fonages engaged in fome purfuit, and incidentally difclofing their tempers, their humours, and their foibles. This certainly is not the cafe with refpect to the prefent play. No main intereft is kept before the eye. Amid a variety of fubordinate interefts, not one is made important enough to arreft our attention. Nothing excites curiofity; nothing imprefes us. In every comedy there fhould be a principal action, and all epifodic, or inferior concerns, fhould move with that; fometimes croffing, accelerating, or retarding the main event; and all either having an influence on that event, or brought to a conclufion by it. In this principle of the dramatic art, Lady Wallace is deficient. The characters are many, but, we think, not drawn with due ftrength of colouring. On the whole, however, we fee indications of a dramatic genius; and we therefore recommend to this Lady, before the ventures forth again, to study the principles of the art, and to fee them exemplified in fome of our best comedies. The lefs the reads of modern productions the better: a writer may be led by fuch a comparison to be too easily fatisfied. Lady Wallace complains, in her preface, of a party, headed by the Daffodils, Macpharo's, and Lords Bonton of the day. If that be true, we agree with her that no play could make head against such a combination : but this we can add, that it has been our lot to have perused some modern pieces, acted, as it has been faid, with great applaufe, which did not appear to us, in fentiment and obfervation of the manners, to deserve a longer life than this piece,-which is now no more. POETRY. Art. 36. The Scottish Village; or, Pitcairne Green: a Poem, by Mrs. Cowley. 4to. 2 S. Robinfons. 1786*. This is a poem on a village, which Mrs. Cowley says she never faw. She read a paragraph in a Newspaper giving an account of the ceremonies ufed in marking the boundaries of a village, to be erected at Pitcairne Green, for the purpose of introducing the Lancashire manufactures. She dropt a tear on the paffage, we cannot tell why; but intends in this poem to give both the tear, and the feelings which made it start. We are inclined to think that the tear was dry, and her feelings effaced, before he began to write. No defcription of a place fo remote could be expected; and, of the pathetic, we find little, or rather nothing. The paffage which trikes us moft, is the tribute of praife here paid to Mifs Burney, which, though unconnected with Pitcairne Green, we fhall give as fpecimen of Mrs. Cowley's compofition: Attention, tir'd with fancied fcenes like thefe, What pen but BURNEY's then can footh the breast? * This article has been delayed through accident. A pow'r A pow'r peculiar all her portraits fill. Mrs. Cowley is alarmed, left her village, and that of Dr. Goldfmith, fhould be contrafted, and the deprecates fo fatal a comparifon. But we think she may fet her heart at reft: the danger, which The apprehends, will never happen. Art. 37. The Eaftern Theatre erected*; an Heroic Comic Poem, in three Cantos. 4to. 2s. 6d. Brown. 1788. This fcenic painter has been writing, not on canvas, but on a cloud,-which has vanished from under his pencil. Art. 38. Brother Peter to Brother Tom. An Expoftulatory Epistle. By Peter Pindar, Efq. 4to. 3s. Kearsley. 1788. The prefent publication will effectually contradict the report, fo current of late, that the mouth of its ingenious author had been ftopped with a fop from the Royal dripping-pan. Nothing of that fort is here indicated, but much to the contrary:-much implication that his appetite, as well as his fatire, is as keen as ever. The poor King- is ftill the thing:-the theme, we should have faid, of Peter's comic left-fhouldered panegyric.. But what hath the heir apparent done, that he should not fhare his father's honours? Somehow, or for some reason, which time may poffibly reveal, the P is, at prefent, held in very different eftimation by Squire Peter; who hath here contrafted the virtues of his Royal H—— fs with those of the Son: and this in a manner greatly to the advantage of the young Gentleman.-Mafter Pindar! this muft, furely, be a very delicate matter to manage! But it is your affair, not ours; and we have, therefore, only to repeat our acknowlegment of the hearty laughs with which, from time to time, you continue to treat us :-The Laureat, too, is entitled to our thanks: "He claims them by a Canon; That without which a thing is not, Art. 39. The Wrongs of Almoona, or the African's Revenge. A Narrative Poem, founded on Hiftorical Facts. By a Friend to all Mankind. 4to. 3s. 6d. Lowndes, &c. 1788. We know not to whom the Public is indebted for this affecting piece; but the Author informs us that he is not unacquainted with the fubject of African wrongs; that he was five months on that coaft; that he went thence to Jamaica; and that he has been witness to scenes which would have fhocked apathy itself, and made the fterneft ftoic weep.' The following is his account of the ftory on which his Poem is founded: *The Royalty Theatre, lately erected in the eastern part of the city, but now deferted, for want of a legal eftablishment. 9 • In In the year 1655, the island of Jamaica, at that time in the poffeffion of the Spaniards, was attacked and taken by Admirals Penn and Venables, and Colonel D'Oiley. Among the number of flaves who joined the English, one was particularly distinguished, who is here called Almoona. Some time before the invafion of this ifland, his mafter had forced his wife from him, of whom the unhappy African was distractedly fond. He had frequently, in the ftrongest and moft pathetic manner, intreated his master to restore her to him, but in vain. On the arrival of the English, he found an opportunity of feeing her; and after he had affured her that the was as dear to him as ever, he told her it was not poffible for him to take her to his arms, but that he would affert the rights of a husband, and free her from her mifery; upon which he immediately plunged a dagger into her breaft. He then fled to the English, met his master in the field of battle, and flew him.-Hiftory informs us that he was declared free, and that he died in 1718, having ever bewailed his misfortunes in gloomy folitude.' Such is the outline of the poem of Almoona, the benevolent fpirit and intention of which, we highly approve; but forry are we to add, that we cannot fay fo much in praife of the Poetry. The Author, it is true, feels as a Poet, and is frequently happy in the embellishments of imagery, &c. which he has bestowed on his narrative; but he is not fufficienty killed in the tuneful art, to afford great delight to those who have formed their tafte on the best models. Let the goodness of his defign, however, and the modesty of his pretenfions, compenfate for thofe defects which a difcerning reader may obferve in his numbers. His piece might have been wrought into a Tragedy very fimilar to Southerne's Oroonoko; the ftory being very fufceptible of poetic and dramatic embellish ment. Art. 40. Neglected Genius: or, Tributary Stanzas to the Memory of the unfortunate Chatterton. By the Author of the Indian Eclogues. 4to. Is. Lowndes. In thefe ftanzas, Chatterton is confidered as one of the greatest geniuses that ever lived. The Author thinks the highest injustice has been done to his memory by thofe writers (fome of them men of very confiderable eminence) who have published their fentiments concerning this moft ingenious but unfortunate youth. He is particularly incenfed against them for having fo grofsly depreciated his moral character. As to his poetic abilities, our Poet is to the utmost degree lavish of his encomiums. He even ranks him with Shakespeare: and all this excefs of praife is founded on the fuppofition [indeed be takes it for granted] that Chatterton was himself the fole author of the poems which he afcribed to Rowley.-Admitting this-and few will now difpute it, every good judge of poetry will allow, that the Bristol boy has difcovered a moft aftonishing genius. The bufinefs of this poem is,, not only to celebrate the Mufe and deplore the misfortunes of Chatterton, but to chaftife those who flood forward to villify his good name. Mr. Walpole is found among the delinquents. For a fpecimen of our Author's poetic talents, fee *See his apologetical and fenfible preface. our account of his " West Indian Eclogues." Review, October 1787, p. 283. NOVELS. Art. 41. The Niece or the Hiftory of Sukey Thornby. By Mrs. P. Gibbes. 12mo. 3 Vols. 9s. fewed. Noble. 1788. The chief bufinefs of novel writing (fays the author in her Preface), the English as likewife the French, has been for many years, with fome few exceptions, to fet gallantry, diffimulation, and amour, in a pleafing point of view; but the publication of the following fheets arifes from a different motive. It is in order immediately to teach the innocent and unwary to fhun the toils of the defigning, and give them a faithful picture of the fatal confequences of being enfnared.' The defign is undoubtedly good; but we can fay little in praife of its execution. The language of this novel is frequently according to the following example. Us lively girls, are a kind of falamanders, no flame confumes us.' After employing the oblique cafe with fo much elegance at the beginning of a fentence (it is a woman of fashion who speaks), the writer fhould certainly have concluded it by the nominative: No flame con. fumes we.' Art. 42. Fatal Follies: or the Hiftory of the Countess of Stan more". Izmo. 4 Vols. 12s. fewed. Robinsons. 1788. The feeming pleasures of a life of diffipation, and the miferies ufually attendant on it, together with the influence which the manners of the rich and great will neceffarily have on the furrounding multitude, who are feldom given to thought or reflection, are in thefe volumes delineated with tolerable spirit. The example of Lady Stanmore, a woman who fuffers herself to be hurried into the vortex of fashionable follies, is happily contrafted by that of the virtuous Mifs Leicester, an humble companion to the aforesaid lady, who, after experiencing contumely and injury at her hands, is raised to a state of honour and happinefs; while her libertine and infolent patronefs is univerfally deferted and contemned. A late démêlé in the fashionable world has furnished this work with feveral embellishments. Art. 43. Retribution. By the Author of The Gamefters, &c. 12mo. 3 Vols. 9s. fewed. Robinfons. 1788. Zeuxis, to form the portrait of an Helen, is faid to have chofen, from among his countrywomen, the parts which were the most beautiful in each. I like manner with the painter of antiquity, our author has felected the principal features of diftinguished novelifts, and compounded them with fome fanciful graces of his own. The picture, however, is neither of a striking nor a pleafing kind. There is a want of fymmetry and proportion in the parts. The hooked or aquiline nofe would appear prepofterous when fet upon a Chinese face. In a word, this artift is not fufficiently attentive to harmony in bis drawing. He feems to be fully fenfible of the value of the feveral beauties he has borrowed, but wanting in judgment to blend them, fo as to compose an excellent and unexceptionable whole. To drop the figure-This performance is ftrictly moral; and in the example of the diffipated Mrs. Prefcot, who plays upon the weakness of an amiable husband, a good and profitable leffon will be found for the doting and infatuated man. - For our author's former work, Th Gamefters, &c. fee Rev. Vol. 75. p. 230. Art. 44. Laura: or Letters from fome Perfons in Switzerland. By the Author of Camille. 12mo. 4 Vols. Hook 10s. fewed. ham. 1788. Thefe Letters are faid to be tranflated from the French. Wrapped in the clouds of a faulty and inelegant verfion, it is fcarcely poffible to determine on the particular merits of the work. The hand of a mafter, however, is difcoverable in it. We do not remember to have feen the progrefs of love in the female breaft fo delicately and artfully reprefented fince the productions of Richardfon and J. J. Rouffeau. The refolution of Laura never to be influenced by the light-winged toys of feathered Cupid ;" the meeting with the man who is fated to be her husband, and for whom the almost inftantly entertains a paffion; the ftruggles with herself to view him with indifference; the giving her school-mate an animated and interesting defcription of him; the mentioning that he was attentive to every perfon prefent but herfelf; the declaration that fhe was exceedingly rejoiced at it, as fhe had therefore the better profpect of paffing her days in quietnefs and repofe; the obferving that the women, fhe was wholly unable to conceive why,' appeared to be greatly interested about him, with other fimilar traits; are admirable fpecimens of the writer's addrefs, and of his knowlege of the human heart. Some excellent political reflections are likewife fcattered through thefe volumes, not unworthy the attention of Jawgivers, and rulers of states. If the bookfeller would procure a good tranflation of this work, we think he could not fail of finding his intereft in it. MISCELLANEOUS. Art. 45. Thoughts on the Importance of the Manners of the Great, to general Society. 8vo. 25. Cadell. 1788. A well-written perfuafive to a regular conduct, and to a strict ob. fervance of decorum, among thofe who figure in the higher walks of life. The influence, indeed, of the manners of the great, on thofe of inferior rank, is of the utmoft confequence to fociety; and therefore our juperiors, as they are called, are under more than the ordinary obligations to be circumfpect in whatever they do, and to take especial care that they fet good examples. We are glad to find that this very valuable tract hath obtained fo much of the public notice, as to have arrived at a fifth edition in about two months; and we hope that this may be fome indication, that the age is not quite fo frivolous, or diffipated, as it is generally reprefented to be.-Though poffibly, after all, it may have happened, that this excellent little volume hath not been most read by thofe for whom it was chiefly intended. It has been obferved that finners, for whofe reformation religious books are published, are not the people who read them. Art. |