cafta farrago, in fhort, of religion, ravishment, philofophy, and love. The whole fet forth in a ftyle which will no doubt be highly approved of by the good people of Moorfields and Tottenham Court Road.

Art. 32. The Weft Indian; or, Memoirs of Frederic Charlton. 12mo. 2. Vols. 5 s. fewed. Axtell. 1787.

This Author, in the dedication of his book to the Reviewers, fays, Just look at the binding, which to the major part of modern fcholars is the moft material (witty rogue!)-then add the puff oblique, and depend on having an acknowledgment and invitation left at your publifher's.' An invitation! Gadzookers! At Christmas too! for the book came out just before the holidays: a time whento borrow a rhyme from the facetious Harry Carey

Geefe, hams, and turkies,

Are feen all alluring like-chapels and churches. And yet-no, Sir, no.-If we may judge from this mental olio'as you are pleased to call your production-your table would prefent us with nothing but kickshaws: a lenten entertainment!—And that will never do for Reviewers; they must have something substantial, fomething that will really nourish and give them heart-for as the Preacher well obferveth, "There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his foul enjoy good in his labour." Now if food be the more particularly requifite after fatigue, what ought not to be prepared for us?

Art. 33. The Platonic Guardian; or, Hiftory of an Orphan. By a Lady. 12mo. 3 Vols. 7s. 6d. fewed. Lane. 1787.

She ex

A lady, of the name of Cleveland, becomes, on the death of her parents, the ward of Mr. Crawfurd, a gentleman of fortune. Mr. C. is young; and had been married (a father's match) at an early age, and for the fake of intereft, to an old and envious woman, whom he confequently hates. The guardian and ward are enamoured of each other, without any declaration of affection on the part of either. The wife, however, difcovers this mutual penchant ; and Mifs C. is under the neceffity of quitting their house. periences a variety of misfortunes, occafioned primarily by the failure of her banker: after a proper time, however, the lady of her guardian dies-the lovers are then united and happy. Such are the leading characters in the ftory. The epifodical parts are entertaining, and the whole is prettily written. It muft at the fame time be obferved of this novel, that it refembles too particularly that of Caroline, or the Diversities of Fortune;' and which we noticed in our Review for Auguft laft.- From the ftyle and manner we suppose them to be the production of the fame pen.

Art. 34. The School for Fathers; or, the Victim of a Curfe. A Novel. Containing authentic Memoirs and Anecdotes, with hiftorical Facts. 12mo. 3 Vols. 7 s. 6d. fewed. Robinsons. 1788.

This publication is very improperly ftyled a novel. It almost wholly confifts of the letters of two unfortunate lovers, who are feparated by the ill-timed ambition of their friends, and who are the de

light and wonder of each other. But let the gentleman, who is named Alfred, fpeak for himself.

Alfred to Elwina.

Why did I not open your dear little note at the moment you gave it into my hand, or why did Elwina prevent me?'-By this we perceive, that the lady, after writing a letter to Alfred, was herself the bearer of it.—' Doubtlefs fhe thought I would run mad. with delight, and commit fome rash act in my phrenzy.' Again-' I fat down to the only employment worthy of concluding fuch a day, reading over your charming letters. Believe me, every time I perufe them I discover fresh beauties; they are fuperior to any thing I ever read in any language; and I should pronounce them most finished performances, were I to meet with them in the hands of any one.' Very likely; but cool and fober Reviewers-Reviewers who are not in love, may think differently. What then must be my opinion of the dear lines, when the writer is fo well known, fo admired, as is Elwina! What a happiness for me that we were born in the fame age!' *** I could almost exclaim with the rapturous Torrifmond,

"I have lived enough.",

I do not mean to pursue the speech any farther, only to fay, if I had died directly, and my memory retained the circumftances of that day alone, I fhould, fo deceived, think all my life had been bleft.'

What Mr. Alfred means by dying directly,' and his memory retaining the circumftances, &c. may not, perhaps, be fufficiently obvious to common understandings. But now let us attend to the lady, who is not behind-hand in the ardour of her proteftations of love: the lady, whofe letters, as we have been already informed, are fuperior to any thing in any language.' Let her speak. The laft evening I ftole away from them it was the full moon. I walked penfively up to that dear spot from whence I took the view you fo well remember, and so highly prized. Oh, Alfred, what a crowd of ideas filled my mind! I fixed my eyes on the once dear dwelling of my heart's fole joy. There was an unfpeakable folemnity in the fcene before me, which I fhall never forget. I called on the bleffed fhade of your dear mother. I invoked her aid and protection for her beloved fon. A delirium feemed to poffefs me. I wept; but they were delicious tears. I took out your picture, and could hardly refrain from chiding your dear refemblance for not joining its tears with mine.' It was impoffible not to feel a partiality for fuch a man as Alfred. His perfon was formed in the finished mould of beauty. His height was juft of that point where the graceful begins. His mouth and lips were the handfomeft I ever faw; and I believe it would be difficult to decide, whether they looked more enchanting when open or clofed.'-Very difficult no doubt, fair lady; and when decided, what does the conclufion amount to?

But having thus pointed out the defects of this peformance, it remains for us to fpeak of its merits. It must be acknowledged, that feveral of the letters are conceived in a much lefs exceptionable ftyle; and that the fentiments are fometimes fuch as indicate a good and virtuous mind. In a word, were fome of the letters rejected, and the volumes, which now are three in number, compreffed into one, the book might be deferving of public attention; but to wade

18

through

through two or three hundred pages of fuch trifling and puerility as that already noticed, requires all the patience of a Reviewer. With refpect to the hiftorical facts which are enumerated toward the close of the latter volume, we are unable to speak particularly to them they are, however, of fuch a nature as to induce us to hope, that they have not the smalleft foundation in truth. Were the charges exhibited in them founded, we think they would have made their way to us through fome other medium than that of a novel.

DRAMATIC.

Art. 35. Plays, written for a Private Theatre. By William Davies. 8vo. 6's. Boards. Faulder. 1787.

In this collection we have five plays, written, as the Author profeffes, not with a view to public exhibition, but for private amufement. Mr. Davies tells us, in his preface, that he has been always fond of the drama; but he thinks that, of late years, the British ftage has degenerated from the tree end of its inftitution. He does not fcruple to fay, that he has found the entertainments of the theatre infipid, unferviceable, and, fometimes, almoft irrational, Who, that is not a manager, will controvert this pofition? The folJies of modifh life, continues our Author, which are called the TON, are cherished and encouraged on the ftage, where they ought to be ridiculed. The Comic Mufe puts on rouge, and never fhews the true features of nature. Mr. Davies might have added, that low farce, mean buffoonery, and fongs of unintelligible jargon, scarce worthy of a ballad-finger in the streets, have ufurped the place of true wit and nature; and are not, at prefent, confined, as they formerly were, to the after-piece, but, without tafté, or fear of public cenfure, brought forward to fill the ftation affigned to tragedy, and legitimate comedy. In this decline of genius, Mr. Davies might well defpair of gaining a reception for fuch pieces as aim at a more regular dramatic form, and a juft imitation of men and manners. The pieces, which he prefents to the public, have the following titles: 1. News the Malady,' in three acts. 2. The Mode,' five acts. 6 3. The Generous Counterfeit,' five acts. 4. • Better Late than Never, five acts. The 5th and laft, The Man of Honour,' in five acts. The limits of the prefent Number of our Review will not allow us to enter into a minute examination of these several performances. The fubjects, however, are well chosen, and, in the execution of each, it must be faid that the Author has had an eye to the manners of the age. To thofe who tell us that comic fubjects are exhausted, there is here convincing proof, that they are greatly mistaken. The dramatic poet needs only to furvey the mass of life, and new characters will quickly prefent themselves to his imagination. The complaint generally urged, viz. that all fubjects are pre-occupied, is an apology for dulnefs, and a disguise for want of invention. There is no occafion to rifle the bookfeller's fhop for novels, written, for the most part, with a total disregard of nature, and stretched beyond all propriety. If our dramatic authors would condefcend to watch what is every day paffing in the world, and, at the fame time, attend to the concomitant circumftances of human actions, they would find no dearth of materials. To illuftrate this, we fhall give an inftance

17

from

from one of the plays before us, called, News the Malady. Mr. Davies has caught the actions of those who have undertaken the conduct of a newspaper. He fhews the fecret arts of the Printer, and the Editor, both combining to fupport their work by tranflations from foreign journals, by culling forgotten effays out of old papers and magazines, and by retaining in their fervice a number of dif treffed paragraph-writers for fcanty wages. The proprietors, or fharers in the paper, are alfo brought into action; but in fome paffages, and indeed in many of the fcenes, it must be admitted, that our Author's ftyle has too much of the Flemish School. The por→ trait is often a caricature. The features are exaggerated, and the poet overfteps the modesty of nature. When the bounds of probability are paffed, it is no longer that juft imitation, which charms us in Moliere. But the plays which compofe Mr. Davies's volume were not offered to the ftage: a critical enquiry is, therefore, unneceffary. The attempt made by him to reform the drama is highly laudable: he has fet an example to contemporary writers; and his work will afford both amusement and inftruction.

Art. 36. Letter to Phillips Glover, Efq. in a Dedication to the Burletta of Hero and Leander, performed at the Royalty Theatre in Goodman's-fields. 8vo. 25. Murray. 1787.

The Letter relates to the contest between the Patentees of the old established theatres, and Mr. Palmer, the undertaker of the new one at the east end of the metropolis; and it abounds with matter which, at the time of its publication, laft fummer (for we have inadvertently let it flip till now), employed a good share of the town's talk; but the fubject has now given place to Hastings and Impey, and other topics of rather more importance. To the Letter (which is friendly to Mr. Palmer), is fubjoined the Burletta of Hero and Leander; which is the fubject of the next article.

Art. 37. A Letter to the Author of the Burletta, &c. in Refutation of what he has advanced in his Dedication to Phillips Glover, Efq. on the Statutes for the Regulation of Theatres, &c. &c. 15. Kearfley. 1787.

Svo.

The chief defign of this piece is to convince the readers, that the granting a licence to the theatre in Well-clofe Square, for acting plays, would be productive of many evil confequences to the public at large, and to the city of London in particular,; that the performances of Burlettas and Pantomimes cannot be licensed by the ftatuie 25 Geo. II. and of course, that the performers are liable to the pains and penalties enacted by ftat. 10 Geo. II. and ftat. 17th of the fame King, commonly called the vagrant act. The cafe is not ill argued by this writer..

Art. 38. Apollo turn'd Stroller; or, Thereby hangs a Tale. A Mufi. cal Pafticcio. In two Parts. As performed, with the most unbounded applause, at the Royalty Theatre. 8vo. IS. Bladon. -1787.

A pasticcio may be explained, a little playhouse pie, perchance, as in the prefent inftance, a tart.

The

The idea of Apollo becoming an earthly ftrolling player, is taken from the well-known farce of Midas. Its prefent application is very evident: the Juftices have been oppofing the Royalty Theatre, and the wits of the oppofite party have in return ridiculed the Juftices. The bufinefs is thus conducted: Apollo being kicked out of heaven, by Jupiter, for his tricks, he joins a company of players, who are informed againft, and perfecuted by Juftice Midas, as vagrants, rogues, and vagabonds. Apollo, therefore, adds to the afs's cars of Midas, an afs's tail, which fo humbles his worship the magifitrate, that he implores, and obtains, forgiveness, on promifing to patronize, instead of perfecuting, the drama and the dramatists.

We should fuppofe that the fongs, duets, glees, &c. if well fung, and fet to good mufic, would please the audience, but we have not feen this piece on the itage, nor are we judges of its reception.

SLAVE TRADE.

Art. 39. Thoughts on the Slavery of the Negroes, as it affects the British Colonies in the Weft Indies. 8vo. Is. Richardson. 1788. Befide the ufual arguments of thofe writers who have lately appeared in defence of the flave-trade, this Author has fome additional obfervations, which feem to merit the confideration of both Houses of Parliament, to whom this pamphlet is addreffed. He is no advocate for the tyranny of man over man; but pleads, with good fenfe and moderation, for that qualified and duly regulated fervitude, by which the intereft of the matter, in our Weft Indies, will be reafonably promoted, and the real welfare of the flave preferved and extended, to a degree far fuperior to whatever he could poffibly have obtained, or even hoped for, in his native country. The Author fuggefts fome important regulations for carrying on the African trade in a manner lefs liable to the charge of inhumanity than heretofore; and he concludes with the following judicious piece of advice:

The Weft Indians are a valuable and refpectable body of men, who have deferved well of this country, and whofe interefts are deeply connected with our own. BEFORE we take any refolutions which, in their confequences, must determine the fate of the Weft India colonies; BEFORE we fall into measures that fo deeply affect the political and commercial interefts of Great Britain; and BEFORE We abandon a fource of fo much national profperity into the hands of the common enemies of our country; I trust that the wisdom of Parliament will think it EXPEDIENT TO SEND COMMISSIONERS, with full powers, to judge of the extent of this national fin in the British Weft India iflands;-men whofe high rank and abilities will foon diftinguish real from imaginary evils-who will fee with their own eyes, and hear with their own ears, and make their report accordingly. This appears, to us, to be an excellent hint; and we hope it will not be thrown away. If fomething like this had been done before we drove America into refiftance, in all probability that country would not, at this day, have been rent from us.

*Written by Mr. Kane O'Hara. For an account of that farce, fee Review, Vol. xxx. p. 247.

Art.