"Vox Oculis Subjecta: a Dissertation on the most curious and important art of imparting Speech, and the Knowledge of Language, to the naturally Deaf, and (consequently) Dumb. With a particular Account of the Academy of Messrs. Braidwood, of Edinburgh; and a Proposal to perpetuate and extend the Benefits thereof. By F. Green," 8vo.

"The principal Additions and Corrections in the Third Edition of Dr. Johnson's Lives of the Poets; collected to complete the Second Edition*."

this composition are in every body's hands, and have been often used. There are not above three or four facts that are not already collected respecting Addison. This piece is rather a Rhapsody than an History, and perhaps is more singular in the manner, than interesting in its matter. It would have been better, undoubtedly, if the Essay had not been written at all, or never found its way out of the book-room into the printing-press; for Dr. Johnson, the last and best Historian and Critic, has told all that is worth knowing about Addison, and in his best manner. His Biographical Preface is pure gold; this is only gold-leaf.

"This Essay is not for the world at large; but only for the little world of the Writer's acquaintance. To them he has committed himself before. This is probably for the last time. These few printed sheets he presents, as he would a inanuscript, not fit nor safe to be trusted out of their sight, or out of their hands -lest they should fall into the hands of Criticism. This Writer is ashamed of producing an historical effusion, that may not contain information to the ignorant, nor yet give satisfaction to the well-informed. He readily condemns the general practice of writing one book from another; and yet is certainly guiltyof that fault, if it is not a crime, himself. I cull,' says Montaigne, 'here and there, out of several books, such sentences as please me; not to keep them in my memory, but to transplant them into this work; where, to say the truth, they are no more mine, than they were in the places from whence I took them.' Let this pass for a confession, and an apology. Such a subject as that of Addison is old to almost every Reader. Each precursory account of him stands in the way of every succeeding pen. But Addison and his writings have been the favourites of the youth and the advanced age of this Dealer in Anecdotes, the small-ware of History:

Grew with his growth, and strengthen'd with his strength.' He has given his days and nights to Addison; and now shall think himself well off, if this private exhibition is not thought totally unworthy of the Addisonian School." Author's Advertisement.

* To the honour of the Booksellers, these Additions, which fill 28 pages in octavo, were given gratis to the purchasers of

the

"Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards preserved by Tradition and authentic Manuscripts, from remote Antiquity: never before published. To the Tunes are added, Variations for the Harp, Harpsichord, Violin, or Flute. With a choice Collection of the Pennillion, Epigrammatic Stanzas, or native Pastoral Sonnets of Wales, with English Translations. Likewise, a History of the Bards, from the earliest Period to the present Time; and an Account of their Music, Poetry, and Musical Instruments, with a Delineation of the latter. Dedicated, by Permission, to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. By Edward Jones, of Henblas Llanddersel, Merionethshire," folio.

"A Reply to the Defence of the Earl of Shelburne; in which the Falsehood, Calumny, and Malevolenceof that Pamphlet are exposed and refuted," Svo.

"Russia; or, A Complete Historical Account of all the Nations which compose that extensive Empire. Vol. IV."* Svo.

the former edition.-A few of them shall here be noticed: "From the willingness with which MILTON has perpetuated the memory of his exile [from College], its cause was such as gave him no shame."-" POPE, who lived near enough to be well informed, relates, in Spence's Memorials, that Orway died of a fever caught by violent pursuit of a thief that had robbed one of his friends; but that indigence, and its concomitants, sorrow and despondency, pressed hard upon him, has never been denied, whatever immediate cause might bring him to the grave."-" Henley, in one of his Advertisements, had mentioned Pope's Treatment of SAVAGE. This was supposed by Pope to be the consequence of a complaint made by Savage to Henley, and was therefore mentioned by him with much resentment."-"Pare left the care of his papers to his Executors, first to Lord Bolingbroke, and if he should not be living, to the Earl of Marchmont, undoubtedly expecting them to be proud of the trust."-In Pope's latter productions the diction is sometimes vitiated by French idioms, with which Bolingbroke had perhaps infected him.""MALLET Sold Agamemnon' to Vaillant for 1201."—" AKEnSIDE's diction is certainly poetical as it is not prosaic, and elegant as it is not vulgar."

*This and the Three former Volumes of an interesting Work (in 1780 and 1781) were published by the Rev. William Tooke, F.R.S.; and were printed during his residence at St. Petersburg,

where

Conjecturæ in Strabonem; Edit. Amstel. MDCVII." By Mr. Tyrwhitt. Svo.

"London's Gratitude: or, An Account of such Pieces of Sculpture and Painting as have been placed in Guildhall at the Expence of the City of London. To which is added, A List of those distinguished Persons to whom the Freedom of the City has been presented since the Year MDCCLVIII. With Engravings of the Sculptures, &c." small 8vo.

"A Sequel to the Observations on Antient Castles; by Edward King, Esq. F. R. and A. S. S." 4to. "Considerations on the Law of Insolvency, with a Proposal for a Reform. By James-Bland Burges, Esq. of Lincoln's Inn," Svo.

where he was for many years the highly-respected Chaplain to the British Factory. His subsequent publications on the subject of the Russian Empire and their celebrated Empress Catharine III. are among the most valuable Historical Works in the English language; and his Translations of the Sermons of Zollikofer are at once a demonstration of his industry, his talents, and his zeal for Sacred Literature.—I have great satisfaction in hearing this testimony to the merits of an old Schoolfellow, with whom I have for more than sixty years enjoyed an uninterrupted friendship. * "The learned Reader will have reason to expect much cri. tical acumen from these Conjectures' (as they are modestly styled) when he knows that he is indebted for them to the study and attention of Mr. Tyrwhitt. Strabo indeed is an Author who well deserves them; and the Oxford Editor [Mr. Falconer], for whose use they are intended, will no doubt avail himself of them, in the new edition of that Writer now preparing for the press. They are addressed to the Rev. George Jubb, D. D. Canon of Christ Church, &c." Gent. Mag. vol. LIII. p. 1036.

† For this neat and judicious little volume the public were indebted to Edmund Turnor, Esq. of Stoke Rochford, F. S. A.

This gentleman was the only son of George Burges, Esq. by his wife, the Hon. Anne Wichnoure Somerville, daughter of Lord Somerville. He was born June 8, 1752, at Gibraltar, where his father, who had been aid-de-camp and private secretary to General Bland in Scotland, was appointed Secretary and Receivergeneral of that Garrison on General Bland's becoming the Governor of Gibraltar, and was afterwards Comptroller-general of the Customs of Scotland. Mr. J. B. Burges was about seven years under the tuition of the Rev. Dr. Somerville, author of "The History of the Reign of Queen Anne," &c.; during which he attended, for the space of two years, the University of Edinburgh. He was then placed at Westminster school, where he continued till Christ

mas

"A Letter to the Earl of Effingham, on his lately proposed Act of Insolvency. By James-Bland Burges, Esq."

mas 1769; when he was removed to University College, Oxford, and placed under the tuition of Sir William (then Dr.) Scott, brother of Lord Eldon, and now Judge of the High Court of Admiralty, &c. At College he remained till 1773; when he made the tour of France, Italy, Switzerland, and part of Germany. On his return, he attended the Courts in Westminster Hall; and in Easter Terin, 1777, was called to the Bar by the Society of Lincoln's Inn. On the 19th of June, in the same year, he was married to the Hon. Elizabeth Noel, second daughter of Edward Lord Viscount Wentworth, who died in 1779, without issue. In December 1780, he married a second wife, Anne, daughter of Lieut.-col. LewisCharles Montolieu, Earon of St. Hyolite; by whom he has a numerous family. In 1787, he was elected M. P. for Helston in Cornwall, and was re-chosen for the same place in 1790. In August 1789, he was appointed one of the Under Secretaries of State for the Foreign Department; and in July 1794, a JointCommissioner with Evan Nepean and Stephen Cotterell, Esquires, for holding the Privy Seal. He resigned the latter of those places in the November following. On resigning, in October 1795, his office of Under Secretary of State, his Majesty created him a Baronet; and he had also the honour of being appointed Marshal of his Majesty's Household for life. Sir James has obtained considerable celebrity as a Poet; particularly by "The Birth and Triumph of Love, 1796," composed on a plan taken from a series of Plates published by Mr. Tomkins in Bond-street; the beautiful designs of which originated from the elegant fancy of an illustrious and all-accomplished Daughter of our revered and venerable Monarch. The intimate union of the graphic and poetic arts was never more delightfully exemplified. The truly elegant and original devices of a fair Royal Artist, on the birth and progress of Love, produced at a time of domestic celebration, might well be expected to attract, as they well deserved, a very general applause; but it was beyond the reach of calculation, that they should give rise to a finished Allegorical Poem, rich in poetical imagery, highly wrought in harmony and force of language, and fit in all respects to take its place among the most celebrated compositions of the kind. Such, however, is the Poem of Sir James-Bland Burges, which accompanies the beautiful designs of the Princess Elizabeth; and, with some trivial deductions from so much singular merit, we recommend it to the attention of all who are sensible to the delight of reading a work of real genius." British Critic, vol. VII. pp. 475, 480.

Sir James is also the author of " An Address to the Country Gentlemen of England and Wales, on the enormous Abuses attendant on the County Courts, 1789," 8vo. "Richard the First,"

an

* ΜΕΤΡΙΚΑ ΤΙΝΑ ΜΟΝΟ ΣΤΡΟΦΙΚΑ * METRICA QUÆDAM MONOSTROPHICA. Auctore

an Heroic Poem, in eighteen books, 1801; and "The Exodiad," a Poem (written in conjunction with Mr. Cumberland) 1807. To this accomplished Baronet the Dramatic World are also indebted for an alteration of Massinger's "City Madam," under the title of " Riches ;" and he has since been supposed to be the author of "Tricks upon Travellers," a Comic Opera, not printed. * As these admirable Monostrophics confirmed the well-deserved celebrity, which the learned Author had acquired by a small impression of " Greek Odes" printed in 1781 for the use of his friends, a short Letter shall be given, characteristic of the ingenuous apprehension of a young Author:

"DEAR SIR, Wint. Coll. Sept. 18, 1782. "I have read over the Mlexa as carefully as my perpetual business will allow me. A very excellent Greek Scholar has also read them thrice over. We find no typographical errata, that deserve notice. I could wish, however, you would add the table of Corrigenda, which is enclosed: and that being finished, nothing more will remain, than for the Odes to be thrown into the world; an event which I look forward to with fear and trembling. The persuasion of Mr. Warton, Mr. Burgess, Dr. Lawrence, and other eminent men, induced me to the publication; I hope that any offering to the Literati will be candidly received by them. The Work is printed at Mr. Burdon's expence, and indeed for his benefit: I have never yet written for pecuniary advantage. I thank you for your care; and am, Sir, with much respect, yours, G. I. HUNTINGFORD.”

A specimen shall now be given of critical candour and acumen: "Our Island has long claimed peculiar honours, from the endeavours of our countrymen to promote the advancement of antient Learning. At the beginning of this century, we boasted of Wasse's knowledge, of Bentley's intuitive acumen, and Clarke's exquisite taste, and diversified erudition. Nor have succeeding times been less propitious in the production of eminent abilities. -The philological exertions of Taylor and Markland, of Jortin and Musgrave, have been celebrated in all the Universities of Europe. The Antiquarian researches of Bryant and Clarke, the philosophical labours of Harris and Monboddo, the solid learning and refined taste of Toup and Tyrwhitt, and the deep Oriental erudition of White and Jones, require no eulogy. This great stock of antient Literature, however, must be imputed to our Public Seminaries; among which Winchester College has always claimed a high rank, and been distinguished by a fruitful harvest of Scholars. The elegant taste of Dr. Warton, the various knowledge of his Brother, and the critical talents of Burgess, have flowed from this source. With talents so celebrated, and with titles so respectable, we are happy to enrol the name of HUNTINGFORD, who first entered

The arduous road to literary fame,' by endeavouring to promote in others the study of Greek letters; VOL. VIII.

K

and