleafantry unembittered by the gall of party or perfonal fatire: it is very rarely that true humour and good humour are fo happily blended. The Epistle opens with the following lines:

While you, dear TOWNSHEND, o'er the billows ride,
MULGRAVE in front, and HANGER by thy fide,
Me it delights the woods and wilds to court,
For rufic feats and unambitious fport.-

At that dim hour when fading lamps expire,
When the last, ling'ring clubs to bed retire,
I rife!-how fhould I then thy feelings fhock,
Unfhav'd, unpowder'd, in my fhooting frock!
What frock? thou crieft-I'll tell thee-the old brown;
Trimm'd to a jacket, with the skirts cut down-
Thou laugh't; I know, thou do'ft; but check that sneer
What though no fashion'd fportfman I appear,

Yet hence thy CHARLES's voice gains fhriller force;
Ah! JACK, if DUNNING fot, he'd not be hoarse.
Nor deem ev'n here the cares of state forgot,

I wad with gazettes ev'ry fecond fhot:
ALMON's bold fheets the intervals fupply;

And till, methinks, his charges fartheft fly.'

eri

The company and entertainment with which he purposes to celebrate his friend's return, bear fuch evident marks of tafte and good judgment, that we fhould elleem ourselves happy in having a card of invitation to be of the party:

That night, to feftive wit and friendship due,
That night thy CHARLES's board fhall welcome you.

Sallads,

Sallads, that fhame ragouts, fhall woo thy tafle;
Deep fhalt thou delve in WELTJIE's motley pafte;
DERBY fhall lend, if not his plate, his cooks,

And, know, I've bought the beft Champaigne from BROOKS;
From liberal BROOKS, whofe fpeculative skill,
Is hafty credit, and a diftant bill;

Who, nurs'd in clubs, difdains a vulgar trade,
Exults to truft, and blushes to be paid!

On that aufpicious night, fupremely grac'd
With chofen guests, the pride of liberal Tafte,
Not in contentious heat, nor madd'ning ftrife,
Not with the bufy ills, nor cares of life,

We'll waste the fleeting hours; far happier themes
Shall claim each thought, and chase Ambition's dreams,
Each Beauty that Sublimity can boast

He beft fhall tell, who fill unites them most,
Of Wit, of Tafte, of Fancy, we'll debate;
If SHERIDAN for once is not too late :
But fcarce a thought to minifters we'll spare,
Unless on Polish politics, with HARE:
Good-natur'd DEVON! oft fhall then appear
The cool complacence of thy friendly fneer:

Oft fhall FITZPATRICK's wit, and STANHOPE's cafe,
And BURGOYNE's manly fenfe unite to please.
And while each gueft attends our varied feats
Offcatter'd covies and retreating fleets,

Me fhall they wish fome better sport to gain,

And Thee more glory, from the next campaign.'

There are a few verbal inaccuracies, too trifling indeed to be noticed in a poem of lefs excellence, which, in the ardour of compofition, have escaped correction: one or two we have marked in italics.

We believe it is now a needlefs piece of information, that the Public are indebted for this performance to the fame elegant pen that produced the Project, and the Wreath of Fabion.

Art. 29. Ruin feize thee, ruthlefs King! A Pindaric Ode, not written by Mr. Gray. 4to. 1 5. Almon. 1779.

This free parody contains many lines that are humorous, fome that are unintelligible, and a few that are impudent.

DRAMATIC.

Art. 30. William and Nanny; a Ballad Farce, in Two Acts. As performed at the Theatre in Covent Garden. Evo. I s. Kearly. 1779.

Idle fing-fong, and flimfy dialogue, fuftained by hacknied characters poorly delineated, not enlivened by humour, nor rendered interesting by any circumftances of the fable.

Art. 31. The Cottagers: A Mufical Entertainment. As per

formed at the Theatre in Covent Garden. 8vo. 6 d.

Griffin.

The first draught of William and Nanny, the Author of which has thus characterised the Cottagers. "The fact is, that this little farce was originally written ten or eleven years ago; as it ftood then, a

real

real Baronet was in love with Nanny, who generously refigned her to William, on difcovering their attachment; this was thought FLAT Preface to William and Nanny.

AND INSIPID."

We have only to echo the Author's laft words, flat and infipid! Art. 32. The Critic; or, Tragedy Rehearfed: a Literary Catchpenny! by way of Prelude to a Dramatic After-piece. By R. B. Sheridan, Efq. With a Dedication, Preface, and Prologue. 8vo. 1 S. Kingbury. 1779.

Many a true word spoken in jeft. This piece exactly answers the defcription in its title page. A literary catch penny, by way of prelude to a dramatic after-piece."

Art. 33. The Critic Anticipated; or, the Humours of the GreenRoom: A Farce. As rehearsed behind the Curtain of the Theatre in Drury Lane. By R. B. S. Efq; &c. 8vo. 1 s. Bladon. 1779. Alius idem! Another theatrical mushroom, engendered by the warmth of Mr. Sheridan's reputation.

Art. 34. The Mirror; or, Harlequin everywhere. A Pantomi mical Burletta. As performed at the Theatre, Covent Garden. 8vo. I S. Kearly. 1779.

This pantomimical burletta may, for aught we know, be a very diverting Spectacle on the theatre ;-in the clofet it is but a poor en

tertainment.

Art. 35. The Shepherdess of the Alps; a Comic Opera, in Three Acts. As performed at the Theatre, Covent Garden. 8vo, 1 s. 6 d. Kearfly. 1780.

A dramatic travefty of the elegant and affecting tale of Marmontel. The character of Count Trifle is founded, if we recollect rightly, on one of the Proverbes Dramatiques. Most of the other comic cha racters and incidents are mere counterparts to thofe which have been repeatedly exhibited, with more addrefs, in our late mufical dramas. LA W.

Art. 36. Remarks on the Law of Defcent, and on the Reasons. affigned by Mr. Juftice Blackstone for rejecting, in his Table of Defcent, a Point of Doctrine laid down in Plowden, Lord Bacon, and Hale. 4to. 1 s. 6d. Brooke. 1779.

The point of law here difcuffed, in 47 quarto pages, is, “Whether the heir of the Great Grandmother, on the part of the father, ought to be preferred, in the courfe of the inheritance, to the heir of the Grandmother on the fame fide; or, vice versa ?" Mr. Juftice Blackflone gives the preference to the Great Grandmother, in contradiction (as this Author contends) to the ancient doctrine. Had the learned Commentator on the Laws of England contented himself with fingly declaring his opinion on the fubject, the Public would find little difficulty in chufing between fo weighty an authority, and that of an anonymous writer; but as the reajons on which the former grounds his opinion are affigned at fome length, thofe reasons are certainly open to the free examination. The queftion is shifted from authority to argument. Our Remarker enters on the difcuffion with temper, and with decency; but with what fuccefs he hath acquitted himself, must be left to the decifion of those who are deep in

this particular fubject. The investigation of a law-thefis hath no charms for the generality of readers. Courts of justice do not fit to decide abftra& points of law. They require real parties, real interefts, and an actual caufe depending before them; but there is always an avenue to the judgment of men of learning through the medium of the prefs. Ingenuity can here exert itself with no other client than the bookfeller, and find its way to public notice, though the gates of Westminster-hall are shut.

[The above account was prepared for the prefs before we were informed of the melancholy event which has deprived our country of the refpectable Judge, whofe opinion is canvaffed in this pamphlet. Criticism may lay afide her pen; and Controverfy herself for a while forget her acrimony, to fhed a tear over departed genius and learning. An author's beft and nobleft monument is his writings. Non omnis moritur. And we have the fatisfaction to hear that a pofthumous work is bequeathed, by Sir W. Blackstone, to the profeffion of the law, as well as fome Additions with which his Commen taries on the Laws of England will be enriched.]

HORTICULTURE.

Art. 37. The Garden Mushroom: Its Nature and Cultivation. A Treatife exhibiting full and plain Directions, for producing this defirable Plant in Perfection and Plenty, according to the true fuccefsful Practice of the London Gardeners. By John Abercrombie, Author of the Gardener's Kalendar. 8vo. I s. 6 d. L. Davis.

Though this treatife contains nothing materially new, yet, as it enters more minutely into the fubject than any former publication, it will not be without its ufe to the curious gardener, who wishes to cultivate the vegetable of which it treats, in the highest perfection. The rules, as we learn from a gentleman who has had fome experience in these matters, are the fame which are obferved by the belt gardeners. MISCELLANEO U s.

Art. 38. Leffons in Elocution; or, Mifcellaneous Pieces in Profe and Verfe; felected from the best Authors, for the Perufal of Perfons of Tate, and the Improvement of Youth in Reading and Speaking. By William Scott, Teacher in Edinburgh. Izmo. 3 s. Elliot, Edinburgh; Longman, London. 1779.

The idea of this compilation is evidently borrowed from Dr. Enfield's Speaker, a work, the general ufe of which is its belt praife. A very confiderable part of the lefions in both are the fame; and where they differ (to fay the leaf), we fee no reafon to give the preference to Mr. Scott's judgment and taste in felection. With refpect to the difpofition of the materials, the method adopted in the Speaker, of arranging the pieces under the feveral diftinét fpecies of elocution, narrative, didactic, argumentative, oratorical, &c. is certainly much better fuited to answer the purpofe of improvement in fpeaking, than a promifcuous mifcellany in proje and verse; for each branch of elocution has its proper tone and manner, which must be beft acquired by repeated exercife.

Art.