‘Vor. VI.J 
a Latin verfion of eighteen of the moft 
popular of Gay’s Fables ; they are written 
with much eafe and elegance in hexame- 
ters and pentameters. Mr. GrLBERT’S 
“© Hurricane,” is called a ‘* Theofophical 
and Weftern Eclogue;” in the poem itlelf 
fome beauties occur, and many faults ; 
in the notes, which conftitute the major 
part of his work, Mr. Gibert is as 
unintelligible as Martin Van But- 
chell. “ $ulia; or, Laft Follies 5 this 
is a finall colle&tion of poems, which 
evinces much tafte, fancy, and affection. 
Tue HERO OF THE NILE has been ce- 
lebrated by feveral poets; Mr. ‘ IR- 
WiN’s’’? mufe is animated; nor are the 
-itrains of <* Harmodius’ by any means 
difpleafing. ‘¢ A Congratulatory Ode,” has 
alfo been publifhed on the efcape of Sir 
SIDNEY SMITH. Among the minor 
produstions are to be enumerated, «* Mary 
the Ofer Peeler; Milfs CHANTRELL’S 
© Poems 3° “The Warning ;> “The Vil- 
lain’s Death-bed.” ** Retribution ;° ‘© De- 
Fence of the Stage,’ Mr. GOoDWIN’s 
“© Rifiag Caftle;” &c. &c. Xe. 
THE DRAMA. 
We have fomewhere feen it hinted, that 
our dramatic pieces grow worfe, as our 
dramatic performers grow better : there is 
truth in the remark : our actors are many 
ef them fo excellent, and our machinery 
is fo fplendid, that the Poet has little 
occafion to rely on his own powers, pro- 
vided he fecures the influence of thefe two 
affiftants. Few plays have made more 
_noife among us, to ufe a vulgar expre{- 
fion, than the ‘* Caffe Spectre :”’ a play 
in every refpeg&t utterly contemptible : it 
is needlefs to fay that Mr. Lewis, a 
Britith fenator, who acquired fome cele- 
brity from an ingenious and licentious 
romance, is the author of it. In confi- 
deration of the popularity which this tra- 
gedy-pantomime* acquired, and in fome 

* Mott of usfurely remember the prophe- 
tic lines of Dr. Johnfon ; he thus anticipates 
the proffitution of the ftage, in his prologue, 
at the opening of Drury Lane theatre, in the 
year 1747: 
«¢ But who the coming changes can prefage, 
And mark the future periods of the ftage? 
Perhaps if fkill could diftant times explore, 
New Behns, new Durfeys, yet remain in 
ftore, ; 
Perhaps where Lear has rav’d, and Hamlet 
dyd, 
On flying cars new forcerers may ride. 
Perhaps (for who can guefs th’ effects of 
clance ?) 
Here Hunt may box, or Mahomet may 
dance.” 
Retrofpect of Domeftie Literature....Drama. 
STs 
meafure to oppofe its pernicious influence 
onthe public tatte, the Analytical Re- 
viewers very properly took pains to #trip 
itof its finery, and expofe the deformity 
of this drama: they fucceeded admirably, 
and we refer our yeaders for an excellent 
critique on the Cajtle Spegire to Anal. 
Rev. Vol. xxviii. p.179. It is pay~ 
ing but little compliment to the German 
theatre, that we are pleated to fee fo many 
of its produétions tranflated in Englith 5 
they tend to divert our attention from the 
trumpery which difgraces our own ftage « 
Three tranflations have appeared, one by — 
Mr. PAPENDICK, a fecond, anonymoully, 
anda third by Mr. FHomMPsON, fromthe 
German of KoTzeBue’s *‘ Stranger :™ 
a drama which as it prefents an intereftine 
picture of human lite, and is deftitute of — 
puns and buffoonery, was rejected by the 
managers both of Drury Lane, and Co- 
vent Garden, as unfuitable to the public 
talte ; the managers of the former, how- 
ever, altered their opinion, and brought 
forward the Stranger, after a long inter- 
valot time, without the tranflator’s know- 
lece. It is to be hoped they will conde- 
(cend to explain this dark and fufpicious 
tranfaction ; appearances at prefeat are 
very much againt them. Two tranfla- 
' tions have alfo appeared of KoTzEBUE’s 
«<¢ Natural Son; or, Lovers Vows: one 
ably and faithfully ~performed by Mits 
ANNE PLUMFTRE: to thefe muft be 
added, a mutilation of the fame intereft- 
ing play by Mrs. IncuBaLp: this laff, 
being without any qualification the worl 
of the three, is performed at Covent Gar- 
den with great applaufe! A third trage- 
dy has been tranflated from KoTzEBut, 
by Mr. THOMPSON, entitled ‘* Adelaide 
of Wulfingen.” ** Count Benyoru/ti,” 
tranflated by Mr. Render, is moreover, 
attributed to the pen of KoTzEBUE: 
very oppofite opinions are entertained con- 
cerning its merit ; we cannet think it by 
any means equal to the others which have 
come before us. From the German of 
Goéthe, ** Clavidgo’’ have been tranflat- 
ed, and ‘© Stella: + The Sorrows of 
Werter” have long fince given a popula, 
rity to this writer: in the tragedies we 
have now announced, are fome exquifite 
foecimens of pathos. Stella is not with- 
out its extravagance. ‘Iwo tranflations 
have appeared of Schiller’s Hiftoric .play, 
‘© Don Carlos.’ we have read them boch 
with unabated intereft. The incidents 
of this drama, though not confufed, are 
certainly in fome degree perplexed: bute 
this perplexity awakens attention, and 
an indolent reader neither can, nor de- 
ferves 
