The Trial of Mofes Alexander.

1769:

Review of New Publications:

2. When was the firft of your hearing there was to be this trial?

N. Aked. The first time of my hearing of this trial being in agitation was yefterday. Q. Do you know how your brother came to draw this bill upon your clerk?

N. Aked. My brother was then a little out of money, and this was drawn to keep the credit up.

2. Has there been no application to you to pay this bill?

N. Akad. I never heard of it: if they had come, I would have paid it.

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2. Have you known any inftances where Brown has lent his name to Alexander? N. Aked. That I can't remember. 2. Who brought the bill to you for acceptance?

N. Aked. I do not know.

Robert Donifon. I knew John Brown. He was clerk to Mr. Nathaniel Aked in Prince'sAtreet. I can't say how long he lived there. I believe it was about the beginning of the year one thousand feven hundred and fixtyeight when I knew him there. Guilty. Death."

1

An IMPARTIAL REVIEW of NEW PUBLICATIONS.

ARTICLE I.

LETTERS fuppofed to bave passed between
M. de St. Evremond and Mr. Waller,
Collected and published by the Editor of the
Letters between Theodofius and Conftantia. 2
vols. 12mo. Becket.

Tho' these letters are fuppofed to pass be tween St. Evremond and Waller, yet it requires but little difcernment, to fee they are the production of a pen much more modern ; the file is polished and correct, without the Jeaft appearance of that uncouth stiffness, which characterises the compofitions of the period in which they are faid to be written; and there is also a familiarity in the fentiments, that is feldom to be met with in our writers a century ago. Be this, however, as it may, the reader will find the article before us a very agreeable little work, and the following letter is given him as a spe, cimen of the execution.

"Were it poffible to prevent gallantry from running into the spirit of intrigue, nothing certainly could be more agreeable; but the two ideas are hardly to be feparated before that period of life which you and I have at tained. Nothing, indeed, can be more in offenfive than the gallantry of our years. It is the harmless offspring of memory and fancy, amusing itfelf with the shadows of pleasures that are paft. Let gay youth, and graver age, count this ridiculous; if we find the Tædium Vitæ in any degree diverted by it, we have a right to indulge it. The recollection of former enjoyments is all that age has to fubfift upon. To treat with courtliness, and contemplate with pleasure, fuch objects as once afforded us delight, is the religion of nature-It is a facrifice of gratitude-It is, a teftimony of content.Befides, 1 know not whether by thefe attachments we may not lengthen as well as lighten life.

Waller, qui ne fent rien des maux de la vieillefe,
Dent la vivacité fait bonte a jeunes gens,
S'attache à la Beauté pour vivre plus long

temps

Et ce qu'on nommeroit dans un autre foibleffe
Eft en ce rare Esprit une fage tendrelle,
Qui le fait refifter a l'irjure des ans.

Your friend Rymer has given a better turn to thefe lines:

Vain gallants, look on Waller and despair,

He, only he, may boast the grand receipt; Of fourfcore years he never feels the weight; Still in his element when with the fair; Their gay and fresh, drinks in the rofie air:

There happy, he enjoys his leisure hours, Nor thinks of winter whilft amidst the flowers..

ture.

The gallantry of the prefent times feems to be of a genius very different from that which prevailed in our better days. It is fallen back into the original barbarism of naThe affair of poor Shrewsbury is a fhocking inftance of this. There is nothing extraordinary in the duel between him and the duke of Buckingham; though it was expected that his well known indifference about Lady Shrewsbury's commerce with his grace, would have faved him from the folly of thinking his honour concerned in the af fair: but in the conduct of that bold and abandoned woman, there was fomething that forbids one to think of her without deteftation-You have been informed, that, during the engagement, he held the duke's horfes, in the habit of a page. I have lately been told that she had pistols concealed, and that fhe had pledged her, honour to shoot both Shrewsbury and herself, if the hufband should prove victorious. It was a weakness and want of honour in the duke to expose his antagonist to fo unfair, and fo contemptible a death; but it was a ftill greater weakness to be capable of loving a woman, who wanted the characteristics of her fex, tenderness and delicacy. The genius of bold and vulgar proftitution! What a depraved spirit! What a groveling foul muff he have, who can mix his paffions with any thing fo odious! A mafculine woman is my immortal averfion! Mafculine in perfon, or in fpirit, he is equally dreadful! Courage in that fex is to

me

438

THE IMPARTIAL REVIEW

me as difguftfol as effeminacy in ours. I cannot bear to find even their fentiments of the male-kind-A female digine, a female lawyer, a female hiftorian, a female politician, are all infupportable monsters! Out of fex! Out of character! Out of nature! Loft to the very idea of propriety! and always affeated to the last excels of abfurdity!

Aug.

ercife of right reafon? All elfe is falle and frivolous. Is courage honour? What a ftrange confufion of ideas! A man of honour would, in that cafe, make a very despicable figure, if put in the fame fcale with a Ruffian bear. Young Hamilton behaved with a true fenfe of honour-his conduct was reafonable it had the protection of a fifter for its object. But what thould we have thought of Grammont, had he acted a different part? In what light would he have appeared, had he lived to pierce the heart of the woman that he loved, through the hearts of feven brothers?—The very idea is horror!-Yet this he certainly must have done, at leaft have attempted, had he placed honour in courage rather than in reafon.

Had Shrewsbury a right fenfe of honour when he challenged Buckingham? More than half the court will tell you that he had

But, how ridiculous! Is the defection of an infamous woman a difgrate to the man the forfakes? Far otherwife-it is rather a mark of his integrity. The antipathy that vice has to virtue is a proof of this. It was rank cowardice, pufillanimity itself, that provoked Shrewsbury to the challenge. He was afraid that his courage fhould be doubted, if he omitted it.

How different from fuch is one whom we haye had the honour to know, and the hape pinefs to converfe with, the amiable, and gentle Hamilton! Though nature has given her a capacity equal to the most arduous at tainments, with what address does the manage her excellent talents, and turn them to that kind of culture only which embellishes and endears the female character!-But, as a laft proof of her merit, fhe has fixed irrevocably the fickle, the volatile, the various Grammont! You knew his long attachment to her-At length, he has married her. In this measure, however, though he has fhewn both fenfe and honour, yet he proceeded on a principle, of which even you, who know him, will have no idea. And here, too, you will find another inftance of the pernicious fpirit of modern gallantry. Though Grammont believed himself that he intended abfolutely to efpoufe the fair Hamilton, yet when every thing feemed to be fettled, and Yet how univerfal is this idea of falle the critical event drew near, the dæmon of honour! In one of the campaigns I made gallantry took up his part-he played the with the Duke D'Enguien, an officer, whe character of Hymen, and rendered it fo in- had loft his mistress, thought it necessary to Tupportably ridiculous, that Gramment could fight for her. When he applied to the duke no longer bear the idea of marriage. The for permiffion, the latter asked him whether time appointed for the nuptials was at hand it was on account of the love he had for -the lover flew upon the wings of the wind her, and whether he wanted, by killing his to the coaft of France. This defertion was fival, to recover her. "No, (replied the received with a proper indignation. A bro- officer)" but if I do not fight, my courage ther of the fair Hamilton's, a youth about fix will be doubted." "If that is all, (faid the teen or seventeen, purfued and overtook him duke,) "you may be eafy about the matter. almoft as foon as he had arrived. "Gramhall give you an opportunity of putting that mont, (faid he,) you blufh to fee me you out of queftion; for, to-morrow, I intend have reafon-you know me well-return this to fight myself." moment with me to England, and do yourfelf the honour to efpoufe my fifter-if that is an honour you chufe to decline,-I am the youngest of feven brothers, and if I fall by your hand, know, that there are ftill fix liv ing, whofe arms are ftronger and more experienced than mine, and who fcors, as much as I do, to farvive the honour of a fifter." The count flood filent for a while, and fmiled upon the beardless champion-but it was not a fmile of contempt. I have heard him fay, that he never felt the fenfe of honour fo ftrongly as at that moment. The phantom of falle gallantry disappeared. "Let us return, (faid he,) my brave friend--I blufh to think of my folly-1 de ferve not the honour of being allied to your family; but I will hope to be indebted for it to your kind interceffion."

This was certainly very great. It was a return of reafon; a recovery from a state of infanity. What is true honour but the ex

II. A Greek and English Lexicon to the New Teftament, &c. by John Parkhurft, M.A. formerly fellow of Clarehall, Cambridge. 4to. 1. rs. Dilly."

This is a very valuable work, in which the learned author gives a diftinēt explanation of the words and phrafes occurring in the New Teftament, authenticating his own reading by references to paffages of feripture, and frequent illuftrations, not only from the Old Teftament, but from the Greek writers, For the more ample information of his readers, Mr. Parkhurst has added an easy Greek grammar, which must be very serviceable to thofe who are either defirous of commencing an original, or recovering a loft acquaintance with the language.

III. The Fool of Quality. Vol. IV'. 'By Mr. Brooke. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Johnfton.

Though there is but little invention difplayed in the volume before us, and though chiefly confifls of rather improbable dif treffes,

it

1769.

OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

treffes, to fhew the humanity of the author's hero in relieving them, it nevertheless contains much good fenfe, and much exalted benevolence, Mr. Brooke tells us, that he originally intended to comprize his whole ftory in four volumes, but that the matter grew upon him interceptibly, fo that his Fool, who is the very decus bumani generis, is not yet arrived at an age of maturity. This is a circumftance, however, for which he has no occafion to apologize, fince, notwithftanding the redundancy of his epifodes, and his frequent deviation from the main bufiness of his plan, it is impoffible for any feeling bofom to read him without great fatisfaction. He is matter of the pathetic to avery extraordinary degree, and those eyes that love to fhed the facred drops of fympa thy, will here meet numberless opportunities of indulging the luxury of tears.

IV. The Bruciad, an Epic Poem in 6 Books. Svo. 45. Dodfley.

The editor of this poem fpeaks very warm ly of the author's genius, and tells us that the piece has lain in obfcurity above forty years; perhaps, if it never had been drawn from that obfcurity, the world would have had but little caufe for lamentation. The defign is to celebrate a Scottish champion, er as the poet phrafes it,

To fing the hero fweating on the plains," who diftinguished himself in fome of thofe fatal diffentions that formerly fubfifted between England and her Caledonian fifter. This hero's name was Bruce, and the title of the piece is taken from the family appellation.

V. A Poem on the Cruelty of Shooting, with Some tender Remarks on the 10th Day of May, 1768, and the Death of Mr. Allen. Humbly dedicated to the Sons of Liberty. By John Addington. 8vo. Pyne.

The delicious morfel before us, and its tender remarks, are written in what the poet calls blank verfe; but of all the profe runmad compofitions we were ever obliged to wade through, we think this one of the most extraordinary. Should the reader doubt the juftice of our declaration, he must have recourfe to the poem itself, as we cannot think of complimenting the author with an extract, even to fhew the propriety of our own criticifm.

VI. Travels of a Philofopher, or Obferva tions on the Manners and Arts of various Nations in Africa and Afia. Tranflated from the French of Monf. Le Poivre." iamo. 3. Becket.

There is much matter of entertainment in this little work, and not only the fociety of agriculture at Lyons, but the Royal Society at Paris, have made very honourable mention, both of Mr. Le Poivre's observations, and his manner of delivering them.

VII. Memoirs of the Amours, Intrigues, and

439

Adventures of Charles-Auguftus Fitzroy, Duke of Grafton, with Mifs Parsons. 12mo, 25. 60. Meares.

This is a low and defpicable impofition an the public, calculated merely to glean a few fhillings from the dregs of the people, for none but the dregs can poffibly fuppofe it genuine, notwithstanding the author, by a stretch of impudence perfectly of a piece with the nature of this fraud, has figned every copy of the reputable manufacture with the name of Mifs Parfone.

VIII. The political Contests Containing a Series of Letters between Junius and Sir William Diaper: Alfo the whole of Junius's Let- ̈ ters to bis Grace the Duke of G- - brougbe into one Point of View. 8vo. 19. Newbery.

The celebrated correfpondence here given is already well known to the public; and the only end of the prefent publication is to preferve a difpute from oblivion which has been an object of univerfal attention, and which is too likely to be loft in the fugitive repofitory of a news-paper.

IX. A Letter to Junius, by the Author of the Question ftated. 6d. Fletcher.

This letter is written in order to invalidate an affertion of Junius's with regard to the argument of a precedent for Mr. Wilkes'a expulfion. This writer opposes the popular opinion, but is, nevertheless, a man of much understanding, and very well merits the attention of the public.

X. A Letter to the Monthly Reviewers, occafioned by their candid and impartial Strictures, on a late fenfible and patriotic Poem, entitled Ambition, an Epifile to Paoli. 8vo. Cook.

It is ftrange enough, that when feriblers, without merit, undergo the lafh of criticism, that they will not calmly bear the ftroke, and endeavour, at leaft by their filence, to prevent the world from recollecting their dif grace. This author's poem was poffibly fleeping in a molt comfortable oblivion, and his literary delinquency utterly forgotten, when lo! offended at a fentence, which few perhaps remembered, he appeals to all the world against the tribunal where he was condemned, and proves himself actually guilty, to vindicate his reputation.

XI, An Explanation of the Terms of Art in feveral Branches of Medicine, accented as they are to be pronounced. 8vo. Es. Newbery.

This is calculated for the ufe of mere no vitiates in medicine, and to fuch may puffibly be serviceable.

XII. Love and Innocence a Seranata, as performed at Marybone Gardens. Set to Mufic by Mr. Hook. 8vo. 1s. Becket.

The news-papers have been paid to recommend the following fong as a favourite to the public; and our readers from this fample will be enabled to form a perfect idea of his degant (erenata.

When

440
When I was a young man, I long'd
To know what the world was a doing,
To London with others I throng'd,

POETICAL ESSAYS in AUGUST, 1769.

Nor knew well what I was pursuing : But, good lack-a-day, what a din!

I thro' the croud cou'd fcarcely buffleIn every place I was in,

To pafs the folks I had a tuftle, But what I did moftly admire,

Was the bufy air of each creature ; Which feem'd fo their thoughts to infpire, Dull care was impreft on each feature.

F

POETICAL

ODE to Colonel LUTTRELL.

I.

IT for a juft and generous caufe,
On the true base of Albion's laws,
Fix'd as Alcides stand;

Nor menaces nor outrage dread,
Tho' faction rear her hydra-head
Contagious o'er the land,
II.

Tho' Churchill's mufe revive again,
While hungry Junius wields his pen,
And fhallow Erec-k bawls;
Parnaffian-Bedlam all broke loofe,
With rancour, forgeries, abuse

Foul as the Augæan stalls.
III.'

Tho' Ws halloos a vagrant pack,
With vice and ruin on their back,
To force one common level;
Mawb-y and Sawb-e look as flout
At marshalling their rabble rout,

As Hotspur and as Nevil *.

IV.

There's H-e may challenge all the town,
Still confcious that his facred gown
Safe as a coat of mail is;
Inflead of fermons and of bibles,
He deals in daggers and in libels,
A Flamen Martialis.

V.

Le may'r and aldermen in ftate,
Without a name-without a date,

Adopt a fham petition,

And throw it in their fov'reign's face,
Drefs'd up in furr, with fhoulder'd made,
Bold heralds of fedition.
VI.
While half the liv'ry leave their trades
To form a van of troops like Cade's,

A paultry, bafe banditti :
Recruits from Billingsgate and Wapping,
With Townf-d in the rear came hopping,
The flow'r of London city.
VII.

Let mongrel Beck take the lead,
Whole tints ftill fpeak his mother's breed,

The king-making earl of Warwick.

mer in Oliver Cromwell's army.

In higheft and lowest degree,
Odzookers! in ev'ry ftation,
They all politicians would be,
And govern and settle the nation.

I found it a folly to ream,

Such hurry and bustle was teasing;
The joys I had tasted at home

A thousand times fure were more plea-
So back to our hamlet I came, [fing.-
And enter'd in Hymen's foft fetters
With Dolly, my fond loving dame,
And left care and ftrife to my betters.

ESSAY S.
From Æthiopia come;
Throughout his life a lawless quack;
Of niggard foul, endow'd with clack
Loud as his father's drum †.
VIII,
What tho' the arch-apoftate Bou➡,
With aspect ftern as any Turk,
Hold forth like one inspir'd,
In Stephen's as in Peter's fane
His only deity is gain,

His zeal, his conscience hir'd.
IX.
Let Grenv-, formidably dull,
Ca'nd- and Ph-, of thicker fkull,
Pale Mered-harangue;
Or doughty Sack-lead the charge,
Or fomnient Dowdef drawl at large,
Chiefs of a craving gang.

X.

All patriots true-scarce worth a groat,
They will growl on till they are bought,
While Sawney, over-cunning,
His fcruples dear as they are nice,
Yet he deferv'd a better price

Then lukewarm fnubby Dun-,
XI.

Nor heed incestuous Tee's wiles,
But ah! beware of She-'s fmiles,
More difficult to parry
Than all the fury, all the trash,
Of him he pays to hack, and flash,
The bluff and brawny Bar--.
XII.
Lo, where he ftalks with greedy loek,
The lofs of office ill can brook,

So keeps a fquinting eye on,
And fwears by G-d they shall reftore,
Elfe we fhall have him foam, and roar
Like the Nemean lion,
XIII.

Nor marvel fharpers, bankrupts, debtors,
Bing-y, and wretches bound in fetters,
For anarchy fhould babble;

The thifle, like the rival rofe,
May ferve us for domeftic blows,
The luft of England's rabble.

Here the author miflakes; it was the alderm-n's grandfather (not bis father) who was a

XIV, Y&