" difguife, we trace at times, the thoughts that breathe and words that burn." All this is certainly done on purpofe. The incorrect printing efpecially is, doubtless, intended to caft an artful veil over fome dark defign. What it may be in particular, we cannot pretend to fay: for God forbid that we should know any thing more about confpirators, than how to keep clear of them and their wicked Pear. ways. Art. 41. Rights of a free People; an Effay on the Origin, Progrefs, and Perfection of the British Conftitution, with an hiftorical Account of the various Modifications of Monarchy from the Norman Invafion to the Revolution. 8vo. PP. 232. 4 s. Boards. Sewell. 1792. Defaltory and diffufe. More than the half of this work is taken up with a narrative of fome of the leading political events that occurred in this country, between the periods of the Conqueft and the Revolution. What particular conclufions are intended to be drawn from this narrative, to what it tends, or how it is connected with the remaining part of the performance; we do not fee. Now and then indeed, the author remarks, that the people, or the commons, were lefs free, or enjoyed fewer privileges, in a particular feign than they did in the preceding: but this inference is neither fo regular, uniform, nor prominent above other little incidental reflections, as to authorize us in faying that it was the chief defign of the writer to prove that the right and liberties of Englishmen were progreffive. The remarks are fo fparing, fo mifcellaneous, and fo little directed to any one object, that it looks almost as if it were the author's principal view to give an abridgment of the hiftory of England, between the periods above-mentioned. The rest of the book is compofed of arguments against the reformers; which we were going to fay might have been compreffed into lefs than a fourth part of their prefent compafs: but, on reflection, we fear they would not be able to ftand fuch treatment. Like empty bubbles, they are fo flimfy that they would probably burst on the first approach of preffure. What makes the author's arguments appear to greater difadvantage, is, that he has chofen to employ them in defence of fome of the moft untenable posts, and has attacked the enemy in his ftrong holds. He even undertakes to justify the continuance of the corporation and teft acts, and of the corrupt ftate of our parliamentary reprefentation: things which require all the skill and art of the moft dextrous and acute logician to make them even plaufible. We are more difpleafed, however, at our author's want of generofity at times, and at his attributing unworthy motives to thofe who differ from him in opinion. He accufes thofe who wish for the repeal of the test act, of being influenced by ambition :-but does he not know that very many members of our own church, both clergy and laity, with fincerely for this repeal? Ambition, then, cannot be the motive with thefe; becaufe the road to preferment is as open to them now, as it would be after the repeal. Befide, would it not be as fair to fay that those who oppofe the repeal, were actuated by the the ambition of keeping all civil offices and preferment exclufively to themselves; as to fay, that thofe, who defire the repeal, are only men who are induced by ambition to feek a fhare of the public honours and emoluments? The author alfo accufes the Methodists of being men under the influence of bad motives, calls them 'a rabble,' and defcribes their teachers as men too lazy to get an honeft living by that trade to which the modefty of their parents configned them.' This is farely calumny. We look on the Methodists as an honest and well-meaning, at least, if they are not a learned nor enlightened, fect of Chriftians. Least of all do they deferve to be reproached with lazinefs. Their zeal for what they conceive to be the caufe of God, does them honour, and reflects difgrace on the lukewarm nefs of most other denominations of believers. The labours of the Methodists, especially among the inferior claffes of the community, whom the proud establishments of the world, not much to their credit, feem to think beneath their notice, have, we verily believe, been the happy means of" turning many to righteousness." Whoever does this, we neither ask, nor care, what are their creeds or confeflions of faith, nor how much their fpeculative opinions differ from our own; we pronounce them, without hesitation, to be genuine difciples of the Son of Man:-for the more we ftudy Christianity, the more we are convinced that it confifts not in myfterious and unintelligible doctrines, but that its very effence is practice. We are daily more fatisfied, that "the commandment is not hidden from us; neither is it in heaven, that we should say who fhall go up for us, and bring it unto us; neither is it beyond the fea, that we fhould fay, who fhall go over the fea for us, and bring it unto us: but the word is very nigh unto us, in our mouths and in our hearts *.” The more we study our bible, (and it is a book which we had rather fudy than any, or all, of the learned, valuable, and interefting works that hourly come before us,) the more we are perfuaded that nothing is orthodox, nothing is found, nothing "good," nothing "required of us, but to do juítly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God t." Pear. Art. 42. A Letter to William Plumer, Efq. one of the Reprefentatives in Parliament for the County of Hertford. 8vo. 6d. Stockdale. 1792. Art. 43. A Letter to William Baker, Efq. from a Hertfordshire As the above gentlemen are joint members for the county of Hertford, and as they are feparately addreffed at the fame time, on the fame fubject, and probably by the fame pen; there appeared fuch a connexion between the publications, as naturally brought them both under one view. Mr. Baker, it feems, ftcod forward an active promoter of the affociation for a parliamentary reform, at the Free Mafons' tavern, while Mr. Plumer declined the meeting. Hence, in the former letter, * Deuteron, xxx. 11, &c. † Micah, vi. 8. Mr. Mr. P. is thanked for his confiftent moderation in turbulent times; and in the fecond, the writer remonftrates with Mr. B. for joining in attempts to ftir up difcontents in private clubs, and for not confining his exertions for the public welfare, within the line of his fenatorial duty. N. Art. 44. A Preface to the Hiftory of Man, up to the Time of his Regeneration, upon the Continent of Europe: containing a Plan for extending the happy Influence of that Spirit of Regeneration throughout this Kingdom. Comprehending and clearly applying the obvious Modes by which univerfal Equality and the Rights of Man may be certainly obtained. By Herodotus Hodiernus. 8vo. pp. 44. Is. Westley. 1792. This gentleman tells us that he has ears, Wide open, as the channel which divides He adds: Yet think me not an ass.' Now we are ever defirous to grant the civil requests of all who prefent themselves at our bar; and if nothing but this enormous width of ear, far tranfcending the limits of afinine exuberance, had flood in our way, we might have been able to comply with our author's petition: but after reading his Preface,' he has put it abfolutely out of our power to gratify him; for what we are to think, or what we are to believe, in any cafe, depends not on our will, but altogether on the evidence fubmitted to our judgment. Pear. Art. 45. Authentic Copies of the Declaration of M. de Bulbakow, Envoy from Ruffia; delivered at Warfaw, May 18, 1792. With the Answer of the Republic of Poland, to M. de Bulhakow's Declaration, dated June 1, 1792. 8vo. pp. 34. 1s. 6d. Debrett. The Empress of Ruffia, who, fome few years ago, joined with two neighbouring powers in thinking Poland too large, and therefore pared it to a more commodious fize; now deeming the improvements which the Polanders have made in a moft imperfect form of government, inconvenient for her, upbraids them with the alterations; they reply, and then begins throat-cutting; which, of all modes of argument, is the most powerful; as the brave but unfortunate Poles have miferably experienced! N. Art. 46. Speech of the Right Hon. Charles James Fox, on Mr. Whitbread's Motion on the Ruffian Armament, March 1, 1792. 8vo. pp. 110. 2s. 6d. Debrett. This fpeech has, among others, already appeared in various forms, at least in fubftance; and this edition only profeffes to be given from memory. The occafion was favourable for a display of Mr. Fox's known rhetorical abilities. N. Art. 47. The Preface; being the Introduction to a Work shortly to be published in France, fhould Mr. Fox's Bill upon Libels be eluded, or wholly rejected, in England. Some general ObfervaREV. SEPT. 1792. tions tions on the corrupted Parts of an Excellent Conftitution will precede the Identification of each Abufe, in the Conduct, Character, and Situation of Individuals; fhewing the People how Things are. Addreffed to Meff. Lambton, Grey, Whitbread, and Sheridan, Efquires, by Plain Reafon. 8vo. pp. 132. 2s. 6d. Ridgway. 1792. The title-page of this pamphlet is fufficiently confufed and obfcure, and we are not enlightened by a perufal of the whole: which confifts of general political cenfure, and complaints of abufes in government, given in too loofe and vague a manner to be undertood as having any direct aim. Some men have clearer conceptions than others but there are truths fo evident, and abuses fo flagrant, as to force themfelves on all minds. We have a competent share of both in this declamatory rhapfody. The obvious corruptions in "church and ftate" have been fo continually reprefented by writers, that a fpirit of reform has extended to readers; from the few to the many, from heads to hands. It is much to be wished that the good fenfe of mankind would difpofe all the orders affected, to roufe from the lethargy of fecurity, to improve neceffity into a virtue, and exhibit the phenomenon of felf-reformation! This would prove a laudable anticipation; for coarfe hands make rough work. ECCLESIASTICAL POLICE. T Art. 48. A Letter on Tithes, to Arthur Young, Efq. Author of the Annals of Agriculture. With his Remarks on it; and a fecond Letter, in Anfwer to thofe Remarks. 8vo. pp. 24. IS. Cadell. 1792. This controverfy arofe from fome remarks made by Mr. Young in his Annals of Agriculture, on the fubject of tithes; and, contrary to most controverfies, it has the recommendation of brevity, by which the merits of the difpute are brought into a narrow compass. From the statement of the cafe of tithes by Mr. Y.'s anonymous correfpondent, it is made logically to appear, that the tithes, claimed and received by the clergy, are taken from nobody! They are not paid by the landlord, nor are they paid by the tenant: the landlord never had them; and the tenant has no right to them :-but the divine right to them, which is implied in thefe paradoxical affertions, being as tacitly waived by us, may it not be afked, are not tithes an oppreffive drain from the produce of the labour, time, and money, bestowed on the land by the cultivator? Are they not reaped by those who do not fow? Is not the whole crop, on every principle of reafon and humanity, the juft property of thofe who rent the land, and cultivate it with the fweat of their brows? Are the duties, for which tithes are understood to be the confideration, as confcientiously fulfilled, as this payment for them is clofely calculated, and tenaciously impofed? The claimants can stand all fuch questions with great stoicism : they can even do more. Though tithe of crop is the proportion affumed, it falls heavily on the value of land. Mr. Y. obferves, in his remarks on the letter: Upon this writer's calculation of the year's purchase of land, with or without tithe, I have to remark, that it fets the greatness of the tax in a ftriking light, the 100 acres fell at 3000l. according to his account, paying tithe; but at 3900l. tithe-free; hence then very near one-fourth of the value of England, the property of the State, is appropriated to the maintenance of the Clergy. The fact, therefore, apparently the strongest the gentleman has produced, is fuch, that it would have been more political to have kept it out of fight.' It is curious to note that this was the tithe claimant's own ftate of the fact; that he made his own ufe of it: but that he complains of want of candor when Mr. Y. reafons from the fame premises! pleading that he took his round numbers too high. So that fauce for the goofe is not allowed to be fauce for the gander! If Mr. Y. be fuppofed to understand any fubject, it is certainly that which is now before us; and he purfues his fuperiority thus: When this gentleman fpeaks of rapid advances in wealth and profperity, I hope he does not mean in agriculture: he certainly alludes to other branches of induftry, for in hufbandry the advances have been incredibly flow and painful, compared with the progrefs in every other path. And why have they been fo? Clearly to the weight of taxes, and efpecially to that of tithe. Land-tax, Poor-rates, Wool-monopoly, 2,000,000 $2,500,000 5,000,000 3,000,000 12,500,000 'Twelve millions and a half on a rental fuppofed to be twenty! Need we go any farther to enquire why agriculture does not flourish as well as manufactures?' It would be prudent in the clergy to receive their tithes as peaceably and quietly as they can, without unneceffarily calling the public attention to arguments which have always, hitherto, been convincingly anfwered by human feelings. MISCELLANEOUS. Art. 49. A Letter to Lord Viscount Howe, first Lord of the Admiralty, on the Subject of a late Determination at the Cockpit, in a Prize Caufe. 8vo. pp. 132. 2s. 6d. Stockdale. 1791. This letter relates to the allotment of prize money, for two Dutch Indiamen taken in Saldahna bay, by Commodore Johnftone's fquadron, with General Medows and troops on board, fent out on an expedition against the Cape of Good Hope. The question arifing was, Whether the troops were only intitled to fhare with the crews of the fhips; or had a right to a feparate and larger share, leaving the remainder to the navy? By the inftructions delivered to the Commodore and General, before they failed, the booty which should be gained from the enemy, by the joint operations of the navy and army at the attack of the Cape of Good Hope, fhould be divided into two hares, according to the numbers mustered in each I 2 service, |