NOVEL S.

Art. 29. The Fashionable Friend. 12mo. 2 Vol. 5s. Sewed.

Becket.

Nature and probability have had no concern in the production of this trifle.

N Art. 30. The Scotch Parents; or the remarkable Cafe of John Ramble, written by himself. 12mo. 3s. 6d. Bladon. 1773. A ridiculous, low, ill-written ftory of the Author's illicit and unfortunate amour with the daughter of a fhop-keeper in a market not far from St James's. John Ramble appears, from his own account (which has, to give him his due, throughout, the air of truth) to be a very indifcreet man, and to have not only involved himself in diftrefs, by his mifconduct; but also to have occafioned the ruin of the poor girl whom he feduced. Mifs M's parents, too, feem to have made but a forry ufe of their authority over their unhappy daughter.

1773.

We have

Art. 31. Emma; or, the Unfortunate Attachment. A fentimental Novel. I 2mo. 3 Vols. 9s. Hookham. Innocent, but not excellent:-yet not contemptible. characterised fifty fuch; and are fick of repetition. Art. 32. The Hiftory of Lord Afhborn and Miss Howe; or the reclaimed Libertine. By the Author of Frederick, or the fortutunate Beggar. 12mo. 3 Vols. 9 s. Rofon, &c. 1773. When we read an ill-written novel and reflect, as we are led to do, on the mifapplication of a writer's talents, we cannot help recollecting the exclamation of an honeft illiterate carman, (in Joe Miller, perhaps] on seeing one of his acquaintance in the pillory, for forgery,"This comes of your reading and writing, you foolish rafcal!"

N. MISCELLANEOU S. Art. 33. The State of Chimney-fweepers young Apprentices, fhewing the wretched Condition of these diftreffed Boys; the ill Conduct of fuch Masters as do not obferve the Obligation of Indentures; the Neceffity of a ftrict Inquiry in order to fupport the civil and religious Rights of thefe Apprentices; to encourage good Mafters and regulate the Trade; that the ufeful Occupation of Chimneyfweeping may be confidered as an Object worthy of Attention; and the Humanity of the Nation be no longer violated in the Perfons of thefe Boys. By J. Hanway, Efq; 12mo. 6 d. Wilkie. Mr. Hanway, whofe attention is ever directed to schemes of pub lic utility, has, in this little tract, pointed out the most wretched fet of human beings in all the metropolis, as objects of public compaffion and relief: thofe deftitute young children who are doomed to the loathfome employment of cleaning our chimnies. A fubfcription is, we understand, opened, and a plan is now digefting, for putting them under a better regulation, both as to the comforts of life, and a due regard to their moral inftruction: but if the peculiar fituation of thefe unhappy boys, fhould appear to be owing more to the nature of the employment to which they are enflaved, than to the good or bad difpofition of their maflers, (which nevertheless may either ag

* See Rev. for December 1772. p. 487.

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gravate

gravate or alleviate the circumftances of it) this fcheme will operate rather as a precarious palliative than a radical care. It would therefore be worth the attention of the committee formed to carry it into exccution, to endeavour at refcuing the poor children from fuch filthy unwholefome work, by introducing a different mode of performing it.

As the cafe ftands at prefent, children at the most tender age are, on account of their fmall fize, put into a worse employment, and are worfe treated in it, than any full grown man experiences in this country; allowing for their different degrees of frength, and for compulfion in one cafe, and voluntary hire in the other. In short, it is a grofs violation of the most obvious dictates of humanity, to force young boys, as foon as they are able to use their feeble limbs, up narrow, footy, dangerous funnels, merely because their friendless fituation, and incapacity of refillance, expofe them to fuch cruel treatment. Is the art of fweeping chimnies arrived at the ne plus ultra? It is to be hoped not. If we are rightly informed, chimnies are often swept in various parts of this illand, by a furze bush, or whifp of ftraw, tied to the middle of a long rope, which is drawn up and down the funnel by a perfon above and another below; and fome fuch expedient when improved by experience, might be adapted, to put a flop to the shameful advantage now taken of poverty and helplefs innocence: nor could the fociety for the encouragement of arts, &c. offer a premium that would redound more to the honour of their humanity, than to ftimulate the contrivance of an effectual method for this purpose.

for.

Art. 34. A Drapier's Addrefs to the good People of England, on the Caufes of the prefent dearnefs of Provilions, &c. 8vo. 6 d. Longman.

1773.

All ingenuous attempts to inveftigate the caufes of a general calamity are laudable and meritorious, however unfuccefsful they may be,' fays our Addreffe, with truth; although it may be neceffary to fet bounds to this pofition. left the public be too much peflered with the reveries of well meaning perfons, who are at the same time deftitute of thofe abilities which are requifite to maintain a refpectable appearance in print.-This Writer may be benevolent in his defign; and it is confeffed that his few pages are not utterly devoid of interefting pofitions: he feems, however, jafly to eftimate himself as a plain man of moderate underlanding.

He opens his little budget with an avowal of his diffatisfaction with regard to the examination of Meflrs. Smyth and Farrow, concerning the prefent high price, and the diftillation, of grain. He declares himself perfonally unacquainted with thefe gentlemen, but he afferts that their pofitions and conclufions have greatly the appearance of falfhood, and he is very apprehenfive that the great council of the nation may be duped by their reprefentations He profefies too much charity to believe that Meffrs. S. and F. are bad men, who would wilfully mislead the H. of C. and impofe on the nation, but he thinks them unfit for the bufinefs of calculation, unable to form probable conjectures, and unlikely to take the neceffary pains to procure information. He undertakes to confute their accounts and reafonings,

Before the House of Commons.

and to give us his opinions on the various topics of crops, culture,
great and little farms, advanced rents, corn-bounty, diftillery, popu
lation, wool-growing, tillage, paturage, &c. &c. On moit of thefe
topics he advances more fuppofitions than arguments; and on the whole,
he informs us of nothing that we knew not, fufficiently, before. In
fome refpects we think his doctrine is very erroneous; and, on the
whole, it is peculiarly unfortunate for him, though not for the pub-
lic, that he has published his cruditics at the fame time that Mr.
Arbuthnot's masterly production made its appearance.
C
Art. 35. Letters on the Improvement of the Mind; addreffed to a
young Lady. 12mo, 2 Vols. 6 s. Walter. 1773.
This is a fenfible, pleafing performance, happily adapted to improve
the minds and form the manners of thofe young perfons who will at-
tentively perufe it. In our opinion, these letters have a tendency to
do them much more effential fervice than the general run of novels and
romances; although it is confeffed that in fome of the latter there is
excellent morality, united with the most lively pictures of the human
mind, and with all that can entertain the imagination and intereft the
heart. Yet most of them, as this Writer obferves, are calculated to
inflame the paffions of youth, while the chief purpose of education
should be to moderate and refrain them. The writing, and the fen-
timents of these fictitious fiories, it is here farther remarked, often
tend to vitiate the ftile, and to mislead the understanding. The ex-
pectation of extraordinary adventures,-which feldom if ever happen
to the fober and prudent part of mankind,--and the admiration of
extravagant paffions and abfurd conduct, are fome of the ufual fruits
of this kind of reading:-which, adds our Authorefs, (for we are in-
formed this is a lady's production) when a young woman makes it
her chief amusement, generally renders her ridiculous in converfation,
and miferably wrong-headed in her purfuits and behaviour.'

Should any of the above reflections appear fevere to fome of our Readers, we muft affure them that the fair Writer is rot affectedly precife or morofe: but while the inculcates the most judicious maxims, and difcovers a well improved mind, her letters are written in a very agreeable manner, and her fentiments appear to flow from a heart tenderly folicitous for the real welfare of the young lady to whom they are immediately addreffed.

The Letters are ten in number, and their contents are as follows; the first principles of religion; the ftudy of the holy scriptures; the regulation of the heart and affections; the government of the temper; economy; politeneis and accomplishments; geography and chronology; the manner and courfe of reading history.

The following extract from the letter on the regulation of the heart and affections, may afford the Reader a farther idea of this Work:

-There is nothing in which felf-deception is more notorious,. than in what regards fentiment and feeling-Let a vain young woman be told that tenderness and foftnefs is the peculiar charm of the fex-that even their weaknefs is lovely, and their fears becomingand you will presently obferve her grow fo tender as to be ready to weep for a fly; fo fearful, that the tarts at a feather; and fo weak hearted, that the fmallet accident quite overpowers her.-Nothing fo effectually

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~ The author Mrs Chapore, formerly Miss Mulso.

effectually defeats its own ends as this kind of affectation: for though warm affections and tender feelings are beyond measure amiable and charming, when perfectly natural, and kept under the due controu! of reafon and principle-yet nothing is fo truly disgusting as the affectation of them, or even the unbridled indulgence of fuch as are real. Remember, my dear, that our feelings were not given us for our ornaments, but to fpur us on to right actions.-Compaffion, for instance, was not impressed on the human heart, only to adorn the fair face with tears, and to give an agreeable languor to the eyes,-it was defigned to excite our utmoft endeavours to relieve the sufferers. Yet how often have I heard that felfish weakness, which flies from the fight of diftrefs, dignified with the name of tenderness !—" My friend is, I hear, in the deepest affliction and misery;—I have not seen her, for indeed I cannot bear fuch scenes-they affect me too much! those who have lefs fenfibility are fitter for this world;—but for my part, Lown, I am not able to fupport fuch things-I fhall not attempt to visit her, till I hear the has recovered her fpirits." This I have heard faid, with an air of complacence, and the poor felfish creature has perfuaded herfelf that she had finer feelings than those generous friends, who were fitting patiently in the house of mourningwatching, in filence, the proper moment to pour in the balm of comfort;-who fuppreffed their own fenfations, and only attended to thofe of the afflicted perfon-and, whofe tears flowed in fecret, whilft their eyes and voice were taught to enliven the finking heart with the appearance of chearfulnefs.-That fort of tendernefs which makes us ufelefs, may indeed be pitied and excufed, if owing to natural imbecillity-but, if it pretends to loveliness and excellence, it becomes truly contemptible.'

hi.

We recommend thefe volumes to the attention of the younger part of the fair fex; as the inftructions here offered to them will certainly tend to render them equally amiable and useful, in every ftation and circumftance of life. Art. 36. The Socratic System of Morals: as delivered in Xenophon's Memorabilia. 8vo. 6d. Rivington. 1773. Xenophon's Memorabilia are commonly regarded as a collection of agreeable and inftructive colloquies, not immediately connected with each other: the Author of this little tract imagines that he fees in them a regular fyflem of morals, comprehended under the three general heads of duty towards God, our neighbour and ourselves. Το fupport this opinion, he lays before his Readers a fynopfis of that famous and valuable piece of antient literature. The three first books, fays he, contain an analytical investigation of the duties of man, towards God-himself-and his neighbour, confidered in two points of view; as a member of a private family, and of a public community; the fame duties are in the fourth book delivered fynthethetically.

However juft this Writer's remark be, there is an affectation fometimes in his ftyle, which is not agreeable. The above sentence discovers fomewhat of it, as does alfo the following: Common readers confider this performance as no higher a fpecies of compofition than Memoirs delivered with inimitable eafe and elegance. But to the philofophical mind, which penetrates beyond the furface,

and concentrates the rays of truth, an internal proof is given of its being
a methodical piece- a regular and complete fyitem of morals?
There are, however, fome pretty observations in this little pamphlet ;
but we can by no means approve the flippant cenfure of the great
and truly venerable NEWTON, in page 16, where that immortal ge-
nius is reprefented as ignorant of the boundaries of moral philofophy!
Were this in any measure true, fuch illiberal treatment of the
memory of this PRINCE OF PHILOSOPHERS is highly indecent, and will
be refented by every lover of science, and every friend to virtue.
Art. 37. A faithful Narrative of the Converfion and Death of
Count Struenfee, late Prime Minister of Denmark.-Published by
D. Munter, an eminent Divine, who was ordered by the King to
prepare him for Death. To which is added, the Hiftory of Count
Enevold Brandt, from the Time of his Imprifonment to his death.
The whole tranflated from the original German. Embellished with
the Heads of both the unhappy Counts. 8vo. 4s. Sewed. Linde.
1773.

This account is undoubtedly genuine, and does credit to the hu manity of Dr. Munter, as well as to his character as a chriftian minifter. Commendation is alfo due to Dr. Hee, who attended Count Brandt.

Art. 38. An appeal to the People called Quakers, on the late Diffe rence between John Fothergill and Samuel Leeds; fo far as the Difcipline of the Society was concerned therein. To which is added a Letter wrote to Dr. Fothergill by a Friend, while the Affair was in Litigation. 8vo. 6d. Sold by the Bookfellers at the Royal Exchange. 1773

We esteem the Quakers to be, in the general, a peaceable and worthy fet of people, for which reafon it gives us fome concern to observe any inftances in which they contend among themselves, and act contrary to their own established rules. The Pamphlet now before us, does not give any account of the matter in difpute between the gentlemen mentioned in, the title-page, and which has now been legally determined in a court of judicature; but feems only intended to vindicate the conduct of three perfons who were the majority of the arbitrators to whofe determination, conformably to the method appointed among the Quakers in fuch cafes, the affair had, with the confent of each party, been committed. I hefe three perfons, according to the tenor of the arbitration bonds, and within the limited time, published their award, to which Dr. Fothergill not chufing to fubmit, the caufe was carried into the court of king's bench; by which court the said award was reverfed The award itfelf, together with the depofitions of the three arbitrators in Weltminster hall, and fome other papers, are here fubmitted to the confideration of the public. By what we can gather from hence, we are led to fuppofe, that thefe arbitrators had endeavoured to execute, with fidelity, the truft repofed in them: but the knowledge of many other circumstances is requifite in order to the forming a judgment in this cafe,for want of which we are unable to pronounce any thing with certainty about it.

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RELIGIOUS