quently entitled to refpect, with every fpecies of contumely. On political writers or fpeakers he justly obferves, "we may lay it down as a rule, that whenfoever we difcover abuse, or the appearance of unneceffary and irrelevant perfonality of any defcription, either prejudice, folly, knavery, or treachery, lie concealed under the fhadow of profeffional patriotifm."

*

Having premifed this, and other general obfervations, the author adverts to the well-known letter of Sir F. Burdett to his conftituents on the imprisonment of Mr. Gale Jones; in oppofition to which, the author argues for the propriety of allowing fuch a privilege, as a difcretionary power to exift, even under the fuppofition that it is not founded on any right recognizable by the laws of our country. He contends that this power appears fo indif penfably neceffary for the prefervation and fecurity of the very beft interefts of fociety, that it ought not to be objected to, when there is a reasonable caufe for the exercife of it. To prove this, he enlarges much on the mischief that muft enfue if we fi ffer the Houfe of Commons, the reprefentatives of the nation, to be infulted with impunity. This author therefore condemns the various pub. lications reflecting on the conduct of that houfe, which have issued 'from the prefs, and the very disrespectful and indecorous petitions which were prefented on the late occafion, and ftrongly urges his 'countrymen to difcountenance fuch proceedings as fubverfive of their own rights, which are involved in those of their representatives, and deftructive of all order and government.

Such is the fubftance of this well intended publication; in which the "Man of Kent" fhows himfelf, in our opinion, a true Englishman, in heart and feelings, though not a very artful dif putant, or elegant writer.

-ART. 24. A Letter from Cataline [Catiline], to the furviving Members of the Conftitutional and other Societies of the Year 1794; or, Symptoms of the Times. 8vo. 28 pp. 1s. 6d. J. J. Stockdale. 1810.

The object of this publication is to fhow, that the demagogues of the prefent period, who have revived the clamour for the aboli. tion of finecure places and a reform in parliament, have in effect, the fame views and are actuated by the fame fpirit as the pretended reformers in 1794, most of whom, it was manifeft, meant not reform, but revolution. The furvivors of that patriotic band are therefore addreffed by a fuppofed quondam affociate; who, encouraged by the "fymptoms of the (prefent) times," animates them to new exertions in the "good caufe," fupported with such vigour by Sir F. Burdett, Cobbett, and Co.

The trial of the Duke of York was, fays the author, the first effay of the faction to bring difgrace on the royal family, and

*This must mean profeffed, but it is probably a misprint.

contempt

contempt on the monarchy itself. The effects of that trial he ftates to have been, to establish the doctrine," that the refolu. tions of their reprefentatives are not the refolutions of the peoplethat character is no longer effential to credit-and that to be profigate and unprincipled is to be followed, praised, and looked up to." Thefe effects the Political Regifter of Cobbett tended greatly, in the author's opinion, to promote, "by giving body to the accufa, tion, and publicity to the offence." The fuppofed writer of the letter then exults (certainly with great juftice) on the circumftance that the Duke of York, though acquitted by a majority in parliament, (amongst whom were fome of the moft independent and uncorrupt members,) was condemned by large bodies of the people, who thus took upon themselves to dictate to parliament. The fictitious letter-writer therefore exults in the perfuafion that "constitutional diftinctions are wearing faft away," and it is to him no fmall triumph that the faction contrived, on that occafion, to draw within its vortex fome of the younger nobility, and feveral members diftinguished for their moral and religious charac ters, who injudiciously confounded the public corruption (which was not proved) with the moral offence, which could not be denied,

The partial failure of the Walcheren expedition fupplies alfo to the fuppofed writer of this letter an admirable topic of exultation. This, he justly obferves, " afforded a favourable pretext for pub blic meetings, for popular harangues, for addreffes to the king and to parliament." The writer then expatiates in praise of the proceedings in the city of London and other places, where "votes of cenfure were paffed on the planners and advisers of the expedition, without hearing (or indeed a poffibility of knowing) the grounds upon which it was undertaken, and on the officers who command. ed, without calling upon them for their defence." Thefe pro ceedings, together with the commitment of Sir F. Burdett, (which, he hopes, has committed the House of Commons,) will, he flatters himself, "by debafing the crown, and the dignity and power of parliament, atchieve the great steps to revolution."

In the hope expreffed, in the concluding note, by the editor, we heartily-join. It is, "that this fhort review of public tranfactions will ferve to draw the attention of those who love their king, their country, and the conftitution, to the views of thofe dangerous men whofe doctrines appear to him to be fraught with democracy and innovation-to roufe the well-affected to that vigour which is neceffary to counteract designs, whose tendency, in his opinion, threatens the conftitution—and to call upon them for a firm and manly exertion in its defence, by steady loyalty to the king, and by attention to their public duties, to enforce a due fubmiffion to the laws of our country.",

ART. 25. Mr. Blake's Speech relative to the Privileges of the House of Commons, delivered it a Meeting of the Freebolders of Middlefex, on Friday, June 8, 181p. 8vo. 13 PP. 15. J. J.

Stockdale. 1810.

This fpeech contains a brief but clear and comprehenfive defence of the privilege of the Houfe of Commons, which, on a late occafion, was fo vehemently, and, in our opinion, factiously called in question. It was delivered at one of those public meetings at which the voice of reafon was feldom liftened to; though on this occafion it gained, we believe, fome attention. A very refpectable (and, as we have heard the moft numerous) body of real freeholders fupported the opinion of the fpeaker; which, we have no doubt, is the fenfe of -a great majority of well in formed and unprejudiced men throughout the kingdom.

ART. 26. The Character of the King, or Royal Jubilee. Interfperfed with authentic Anecdotes of his prefent Majefty; together with an Admonitory Addrefs to the People of the United Kingdom. 8vo. 42 PP: 2s. 6d. Chapple. 1809.

We notice this bigh-priced tract, as foon as we receive it. Every true partiot will join with the author, in the tribute which he pays to the character of our gracious King; and will wifh, that all other kingdoms in Europe had been bleffed, during the laft fifty years, with fovereigns of the fame character. More than feven pages might well have been devoted to this part of the work, But the author then " defcends to notice fome of the tranfactions of the moft worthlefs part of his fubjects." Our readers fhall guess who these are; from the witty impoftor, John Wilkes, to the wit lefs jubaruers of the prefent day.

NAVY.

ART. 27. A Letter from Lord Viscount Melville to the Right Hon. Spencer Percival, on the Subject of Naval Timber. 8vo. 44 PP. 25. Bagiter. 1810.

The object of the noble author of this letter is to draw the attention of the minister, and indeed of the public, to a fubject of the highest national importance, namely, the future fupplies of timber for the navy of this kingdom. For this purpofe, he refers to the report of the commiffioners appointed to enquire into the condition of the woods and forests of the crown, dated 6th Febru ary, 1792; which divided the confumption of timber into three heads, namely, for the internal purposes of the country, for the com mercial shipping, and for hips of war, and ftrongly recommended the adoption of meafures for the prefervation and improvement of

the

the royal forests. None of thofe plans, the author informs us, have been acted upon in any material degree; and he shows, that the confumption of timber, under each of the three heads to which it is referred, has very materially increafed fince thofe commif fioners made their report,

His Lordship then adverts to the 14th Report of the commif. fioners of naval revifion, in which this fubject is fully confidered, and urges an immediate attention to the measures recommended by them. Thofe meafures (as the report has not yet been made public) are not detailed by the noble author, but may be prefumed to be nearly the fame which he himfelf recommends. The firft of thefe is, to "hufband and preferve, for the use of the royal navy, as much as poffible of the timber now remaining in the kingdom" the fecond is, "begin without delay to to provide within the kingdom for the means of fupplying the future wants of the navy, when the timber now growing thall be exhausted.''

The noble author proceeds to point out the collateral resources that may be reforted to, in order to enable us to husband the remaining stock of home timber. Thefe are, the fupplies that may be obtained from our North American colonies, the aid that may be derived from the teak timber of India, (by building men of war in that country,) and the formation of a temporary buildingyard at the island of Trinidad.

In a poftcript to this Letter, the author ftates that material fteps (as he is informed,) have been lately taken, and that others are in contemplation, connected with the fubject of it. We will therefore only add, that the public fpirit which prompted this I publication deferves the higheft praife, and that (fo far as the noble author deemed himself at liberty to go into the detail,) the statements contained in it afford clear information on the very im portant fubject to which it relates,

POOR,

ART. 28. An Efay on the Poor Laws, as they regard the real Interefts both of Rich and Poor. 8vo. 52 pp. 13. Coxhead,

1810.

This is a tract of fome importance; in which we find many things that have our ftrong concurrence, and others of a different kind. We fhall produce a fpecimen of each. Among the na tions of the civilized world, while others boaft of their eftablis• ments for the relief of the fick, the aged, and the young; Eng land, befides rivalling them in thefe and other partial institutions for the relief of fuffering humanity, provides for every contingency by one general fyftem; holding out an affurance of fubfiftence to all her inhabitants; and this, not as a boon for which they may fue in vain, but as a right which they may claim from the hour of their birth, whenever they can prove their wants." P. 3. ́

X 4.

At

At the very next page, we find a statement contray (we think) to fact. "When we compare their moral and phyfical ftate with that of the fame clafs of men, in places where this refource does not exift; we may doubt whether it tends to the promotion of their virtue or happiness." P. 4. If, by fuch places, be meant Scotland; (and we cannot imagine any other) the author's informa. tion, as to the non-existence of this refource, muft be very defec tive. See British Critic, vol. xxxiv. p. 8o. In the next page; English overfeers of the poor, and the fpirit of our poor-laws, are fpoken of in a harfh manner, which they by no means generally deferve. Some following pages are in the fame ftrain; and are wonderfully inconfiftent with the quotation we have given from P. 3.

At p. 10, in order to the framing of a fyftem which may con ciliate the interefts of all parties; it is propofed to confider ift. How the neceffary funds are to be raifed? 2dly. By whom they are to be administered? and lastly, The mode of their diftribution.” Our limits will not allow us to difcufs, or to state, the many points on which we differ from the author, and those on which we agree with him. We must therefore fay generally, that his work well deferves attention; and we hope that in another edition we shall find proofs of much more correct information,

ART. 29. 46 PP.

London.

DIVINITY,

Motives to the Study of Hebrew, Part I. 1 2mo. IS. Carmarthen printed; Rivingtons, Lunn, &c. 1809.

ART. 30. Motives to the Study of the Hebrew, Part II. Con fifting of Fragments of the Hiftory of Hebrew Learning in England, from the Middle of the Eleventh Century, to the Middle of the fifteenth. 12mo. 36 Leaves, not paged. is. 6d. printed; Rivingtons, Lunn, &c. London. 181p.

Bath

Both thefe Tracts are by the pious and learned Bishop of St. David's, and form a part of his plan for prometing, extending, and facilitating the ftudy of the facred language, to which we have before adverted*. We are happy to be able now to add, that thefe efforts have been attended with confiderable fuccefs. Many perfons who had not the previous advantages of a learned education, have taken up the study of Hebrew, and made much progrefs in it; and even fmall focieties have been formed, for the mutual encouragement of the members in this laudable purfuit. Thefe tracts contain the following articles:

PART I. 1. Melanchthonis et Lutheri fententiæ de Hebrææ

See Brit. Crit, vol, xxxiii, 425, and xxxv. 423.