• Who were more different in exhibiting their philofophy, than Xenophon, Plato, and his disciple Aristotle ? different, I fay, in their character of compofition; for as to their philofophy itself, 'twas in reality the fame. Aristotle, strict, methodic, and orderly; fubtle in thought; fparing in ornament; with little addrefs to the paffions or imagination; but exhibiting the whole with fuch a pregnant brevity, that in every fentence we feem to read a page. How exquifitely is this all performed in Greek? Let thofe, who imagine it may be done as well in another language, fatisfy themselves either by attempting to tranflate him, or by perufing his tranflations already made by men of learning. On the contrary, when we read either Xenophon or Plato, nothing of this method and ftrict order appears. The formal and didactic is wholly dropt. Whatever they may teach, 'tis without profeffing to be teachers; a train of dialogue and truly polite addrefs, in which, as in a mirror, we behold human life, adorn'd in all its colours of sentiment and

manners.

'And yet tho' thefe differ in this manner from the Stagirite, how different are they likewife in character from each other?Plato, copious, figurative, and majeftic; intermixing at times the facetious and fatiric; enriching his works with tales and fables, and the myftic theology of ancient times. Xenophon, the pattern of perfect fimplicity; every where smooth, harmonious, and pure; declining the figurative, the marvelous, and the myftic; afcending but rarely into the fublime; nor then fo much trufting to the colours of ftile, as to the intrinfic dignity of the fentiment itself.

The language in the mean time, in which He and Plato wrote, appears to fuit fo accurately with the ftile of both, that when we read either of the two, we cannot help thinking, that 'tis he alone who has hit its character, and that it could not have appeared fo elegant in any other manner.

And thus is the Greek Tongue, from its propriety and univerfality, made for all that is great, and all that is beautiful, in every fubject, and under every form of writing.

Graiis ingenium, Graiis dedit ore rotundo
Mufa loqui.

'Twere to be wifhed, that thofe amongst us, who either write or read, with a view to employ their liberal leisure, (for as to fuch, as do either from views more fordid, we

leave them, like flaves, to their deftined drudgery ;) 'twere to be wifhed, I fay, that the liberal (if they have a relifh for letters) would infpect the finifh'd models of Grecian lite rature; that they would not waste thofe hours, which they cannot recal, upon the meaner productions of the French and English prefs; upon that fungous growth of novels and of pamphlets, where, 'tis to be feared, they rarely find any rational pleafure, and more rarely ftill, any folid improvement.

To be competently skilled in antient learning, is by no means a work of fuch infuperable pains. The very progress itself is attended with delight, and resembles a journey thro' fome pleasant country, where every mile we advance, new charms arise. 'Tis certainly as easy to be a scholar, as a gamefter, or many other characters equally illiberal and low. The fame application, the fame quantity of habit will fit us for one, as completely as for the other. And as to thofe who tell us, with an air of feeming wisdom, that 'tis men, and not books we must study to become knowing; this I have always remarked from repeated experience, to be the common confolation and language of dunces. They fhelter their ignorance under a few bright examples, whofe tranfcendent abilities, without the common helps, have been fufficient of themselves to great and important ends. But alas!

Decipit exemplar vitiis imitabiles

In truth, each man's understanding, when ripened and mature, is a compofite of natural capacity, and of super-induced babit. Hence the greatest men will be neceffarily those, who poffefs the best capacities, cultivated with the best habits. Hence alfo moderate capacities, when adorned with valuable fcience, will far tranfcend others the most acute by nature, when either neglected, or applied to low and bafe purposes. And thus, for the honour of Culture and good Learning, they are able to render a man, if he will take the pains, intrinsically more excellent than his natural supe

riors.

And fo much at prefent as to general Ideas; how we acquire them; whence they are derived; what is their nature ; and what their connection with Language. So much likewife as to the fubject of Language, and Univerfal Grammar?

R

MONTH

MONTHLY CATALOGUE,

TH

For February 1752.

MISCELLANEOUS.

I. THE remonftrance of the clergy of France; prefented to the king on levying the twentieth penny. Tranflated from the French. 8vo. 6d. Cooper.

This remonftrance was prefented in August, 1749. II. Four volumes of the RAMBLER, 12mo. 125. Payne and Bouquet.

Thefe four volumes contain 136 numbers of this excellent paper, out of 200 now publifhed; and ftill continued on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

III. The court of queen Mab; containing a felect collection of only the moft inftructive and entertaining tales of the Fairies. Written by the countefs d'Aulnoy. Το which are added, a fairy tale in the ancient English stile, by Dr. Parnel, and queen Mab's fong. 12mo. 35. Coop

er.

IV. Genuine memoirs of the life and tranfactions of William Stroud, who was, at the quarter-feffions for the city and liberty of Westminster, fentenced to fix months imprifonment in Bridewell, and to be fix times publickly whipt. Written by himself. 8vo. 1s. Fuller.

Other accounts of this notorious fharper have been publifhed, but none deferve an equal degree of credit with this now published by himself; in which it is not to be doubted, but that he hath availed himself of that art and deceit by which he hath for many years impofed upon the credulity of mankind. However, it must be allowed, that he hath given us his hiftory in an entertaining manner, without prolixity, or improbable embellishment.

V. Letters from the Inspector to a lady, with the genuine answers. 8vo. 15. Cooper.

These letters contain the particulars of the rife, progress, and breaking-off of an intrigue betwixt Dr. H. and Mrs. D. They are written with uncommon fpirit: but whether they are genuine or not, is as yet a fecret to the public, and to us, further than that an advertisement has appeared in the papers, difavowing them on the part of the lady..

VOL. VI.

Ꮮ

VI.

VI. The fentence of the lieutenant-criminal at Paris, in an extraordinary caufe between Abraham Payba, plaintiff, and Edward Wortley Montague, and Theobald Taaffe, Elqs; members of the house of commons, defendants. Tranílated from the copy printed at Paris, by permiffion of his most chriftian majefty, Jan. 25, 1752. 8vo. 6d. RobinJon.

The occafion and subject of this extraordinary affair, have been fo lately and fufficiently explained in the public news-papers, as must render it unneceffary for us to enlarge upon it here.

VII. The memoirs of Mifs M-P-, a celebrated British toast. 8vo. Is. fold at the pamphlet shops.

An old pamphlet, with a vamp'd-up title-page: the whole being, as we fuppofe, a meer piece of fiction: to which we think it our duty to add this other unfavorable circumftance, that it is very ill written, and abounds with the most idle and fcurrilous abufe of the clergy, and even of religion itself, without wit, fenfe, or foundation.

VIII. The hiftory of Frederick king of Sweden. Containing his wars in Germany, Brabant, Italy, and Flanders; and his conduct under Charles XII. Tranflated and improved from the French of M. de Voltaire. By Andrew Henderfon. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Robinson.

We know of no hiftory of this prince by Voltaire; of whofe pen the pretended tranflation before us, is by no means worthy. Probably Mr. Henderfon has compiled this pamphlet from the hiftories of the duke of Marlborough, prince Eugene, Charles XII. and perhaps fome other materials; and thought that the making ufe of fo great a name as Voltaire's, might recommend it to the notice of the public. This is a piece of modern authorifm, of which this gentleman, however, is not the original inventor.

IX. WORLDLY COMPLIANCES. Dedicated to the lady Frances Shirley. 4to. 1s. 6d. Baldwin.

The defign of this piece is to fhew the vanity and evil tendency of complying with the gaieties and amufements of the world; and neglecting the fuperior fatisfactions afforded by religion. A good defign, but most unhappily executed by this author: who appears to be a pious but very illiterate perfon. His work confifts of dialogues between characters, which he has deligned for reprefentations of high life; but his religious perfons are fuch wretched fanatics, and those whom he hath contrafted with them, are fuch ridiculous fots, that 'tis impoflible to refrain from laughing

at

at the author's extravagancies, at the fame time that one can not help being provoked at his ignorance and his blunders Yet has this writer fome juft thoughts, which, with a goodnatur'd reader, may fomewhat compenfate for his crudities. X. The Eunuch: or the Northumberland fhepherd. In four chapters; whereon hangs a tale, apply it who may. 8vo. Is. Cooper.

An idle story, feemingly a meer fiction, without wit, fenfe, probability, or moral.

XI. Remarks on twelve hiftorical defigns of Raphael, and the Museum Græcum et Ægyptiacum, or antiquities of Greece and Egypt, illuftrated by prints, intended to be publifhed from Mr. DALTON's drawings. In anfwer to a letter of enquiry concerning thofe works. 8vo. 6d. Cooper.

This ingenious pamphlet deserves to be read by those who have a tafte for the ufeful and elegant arts of defign in general, and for fculpture in particular. It contains an entertaining account of this great undertaking of Mr. Dalton, and of the terms of fubfcription towards its fupport and complete execution. The drawings from RAPHAEL, are taken from the tapestries in the Vatican, which were worked after twelve cartons of this great mafter, which Cartons are now loft. Mr. Dalton went to Rome on purpofe to make thefe drawings, which he was enabled to effect, under the favour and protection of cardinal Valenti, fecretary of state there. The ANTIQUITIES Confife of a variety of ancient buildings, and bafs relievos, with views of Conftantinople, the grotto of Antiparos, the fituation of ancient Halicarnaffus, &c. Alfo feveral particular characters, habits, &c. of the great Caravan which fets out annually from Grand Cairo to Mecca and Medina; with fome customs and habits of the Turks, Grecians, Egyptians, and Arabs all engraved from drawings taken upon the spot, by Mr. Dalton and affiftants.

XII. The true French mafter; or, rules for the French tongue; teaching to read, write, and fpeak that language in a month's time, by an eafy and familiar method hitherto unpractifed with large compofitions adapted to the rules; alfo, a table of verbs, by which all verbs regular and irregular, may be readily conjugated. And the idioms and proverbs of the French and English tongues. By Mr. Cheneau, many years profeffor of languages in London. 12mo. Eton, printed for J. Pote. 2s. 6d.

The author of this treatife was fufficiently known in Londan, from his concife method of teaching the languages; but,

L 2

as

it By the author of John Faniel, Doll (lod, &