baft, and all the ftage-trick of modern tragedy, he has attacked tragedy itself, and endeavoured, but too fuccessfully, to render it an object of ridicule and farcasm. How far it may be confiftent with the character of a manager of a theatre to weaken one of its beft fupports, we leave Mr. Sheridan to determine. Certain however it is, that fince the exhibition of the Critic, tragedy, which a celebrated writer has declared to be one of the greatest exertions of the human mind, is fallen into contempt; it will be some time at least before fhe can recover the blow. We hope, notwithstanding, for the credit of a British audience, that they will not be laughed out of their feelings, or fuffer themselves to be deprived of that pleasure, not to mention the profit and inftruction, which may arife from the exhibition of a good tragedy well performed, for any thing that fuch a wicked wit as our author can fay against it.

A Trip to Scarborough. A Comedy. As performed at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane. Altered from Vanbrugh's Relapse; or, Virtue in Danger. By Richard Brinfley Sheridan, Ef. 8vo. 15. 6d. Wilkie.

own.

:

The ingenious Mr. Horace Walpole has obferved, in his Memoirs of Hogarth, that when this excellent artist was employed, in the early part of his life, on the works of others, as in prints for Hudibras, &c. he fhewed very few marks of that genius and humour which fo eminently diftinguished his The celebrated Mr. Brinfley Sheridan, in the dramatic performance before us, feems to ftand nearly in the fame predicament he has altered Vanbrugh's Relapfe, and given it the title of A Trip to Scarborough; but in the alteration we find not a fpark of that lively wit and eafy dialogue that shines forth in the School for Scandal. Some of Vanbrugh's indecencies are taken away, and, in that refpect, the play is mended; but what is added is neither like Vanbrugh nor Sheridan. The play, however, is in poffeffion of the flage, and we fuppofe muft tand as it is; it would anfwer no purpose, therefore, to point out its deficiencies. We hope the author of the Critic will employ his time better for the future than in altering Vanbrugh, or any other writer, and entertain us with compofitions of his own. Duplicity: a Comedy. As it is Performed at the Theatre-Royal in Covent-Garden. By Thomas Holcroft. 8vo. 15. 6d. Ro

binfon.

This Comedy is written with a good defign, and the moral instruction naturally arifing from it is one of the best that can be drawn in the prefent age from any dramatic exhibition, viz. an utter abhorrence of the fashionable vice of gaming, fo univerfally prevalent amongst us. The gamefter's narrow escape from ..ruin, by the amiable and artful conduct of his friend, which is the ground-work of the fable, is well conceived, not badly executed, and in confequence of it the catastrophe in the fifth act is remarkably interefting. It had likewife all the flage-effect which

the

the author or actors could expect from it. The under plot and the characters concerned in it are, on the other hand, totally uninterefting, and, in many fcenes, even difagreeable and difguftful. 'Squire Turnbull and Miss, speaking in the Zomerzetshire dialect, may, for aught we know to the contrary, be drawn exactly after nature; but there are parts of human nature, as well as of the human body, that fhould rather be concealed than expofed. Where we feel little pleafure from the object itself, we thall find ftill lefs from the reprefentation of it.-The outline, of the dramatic picture before us is well drawn, but the intermediate parts are not well filled, and the colouring of the whole too faint and languid to enfure fame to the artist.

The Marriage At: a Farce, in Two Acts, as it is performed at the Theatre-Royal in Covent-Garden. 13. Kearfly.

Why this farce is entitled the Marriage Act, we cannot discover, as it might, with equal propriety, have been called by any other name. This however is a matter of very little confequence, as the piece is, with regard to the plot, fongs, and dialogue, entitled to very little confideration.

The Divorce: a Farce, as it is performed at the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Lane. is. Kearfly.

This farce is entirely calculated for stage-effect; and muft, for fuccefs, depend in a great measure on the acting. Those by whom it is read will, we apprehend, wish to fee it; and those who see it will not wish to read, but to see it again.

MEDICAL.

Some Obfervations on the Origin and Progrefs of the atrabilious Conftitution and Gout. Chap. V. containing the irregular and complicated Gout. By William Grant, M. D. 8vo. Is. 6d.

Cadell.

Thefe obfervations, which conflitute a fifth chapter of Dr. Grant's treatise on this fubject, are divided into three parts. In the firft, he treats of the irregular gout in general, improper regimen in the intervals, errors during the fit, want of vigour, complication. The fecond contains the divifion of irregular gout into claffes; namely, unformed gout, wandering gout, redundant gout, internal gout, feeble gout of old age, or of debilitated habits. The third part treats of the complicated gout, gout with inflammation, coughs in a gouty habit, fpring-gout, with fynochus non putris, fynochus putris in a gouty habit, cholera morbus in gouty habits, bilious fever in a gouty habit, atrabilious fever in a gouty habit, malignant fevers in gouty habits, special method of cure for the lues. All thofe fubjects, though fometimes, perhaps, unneceffarily difcriminated, are treated by the author in a clear and practical manner.

An Account of the Nature and Medicinal Virtues of the principal. Mineral Waters of Great Britain and Ireland, and of those most in repute on the Continent. By John Elliot, M. D. 8vo. Johnson.

Prefixed to this account of mineral waters, is a republication of Dr. Priestley's pamphlet on the impregnating of water with fixed air. This fubject is introduced with the history of the difcovery; which is followed by directions for performing the impregnation. Thofe are immediately fucceeded by Dr. Nooth's objections to that method; and a comparison of it with his own, both as published by himself, and as improved by Mr. Parker, Mr. Magellan, &c. To the foregoing articles, Dr. Elliot has fubjoined a method of imitating the fulphureous mineral waters, by impregnating water with fulphureous air; and alfo of imitating more exactly the feveral mineral waters.

The account of the various mineral waters is arranged in alphabetical order; and contains not only their virtues, but the method and reafon of using them, fo far as could be learnt from the authors who have been confulted on the subject. This treatife being intended for the use of the public, as well as of the faculty, Dr. Elliot has, with great propriety, drawn it up in fuch a manner as may be understood by thofe who are unacquainted with the art of phyfic. We have the fatisfaction alfo to ob ferve, that he has given an account of many waters, which have hitherto been very little known beyond the narrow sphere of their own neighbourhood. The whole may be justly confidered as a comprehenfive and useful treatise on medicinal waters.

The Medical Pocket-Book.

12mo. Johnfon.

This abftract, compiled by the ingenious and indefatigable Dr. Elliot, contains a fhort, but plain account of the fymptoms, caufes, and methods of cure of disorders; including fuch as require furgical treatment; with the virtues and dofes of medicinal compofitions and fimples; all digested into alphabetical order.

DIVINITY.

A Sermon preached at St. Dunstan's in the Weft, on Sunday April 29, and at St. Mary Abbots, Kenfington, on Sunday July 15, 1781, for the Benefit of the Humane Society, inftituted for the Recovery of Perfons apparently dead by drowning. By Jacob Duché, M. A. 8vo. 15. Rivington.

The author takes his text from the prayer of Jonah, The waters compaffed me about,' &c. ch. ii. 5, 6. and applies fome of the circumstances, in the cafe of that prophet, to those perfons, who have been apparently drowned, and recovered by the me dical affiftance of the Humane Society.

By the account annexed to this difcourse, it appears, that fince the first establishment of this fociety, in 1774, 319 perfons, who were apparently dead, have been reftored to the community,

As

As this excellent inftitution has been attended with fo much fuccefs, the directors are extremely defirous of improving their plan, by appointing medical affiftants in every part of the country, and by extending their rewards to thofe, who shall be fo happy as to restore any one to life, in other cafes of fudden death. They with likewife to enlarge the diftribution of the pamphlets, which contain the most useful and approved directions on this fubject, and to prefent a Bible, with fome little book of spiritual instruction and advice, to each recovered perfon, as a perpetual memorial of the mercies fuch perfon has received. -Thefe improvements Mr. Duché very properly recommends to the confideration and the patronage of the fubfcribers and the public.

Advice addreffed to the Clergy of the Diocefe of Carlile, in a Sermon, preached at a general Ordination, holden at Rofe Castle, on Sunday, July 29, 1781. By W. Paley, M. A. 4to. 15. Faulder. This discourse contains fome excellent advice to young clergymen, refpecting their moral conduct.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Elements of Geometry, tranflated from the French of J. J. Roffignol, Profeffor of the Mathematics in the University of Milan. 35. 6d. boards. Johnfon.

This work is the production of a learned profeffor in one of the moft refpectable univerfities in Europe, and is the refult of numberless efforts, obfervations, and corrections, continued through twenty years.' The manner in which the elements are here treated is in a great degree new as well as ufeful. Not only the principal propofitions of real use in mathematics or in practical arts are arranged in an orderly and dependent feries, adapted to the author's mode of demonftration, but also the mode of demonftration itself is confiderably out of the common way of treating this difficult fubje&t.

In order to render the elements of geometry fhort, eafy, and familiar to the generality of capacities, the author has taken fome liberties not allowed of in the Euclidean method of demonftration; and, without indulging an affectation of novelty, remarks that he has often been under the neceffity of striking out into unbeaten paths; by which, he continues, obftacles have fometimes perhaps been avoided, which had before frequently embarraffed both the pupil and the teacher. To make the selection of the chief properties, and new-model them to advantage, we must acknowlege, required judgment, experience, and attention.

The verfion is well executed, in the pure geometrical style; and, in apology for rendering the work into our language, the tranflator obferves, that it feems to be one of the most successful attempts which have ever been made to facilitate the study of geometry. Originality of plan, clearness of arrangement, fimplicity of demonftration, and elegant concifenefs of expreffion,

will

will, he apprehends, be found to be the leading characters of these elements.

Those who know where the difficulties of an undertaking of this kind principally lie, will perhaps eafily pardon the liberties which the author has taken, in making ufe of numbers in the doctrine of proportion, and, in employing the methods of exhaustions and indivifibles, in demonftrating the properties of folids, where they perceive that by thefe means he has enabled the learner to make himself master of the principal elementary propofitions, with the most perfect facility, and, at the fame time, with a degree of accuracy, fufficient for every purpose of practice. Nor will it, remarks the tranflator, be thought too bold an innovation, that, in a mathematical work, the author makes ufe of phyfical prints, and these too of different magnitudes; if it be obferved, that he always expreffes this term by the idea commonly affixed to aliquot parts, and that he only applies it to commenfurable lines or figures actually exifting.

It is not to be expected that this work can fuperfede the use of the elements of Euclid, which have a ftrictness of proof, and univerfality of application, of which none of the more eafy methods of demonftration, invented by the moderns, can boat. But it is prefumed, that it may enable thofe, who are employed in the practical ufe of the mathematical arts, at an eafy expence of time and attention, to acquire a general knowledge of the theory on which they are founded; and that it may be of great benefit to young geometricians, in introducing them to a ready acquaintance with the terms and principles of this difficult science, and preparing them for making farther advances in mathematical knowledge.

The Life of Mr. Thomas Firmin, Citizen of London. By Jofeph Cornish. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Johnson.

Mr. Thomas Firmin, girdler and mercer, of the city of London, though a private man, was eminently diftinguished by his truly patriotic virtues. His charity was extended to perfons of all parties and perfuafions. He was a liberal benefactor to diftreffed families, to imprifoned debtors, and to the French and Irish refugees. He fet up feveral manufactories for the employ ment of the poor, and was a zealous promoter of every humane and charitable inftitution. His excellent character procured him the friendship of bifhops Wilkins, Fowler, Tilloifon, and other eminent men. He died in 1697, aged 66. Some account of his life is inferted in most of our biographical publications.

The author's principal design, in this work, is to fet before the reader, and especially the young tradefman, a pattern of imitation, with refpect to induftry, prudence, integrity, charity, and all thofe virtues, which appeared with fo much luftre in this worthy citizen.

6

The compiler of this work is the author of A Letter to the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Carlifle,' mentioned in our Review

for