than the power of medicine could afterwards remove; and we have no doubt, but that even death has frequently been the effect of the evacuating and refrigerating method having been too freely pursued, in fuch putrid cafes as put on, in their firft ftages, an inflammatory appearance. In cafes of fuch ambiguity, and where the life of the patient is fo immediately concerned, every endeavour to elucidate the difficulties with which the practitioner is perplexed, and to point out the diftinguishing marks of thefe difeafes, is highly laudable; and where that endeavour, as is the cafe in the prefent learned performance, is well executed, the medical art receives confiderable improvement; of which the public at large mult finally reap the benefit.

HORTICULTURE..

Art. 41. The Gardener's Pocket Dictionary; or a Systematical Arrangement of Trees, Shrubs, Herbs, Flowers, and Fruits; agreeable to the Linnæan Method, with their Latin and English Names, their Ufes, Propagation, Culture, &c. By John Abercrombie, Author of Mawe's Gardener's Kalender, and other Works. 3 Vols. 12mo. 10s. 6d. Boards. L. Davis. 1786.

Mr. Abercrombie has divided this work into four parts, each comprehended under a diftinct alphabet. The first alphabet, which is complete in the first volume, contains a catalogue of hardy trees and fhrubs, which are ufually planted in avenues, fhrubberies, groves, &c. The Author has given the generic name, and under it, he enumerates the feveral fpecies that belong to it; he adds to the botanical names, those by which each fpecies and variety is known to English gardeners; and gives particular directions for the planting and propagating each fpecies, fhewing to what fituations and foil they are beft fuited, with the ufes to which they may be applied. The culture of fruit trees is alfo treated in this part.

The fecond alphabet contains thofe plants which are hardy enough. to bear the inclemencies of our climate, and are ufually employed as ornaments for open borders, or for the more material fervice of the table.

The third and fourth alphabets, which compofe the laft volume, contain thofe plants which cannot bear our climate; but are cultivated in green houses, ftoves, or hot beds.

The work is entirely adapted for giving information to the practical gardener; and may be confidered as a ufeful publication, on account of the variety of its contents, and the perfpicuous manner in which the directions are given,

Art. 42. An easy English Grammar, for the Ufe of Schools. By A. Murray, Schoolmatter. 12mo. 1s. 6d. Newcastle printed. The general plan of this work is given under the three following heads, I. A fhort explanation of all the parts of speech, and their agreement and government reduced to grammatical rules; with notes, and parfing examples, in which every word is refolved at length. II. Additional remarks and obfervations on the feveral particulars of the first part: with rules of compofition, or the

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proper

proper arrangement of words in fentences. III. Exercises of bad English, in two parts.

Works of this kind have fo increased on us for years paft, that it feems almost wonderful if the Authors reap any advantage from their publications. However, if tolerably executed, they may have their ufe, The prefent performance may affift any perfon who wishes to acquire a more exact and grammatical knowledge of the English language; and may alfo, we apprehend, be usefully employed by thofe who are engaged in the inftruction of youth.

NOVEL.

Art. 43. Elfrida: or Paternal Ambition. A Novel. By a Lady. 12mo. 3 Vols. 7s. 6d. fewed. Johnfon. 1786.

A very old ftory, and dull as a Comical fellow.' Outline: Two ancient maidens, who take delight in breaking off the matriages which are concerting in their neighbourhood, and railing at those which happen to be made: who are in love with every man they fee, but who fpread their filken nets in vain: a kind but ob. ftinate father who gives his daughter's hand to the man fhe hates, while her faithful lover is driven to defpair: a gay and fashionable hufband, who neglects an amiable wife, who ruins himself by play, and who is at length obliged to quit his country on account of debt, &c. &c.

That part of the narrative which reprefents the husband of Elfrida as returned from abroad, and his wife united to another man, occafioned by a report of the former's death, appears to be borrowed from Southerne's tragedy of the Fatal Marriage; and the incident has certainly fomething affecting in it. But it is the fate of this Writer to mar her tale in the telling, as Shakespeare fays; and the inelegance of her language effectually deftroys the intereft of the fcene,

POETRY.

Art. 44. Dialogues of Lucian, from the Greek. Vol. III. By Mr. Carr. 8vo. 5s. fewed. Longman. 1786.

The great encouragement which Mr. Carr hath received in confequence of his former tranflations of the antient wit, hath induced him to proceed in the fame work: and now, he confeffes, he doth not know where he may ftop-perhaps (fays he) not till I have gone through every page of Lucian, excepting only fuch reading as is never read;' and fuch as no fober man will write. In ages far remote from the prefent, men of wit were fometimes very dull; and fometimes wanted prudence. To creep after dulnefs can only ferve to benumb the fenfes; and to revive the language of riot, is not the moft decent attempt,

Mr. Carr would by no means have his Readers fuppofe that he hath made his tranflation of Lucian a ferious bufinefs; or that he hath neglected any duty of his office for fo idle an employment.

Duties,' fays he, far different from converfing with wits have been annexed to my life. I have tranflated Lucian in an evening, when I was not in a temper to face a graver author, and wished to forget every unwelcome occurrence of the day.'

Grave divines have been as idly employed, without having had the grace to make fo modeft an apology.

Among a number of other dialogues of lefs note, the following compofe the principal part of the prefent volume, viz. Mercury, Vulcan, and Prometheus.-The judgment of the goddeffes.-Menippus and Philonides; or a Confultation in the Shades.-Jupiter confuted.-Jupiter in Tragedy.-The Parafite.-The Liar.

To thefe Dialogues are fubjoined the Addrefs to the illiterate Buyer of Books; and the Triumphs of the Gout, tranflated into blank verfe, by the late Mr. Gilbert West.

Many who have a relish for the wit of Lucian will be pleased with Mr. Carr for faying them the trouble of feeking for it at the first hand and thofe who wish to revive their knowledge of the original, will find the affiftance of this ingenious, and, on the whole, faithful and animated tranflator, of great fervice; though the fcholar will find little information from the notes, which in general are unimportant, and in one or two inftances impertinent, and abfurd: the Tranflator feems to have mistaken them for ftrokes of wit. For our account of Vol. I. fee Rev. vol. xlix, p. 161; and of vol. II. Rev. vol. lxi. p. 67.

Art. 45. Indian Verres, a Satire. 4to. Is. Flexney. 1787.

It is not, to us, a very clear point who is the Verres of this furious Satirift; but if Mr. Haftings is the intended object of his outrage, the unfortunate Governor may, at leaft, confole himself with this reflection, that of all the mifdeeds of which he can poffibly be accused, his worst enemy, even Mr. Burke himself, will not fay, that, pget as Mr. H. is, he ever made verses so bad as these. Art. 46. The Pleasures of Retirement: a Poem. By R-t B-n, 4to. Is. Cambridge, printed for Hodfon. 1786.

A fondness for rural fcenery, and ftill life, generally befpeaks an amiable, though perhaps an indolent difpofition: it may also excite abundance of pastoral and romantic ideas; but all this does not conftitute a poet.

It was impoffible to read the verses before us, without recollecting the following well known couplet :

Ah! filly I! more filly than my sheep,

• Which on the flowery plains I once did keep.'

PHILIPS.

Art. 47. The Protection of Providence: an Ode, facred to the Fame of Mr. Howard. 4to. 18. 6d. Cadell. 1787.

Did not the name of Howard (the prisoners friend!) confecrate every thing on which it is ftamped, this wild, and very peculiar panegyric might have drawn from us a few critical obfervations ;-but, it is a well-meant compliment to an excellent man; and, as fuch, let it país.

Art. 48. A Congratulatory Epiftle to Peter Pindar, Efq; on his various Publications. 4to. is. Turpin. 1787.

An inferior Poet feriously abufes Peter Pindar for his abufive writings. With equal fuccefs would fome grave divine ascend a mountebank's stage, in order to preach down the Merry Andrew.

THEOLOGY.

THEOLOGY.

Art. 49. Remarks upon Dr. Priestley's Second Letters to the Archdeacon of St Albans, with Proofs of certain Facts afferted by the Archdeacon. 8vo. 25. Robfon. 1786.

The Archdeacon, in the outfet of this pamphlet, confiders Dr. Priestley as an infufficient antagonist;' and viewing him in that humble light, the ecclefiaftical dignitary feems afhamed of engaging in a contest where even victory would add nothing to his fame.

I was well fatisfied, fays the Archdeacon, that in any contef with Dr. Priestley, I was at liberty to indulge my indolence, without feeming to defert my caufe: that his book, abounding with new fpecimens of confident ignorance (which in thofe fubjects is the most prominent feature in his writings), and in expreffions of fiery refentment and virulent invective, carried with it, as I thought, its own confutation to unprejudiced readers of all defcriptions: to the learned reader, by the proof which it furnishes of the author's incompetency in the fubject: to the unlearned reader, by the confcioufnefs which the fierceness of his wrath betrays of a defect of argument.'

Having produced a few inftances to prove Dr. Pricftley's incompetency to write on fuch fubjects as fall within the prefent controverly, our Author fays, thefe and many other glaring inftances of unfinished criticifm, weak argument, and unjuftifiable art, to cover the weakness and fupply the want of argument, which muft ftrike every one who takes the trouble to look through thofe fecond letters, put me quite at eafe with refpect to the judgment which the public would be apt to form between my antagonist and me, and confirmed me in the refolution of making no reply to him, and of troubling the public no more upon the fubject, except fo far as might be neceffary to establish fome facts, which he hath fomewhat too peremptorily denied, and to vindicate my character from afperfions which he hath too inconfiderately thrown out.

The matters of fact which I mean to prove, are thefe :

I. Origen's want of veracity in difputation.

II. The existence of orthodox Hebrew Chriftians at Jerusalem, after the time of Adrian.

III. The decline of Calvinifm, amounting almost to a total extinction of it, amongst the English Diffenters.'

It would afford little inftruction, and fill lefs entertainment, to our readers, if we were to detail the arguments and authorities by which the learned Archdeacon endeavours to establish his theory. The fubject is hackneyed on both fides, and the curiofity of the public hath been completely exhaufted.

Art. 50. Letters to Dr. Horley. Part III. Containing an Answer to his Remarks and Letters, Part II. To which are added, Strictures on Mr. Howes's ninth Number of Obfervations on Books ancient and modern. By Jofeph Priestley, LL. D. F. R. S. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Johnfon. 1787.

Dr. Priestley pursues the Archdeacon ftep by step, and in his turn fneers likewife, though the mode of fneering is different. Dr. Horfley's fneer lurks in his eye-brows, Dr. Priestley's fneer is perched

upon his nofe. They little confider, all the while, where is the fneer of the byftanders!

O Jane! a tergo quem nulla Ciconia pinfit.

I am endeavouring, by all the means in my power (fays our Author), to roufe the attention of thinking men in this country to the corrupt ftate of religion that is established in it; and especially to convince them of the mischievous tendency of worshipping Chrift as God, when Chriftianity difclaims all knowledge of any other God than one, and that the God and Father of Chrift: being confident, that when this is effected (and towards this confiderable progrefs is making visibly every day, and it hath met with no obstruction fince the commencement of this controverfy) not only will the prefent forms of Trinitarian worship be abolished, but my countrymen will then thank me and my friends for what we have contributed towards fo glorious a revolution. And I truft that a fire, fill more destructive to error and fuperftition, and confequently to all ecclefiaftical establishments in the world, which are built upon, and promote them, will be raised by the concurrence of your feafonable pains in blowing up the flame of this controverfy, which will not, I truft, be extinguished, till its end be effectually answered. You will never, then, in this very critical fituation, when the enemy is at the very gate, and fcaling every rampart of your old and ruinous fortrefs, indulge yourself in your foft couch of preferment, but, together with your brethren, exert yourself pro aris et focis.'

The broad cathedral neer will be the ftaunch churchman's comment on the foregoing paffage; while the exulting Non. Con. will be ready to cry out, "Oh! for a pluck at the wh- of Babylon's "red petticoat!"

Art. 51. An Abstract of the Goffel-biftory, in Scripture Language, 12mo. 68. Johnfon. 1786.

The narrative ftyle of the Gofpel,' fays this writer, is peculiarly well fuited to difplay the evidence, purity, and perfection of the character and religion of Jefus, and the excellencies of his manner of teaching; as well as to enforce the Chriftian motives to the practice of piety and virtue.' He therefore concludes, that an abridgment of the hiftory, retaining the fcripture language, is adapted to comprife in a small compafs an higher degree of thefe feveral advantages than any other method will admit. The fervice of Sunday Schools feems to be chiefly attended to in this little publication. Art. 52. Thoughts on the Progrefs of Socinianifm, in a Letter addreffed to learned, orthodox, and candid Ministers, of all Denominations; with a particular View to the Writings of Dr. Priestley. To which is added, a Letter to Dr. Price, on his late Sermons.. 8vo. 15. Buckland. 1787.

We are told, in a prefixed advertisement, that though the following letter be chiefly the compofition of one perfon, the thoughts it contains are thofe of feveral, with whofe united approbation they are published.' Accordingly the plural number is ufed throughout. The writer acknowledges, and laments, the rapid progrefs of Socinianifm, which is not here attributed to the fuperior learning and abilities of the Socinians, but to their abundant zeal, and to a want

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