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mufician compofed a canon for two voices, which when fung in this cavern appeared to be performed by four."

From Syracufe Mr. Swinburne continued his route to Mount Etna, but after afcending to a great height was prevented from reaching the fummit, by the fnow which hid certain rocks. On his defcent he vifited the celebrated chefnut-tree, called the Caflagno de cento Cavalli, being, it is fuppofed, capable of sheltering a hundred horfe under its boughs. It confifts of a trunk, now split to the furface of the earth, but united in one body at a very fmall depth below. The trunk forms five divifions, the exterior furface of which is covered with bark, but none has yet grown on their infide, and they all turn towards one common centre. The in

terstices are at different extents; one of them is wide enough for two coaches to drive a-breaft: the circumference of this surprising tree is at one inch above the ground 196 feet on the outside.

After vifiting Meffina and Tripea, our traveller returned to Naples, after having compleated by fea and land a tour of 914 computed miles. The pleafing manner in which this inftructing and agreeable writer has drawn up this account, has afforded us no common fhare of entertainment. By blending hiftorical facts and lively anecdotes with picturefque defcription, he has fo united the useful with the agreeable, as to render his work equally acceptable to every class of readers, whether information or amusement be the object of their purfuit.

A Review of Some Interefting Periods of the Irish History. 8vo. Whieldon. 1786. THE periods our author confiders, are thofe of Elizabeth, Charles I. James II. and William III.

In that of Elizabeth he feverely cenfures the conduct of that celebrated Queen in eftablishing the Reformation in Ireland, which he contends was unjuft, impolitic, and proceeded from the worst motives. He obferves, that in the early part of her reign, by the kind maxims fhe adopted, the establish ment of a strict equality of juftice, and the undiftinguishing protection then first granted to the Irish clans, the made their fierce tempers brook the restraints of fociety, and their infurrections were no more. But her caprice for uniformity of worship, made her fondly hope to establish in Ireland by the fword, thofe doctrines which conviction and intereft both confpired to diffufe in England. In England, he fays, " a number of ecclefiaftics had embraced the opinions of Luther and Calvin, and propagated them with that zeal which fo particularly diftinguifhed the times. In Ireland, the few ecclefiaftics whofe learning could entitle them to remove the veil of facred reverence, had received at Rome the early bias of a prejudiced education. While in a country where there was no public University; where we have little reafon to fufpect, and no monuments to prove the exiftence of philofophy and literature; where a language unknown to the rest of Europe cut off all intercourfe with the furrounding nations, and internal wars left little room for reflection; it is natural to conclude, that implicit reverence would be given to their fpiritual guides however unlettered, and that bigotry the conftant companion of ignorance would prevail. In England, fays our author, the great fhared the fpoils of the abbies, and were thus pledged to fupport the Reformation. In Ireland this was not the cafe; no

part of the abbey lands was bestowed on the Irish Chieftains; the whole was divided among the nobility of the English Court, and thus the deep-rooted antipathy of the natives against the English name was confirmed.

In fuch circumstances, Elizabeth instead of pursuing lenient measures, or endeavouring to convince their understandings, had recourse to force, and by perfecution forced them to infurrection.

In the fecond period, he confiders the state of Ireland immediately previous to the civil war, when the famous Earl of Strafford was Governor, whom he reprefents as the most arbitary defpot and oppreffive tyrant that ever governed a kingdom. After giving a long lift of the enormities he committed during his adminiftration, he fays, defpair and diftress drove them to imitate the fuccessful enterprises of their fellow fubjects, and feek from arms that juftice they could not otherwife expect. The horrors of the mafiacre however he denies. According to him, "a chimerical project to feize the caftle of Dub. lin and caufe a rifing in the North, the local and tumultuary infurrection of a rabble, have been blended into one well-digefted fyftem of malfacre and defolation." Few or no cra elties were committed by the Chieftaine, except by Sir Phelim O Neil, who at h execution folemnly declared, that they were committed by his foldiers without his privity. He then retorts the charge of cruelty upon the English, who he says, it might easily be proved, were guilty of the very fame violences with which they calumniate the high catholics.

In his third period he vindicates the Irish for rifing in favour of James II. a prince to whom they were attached by his profefling the fame religion with themfelves, aud who united the blood of Mileftus with that of Alfred • P 2 Such

Such are the heads of this pamphlet. The author feems an able and shrewd advocate for his countrymen; but the narrow compafs to which he has confined his work, has made him frequently affert without giving his

proofs, and the reader is left at liberty to chufe whether he will give his affent or diffent. Poffibly, however, this may only be a prelude to a larger work, where thofe interefting fubjects will be more fully elucidated.

Mr. Mainwaring's Addrefs to the Grand Jury of Middlefex in September 1785. 4to.

TH

HIS is a publication upon a fubject on which all men talk, and many have written of late, with great perfuafion that they are perfectly competent to decide. Mr. M.'s fituation intitles him to a more serious attention; he ought to be better qualified than the generality of men to give his opinion; and, after the measures that had been taken to reform the body of Juftices, fomething was expected from the Chairman in their defence.

But, furely, never was there a more fingelar defence than the prefent. Mr. M. ftood forth in parliament as the opponent of the Police Bill: he makes an attack upon that bill in the prefent Charge, and tells the Juftices, that there is no need of altering the present laws. But this apparent defence of the Juftices is followed by fuch pointed remarks on their conduct, as lead one to think that the Chairman is not very warmly difpofed in favour of his brethren. He tells us, that the prefent diforders are entitely owing to the inactivity of the Juftices, and to nothing elfe.

The principal part of his Charge is taken up in pointing out the inftances in which they are negligent. He exhorts them to enforce the Vagrant Act, and to watch the licenfing of public houfes; and tells them, if they will attend to thofe two great objects, the public will need no Police-Bill.

We cannot help remarking, that four months and more have paffed fince Mr. M. made this Charge, and the Juftices have done nothing.-We, therefore, would ask Mr. M. himself, whether he now retains the opinion he held in September? and whether he does not think, as well as the rest of the world, that the Juftices, after all his warning, must be given up as incorrigibles >

It feems to us, that this Charge is one of the best arguments to fhew, that a Reform is wanting, and the friends of the intended Police Bill are much obliged to Mr. M. for furnifhing them with fo authentic a teftimony as this in its favor. We are glad to fay this little in Mr. M.'s praife, as we are not able to add any thing in his behalf as an author.

Cary's Actual Survey of Middlesex on a Scale of an Inch to a Mile, wherein the Roads, Rivers, Woods and Commons, as well as every Market Town, Village, &c. are diftin. guished, and every Seat thewn with the Name of the Poffeffor, preceded by a General Map of the County, divided into its Hundreds. To which is added an Index of all the Names contained in the Plates. Cary.

HE defign of this work is fo amply fet forth in the title-page, that there needs no further explication of it to the reader; at the fame time its utility must be manifeft. The difficulty of finding in a large map a place with whofe fituation we are not acquainted, every man must have experienced; and if the traveller be on horfehack, it is for the most part impoflible for him to find it, or to trace out the road from or to it; but by this plan both are rendered eaty, the roads being laid down in pages, to which you are referred by the index, and the form of the work makes it much more convenient than that of a map, the opening of which and keeping it difplayed on the road is always troubletome, and would even be found entirely impracticable, if constructed on to large a feale as an inch to a mile.

The execution of the work is much fuperior in elegance to any that we have hitherto feen; and it appears, from collating it with thofe before published, greatly to furpafs them in correctness as well as copioufnefs. Many turnpike-roads are here laid down which in others are not distinguished as fuch. Gentlemen's parks are marked with the names of their poffeffors, and, as far as we can judge, with accuracy and precifios. Upon the whole, we think it a moft ufeful pocket companion for the traveller, fo far as it goes; and we with the author encouragement fufficient to induce him to give us the other Counties of England upon the fame plan; a performance which would be of the greatest advantage to all whom business or pleasure induces to travel.

A Compendium of useful Knowledge, by Dr. John Trufler. 12mo. 35. 6d.

O the unwearied endeavours of this eminent Divine, how much is every branch of literature indebted! In this in(tance, the Doctor has however ontdone him

Baldwin.

felf, having comprifed all that a young man ought to know, to enable him to speak on every general fubject, in a fmall duodeci

mo.

Rajah Kifna, an Indian Tale. In 3 Vols. London. P. Mitchel. 1786.
NONSENSE in an Eaftern drefs.

English Clafficks, being felect Works of Addifon, Pope and Milton, adapted to the Perufal of Youth of both Sexes, at School. To which are prefixed Obfervations on the feveral Authors. By J. Walker, Author of Elements of Education, &c. &c. 8vo. 3s. 6d. Robinfons.

T

HIS felection, which whilst it guards the imaginations of youth against the introduction of improper ideas, at the fane time affords a compendium of useful knowledge, taken from the works of the first English writers, does great credit to Mr. Walker's judgment, which is difplayed with Florio, a Tale for fine Gentlemen and fine Two Poems. 4to. 3s.

THE reputation of Mifs More, the author

of these two Poems, though already fufficiently established as a Poet, will receive no inconfiderable increase from this publication, which abounds in keen yet delicate fatre. The Tale is well told, and the characters are drawn in a masterly manner. The Bas-blea we are informed in an Advertisement prefixed, owes its birth and name to the mistake of a Foreigner of diftinction, who gave the literal appellation of the Basta to a fmall party of friends, who had been fometimes called by way of pleafantry the blue fockings. For our readers mufement we have felected the following Iramorous defcription of a fine gentleman's ttudies, or modern reading.

"Yet tho' fo polish'd Florio's breeding, "Think him not ignorant of reading ; "For he, to keep him from the vapours, "Subfcrib'd at Hookham's; faw the Papers; "Was deep in Poet's-corner wit, "Knew what was in Italics writ; Explain'd fictitious names at will,

"Each gutted fyllable could fiil;

"He studied while he drefs'd, for true 'tis

additional advantage in the pertinent remarks
he has added on the authors whofe works he
has abridged. It is upon the whole a work
admirably calculated at once to improve the
morals and instruct the minds of youth, and
as fuch well deferving the attention of thofe
to whofe care they are entrusted.
Ladies: and the Bas Bleu; or Conversation:
T. Cadell, 1786.

"He read compendiums, extracts, beauties,
"Abreges, dictionnaires, recueils,
"Mercures, journaux, extraits, and feuilles:
"No work in substance now is follow'd,
"The chemic extract only's swallow'd.
"He lik'd thofe literary cooks
"Who fkim the cream of other's books,
"And ruin half an author's graces,
"By plucking bon mots from their places ;

He wonders any writing fells,
"But thefe fpiced mushrooms and morells;
"His palate these alone can touch,
"Where every mouthful is bonne bouche.

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Nor is the Poet lefs fevere or laughable at the expence of the Scavoir Vivre. A modifh epicure; "Tho' once this word, as I opine, "Meant not fuch men as live to dine, "Yet all our modern wits affure us, "That's all they know of Epicurus : 66 They fondly fancy that repletion "Was the chief good of that fam'd Grecian. "To live in gardens full of flowers, "And talk philofophy in bowers, "Might be the notion of their founder, "But they have notions vaftly founder.

The Recefs, a Tale of other Times. By the Author of the Chapter of Accidents. 3 Vols.

T. Cadell,

THE Heroines of this tale are the fuppofed twin daughters of Mary Queen of Scots, by the unfortunate Duke of Norfolk, who fell a facrifice to his attachment to that whappy Queen. The eldest of these ladies, after having paffed the earlier part of life with her fifter in a fubterraneous recefs, from which thefe volumes are entitled, by a fingalar accident meets with Lord Leicester, Elizabeth's favorite, to whom the is married. The younger by a no lefs extraordinary circumstance engaged the affections of the Earl of Effex, Leicester's fucceffor in Elizabeth's efteem. Both these attachments are equally productive of mifery to all parties. Lord

1786.

Leicester is treacheroufly killed in the arms of Matilda; and Effex, with defs violation of hiftoric truth, dies on the fcaffold: Ellinor lofes her fenfes, and Matilda, after a variety of moft melancholy events, returns to England with her daughter Mary. With this defcendant of the Queen of Scots Henry Prince of Wales is fuppofed to become enamoured; but finding her attached to Somerfet dies of difappointment, or is poisoned. Matilda after difcovering herself to her brother James I. is hurried away with her daughter to a castle of Somerfet's, where they are detained prifoners; and Mary at length falls a victim to the Countefs's jealoufy. The mo

ther

ther after recovering her liberty, retires to France, whence, previous to her death, she writes the above account. This is merely an outline of the general bufinefs, which is filled up with numberless epifodes, each more melancholy than the other. Many of the characters are well drawn, and the whole is extremely interefting; but it is fuch an uninterrupted feries of mifery without one intervening ray of comfort, as cannot fail to affect too strongly hearts "enriched with fenfibility and refined by experience." It has

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An ACCOUNT of the CIRCUMSTANCES which attended the DEATH of ROUSSEA [Illuftrated by an elegant ENGRAVING.]

IN the afternoon of Wednesday, July 1,

1778, ROUSSEAU took his usual walk with us little governor, as he called him: the weather was very warm, and he feveral times ftopped and defired his little companion to reft himself (a circumftance not ufual with him), and complained, as the child afterwards related, of an attack of the colic; which, however, was entirely removed when he returned to fupper, fo that even his wife had no fufpicion of his being out of order. The next day he arofe at his ufual hour, went to contemplate the rifing fun in his morning walk, and returned to break faft with his wife.

Some time after, at the hour the generally went out about her family bufinefs, he defired her to call and pay a fmith that had done fome work for him; and charged her particularly to make no deduction from his bill, as he appeared to be an honest man; preferving to the laft moments of his life, thofe fentiments of probity and juftice which he enforced by his example, not lefs perfuaHis wife fively than by his writings. had been out but a few minutes, when returning the found him fitting in a straw chair, and leaning with his elbow on a neft of drawers.

"What is the matter with you, my dear? fays the do you find yourself ill ?”

1 feel, replies he, a ftrange uneafinefs "and oppreffion, befides a fevere attack of the celic."

Madame Rouffeau, upon this, in order to have affiftance without alarming him, begged the porter's wife to go to the chateau, and tell that her husband was taken ill. Madame de Girardin, being the fit whom the news reached, hurried there inftantly, and as that was with her a very unufual hour of vifiting Rouffeau, the, as a pretext for her coming, afked him and his wife, whether they had not been difturbed in the night by the noife made in the village.

"Ah! madam," (anfwered Rouffeau, in a tone of voice that declared the feeling he had of her condefcenfion) 1 am perfectly "fenfible of your goodness, but you fee I

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am in pain, and to have you a witness my fufferings, is an addition to them; a "both your own delicate ftate of health, a the natural tenderness of your heart, un

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you for the fight of other people's fuffe "ings. You will do me a kindness, a "yourself too, Madam, by retiring "leaving me alone with my wife for fon "time."

She returned therefore to the chateau, leave him at liberty to receive without inter ruption fuch affiftance as his colic require the only afiiftance, in appearance, which ftood in need of.

As foon as he was alone with his wife, h defired her to fit down befide him. "Here I am, my dear; how do you fick "yourfelf?"

"The colic tortures me feverely, but "intreat you to open the window; let m once more fee the face of nature: hev "beautiful it is !"

66

"My dear husband, what do you mean by "faying fo?"

"It has always been my prayer to God "(replied he with the moft perfect tran "quility) to die without doctor or difeafe "and that you may clofe my eyes : my "prayers are on the point of being heard "If I have ever been the caufe of any afflic "tion to you; if by being united to me, yet "have met with any misfortune, that you "would have other wife avoided, I intrea your pardon for it."

26

"Ah, it is my duty (cried the all in tears,) "it is my duty, and not yours, to afk for"givenefs for all the trouble and uneafine "I have occafioned to you! But what can "you mean by talking in this manner ?”

"Liften to me, my dear wife. I feel th "I am dying, but I die in perfect tranqu"lity I never meant ill to any one, atal "have a right to reckon upon the mercy of "God. My friends have promifed me never "to difpofe, without your confent, of the pa"pers I have put into their hands; the "Marquis de Girardin will have the numa"nity to claim the performance of their pro

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