660 
expectation will be raifed high con- 
cerning a drama, the effufion of his 
own cultivated genius. The Maid of 
Lochlin is founded on the Fingal of 
Offian, in the beginning of the third 
book of which wiil be found the com- 
plete argument of the drama.” There 
is not altogether fuch an elevation of 
fentiment, and fuch a poetic glow of 
language, as we expected: the charac- 
ter of Ayandecca is well drawn, and the 
manlinefs and dignity of Fingal are in- 
terefting: the Lyric Odes are. feeble, 
and we are inclined toe believe that 
Profeflur Richardfon wili fand higher 
as a critic than he will as a poet. 
‘© The fecond Part of King Henry 
the Fourth, altered from Shakefpeare, 
as it was acted at Reading School; 
publifhed as it was performed for the 
Benefit of the Humane Society.”” The 
charitable purpofe for which this play 
is publithed is the only excufe which 
we can make for the publication: we 
like not to fee an old friend with a 
new face. There is fomething almoft 
profane in mutilating thofe works of 
the great poet of nature, which have 
been confecrated by the confent of 
of ages. Dr. Valpy oblerves, ‘ that 
a claffical exhibition ought, itill more 
than a reprefentation on a. public 
theatre (why?) to be weeded ofall 
noxious expreflions, and that nothing 
fhould be left to taint the mind or 
crimfon the cheek of youth. We will 
venture to fay, there was not a boy in 
Dr. Valpy’s fchool, of any genius, any 
tafte, or any promife, who did not 
read and well ftydy his part in the 
original. What! are we to read 
Shakefpeare through the moral of the 
chaftening glafies of Dr. Valpy? Un- 
fatished -with omitting what difpleafes 
him, are his ad libitum alterations and 
infertions to be made with impunity ? 
The purity of no man’s morals was 
ever contaminated by Shakefpeare; 
and we advile the boys of Dr. Valpy’s 
fchool, if they are defirous of enrich- 
ing their minds, of cultivating their 
genius, and improving their hearts, to 
read him, to ttudy him, to meditate 
upon him by day and by night—to 
ftrip off this ill-fitted unfeemly robe of 
delicacy, and contemplate his beauties 
in their native nudity. 
“‘ Polly as it flies; a Comedy, by F. 
REYNOLDS.” Mr. Reynolds 1s@n ex- 
cellent miarkfman: five or fix-and- 
twenty flying fhots has he taken at 
folly, in Covent-garden Theatre, and 
hit her every time, 
Retrofped? of Domeftic Literature— Education. 
«© Almeda; or, the Neapolitan Re= 
venge.”’—* I he Female Volunteer.°— 
“¢ Chains of the Heart; or, Slave by 
Choice.”"—** Mutius Sczvola,” &c. 
&c. may be added to the catalogue of 
plays and farces. 
EDUCATION. 
‘* The Way to Speak Well made 
Eafy ter Youth, by the chief Words of 
the Englifh Tongue, clafied in Sen- 
tences, according to the Number of 
their Syllables: with a fhort Dictionary 
at the End of each Book. Containing 
four feparate Divifions, Subftantives, 
Adjectives, Verbs, and _ Particles.” 
There is much ingenuity in the method 
here adopted, although fome of the ex- 
amples betray hatte in the felection. 
The prefent appears to be only the firit 
book of a larger work, of which we 
fhail be able to form a more juft opinion 
when it is completed. 
«« Select Amufements in Philofophy 
and Mathematics, proper for agreeably 
exercifing the Minds of Youth. Tran- 
flated from the French of M.L. DEs- 
Prau, formerly Profeflor of Mathe- 
matics and Bhilofophy at Paris. With 
feveral Corrections and Additions, par- 
ticularly a large Table of the Chances 
or Odds at Play. The Whole recom-. 
mended as an ufeful Book for Schools.” 
Dr. Hutton, Profeflor of Mathematics 
at Woociwich, fpeaks decidedly in fa- 
vour of the prcfent volume in a letter 
attached to it. He calls 1 ‘* A very 
curious and ingenious work, comprifing 
a great deal of ufeful matter in a imall 
compais, and well adapted for commu- 
nicating the knowledge of a great va- 
riety of interefting particulars in a 
manner at once familiar, clear, and - 
amufing.’’” The arithmetical amufe- 
ments are particularly rational. 
A fecond edition has appeared, with: 
corrections and additions, of ** An In- 
troduction to the Ufe of the Globes, 
with Queftions for Examination an- 
nexed, by Mr, Fretp.¥ = 
Mr. Crazs’s ** Order and Method 
of initructing Children, with Strictures 
on the modern Syftem of Education,” 
Is a valuable treatife: Mr. Crabb is 
mot one of thofe who make children 
{wallow large draughts of knowledge 
which intoxicate their brain, and fome-, 
times produce weaknefs inftead of wif- 
dom: he is defirous of intreducing a 
mode of gradual initruction, by which 
the young perfon fhall be taught to 
think, firft, on eafy fubjeéts, and thence 
to be led to others of a more dificult 
and complicated nature. Mi. Crabb 
As 
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