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Mr. Fotter has annexed to th's Far Mufarus's Greek poem prefixed to Aldus's edition of Plato, and addreied to Leo the Xth, for which that Prince made him an Archbishop, . His reasons for annexing this poem, of which he has given a very good Latin verion, are thelo;—1ft, Because it is not in Serranus's edition of Plato, and, confequently, not fo much known as it deferves; 2dly, To fhew the great merit of thote Writers, who, by many of the armed, are treated with great contempt.

MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For OCTOBER, 1762.

POLITICA L.

Art. 1. The Expediency of a Peace, deduced from a candid Cemparifon of the respective States of Great Britain and her Enemies. 8vo. 15. Cooke.

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Midft the wretched trash daily difgorged from the prefs, it is fomething to meet with a pamphlet of common fente and decency, fuch as this now before us, wherein we find a tolerablý juít reprefentation of the relative flate of Great Britain and her Enemies : and if the Author does not display all the powers of an able Rheto rician, he, neverthelefs, approves himfelf a good Citizen and a dif creet man.

That Peace is necefiary for this kingdom, no moderate and dif paffionate man can doubt; but as it is, at least, equally neceffary for our enemies, it behoves us not to accede to any terms but fuch as are adequate to our fucceffes; always remembering, that it is neither juft or prudent to infift on retaining any acquifitions but fuch as are reafinably expedient for the purpofes of fecurity and indemnity. The Writers, therefore, who contend for and againft Peace, are premature: the question, among unprejudiced people, is not whether Peace is expedient, but what kind of Peace is expedient?

Art. 2. A Letter to a Member of the Honourable House of Com mons, on the prefent important Crisis of national Affairs. 8vo, Is. 6d. Morgan.

This is one of thofe felf-delegated Dictators, who, on this impor tant Cris, ftep forth to ring the changes on the trite topics which have, long fince, been hackneyed by every antiminifterial Scribler. The fum of his advice is, that we fhould annihilate our enemies; and that fach acquifitions as we cannot keep, we should blow up. This, in

deed,

deed, is a short road to univerfal dominion, But fuch furious Politicians are fitter for the camp than the cabinet: and if we may judge from the ftyle and manner of this Writer, he is probably better qualified to handle a mufket than a pen. If any fhould think us too fevere, let them undergo the drudgery of toiling through upwards of threef.ore dull futile pages, and then be patient if they can.

Art. 3. Some Reafons for ferious Candour in relation to vulgar Decifions concerning Peace or War. In a Letter to a Friend. 8vo. 6d. Henderfon.

"I obferve, fays this Writer, the prefs groans under a load of SoLICITATIONS for WAR; but there feems to be no fiber reasoning in IT."If the Reader chufes to be lulled with fober reasoning, that is, with that kind of fobriety which proceeds from conftitutional phlegm, rather than from philofophical moderation, we recommend this foporific dofe to him, in which he will find a great deal of fober reasoning, without any vigorous ratiocination.

Art. 4. An Enquiry how far L*** B*** merits the exalted Character given him by the Briton; and the Politics and Principles of the Briton and Auditor expofed and refuted. 8vo. Is. Williams.

A flaming zeal, and a petulant fpirit, run through the whole of this Enquiry. While the Enquirer is correcting the abufes of others, his very cenfure is exprefled in the groffeft terms of inelegance and fcurrility. We are of opinion, that the indignation of this Writer will do his Lordship as little prejudice as the eulogiums of most of his Advocates will do him fervice.

Art. 5. A Letter to the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, Common Council, and Citizens of London, concerning the Peace now in agitation between Great Britain and France. 8vo. 6d. Hinxman.

What Mr. Britannicus means by addreffing this poor defence of the prefent Ministry to the Gentlemen mentioned in his title page, we are at a lofs to guefs; unless it was with a view to the fale of a copy to each member of fo numerous a body-politic: that were an allow able motive, indeed, and no reasonable man would blame him for it. But his fuccefs, in this refpect, is much to be doubted; as the majority of the faid Gentlemen may be fuch competent judges not only of the value of money and time, but of the subject likewife, as not very readily to fubmit to a tax of fix-pence a head, for the fake of Jearning our Author's fentiments about and about it :-efpecially as they may come at them fifty per Cent. cheaper, in every ale house within the Bills of Mortality.

Art.

Art, 6. A political Analyfis of the War: The Principles of the prefent political Parties examined; and a juft, natural, and, perfett Coalition proposed between two Great Men, whofe Canduct is particularly confidered. 8vo.. 1s. T. Payne.

The Coalition propofed by this moderate and fenfible Writer, is fuch as we believe will be more readily affented to by the public in general, than by the parties here meant, viz. the Earl of Bute and Mr. Pitt.

In delineating the principles on which both these great men have acted in their respective administrations, our Author fees nothing but what is amiable, patriotic, and national," Their ultimate object, fays he, is one and the fame, the glory, honour, and felicity of Great Britain. The means of obtaining this object is Peace, in which they are likewife both agreed; but have differed with refpect to the means by which it fhould be brought about. Mr. Pitt would accomplish it, by a vigorous unrelenting profecution of the War; Lord Bute, by the gentle, equitable, and candid difcuffions of negociation.-LB while he continues open to the method of negociation, has, during the courfe of his miniftry, employed the whole force of the nation in diftreffing the enemy, and enlarging its conquefts. Mr. P-, fince his refignation, has fteadily and invariably exerted himself as a member of the legislature, in recommending the fupport of our Allies, the faithful accomplishment and continuance of our plan of connections on the Continent; the pushing the enemy on all fides, and the liberal fupply of whatever fums may be requifite for enabling his Majesty and his Minifters to effect all thefe purposes.-Here, adds our ingenious White-wafher, we fee, not only the point wherein these two great men differ, but we fee each of them in his own proper character, not only blamclefs, but abounding in merit, and the strongest public affections; defiring, intending, and advancing the intereft and good of their country."

Mr. P. at the time of his refignation, conceived a War with Spain to be unavoidable; but the fame degree of conviction, we are told, had not then appeared to L. B.- Soon after, however, in confequence of Lord Bristol's difpatches from Madrid, L. B-, and the adminiftration, became convinced of the impracticability of avoiding a Spanish war, and immediately began, with vigour, to prepare for the event. Had this, fays our Moderator, been conceived a fhort time before, there had been no caufe for Mr. P's refignation; and being apprehended now, there remains no longer between them any real difference of fentiment upon this matter. And he thinks, that as the point of honour concerning the advances to be made on the one fide or the other, feems to be the only obftruction to a perfect reconciliation; and as the difcontents which have been raised in the minds of the people are rifen to a height that renders it neceffary to difpenfe with punctilios, it feems requifite to reinftate Mr. P. in the fame department and management of the war which he occupied before his refignation. Such a Coalition, he takes it for granted,

would

would produce the happieft effects; "Hence might we see war, fhould it be fill neceffary to continue it, crowned with victory and conqueft, extending, enriching, and fecuring the greatness of a free and happy people, under the bold and enterprizing genious of P—; and the national finances applied, with the highest integrity, occonomy, and judgment, to their true and national ufes; virtue, genius, and the polite arts, encouraged and diffused among the people; and a British Parliament, in all its genuine and conftitutional height of glory, unfolicited, unpenfioned, and unbiaffed in its operations, under the candid, honeft, and difcerning fpirit of B-"

Our worthy and well meaning Author indulges himfelf not a little in this pleafing Pifgah fight of Britain's future happinefs, in confequence of this fuppofed Coalition; but, on the other hand, fhould this promifing event not take place, he turns the flattering per pective, reverfes the fcene, and prefents a melancholy view, indeed: "the laurels gathered under one adminiftration, torn and blatted under another; a glorious, fuccefsful, and advantageous war, wound up in an in glorious, unprofitable, and difadvantageous peace: attended with fuch a national difcord and ferment of fpirits, as will enfeeble and weaken the government, and reduce it to the fame placid, timid, temporiz ing conduct, that rendered the Walpolean fyftem fo odious at home, and ridiculous abroad.'Which GoD of his infinite mercy prevent!

MISCELLANEOUS.

Art. 7. Obfervations on Mr. Sheridan's Differtation concerning the English Tongue: Shewing the Infufficiency of the Caufes affigned therein for the Difficulties in our Pronunciation, and pointing out the real Caufes thereof; together with the numerous Errors of the Author relative to our Language. Part I, By J. English. 8vo. 6d. Kingman.

Mr. Sheridan, in his Differtation concerning the English Tongue, [See Review for July laft, p. 69.] obferves, that the perplexed Hate of our fpeiling. is the reafon why the pronunciation of our language is fo impracticable to foreigners. One of the caufes which he affigns for this irregularity in English fpelling, is, that a firit of pedantry objected to the alteration of our Spelling, in order to fuit it to our founds, Left the derivation of words fhould be loft by fuch changes. Mr. J. English enters into a full examination of this caufe, and endeavours to fhew, from the influence of pedantry upon other languages, that in its own nature and inclinations it tends upon the whole rather to wards regularity than from it; efpecially that it did fo in France, by confpiring with the univerfal voice of that nation, in fixing their tongue by fome ftandard rules, and ftopping capricious innovators in due time and place. He goes farther, and affirms, in oppofition to Mr. Sheridan, that the fact which he (Mr. S.) alleges, is not true, there being fcarce any traces of pedantry in our tongue.He is an acute and fenfible Writer, and many of his obfervations are not unworthy Mr. Sheridan's attention.

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Art. 8. Cicero on the compleat Orator, in three Books or Dialogues, infcribed to his Brother Quintus. Tranflated into Englifh, with Notes and Illuftrations. By George Barnes, Barrifter of the Inner Temple. 8vo. 6s. Rivington.

The following fpecimens may ferve to give the Reader a fufficient idea of this heavy, verbofe, and inaccurate tranflation.

Nam me quidem fateor femper a genere hoc toto fermonis refugiffe, et tibi cupienti et infanti faepiffime negaffe, ut tute paulo ante dixifti : quod ego non fuperbia neque inhumanitate faciebam.

Jam vero ifla Conditione, dum mihi liceat negare poffe, quod non potero, et fateri nefcire, quod nef ciam, licet, inquit Craffus, vefiro arbitratu percun&emini.

Dicam equidem, quoniam inftitui, petamque a vobis, inquit, ne has meas ineptias efferatis.

For as to me, you have juft declared, that I have even avoided all this kind of difcourfe, and have often denied it to your earneft inftance and defire; which I neither did from haughtiness nor want of humanity.

Now then, on this condition, that I may have liberty to deny what is beyond my capacity, and confefs my ignorance of what I really do not understand, you may, fays Craffus, make any inquiries you think proper.

I will recount them, fays he, fince I have undertaken it, but must beg you not to blab my follies abroad.

Indeed, Mr. Barnes, your exercife is very faulty: you muft go into a lower form.

Art. 9. Effays and Meditations on various Subjects. By a
Phyfician. Edinburgh printed by Gordon. 12mo. 2S.
Longman.

We acknowlege ourselves not very fond of exhibiting before the public the private Reflections and Meditations of the clofet: these are generally fo much of a perfonal nature, and fo much connected with the peculiar circumftances of the Writer, that they are not often well adapted to public ufe: when not intended to be made public, they may be very good indications of the difpofition and temper of the perfon from whom they came; and they may ferve to fhew in what manner he employed the hours of his retirement; it is in very few instances that they are of great or general utility.

The Eflays upon Retirement and Old Age, will generally be read with pleasure: the qualities which render the former agreeable, and the latter refpectable, are well reprefented. In the third Effay, the Author leads us, by means of a dream, or vifionary reprefentation, to a view of the Soul's employment after death; in which we are inftructed, that it is only by an improved understanding, and pious and good

difpofitions

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