thing can be more despicable, on all accounts, than the article which has given occafion to these remarks.

II. A TOUR from England, thro' part of France, Flanders, Brabant, and Holland, &c. &c. By Antonio Monfanto, linguist, in King-ftreet, Rotherhithe, 8vo. 6d. Noon. For a character of this pamphlet, fee that of the last article in our monthly catalogue for June, 1751. (i. e.) vol. 5th. p. 80. Art. 44.

III. The qualifications and duty of a Surveyor explained. In a letter to the right hon. the earl of ******. In which the effential accomplishments are particularly defcribed and confidered. Neceflary to be perufed by all perfons" concerned in building. 8vo. 6d. Owen.

Our readers will hardly expect us to be competent judges of the fubject of this fmall piece; of which we can only pretend to fay, that it feems to be a fenfible tract, and, in all probability, may be found to contain fome hints and obfervations, ufeful to fuch architects and builders as may not be poffeffed of all the qualifications or experience of this writer.

IV. Miscellaneous obfervations on the tragedy of HAMLET, prince of Denmark; with a preface, containing fome general remarks on the writings of Shakespear, 8vo. Is. Clarke.

We find nothing very important or material in this pamphlet; which, tho' not without some paffable thoughts, is upon the whole, but a fuperficial performance, chiefly fill'd with quotations.

V. A method propofed to prevent the many robberies and villanies committed in and about the city of London, And for establishing a fund for the maintenance of the poor, without detriment to any individual, 8vo. 6d. Swan.

This is an imperfect sketch of a fomewhat, which we would call a partial defign, if it were clear that the author had any certain defign at all: further than that he has proposed a method of raising a fund, but he no where tells us how he would have it applied, except in his title-page, as above, so that we are at a lofs to guefs in what manner the poor are to be benefited by this fund, whenever this notable scheme shall be put in execution.

VI. The apotheofis of the fair fex.' A free translation from the French, 12mo. Is. Cooper.

In France, the prefent age boafts a fet of gay fpirits, who are authors only for the fake of employing their wit and parts, fuch as they are, upon lewd and obfcene topics;

and,

and, Britain has not failed to copy this tafte, from a people, whofe every other depravity and foppery we secп eagerly to imitate; at the fame time that we honeftly difdain to rival them in their more refined ftrokes of national polity, and thofe great arts by which they never fail to improve every opportunity for raifing and extending their trade, power, credit, and fuperior influence with almoft every other nation in the world. Of this fenfual fpecies of literature, is the apotheofis of the fair fex ; but we must do it the justice to obferve, that it is perhaps one of the moft delicate and innocent performances of the kind, that hath been publifhed. The author begins with attempting to divert his readers by rallying the monftrous and fenfelefs idolatries of the ancients; from the abfurdities of which, he fomewhat merrily concludes that it would have been more rational in them to have confined their adorations to what he calls (in woman only), the organ of the propagation and multiplication of the human fpecies: in praife of which, he, not without fome humour, employs the greateft part of his pamphlet and from the manner in which this bagatelic is executed, we cannot but think it a pity that the author's pen fhould be employed on a fubject fo little worthy the attention or approbation of the public.

VII. ANDRO. A new game at cards. 8vo. 6d. Cooper. VIII. Memoirs of the fufferings, and surprising adventures of a noble foreigner at ******* Written by himfel. 12mo. IS. Corbet.

For a character of this article, the reader is referred to Art. VII. in the catalogue for July last. See Review, vol.

V. p. 158.

IX. The Life of Patty Saunders. Written by herself. 12mo. 35. Owen.

This performance ranks with the adventures of John Daniel, Charles Osborn, and Howel ap David Price. See Review, vol. V.

X. TASTE. A comedy of two acts. As it is acted at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane. By Mr. Foote, 8vo. 15. Francklin.

The defign of this dramatic fatire (for fuch, we conceive, the ingenious author might have called it, with rather more propriety than he has fet it down as a comedy) is to ridicule the fuperficial knowledge and falfe tafte of the generality of our modern virtuofi in painting, fculpture, medals, &c. A fubject too abftracted and fingular (as the author himself acknowledges in his preface) for the comprehenfion

prehenfin of a m xed affembly; and therefore very improper for theatrical reprefentation; in which it is no wonder it did not meet with that fuccefs which was due to its intrinfic merit as a fatire, tho' not as a comedy. And we entirely agree with Mr. Foote, that tho', he has failed of gratifying the Populum Tributim of the theatre, yet he may expect that the Primores populi will find him no difagreeable companion in the clofet, et fatis magnum Theatrum mihi eftis.

Those who have read Mr. Pope's inimitable fatire on thofe pfeudo-antiquaries he has fo humorously expofed in his Memoirs of Scriblerus, will be at no lofs to form an idea of the principal foibles Mr. Foote has here felected for ridicule to which he has added that of ignorantly and blindly following a prevailing taste, merely on account of its being the prefent mode. He has likewife expofed the arts and tricks by which those knavish pretenders, ufually called Puffs, impofe their wretched daubing, artificial ruft, &c. upon the ignorant and credulous, for real antiques, and the works of the greatest and first masters.

The objects of my fatire (fays our author, pref. p. 9.) were fuch as I thought, whether they were confidered in a moral, a political, or a ridiculous light, deserved the notice of the comic mufe. I was determined to brand thofe Goths in fcience, who had proftituted the useful study of antiquity to trifling fuperficial purposes; who had blafted the progrefs of the elegant arts among us, by unpardonable frauds and abfurd prejudices; and who had corrupted the minds and morals of our youth, by perfuading them that what only ferves to illuftrate literature was true learning, and active idlenefs real bufinefs.'

POETRY.

XI. ESSAYS, moral and mifcellaneous, viz. An introductory speech from Solomon, with an ode. A vifion on a plan of the antients. A fketch of life, after the manner of the moderns. The state of man; his paffions, their objects, and end; their use, abufe, regulation, and employment. With a poem facred to the memory of the princes of Wales and of Orange. By J. Fortefque, D. D. 8vo. 1s. Baldwin.

The whole of this author's productions, contained in the above pamphlet, are of the fame stamp with the following fpecimen, taken from the exordium to his Speech of Wisdom, from Solomon.

Hear O ye kings, ye judges understand,
Who rule the nations, and who judge the land,

Give ear your pow'rs defcended from the Lord,
Who'll try your councils, and your acts record.
To you O kings, this leffon I relate,

Which gives inftruction to preserve your state.
In thrones and fceptres place ye your delight?
Then honour wifdom, that your rule be right.
Attend th' inftruction which my words fhall give,
And who fhe is, and whence the came, receive.
To you I call, for wifdom is your friend,
Ye fimple hearken, and ye fools, attend.'

From this fpecimen our readers will judge what reception the author is likely to meet with from the public; and how far that reception may induce him to go on with his publication; for he informs us in his title page, that this pamphlet is only a first part.

XII. Fair Rofamond, to the fair Hibernian. An epiftle. Folio. 6d. Howard,

This little piece contains only fome general hints to the fair Hibernian, to caution her against the fatal effects which the ladies fo often experience, from the exceffive flattery and adulation of the men; to look upon Virtue as the chief glory of a woman; and that to tread in her paths, is the only fure road to happiness: the whole deduced from the melancholy example of the famous Rofamond.

XIII. The abufe of Poetry., A fatire. 4to. Is. Manby. We do not remember to have met with fo unequal a performance as this. It contains a juft invective against the wretched verfifiers of the prefent time; with fome encomia on Pope, Addifon, Young, &c. But the whole is fuch medley of good lines and bad; of juft fentiments and ordinary poetry, that we are, at fome lofs what judgment to pass upon the whole; but fear the public will rank the author among the very people be condemns, as deriving no honour to the mufes, What can be faid in excufe for the following barbarous lines, where fpeaking of himself, he fays,

I like other men,,

To fhew, my parts, muft trifle with my pen';
Yet know I am not HE fo vain and proud,
To think whate'er I write IT must be good.
Confcious of my weakness (which credit, fir,
I'm not afham'd to even here aver.)

To proper men I fly for frank advice,'---'c.

Efpecially as the author, in the very next page, boafts his great care and industry in polishing his compofitions.

I too my verfcs read with niceft care,
Diffect my errors, and my weakness bare,
Free from felf-love, the whole I ftrict explore;
The crabbed'ft critic, fure! can do no more.
I blot, I add, I alter, and refine,

And weigh the folid fubftance of each line.'
CONTROVERSIAL.

XIV. A Third Letter to the author of a Piece entitled, • The Enthusiasm of Methodists and Papifts compared.' Containing some Remarks on the Third Part. 12mo. 6d. Roberts.

The publication of Mr. Perronet's two former pamphlets having escaped our notice, (either through our own inadvertence, or from their not being fufficiently advertised) we cannot properly fay much of this his laft production. It may therefore fuffice that we only obferve, that this gentleman is, in our opinion, a fmart controverfiallift, and the most formidable antagonist that hath entered the lifts against the COMPARER, in defence of the Methodists.

XV. A Letter to the Author of Confiderations on feveral Propofals for the better Maintenance of the Poor.* 8vo. Is. Corbet.

A judicious performance, abounding in useful remarks. The author recommends the scheme of employing the poor under the direction and controlment of Contractors; who by finding their intereft depend upon the labour of the poor, would take effectual care to keep them employed; and, confequently, rendered ferviceable to, instead of anintolerable burthen upon, the induftrious part of the public.

XVI. A Charge delivered to the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of the Eaft-Riding in the diocefe of York, at Hull, ̧. Beverley, and Hunmanby, at the primary vifitation, in 1751. By the Rev. Jacques Sterne, L. L. D. &c. 6d. Knapton.

The main purport of this charge, is to fet forth the malignancy of certain declamations and fcandalous invectives lately thrown out against the clergy of our established church; whom he exhorts to preferve a ftrict union: and correspondence among themfelves, as the best defence against the malice or virulence of their enemies. The Doctor alfo particularly complains of the Quakers for fometimes obliging the clergy to have recourse to the Law for the recovery of their Dues, and then frequently abufing them for taking the ftated and legal methods for fuch recovery.

*Thefe Confiderations are mentioned in the REVIEW for November laft. p. 456.