depriving the industrious and enterprising of the means of remunerating the labourers whom they would otherwise employ, yet we are by no means disposed to deny that other concurring causes have likewise operated to produce this calamity; and those, which it is the design of this pamphlet to exhibit, may be regarded as the principal. It must be evident to every one, upon the least degree of reflection, that the invention of machinery to facilitate the objects of labour, and every other means which contributes to its abridgment, must, in proportion to their success, diminish the necessity for the number of hands to be employed; and it is not impossible, but that at some future period, improve ments of this nature may be carried to such an extent, that nine-tenths of the manual labour which is, even at present, requisite for our subsistence and accommodation, may be dispensed with. The artificial wants of mankind, by keeping pace with the general progress in knowledge and refinement, may serve, in some degree, to remedy the evils occasioned by such inventions and discoveries, but by no means entirely. Thus, while population is continually increasing, and even while the means of subsistence may also be increased, the demand for labour must necessarily be diminished by every successful contrivance for its accele ration. Evident as these positions seem when stated, no writer that we know of, prior to the publication of the present pamphlet, has ever attempted to develop their natural consequences. They may have incidentally occurred in disquisitions relative to the state of the poor, but who has sufficiently descanted on their effects, or prescribed a remedy for the evils which they must necessarily occasion? The author observes, that, "There has been within the last few years, partially in agriculture, and generally in manufactures, a most unprecedented abridgment of labour by the application of scientific discoveries, by the invention, general introduction, and perfection of machinery, and by the accelerated progress of almost every species of manufacture through the hands of the workmen, It is impossible to form any accurate estimate of the less quantity of labour ne cessary to produce the same effect, at this period, compared with the relative labour and produce thirty years ago. It is probable, however, taking into the account every article of consumption arising from both real and artificial wants, that a fourth part of the labour necessary to produce them cation of various arts and inventions. This is dispensed with by the practical appli abridgment of labour, great as it is, is not easily felt in a community rapidly improving in arts under the influence of an opulence widely diffusing itself. Its artificial wants keep pace with its facility of sup plying them. This has been the general course of events during the period of prosof the earth. Neither is the stagnation in perity, by turns, in all the civilized nations the demand for labour, which has been so seriously felt in this country during the last two or three years, to be ascribed to improvements and inventions for the saving of labour, great as they undoubtedly are, and superior to whatever the world has ever before witnessed, in all the useful and ornamental arts of life. They have, indeed, been one considerable cause in contributing to that effect. But other great country a defalcation of the necessity of causes have concurred to produce in this labour. Amongst the most prominent is that excess of establishments in almost all our manufacturing concerns, created by a short-lived and unnatural monopoly. The monopoly of course created workmen as well as establishments, and when, on the restoration of peace, some of the channels of trade were obstructed, a re-action took place, which sent back upon society a large portion of unemployed and distressed ma nufacturers." P. 29. Our limits preclude us from giving long extracts, otherwise we might cite from this pamphlet, several important and interesting facts, relative to mechanical inventions, and the various means of accelerating or diminishing manual labour; but for these we must refer the reader to the book itfelf. The "legislative interference," and the "partial remedy," mentioned in the title-page, consist chiefly in regulating, or authorizing the magistrates to regulate the price of agricultural labour, so "that the wages of all men in actual employment, by individual masters, shall be sufficiently high to maintain a man, wife and four chil dren." To such an interference there are evidently great objections. Still every one must concur with the writer in reprobating, what he justly styles "the narrow, selfish policy of blending wages with parochial relief." Masters ought, of their own accord, to remu nerate their labours, by paying them sufficiently to maintain a moderate family; but while the market for la bour is overstocked, this can scarcely be expected; and the inevitable consequence will be a lamentable depression of the labouring classes. It seems, therefore, to be a choice of evils, and all that can be done is to choose the least. In order at the same time to encourage industry, Mr. Edmeads would keep up a distinction "between the good and the worthless servant." He takes it for granted, that the most deserving will generally obtain employment; and proposes that such labourers "should constantly be entitled to a much higher rate of wages, than those who were thrown on parishes for employment and support." On some few, but important points, 'we differ materially from our author. The national debt, for instance, he calls a "natural fiction." Alas! the taxes which have been levied to pay the interest of that debt, we should have thought would have been sufficient to convince every one, that whatever views might be entertained of it, it was at least no fiction. Notwithstanding these differences of opinion, however, we consider the pamphlet before us as a valuable addition to all the suggestions which have been hitherto offered, with respect to the state of the poor. The views which it exhibits, are novel and important; and the subject is treated with considerable ability, ton and Son; sold in London by Mawman, &c. 1818. "Boetical subject, and Mr. ELSHAZZAR'S Feast," is a Hughes's verses upon it, if they do not give him a place amongst the acknowledged English poets, will at least secure him a respectable rank amongst the successful competitors for the Seatonian Prize. The story, with much of the imagery, is taken of course from the Jewish prophets, whose figures always delight the imagination. In copying these great models, our author has shewn great truth, not without ingenuity. The few digressions from the story are so pleasing, that we are led to wish they had been more. The selection of images in the following lines is truly poetical: "O what is human joy? A transient beam Of moonlight quiv'ring on the chec quered stream; An early dew-drop sparkling on the rose; A silver cloud which frolic zephyr blows." of greatness, are in unison with the The following reflections on the fall subject: "We reverence Virtue when she soars sublime, Yet feel for Greatness, tho' it fall, from crime. The low lie down, and none lament their Who marks the ruins of the bumble cot? fane Strews with huge fragments the resounding plain, The awe-struck traveller, as be lingers near, Heaves the sad sigh, nor checks the falling tear." The Notes are appropriate. POETRY. Dudley, SIR, March 11, 1818. THE beautiful Latin Epigram, "In Somnum," which appeared in the last Number of the Monthly Repository, [p. 95,] is said to have been intended as an inscription for a statue of Somnus, in the garden of the late James Harris, Esq. of Salisbury. I believe it was first published in an interesting work entitled, 46 Pophami Selecta Poemata Anglorum," in three volumes, 12mo. 1774. It has generally been attributed to Thomas Warton, and is inserted as his, "on doubtful authority," with some variations, which I conceive are far from improvements, in Chalmers's “Works of the English Poets," XVIII. 181. It has no place, however, in T. Warton's "Poems on various Subjects," which were first collected and printed in an octavo volume, in 1791. I have been much amused by transcribing and comparing the different translations of this admirable epigram, which I have met with in the course of my reading. If you will be kind enough to insert them all, with the original, in one view, they may, perhaps, gratify the readers of the Monthly Repository. I would take the liberty of adding, that I think there must be some error in the signature affixed to the translation in page 64 of your present volume. I have possessed that trapslation many years, though I am unable, at this moment, to assign it to its author. J. H. BRANSBY. Come, gentle Sleep! to thee I sing, Thou balm of human woes! Soft Rest! oh, wave thy downy wing, And lull me to repose. What though the true resemblance thine To share my humble bed. How sweet to draw the vital breath, How sweet with thee to die! Miss Bradford. Emblem of Death! come soothing, balmy Sleep! Friend of my pillow! o'er my eye-lids creep: Soft let me slumber, gently breathing sigh, Sleep! though Death thou dost resemble, Then, while on my pillow lying, Envied bliss, oh, let me share; Rev. E. Cartwright, Author of Come, Sleep! Death's image! to thy arms I fly, Thus without life to live, thus without death to die. Anonymous. VERSES ΤΟ Α Daughter on her Birthday. You've seen, dear Emma, years just ten, February 2, 1818. THE CARRIER PIGEON OF THE EAST, A Sacred Song. BY T. MOORE, ESQ. The bird let loose in eastern skies, When hastening fondly home, Ne'er stoops to earth her wing, or flies Where idler wanderers roam; But high she shoots through air and light, Above all low delay, Where nothing earthly bounds her flight, Or shadow dims her way. OBITUARY. 1818. April 7, at Dorchester, aged 16, EMMA, youngest daughter of Mr. Thomas FISHER. Her sudden and early removal from this terrestrial scene is deeply lamented by her affectionate parents and friends. Whilst the loss of her cheerful, amiable and benevolent disposition, will be long remembered with regret in the family circle, the integrity of her life and the piety of her mind will justly endear her memory to surviving relatives. She was early taught to remember her Creator in the days of her youth, and the invaluable lesson, inculcated by parental love and affection, was gladly received and permanently recollected. Happy would it be, if young persons more generally evinced that laudable disposition of profiting by the good instruction and pious counsels of their parents. They would then, like her, acquire a taste for those virtues which exalt and adorn our nature, experience those sublime delights which arise from the practice of religion, and the pleasing exercise of rational devotion whilst here on earth, and be prepared for that better world and more glorious state of being, where the sorrows of time shall never interrupt the current of their joys. Dorchester, April 22, 1818. L. L. INTELLIGENCE. Proceedings of the Deputies. At a general meeting of the Deputies from the congregations of Protestant Dissenters, held at the King's Head Tavern, in the Poultry, on the 30th January last, a Resolution was proposed in consequence of a minute of the committee, relating to the prosecution of Mr. Wright of Liverpool, declaring it to be a case in which they ought not to interfere. The gentleman who introduced the subject, assured the Deputation that it was not from any personal disrespect to the committee, that he had been induced to agitate the question. But, considering their decision to be at variance with the fundamental principles of their institution, and being apprehensive that it might operate as a dangerous precedent, unless accompanied with the special grounds upon which it had been formed, he moved to the following purport, That the resolution of the committee relating to the case of Mr. Wright, should be regarded as confined to the special circumstances of the case. Upon which a long and interesting discussion took place. On the part of the committee it was contended, that they had acted to the best of their judgment, and with the most upright intentions; that the Protestant Society who were alive to every question tending to infringe the rights of Dissenters, had come to the same resolutions; that it was not peculiarly a dissenting case; that churchmen as well as dissenters, were amenable to the laws for whatever they might deliver from the pulpit, (if alleged to be of a libellous or blasphemous nature,) if, it was said, for example, any preacher were to read Paine's Works, or Hone's Parodies, from the pulpit, would the Deputation be bound to defend them? If that preacher who expressed himself so grossly on the character of the late lamented Princess, were indicted for a libel, would they be justified to interfere? Various other reasons were added to prove that the case did not come within their province, and that the committee were therefore justified in the course they had adopted. On the other hand it was urged, that the conduct of the committee was most extraordinary. In the first instance they had considered that Mr. Wright ought to be defended, and had therefore retained Mr. Scarlett, the most eminent counsel on that circuit, and then suddenly, without assigning any satisfactory reasons, the case was abandoned; that it was unworthy of the Deputies to employ their means and powers in mere petty affairs, such as the disturbance of congregations, &c. and to neglect a case in which the great principle of reli. gious liberty was so deeply concerned; that it was the right of every dissenting minister to discuss any religious question; and if wrongfully or unjustly prosecuted while exercising that right fairly and decently, he was peculiarly entitled to the protection of that society; that it was neither just nor candid to compare the case of Mr. Wright to that of a person who should dare to read Hone's Parodies, or Paine's Works in the pulpit. Mr. Wright had done nothing amiss; he had discussed religious subjects in decorous language; he had opposed the opinion of the natural immortality of the soul; and contended that the hope and expectation of future life was founded in the New Testament, on the doctrine of a Resurrection of the Dead; in this opinion he was not singular. The fate eminent bishop of Carlisle (Dr. Law) and others in the church, as well as among the various classes of dissenters, had advocated the same sentiment; that the prosecution of Mr. Wright arose not from religious motives, but from a narrow principle of political hostility; and to abandon the defence of an individual against such an unfounded charge, was a deviation from the principles on which the Deputation was founded, and stained their character as Protestant Dissenters with inconsistency. It appearing to some gentlemen, that the resolution did not go far enough, an amendment was proposed as follows: "That the minute of the committee referred to be expunged; and that this Deputation declare their abhorrence of political hostility and prejudice being converted to purposes of religious persecution, as in the case of Mr. Wright of Liverpool; and that this Deputation, faithful to the principles of their constitution, will, upon all occasions, lend their assistance and protection to every man of every religious opinion while fairly exercising his religious rights." This amendment after some conversation, being withdrawn, the previous question was moved upon the original resolution. On a division there appeared, For the previous question Majority 32 - 1 The meeting was very numerously attended, but owing to the length of the debate, many gentlemen had retired before the division. At the adjourned general meeting, February 6, a deputy gave notice that he would propose a resolution at the general meeting in May, to the following effect: That, as religious liberty is the most valuable civil right, it is, among the important objects of this Deputation, to protect any |