him, that they all went out, and he was obliged to light them again at the candle of a private Pilgrim. However two men lifted him up, and he was carried away with the fame formality as the other. The Syrians and Coptics made all poffible hafte to carry the holy fire to their chapels, in order to light their lamps with it: and thus, in an inftant, there was a general illumination all over the church; after which every one performed divine worship, according to their refpective rites.'

Our Author contradicts, from his own experience, the affertions of those who have pretended, that the vapours arifing from the Lake of Sodom and Gomorrah, or the Dead Sea, were fatal to birds flying over it: having, himself, with his fellow Traveller, made the experiment with fparrows, carried thither for that purpofe. At our coming to the margin of the water,' fays he, we ftripped ourselves, and fwam to fome diftance from the fhore; but, to our great furprize, we found ourselves as it were lifted up by the • water. When I had swam to some distance, I endeavoured C to fink perpendicular to the bottom, but could not; for the water kept me continually up, and would certainly have thrown me upon my face, had I not put forth all the ftrength I was mafter of, to keep myself in a perpendicular posture so that I walked in the fea as if I trod on firm ground, without having occafion to make any of the motions neceffary in treading fresh water; and when I was fwimming, I was obliged to keep my legs the greatest part of the time out of the water.

My Fellow-traveller was agreeably furprized to find that he could swim here, having never learned. But his cafe and mine proceeded from the gravity of the water, as this certainly does, from the extraordinary quantity of falt in it, as a perfon is known to keep himself above water in the fea with lefs difficulty than in a river or canal. Yet the water of this fea is clear, and has the appearance of other • fea-water. As for its tafte, it is extremely falt, bitter, and naufeous. It is, indeed, commonly faid, that birds flying over the lake drop down dead; and that this deleterious quality refides in the continual thick vapours iffuing < from it.

For a trial of this we had brought with us two fparrows, < and plucked out a few feathers from each wing, that they could not fly long. Accordingly, when we had fet them at liberty, after a fhort flight, they fell into, or rather up

on the fea; but fo far were they from dying there, that they both got safe afhore; though had there been any fuch noxious effluvia, they were long enough on the furface of the water to have felt its deleterious effect.'

It is impoffible for us to trace our Voyager more particularly to the feveral parts of Palestine, Egypt, &c. nor is it at all needful; as most of his obfervations are common to those who have visited these countries, with any fhare of understanding or knowlege. His reflections, indeed, do not give us any great idea of his talents, to judge of the various and valuable remains of antiquity, with which thefe parts

abound.

We have heard fome perfons even condemn many of these reflections, as puerile and trivial: and we must confefs, we, ourselves, could hardly forbear fmiling at our Author, as an important and fagacious ftickler for the truth, when he takes on him to refute, from his own proper experience, the report, that the Pyramids caft no shadow.

We cannot help thinking, that notion might have been fufficiently refuted, without any one's taking the trouble of going to Cairo, to know the contrary by experience; efpecially as our Author learnedly obferves, from Pliny and Laertius, that Thales, the Milefian, measured the height of the faid Pyramids by their fhadows, near two thoufand years

ago.

As we have not the original of this work by us, we cannot pretend to fay how far the Tranflator has done it justice: but, it is very evident, he is no elegant writer of English; his language being, in many parts of the work, ungrammatical and obfcure, and, in others, totally unintelligible.

MONTHLY

CATALOGUE.

For SEPTEMBER, 1759.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Art. 1. An Addrefs to the People of England, in which the Conduct of Lieut. Gen. Lord George Sackville is properly confidered; at once to Silence, by the Voice of Truth, the Cries of Falfhood, Scurrility and Dulnefs. 8vo. 15. Burd.

O the intelligent reader, the title page of this pamphlet gives an omen of the nonfenfe and ftupidity which is fpread over the whole compofition. The author, indeed, modeftly profeffes that it is

not his defign to prove himself a good writer, but an honest man. But we must inform this trifler, that when he prefumes to take pen in hand publicly to addrefs the people of England, it is incumbent on him to thew that he has a good head, as well as a good heart.

This is a profeffed answer to a pamphlet, entitled, A Letter to a Jate noble Commander of the British Forces in Germany*, which this writer attacks in the hackneyed ftile of ill-mannered controversy; calling the author hired fcribbler, &c. It would not become us to give our opinion in a difpute of this kind, which depends on facts not yet properly authenticated, and of which it is every man's duty to fufpend his judgment. But though we do not prefume to decide, with refped to the noble Commander's conduct, yet with regard to the merits of his accufers and defenders, we muft obferve, that if the former condemn him upon report, the latter juify him upon hearfay. The juftifications likewife, if they deferve that name, which have been hitherto attempted, are fo extremely weak, that had his Lordship's enemies dictated to the writers, they could scarce have suggefted any thing more to his prejudice..

The illuftrious pamphleteer before us, would, indeed, infinuate that he is in the noble Lord's fecrets, and that what he tells us is nothing but truth: for he affures us that he has more than once had the honour of being in his Lordship's company: what he has advanced, however, has been fometime fince known to every man who mixes with the world; and is, in part, the fubftance of a narrative privately handed about, which in fact proves nothing in refpect of the charge exhibited, how justly we know not, against the noble Commander.

Vide our laft, p. 175, Art. 17.

Art. 2. Remarks on a Pamphlet lately published, entitled, The Conduct of a noble Lord fcrutinized. By an Officer, 8vo. Is. Thrush.

The defign of this wretched piece, is the fame with that of the foregoing one, and the execution equally contemptible.

Art. 3. A Letter from a P**m**e in Ireland, to a certain Great Man, who was out of Town on the first of Auguft last. Svo. 1s. Dublin printed, London re-printed for Stevens in Pater-nofter-row.

An execrable catch-penny.

Art. 4. A Letter to the most noble John Manners, Marquis of Granby, Commander in Chief of the British Forces under Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick. From a Member of Parliament. 8vo. Is. Pridden.

We more than fufpect, that this author has had the prefumption to allume a character, which does not belong to him. If, however, he is a Member, nevertheless, in the capacity of a writer, he cannot plead his privile e. It may be tenerity in us to determine, what

are

are the privileges of a British Parliament; but we will venture to affert, that a right to murder the English language, and butcher common fenfe, is not among the number.

This incomparable letter-writer, addreffes himself to the Marquis, on the fubject of his Predeceffor's behaviour, in the following terms: You know, my Lord, and muft from your fituation be an eye wit* nefs of his conduct that day; then to whom fo fit can we apply for a detail of it? His enemies have rafhly and ignorantly condemned him, and his advocates, in hints, have even attempted to pollute your name.That a Commander on the left wing may be an eye-witness to the conduct of the Commander on the right, is poffible: but that he muft, is not altogether fo clear to us. As to the attempts which, as he fuppofes, have been made to pol ure the Mar quis' name, we are ftrangers to any endeavours of that fort. The firft attempt of the kind which we have obferved, is the prefixing his Lordship's name to this filthy pamphlet. The next fentence is an admirable fpecimen of grammatical correctness, and elegant phrafeology. We are truly fenfible, fays he, that from you must proceed the trueft account, and cleareft obfervations; whofe integrity is unflaken, and whofe fentiments is untampered by faction; whofe 'honour is as fpotlefs as famous, &c. Now, gentle reader, attend to him as a rhetorician. If I may, (fays he) my Lord, call the flower of rhetoric to aid mè in declaring the fatisfaction we feel in * you, late the volunteer of active patriotifm. In the fenate uncor rupt, in war intrepid. To others, you leave to prove their zeal by fpeeches you fight-in the behalf of Britain and with your fword, in characters indelible, your title to patriot virtue, ftands written upon the records of immortality. What a pity it is, when this gentleman called the flower of rhetoric to aid him, that the thistle fhould fpring up to his affistance.

The purport of this pamphlet, if any meaning it has, is to engage the public to with-hold their judgment, with refpect to a late Commander's conduct. For this purpose, the writer makes use of Hibernian rhetoric. While, (fays he) the matter lies in OBLIVION, OF "rather the whole affair in fufpenfion, how unprecedented it is to afperfe his character, fcrutinize his conduct, &c. That this pamphleteer will from henceforth lie in oblivion, is more than probable; while he remains fo, his character is fafe: for we will venture to affure him, that no one can remember him and forget him at the fame time.

Art. 5. A Vindication of the Right Hon. Lord George Sackville Humbly inferibed to his Grace the Duke of Dorfet. 8vo. 6d. A. Henderfon.

It is difficult to guess what this pretended vindicator would be at: his performance being fuch a ftrange medley of abfurdity and low impertinence, that it is hard to fay, whether he is molt entitled to the pity, or the contempt of his readers.

Art. 6. Yet One Vindication more of the Conduct of L
GS. 8vo. Is. Wilkie.

A compound of infipidity and fcurrility. The pretended Vindication is nothing more than a collection of thofe weak apologies which have already appeared in the numerous pamphlets written on this occafion. The writer indulges himself in the groffeft abuse of the author of a Letter to a late noble Commander, whom he accuses of having been hired, &c. We will, however, do him the juftice to believe that no one kired him.

Art. 7. A Letter to the Inhabitants of Paddington. By John Ketch, Efq; 8vo. Thirteen Pence-half-penny. Stevens. The noble perfon whofe late unfeasonable inaction has put fo many pens in motion, is the principal fubject of this fuperficial feu d'Efprit. Every body will acknowlege, fays this pretended Jack Ketch, that he who did not contribute to give the populace of this city the pleasure of a Rejoicing Night, fhould compenfate for it, by giving them a Holiday.'

Art. 8. A fhort Addrefs from Lord George Sackville to the Public. Folio. 6d. Owen.

Contains, chiefly, a copy of Lord George's Letter to the Secretary of State, wherein he requefls, a public opportunity of attempting to justify himself to his Majefty and to his Country, by a Courtmartial.'-To this he was anfwered, That a Court-Martial upon his application would be granted, as foon as the Officers capable of giving evidence could leave their pofts.'-For the reft, his Lordship's Addrefs only follicits, That the public will fufpend its judgment ⚫ till fuch facts can be produced, from which alone the Truth can ⚫ appear.'

Art.

9.

Short Obfervations on a Short Addrefs to the Public, in a Letter to Lord C****. Folio. 6d. Fuller.

Nothing to the purpose.

Art. 10. A Reply to Lord George Sackville's Vindication ;_with Some Remarks on his Lordship's Addrefs to the Public. Folio. 6 d. Kearfly.

Of the fane ftamp with the Short Obfervations. Vide the preceding Article.

Art. 11. Lord George Sackville's Vindication of himself, in a Letter to Colonel Fitzroy, one of the Aids de Camp to Prince Ferdinand: With Colonel Fitzroy's Anfwer, and the Declaration of Capt. Smith, one of the Aids de Camp to Lord George Sackville. 4to. IS. Stevens.

Thefe