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The mention of one or two of the names in the foregoing enume ration, may poffibly raife a fmile on the countenances of fome of our Readers; but let them perufe the pages before us, in which we find thefe feveral names fo refpectfully arranged; let them attend with candour to what the Authors have faid in fupport of the men and the measures they fo ftrenuously recommend, and then we will anfwer for their agreement with us, at lealt, in this opinion, that the book ought not to be over-looked, and confounded, in the general mafs of party-rubbish, which we fee daily caft out of every pamphlet fhop.-Though antiminifterial, it is a very loyal performance.-We fay loyal, because, however the Writers may have indulged themfelves in the harfheit modes of cenfaring his majefty's fervants, they every where mention his MAJESTY himself in the highest and warmest terms of affection and dutiful refpect. In fhort, on the fubject of REGAL AUTHORITY, we think they manifeft a fpirit fo point blank oppofed to the licentioufnefs of the times, that, perhaps, they would rather ftand chargeable with the extremes of Torism, than be thought to favour the prefent growing partiality for republican prin ciples, fo vifible among fome of our political fectaries.

Art. 18. Occafional Letters on Taxation; on the Means of raifing the Supplies within the Year, to anfwer the Expences of a necelfary War; and on fuch Means as would probably tend to fecure Great Britain and its natural Dependencies the Bleffings of Peace, on a durable Syltem. By an independent Man. 8vo. I s. 6d. Dodley. 1785.

Thefe Letters are reprinted from an evening paper; they are 28 in number, and they contain fome judicious obfervations on the exigencies of the times, and the fubject of finance. Much is also urged on the expediency and neceffity of a fpeedy and cordial reunion with America, for which the Writer argues with zeal, but on moderate and liberal principles. He obferves, in his prefatory advertisement, that his early years being spent in America, where he was many years employed as an officer in the navy, of courfe gives him fome advantages over the generality of his fellow fubjects;' and that if what he has prefumed to fay on the modes of conciliation with that country, and upon naval fubjects, only furnish one fingle bint which may be wrought to public benefit, he will have a futhcient equivalent for all that pain he experiences in obtruding his indigeted thoughts in fo homely a dress."

Art. 19. Obfervations on the Anfwer of the King of Great Britain to the Manifefto, &c. of the Court of Versailles. By an independent Whig. 4to. 15. Fielding, &c. 1779.

Declamation against declamation. Our Independent Whig is a vehement advocate for the caule of the revolted colonies; whofe independency he treats as a matter of establishment, as just as it is certais.-The JUSTIFYING MEMORIAL here controverted, was published in the Morning Poit, and other prints; and this obferver, confidering it as a document of fome authority, though not bearing the ufual form of a fate-paper, has judged it worthy of critical animadverfion. He

He has feveral important remarks, tending to the benefit of our navy, for which we must refer to his pamphlet.

is very fevere on the British government.-The king himself is not fpared; and yet the Author cenfures our court' for the illiberal calumny with which, as he fays, it has been pleafed to indulge itfelf against that of Verfailles !'-Surely courts may be indulged in taking as much liberty with each other as a private obferver prefumes to take with them!

Art. 20. The Detail and Conduct of the American War, under Generals Gage, Howe, Burgoyne, and Vice Admiral Lord Howe: With a very full and correct State of the Whole of the Evidence, as given before a Committee of the House of Commons; and the celebrated Fugitive Pieces, which are faid to have given rise to that important Enquiry. The Whole exhibiting a circumftantial, connected, and complete Hiftory of the real Caufes, Rife, Progrefs, and prefent State of the American Rebellion. The Third Edition. 8vo. Richardson and Co. 1780.

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This is a new and much enlarged and improved edition of a tract mentioned in our Review for July laft, entitled A View of the Evidence relative to the Conduct of the American War, &c. In the prefatory advertisement to the prefent edition, reasons are given for the alteration of the title; with an account of the great additions, and new arrangement' of the work. The whole now forms a regular feries of the tranfactions and progrefs of the American war. The Au• thor is rather violent in expreffing his refentment against the revolted Americans, the minority party at home, and fome of our commanders, mentioned in the title-page, particularly the H-w-s; but we cannot fay that his zeal is without knowledge; for he appears to be a very well informed Writer, as well as a judicious compiler.

Art. 21. Subftance of the Speeches made in the House of Commons, on the 15th of December 1779, on Mr. Burke's giving Notice of his Intention to bring in a Bill after the Chriftmas Recefs, for the Retrenchment of Public Expences, and for the better fecuring the Independence of Parliament. 8vo. 6d. Almon. 1779.

An excellent Preface to a work laudably intended to correct the prefent prodigal conftitution of the civil executive government of this kingdom.' The speakers who followed Mr. Burke, in fupport of his truly patriotic defign, were lord John Cavendish, Mr. Dempster, Mr. Fox, and Mr. Gilbert.

Art. 22. A. Letter to the Right Honourable the Earl of Sandwich, on the present Situation of Affairs. By a Sailor. 8vo. 1 S. Wilkie. 1779.

If it be afked, who is this correfpondent of lord Sandwich's ?? let the answer be given in the Letter-writer's own words: I am a plain, open-hearted failor, zealous for the glory of my king and country, and ambitious of sheltering my fentiments under your lordfhip's name; whom I revere as the most induftrious and able friend to both.'

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As a specimen of the jolly Tar's way of thinking about the ' fent fituation of affairs,' our Readers will accept the following paf fage: Well meaning men are often deluded by a bold affertion, and confident declamation. To win their good opinion of the measures generally taken by administration, and to perfuade them that the En

glish are not an entirely ruined people, is my prefent ambition. To thew them, also, that I write the words of truth and foberness, and that the present oppofition to the neceffary steps taken by his majefty's fervants, in the ftate, for the fafety and honour of their coun try, proceeds from the moft nefarious profligacy of fentiment, is the plan on which I direct my difcourfe to you!'

Honeft Binacle may, no doubt, be a good feaman, and may be ufefully employed, with his friend Sir H. P. when knotting and fplicing, to repair the damages received in a brush with the French; but what has he to do with pen and ink, except in keeping the ship's journal, or log-book?

Art. 23. On Government. Addreffed to the Public. By Thomas Wycliffe, of Liverpool, 8vo. 4s. Warrington printed, 1779.

This is a new edition of a tract first published, without the Author's name, and mentioned in the 55th vol. of our Review, p. 317. The Writer has now much enlarged his work throughout; and has added two entire new chapters, one on the Supreme Power of a State (which he lodges with the people), and another on the internal Government of Great Britain. In this laft divifion of his work, he propoles a new plan of parliamentary deputation, by which the people would be more equally reprefented than they are at prefent; an object, no doubt, of the utmost importance to the political welfare of this country. Mr. W.'s plan is illuftrated by an out-line map of England, according to his new divifion of the kingdom, viz. into 69 counties, to be reprefented in parliament by 292 county members, and 197 members for parishes.-On this novel propofal, the Author comments in the following terms:

⚫ Should fuch an alteration as this be made, then the reprefentatives chosen by each place would bear fome degree of proportion to its confequence, and the weight that each place ought to have in government; and all the reprefentatives being dependent on their conftituents, under fuch a conftitution of government as this, the voice of parliament would be the voice of the people, and would be, in the stricteft fenfe of the word, SELF-GOVERNMENT.'

But Mr. W. does not confine the confideration of this fuppofed di vifion of counties entirely to the object of an equal parliamentary reprefentation. He thinks it may be rendered useful to the ftate in other important refpects; but for thefe particulars we must refer to his treatise at large,-in which the reader will meet with many obfer. vations worthy the attention of those who have a turn for fpeculation on plans of national improvement. Many, however, will confider his project of an universal empire, of which Great Britain is to be the centre, and feat of government, as a moft curious piece of Utopian caftle-building; efpecially as the propofal happens to be made at a time when, in the opinion of many, the empire of Great Britain, instead of being extended on Mr. W.'s vast and comprehenfive fcale, feems rather to be verging apace towards a mortifying reduction, if not a total fubverfion.

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Art. 24. Thoughts on the Extenfion of Penal Laws. With fome Remarks on a Memorial delivered to the Right Honourable the Lords Commiffioners of his Majesty's Treasury by a Committee of Tea Dealers, Feb. 2, 1779. 8vo. I s. Wilkie. 1779.

The excife laws, it is well known, received a confiderable acceffion both of bulk and ftrength from a ftatute which passed in the last feffions of parliament, and which probably took its rife from the memorial alluded to in the title page. It is natural for thofe who fuffer, to complain; and it is not unwife in thofe who complain, to point out fuch means as they think likely to prevent, or remedy, the ills they fuffer. The framers and prefenters of that memorial were confiderable traders; and in order to check the growth of fmuggling (the practice of which they conceived to be fo injurious to the revenue, and which they felt to be fo detrimental to trade) they fubjoined to their memorial a propofal for fome future regulations and reftrictions, that feemed to them most efficacious for this purpose. This propofal excites the indignation of our Pamphleteer. Mark his apostrophe to thefe recreant tea dealers. Bluth, if ignorance will permit you! Be feen and heard no more! Or if you will, be confitent, and let oppreffion be the theme! Nurfed with the milk of monopoly, follow the practice long fince adopted; combine and crush the little dealers round you, and give over your attempts to undermine the grand and noble fabric of our liberties, which has already coft us fo many millions of treasure, and an inundation of blood to rear and fupport.' This is certainly magnificent language! Voilà le vrai fublime!

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Whoever is fond of tracing the coincidences of expreffion between great writers, will be amufed to find how nearly in fome paffages this Writer approximates to Junius's Letter to the K-. The following fentences are felected from each, and compared. Our Author thus fpeaks of Mr. Alderman Buli, whofe name, he obferves with fome concern,' fubfcribed to this offenfive memorial:

I am ftill inclined to make an indulgent allowance for the pernicious lesions" he received from thefe arch-projectors.'

Junius to bis M. "We are ftill inclined to make an indul gent allowance for the pernicious leffons you received in your youth." This Author to Mr. Alderman Bull. I am unwilling to think him capable of a direct deliberate purpose to invade the original rights of fubjects, on which all their civil and political liberties depend.'

Junius to bis M. "We are far from thinking you capable of a direct deliberate purpofe to invade the original rights of your fub. jects, on which all their civil and political liberties depend."

This Author to Mr. Bull. Banish from your mind the unworthy opinions with which thofe interested perfons have laboured to poffefs you.'

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Junius. Banifh from your mind thofe unworthy opinions with which fome interefted perfons have laboured to poffels you."

Whether fo unusual a fimilarity of phrafe be the refult of accident or artifice, we cannot determine. We would not, without ftrong evidence, pronounce this Writer guilty of plagiarism, because

We

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are unwilling to think him capable of a direct deliberate purpose to invade the original rights" of another author.

Art. 25. Thoughts on Martial Law, and on the Proceedings of General Courts Martial. 4to. 2s. 6d. Becket. 1779.

That celerity of decifion, which the exigencies of war require, is in a great meafure incompatible with the fcrupulous investigation, and cautious formalities, which ought to be adhered to in the admi niftration of civil justice. Hence every attenpt to affimilate the martial to the common law will be found extremely difficult; if not altogether impracticable. Martial law (we are told by the best writers) is built upon no fettled principles, but is entirely arbitrary in its decifions, and is in reality no law, but fomething indulged, rather than allowed as law.' Yet it is furely to be wished, that those gallant men, whom enthufiafm impels, or public neceffity calls forth, to the public fervice, should not be left unguarded by the laws of that country which their valour is employed to defend. When we confider how many of our fellow fubjects are, in time of war, amenable to a military tribunal, we cannot but regret that they fhould forfeit as foldiers, the rights they poffèfled as citizens; and that their lives and liberties fhould be tefs anxiously watched over and protected by the barriers of law. than thofe of any other order of men. The defign of this fenfible and well-timed tract is to reduce into form and precision, the proceedings of courts martial; and in the course of it the Author hath fuggefted many valuable hints for the improvement of this mode of trial. He has certainly a claim to the attention and gratitude of all military men; to their attention, from the information he communicates; to their gratitude, for the benevolence he expreffes: -for he acquaints them, that if his efforts tend to fecure the wellbeing or fafety of even the lowest veteran of the camp,' his purpose will be fully answered.

AFFAIRS.

MILITARY Art. 26. The Military Inftructor for non-commiffioned Officers and private Men of the Infantry. By Thomas Simes, Efq; late of the Queen's Royal Regiment of Foot; and Author of the Military Guide, &c. Second Edition. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Almon, &c. In this publication, which we do not recollect feeing before, though it is called the fecond edition, the Author has fupplied the deficiency we remarked in the account of his Military Guide; and by the inftructions and precedents it contains, it promifer to be a very useful manual for all intelligent fubalterns and private men in military fervice.

POETICA L.

Art. 27. The Vision: A Poem, on the Death of Lord Lyttelton. Infcribed to the Right Hon. the Earl of Abingdon. 4to. 1 S. Millidge.

The ftory of Lord Lyttelton's apparition-lady, thrown into verfe; with a handful of good, honeit oppofition-politics, tofs'd in for a make-weight. This inexorable poet, and patriot, condemns all the

See Rev. vol. viii. p. 393.

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