humble circumftance of true fpelling: in which laft refped himself, or his printer, or both, have, in the production before us, been intolerably negligent. Art. 16. An Efay on the Means of producing moral Effects from phyfical Caufes; or, of infallibly extirpating the Roots of national Animofity among the North and South Britains; and of eftablishing a permanent Popularity in Adminiftration, by the Efficacy of Difcipline and Diet. With Notes critical and explanatory. 8vo. 1 s. Williams. 1773. A piece of folemn humour, written with the gravity of Cervantes or Swift. It is the work of fome ingenious North Briton, and will contribute, with the writings of Arbuthnot and others, to refute a notion which hath pretty much prevailed on the fouth fide of the Tweed, that humour is not to be found among Scottish writers. Att. 17. The Phyficians. A Satire. With other Poems. To which is added, a Specimen of an Enquiry concerning the Mind. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Bladon. 1773: One couplet from this Satire on Phyficians, will be fufficient to evince the Writer's poetical merit : He that void of knowlege doth practife, I call a mere affaflin in difguife.' So much for the verfe. With respect to the Author's profe-his felect Propofitions concerning the Mind, which he here publishes as a fpecimen of an intended larger work,-we have only to obferve, that he appears to have bewildered himself; and that the Reader who attempts to follow him through his metaphyfical labyrinth, muft, in course, be no lefs bewildered. This very indifferent writer intimates fomewhat of an apology for the incorrectness and errors of this fpecimen; urging the numerous difadvantages of his fituation in life, under which he has profe cuted thefe enquiries ;'-his want of leifure for due examination,' &c. But if his fituation in life be so unfavourable to the attainment of literary or philofophical excellence, wherefore does he trouble the public with his crudities? If his fortune is not affluent, is it likely to be much improved by his unadvifedly contributing to increase the general flock of wafle-paper? Thefe remarks may feem harsh to the writer whofe performance hath given occafion to them; but if he fhould happily poffefs temper and judgment enough to draw the proper conclufions from them, he will regard us, not as fnarling critics, who delight in mortifying an unfuccessful fcribbler, but as honeft men, who benevolently endeavour to fet right the devious traveller, whom they perceive to have Tot his way. Art. 18. Narrative of the Mutiny of the Officers of the Army in Bergal, in the Year 1766. Written by Henry Strachey, Efq; Secre. tary to Lord Clive during his lal Expedition to India, and lately given in Evidence to the Secret Committee of the House of Commons. 8vo. 3 s. 6 d. fewed. Becket, &c. 17731 The very extraordinary combination of the officers of the English army in Dengal, in the years 1765 and 1766, was an event which attracted the notice of the public, as foon as it became known at home; but but we never had a full and complete account of it, till this curious and authentic Narrative made its appearance. The caufe of difcontent which gave rife to the mutiny, is thus related : It is many years fince the East India Company, in confideration of the extraordinary expences and inconveniencies unavoidably incurred during the campaigns in that country, indulged the officers in their service with a certain allowance per diem, exclufive of their pay. This allowance originally went, and ftill goes by the name of " batta," or field expences. When the English forces took the field, in conjunction with the Nabob Jaffier Ally Cawn, after the battle of Plaffey, our military expences were, agreeably to treaty, defrayed by his excellency, who likewife thought proper to encreafe the emoluments of the officers, by granting them a double allowance, which of courfe obtained the name of "double batta ;" and Lord Clive, at that time, in order that the gentlemen fhould not too confidently depend upon the continuance of this new bounty, reprefented to them, that it was merely a temporary indulgence of the Nabob, an indulgence not enjoyed by our officers in any other part of India, and could only continue to thofe in Bengal during his Excellency's pleafure. The expence of this double batta, however, though first introduced and paid by Jaffier Ally Cawn, was, in procefs of time, thrown upon the Company; who, unwilling to adopt fuch an expenfive precedent, notwithstanding the revenues of feveral diftricts of lands had been affigned over by the Nabob to the Company for defraying the charges of the army, repeatedly iffued orders, in the moft pofitive terms, that it fhould be abolifhed. But the fituation of their military and political affairs in Bengal was fo frequently critical, and the fuperior fervants in the civil branch fo averfe, perhaps through want of refolution, to abridge the officers of any emolument, that a remonftrance from the army never failed to convince the Governor and Council of the impropriety of fuch a reduction.-It must be remembered, that the accomplishing this business was one of the principal points of reformation preffed upon Lord Clive in the year 1764, when, at the request of a general court of proprietors of East India ftock, he was prevailed upon to accept once more the government of Bengal.' The captains and fubaltern officers, having been fuccefsful in their remonftrances against former orders for a reduction of the batta, failed not to use the fame endeavours when the final reduction was announced to take place on the first day of the new year 1766: Lord Clive having then put an end to the war, and made an alliance with Sujah Dowla. But finding their remonftrances now unavoidable, the officers unanimoufly (in virtue of a previous and folemn compact) threw up their commiffions, and a general mutiny of the whole army was expected. Lord Clive's conduct in the fuppreffion of fo dangerous a confpiracy, affords a remarkable inftance of the refolution and spirit of this great commander; who seems to have been born to fuccefs in all his undertakings, and to triumph over every kind of oppofition. Sir Robert Fletcher is particularly attacked in this publication; but he has made his defence, in feveral letters, printed in the newspapers. DRAMATIC. DRAMATIC. Art. 19. The Macaroni; a Comedy: As it is performed at the Theatre-Royal in York. 8vo. I S. Nicoll, &c. 1773 If the nameless Author, who gives us this comedy as a firft production, had fubmitted it to the revifal of fome judicious friend, well acquainted with the modern drama, it might eafily have been adapted to the taste of a London audience, and would probably have been well received. In its prefent form it is perfectly chafte, and moral; and, though not deftitute of humour and pleafantry, would, perhaps, now that fentiment is out of fashion, be decried, and exploded, as little better than a fermon. As to the Macaroni, it is, at beft, but a thread-bare character,—the old ftage fribble and fop new-dreffed, and new-named. POETICA L. Art. 20. The Triumphs of Britannia. A Poem; humbly infcribed to George Robert Fitzgerald, Efq. 4to. 2 s. Snagg. 1773. What fhould be great is here turned to farce; and poor Britannia's fong of triumph is the fong of ridicule: fubjects of which are afforded by the late naval review; fome of our moral and pious nobility; the bruizing parfon; and the bonourable gentleman whofe name appears in the title-page. In honour of all these persons and things, lo PEANS, fuch as the following, are rung, with frequent changes: Rejoice B&ITANNIA! lift thy head on high! Rejoice BRITANNIA! boundless be thy name! Art. 21. The Adventures of Telemachus the Son of Ulyffes. Book the First. Translated into Blank Verfe by Mr. John Clarke. I s. 6d. Allen. 1773. 4to. We have had fo many occafions to exprefs our fentiments of the illuftrious Fenelon's noble work, that we shall now turn immediately to the tranflation. Speaking of Calypfo, on Telemachus's firft ar. rival, the Tranflator fays, She knew him for the young Telemachus By heavenly wisdom and fuperior knowledge. That the knew him by knowledge, there feems to be no more reafon to doubt, than that the faw him by fight. And poor Telemachus of his father fays Penelope his queen, and me his fon, Mix with our hopes defpair to ever see him. Penelope and me mix! We cannot difmifs this Author without making our acknowledgements to him in not obliging us to read more than fifty lines of his tranflation. 6 ས Art. ! Art. 22. The Kentish Cricketers; a Poem. By a Gentleman. 1773. The Kentish men having been victorious, in a fecond match, Who feek diverfions and content; Immortalize their conquering name!' But, whatever fuperiority the Kentish men may affume, with refpect to the bat, the Surry men feem to have the best claim to the bays. Art. 23. An Ode facred to the Memory of the late Right Honour It is on this part of his character, and on his merit as an Histo- To paint its welcome rays, Not only by the learned page When minifters have dar'd to ftray Oft he'd the ftream oppose; Oft hath he flood Britannia's friend, Oft overthrown her foes. • See Review for September laft, p. 231. His His private and focial virtues, though they would have afforded a fubject for many ftanzas, are noticed only in the following: Nor lefs (if Fame report aright) The fofter Graces did unite To adorn his manly sense; The three ftanzas appropriated to his Lordship's poetical character have lefs poetry than truth: A And often did the gentle Mufe, How Sweetly o'er his Lucy's bier, How mark'd with generous woe! The repetition of words in this fhort compass of two ftanzas, as fweeteft, fweetly and fweet, gentle and gentle; the harshness of fome expreffions, as learn'd, taught'ft, &c. the illegitimate rhymes that occur, as Draught-Thought, Dream-Scene; and the weak and bad lines, as, Ah! let our prayers move! * Vice brings on only woe. In torrents toward the fea. So many defects, in fo fhort a poem, have nothing to plead in their behalf but the piety of the Author's intention. L. Art. 24. Anti-Pantheon; or, Verfes occafioned on reading a late Publication, called, The Pantheon. 4to. I s. Snagg. 1773. Nothing. HUSBANDRY, &c. Art. 25. Tracts on Practical Agriculture and Gardening. Particularly addreffed to Gentlemen-farmers in Great-Britain. With feveral Improvements in Stoves and Green-houses. To which is added, a Chronological Catalogue of English Authors on Agriculture, Botany, Gardening, &c. By Richard Wefton, Efq; Author of the Univerfal Botanist t. The fecond Edition, greatly improved. 8vo. 6 s. Hooper. 1773. In our Review for April, 1771, we gave an account of the first edition of these useful Tracts, which appear to have undergone very + See Rev. Feb. and Septemb. 1771. 5 great |