ter exposes the falacy of the whole at one view; befides which, the author has given details of the difference between the theory, and the real fact diftinctly, at each period. From thefe we need only felect one inftance to explain his method of treating the fubject. According to Paine's ratio, which our readers will recollect makes every war coft half as much again as the preceeding one," the American war beginning in 1775, and ending in 1783, fhould have coft 168 millions, and when concluded fhould have left this

country 182 millions in debt. On the contrary, that war really added only 103,211,8291. to the national debt, the total amount of which, at the commencement of the Peace, was no more than 239,154,880l. The difference then between the ratio, and the fact, is nearly Five Millions in the expences of the war; and in the total amount of the national incumbrances it amounts to the enormous fum of Forty-two Millions and three quarters!" Surely nothing more is want ing to annihilate the credit of this boaft

ed ratio.

that in the courfe of the hundred years of the funding fyftem no more than fixty millions of intereft have been paid into the public funds; therefore if we proceed in the fame proportion, if even we will liquidate no more of the principal, and continue increafing the national debt with the fame rapidity we have hitherto done, the ftability of the British credit is to that of America and France, not as twenty, but as an hundred and twenty to one.'

In examining and refuting Paine's flimfy comparison, and pretended fingularity between the American, the French, and the British fyftems of Finance, with respect to the duration, and the emiffion of paper money, our author goes over the fame ground as Mr Broome, but with this difference, that he proves the total diffimilarity by facts, which throw a new light upon this part of the fubject. "We have feen," fays he, " that in America and France, a fum equal to the value of the annual rental may be thrown into circulation without experiencing depreciation. The annual rental of England is Twenty Millions, which, at twenty years purchase, amounts to four hundred millions; fhould then the Bank find themfelves under the neceffity of emitting notes in the fame proportion as they have hitherto done, the British fyftem of Finance might (without tranf greffing the bounds of theory) be pronounced likely to last even fix hundred years before the monied market would be overstocked by the amount, or the paper itself experience a material depreffion. "I will, however, view its probable ftability in another light; for you have certainly prefumptuoufly afferted that the British fyftem of credit is to that of America and France, as twenty to one; but in this I widely differ, and give as a reafon,

Confequently, even according to Paine's analogy, the British fyftem might extend to fix hundred years!

But the following obfervation on the revenue of our country, addreffed to Paine, is ftill more important, and equally new. "You allow that taxes can always be raised to the amount of a quarter of the circulation, whether that circulation confifts of specie, or of paper, provided the paper is not depreciated. -Permit me here then to eftimate, that as an hundred years our taxes have increafed twenty millions, fo in the fame proportion it will be fix hundred years from the commencement of the funding system before the taxes will amount to a quarter of the then circulation."

With refpect to the impofed infolvency of the bank, our readers will find nearly the fame argument in Mr Wakefield's refutation of Paine. But the following argument, adduced to fhew that a temporary ceffation of payment, as applied to the Bank, would not occafion infolvency, carries more weight, and has more intrinfic merit than any thing that has been offered the public by any other writer.

"If then from any unforfeen cause, if from any arts of our enemies, credit was to be fhaken and confidence banished, do you imagine that infolvency must enfue? Certainly not; for allowing your own exaggerated estimate, that the Bank has iffued fixty millions of paper; that private paper amounts to one hundred and fifty millions; and that the circulating is only twenty millions; there remains one hundred and ninety millions unpaid; and, as you would wish to have it believed, without property or fecurity, in either capital or land, to answer it, how erroneous would this conclufion be! for was it not eftimated laft year, in the House of Commons, that the national capital was thirteen hundred millions. Trifling indeed must be the confidence ex

ifting

66

ifting between individuals, and small the fuperftitions, and with a scheme of theocredit enjoyed by the Bank of England, logy moft obfcurely figurative, and conif a capital of thirteen hundred millions fequently liable to mifconception; it awill not fupport the credit of an emiffion bounds with minute and childish formaof no more than two hundred and ten lities, with ceremonies generally absurd, millions of paper!" A more fatisfactory and often ridiculous; the punishments affurance of the folvency of the British are partial and fanciful; for fome crimes fyftem of Public credit could not poffibly dreadfully cruel; for others reprehenfibe given; and with it we fhall conclude, bly flight; and the very morals, though Arongly recommending the whole Letter, rigid enough on the whole, are in one or and we advisethe author, to be very cor- two inftances (as in the cafe of light oaths rect in his political remarks, in future, and of pious perjury) unaccountably rethat his zeal, even in a good caufe, may laxed: nevertheless, a fpirit of fublime not leffen that reputation as a Politician, devotion, of benevolence to mankind, which he will acquire as a Financier. and of amiable tenderness to all fentient This admonition is occafioned by the fol- creatures, pervades the whole work; lowing paffage concerning the prefent the ftyle of it has a certain auftere mawar- a war which for extent of opera- jefty, that founds like the language of tion and greatnefs of exertion on our part legiflation, and extorts a respectful awe; has never before been equalled!" The the fentiments of independence on all picture he draws of the deplorable ftate of beings but God, and the harsh admoniFrance thews his talent for political deli- tions, even to kings, is truly noble; and neations, which fhould be drawn with the many panegyricks on the Gayatri, the niceft accuracy. M. R. the Mother as it is called, of the Veaa, vifible material fun, but) that divine and prove the author to have adored (not the incomparably greater light, to use the words of the moft venerable text in the Indian fcripture, which illumines all, delights all, from which all proceed, to which all must return, and which alone can irra diate (not our visual organs merely, but our fouls and) our intelle&s. Whatever opinion, in fhort, may be formed of Menu and his laws, in a country happily enlightened by found philofophy and the only true revelation, it must be remem bered, that thofe laws are actually re'vered as the words of the Most High, by nations of great importance to the political and commercial intereft of Europe, and particularly by many millions of Hindu fubjects, whofe well directed induftry would add largely to the wealth of Britain, and who afk no more in return than protection for their perfons and places of abode, juftice in their temporal concerns, indulgence to the prejudices of their old religion, and the benefit of thofe laws, which they have been taught to believe facred, and which alone they can poffibly comprehend."

Infiitutes of Hindu Law: or, the Ordinances of Menu, according to the Glofs of Culluca: comprifing the Indian Syftem of Duties, Religious and Civil. Verbally tranflated from the original Sanscrit. With a preface, by Sir William Jones. Calcutta: Printed by Order of Govern ment. London reprinted for Sewell,

and Debrett..

THE Code of Laws, civil and religious, by which a great country has been governed for ages, becomes an authentic and unequivocal evidence of its manners and hiftory. The volume, therefore, now prefented to the public, as it exhibits the principles of conduct and penal fanctions, by which the morals have been directed, and the vices controuled, of an extenfive and celebrated portion of Afia, for more than three thoufand years, muft afford a very ample, and an equally interefting fubject of inquiry.

"THE work now prefented to the European world, contains abundance of curious matter, extremely interefting both to fpeculative lawyers and antiquaries, with many beauties which need not to be pointed out, and with many blemishes which cannot be juftified or palliated. It is a fyftem of defpotifm and prieftcraft, both, indeed, limited by law, but artfully confpiring to give mutual fupport, though with mutual checks; it is filled with ftrange conceits in metaphyfics and natural philofophy, with idle

The work confifts of twelve chapters. The firft is on the Creation, with a fummary of the contents: The fecond treats of Education, or, of the First Order: The third of Marriage; or, of the Second Order: The fourth of Economies, and Private Morals: The fifth of Diet, Purification, and Women: The fixth of

De

Devotion; or, of the Third and Fourth 66 239. For, in his paffage to the next world, neither his father, nor his mother, nor his wife, nor his fon, nor his kinfmen, will remain in his company: his virtue alone will adhere to him.

Orders: The feventh is on Government; or, on the Military Class: The eighth on Judicature, and on Law, private and criminal: The ninth on the Commercial and Servile Claffes: The tenth on the -Mixed Claffes, and on Times of Distress: The eleventh is on Penance and Expiation: And the twelfth on Tranfmigration and Final Beatitude.

We proceed to extract fome paffages from these chapters, in their order, aceording as we fhall judge them moft likely to gratify curiofity, making such remarks as the occafion may fuggeft, and diftinguishing the commentary of Culluca by Italic characters, as directed by the translator.

In the Chapter on Education we have the following regulations, which prove the univerfality of the practice of giving names foon after the birth; and flew alfo, that Mr Shandy's prepoffeffions and antipathies were founded in a natural prejudice.

66 30. Let the father perform, or if abfent, cause to be performed, on the tenth or twelfth day after the birth, the ceremony of giving a name; or on fome for. tunate day of the moon, at a lucky hour, and under the influence of a star with good qualities.

66 The first part of a Brahmen's 31. compound name fhould indicate holiness; of a Ghatriya's, power; of a Vaifya's wealth; and of a Sadra's, contempt.

66 32. Let the fecond part of the priest's name imply profperity; of the foldier's, prefervation; of the merchant's, nourishment; of the fervant's, humble attend

ance.

66 33. The names of women fhould be agreeable, foft, clear, captivating the fancy, aufpicious, ending in long vowels, refembling words of benediction."

The reader's fagacity will have already pointed out to him, that the local phrafes in the 31ft law are explained in the 32d, and are meant to diftinguish the four great Cafts, or Claffes of the Hindus.

"160. ALL THAT DEPENDS ON ANOTHER, GIVES PAIN; AND ALL THAT DEPENDS ON HIMSELF, GIVES PLEASURE; let him know this to be, in few words, the definition of pleasure and pain."

66 238. Giving no pain to any creature, let him collect virtue by degrees, for the fake of acquiring a companion to the next world, as the white ant by degrees builds his neft.

VOL. LVIII.

240. Single is each man born; fingle he dies; fingle he receives the reward of his good, and fingle the punishment of his evil deeds:

66 241. When he leaves his corfe like a log or a lump of clay on the ground, his kindred retire with averted faces; but his virtue accompanies his foul.

1

66 242. Continually, therefore, by degrees, let him collect virtue, for the fake of fecuring an infeparable companion; fince with virtue for his guide, he will traverse a gloom, how hard to be traverfed!

66

243. A man, habitually virtuous, whofe offences have been expiated by devotion, is inftantly conveyed after death to the higher world, with a radiant form and a body of ethereal substance."

(To be continued.)

A Mathematical and Philofophical Diction ary: containing an Explanation of the Terms, and an account of the feveral Subjects, comprised under the Heads of Ma thematics, Aftronomy, and Philofopby both Natural and Experimental: with an Hiftorical Account of the Rife, Progress, and Prefent State of thefe Sciences: alfo Memoirs of the Lives and Writings of the moft eminent Authors, both Ancient and Modern, who by their Difcoveries or Improvements have contributed to the Advancement of them. In Two Volumes. With many Cuts and Copperplates. By Charles Hutton, LL. D. F. R. SS. of London and Edinburgh, and of the Philofophical Societies of Haarlem and America; and Profeffor of Mathematics in the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. 4to. Johnson and RobinJons.

AMONG the Dictionaries of Arts and Sciences which have been published of late years, in various parts of Europe, as the learned Author juftly obferves, it is matter of furprise, that philofophy and mathematics fhould have been fo far overlooked, as not to be worthy of a feparate treatise. With a view to accomplifh this object, Dr Hutton has now prefented the Public with fuch a Lexicon, of a moderate fize and price, in which the conftituent parts and technical terms of philofophy and mathematics, with the modern difcoveries and improvements

in them, are explained in a lucid and ty's lodgings, afterwards at Dr Wilkins's apartments in Wadham College, and, upon his removal, in the lodgings of M Robert Boyle; while those gentlemen who remained in London continued their meetings as before. The greater part of the Oxford Society coming to London about the year 1659, they me once or twice a-week in Term-time at Grefham College, till they were disper fed by the public diftractions of that year, and the place of their meeting was made a quarter for foldiers. Upon the Reftoration, in 1660, their meetings were revived, and attended by many gentle men, eminent for their character and learning.

ample manner. The work is alphabetically interfperfed with interefting memoirs of the lives and characters of the moft eminent men, both ancient and modern, who have diftinguished themfelves in the cultivation and improvement of the arts and sciences, and their feveral writings enumerated at the end of each memoir. Alfo regular hiftorical details of the origin, progrefs, and prefent ftate of the feveral branches of the fciences, and of the several inventions in the arts, which will be found particularly curious and gratifying to the inqui fitive mind. Where the explication of the subject would be neceffarily diffufive, a reference is given to the beft authors who have treated upon it profeffedly, thereby preventing the work from being too prolix, or fwollen to an inconvenient bulk. A work of this fort cannot easily be analyzed; but, as a fpecimen of the manner in which it is executed, we fhall tranfcribe an article where the cuts or plates are not concerned. Indeed the fubjects are multifarious and important; to felect would virtually be to prefent all. "Their manner of electing members "ROYAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND--is is by balloting; and two-thirds of the an academy or body of perfons, fuppofed members prefent are neceffary to carry to be eminent for their learning, inftitu- the election in favour of the candidate. ted by King Charles the IId, for promo- The council confifts of 22 members, inting natural knowledge. cluding the prefident, vice-prefident, treasurer, and two fécretaries; ten of which go out annually, and ten new members are elected instead of them, all chofen on St Andrew's day. They had formerly alfo two curators, whose bufinefs it was to perform experiments be fore the Society.

This once illuftrious body originated from an affembly of ingenious men, refiding in London, who, being inquifitive into natural knowledge, and the new and experimental philofophy, agreed, a bout the year 1645, to meet weekly on a certain day, to difcourfe upon fuch fubjects. Thefe meetings, it is faid, were fuggefted by Mr Theodore Haak, a native of the Palatinate in Germany; and they were held fometimes at Dr Goddard's lodgings in Wood-ftreet, fometimes at a convenient place in Cheapfide, and fometimes in or near Gresham College. This affembly feems to be that mentioned under the title of the Invifible, or Philofophical College, by Mr Boyle, în fome letters written in 1646 and 1647. About the years 1648 and 1649, the company which formed these meetings began to be divided, fome of the gentlemen removing to Oxford, as Dr Wallis, and Dr Goddard, where, in conjunction with other gentlemen, they held meetings alfo, and brought the ftudy of natural and experimental philofophy into fashion there; meeting firft in Dr Pet

"They were at length noticed by the government, and the king granted them a charter, firft the 15th of July 1663, then a more ample one the 22d of April 1663, and thirdly the 8th of April 1669; by which they were erected into a corporation, confifting of a prefident, council, and fellows, for promoting natural knowledge, and endued with various privileges and authorities.

"Each member at his admission, subscribes an engagement, that he will endeavour to promote the good of the Society; from which he may be freed at any time, by fignifying to the prefident that he defires to withdraw.

"The charges are five guineas paid to the treasurer at admiffion; and one fuilling per week, or 52s. per year, as long as the perfon continues a member; or, in lieu of the annual fubfcription, a compofition of 25 guineas in one payment.

"The ordinary meetings of the Society are once a-week, from November till the end of Trinity-term the next fummer. At first, the meeting was from three o'clock till fix afternoon. After wards, their meeting was from fix to fe ven in the evening, to allow more time for dinner, which continued for a long

feries of years, till the hour of meeting tal Philofophy: this reward, which is