Of confequence thou haft thy ufe, 2 Tho' what it be is yet unfound; But recollect-avoid abufe, Nor feek thyfelf, thyfelf to wound. Retain the bridle on thy lip, Thy ignorance in proper bounds; APPLICATION. The good we know of any let's declare; Faults are beft bid, if friends we wou'd encreafe; For our own fakes, the deeds of others fpare, One babbling fool may fap a kingdom's peace." No offence to Mr. Mozeen, we think this fhould be called a Dialogue rather than a Fable; and fuch a dialogue it is, as we fhould not expect to hear from the Perfonae Dramatis he has introduced. The Coxcomb, for once in his life, happens to act the part of a fenfible friend, in telling the parfon the public were fcandalized at his frequenting play-houfes and gamingtables; and the Do&tor, by his reply, feems to have taken his degree not at Oxford or Cambridge, but at Billingfgate. This may fuffice as a fample of our author's manner and colouring. We fhall only add, that he lays claim to the approbation of the public, as a ftaunch patriot, a fierce adverfary of favourites, and an unfhaken friend to the minority. He beftows the warmeft praises upon the incomparable Pitt: he sheds tears over the memory of Churchill: he mentions dear Jack Wilkes with expreffions of rapture; and in extolling the Earl Temple, to whom the work is dedicated, he, as the highest compliment he can pay to human nature, joins his lordship in the fame verfe with the mafter of Sadler's-Wells: Excuse me, Grandeur, if you can, III. Mifcellaneous Pieces of Poetry; selected from various eminent Authors: among which are interspersed a few Originals. 8vo. Pr. 2s. 6d. Becket. WITHOUT doubt the public is obliged to thofe cha ritable undertakers who carefully preferve and cherish the foundlings of wit and genius, whom either their own parents feem to have abandoned, or the world, from inattention, has has overlooked. The purpose of this, as of all other charitable Inftitutions, is, however, apt to be defeated by prejudices and partialities; fometimes by an excefs of good nature, and sometimes by want of proper difcernment in the directors, who generally admit improper objects into thefe hofpitals of taste. Nevertheless, it is better that fifty bantlings of Dulness should live, than that one production of Genius fhould perish.—The truth is, after the many collections of this kind which have been already published, it is no easy matter to find detached poems of merit, fufficient to conftitute a moderate volume; and this, we fuppofe, is one reafon which has obliged the compilers, of the mifcellany now before us, to mix fome of the bran of mediocrity with the superfine flour of compofition. Let us hear what they fay for themselves on this occafion : 'The editors are well aware, that the greatest care in felecting this collection cannot escape the cenfure of all those, who are, or who efteem themselves judges of compofition. It were a vain effort indeed to feek to please all. While fuch a variety of tattes and fentiments fubfift in the world, a few only can exprefs approbation. As, however, the compilers of this volume confefs, that not only the entertainment of their readers, but allo a view to their own private advantage, gave rise to the publication; it is both their duty and intereft to endeavour to anfwer every objection, which judgment and genius, as well as ignorance and caprice, may alledge against it. To felections fuch as this, it is commonly objected, that they are either compofed of pieces altogether deftitute of poetical merit; or, fhould the verfification please, the subjects feldom fail to disgrace it. The refutation of this remark, the reader, only upon perufing our collection, can furnish. The editors will however venture to say, That nothing has been admitted, which has not the sanction of genius either in itself, or in its author. They will not deny that a prejudice in favour of fome particular perfons, may have led them to infert pieces of theirs, which needed correction. Yet they are not afraid of incurring cenfure, even on that account; fince few who have ever heard of the names of Hervey, Doddridge, and Davies, but will feize with avidity the unfinished labours of their pens: the reliques of a friend, however trifling, will be respected for the fake of his memory. Let thefe little pieces be viewed in this light, and while they are read, may they kindle a wish that their poetical performances had been more numerous and more correct. The other part of the objection is removed, as the editors flatter themselves, the subjects treated of do not difhonour the goodness of the poetry; the greater part of them being on topics either ferious, moral, or divine. VOL. XX. September, 1765. N • The The pieces of real merit, hackneyed through every collection, have not had a place here; as the compilers are convinced, that perpetual uniformity is as apt to difguft, as perpetual variety to perplex. The poems in this felection, are not to be found in any other: they are mostly taken from books of merit, little known, which have undergone but one edition, and were scarce ever heard of in Scotland. These works, hitherto hid, as it were, from the world, it is hoped, will be found no ways inferior to others more common, and much esteemed, t The public, it is expected, will receive the few originals by the unknown pen with indulgence: let youth plead exemption from severity, and inexperience excuse these faults, — quas aut incuria fudit, Aut humana parum cavit natura. The author of the paraphrafes from fcripture, was well known as a divine-and a chriftian. As fuch his memory will be ever revered.—A character far fuperior to the scholar, the philofopher, or even the poet.' Mr. Langhorne's pieces will always be well received, where trus Tafte does the honours of the place. The ode which follows pleases us extremely, by its melody, originality, and pathos: fo does the Hymn to Humanity, which we have not room to infert. The ode by Mr. Gray, page 95, is the child of true genius. The name of Mr. Mason is fufficient to ftamp a value on the pieces that follow this ode: nor can we with justice refufe our approbation to this elegant poem on Truth: Hence, gay Delufion's fickle train; Ye nimble fhadows light and vain, By flitting forms to ruin led; Your baleful charms I fly, the votary of Truth. Hail, holy dame! of afpect bright, Before thy face the miscreant fled; And with her all her phantoms drear; Pale Horror, of himself afraid, And teeming Guilt, and fell Despair, What time the cherub Mercy from on high, With thee in league conjoined, defcended from the fky. Fearful 1 Fearful the dawn of hope bereft! Ere Mercy beam'd with op'ning grace For thou the blafted earth had'ft left; Had'ft left with man's accurfed race. Thine injur'd cause, By man betray'd; No more obey'd, Drew from thy virgin eye the copious tear. And claim'd the forfeit blood; And Juftice urg' the doom, a counsellor fevere. When Mercy, lo! of wondrous birth, In heav'n begot, though born on earth, From the fide iffuing of a wounded lamb: All rob'd in white, the meek-ey'd maid, Prepar'd man's ruin'd caufe to plead, Prepar'd, with ransom due, and sweet perfuafion came. Her blameless form held Juftice mute; Her proffer'd price the debt o'erpay'd; Well-pleas'd th' Almighty heard the fuit, Then thou, O TRUTH, didft yield thine hand, In proof of amity fincere ; And Peace and Juftice knit the band, The fourfold band of concord dear, In heav'n the gratulations loud began; Glory to God on high, peace and good will to man. Since mercy made thee all her own: Her fignature fie bade thee wear, Her greetings fweet to mortals bear, And leave her name, her form impreft, In living characters on every panting breast. She bade thee chear each drooping heart, And wipe the mourner's beamless eye; Its optic upwards taught to dart, To meet the day fpring from on high. Full in the view, th' atoning cross prefent; The mangl'd body bare, with clotted gore befprent. O come thou then, not wrapp'd in cloud, Nor as in Sinai thund'ring loud; Nor yet in myftic form be feen, By Fancy drefs'd, the pageant queen. N 2 Come, Come, but with look ferene, and clear, Such as in heav'n thou'rt wont t' appear. Here, gueft divine, here deign to dwell; The following fonnet, by Mr. We, is all elegance and Amplicity: The gentle maid, whofe hapless tale Thefe melancholy pages speak; Say, gracious lady, fhall the fail To draw the tear adown thy cheek No; never was thy pitying breaft Oh! guard the marvels I relate Blefs'd with thy fmile, my dauntless fail For fure thy fmiles are fame.' We must likewife recommend Mr. Cooper's elegy, intituled, "A Father's Advice to his Son;" in which there is a ftrong vein of poetry, humanity, and good-humour.-There are feveral other pieces that will not fail to entertain the reader of talte, who, we doubt not, will join with us, in hoping this collection may be exempted from the horrors of oblivion. IV. Effys on Medical Subjects, originally printed feparately; to which is now prefixed an Introduction relating to the Use of Hemlock and Corrofive Sublimate; and to the Application of Cauflic Medicines in cancerous Disorders. By Thomas Gataker. Pr. 45 Dodfley. THESE HESE pieces having been reviewed as they were pub lifhed feparately, we have nothing to do on this occafion, but to give an account of the Introduction, in which Mr. Gataker has made fome remarks upon certain fuppofed fpecifics, namely, the hemlock, corrofive fublimate, and Plunkett's fecret for extirpating cancerous tumours, which has been purchafed |