the Indians. It is therefore to be regretted, that Col. Bradstreet, on the taking Frontenac, inftead of deftroying the veffels which he found there, did not think himself at liberty to proceed in them directly to Niagara. It would certainly have fallen into his hands; and is by far the most important place, to us, in that part of America. It is as advantageous a poft as Frontenac, for cutting off the communication between the northern and fouthern French colonies, and may be maintained perhaps at one twentieth part of the expence. To evince this, which it is of great importance for the nation to be apprized of at prefent, we are to confider, that by the vicinity of Canada to Frontenac, the French can attack the latter when they please, which muft oblige us to keep a large garrifon continually there. But Niagara is at a much greater diftance from all their fettlements, and cannot be attacked from Canada, without proceeding first up the river St. Lawrence, in small craft, and then croffing the lake in larger veffels, through all our cruizers there. Nor can it be attacked from the Miffiffippi fettlements, without firft reducing Fort du Quefne, and what other places of Strength we may have on the Ohio. A very fmall garrifon, therefore, would be fufficient at Niagara; and it might not only be fupplied with provifions from New York, by way of Ofwego, almoft as cafily as Frontenac might, but likewife from Pensylvania and our other fouthern colonies, by way of Fort du Quefne; now happily called (by a more aufpicious name) PITTSBURGH. The importance of this laft mentioned fort, and the country about it, is fet in a very juft point of light by our author, in the fequel of his work, to which we refer; having extended this article fufficiently, from our defire to contribute whatever we can to the explaining our American affairs, at this happy æra of general attention to them. *If it was thought too late in the feafon to proceed to Niagara, another thing of vaft confequence might have been done, to preferve the veffels, and give us the command of the lake in the fpring. They might have been laid up in Kenty-Bay, which never freezes, and fecured by a fmall garrifon on Kenty-Ifland, which it would not have been in the power of the French to annoy; for in the winter they could not have made any attack across the lake in batteaus or whale-boats; and they could have brought nothing elfe, having no ships left on the lake. Art. 2. The Monitor; or British Freeholder. From July 23, 1757, to July 15, 1758; both inclufive. Vol. III. 8vo. 6s. Scott. In our Review, vol. XVII, p. 289, we endeavoured to give our reader a competent idea of this periodical writer, who ftill continues, every Saturday, to admonish the good people of England, for their welfare, notwithftanding their circumftances are fo happily changed, fince the Monitor firft affumed the dictatorship, He allows, indeed, that we are now in a very promifing way; but he obferves, that vigorous meafures demand vigorous Supplies; and that thefe, in the very nature of the thing, muft fo augment the public debt, that at the end of the war, we may find ourselves in a feebler condition than we were before:—whence he juftly infers the neceffity of our perfifting fteadily to fupport the Man, who feems to have been raifed up by providence, to protect and fave us, by his ability and integrity. Mis MISCELLANEOUS. Art. 3. Statutes and Rules relating to the Inspection and Ufe of the British Museum; and for the better fecurity and prefervation of the fame: By order of the Trustees. 8vo. 6d. Davis and Reymers. The immenfe variety and value of the articles which this repofitory contains, rendered it abfolutely neceffary to impofe, on the curious infpector, certain conditions of admiffion, in order to guard against inconveniences and cafualties. To thefe, though they may generally appear to be rather troublesome and formal, the learned will not object when they confider, that this Museum was intended for their use, (to which the rules here laid down are calculated to restrict and secure it) and not to raise the wonder, and occafion a great refort, of the illiterate, by ftanding in competition with Punchionello, and all his merry family.—It should also be remembered, that the trustees always have power to relax from the severity of these ftatutes, in favour of fuch diftinguished perfons, as it might feem both unneceffary and improper to fubject to the reftrictions mentioned in this pamphlet. Art. 4. The Book of Nature; or, the Hiftory of Infects. By Tranflated by Thomas Floyd. notes, by Dr. Hill. Folio, 21: The established character of this curious work renders our entering on any particulars relating to the original unneceffary; nor fhall fay any thing more of the prefent tranflation, than that it reads tolerably; and that the engravings, which are above fifty in number, appear to be accurately done: The great Boerhaave's account of the life of Dr. Swammerdam is here also given. Art. 5. Travels through Germany, Hungary, Bohemia, Switzerland, Italy, and Lorrain. Containing an accurate defcription of the prefent ftate and curiofities of thofe countries, &c. &c. Illuftrated with copper-plates. By John George Keyfler, F. R. S. To which is prefixed the life of the Author. Tranflated from the Hanover Edition of the German. 12mo. 4 vols. 12s. Scott. We have already had the pleasure of making our readers fully acquainted with the merits of M. Keyfler's valuable work, in our account of the English translation published about two years ago, in 4 vols: 4to. This new tranflation, if it be a new one, chiefly differs from the quarto edition, as being contracted into a much narrower compafs; which the editor has chiefly enabled himself to effect, by omitting the large and numerous notes; fome of which, indeed, might well enough be fpared. The language too, in general, is fomewhat improved in this duodecimo tranflation; which, we doubt not, will fully fully content fuch readers, as do not chufe to be at the expence of purchafing the quarto edition. Art. 6. The Hiflory of Benjamin St. Martin, a fortunate Foundling, interfperfed with curious anecdotes and narratives of the love-affairs of fome persons in high life. 12mo. 2 vols. 6s. Coote. This ought not to be numbered among the moft contemptible of the common run of our novels. The author has both fentiment and invention; though his language is very incorrect, and often totally ungrammatical. But what must for ever render his work obnoxious to the difcerning reader, is the unwarrantable allufion he has made, under the fuppofed name and character of the reverend Mr. Benjamin Collins, to a moft refpectable Divine of the church of England; a gentleman, whofe public fpirit, and excellent writings, are equally honourable to himself, and advantageous to his country.-Poffibly, however, this is the true reason of our Author's abufing him, Art. 7. The Intriguing Coxcomb: or the fecret Hiftory of Sir Edmund Godfrey. 12mo. 2 vols. 6s. Scott. An unconnected jumble of idle and uninterefting ftories of debauchery; the whole being without beginning, middle, or end; and deftitute of truth, fense, wit, or moral, Art. 8. The Noviciate of the Marquis de ***; or the Appren tice turn'd Mafter. Tranflated from the French. 12mo. 3s. Pottinger. As lewd, as imperfect, and as infignificant as the Intriguing Coxcomb; a title that would have fuited this performance better than its own, which has no vifible connection with the ftory. There is nothing about an apprentice in the book. Art. 9. The Life and real Adventures of Hamilton Murray. Midling. Neither excellent nor execrable. The Author has fome humour and fome invention; but his language is generally inaccurate; often deformed by a fort of coxcombly affectation; and sometimes debased by fuch grofs expreffions, that we think ourfelves obliged to warn our fair readers against his indelicacy. Art. 10. Memoirs of Madame de Stahl. Tranflated from the French. 12mo. 3s. Reeve. This is one of thofe hiftorical novels, with which the French abound; and in which truth and falfhood, politics and gallantry, are fo blended together, that it is difficult to know what credit to afford the facts related, or what idea to form of the perfons reprefented. There There are Readers, however, no doubt, who may find entertainment in the perufal of thefe Memoirs; which chiefly turn on the courtintrigues that took place on the death of Louis the Fourteenth. The Editor tells us, the foreign Reviews have made very advantageous mention of the original. We wish we could, in juftice, do the fame by the tranflation: but this is, indeed, wretched. On our Heroine's having been left by her good friend Madam de Silly, fhe is made to fay, In order to emerge from the kind of annihilation, to which I was reduced by the ablence of this lady, &c. And again, on expecting to be difmifled from the convent, I found no way to bear the expection of fuch a fentence, but by arresting the agitation of my mind, an intenfe application of it to abftract matters. If our Readers retire further proof of the abilities of this profound Tranf lator, we mo refer them to the work itself. Art. 11. The Campaign; a true Story. 12mo. 2 vols. 6s. Harrison. Sorry are we to learn, by a fenfible advertisement prefixed to this work, that we owe fo entertaining a performance merely to the poverty of its author. Yet this, he says, was his motive, and his only motive; adding, if the action is mean, the confeffion at least is honeft. He pleads, therefore, fome merit, in having thus candidly told his readers the truth. But may we not fay with a certain French writer, on a like occafion, Who troubles his head about that? a fad way this of recommending a book! From the title alfo we expect ed a formidable account of battles and fieges; of fome Othello-like Hero's hair-breadth fcapes in th' imminent, deadly breach; and of things, if not quite so strange, at least as true, as The Anthropophagi, and men whofe heads Our expectations, however, were agreeably difappointed; and, as we doubt not but many others, who would have been equally entertained by a perufal of this work, have, for the fame reasons, never had the curiofity to look in it, we are induced to obviate this mifunderstanding; as well in juftice to the public as to the author: and yet we cannot very juftly call the title of this performance a misnomer, as the Hero does really take a trip over to the army, then in Flanders. But this was only a volunteering frolick. It was foon over; and most of the fubfequent fcenes are laid in London; where the Author introduces fome original characters, and makes fo many pertinent and judicious reflections on men and manners, that we should be inclined to think his knowlege of mankind the effect of age and experience, did not the defects of his work, as a literary compofition, betray the hand of a young Writer. Among thefe are faults, of which, though they may little affect the generality of Readers, it may be thought our duty to remind him. To be as tender, however, of the fenfibility of a rifing genius as poffible; we shall only take notice of his having too frequently ufed the fame fet of phrafes, and having often miftaken a quaintnefs of expreffon for wit. To make one example ferve as an inllance of both-he occafionally rallies chit-chat, and idle con verfation, 7 verfation, under the modish denomination of Small-talk; but whatever fashion may recommend the term, it may be repeated till it puts us in mind, that there may be fm writing alfo: which is certainly the most disgustful, and lefs excufable of the two. This performance is nevertheless, on the whole, fo much preferable to most of the novels which have lately appeared, that we may fafely recommend it to the perufal of those who have tafte and leifure for fuch kind of amufement. POETICAL. Art. 12. The Tears of Friendship. An elegiac Ode, fared to the memory of feveral deceafed Friends, &c. Bymas Gibbons. 4to. 6d. Buckland. The perfons here celebrated, are, the late reverend Drs. Watts, Grofvenor, and Stennet; the reverend Mr. Nottcut, the good Lady Abney, and one or two others of inferior note. Specimen. Stanza xxxviii. Freed from the chains of flesh, their painful cell, Instead of the word drink, we could with tafte had been used; though, on fecond thoughts, perhaps both are improper, as we have no idea of fpirits enjoying any corporeal pleafures. The most refpectable authority may, indeed, be cited for the use of such metaphors; but, nevertheless, we cannot help difliking them, when they appear under the difadvantage of uninspired expression, like that of the reverend Mr. Thomas Gibbons. The above was all we intended to fay concerning this little poem; but fince we had wrote thus far, we received a letter from an unknown hand, wherein, among other ftrictures, (which we shall pafs over) on Mr. Gibbons's performance, is an obfervation occafioned by the following ftanza, relating to the celebrated Dr. Ifaac Watts, whofe connection with the Abney family the Letter-writer feems to think may be misapprehended, from what is faid of the bounties be received. And can I mention WATTS, and not recall ABNEY, at whofe fair feat the Prophet † liv'd, And from whofe hands, that fhow'r'd their boons on all, If ever Mr. Gibbons, fays our Correfpondent, was conversant in the family, he must know, that though Dr. Watts thought himself very much obliged to Sir Thomas and Lady Abney, yet that Lady Abney, whom he only could have an opportunity of being acquainted *The Lady Abney of Stoke-Newington. By what authority he ftiles Dr. Watts a Prophet, is best known to Mr. Gibbons himself. with, |