Yes, thou wilt greet her with a half-forc'd smile, To fay, "Dear Madam, welcome!-how d'ye do ?" And then the Dame will anfwer with a dip, Scorn in her eye, contempt upon her lip, "Not much the better, Mifter Burke, for you." "Poor Burke, I read thy foul, and feel thy painGo, join the fycophants that I disdain." Our attention is next directed to an Ode to Irony.' This delicate fpecies of rhetoric is pleasantly perfonified, as a Quakerlooking wight, who, with mouth demure, and folemn eye, without laughing makes others laugh.' Peter confiders Irony as, at prefent, in a dangerous fituation in this country,-expofed to the criticism of the law :-but better times are prognofticated, from the approach of Fair Liberty! divinely strong! A patriot phalanx leads the DAME along. THOU*, WIT, and HUMOUR, fhail adorn her train→→ And let me proudly join the noble few; While to the cause of Glory true, The MUSE fhall fhout her boldeft ftrain." E'en I, 'midft fuch a patriot band, Will gain importance through the land; Rife, from a poor extinguisher, a steeple. And, O AMBITION, hear thy fuppliant's pray'r, And crown me, crown me POET of the PEOPLE.' The flower next prefented to us, is an Ode to Lord Lonfdale,' who, fome time ago, commenced, as we have heard, a profecution against our poet, for the fatire contained in his Commiferating Epistle' to that nobleman: fee Rev. for February laft, p. 227. The bard now offers, in a pleasant ftrain of mock fubmiffion, (which we think might easily be turned into real accommodation,) to make it up with his Lordship. Even the K― is introduced, as pleading in Peter's behalf-but in Peter's language ;-and the Ode concludes with hinting the manner of ending all animofity between them: Thus †, LONSDALE, thou behold'st a fair example Thou cry'ft, "What must I do? On thee I call.", Irony. So come and eat thy beef at LoWTHER HALL." Alluding to the fuppofed Royal interpofition in the poet's favour, which, had it been realized, would have been generous indeed! We We come, now, to an Ode to the Academic Chair,' on the election of Mr. Weft to the prefidency of the Royal Academy, in the room of the late juftly lamented Sir Joshua Reynolds. On this occafion, the fatirift's old enmity toward Mr. West breaks out afrefh. Again the honoured artist is belaboured by the poet; who, in furioufly dealing about his blows, lets a stroke or two (unwarily, no doubt,) light on the shoulders of the r—1 patron:-Peter "must have kings," as he, whilom, declared; he employs them, too, on moft occafions; and as kings are said to be the fervants of the public, he seems to confider them as fervants of all work. • Old Simon, a Tale,' is one of the nettles in this bouquet ; and it might have been thought intended to give a little fting to the ladies: but we too well know Peter's regard for the dear creatures, to fuppofe that he had any fuch intention. Old Simon, however, might ferve, in fome refpects, as a companion to the celebrated Ephefian Matron, were not the modern tale conceived and told in a much merrier vein. Our attention is next called to an Ode to the King :'—a fatire on court flattery; bearing fome allufion to the quondam rumour, that the dogs of the law were to be let loofe on the author.-What foundation there was for that rumour, we know not, with any degree of certainty. Be that matter as it may, "Who's afraid?" might have been the motto to this Ode. Ode to a Margate Hoy:'-a droll representation of the fcenes which, no doubt, frequently occur among the gentlefolks from Wapping, &c. Who, fond of travel, unto Margate roam !—' The Wolf and the Lion, a Tale, dedicated to Lord Hawkesbury. This piece, alludes, alfo, to the matter of profecution; and here again the K. is made to take part (as in the Ode to Lord Lonfdale,) with the poet : Now this was noble,-like a king, in footh, Who fcorn'd to choak * a fubject for the truth.' The collection clofes with The Wolves, the Bear, and other Beafts, a Fable.'-An admirable fatire on a late reference to the Judges, concerning the Libel Bill. Thanks to you, friend Peter, for this month's entertainment; we have had a nice regale, indeed! ART. XXIII. A Defence of Dr. Price and the Reformers of England. By the Rev. Chriftopher Wyvill, Chairman of the late Committee of Affociation of the County of York. 8vo. pp. 100. 2s. Johnson. 1792. THOU "HOU beareft record of thyfelf; thy record is not true :" is an objection not lefs familiar in the mouth of a modern pharifee, than it was in that of the pharifees of old. The Reformers afe Diffenters, and the Diffenters are factious republicans, is the common cry of interefted calumny; and when the parties accused deny the charge, and profefs themfelves "good men and true," the reply is, " thou bearest reHere, however, cord of thyself; thy record is not true." cometh another who beareth teftimony of them-a clergyman of the church of England, of a character very generally known, and not more known than refpected. He proves, in his own person, the falfehood of one part of the accufation at leaft; he proves that all the Reformers are not Diffenters *; and he declares his firm perfuafion that the other part is false; alfo maintaining that it is unjust to confider the Diffenters, or their late leader Dr. Price, as factious republicans. He appeals to indifputable facts, and produces fatisfactory arguments, to fhew that they are not only an innocent, but a meritorious body of men. The question of reformation, however, does not turn on the character of the Diffenters. Were they as black as the poor abufed Africans, it would not juftify us in depriving them of the rights of human nature, and of the common privileges of citizens. Before we can be authorized to do this, we must prove, which the African merchants have already fo clearly demonftrated of the Negroes, that they are no part of the human fpecies; and even then, we ought not to forget that "the devil himself fhould have his due." The inquiry concerning neceffity of reformation is to be taken up on a much broader ground. It is a question which concerns not one, but every, clafs of the community. In our government, with all its excellences, which are undoubtedly many and great, are there not likewife fome grofs abufes which (to ufe the words of our author,) promote the intereft of a few, and injure or deftroy the happiness of mil * As zealous churchmen, we do not like to hear it faid or infinuated, as it often is, that all the reformers are Diffenters. Can no body do good and improve but a Diffenter? are the non-cons the only people that can fing the fong of reformation? As Whitefield faid on another occafion, Why muft the devil have all the good tunes ?" 66 lions ? lions?' are there not multiplied and grievous corruptions, both in church and state, highly detrimental to the moral and civil interefts of the community at large? Does not our duty to God, and to our brethren of mankind, call on us to advance the cause of piety and virtue, peace and happiness, by the removal of thefe evils? Mr. Wyvill, with many other able and excellent men among us, anfwers thefe queftions in the affirmative; and accordingly, as an honeft and upright citizen should do, he labours to correct what he deems amifs, by pointing out a plan of ecclefiaftical and political reform, fo judicious and moderate, that, we thould think, no reasonable objection could be urged against it. So it is however, that there is always fomething found to urge against every attempt at reformation. There is always fomething wrong, either in the matter, or in the manner, of every reformer. Is he warm and zealous in his caufe, and high in his demands? the conftitution is in danger: "He that turneth the world upfide down is come hither alfo." Is he cool and temperate in his language, and moderate in his views? He has chofen an improper hour for his purpose: "Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season I will call for thee." The danger of fuch policy, and its neceffary tendency to create the very disturbance and tumult which governments affect fo much to dread, are well afferted, and maintained, toward the clofe of Mr. Wyvill's defence. We recommend what is there faid, and indeed the whole of this excellent pamphlet, to the serious attention of all who truly love their country. MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For JUNE, 1792. TRIAL of MR. HASTINGS. Art. 24. An Account of the Expences incurred by the Solicitors employed by the House of Commons, in the Impeachment against Warren Haflings, Elq. with Obfervations. 8vo. PP. 155. Debrett. 1792. 2s. 6d. By this account, we learn that, to the feveral other extraordinary circumstances attending the impeachment of Mr. Hastings, must be added nearly 37,000l. of the public money already expended; befide the obftruction which it occafions to the progress of the national bufinefs! To thofe, who are fond of litigation, it may prove agreeable pastime when others are to pay the bills: but, as no enjoyment is without its correctives in this world, the tide of popularity in this profecution has been on the turn for fome time, and the impeachers are themselves boldly impeached in every step which they have taken. taken. They cannot be in better hands than they are at prefent, until the public, afhamed of looking on any longer, undertake to drive out the mouse with which the mountain has been groaning fo piteously during the last five years.-This is a curious and valuable publication:—the more valuable, on account of the editor's explanatory notes, &c. &c. Art. 25. SLAVERY and SUGAR COLONIES. The Cafe of the Sugar Colonies. 8vo. PP. 97. 2 5. A short expreffive title is good evidence of the merit of a literary work. The makers and fellers of books never think that they can fufficiently blazon the contents, nor promife enough, in the front, to invite purchasers; while a man, who is feriously intent on his fubject, difdains clumsy amplification, and contents himself with giving to his production a neat fententious form without as well as within. We have received much information and fatisfaction in the perufal of this difpaffionate, cool, and argumentative performance; which ftates the circumstances of our Weft Indian islands, our treatment of them, and the tendency of that treatment, in a clear, comprehenfive, and convincing manner. To all, therefore, who are interested, or who wish to form juft ideas, on a very important fubject, we can recommend this tract as containing the fentiments of a well-informed and judicious writer. Art. 26. Hiftorical Sketches of the Slave-trade, and of its Effects in Africa. Addreffed to the People of Great Britain. By the Right Hon. Lord Muncafter. 8vo. pp. 100. 2 S. Stockdale. 1792. The principal object of Lord Muncafter, in these sketches, is to prove that the trade in Negroe flaves owed its origin to American Weft Indian colonization ;-and that the Weft Indian plantations might be the firft occafion of a naval refort to Africa for flaves, may be very true. It is no part of our province to engage in a controverfy on the fubject, or it might not be difficult to fhew that a regular flave-trade is carried on by the Moors of Barbary and their oriental neighbours, by an inland current intercourfe, to a far greater extent than ever was attempted by the Europeans on the coaft. As this trade, however, does not come under general observation, the antiquity of it may not be easily traced: but it is probably coeval with eaftern maxims and modes of government, which are old enough to exculpate Europeans from being the ofiginal contrivers of this odious article of commerce. Odious it certainly is but we do not perceive that our noble author has thrown any new light on the subject; and his work is written in too confident and petulant a ftyle to be read with pleasure. His Lordship may plead an honeft indignation at the hard fate of Negroes, yet furely he is not to be informed, that flaves are to be found in our own country, who, on his principle of fiat juftitia, claim emancipation at our hands, before we become eager champions for African liberty. Ic is the cruel fate of every Briton, who engages in feafaring employ. ment, or is known ever to have been fo engaged, to be marked out for |