of the commons,

of making a decent and comfortable provifion for themselves and their families.'-For the particulars of our author's • scheme, we refer to his pamphlet. XIV. A Letter to the worshipful LL. D. &c. &c. occafioned by a very extraordinary use of the vifitatorial power, in Crewkern deanery, archdeaconry of Taunton, and diocefe of Bath and Wells. To which are added, a preface and appendix: tending as well to render the whole affair more intelligible, as to account for the publication of the faid letter, at fuch a distance of time from the event to which it was owing. 8vo. 6d. Baldwin.

This relates to a tranfaction, concerning which we do not think it necessary to be more particular, in a literary journal. XV. An Introduction to the Italian Language. Containing fpecimens both of profe and verfe: felected from Francefco Redi. Galileo Galilei. Euftachio Manfredi. Giampietro Zanotti. Annibale Caro. Antonmaria Salvinni. Rafaello da Urbino. Baldaffare Caftiglione. Andrea Navagero. Francefco Guicciardini. Caterino Davila. Nicolo Macchiavelli. Gio

vangiorgio Triffino. Giovanni Boccaccio. Pietro Metaftafio. Lodovico Ariofte. Torquato Taffo. Lorenzo Giuftiniano. Michelangelo Buonarrotti. Angelo Poliziano. Lorenzo de Medici. Girolamo Fracaftoro. Margherita di Valois, Regina di Navarra. Giovanni della Cafa. Lorenzo Bellini. Francefco -Petrarca. Giovanni Milton. With a literal tranflation and grammatical notes, for the ufe of those who, being already acquainted with grammar, attempt to learn it without a mafter. By Giuefeppe Baretti. 8vo. 6s. Millar.

The author tells us, in his preface to this performance, that ⚫he intends it as nothing more than an initiatory volume, an eafy introduction to the Italian tongue;' that he did not compofe it to gratify curiofity, but to affift inftruction, and 'facilitate study; and as an apology for his tranflation, he óbferves, that a free one was not defigned, because it would ⚫ not have answered his end, which is to teach Italian, and • not English.—Wherefore his book ought to be confidered only as a fimple vocabulary, in which light it will not be ⚫ufelefs for want of elegance. To speak our own sentiments of it, we may fay, we have not met with any work of this kind more likely to answer its profeffed purposes. L XVI. Corruptæ Latinitatis Index; or a collection of barbarous words and phrafes, which are found in the works of the most celebrated modern writers in Latin. With an alphabetical table, fhewing what words and phrafes taken from the claffics would have clearly and fully answered their purpose. To which are added, three alphabetical indexes of words and

phrases

phrafes, found in Apicius, Lactantius, and Prudentius, which are not to be met with in the most approved Latin claffics. By William Maffey, master of a boarding-school at Wandsworth. 8vo. Is. Keith.

The author's reading and application, are very evident in this performance; in the courfe of which he has been pretty liberal of his criticisms on feveral refpectable names, tho' not more fo than the nature of his work required: however he has thought it neceffary to apologize for the freedoms he has taken in the following manner, wherein alfo he explains his defign in this undertaking. I ingenuously declare, that what I have done, is not with a view to leffen the efteem and reputation that fuch [authors] may have gained in the world, by their valuable works; from many of whom, I confess, I have profited not a little in my ftudies; but that by remarking their overfights and negligences, others may be the better qualified to avoid them, in what they write in Latin; and likewife, that scholars in grammar-schools may be di⚫rected in the choice of many words and phrases, where our common dictionaries mislead them.'

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The title, with what is added, as above, will, we appre hend, fufficiently explain the purport of this publication; which will not admit of any extracts that can be either useful, or entertaining, to the major part of our readers. XVII. ПРОAРоMOE; or obfervations on the English letters. Being an attempt to reform our alphabet, and regulate our manner of spelling; particularly in fuch words as admit the afpiration. Written originally for the ufe of Meff. Norris and Randolph. By Sayer Rudd, M. D. minifter of Walmer, and master of the academy at Deal, in Kent. Is. Davey and Law.

8vo.

Dr. Rudd introduces thefe obfervations with the following pofition: As every letter is generally fuppofed to be the mark of fome one fimple found, fo the name of the letter, in ftrict propriety, ought likewife to be a fimple found in itself [to help the memory, and facilitate the pronunciation.] Nor fo only, but it feems further neceffary, that ALL THE NAMES of the letters, if natural, be fuch as arise directly out of the powers refpectively belonging to the feveral marki, or ⚫ letters, themselves.'

Upon this principle he propofes, as a reformation to the !common alphabet, that where the fame letter occafionally poffeffes different founds, or powers, they ought to be dulinguished by different nantes: for example,

Figure

Name. Power. Example.

C C hard kee k can

Cap. L. Cafe.

CC

CC

by which distinctions, our alphabet, in what the doctor calls its true and natural ftate, confiits of no less than nine and twenty letters, which he thinks ought to be diftinguished, by character, to the eye; for inftance, the foft c might be known from the bard by printing the former with a cerilla.

Another addition proposed by our author, is that combined, or double letters may be confidered in quantity of fingle powers, or, at leaft, as admitting a common name, and confequently a fingle force in the bufinefs of fpelling; different, however, according to the place in which they ftand: jutt as the 6 theta, phi, x chi, [and pfi] among the Greeks.' With refpect to fpelling, he gives this general rule,

Spell as you speak, this rule remember ever,

The founds of fimples, the parts of compounds, fever. The above may ferve as a fpecimen of the importance of the regulations proposed by Dr. Rudd; but, however specious they might appear to him, this inconvenience may, in fome inftances, arife from fuch a multiplication of terms, that if the learner should unfortunately have but an indifferent memory, it may poffibly be fome years before he can retain his hornbook.

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XVIII. The whole Duty of an Apprentice: being a companion for a youth of fenfe. Containing inftructions to make him wife, good, and useful, and his master and himself happy. Written occafionally fome years fince, by a late chamberlain of London, and now publifhed for a general good, &c. &c. 8vo. Is. Withers and Swan.

By the style we have been led to look upon this as an old pamphlet, reprinted; tho' fome things in it feem incompatible with this idea. But, whoever was the writer, or when foever it was written, it is a fenfible thing, and might prove a useful one, if the readers it was defigned for could be prevailed on to perufe it with due attention. And tho' fome of the author's documents are cloathed in homely guife, and may be despised Aby young gentlemen of education, bred up to the genteeler branches of trade and commerce, yet they have a much better tendency than the idle novels, loofe plays. and other modern trash, ufually found in the hands of young people, and fit only to pervert both their manners and morals.

XIX. The Orations of Efchines against Ctesiphon and De-. mofthenes de Corona. Tranflated from the original Greek, and illuftrated with notes, hiftorical and critical. By Andrew Portal, lecturer of St. Helens, in Abingdon, Berks, and ufher of the free grammar-fchool. 8vo. 5s. Withers.

This work is principally defigned for the ufe of those who ftudy the Greek language; and accordingly the length and turn of the periods is every where conformable to the original, ex

cept

cept where it was next to impoffible to preferve them in our tongue, without departing too far from our idiom, or falling into obfcurity. However, to render the work of more general advantage, Mr. Portal endeavours to keep up, every where, to the purity and idiom of our own language; and by small infertions (generally printed in a different character) to remove now and then little obfcurities, under which a bare rendering would have laboured.

The notes are, many of them, taken from Potter, Tourreil, &c. and are very useful and pertinent.

XX. An Essay on Architecture; in which its true principles are explained, and invariable rules propofed, for directing the judgment, and forming the tafte, of the Gentleman and the Architect, with regard to the different kinds of buildings, the embellishment of cities, and the planning of gardens. 12mo. 3s. Ofborne.

This is a wretched translation of an ingenious book written in French, by P. Laugier, and from the firft edition of that book; whereas there is a fecond edition, with confiderable additions and improvements, which render it much more valuJable. The first edition made its appearance without the author's name, and as feveral things were advanced in it contrary to established opinions, his notions were attacked in a work entitled, Examen d'un Effui fur l'Architecture. In the fecond edition, P. Laugier replies to what was urged by the author of the Examination, illuftrates feveral things laid down in his firft, and adds a dictionary, explaining the terms of art, with plates to render them the more intelligible.

What the reafons are that induced the English tranflator, to endeavour to pass this tranflation on the public as an original work, we really know not, and must leave our readers to guefs. As to the merit of the original work, it is fufficient to fay, it is written with fpirit and elegance, and that the author confiders his fubject in a more peculiar way than the generality of thofe who have treated upon it. R XXI. Memoirs of the Affairs of Scotland; containing an impartial account of the most remarkable tranfactions in that kingdom, from King James VI. his taking up the government in 1577, till his acceffion to the crown of England, in 1603. Together with a difcourfe of the confpiracy of the earl of Gowry. By David Moyfes, for many years an officer of the king's houfhold. Now firft publifhed from an original manufcript. Edinburgh, 12mo: 3s. Millar.

The author of these memoirs was a domestic fervant to King James VI. to whom he dedicates his work. He held an office in that prince's houfhold for thirty feven years, which gave him an opportunity of knowing feveral particulars that

hap

happened at court, or in the country, among which are fome incidents that other historians have entirely overlooked: perhaps as judging them not important enough for their notice. What he relates is digefted according to the order of time wherein things happened: the facts, fuch as they are, are told in a fimple unaffected style, scarce intelligible, in many places, to an English reader; but an air of veracity appears through the whole.

XXII. The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift, adapted to the capacities of children. To which is added, an hiftorical account of the lives, actions, travels, fufferings, and deaths of the apoftles and evangelifts. Adorned with cuts, defigned by the celebrated Raphael, and engraved by Mr. Walker. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Newbery.

The defign of this work appears to be a good one; nor is the execution without its merit. In the former part of it, viz. the harmony of the evangelifts, the four gospels are blended together in one continued narration, (the advantages of which are obvious) ftill preserving the chronology, as well as the fenfe and meaning, of each evangelift. It is divided into fuch fections, for leffons, as are not too fhort to exercise the faculties of the young reader, nor yet long enough to tire his attention; and each fection is terminated with the name of the evangelift from whom it is taken. The other part contains an account of the lives, &c. of the apostles and evangelifts; thofe of St. Peter and St. Paul, which are given at confiderable length, are collected from the Acts of the apoftles.

POLITICAL.

R

XXIII. A Letter to a Friend: giving a concife, but just, account, according to the advices hitherto received, of the Óbiodefeat; pointing out the many good ends this inglorious event is naturally adapted to promote, c. &c. Boften, New-Eng land, printed; London re-printed, and fold by J. Noon. 8vo. 6d.

The good ends pointed out by this writer, as the probable refult of Braddock's defeat, are, the alarming the American British colonies, awakening in them a fenfe of danger, and exciting them to fpeed and vigour, in profecuting right methods for guarding themfelves, and annoying the French. He has many fenfible obfervations, and what he fays in particular of the New-England forces, and the fervice they have already done to the cominon caufe, feems to defe ve the attention of thofe at HOME, who more immedia ely ought to attend to whatever may affect our interefts in the COLONIES. XXIV. The Expedition of Major-General Braddock to Virginia, with the two regiments of Halket and Dunvar; being REVIEW, Oct. 1755.

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