4 For, to us, they feem to intimate, as if the earth both heated, and enlightned itfelf. adguend alls said asilimanize ed os The poem concludes with that old, and often refuted, objec tion to Divine Wildom, the immenfe quantity of water in our globe. His anfwer enumerates many of the advantages derived to man from this feeming fuperabundance of that element. This was a glorious theme for a poetical imagination. What fine things might not have been faid, on the Rainbow, the Clouds, and Rivers? but the Reader will be difappointed who expects to find earthe Speciofa Miracula in our Author's performances which, upon the whole, is even lefs replete with Poetry, than with Argub'oiwi XVIII. The Mirrour. A Comedy. In three Acts. With the Author's Life, and an Account of the Alterations. ts. Scott. 7314 8vo. The Author, whofe life is here given, and from whofe writings the Mirrour is now taken, is Thomas Randolph, A. M.cand Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge; a Gentleman no lefs seminent for his wit than his learning. He lived about the beginning of the laft century, and if Fate had prolonged his days*, he would probably have equalled any of his cotemporaries in the isis Comica, as he certainly furpaffed most of them in the variety, and fmoothnefs of his verfification. We always read the Mufes Looking-Glafs (for fo Randolph intitled his Comedy) with fatisfaction. It is an Ethic Drama; wherein the oppofite extremes noi of feveral virtues, exemplified in the most extravagant characJ&ters, are brought upon the ftage. We do not, however, pretend to fay, that fuch allegorical exhibitions are proper fubjects for the comic Mufe. Randolph has introduced into his fcenes the extremes of Courtefy, Fortitude, Temperance, Liberality, Magnificence, Meeknefs, Truth, Cleanlinefs, Modefty, Jaftice, and Urbanity, under er Greek names expreffive of thofe vices; Colax, or the Flatterer, with great propriety, making one perfon in every scene. From thefe the Editor of the Mirrour has only felected the extremes e of Courtefy, Fortitude, Temperance, Magnanimity, Meeknefs, Truth, and Justice, tho' fome of the others afford as much truth of character, and from their familiar nature, as well as from the wit which Randolph has beftowed on them, feem equally appropriated to the fock. Befides, in the Looking Glafs there are two of the narrow-foul'd Enthufiafts of thofe days, who T 30 Mr. Cibber, in his Lives of the Poets, as well as this Editor, fays, that he died in his 29th year; but in the frontifpiece of the edi tion of his Works, publifhed by his brother, Robert Randolph of Chrift-church college, our Poet is faid to have died in the 27th year of his age; a circumftance that does honour to Mr. Randolph's memory when we confider the merit of his writings, and the youth of the writer. having the Players for their customers, are, on this confideration. chiefly prevailed upon, though with great difficulty, to fit the play out. Inftead of these perfons, who from their cant, and peculiar obfervations, are not a little diverting, our Author has introduced one, whom he calls a Gentleman; yet who, in the firft fcene, is injudicioufly made to adopt fome of the fentiments of one of Randolph's Saints. Moreover, this Gentleman goes off with the first act, and never appears again; whereas Randolph's Fanaticks every now and then entertain the Reader with fome of their precife jargon; and, in the laft fcene, are made converts to the entertainment of the Drama. This, indeed, is paying too great a compliment to the Mufes Looking Glass; had the Poet rather reprefented them when the curtain drop ped, as more difgufted at the ftage, on account of its moral exhibitions, (for Enthufiafts were always foes to morality) it would have been much more in character. * By what our Author has omitted of Randolph's, and the very little he has added of his own, the five acts of the originaloare fhrunk to three in the alteration. A good Critic has, indeed, robferved, that though the number of acts is limited, by the antients, to five, yet, there is nothing in the nature of things to hinder the Dramatic Poet from reducing their number. The only fenfible rule in this cafe, is, that the work be a compleat and regular whole;, and of length fufficient to entertain an audience for an evening. But whether, either the Mufes Looking Glafs, or the Mirrour, would anfwer this end, thofe who prefide at the theatrical helm are to determine; at the fame time permit us to fay, that fuch moral fcenes are more worthy to be revived than the grofs and unnatural exhibitions of the Humorous ► Lieutenant. ཀབ? ADDENDA to the POLITICAL. A XIX. A further Addrefs to the Public. Containing genuine copies of all the letters which passed between A—————I B—g, and the Sry of the Aty; from the time of his fufpenfion, to the 25th of October last, &c. 8vo. I s. Lacy, &c. In behalf of the Admiral; complaining of ill ufage, particularly fince his confinement. XX. A modeft Remonftrance to the Public. Occafioned by the number of papers and pamphlets published about Admiral Byng 4to. 6d. Cooper. this neither a This is neither a remonftrance, nor any thing else ;-but an odd aflemblage of words, without meaning, or any apparent purpose. Chevrole A ABSTRACTION, what, 51. ETNA, an eruption of, 374 ALFRED, King of England, cha- ALGEBRA, encomium on, and ANTIMONIAL wine, an inftance fome account of, 485. Abounds to affume uncertain data, 369. ATHA ATHANASIUS, cenfure of, 81. On STOM. ATHENIANS, how enflaved, 271. of the colour of the clouds at nary fent into Britain, his con- B BATHING, warm, practifed by BOLINGBROKE, Lord, an enemy 1 Books, without experience, of BRITISH church, its independen- 22. BROWN, Dr. William, negligent BUNCLE, John, his character, C CAMELS, manner of their paffing ed, CNEPH,explanation of that word, COCHINEAL Meftique, whence 395, feq. 488, guike496, de nennstromoted COLOURS, that the Antients pain- only, fhewn to be a mistake, bs martyr-worshipper, 81. Com- |