which you fet out, you continue to know where you are. This is done without any aftronomical obfervations. The next fubject treated of is that of Charts. The charts are reprefentations of parts of the furface of the earth; but as thefe are laid down upon a plane, and the earth is a fpherical furface, it is impoffible to conftruct a chart which fhall in all refpe&ts reprefent truly any portion of the earth; various methods of projection have therefore been invented to lay down charts, and render them of practical ufe. The firft chart defcribed by this author is the plane chart, and the fecond is Mercator's; the latter of thefe he has explained upon the principles before given. The principal use of a chart is to find the courfe and diftance between any two places, and to lay down the place where a fhip is. The author has therefore given the method of performing the feveral problems in failing by this projection. The next chapter contains a fhort, but very clear and accurate account of Hadley's Quadrant; defcribing its conftruction, the ufes of the different glaffes, and their adjuftments. The principal ufe of this inftrument being to determine the latitude and longitude of places both by fea and land, the author firft defcribes the different heavenly bodies requifite for the former purpofe. He then proceeds to explain the various methods which have been used to find the latitude. The problem, to find the latitude from two altitudes of the fun and the time between, is explained with great clearness; and examples are given of all the laws to which the rule may be fubject. This is a valuable part of the work. The next chapter contains the method of finding the tongitude at fea by the lunar obfervations; a problem of the firft importance in navigation, but whofe folution is now brought to a confiderable degree of accuracy, by the great improvements of the lunar tables, and the quadrant invented by Hadley, by which the diftances of any two bodies in the heavens can be measured, notwithstanding the great unfleadiness of the obferver on board a fhip. Of all the various modes, which have been propofed to determine the longitude of a fhip at fea, this method will always be found to be the best. The fame degree of confidence cannot be put in time-keepers, as their rate of going is subject to vary, and they are alfo liable to injuries. Watches, however, are very valuable, as ferving to connect obfervations taken at different times. The problem to be here folved is, given the moon's apparent diftance from the fun or a fixed star, and their altitudes, to find their true diftance. The rule is here clearly ftated ftated and exemplified. Thus the longitude of a fhip is found without any previous knowledge of its fituation, except the longitude by account. The variation of the compafs is the next fubject treated of; to which is added, a defcription and ufe of the azimuth compafs. This is followed by the journal of a voyage from England to Maderia; to which is added, various ufeful directions to the mariner refpecting the working of a fhip; and this finishes the fubject of navigation. But the author has added a variety of other very uleful matters, connected with the fubject; as, the application of trigonometry to the menfuration of heights and diftances; of the true and apparent direction of the wind; the method of furveying coals and harbours; how to know the principal fixed fars; on the wind; with the ufe of the barometer, thermometer, and hygrometer. In the fixth hook, is added, a very valuable collection of tables, with precepts for their ufe; and an extenfive table of the latitudes and longitudes of places upon the earth, with copious tables of logarithms. From the account here given of the work before us, the reader will be able to form an eftimate of its contents and value. In juflice to the author, we must acknowledge that throughout the whole we difcover the hand of a mafter. The rules and examples are every where delivered with great fimplicity and clearnefs. We confider it as a very valuable treatife, and fuch as ought to be in the hands of every officer when he goes on board his fhip. Nor can we forbear expreffing our regret, that this volume has remained fo long unnoticed *. BRITISH CATALOGUE. POETRY. ART. 10. The poetical Works of Sir William Jones, with the Life of the Author. 2 vols. 12mo. 10s. 6d. Cadell and Davies. 1807. This is a new and remarkably neat edition of the poetical works of a favourite and popular author. The Life is given at * Two other valuable works, by the fame author, have been recommended in the British Critic: his book " on the Longitude," vol. III. p. 258; and that on the "Gunter's Sliding Scale," vol. XXII. p. 446. confiderable confiderable length, for the materials of which the editor acknowledges himfelf principally indebted to the Memoirs of Sir William Jones, by Lord Teignmouth. ART. 11. Mirth and Metre, confifting of Poems, ferious, humourous, and fatirical, Songs, Sonnets, Ballads, and Baratelles, writ ten by C. Dibdin, jun. 12mo. 5s. Vernor and Hood. 1807. The author, who has much and often contributed to the innocent amusement of the public, modeftly enough calls this a volume. of trifles: but they are for the moft part very agreeable trifles, certainly not deficient in measure, though they are not all of equal weight. The ferious parts are friendly to morality, and with refpect to the lighter, we have no doubt but the smiles will have confiderable majority over the frowns. Indeed fome of the fongs are excellent. ART. 12. Poems, chiefly Amatory. By David Carey, Author of the Pleafures of Nature, &c. 12mo. Vernor and Hood. 1807. 5s. 6d. The author, in his preface, feems confcious that his poems are liable to the objection of being fomewhat too amatory; which, indeed, is alfo the cafe with the vignette prefixed. In a hafty view, however, nothing occurred to us as deferving any great feverity of reproof, and the following wil! demonftrate that Mr. Carey has fome, at leaft, of the qualities of a Poet: 86 WOMAN. Quid vento levius? Pulvis. quid pulvere? Pluma. "O'er failing lawns or flumbering feas, To every virtue clofe allied," To every neighbouring vice befide; Muliere is improperly printed for Mulier. Where Where mix'd with every nameless grace, Fantastic woman rules the mind Whofe throne, in reafon's fpite that rofe, One blaft of reafon overthrows." ART. 15. Poems, Original, and Tranflated by P. J. Ducarel, Efq. 12mo. Price 5s. Carpenter. 1807. That these Poems are neither deftitute of Tafte nor Imagination, will fufficiently appear from the following fpecimen: "" THE DEATH OF LOVE. "One day from Cytherea's view, "Now, tir'd of frolic and of play, P. 144. ART. 16. The Inferno of Dante Alighieri; tranflated into Englifh Blank Verfe, with Notes, hiftorical, critical, and explanatory; and a Life of the Author. By Nathaniel Howard. 293 pp. 8s. Murray. 1807. 12mo. Another English Dante, after Mr. Boyd's in rhyme*, and Mr. Cary's in blank verfe +, is rather more than we expected. This is alfo in blank verfe; and Mr. Howard does not even mention the name of either of his predeceffors. Of thefe the tranflator with whom he comes moft immediately into competition, is Mr. Cary; and in making the comparifon between them, we find the prefent author ftanding on refpectable ground. Sometimes he is more poetical than his predeceffor, fometimes lefs fo; always lefs literal, and therefore lefs fit to ferve as an interpreter, to the * See Brit. Crit. vol. xxI. p. 225. + See Brit. Crit. vol. xxvI. p. 18; and xxix. p. 528. Audent ftudent who afpires to read the original. Mr. H. feems to confine his defign to the Inferno. Mr. C. if we mistake not, means to go on to the Purgatorio and Paradifo, which complete this famous poem. The obvious matters of comparison between the two blank-verfe tranflators, are the Verfions and the Notes; on each of which we fhall very briefly remark. Mr. H. thus renders the opening of the 2d Canto : "Low fank the day: the dufky air enwrapt All weary beasts in night, and from their toils O Mufes! O bright Genius! raise my thoughts; First try what courage animates my breaft Ere thou entrust my footsteps to proceed." P. 19. The whole of this opening is much inferior to that of Mr. Cary, though it departs further from the original. Instead of beafts, it fhould be animals; I alone fuftain'd, fhould be, I alone "prepared to fuftain," as in Cary, "M'apparecchiava a foftener." The fifth line is fo fimilar, that, were it not in tranf lating the fame thing, imitation would be fufpected. Mr. Cary's The tranfition is, "which my unerring memory fhall retrace." from the invocation to the fpeech, wants the diftinctness which the original gives it, and Mr. Cary equally and "bright genius" is neither fo literal nor fo good, as "high genius." We are not quite fatisfied with either tranflator in the opening of Canto III. where is the famous, "Per me fi va nella citta dolente." : But we rather prefer Cary. We could point out paffages, in which we prefer Howard. Mr. Cary has printed the original with the tranflation, Mr. Howard has not; yet, oddly enough, the latter, at the head of each note, cites the original only, which his reader may not happen to poffefs or underftand; nor has the English always any thing literally answering to it. Thus Mr. H.'s first note on Canto II, is on the words "Lo vas d'elezione," where the tranflator is rather more learned than is neceffary, in illuftrating the word ouevos, or vessel, for body, or perfon. Yet no fuch term appears in his tranflation, where St. Paul is named exprefsly, with the title," Chofen of God." Mr. Cary more properly tranflates it, "The chofen vessel alfo travell'd there." But for this inconvenience, the notes of Mr. H. feem to be well compiled, and fufficiently explanatory. We Hh BRIT. CRIT. VOL. XXXI. APRIL, 1808, fhould |