Mich fhould always be brought forward for their due fupply, and even by avoiding to fell 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 neceffity, have not been very numerous." P. 10. We are at a lofs to reconcile these feemingly inconfiftent opinions. "An harvest confeffedly productive, and gathered in a feafon most unusually 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 feveral diftricts there has been a full average crop, at leaft of fome particular forts of grain, From the note at p. 12, we might conjecture that jedition has been at work, to enhance the price of grain. We think that fedition has now incomparably lets properly 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 pius gratitude and thanksgiving.

POLITICS.

ART. 30. Obfervations on a late Publication, entitled A Treatife on the Police of the Metropolis. By a Citizen of London; but no Magiftrate. 8vo. 97 PP. 2s. 6d. Symonds.

The writer of thefe Obfervations objects to many of Mr. Colqu houn's ftatements (in his well-known Treatife on the Police) and to the most 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 jutt, 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 trom a Board of Police, 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 established without injury to thofe privileges; or, as if any partial privileges ought to and in the way of improvement, in those laws which afford univerfal protection. He is alío, if not an advocate, an apologift for the number of public-houfes 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 detultory 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 some 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 deserving the notice it has obtained, and may greatly affift in forming improvements in the police, whenever such a measure fhall employ, as it well deserves, 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 artificia Scarcity of Wheat; and will prove a Death-Blew to Mone polizers, Foreftallers, and Rgraters of that effential Article; including a copious Abridgment of the above Alt, and the Names of the prefent Proprietors. By J. H. Prince, Author of the Chriftian's Duty to God, and the Conftitution, &c. 8vo. 6d. Weft and Hu hes, 1800.

22 PP.

That the manufacturing company, of which this book profeffes to give an account, originated from the best motives, no man who reads The lift of perfons concerned can for a moment question. The plan may alfo 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 monopo

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 abstract of the Act for establishing 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 fubject of this kind with that pa tience and induftry, 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 Burley, 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. Is. Bufh, Ipfwich; Robinfons, 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 Mafterfhip 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 gendeman attained his object, or failed in it, we have not heard. It any unfavourable opinions of his principles had been formed by his neighbours, upon 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 juft. 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 should fufpect him to be one of thofe who deem the war unjuft on the part of the enemies of France, and that her crimes are the effects of that" defpair" to which, he tells us," he has been driven." He infilts 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.

ART. 33. Concife Thoughts on the Game Laws, in which an Attempt is made to few what Part of them ought to be retained, and what ripealed. By a Leicestershire Freeholder. Svo. 25 pp. Chapple. $800.

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 guess we mean the poor and the game laws. Although, in each of thefe fyftems, fome parts may be liable to just objections, yet a total revolution in either has hitherto been deemed too hazardous an experiment for prudent flatesmen 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 purfue 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 these 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 fpirit and judgment of its author.

MIS

MISCELLANIES.

ART. 34. A new Method of Inftruction for Children, from Five to Ten Years old, including Moral Dialogues; the "Childrens' ¡fland, a Tale; Thoughts and Maxins; Models of Compofition, in Writing, for Chil dren Ten or Towelve Years old; and a new Method of teaching Chil dren to draw. Tranflated from the French of Madame De Gentis. Izmo. 350 pp. Longman and Rees. 18c0.

The talents of Mad. De Genlis, both as a writer and as an inftructor of youth, needs no encomium from us. This laft work (which, The affures us, "is the refult of a longer courfe 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 prodced. 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 neceflary 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 ju& obfervations; though they are, upon the whole, much inferior in utility to those in Madame Beaumont's excellent work, the Magazin des Enfans. The Tale is rather whimfical than entertaining, and too fingular to be generally useful. Though it would be unreafonable 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 Compolition, is that in which the novelty alledged chiefly confifts; and it certainly affords ufeful hints to the inftructors of youth, It confills of questions, with the answers 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: interspersed with Reflections on Charity Schools and Friendly Societies in General. By Catherine Cappe. 8vo. 120 pp. 39. Johnson. 1800.

Publications of this kind can fcarcely be deemed fit subjects of criticiim. 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 subject," 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 off pring are equal, all alike candidates for a glorious ftate of endlefs and happy existence; or to thinking perfons of whatever defeription, the good order and proper regulation, even of a female charity fchool, will not feem unworthy fome portion of attention."

We can confirm this remark, by declaring, that in perufing the account of thefe inftitutions (particularly that of the fpinning and greycoat schools) we felt a greater degree of intereft than any fubject of that nature feemed calculated to excite. The conduct of the ladies who established the one of these charities, and reformed the other, affords a ftriking difplay of active and judicious beneficence: and this publication may be highly ufeful to thofe who are difpofed to form, or entrusted to regulate fimilar eftablishmen's.

ART. 36. Holmes's Tract on the Novel County-Rates, Exeter, 1799, bypabetically founded on the Births of Two Acts of Parliament (12 and 13 Geo. II.) now nearly Sixty Years of Age, collated with CountyRates, Devon, c. Where Forfeitures of Recognizances, Felons' Goods, &c. pass into his Majefty's Exchequer; but in Exeter, to the Burfer of the Chamber of Exeter; including a Sketch of the prefent State of the City, Bodies-Corporate, generally and specially difcuffed. By William Holmes, Efq. a Deaf Freeman of Exeter, S. C. L.

48 pp.

19.

Coker, Exeter.

8vo.

If the deaf freeman would hear our voice, he would absftain from literary puriuits; which require an underftanding very differently conftituted from that which feems to have fallen to his lot. His prefent undertaking (if we rightly comprehend it) is indeed of a nature fufficiently humble, namely, to inveftigate the rights and duties, and mark fome errors in the proceedings, of the Corporation of Exeter. In particular, he infifts that the charges incurred by his Majesty's forces paffing through the county and city, ought to be paid by the chamber of the city, and not out of the county rates. Non noftrum eft tantus componere lites; which can only intereft the inhabitants of that city and its neighbourhood. Even to them fuch a rude and undigested mats (of extracts from Charters and Acts of Parliament, with ftrange and abfurd comments upon them) can afford but little information or benefit.

ART. 37. The Trial of Jane Leigh Perrot, Wife of James Leigh Per rot, Efq. charged with fealing a Card of Lace in the Shop of Elizabeth Gregory, Haberdasher and Milliner at Bath, before Sir Soulden Lawrence, Knt. One of the Juftices of his Majefty's Court of King's Bench, at Taunton Affizes, on Saturday, the 29th Day of March, 1800. Taken in Court by John Pinchard, Attorney, of Taunton. Svo. 43 PP. zs. Norris. 1800.

As we were not prefent at the extraordinary Trial here recorded, it cannot be expected that we should pronounce on the accuracy of this report. From the circumftance, however, of its being published by a gentleman of the law, with his name, and from the general reputation of what paffed on that occafion, it has the appearance of being drawn up with care and fidelity. On the trial itself, we will only remark that, as it was impoffible, from the nature of the circumstances, that the charge could be pofitively contradicted (and yet this may happen in other cafes to innocent perfons) the reader, it is to be hoped, will be

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