of pertinent obfervations, but being defultory, they poffefs no aggregate force. Art. 20. The Causes of our late Difcontents: Their Confequences and the Remedies. in a Letter to the Right Hon. Lord Hawke. 8vo. 15. Hooper. These Caufes are fummed up in loofe general articles of moral im peachment of the late miniftry; fuch as may be brought against any miniftry of any country, until a nation can be found, where the adminiftration of government is in the hands of perfect men! Art. 21. Thoughts on the Naval Strength of the British Empire: By John Sinclair, Efq; M. P. 8vo. IS. Cadell. 1782. Lord Mulgrave, to fuit a temporary purpofe, was fo far off his guard, as to declare in the Houfe of Commons, that the navy of France always was, and always must be, fuperior to that of England, whenever the French direct their whole attention to that particular department. The public-fpirited writer of this tract clearly refutes this affertion, by comparing the natural advantages of each nation for marine exertions, and by giving a hiftorical view of our most illuftrious naval exploits from the reign of Queen Elizabeth downward. That we are capable of doing great things on the fea, appears from what we have done; and though it is true we did nothing at the time when a Lord of the Admiralty endeavoured to convince us that we could do nothing, yet, Heaven be praised, we feem inclined to beftir ourfelves again in our ufual manner. * Art. 22. The Second Part of the Hiftory of Lord North's Adminiftration. 8vo. 35. Wilkie. 1782. Befide the above title, a general title page is given to the two parts, with a direction to cancel the others; it reads thus: A View of the Hiftory of Great Britain during the Adminiftration of Lord North, to the Second Seffion of the Fifteenth Parliament. In Two Parts. With Statements of the Public Expenditure in that Period.' This title is much more proper than the former, as it allows the latitude taken, of giving a general difplay of national affairs, instead of restricting the detail to the perfonal tranfactions of the minifter. The character given of the former part, may, to fave repetition, be extended to this; in which the narrative in general is not badly kept up, in the manner of the Annual Regifter. But a profeffed history of the administration of a particular minitter, implies fome information beyond a mere chronological chain of occurrences and parliamentary debates, all of them within memory: No fecret views of parties, or private fprings of action, are however here unfolded, to gratify the eager curiofity of the reader, or any thing beyond what may be found in a well compiled periodical collection, like the Annual Regier above referred to. There are indeed fome political characters drawn, particularly that of the celebrated Dr. Franklin, which appears to be very impartially delineated. It must be observed, that this history closes with the reduction of the army under Lord Cornwallis; fo that the late ministerial revolution, For the Firft Part, fee Rev. vol. LXIV. p. 431. and and the immediate leading caufes of it were poft-publication events. Art. 23. A Political Catechifm. 8vo. 2s. Buckland, &c. 1782. . Dialogues on the general principles of civil policy, fuppofed to pafs between a father and a fon during a holiday vacation. There is nothing refined or abfirufe in them beyond the dictates of common fenfe; and they may be of great fervice to correct the notions of those who have a political turn of mind, without opportunities of col lecting information from a more extenfive courfe of reading. We much approve the principles inculcated in this ufeful tract. Art. 24. An Addrefs to the People of the Netherlands, on the prefent alarming and most dangerous Situation of the Republic of Holland: Shewing the true Motives of the most unpardonable Delays of the Executive Power in putting the Republic into a proper State of Defence, and the Advantages of an Alliance with HolJand, France, and America. By a Dutchman. Tranflated from the Dutch Original. 8vo. 25. 6d. Stockdale. 1782. According to this bitter invective, the Princes of the House of Orange, have been uniformly the tyrants of their country, ever fince the firit eftablishment of the Republic of the Seven United Provinces. The "deteftable English," their "perfidious oppreffors ;"-and to crown the whole, the French, their deliverers from Spanish flavery, and their natural allies!-From fuch an outline it may eafly be gueffed how the fubordinate parts are filled up and coloured. The tranflator informs us that a great reward was offered in Holland for the difcovery of the author. Art. 25. A Letter to Thomas Gilbert, Efq; M. P. on his Plan for for the better Relief and Employment of the Poor: Shewing the Utility and Expediency of eftablishing a Poor-houfe in every Parish; that the fame may be done at a fmall Expence, and extremely be neficial both to the Parish and to the Poor; with a Set of Rules for the regulating and conducting thereof, very proper for the confideration of every Parish burdened with Poor. To which is added A Comparative View of the feveral Poor-houfes in the City of York, Beverley, Collingham, Driffield, and Leckon field, in the Eaft Riding of the County of York, and for the incorporated hundreds of Loes and Wilford, in the County of Suffolk, containing thirty-three Parishes. To the whole are fubjoined Dr. Stonehouse's Receipts for making cheap and wholefome Food, Beer, and Yeast. 8vo. Richardfon and Urquhart. The title of this letter gives a full fummary of its contents. The Author is of opinion that the uniting parishes is proceeding upon too large a fcale, for many reafons that he fpecifies; and which are indeed fufficiently obvious; he is therefore for going back to the old establishment of parochial poor-houfes under an improved plan of management, of which he exhibits a specimen. Art. 26. Proofs that Great Britain was fuccefsful against each ..of her numerous Enemies before the late Victory of Sir George Brydges Rodney. 4to. 25. Law, &c. 1782. We have here a comparative view of the fucceffes, and the defeats, ly obtained, and fuffered, by us, and by our enemies, fince the the commencement of the American war; by which it appears, that the balance of account, military and predatory, by fea and land, is greatly in our favour; from whence it is inferred, that there was, in reality, no caufe to defpair of the nation, as many of us did, before our late naval victory in the West Indies. The Author's tabular accounts feem to be very accurately stated. He alfo endeavours to render it manifeft, by commercial estimates and deductions, that if we eventually lofe" all the rebellious colonies," England will not be thereby materially affected;-but this, we apprehend, is a matter that will require a more profound, and a more extended investigation. Art. 27. A Hint to a Patriot Parliament. 8vo. 6 d. De brett. A hint to a patriotic Parliament! Good! In a nation of politicians, like ours, many are the hints ready to be offered from every corner of the land, without exception: and while they are prefented in a way that encourages trade, without obliging the Parliament to appoint Committees to spend time in examining them; fome advantage refults to the community, fome fatisfaction to the public spirited propofers, from the idea of difcharging their duty, and no harm is done to any one. This Hint is dated from Elmrood Grange; and the Writer propofes, as a fpur to the zeal of the immediate officers under the Crown, that the falaries of efficient Minifters fhould rife and fall ac cording to the fuccefs of their Adminiftration, regulated by the price of the Three per Cent. confolidated ftock. But if the projector at Elmrood Grange is ferious, he may be asked, what idea he would form of a Minister whofe attention to the national welfare fhould be animated by the hope of raifing his emoluments three-eighths or a quarter per Cent.? Some people are apt to think Minillers dabble too much in ftock-jobbing already. It is doing the Writer credit to fuppofe him a joker. Art. 28. Candidates for the Society of Antigallicans. A Second Part. Being the Correfpondence of various Perfons with the Author upon the Subject. 8vo. 2 S. Buckland. To the account we gave of the former Part of this odd compofition †, we have now to add, that at the end of the First Part, the Author invited the correfpondence of all who interested themselves in the fubject of it; though what that was, we found rather difficult to define. This part confifts of letters profeffed to have been received in confequence of fuch invitation; but which, from the uniformity of their complexion, we fcruple not to pronounce to have been addreffed by him to himfelf. The general fubject of cenfure in them, is, the behaviour of many French refugees, who are reproached with labouring to drop the character of Frenchmen, with deserting their brethren and their native principles, and affimilating with the Enggish natives. The whole is a ftrange puerile jumble! • For patriotic. + Rev. Vol. LVII. p. 404. H h 4 WOOLLEN WOOLLEN TRADE. Art. 29. A Letter to the Landed Gentlemen and Graziers of Lincolnshire: In which are pointed out the principal Causes of the prefent Redundancy of Wool, and the Exportation of it proved to be impolitic and dangerous; together with the Propofal of a more fafe and certain Remedy. Occafioned by, and interfperfed with, Obfervations upon, Sir John Dalrymple's Question upon that Subject. By a Friend and Neighbour. 8vo. 15. Cadell, &c. 1782. This writer fuccessfully oppofes Sir John Dalrymple's expedient of allowing the exportation of raw wool, but appears to fall into a more dangerous error himself, by recommending the exportation of bread, corn, &c. with the exprefs intention of railing the price of provisions, to oblige the manufacturer to work harder for fubfiftence. It is a plausible general inference from particular known inftances, that a man who can live by four days labour will not work fix: but would it not be tyrannical cruelly to treat the whole mafs of the people according to this principle? Alas! they need it not. Taxes already have this operation; but when fuch a tendency is not in view, and the accumulated burdens laid on the people are the subject of declamation, far different conclufions are drawn from the premises! POETICA L. Art. 30. The Syftem. A Poem, in Five Books. By the Rev. Jofeph Wife. 8vo. 5 s. 6d. Faulder, 1781. Of this metaphyfico theological poem, which we profess our inability to analyze, the reader may form his own opinion from the following extract: Lo, this material Syftem rofe, to be The feat of Spirits, fcene of Trial free: God's first production in this wond'rous plan, • To live or to maintain him'elf, are very loofe expreffions. Of two men equally improvident and difpofed to enjoy all they eard, and who can both earn in four days enough to fubfift on during seven, the one who loves eafe, may incline to make three days labour in the week foffice; while the other who loves good eating better than JaziDefs, may cheerfully work the full fix days. Even to deprefs their wages would be too extensive an operation, as it would punish large families along with heedlefs fingle men ; but to raife the price of provitions would be more extenfive fill, and entail mifery on labourers in general, to make particular claffes of manufacturers induftrious. + Proverbs viii. 22. 1fai. xlii. Wild. Sol. vii. Eccles. xvii. 18. Johni. Col. i. Jewish Paraphrafts, Philo, all the Christian Fathers before the first Nicene Council. Next, fix compeers, his juniors, rofe, to share Cherubs air-wing'd, and feraphs wing'd with flame. The notes, which are added to the end of each book, and which make a principal part of the volume, prove their Author, notwithstanding the peculiarity of his notions, to be a man of learning and candour, and warmly zealous in fupport of thofe opinions that he thinks to be true. With respect to his poetry, it will speak for itfelf, in the fhort but fufficient fpecimen which we have given. Art. 31. The Female Kidnappers; or the Rape of the Infant. A poem. 4to. Is. 6d. Willis, 1782. This poem is built on the well known adventure of the widow G- and the young gentleman with whom the eloped into Scotland, and whofe father afterwards brought an action against her for running away with his infant fon. Thefe verfes, though much too good for the fubject, are, as eafily may be fuppofed, too bad for felection. The reader will readily guefs in what they are exceptionable. Art. 32. The British Hero in Captivity. A Poem. 4to. Is. 6d. Robfon. 1782. The most we can fay of this profaic, though laboured performance is, that it is a well-intended compliment to the gallant Cornwallis, the unfortunate Andrée, and the Arnold. generous Art. 33. Ode on the Surrender at York Town. To the Honourable William Pitt. 4to. 6 d. Bowen, &c. 1782. An invocation to Mr. Pitt, to interpofe his patriotic endeavours between his country and that complication of difafters which feems to threaten it. The poetry, though not bad, contains nothing that is. ftriking. DRAMATIC. Art. 34. Songs, Duets, &c. in the Fair American: A Comic Opera, as performed at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane. 8vo. td. Evans. 1783. Thefe Songs are but indifferent, though in fome of them there is an affectation of poetry. As for example: SONG. ANGELICA, I. How ferenely the morning first opes its meek eye, Zech. iii. 9. Dan. x. Tobit xii. Rev. i. & v. 6. Job. II. Thus |