Hints for eftablishing a Literary Society. vided at the alteration of the style, to prevent the error which made that alteration neceffary; which is, that only one year out of four, which confifts of even hundreds, is to be accounted a leap-year: thus the year 1800 will be only a common year. The throwing out a day in that rectify the anticipation 84 years before will therefore year its time, on which account there will be no occafion to alter the golden numbers till the year 1900, when another day is to be thrown out. occafion the true aftronomical changes, This will of the moon to fall one day later than the ecclefiaftical. Therefore, to make them agree as near as poffible, it will then be necessary to remove all the golden numbers (except 17 and 6 *) one day lower in the calendar, and this (as may be seen in the table which points out the pafchal full moon from 1900 to the year 2199) is done by the compilers of the New Calendar: however, after all, it is impoffible to make them always agree, or to prevent their varying fometimes a day, after February, in leap-years, as happened in this present year. Notwithstanding which, Eafter was obferved this time more conformably to the defign of the Council of Nice than if it had been a month later; for, by "the 21st of March," they meant the day of the vernal equinox, which this pened on the 19th, and the full moon year hapabout 14 hours after, confequently this was the moon which they intended for the Pafchal, and therefore EafterDay being kept on the Sunday following was according to their design, and even on true aftronomical princi ples rightly obferved by the church. Canterbury, April 15. T. R. HINTS for eftablishing A SOCIETY TH HE benefits that refult from the molt important difcoveries, as well as the inconveniences to which they are liable, depend chiefly upon the application of them to the purpofles of Society. There is fcarcely a bleffing that may not be perverted, and, instead of being cultivated for the happiness of mankind, may be rendered a fource of mifery and injustice. In the history of modern discoveries, none appear of more importance than By the way, I fhould be glad to fee a reafon affigned why these two numbers are not removed as well as the others. 183 the invention of the mariner's compafs, and the art of printing, and they equally confirm the truth of this pofition. The firft, which gave us a new hemifphere, aided by the capacious genius of Columbus, feem peculiarly calculated to promote the general good of mankind: but avarice and injuftice have tarnished the glory of the Neapolitan difcovery, which, while it doubled the whole globe in magnitude, in proportion multiplied rapine, and diminished the inhabitants of both the old and the new hemifpheres. It is not, however, my design to dwell upon this fubject, but to turn my attention to that of printing, whofe effects are obvious, and immediately intereft all ranks of the community, as upon thofe principles which literary productions imprefs on the mind, the manners and conduct of individuals are in a great measure formed. In fuch an important influence on fociety, it becomes the duty of its members to ufe every endeavour to prevent the abufe, and fecure the benefits. Whilft we abhor and withftand the cruel and bloody edicts of power and bigotry, which in a fingle page confign thousands to death, or rob them of those rights and privileges that are dearer even than life; let us not be indifferent to the flow, infidious, but not lefs dangerous influence that flows from the pollutions of the prefs, in publications either immediately or ultimately unfriendly to virtue. When we reflect upon the immense obligations which the community owe to ufeful authors, we cannot but feel a painful regiet that great talents fhould ever be wasted in unprofitable at least, if not pernicious compofitions, and a with to have them vigorously applied to the most beneficial purpofes. The prostituted pen is doubtless impelled by want, for there cannot be any pleafure in writing on the fide of vice; and were the pecuniary advantages equal, no author furely could withhold his fupport from the cause of virtue. On this fubject I have frequently turned my thoughts, and as often wifhed that a remedy adequate to the evil could be adopted, where probably it might be done, by exciting the public to the establishment of A SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING USEFUL LITE Flavio Givia, a native of Amalfi, made this difcovery, anno 1302. RATURE RATURE, a plan of which I fhall hereafter communicate. In France, literary patronage is fafhionable among the great; but in this country we boait of no Mecanas, the patronage of affluence being principally devoted to a political line: the fingle protection indeed of the greatest individua' would avail but little, and at best would expire with the patron; but could a popular patronage be excited, its permanency would be certain, its extent ample, and the means equal to the necessary end. When an author, by much expence of labour and time, informs and improves the community by his publications, its patronage is undoubtedly due to him; the members of it are his debtors, for the inftruction he has fpontaneously diffufed; and what a pleafure muft it afford a generous public, united in A SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING USEFUL LITERATURE, to encourage, by fome fuitable gratuity, the ingenious labours of an indigent but useful writer! Had fuch a fyftem been adopted, the amiable but diftreffed author, whofe travels through North America afforded a large and entertaining extract in your Magazine for February last, had not miferably [perifhed through want †, in the metropolis of a literary nation. Where the fituation of the author is above the want of a pecuniary gratuity; the SOCIETY might evince their approbation of his labours, by honorary rewards. In fuch a lift we + Though the publication of Capt. Carver's Travels through North America july obtained the approbation of the public, yet the previous expences neceffarily incurred by his family were forcely liquidated by the rapid fale of his publication. This compelled him to seek for other fources of fubfiftence; and during the late lottery he was employed in an office, whicis afforded fome temporary relief; but a dyfentery under which he laboured, aggravated by want, gradually undermined his conftitution, and brought co a purrid fever that foon put a period to his life. Whill bumanity, however, laments the untimely 1 is of to valuable a member of the community, there remains fome confola ion in refl-aing, that an opportunity of paying a tribute to his memory ftill exifts; for as he lived in diftrefs, fo in ftill greater diftrefs he left a widow and two vonng ch lären, whofe aggravated mifery can oriy be alleviated by the liberality of a generous public. might expect to enumerate the rival of Livy in the author of the hiftories of Scotland, Charles the Fifth, and North America, the learned Bryant, whose Analyfis has fo happily developed the chaos of antient mythology; the modern Pliny in the claffical Melmoth; the biographical Johnfon; the elegant author of the Rife and Fall of the Roman Empire; and many other useful and accomplished writers of the prefent period. The Were fuch a SOCIETY properly eftablished and liberally fupported, its encouragement might be still more amply extended, and its objects multiplied its refources I doubt net would foon enable it to propofe prize queftions for the exercife and encouragement of genius and abilities. widows and orphans of those who have laboured usefully in literature, would likewise appear fuitable objects for participating the liberality of fuch a fociety; and the memory of departed genius be revived in marble, or other monuments of grateful respect. Though thefe might not outlive their literary productions, or preferve their names to more diftant pofterity; yet an honorary teftimony to departed merit is a pleafing excitement to the living candidate for fame, and cherishes a noble emulation to furvive temperary exist ence. A SOCIETY thus calculated to promote literature, in proportion as it promoted truth and virtue, would not only be enabled in time to accomplish the defirable end of its inftitution, but likewife to raise a ftructure for its accommodation, with a library for general ufe and by thus opening an agreeable and eafy road to useful knowledge, it would afford the pleafing fatisfaction of gradually introducing a national tafte for Literature, and rendering it fubfervient to the best interefts of virtue and religion. JOHN COAKLEY LETTSOM. London, April 10, 1780. of individuals, never obey the laws which are made for them by other ftates equally fovereign. When we perceive, therefore, one community in fact obeying the rules preferibed by another community, we pronounce of the former, that it is no longer fovereign, that it has ceafed to be a nation, Since it no more governs itself: for it is the authority to command, and the obligation to obey, which form dependence. When the fervant refufes to fubmit to the mafter, the fervitude of the former expires. When a dependent territory withdraws its obedience, its independence begins; and, thould it have the good fortune to eftablish the right to disobey, either by convention or force, it is admitted into the affociation of nations as a co-ordinate state. Such are the eternal principles of Nature, which must have always exifted, and must for ever endure. The queftions of your correfpondent feem to have arifen from his not dif tinguishing between a ftate which admits of no fuperior, and a dominion that acknowledges fubjection, and obeys the rules of a legislature over which it has no controul. It is not the limits prescribed by Nature, a river, a mountain, or a defert, which form a state, because it is an incorporeut thing. This is always compofed of an aggregate of individuals, who associate for mutual protection, for the happinefs which it produces; who derive their rights from the fame source, who enjoy together the fame government and laws: and, as it allows no fuperior, it is received into the great community of nations, and admitted to co-ordinate rank. But a territory or dominion is never bleffed with thefe honours: though it may be flattered with a government and legislature of its own for territorial purpofes, both are fubordinate to a fovereign power, the regulations of which they must always obey; and their avowal of difobedience is an affertion of independence. The Ruffian Empire is composed of feveral provinces and kingdoms, inhabited by people of diffimilar manners, religion and language; and the unity of the whole feems to result from their being the fubjects of the fame prince, and deriving the bleffings of government from the fame fource. The Spanish Empire confifts of one fovereign kingdom and a great variety of diftant and dependent territories: : the inhabitants of all thefe are fubjects of the fame king; but the Provincials are at once ruled by the political administration of Spain, the principal eftablishment, and by the commands of a Viceroy, exercifing delegated power. And it is this circumftance which forms their dependence. The British Empire is compofed of the kingdoms of Great Britain, of Ireland, and of Mann; of fettlements on the African Coast of the Weft-India islands and colonies; and of the Bengalian pro vinces. The various inhabitants are fellow fubjects of the fame king, comembers of the fame ftate, who are entitled to the fame equal rights; and the unity of the whole is preferved by the obedience which all owe to one fovereign legislature, though the distant provinces enjoy a Provincial legislative power for Provincial uses; when, however, they refufe obedience to the Supreme Authority the general union is broken, and independence begins. We here difcover the ufe and the policy of a two-fold legiflation. But againita double legiflature" your correfpondent revolts, and feems to write as if fuch powers had never exifted, but in the fpeculations of the theorift; yet within this very realm there are as many fuch as there are corporations. The City of London, more populous and wealthy than any of the colonies, may be said to be ruled by a threefold legislation; by acts of parliament, by the bye-laws of the corporation, by the regulations of the various companies, which every livery-. man is bound to obey; and by all thefe the Citizens are taxed, for the. general benefit, for the ufes of the corporation, and for the fpecial purpoles of every company. These obfervations are equally applicable to the various territories of the Empire, however diftant and however feparated: they are, in the fame manner, fubject to a treble legiflature; to acts of parliament, to acts of affembly, and to the bye-laws of Bofton and NewYork, of Philadelphin and CharlesTown. The Bengalian provinces, more populous and rich than Great Britain and Ireland, are in the fame manner fubject to acts of parliament, to the bye laws of the Eaft India Company, to the edi&ts of the governor and council. Nor is this policy confined to Great Britain, the conftitution of which is happily compofed of a mixture of monarchy, ariftocracy, and |