our Author's reasoning, could not, fo eafily at leaft, have taken place, had fuch a corps of obfervation, and celerity of movement, been established, as we here find recommended.It is not, however, yet too late to adopt so promising a scheme.-So, indeed, it seems to us; but, on a subject like this, matters may appear in very different lights to a Reviewer, in his garret, and a Nabob, in his palace in Leadenhall-ftreet. POETICAL. Art. 12. I S. The Author of this poem is pleafed to inveigh with much feverity, and in no defpicable metre, against a Grace lately paffed in the University of Cambridge. It had been a custom in that feminary of learning for the Bachelors and junior Masters of Arts, who had dif tinguished themselves by their fuperiority in mathematical researches, to have Undergraduates in the capacity of private pupils t. From this practice, in the opinion of those refpectable gentlemen who propofed the reform, many inconveniences arofe. One was-that the expences of the Univerfity, already fufficiently increased by the prevailing luxuries of the age, were thus unreasonably augmented; and, confequently, thofe young men, whofe finances would not allow them the affiftance of private tutors, must enter the lifts at no fmall disadvantage. Another was-that, at the time of taking their degrees, many of the private tutors being among the number of examiners, an indecent conteft, which often led the way to confufion and partiality, perpetually arofe, from a defire of preferring their respective pupils. And it was further objected-that, by confining the first ho Kawn, and the danger, to the interests of the Company, from his extensive views, and enterprifing difpofition.- -The Colonel thus fpeaks of this hero of the Eaft: Heider Ally Kawn feems to have refolved that pofterity should draw no parallel between him and any of his native cotemporaries; and the distance at which he has thrown all of his day proves, that the refolution has not been hitherto formed in vain. He poffeffes conftitutional bravery in common with many of his complexion; but courage, the quality of the foul which ditinguishes the general from the grenadier, has raifed him far above the common level of Indians. Cool judgment, acquired by long and mature experience, has fixed due bounds to his great military ardour; and, though a refpect for the English name and arms may have hitherto contributed to check his natural impetuofity, yet he has never fuffered his activity to be restrained by the reins of an ill-timed caution'-&c. &c. * Whatever is propofed for the confideration of the members of the fenate, in order that by their approbation it may pass into a katute, is denominated a Grace. +These instructors were familiarly ftiled Feeders, a metaphor bor rowed from the cock-pit, and not injudiciously; it being generally thought, that what their pupils were on thefe occafions crammed with, was feldom of much use after the day of competition was over. подго nours of the fenate to those who moft excelled in the abstruse parts of mathematics, the folid and more useful branches of natural philofophy were too frequently neglected. This grace, therefore, was paffed to prevent thofe who, either directly or indirectly, had the affiftance of private tutors for the two years preceding their degree, from receiving thofe honours which they would be otherwise entitled to, They who maintain the contrary part of the argument, affert, that when the paths of learning are made cafy by private tuition, even the diffident and the idle may be fimulated to exert themselves in purfait of academical fame, who would too frequently be difcouraged by the difficulties they muft otherwife encounter, Whether the learned promoters or oppofers of this Grace were in the right, is not in our province to determine. As a fpecimen of this writer's verfifying talents, which we before' obferved are by no means defpicable, we fhall prefent our Readers with the following reply to Dulnefs, which is put into the mouth of a Tutor of a College; premifing, at the fame time, that the Tutor and Dulness are, we believe, no where connected but in this poem; the character, if we guefs rightly, being intended for one who is little intitled to it a gentleman of well-known ingenuity and learning: "I fly, great Queen, I fly At thy command, to conquer or to die: Oft have I ftrictly fworn (and thou haft heard Should Senfe or Science e'er affault thy throne, I'd shake my Gorgon wig, and ftare them into ftone (Let parents judge) I've serv'd no caufe but thine, be mine, Sooner thall Md† quit a T―t's throne, Preferring England's intereft to his own; Sooner shall Watson, from his courtier wings, Sooner fhall Marg'ret's herd forfake their mud, And feek the lavings of the crystal flood; Sooner black, bearish, H- —, with brow ferene, Marshall'd, whene'er I call, thy Johnian fons Shall form a phalanx firm as Macedons; Fix'd as the bafis of the marble rock, Shall ftem whole tides of wit, and brave the furious fhock Far diftant roofs conceal as zealous friends. Mr. C fücceeded the fub-preceptor and tutorship of St, John's. +Md, Fellow of K-'s College, Mr for the Univerfity, and Ss G——————————], But But far above the reft, with large fapplies Pow'r fcarce can tame him, pleasure searce can please, Bevil. Art. 13. Poems for the Vafe at Bath Eafton, &c. &c. Dedicated, with profound Refpect, to Mrs. Gell of Hopton in Derbyfhire. By a Derbyshire Highlander. 4to. 2s. 6d. Rivington. 1781. Thefe pieces are ushered into the world by a Prefatory Epiftle from the Author to his Publisher, in which he modeftly difclaims any title to the character of a poet. It is, indeed, evident that he has not been much exercifed in compofition. There is, nevertheless, a vein of grotesque humour running through many of his performances, not ill-adapted to the embellishment of a ludicrous fubject. Spleen is the eldest daughter of the Gout; To him Hysterics this ftrange bantling bore, And the blue Devils took the moral share : This name was given to the reverend tutor in a fcurrilous pamphlet, which was treated with merited contempt by every one; but fo agreeable are feveral traits in this gentleman's character to fome in Goliah's of old, that the Univerfity has ever fince dignified him with this title. Each Each tutor blam'd the etiquette of France, And Tooth-ach taught him refts and beats to make; Next, in light vision round the Poet's head He floats, and whispers, "Sir, your lines were read; C..t..t. Art. 14. Poems by the Rev. Mr. Logan, one of the Minifters of Leith. 8vo. 2 s. 6 d. Cadell. 1781. This collection principally confifts of Odes, Tales, and Hymns." Though there may now and then be met with, in them, a pretty thought, not inelegantly expreffed, the general character of thefe pieces is, that they feldom rife above mediocrity. And yet, even this lenity of cenfure extends not to the Hymns-loft in the profundity of Sternholdian bathos, they do not fo much as afpire to the flender praise that mediocrity might confer upon them. RELIGIOUS. RELIGIOUS. Art. 15. A faithful Narrative of God's gracious Dealings with Hiel. Now firit carefully felected; Englished from the HighDutch. By Francis Okely, formerly of St. John's College. Cambridge. 8vo. I s. 6d. Lackington. 1781. The writings of this extraordinary myftic received some distinction from the patronage of Montanus, the great Hebrician, and Chriftopher Plantin, the learned Printer of Leyden. Both were the friends, admirers, and, in fome degree, the affiftants of Hiel; and the latter was the original editor of his works. The ecclefiaftical hiftorians have, in general, been filent about this writer. Mosheim doth not fo much as mention his name. Lampe in his Synopfis barely mentions it in the Catalogue of the Enthufiafts of the roth century. But Godfrey Arnold, who was tinctured with a congenial fpirit, hath given a pretty ample account of this fanatic, ia his ecclefiaftical and heretical hiftory. From this writer we learn, that the perfon characterised under the denomination of HIEL (which is a Hebrew-compound, and fignifies The life of God) was a fimple, illiterate man, and of a handicraft trade.' His education, we find, was as 'contracted as his natural understanding; for by his own confeffion, in a poftfcript to one of his best treatises, it appears, that ⚫he could only fpeak his own mother tongue, and write a little at a pinch.' This man would never disclose to the world his real name or fituation: nor would he fuffer it to be discovered by those who were charged with the publication of his works. However, it was afterwards found out, that the fictitious name of Hiel was affumed by an obfcure perfon, called Henry Janson, who lived in the Netherlands about the year 1550; and had been engaged in fome occupation in the clothing bufinefs. Speaking of himself in one of his Letters, he says, that he was advanced in years; that he had no certain dwelling, or conftant place of refidence, being sometimes here and fometimes there with a friend that in the view of the world he was loft, but found in the fight of God.' But as to his having chosen to be known under the Hebrew name of Hiel, importing as much as God's life, the Translator, in the Preface to the first part of his Letters, gives the following account and explanation of it: It fignifies the author's life of the Divine Nature re-awakened from death; pretty much as Paul teftifieth concerning himself, that he durft not fpeak a word further than what Chrift spoke in him."That of confequence thefe writings, having not been the produ&t of reason, could hardly, if at all, be understood, unless by fuch only as the Spirit of God hath taught, and who have felt the truth of it within their own felves.' Thus are we also informed, that Benedictus Arius Montanus hath openly tellified of this author, "that he was a witnefs of the living Chriflian truth, whom the very virtue and truth of Chrift himself hath enftamped with the name of Hiel." [Chriftianæ veritatis viventis tejlis, cui nomen ipfa Chrifti virtus et veritas Hiel indidit.] With refpect to the writings themselves, a good part of them were already printed and published in the Netherlands about the year 1580, and farther down. But efpecially "The Treasure hid in the Field," with fome others, had even gone through three editions, both |