is much wanted. If written without prejudice, by a man fufficiently informed, it would prove a very interesting performance. This Author's plan of reform confifts of certain contrivances to extend the power of the crown, to increase the influence of men of property, and to curtail the power of the people. Strange, that such noxious political weeds fhould fpring up in a land of freedom! They fhould be tranfplanted to Algiers or Morocco; the foil there will fuit them much better. Art. 27. Thoughts on the Cause of the Increase of the Poor, and of the Poor's Rates; with fome Hints towards a Remedy: offered to the ferious Confideration of all landed Gentlemen throughout the -Kingdom; and particularly to the Members of both Houfes of Parliament. 8vo. 1s. Debrett. This Writer afcribes the increasing burden of deftitute poor to the miftaken policy of the landed gentlemen, in aggregating small farms into large ones; and of courfe refers the remedy of the evil to the authors of it. 'The most natural and obvious caufe of the increase of the poor, as well as their expence, and perhaps the only one to be affigned, I take to be the abforption of the smaller farms into the greater, and the depriving, or not allowing, the common labourer a fmall portion of land to his cottage.' These have indeed frequently been affigned as the caufes of the indigence of the lower orders of the working poor; and their being overlooked is no proof of mistake in the imputation. The defire of gentlemen and their stewards to ease themselves of trouble, and the avarice of farmers in grasping every thing into their own hands, feems not to have occurred as the chief caufe, of which the disuse of some old wife laws first laid the foundation. We need only then have recourfe to the fame spirit as pervades thefe old laws, and by adapting it to the prefent exigency, the remedy will foon follow.' Every one will allow, that fo material an alteration in the conduct of landlords could not take place, without producing fome new confequence; we find a cotemporary increase of poor attended with a greater increase in the price of the smaller articles of provifions, than other caufes can naturally account for. There is no wonder, then, that plain understandings, not biaffed by perfonal intereft, nor mifled by amufing fpeculations, should fuppofe a correfpondence between these two feries of events. Such is the cafe with respect to the writer now before us; and we have only to hope, that in the public affembly of the nation, the public interest will at length fwallow up all partial interested modes of perfonał conduct, instead of trifling with our welfare and aggravating our grievances by political quackery. LAW. Art. 28. Proceedings at the Affizes at Thetford, March 18, 1786, and March 24, 1787, in the Trial of William Hurry, Merchant, Yarmouth, on an Indictment preferred against him by John Watson, Mayor elect of the faid Borough, for wilful and corrupt Perjury = and in the Action against the faid John Watfon, then Mayor of the faid Borough, brought by the faid William Hurry, for a malicious Profecution of him by the above Indictment: with the Subftance of Mr. Partridge's Opening in the first Trial: and the Speeches at large large of Meff. Erskine and Hardinge in the laft. To which are added, a Relation of the Nonfuit in the latter Caufe at the Norfolk Affizes in Auguft laft; and a Report of the Argument thereupon in the Court of Common Pleas the Michaelmas Term following; and the Judgment of that Court, as delivered by the Lord Chief Juftice, when the Nonfuit was fet afide, and a new Trial granted. 4to. 2s. 6d. Baldwin. To indict a man of credit for perjury, without juft caufe, is a very ferious affair; and if fuch a profecution fhould be purfued with art, to give it operation in the public opinion; malice, and that of a very deep nature, is the only inference to be drawn from the tranfaction. This ugly business originated from the demand of an overcharge of II s.; and in the final result, Mr. Hurry, the claimant, was allowed 3000l. damages. The doctrine advanced by the counsel for the defendant, in the profecution for damages, has been often imputed to the gentlemen of the bar, but we do not much admire the direct avowal of it.—“ I flatter myself that, as a man, I have fome good nature, as a counsel I have none: it is my duty to prefs forward every topic that can make for my client." Such an advocate may be very useful in some cases, but what is the man doing all the while; and what are we to think of him?-We have been much entertained by Mr. Erfkine's oratory on this occafion. One of his fpeeches, which has been much and defervedly celebrated, is here fully and, we believe, correctly given. Art. 29. Supplementary to the Trial of Hurry againft Watson-A Report of the Argument in the Common Pleas, on a Motion for a new Trial in Trinity Term laft; in which the Conduct of the Special Jury, in the giving of their Verdict, was agitated, and the Doctrine refpecting the Power of the Court to fet afide Verdicts for exceffive Damages fully difcuffed. Together with the final Iffue of this long contefted Bufinefs. 4to. Is. Baldwin, &c. 1787. The bufinefs of exceffive damages is here properly argued and dif cuffed. The final iffue was, that Mr. Watfon was to pay to Mr. Hurry the fum of 1500l. for damages and cofts; and alfo make to him an apology for his conduct. Mr. Hurry appears to have acted, in this affair, with the moderation becoming a man of honour and character. GEOGRAPHY. Art. 30. A clear, comprehenfive, yet compendious Introduction to Geography and Aftronomy, for the Ufe of young Ladies. By Eliza Cumyns, of Brompton. 4to. 5 s. fewed. Dilly. 1787. Books of Geography are fufficiently numerous; but none of them, in this lady's opinion, are calculated for conveying inftruction either so fully or speedily as might be justly expected. Being herself a tutorefs, fhe has found, by feveral years experience, that the method here delivered answers the purpose extremely well, and on that account it was printed. Teachers are always partial to their own method; and, in general, it is right that they should be fo, if by that means they convey inftruction more fully or more expeditiously. The Authorefs of the prefent performance begins with a series of geometrical definitions, neceffary to be known before the ftudent can eafily eafily comprehend what follows. The geographical part proceeds by question and answer (fimilar to Hubner's method); and after defcribing the Circles, &c. of the globe, goes on to the confideration of the four quarters of the world. The fituation, extent, and divifrons of each kingdom are briefly defcribed, and the principal towns and rivers are enumerated, with fuch peculiarities of foil, climate, produce, &c. as occur in each province. The book would not have been the worse, if religious opinions had not been fo frequently introduced; many readers may object to them. The aftronomical part is not interrupted with questions; the folar fyftem is defcribed then follows a fhort account of the fixed stars, of the feafons, of the moon's motion, and of eclipfes. In works of this kind, intended merely for elementary books, it is not expected that we should meet with many novelties; but we here find what is better-a defign of communicating knowledge in an eafy manner, properly adapted to the capacities and difpofitions of thofe young pupils for whom the work is particularly calculated. Art. 31. A political Survey of the prefent State of Europe; illuftrated with Obfervations on the Wealth and Commerce, the Government, Finances, Military State, and Religion of the feveral Countries. By E. A. W. Zimmermann *, Profeffor of Natural Philo-› fophy at Brunfwic. 8vo. 5 s. Boards. Dilly. 1787. This is a comparative view of the feveral European nations, comprized in tables, fhewing the extent, divifions, population, &c. of each country, with an account of its commerce, finance, government, &c. Inftead of a Political Survey, it might have been called, perhaps with more propriety, "A Compendium of the Geography of Europe. The Profeffor informs us, in his Preface, that this compilation is far from that state of perfection to which it is capable of being carried, and that it is only the outline of a larger work, which he intends, at fome future period, to fill up with more circumftantial, and better arranged, intelligence. The chief fources of his present information have been, the political works of his countrymen, the Germans; who, he fays, have diftinguished that science which treats of the actual and relative power of ftates, by the new-coined name of Statistics. After much praise bestowed on his countrymen, and their indefatigable laboriousness,' the Author compliments the English, for whofe ufe, on their customary grand tour of Europe, this work was intended. Mr. Zimmermann has divided his tables, which are 16 in number, into columns, infcribed, Extent and Divifion, Square miles, Population, Chief towns, Number of inhabitants, &c. fomewhat fimilar to those which Guthrie, and other geographers, have placed at the heads of chapters: to each table are added a few obfervations and general remarks, in which the productions, the wealth, the commerce, &c. of the country are described. Though the work is intended for the use of Englishmen, the largest article in it is the chapter on England, and a country * Mr. Zimmermann is not the celebrated philofopher of that name, feveral of whofe works are translated into English. which the English frequently vifit, giz. Switzerland, is not mentioned. POETRY. Art. 32. Sketches of Day. 4to. 35. Debrett. 1787. Day' ridiculous! We pronounce it to be Night: Night, pitchy and black as Erebus,-or if a little glimmering, a corrufcation or two be feen, they ferve for no other purpose than to render "darkrefs visible," and to exhibit" fights of woe." This performance is intended as a fatire on the vices of the times: -we will present our Readers with a specimen of it. The Mayor of London, and London's council, are reprefented as proceeding to St. James's-but not with Petitions and Remonftrances : What droves of courtiers from the city come ! For why? where can be honour, fenfe, or wit, Their portly Dames too, here with fimpering faces, Befmil'd at Court, to Manfion-house they go, Their fpoufes hate, and scorn each city Beau.' Their spouses hate'-the hint may be worth attending to. Our Author, though a Poet, may peradventure have stumbled on a truth. We would therefore advise the city Anthonies to look well to their Cleopatras:-to keep them from the "funfhine," the contaminating air of a court. Art. 33. Reflections on Radia, a female Satirift: (-notumque furens quid fæmina poffet) with a faint Defcription of Dorinda : in Imitation of the 4th Eneid of Virgil. 4to. 1s. Norwich printed; and fold by Wilkie in London. We muft give this humble poet, who feems to owe the small portion of infpiration he poffeffes, to that illegitimate daughter of Apollo who prefides over election-bards, permiffion to be his own reviewer: · -Alas! friend, I must avow, my Ne'er to high Pindus' dangerous brow Nor loitered in the Aonian fhades.' Art. 34. Paulina; or, the Ruffian Daughter, a Poem. By Robert Merry, Efq. Member of the Royal Academy of Florence. 4to. "3 s. fewed. Robfon. 1787. A diftreffing tale, founded on a real fact, which happened in Ruffia, is here related with all the decorations of eafy and elegant .verfe. The fubject, female innocence terrified and hurried by parental feverity into infamy and wretchedness, is, however, little adapted to afford either entertainment or inftruction. Art. 35. Ardelia: a Poem. Addreffed to Charles Cooper, Efq. 4to. 1 S. Baldwin. 1787. A common tale of credulous, injured, and despairing love, told in verfe, that does not rife above mediocrity, and, however useful be the moral leffon which it teachés, cannot be expected to engage, in any confiderable degree, the public attention. NOVELS. Art. 36. Retaliation; or, the Hiftory of Sir Edward Ofwald and Mrs. Cartwright is one of thofe ladies described by the poet, "dont la fertile plume, Peut tous les mois fans peine enfanter un volume." Her brain is indeed astonishingly fruitful. We wish it were poffible to represent the children of it as being handsome and likely to live: the truth, however, is, that fome of them are poor and rickety things, and fuch as evince the unhealthinefs of the parent ftock. But as the fond and partial mother may not be wholly fatisfied with this our bare affertion, we proceed to depicture the prefent brat. I whisked across the street, and rapt authoritatively at the house; and when the door diftended,' &c.. Diftended may, by many, be thought a remarkably elegant word, and highly expreffive of the act of opening the door; - but then we have fome little fear that Betty, when ordered by Mrs. C. to keep the door diftended,' may be rather puzzled to determine whether her mistress means that it should be open or fout. The milliner cruelly hinted fufpicions of its being difpofed on for her own private purposes.' But was the formalities of Hymen to take place.' I propofe fetting down to table.' Divine fervice is performed of afternoons' She added, that nothing but his fuppofed averfion to wedlock, would have influenced her to difpenfe with the forms of marriage; that he had implicitly confided in his honour. That if he had really loved her, what he deemed caprice would have heightened his affection; and inftead of prompting him to indulge the natural inconftancy of his difpofition, would have excited him to reftitution.' Reftitution that is, the lady having "loft her honour at a fordid game," as Otway fays, is to have it returned to her:-fhe is to be reftored by the lover to her priftine and innocent ftate. How this is to be effected, we really do not know. Our tender hearted females, however, will undoubtedly rejoice in the event. This Novel is full of improbabilities, It is perhaps as abfurd and inartificial in its conduct as any in the round of romance. Art. 37. Seduction; or, the Hiftory of Lady Revel. A Novel. 12mo. 2 Vols. 5 s. fewed. Axtel. 1787. The Hiftory of Lady Revel' is one of thofe productions of which it would be highly ridiculous in us to enter into a particular account. We shall therefore content ourselves with obferving, that fcarcely a page of it is tolerably written and in faying this, it will no doubt be |