The Seducers. A Poem. 4to. 2s. 6d. Kearfly.

This mufe, like other feducers, has her share of an infinuating talent, which though not in fo great a degree as to captivate our judgement, is fufficient at least to procure her a place among the clafs of agreeables.

Athelgiva, a legendary Tale. 410. 1s. 6d. Wilkie.

The prefent poem, which is partly founded on tradition, but chiefly indebted for its fable to the imagination of the author, is written in that agreeable ftyle of fimplicity which diftinguishes the old English ballad. The defcriptive parts are curfory, and the incidents only few; but where the fancy is not amufed with invention, the defect is fupplied by a tendernefs of fentiment, that gently excites the heart to fympathetic emotions. Academic Trifles. A Collection of Poetical Efays. 4to. 21. E. Johnson.

This publication confits of a Prologue, a Remonstrance for a new Gown, an Ode to Winter, an Ode to Sleep, two Sonnets, two of Horace's Odes imitated, and an Ode on the Power of Love. All these pieces, except the laft, are in blank verfe. -They are juvenile productions.

The Camp Guide: in a Series of Let'ers. 410. 15. Fielding and

Walker.

Thefe Letters are from enfign Tommy Toothpick, to lady Toothpick, and from mifs Nelly Brifk, to mifs Gadabour. The names of the perfonages may give fome idea of their characters; but fuch as are defirous of farther acquaintance with them, may refort to the camp, where, we doubt not, the ori ginals form a confiderable number.

A Vifit from the Shades; or Earl Chatham's Adieu to his Friend Lord Cambden. By Henry Lucas, Efq. 410. 2s. 6d. Hooper and Davis.

If fublunary honours can extend their influence beyond the tomb, lord Chatham's fhade has been abundantly gratified." Amidst the approbation of his country, fo publicly bestowed, the prefent temporary production can be confidered only as a fmall poetical tribute, difproportioned to the perpetual fame of the character which it celebrates.

The Devil's Wedding. A Poem. 4to. 15. 6d. Bladon.

His Satanic majefty having fignified his intentions to marry the princefs Homa, it was neceffary, that a proper chaplain fhould be provided to perform the ceremony: and that ladies of the bed-chamber and maids of honour should be appointed, for the establishment of her majefty's houfhold. Several gentlemen of the gown, and ladies of the ton, affert their pretenfions to thefe honourable employments. This plan affords the author an opportunity of fatirizing fome confpicuous characters. The ftyle of this piece is, in general, tolerably well adapted to the fubject; and fometimes not unpoetical. For example:

• Upon

Upon the beach a lofty pile was rear'd ;
Ten thousand architects at work appear'd.
As on the tinkling ores the hammers fell,
Melodious airs rung through the vaults of hell.
Now choral, now refponfive, now in parts,
The foothing numbers chear infernal hearts.'
But fometimes the poetry is below mediocrity.
Such venial fins I had not deign'd to name,
But for to put my opponents to shame.'

25. Bew.

The Temple of Imposture. A Poem. 4to. The author falls afleep with the Koran in his hand, and in a dream fees the mofque, which contains the tomb of Mahomet at Medina, converted into an extensive temple, filled with the fculptured figures of Ignatius Loyola, Aldebert, Joan of Arc, Perkin Warbeck, Eliz. Croft the fpirit of the Wall, Eliz. Barton the maid of Kent, James Nailor the Quaker, Mary Tofts the rabbit woman, Fanny Parfons the Cock-lane ghoft, and fe veral other impoflors. After these he discovers Furina, the god, defs of thieves, attended by a number of Turkish enthufiafts, fuperftition, prieftcraft, papal myftery, frantic zeal, hypocrify, perfecution, Mahomet, and the apostle of the Foundery.

This piece is of a more poetical caft than some of the author's former publications*, the plan being much more fufceptible of defcriptive imagery.

The Patriot Vifion. A Poem. Dedicated to the Memory of the Earl of Chatham. 4.10. 2s. 6d. Bew.

To this Poem is prefixed the fubfequent advertisement.

The author of the following Poem takes the liberty to inform the candid reader, that he had not written a fingle line, nor in the least degree thought, of The Patriot Vifion, till a week after death of the great perfon to whofe memory it is dedicated. He therefore prefents it to the public with great diffidence of its merit; but, however, could not defer its publication, as the prefent itate of national affairs may change, and deftroy in a great meature the effect honeftly intended by this compofition

The reader is at liberty to admit or to reject this apology, as 10 his wifdem fhall feem good. With regard to the performance, we are of opinion that it flands in need of fome apology. It is unequal, and bears evident marks of hafte and inattention. Our poet ftands upon the fea-beat ftrand of the Isle of Wight,

That fea furveying, where fublimely rides
Britannia's fleet, and waits the dread command
To Scatter vengeance d'er a guilty land.
When, at dread intervals, the folemn roar
Of cannons, thundering through the watery fhore,
Proclaimed aloud that Chatham was no more.'

}

The Saints, a Satire; Perfection, &c.

F 3

This

This circumstance naturally leads the bard to afk the fleet, what tutelary ftar fhall now direct its courfe? With thefe re. flexions, he retires to fleep; but, of courfe, not to reft. Fancy immediately hurries him to a certain poetical valley, where whep his raptured eye

Marked a new luftre trailing through the sky;
Within it, charioting, fublimely rode

M

The gorgeous image of the Pythian God,'

Apollo conducts him to the paradife of patriots, where he finds and describes all the fons of Britain who have been immortalifed for the love of their country, from Alfred down to Chatham, of whofe reception among the heavenly hoft our poet was lucky enough to be an eye witnefs. The poem and the vifion conclude with one general chorus of Arm, Britain, arm!?

"

In this vifion we have found a very few good lines, and two or three original ideas. With more time, and much more pains, this writer might produce fomething deferving the public at

attention.

Excelent ufe is made of Milton's epithet arrowy,'-Arrows, unluckily, are not modern weapons of war.

The temple rings with harmony divine.
Not fuch as thunders in the arrowy air
When battling cohorts clash in fiercest war-?

Thefe lines remind us of a ridiculous impropriety, when Shakspeare's Bofworth-field hero bids his bow-men draw the arrows to their heads, and the play houfe troops courageously draw their many twinkling fwords.-The commander fhould either change his orders, or his men their arms.

An Ode to the warlike Genius if Great Britain. 410. 25. Bew.

more the title of this Ode our readers will expect to find it

1

calculated to promote war than peace. It is indeed particularly calculated for that purpose, Whether our modern Tirtaus will fing in vain, or not, a little time will discover. The following lines are above mediocrity.

Genius of Britain! view the plains
Where military virtue reigns.
Pallid Fear her vain alarms
Idly fpeads. While glory warms
Th' intrepid foul with her celeftial charms,
The standard rears, and calls to arms:
Ye fons of Britain hear!

From her refulgent fphere

Aloud the fhouts, and opes the bright abodes.
Of heroes, and of demi-gods:

The great examples fire-
-To deathlefs deeds infpire.-
The fons of freedom rife-they claim
Their birthright-the reward of fame;
They glow with energy divine

And from their polifh'd arms, the fun-beams brighter fhine.

• Gallia's

Gallia's pale genius ftands aghaft,
(The lilies wither in her hand)
Her fleets receive the favouring blaft,

But dare not feek the adverse land.
On England's thick embattled fhore
She hears th' awaken'd lion roar.'

The poet, fi des nominis bujus bonorem, makes good ufe of the beautiful duchess of Devonshire's being a descendant from the martial duke of Marlborough.

We would take the liberty to hint that neither Pindar nor Shak/peare, whofe joint infpiration our ode-writer intreats, would have advised him to hitch Coxheath or Warly-common in a rhyme.

Bellona; or, the Genius of Britain; a Poetical Vifion. 4to. r. Greenlaw.

Happy Britain! who has a genius for almost every day in the week. Good intentions will excufe much worfe lines than thefe. We are told, in the preface

• To rouse the dormant fpirit of my countrymen, to animate them by the example of their ancestors, and the fenfe of their own danger, this little poem is intended. In the breaft of the candid critic, the intention will in fome measure palliate the execution. Temporary productions rather claim the indulgence, than provoke the cenfure of the judicious. Poetry resembles painting, a hasty fketch may exhibit a bold and mafterly outline; but it is time and induftry alone can mellow the colouring, and give grace and elegance to the compofition.?

In poetic vifion, our author difcovers the genius of Britain, with proper infignia and attendants, upon the Kentish fhore, contemplating her guardian fleet; and beholding at a distance her warlike encampment-The lines which follow may ferve as a fpecimen of the Poem

Close by his fide, her golden arms unbound,
In graceful pile adorn the flow'ry ground,
The gift of Vulcan; and of heav'nly mold,
With living sculpture rifing on the gold;
In mimic life here armies tread the field,
The wars of Britain graven on the fhield;
Heroes, who fierce invading hosts withstood,
Martyrs, who feal'd their freedom with their blood;
Courageous kings, in well-fought fields approv'd,
By fubjects reverenc'd, and by Heav'n belov'd;
Patriots, who for their country dar'd to die,
And chiefs applauded by pofterity!'

This performance concludes with a speech from the Genius of Britain, with part of which we fhall clofe this article.

"Nurfe of heroic deeds and daring men, Genius of war! defcend on Britain's plain;

F4

O warm

O warm my fons with more than mortal fire!
Nerve ev'ry arm, and ev'ry breast inspire!
And thou, Bellona! mount thy blood-ftain'd car,
High poife thy helm, and meditate the war ;
Nor fpurn thy thirsty fpear and blood-ftain'd robe,
'Till Fame fhall hail me miftrefs of the globe;
'Till Britain's flag fhall awe the fubject main,
'Till the freed Corfican contemn his chain,
And humbled Bourbon bleed at ev'ry vein."
She faid and ceas'd-then high difplays in air,
Th' hiftoric fhield, and waves her martial fpear;
Heroic ardour flies from band to band,
And war re-echos thro' the joyful land.'

America Loft. A Poem of Condolence. 4to. 15. 6d. Lewis.

This Poem is addreffed to Britannia, poor defolate lady! to whom the lofs of America could hardly prove more painful than the condolence of fo mean a poetafter.

POLITICA L.

The Subftance of General Burgoyne's Speeches on Mr. Vyner's Motion, and upon Mr. Hartley's Motion. 8vo. Is. Almon.

Copied from the public papers, in which it is probable thofe Speeches have been perufed by the greater part of our

readers.

A Glance at the Times: with a comparative View of London and Glafgow. 8vo. 1s. Becket.

The vifual organs of this writer appear to be variously actuated, by contemplating the feveral objects of his attention through the medium of politics. He feems to view the prof perity of the city of Glafgow with a sheep's eye, and to examine the characters of fome of the patriotic leaders with a reflecting telescope. There is however fo much good humour in all his glances, as afford no ground to fufpect the fmallest degree of fafcination.

Obfervations on the Scheme before the Parliament for the Maintenance of the Poor, with occafional Remarks on the prefent Syftem, and a Plan propofed on different Principles. 8vo. Is. Wallis.

A performance which would deferve our praife, even if it were executed with lefs ability, and if it difcovered lefs knowledge of laws and men. It is thus, by a patriotic communication of ideas, that the legiflature of any country gains information. The plan this fenfible writer propofes merits the ferious confideration of parliament.

A Letter to Sir George Saville, Bart. upon the Allegiance of a British Subject. 8vo. IS. Robfon.

The defign of this Letter is to unfold the principles of allegiance, and conftitutional fubmiffion to government, as the