master work, the Serious Call, is learn to think and act for myself.

:

fill read as a popular and powerful book of devotion. His precepts are rigid, but they are founded on the gofpel his fatire is fharp, but it is drawn from the knowledge of human life; and many of his portraits are not unworthy of the pen of La Bruyere. If he finds a fpark of pie. ty in his reader's mind, he will foon kindle it to a flame; and a philofopher must allow that he expofes, with equal feverity and truth, the ftrange contradiction between the faith and practice of the Chriftian world. Under the names of Flavia and Miranda he has admirably defcribed my two aunts-the heathen and the Chriftian fifter.

On the LiFE and EDUCATION of a

SCHOOL.

In my ninth year, (January 1746) in a lucid interval of comparative health, my father adopted the convenient and customary mode of Englifh education; and I was fent to Kingston upon Thames, to a fchool of about feventy boys, which was kept by Dr Wooddefon, and his affiftants. Every time I have fince paffed over Putney Common, I have always noticed the fpot where my mother, as we drove along in the coach, admonished me, that I was now going into the world, and muft

The expreffion may appear ludicrous; yet there is not, in the courfe of life, a more remarkable change than the removal of a child from the luxury and freedom of a wealthy houfe, to the frugal diet and ftrict fubordination of a school; from the tenderness of parents, and the obfequioufnefs of fervants, to the rude familiarity of his equals, the infolent tyranny of his feniors, and the rod, perhaps, of a cruel and capricious pedagogue. Such hardships may fteel the mind and body against the injuries of fortune; but my timid referve was aftonished by the crowd and tumult of the fchool; the want of ftrength and activity difqualified nie for the fports of the play-field; nor have I forgotten how often in the year forty-fix I was reviled, and buffeted for the fins of my Tory anceftors. By the common methods of difcipline, at the expence of many tears and fome blood, I purchased the knowledge of the Latin fyntax: and not long fince (ago) I was poffeffed of the dirty volumes of Phadrus and Cornelius Nepos, which I painfully conftrued and darkly underftood. The choice of thefe authors is not injudicious. The lives of Cornelius Nepos, the friend of Atticus and Cicero, are compofed in the ftyle of the pureft age: his fimpli

city

*If our hiftorian means that Mr Law's precepts are too rigid, (and his meaning it requires no great fagacity to difcern,) he has here infinuated an unfounded cenfure of the gospel. Unquestionably there are precepts, which, if literally adopted, appear too rigid. Pray without ceafing-Take no thought for to-morrowBe careful for nothing, &c. are all understood by the most common reader, who is defirous to understand their meaning. To pray without ceafing is not literally to be in the uninterrupted exercife of prayer; but it is an exhortation to habitual devotion, to that unceasing conformity to the Divine Will, which is expreffed, at certain periods, by acts of devotion. Take no thought for to-morrow, and be careful for nothing, &c. are merely exhortations againit immoderate folicitude refpecting our worldly affairs. Mr Gibbon himself might as well juftify his perfeverance in celibacy as founded on the precepts of the gospel, because the apostle Paul, in times of extreme perfecution, thought that ftate the most preferable. But Mr Gibbon, in his religious obfervations, is not always very accurate. In one paffage of his memoirs, he speaks of "Chriftian or Proteftant," as if the Proteftant was not a Chriftia R.

city is elegant, his brevity copious: he exhibits a series of men and manners; and with fuch illustrations, as every pedant is not indeed qualified to give, this claffic biographer may Initiate a young ftudent in the hiftory of Greece and Rome. The ufe of fables or apologues has been approved in every age from ancient India to modern Europe. They convey in familiar images the truths of morality and prudence; and the moft childish understanding, (I advert to the fcruples of Rouffeau,) will not fuppofe either that beafts de fpeak, or that men may lie. A fable reprefents the genuine characters of animals; and a skilful master might extract from Pliny and Buffon fome

DR

pleafing leffons of natural hiftory, a fcience well adapted to the taste and capacity of children. The Latinity of Phædrus is not exempt from an alloy of the filver age, but his manner is concife, terfe, and fententious: the Thracian flave difcreetly breathes the fpirit of a freeman; and when the text is found, the ftyle is perfpicuous. But his fables, after a long oblivion, were firft publified by Peter Pithou, from a corrupt manufcript. The labours of fifty editors confefs the defects of the copy, as well as the value of the original; and the fchool-boy may have been whipt for mifapprehending a paffage, which Bently could not reftore, and which Burman could not explain.

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE

FROM THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

R TOWNSON has a 4to. vol. of his Travels through Hungary and Spain in the prefs.

The long-expected volumes of Valliant's Travels into the Interior Part of Africa will shortly make their appearance in three volumes, 8vo.

Travels in the Two Sicilies, and fome parts of the Appennines, by the Abbé Lazzaro Spallanzani, will alfo be published in the courfe of the fummer.

Dr Beddoes is engaged in a popular Medical Work, on a new and extenfive plan.

Mr Frend has a work in the prefs, on the Principles of Algebra, which will be published in the courfe of the prefent month.

The fourth and fifth volumes of Dr Toulmin's edition of Neal's Hiftory of the Puritans will be published in the courfe of the fummer. Befides the Notes, the additions to the Text, in thefe volumes, will be confiderable; especially with refpect to the Hiftory of the Quakers.

Mr Polwhele is preparing for the prefs the first volume of his History of Devonshire, which, with the fecond volume, published fome time fince, completes the chorographical part.

Dr Watkins is about to publish his History of the Life and Times of Archbishop Laud.

Mrs Prifcilla Wakefield, authorefs of "Leisure Hours," "Mental Improvements," and other works for Young Perfons, has in the press an Introduction to Syftematic Botany.

Archdeacon Travis is preparing for the Prefs a Collection of the Great Manufcript in the Library of the University of Cambridge, marked R. R. 6, 4. with the margin of the Greek edition of the New Teftament, published by R. Stephens in 1550.

Mr F. A Nitfch, in "A General and Introductory View of Kant's Principles," which he has just publifhed, has announced his intention to tranflate and publish, in English, G 2

all

all the works of Kant. Such a work, as a long felt defideratum, will, doubt lefs, meet with liberal patronage. Mr Nitfch is known as the ingenious and learned lecturer on Kant's philofophy, in London.

A fplendid periodical work, in Na

tural History, has lately been announced, under the title of "A Cabinet of Quadrupeds." The engravings by Tookey and Thompfon, from drawings by Ibbettfon, with hiftoric and scientific defcriptions by Mr Church.

THEATRICAL INTELLIGENCE,

DRURY-LANE.

FROM THE SAME.

the compofer, was spoken (perfect. April 30. ly) by the late unfortunate Mr BenThe first appearance of Me

M Perfia, and All the World's a Braham contributed not a little to

Stage. This Opera (Mahmoud) is the production of Mr Hoare, author of the popular farces of No Song no Supper-The Prize, &c. The chief plot is founded on one of the stories in the Perfian Tales.-Mahmoud, an elder fon, is configned to imprifon ment from his infancy by his father, who declares his younger fon heir to the crown. On the fuppofed death of the Sultan, Mahmoud is releafed and reconciled to his father. In the under-plot a stranger marries an old princefs of the blood-royal for her wealth. She dies, to his great joy! But, to his great grief, he hears that, according to the custom of the country, he must be buried alive with her. He is relieved from his grave by the contrivance of a former miftrefs, who thereby fecures his affection. The mufic was by the late Storace, but, though excellent in many parts, was evidently imperfect; notwithstanding, to the merit of the mufic, and not the dialogue, which contains fome far-fetched witticisms and low huntour, with fcattered at tempts at fublimity, the piece

is indebted for fuccefs.-It was exceedingly tedious the first night, not being over till eleven o'clock. Since, it has been prudently cut down, and yet has loft nothing.-A prologue, written on the very morning of reprefentation, deploring the lofs of

wards the fuccefs of this piece. Tho' at prefent indifferent as an actor, yet as a finger he charms.

and The Devil to Pay-The tra May 2. Julia, or Such Things Were early productions, and first performgedy of Julia was one of Mr Hoare's ed at the Bath Theatre. founded on Kirk's cruelty. It was got up for Mrs Siddons's benefit, but not repeated.

It is

6. The Grecian Daughter—and The Romp Mr Bentley, for whofe benefit these entertainments were, took his leave of the ftage this evening, in a well-written and well-fpoken addrefs. This Gentleman has been upboards. He made his first appearwards of thirty years on the London ance in the character of Pierre. His defects (chiefly Nature's) were to a ftranger difgufting, but on a further acquaintance, his merit (all his own,) not only gained favour, but covered all his faults. He was at firft a lieutenant of marines-Since his retirement, he is made a barrack-master, and has purchased, with his theatrical earnings, an annuity for life!

May 17. Mahmoud--and Alive and Merry.-An indifferent prologue, well spoken by Mr Bannister, jun. informed us, that the farce, Alive and Merry, is the first production of a young writer: it hinted the perfor

mers'

Mafqued Friend is Mr Holcroft's comedy of Duplicity reduced to three acts, and with a new title. The interlude of the Way to get Unmarried, though called a comic bagatelle, has no merit but its title.-Quantity, not quality is the object of a benefit bill!

May 10. The Caftle of Andalufia, and The Witch of the Wood, or the Nutting Girls-Mrs Mountain's benefit. The Witch of the Wood was a mufical piece-the mufic by Spoffart.-The piece was heard, but not repeated.

HAY-MARKET.

June 11. Peeping Tom-The Liar and (first time) Bannian Day. With the above entertainments, this Theatre opened for the feafon, to a very thin audience.

The new piece of Bannian Day is afcribed to Mr Waldron, jun. It confifts more of fprightly converfation than interefting plot, and ferves to introduce fome very agreeable mufic by Dr Arnold. The ftory, trif ling as it is, is very defective. The hero of the piece, is a naval gentle. man, who, marrying against his father's confent, is, confequently, difinherited. His diftrefs gives rife to the title of Bannian Day, a fea phrafe for a day when there is no allow

guilty of fome natural blunders,makes ufe of language fitter for his valet than a gentleman of fortune. To mistake mediate for meditate, &c. is neither natural for a gentleman, nor does it conftitute an Irish bull. The reft of the characters are common, and feveral obvioufly borrowed.

17. Romeo-Recitations-and Netley Abbey. When Romeo and Juliet (Mr Middleton and Mifs Wallis) had fallen victims to love and defpair-on letting down the curtain-ance of meat. The Irishman though fome tin, &c. fell on the stage. The lovers fuddenly came to life, and made their efcape-Mifs Wallis faint ed behind the fcenes.-The Recitations were disapproved of this evening Mr Holman, who attempted to read The Errors of the Prefs, on being interrupted, begged to know, if it was the matter or manner of reading it, which they cenfured.Some replied the matter; at which he declared himself furprifed, as it had been approved of by the firit judges in the kingdom. No great compliment to the prefent audi.

ence!

June 7. The Bufy Body-and The Irish Mimick. This was announced the laft night of the company's performing for this feafon. The chief of the company, however, play. ed again the fucceeding night, with a view to increafe the fund eftablished for the relief of decayed performers.

The winter theatres have, in the course of last seafon, brought out NINE pieces each, pantomime included. Of thefe, the productions at CoventGarden have been the most fuccefsful.

June 16. Merchant of Venice-and Bannian Day. Mr Palmer played Shylock this evening, for the first time. Though not equal to Macklin, he was refpectable. He differed from the ufual readings in fome parts, particularly in the following:

66

On the Rialto you have rated me, &c." Many a time, and oft, Which he thus varied;

On the Rialto-you have &c." "Many a time--and oft This certainly is better; for though many a time, and oft, is a common expreffion, it is an idle repetition; but by uniting the oft with the Rialto, which is the most public place in Venice, it gives the obfervation additional force. The following paffage alfo, which, as printed, is certainly unintelligible:

"When