542 
drab-coloured coat, than decked ridicu- 
Joufly in a holiday fuit all befpangled with 
filver, and befringed with gold-lace. 
We cannot fpeak in terms fufficiently 
indignant and contemptuous of Mr. Wat- 
KER’s Vagabond: this piece of folly, ma- 
Jevolence, and buitoonery, is a profeffed at- 
tack upon what is calied the fyftem of 
new philofophy. Wir. Walker, armed cap- 
a-pie, enters the field to deftroy the doc- 
trines of * political juflice:”” ir would be 
uncandid to fuppofe that he had never 
read the work which excites his wrath; 
but it is certainly moft true, that he does 
not underftand it. Not fatisiied with ex- 
pofing his ignorance, however, by an in- 
difcriminate attack upon thofe doétrines 
which are common to “ political juftice,” 
and tc every fyftem of morality which we 
have yet feen or heard of, namely, the 
abfurdity and criminality of duelling, the 
doétrine of univerfal fincerity, &e. 
Walker defcends to charadterife the ad- 
vocate of the modern philcfophy as an 
atheift, a highwayman, an affaffin, and 
every thing that can be conceived bad. 
Fo compiete the whole, he has made his 
work infamous by fome alluftons to Mrs. 
Godwin, of the moft indelicate and brutal 
kind. 
~The Vidim of Preudice is a novel in 
two volumes, by the author of Emma 
Courteney: it is a pathetic and infirvétive 
ftory, difplaying its author’s ftrong natural 
powers, and an unreftriéted freedom of 
thinking, which to fome timid {pirits may 
give difpleafure. We confefs that with 
us Mifs Hays is a favourite author, al- 
though, in the prefent volumes, if we had 
time and room, we could point out feveral 
parts which are objectionable. 
The powers of KOTZEBUE are not 
confined to the drama: in our laft Retro- 
fpe&t we noticed a novel of this author, 
and fince that time the tranflation of an- 
ether has appeared, The confiant Lover, or 
Willam and Feannetie: it abounds with 
the mof exquifite touches of aendernefs 
and delicacy, and is, in fhort, worthy of the 
pen of Kotzebue. To thefe volumes is 
prefixed an account of the literary life of 
the author. 
St. Fulien \s a tranflation from the Ger- 
man of AUGUSTIN LA FONTAINE: it 
evinces the author to be a man cf ability, 
and is, in many refpeéts, interetting. 
There is an affe€tation of fentiment, how- 
ever, which difgufts us. 
The Natural Son has been tranflated 
from the French of DipEROT; and the 
tranflator has taken, what appears to us, 
‘the very unwarrantable liberty of making 
Wines 
Retrofpeét of Domeftic Literature....Novels and Romance$: 
matefial alterations from the original. AZ 
is generally the cafe, he has altered for the 
Wworic. 
A fpirited and correét tranflation, by 
Mr. Kenpauu, has appeared of ST. 
PrerRe’s very beautiful little tale, Tbe 
Indian Cottage. 
Margarita, a novel in four volumes, has 
in it a great many romantic and myfie- 
rious incidents: it has not, however, thofe 
extravagancies and abfurdities which ofter 
fill the pages of fuch works; and if rhe 
author of the prefent had been content 
with two volumes inftead of four, his no= 
vel would have been better than it is. 
A tranflation has appeared from the 
French, of Letters written from Laufannes 
they are elegant and interefting in a high 
degree: in the fecond volume particularly, 
there are fome inftances of affeCtion which 
fink deep into the heart. 
The firft volume of Canterbury Tales 
was written by Mifs Harriet LEE; a fe- 
cond has fince appeared, the produétion of 
Mils Sophia Luz. The ftory of the two 
Emilys occupies the whole of this volume, 
and does credit to the tafte and talents of 
the fair author. Should this joint work 
be profecuted, Mifs S. Lee may perhaps 
pay more attention to correétnefs and fim- 
plicity in her language: that of the pre- 
fent volume is too florid. ; 
Mr. Moser, in an oriental romance, 
entitled, Fe Hermit of Caucafes, partues 
the fame obje& which has given value te 
his former produétions, namely, the ineul- 
cation of moral principles. The prefent 
work enforces the importance and necef- 
fity of a firm reliance on the wifdom and 
goodnefs of Providence. 
The Libertine has more of the romance 
in it than of the novel: it abounds with 
the moft horrible of horrors. “he author, 
however, has a fertile imagination,’ and 
gives evident proofs ef a capability to 
write fomething which may do him more 
credit. 
Mrs. West’s Tale of the Times is an 
attack upon the new philofophifm. The 
author of this noyel has already difim- 
guithed herfeif as a writer; and the pre- 
fent work will by-no means injure the 
reputation which ihe has acquired. 
Sketckes of Modern Life; or Man as be 
oughi to be, is fuperior to the ordinary rua 
of novéls: the obje& of the author is to 
expofe the evils of illegitimacy, which he 
does with fuccefs. 
We have feen a great number of novels 
which are not worth the trouble of env- 
meration: our readers muft be content 
with the titks of a few more. Mr. 
Youne’s 
