endeavours to convince the public that, in confequence of the propofed fubftitution, a great annual faving would be made by every proprietor in the kingdom. Could there exift any fhadow of probability that the author's plan ever will be adopted, it would merit more minute confideration; but, notwithstanding the pains he has taken to explain and enforce it, we apprehend that his demonftration, whether imaginary or not, will prove entirely ineffectual.

The Crifis of the Colonies confidered; with fome Obfervations on the
Neceffity of properly connecting their Commercial Intereft with
Great Britain and America. Addressed to the Duke of Rich-
mond: with a Letter to Lord Penrhyn, late Chairman of the
Committee of Planters and Weft India Merchants. dvo.
Bew.

1s. 6d.

This author argues for the utility of a free port in the West India iflands; and the place he propofes is a fine bay in Gree nada, where he thinks there ought alfo to be a royal dock, for the ufe of the English fhips of war employed in the protection of thofe colonies. The old Leeward iflands, he obferves, require affiftance, to afford which, he points out a mode that would not injure the public revenue. According to his ftatement, the four and a half per cent. now paid and levied in each island, after the deductions, before the fugar, for the payment of it is exported, and before the fales are completed on its arrival in England, leave not in the public coffers one half of what is paid by the planters. He therefore proposes that this tax fhould ceafe to be paid in the West Indies, and that one half of what he terms the prefent ideal tax be paid on the ar rival of the fugar, together with the prefent English duties. To give general relief to the planters and fugar-merchants, he alfo recommends to have fugar bonded, in the fame manner as tobacco, in public ware-houfes; or if the merchant, on enter ing the fugar when it arrives, would allow a douceur, instead of giving his bond for future payments, fuch an alternative would often be productive of cafe; and, from the opulent merchant, immediate payment of the duties would give life and efficiency to the revenue.

Among the propofals recommended by this author, is that of a free trade between the British West India islands and Ame rica. As arguments in favour of this measure, he mentions the former habits of commerce between thofe islands and the continent, and likewife the reciprocal friendship which would refult from à revival of fuch intercourfe. These are doubtless confiderations which ought to be allowed their due weight; but they would have merited greater regard, had the author previously removed the ftrong objections, offered by lord Sheffield, and other writers, against this much agitated proposal,

The Power of Gold difplayed. By Frs. Spilsbury. Folio. 6d.

Mr. Spilsbury has changed his argumentative style into vehement declamation; and has filled fix folio pages with a bitter Philippic against the medicine act and the minifter. If he has any specific in his difpenfary against madness, we would recommend that he be allowed to fwallow it gratis, for the extraordinary care which he has taken of the health and pockets of his majesty's liege fubjects.

POETRY.

Apologia Secunda: or, a fupplementary Apology for Conformity. 8vo. 6d. Bladon.

It may be proper to remind fome of our readers of the Apologia prima, publifhed fome time fince. It was the Apology of a minifter of the church of England (the Rev. Mr. Newton, rector of the united parishes of St. Mary Woolnoth and St. Mary Woolchurch) for quitting his religious connections with the Diffenters, and conforming to the established church *. The Apologia was anfwered by a Diffenting minifter,' under the title of A Shield for Proteftant Diffenters, in thefe Times of Inftability and Mifreprefentation +.' The two Epiftles, before us, are a fecond Apology, addreffed in an ironical ftyle to the Awakened Clergy,' a term by which the conforming minifters were addreffed in the Apologia. The tendency is to expofe fome apparent contradictions in the ceremonies of the church of England, and to point out its near approach to the ceremonies of that of Rome. In a fprightly work of this kind, we ought not to expect new arguments or connected reasoning: it is enough that we are amufed by a lively reprefentation of what have been esteemed errors; and, in this way, we think the Layman's fuccefs is not inconfiderable. Ecce fignum.

To fchifmatic objections now having attended,
And as we were able our mother defended:
We'll speak of the ufeful wife rules the enjoins,
Well guarded by fpiritual courts, and by fines.
And fince whatfoever belongs to the gown,
Tho' fmall it may be, fhe efteems as her own;
(For trifles regarded are ever of use
As trifles neglected much ill introduce)
She wifely directs both to colour and shape,
And instead of gay lace, will allow only tape;
And tho' upper garb, fhift from fable to white,
Supporters must always be dark as the night.
Then pray, honor'd clergy, regard your strict vows;
Take heed that moft decently black are your hofe ;

* See Crit. Rev. vol. lvii. p. 318. † Crit. Rev. vol. lviii. p. 77.

And

And let not the night-cap be deck'd out with lace,
Left fuch a gay turn fhou'd endanger the place.'

Moral Fables. 12mo. 35. Robinfon.

We fufpect that we are indebted for thefe Fables to the ingenious author of the Letters on Taste and Genius. In this work he has affumed a humbler guife, and condefcended to inftruct in the ancient and fimple form of Fable. Compofitions of this kind do not ftrike by the brilliancy of genius, or enlarge the mind by new and unexpected difcoveries. It is fufficient, if they are plain and fimple; and this praise we can fafely bestow on the Fables of our benevolent author. The morals also are drawn with truth; they are extended beyond the ufual length, and instead of didactic dulnefs, are rendered pleasing and entertaining. On the other hand, we perceive no great variety of fubjects, nor are the old ones enlivened by new incidents, or entertaining defcriptions.

The introduction is clear and easy: we shall extract from it the diftinction between Allegory and Fable, rather on account of the illustration than for the accuracy of the definition.

The terms Fable and Allegory are frequently used indif criminately, and perhaps cannot admit of definitions wholly diftinct from one another. To allegorize truth under a fable, is not held an improper expreffion: and yet Fable, in the fimpleft fenfe, and as fop understood it, that is, excluding the fables of the epic, of the drama, of romance, and novel, may be confidered as diftinct from allegory. This would be found to be the cafe, were we to have recourfe to painting as a criterion. In that piece of Holbein called Death's Dance, we fee emperors, beggars, and others of intermediate stations led up promifcuously, and without regard to rank. In this painting, the allegory is obvious. But were we to fee a landscape containing, among other objects, an Afs and a Dog, a Frog and a Moufe, an Oak and a Reed, or other fubjects of fopic fables; we could not know what fable the painter intended, or whether he meant any fable at all: much less would we be enabled to form any conjecture relating to a moral fenfe.'

In fact, when human paffions are perfonified under the names of brutes, the Fable becomes to all intents and purposes an Allegory, But, when it relates to human conduct, which, though often under the influence of the paffions, is not the object of the apologue, whoever are the perfonages, it is then a Fable. That of the Belly and the other Members, by which Menenius Agrippa checked the tumult at Rome, deferves the name of a Fable, though no animated being is introduced : that of the Grafhopper and Ant, though not ftri&tly an allegory, on the other hand, approaches nearly to it. This fubject is however too extenfive for our prefent difcuffion: we can only

lay

lay a foundation, on which ochers or perhaps ourselves may fome time build.

T

Poems on feveral Occafions. By the late Edward Lovibond, Efq. Small 8vo. 35. Dodsley.

The editor informs us that the author was a gentleman of fortune, and molt refpectable character; that his poems being difperfed in the hands of different friends, his brother, at their request, communicated to him the following pieces for publication. The firft, intitled, The Tears of Old May-Day: written on the reformation of our calendar according to the general ufage of the rest of Europe, and publifhed in the eightyfecond N. of the World, poffeffes much poetical merit, and is inferior to none in the collection. We mean not to infinuate any thing difrefpe&ful in regard to the others. Some are exceedingly pleafing, and none fink beneath mediocrity. His defcriptions are often truly picturefque, and his ftyle eafy and elegant. Two or three fhort poems, writtten by a Mifs Ginferted in this publication, are entitled to the fame praife.

The Fall of Scepticism and Infidelity. 8vo. 35. Cadell.

If the verfes fail of conferring praife they will manifeft the defire; and fhould the notes want force to rectify one notion in an ingenious and enquiring reader, he must fill think they teach nothing that would (in) any wife hinder the welfare of mankind.' This declaration is modeft, and the author's design laudable, but we cannot fpeak fo highly of the execution. Neither the verfes nor notes in general are remarkable for perfpicuity, or ftrength of argument; fome fenfible obfervations, however, not fo accurately expreffed as we could with, are to be found in the latter.

The Pittiad, a poetico-political Hiflory of William the Second. Se cond Edition. 4to. 35. Jarvis.

No publications circulate more rapidly than those which expofe to ridicule illuftrious characters, on which account we are not furprised at the Pittiad's having arrived at a fecond edition. The conduct of the minifter and his adherents is here exhibited in a ludicrous light, with fome degree of humour. The wit is not very poignant; but abufe alone is fufficient to recommend a performance of this nature,

The Obfequies of Demetrius Poliorcetes: a Poem. By Anne Francis. 410. 15. 6d. Dodley.

For an account of this hero, the fair author refers us to the fifth volume of Plutarch's Lives, from whence he has extracted a relation of the magnificent manner in which his funeral rites were celebrated, and which forms the fubject of the poem. Demetrius was the fon of Antigonus, one of Alexander's most famous captains and fucceffors; and not altogether unlike that

great

great hero in his virtues and defects: addicted to pleasure, yet enterprising and magnanimous, he experienced, to a high degree, both the fmiles and frowns of fortune. Being taken prifoner by Seleucus, he died, after three years confinement, in the caftle of Cherfonefus in Syria. The poem opens with a defcription of the fleet his fon Antigonus had prepared to convey his afhes to Corinth for interment.

The brazen prows the fwelling waves divide,
And the brisk eddies curl on ev'ry fide;
Stroke following ftroke the agile rowers ply,
From the fharp keels the deep lafh'd billows fly;
Behind the fterns the foaming furges play,
And the bright veftige marks the recent way.
'Before the feet the regal galley flew,
Her cordage gold, entwin'd with Tyrian blue;
Light danc'd her changeful fireamers in the gales,
And lightly buoyant play'd her filken fails.'

The account of the golden urn which contained the ashes of Demetrius, the votive garlands fent from different cities to adorn it, the approach of evening, and view of the castle of Corinth, are next delineated, and exhibited in the fame pleafing and picturefque manner. The inhabitants, perceiving the fleet approach,

• Slow from the steep defcends the mingled throng,

So

Their heads with chaplets crown'd, their garments white; pours the flock with gradual pace along,

Defcending from Olympus' airy height.

Now from the ftrand they view the neighb'ring deep,
Mark how the gallies o'er the billows ty;
Hear dying breezes thro' the cordage creep,
And greet the dying breezes with a figh.

The chosen vessel touch'd her native shore ;
Hufh'd were the winds-'twas filence all around,
Save where the waves with undulating roar
Lull'd the fad foul with melancholy found,

'Twas then Antigonus, in fable vest,

The big round tears flow ftealing from his eye, Wip'd his wan cheek, and fmote his throbbing breast, In filent woe and hopeless mifery !

Behold him pointing to the royal dead!

Quick and more quick his pungent forrows flow! Each duteous fubject hangs the mournful head,

And drops the tear of fympathetic woe.'

The images in these lines are truly claffical, and elegantly expreffed. Xenophantus, a celebrated mutician recorded by Plutarch, is next introduced, as giving the funeral fong in praise