Alfred's Apeal. Containing his Address to the Court of King's Bench, on the fubject of the Marriage of Mary Anne Fitzherbert, and her Intrigue with Count Bellois. 8vo. 15. Printed for

the Author.

It might have been expected that Mr. Withers' imprisonment would abate the ardour of his mind on the fubject of his late prolecution; but, infiead of producing any fuch effect, it seems only to have whetted his vehemence. In the pamphlet now before us he takes an animated review of his trial, and perfifts in justifying all that he had affirmed of the conduct of Mrs. Fitzherbert.

Commercial Tables: exhibiting a view of the Weights, Measures, Coins, and Monies of France, compared and equalifed with thoje of Great-Britain. By a British Merchant. 45. 6d. in Boards. Wilkie.

Thefe tables feem to contain every thing neceffary in our commerce with France, a nation, perhaps, which we shall foon learn to distinguifh with the most partial regard, and with which cur political union may in future be uninterrupted. We have examined a few of thofe parts which we are chiefly connected with, and find them clear and accurate. We have no doubt of the whole deferving the fame character.

Characters of the Kings and Queens of England, felected from different Hiftories. Vol. III. By J. Holt. 8vo. 45. Robinfons.

In our LXIId volume, p. 477, and the LXIVth, p. 483. refpectively, we noticed the firit volumes of this work. As we approach nearer our own times, it becomes more interefting, and we have read this third volume with great pleafure, perhaps with fome improvement.

Theological Tracts in Verfe and Profe. 8vo.

15. Crowder.

We have read thefe tracts again and again, in different humours, and with various fancies; but, in good truth, we know not what to fay of them or the author; he talks fometimes fenfibly, but even in his lucid intervals he is unequal, and occafionally deiitical; then again he is trifling, and in turn, wild, or abfurd. Even in the title he fays, in fome of the tracts, it is tried to flow, that the kingdom of Heaven is governed by men, who are among us, and alive like ourselves.' Somewhat of this kind occurs in the Effay on the World;' that we have guardian angels, who have archangels for their guardians; and that the Deity embodies fpirits, which we diftinguifh by the name of gholfs, are opinions frequently repeated.

Thoughts in the form of Maxims addressed to Young Ladies on their firft fablishment in the World. By the Couniefs Dowager of Carlife. Small 8vo. 25. 6d. Cornell.

Though fome of thefe Thoughts,' may appear at first trifling, we have found none, but what we think may be occafionally uefol. While whirling in the vortex of fadion, young ladies re

flect only when folly, impropriety, or fomething worfe, refulting, perhaps, at firit from venial trefpaffes, drives them to obfcurity, and gives them opportunities for thinking, without that ftate of mind which makes thinking pleafing or falutary. We have marked a few of the countefs's maxims, which we fhail tranfcribe. They inculcate, in every page, true delicacy, proper conduct, and judicious diinctions, in fome of the most difficult predica ments of a lady's life.

Suffer not any, unauthorised by affinity, to be fiequently repeating the criticifins of the world on your conduct; on trifling occalions it is feldom corrective, but it never fails to four the temper.'

Letno fuch expreffion fall from your lips, as low company. no body, because your rank in life may feparate you in general from fociety of lower degree, but perhaps poffelfing fuperior merit to that you are connected with,'

Shut your ears against every prejudice which the long fervices of perfons about you, may encourage them to attempt infpiring you with.'

It is a justifiable pride, if any may be deemed fuch, to conceal our joys or our forrows from them that are incapable of understanding their caufes.'

A good manager, and a notable woman, proves but too of ten to be a very unpleasant being in fociety: thefe duties should be performed in the circle of their own domeftic fphere, and are never to be boasted of out of it.'

Affume no mafculine airs; to fupport neceffary fatigue is meritorious, but real robuftnefs and fuperior force is denied you by nature; its femblance, denied you by the laws of decency."

Obftinacy in difpute becomes habitual; beware of it, it will infenfibly degenerate into paffion, and paffion degrades a woman.'

Be not prone to imagine that the arrows of farcafm, so of ten and fo heedlefly thrown out in mixed companies, are always pointed at you; it is abfolutely neceffary to affume a decent courage in numerous focieties, for too nice a fenfibility deprives the owner of any degree of defence against infult and arrogance. The Debate in the House of Commons, on Mr. Beaufoy's Motion for the Repeal of fuch parts of the Teft and Corporation Acts as affect the Proteftant Disenters. On Friday the 8th of May, 1789. 8vo. 15. 6d. Johnfon.

Thefe debates, we are informed, have been collected from the memory of different perfons, affifted by the most authentic accounts delivered in the newspapers. They have the appearance of being genuine. To the debates is added a list of the members of the houfe of commons who voted for going into a committee to confider of the repeal of the Corporation and Teft acts, on the 28th of March 1787, and likewife a lift of thofe members who voted for going into the fame committee, on the Eth of May 189.

An Addrefs to the Eleors of Great-Britain and Ireland, on the approaching General Election. By an Independent Freeholder. 8vo. 15. 6d. Walter.

The author of this addrefs profeffes to be a zealous advocate for the purity of the conflitution, and a parliamentary reform in both kingdoms. His admonitions, fo far as they relate to the integrity of electors, are fentible and well founded; but fometimes intermixed with obfervations which seem to favour more of popular and vague opinion than of truth and justice.

CORRESPONDENCE.

WE are forry when we find that we have given pain to a refpectable man. Mr. Afhdowne complains with so much temper, that we are unwilling to refufe him that title; but we are utterly ignorant of the grounds of our offence, and have not been able to difcover it after looking over our volumes of laft year, as well as laft Number. If he will be more explicit, our anfwer fhall be more fatisfactory. Whatever be our own opinions, we endeavour to examine the works of a different complexion with candour and impartiality: thofe who are aware of a bias can best guard against its influence.

THE Belle Widows' (we should have faid Belles Widows') review of our article entertained us. She thinks that to have attracted our cenfure is a proof of excellence : a la bonne heure. Such excellence will always be treated in a fimilar manner.

WE are obliged to our correfpondent at Hackney, for his remarks. Our rule is founded on the general marketable value of a livre, which, in common 'reckoning, is ten-pence, and twenty-four livres are fuppo ed to make a pound fterling, A ready way therefore of dividing by twenty-four is to take the half of one-twelith. This is the ufual method of reckoning on common occations, independent of the rate of exchange, and it confequently gives the poft ready correfponding value of fums. Our author is correct in faying, that in our Review for October laft, p. 317, we should have faid above 14 millions, for 340 millius of livres is more near to 14 millions fterling than to 15. In the other correction he is not equally accurate: though of 80 be 63, half of that is 3; and half of the twelfth of 70 millions of livres is equal to +x{=2}} millions. The first fraction then is fufficiently near to warrant our conclufion, efpecially fince, from the nature of the rule, the whole fum must be lefs than the exact value.

A reader of the Critical Review may be fred that we meant no difrefpect to Dr. Towers in the lives of the Biogra phia affigued to him. The error fhail be corrested in our fecond article.

THE

CRITICAL REVIEW.

For

MARC H, 1790.

Efays on the Nature and Principles of Tafte. By the Rev. Archibald Alifon, LL. B. F. R. S. Edinburgh. 4to. 16s. in Boards. Robinsons.

WHI

WHILE the analyfis of the various emotions of the human mind was yet unattempted, tafte was placed on a throne, and dictated in the decifive tone of a defpotic monarch. Ariftotle, who firft made philofophy fubfervient to the pleafures of the mind; and by a regular logical investigation, taught us not only how we were pleafed, but when we ought not to be fo, did not proceed farther than those attempts which the judgment could decide on ; and his appeals were chiefly made to our judgment, and were deduced from works of acknowledged merit. In thefe it was often easy to give the reason for our approbation; but various parts of poetical invention, various flights of a brilliant ardent imagination, eluded his fkill; and at beft, it was a partial and an incomplete view.. To explain the nature of that principle which we call taste, is not only neceffary to diftinguifh the emotion which rifes in our minds, and, as Mr. Alifon with ftri&t propriety obferves, to feparate it from the accidental caufes of pleasure, but to examine the powers by which it decides, and the fources from which it is drawn. Ariftotle chiefly examined one of these fources, poetic imagery, and traced it up to imitation: this is indeed a varied fubject, and in his writings it is dilated with skill; but in a metaphyfical view, much more remains to be done. In more modern times, we may mention Dr. Gerard's work on Tafte, and the more valuable remarks in Dr. Blair's Lectures; but whoever has proceeded far in this investigation will foon discover that the fubject has hitherto been imperfectly purfued.

Tafte (fays Mr. Alifon) is that faculty of the human mind by which we perceive and enjoy whatever is beautiful or fublime in the works of art.' We dare not say that this definition is erroneous, for it is fo general, that error is almost impoffible. Perhaps if he had faid, perceive and discriminate whatever is beautiful and fublime in the works of nature and VOL. LXIX. March, 1790. S

of

of art, it would have been more unexceptionable; for tafte does not imply enjoyment, and it is applicable to natural fcenes, as well as the labours of the artist: in each too, it is often necessary to difcriminate parts executed with taste, from others where the exertion of that faculty is not equally confpiDiscrimination is alfo an effential requifite, fince it implies judgment; and the man of tafte must be a man of judgment; or, from frequent contemplation, have acquired the habit of difcrimination, which is often fubftituted for it. Mr. Alison next obferves, that, in enquiring into the principles of tafte, it is necessary to investigate the nature of those qualities which produce the emotion; and zdly, the nature of that faculty by which the emotions are received. Yet fome enquiry into the effect produced on the mind when these emo-tions are felt, muft, he thinks, be premised; for, with the emotions of tafte, other accidental emotions of pleasure are often excited, either those which arise from other qualities of the object, thofe of agreeable fenfation, or thofe general ones which arife from the exercife of our faculties. There is one other fource of accidental pleasure which our author has omitted, or has not employed in the fenfe we affix to it, though it is a more copious one, and more frequently occurs to confuse our experience than any other, viz. the circumftance of association; for what we have enjoyed in a fituation otherwife delightful, we feel to be beautiful and advantageous in itself. The first preliminary part is the object of the prefent volume, and Mr. Alifon goes no farther than to afcertain the effect produced on the mind. The two Eflays, therefore, in this volume, are on the nature of the emotions of fublimity,' and on the fublimity and beauty of the material world.'

Our readers will, probably, by this time have perceived, and if they should chance to recollect what we have formerly obferved, they will foon difcover that by tafte we mean a quality very different from that which Mr. Alifon purposes to examine. In our remarks on tafte, we had occafion not long fince, to attempt analyfing this fleeting indeterminate idea; and we thought that it confifted in an acute perception and an accurate judgment of those parts of a body or subject which were beautiful, and we may now add, fublime. This we have hinted above, and the neceffity of judgment in establishing the pretenfions to taste, we need not again infist on; the acuteness of perception, and perhaps its accuracy, must be equally undisputed. We do not perceive that any peculiar quality of the mind is neceffary to explain the decifions of tafte, ftrictly and accurately confidered. Like fome other mental exertions, the peculiarity does not depend on new powers, but on a modifica