Mary Queen of Scots, as a Portion of Hiftory; Specimens of the Hiftories of this Princefs by Dr. Stuart and Dr. Robertfon; and a comparative View of the Merits of thefe Rival Hiftorians: With a literary Picture of Dr. Robertfon, in a contrafted Oppofition with the celebrated Mr. Hume. 8vo. Is. Evans. 1782. The intended fervices of injudicious friends are often nothing better than real injuries. It is impoffible that Dr. Stuart fhould not think fo, with refpect to this ill-judged attempt to eftablish his reputation upon the ruins of Dr. Robertfon's. The encomiums which the unknown Writer has lavished upon Dr. Stuart are too extravagant to pafs with the public for any thing more than the ebullitions of the most partial friendship: And the cenfures which he has heaped upon Dr. Robertfon are fo illiberal, that every one will, without hesitation, impute them to perfonal refentment and spleen. According to the decifion of this profound Critic, whilft Dr. Stuart is all perfection, in originality of invention, in perfpicuity of arrangement, and in fimplicity, chafteness, ftrength, elegance, animation, and dignity of Style; Dr. Robertfon has not a fingle theory, or a fingle thought, which is not borrowed: he has no pretensions to any kind of genius; his intellect is fhallow and indolent, unenlightened by philofophy, and undisturbed by fcience; he has no powers of reafoning, no knowledge of the world, no extenfive acquaintance with the dead or the living languages; no knowledge of the philofophy of grammar; he impofes upon the public wherever he affects originality his narrative is only fupported by daring and unfcrupulous affirmations and infidious furmifes, and, with fhameless audacity, affaffinates the truth: and laftly, his ftyle is mechanically uniform, gaudy, unchafte, and poor, fit for no other purpose than to exprefs the cant of the pulpit, and only adapted to amuse women and children.The Public, who are infulted by fuch an unsupported cenfure of their judgment in the approbation which they have beftowed upon Dr. R. will doubtless treat this anonymous defamation with the contempt which it deferves. Art. 30. Letters addressed to two young married Ladies, on the moft interefting Subjects. Small 8vo. 2 Vols. 5 s. fewed. DodЛley. 1782. Written with the best defign, and conducted on a very proper plan. The observations which occur in thefe Letters are neither novel nor profound; nor are they delivered in a manner either very forcible or very sprightly. But in general they are judicious, always moral, and Atrictly pure; and the language, though not remarkable for elegance or ftrength, is eafy, unaffected, and perfpicuous. Each Letter treats of fome particular duty more immediately incumbent on married ladies; beginning with religion, and tracing their conduct through the various fcenes of domeftic life, in a moral and focial capacity. In the Fifth Letter, on the Affection due to an Husband,' we meet with the following remark: Men are naturally tyrannical. They will themselves have pleasure, and liberty, and yet always expect we should renounce both. I am not going to enquire whether this right they affume is well founded or not; it is fufficient to fay it is fo. However difpofed we may be to controvert this affertion, or at least plead fome exceptions to it as a position laid down too generally Cc4 generaily and decifively, yet we fully, and without hesitation, coincide with the fair Author's opinion in what immediately follows: A married woman should continually reflect, that her happiness, as well as her power, has no other foundation but in her husband's eleem and love; fo that her whole aim and study must be to preserve both. You mult command your own temper, while you carefully examine his. You must foothe all his afflictions, enjoy his fatisfactions. Your tenderness must relieve his cares; your affection foften his distress; your good humour leffen and fubdue his anxiety; and above all, you muft with the utmoft diligence conceal his infirmities. But the inportant, the grand care of your life must be to preserve his affection; to this great end you must direct your conftant aim. It is this which makes your happiness, and which raifes you to fame and glory. Many women imagine, when they are married, all care to please is over; no farther folicitude is neceffary. But alas! the prize for happinefs muft ftill be won. You must endeavour to preferve the lover in the hufband; to this end every grace must be put in practice to pleafe, every virtue must be called forth to adorn; for you will remember, it is much more difficult to preserve than to attract love!' Art. 31. Mifcellaneous Tracts. By the Rev. Arthur O'Leary. 8vo. 5s. lewed. Dublin printed. 1781. Sold by Mr. Keating, Air-freet, Piccadilly. Some of these Tracts have been already published; and of one we have given fome account, viz. Remarks on Mr. Weffley's Letter in Defence of the Proteftant Affociation. The prefent Mifcellanny confifts alfo of. A Rejoinder to Mr. Weftley's Reply-A Defence of the Divinty of Chrifi, and the Immortality of the Soul;-Loyalty afferted, or a Vindication of the Oath of Allegiance taken by the Catholics fince the Late Act in their Favour ;- An Address to the common People of Ireland, on Occafion of the apprehended Invafion in July 1779-and An Essay on Toleration, tending to prove, that a Man's Speculative Opinions ought not to deprive him of the Rights of civil Society.-Mr, O'Leary is a lively and fenfible writer, arch and fubtle in his remarks, and particularly dexterous in retorting the accufations of the Proteftants. When delaiming against the right of the church to perfecute its members for herefy, he connects the names of Bellarmine and Calvin. He will not admit that perfecution is a principle of the Romish Church, whatever fanction it may have received from the prac tice of fome great names which have belonged to it, or the writings of fome diftinguished members who have been zealous to fupport its prerogatives. I shall examine (fays he in his ingenious Effay on Toleration) the charter which is pleaded in juftification of restraints on the score of confcience. The Proteftant and Catholic are equally concerned in the difcuffion. Each would plead for toleration in his turn, and the honour of religion should be vindicated from the imputation of enormities, which fhould be transferred to their real principles-I mean the paffions of men, or their ignorance of the limits which religion itself prefcribes to their power. I know the difficulty there lies in encountering prejudices which have a long prefcription to plead. I fhall be asked, whether I am ignorant of the refcripts of popes, inferting in the Directory of the Inquifition, the Imperial Contitutions dooming heretics to the flames; the authority of Catholic and and Proteftant canonifts, divines and civilians, Calvin, Ballarmine, Gomar, benches of Proteftant bishops, who gave their vote for enacting the laws, that doomed myself to transportation, and to death if ever I return to my native country, though I am confcious of no crime again ft the ftate, but that crime of a legal creation, viz. faying my prayers while others are curfing? Am I ignorant of the practice of ages, which has given a fanation to fines, forfeitures, imprisonment, and death itself, on the fcore of religion; a practice fupported by the most learned writers of every denomination, and legible in bloody characters in the annals of Proteftant ftates, as well as in the registers of the Inquifition? I answer, that I am not ignorant of the fanguinary rubric that first taught the manner of preparing the human victim for the altar of religion, in honour of a God, who, instead of requiring fuch a facrifice, died on the cross for his creatures, and with expanded arms prayed for his enemies. Neither am I ignorant of the gloomy ritual fubftituted in certain kingdoms in the place of the faggot, and which prefcribes the manner of ftripping the man, in honour of a gospel which commands to clothe the naked. They must both come under the fame description. For if religion authorize to deprive a man of the means of fupporting life, and providing for the education of his children and the maintainance of his family, the same religion authorizes to deprive him of life itself. Religion is alleged on both fides, and as the degree of punishment is arbitrary, and lies at the difcretion of the legislator, he can extend or reduce it to what compafs he thinks fit; and it is well known that a speedy death is preferable to a tedious agony.-But what if I oppofe practice to practice, pope to pope, doctor to doctor? without a cardinal's rope or a bishop's rochet? What if my arguments in favour of the rights of mankind fhould outweigh the reafoning of the purpled or mitred apologift's of its oppreffors? What if my authorities fhould prove more numerous and illuftrious than theirs? What if I should happen to demonstrate, that when they allege religion as a fufficient motive for the exertion of oppreffive power, in fuch an age, or in fuch a country, it must be the religion of time, or place, but not the religion of the gospel?' As a theologift and a metaphyfician, this Writer's reasoning is trite and fuperficial. On fubjects which relate to civil fociety, his fentiments are manly and benevolent; and he will be read with pleas fure by the fenfible and liberal of every fect. Art. 32. Sketches on the Art of Painting; with a Description of the most capital Pictures in the King of Spain's Palace at Madrid. In a Letter from Sir Anthony Mengs, Knight, First Painter to his Catholic Majefty, to Don Antonio Ponz. Tranflated from the original Spanish, by John Talbot Dillon, Knight, and Baron of the Sacred Roman Empire. 8vo. 2 s. fewed. Baldwin. 1782. As we have lately given ample accounts of the very ingenious Chevalier Mengs, and of his works, both of the pen and the pencil, it is unneceffary to enlarge on the prefent publication. We shall only, therefore, obferve, that thofe English readers who have a taste for painting, and who wish to improve their acquintance with its principles, and their judgment of the variety of fiyle in which the most diftinguished profeffors of this delightful art have excelled, will be be obliged to the Baron Dillon for this tranflation of a very critical and entertaining tract. We would, however, recommend to them, while perusing thefe Obfervations of the Chevalier Mengs, an attention to the remarks on his writings, interspersed in our several articles relative to them. See particularly, the Monthly Review for Auguft 1781, and the Appendix to our 65th Vol. Art. VI. alfo Appendix to Vol. LXVI. p. 526-527. Art. 33. The Principles of Free Mafonry delineated. 1777. I2mo. 3 S. This book has hitherto escaped our notice, by not having been as yet published in London; but though it has thus lately come to our hands, it has long fince been reviewed by fome who ought to underftand the fubject better than those to whom the door of masonry has not yet been opened; as will appear by the following imprimatur : Brother Robert Trewman having compiled a book, called, "The Principles of Free Masonry delineated," and having defired that we would give him our fanction for its publication, we finding it entirely to agree with the ancient practices of the Society, do recommend the fame.' Signed by the Provincial Grand Matter and his Officers. If the modern practices of the fociety agree with the ancient, the inference will be greatly in favour of the inftitution; as the best of moral precepts are inculcated in this work. But there is the lefs need to enlarge on its merits, as the brethren, both in converfation and in print, are fufficiently difpofed to do themfelves ample justice. And if the modern induftry of the brethren in mafonical publications does not relax, we may comfort ourfelves with the hope of receiving feme glimmering lights that may at length pervade the ancient obfcurity that has hitherto overshadowed their myfterious affemblies. How the refpectable body of tylers will relish a propenfity that may tend to diminifh the importance of their employments, remains with them to determine. Art. 34. Chronological Tables of the High Sheriffs of the County of Lincoln, and of the Knights of the Shire, Citizens, and Burgeffes in Parliament, within the fame; from the earliest Accounts to the prefent Time. 4to. 2 s. White in Holborn. The profeffed intention of the Compiler of thefe Lifts, is that they may ferve as materials toward fome future hiftory, and topographical defcription of the county: and the public certainly owe their acknowledgments to all judicious labourers who interest themselves in adding to our historical collections. Art. 35. Loofe Hints upon Education, chiefly concerning the Culture of the Heart. Second Edition enlarged. 8vo. 6s. bound. Robinfon and Murray. In this fecond edition of Lord Kaimes's last work, the principal new article is, a fenfible and feasonable difcourfe on the duty of women to nurse their own children: befides which, there are interfperfed through the Work fome additional anecdotes and obferva tions. For our account of the first edition, fee Review for May last, P. 348. Art. 36. The Badge of Folly; or, A humorous Illuftration of the Mottos of the Nobility of England, Scotland, and Ireland: With an English Translation of each, and an extenfive Commentary, defigned and executed by that whimsical Delineator, Orator Reynard, Profeffor of Double-entendre in the College of Momus, for the Cabinet of Laughter. 4to. 2s. 6d. Debret. 1782. Dulness and folly training at obscenity. Art. 37. A Collection of Profe and Verfe. Selected from the most eminent Authors. By James Landells, M. A. 12mo. 2 s. 6 d. Berwick printed. Sold by Law, in London. 1782. Scraps cut out of our most popular modern effay writers and poets. There is no great praise due to the Collector; for he may well enough handle a pair of feiffars who can make no skilful use of the pen. Art. 38. Paris in Miniature: Taken from the French Picture at full Length. Interfperfed with Remarks and Anecdotes, toge ther with a Preface, and a Poftface. By an English Limner. 8vo. 3 s. fewed. Kearsley. The original work from whence this has been taken, was introduced to our Readers in Vol. LXV. p. 227; and all that need be added on the prefent occafion is, that neither the Tranflator nor the Printer of the piece now before us are entitled to much praise for their refpective hares in the execution of it. The poftface was probably added, because the name was deemed a clever conceit. The principal information that it affords us is, that a London Cockney is no better than the Badaud de Paris. Art. 39. A Defcription of the Royal George; with the Particulars relative to her Sinking. 12mo. 1 S. Walter, &c. Made up, to meet the curiofity of the public on a very interefting, but melancholy occafion. The few particulars here given relative to the diving-bell, and the methods that have been thought of for railing funken fhips, may be matter of information to fome readers. MATHEMATICS. Art. 40. The Register of Time: or, A perpetual Calendar. Part II. Containing the Gregorian Calendar. Together with a particular Treatife on Epatts. By le Chevalier François Saluces de la Mante, of the Order of Malta. 4to. 3 s. Fielding. 1782. Of the First Part of the Chevalier's Work, adapted to the Julian or Old Style, we gave a fufficiently full account in our Review for October 1780. That Part is now published again, with a Second Part, adapted to the Gregorian or New Style. We have only to add, that the Second Part contains exactly the fame tables and Rules as the First. LAW. Art. 41. The Trial of Sir Francis Blake Deleval, Knight of the Bath, at the Confiftory Court of Doctors Commons, for committing Adultery with Mifs Roach. Inftituted by Lady Ifabella Delaval, Wife of Sir Francis. To which is added, The Trial of George Fitzgerald, Efq. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Etherington. 1782. What is here called the Trial of Sir F. B. Delaval, happened in the year 1755. We have, in this meagre catchpenny publication, nothing but the depofitions, from which the Reader will rather infer, 3 that |