on the neceffity of bringing to perfection the Nomenclature of Chemistry. The fecond by M. de Morveau, explaining the principles of the Methodical Nomenclature. The third by M. de Fourcroy, illuftrating the Synoptical Table that accompanies it. To thefe are added two Dictionaries of Synonyms, viz. the Old, with their correfponding new names, and the New, with their correfponding

old names.

The utility of fymbols is fo great in explaining the doârine of compound attractions, that they may be confidered as abfolutely neceflary. The old fymbols, as ufed by Bergman, are inapplicable to the antiphlogistic theory, and its nomenclature; on this account Meffrs. Haffenfratz and Adet have invented a new fyftem of fymbols applicable to the French opinions.

As the antiphlogiftian hypothefis ftill wants the fupport and evidence of experimental facts, we therefore fufpect it will not last long. An explanation of the technical terms ufed by eminent writers is, however, highly neceffary for the tyro, and even in the prefent inftance for the adept: and as the French chemifts have adopted the terms and fymbols here explained, we think that the English reader is obliged to Dr. St. John for furnishing the intelligence in an Englih drefs.

GYMNASTIC EXERCISES,

Art. 39. Art. 40. The Complete Art of Boxing, according to the modern Method, &c. 8vo. 2s. Follingfby. 1788.

Modern Manhood; or, the Art and Practice of English Boxing, &c. 8vo. 1s. 6d. fewed. Parfons, &c.

Art. 41. The Battle-royal, or the Effects of Anticipation; with Strictures on The Odiad, an Heroic Poem *. With the Letters between Humphries and Mendoza, &c. Svo. 1s. 6d. Symonds. 1788. No. 1. of the pamphlets in this clafs, enters circumftantially into the theory and hiftory of this delightful eye-darkening, jaw-breaking, fcull-cracking amufement; and furnishes a variety of anecdotes, which cannot fail of proving acceptable to thofe who have a tafte for the fubject. No. 2. is of the fame character, but, perhaps, fomewhat more elaborately written. No. 3. has altogether the air of a catchpenny; it has more wit than the two former pieces, but lefs hiftory; that is, more froth, and lefs fubftance.

Art. 42. The Book of Pfalms illuftrated, by an improved Tranflation of the proper Pfalms, more conformable to the Hebrew Original, and a poetical Verfion of each agreeable thereto; with Notes critical and explanatory, in which the Prophecies of the Meffiah are particularly pointed out; being an Attempt to render the reading of the Pfalms, as a Part of Divine Service, more intelligible and instructive. By a Layman. 8vo. 2s. Robinsons.

A more intelligible and inftructive method of using the Pfalms of David in divine fervice, than that which is at prefent adopted, is certainly very defirable: but we cannot think that the introduction

* See Art. 45. of the POETRY.

of

of this layman's verfion and imitations would be any improvement. The former is inelegant, and abounds with fingularities; the latter are scarcely more poetical than the ancient doing into English by Meffrs. Sternhold and Hopkins.

Art. 43. The Wrongs of Africa. A Poem. Part the Second. 4to. 28. Faulder. 1788.

After the particular account which we gave of the first part of this poem, it may be fufficient to fay, that this fecond part breathes, no Îefs ardently than the former, the true fpirit both of poetry and of humanity.

Art. 44. Beaver hunting; a modern Fable. 4to. 6d. Strachan. 1788.

This poem is of the fatirical kind, and breathes a little of the fpirit of Dryden. The following lines will fcarcely be difpleafing to our Readers:

Immortal Efop! whofe fagacious pen
Inftructed brutes to speak and act like men,
Permit one tale, by thee rehears'd of old,
In modern circumstance to be retold:

"The Hunted BEAVER!"-Gorging in the caft
An hungry hound defcried the amphibious beaft:
The hound of northern breed, alert and true,
Smelt the rich Caftor, and its value knew:
His fearching nofe detects the tainted track;
He opens-and is follow'd by the pack.
The confcious chace his ftrong attraction knows:
He lops the bag, and down the treasure throws.
The northern hound fecretes his tempting prey,
And flily leads the clam'rous pack away.-
Homeward they trudge; and ceas'd their noify ftrain,
The hunted BEAVER fafely treads the plain.
A needy cur this artful trick remark'd:

(The most vociferous cur that ever bark'd!)
Much fam'd for howling loud and howling long,
Alarming ftill the pack, yet ever wrong:
The pack at laft his hackney'd voice defpife,
Nor heed th' eternal babbler when he cries.
Vext, he determines by one more endeavour,

To rouse their zeal, and calls-" to hunt the BEAVER !"
A fav'rite fport he knew-for which he panted,

Hopeful the chace would drop the gift he wanted.
Where? where the pack rejoin-we cannot fpy one.
See yonder in the caft." Why that's a Lion!"
No, when the tainted zephyr this way blows,
The Caftor-fcent will frike your confcious nofe.
He gives the alarm, and briftling up his fur,
Howls, and is follow'd by a mungrel cur,
Half Greyhound, half he was of Spaniel kind,
This all before, and that complete behind.
Who roaming once to fill his hungry maw,

Bark'd; and the Lion ftruck him with his paw ;

Νο

No BEAVER, well he knew! but fmarting ftill,
He urg'd the pack to hunt him and to kill.

The howl becomes infectious through the place.
Staunch hounds accede, and puppies join the chace.'

One of these hounds, at length discovering his mistake, exclaims-
• This is no BEAVER which the pack pursue.
Let us defift: the cafe is now too clear;
Trust me my friends, you'll find no Cattor here.
No Caftor-'tis unfufferably strange!
Then let the pack purfue him for revenge!
HOWLER replies-Long fince I warn'd this creature,
(BEAVER or not, whatever be his nature :)
In founds fo loud, and epithets fo foul,
The distant sky was blacken'd with my howl *;
Him, him it was my purpose to pursue;
I need not fay for what-for well he knew.
His time was ample, rich, and rank his pasture:
He might have fill'd a thousand bags with Caftor
To blunt our rage.-Then be the chace more hot;
Tear, mangle, worry him who brought it not.
This is a common caufe that needs no fpur,
The caufe of every Caftor-loving cur!'

This comparifon of the fituation of a certain honourable gentleman with that of the Hunted Beaver, will by many be thought particu❤ larly happy; while others who are perfuaded of the good and virtucus motives which have prompted his purfuers to press him hard, will be offended at the infinuation here meant to be conveyed. to ourselves, we pretend not to any opinion on the matter.

As

Art. 45. The Odiad; or Battle of Humphries and Mendoza: a Heroic Poem. To which is added, a prefatory Difcourfe on Boxing. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Lowndes and Chriftie. 1788.

The poet feems to laugh at his fubject, as well he may, both in his verfe and his profe panegyric on the gymnaftic art of boxing." He has, however, one couplet which deferves to be quoted for its fingular felicity of expreffion :

⚫ Bold Humphries totters,-foil'd in ev'ry thwack-
Head, eyes, ears, nofe, lips, teeth, loins, belly, back."

The title of Odiad is taken from the name of the town, the gymnafium on this occafion, Odiham, in Hampfhire.

Art. 46. The Country Book-Club; a Poem. 4to. 2s. 6d. Lowndes.

1788.

A pleafing defcription of a fequeftered village, of a reading fociety established in it, and of what ufually paffes at their meetings. We have been particularly entertained by the poet's recital of the poor, the very poor, curate's joy on the fuccefs of his printed fermon, with the favourable report of it in the Reviews. The whole is well imagined, and agreeably difplayed, in a vein of eafy, natural humour, properly fuited to the fimplicity of the fcene, and the cha

How can a bowl be said to blacken the sky?

racters

racters introduced into the poem. The following lines, from the sketch of the curate, may be given as a fpecimen :

-For many years he walk'd his parish rounds,
And ferv'd three diftant cures for thirty pounds.
And this, with fome few shillings by the week,
For teaching his rich Vicar's children Greek,
Was all he ever gain'd of hard-earn'd pelf,
To feed two orphan fifters, and himself.
'Tis faid, indeed, he was fo very poor,
That e'en the ftarving vagrant, near his door,
Would hide his fickly face and wooden leg,
And bravely flagger by-afham'd to beg.--'

An etching, reprefenting the principal members of the club at a focial meeting, is given, by way of frontispiece; and it is not deftitute of humour.

Art. 47. Vulcan's Rebuke. Submiffively addreffed to the Worshipful Peter Pindar Efq. by his affectionate Coufin Paul Juvenal, Gent. &c. &c. 4to. 35. Scatcherd and Co. 1788.

The moft ftriking proof that can be given of Peter Pindar's preeminence, as a man of rhimes,' is his powerful attraction of the minor bards of the day, who follow him like the small birds that usually attend the flights of the kingly hawk. But let us defcend to a more familiar allufion, and afk a fair quellion. Why should Master Peter bear fo hard on a certain unfortunate gentleman on account of one folitary creeper?-He, who, himfelf, fo prodigioufly fwarms! 'Tis aftonishing what a multitude of thefe poetical vermin crawl about and feed on him! Surely it is impoffible for him to maintain them all! Some of them, we fear, are in a fituation not much better than that of Churchill's Scotch fpiders.

DRAMATIC.

Art. 48. Ximenes; a Tragedy. By Percival Stockdale. 8vo.

Faulder. 1788.

23.

Inftead of this tragedy, we fincerely with our Author had given us a 9th fermon, for notwithstanding the ftrictures in a foregoing article, p. 57. he evidently merits more applaufe as a theological than as a dramatic writer. While we admire his ingenuoufnels in telling us, that the acceptance of his play was politely declined by Mr. Harris, the Manager of Covent Garden Theatre, and that his friend Mr. Jerningham, doubted its theatrical fuccefs, we were neceffarily led to fufpect that as a play it must have fome defect. Our perufal of it has convinced us that the fufpicion was not ill founded. The piece favours too much of his facred profeffion, and the fentiments and expreflions with which it abounds, are more calculated for the pulpit than the ftage. There is nothing in it worthy the name of plot, little that can intereft us, and as little to entitle it to the name of a tragedy.

* Vide account of his Eight Sermons in the preceding part of this month's Review.

The

The chief bufinefs of this drama confifts in the Spaniards endeavouring to convert the Moors to Chriflianity; the fcene lies in Granada in Spain. Ximenes, regent of Spain, a pious old man, takes great pains, by prayer, and frequent quotations of Scripture phrafes, to enforce the perfuafion of the evangelical doctrine. In the first fcene of the fecond act, he enlarges on the blefings of eternity, talks of the deathless regions' where we shall fee and know the Deity, where we shall converfe with worthy men made perfect,' and range through infinite creation.' 'All the people of the court ufe fimilar language, and Giraldo, a Spanish officer, begins his prayer to the Supreme Being with the awful addrefs Father of mercies !' If there be any character in this piece which interefts us, it is Leonora, a Spanish princefs, in love with Zaigri, a Moorish prince. She is forbidden by her father to marry him, on account of his being an infidel; but our apprehenfion for the destiny of the lovers is foon removed by Zaigri becoming a profelyte to the Chriftian faith; his converfion being undertaken by the good Ximenes, who, adopting the language of St. Paul to Agrippa, first interrogates him, Beleveft thou this faith?' and then exclaims, I know that thou believeft. To which Zaigri, in the words of King Agrippa, replies, Almost thou perfuadeft me to be a Chriftian.' Even the courtship between Zaigri and Leonora appears to have been theological and metaphyfical; for the latter fays,

we fhould, there, converfe,

As we were used, in facred dialogue,

On virtue, on eternity, on God.'

Leonora, too, occafionally, prays moft fervently; and in the fublime language of devotion, calls on the Father of the universe, the omnifcient Author of the human frame, &c.'

The prayers and pious fentiments of the principal characters are all long and laboured; and we cannot but exprefs our furprise that it fhould never occur to the Author (who has fhewn himfelf by his writings to be a man of fenfe) during the progrefs of this devout compofition, that it would be totally incongrucus with the scenes of a play-house, and ill calculated to pleafe the audience of a theatre. On ferious reflection, however, we make no doubt, he must be convinced, that prayers, texts of Scripture, references to the Meffiah, catcalls, and the vociferous importunities of orange-women, together with the licentious clamours of the galleries, muft, when mixed together, form a moft heterogeneous medley. An Inquifitor-general is introduced on the ftage, who mercifully wishes, for the benefit of the unbeliever,

To plant the horrid ftake, to pile the faggot,
To light the fire, and burn him into heaven-'

and could the actual reprefentation of an Autó da fé have been brought about, this piece would have been better entitled to the appellation of a tragedy. At prefent, as we obferved before, there is little to render this term appropriate. The good Ximenes is indeed poifoned; but as at our first acquaintance with him he is old, and finking through natural infirmity to the grave, we are little affected by the circumstance which haftens his diffolution; efpecially fince a