90 quarter, of eight ftandard Winchester bufhels, is taken from 1595 to 1764, from Sinith's Corn-tracts; thence to 1770, from Lord Hawkefbury's Office; and thence to 1798, from Catherwood's Tables. The years 1642, 1643, 1644, 1645, are wanting in the account. Mr. H. might have grauified curiofity, at the leaft, and perhaps have. rendered an acceptable fervice to fome of his readers, if he had given from 1595 from this table, the average price of wheat, for 200 years, We fhall fupply this defect by ftating, that it apto 1794, inclufive. pears to be 21. 5s. 63.13. ༨༣ ART. 28. A Sermon, in which the prefent Scarcity is generally conftdered: preached on Sunday, November, 2, 1800, at Sadington, in Lincolnshire. By the Rev. James Hook, A. M. Rector. Published by Defire of the Parishioners. Svo. 23 pp. Wright. 1800. The preacher, difcourfing on Luke xvii, 17, 18, " Were there not ten cleansed," &c. inveighs, through feven pages, againft the vice of ingratitude. He then confiders the pretent fcarcity as real, and not artificial; and though there may be iniquitous members of fociety, who have, in fome inftances, taken unfair advantages of a fcanty fupply, you may reft affured that they do not exist or affect the country, in the degree reprefented by thofe who, through ignorance, or fome worfe motive, would blind you to the real caufe, who flatter your foibles to gain popularity, and would excite your refentment to carry their own finifter purposes into effect." P. 8. To the wisdom of the legiflature we are encouraged to look with confidence for a remedy (p. 8). Juftice is done by the preacher to the liberality and active charity of the rich; and we are exhorted to endure with refignation fome partial evils, remembering the many bleffings we enjoy as a nation. The fame palliatives of the exifting fcarcity are fuggefted, which the royal Proclamation has lately urged upon us; and the ingredients of bread, in lieu of wheat-flour, are maintained, by an ap peal to experience, to be falutary and nutritive. The difcourfe is concluded by fore pious reflections and feasonable warnings; and though it is not, upon the whole, a performance of the highest rank, yet it is relpectable and useful. ART. 29. Confiderations upon the Times; more especially with Refped to 1800. Dr. G. is of opinion, that in the prefent, as well as in the last year, by an enhancement of prices far above what the actual fcarcity could warrant, or any reasonable or honourable profit of the grower or dealer juitity, by collufive bargains upon terms merely nominal,-by talfe and wicked mifreprefentations of the produce and profpect of the harvests,--by concealments from the knowledge of the country,by accumulation, and withholding from the markets the fair proportion which which fhould always be brought forward for their due fupply, and even by avoiding to feil in them at any rate,-by injurious combinations in very many inftances by fraudulent adulteration, the difficulties of the public received much increase." P. 9. And yet, he fays, "it is devoutly to be hoped, that the inftances in which the avarice of any have fought a fordid gain, by taking advantage of the public anxiety and We are at a lofs to neceffity, have not been very numerous." P. 10. "An harveft conreconcile these feemingly inconfiftent opinions. felfedly productive, and gathered in a feafon moft unufually favourable" (p. 11) is not defcribed by either houfe of parliament, after diligent investigation, as the general harveft of 1800. Dr. G. feems to confine his judgment to the district in which he lives; and we doubt not, that in several diftricts there has been a full average crop, at least of fome particular forts of grain. From the note at p. 12, we might conjecture that fedition has been at work, to enhance the price of grain. We think that fedition has now incomparably lefs property to back it, than it has had for the last ten years; among fane men, none at all; and that its efforts to excite commotion, by enhancing the price of corn, will be limited to the purchase of a few hundred quarters. The difcourfe is concluded by very proper exhortations to pious gratitude and thankf giving. POLITICS. ART. 30. Obfervations on a late Publication, entitled A Treatise on the Police of the Metropolis. By a Citizen of London; but no Magiftrate. 8vo. 97 PP. 2s. 6d. Symonds. The writer of these Obfervations objects to many of Mr. Colqu houn's ftatements (in his well-known Treatife on the Police) and to the moft material parts of the plan propofed by him: but, although his remarks on the want of accurate data, to fupport the calculations of that author, are juft, he has not attempted to fupply the deficiency, or afford better information; and though he has, with great appearance of reafon, pointed out the danger that might arife from a Board of Pofice, with all the powers propofed by Mr. C, he has by no means proved that an establishment of that kind might not, under proper regulations, be attended with great advantage to the community. He objects ftrongly to the interference of fuch a Board with the privileges of the city of London; as if no central Board could be eftablished without injury to thofe privileges; or, as if any partial privileges ought to ftand in the way of improvement, in thofe laws which afford univerfal protection, He is alfo, if not an advocate, an apologist for the number of public-houses in London, the general refort to them by the lower orders of the people, and the great confumption of fpirituous liquors. (See pp. 79, 80, 81). On this topic, we believe there are few unprejudiced readers, who will not agree in fubftance with Mr. Colquhoun, Upon the whole, these Obfervations (which are written in a defultory and rather flovenly manner) contain few fentiments that are not either very trite, or very objectionable. We need not be told, that many of G 2 Mr. Mr. Colquhoun's calculations, of the number of offenders of different claffes, and amount of their depredations on property, feem to be founded on flight and hypothetical grounds: nor can it be denied, that fome of the remedies propofed by him appear doubtful, and even dangerous, without material alterations. Yet his long experience in the fubjects of which he treats, and the industry and zeal with which he has purfued the investigation, render his work highly deferving the notice it has obtained, and may greatly affift in forming improvements in the police, whenever fuch a measure fhall employ, as it well deferves, the attention of Parliament. ART. 31. Obfervations on the A&t which paffed into a Law the 28th of July, 1800, to incorporate certain Perfons, by the Name of the London Company, for the Manufacture of Flour, Meal, and Bread; fhewing the Excellence of the Plan propofed, and that its Adoption will in future prevent an artificial Scarcity of Wheat; and will prove a Death-Blow to Monopolizers, Foreftallers, and Regraters of that effential Article; including a copious Abridgment of the above Act, and the Names of the prefent Proprietors. By J. H. Prince, Author of the Chriftian's Duty to God, and the Conflitution, &c. Svo. 6d. Weft and Hughes. 1800. 22 PP That the manufacturing company, of which this book profeffes to give an account, originated from the beft motives, no man who reads the lift of perfons concerned can for a moment quetion. The plan may also redound to the public benefit, by demonftrating from experience upon what terms, proportionate to the price of wheat, flour, and confequently bread, may be manufactured, and counteracting monopolies. Thefe fhould feem to be the principal objects of the undertaking. But if it needs either an expofitor or an advocate, the want will not be fupplied by the writer before us; who fets out with a denial, that there is any fcarcity whatever; and after a rant of four pages against monopolifts, and an abftract of the Act for eftablishing this corporation, clofes with a few remarks upon the provifions of the Act, and a highflown panegyric of the plan, much too general and declamatory to prove or explain its utility. He feems indeed to mean well; but to be too much of a fanatic, to difcufs a subject of this kind with that patience and industry, which its nature and importance demand. ART. 32. Political Calumny refuted, addressed to the Inhabitants of Woodbridge; containing an Extract of a Sermon preached at Butley, on the Faft Day, 1793; a Sermon, preached at Oiley on the Day ap painted for a General Thanksgiving, on Account of our Naval Victories; and Solitary Mufings (in Verfe) on the Being of a God, Providence, and the French Revolution. By the Rev. John Black. 8vo. 38 pp. 15. Bush, Ipfwich; Robinsons, London. 1800. This publication is prefaced by an Addrefs to the Inhabitants of Woodbridge, in which the author complains, that, "on his ftanding. a candidate for the Mattership of the Free Grammar-School of that town, efforts had been made to calumniate his character, and repre fent his principles as hoftile to government." To refute fuch'affertions, he therefore publishes "fome fpecimens, in verfe and profe, of what he has written and taught during this eventful period." Such is the declared motive of this publication; whether this gentleman attained his object, or failed in it, we have not heard. I any unfavourable opinions of his principles had been formed by his neighbours, upen rational grounds, we cannot conceive how it could be refuted by an extract from one fermon, the whole of another, and fome rambling unconnected verfes. We hope the charge of difaffection was illfounded; but it may have been true, although the writer occafionally uttered fentiments that were loyal and juít. From fome expreffions in the fermons, we should fuppofe Mr. B. to be one of those who detefts, indeed (and who does not deteft?) the enormities confequent to the French revolution; but cannot wholly diveft himself of partiality for the principles that gave it birth: we fhould fufpect him to be one of thofe who deem the war unjust on the part of the enemies of France, and that her crimes are the effects of that" defpair" to which, he tells fhe has been driven." He infifts that we are a divided people," and fpeaks tenderly enough, both of the oppofers of the war, and of thofe who "ftill wish for a reform in Parliament." But he confiders all these perfons as likely to unite cordially with the fupporters of government, in the defence of their country! As a compoftion, his profe is not above mediocrity, and his verfes, upon the whole, below it. He is, however, to be commended for reprobating the infidelity of the French philofophers. us, ART. 33. Concife Thoughts on the Game Lars, in which an Attempt is made to fhew what Part of them enght to be retained, and what repealed. By a Leicestershire Freeholder. 8vo. 25 pp. Chapple. 1800. There are two branches of our law, which, though many have indignantly cenfured, no one has yet been able materially to amend. The reader will eafily guefs we mean the poor and the game laws. Although, in each of thefe fyftems, tome parts may be liable to just objections, yet a total revolution in either has hitherto been deemed too hazardous an experiment for prudent ftatefmen to urge, or a wife legiflature to adopt. The writer of the little tract before us, very fenfibly defends fome of the leading provifions in the game laws, againft which great clamours have been raifed. He propofes, however, a few modifications, particularly that the owner of the land, though he may not be Lord of the Manor, fhould have equally the right of killing game; and that the Lord of the Manor, though not owner of the land, fhould, in like manner, be entitled to pursue his fports, without being liable (as he is at prefent) to actions of trefpafs. Both the above parties muft alfo join in granting leave to fport. Perhaps thefe concurrent rights might produce more jealoufies and animofities than arife under the prefent fyftem. Other regulations, of lefs importance, fome of which might, we think, be expedient, are fuggefted; and the tract, upon the whole, does credit to the public fpint and judgment of its author. MISCELLANIES. ART. 34. A new Method of Inftruction for Children, from Five to Ten Years old, including Moral Dialogues; the Childrens' Ifland, a Tale; Thoughts and Maxions; Models of Compofition, in Writing, for Chil dren Ten or Twelve Years old; and a new Method of teaching Children to draw. Tranflated from the French of Madame De Geulis. 12mo. 350 pp. Longman and Rees. 1800. The talents of Mad. De Genlis, both as a writer and as an inftructor of youth, needs no encomium from us. This last work (which, the affutes us, is the refult of a longer course of fiudy and reflection than any of her former") will certainly prove a valuable addition to the excellent library for children which the prefent age has produced. The Definitions, as they are called, though they are not all fo in the ftricteft fenfe, may be ufefully learned by very young perfons, for the better understanding what they read. But we cannot think it neceffary that fo much time and pains fhould be employed in the study of them as the author feems to require. In the Dialogues there are many juł obfervations; though they are, upon the whole, much inferior ia utility to those in Madame Beaumont's excellent work, the Magazin des Enfans. The Tale is rather whimsical than entertaining, and too fingular to be generally ufeful. Though it would be unreasonable to expect much novelty in the Maxims, they are digefted with judgment, and expreffed with perfpicuity. That portion of the work which contains Models for Compofition, is that in which the novelty alledged chiefly confifts; and it certainly affords ufeful hints to the inftructors of youth. It confifts of questions, with the anfwers annexed (which the pupil is to be taught to give in fubftance, but not in the fame words) Comparifons and Refutations. The fentiments are (we think invariably) juft; and the Refutations, in particular, deferve praife, as tending to guard the youthful mind against erroneous and mifchievous opinions; for e of which have been adopted by writers, whofe wit and genius were calculated to give them a dangerous currency. ART. 35. An Account of Two Charity Schools, for the Education of Girls: and of a Female Friendly Society in York: interfperfed with Reflections on Charity Schools and Friendly Societies in General. By Catherine Cappe. 8vo. 120 pp. 38. Johnson. 1800. Publications of this kind can fcarcely be deemed fit fubjects of criticifm. The defign of that before us cannot, without a very long detail, be more diftinctly explained than it is by the Preface; which breathes the true fpirit of Chriftian benevolence. "The fubject," fays the humane and fenfible writer, "it is admitted, is an humble one; yet to the Chriftian, who knows that, in the eye of God, all his rational offspring are equal, all alike candidates for a glorious state of endless and happy existence; or to thinking perfons of whatever defcription, the good order and proper regulation, even of a female charity fchool, will not feem unworthy fome portion of attention." We |