ried life, as to leave an impression on the public mind favourable to love unrecognized by the law.

Mrs. Godwin says, in her preface, that 'she should despise, or rather call her an ordinary woman, who could endure such an husband as she has sketched, but we would observe that the atrocious conduct of the husband does not justify all the subsequent conduct of the injured wife; and it is better to persuade the sex to submit to some inconveniencies, than to encourage them to break down all the barriers of social virtue, and to prompt them to exclaim with Eloisa

"Curse on all laws but those which love has made."

We offer these remarks not because we wish to abet tyranny in husbands, and to persuade wives, under the most cruel treatment, to think of nothing but tame unconditional submission, but because we think it a pernicious doctrine that a woman, when she deems herself ill-used by her husband, has a right to leave him, and to select another man to supply the husband's place. In all connections, evils or disagreeable circumstances may arise: but society is at an end if every individual be permitted to re. dress his own grievances;-and we add that religion is at an end if every female, who is crossed in love, or disappointed in her husband, is to be encouraged to commit an act of suicide.

While, therefore, we would do ample justice to the abilities manifested in this fragment, we cannot admire its moral tendency. Mrs. Godwin might tell us, perhaps, were she now alive, as she said of us in one of her letters to Mr. Johnson, that we have a "cant of virtue:" but we hope that we love it, and are sincerely anxious to promote its interests; especially among the fair sex, who, by reading novels, may possibly be turned out of its paths. Indeed, we are almost ashamed to argue on these topics against the opinions of Mrs. Godwin; for we think that no great portion of experience, of common sense, and of consideration, can be requisite to enable every reader to controvert her doctrines.

The Letters to Mr. Imlay, which occupy the third and part of the fourth volume, would probably have been suppressed by most husbands: yet Mr. Godwin not only publishes them, but introduces them with a preface, in which he declares them to contain the finest examples of the language of sentiment and passion eyer presented to the world, and to bear a striking resemblance to the celebrated romance of Werter.' They are indeed, as Mr. G. says, 'the offspring of a glowing imagina tion, and an heart penetrated with the passion it essays to de, scribe;' and, in reading them, we have lamented that a heart so animated with true passion should have met with so cold a return.

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return. Her love, however, was not combined with sufficient prudence; and hence perhaps arose her misery, of which these letters will now remain a monument. Some expressions in them are not the most delicate:-but, instead of attempting to give a general character of them, we will extract Letter II.

• I obey an emotion of my heart, which made me think of wishing thee, my love, good-night! before I go to rest, with more tenderness than I can to-morrow, when writing a hasty line or two under Colonel's eye. You can scarcely imagine with what pleasure I anticipate the day, when we are to begin almost to live together; and you would smile to hear how many plans of employment I have in my head, now that I am confident my heart has found peace in your bosom. Cherish me with that dignified tenderness, which I have only found in you; and your own dear girl will try to keep under a quickness of feeling, that has sometimes given you painYes, I will be good, that I may deserve to be happy; and whilst you love me, I cannot again fall into the miserable state, which rendered life a burthen almost too heavy to be borne.

But, good-night! -God bless you! Sterne says, that is equal to a kiss-yet I would rather give you the kiss into the bargain, glowing with gratitude to Heaven, and affection to you. I like the word affection, because it signifies something habitual: and we are soon to meet, to try whether we have mind enough to keep our hearts warm.

' I will be at the barrier a little after ten o'clock to-morrow. Yours

This was an assignation; and we are told, in the note, that a child was the consequence, and that it is called the "barrier girl," from a supposition that she owed her existence to this interview!

The other pieces require no particular notice.

MONTHLY CATALOGUE,

For NOVEMBER, 1798.

EDUCAΤΙΟΝ.

Art. 14. Outlines of a Plan of Instruction, adapted to the varied Purposes of active Life. To which is added, a detailed View of the System of Studies (Commercial and Professional], Moral Management, Discipline, and Internal Regulations, adopted in the Literary and Commercial Seminary established by the Rev. Samuel Catlow, at Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. Folio. 5s. Boards. Johnson. 1798.

Is the first part of this tract, Mr. Catlow has detailed his ideas on the subject of education in general; and he submits them to the mercantile and other middle classes of the community, with a view of remedying the defects in the prevailing mode of educating youth. These

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These defects, he conceives, arise principally from the want of a systematic plan of instruction, which would comprehend not only the ordinary objects of education, but a strict attention to the formation of the moral character and the communication of liberal knowledge; for he complains that the first feelings of our youth are not sufficiently arrested in the cause of virtue and morality, nor their first dawnings of sentiment and intelligence so skilfully directed, as to promise a considerable share of meridian splendor; it is,' he thinks, too much the lot of mankind to pick up their notions of morality, as they lie accidentally scattered in the walks of life, and not to gain them from a liberal scheme of instruction, early commenced, and perseveringly pursued; and also to glean their scanty scraps of knowledge from the desultory conversation of more privileged characters."

In order to form a system of education which shall comprehend both these valuable objects, the author proceeds to consider the proper province of classical acquirements, the general tendency of mathematical studies, the importance of Philosophical Tuition, Natural History, the Study of the Human Mind, the Religious, Social, and Moral Relations of Man, and lastly History. - The observations which occur on these topics display much good sense, but are very general and abstract; and seem calculated as much to display the learning of the writer, as to assist the judgment of those to whom they are professedly directed, the mercantile and middle classes of the community.'

In the second part, we find a detailed view of the system of studies in the Mansfield Seminary.

For young people under the age of thirteen, whatever may be their future employment, the prescribed studies are Pronunciation and Reading, both Prose and Verse; Writing; Arithmetic and Bookkeeping; First Principles of Mathematics; Geography, in its general principles and application; General Grammar, combined in the accurate study of the English, Latin, and French Tongues,

&c.

The line of Studies immediately referable to commercial life consists of, a critical attention to Grammar and the rules of Composi tion; Arithmetical, Algebraical, and Mathematical Studies, till the pupil shall be prepared for the simple and the complex operations of the counting-house, and also for an investigation of the laws of nature and the general system of the universe; Natural Philosophy, with a view to the general illumination of the mind and the security of important advantages in various lines of trade and manufactures; Geography, antient and modern, with the use of the globes; Natural History; general view of the natural and intellectual Powers of Man; System of ethical or moral Principles; and History, antient and modern, &c.

Of those who are destined for the Professions, the studies are Latin translation, &c. English composition founded on classical authority; Logic, and the Belles Lettres; the Greek and Hebrew Languages, where required; antient Geography, combined with modern; Mythology of the Antients; Natural History; Mathematics and Natural Philosophy; History, antient and modern,

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Our readers will perceive that this is a very uncommon, liberal, and comprehensive plan of education; and it will also strike them, perhaps, that even that part of it, which professes to relate only to those who are designed for commercial life, comprises subjects of the most abstract and abstruse kind; as those undoubtedly are which relate to inquiries into the nature and intellectual powers of man.' No doubt, if Mr. Catlow can at the same time prepare his pupils to discharge properly the active business of life for which they are destined, and also initiate them in those higher and more philosophic pursuits in which even the learned sometimes find themselves bewildered, he will be well entitled to their thanks and those of the public: but we can not help observing that it is infinitely more easy to form plans of this kind than to execute them.

Mr. C. gives also a minute detail of the management of his seminary as it relates to the food, air, exercise, and hours of study of his pupils: it appears to us exceedingly judicious.

Art. 15. Pity's Gift: a Collection of interesting Tales, to excite the Compassion of Youth for the Animal Creation: ornamented with Vignettes. Selected by a Lady. 12mo. pp. 148. Boards. Longman. 1798.

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A kind attention to the comfort of brute creatures, according the state assigned to them by Providence, is an evident branch of virtue. Should a man be naturally void of such sentiment of feeling, which is surely rare, let him attend to reason, and especially to Christianity, which will awaken it, and teach its due regulation: for in this, as in other exercises of the heart and passions, there may be affectation or excess.-We trust that we may congratulate our countrymen on a considerable abatement of those cruel sports which former years have known. In great cities, especially in a metropolis, teeming with miseries of every kind, there will be too many proofs of a barbarous disposition: yet, amid these obstructions, we are willing to hope that humanity rather gains ground among us. -As Pity's cause ought always to be pleaded, we cannot but approve the exertions of this lady who presents these selections to youth, in favour of the animal creation. They are fifteen in number, and the greater part are drawn from the "Gleanings of Mr. Pratt, The stories, whatever minute defects they may have, will interest the attention of youth, and are calculated for their improvement.

Art. 16. Familiar Conversations for the Use of young Children, interspersed with Stories and adorned with Cuts by their very good Friend, Harriet Mandeville. 12mo. 2 Vols. Is. Low. 1798. Mrs. Barbauld has excited numerous imitators in the line of early instruction; and several of her followers have, on the whole, succeeded very well. The present very good' preceptress offers what is proper, and useful, to the attention of her young scholars. In page 40 of the second volume, she seems to separate poultry from the animal race : this, we have no doubt, is a mere inadvertence; yet things of this nature are of some little moment when, as instructors, we are addressing ourselves to children: whose first and leading ideas, we can easily sup+ pose, will be caught and in some measure fixed by these conversaHons.

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Art. 17. Scripture-Histories, or interesting Narratives extracted from the Old Testament, for the Instruction and Improvement of Youth. By Mrs. Pilkington. 12mo. 28. stitched. Newbery. 1798.

This lady is already well known in the line of writing for young readers. Having observed (she now says, in the introduction to the present work) the various gradations of the human understanding, from its earliest state of pupilage to that of manhood, I have ever found, that it is much easier to lead to virtue, than to deter from vice, and that instruction makes a deeper impression, when indirectly conveyed, than when forced on the mind in the form of reproof." On this principle, she proceeds in these essays for the assistance and improvement of the rising generation. The narrations from sacred history are here agreeably introduced, and interwoven with the circumstances and conduct of a lady and two nieces who were placed under her tuition. Eight or nine narratives are given, and in that manner and with those connections which have a very probable and powerful tendency, not merely to gain present notice, but to make a profitable and durable impression on the heart. A pretty frontispiece decorates the volume.

Art. 18. Tales of the Cottage, or Stories moral and amusing for young Persons; written on the Plan of that celebrated Work, Les Veillées du Chateau, by Madame la Comtesse de Genlis. 28. Newbery. 1798.

12mo.

A collection of interesting stories; the actuating principle of which is, according to the account in the preface, to promote a love of virtue, and create an abhorrence to [from] vice.' - We observe a mistake, p. 214. 1. 17. where the word latter should no doubt have been former; and again, p. 43. 1. 1. had broke from' should be • had broken from.' These, and some other little inadvertencies, derogate not much from the real merit of the work; which may safely be recommended to the attentive perusal of those for whom it is particularly designed, as calculated to please, inform, and improve.

Art. 19. Moral Amusements, or a Selection of Tales, Histories, and interesting Anecdotes, intended to amuse and instruct young Minds. 12mo. 18. 6d. Vernor and Hood. 1798.

So many are the selections of this kind which have presented themselves to the public, that it can hardly be supposed that, in one form or another, and in different works, we should not have met with those which are here collected. The editor has given neither preface nor advertisement to usher them into the world; nor does he pretend that they are novel. Their tendency, however, which is to promote a virtuous benevolent conduct, certainly recommends them to notice; besides which, the tales are interesting, and can hardly fail of exciting young minds to proper reflections;-reflections, which, when attended by suitable regulations and admonitions, from more experienced and faithful friends, may prove very beneficial to the instructed, and in their consequences useful to others.

Art, 20. True Stories, translated from the French, for the Amuse

ment of good Children. By a Mother. 1798.

12mo. Is, Egerton,

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