subjects, his style is serious and fevere; fometimes pointed and indignant; but, in every inftance, as neat as his fentiments are juft. On the whole, we have read his exhortation with great pleasure, and earnestly recommend it to thofe for whom it is intended. We fhall conclude our article with a fhort fpecimen.

When the general texture of an irregular life is fpangled over with fome conftitutional pleafing qualities; when gaiety. good humour, and a thoughtless profufion of expence throw Iuftre round the faultieft characters; it is no wonder that common obfervers are blinded into admiration: a profufe generofity dazzles them more than all the duties of the Decalogue. But though it may be a very ufeful quality towards fecuring the election of a borough, it will contribute but little towards mak ing fure the calling and election to the kingdom of heaven. It is somewhat ftrange that extravagance fhould be the great criterion of goodness with thofe very people who are themselves the victims to this idol; for the prodigal pays no debts if he can help it and it is notorious, that in one of the wittieft and most popular comedies which this country has ever produced, thole very paffages which exalt liberality at the expence of juftice, were nightly applauded with enthufiaftic rapture by thofe deluded tradesmen, whom, perhaps, that very fentiment helped to keep out of their money.'

A Letter to the Caput of the University of Cambridge on the Rejection of the Grace for Abolishing Subfcription. By a Member of the Senate. 8vo. 6d. Johnion.

A grace for the removal of fubfcription to the ufual form at the time of taking the degree of bachelor of arts, was prefented to the caput in December last, by the rev. Dr. Edwards, and rejected. In this Letter the author expoftulates with the caput, in itrong terms, on this filent rejection, without their having given a reason for their conduct. His expoftulation is warm and manly; but

Non noftrum eft tantas componere lites.'

We mult imitate the filence of the caput, which, in these innovating times, we think, at least, prudent.

The Parental Monitor. By Mrs. Bonhote. 2 Vols. 121110. 125. Lane.

Thefe elegant little volumes, the productions of anxious maternal tenderness, are properly taken from the fecluded circle, for which they were originally defigned, and given to the world. We have looked over them with fome care, without finding any thing to reprehend either in the language or the obfervations. The former is neat and perfpicuous, without a laboured refinement: the latter are pointed, useful, and strictly moral. The Monitor confifts of felect effays, which are rather rules of conduct, artfully connected under the form of general obfervations; of poetry of various kinds; of fables and adventures. Some of these are the works of other authors; and Mrs. Bonhote's lift is a

very carefully felected one. The fubjects are fo mifcellaneous, that we cannot even transcribe the table of contents; and perhaps a fhort fpecimen of the neatnefs of our author's language, and the found good fenfe of her precepts, will be of more confequence. We fhall felect her advice to young ladies on the important fubject of marriage, because we have not been able to find any other paffage of equal utility, that can be with fo little injury feparated from the rest of the effay.

Did young people feriously confider the important change which marriage muft neceffarily produce in their fituation, how much more cautious would it make them in forming their choice of a companion for life? Alas! what avail the graces of the fineft figure, the moft captivating addrefs, the affemblage of all that is enfnaring, if the heart is depraved, or the conduct imprudent! The gayeft affociate of the convivial hour may be the dulleft, the most unfit companion for the domeftic circle; and he, who is never fatisfied but in a crowd, or when engaged in a continued round of pleasure, is very unlikely to make a tender and prudent hufband. Should sickness or distress draw near, depend upon it he will fly from their approach. If beauty alone excited his paffion, it will cease to exift when you are deprived of thofe attractions on which it was founded. If for tune was his inducement, that will likewife foon lose its value in his fordid mind; and the very perfon who brought him the wealth for which he fighed, will be confidered as the grand obftacle to its enjoyment. Too often is this unpleafant picture to be feen in many discontented families, which a little ferious reflection might have prevented being fo unfortunately realized. Never be prevailed upon to yield your hearts to any one, however he may fhine in the gay circles of the world, if you are convinced that he has no relish for the enjoyments of retired life. The man who likes every houfe better than his own, will fcarcely take the trouble of making home agreeable to others, whilft it is difgufting to himself. It will be the only place in which he will give way to his difcontent and ill humour. Such people are for ever ftrangers to the dear delights of the focial state, and all the real comforts of a well regulated family. He that is indifcriminately at home is never at home, and he feels himself a stranger or a vifitor amidst his closest connexions.'

Elements of Univerfal Hiftory, for Youth. By J. A. L. Montriou. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Marsh.

This is the Iliad in a nutshell; and the work is too concife to admit of its being, in any great degree, ufeful. We do not object to the execution, fince the narratives which occur are perfpicuous, and the few facts which are mentioned, fufficiently correct. The plan is, however, too vaft; and no abilities could have filled up fo extenfive an outline in such a small bulk, as to have given fatisfactory information on any particular part.

The

The ancient geography can only be underflood, under the guidance of an inftructor, affifted by good maps.

The Children's Friend. Translated by the rev. Mark Anthony Meilan, from the French of M. Berquin. 24 Vols. 16mò. 125. ferved. Bew.

L'Ami des Enfans of M. Berquin, merits every commendation that is due to a work happily calculated for the inftruction - and entertainment of young minds. It inftills the precepts of morality in the most agreeable manner; and while it informs the understanding, it improves the heart in the cultivation of those tender affections which are favourable to virtue. The author of the present tranflation evinces his own judgment, in endeavouring to extend the usefulness of fo valuable a work; but we with Mr. Meilan had reflected more deliberately, that, as a foreigner, the fuccefs of his attempt, in rendering it into English, was an extremely precarious event. His acquaintance' with the idioms and manners of this country appears to be as yet too imperfect for fuch an undertaking. The work is therefore disfigured with numerous improprieties; though fome parts of it are executed with a degree of accuracy furpaffing what could be expected from any author that laboured under fuch a difadvantage.

Favourite Tales. Tranflated from the French. 12mo. 25. 6d. Robinsons.

Thefe Tales are in the ftyle of Voltaire; and Imirce, we remember, at the time of publication, was attributed to the late King of Pruffia. We wish they had remained in their original ftate, for indecorum and infidelity can never be pleafing. The Tale, in imitation of Sterne, is only a new combination of Sterne's images and fituations.

Fairy Tales, felected from the beft Authors. 2 Vols. 12mo. 55,

Lane.

The only merit of a collection muft arife from the judgment with which it is chofen; but what judgment can appear in a compilation, where, to be pleafed at all, must be the exercise of fancy alone? We remember, in thefe Tales, fome of the companions of our nursery, when pleafure was cheaply bought by novelty. We then were pleafed with them, and, our readers muft accept of a decifion at an age which alone can decide on thefe fubjects.

The Ground-work of the Grammar of the French Language. By Jean Jaques D'Etrouville. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Dilly.,

M. d'Etrouville begins with the verbs, as confeffedly the moft difficult, and in reality, the most important part of the French language. Though this is a folecifm in gran.mar, we fee but one confiderable objection to it, which is the neceffity of employing pronouns before the learner knows what they are. Our author is more reprehenfible in increafing the number of his conjugations to twelve; which embarrass, and add new difficul

ties to the trouble of learning. In other refpects, he feems to be fufficiently accurate; for minute errors, either in the preface, or the conduct of the work, we would not faftidiously point out. In short, whatever may be the other merits of his Grammar, it is not calculated to expedite the progrefs of the learner. The Complete Syftem of the French Language. By Nicholas Salmon. 8vo. 5s. 6d. in Boards. Kearfley.

*

The Footstep' was fo fteep, that we defpaired of reaching the top of the ladder: the Complete Syftem has, however, proved, fo inftructing, that we do not repent the labour employed in attaining it. Much accurate information on the nature and the genius of the French language, from the best authors, may be obtained from it, though nothing can be farther distant from a grammar, or more unfit, from its extent and form, for the purposes of tuition, except probably in the hands of the author.

It is a general fault in almost every author of a grammar, that he aims at too much. Even Chambaud's work, the best elementary French grammar that we have yet feen, is too diffufe. In the rudiments, general rules only fhould be taught; the exceptions may be beft learned, and moft fecurely fixed on the mind, by reading, when a stock of words, the moft difficult part of every language, is at the fame time procured. This error is not, however, peculiar to the French mafters. In the Latin fchools, fome years are spent in learning general rules and exceptions; but more are required to apply them, and point out the connection between Lilly or Ruddiman, and Cicero or Cæfar.

The Pronunciation and Orthography of the French Language rendered perfectly Eafy. By John Murdoch. 12mo. 1s. 6d. Forfter. It is with the judgment of French mafters as with their watches,

None

Go juft alike, yet each believes his own.' We fee, however, no very peculiar merit in this work, or any reafon to fuppofe that the beft rules will fuperfede the neceffity of a master.

A vocabulary of words which resemble each other in found, a collection of exercises, and fome pieces of profe and verfe, are fubjoined, with remarks on French verfification.

Midfummer Holydays. Written for the Improvement and Entertainment of young Folk. 12mo. 1s. half-bound. Marfhall.

Propriety of behaviour, and a delicacy of manners, may be properly learned from this little ftory: on the whole, we greatly approve of it. The language is alfo, in general, neat and correct; yet the following paragraph is highly reprehenfible for its inelegance.

See our account of the Footstep in our last Vol. p. 359.

. But

But the pleasure of having done one's duty, anfwered one's own expectations, and thofe of one's friends, and being able to give oneself a proof of one's induftry by fomething one has worked, or written, or learned, makes a perfon brifk and lively, and ready for any innocent diverfion; though I think, as one grows older, one takes lefs pleasure in those diversions that do not turn to fomething useful.'

The author does not often offend in this way; but we may obferve, that the fentences are too long for the younger readers.

The Contraft. 12mo. 35. 6d. Cadell.

This narrative exhibits the oppofite confequences of good and evil habits, in the lowest ranks of rural life. It is avowedly written for the benefit of fervants, and the beft proficients in Sunday fchools. It is evidently well calculated for the purpose, and, as fuch, deferves our recommendation.

A Short Account of the late Dr. John Parfons, Profeffor of Anatomy at Oxford; Dr. Richard Huck Saunders, of London; Dr. Charles Collignon, Profeffor of Anatomy at Cambridge; and Sir Alexander Dick, of Beftonfield. 8vo. 15. Murray.

This biographical account is extracted from the tenth volume of the Edinburgh Medical Commentaries, and bears the appearance of authenticity.

Political Mifcellanies. Part I. 8vo. 35. 6d. Ridgway.

Among thefe mifcellanies we meet with feveral antiminifterial election fquibs, thrown out among the populace during the last conteft for Weftminster; with other occafional productions of the fame kind, which appeared within these few years.. The pieces most distinguished for humour, however, are the Probationary Ode extraordinary, by the rev. W. Mafon, M. A.' and the Statefman, an eclogue.'

Memoirs of Mr. Henry Mafers de la Tude. Written by himself. Tranflated from the French. 8vo. 25. Johnfon.

This gentleman, for a youthful frolic and a jeft against the marchionefs de Pompadour, was committed to the Baftile, and afterwards to the caftle of Vincennes. He made his escape from both; but being retaken, was again committed prifoner, and fuffered, in the whole, a confinement of thirty-five years. The extraordinary manner in which he and his companion effected their efcape from the Baftile in particular, affords fuch an example of ingenious contrivance, unremitting perfeverance, and heroic refolution, as probably never was furpaffed by any preceding adventurer. Happy Englishmen! read this narrative, and hug to your glowing bofoms your Great Charter, with its offspring, the Habeas Corpus act. Amidft all your political contefts, regard, with a watchful jealoufy, the flightest infringement on those glorious bulwarks of freedom.

Memoirs