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That years forty-four fhe had always been here,

And never had known it omitted a year.
We therefore prepar'd with the ton tocomply,
All except Tabby Prudence, who, yielding a
figh,

Declar'd that fuch liberties led to encroach, That therefore no man fhould her perfon approach.

Mrs. Shrivel obferv'd, "The whole business, I vow,

“Just confitls in a formal kifs, curtsy, and bow;

"Scarce a word is exchang'd, for fo filent the

men,

"You'd think them a parcel of sheep in a pen. Sometimes (tho' but rarely) they courage will gather,

If pouring with rain, to aver, 'tis bad weather!'

"Or wifely obferve, 'tis a charming fine night!'

"If the moon (frange to tell !) should but deign to fhine bright.

"An old Ind an fometimes will in raptures exclaim,

"A delectable Tit! Pray, Ma'am, what is her name ?

And he makes on her quickly-a potent

attack,

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With ardour extoll'd the defign of my fan: 'Twas Sappho def rted by Phaon, her swain, With her heels in the air, courting death is the main.

Another, by flattery equally mov'd, The lace of my tucker as highly approv❜d: "Right beautiful Point, by the Gods, I aver!" Not fo-for 'tis delicate Bruffels, gay Sir! "Your cap (fays a third), dear mifs, I proteft, By all that is tender! I like it the beft; "So waving the feathers! fo graceful and

warm.

"So taftily rais'd on a frizzl'd platform! "So loftily pinn'd, that it proudly affumes "The fhape of an helmet embellish'd with plumes!

"By the fine arts I fwear, it can never escape "Our notice, dear girl, thy moft elegant fhape!

"Thofe lambent planets with Phobus's fire, "Thy beauty unconfcious which kindles defire."

Crash went my fan, with a conqʻring fiile▸ Away went his tongue in my praifes awhile! And as flattery foltens the hardeft of hearts, Our beaux feem'd determin'd to play well their parts;

Each branch of our drefs they'd alternately, praife,

Gowns, fringes, and petticoats, flounces and ftays:

My fhift de la Reine is a drefs they adere,
My Polonoife pleases, tho' long fince a bore:
But chiefly my dove-colour'd new-fashiond
fandals

Are fancied by all-but a few tastelefs Vandals.

*

Our beaux now prefented each perfon w ha

came,

And begg'd that to us they their names might proclaim.

A falute then enfu'd, after which they retir'd, And others embrac'd us, as custom requir'd. Perch'd prim on a couch, in my French luteftring gown,

Three tedious long nights was 1 kiss'd by

the town.

Detefted vile cuftom! I ne'er fhall forget The mens' thining faces, all cover'd with fweat;

Nor the fumes of rich garlick, and slench of chiroots",

Which po fon'd the mouths of two old filthy brutes:

'Twill be shortly abolish'd, the Ladies here truit,

For of cufloms moft horrid 'tis furely the

worl !

To be gaz'd at and view'd like a lot at a fale ! O barbarous race, where fuch cuftoins prevail !

* Dried leaves of tobacco tightly compressed into small oblong tubes, and generally

fmoaked in India.

Where

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Tear the skin from a virgin's fair dəlicate face? Mufl thofe fruits which, in raptures, fond lovers should reap,

Be cull'd thus beforehand, and thus be held cheap?

Forbid it, politenefs! forbidit with hafte, And bath a custom fo vilely unchafte!

A foldier of merit, who 'as often difplay'd His valour and conduct in battle array'd, I lately attempted to prettily rally

On his brilliant fucceffes against Hyder Ally; I reminded him gently of Xenophon's feat, Who with ten thousand Greeks made a noble retreat;

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That a handful of Greeks beat a nation alone; And I told him quick marches were made by the Huns,

As they scamper'd along unincumber'd with guns;

From which I deduc'd he did right, when 'twas dark,

To drown, à la hate, his artillery park,
As Burgoyne had recently started a notion
That cannon retarded an army in motion.
I told him, I knew the whole art militaire.
And offer'd to teach him la belle petite guerre ;
That if I but once could be quite à portee,
I'd stand forth my felf in the fight of the day
At first he pretended to feel himself hurt,
And fulkily term'd me a light-headed flirt;
But I told him, the various rights of our fex
Admit that we fometimes our neighbours

may vex;

And e'er we yet fail, I will make him declare That the brave never cherish ill-will to the fair.

With any thing further refpecting Madras I will not at present your patience harrass; For I muft in a little my letter leave off, To repair to the toilet to put on my coiff

A Circumftantial Narrative of the Lofs of the Halfewell Eaft-Indiaman, Captain Richard Pierce, who was unfortunately wrecked at Seacomb in the Ifle of Purbeck, on the Coaft of Dorfetfhire, on the Morning of Friday the 6th of January 1786, compiled from the Communications, and under the Authorities, of Mr. Henry Meriton and Mr. John Rogers, the two chief Officers who happily escaped the dreadful Catastrophe. 12mo. Lane. HE miserable catastrophe of Captain struck with fuch violence as to dash the heads

on board the Halfewell Eaft-Indiaman, has already excited the general compassion, and melted the bofom of humanity. This Narrative of that melancholy difatter is circumftantial and exact; and the following defcription of the laft fad fcene cannot fail of affecting every reader of sensibility,

"The fhip was driving faft on fhore, and thafe on board expecting her every moment to ftrike; the boats were then mentioned, but it was agreed that at that time they could be of no use, yet in cafe an opportunity should prefent itself of making them ferviceable, it was propofed that the officers fhould be confidentially requested to referve the long-boat for the ladies and themfelves; and this precaution was immediately taken.

"About two in the morning of Friday the 6th, the fhip ftill driving, and approaching very faft to the fhore, the fame officer [Mr. Meriton] again went in to the cuddy, where the captain then was, and another converfation took place. Captain Pierce expreffing extreme anxiety for the prefervation of his beloved daughters, and earneftly afking the officer if he could devife any means of faving them; at this dreadful moment the fhip

against the deck above them, and the fatal blow was accompanied by a fariek of horror, which burft at one inftant from every quarter of the ship.

"The feamen, many of whom had been remarkably inattentive and remifs in their duty great part of the form, and had actually fkulked in their hammocks, and left the exertions of the pump, and the other labours attending their situation, to the officers of the fhip, and the foldiers; rouzed by the deftructive blow to a fenfe of their danger, now poured upon the deck, to which no endea vours of their officers could keep them whilft their affittance might have been useful, and, in frantic exclamations, demanded of heaven and their fellow-fufferers, that fuccour which their timely efforts might poflibly have fuc ceeded in procuring; but it was now too late." By this time all the paffengers and most of the officers were affembled in the roundhoufe, the latter employed in offering confolation to the unfortunate ladies; and, with unparalleled magnanimity, fuffering their compaflion for the fair and amiable companions of their misfortunes, to get the better of the fenfe of their own danger, and the dread of A 3 2

almoft

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"But foon a confiderable alteration in the appearance of the ship took place, the fides were visibly giving way, the deck feemed to be lifting, and other strong symptoms that she could not hold together much longer. Mr. Meriton therefore attempted to go forward to look out, but immediately faw that the fhip was feparated in the middle, and that the fore part had changed its pofition, and lay rather farther out towards the fea. In this emergency, when the next moment might be charged with his fate, he determined to feize the prefent, and endeavour to make his way to a fhore, of which he knew not yet the horrors.

"Among other measures adopted to favour these attempts, the enfign-staff had been unshipped, and attempted to be laid from the fhip's fide to fome of the rocks, but without fuccefs, for it fnapped to pieces before it reached them; however, by the light of a lanthorn, handed from the round-houfe, Mr. Meriton difcovered a fpar, which appeared to be laid from the fhip's fide to the rocks, and on this fpar he determined to attempt his escape. He accordingly laid himself down on it, and thruft himself forward, but he foon found that the fpar had no communication with the rock. He reached the end of it, flipped off, received a violent bruife in his fall, and, before he could recover his legs, he was washed off by the furge, in which he fupported himself by fwimming, till the returning wave dashed him against the back part of a cavern, where he laid hold of a fmall projecting piece of the rock, but was fo benumbed, that he was on the point of quitting it, when a feaman, who had already gained a footing, extended his hand, and affifted him till he was out of the reach of the furf.

"Mr. Rogers, the third mate, remained with the captain near twenty minutes after Mr. Meriton had quitted the fhip. The Captain asked what was become of Meriton ? and Mr. Rogers replied, he was gone on deck to fee what could be done.-After this, a heavy fea breaking over the ship, the ladies exclaimed, "Oh poor Meriton! he is drowned; had he staid with us he would have been fafe" and they all, and particularly Mifs Mary Pierce, expreffed great concern at the

apprehension of his lofs. - On this occafion Mr. Rogers offered to go and call in Mr. Meriton; but this was opposed by the ladies, from an apprehenfion that he might share the fame fate.

"At this moment the sea was breaking in at the fore part of the ship, and had reached as far as the main-maft, and Captain Pierce gave Mr. Rogers a nod, and they took a lamp, and went together into the stern gallery; and after viewing the rocks for fome time, Captain Pierce asked Mr. Rogers, if he thought there was any possibility of saving the girls? to which he replied, he feared there was not. The Captain fat down between his two daughters, struggling to fupprefs the parental tear which then burst into his eye.

"The fea continuing to break in very faft, Mr. McManus, a Midshipman, and Mṛ. Schutz, a paffenger, asked Mr. Rogers what they could do to escape? who replied, " follow me;" they then all went upon the poop; and whilst they were there a very heavy fea fell on board, and the round-boufe gave way, and he heard the ladies fhriek ; at that inftant Mr. Brimer joined the party, and feizing a hencoop, the fame wave which proved fatal to those below, happily carried them to the rock, on which they were dashed with fuch violence as to be miferably bruised and hurt.-At the time Mr. Rogers reached this ftation of poffible fafety, his strength was fo nearly exhaufted, that had the struggle coptinued a few minutes longer he must have been inevitably lost.

"They could yet difcern fome part of the fhip, and folaced themfelves, in their dreary ftations, with the hope of its remaining entire till day-break; but, alas! in a very few minutes after they had gained the rock, an univerfal fhriek, in which the voices of female diftrefs were lamentably distinguishable, announced the dreadful catastrophe; in a few moments all was hufhed. The wreck was buried in the remorseless deep, and not an atom of her was ever after difcoverable.

"Thus perished the Halfewell, and with her, worth, honour, fkill, beauty, amiability, and bright accomplishments; never did the angry elements combat with more elegance; never was a watery grave filled with more precious remains. Great God, how infcrutable are thy judgments! yet we know them to be juft; nor will we arraign thy mercy, who haft transferred virtue and purity from imperfect and mutable happiness to blifs eternal!

"What an aggravation of woe was this dreadful, this tremendous blow to the yet trembling, and fcarcely half-faved wretches, who were hanging about the fides of the

horrid cavern! Nor were they lefs agonized by the fubfequent events of this ill-fated night; many of those who had gained the precarious ftations which we have defcribed, worn out with fatigue, weakened by bruifes, battered by the tempeft, and benumbed with the cold, quitted their hold-fafts, and tumbling headlong either on the rocks below, or in the furf, perished in fight of their wretched affociates.

"At length, after the bitterest three hours which mifery ever lengthened into ages, the day broke on them, but, instead of bringing with it the relief with which they had flattered themselves, ferved to discover all the horrors of their fituation; the only profpect which offered, was to creep along the fide of

the cavern, to its outward extremity, and on a ledge, fcarcely to broad as a man's hand, to turn the corner, and endeavour to clamber up the almoft perpendicular precipice, whose fummit was near two hundred feet from the bafe.

"The first men who gained the fummit of the cliff, were the Cook and James Thomp, fon a quarter-mafter. By their own exertions they made their way to the land, and the moment they reached it, hastened to the nearest house, and made known the fituation of their fellow-fufferers."

For a defcription of the manner in which the rest of the crew who escaped from the wreck were preferved, fee page 60,

A Poetical and Congratulatory Epistle to James Boswell, Efq. on his Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with the celebrated Dr Jolinfon. By Peter Pindar, Efq. 4to 25. Keafley, 1786.

IT has been faid of Homer that he fometimes nods: our Pindar, in the prefent inftance, is fo unlike himself, that we can hardly recognize him; he feems indeed to be in a death like fleep. Instead of "thofe flashes that wont to fet the table in a roar," this Epiftle is as dull as a Cambridge prize-poem. There are occafionally fome faint traces of the much-admired Poter, but they are very thinly fcattered; and fuch perfonality reigns throughout as is difguft. Ing. Addrelling himself to Mr Boswell he Lays,

lowing poftfcript in profe, no bad imitation of Mr. Bofwell's (tile, and Dr. Johnson's man

ne".

"As Mr. Bofwell's Journal hath afforded fuch universal pleasure by the relation of minute incidents, and the great Moralist's opinion of men and things, during his northern tour; it will be adding greatly to the anecdotical treasury, as well as making Mr. B. happy, to communicate part of a dialogue that took place between Dr. Johnson and the Author of this Congratulatory Epistle, a few months before the Doctor paid the great debt

"Triumphant, thou thro' time's vaft gulph of nature. The Doctor was very chearful

4fhalt fail,

"The pilot of our literary whale ;

"Clofe to the claffic Rambler fhalt thou

"cling,

"Clofe as a fupple courtier to a King!

that day, had on a black coat and waistcoat, a black plush pair of breeches, and black worsted stockings; a handfome grey wig, a shirt, a muflin neckcloth, a black pair of buttons in his fhirt fleeves, a pair of shoes,

"Fate fhall not shake thee off with all its ornamented with the very identical little buc

"pow'r,

"Stuck like a bat to fome old ivy'd tow'r.
"Nay, tho' thy Jobufon ne'er had blefs'd
athy eyes,

"Paoli's deeds had rais'd thee to the skies;
"Yes! his broad wing had rais'd thee, (no

"bad hack)

"A tom-tit twitt'ring on an eagle's back."

Not content with thus metamorphofing Mr. Boswell no less than five times in twice as many lines, he foon after takes him from the eagle's back, and converts the tom-tit into a tabby cat,

"Who like a watchful cat, before a hole,
"Full twenty years (inflam'd with letter'd
"pride)

"Did'ft moufing fit before Sam's mouth fo
" wide,

"To catch as many fcraps as thou wert able
"A very Laz'rus at the rich man's table.”
To this Poetical Epistle is added the fol-

kles that accompanied the philofopher to the Hebrides; his nails were very neatly pared, and his beard fresh shaved by a razor fabricated by the ingenious Mr. Savigny.

P. P. "Pray, Doctor, what is your opinion of Mr. Bofwell's literary powers?"

Johnson. "Sir, my opinion is, that whenever Bozzy expires, he will create no vacuum in the region of literature-he feems strongly affected by the cacoethes fcribendi; withes to be thought a rara avis, and in truth fo he isyour knowledge in ornithology, Sir, will easily discover to what fpecies of bird 1 allude." Here the Doctor fhook his head and laughed.

P. P. "What think you, Sir, of his account of Corfica ?—of his character of Paoli ?"

Johnson. "Sir, he hath made a mountain. of a wart. But Paoli has virtues. The account is a farrago of disgusting egotism and pompous inanity.”

P. P.

P. P. "I have heard it whispered, Doctor, that should you die before him Mr. B. means to write your life."

Johnfon. "Sir, he cannot mean me fo ir. reparable an injury.-Which of us fhall die first, is only known to the Great Difpofer of Events; but were I fure that James Bofwell would write my life, I do not know whether I would not anticipate the measure by taking bis." (Here he made three or four ftrides across the room, and returned to his chair with violent emotion.)

A

P. P. "I am afraid that he means to de you the favour."

Johnfan." He dares not—he would make a fcarecrow of me. I give him liberty to fire his blunderbufs in his own face, but not murther me. Sir, I heed not bis autos eÇa Bofwell write my life! why the fellow poffeffes not abilities for writing the life of an ephemera.”

Is. 6d. Harrison.

The Strangers at Home, a Comic Opera, in Three Acts, as performed at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane. 8vo. 1786. More abfurd fpecies of compofition can hardly be conceived than the Comic Opera, and yet by the happy art of the origihal author of it, Mr. Gay, it has now obtained a permanent place amongst English dramatic exhibitions. The prefent perform. ance is deferving praife, as well for the plot as the dialogue: the former has a good deal of the Spanish manner, and, were it not for the filence of the author on the fubject, we fhould imagine it to be borrowed from fome writer of that country. The latter is pointed, in parts witty, with a due proportion of puns and quibbles, according to the taste of the prefent times. It received great advantage from the performers, and is certainly calculated to hold a diftinguished place amidst what Dr. Warton calls that moft monftrous of all dramatic abfurdities, the Comic Opera.

ANECDOTES OF THE AUTHOR.
Mr. JAMES COBB was born in Febru-
ary 1756. In 1771 he was elected into the
Secretary's office at the India-houfe. The
Yeeds of dramatic fancy that had been fwell-

ing thro' infancy, firft difcovered themfelves
in a prologue written at the age of eighteen for
Mits Fope, who fpoke it at her benefit be-
fore the comedy of the Jealous Wife.-A
variety of performances on defultery fubjects,
chiefly fatirical, and exhibited in periodical
publications, marked his talents, and intro-
duced him to the acquaintance and efteem of
many literary characters.

Mifs Pope was again the means of ushering him to the theatrical world; for in 1779 he altered a farce from the French of Mari

vaux which was played for her benefit, and received fuch tokens of approbation, that the Managers of Drury Lane requested the copy: but the other engagements of the theatre delaying the repetition cfthe piece to another fea fon, bis impatience prefented it to Mr. Colman, and the reception it met with at the Haymarket fully juftified the Manager's acceptance. In the enfuing fummer, he produced at the fame theatre another translation cal led the Wedding Night, which was productive of no honey-moon; for on its first re prefentation it met with indifferent fuccefs, and is now funk into oblivion. At length grown bolder, he laid afide the fhackles of tranflation, and ventured in a bark of his own, called "Who'd have thought it ?" which at Covent-Garden and the Haymarket deferved, and had fome applaufe. In April 1785, he closed the campaign of old Drury with the Humourift; and the first new piece of the prefent year was the comic opera of the Strangers at Home. Their merit is better pourtrayed in the houfes they crowd, than in the most laboured panegyric. Mr. King acknowledges his afliftance in many detached fcenes of his pantomime_the “ Hurly burly;" the Projects was the laft public production of and the prologue to Mr. Kemble's farce of

his pen.

his liberality of mind and openness of heart, In private life his friends exult in and he has no enemies, for malevolence is fi lent. In focial parties his ingenuous addrefs and fprightlinets of converfation proclaim him to be the man of wit and the gentle

man.

A Letter to Archibald Macdonald, Efq. on the intended Plan for Reform in what is called the Police of Westminster. 8vo. Wilkie.

T

HIS is a republication, with additions, of a pamphlet, entitled, "'Tis all my Eye." which we noticed in a former Review. In its first shape, it was a very plain common-place performance, containing no

thing that was not known to every one who had thought on the fame fubject. The author has retracted the title, as improper, and has fubfituted one which is in all respect: more decorous.

He

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