awares, forgetful of my refolution, and detained me fo long till fome light broke in which gave me hopes of at leaft finding out Pappus's general propofition, which indeed not without much investigation I at length rettered. Now this foon after, together with the first Porifmi of Book I. was printed in the Philofophical Tranfactions for 173i No. 177.

"But because at that time I did not fufficiently understand the na ture of a Porifm, I think proper now to deliver it more explicitly, that this kind of propofitions, and the way by which they are inveftigated, which geometers from the time that Pappus lived have been ignorant of, may be restored to geometry, and may bring no contemptible in create thereto. And becaufe Pappus's defcription of Porifins is not eafily to be understood without a fpecimen of them, therefore I have thought proper to premife fome eafy Porifms to the explication which Pappus offers of them; and then to Pappus's defcription of them to fubjoin fome of Euclid's Porifms, namely, fuch as I could diftinguish to be fuch, either from Pappus's general propofition, or his defcription of Porilms; or laftly, by help of his lemmas for the Porifms. After thefe follow four of Fermat's propofitions changed into the form of Porifms, for the remaining one of his five is concerning the parabola; and I have demonstrated it in my Conic Sections, Prop. 19. B. V. zd Ed. There are fome other things added, the chief of which were proposed to me, and the conftruction of fome of the given, by that excellent geometer, Matthew Stewart, Profeffor of Mathematics in the Univerfity of Edinburgh, by whom this matter has already been well, and I hope for the future will be much, cultivated."

In hopes that the learned and ingenious tranflator will meet with proper encouragement to compleat an English verfion of Dr. Simfon's treatife, we referve our opinion of its execution and importance to a future article.

W.

Thoughts on General Gravitation, and Views thence arifing as to the State of the Universe. 18. Cadell.

It is the general error of fpeculative minds to be more atten tive to what paffes within themselves than to the observations and difcoveries of others, even on fubjects of their immediate contemplation. Hence it is that thefe profound thinkers, after a world of reflection, make wonderful difcoveries of things known to every body but themfelves. Not that the prefent writer has made any other discovery, in the prefent pamphlet, than that he knows very little of the profeffed fubject of it. The late facetious author of Tom Jones fomewhere ludicrously obferves, that every writer will probably treat his fubject the better for knowing fomething about it. With this age re mark, therefore, we take leave of this thinker on general gra vitation; recommending him the next time he fits down to write on any fubject, to read what has already been written

on it.

W.

Mount

Mount Pleasant: à Defcriptive Poem. To which is added an Ode. 4to. 2s. Johnfon.

To this poem is prefixed the following modeft and pertinent preface.

"The following Poem was written fome years ago, at a very early period of life, without the leaft intention of publication. It is not however by way of an apology, that this circumstance is mentioned; the author being fully covinced, that an excufe for obtruding a new publication on the world is always fuperfluous; a good one being in no need of it, and an indifferent one receiving no addition to its value, from any circumstance that can be alledged in its favour."

Mount Pleafant is an agreeable eminence near Liverpool, which commands the profpect defcribed in this poem. A fpecimen of the writer's talent for poetical defcription is given in the following lines.

"Far as the eye can trace the profpect round,
The fplendid tracks of opulence are found:
Yet fcarce an hundred annual rounds have run,
Since first the fabric of this power begun ;
His noble waves, inglorious, MERSEY roll'd,
Nor felt those waves by labouring art controul'd;
Along his fide a few fmall cots were spread,
His finny brood their humble tenants fed;
At opening dawn with fraudful nets fupply'd,
The paddling fkiff would brave his fpacious tide,
Ply round the fhores, nor tempt the dangerous main,
But feek ere night the friendly port again."

Defcriptive of Merfey's prefent ftate, we have the following.

"Far to the right, where Merfey dûteous pours
To the broad main his tributary stores;
Ting'd with the radiance of the golden beam,
Sparkle the quivering waves: and midst the gleam
In different hues, as fweeps the changeful ray,
Pacific fleets their guiltlefs pomp difplay:
Fair to the fight they fpread the floating fail,
Catch the light breeze, and fkim before the gale;
Till leffening gradual on the stretching view,
Obfcure they mingle in the distant blue;

Where in foft tints the fky with ocean blends,

And on the weaken'd fight, the long, long profpe&t ends." Again, drawing a comparifon between the plains of this and thofe of warmer climates, the poet exultingly gives the preference to thofe of our own country.

"Yet lovelier fcenes the varied profpect cheer, Where Ceftria's plains in long extent appear;

Vol. VI.

S

There

There shine the yellow fields with corn o'erfpread ;
There lifts Britannia's oak its towering head;
Swells the brown hill, the floping vales retire,
And o'er the woodland peeps the rural fpire;
Above the reft the Cambrian mountains rife,
Clofe the long view, and mingle with the fkies.
"Can Gallia's vine-crown'd hills with these compare ;
Tho' there the peasant breathes a milder air?
Or can Iberia's lovelieft landscapes show
So rich a profpect, or fo bright a glow ?
There funs all fultry parch the cracking foil,
The hardening meadow mocks the peafant's toil;
The fpirits droop beneath the noon tide blaze,
And all the rofeate bloom of health decays:
But here she loves her choicefts gifts to pour,
Breathes in each gale, and melts in every shower;
Sheds joy, and gladnefs, o'er the temperate plain,
And crowns the cottage of the labouring swain:
Midft the throng'd vale, as the imparts her fmile,
Care fmooths her front, and Labour scorns his toil;
And Love, his dewy locks with roses bound,
Trips o'er the lawn, and meditates the wound."

The merit of this performance, however, does not lie merely in poetical defcription: the moral fentiments, conveyed in nervous and harmonious numbers, ftamp an additional value on the scenery.

*

His defcription of the ftate of flavery in the West India Iflands, and the juft indignation he expreffes at the commercial avarice and falfe policy which are the cause of it, do him particular honour.

"There Afric's fwarthy fons their toils repeat,
Beneath the fervors of the noon-tide heat;
Torn from each joy that crown'd their native foil,
No fweer reflections mitigate their toil;
From morn to eve, by rigorous hands oppreft,
Dull fly their hours, of every hope unbleft:
Till, broke with Labour, helpless, and forlorn,
From their weak grafp the lingering morfel torn,
The reed-built hovel's friendly shade deny'd,
The jeft of folly, and the fcorn of pride,
Drooping beneath meridian funs they lie,
Lift the faint head, and bend th' imploring eye;
Till Death, in kindness, from the tortur'd breast
Calls the free spirit to the realms of rest.

We must except fome few lines, and falfe Rhimes, which, as we have often obferved, we look upon as a capital defect in modern verfifica

5

Shame

"Shame to Mankind! But fhame to Britons moft,
Who all the fweets of Liberty can boast;
Yet, deaf to every human claim, deny

That blifs to others, which themselves enjoy ;
Life's bitter draught with harfher bitter fill
Blast every joy, and add to every ill;

The trembling limbs with galling iron bind,
Nor loofe the heavier bondage of the mind.

"Yet whence these horrors this inhuman rage,
That brands with blackeft infamy the age?
Is it, our varied interests difagree,

And Britain finks if Afric's fons be free?
-No-Hence a few fuperfluous ftores we claim,
That tempt our avarice, but increase our shame;
The fickly palate touch with more delight,
Or fwell the fenfelefs riot of the night.-

-Bleft were the days ere Foreign Climes were known,
Our wants contracted, and our wealth our own;
When Health could crown, and Innocence endear,
The temperate meal, that cost no eye a tear:
Our drink, the beverage of the crystal flood,
-Not madly purchas'd by a brother's blood-
Ere the wide-fpreading ills of Trade began,
Or Luxury trampled on the rights of Man."

Nor does his comparison, between the infant and adult state of Commerce, lefs honour to his feelings.

"When Commerce, yet an infant, rais'd her head,
'Twas mutual want her growing empire fpread:

Those mutual wants a diftant realm fupply'd,
And like advantage every clime enjoy'd.
Diftruftless then of every treacherous view,
An open welcome met the ftranger crew;
And, whilst the whitening fleet approach'd the land,
The wondering natives hail'd them from the strand;
Fearless to meet, amidst the flow of foul,

The lurking dagger, or the poifon'd bowl.

"Now, more destructive than a blighting storm,
A bloated monster, Commerce, rears her form;
Throws the meek olive from her daring hand,
Grafps the red fword, and whirls the flaming brand;
True to no faith; by no restraints controul'd;
By guilt made cautious, and by avarice bold;
Each feature reddens with the tinge of shame,
Whilft Patna's plain, and Buxar's fields, I name.
How droops Bengal beneath Oppreffion's reign!
How groans Oriffa with the weight of flain!
To glut her rage, what thousands there have bled,
What thrones are vacant, and what princes dead!
In vain may War's relenting fury fpare,
Attendant Famine follows in the rear ;

And the poor natives but furvive, to know
The lingering horrors of feverer woe.

-Can this be fhe, who promis'd once to bind
In leagues of ftricteft amity, mankind?

7

This fiend, whofe breath inflames the fpark of strife,
And pays with trivial toys the price of life?"

The annexed Ode was written on the inftitution of a fociety in Liverpool for the encouragement of defigning, drawing, painting, &c. Our poetical readers will thank us for extracting its exordium, written in a ftrain, well characterised by the poet's own words, applied to Angelo and Milton"Majeftic, nervous, bold, and ftrong."

"From climes where Slavery's iron chain
Has bound to earth the foaring mind,
Where Grecia mourns her blasted plain
To want and indolence refign'd;
From fair Italia's once lov'd fhore,
(The land of Freedom now no more)
Difdainful of each former feat,
The Arts, a lovely train, retreat:
Still profpering under Freedom's eye,

With her they bloom, with her they fly;
And, when the Power transferr'd her fmile

To Albion's ever grateful ifle,

The lovely Fugitives forgot to roam,

But rais'd their altars here, and fix'd their happier home.

Swift fly the hovering fhades of Night,

When burfs the orient dawn of Day;
As fwift before their mental light
The clouds of Ignorance decay.
First came the Mufe-her great defign
Each dull fenfation to refine;
To plant in every rugged breaft
The feeds of Genius and of Tafte;
To bid the heart expand with woe,
Or with the great example glow,
Or fmile along the sportive page,
Or fhrink at Satire's pointed rage;

Thro' Fancy's realms the wondering mind to bear,
And for her fifter Arts an easier path prepare,

"Of power to still the raging deep,
To damp the gay, to warm the cold,
To bid the steel-ribb'd warrior weep,
And make the trembling daftard bold,

An Inftitution, we are forry to hear, already come to decay.

To