ART. 46. Letter to the Proprietors of Eaft-India Stock, in behalf of the prefent Owners of Eaft-India Shipping. 8vo. 38 pp. 8vo. 38 pp. IS. De

brett. 1795.

Thefe publications refer to a difpute, which, for the prefent, is fettled in favour of the perfons whofe caufe they efpoufe. Whether, at any future period, the proprietors of Eaft-India ftock will think differently; or whether they will be able to refift the influence of the parties interested, which is faid to be very predominant; or whether it may be expedient for them so to do, are questions which we shall not undertake to handle. The arguments in these tracts, however, feem to be by no means unanfwerable.

ART. 47. Subflance of a Speech delivered by Randle Jackson, Efq. at the Eaft-India Houfe, on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 1795, in support of a Refriction of the Honourable the Court of Directors, for conducting the Shipping of the Eaft-India Company in future, upon Principles of fair and open Competition. Reported by William Woodfall; and printed at the Defire of feveral Proprietors of Eaft-India Stock. 8vo. Debrett. 1795.

35 PP. IS.

The oppofite fide of the question is here fupported, and has certainly this general principle of reafon in its favour, that it is not eafy to fee how any contract can be better performed for being confined to certain hands, inftead of being thrown open to feveral competitors. It is for the proprietors to determine, whether the cafe of their shipping forms an exception; and hitherto they have fo decided. The ftipu lation of an adequate fecurity for the due performance of the contract, feems to remove most of the dangers apprehended from a change.

ART. 48. Lectures on Aftronomy and natural Philofophy, for the Ufe of Children; defigned to unite Sentiments of Religion with the Study of Nature. 12mo. 68 pp. 1s. 6d. Dilly. 1794.

We have feen few books fo well calculated to answer the end propofed as this. It is evidently drawn up by a skilful hand, which has contrived to teach fubjects, in themselves abftrufe, in a manner both perfpicuous and entertaining.

ART. 49. Rudiments of conftru&ive Etymology and Syntax. 12mo. 148 PP. 25. Knott. 1795.

The editor informs us in his preface, that he does not pretend to originality, but has endeavoured to attain conciseness and clearness in his compilation. We think he has actually done fo, and can confiftently recommend this volume to thofe who are engaged in the arduous task of inftruction. We much like the author's miscellaneous exemplifications, and exercises of falfe conftruction. This part of the work is, in fome degrce, novel, and cannot fail to be useful.

ART.

ART. 50. Facts for the Confideration of the Public at large, on the bigh Price of Meat, fhewing the real Caufe of the fame, 8vo. 17 pp. 68. Rivingtons. 1795.

ART. 51. Monopoly. The Cutting Butcher's Appeal to the Legifla ture upon the high Price of Meat; in which many of the bafe Practices of Smithfield Market are expofed, and a Remedy pointed out for the Poor. By a philanthropic Butcher. 8vo. 16 pp. 6d. Symonds.

ART. 52. The crying Frauds of the London Markets; proving their deadly Influence upon the two great Pillars of Life, Bread and Porter. By the Author of the Cutting Butcher's Appeal. 8vo. 16 pp. 6d. Symonds.

In a difpute between a carcafe butcher and a cutting butcher, it muft needs be a delicate matter for critics to interfere; we are more difpofed to adopt the foothing language of neighbour Palamon, (genuine or not) et vitulâ tu dignus et hic," than to encourage the difpute, or to crown the victor. But if we are to decide upon the merits of the combatants, we must obferve that the carcafe butcher stands up to his antagonist, neither flinching from his blows, nor fhifting his ground; the other is impetuous, deals his blows at random, and Itrikes widely and ineffectually. The former, in fhort, fticks to the queftion propofed; the latter deviates without a guide into the fields of politics.

ART. 53. Scarcity of Bread. Difficultas Annone; or, The Difenfe examined, and the Cure premised. By Job Whitebread Philoplethus. Svo. 32 PP. 15. Symonds. 1795.

This worthy gentleman is determined that a famine all come, and that we fhall all be ftarved. We truft, however, that he will prove as bad a prophet as he is a writer.

ART. 54. The new experienced English Housekeeper, for the Ufe and Eafe of Ladies Housekeepers, Cocks, &c. written purely for her own Pratice, by Mrs. Sarah Martin, many Years Housekeeper to the late Freeman Bower, Efq. of Bautry. Being an entire new Collection of original Receipts, which has never appeared in Print, in every Branch of Cookery, Confectionary, Sc. 8vo. 173 PP. 5s. Rivingtons.

1795

Glad fhould we be if it fell within our province to speak more decifively on the merits of this performance. Alas! fricaffees, rich foups, and high fews do not often come in the way of literary critics; and they are feldom invited to made dishes, except, perhaps, occafionally, the hashing of a calf's head. As far as we are able to judge, Mrs. Martin is a very ingenious lady, and has produced a book which will be very useful to others, if not to us. If we fhould ever happen to wander within the fcent or favour of fome of her delicious pyes, we hope the will in kindpefs allow us to have a finger in them.

ART.

ART. 55. Biographical Sketches of eminent Persons whose Portraits form Part of the Duke of Dorfet's Collection at Knole, with a brief Defcription of the Place. Embellished with a Front and Eaft View of Knole. 8vo. 164 pp. 6s. Stockdale. 1795.

Thefe fketches are thirty-nine in number; the perfonages were all of them of celebrity, and their portraits were painted by eminent hands, and fome of them by Holbein. The lives contain but little new matter; but the defcription of this magnificent manfion will be welcome to many, and the whole forms an elegant and entertaining volume. The two views of Knole are drawn by Bridgman, and engraved by Sparrow and Storer,

FOREIGN CATALOGUE.

GERMANY.

ART. 56, Recueil des Synonymes Français. Leipfic, 719 pp. in large 8vo.

In the French language there are already feveral approved works on this fubject by Girard, Beauzée, Roubeau, and others. The compiler of this now before us, who figns himself W. only, has, by making a judicious felection of the most important articles from all of them, and by the addition of a very complete index to the whole, prefented the public with a work which will be found more useful, in proportion as it is more comprehenfive, than any of thofe by which it had been preceded. Götting. Anz.

ART. 57. Gefchichte der lutherifchen Reformation, und des deutschen Krieges. Nach den erften Quellen bearbeitet von Karl Hammerdörfer, Prof. in Jena. Erfier Theil; mit Beylagen und Regifter.-Hiftory of the Lutheran Reformation, and of the German War; drawn from the firft Sources. By C. Hammerdörfer, &c. Vol. I. with the Supple ments and an Index. Leipfic, 418 pp. in 8vo.

At the end of the preface the author requests that fuch of his readers as are competent to decide on the merit of hiftorical compofition, would forbear to pronounce judgment on this work till the appearance of the second volume, when they will be more fully enabled to form an adequate idea of the general character and tendency of the whole. In the mean time, he expects them to acknowledge that his materials have been derived from the pureft fources, and that he has not only exhibited an hittorical picture, highly embellifhed indeed by the colouring of the imagination; but that this is likewife a true picture, and, as he would have us to understand beforehand, the only impartially true Hiftory of the Reformation. He conceives, too, that from this volume,

volume, which reaches to the end of the Schmalcaldic war, we may be convinced as well of the reality of his intentions, as of his ability to perform what he thus promifes. This we are certainly very much difpofed to believe, and we fhall, therefore, hope to fee, in the fequel of the hiftory, his authorities for facts, which, as they are not confirmed by the teftimony of other writers, muit, we fuppofe, have been drawn from fources hitherto unexplored; and a further elucidation of arguments, by which, in order to be ftrictly impartial, he fupports opinions that muft likewife be founded on a fyftem of logic peculiar to himself.

In regard to the fupplemental articles, which fill not less than fix fheets, we think it neceffary to obferve that they are entirely borrowed from Hartleder; a circumftance which it had probably not occurred to Mr. Hammerdörfer to point out.

Ibid.

ART. 57. Erklärende Anmerkungen zu Virgil's Ancis heraufgegeben von G. H. Nöhden, und Karl Fr. Heinrich. Zweyte und dritte Theil.-Explanatory Remarks on Virgil's Æneid. Published by G. H. Nöhden and C. Fr. Heinrich. Second and third Vol. Brunfwic, Svo. 1794.

Mr. Heinrich did not begin to take a fhare in this work till the eighth Book of the Æneid. To unite the explanation of words and things, to direct the attention to the poetical language and images, and to do this in the most clear and intelligible manner, was the object of the prefent undertaking, which is calculated as well for the teacher who may have fome occafion to prepare himfelf for the lectures he is to give, as for the learner, and particularly for thofe who have not the benefit of inftruction. This illuftration of the Æneid, therefore, may very properly be confidered as a companion to the excellent Commentary on Homer, by Köppe. It appears, likewife, from their explanations of feveral paffages, that the authors have taken the liberty to think for themfelves. Thus vi. 533, the words, 66 an quæ le fortuna fatigat?" are here rendered, "What fate compels thee?" and in v. 743, Quifque fuos patimur manes;" they conceive that by the term manes is to be understood punishment. So again, viii. 1, it is very juftly remarked, that the verb extulit would not be applicable to the Belli fignum, were it to be interpreted, as it has been by fome commentators, to be a trumpet. Seldom have we met with any unnatural, or far-fetched explanations, fuch as where they hint that by Ida venatrix, the mountain itself may poffibly be understood, iz qua feilicet venatus exercetur. ART. 58. Museum für die griechische und römische Litteratur. Heraufgegeben von Carl Philipp Conz, Diakonus in Vechingen an der Enz im Würtemburgischen.—Museum for Greek and Roman Literature. By C. P. Conz, &c. A periodical Work, of which a Number is to appear every three Months, forming from twelve to fifteen Sheets. The prefent one confiits of 181 pp. in large Svo. Leipfic

and Zuric.

Ibid.

The chief differtations in this volume are, 1. On the Profe and Poetry of the Ancients compared with those of modern Times, by the

H

BRIT. CRIT. VOL. VII, JAN. 1796.

editor.

editor. Of this we have here the first part only; the advantages of the ancient over modern profaic compofition, with an enquiry into the grounds and caufes of that fuperiority. The author is of opinion that we might ourselves beft attain to fomewhat nearly approaching, at leaft, to their excellence by tranflations made from them; two fpecimens of which are here annexed; namely, Cicero on Death and Immortality, being a German verfion of the firft book of the Tufculan Questions, by Prof. Drück; and the Axiachus, on Death, a Dialogue, by, Acfchines, tranflated by the editor. Mr. C. then proceeds to the examination of tranflations made from the Poëts, where he enters on a difcuffion of the opinion of the celebrated Bodmer concerning the Eneid, to which is added: A fort Vindication of that Poem, by Hottinger, 1782. 2. A few words on the queftion, Whether the ancient Poets Jhould be tranflated into their own Measures, or into Verfe accompanied with Rime? As proofs of poetical tranflation, we are here prefented with a verfion of the ftory of Nifus and Euryalus into German, and an other of a paffage of the Meffiah, into Latin Hexameters; both apparently by the editor. The remaining articles are of a local and, therefore, not generally interefting nature.

HUNGARY.

Ibid.

ART. 59. Univerfa hiftoria phyfica regni Hungarice fecundum tria regna Nature digita aud. J. B. Groffinger. Tom. I. Regni animalis Pars I. Ziologia five hiftoria quadrupeanm. Prefburg and Comorra; 591 pp. in 8vo.

Befides a fupplement, in which the author treats of foreign, and perhaps, in fome inftances, problematical animals, arranged in alphabetical order, according to the names which they bear in their native countries, we have here alfo a valuable lift of the Hungarian and Sclavico-Bohemico-Illyrian names, together with a defcription, firit, of domeftic, tame, and then of wild, animals; among which latter are the ftag, rue, chamois, beaver, otter, bear, wolf, lynx, badger, inarten, polecat, weafel, fquirrel, hedge-hog, mole, marinotte, water and field-rat, &c. We doubt not that this work will be found very acceptable to a certain cla's of readers, who will be equally ftruck with the great app. arance of learning fhown by the author, and informed by the accounts which he has given of these animals. At the fame time we think it incumbent on us to obferve, that we were difappointed in our expectation of feeing a complete natural history of this country, which, though it has been fo much favoured by nature, is, however, ftill in this refpeét (for, in regard to its botanical and mineralogical productions more has certainly been done) fo little known. In the preface the author gives a Catalegre rafamé of the most approved works on the fubject of Natural Hisory, particularly that of Hungary, including fuch as have been tranflated into Hungarian, among which that of Bellarmon is not forgot, a tranflation of which has likewife been publified in the Illyrian language.

I

CORRESPONDENCE.