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and fituation, is not the leaft memorable. We regret that we cannot extract the author's details on this interefting fubject.

HOLLAN D.

Simfon in agt boeken, or Samson, a poem in eight books, Dort, 8vo. is a poetical account of the life of Samion.

Of Groot's Hedendaag fhe Hiftorie, or History of our own Times, the first volume is printed; but too prolix to meet with much attention.

Ockerle's Uitverp, &c. Sketch of the Knowledge of Characters, or project to reduce that science to general principles, Utrecht, 2 vols. 8vo. promifes more than it performs.

SWEDE N.

The Voyages of Mr. Thunberg, knight of the order of Wasa, and royal profeffor of botany in the univerfity of Upfal, have appeared at Upfal in three vols. 8vo. These voyages, which occupied nine years, chiefly regard Africa and the Afiatic islands. Mr. Thunberg's remarks extend to every object deferving of notice: government, religion, manners, oeconomy, commerce, all enter into the plan of his work: but natural history attracts his chief attention, and the reputation of the author in this branch gives the work great value. It is to be regretted that this work, which is published at the author's expence, fhould be deficient in plates worthy of the text. The two firft volumes chiefly contain the excurfions which the author made from the Cape of Good Hope into the interior parts of Africa. Mr. Thunberg obferves that feveral kinds of trees tranfplanted from Europe to the Cape, fuch as the oak, the white poplar, &c. lofe their leaves in winter, a phenomenon unknown to the African trees. This circumstance, fays he, is fo much the more fingular, as the cold of winter in thefe climates is far from having that intenfity neceffary in Europe to caufe the leaves to fall. This appearance in Africa happens at the time that the trees in Europe begin to refume their verdure, and only continues for a few days, the new leaves foon bursting forth. An account of a large fpecies of bupleurum is given, that bears leaves refembling velvet, which are split by the women and made into gloves, bonnets, &c. according to the form of the leaf. Hence a fable of the natives, that this plant bears cloaths ready made. Mr. Thunberg fails to Java, and illuftrates that ifland with fome curious information. His reflections on the influence of climate on mankind are very unfavourable to the torrid regions. He does not hesitate to advance that the difference between the brutes and the Indians, with refpect to judgment and imagination, is not fo great as that between the Indians and Europeans: and A 2 4 he

he obferves, that even the most intelligent and active European lofes his nature in thofe hot climes.

The account of the Japanefe is extremely curious and interefting. Mr. Thunberg regards them as the moft fingular people on the globe, and not contented with giving them the first rank among the nations of Africa, America, and India, he even grants them in fome refpects a preference over the Europeans. The Chinese and the Dutch are the only nations allowed to vifit Japan. The author arrived in a Dutch veffel at Nagafaki, the only port in the country which foreign fhips are allowed to enter. The Dutch company has a factory on an ifle called Dezima, only 600 feet long, and about 280 broad. Mr. Thunberg accompanied a Dutch embaffy to the two capitals of this empire, Jedo and Miaco, and availed himself of fuch other opportunities of obfervation as prefented themselves. It is falfe that the Dutch are obliged to trample on the cross, as many writers have afferted. We muft clofe this brief notice, after giving an extract on the perfons of the Japanese. Their ftature is graceful, their limbs ftrong; they have much eafe and agility. The colour yellowish, fometimes inclining to the white, fometimes to the black. The women, who are not expofed to the fun, are commonly rather fair. The eyes in the Chinefe form, that is very long and narrow, which gives an appear ance of cunning, certainly not common to all. The colour of the eyes generally black, as is that of the hair and eye-brows, which laft feen placed higher than in Europeans. The head ge nerally large; the neck very fhort. The hair black, thick, fhin ing with oil. The nose not flat, yet fhort and broad.' The dress of both fexes confifts in long robes. Add that the learned use the Chinese language, becaufe the fciences proceeded from China to Japan; but the vulgar do not understand the Chinese, which may yet. be a branch of the fame language.

Mr. Regner's Minne af Jonas Altroemer, or Eulogium of Jonas Alftroemer, deferves attention as a tribute of applaufe to one of those valuable men who feldom appear. The buft of Mr. Alftroemer has been placed in the Exchange at Stockholm; but this work will spread his fame more widely. It is fufficient here to ob ferve, that this excellent citizen was the first who introduced manufactures of cloth, filk, &c. &c. in his country, and many were the dangers which he encountered in accomplishing this grand defign, particularly from the Dutch government. In 1761 thefe eftablishments occupied more than 18,000 Swedish workmen, and canfed the balance of trade to incline in favour of Sweden, with a clear annual profit of about 150,000l. fterling.

MONTHLY

MONTHLY CATALOGUE.

POLITICAL AND CONTROVERSIAL. High Church Politics; being a seasonable Appeal to the Friends of the British Conftitution, against the Practices and Principles of High Churchmen. 8vo. 35. Johnson. 1792.

WE

E can neither commend the temper with which this bitter Philippic again ft the church of England is written, nor praise the accuracy of the accounts. The hiftorical facts, by omiffions and alterations, are wholly misreprefented, and the arguments are the hackneyed illiberal ones, which, where they admit of a reply, have been often fatisfactorily confuted. We can reprobate the riots at Birmingham as warmly as our author, nor do we believe that the churchmen in every part of their conduct were blameless. In fact, goaded as they had been for a feries of years; having been fo long called interested hypocrites, hearing continual boafts of the increase of the party, reiterated prophecies of the downfal of the church, perhaps of the ftate, it was difficult to be temperate, loyal, and neutral in a moment;' in the moment when the voice of the people decided against thofe who at that time expected to triumph. But, that the riots were a concerted scheme of churchmen requires either a head or heart amifs to believe: after examining the whole of the evidence that we can procure, and we have not been inattentive to the subject, we are convinced that there is not the fmalleft reafon for the imputation.

The language of the Diffenters is now greatly changed; and, except from a few eager zealots, whofe conduct the more moderate of their own party difapprove, we hear little of persecution. They well know that, in their attempts to diffeminate this idea among their own flocks, it has been refifted by the most judicious and refpectable. We trust the time will foon return, when the former candour and harmony will be reftored between the parties at prefent fo warmly contending.

A Letter from the Right Hon. Edmund Burke, M. P. in the Kingdom of Great Britain, to Sir Hercules Langrisbe, Bart, M. P. on the Subject of Roman Catholics of Ireland, and the Propriety of admitting them to the elective Franchise, confiftently with the Principles of the Conftitution as established at the Revolution. 8vo. 25. Debrett. 1792.

Mr. Burke's arguments are a little too flowery, and he seems rather to evade meeting the question fully and fairly. On the whole, he appears to be of opinion that the Catholics ought to be admitted to their elective franchises. What he fays on the subject of the expedience of the measure may be adduced, inftar omnium, as a specimen.

8

• Reduced

Reduced to a queftion of difcretion, and that difcretion exercifed folely upon what will appear beft for the confervation of the ftate on its prefent bafis, I should recommend it to your serious thoughts, whether the narrowing of the foundation is always the best way to fecure the building? The body of disfranchifed men will not be perfectly fatisfied to remain always in that state. If they are not fatisfied, you have two millions of fubjects in our bofom, full of uneafinefs; not that they cannot overturn the act of fettlement, and put themselves and you under an arbitrary maf ter; or, that they are not permitted to fpawn an hydra of wild republics, on principles of a pretended natural equality in man; but, because you will not fuffer them to enjoy the ancient, fundamental, tried advantages of a British conftitution: that you will not permit them to profit of the protection of a common father, or the freedom of common citizens: and that the only reafon which can be affigned for this disfranchifement, has a tendency more deeply to ulcerate their minds than the act of exclufion itfelf. What the consequence of such feelings muft be, it is for you to look to. To warn, is not to menace.'

A Letter to the Societies of United Irishmen, of the Town of Belfast, upon the Subje of certain Apprehenfions which have arisen from a propofed Restoration of Catholic Rights, by William Todd Jones, Efq. With the Declaration of the Catholic Society of Dublin, and Some Thoughts on the prefent Politics of Ireland. By Theobald McKenna, M.D. Evo. 25. Robinfons. 1792.

When the bill for the relief of the Irish Catholics was in agita tion, it was apprehended that their future influence in parliament might lead them to propofe and carry a bill in favour of ancient claims, to refume forfeited eftates. It is the object of this author to obviate fuch fufpicions; but he does it with fo much zeal and earnestnefs, as almost to countenance them. There is, however, little reafon to dread either the political principles, or the future conduct of Catholics. We believe them to be good fubjects and good men; and, with the majority of the kingdom, we rejoice at their late emancipations.

A Letter to the Right Hon. W. Pitt, Chancellor of his Majesty's Exchequer confidering his Plan for difcharging the National Debt. 410. 3d. Bell. 1792.

Our author is not a very correct financier. He calculates the difference of the price at which the stock was originally lent, and that at which it is redeemed; confidering the difference as adding to the burthens of the public. The difference has already operated by the difadvantageous ftate of the loan, and it is not now felt, except that by increafing the price of stocks it makes the re

demption

demption more flow. If he had put the fubject in another view, and enquired whether it might not have been more advantageous to fuffer the debt to remain, and lower the more oppreffive taxes, till the revenue had only a little exceeded the ordinary expences, we should have thought the fubject deferved a difcuffion. Perhaps this might appear the preferable plan.

A Letter to Mr. Paine on his late Publication, 8vo. Is. Stockdale. 1792.

This antagonist of Mr. Paine errs a little in his conftitutional doctrines, when he declares the king, lords, and commons perpetual and hereditary guardians of our civil and religious liberty;" and the democrats will receive the information with fufpicion and diftruft. In other refpects, the author expoftulates with the American fecretary, not without fome mingled marks of indignation, and declares that he aims at supporting the new constitution of France, by raifing revolutions in every neighbouring country. It is, indeed, furprising, that the apoftle of liberty, who by his own modeft account faved America, is not now, by what appears from this pamphlet, in a more respectable station. America is ungrateful, or Thomas Paine has not been quite so serviceable as he defcribes. In fact, his talents lie in raising storms and confusions, and America is willing to be quiet.

Conftitutional Letters, in Anfer to Mr. Paine's Rights of Man. 8vo. 1. Riley. 1792.

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We have already followed the author of thefe Letters, who replied to Caffandra,' author of the Alarm,' under the signature of Corrector.' The chief object of the prefent Letters is the af fertion of Paine, that we have no conftitution, because we have no formal written inftrument of this nature. He replies with much mildness, moderation, and good fenfe.

Rights of Citizens; being an Inquiry into fome of the Confequences of Social Union, and an Examination of Mr. Paine's Principles touching Government. 800. 2s. 6d, Debrett. 1792.

"We deem this work as the best reply to the futile abfurdities of the Rights of Man,' the most clear detection of its author's numerous contradictions and inconfiftencies that we have seen. But, as his arguments are not, at present, before our readers, we cannot with propriety adduce the answers. On the whole, the Rights of Citizens is a work of fingular ability, and difplays much acutenefs, judgment, and learning. The following ifolated apologue we may be allowed to tranfcribe.

In I know not what century, (the reader can look into Blair's Chronology) but it was after the flood, a fpirit of tumult and philofophy

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