• Protector. [Flourish.-Exeunt? How far the repentance of the protector's heir is a parallel cafe, as it is certainly intended to be, with the reconciliation that is rumoured to have been effected between perfons of still higher rank, must be left to facts; which are too recent to need recapitulation. The author, as we have been informed, is young, and has been honored with patronage of the very first order: it is poffible that he may hereafter be actuated by a different impulfe, and we should not be furprized to find him writing on principles no lefs diffimilar. Art. 42. Ode to the Hero of Finsbury Square; congratulatory on his late Marriage, and illuftrative of his Genius as his own Biographer; with Notes referential. By Peregrine Pindar, Gent. 4to. 2s. 6d. Herbert. 1795. Extraordinary men, especially extraordinary booksellers, have always been deemed fair game to authors; and Mr. Lackington being an extraordinary character in all the above respects, [as man, as bookfeller, and, moreover, as author *,] he cannot think it unreafonable if he be required, in a dearth of Jubjects, to fubfcribe himself for the general good of the trade. He has been feized by one of the fraternity,- -a writer of fome drollery,-aided by the engraver, who has sketched a farcaflic and laughable frontispiece. Art. 43. The Secret Tribunal: a Play, in five Acts. By James Boaden, Author of Fontainville Foreft. As performed at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. 8vo. 25. Longman. 1795. The fable of this tragedy is founded on fome incidents related in Herman of Unna, a tragic romance of Profeffor Kramer +. Herman, nephew to the duke of Wirtemberg, and in love with Ida, is apprehended in a foreft with a bloody weapon in his hand. The duke had been affailed by affaffins, and Herman is fufpected and imprisoned. Ratibor, brother to the duke, had hired the murderers; and, by executing Herman as the oftenfible criminal, he hopes to enjoy the throne. He has alfo bribed a physician to poifon the duchefs, and, having vainly endeavoured to corrupt Ida, he accufes her of giving the poifon. Thus it happens that the two lovers, like Olindo and Sophronia, are placed in bonds, and brought to the very point of death; when the evidence of Badendorf, a phyfician, and of a fword *See our account of the hiftory of Mr. L.'s life, written by him. felf; Rev. N. S. vol. vii. p. 207. † See Rev. N. S. vol. xv. p. 21. H 3 which which Herman had taken from the affaffin, transfers the whole guilt to Ratibor, who is condemned by the Secret Tribunal; while the two lovers are confequently fread, and made happy. The ftyle is fimple (a new and a great merit): the incidents, the fituations, and the pageantry, are well calculated for stage-effect; and the firft fcene in the fourth act, between Holftein and Ida, has fome pathetic excellence: but, in general, the characters are poorly drawn, and the dialogue is uninterefting. AMERICA. By L. J. Art. 44. A Letter from Pennsylvania to a Friend in England: containing valuable Information with refpect to America. Jardine, M. D. 8vo. pp. 31. 15. Dilly. 1795: The valuable information contained in this pamphlet confifts, chiefly, of comparative views of the feveral plans which offer themfelves to a new fettler in America for the choice of a fituation, and an account of the expences attending houfe-keeping, within twenty or thirty miles of Philadelphia. Dr. Jardine, after having vifited feveral different parts of the country, in order to fix on a fituation, gives it as his opinion that Pennsylvania is the most healthful flate, and that Northumberland is by far to be preferred to all the other counties of Pennsylvania, as it is more healthful, and better fituated with refpe& to the whole of the United States. This fituation he describes as follows: The neighbourhood of the Forks of the Sufquehanna appeared very eligible, on account of the healthfulness of its fituation, and its proximity to fo large a river. We then employed ourselves in examining the tracts near the town of Northumberland. The land is in part cleared on both branches of the river, within the distance of eight or ten miles from the town. Within about two miles of the town it is not to be bought under four or five pounds per acre. At a greater distance, from three to two pounds. The whole of this land is exceedingly good, and fit both for corn and grazing, particularly the latter, on account of its being on the river. The land at the distance of about two miles from the town, and the fame from the river, in an uncleared ftate, may be bought for a guinea per acre. The ready market both for wood and produce makes this a very defirable fitua tion. The mere article of wood, within three miles of the town, will more than pay all the expences of clearing. This is a very populous neighbourhood. The expences of this fituation would be nearly thefe: 100 acres (which it feems are fufficient) at 31. per acre, 30cl.-100l. or lefs to be advanced at firft, and the remainder in fmall fums, paying legal intereft but to those who can advance the whole, confiderable allowance is made. Labour is procured at about two fhillings a day; but labourers are fcarce. The house and barn would cost about 200l. ; and the flock, at first, about 100l. Families, while the house, &c. are preparing, might be accommodated with houfes, or lodgings, at Northumberland, at a very moderate rate. Having gained this in. formation, we loft no time in fetting off again for Philadelphia, with a view to ascertain, as foon as poffible, the price of land in other fitu ations. ations. Having heard much of the land in Lancaster county, we returned that way; but we were foon fatisfied refpecting the land in that and the other counties through which we paffed; as the price of it was from fix to twenty pounds per acre, even at a confiderable diftance from the Sufquehanna.' Concerning the ftate of parties in America, Dr. Jardine writes that political debates run pretty high; that the federalift party have much the fame difpofition as the court party in England, but that the antifederalifts are too numerous and ftrong to fuffer any encroachments on the liberties of the people. He adds that both equally rejoice in the fucceffes of the French. Several other remarks and details are given in this letter; from which it pretty clearly appears that the difficulties, attending emigration to America, are greater than many have fuppofed. POLITICS, &c. Art. 45. The Natural and Conftitutional Right of Britons to Annual Parliaments, Univerfal Suffrage, and the Freedom of Popular Affocia tion: being a Vindication of the Motives and Political Conduct of John Thelwall, and of the London Correfponding Society in general. Intended to have been delivered at the Bar of the Old Bailey, in Confutation of the late Charges of High Treason. 8vo; PP. 95. 25. Symonds, 1795. It is the unquestionable right of free horn Britons, when legally accused of any crime, to be heard in their own defence:-but experience has fully proved that it is more advantageous to the party accafed, as well as more eligible for the public, that his defence fhall be made by proxy, than in his own proper perfon. Weighty reafons might be affigned for this;-even in the cafe in which the perfon, against whom the charge is brought, poffeffes talents which might well enable him to become his own advocate. Notwithstanding Mr. Thelwall's eloquence, improved by a habit of popular speaking, we apprehend he has no reafon to complain that his caufe was transferred from his own hands to those of the able and upright pleaders who fo eminently distinguished themselves, on the part of the prisoners, in the late ftate trials for high treafon. Perhaps, too, the public may be of opinion that, after the full report which has been given of their pleadings, and of the whole procefs of the trials, it is not probable that much important matter respecting these profecutions can yet remain to be disclofed. Mr. Thelwall, however, thinks it right, after his honourable acquittal, again to present himself before the bar of the public in his own perfon, by publishing the fpeech which he intended to have delivered on his trial; and his vindication will be found to exhibit many things refpecting both the general cause and individual cafe of Mr. Thelwall, with a degree of force and energy which, while it difplays in a favourable light the writer's oratorical talents, may ferve to establish in the public mind the fulleft conviction of the equity of the verdicts in question, and of their importance to the prefervation of public freedom. Circumflanced as Mr. T. has been, it is not to be expected that, with his ardour of temper and command of language, he fhould be capable of writing without fome H 4 portion portion of acrimony. The work, however, not only has confiderable merit as a political oration, but ftates, with great ftrength of argument, feveral important points in which British freedom is effentially interested ;-particularly the question concerning parliamentary reform. Art. 46. Two Letters addreffed to Sir William Dolben, on the Subject of the Sunday Bill, now pending in Parliament. To which is fubjoined another Letter containing Heads of a Bill for the Repeal of the Ten Commandments. 8vo. PP. 50. Is. 6d. Bew. 1795: The incongruity of inftituting a law for the stricter obfervance of the Sabbath among the lower orders of the people, while the neglect of the public offices of religion is rapidly increafing among the great, is a very fair fubject of ridicule. The writer of these letters feizes the occafion of the Sunday-bill, lately brought into parliament, to expose this inconfiftency. His propofal is, a general tax on abfence from divine fervice, which fhould fall on the rich in proportion to their property, with an option of compounding for a certain fum; every perfon to be affeffed for the whole fifty-two Sundays, that the proof may be thrown on him on the teftimony of the minister of the parish; or, in cafe of fickness, of two domeftics. Reasonable as this plan may appear to thofe good old fashioned people, in whose brains the two ideas of Sunday and going to Church have been fo long affociated as to appear naturally infeparable, we are apprehenfive that thofe free fpirits, who feel themfelves difencumbered of thefe vulgar fhackles, would deem fuch a tax an intolerable infringement of natural liberty. The wit of this publication will be chiefly found in the third letter, which is a republication of an ironical propofal for fetting afide the obligations of the ten commandments, drawn up in the form of a bill for their repeal. Art. 47. The Spirit of John Locke on Civil Government, revived by the Conftitutional Society of Sheffield. 12mo. 1s. 6d. Symonds. The difcourfes of the celebrated Locke, on Government, when they first appeared, contributed greatly towards the fupport of the revolution in 1681. This publication, with others written in the fame fpirit, were at that time thought fo valuable, that the author was promoted by King William to the office of master of the Mint; and a pension of a thousand pounds per annum was conferred on him by parliament. Notwithstanding the contempt with which fome writers have of late affected to treat the name of Locke, this work has ever fince flood high in the estimation of all confitent friends to the British conftitution, which owes its existence to the political principles maintained in this and other fimilar writings. The conftitutional fociety at Sheffield, whatever other occafions of offence they may have given, certainly cannot offend the rulers of a free people by the circulation which they give to the knowlege of fuch principies, by publishing in a cheap form an abridgement of Locke on Government. Art. 48. A Letter to the Friends of the People, at the Free Mafons' Tavern, affociated for the Purpofe of obtaining a Parliamentary Reform. 8vo. 6d. Symonds. This letter bears date Feb. 24, 1795. We know not the precife time of its publication, but it did not fall into our hands till August, Its defign was to expoftulate with the leading members of the fociety, on account of the fufpenfion of their patriotic proceedings at that critical feafon, and to rouze and animate them to a vigorous profecution of the grand purpose of their affociation. The writer difcuffes the fubject with becoming seriousness, warmth, and energy. The fociety have fince publicly accounted, very fatisfactorily, in our opinion, for the pause which excited fo much alarm in the mind of this their apprehenfive correfpondent. They have now, with a proper spirit and due decorum, refumed their deliberations, &c. and have laid before the public their Plan of Parliamentary Reform;-of which we intend, at a future opportunity, to take more particular notice. Art. 49. An Appeal to the Manufacturers, on the prefent State of Trade, &c. 8vo. 6d. Printed at Birmingham, 1795. Calculated to evince the alarming decline of our manufactures, and the decrease of trade, particularly at Birmingham, &c.; whence this obvious conclufion is drawn, that peace is the one thing needful for the promotion and prefervation of the profperity of this kingdom.' It also appears (facts being the only data for fuch inferences,) that in the Welt riding of Yorkshire, 1,453,758 yards of cloth were manufactured less in the year 1793, than in 1792.' If our readers require any comment on this unwelcome report, we refer them to what the author of this appeal here offers in fupport of the representation which he has made, refpecting the prefent diftreffes of our poor, unemploy⚫ ed, mechanics and manufacturers. In the courfe of his remarks, the patriotic appellant glances at thofe ftatefmen, and others in power, who, in their eagerness for the juftification of ministerial measures, have profeffed to difcredit the melancholy accounts of the decay of our trade, that have lately been brought forwards by the advocates for Peace, the great fource and nursery of trade, of the arts which make fociety comfortable, and of the wealth by which governments are fupported. Art. 50. Obfervations on the Life and Character of Alfred the Great. 8vo. 6d. Eaton. 1794. A course of Lectures on English history was read, fome time ago, at Lyon's Inn. This pamphlet contains nearly the fubitance of two of thofe lectures, and exhibits a well-merited eulogium on the truly illustrious Alfred; who was indeed an honour to fovereignty, and to human nature! He alone, fays this writer, is entitled to the character of a great monarch, who makes the happiness of his people the grand aim and ultimate end of his administration: but the character of ALFRED (notwithstanding what is obferved in our Review for laft Auguft, p. 441.) ftands too high in the records of TRUTH and VIRTUE, to receive any addition from us, or from the author of the little tract now before us.-Yet it may be very right that the memory and example of fo excellent a prince fhould be repeatedly prefented to the notice and admiration of mankind.-How fuperior does His conduct, both as a Man and a Magiftrate, appear to that dishonest artifice and chicanery which often pafs on the world as political wisdom! MEDICAL, |