diftinction between a moral and a mechanical neceflity, unadvisedly accused him of favouring the doctrines of Hobbes and Spinofa. No one, however, could harbour fentiments. more contrary to fatalism than Mr. 'fGravefande, or be more ready, on all occafions, to avow principles diametrically oppofite.

Befides the pieces of his own compofition, published by this learned man, the public are obliged to him for several correct editions of the valuable works of others: and, had not death prevented his putting a moft excellent design in execution, might have been much more fo, for a system of Morality which he intended to have published.

As a Citizen, we fhall find few men of letters that have done more fervice to their country than himself: having hardly quitted the college before his known abilities in calculation recommending him to the notice of the Minifters of the Republic, he was confulted on all thofe occafions wherein his talents were requifite to affift them, in raifing money for the ufe of the State. As a Decypherer alfo, he was frequently ferviceable in the detection of the fecret correfpondence of their enemies while in his capacity of Profeffor of the Mechanic Arts, perhaps, no one was ever more fuccefsful in applying the powers of Nature to the purposes of oeconomist improvement.

If we add to this, that Mr. 'fGravefande was equally amiable in his private, as refpectable in his public character, we fhall close this sketch of his Hiftory with an eulogium, to which it were to be wifhed many others of equal genius and abilities had as just pretensions.

MONTHLY

CATALOGUE.

For NOVEMBER, 1759.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Art. 1. An Anfwer to a Letter to a late noble Commander of the British Forces. In which the Candour is proved to be affected, the Facts untrue, the Arguments delufive, and the Defign iniquitous. 8vo. IS. Owen.

TH

HIS boafting title-page is, to the difcerning Reader, a fufficient intimation of the merits of the pamphlet. Writers who ridiculously undertake to prove too much, are feldom able to make. good a fingle propofition. Thefe Empirics in Letters, are like Quacks in Phyfic; they make a fenfelefs parade of their talents, which they

never

never fail to difplay to the injury of those who employ them. In few words, this pamphlet is a compound of the moft trifling prevarications, the most wilful misconstructions, and the most grofs fcurrility, that ever was obtruded on the public. The Writer's tile is of a-piece with his fentiments, and both the one and the other are fo coarfe, that the former is as grating to the ear, as the latter is offenfive to the understanding.

Art. 2. Farther Animadverfions on the Conduct of a late Noble Commander, &c. In Reply to a Pamphlet entitled, "An "Anfwer to a Letter to a late Noble Commander," &c. By the Author of the two Letters to a late Noble Commander. 8vo. Is. Griffiths.

This ingenious and spirited Writer has here condefcended to engage with a very contemptible antagonist; for which, in his Poftfcript, he expresses his contrition, in the following terms.

Since the foregoing pages paffed through the prefs, I have had the mortification to be informed, that I have flooped to reply to that very ready and abufive Writer, who now juttly lies under confinement for the most daring and fcandalous of all libels: and who was an Apologift for a late unhappy Admiral, to whofe ruin, perhaps, he contributed not a little, by irritating the public against the unfortunate Delinquent, by his lame vindications, and fcurrilous invectives. Had I known him fooner, I had not degraded myself by contending with an antagonist, whofe very name is fufficient to invalidate his arguments. His Lordship's cafe is, indeed, Dignus " Vindice Nodus. I would advife the noble Lord, however, to be cautious how he engages an Advocate, whofe pen has brought contempt upon himself, and deftruction on his clients.'

As it would be to little purpofe for us to enter into the merits of this conteft, we take leave of it for the prefent, with the following animated paffage, extracted from the conclufion of these animadfions.

Shall his Lordship then, who has, for many years, received the national pay, to the amount of a princely revenue; who has been honoured with pofts of the highest truft, and diftinguished by the ⚫ favour and confidence of his Sovereign;-Shall HE, when called upon to acquit himself of fuch vaft obligations, when fummoned to the teft of his abilities, when ordered to the difcharge of his duty;-Shall HE, though fpirited to the purfuit of glory by the • Prince's Aid-de-camp, though even tutored in the leffon of Honour by his own Aid-de-camp; Shall HE, paufe, hefitate, debate, defert his poft, gallop after an explanation of what every one pronounced clear and pofitive?—When affured, from the mouth of his fuperior, that his Doubts were groundless, and ordered to advance to fupport his fellow foldiers, who were engaged in an unequal 'conflict-Shall HE crawl to his destined station, by a flow and cau. ⚫tious march, till the opportunity of his intended fervice was loft?• Not contented with impeding the fuccefs of the day, by his own ⚫ dilatory motions,-Shall HE, by his authority, check the generous

ardour

ardour of more forward and intrepid Commanders ?—And after ⚫ these shameful inftances of glaring misbehaviour-Shall Hɛ be per-. 'mitted to retire with haughty refignation, and enjoy the long ac

cumulated fruits of a nation's industry, unreproved, uncenfured, ⚫ and uncondemned?-Nay more, Shall HE, by his own, or hired pens, ⚫ prefume to defame thofe, who exprefs their honeft indignation against him?-Shall HE, dare to vilify his Royal* Accufer, and even con⚫ demn his own Sovereign of injuftice?

No! while there is fenfe and fpirit in Great Britain, the public will teftify their refentment of fuch ignominious conduct, aggravated by fuch daring infolence.

The frowns of public indignation have been smoothed by the fmiles of Victory: but let not his Lordship, by an ill-timed effrontery, wrinkle that ferenity which is the pledge of his fecurity.

Let him retire with peaceful contrition: let him affociate with his apologists and dependants: let him not brave the face of the public: let him hide himself in obfcurity: and not dare to advance now with fuch defperate ftrides, when he moved with fuch

'caution in the field.'

Princely, we humbly conceive, (with deference to this elegant Writer) would have been more proper, when speaking of the Duke of Brunswic's younger brother.

Art. 3. High Life below Stairs. A Farce of two Acts. As it is performed at the Theatre-royal in Drury-lane. 8vo. I s. : Newbery.

Exposes the villainous extravagance of fervants, who fquander the property of their masters; and ridicules their prepofterous affectation of the manners, or rather the foibles of their fuperiors. The defign is not ufelefs; and the execution of the piece is well enough for the tail-piece of a play,—a make-weight for the mob of an audience, who love to have a large twelve penny-worth for their twelve-pence.

Art. 4. Low-Life above Stairs: a Farce, as it is acted in most Families of Diftinction throughout the Kingdom. 8vo. Williams.

I S.

Made up of low common place fatire; of fwearing and obscenity. The Author merits only contempt for his incapacity, but a cudgel for his impudence.

Art. 5. Hymen: an accurate Description of the Ceremonies used in Marriage, by every Nation in the known World,&c. 12mo. 3s. Pottinger.

Old rubbish, collected from the Religious Ceremonies, Modern Hiftories, Travels, &c. The like collection was published some years ago, under the title of Marriage Ceremonies, &c.

Art. 6. The Hiftories of fome of the Penitents in the MagdalenHoufe, as fuppofed to be related by themselves. 12mo. 2 vols. 6s. Rivington.

REV. Nov. 1759.

Hh

We

We cannot but applaud the author of these stories for his confciencious ingenuity in inferting the word /uppofed in his title page; as it is probable that his books would have been more univerfally read, if he had published them under the title of real hiftories: for, though in reality, this might have impofed upon a very fmall number of his readers; yet, when we are pofitively told, before we begin a story, that it is an entire fiction, it naturally, though perhaps unaccountably, becomes lefs interefting. To increase our entertainment, we wish to be deceived, and are therefore eafily perfuaded."

Confidering the heroines of thefe romances, the world might perhaps be led to expect a collection of lewd immoral tales, of which, to the difcredit of the prefs, the prefent age is much too prolific. But on the contrary, we have the pleasure to affure our readers, efpecially the female part, that these books contain nothing that will, in the leaft, wound their ears, or offend their delicacy: inftead of this, they will find in them both entertainment and inftruction. Each ftory has an obvious and moral tendency; and, which is very uncommon in modern romances, they are written in good English.

Art.

7. Lettres de M. le Marechal Duc de Belleifle, à M. le Marechal de Contades. Trouvées parmi les papiers de Monfieur de Contades après la Bataille de Minden. 1759. 8vo. Is, 6d. That is,

Letters of M. Duke of Belleifle to M. Contades, found among the Papers of the latter, after the Battle of Minden,

Though the publisher of these letters has not thought fit to prefix his name, or to give the publick any information concerning their authenticity; yet we are of opinion, that there will be few readers, who, if they are fufficiently acquainted with the French language, and the hiftory of the last year, will doubt their being genuine. They are twelve in number. The firft is dated from Versailles, July 8, 1758. Its chief contents are, fome cautions for the fecurity of Duf feldorff M, Belleifle fufpects the fidelity of the Elector Palatine's minifters, and advises Contades to remove the troops of that prince from Duffeldorff, and to replace them with French battalions.

The fecond letter is dated Verfailles, July 15, and contains the following remarkable paragraph.I have already told you, that, after the obfervance of usual forms and ceremonies towards the magiftrates of Cologne, you must take their heavy artillery by force; telling them, that it is for their own defence against the common enemy of the empire, and that they will be restored to them as foon as their city is out of danger: but you must, at all events, take every thing you may have occafion for; and proper receipts are to be given

Letter 3d. Repeats the king's order to take their cannon by force, urging to the magistrates, that Cologne is an imperial city, and ⚫ therefore neceffarily at war with the king of Pruffia, and his • adherents.'

Letter 4th. I obferve with pleasure, fays the marshal, that you have feized the artillery by force; and that in doing it you have pbferved all the neceffary formalities, as by that means all their

⚫ com

complaints to the Diet of Ratilbon, can have no effect.' This letter contains likewife fome military intelligence, and advice concerning the English troops expected in Germany.

Letter 5th. Complains, that the expence of the war is infupportable. I pafs my whole life, fays he, in demanding money of the comptroller-general, who has none to give me." He then recom mends economy as the only means of proceeding.

Letter 6th. Nothing remarkable.

Letter 7th. At all events, Sir, you are to confume or destroy all the fubfiftance in the neighbourhood of Paderborn, and of all the ⚫ intermediate country as far as Warfbourgh. Weftphalia must be made Ian entire defert, &c."

These orders are three or four times repeated in fome of the subse quent letters: but the publick have already feen extracts from them in the news papers. Upon the whole, we look upon these twelve epiftles, as real and valuable curiofities; not only as authentic fpecimens of French policy, but as trophies of our glorious victory over them, in the ever memorable year 1759.

N. B. A tranflation of thefe Letters is published by T. Payne, price 1 s. 6 d.

Art. 8. Agenor and Ifmena; or the War of the Tender Paffions." A Novel. Tranflated from the French. 12mo. 2 vols.

6s. Cooke.

Amorous nonfenfe.

Art. 9. The Adventures of a Rake; in the Character of a public Orator. Interperfed with several serious and comic Pieces, pronounced before fome polite Audiences with great Applaufe, and publifhed at their Requeft. By R. Lewis. 12mo. 2 vols. 6s. Withy, &c.

Mr. R. Lewis affures his Readers, that he relates to them his own adventures; and that he relates nothing but the ftrictest truth. If this be fo, we may pronounce Mr. Lewis to be one of the moft impudent men living: for he tells fuch ftories of his own debaucheries, as no man poffeffed of the fmallest degree of modefty, would ever have prefumed to lay before the public; figned too, with his own name, and unaccompanied with the flightest intimation of fhame, or forrow, for what he has done.We are the more furpr zed at this behaviour, as the man really appears to be poffeffed of a capacity from which better things might have been expected. He has iome learning, and is not deftitute of genius; but, probably, for want of better employment, he has been induced to proftitute both, (at least if we may believe his own account) in a vagrant attempt to raise con tributions upon the public, by playing the Orator in feveral countrytowns; to fuch audiences as he could gather together, at one shilling, or fix pence a head.

Art. 10. A Difcourfe concerning Plays and Players. Occafioned by a late and very extraordinary Sermon, in which foms Senti

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