thinking, is ftraining his omnipotence, we are told, to maintain an abfurdity. Our author obferves further on this head, that thofe reveries in which we are fometimes fo buried, as to become quite inattentive to the impreffions of our fenfes, are a ftrong indication of our having somewhat within us of a different nature from matter, and occafionally independent on it. How 6 often,' fays he, are we fo wrapt in thought, as to become blind to what is before us, nay, to the very object our fight is fixed on? and how deaf to what is faid, though found at that time makes the ufual impulfe upon our auditory nerves? Is not this a certain token of our foul's having a power fomewhat independent of the body, the ufe of which feems to be then quite laid afide? How often do we fee the foul urge on the body to actions beyond its ftrength? How often does it brave corporeal pain, and fhew itfelf fuperior, even under the fevereft tortures, to any material influence? Nay, how common is it juft before death to obferve the mental ⚫ faculties as ftrong as ever, when the bodily organs are quite emaciated and useless; which makes strongly for the foul's being a different fubftance from the body, and, at that juncture, partly freed from its connexion with it.' The proofs of the immortality of the foul he refts upon arguments of a moral nature, as being the most plain and convincing, and which, as he juftly obferves, muft be equally valid, whether the foul is fuppofed to be material or immaterial. The arguments he adduces are thofe derived from the unequal diftribution of rewards and punishments in the prefent life; from the good man's hopes of future enjoyment, and the inward ftings of confcience and dread of punishment attending vice; and from the juftice and goodness of the Supreme Being. Tho' he has not advanced many new things upon the fubject, that appear to us of any confiderable importance, and tho' he has often availed himself of what some of the best modern writers have faid upon it, (to whom, however, he always acknowleges his obligations) yet fome of his arguments are prettily illuftrated, and the whole piece is drawn up in a genteel, and pleafing manner. The dialogue, indeed, as he himfelf confeffes in his preface, is too catechetical, and Celadon of no further ufe than to raise objections for his friend Lucius to obviate. R ART. LVI. ΤΟΥ ΔΕΙΝΟΣ ΝΟΣΟΥΝΤΟΣ και περι των νοσανίων ΜΕΛΕΤΗΜΑΤΑ. 8νο. T Rivington. HESE meditations of an anonymous writer on, and in, his fickness, are uttered in Greek, Latin, and Englih; whence to adapt a term to this mifcellany, though chiefly confined to one fubject, we may call it trilingual. Each piece is diftinct, and equally original; thofe in any one language not being tranflated from either of the others. The author, in a pretty diffuse and defultory Latin preface, by perfonating the editor only, takes an opportunity of faying fomething more recommendatory of the performance in general, than as its author, he could have done with decency. His preface is fucceeded by a Greek dedication to Dr. Richard Frewin, of Oxford, whom he opposes to all other doctors (which may be confidered as preferring him to any one) by his πανίων αναξίω αλλων αρχιητρῳ, in gratitude for his own recovery from a difeafe, in which the doctor attended him. Indeed this recovery is the more wonderful, as the preface had informed us, he was rendered nearly bloodlefs, and almoft killed with waking, fafting, and phyfic-exfanguis, vigiliis, inedia et medicinis propè enecatus. He exclaims on his fixth bleeding, Ecquis erit modus? and calls on CHRIST for compaffion: whence it feems as if the faculty had relented, and permitted his recovery. Doubtlefs our learned meditant has a confiderable facility and fluency in Greek profe and verse : and yet, as the greater part of the laft is in the common meafure of Anacreon, who devoted his mufe entirely to themes of pleasure and feftivity, perhaps fome readers may think it lefs appropriate to folemn and elegiac fubjects. We give the following Greek verfes addreffed to his phyficians, as a fhort amusement for our learned readers; and have attempted a tranflation of them, for thofe who are confined to English. Δοτέ μοι πιειν, Ιατροί, Δοτέ μοι το φιλτρον ύπνο. Our author's Latin verfes, to feveral of his friends in his fickness, fhew a great familiarity with the Roman poets, and a happy retention of them. His diction is confequently pure, as the verfe is melodious; and what imagery occurs is natural. Undoubtedly ouré dewa, our fuppofed incognito, is both learned and ingenious; and yet, upon the whole, as most of his fentiments and images are trite and obvious, he appears to us to be rather poetical from reading and infufion, than a poet by infpiration; if that diftinction may be allowed. The following Latin verfes are no inelegant paraphraftical translation of Mr. Addifon's fine fimile of the expiring flame in CatoThus o'er the dying lamp th' unfteady flame,' &c. Sic, ubi languidulo veftalis flamma labafcit Three English pieces, relating to his general fubject, make the laft and leaft part of this performance. About a dozen theclogi cal and literary productions, formerly publifhed, are advertised at the end of this, as wrote by the Rev. Dr. John Burton, fellow of Eton college, which render it probable, he is alfo author of the prefent. This is further confirmed by his Greek and Latin lamentations over his beloved wife in the palfy, wherein the is termed Davidov B-- and Francefcula: and this (no uncommon) expedient of half-publishing an author, reminds us of the like contrivance of a fheperdefs in one of Virgil's paftorals, who only half conceals herself, from her pursuing admirer, amongst the willows. Et fugit ad falices, et fe cupit ante videri. K MONTHLY I. A For DECEMBER, 1755. POETICA L. Dialogue between the Poet and his Friend. A Satire. By Charles Obrien, Efq; 4to. 6d. Carpenter. Squire Obrien, whom his editor fuppoles to have died last March, appears to have been a very outrageous fatirift, not too accurately diftinguishing between true and falfe rumour, of which we might produce more than one bafe inftance: but Have among you feems to be his motto. The poet is mighty precipitate, and longs to be at work, which his friend is very importunate to prevent; and the whole dialogue between them, which the editor pretends was found among his papers, infcribed, Satire the first, is fhort of fix fcore lines. However, as these contain little more than fevere and general menaces of what he was to do, we may imagine how very fortunate his poetical decease has been for many a nameless object of fatire, from the following denunciation:. II. The Mirror, a poetical Effay, in the manner of Spenfer. By C. Arnold. 4to. I S. Swan. The flanza of Spencer, and fome of his old words, contained in this effay, give it more of his exterior air, than of his fpirit. To his explanation of other old words, he might have added that of muckfon, at the bottom of the page, which is not generally intelligible, at leaft in London. The purpose of the Mirror is to hew us, that all perfons and characters muft die, or, in our author's expreffion, To tell you all, that death does life fucceed, Perdie, you jeering fay, this is great news indeed. What merit this poem has any claim to, independent of imitating Spencer, confifts in fome humorous characteristical defcription, which occurs now and then; and in a kind of epigrammatic clofe of fome ftanzas. Sir Epicure and his exit are not unaptly defigured in the following one. Scene a LordMayor's feat. At his return, Sir Epicure he ken'd, Of mighty paunch, moon-face, and brawny jole; His napkin tuck'd-around his eyes did roll; He fpar'd ne in his rage-ne fish-ne fowl. He puff'd, he blow'd, he fwill'd-lethargic grew, No parle, quo' Death, with this fame corm'rant foul, So So fet on him his apoplexy crew, Who knock'd him down at once, withouten more ado. The modern fine lady is pretty well delineated in the three immediately fubfequent ftanzas, tho' the prefent new fashions found fomewhat oddly, intermixed with antiquated terms: we give the laft of the three, as containing the chief turn of thought, and the lady's catastrophe. After defcribing her figure, her drefs, and employment, he adds, She whisper'd, glanc'd, protefted, titter'd, vow'd; Very.'---Emphatic word, then laugh'd aloud--- Quo' Death, If fo---why then---moe fit for me--- So wights me call. With that he feiz'd his prey, N. B. We print, according to our author, with more breaks than appear quite necefiary to ourfelves; tho' he may have intended them as directions to his readers.-The compli ment he makes his patron, Mr. Garrick, in three ftanzas, does not prevent death from killing him in the laft; and the conceit of Death's refenting the actor's taking him off fo well, gives a comic turn to a catastrophe which fo many of his furvivors muft lament. Dar'ft ape me, Varlet!' he reply'd in rage, I'll realize thy mocks ;' fo fwept him off the stage. After this inexorable tyrant's destruction of fourteen different characters, befides one ample projection of his net over the groupe, or multitude, and refufing to gratify the Lazar, who intreats to accompany him, Mr. Arnold clofes his Mirror with the following pretty moral. A bard fat penfive at the fight difmay'd, A voice reply'd, Be humble-be refign'd-- Ceafe, mortal, to complain, nor anxious grieve • The will of righteous Heav'n from first defign'd, That nought but virtue fhould alone furvive, • That e'en fhall conquer Death, that shall for ever live.' We would recommend it to this writer, in any future imitation of Spenfer, not to be fond of imitating his ellipfes. The following one is rather too bold a tranfgreffion of our fyntax: thofe happy writers, who are beft entitled to the indulgence, make the least use of it. |