profeffed abftracts as that before us, on a footing with fuch miferably mutilated editions of our English Claffics; with which certain hedge preffes of the North have lately overwhelmed us. As a continued inundation of fuch Goth-and-Vandal productions, however, threatens us, we cannot, in honour and confcience, as literary caterers for the public, forbear entering our protest against them, with a caveat emptor. If the prefent publication take any fhare of this reflection, it does not appear to be owing to the defign or execution of the typographical part of the fcheme; we with we could with juftice equally commend the literary execution of it. But in this, the compiler appears to have been too precipitate in his contractions: a want of connection being fometimes too apparent, from the neglect of fupplying the chafin of perhaps neceffary omiffions.-On a new edition, we would recommend a little attention to this circumftance; which may render this entertaining compilation one of the most useful and inftructive, as it is one of the cheapest, publications extant. R. Sentiments on Education, collected from the beft Writers; properly methodized, and interfperfed with occafional Obfervations. By John Afb, LL. D. 2 Vols. 12mo. 6s. Dilly. That we may not mifrepresent the defign of this author, which we do not think happily expreffed in his title, we shall give it our readers in the words of his prefixed advertisement. "The fubject propofed in the following fheets, fo far as the fciences have their concern in it, has been treated with fufficient precifion by the numerous authors who have affiduoufly laboured in this department. Nor has it been lefs cultivated, though perhaps with lefs fuccefs, by thofe ingenious writers, who have entered more deeply into the philofophy of the human heart, and the various influence of precept and example on the minds and manners of young people. "The author of thefe volumes has endeavoured to connect these different views of the fubject in a regular feries; and to fteer the middle courfe between the rigid formality of the didactic, and the loofer harangue of the panegyric. "The title prefixed, and the table of contents, may, perhaps, be fufficiently expreffive of the general defign. The arrangement of the first volume is chiefly fcientific, and therefore more especially adapted to the gentlemen: that of the fecond is rather fentimental, as it refpects the different tempers of the mind, in connection with the correfpondent caft of the behaviour, and is more directly addreffed to the ladies. But, as the modes of inftruction for both fexes are found to coincide in a variety of particulars, a more perfect distinction, in the two volumes, if practicable, was thought unneceflary. "The "The idea of originality on fuch a laboured fubject, if once fug gefted, would have been treated by the author, as prefumptuous and Chimerical. He found himself therefore under no temptation to keep up the appearance, where the reality could not be expected. His own obfervations, if they may with any propriety be called his own, ferve only to connect and elucidate the feveral parts of the fubject. In a few inftances, indeed, he has prefumed to differ from very refpectable authorities, and thought himself fufficiently juftified in fo doing. Where he has introduced the fentiments of authors of eftablished reputation, he has done it, for the most part, with little variation, in their own words; which, it was thought, upon the whole, would be much more fatisfactory, and give greater weight and authority to the work, than it could have acquired, from the fame fentiments, introduced in a more mutilated or disguised form." The contents of the firft volume are as follow.-On teaching to read-On teaching Grammar-On the Art of Writing -Op Drawing-On common Arithmetic-On GeometryOn Geography-On Aftronomy-On Chronology-On Mufic On Rhetoric-On a Courfe of Reading-On public Speaking-On Trade and Commerce. The reader will readily conceive that fuch a variety of topics can in so small a volume be treated only in a concise manner. As the author, however, judicioufly refers, at the close of each fubject, to the best writers, for more particular information, his work may ferve as a useful introduction to the feveral branches of knowledge it treats of; leaving the learner to his choice or propenfity to purfue farther any one in particular, while it gives a pretty competent idea of them all. The fubjects of the fecond volume are, Female AccomplishmentsModefty-The Government of the Paffions-Epiftolary Correfpondence-Subordination in Society-Behaviour in Social and Civil Life-Love and Marriage-The Management of a Family-Religion.-On all which Dr. Afh has felected the moft pertinent fentiments that are to be met with in the best writers in our language. On the whole we recommend this compilation as one of the moft ufeful, agreeable, elementary tracts, that can be put into the hands of youth of both fexes, whether under a courfe of regular education, or defirous of fupplying the want of it. S. Poetical Excurfions in the Isle of Wight. 4to. 2s. 6d. Conant. To this performance is prefixed a very extraordinary dedication to Lord Camden; whom the author affects to admire for a fingular reafon, his having been honoured with the cen fure fure and calumny of Administration. Of himself he speaks in full as fingular a ftrain. "Should I, in my Situation, with my Feelings, and with my dear bought Knowledge, infult you with a foolish Flattery, that couched no felfish Defign; or fhould I endeavour to win you to my. Interest by an artful Panegyrick, I fhould be particularly, and wantonly criminal. I am formed by Nature with a Love of focial Pleafure; and perhaps with a Tafte for focial Elegance: yet it hath pleafed Providence always to affign me very humble Accommodations; and He hath obliged me to pafs many of my Hours in Converfation with myself. When Wifdom cannot perfwade us, my Lord, Habit compels us to adopt a Degree of Philofophy. I feel my Spirit every Day exalted nearer to Independence; and I am happy in this Improvement, though the Caufe of my moral Difcipline is not very foothing to my Vanity. In the fevere, but falutary School of Adverfity, I found that my Existence was to be fupported, adorned, and recreated by internal Supplies. Hence I endeavoured, as far as I was permitted by my Abilities, and my precarious, fluctuating, and limited Situations, to expand, enrich, and invigorate my Mind. In the Effects of my Endeavours I have not been difappointed. In the worst of Seafons, they have been my active, my noble, my exhilerating Refources. While, in very trying Emergencies, I have enjoyed the Dignity of Reafon, and the Luxury of Imagination, I have looked with Pity, from my homely Solitude, on the glittering Slaves of Wealth, and Grandeur. Surely that Man has not lived in vain, who, in a licentious, and venal Age, can be happy without fenfual Pleafure, and who fears not the Frown of a Tyrant.". Whether this author, hints at any particular perfonage, under the name of tyrant, we prefume not to guefs. We could with, however, he had been a little more explicit in fome parts of this curious dedication. It is, to be fure, mortifying to fo dignified and independent a fpirit, to confefs fubjection to principalities and powers; it is, therefore, with confiftency he tiles himfelf a fubject of the English Conflitution. He is too high-fpirited, we fuppofe, to own himself a fubject of the king. We hope, of courfe, for the honour of his independency, that he does not eat the king's bread or receive the king's pay; if he does, he might have expreffed himself more modeftly-As to the performance itfelf, his poetical excurfions are full as eccentric and extravagant as are his political ones. *** Reliques of Genius, By the late Rev. Mr. Ryan. Small 8vo. 3s. Dilly. In a well-penned advertisement, prefixed to this Mifcellany, we have the following account of the author. "Everhard Ryan, author of the following Effays, was the fun of a gentleman of fmall fortune in the North of England. VOL. V. Having difco vered vered early in life an affection for letters, he was educated for the church. The gentleness of his difpofition, and the elegance of his fancy, led him to prefer thofe kinds of literature that were of a congenial nature: and his favourite studies were moral philofophy, poetry, hiftory, and criticifm. He was intimately acquainted with the Greek and Roman writers; and had formed his taste on these excellent models. In his temper and character, he joined to the most perfect integrity the warmest affections. His fenfibility indeed was too exquifite, and expofed him to real, and perhaps to fome imaginary fufferings. He feemed a plant of a texture too delicate for the ftorms and inclemencies of the world in which he was born. His father's fortune being fmall, his chief dependence for an establishment in life, was in the patronage of fome diftant relations, perfons of wealth and of intereft. Some of thefe he loft, by untimely death; and others in a manner perhaps more painful, by a change of affections unmerited and unaccountable. He is now where no favour of men can do him fervice, and no unkindnefs can give him pain. Of a conftitution not very robuft, of feelings too exquifitely alive, and ill-fitted to bustle among the candidates for wealth and preferment, he fell into a lingering diforder, that in his twenty-fifth year, put a period to his life.The following Effays lay by him a confiderable time; and, according to the fuggeftions of his friends, and of his own excellent tafte, they received occafional correction. They are now offered to the public by a perfon who wishes to do honour to his memory, who was intimate with him from his earliest years, and who will cherish to the latest hour of his life, the remembrance of his elegant conversation, and amiable manners. The Reliques of this Genius, here publifhed, are eleven in number, fix in verfe and five in profe. Our readers may form fome idea, of the poetical abilities of the author, from the firft; which we. felect, as a proof that the editor has not been altogether partial to the talents of his deceased friend. UTHER, and the SON of OWEN. An OD E. "Fofter'd by fountains and cafcades, The paitoral melodies are heard. Doletully flow'd the tuneful lay Erewhile, when Urza's bloody fword was bar'd. Down the green valley, vengeful as he past, Fly, fon of hoary CWEN, fly! The gloomy ravager draws nigh. In vain, intrepid boy, in vain A defperate rival, fierce with jealous fires, "Aw'd, or fubdu'd, my truant spirit dies. Wilt thou anticipate the morn: Pours on the gale its plaintive ftrain ? Long thall the breezes waft thy mournful fighs, The fubjects of the other poems are, The Power of Abfence -A Hymn to Induftry-The Genealogy of Winter-An Epitaph on General Wolfe-A Farewell to Poetry. The ti tles of the profaic are, The Ruin of Albert, a Tale-The Woes of Alcinoë-The Progrefs of Ambition-The Dupe, a Character-Obfervations on one of the Odes of Horace.-In the laft piece the author endeavours to exculpate Horace from the charge of want of connection, brought against him by Lord Kaims in his Elements of Criticifm, and inftanced in the 13th Ode of the Second Book.-We are not of opinion, however, that he has fully obviated that excellent critic's objections. S (2 W. A Letter |