Retrifped? of Dem-flic Literature—Taéncs. 5eG 
An entertaining volume has lately been 
publifhed of ‘* Memoirs of Charles 
Macklin.” 
It abounds with anecdotes of the con- 
temporary actors, Booth, Betterton, 
Quin, Barry, Garrick, Sheridan, Cibber, 
&c, &c. fetching go, as it were, a hiltory of 
the Englith ftage “during the whele of the 
laft century. The work is written with 
great fpirit, by a gentleman, as it is 
ftated, who was long upon terms of inti- 
macy with the fubjeét of the Memoirs, 
and from whofe mouth many of the dra- 
matic criticifms and anecdotes are related. 
Mrs. BerHam’s ‘* Biographical Dic- 
tionary of the celebrated Women of every 
Age and Country,” is a work principally 
compiled from the recent work of Mifs 
Hays, on the fame fubjeé. 
‘DAC TIES, 
Although the alarm of an invafon, or 
rather, to {peak more becomingly and 
more truly—although the expedtation of 
it isin a great mealure fubfided, we are. 
every hour expofed to the attempt, from a 
daring and haughty foe, who, in the pro- 
fecution of an ambitious project, is ut- 
terly regardiefs of the waite of human 
life. It becomes us, therefore, to be con- 
{tantly prepared for his reception—to per- 
fe ourfelves in military manceuvres—read 
the hiftories of ancient as well as modern 
warfare—and become familiar with the 
operations of a campaign; that, in cafe 
we fhould ever have to face an enemy on 
our own foil, the courage of Britons may 
not be feudiated by inexperience, nor their 
cool colleétednefs of mind by want of 
plan.” In this hia of view, 90 work 
could have been mor e opportunely offcred 
to the public, than one which has lately 
_made its appearance under the title of 
«© Miltary Memoirs; relateng to Cam- 
paigns, Battles, and Stratagems of War, 
ancient and modern; extracted Jrom tie 
bef? Authorities, with occafional Remarks : 
by the Author of The Memoirs of the War 
in Afia, from 177% to 1784.” 
The work, as might be inferred from 
the title, is divided into two principal 
parts; the former, comprifing an account 
of ancient battles, that is to fay, of bat- 
tlss which were fought before the inven- 
tion of gun-powder; and the latter, an 
account of tiiofe which have taken place 
fince. The introdu€tion of Proffian tac- 
tics has occafioned a {ubdivifion of modern 
warfare into two parts. Proteffed treatiles 
on the art of war are too f{cientific for the 
multitude; and although the psges of 
hiftory, ancient and modern, are, as it 
were, red with battles, till the defcriptions 
original of Polybius, 
are ufaally too concife to be entertaining, 
or, in a mili itary point of view, ufefuis 
The editor of the prefent volume has 
made a judicious felection of the moft ce- 
lebrated battles, defiribing them with (uf- 
ficient minutenefs to ferve the principal 
purpofe of iliuftrating the maxims of war, 
and yet not with fo much technical detail 
as to deftroy the interefi of the deferip- 
tion. The firft part commences with the 
battle of Thymbrium, between the Per- 
fans and Babylonians, as recorded by 
Xenophon in the Cyrepedia, and clofes 
with that of Halidown Huil, between the 
Englith and Scots in the reign of Edward 
Ill. The battles of Crefly, Poictiers, 
Agincourt, Flodden, &c. are narrated in 
the feeond part, which continues the Me. 
moirs down to the battle of Alexandria, in 
r80re The author fays that, in this com- 
pilation, recourfe has been had to the 
Xenophen, Ar- 
rianus, and other Greek authors; and, 
with the affiiance, not only of Vegetius 
and /Elianus, but that of military gentle. 
men, who have added the ftudy of the 
theory to an acquaintance with a¢tual 
{cenes of war. Defcriptions of battles 
have been made out, which may, it is 
hoped, be intelligible. The whole of 
thefe anecdotes, extracted from th2 bet 
authorities, ferve to illuftrate and imprefs 
on the mind a lively and pragtical convic- 
tion of the moft important truths, * how 
often enthufafm and numbers have pre-- 
vailed over difciptined valour, acd all the 
taéhician’s art; and, on the other hand, 
how often a high and impetuous {pirit, by 
deranging the plan cf the general, and 
expofing the troops to be attacked in 
flank, have expofed the whole to defeat 
and difatter—on what minute accidents 
the fate of batties often turns——the effeis 
of furprife; the power of novelty; the 
protection of courage; tne fatal influence 
and contagion or fear. But amidit the 
ever- hhifting {cene of a great battle, acci- 
dents are controlled by the prelence of 
mind, and the invention of a confummate 
commander ; who, in the refources of his 
own mind, fraught with various ideas and 
ftratagems of war, finds means to repair 
fudden veveries of fortune, and even to 
improve unforefeen accidents intovidtory.”” 
Mr. Macponazp has traoilated and 
publifhed the ‘* Rules and Regulations for 
the Field Exercife and Manceeuvres of the 
breach Infan'ry, ijued Augujt 1, 179%.” 
This is an excellent tranilition of a work 
which ought to be read by every officer. 
Mr. Macdonald has enhanced its value - 
by the accompaniment of explanatory 
notes, 
‘ 
