and that he had already got as far as the forty-fecond problem : that he had not two difhes alike, nor four plates of the fame fafhion; that her toilet was more efpecially worthy of admiration; that he had fix or feven looking-glaffes cut to the most "curious dimenfions; and the apparatus of her dreffing-table was fo learnedly defigned, that all her friends, even to her husband, were become Geometricians by feeing her drefs her head.-The wife of a Mafter of Requefts applauds her friend, Madam Prefident, and fhews the important fervice the fex derive from Geometry in the adjustment of their hair, the difpofition of their ribbands, ftomachers, ruffles, tippets, and in the diftribution of the white and red, &c. &c. &c. Our Author ironically com⚫pliments thefe filly women on their extravagance; and the Prefident's Lady afterwards made a difplay of her jewels, in which our Author difcovered a compleat fyftem of Aftronomy. The difpofition of the diamonds in one of her trinkets, reprefented that luminous affemblage of ftars commonly known by the name of the Milky Way. One pendant confifted of a large brilliant in the middle, and fix fmaller round it, in order to describe the fun and the fix circumvolving planets: another exhibited an imitation of the greater and leffer Bear, with their affociates. Our Author calculates, that thefe Ladies have each of them expended, at leaft, forty thoufand crowns in these learned fooleries.

To this extravagance fucceeds another not lefs ridiculous. An old Counsellor congratulates himfelf on being poffeffed of all the Operas from Cambert to the prefent time. No mufical compofition has been printed or engraved for these forty years, but what he has procured. He boafts that this paffion is hereditary, and that he enjoys from his ancestors twelve lutes, three guitars, twenty bafs-viols, fix theorbos; that he has himself purchased fourteen german-flutes made by the best mafters, fix bag-pipes, and eleven fymbols; that within these ten years he has given at the rate of eight hundred franks a-piece for twelve Cremona violins, and four thousand franks each for fix of Ruker's harpficords; befides which he has ten french-horns, fix hautboys, eight trumpets, and three harps.

This harmonical inventory being concluded, we are prefented with another perfonage, who flatters himself with being the moft richly furnished Conchyologift in France, and the best vers ed in this fort of erudition. Our Interlocutor advifes him to give, as foon as poffible, a Conchyological Dictionary. All the fciences, all the arts, all profeffions have their Dictionaries, but there is not one yet appropriated to Conchyology! What will pofterity fay of us?-Our Author exhorts this great Conchyologift at least to confign the difcoveries he has made relat

ing to this important fubject, to the archives of the Encyclopedia. It is in this collection of perplexing definitions, it is in this immense, magazine of human wit, it is in this ocean of literary treafure, fo ingenioudly, fo laconically develloped, that conchyological learning would appear with its proper eclat; and, confider Sir, that this article, treated with perfpicuity, will be equally new and interefting.' The Conchyologift acknowleged, that he had already prepared fome memoirs on the fubject, in which he fhews, that the carnation, crimson, flame, rofe, and flesh-coloured fhells, are brought from the Red-fea; that fuch as have dark freaks, and apertures, are produced in the Black; and that thofe which are transparent, chryftalline, or whitifh, are found on the fhores of the White-fea, &c. &c. &c. Ah Sir!' cries our Author, nothing can be more judicious, nothing more truly Encyclopedical.'

A young Magiftrate next enters the lifts; his father had left him a valuable library, confifting of Reports, Decrees, Trials, Pleadings, and Digefts. But thefe were fit only to confound the understanding of a Judge. He foon got rid of this rubbish, and exchanged them for two hundred tulip-roots, and an hundred and fifty carnation layers. He spent fifteen thousand francs in paling. Three colonnades, and four pillars on each fide, in the niches of which, were earthen ftatues of a foot high, reprefenting Cupids, Savoyards, Nymphs, &c. and forty vafes in the compartments of his parterre, gave his garden a beautiful appearance. Were not our ancestors of the laft age to be pitied, who could wait for a marble ftatute by Girardon, or Coizevox, who could be contented with only two or three of their productions, and who would pay as much for one, as would purchafe thirty of thofe little elegant figures that at prefent fo agreeably embellish our gardens?

Our Author treats with the fame feverity an over-fondness for China-wares, Medals, Cabinets of Natural Hiftory, Prints, &c. &c. However he does not cenfure these pursuits indifcriminately. He acknowleges, that, in fome cafes, they may be useful; but the particular objects of his refentment, are fathers of families who run the hazard of ruining their children, for the fake of gratifying their own whims.

This table of ridiculous expences is fucceeded by a very different fubject. The Parfon of the parish where our Author happened to be, led by the hand a poor country woman in tears: fhe had loft every thing by the death of an honeft induftrious hufband; fhe held two children in her arms, and three more hung to the rags of her gown. The good Prieft, with that eloquence

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quence which humanity and religion infpires, implored the af fiftance of the congregation, in behalf of this unfortunate mother and her children. A confufed murmur was presently raised; the women had recourfe to their fmelling-bottles; they faid, they were infected, and found themselves ill. The men were offended at the impudence of the Parfon; and one delicate Gentleman had the affurance to rally the unhappy fecundity of the poor widow. The Prieft, without being moved, went modeftly round among the great people; many well-furnished purfes were displayed, but nothing more than halfpence were given. It came to our Author's turn. On all other occafions he had confulted his circumftances, which, he informs us, were but fcanty; but resentment now made him generous; he had the courage to infult the infenfibility of the whole congregation, by diftinctly counting twelve crowns into the Parfon's hand. Poor woman,' fays he to the widow, I have myself experienced misfortunes; to that you owe the effort I have made in your favour. If you expect confolation or affiftance, apply to people of my condition, and remember, that those who have the leaft riches have always the moft feeling.' The poor widow caught hold of his hand, and killed it; and he himself could not refrain from weeping: a recompence worthy of the good action, and the only one that can please a tender heart!

Upon the whole, the Author of this piece certainly merits our commendation, as well for the matter as the manner of his performance; and it is greatly to be wifhed, that his fatires may be a means of reforming the abuses they are defigned to chastise.

FRERON.

MONTHLY

CATALOGUE,

For SEPTEMBER, 1757.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Art. 1. A Catalogue and Defcription of King Charles the firft's capital Collection of Pictures, Limnings, Statues, Bronzes, Medals, and ather Curiofities; now first published from an original Manufcript in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford. The whole tranfcribed and prepared for the Prefs, and a great Part of it printed, by the late ingenious Mr. Virtue, and now finifhed from his Papers. 4to. 10s. 6d. Bathoe.

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ROM an advertisement prefixed, we are informed, that King Charles's Collection was one of the most celebrated in Europe: he loved, he understood, he patronized the Arts. Not having the ⚫ fortune

⚫ fortune to find great Genius's in painting among his own fubjects, ⚫ he called over fome of the ableft Mafters' of other nations-a commendable partia'ity to foreigners, as it tended to enrich and inftruct his own country. Nor did he confine his expence to Artifts: be'fides feparate pieces, he purchafed the celebrated collection of the Duke of Mantua;'-but of thefe, it feems, we can no longer boast the entire poffeffion. The ftroke that laid Royalty fo low, difmiffed the Painter, and difperfed the royal Virtuofo's collections: the first cabinets in Europe fhine with its poils. The few fine pieces thinly fcattered through the royal palaces at home, are chiefly what were faved, or re-affembled, of King Charles's fplendid gallery. 'The Dutch are reported to have purchased and reftored fome to his fon. The best part are buried in the gloom, or perifhing in the vaults of the Efcurial.'-Very true, and greit pity it is that we loft the pictures; but, however, we may corfole ourselves with the reflection, that we preserved our Liberties.

Art. 2. A Letter to the Author of the Critical Review. 8vo. 6 d. Field.

This Letter was occafioned by an angry Hypercriticism on the Remarks published in the M. R. for June laft, upon Dr. Hunter's Paper concerning Aneurifms. The perfon to whom the Letter is addrelled, had, in very fcurrilous terms, charged the Author of the Remarks abovementioned, with having violated truth, to ferve the purposes of calumny and envy. From this heavy charge the Letter-Writer has endeavoured to clear himself; and this, at least, must be allowed him, by every impartial Reader, that he writes with candour and good manners, and has fhewn himself a thorough master of the subject in debate.

Art. 3. A Compendium of the most approved modern Travels; containing a diftinet Account of the Religion, Government, Commerce, Manners, and Natural History, of feveral Nations. Illuftrated and adorned with many useful and elegant CopperScott. plates. 12mo. 4 vols. 12s.

This Abridgment of modern Travels is a fuitable, and feems an intended, Companion to the Compendium. of Voyages, mentioned in our fifteenth volume, page 193.

- -

The travels here epitomized are thofe of Mr. Maundrel-Dr. Shaw -Journey to Palmyra(a)-Dr. Richard Pocock, Bishop of Offory Alexander Drummond, Efq;(6) Dr. Alexander Ruffel (e) - Mr. Hanway (d)-Bishop Pontoppidon (e)-Frederic Lewis Norden (f)These are embellifhed with, what may be thought by fome, pretty pictures, though we cannot, without fome limitation, fubfcribe to their being elegant copper plates.

(a) See Review, vol. IX, p. 439. (b) Vol. XI, p. 198. (c) Vol. XV, p. 135. (d) Vol. VIII, p. 321. (e) Vol. XII, (f) Vol. XV, p. 249.

P. 447.

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Art.

Art. 4. A general Treatife of Agriculture, both philofophical and practical difplaying the Arts of Hufbandry and Gardening.— Originally written by R. Bradley, Professor of Botany in the Univerfity of Cambridge, and F. R. S. and now not only methodized, but adapted to the prefent Practice, and improved with the late Theories, in many large Notes, wherein the several Methods of Culture, and the different Systems of Botany and Vegetation, according to the most approved Writers of the present Period upon thefe Subjects, are delivered.-With an Index and Cuts. 8vo. 6s. Johnston, &c.

Mr. Bradley's abilities in this branch of useful knowlege, are fo ge, nerally known to those whom intereft or inclinat on may have led to the fame ftudies, that there remains little for us to fay concerning this re-publication of a treatife which made its first appearance near thirty years ago. With respect to the improvements in the prefent edition, the Editors obferve, that in the original work the different fubjects of Husbandry and Gardening, were indifcriminately mingled together, and fometimes in the fame chapter. This fault, they -profefs to have fo far remedied, as to have ranged whatever belongs to either of the two fubjects of Hufbandry and Gardening, in a part ⚫ peculiar to each subject; and to have made references from one place or chapter to another, by directions at the bottom of the page, maintaining thereby a chain of connection throughout the feveral parts of the work.' They moreover tell us, that the • fble, or manner of expreffion, has been greatly amended.'

They further inform us, that they have pruned feveral of Mr. Bradley's hypothetical luxuriances, whereby they have made room for matters of greater moment, that were to be collected from other Authors upon the fame fubjects.'-That for this end they have confulted all the modern Writers of reputation, and generally exhibited fuch of their fentiments as were moft to their liking, upon a fubject wherein they either found them different from thote of Mr. Bradley, or wherein they judged his treatment either obfolete or defective, and their doctrines might ferve as a fupplement to his.'— The Authors confulted are, Mortimer Tull, Millar, Hales, Linnæus, and the Compleat Body of Husbandry.

POETICAL.

Art. 5. BALAAM: or, the Antiquity of Scandal. 4to. 6d.

Cooper.

This Lyric Ode contains a very poetical abridgment of the History of Balaam's being employed to curfe the Children of Ifrael, on their approaching the territory of Moab. The Author has taken the liberty to vary a confiderable circumftance of the ftory, by making an Ángel pronounce that blefling on Ifrael, which Balaam really pronounced though indeed by divine commandment, and exprefs infpiration; which our elegant Poet probably thought a fufficient authority for this variation.

Not