ART. 17. The Stone-Eater; an Interlude. As it is acted at the Theatre-Royal, Drury-Lane, with universal Applaufe. By C. Stuart. 8vo. 6d. Symonds. London, 1788.

This performance appears to have fprung from a good-humoured effort to promote the intereft of an actor at his benefit; as such, the intention of the author is entitled to applause.

ART. 18. The Prifoner at Large; a Comedy in Two Acts. As performed at the Theatre-Royal in the Haymarket with universal Applaufe. Written by John O'Keeffe, Author of Tony Lumpkin in Town; The Son-in-Law; The Dead Alive; The Agreeable Surprise; The Pofitive Man; The Caftle of Andalufia; The Young Quaker; The Birth-Day, or, the Prince of Arragon; The Poor Soldier; Peeping Tom Fontainbleau, or, our Way in France; The Beggar on Horfeback; Omai; Love in a Camp, or, Patrick in Prufia; Siege of Curzola; the Farmer; &c. &c. &c. 8vo. Is. Robinsons, London, 1788.

Mr. O'Keeffe, though he has written fo many dramatic pieces, and though many of them have been attended with diftinguished fuccefs, has feldom thought proper to fubmit them to the ordeal of the prefs. The prefent, we believe, is not one of his happiest performances. If we were to form a general judgment of the merits of the author from a perufal of it, we fhould certainly be inclined to wonder at the popularity which once attended his productions. The following dialogue paffes between a caft-off fervant and the mafter and miftrefs of a country inn the fign the Shoulder of

Mutton :

Enter Landlord.

Landlord. What would you be pleased to have?
Muns. Any thing, Sir.

Enter Landlady.

Landlady. What do you want?

Muns. Every thing, Ma'am,

Landlord. Who are you?

• Muns. A poor fervant out of place.

Landlady. We want a waiter, husband.

Landlord. Did your mafter give you a character ? • Muns. No, Sir; he had none for himself.

Landlord. What can you do?

• Muns. Sir, I don't know what to do, Landlord. What are you capable of?

• Muns. Oh, Sir-I can play a duet upon the horn.

Landlord. I want no horn.

Landlady. No, that you don't, husband.
Landlord. You understand horses?

• Muns. Yes, Sir, and cookery.
Landlord. I want one in my ftable.
Muns. A horfe?

U 3

Landlord.

Landlord. Pha! my ftable.

Muns. Yes, Sir; but I am best in the kitchen.-Ma'am, I'll do any thing for bread-only employ me-I'll be humble as a fpanielfecret as a fish-watchful as a cat-I'll fleep like a cock upon one leg, with the other ready to pop down to run on a meffage.

Landlord. Come in, my lad; you're the very thing for the Shoulder of Mutton.

Muns. That I am, Sir, either baked or roasted.'

Though we cannot refufe our sympathy to the author of these performances, we however rejoice, as friends of literature, that the taste of the public is now too far refined to derive much amusement from mere equivoque and extravagance.

ART. 19. Letters from Simpkin the Second to his dear Brother in Wales; containing an bumble Defcription of the Trial of Warren Haftings, Efq, With Simon's Anfwer. 4to. 2s. 6d. Bell. London, 1788.

This is one of the humbleft attempts at imitating the manner of Mr. Anftey that we remember to have feen. The verfification is tolerably fmooth, and the zel of the author in favour of Mr. Hattings is confiderable. But, particularly in his defcription of Mr. Sheridan's fpeech, his manner is very fairly delineated by Brother Simon in nis anfwer:

Too angry for humour, for cenfure too gay,
Your irony dies in plain ftory away.'

ART. 20. Peter provided for without a Penfion; a Poem. With Notes critical and explanatory. By Carnaby Carrycomb, Efq, 4to, 2s. Bew. London, 1783.

Mr. Corrycon.b attempts to imitate the manner of Peter Pindar; but though he appears not abfolutely a fool, he is certainly no poet. His title is the wittieft part of his pamphlet. Peter provided for without a Penfion' fuggetts to us a Bridewell, a cat-o'-nine-tails, a halter, and a thousand humorous and amufing ideas. But the ftory dwindles into plain profe when we find the provifion is no other than a wedding between Peter and Margaret Nicholfon,

MEDICAL.

ART. 21. Thirty-eight Plates, with Explanations; intended to illuf. trate Linnæus's Syjiem of Vegetables, and particularly adapted to the Elements of Botany. By Thomas Martyn, B. D. F. R. S. Profeffor of Botany in the University of Cambridge. 8vo. gs. boards. White, London, 1788.

Thefe Plates are intended to illuftrate the Letters on the Elements of Botany,' formerly published by Mr. Martyn. The plates are well engraved, and the explanations accurate. Six plates are added, illuftrating Rouffeau's Six Letters upon the most remarkable natural Claffes.'

ART

ART. 22. Tabule Nomina Medicamentorum Pharmacopoeia Londinenfis, Anno 1746o editæ, alibique promulgatorum, quæ ejufdem Editione Anno 1788°, tamen Nominibus novis infignita, retinenter vel accipiuntur; et vice verfa, Nomina Medicamentorum Pharmacopæią Londinenfis Anno 1788° editæ, quæ ejufdem Editione Anno 1746°, alibique, aliter dicta funt; indicantes. 1s. London, 1788.

This broadfide table, in the form of a sheet almanack, contains a lift of the medicines in the London Pharmacopoeia published in 1746, and retained, though under new names, in the edition af the prefent year; and, vice verfa, a lift of the medicines in the New Pharmacopoeia, with their names in the former edition.

This table might have been rendered still more useful had the articles been marked in both catalogues with relative figures, fo that the different names might have been discovered numerically, both with certainty and ease.

ART. 23. Ampthill Medicinal Baths. Addrefs to the Afflicted; containing a Variety of Cafes and Cures, of the Scurvy and other Impurities of the Skin; of Obstructions incident to the Fair Sex; of ConJumptions; Dropfies; obftinate Rheumatisms; Atrophies; Contractions; White Swellings; Scrophulous Complaints; Fixed Pains; Ulcers; Schirrous Tumours; Hyfieric and other Disorders of the Nerves, &c. &c. Performed on Perfons of Credit and Reputation. By R. Dominiceti, M. D. 8vo. Is. Stalker. London, `1788.

Dr. R. Dominicetti has established at Ampthill, in Bedfordshire, those medicinal baths which were formerly erected at Chelsea by his father. Of their extraordinary efficacy in many inveterate diseases, no doubt can be entertained; and, from our own knowledge of Dr. R. Dominiceti's fcientific accomplishments, we are perfuaded that, under his direction, they will be conducted with great advantage to those who have recourfe to his affiftance. The pamphlet contains a number of well-attefted cases in which his baths have proved fuccessful,

ART. 24. Every Lady her own Phyfician; or, The Closet Companion: containing ample Inftructions for the Prevention and Cure of all Disorders incident to the Fair Sex; the whole being rendered familiar and intelligible, all Technical Terms and Latin Prefcriptions being carefully avoided. A Work calculated folely for the Ufe of the Ladies, and furnishing them with fuch Inftructions and Prefcriptions as will enable them to preferve or restore their Health. A Performance also of great Utility to the Medical Reader. By a Gentleman of the Faculty. Corrected and revised by Silvester Mahon, M. D. 8vo. 35. Randall. London, 1788.

To thofe who know that the cure of diseases depends entirely on its being properly adapted to the particular caufes which excite them,. and that the afcertainment of thefe caufes often requires the utmost fagacity of the phyfician; the attempt of rendering every lady the arbitrefs of medical difpenfation, muft appear to be founded in error. It may fafely be affirmed, that all thofe productions which profess

U 4

to

to accommodate the fcience of medicine to the general capacity of the public, are far more injurious than beneficial to the health of fuch as adopt their authority. On this principle alone, therefore, we think it our duty to withhold from recommending the treatise now before us; though, in regard to physical orthodoxy, it is not much liable to any impeachment.

POLITICAL.

ART. 25. An Apology to the Public for a continued Intrusion on their Notice; with an Appeal to the free and independent Proprietors of Bank-Stock; demonftrating that it is highly proper for them to examine into the State of their Affairs. By William Picket, Efq. 8vo, 15. Sewell. London, 1788.

Mr. Picket informs us that he became a purchafer of bank-stock under the idea that it was the beft fecured property in the kingdom. Soon after which, however, he adverted to the propriety of requefting a printed copy of the charter and bye-laws of the Company. On a clofe perufal of them, collated with the act of parliament on which they were founded, and the various fubfequent acts for enlarging the capital, &c. it appeared to him that the fpirit, as well as letter, was unwarrantably departed from in fome points which he conceives material to the fecurity of the public faith, and dangerous to the proprietors, both as to their privileges and property. Such being his fentiments, he has thought fit to lay them before the public; but at the fame time disclaims the most distant idea of entertaining any opinion in the leaft unfavourable to the honour and integrity of the directors of the Bank.

ART. 26. A Copy of the Charter of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Bell. London, 1788.

This copy of the charter, confifting of fixty pages in octavo, feems to have been printed with the view of elucidating the remarks fuggefted by Mr. Picket. Subjoined to the charter are the rules, orders, and bye-laws, for the good government of the corporation.

ART. 27. Hin's for City Amufement; or, Bank Oratory anticipated. First printed in the Whitehall Evening Poft of Sept. 18th, 1788, and now reprinted, with confiderable Alterations, Corrections, and Additions. 8vo. td. Harley. London, 1788.

The author of this whimfical narrative, endeavours to entertain the public at the expence of the directors of the Bank. He is heartily welcome to his amufement, while the bank-ftock is not liable to the depredations of wit and humour.

ART

ART. 28. An Address to the Inhabitants in general of Great Britain and Ireland; relating to a few of the Confequences which must_naturally refult from the Abolition of the Slave-Trade. 8vo. is. Evans.

London, 1788.

The fubject of this pamphlet is the abolition of flavery, which has fo much employed the public attention during the two laft years. The prefent author confiders the question under the following propofitions, viz. Whether the flave-trade is lawful, according to the different ftates of nations over the face of the earth? Whether the negroes better their fituation, or make it worse, by changing African mafters for thofe in the Weft-Indies? And, whether or not it is of ufe to Society in general, and to this country in particular? These feveral propofitions he determines by argument in the affirmative. That he is not a perfectly difinterested inquirer, there feems much reafon to fufpect; but even impartial judges may be inclined to admit the political expediency of the flave-trade, under fuch modifications, however, as to render it more confiftent with humanity.

ART. 29. Difcours, adresse a un certain Peuple fur fa Situation preJente. London, 1788.

This Difcourfe appears to be the production of a Frenchman whose mind is ftrongly impreffed with the fentiments and love of civil liberty. He paints the fovereign of a certain people as a character unworthy to retain the attachment of his fubjects; and treats of the royal confort with a freedom and warmth of farcafm expreffive of yet greater indignation. To affuage the political difcontents that prevail, or did lately prevail, among his countrymen, is not the object of this writer; he probes and irritates, instead of foothing the wounds which have been inflicted on the conftitution of France by the violent ceedings of the laft miniftry; and he uses every argument which either ingenuity can fuggeft, or zeal enforce, to excite in the nation a general and determined oppofition to the arbitrary measures of governThe difcourfe feems to have been written during the heat of the civil commotions; but the animated fentiments it contains are 'calculated to keep alive the flame of patriotism, or support at least a jealoufy in favour of public freedom, amidst the apparent relaxation of defpotic power.

ment.

pro

ART. 30. The Claim of the American Loyalifts reviewed and maintained upon incontrovertible Principles of Law and Justice. 8vo. 2s. Wilkie. London, 1788.

The claim of the American loyalifts, we mean of those inhabitants of America who were real fufferers by adhering to the interefts of Great-Britain, is founded both in justice and humanity. As fuch it has been acknowledged by the legislature; and we therefore need obferve nothing farther refpecting this pamphlet, than that it contains a clear, just, and fatisfactory view of the fubject.

DIVINITY.