batants. Mr. Wakefield's vehement, but claffical, eloquence; Mr. corrofive cauftic, Mr. Thelwall's energetic, but not intemperate declamation; Mr. Brown's and Mr. Adair's ftrong reafoning and fmooth urbanity; and the Old Whig's calm good-fenfe, and farcaftic poignancy, have united, to. give uncommon brilliancy and celebrity to this controverfy.

POLITICAL ECONOMY.

The important department of POLITICAL ECONOMY has yielded feveral ufeful productions. The late fcarcity of provifion called forth much humanity, and fome ingenuity, in fuggefting plans for alleviating the temporary diftreffes of the poor; and the very important and urgent object of the general amelioration of their condition has excited a confiderable share of attention. The Firft Rep rt of a Parliamentary Committee," has informed the public of the advances which have been made towards accomplishing the great national defign of cultivating and improving wafte lands. Ufeful fuggeftions, concerning the legiflative regulation of agriculture, will be found in Mr. Dirom's " Enquiry into the Corn Laws, and Corn Trade." Count Rumford, an Englishman, in the fervice of the Elector Palatine of Bavaria, has diftinguished himfelf in the first clafs of human merit, as a benefactor to his fpecies. His report, in his Effays," of the improvement which he has introduced into the ftate of the poor, in Munich, must be read with pleafure, by every friend to humanity; A fimilar report is made of a fix years' experiment in purfuit of the fame object, in Mr. Voght's very fenfible and interefting "Account of the Management of the Poor in Hamburgh." Thefe works fhould be read by all legiflators and magiftrates, and by every one who wishes to fee the condition of the lower claffes improved. Farther hints, on the fame fubject, may be feen in Mr. Townsend's ingenious Differtation on the Poor Laws." Some valuable information, and

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juft ideas, on the fubject of penal law, will be met with in the Duke of Liancourt's Comparative View of Mild and Sanguinary Laws," exhibiting the good effects of the former, in the occonomy of the prifons in Pennsylvania. How ineffectual the rigorous fyftem of penal law is in this country, may be feen in "A Treatife on the Police of the Metropolis," by a Magiftrate; in which, facts are detailed, which ought to ftimu

late immediate exertions for a reform in this particular. It is not furprifing, that the late rapid increase of the public burdens fhould have given birth to projects for lightening them. Mr. Bentham has devifed a scheme, to the account of which he has given the bold title of " Supply without Burden, or, Efcheat inftead of Taxation," in which it is propofed, that all fucceffion to property, vacant through the failure of near relations, fhould lapfe to the public; and Mr. Tremlett has fuggefted a plan of reverfionary annuities, by which he hopes to aflift the Minifter in putting off the evil day of accompt: but the injurious nature of thefe projects must prevent their adoption.

A project of another kind, but of more obvious utility, is ftarted in a publication, entitled, "Confiderations on the practicability of a more fpeedy Communication between GreatBritain and India.

COMMERCE.

Few publications have lately appeared on COMMERCIAL fubjects. A work, containing much mercantile knowledge, and many practical hints for the regulation of trade, has lately been published, under the affuming title of "An entire new Syftem of Mercantile Calculation." An unfuccefsful attempt has been made to fuperfede the Italian method of bookkeeping, in "Jones's English Syftem." Thofe who are concerned in that factitious kind of merchandife, called stockjobbing, may be pleafed to be informed, that a ufeful work on this fubject has been published, entitled, "Fairman's Stocks examined and compared."

LAW.

Students in LAW have been provided with a new bock of "Reports of Cafes in the Court of Exchequer," A Treatife on a Suit of Equity," by Mr. Barton, drawn up on the plan of Boote's Suit at Law, and an improved edition of "Gilbert's Law of Evidence," by Mr. Capell Lofft. An ingenious "Defence of the Right to Tythes," on the ground of the ancient law of the land, has appeared, which is afcribed to the prefent Vice-Chancellor of Oxford.

MEDICINE, CHEMISTRY, &c. In MEDICINE, among the works which may be entitled to be diftinguished from common-place medical productions, are, Mr. Adams's ingenious "Obfervations on Morbid Poifons;" Dr. Rufh's "Medical Enquiries and Obfervations;" Dr. Beddoes's "Confiderations on the Medi

history, in the period now under retrofpection, is unquestionably BIOGRAPHY. This department has been enriched with feveral very excellent and important works. Mr. Hayley has prefented the public with an enlarged and much improved edition of his "Life of Milton:" he has exhibited the perfonal character of the poet in new and interefting points of view; and has very fuccefsfully vindicated him from the obloquy of former biographers: the work is written with sound judgment, correct take, and patient good-humour.

Dr. Burney has published, "Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Metaftafio," in which, though the incidents are few and fimple, the reader will be highly gratified with an elegant exhibition of the character, tafte, and fentiments of the poet, prefented chiefly in his own letters. Lord Sheffield has published, in two large volumes, very valuable Remains of his friend, the justly celebrated author of "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire." In his Literary Papers, are feen the scholar and the man of taste; and, in his Memoirs and Letters, the man, in all the amiable qualities, and interefting peculiarities of his perfonal character. The well-earned reputation of the hiftorian has not been impaired by permitting him to become his own biographer.-But the most important publication of the period before us, and one of the most valuable additions which have for many years paft, been made to the ftock of English literature, is Mr. Rofcoe's Life of Lorenzo de Medici; a work which was received with fuch avidity by the public, that the whole impreffion was fold within a month from its publication. From fources little known, and many of them now for the first time brought to light, Mr. Rofcoe has diligently collected, and accurately communicated to the public, much information concerning one of the first characters in the fifteenth century, and concerning one of the most important portions of modern hiftory. With the biographical memoirs, are interwoven many particulars, highly interefting, concerning the recovery of ancient manufcripts, the revival of letters, the restoration of the fine arts, and the general history of the times. The work is written with that elegant fimplicity, which indicates correctnefs and refinement of tafte; and, at the fame time, bears strong marks of vigorous intellect, and fuperior genius. Many of the

poetical productions of this period, both in Latin and Italian, are in this work firft presented to the public; and of these, not a few are tranflated in exquifitely fweet and harmonious verfe, and with a peculiar felicity of expreffion in fhort, we hazard nothing in afferting, that the author of this work has erected for himfelf a lafting monument of literary fame. At a period, lefs fplendidly distinguished in this walk of literature, a larger portion of attention might have been drawn towards Mr. Anderfon's judicious "Review of the Life of Johnfon;" and towards Mr. Dyer's "Memoirs of Robert Robinson," in which an original and ftriking character, masked with eccentricity and rudenefs, but diftinguished by ftrong fenfe and fterling merit, is defcribed with pleafing fimplicity of fentiment and language. Dr. Thompson's correct and handfome "Translation of Suetonius," ought not to be overlooked, nor to be mentioned without commendation: we wish we could fay the fame of Dr. Coote's feeble attempt to fupply that great defideratum in biography, a good "Life of Julius Cæfar.”

VOYAGES AND TRAVELS.

That ever- -growing magazine of public amufement and information, the library of VOYAGES and TRAVELS, has lately received feveral valuable acceffions.-Mrs. Wolltoncraft's "Letters from Sweden," &c. though not written with ftudied elegance, interefts the reader in an uncommon degree, by a philofophical turn of thought, by bold sketches of nature and manners, and, above all, by ftrong expreffions of delicate fenfibility.-Mr. Pratt's "Gleanings through Wales, Holland, and Weftphalia," are very amufing, and will be particularly acceptable to the fentimental reader; had the author, however, confined himfelf more ftrictly to facts, the work, if lefs entertaining, had been more valu. able.-Mr. Murphy, a refpectable architect, has given the public fome new information, and much entertainment, mixed with profeffional details, in his "Travels in Portugal," Mr. Hearne's

Journey from Prince of Wales's Fort, in Hudfon's Bay, to the Northern Ocean," though not elegantly written, provides much food for curiofity.-Mr. Owen's "Travels into different Parts of Europe," are more remarkable for correctnefs of ftyle and fentiment, than for variety of entertainment; the reader, through the whole tour, perceives that his guide is an English clergyman.-Light

and

1796.]

TOPOGRAPHY.

The fine arts have, of late, been very fuccefsfully employed in aid of letters, in feveral elegant TOPOGRAPHICAL works. Useful information, elegant writing, and a highly finished ftyle of graphical embellishment, are very happily united in Dr. Aikin's "Hiftory of the Country round Manchester," illuftrated with many plates, at the expence of the publisher, Mr. Stockdale. The "Hiftory of Monmouth fhire," by Mr. D. Williams, recommends itself to general readers by a force of style, and a depth of hiftorical and political research, by no means ufual among thofe dry compilations, which, for the moft part, appear under the title of County Histories. It is fplendedly adorned with views, executed by the Rev. Mr. Gardnor, in aqua tinta. To the fame general clafs belong, "A picturesque Guide to Bath and Briftol," by Meffrs. Ibbetfon, La Porte, and Haffal; Mr. Walker's "Select Views of Picturefque Scenery in Scotland;" and Select Views in Myfore, taken on the Spot, by Mr. Home, with hiftorical Descriptions," is a very elegant and fplended publication.

CRITICISM.

The department of CRITICISM has, of late, been chiefly indebted to the learning, industry, and tafte of Mr. Wakefield. He has prefented the public with elegant editions of "Bion and Mofchus," and "Horace." If Mr. Wakefield be a bold emendator, his corrections are made by the hand of a mafter. His comments and annotations discover deep erudition, and an exquifite relish of poetic excellence. In this path of literature, he has few equals. As an editor, and critic on the English claffics, he is lefs fuccessful: his "Obfervations en Pope," though not without juft criticism and fine illuftrations, will not be ranked among his moft happy productions. The learned Mr. Bryant has written "Obfervations on M. Chevalier's Defcription of the Plains of Troy," in which he ingeniously controverts the accuracy of that writer's inveftigations, and the truth of his conclufions. Mr. Plumptre has attempted to prove, that the play of Hamlet was intended, by Shakspeare, as an indirect

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Parfon's "Ode to a Boy at Eton;" "Poetic Trifles," and Harley's "Poems" In a higher clafs of poetical merit we are inclined to rank Knight's "Didactic Poem on the Progrefs of Civil Society," which, though in fome parts diffufe and languid, in others difcovers confiderable vigour of fancy; Bowles's Elegiac Stanzas," elegantly expreffive of juft and interefting fentiments; Sir Brooke Boothby's "Sorrows," a pathetic tribute of paternal affection; Coleridge's "Poems," which, though negligently compofed, difcover throughout the genuine characters of genius; Burges's Birth and Triumph of Love," an incongruous and abfurd fable, conceived with ftrength of fancy, and delivered in polifhed verfe; "The Influence of Local Attachment," a truly elegant performance, in which philcfophy and poetry are happily united; Mifs Seward's beautiful and highly finifhed pieces, entitled, "Llangollen Vale," &c.; and Mr. Southey's Joan of Arc," an epic poem. This last piece is certainly entitled to the first wreathe of honour among our late poetical productions. To "run a race with the prefs," in an epic poem, as Mr. Southey appears to have done, was juvenile prefumption, of which the neceffary confequence has been many defective and faulty paffages: but, viewed as a whole, the performance has fingular merit. It abounds in lofty conceptions, vigorous fentiments, rich imagery, and all the fublimer graces of poetry. The author poffeffes uncommon powers of poetic invention; and with that diligence of ftudy, and feverity of correction, to which genius fo reluctantly fubmits, may become a poct of the first order.

DRAMATIC

DRAMATIC PIECES, &c. Those DRAMATIC PIECES which find their way to the ftage, come under our infpection elsewhere; but we must not neglect to mention, with approbation, Mrs. Robinfon's unreprefented tragedy of "The Sicilian Lovers," which though in some parts too fplended in diction, exhibits a very interefting tale, in a strongly impreffive form.

If we were to judge from prefent appearances, we fhould fay, that wit and humour are at a low ebb: we have nothing of this kind to mention, except it be a grammatico-metaphyfico-political jeu d'efprit, entitled, "Hermes Unmafked," which, if it should not correct the reader's ideas on the theory of language, may, at leaft, amufe him; and, if he be not too faftidious, may treat him with a hearty laugh.

NOVELS, ROMANCES, &c.

The tender tales of love and wonder, continue to be repeated in every form which our novelifts can devife; yet we do not find ourselves irrefiftibly impelled to dwell upon the fingular merit of any late productions in this clafs. Thofe which appear beft entitled to particular attention are, Mrs.Robinfon's "Angelina," which, though too inflated in style, is an elegant and interefting performance; "Antoinette," a tale, in which fome degree of deficiency in the graces of compofition is compenfated by an interefting ftory, liberal fentiments, and inftructive leffons to the female world; and Mrs. Inchbald's "Nature and Art," written with fimplicity, eafe, and animation; enlivened with a captivating naïveté, and artlefs ftrokes of fatirical humour, and fuggefting excellent moral inftruction to the rich and the poor.

Some eccentric and improbable, but fplendid, energetic, and highly impaffioned work of fiction, have, of late, been tranflated from the German; among which are "The Ghoft-Seer," "The Sorcerer," "The Dagger," and "The Black Valley."

An excellent Tranflation of fome of Wieland's amufing and fatirical Dialogues has lately appeared in a feparate volume, under the title of "Dialogues of the Gods;" and a larger number, in a very

curious and valuable collection of foreign pieces, chiefly German, under the title of "Varieties of Literature." Other interefting foreign productions, chiefly political, have been tranflated.

EDUCATION.

Among the books lately published, which refpect EDUCATION, the claffical fcholar will give the first place to Mr. Salmon's elaborate and useful Etymological Dictionary, under the title of Stemmata Latinitatis, intended, and well adapted, to disclose the fources, and unfold the mechanifm, of the Latin tongue. Compilations, and original pieces, for the inftruction and amufement of children and young perfons, have been too numerous to be particularly detailed. It were much to be wished, that writers of this clafs would be more attentive to correctnefs, both in matter and language. An excellent example has lately been fet them, in Dr. Aikin's "Evenings at Home,' a truly elegant and useful work, which contains, in great variety, food for curiofity, leffons for the understanding, and precepts for the heart.

SHAKSPEAREAN MSS.

Another fet of recent publications has appeared, which could not properly have been claffed under any of the preceding heads: Mr. Ireland's Shakspearian Manufcripts, and the pieces, pro and con, to which they have given rife. The projector of thefe MSS. we now confider as dead in law, and we fhall fo far violate the maxim, Nil de mortuis nifi bonum, as to fpeak the plain truth, by giving the tranfaction its proper appellation-a moft laborious, but moft impudent forgery.. A few partizans, impofed upon by the confidant affumption of the editor, for a while fupported his pretenfions; bat Malone wrote, and Vortigern and Rowena was acted-and the mask fell off. The publications, and the whole tranfaction, will foon be forgotten; or will be only remembered, and preferved, as a monument of credulity.

We here clofe our brief retrofpect of British Literature, in "fure and certain" expectation, that induftry and ge nius will, after an interval of fix months, provide us a fecond courfe, equally various and plentiful with the prefent.

ORIGINAL