death, he wase Fellow of the Royal and Antiquarian Societies, Mafter of Emanuel college, principal Librarian of the public library in the univerfi THE ty, one of the Canons refidentiary of St. Paul's Chancellor of the diocese of Lichfield and Coventry, and Prebendary of Worcester. NOTICES OF WORKS IN HAND, DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN. HE Wrongs of Women, and other pofthumous works of the late lamented Mrs Godwin, are in the prefs, and will be published in courfe of the month. Mr R. Beatfon has announced a Practical Treatife on Rural Improvements; illuftrated by about 120 cop. perplates of Elevations and Plans, &c. &c.-The whole being interfperfed with Remarks made during the several extenfive Tours through different parts of Great Britain. This work is to be comprised in two volumes quarto; the price to fub fcribers, advancing the whole, 51. -to fubfcribers, advancing one half, (the other to be paid on the delivery of the work) 51. 108. At the earnest defire of many artifts of Edinburgh, a fociety has recently been formed in that city, the object of which is National Improve ment in the Fine Arts. It is thought by its founders that fuch a fociety may, in due time, conduce to render Scotland no lefs diftinguished for works of genius than for its acknow ledged progrefs in fcience. Mr Nafmyth has been appointed the first prefident, and Mr A. Campbell, the fecretary. Since the tranflation of the Old and New Teftament into the Scottish dialect of the Celtic Languages, was ably and zealously recommended in the well known letter by the late Dr Johnfon to Mr Drummond; the policy of civilizing and prefbeterianizing the inhabitants of the Scottish High lands and Iiles, by the gradual extermination in their ancient language, has been, in a great meafure, laid afide. The Pfalms of David, Baxter's Call to unconverted Sinners, and fome other fuitable manuals of piety, have been, for their use, tranflated into the Gælic tongue. Schools have been inflituted for the purpose of teaching children to read and write Gaelic, no less than English. In the recent establishment of an academy at Inverness, a Gaelic teacher, with handsome appointments, has been very carefully added to the number of the other preceptors. And, in confiftency with their general respect for the Gaelic language and literature, a tranflation of all the books of the Holy Scripture, undertaken many years fince under the patronage of the Scottish Society for propagating Chriflian Knowledge, has been lately profecuted with a diligence which promifes fpeedily to complete it. Dr Stuart of Lufs, diftinguished for his unrivalled skill in the indigenous botany of Scotland; and the learned and ingenious Dr Smith, of Campbelton, refpected by the public, as the collector and tranflator of various remains of ancient Gaelic poefy, which had efcaped the researches of Mr M Pherfon; are the gentlemen to whofe erudition and diligence this tranflation of the Gaelic Bible has been committed. The greater part of their verfion is now in the prefs, and will very foon be published. A Gaelic Dictionary, much more valuable than the mere Gloffary of Shaw, is likewise expected from Docters Smith and Stuart, within a reafonable time after the final publication of their Bible. A new A new volume of The Tranfacto render the first branch of literary tions of the Royal Society of Edin education, infinitely easier to the chilburgh, containing many important dren themselves and to their teacharticles of Biography, and of fcienti- ers, than it has yet been found in any fic and erudite refeatch, will be pub. Scottish fchool. lifhed in the courfe of the enfuing month. An interefting work upon Gothic Architecture, illuftrated by many engravings; the productions of that leifure which Sir James Hall, Bart. of Dunglafs, dedicates to purfuits of erudition and science, and to the patriotic improvement of the ufeful arts, has been for fome time in preparation for publication; and will foon, probably, be prefented to gratify the general curiofity of antiquarians and artists. Mr. Andrew Foulis, Edinburgh, is at prefent employed in the completion of an octave edition of Ef chylus, which was, feveral years fince, begun by him. This edition will exhibit the notes, emendations, and various readings of Porfor, that Coryphaus of Greek erudition. It is different from the folio Efchylus, lately printed by Foulis. It is the ge. nuine edition of Porfon, and is print, ing at the expence of Mr Elmsly, bookfeller in London. The fame Mr Foulis is preparing for publication a complete History of the Glasgow Prefs of his Father and Uncle, the late celebrated Robert and Andrew Foulis; a work which cannot fail to prove extremely interrefting to the lovers of literary anecdote and of typographical history. Mr David Dale of Glasgow, the proprietor of the cotton works of Lanerk, who is believed to have formed that vast manufacturing eflab lishment, not more for the purpofe of lucrative trade, than in order to provide means of fupport and education for deftitute children; has, by a peculiar fort of fubdivifion of the labour of instructing children to read, the invention of fome of the perfons employed in the works,-contrived Mr George Meikle, mill-wright, of the county of Clackmannan in Scotland, affifted by the late lament. ed Sir Francis Kinloch, bart. of Gilmerton, is now certainly known to have been the first inventor of the Threshing-Machine. Perhaps its invention by H-, the famous Pruffian mechanic, mentioned by Beckmann, might be prior to, or contemporary with, that by Meikle. But Meikle, it is certain, did not borrow, but invent, in this inftance. Mr Nelfon, a very ingenious chemift in Edinburgh, has contrived to improve the process of preparing Soap of wool, and to render it lefs expenfive, by collecting fome ariform products of this procefs, which its first authors had Juffered to escape. Dr A. F. M. Willich, of Edinburgh, has in the prefs, a work upon the Philofophical Syftem of Kant, under the title of "Elements of the Critical Philofophy; with a fuccinct Account of its Origin and Tendency." He is alfo preparing "a System. atic View of Dietetics," as oppofed to the heterogenous materials fcattered in Family Guides, &c. The Rev. Dr Gleig of Stirling, has announced his intention of speedily publishing a Supplement to the Encyclopædia Britannica, in which he promifes to correct all its errors, aud to fupply all its deficiencies. The Hiftory of Scotland, from the earlieft Era of its Occupation by human Inhabitants, to the prefent. Time; comprehending, with the deduction of the national tranfactions, the expofition of the Labours, Knowledge, Enjoyments of the Scots; the work of Mr Heron of Edinburgh, will be published about the end of the present year, in London and Ed. inburgh, complete, in 5 vols. 8vo. D:. Dr R. Watson has circulated propofals for publishing by fubfcription, a new edition of the Political Works R of Fletcher of Salton; to which he intends to prefix a Sketch of his Life, with Notes, &c. BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS PUBLISHED IN LONDON IN OCTOBER 1797. Theology Morals. and Hood. Common Sense; in two Letters to a deiftical Friend. 6d. Knote. ་ Srmen at Colchefter for Sunday Schools. By R. A. Ingram. 8:0 Is. Robinfons. on Mr Fell. By H. Hunter, D. D. IS. 6d. Good. By R. Voyages. Hiflery Antiquities. Memoirs relating to the French Revolution. From the French Manufcript of the Marquis de Bouillé. 8vo. 8s. bds. Cadell and Davies. Memoirs illuftrating the Hiftory of Ja- 215. bds. Nicol. Defcription of the Town and Fortress of Mantua. 4to. Is. 6d. Vernor and Hood. Biography. Biographical Anecdotes of the Founders of the French Republic, 11mo. 5s.bds. Johnfon. Life of Zimmerman, from the French of Tiffot, with a Head. Small 8vo. bds. Vernor and Hood. Life of Bianco Capello, Wife of F. de Medici, grand Duke of Tuscany, from the French of Siebenkefs. By C. Ludger, 12mo. fewed. Lee and Hurit. Life of Muley Liezit, late Emperor of Morocco. 38. fewed. Ogilvy and Son. Law. Wentworth's Complete Syftem of Pleading. vol. 11. III. IV. 12s. each, bds. Robinfons. Medicine. Surgery. An Appeal to Gentlemen fludying Medicine at Edinburgh. By F. S. ConRancio. 6d. Callow. Lecture on the Prefervation of Health. By T. Garnett, M. D. 28. Cadell and Davies. The Art of prolonging Life, from the German of W. Hufeland, M. D. 2 Vels. 8vo. 1os. bds. Bell. Effay on the outward Application of Oils. By W. M. Trinder, M. D. IS. Longman. A Treatise on Chirurgical Difeafes, from the French of Chopart and Default. Vol. 1. 8vo. 9s. bds. Richardfons. Caufe of Truth, including a Refutation of Paine's Works. By R. Thomas, Minifter of Abdie. 12mo. 3s. fewed. Vernor and Hood. A Bone to gnaw for the Democrats. By P. Porcupine. 12mo. price 2s. 6d. Wright. Proofs of a Confpiracy against all the Re- Vindiciae Regiæ, or a Defence of the Freedom defended. By W. Clegg. 6d. Obfervations on Mr Grattan's Addrefs to the Citizens of Dublin. Is. 6d. Debre:t. Speechs THAT THE SELF ADMIRER: A TALE. HAT mankind are blind to their own imperfections, is a truth which has been maintained by the concurrent opinions of writers of all denominations, facred and prophane; hiftorians, poets, and dramatifts, have reiterated the complaint; and what has been allowed to be univerfal, has ceafed to be thought extraordinary. Thus, when a grave judce upon the bench, inftead of turning all his attention to the cafe of Ifles vertus Styles, wanders from the legal track to exhibit the mellifluous flowers of inapplicable oratory; the deviation is attributed to the proper caufe, and his fympathetic auditors, inflead of deploring the fate of the deferted fuitor, or being fired with indignation at the perversion of talents, content the mfelves with obferving, "that his lordship is captivated with his own abilities," and derives more fatisfaction from hear ing himfelf talk, than from clofely difcuffing dry points of law, or the unimportant determination of queftions of right. And fhould one of his auditors, fmit with the charms of felf-approbation, determine to improve on the declamation of the filver-tongued judge, and in an humbler circle retail his harangue, in mutilated periods, and fophifticated language, the attempt would excite no aItonishment, nor any other remark, than "that the gentleuran has a good opinion of himfelt," and fancies he can make a better speech than judge Plaufible. Nor when a nobleman of fixty-five totters through the fttreets in a ciole frock and a ftrait boot, staggers down a dance at Almack's, fighs love through his agebroken teeth, and ogles with lack lure eyes, is the phænomenon obferved with horror; on the contrary, the beaux admire his grace's refolution, which scorns to yield to the invader age, and applaud that felf-approving spirit, which still introduces him to the affemblies of the fair and the gay. Sir Valentine Vizor was a general lover; his pretences to that character will be beft understood by a sketch of his hiftory, perfon, and qualifications. The earlier part of his life had been fpent in the ufual occupations of young meu of fashion; he had acquired knowledge enough at fchool to write badly, fpell tollerably, and conftrue Ovid's Epifles: at the Univerfity he ftudied the three first problems of Euclid with the ufual fuccefs; and in his travels he pol feffed himself of French and Italian enough to fpeak thofe languages with tolerable fluency, and laid in a very con fiderable ftock of embroidered cloaths and catfkin linings; with thefe acquifitions, and a French cook, he returned at twenty-three, and fet up for a man of the world on an eftate of 3000l. a year, which he enjoyed from the bounty of his grandfather, independent of his father, at whofe death he would be entitled to another of double that annual value. During the life of this parent, he belonged to all the fashionable clubs, kept running hories, fported a mistress of the firft figure, frequented affemblies, dreffed, danced, gave good dinners, and never neglected an opportunity of paying his addreffes to every young woman of condition who fell in his way, and boafting his conquefts and defertionss. But if his fucceffes were not rather founded in his own vanity than in reality, caprice muft govern the fair fex with the moft abfolute dominion; for of all the votaries of Venus, Mr Vizor feems to have enlifted in her tram with the moft unpromifing appearance. He was upwards of fix feet high, but nature had been too lavish of length to allow allow a proportionable breadth; he was the thinnef of the tribe who are diftinguished by the appellation of meagre; and this flimfey frame was fupported by legs, which, in the ftyle of vulgar witticifm, would have been denominated fpindles. To compleat the symmetry, a pair of feet fourteen inches by three, ferved as vehicles for the conveyance of this human fpectre. Moft faces are defcribed as long or fhort, thin, or broad; that of Mr Vizor beggared all defcription. The forehead was narrow, high, and pointed; at the cheek bones it spread to an enormous width, and from thence gradually narrowed to the extremity of the chin, where it bore the exact shape of a fhoeing horn; with this difference, that inftead of an elevated curve, it turned obliquely, fo that as he flood in a pofture perfectly erect, the termination of it was immediately above his right fhoulder. His eye (he had but one, for the other had been unfortunately loft in the fmallpox, the virulence of which difeafe had alfo made various other trefpaffes on his vifage) was of that colour, which being grey, with a caft of green, hath been conceived to bear a refemblance to this organ of a cat but the likeness held in no other refpect: for, inftead of being prominent and vivacious, it was funk at leaft an inch in the orbit, and its perfect want of brilliancy was happily fupplied by a plentiful effufion of fealding rheum, which preyed upon the furrounding lids, and gave the whole, if not a dazzling, yet at leaft an affecting appearance. The fummit of this animated lanthorn was crowned by a few ftraggling hairs, which the ingenuity of a Parifian hair dreffer tortured into a toupee, and by the help of a profufion of powder and pomatum, formed into a covering, which bore all the appearance of a branch of furze in a frefly morning. commemorate, he could not be prevailed upon to admit that his age exceeded forty two. To this borough, which is fituated within a day's journey of the metropolis, had lately retired Mr Inveft: who, though defcended from one of the moft ancient families in the kingdom, had been bred to commerce, and had traded with unfullied reputation, till the failures of payments for very confiderable confignments by fome of his American correfpondents, had compelled him to retire from a profeffion, which had left him little more than the faireft character in the world, and a bare, compétence for himself, his wife, and a daughter who had juft turned her feventeenth year. But however neceffary and agreeable this retirement might prove to the difappointed merchant, and the partner of his cares, it was attended with circumftances of a truly pitiable nature to the blooming and fufceptible Caroline; who, with the approbation of her parents, had, in the zenith of her father's profperity, beftowed her heart on the worthy and accomplifhed Mr Maynard, a youth who had been bred to bufinefs in the comptingboule of Mr Invest, and to whom, with his daughter, this gentleman intended to have given up his extenfive trade, and to have doubled his own private fortune, which was about 15,000l. But when the merchant found his own capital reduced to little more than half the fum which he had intended for the immediate portion of his Caroline, and that no part of that flender pittance could be fpared during the lives of himself and his lady, he determined to break off an engagement which he conceived he could not fuffer to be compleated with honour; and though the lover earnefily perfifted in his fuit, and entreated permiffion to efpoufe the lovely Caroline, and to exert his induftry in the increafe of that fortune which, though unequal to her defert, was already abundantly fufficient to fupply their wishes: yet neither these arguments, nor the fighs of the gentle Caroline, who, though the acquiefced in the will of her father, could not wholly fupprefs thefe marks of regret; could prevail on the determined Mr Inveft to recede from his fixed refolution not to encumber a young beginner with expences, which would cramp him in his outlet, and prevent his fuccefsful progrefs in the line of his profeffion: fo that the lovers were compelled to part; not, however, without vows of conftancy, and engage3 B Such was Sir Valentine Vizor, when at the age of thirty-feven he fucceeded to that title, and his father's eftate; and fuch, with very little variation, did the affiftance of brushing, plaiftering, and bolstering, continue him, till at the diffolution of the fourth parliament fince his father's decease, he gave a ball to his paft and intended conftituents at the borough of B, at the diftance of twenty-eight years from the laft-mentioned event, according to the computations of ordinary chronologers, though in the calculations of the baronet himself, time moved on much flower pinions, for at the œra we Ed. Mag. Nov. 1797. ments |