party, and compute how far their power may be dangerous, should opportunity tempt them to be troublesome. Art. 17. Hiftorical Trads. By Sir John Davies, Attorney Geral, and Speaker of the Houfe of Commons in Ireland; confifting of, I. A Discovery of the true Caufe why Ireland was never brought under Obedience to the Crown of England. II. A Letter to the Earl of Salisbury, on the State of Ireland, in 1607. III. A Letter to the Earl of Salisbury, in 1610; giving an Account of the Plantation of Ulfter. IV. A Speech to the Lord Deputy in 1613, tracing the antient Conflitution of Ireland. To which is prefixed, A new Life of the Author, from authentic Documents. 8vo. 6s. bound. Stockdale, 1786. Sir John Davies was an able lawyer, and not unknown as a lover of the mufes; two avocations that have little affinity with each other; but the latter was the firft purfuit; and indeed he appears from his memoirs to have paid very little deference to the law, in the early part of his life, until his good fenfe corrected his eccentricities. In thefe tracts he exhibits himself in the character of a diligent member of the adminiftration in Ireland; zealous for the fettlement and profperity of that nation, and studious of the best means of effecting these valuable purposes. The first tract, which is alfo the firft in its importance, has been feveral times printed; the other three have been collected from the literary treasures in the British Mufeum. The fecond and third contain much local information, gained by Sir John's attendance on the judicial progreffes of the Lord Deputy in Ulter; and they difplay a triking view of the barbarifm and lawless mifery of the inhabitants at that time. The fummary view of the Irish conftitution given in the Jaft article, his fpeech on being chofen and approved as fpeaker of the House of Commons there, is, according to the fashion of his time, made fubfervient to the most extravagant panegyrics on King James, and on the Lord Deputy Chichester, to whom it was addreffed. Art. 18. A candid Review of the most important Occurrences that took place in Ireland during the last three Years; in which is comprifed, I. The Proceedings of the National Convention affembled in Dublin, November 1783, and the fucceeding Year. II. Rife and Progress of the Bill for effectuating a commercial Intercourfe between the two Nations on permanent and equitable Principles, III. His Grace of Portland's Reasons for oppofing the twenty Propofitions fent from the Commons to the Lords of England for their Confideration. IV. Proceedings of the Irish Legislature on the twenty Propofitions tranfmitted from England. V. Opinion of Mr. Fox's minifterial Character. VI. The probable Confequences of any Propofition in the British Parliament tending to an Union with the fifter Nation. VII. The prefent State of the Prefs in Ireland. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Bell. 1786. This is a fenfible narrative of events; but it will not be agreeable to all taftes. The writer does not exhibit the Irish convention in the moft refpectable point of view; and in his hiftory of the commercial propofitions, he fhews the weaknefs of the objections ftarted against them by the minifterial oppofition here, and by the parlia F 3 ment 70 ment in Ireland. They were indeed very delicate fubjects of confideration; for, as this writer truly obferves, every argument ufed in fupport of them on one fide of the water, were fo many reafons against them on the other fide! He complains much of the abufe of the prefs in Ireland, by circulating horrible exaggerations of riotous proceedings, which give other nations a falfe idea of the internal flare of the country. But this is another fubject of delicacy; nor do we clearly conceive the nature of the remedy he propofes against an evil that the Layman in the preceding Addrefs attributes to the printers in Dublin being chiefly Papifts; a circumftance for which we have no better authority than his affertion. This Author fays, very confidently, that the establishment of an independent prefs in Dublin, with a correfponding one in London, would in a very short time be productive of the belt confequences to Ireland. When i mention an independent prefs, I mean one not in the leaft connected with minifters, or any defcription of people in oppofition.' The object of this inflitution is declared to be to report, faithfully and circumftantially, the various occurrences of the times. But what is to be underflood by an establishment not formed either by the government, or by the adverfaries to the governing powers? If a prefs is to be fupported by any fanction whatever, it would become odious; if it is to depend on profit for fupport, it would ftand on no better ground than the prefent preffes; but must be regulated by the common principles of the trade, and muft ftudy the taste of the majority of readers: nor will any prefs attract attention by a tame caution of never printing any thing of the truth of which the printers are not aflured. A printer of a newspaper at prefent amufes his readers with the current report of to-day; if it is a lie, fo much the better; to-morrow he corrects their judgment by declaring it falfe: the lie and the truth are therefore both equally of ufe to keep his prefs in motion, for that with him is the first object; the people in general are fond of fuch feefaw kind of entertainment, and will have it. Nor does there appear any means to conduct public intelligence upon a better plan than fuch as the people are willing to receive. Si populus vult decipi, decipiatur: it is all for the good of trade, and that is fufficient for both printer and politician, who feel the pulfe of the times as accurately as phyfician feels a patient's pulfe in a fever. EAST INDIES. Art. 19. Memoirs relative to the State of India. By Warren Thefe Memoirs were originally printed by Mr. Haflings at his first arrival from India, for private diftribution; when, as is ufual in fuch cafes, a bookfeller got hold of a copy, and printed it for fale. That edition as naturally produced the impreffion now before us; for the preface informs us, that the former being printed from an imperfect copy, and without permiffion from the Author, rendered it neceffary for the prefent publisher to give a correct and authentic edition: he therefore applied to Mr. Haftings, and obtained his confent. Both thefe editions, to be correct, must correHafting's Review, &c." fpond * See Review, Oct. lait, p. 307. 64 fpond with the Author's impreffion; but how far Kearsley's copy fails in this refpect, cannot be determined without a careful collation; a task which we cannot undertake. The Editor of this edition has, indeed, added fome explanatory notes, which he confeffes have not been communicated to Mr. Haftings; of courfe Mr. Haftings's confent could not extend to them. There is also added, in an Appendix, "A Narrative of the Flight of Prince Ichander Shah, eldeft Son of the Mogul Shah Allum, from his Father's Court at Dehly." This is faid to have been written by the prince, in the Perfian language, at the request of Mr. Haftings; and to have been tranflated by Captain Jonathan Scott, who lately published the Memoirs of Eradut Khan of the authenticity of this journal we entertain no doubt; but it is fo obfcured by the peculiarity of Oriental terms, and fo little explained by notes, that it is more valuable as a curiofity, than as a paper of information. : A head of Mr. Haflings is given as a frontispiece to this volume; faid to be engraved from a painting by Zoffany. Art. 20. Letters of Albanicus to the People of England, on the Partiality and Injuftice of the Charges brought against Warren Haftings, Efq. 8vo. 25. Debrett. 1786. Albanicus is a very fair and candid advocate, on general principles, in behalf of Mr. Haftings; but most people have, by this time, made up their minds about the voluminous charges framed against him; and it would be ill-natured not to allow Albanicus his fhare of merit, as an advocate, in a cause which, no doubt, he thinks a good one. POLITICAL and COMMERCIAL. Art. 21. A Woollen Draper's Letter to his Friends and Fellow Tradefmen, all over England. Svo. IS. French, in FenchurchStreet. 1786. This fuppofed Woollen Draper, who feems to be well acquainted with the fubject he treats, endeavours to fhew his fellow tradesmen the very great injuries to which the woollen trade is expofed, by the commercial treaty, lately figned at Paris. He confiders the woollen trade as the moft material fupport of our kingdom; and, with reluctance, acknowledges, that the manufacturer cannot, under our prefent heavy taxes, afford cloth at fo cheap a rate as our neighbours the French: he makes it appear that they can underfell us, even in our own markets; and, confequently, that they will engrofs the whole trade, if permitted to bring their goods to England. As the treaty hath not yet paffed into a law, he requests his brethren in the woollen trade to exert themselves, by petitioning parliament, against a meafure which, if carried into execution, will prove the inevitable ruin of many thousand families. This honeft Draper's language and fentiments are plain, but forcible; and he fhews his skill in political as well as commercial matters. In his own ftyle, the fample, which he hath here offered to the Public, is well wrought, and of a good fabric. * Perhaps no more a Draper than Swift, who affumed that character. + The more forcible, indeed, from their plainnefs. F 4 Art. Art. 22. The Letters of an Englishman; in which the Principles and Conduct of the Rockingham Party, when in Administration, and Oppofition, are freely and impartially difplayed. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Stockdale. 1786. These are a courfe of Letters that appeared lately in the Public Advertiser; they are written with ability and intelligence, and contain a fevere fcrutiny into the political evolutions of the most diftinguished champions of the Rockingham party. Art. 23. A Rope's End for Hempen Monopolifts: or, a Dialogue between a Broker and a Rope-maker, &c. In which are reprefented, the pernicious Effects of the Rife in the Price of Hemp. By a Halter-maker, at the Service of all Monopolifts. 8vo. 6d. Sewell, &c. An arraignment of the conduct of certain merchants and their broker, who, by a late monopoly of hemp, have, according to the Writer, done great injury to this country. When we confider the fupply of cordage for our fhipping, exclufive of all other branches of the hempen manufacture, the fubject here treated appears to be of no fmall confequence. The prefent Dialogue is managed with good ability, on the part of the Author; who, from his knowledge of the matter in debate, writes not only with judgment, but with a confiderable degree of vivacity, and even fome fhare of humour. Art. 24. Tras on Subjects of National Importance. First, On the Advantages of Manufactures, Commerce, and great Towns to the Population and Profperity of a Country. Second, Difficulties ftated to a propofed Affeffment of the Land Tax; and another Subject of Taxation propofed, not liable to the fame Objections. By the Rev. John M'Farlan, D. D. F. R. S. ScotJand, Author of the Inquiries concerning the Poor *. 1s. 6d. Murray. 1785. 8vo. If thefe effays are not diftinguished by originality of thought or force of reafoning, that could inftruct the man of deep reflection, they are, at leaft, in general, juft in their conclufions. The Author has read most of the works of modern writers who have treated on these subjects, and has felected fome of their plaineft pofitions, which he has dreffed in his own manner; and as this will be more within the reach of perfons of a mediocrity of parts than the writings of men who venture to think for themfelves, this publication will have its ufe. The new fubject of taxation referred to in the fecond effay, is a tax upon Stock, to which we have no objections; and, we think, he has fully fucceeded in fhowing that it comes within the original fpirit and meaning of the land-tax as at first impofed on the inhabitants of this country. LAW. Art. 25. Every Man his own Prodlar; containing Inftructions in what Manner to obtain Probate of Wills and Letters of Adminiftration, without the Affiftance of a Proctor. By a Gentleman of Doctors Commons. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Cadell. 1786. This publication contains, as the title profeffes, inftruction how to proceed through all the intricacies of Doctors Commons, or other See Rev. vol. lxviii. p. 532. ecclefiaftical ecclefiaftical courts, where probates of wills and letters of adminiftration are to be obtained." Art. 26. A concise Abstract of all the Public Acts, paffed in the laft Seffion of Parliament from January 26th to October 27th, 1785. By a Barrister of the Inner Temple. 12mo. fewed. Fielding. 1786. 2s. 6d. Abstracts of the Acts, if carefully made, are ufeful publications; and the neceffity of them will be the more obvious, when it is confidered, that the laws ought to be made known, in fome degree, to every fubject. Mr. Macnally [we think we have feen that gentleman's name in the advertisements] has here given all the Acts paffed in the year 1785. The public ftatutes are abridged; while the private acts (as they are useful but to particular perfons, or in particular places) have only the title and contents. The Author has diftinctly given every fection of each act, by which means obfcurity is avoided; and indeed order and accuracy are effentially and peculiarly neceffary in a publication of this kind; for, without them, instead of giving adequate information, these abridgements might only ferve to lead people into litigations and errors. Art. 27. A complete Compendium of the Militia Laws of England and Wales being an Abstract of an Act of the laft Seffions, intituled, An Act for reducing into one A&t of Parliament the Laws respecting the Militia. By a Gentleman of the Inner Temple. 12mo. IS. Ridgway. 1786. The fubftance of the late generalifing A&t concerning the militia, divefted of its redundant language. POLICE. Art. 28. An Efay towards establishing a Syftem of Police on conftitutional Principles: Confifting of Propofitions for the effectual and immediate Suppreffion of Vagrancy, Thefts, Burglaries, Swindling, &c. 8vo Wilkie. 1786. 25. The plan Mr. Barret propofes is fomewhat fimilar to that of the French police; the fpirit of which is, in every refpect, hoftile to the freedom of the fubject, the advancement of science, and the wealth of a trading nation. Some of our Author's propofitions have too much the appearance of defpotifm to be admitted without ftrict examination; nor do they feem to be founded on the principies of our excellent conftitution, which will not fuffer the unoffending individual to be oppreffed or embarraffed, or in any manner deprived of the free exercife of his civil and religious rights. The plaufible argument that our Author's fcheme will be a national faving of four millions per ann. ought to be ftrictly scrutinized, as his eftimates feem to be made in terms rather too general: fuch as a certain writer calls, lumping conclufions.' Art. 29. An Efay on Parish Workhouses: With fome Regulations propofed for their Improvement. By Edmund Gillingwater, Overfeer of the Poor at Harlefton, Norfolk. 8vo. IS. Robinfons. 1786. The benevolent Writer of this pamphlet fucceeds better in pointing out the defects than in devifing improvements on the prefent mode of managing the poor in this country. His Effay is well calculated for one purpose that does not feem to have formed 9 any |