whole, we are forry to fee fo much learning and ingenuity fo egregioufly mifapplied on fuch a fubject. At the fame time we hope it is not true, that fuch a waste of both hath been committed, as we are informed, by the Genevan Advocate, de Lolme*.

S.

A Letter to Courtney Melmoth, Efq; With fome Remarks on two Books, called Liberal Opinions, and the Pupil of Pleasure. 8vo. 6d +. Wilkie.

We should not take up this little performance again (not that we proportion our attention to literary productions according to the ratio of their bulk) had not the abrupt leave, we were obliged to take of it laft month, led many of our readers into the fuppofition that we entirely approved of the Letter-writer's cenfure on Mr. Melmoth's books above mentioned. In justice to this ingenious, young author, as well as in regard to the interefting nature of the fubject, we therefore beg leave to be a little more explicit.

The Letter-writer ftates her objections, at the beginning of her epiftle thus.

"I have been defired by fome friends, to read the books abovementioned, and to give my opinion of them, whether or no they may fafely be put into the hands of youth.

"This question I conceive to be of fome importance to the public, which is concerned in the publication of fuch books as are written profeffedly for the benefit of the rifing generation.

"Such, Sir, is your declared intention, and it is prefumed that such is your real defign, but if this be true, you must have been under a great mistake, as to the means that are most likely to produce this effect:-and as you appear to be of liberal opinions, I cannot doubt that you will readily lend an ear to the admonition of a friend to human kind, who is more folicitous to promote the caufe of virtue, than to expofe the failings and mistakes of any of her friends.

Permit me, Sir, to afk you a ferious question: do you really think that the caufe of virtue is promoted, by reprefentations of vice?-you have a warm and luxuriant imagination, a flowing and eafy ftyle, and your forte is in the difplay of feces of voluptuoufnefs, you dwell upon minute circumstances that heighten the defcriptions, and give the utmoft fcope to the reader's imagination. Your fcenes do not excite any hatred of vice; that is referved for the after-reflexions upon it, which I fear will not eradicate the former impreffions.

* Author of a treatife on the Conftitution of England. Rev. By mistake, in our laft, put One Shilling,

"The Pupil of Pleafure is the preceptor of voluptuoufnefs: think you that any fober marron would fuffer her daughters or nieces to read the 24th letter of the first volume out? indeed two thirds of the book are rather calculated to infpire vice than to correct it.”

The writer proceeds,

"Is it neceflary that our fex fhould know all the mysteries of ini quity, in order to defend us from the fnares of yours?-I trust notignorance of vice is at least one of the prefervatives against it—there is fomething in true modefty, uncorrupted by falfe refinements, that lays a ftronger restraint upon the most abandoned libertine, than the utmo efforts of that prudence which is acquired at the expence of female delicacy."

We are of the writer's opinion, that the cause of virtue is not promoted by reprefentations of vice; as well as that it is by no means neceffary the female fex fhould know all the myfteries of iniquity, in order to defend them from the fnares of the inen. On the contrary we are of opinion that female delicacy (we had almoft faid female virtue) depends almost entirely on that innocence, which is founded on ignorance. As the tree of knowledge was fatal to the firft woman, it has been generally fo to her defcendants. At the fame time we cannot condeinn the particular paffages pointed out by Euphrafia, nor indeed Mr. Melmoth's manner of defcription in general. However bold and animated his outlines or even glowing the colours, with which he fometimes heightens the picture, they do not appear to us to be calculated to excite loofe or criminal defires. The 24th letter, pointed out by Euphrafia, as particularly exceptionable, appears, on the other hand, calculated to expose the moft refined and dangerous power of feduction, poffeffed by unfeeling men; that of affecting what they do not feel, The scene there defcribed is calculated to warn, to alarm, to terrify the innocent female, and inform her of the practice of diffimulation to a degree, which he would otherwife think impoffible: And this is done furely, without exciting any other feeling in the reader than that of horror and deteftation against the accomplished diffembler. Euphrafia extols, among other writers, the inimitable Richardson, who is complimented by fome for having "taught the paffions to play at the command of virtue," we cannot help thinking, however, there are fome fcenes and paffages in Richardfon's works, much more calculated to excite loofe images and wanton defires than we meet with in the books which are the fubject of Euphrafia's letter.-Nor are we fingular in our opinion of the propriety, with which Mr. Melmoth has laudably endeavoured to expofe the pernicious fyftem of Lord Chefterfield in his Pupil of Pleasure : as a proof of which we tranfcribe an extract or two of a letter from

from a very ingenious and able critic; who has himself been cenfured for making too free with the letters of that noble Lord. "I am peculiarly pleafed," fays he, " and affected with Mr. Melmoth's command of language, his redundant imagination, his various and animated defcriptions, and his happy application of them, in order to expofe Lord Chesterfield's principles; but, above all, with the contempt and honeft indignation, he expreffes for his maxims and licentious morals." The pupil of pleasure, fays he, " is Lord Chesterfield's Theory of education and manners embodied and exhibited in full proportion. The colours are bis, and difpofed according to his prefcript: the motion, the attitude, the paffions and manners are copied from him, and bear the ftrongest resemblance of their original; while the infincerity, the hypocrify and treachery of Sedley, the infamy of his life and the mifery of his death, render him an object of contempt, deteftation and horror.". After making this declaration in favour of Mr. Melmoth, we muft in justice to the author of the performance before us, confefs that it contains fome very juft and interefting reflections on the prefent fituation and circumftances of women in refpect to their conpections and commerce with men.

"The female fex are equally injured by the pride and disrespect of the pedant, and the impertinent familiarity of the licentious. Female virtue, like regal prerogative, is hurt by being too frequently and familiarly difcufled; both are beft ferved in a refpectful filence :-but this has been boldly broken by both friends and enemies, and it is now become neceffary to make a thorough enquiry into the merits of the cause.

In this fituation, it is worthy the enquiry of a philofopher, why at a time when our fex has had fo much honour done to it by the champions of your fex, and exemplary virtues and accomplishments of individuals of ours, there fhould be fo many liberties taken by the herd of your fex, with the generality of ours? Richardfon-Fordyce Thomas-Ruffel-Gregory-have, by refpecting us, become themfelves refpectable. The names of Carter-Lennox- -Montague

-Griffith- Chapone-have in our days appeared as examples of female virtue, adorned with the highest accomplishments.-are not fuch patrons and patroneffes fufficient to oblige the men in general to treat us with respect, or at least with decorum ?- -alas no!it appears too plainly they are not. I can only conjecture the causes of this evil, and leave it to abler pens to purfue the enquiry, and to draw from it inferences that may be beneficial to pofterity.

"There is a strange alteration in the manners of both fexes in this country within the last twenty years, which will afford fufficient matter for investigation; there are alfo fome particular confiderations that

*The Reverend Mr. Thomas Hunter, author of Obfervations on Lord Chefterfield's Letters.

will

will throw a light upon the fubject: for example, the too frequent inftances of conjugal infidelity may fairly be traced from the famous marriage act, before that æra they were very rare in this country; many other kinds of degeneracy may in like manner be easily traced to their fources: there are two methods of purfuing the enquiry I would recommend.

"The first tedious, dry, diffufe, unfatisfactory; the second short, clear, and demonstrative; the first takes a circuit, and enquires into the various methods of education in different times and countries, and from thence reafons of their effects upon the manners; the fecond briefly confiders the manners first, and traces from them the good or evil methods of education; for example, if we look back to any period of time, when the fons of Britain were hardy, manly and virtuous, and her daughters fober, delicate and chafte, we cannot doubt but they were properly educated.

When we confider the manners of the youth of our days, we cannot but believe there is fomething wrong in the prefent fyftem of education, and in the manner of their introduction into the world, as they approach to the age of maturity. If our fons are effeminate and diffolute, and our daughters pert,, affected and diffipated, we may draw these brief conclufions in defiance of Rouffeau and all his difciples; that restraint is abfolutely necetiary in the education of the youth of both fexes.

That a too early introduction into life as it is called, is deftructive to that modesty which nature intended for the guard of virtue. That a too early intercourfe between the two fexes, whether in public or private affemblies, renders them cheap in the eyes of each other, and instead of promoting matimony, produces celibacy, which needs no proof; for as Slender fays, "upon further familiarity there grows more contempt."

"Laitly, that by reading books of all kinds and tendencies indifcriminately, young people acquire a dangerous kind of knowledge, that cultivates their pallions, and weakens their reafon; it litters the head and corrupts the heart; and that one of the great corrupters of the principles and practice of the youth or this age and country is A CIRCULATING LIBRARY."

In this we are in fome degree of Euphrafia's opinion; but the reason is not that fuch libraries are circulating, but that the books circulated are in general fuch terrible trash.

S.

The Englishman's Fortnight in Paris; or the Art of ruining himfelf there in a few Days. By an Obferver. Tranflated from the French. 8vo. 3s. Durham.

This Obferver is neither a Rouffeau nor a Smollett; his remarks are, nevertheless, fhrewd and pertinent, and may afford

Who have, both, given a fpirited and entertaining account of the tricks and impofitions of the Parifians; the former in his Eloifa, and the latter in the Memoirs of Ferdmand Count Fathom.

not

not only agreeable entertainment but beneficial inftruction to fuch as are in a fituation to require or profit by his animadverfions. If what the tranflator fays, indeed, in his preface, be true, the publication of this piece in the English language may poffibly be much more ufeful than at first fight it pro

miles.

"It is feen," fays the writer, "by the books of the Lieutenant of the Police in Paris, that there are three thou and English travellers in that capital, and we should be glad to think that the moderate estimate of one hundred a year for the expences of each of them, making a fum of three hundred thousand pounds fpent there, and loft to this Country, was the worst confequence. But alas! these excurfions not only prove ruinous to many individuals who become dupes to the Knights of Industry, affembled from all quarters at Paris, but help to corrupt the manners and morals of those who remain at home by the introduction of many pernicious enervating luxuries.

"Our female Coteries, our Savoir-vivre, and other clubs, that have reduced gaming to a fyftem, cannot fail to bring this nation to deftruction; for what pofterity can be expected from a Generation of Gamblers, but a nation of Dunces ?".

This performance contains a relation of the adventures of a young English milord, in Paris, during the space of fifteen days; in which time he makes fhift, with the affiftance of opera-girls, Irish pimps, and French fharpers, to run through twelve thoufand guineas, for which he brings back to England the fole acquifition of the compliment ufually paid by the freehearted ladies of that country to thofe amorous young Englishmen, who pay their devotions at the fhrine of their charms.

It will not be expected that we should enter into the particulars of fuch a relation. As the relater, however, was fometimes difengaged from fcenes of diffipation, we find his obfervations on literature and the fine arts on fuch occafions not unworthy notice. Thofe on the French ftage and the literary character of Voltaire merit citation." Bouillac proposed to spend the evening at the French comedy. My lord, fays he, this is the theatre, which fhould be frequented by foreigners: it is here where the French language is fpoken in the greatest purity, and where you will find the trueft picture of the manners of our nation. Here you may acquire the firft, and learn to know the other."

"The tragedy of Phaedra was the piece to be played that night on the French ftage. I fhould not have been able to have relished the beauties of this play, if my conductor had not prepared me for it, by giving me fome idea of it beforehand, and, at each scene, hastily Iketched over the detail. By this means, he enabled me to follow the fublime and pathetic expreffion of an old actrefs, whofe abilities feemed to me to be as unquestionably great, as thofe of our celebrated Garrick.

"When