Art. 29. The Angel and Curate, a Poem. By Nathaniel Weekes. 4to. I S. Coote. The Author of this poem calls it the production of impetuous GENIUS; but Dullness too is sometimes impetuous, and to have given it to the right parent would both have been more modest, and more just. Art. 30. The Temple Student. An Epistle to a Friend. 4to. Is. Dodsley. Mr. Skeate, Author of The Alps, a beautiful descriptive poem; of An Epistle from Lady Jane Gray to Lord Guildford Dudley; and of a curious Account of the Republic of Geneva, has here tried his muse in a loofer species of poetry: in which he humorously attacks the study and profeffion of the law. It is an entertaining piece; although it may not be deemed so favourable a specimen of the Author's poetical abilities, as the Alps, or even as his Ruins of Netley-Abbey: for the first, see Review, Vol. XXVIII. p. 376; for the second, Vol. XXIX. p. 322; and for his Account of Geneva, see Vol. XXIV. p. 205. NOVELS. Art. 31, The Fruit-shop, a Tale. 12mo. 2 Vols. 5s. Moran. One of the numerous and worthless imitations of Shandy, totally deftitute of the tafy art and happy nature of the original: copying the incoherency and obscenity of Sterne, without his ingenuity or his wit. May we not say of Sterne, what Pope has said of Voiture- Art. 32. The Generous Briton; or the authentic Memoirs of William A decent, fober, and truly moral story, of an amiable young gentleman, an orphan, who was generously taken care of, excellently educated, and munificently provided for, by a most worthy, benevolent gentleman of Caermarthenshire, in Wales. The work is not a masterpiece of writing; but it abounds with interesting tales, and affecting Icenes; and it presents, us also with a variety of exemplary characters: not, indeed, fuch as we usually meet with in real life, but such, however, as we should wish to meet with. The whole is intended for the Improvement as well as entertainment of the rifing generation; which ferms, indeed, to be a favourite point with the Author: as his readers may conclude, before they have perused more than his title-page, from bis very proper choice of a motto, viz. Delightful task! to rear the tender thought, THOMSON Art, 33. : changed the names, although the same destructive measures are still pursued ;-our good old man (we had like to have wrote woman) endeavours to perfuade us, that this is a false and groundless report: and that, if we will but have a little patience, we shall most certainly find that every thing will be right. He particularly rests the matter, on his Majesty's happy choice of so unexceptionable a personage, as the Marquis of Rockingham; of whom he gives a very advantageous character; and thinks that we ought, by no means, to draw any inference to the disadvantage of the Marquis, from the circumstance of his keeping race horfes; since that great statesman, the Earl of Godolphin, was no less famed upon the turf, than in the cabinet. MISCELLANEOUS. Art. 37. An Essay on the Duty and Qualifications of a Sea-Officer, written originally for the Use of two young Officers. 8vo. Johnston. 2 s. A sensible and plain exposition of the duty of a fea-officer, in its various branches; with an earnest exhortation to young officers to perufe the instructions here laid down. It cannot be expected that we should be qualified to judge of the propriety of the particular injunctions, contained in an essay of this nature. SERMONS. I. The Free Grace of God exalted, in the Charater of the Apostle Paul. -At St. Alban's, May 26, 1765. By John Gill, D. D. Keith. II. Difference of Conditions considered, with respect to Learning and Morals. Before the University of Cambridge. By John Manwaring,. B. D. Fellow of St. John's College. Whiston. III. At the Visitation of the Bishop of Winchester, at Kingston upón Thames, May 23, 1763. By Thomas Herring, M. A. Preb. of York, and Rector of Cullesden, Surry. Whiston. IV. The Use and Office, with some Instances of the Weakness and Imperfection of Reason in Matters of Religion. At the triennial Visitation of the Dean and Chapter, at the Cathedral Church at Litchfield, April 20, 1765. By Thomas Shaw, M. A. late of Queen's College, Oxford. Rivington. V. The Nature and Obligation of an Oath. -In the Chapel of his Majesty's Castle of Dublin, Nov. 13, 1763. Before the Earl of Northumberland, Ld. Lieut. of Ireland. By Will. Henry, D. D. F. R, S. Dean of Killaloe, and Chaplain to his Excellency. Kearfly. THE MONTHLY REVIEW, For AUGUST, 1765. An Ecclefiaftical History, Ancient and Modern, from the Birth of Chrift, to the Beginning of the present Century: In which the Rife, Progress, and Variations of Church Power are confidered in their Connexion with the State of Learning and Philofophy, and the Political History of Europe during that Period. By the late learned John Lawrence Mofheim, D. D. and Chancellor of the University of Gottingen. Tranflated from the Original, and accompanied with Notes and Chronological Tables, by Archibald Maclaine, M. A. Minister of the English Church at the Hague. 4to. 2 Vols. 21. 2s. Boards. Millar. DR Mof R. Mosheim's character for learning, judgment, and candor, is too well established in the republic of letters, to stand in need of any praises from us. Such of our Readers as are unacquainted with his works will, in the history now before us, meet with abundant proofs of uncommon erudition, difcernment, and industry. The plan of it is excellent; a fpirit of freedom and moderation breathes through the whole; and it may with truth be affirmed, that no ecclefiaftical history has hitherto appeared, that, upon the whole, is so impartial and instructive. In a work of such extent, comprehending fo great a variety of objects, errors and mistakes are indeed unavoidable; the most confiderable of these, however, are corrected by the ingenious and learned Translator, who has added many useful and judicious notes, which do honour to his abilities and taste, and render the tranflation much more valuable than the original. The account Mr. Maclaine gives of his tranflation is as follows: How far justice has been done to this excellent work, in the following tranflation, is a point that must be left to the decifion of those who shall think proper to peruse it with attention. I can say, with the strictest truth, that I have spared VOL. XXXIII. H no no pains to render it worthy of their gracious acceptance; and this confideration gives me some claim to their candour and indulgence, for any defects they may find in it. I have endeavoured to render my tranflation faithful, but never proposed to render it entirely literal. The style of the original is, by no means, a model to imitate in a work designed for general ufe. Dr. Mosheim affected brevity, and laboured to croud many things into few words; thus his diction, though pure and correct, became fententious and harsh, without that harmony which pleases the ear, and those transitions which make a narration flow with ease. This being the cafe, I have sometimes taken confiderable liberties with my author, and followed the fpirit of his narrative without adhering strictly to the letter. Where, indeed, the Latin phrase appeared to me elegant, expreffive, and compatible with the English idiom, I have constantly followed it; in all other cafes, I have departed from it, and have often added a few sentences to render an obfervation more striking, a fact more clear, a portrait more finished. Had I been tranflating Cicero or Tacitus, I should not have thought fuch freedom pardonable. The tranflation of a claffic author, like the copy of a capital picture, must exhibit not only the fubject, but alfo the manner of the original; this rule, however, is not applicable to the work now under confideration. ، When I entered upon this undertaking, I proposed rendering the additional notes more numerous and ample, than the Reader will find them. I foon perceived that the profecution of my original plan would render this work too voluminous, and this induced me to alter my purpose. The notes I have given are not, however, inconfiderable in number; I wish I could fay as much with respect to their merit and importance. I would only hope, that some of them will be looked upon, as not altogether unneceffary.' Such are the modest terms in which Mr. Maclaine speaks of his tranflation: we shall only add, that whoever takes the pains of comparing it with the original, will find that he has executed his task with fidelity and judgment. Dr. Mosheim, in his preface, acquaints his readers, that his principal care has been employed in establishing upon the most folid foundations, and confirming by the most respectable authority, the credit of the facts related in his history; -that for this purpose, he has drawn from the fountain-head, and gone to those genuine fources from whence the pure and uncorrupted streams of evidence flow; that he has consulted the best au thors of every age, and chiefly the were contemporary periods inish to rep |