from them, nor from the prefent writer, who has the benefit of their remarks: yet they have been able to throw light on a fubject in itself very obfcure, and have certainly merited thankful acknowlegement from all who engage in this line of study. Whether Dr. Johnston has fucceeded better, or has improved on the conjectures of those who have gone before, we do not prefume to decide: but we may venture to fay, and it seems due to juftice, that the work manifefts great attention, ingenuity, and fimplicity, fo far as generally to adhere to the plan laid down in the paffages above quoted for directing the expofition. Dr. Johnfton varies in many inftances from former commentators. The burning mountain (chap. viii. 8, 9.) caft into the fea, he explains of the Emperor Julian; the great ftar falling from heaven and fucceeded by an army of locufts (chap. ix. 1-13.) has been generally referred to Mohammed, but he regards it as predicting the ambition and pre-eminence of the Roman Pontiff, and the fwarms of falfe doctrines and of monks which, like locufts, overfpred the empire when the title of Univerfal Bishop was conferred by Phocas the emperor, that abominable tyrant! A. D. 606. There appears a coincidence rather remarkable as to the time of thefe events. The hierogly phic following, which refpects four angels bound in the great river Euphrates, is fuppofed to relate to Mohammed and his followers. By the famous number of the name of the beast, this author understands the number of the beast; that is, a direction to find out the year in which the papal or laft head of Roman government should arife, by being vefted with a temporal dominion; and, accordingly, he finds from the time of Domitian's perfecution, in which St. John wrote, to the year 756, in which the Pope commenced his temporal dominion, an exact period of 666 years:-but, as we do not intend to pursue this enumeration, we fhall only add that the Doctor fuppofes us now to be under the fifth vial; the completion, as he conjectures, will extend to a confiderable time farther, or to about A. D. 1998. The author has rendered his work more interefting and entertaining, and alfo illuftrates his explication of the vifion, by a fhort history of the period to which he apprehends it relates, extracted chiefly from Mofheim's Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, with whom Sigonius is fometimes united; though references are alfo made to other writers.-Papal Rome is regarded throughout thefe volumes as the Antichrift: but it is at the fame time acknowleged that other establishments have their defects, and thofe not inconfiderable: how far they may fall under the cenfure of St. John's Revelation, must be left to time to discover. ART. ART. VIII. Fifty Years' Correfpondence, Inglish, French, and Lattin, in Proze and Verfe, between Geniuffes ov Boath Sexes, and James Elphinfton. 12mo. 8 Vols. 11. 8s. fewed. Richardfon, &c. 1794. THE "HE Editor of thefe volumes published, in 1765, under the title of "Principles of English Language digefted," a series of curious philological inquiries concerning our native tongue. It seems to have been his object to point out in general its more prevalent analogies, in order to extend the ufe and application of them but his neological fpirit was chiefly concentered on the defire of reforming our fpelling, fo as to render it an exact transcript of our audible language. This object he farther difcuffed in a more voluminous work, in 2 vols. 4to. published in 1786, and entitled "Propriety afcertained in her picture;" and, conceiving doubtless that his general principles are by this time acknowleged, he has now applied them to use, in laying before the public a confiderable collection of letters, curious papers, and poems; in which his own peculiar orthography, or rather heterography, is employed. These volumes will certainly be valuable to foreigners, and to posterity, as a record of our actual pronunciation: but the propriety of adopting the propofed innovation is certainly liable to controverfy. Mr. Elphinston occafionally uses the fame letters for different founds as a in wandering, danted, matchlefs; and c in diccion, Cynnic, chains, voice. ، He uses alfo different letters for the fame found: as in nehr, made, hwen, bair. Silent letters occur: as fin ambiscious; c and tin Scytthian ; and u in wingu'd. Some founds are not expreffed: as in longuer there is a g deficient. Our readers may judge from a fpecimen : • Hwat horrid scenes indeed offend my eyes! Hwat flames! hwat croffes! ah, hwat fcaffolds toil! Alike dhe prezzent, past, and future time: Dheir name iz Chriftian, and dheir name dhe crime. Dhey Dhey count each tyrant kind, dhey coart each frown; 6 Iown fuch madness may fometimes beguile. • Dheir blindnese muft, yoo'l fay, our pitty moov: Nor dhat les mad, an aincient riggor fames: Among the selected papers, feveral are very interefting :-we may particularize the letters of Dr. Johnfon, Mr. Mackenzie, M. Delleville, a member of the French Convention, and of other celebrated men: the tranflations from the Latin and the French, as Racine's poem on religion, and others; and the memoire of M. de Palmeus, proving the fword of Cromwell to be now in poffeffion of the French. An engraving of the author's head, and another of Martial, occur. ART. IX. The Jew. A Comedy. Performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury-lane. By Richard Cumberland, Efq. The fecond Edition. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Dilly. 1794. THE 'HE treatment which the Jews have experienced for many ages reflects great difcredit on the Christian world. Even in proteftant countries, where they have not been configned by a court of inquifition to the flames, they have been almoft univerfally confidered as objects of averfion or contempt; and perhaps nothing has contributed more, in later times, to diffuse and establish this difgraceful prejudice against a fet of unhappy wanderers, than the manner in which they have been reprefented on the stage. Whenever the character of a Jew has been exhibited for the entertainment of the public, it has not been thought fufficient to expofe his national peculiarities to ridicule, but he must be also holden up to infamy as a bloodthirsty villain, a hard-hearted usurer, or a fly and pitiful knave. REV. FEB. 1795. M This This practice has fo fuccessfully rooted the illiberal and vulgar antipathy to the unfortunate defcendants of Abraham, that few people perhaps now hear a Jew mentioned, without thinking of the cruel Shylock, or of cunning little Ifaac. Several years ago, in the 6th number of "The Obferver," Mr. Cumberland remarked the abfurdity and inhumanity of this practice, and, with his ufual elegance, illuftrated the subject by introducing a letter of complaint from a Jew. In the poftfcript, Ab. Abrahams adds, "I hope I fhall not give offence if I fay, that if you could perfuade one of the gentlemen or ladies who write plays to give us poor Jews a kind lift in a new Comedy, I am bold to promife we fhould not prove ungrateful on a third night."-This kind lift Mr. Cumberland himself has given to them. He has written a comedy, the principal defign of which is to exhibit on the ftage the character of an honeft and charitable Jew; and the task is executed. with the fame found nefs of judgment and elegance of taste which have diftinguifhed Mr. C.'s former productions.-There are indeed, in the play, few incidents either to excite or to gratify the fpectator's curiofity; and the rest of the characters, as in a well-grouped picture, are only introduced to give prominence and diftinction to the principal figure:-but the character of the Jew is admirably drawn; and, allowing for fome caricature heightening, which was doubtless thought neceffary to increafe the effect of reprefentation, we are willing to believe that it is a portrait of which, in the main features, originals exift in real life. It is furely poffible for a man, as Sheva (the Jew) fays, to love his money very well, and yet to love his friends better. The moral fentiments of the piece are a confiderable addition to its value. Of the language it is nearly unneceflary to speak, for Mr. C. cannot write ill-but we must remark that many excellent fentences occur in the dialogue. In the mouth of Sheva's man, Jabal, an excellent character in the walk of low humour, the following pun is at leaft paffable: Our people have never tafted bacon fince they came out of the land of Ham.' The duel between the two friends, Frederic and Charles, Sheva's beneficiaries, produces little effect, and might very well have been spared. As a specimen, we quote the following fcene between Sheva and Frederic: Sheva. You are welcome, Mr. Bertram: our business may quickly be difpatch'd. You want three hundred pounds-I have made shift to fcrape that fum together, and it is ready for you. Fred. Alas, Sheva! fince laft I faw you I am fo totally undone, that it wou'd now be robbery to take your money.-My father has expelled me from his house. 8 • Sheva. Sheva. Why? for what cause? Fred. I have married Sheva. Well, that is natural enough. Fred. Married without his knowledge Sheva. So did he without your's. What befides? Sheva. Ah! that is very filly, I must say. Fred. You cou'd not fay fo, did you know the lady. • Sheva. That may be, but I do not know the lady: you have not nam'd her to me. Fred. The fifter of Charles Ratcliffe. Sheva. Ah! to Mifs Ratcliffe? Is it fo? And fhe is goot and lovely, but fhe has no monies: and that has made your fader very angry with you? Fred. Furious, irreconcileable. Sheva. Why truly, monies is a good thing, and your fader is not the only man in England that does think fo: I confess I'm very much of his mind in respect of monies. Fred. I know you are; therefore keep your money, and good morning to you. Sheva. Hold, hold, be not so hasty! If I do love my monies, it may be because I have it in my power to tender them to you. Fred. But I have faid I never can repay you whilst you are in this world.... Sheva. Perhaps I fhall be content to be repaid when I am out of it -I believe I have a pretty many post-obits of that fort upon the file. Fred. I do not rightly understand you. Sheva. Then pray you have a little patience till I am better understood.-Sir Stephen had a match for you in view? Fred. He had. • Sheva. What was the lady's fortune? Fred. Ten thousand pounds. • Sheva. That is a goot round fum; but you did not love her, and you do love your wife. Fred. As dearly as you love your money. Sheva. A little better we will hope, for I do lend my monies to my friend. For inftance, take thefe bills, three hundred pounds— What ails you?-They are goot bills, they are bank-Oh! that I had a fack full of them!-Come, come, I pray you take them. They will hire you very pretty lodging, and you will be very happy with your pretty wife-I pray you take them.-Why will you be fo hard with a poor Jew as to refufe him a goot bargain, when you know he loves to lay his monies out to profit and advantage. Fred. Are you in earnest? You astonish me. Sheva. I am a little aftoni'd too, for I did never fee a man fo backward to take money: you are not like your fader. I am afraid you are a little proud. Fred. You shall not fay fo: I accept your generous tender. • Sheva. I wish it was ten thousand pounds, then your goot fader wou'd be well content. Fred. Yes, of two equal fortunes I believe he wou'd be good enough to let me take my choice. M 2 • Sheva. |