roneous; and, laftly, that many of his projects of reform are chimerical and vifionary. ART. V. Theatrum Poetarum Anglicanorum. Containing the Names and Characters of all the English Poets, from the Reign of Henry III. to the clife of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. By Edward Phillips, the Nephew of Milton. First publifhed in 1675, and now enlarged by Additions to every Article from fubfequent Biographers and Critics. 8vo. 8s. PP. 336. White. London. 1800. WE to an WE are indebted to an anonymous author for this compilation. From the original work of Phillips, which included an account of the most eminent poets of all ages, the prefent compiler has made a felection of mere English poets, and of thefe, fuch as flourished from the reign of Henry III. to the close of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Edward Phillips was the nephew of the celebrated John Milton; and, in fome measure, though not a profeffed poet himself, he seems to have partaken of the taste of his uncle for poetry. Indeed, as the late poet Laureat Warton obferves, "this work of Phillips's, difcovers many traces of Milton's hand; there is good reason to suppose he threw many additions and corrections into the Theatrum Poetarum, as it contains criticisms far above the taste of that period, and fuch as were not common after the national tafte had been juft corrupted by the false and capricious refinements of the court of Charles II." It would seem that the late Dr. Johnson either entirely forgot or paffed by this work of Phillips, when he wrote his lives of the poets; we are therefore the more indebted to the prefent Editor for bringing it into public notice. It contains a fhort fententious remark or two refpecting the works of the poets recorded in it. But the value of this publication is confiderably encreased by means of the large additions which are made to the original performance. Befides arranging the names of the poets mentioned by Phillips, in a chronological order," the compiler has added fuch particulars as amount to a brief life of each poet, with fuch lifts and dates of their writings, and eftimates of their characters and genius, as fubfequent biographers and critics, and his own reading and obfervation, furnished him with ;" and not only fo, but he has more than doubled the number of those poets, of whom Phillips gives us any account; the number, mentioned by the latter, being fixty-eight, and the whole number contained contained in the prefent publication being one hundred and fixty-five. The compiler gives us this farther ftatement of what he has performed: "In this volume are recorded more than one hundred and fixty English poets, who lived previous to the period at which the bookfellers inftructed Dr. Johnfon to commence his celebrated LIVES; and among them are included two names, whom one alone of all their fucceffors can rival. And furely it will not be denied, that they who are unacquainted with the works of the most eminent of those, of whom I have here given an account, must have a very imperfect idea of the compafs, of the profufe and copious fancy, of the energy, and the fimplicity of English poetry." The value of the prefent compilation is farther enhanced by the large extracts which it contains from the hiftory of English poetry by that critical luminary, Mr. THOMAS WARΤΟΝ. The compiler feels justly proud in acknowledging his obligations to him. We fhall give his own words at the conclufion, accompanied by a beautiful quotation from his favourite writer : * "I cannot close this period fo well, as in the words of that learned critic, at once elegant and profound, to whom I have fo continually expreffed my obligations, but who is far above any praife, which my feeble pen can bestow; a critic, whofe information, both extenfive and minute, a poet, whofe genuine powers of fancy, both splendid and vigorous, the more I ftudy, the more I admire. "General knowledge," fays Warton, fpeaking of the reign of Elizabeth," was now encreafing with a wide diffufion, and a hafty rapidity. Books began to be multiplied, and a variety of the most useful and rational topics, had been difcuffed in our own language. But fcience had not made too great advances. On the whole, we were now at that period, propitious to the operations of original and true poetry, when the coynefs of fancy was not always proof against the approaches of reafon, when genius was rather directed than governed by judgment, and when tafte and learning had fo far only disciplined imagination, as to fuffer its exceffes to pass without cenfure or controul, for the fake of the beauty to which they were allied." The compiler has judiciously condenfed the accounts of fome of the poets, whofe works are now but little valued; whilst in the articles SPENCER, RALEIGH, &c. he has brought into view the leading particulars of their lives. From fuch a nofegay, it might be an invidious talk to cull any particular flower: we fhall, therefore, fimply confine ourselves to the “* Hift. E. P. III. P. 501, the close.” laft, laft, but not the leaft, of the additions contained in this colection, expreffing, at the fame time, our general approbation of the defign and execution of the work. "QUEEN ELIZABETH. "But while I record the names of those who brightened the reign of Queen Elizabeth with their political talents, I ought not to close the account of that fplendid period, without noticing the powers for poetry which that illuftrious heroine herfelf difcovered. "In Percy's Ballads, II, P. 127, are printed her Verses, while prifoner at Woodstock, writ with charcoal on a fhutter,' 1555. They were preferved by Hentzner, in his travels. In Headley's felect Beauties of Antient Poetry, 11, P. 85, and in the Specimens of the early English poets,' printed for Edwards, 1790, 8vo. at P. 66, are Verfes by Queen Elizabeth, upon mount Zeur's departure,': beginning. " I greeve, and dare not fhewe my difcontent, &c." "The following ditty on the factions raised by the Queen of Scots, while prifoner in England, and printed* not long after, if not before, the beheading that unfortunate Queen, were aljo compofed by Elizabeth. "The doubt of future foes exiles my present joy, And wit me learns to fhun fuch fnares, as threaten my annoy; For Falfhood now doth flow, and subject Faith doth ebb, Which would not be, if Reafon rul'd, or Wifdom weav'd the web. But clouds of joys untried do cloak afpiring minds, Which turn to rain of late repent by courfe of changed winds. And fruitless all their grafted guiles; as fhortly ye fhall fee. Then dazzled eyes with pride, which great Ambition blinds Shall be unfeal'd by worthy wights, whofe falfhood Forefight finds. Shall reap no gain where former Rule hath taught peace still to grow. To poll their tops that seek such change, and gape for lawless joy.” "They were, if I recollect, printed in Puttenham's Art of Poetry. They were reprinted in the Typographer, II. P. 176, from Harl. MSS. No. 6933.” ART. VI. Appeal to the Men of Great Britain in behalf of the Women. 8vo. 5s. PP. 300. Johnfon. London. 1798. IT would be extremely uncongenial to the acknowledged gallantry of Englishmen, and, indeed, unjust as well as difrefpectful towards their fair fifterhood, to be unwilling to lend an attentive ear to the claims, mingled with appeals and expoftulations, of fuch a heroine, as is the authorefs of this work. For, furely, if every clafs of our fellow fubjects has a right to be heard, fo far as they choose to fubmit themselves before our literary tribunals, fo refpectable and important a part as the female fex confeffedly is, deferves the first attention. We are, then, fully disposed to listen to the complaints which the fair writer of this appeal makes to the menmembers of fociety, on behalf of her fifters; and fo far as our opinion or influence extends, and the complaints themselves appear to be well founded, happy fhould we be to contribute to their relief. The claim of rights, indeed, as it has been advanced of late years by the advocates of the new philofophy, whether they be the rights of men or of women, or whether proceeding from the pen of a Paine or a Wollstonecraft, has taught us to look with somewhat of a fufpicious eye upon demands of this fort, whether urged from an affectation of novelty, or pushed forward from a restless spirit of difunion or infubordination in fociety. Too often in fuch cafes, however plaufible the arguments adduced, it may be faid, latet anguis in umbra. In the prefent inftance, we prefume not to infinuate that any fuch finifter defign lurks behind. The writer of this fpirited appeal comes boldly forward; and, whilst she states the grounds of her complaints, fhe alfo mentions the nature of thofe expectations, which the confiders her fex is warranted to entertain. Her leading pofition feems to be, that, with the exception of bodily ftrength, the female fex are by no means inferior to those who prefumptuoufly ftile themselves the "Lords of the Creation ;" and that with respect to modefty, and the exercife of various other virtues, women maintain a most decided fuperiority. The demand which fhe makes on their behalf is, that their rights in fociety in general, and in conjugal life in particular, may be more clearly defined, may be more enlarged, and chearfully conceded to them, than at present appears to be done. This demand is, at the fame time, intermixed with charges of the inequality, if not injuftice, of exifting laws and lawgivers, as they refpect the rights of womanhood, and their rank and confequence in fociety. Husbands alfo, as may well be expected in a work of this kind, are not fpared; whilft their ufurped claim of fuperiority over their NO. XXVIII, VOL. VII. M wives wives is denied, and their general treatment of them feverely cenfured. Such is the outline of this fpirited performance; and we muft do the fair writer the juftice to add, that, in the execution of her adventurous attempt, fhe writes with no small degree of ease, and difcovers the utmost naïveté of thought and expreffion. It is for those whom it immediately concerns to weigh the force of our authorefs's remarks in the fcale of impartial reafon, throwing in those allowances in favour of the fex, on whofe behalf the fo ftrenuously pleads, which a natural propensity in favour of that lovely part of the creation may induce. The advocates for new theories feldom know where to ftop. In their zeal, either for advancing new fyftems, or for overturning old ones, it is not uncommon to fee them overleaping the barriers which either fcripture or the wisdom of ages has erected. Thus, in the very outfet, the divine appointment, as addreffed to the mother of mankind, after the fall," thy defire shall be to thy husband, and he fhall rule over thee, to the extent in which it has been generally understood, militates fo ftrongly against the hypothefis of this lady, that we are the lefs furprized to find her muftering all that ingenuity which he is fo capable of bringing, upon occafion, to her aid, in order to overturn the argument which has been adduced from this portion of fcripture in favour of male-fuperiority. To do juftice to the force of her reasoning talents on this fubject, and as no unfavourable specimen of the general style of this performance, we present the reader with her own words: "It must be acknowledged, then, that even before our first parents left the garden of blifs, a woman was pofitively, and unequivocally doomed to be-subject to the power and authority of her husband. When, however, it is attempted to bring this power forward, and into action, against women in general; there are, I think, two ways of obviating or evading the claim; either of which appear (appears) perfectly fair and fatisfactory. Is it not true, that the fame chapter, almoft the fame verfe, which entails this curfe upon womanfor as a curfe it is evidently given entails, and for the very fame crime, another upon man equally clear and explicit, and equally defigned as should feem for the whole fex? Is it not exprefsly faid, that man fhould earn his bread by the fweat of his brow, until his return to the earth from whence he came ? Yet did it ever occur to woman, amongst all her imputed abfurdities, to infift, that man, however favoured by different circumstances, was everlaftingly bound to this fervitude? By what mode of reafoning, by what rule of justice then can it be, that that part of a pofitive command which regards women, |