lofophic indifference to all human miferies which may tend to effectuate their purposes. ART. 45. Differtatio de Rebus Geftis et Eloquentia Gulielmi Pitt, et de Republica ab eo tum pace tum bello adminiftrata. 4to. 25 pp. 2s. 6d. Cadell and Davies. 1797. To write on fubjects of modern hiftory or politics in a learned language is a custom nearly obfolete. Since the time of John Burton, of Eton, moft writers (with the exception of the celebrated author of the preface to Bellendenus) have chofen to difcufs the paffing events, or the characters of living perfons, in their own vernacular tongue. The anonymous writer of this differtation intends probably, by expreffing them in this manner, to diffuse the praises of Mr. Pitt among the learned in all countries of Europe. The Latin ftyle of this author rather wants ease than correctnefs; yet it is occafionally elegant; and the topics of praise are at once well chofen, and well stated. After defcribing the ftate difficulties which Mr. Pitt had to encounter, at his firft acceffion to the miniftry, and the very fuccefsful manner in which he at once averted the evils that we feared, and fecured the advantages that we did not even dare to hope, he thus fums up that part of the encomium: "Cum hæc omnia, tam magna, in tam iniquo ac difficili tempore, unius adolefcentis aufpiciis geita effe confideramus, videamus fanè neceffe eft quid poffint ingenua liberalium artium ftudia, quid poffit facundia, quid poffit proba indoles, nutrite faufis fub penetralibus; et fateamur naturam fimul atque doctrinam hunc virum ad omnia magna atque laudanda effinxiffe, celfum hominem ac præclarum" (p. 11). It is reckoned a fault to fall into a metrical arrangement of words in a profe compofition, though fuch paffages are occafionally found in the best claffic authors. A very triking inftance occurs here, in p. 4, Majori ftudio magna ac laudanda capeffat. This is not the first time that Mr. Pitt has been praised in Latin, nor will it probably be the laft. In 1784, the widow of Reiske published the Orations of Dion Chryfoftom, with the corrections and annotations of her deceased husband, and prefixed to the edition a very elegant Latin encomium, in the form of a dedication; in which the lady at once expreffes her attachment to the English nation, and her admiration of this illuftrious Briton. Yet, perhaps, the strongest panegyric upon Mr. Pitt that can poffibly be pronounced, is conveyed in the violent invectives conftantly poured out against him by the most profligate men in Europe, the governors of France, and their ad herents. ART. 46. The Means of faving our Country. 8vo. 165 PP. 35. Lockett, Dorchester. 1797. The author, Mr. Henry Redhead Yorke, in this addrefs to "the Men of England," employs about 17 pages in talking of himfelf (which, indeed, is a cafe not without great living examples); and then propofes three queftions to be confidered; 1. What have we been doing? 2. What are we doing? 3. What ought we to do? On each of thefe topics, he fays fome things well, but more very ex ceptionable; ceptionably; and, in general, he declaims in a manner fo defultory, that it is fcarcely poffible to analyze his arguments. The refult of them is, that we must prevent a revolution by reformations*. Of his political fagacity, an eftimate may be made from the "creed," with which he concludes his tract: " May Great Britain remain for ever a limited monarchy, under the guardian care of the illuftrious Houfe of Hanover; but may the manners and habit of thinking of the people, be purely republican!" (p. 165). We truft, that the people of Great Britain are of a different character; for, he must be a very shortfighted politician, who could not foretell, that a people thus difpofed would not long fubmit to the guardianship of any House whatever. ART. 47. The Origin of Government compatible with, and founded on, the Rights of Man; with a few Words on the conftitutional Object of the Corresponding Society. The Whole addreffed to the Common Sense of every Englishman. By S. Perry, late Editor of the Argus. 8vo. 32 pp. 6d. Jordan. 1797. The imitators of Paine (among whom, both as to matter and doctrine, this author must be placed) have never overlooked, that the main inftrument by which that hardy writer obtained his fuccefs, was the art of giving the air of novelty and importance to remarks in themfelves trite and fuperficial. Mr. Perry, after the model of his prototype, fets out with definitions and diftinctions affectedly abftrufe and profound; and then undertakes to follow up the ftructure of government under all its gradations and changes. We are wearied with poring over thefe fchemes of government from the " Common Senfe" legiflators; and confign Mr. Perry's treatise to the perufal of thofe, who either admire his known principles, or are not yet furfeited with fuch political theories. ART. 48. A few Words of plain Truth on the Subject of the prefent Plain truth differs fo much in the mouths of different perfons, that the man who commends, and the man who condemns the measures of government, lays equal claim to the credit of pronouncing it. It will be fufficient for our purpofe, and that of the public, to say, that the words of plain truth which this pamphlet contains, are words of bitterness to the ruling powers; and predict the most tremendous con. fequences from that fupport which they have fo long enjoyed. ART. 49. The Englishman's Manual; containing a general View of the Conftitution, Laws, Government, Revenue, Ecclefiaftical, Civil, Military, and Naval Eftablishments of England, defigned as an Introduction to the Knowledge of thefe important Studies. By J. Prices 12mo. 3s. 6d. Sael. 1797. This is exprefsly intended for the ufe and benefit of young perfons; but the author intends, if the prefent work fhall meet with encourage. But fee p. 464, where the complete and honourable recantation of this author is noticed. ment ment, to give the world a more enlarged view of thefe fubjects, calculated for thofe of more advanced age." The publication before as obviously merits encouragement; but we queftion the expediency of publishing a more enlarged work of the kind, as we already poffefs many excellent works on the English Conftitution, and the different branches of it, enumerated by Mr. Price in his title-page. MISCELLANIES. Written ART. 50. Obfervations upon Military and Political Affairs. Though the military fyftem has undergone fuch a variety of alterations and improvements fince the days of the illuftrious author of this. work, that it bears but little analogy to the tactics of those times, yet the maxims here delivered (for the book is written under the form of maxims) are fo general, that the greater part of them will never be come obfolete: and though they are diametrically oppofite to the principles which our modern fyftem-mongers are labouring to establish, we are under no apprehenfion of their falling into difrepute. In the Introduction, the editor draws a parallel between the systems of General Monk and General Lloyd, which coincided in many points, particularly in the ufe of the pike, though they difagreed as to its length; Monk directing it to be eighteen, and Lloyd twelve feet in length. The poffibility of ufing a pike of the former length, will be doubted by many, and even twelve feet feems a great length to be directed with accuracy, or fupported with effect. Pikes are of little ufe but againft cavalry, and the longer they are, with the more eafe will they be parried by the broad-fword. Twelve feet, therefore, feems the utmoft length to which they fhould ever extend. The remainder of the Introduction is occupied by the Life of Monk, extracted from Hume's History of England, which may poffibly be thought by fome readers an unneceffary mode of enlarging the bulk of the volume. The fix firft chapters contain general maxims on war, and the duties of generals and foldiers, all of which are founded on the ftricteft rules of justice and morality, and religion is pointed out as the leading principle on which every country fhould rely for the fuccefs of its arms. The nine fucceeding chapters enter into a detail of the formation and difcipline of military bodies, and the mode of conducting an army both in offenfive and defenfive war; but this part differs fo much from the operations of modern armies, that it is rather a subject of curiofity for the antiquarian, than of inftruction to the modern foldier. The remaining chapters treat of the various operations of war, and will afford inftruction to all military readers. The.obfervations in the 27th and 28th chapters, relative to the keeping of conquered countries, and the prevention of civil wars, will perhaps be thought to favour more of policy than morality; allowance must, however, be made for the times in which General Monk lived, when every indi vidual was fmarting under the effects of a civil war, which he had been the principal inftrument of fuppreffing. Experience, we think, must have convinced every one of the truth with which the 29th chapter concludes, and with which we shall ter minate our account of this curious relic of antiquity. "Now to conclude, and speak fomething how neceffary it is for a kingdom, or ftate, to train up their people to the ufe of arms. Such kingdoms where the men are trained up in academies of vertuous actuality, do always keep their honours at an high price, affording at all times men of abfolute and compleat carriage, both for defignment and performance. I account a rich public treasure, providentially provided before hand, and a people well trained in martial affairs, to be two pillars (next under God) that will preserve a kingdom or state from ruine and danger." ART. 51. The Lives of the English Regicides, and other Commiffioners of the pretended High Court of Justice, appointed to fit in Judgment upon their Sovereign, King Charles the Firft. By the Rev. Mark Noble, F.A. S. of L. and E. &c. &c. Two Volumes. 8vo. 125. Stockdale. 1798. We are thankful to Mr. Noble for bringing to a point, what was before fcattered in different works. This forms a convenient and amufing publication, and we fhall be glad to fee a fimilar collection of anecdotes of the Regicides of France; to whom these volumes are dedicated. The first fentence of the dedication is unfortunate; it is this" It is ufual on this fide of the water, to dedicate our volumes to thofe, who, from fome peculiar circumftances, they are moft appropriate." It fhould be to whom they are most appropriate, for fenfe at least, if not for found. ART. 52. A Differtation on Virgil's Eneid, L. i, v. 37; containing Reafons for questioning its Authenticity. 8vo. 22 pp. 18. Sherborne printed; fold by Seely, Paternofter-Row, &c. 1796. Though we have laid it by longer than we intended, we hailed with fome fatisfaction a tract written on a fingle line of Virgil. It was a claffical fymptom; and good literature is one of the many good things which modern arrogance does not always respect. This author thinks the line antæ molis erat Romanam condere gentem." (which, by the bye, is not the 37th but the 33d, unless we admit the four lines ufually allowed to be fpurious, "Ille ego," &c.) to be unfuited to its place, and unworthy of Virgil. His reasons are ingenious and worthy of an elegant fcholar. The strongest among them feems to be that which is founded on the words "condere gentem," concerning which, he confiders it as very unlikely that Virgil fhould ufe" condere gentem" fo very foon after "conderet urbem," v. 5; and alio, that condere" could not, confiftently with the purity of that author, be applied to "gentem." This, however, is difputable; and, it should be remembered, that no trace of fufpicion appears against the line in any MS. or ancient edition; as well as that the fentiment It conveys is admirably calculated to imprefs the Romans with an early feeling of the importance of the poem; the fubject of which, as this implies, was not merely the fate of Eneas, but the founding of their race. ART. 53. A Dialogue, contrafting in each Page and Word, dhe Practice and Propriety of Inglish Speech and Spelling. To'hwich iz fubjoined a concife, but complete Syftem of mutual Adaptacion. 12mo. 34 PP. 6d. Richardfon, &c. 1797. Of Mr. Elphinstone, and his earnest defire to disfigure the English language, under the notion of propriety, we have formerly spoken fufficiently (vol. v, p. 18; vii. 464). Unconvinced by experience, as well as by reafons, he ftill perfifts in printing fuch ftuff as this: "Hwat weddher doo yoo prommife Jon; yoo, hoo are dhus bizzy ftuddying dhe hevvens? Dhe foarce, doutles, ov verry plezing verry proffitabel, az moaft eddifying contemplacion." Whoever will prefer this to the ufual mode of writing, with all its anomalies, muft differ much in tafte from us. The dialogue occupies 11 pages, the reft confifts of precepts, which, if he would have had them obferved, the author fhould have given alfo in the unreformed English; for those who will labour through them in his improved fpelling, will be, we boldly predict, "vel duo, vel nemo.” ART. 54. A Dictionary of Quotations in most frequent Ufe. Taken from the Greek, Latin, French, Spanib, and Italian Languages, tranf lated into English. With Illustrations, biftorical and idiomatic. Cr. 8vo. Eight Sheets. 35. Robinsons. 1797. The utility of this compilation to the unlearned is fo obvious, that it is rather extraordinary that this should be, as we believe it is, the first attempt of the kind. The author at once vouches for its copioufnefs, and accounts for its limited extent in the following terms: If it had been the aim of the compiler to have made a large book, hiş tafk might eafily have been effected. His object was of a more limited nature. He has for fome years looked into every publication political or miscellaneous, and he trufts that his diligence has been fuch as to mifs but few of the quotations which are most popular, or of the phrafes moft neceffary to be understood." It is impoffible that he should have collected all, even of this fort; and therefore a few omiffions are not to be imputed as a fault. "Reculer pour mieux fauter," has been made famous lately, by being introduced by Mr. Burke. The fourth phrafe is not quite tranflated rightly; "a bon chien ne vient jamais un bon os. Jamais, so used, means ever,— "does not ever." After all, the publication appears to execute quite as much as could be expected from it, and with fufficient fuccefs. ART. 55. Thoughts on Elecution. 12mo. 26 pp. 1798. IS. Faulder. Thefe Thoughts are conveyed in the form of dialogue, the appro priate graces of which mode of compofition, the writer has employed Rr BRIT. CRIT. VOL. XI. MAY, 1798. with |