trial which has been given to it has afcertained its true character. Mengof virtue recede from its guilt men of humanity fhudder at its cruelties; men of fenfe are fhocked at its abfurdities; for that it is now left as exclusively the poffeffion of thofe, who have neither, fenfe, virtue, nor humanity; and a country mutt be very bad in which fuch men abound." P9 b

Under the fecond topic, the opinions of the Old Year must be regarded with fome caution. The established church" is commended, chiefly on account of a promifing zeal kindled in it; and an acceffion of enlightened, devout, and indefatigable paftors;" who, in our Judgment, have at all times abounded in the church. The publie morals are faid to be deteriorated in the higher orders by unexampled profperity, and its clofe attendant, luxury; while among the middling and inferior claffes, religion has been gaining ground." P. 14. The violations of the Sabbath, the Slave-Trade, Cock-Fightings, and BullBaiting Baitings, are then well reprehended; Mrs. H. More is warmly vindicated; and the vifits of our ladies of quality to France are deprecated. It is altogether a well-written, and lively Dialogue; and we recommend it ftrongly, though not quite unrefervedly, to general attention bas noliegmos to pollditu dan

ART. 48. Hints for the Improvement of the Irish Fishery, By George N. Whately. 8vo. 45 PP. Hatchard. 1803.

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The fifheries of the British Islands (and more efpecially thofe of Ireland) have not, we are convinced, met with the attention which their importance, as a national object, demands. The writer before us modeilly proteffes that he has little practical experience on the fubject of which he treats, his fmall fhare of information having been derived from a refidence in the western parts of Ireland, during the most unproductive feafon ever remembered. His particular object is to recommend a new mode of bake-ffbing, by the trammel net, on the principle on which the herring and mackarel nets are conftructed. This mode, he fays, was introduced by Thomas Walton, Efqd of Oysterhaven, near Kinfale, but has been greatly checked by a prac. tice which deferves the feverelt animadverfion. It feems that the crews of the veffels called hookers (who take thefe fish with the rod and dine), alarmed at the diminution of their profit, adopted asmoft nefarious mode, calculated to put an end to the new mode of athing, by failing four or five veffels abreaft, and fweeping with their anchors, thus dragging the trammel nets from the fituations where they were anoored. We hope the expofure of fuch an iniquitous practice will cawaken the leading perfons of Ireland, efpecially of the maritime counties, to the mutt vigorous exertions for its prevention and punishment. The great fuperiority of this mode of fifhing appears to be clearly fhown by the writer before us. He alfo recommends a remiflion of the fale dutyThelesare thermoft material parts of his pamphlet; which may excite others, more converfant with the fubject, to further enquiries, and, it may be hoped, will stimulate perthe foreland bis goin of this object, fo material t material to the Properity to

ions

ART.

Asi.Letter to the Reds Ded Goodally Head Master of Eron School; 1 on The Importance of Religious Educationb 8vo.36 ppusMs. Stockdale 803lds is boot sis slast to nom

the light in which this mifa "and refious' Elonian takes the queftion relpecting the attention to religich at our public, Ichools is not that fufficient outward, homage is not paid, in attendances upon prayer chough is feldom done to imprefs the and church fervice; but excellence of our holy religion upon young minds, in proportion to the pains that are taken to enable them to tafte and comprehend the beauties of the claffic authors. We have known fuch admirable effects produced by the very methods which this writer recommends, that we are defirous to give all poffible weight to his admonitions. In fpeaking of the beauties of the fcriptural writings, he has the folenning 1933 26 113 10:50 bas lowing judicious paffage. copious But were there no other fources f whence the most csbio fupply of religious fentiments, conveyed in the most beautiful and fublime expreffion, could be derived, except the book of Plaims, I fhould not fcruple to affert, that in that book alone are to be found the fineft inftances of fublime and pathetic poetry, Tuch as would furnish an almost inexhauftible fource of comparifon and exhortation. It is from the want of having the moft beautiful and fublime paffages of thofe divine compofitions, as well as thofe of Job, Ifaiah, and other poetical parts of Scripture, early pointed out to us, and impreffed upon our minds, that many,) who are well acquainted with, and have the highest relifh for the beauties of Homer, Pindar, or Virgills are either entirely ignorant of,bor perfectly infenfible to, the hillmore fublime and pathetic language of the facred writings." Pomu

We doubt, indeed, whether the regular recurrence of a stated day for facred lectures would have fo good an effect, because it might produce wearinefs, as that occafional reference to the Scriptures which is fonconftantly in the power of an able man, equally verfed in profane and facred literature, that recorrente from heathen morality to the higner doctrines of the Gospel, from imperfect to perfect examples, which Dr. Vincent has fo ably deferibed as the practice of the preTent Archbishop of York, and other grear teachersys After ally much mofo depend, as in all human inftitutions, on the qualities, feelings, and talents of the perfon employedgowhich in Dr. Goodall, according to abundant teltimony, are fuch as to enfure all poffible fuccefs to the withes of this modeft advifer. flasids eloltov ovit 10 1001 gailist wyd and anonsutit adt mot a man i ganggan ends ARTifo AniAccount of the Galvanic Experimento performed by John Aldinig Profeffor safexperimental Philofophying the University of Bologna, Member of the Medical and Gaboane Societies of Paris, of the Suchery of London, and safabe Seriery of Phyficians at Guy's Hofpital, Sebits on the Body of a Malefactor, excecured edt Newgate Janowy, 1803sqWith a foort View of fame Experiments which will be defcribed in the Author's mew Work now in the Press 8vo. 36 pp. 1s Cuthell and Cost 1803.bogod a yam bas sipas nul or op Baido aid to noitegole di p This tract, which is only the precurfor of a larger work, alluded to in the title-page, and fince published, was well calculated to fatisfy

the

the first curiofity of the public, which had been moft ftrongly excited by the report of thefe extraordinary experiments. Whatever may be ele extraordinary experim the further powers of Galvanifm, which remain yet to be developed, as well as its exact connection with Electricity, i is perfectly clear that It affords a molt powerful ftimulus to animal matter, and therefore promiles, when further understood, to prove a frong ally to medicine, in cafes where ftimulants are required. The narrative of fifteen experi ments is here given, in clear and fatisfactory language; and leven conclufions are drawn, all tending to point out the peculiar powers of Galvanifm, and the probability of its being fuccefsfully applied in the manner we have now mentioned. On the validity of the latter conclufions, experience only can decide; that they are probable, will readily be granted.

ART. 51, A Defence of the Character and Conduct of the late Mary Wolltonecraft Godwin, founded on Principles of Nature and Reafon, as applied to the peculiar Circunftances of her Cafe; in a Seri s of Letters to a Lady. 12mo. 160 pp. 38. 6d. Wallis. 1803

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The perfon in whofe defence this literary champion has entered the lifts, though much extolled in her day by a cerain clafs of writers, is already almoft forgotten by the public at large. Whether it is judicious, or kind to her memory, to bring her character again into dif cuffion, her friends and admirers would do well to confider. Amiaft all the extravagant praifes which this writer has lavifhed upon the talents and virtues of Mrs. W. G. among all the fophifins which he has preffed into her fervice, we find here and there an admiffion, which renders thefe exceffive praises almoft ludicrous. By this it would feem, that the author of thefe letters, though he has imbibed much of the fpirit, and ufes much of the jargon of modern fophiits, has not loft all fenfe of fhame, or difcarded every principle of morality. Yet, in his adversifement, he profeffes to defpife thofe who regulate their Conduct by the ordinary and approved roles of life, and talks much of individuality of thinking and acting" as if fome new difcovery could be made in morals by every fciolift and free-thinker; diftinct from, and fuperior to, hot only the leffons of moralifts, but the precepts of the gospel. It is furely needlefs at this day to expose the fophiftry, or point out the danger of fuch doctrines. We agree how. ever with the author, that friendshipis a very fallacious medium of criticizing" and it is manifeft that through this medium he has viewed every action of the life which he here profeffes to defend, but in troth very awkwardly palliates; for what, after all that has been faid, was the character of this Wirtaons and amiable woman, according to the account given of her by her friends, and even her hafband: Does the not appear to have been eccentric in all her opinions, prefumptuous and felf-conceited in her judgments, ungovernable in her paffions, hurried away by a blind partiality to the French RevoJotion, deceived by the fophiftry which juflihed, and unappalled by the atrocities which attended it? Did he not in private life, diffain almofbevery regulation by which fociety is held together, and erect her own caprice, inclinations, and panions as the inerring fandard of right? We know not who were the fevere cenfurers of whom this

of

writer complains; or indeed of any cenfurers of her conduct excepting those which the fenfelefs zeal of her admirers provoked; thofe admirers who, by expofing her whole life to public view, and exalting her into fomething more than woman, fhowed her to b inferior to a woman of virtue. The defence of her concubinage, which this writer, with great probability, puts into her mouth, fully juftifies the notion we have always had of her character. It amounts to no more than the "placet pecudum ferarumque ritu promifcuè in concubitus ruere." But we are fick of the affectation and fophifms which, with a few exceptions, pervade this book. The lady whom it celebrates had far better reft in the fhade of oblivion than be expofed in the falle light of partial praise.

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ART. 52. A Remonftrance against Inhumanity to Auimals, and particu larly against the favage Practice of Bull-Baiting. By Percival Stockdale. 8vo. Is. 6d. Seeley. 1802.

This writer obferves, that fince the Bill against Bull Baiting was thrown out of the House of Commons, the practice has become more frequent, and attended with more offenfive circumftances of barbarity. We are heartily forry for it; and in all that he says on this fubject we coincide with Mr. Stockdale, though in our opinions of individuals, especially of Mr. Windham, we differ most exceedingly. ART. 53. Pratique de l'Orateur François, ou chaise de pièces d'Eloquence, tirées des meilleurs Poetes et Profateurs de la Langue Françoife, formant un Cours de Rhetorique pratique, à l'ufage de la jeuneffe Aygloife qui cultive cette Langue. Ouvrage divife en trois Parties, precede d'un Effai fur l'Action Oratoir. Par M. Lenoir, &c. &c. Second Edition, revife et corrigée. 12mo. 408 pp. Boofey, 1802.

After a fhort effay on oratical action (in which the rules given are now and then too precife, but for the moft part just), the author, or compiler, proceeds to divide oratory into three kinds, the genre demonftratif, the genre judiciare, and genre deliberatif. Under the first of thefe heads he inferts fhart tales and apologues, paffages from epic and defcriptive poems, and a confiderable number of odes extracted from the works of various French writers, fome of whom are of the highest eminence, others but little known, at leaft in this country. Under the fecond title are comprifed fpeeches, in profe (fome of which are tranflations from Latin writers, others original), and large extracts, from the works of epic and dramatic authors. The last divifion compre hends alfo a confiderable number of fpeeches, (in part, translations) upon public occafions, of the deliberative kind, and a variety of poetical harangues and dialogues, chictly from the French dramatic writers.19

This collection has the recommendation of great variety and as judicious a felection as could reasonably he expected, where variety feems to have been the principal object. The fpeeches and poems, inferted have, of course, various degrees of merit, but we have not met with any that are objectionable, and think the book useful for young ftudents of the French language, growà di 9

ART.

ART. 54 The Cambrian Biography; or, hiftorical Notices of celebrated Men among the Ancient Britons. By William Owen, F. A.S. 12m0. 7s. 6d. Williams. 1803.

The hiftorical notices given in this volume are fo exceedingly concife, that they will afford but little intereft or amusement to general readers. Of this, indeed, the author feems to express an apprehenfion in his Introduction. He hopes that at fome future period and in other hands, this "meagre fkeleton" may grow into a more confiftent form. We hope that in the account of" one of the greatest poets that appeared amongst the Welsh," (p. 135) there is a mifreprefentation with respect to a living character, whom we have been accustomed to reverence. The book, altogether, will be an agreeable manual to Cambro-Britons; but it is dear, and exhibits but fcanty information, It is dedicated to George Chalmers, Efq.

ART. 55. Elements of English Grammar; or, a new Syftem of grammatical Inftruction, for the Ufe of Schools and Academies. By Joba Dalton, Teacher of the Mathematics and Natural Philofophy, and Secretary to the Literary and Philofophical Society, Manchester, 12mo. 122 pp. Richardfon. 1801.

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This ingenious grammar (which from accidental circumstances has long lain by us unexamined) deferved perhaps a fuller difcuffion than we can give it in this place. As the author has deviated confiderably from the path of his predeceffors, he has, very properly, given his reafons for fo doing in preliminary obfervations.

The parts of fpeech, in which he has made the most important changes, are, the articles (which he will not admit to form a diftinct part of fpeech, but calls them definitives and claffes them with adjectives); alfo the pronouns, feveral of which an.ong thofe called adjective pronouns, he claffes (rather inconfiftently with the preceding arrangement) with definitives or articles; but his greateft ingenuity is employed in difcuffing the moods and tenfes of the verb. He objects, and certainly not without reafon, to the unmeaning names of the tenfes, and the improper diftinctions among them, which are found in moft English grammars. This leads him to the fignification of the auxiliaries; which is ingenioufly, and in general judicioufly, explained. But we cannot agree with him, that fall and will "conftantly denote prefent time; nor do we think the paraphrafes he gives, in illuftration of his opinion (p. iv. of the Preface) by any means prove it; fince, even in thofe paraphrafes, a future time, for the performance of the fuppofed action is understood and referred to. On the fabject of tentes (which the author thinks has been "greatly obfcured by unmeaning names and improper definitions") we fee no reafon to differ materially from his obfervations. With refpect to the remaining parts of fpeech, this writer differs but little from other grammarians; but he reckons only fix "forts of words" (as he terms them) claffing the interjection with the noun, and the participle with the verb.

This Grammar is dedicated to Mr. Horne Tooke, and coincides generally with his opinions on the fubject. With all its ingenuity it