where. The Gentleman did as he was defired, and was foon followed by the Butcher; who faid, Do not you remember, Sir, a perfon who gave you fome remarkable advice' at Lisbon ?-I am that perfon. You had faid fomething against the Inquifition of that city, and the officers of it were in fearch of you; I gave you that notice in confequence of fome friendly office you did to one of my Society (that of the Jefuits) at Rome. A kind action, any more than an unkind one, that is done to any of our Order is never torgotten, and we keep registers to record them." Vol. i, j 60. P.

CATHERINE THE SECOND, EMPRESS OF RUSSIA.

66

This

"This great Princefs had the following fentence frequently in her mouth, It is better to do amifs than to be continually changing one's opinion. Nothing is fo contemptible as irresolution." power of decifion of mind enabled Catherine to add fo many dominions to her own, and to give laws to them.

What excellent order this Emprefs preferved in her finances appears by the following letter to Voltaire, who was afraid that his te nants had fent her too many of the watches of their fabrication at Ferney:

"Do not fcold your good folks for having fent me too many of their watches. The ceft of them will not ruin me. I fhould be a very wretched being indeed if my finances were fo far reduced that I could not have upon certain emergencies fuch fmall fums as will pay for thefe watches. Judge not, I befeech you, of our finances by thofe of the ruined fovereigns of Europe. Though we have now been engaged in a war for three years, we proceed with our buildings, and every thing elfe goes on as in time of profound peace. We buy pictures. It is two years fince any new tax has been raifed. The prefent war has its fixed expence; that once regulated, it never difturbs the course of other affairs."

Catherine was in religious matters a pupil of Voltaire and the pretended French philofophers,

"Cultrix Deorum Parca et infrequens ;

yet foon after the maffacre of the good Louis XVI. fhe went in folemn proceffion with her feet naked and her eyes uplifted to the mo naftery of St. Alexander Newfky. She perceived but too late the connection between religion and good government, and that those who fear God are not deficient in honouring the King. "If the infatuation of princes," fays the pious and fagacious Dr. Hartley, "were not of the deepest kind, they could not but fee that they hold their dominions entirely by the real Chriftianity that is left among us; and that if they fucceed in taking away this foundation or weakening it much farther, their governments must fall like houfes built upon fand. Befides the great influence which Chriftianity has to make man humble and obedient, it is to be confidered that our anceftors have fo interwoven it with the conftitutions of the kingdoms of Europe, that they must ftand or fall together. Chriftianity is the cement of the building." Vol. ii. p. 342.

Aaa 2

86 RICHARD

"RICHARD FARMER, D. D. MASTER OF EMMANUEL COLLEGE

AND CANON RESIDENTIARY OF ST. PAUL'S.

"For the following character of this ingenious and excellent man the Compiler is indebted to Ifaac Reed, Efq. a Collector of great li berality and generofity; a man who, modeftly and wifely confining his efforts to one particular branch of literature, has arrived at fuch a degree of eminence in it, that his literary friends are at a lofs which to admire moft, his power or his inclination to allift then.

"Richard Farmer, D. D. was the architect of his own fortone; and without the aid of friends or powerful connections elevated himself to an honorable and lucrative fituation, in the enjoyment of which he bounded his ambition at a time when he might have obtained higher preferment. From his entrance into the Univerfity he seemed to have fixed on Cambridge as the place deftined for his future refidence, and uniformly rejected every offer the acceptance of which would occafion his entire removal from that place. His attention to the interefts of the town and univerfity never was fufpended, and by his exertions every improvement and convenience introduced for the laft thirty years were either originally proposed or ultimately forwarded and carried into execution. The plan for paving, watching, and lighting the town, after many ineffectual attempts, was accomplished in his fecond Vice-Chancellorship, greatly to the fatisfaction of all parties, whofe petty objections and jealoufies, and difcordant and jarring interefts he exerted himself with fuccefs to obviate, to moderate, and to reconcile. As a Magi trate he was active and diligent, and on more than one occation of riots difplayed great firmnefs of mind in dangerous conjunctures. As the Mafter of his College he was eafy and acceffible, cultivating the friendship of the fellows and inferior members by every mark of kindnefs and attention; and this conduct was rewarded in the manner he moft wished by the harmony which prevailed in the fociety, and by an entire exemption from thofe feuds and animofities which too often tore to pieces and difgraced other colleges. In his office of Refidentiary of St. Paul's, if he was not the firft mover he was certainly the most ftrenuous advocate for promoting the art of fculpture by the introduction of ftatuary into the metropolitan cathedral; and many of the regulations on the fubject were fuggefted by him, and adopted in confequence of his recommendation. His literary character refts on one fmall work, The Effay on the Learning of Shakspeare," compofed in the early period of his life, and which completely fettled a much litigated and controverted question, contrary to the opinions of many eminent writers, in a manner that carried conviction to the mind of every one who had either carelessly or carefully resected on the subject. It may in truth be pointed out as a matter-piece, whether confidered with a view to the fprightlinefs and vivacity with which it is written, the clearness of the arrangement, the force and variety of the evidence, or the compreffion of fcattered materials into a narrow compafs; materials which inferior writers would have expanded into a large volume. He had no tafte for the prevailing purfuit in the univerfity, the mathematicks, nor ever paid any regard to it after he had obtained his firft two degrees; but he cultivated the belles lettres

with great affiduity, though with little appearance of regular study, His knowledge of books in all languages, and in every science, was very comprehenfive. He was fond of reading, and continued the habit until the laft ftage of his exilence. His good humour, liberality, pleafantry, and hofpitality might afford fubjects for unmixed panegyric to which every one who knew him would readily affent. Thefe will live in the memory of his furviving friends, who, whenever his name occurs, cannot but figh at the reflection that thofe qualities which have fo often foothed and gladdened life were fuffered to exift no longer in the poffeffor than until he had attained the age of fixty-two years. He died the 8th September, 1797.

"The illiberal practice of the prefent times may expect a drawback of the foibles of a man of genius and virtue. That Dr. Farmer had fome it would be ridiculous to deny and ufelefs to conceal. They were, however, fuch as fuperfeded no duty, encouraged no vice, and might pafs in review before the most rigid mor lift without calling for more than a very flight cenfure. In reality they were lott in the recollection of his many amiable qualities. Some of them, however, are delicately glanced at in the following masterly character drawn by the Reverend Dr. Parr, and published a thort time before Dr. Farmer's death:

Of any undue partiality towards the mafter of Emmanuel college I fhall not be fufpected by thofe perfons who know how little his fentiments accord with my own upon fome ecclefiaftical and many political matters. From rooted principle and ancient habit he is a Tory; I am a Whig; and we have both of us too much confidence in each other, and too much refpect for ourselves, to diffemble what we think upon any grounds or to any extent. Let me then do him the juftice which amidit all our differences in opinion I am fure that he will ever be ready to do to me. His knowledge is various, extenfive, and recondite. With much feeming negligence, and perhaps in later years fome real relaxation, he understands more and remembers more about common and uncommon fubjects of literature, than many of thofe who would be thought to read all the day and meditate half the night. In quickness of apprehenfion and acuteness of discrimination I have not of en feen his equal. Through many a convivial hour have I been charmed by his vivacity; and upon his genius I have reflected in many a serious moment with pleature, with admiration, but not without regret, that he has never concentrated and exerted all the great powers of his mind in fome great work upon fome great fubject. Of his liberality to patronizing learned men I could point out numerous inftances. Without the falleft propenfities to avarice, he poffelles a large income; and, without the mean fubmiffions of depen dance, he is rifen to a high ftation. His ambition, if he has any, is without infolence; his munificence is without oftentation; his wit is without acrimony; and his learning without pedantry."

In the fecond volume is a neat account of the life of Mr. Haltings, by Major Scott, with the heads of Hough, Bishop of Worcester, Purcell, and Mr. Haltings, well engraved.

They

They are dedicated to Mifs Harriet Carr, who defigned and etched the Frontifpiece; and perhaps it is fufficient to fay generally, that they do not in the leaft degree detract from the compiler's reputation.

BRITISH CATALOGUE.

POETRY.

ART. 18. Fears in Solitude, written in 1798, during the Alarm of as Invasion, to which are added, France, an Ode, and Froft at Midnight. By S. T. Coleridge. 4to. 1s. 6d. Johnfon. 1798.

We by no means deny this writer the praife of fenfibility and poetic tafte, and, on this account, we the more feriously lament his abfurd and prepofterous prejudices against his country, and give a decided preference to the laft of thefe compofitions, as having no tincture of party. We would feriously afk Mr. Coleridge where it is that Englishmen have been fo "tyrannous" as to juftify the exclamation,

"From eaft to weft"

A groan of accufation pierces heaven,
The wretched plead against us, multitudes,
Countless and vehement," &c. &c.

Again he calls his countrymen,

"A felfish, lewd, effeminated race,

Contemptuous of all honourable rule;

Yet bartering freedom, and the poor man's life,
For gold, as at a market."

A little further on ;

"We have loved

To fwell the war-whoop, paffionate for war."

Now all this we deny, and confider it as the hafty emotion of a young man, who writes without experience and knowledge of facts. All thefe bitter things he has told, he fays, without bitterness-credat Judæus. In his Ode to France, he tells his readers, fomewhat inaccurately, that when France "faid she would be free,”

"Bear witness for me, how I hoped and feared,
With what a joy my lofty gratulation,

Unawed I fung amid a flavif band,"

It is not apparent who is to bear witnefs for the poet, and we are forry that one who fings fo well thould be obliged to fing amid a flavish band. We fhould like to know where this flavish band exifted. There are none of that defcription in this country. The Poem called Froft

at Midnight, not being defaced by any of thefe abfurdities, is entitled, to much praife. A few affectations of phrafeology, are atoned for by much expreffive tenderness, and will be avoided by the author's more mature judgment.

ART. 19. Poems on various Subjects. By R. Anderfon, of Carlisle I 2mo. 3s. 6d. Clarke. 1798.

This collection confifts of Mifcellanies, Epiftles, Sonnets, and Epigrams, and are introduced by the autho, by an apology for the want of a fcientific education. Many of thefe are above mediocrity, and fome of the fongs have much fimplicity and tenderness; the author may be faid to pofiefs a confiderable portion of true poetic talte. ART. 20. Tales of the Hoy, interfperfed with Song, Ode, and Dialogue. By Peter Pindar, Ejq. 4to. 3s. Richardfon. 1798.

The late publications of this writer, if they do not detract from, certainly add nothing to the reputation he once enjoyed. We think the prefent in all refpects difgraceful to him; with very feanty pretenfions to either wit or humour, there is a great deal of indecent ribaldry, with here and there an inclination towards blafphemy. We are threatened with a fecond part of the Tales of the Hoy. With the epigrammatift, we fay, the firft is quite fufficient for our ufe, and advife the author to keep the next for his own.

ART. 21. Nelfon's Triumph; or, the Battle of the Nile: a Poem. By William Thomas Fitzgerald, Efq. 4to. 15. Stockdale. 1799. This animated effufion of loyalty is more fitted for recitation, for which it was originally written, than for the calm perufal of the closet. The author is not fufficiently rigid in his criticilin on himfelf; and frequently admits a trite thought or profaic line, probably depending upon the effect which will be produced by the mode of giving them utterance. There are, however, feveral good lines, and a general spirit which fupports attention.

DRAMATIC.

ART. 22. The Prifoner; or, the Refemblance. (From the French.) A Comic Opera, in One Act. Adapted to the English Stage, by Henry Heartwell, Efq. 8vo. 40 pp. IS. Cadell and Davies.

1799.

The popularity of this little piece in Paris was very uncommon. It was acted an hundred times in the year 1798, and fill remains a favourite. A part of this admiration it must have owed to the actors, and another part to the mufic: but the fituations it produces are

novel