and furely deferves mention. The Pavillion*, attributed to Mrs. Crefpigny, and the Knights of the Swant, tranflated from Mad. Genlis, accompanied each other in our firft notice, and may here be commended together. In their different ftyles they both exhibit proofs of female ingenuity and skill in writing. The exact definition of a novel may not perhaps include the Letters of a Hindoo Rajah‡, by Mijs Hamilton; but as a work of imagination, containing an ingenious feries of fictitious adventures, we fhall not fcruple here to arrange them. They will be found to offer abundance of delicate fatire, and many other qualities by no means of daily oc currence. CRITICISM. A few pages of Obfervations on Hamlet, written by Mr. Plumptres, though they did not convince us of the hypothefis affumed, fatisfied us that the author poffeffes talents for fuch enquiries. Three Effays, from an anonymous writer, on Dramatic Compofition ||, and other fubjects, deferve alfo to be mentioned with praife. But the largest critical work which has lately been before us, is the volume of Obfervations on Pope, into which Mr. Wakefield has collected the obfervations he had prepared for his intended edition of Pope's works. In this book, amidst many effufions which a cooler judgment would have repreffed, are proofs of reading and recollection, with many useful remarks. LANGUAGES. Refpecting the Greek Language, there is no queftion which the learned have more anxioufly difcuffed, than that of the antiquity and ufe of its accentual marks. In an Effay on the Profodies of the Greek and Latin Languages, which we lately took occafion to notice, the former of thefe points is with great ability investigated, and the latter is attempted to be folved by ingenious and original conjectures. The diligence and ability with which the Latin Language has been diffected and arranged by Mr. Salmon, in his Etymological Dictionary, entitled Stemmata Latinitatist, deferve the highest commendation; and we fhould be extremely forry could we fuppofe it poffible, that fo much learning and application fhould not be rewarded with a permanent and extenfive fale. Two Grammars of modern languages have lately been before us, both of which appeared to us to poffefs peculiar merits. Thefe are, the Italian Grammar of Mr. Perettit, and the French Grammar of M. Hamels. The former undertakes with boldness the task of cenfuring and correcting Veneroni; the latter has facilitated fome part of the learner's task, by good and comprehenfive rules. MISCELLANIES. We advance towards the clofe of our account, and here fhall unite thofe works which could not conveniently be arranged under the preceding heads. We cannot here omit to mention the Mifcellaneous Works of the late Mr. Gibbon: a publication which they who are studious of literary history, will not fail to examine. It difplays much acuteness, accompanied by indefatigable diligence, with a minute and inceffant attention in the writer to his own fame, which cannot eafily be paralleled. The amuling Mifcellanies of Mr. D'Ifraeli will attract, we doubt not, many readers; they offer exactly what they profefs, "Literary Recreations," and fuch recreations as none but the faftidious will reject. The mind of the author has now been long employed in fpeculating upon such subjects; and what he collects he difpofes with a tafte, and delivers with a vivacity, which ever muft be pleasing. Mr. Seward, another gentleman who employs his literary leifure in providing amusement for the public, has added to his Anecdotes of diftinguished Perfonst, a fourth volume, containing many interefting particulars. This work, which has confiderable reference to biography, we have fometimes mentioned under that head; wherefoever it may be claffed, it will not often be omitted in any collection of entertaining books. Three Dialogues on the Amusement of Clergyment, contain a good fpecimen of that fpecies of writing, and many valuable remarks. We have lately heard them afcribed to Mr. Gilpin, which with us accounts fufficiently for the merits they poffefs. For want of fimilar works, to accompany them under their proper heads, we shall here mention Mr. Kollmann's Efay on Harmony§, and Mr. Chamberlayne's publication from the defigns of Leonardo da Vinci ; the former a very scientific treatife on musical compofition; the latter a magnificent work of art, confifting chiefly of engravings, and well calculated to accompany the beautiful heads from the drawings of Holbein, which have been published by the fame editor. Our account must here be clofed. Unlike the discontented traveller, who goes from Dan to Beersheba, and pronounces all barren, we have ranged ↑ No. IV. p. 441. No. II. P. 157. + No. VI. p. 593. No. III. p. 322. In our article on this fubject, p. 323, l. 11. we obferve a remarkable erratum, of fictions for fections. No. IV. p. 419. through through the principal departments of literature, and found them all productive. Such, we doubt not, will always, be our lot. The produce of the foil may fail more cafily than the produce of the mind: and when we lately felt a fcarcity of corn, we neither perceived nor apprehended a fcarcity of books. TABLE |