trine, instead of being proved, is from the beginning taken for granted; and though founded only in hypothefis, is urged in a ftrain of the moft petulant expoftulation with a noble and learned lord, whofe unblemished integrity, however, no lefs than his great abilities, the author acknowleges.

A Cleam of Comfort to this distracted Empire. 8vo. 25. Debrett.

Poor Britannia! how much is the perfecuted by the cruelty of her own ungrateful children! at one time her tranquillity is disturbed with ideal apprehenfions; at another, her miferies are infulted with ironical confolation. This author is to Britain what the comforters of old were to Job; and to ftrengthen the allufion, that great example of patience was not more overwhelmed with calamity than, according to the modern comforter, is now the British conftitution, under the guidance of the prefent minifters. The author informs us, in the conclufion of the pamphlet, that if a change of the administration should be attributed to his efforts, he would exclaim in the words of the poet, ⚫ fublimi feriam fidera vertice.' It is pity that the darknefs of the political atmosphere cannot afford so much as a gleam of comfort to gratify his ambition.

A Plan for finally fettling the Government of Ireland upon Conftitusional Principles. 800. 15. 6d. Stockdale.

When in the courfe of our periodical examinations we meet with any political theorem which appears paradoxical, we think proper to recite it in the author's own words, left it should be imagined that we had mifreprefented his meaning. For this reafon we have extracted the following paragraph in the prefent pamphlet.

Whoever will analyse a civil fociety into its effential members, will find, that all thofe members are reducible to three claffes, or, in other words, that a civil ftate requires only three things as neceffary for its exiftence; the first, food; the fecond, clothing and houfing; and the third, defence. On the fuppofition of a paix perpetuelle, or perpetual peace, the article of defence might be omitted; but as the nature of man renders fuch a fyftem altogether ideal, this article of defence becomes as effentially neceflary as the two former. Beyond those three articles then, all expences that people in focial communities incur, are neither more nor lefs than taxes; nay, strictly speaking, are more taxes and burdens than thofe paid to government; for thefe laft are abfolutely neceflary for the being of a ftate, but the others are only requifite to its well-being.'

We must acknowlege we should be of opinion, that the propofition with which this paragraph concludes is directly the reverfe of the truth; nor could we hesitate a moment to fuppofe that the author was jocular, were we not convinced, on a farther perufal, that he is ferious, But though we unfortunately differ from him with refpect to the principle which is the bafis

of

of his plan, and confequently cannot entirely agree with him in regard to the fubordinate parts, we think he evinces very clearly, that Ireland is capable of affording a proportionable fhare of the burden which is neceffary for the naval protection of the fifter kingdoms. To this the Irish can have lefs objection, when they are affured by the author, and that by arguments not in the leaft paradoxical, that by the means of fuch a contribution, their national profperity would be increafed.

An Addrefs to the Members of both Houses of Parliament on the late Tax laid on Fuftian and other Cotton Goods. By John Wright, M.D. 8vo. Is. Johnson.

The author of this pamphlet, who refides at Manchester, reprefents the tax on fuftian and other cotton goods, as extremely pernicious to the manufactures of this country. He affirms, that it has already affected the trade of Manchefter very fenfibly; and that if it should be allowed to continue, it may not only ruin that flourishing town, and feveral others in Great Britain, but prove the means of extinguishing this valuable branch of manufacture throughout the kingdom. We are forry that the inhabitants of fo confiderable a town as Manchefter fhould find reafon to cenfure the obnoxious tax so severely; and there is reafon to think, that if the reprefentation made by Dr. Wright should prove not to be exaggerated by any local interefts or attachments, the tax will either be repealed, or so modified as to be rendered unexceptionable.

The Thirty-nine Articles; or, a Plan of Reform in the Legislative Delegation of Utopia. 8vo. 6d. Johnson.

Thefe Thirty-nine Articles are merely political, and contain the general heads of a proposed reformation in the election of reprefentatives in parliament. The fecond article is "That all men of age, grandees, convicts, and infane perfons excepted, be admitted to vote at the election of the legislative delegates of Utopia.' The reader may eafily form a judgment of the reft by this leading article; which, though a favourite scheme with fome reformers is a wild and chimerical project, that would be attended with no advantage; but, on the contrary, with fatal effects on the fobriety, induftry, regularity, and peace of the nation in general. An annual election, which this writer recommends, upon thefe principles, would be an annual curfe.

Remarks on the Commutation A&. 8vo. 15. Ed. Becket.

Two objects were propofed by the Commutation Act. One of thefe was to lower the duties, and reduce the price of teas, as the means of difcouraging illicit trade; and the other, to fupply the confequent defalcation of revenue, by fubftituting an additional tax on windows; for which new impoft the public was to be compensated by the reduced price of teas. But it

has

has been very currently objected to this act, that it obliges, many families to pay an equivalent tax for a commodity which they either do not confume, or in a far lefs quantity than is requifite to indemnify them, by the reduced price, for the additional impoft on the windows. It has also been objected to this act, that, from the different kinds of tea confumed by the different claffes of the people, and from the unequal reduction of the prices of teas, thofe perfons who chiefly pay the new rate for windows, partake the least of all in the benefit of the commutation. Thefe objections are displayed by the author of the Remarks with much amplification. Did he however confine himself to thefe, and a few others which might be mentioned as reasonable, his conduct would merit approbation; but when he endeavours to perfuade his readers of a combina-tion between the minifter and the directors of the East India company, he overleaps the bounds of candour, and indulges himfelf, as he does alfo on other occafions, in a prejudice, too obvious to gain credit, and too groundless not to be cenfured. A Sermon on the Window-Tax. Not intended to be preached in St. Stephen's Chapel, on Candlemas-Day, 1785. 4to. is. Bladon. The text which this preacher has chofen for the display of his oratorial talents, is taken from Exodus x. 21. And the Lord faid unto Mofes, ftretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness that may be felt. It is fufficient to fay, that the author has very happily illuftrated the text by his own example; for, from the beginning to the end, he is almoft perpetually enveloped in the darkness which himself has created. We must however except a few intervals, where fome faint rays of humour are difcernible.

Tim Twifting to Dick Twining; or, a Seaman to a Teaman: being a Plain-Dealer's Anfer to a Tea-Dealer's Letter, 8vo. 25. Jarvis.

Under a ludicrous title-page, this pamphlet is almost entirely employed on the commutation-act, which honest Tim Twitting certainly twifts in a very humorous manner.

POET Ŕ Y..

Effais fur le Paix de 1783. 8vo. Is. Longman.

This poem is, an epifode of a larger work, preparing for the prefs. The fentiments are animated, and the verfification

eafy.

A Dialogue between the Earl of Cd and Mr. Garrick, in the Elyfan Shades. 4to. 15. 6. Cadell.

This Dialogue opens with confidering the merits of Shakfpeare, and his Henry the Vth. Garrick intreats his lordship not to mifname' the latter a portrait,' and feems to forget his fpiritual fituation, when he exclaims,

'Let

Let me perish if it is not

Harry's great felf that flames forth into view
Led on by Shakspeare.'-

Lord Cd, very confiderately, defires him to paufe a time, and refume his tale." After thrice bidding his lordship to pine,' he informs him that there is coming to the Elyfian shade,

I

The tutor of all times,

The everlafting minister of truth,
Alive, tho' dead.'

The reader cannot be furprised at lord Cd's twice defiring him to name' the perfon invefted with attributes not frictly confiftent with humanity. Dr. Johnfon is then mentioned; and his lordship having made fome ineffectual efforts to check the violence of Garrick's encomiums, permits him to conclude the poem in the most rapturous ftyle of panegyric. The author having informed us, in his dedication, that he and Johnfon were natives of the fame city, and that he had been perfonally obliged by Garrick,' we were in hopes of finding fome anecdotes relative to perfons fo juftly celebrated; and that he would, to use his own words,

The mental refection however we have met with, proved rather infipid, and unpalatable.-We by no means difcommend the author's zeal, and wish we could speak higher of his abilities.

Poetic Lectures, adapted to the prefent Crifis. 8vo. 6d. Buck

land.

com

This is only the First Number of a work, which we are told, if it meets with approbation, will be continued, and prifed, if poffible, in one hundred octavo Numbers.' It is a strange incoherent performance. The author's understanding is cer tainly deranged, or he must fuppofe his readers, if he has any befides his unfortunate reviewer, in that fituation.

Elegy to the Memory of Captain James King, LL. D. F. R. S. By the Rev. William Ford,ce Mavor. 4to. Nichol.

No fentiment is more frequently introduced in funereal pane gyrics than that if virtue, honour, &c. could exempt mortals from fate, the lamented object would not fo foon have perished. The author having expatiated on this hackneyed idea, contrives in the conclufion, to give it an air of obfcurity, of which we fhould fcarcely imagine it fufceptible.

No-could thefe plead, and length of days enfure,

Late should our tears for thee, O King! have flown, And long, from fublunary ills fecure,

The guardian powers had claim'd thee for their own."

For thefe,' we should read theft, for flown,' flowved; the first being the participle from fly, not flow, perplexes the sense, which is by no means clearly expreffed in the lines that follow. The poem is however, in general, written with fpirit and elegance; and neither reflects difgrace on the author, nor the brave and ingenious officer whofe memory he celebrates.

MEDICA L.

An Essay on the Uterine Hamorrhage, which precedes the delivery of the full-grown Fetus. By Edward Rigby, Third Edition. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Johnson.

This is an improved edition of a very valuable work, which we recommend with the more confidence, as we know it to be a narrative faithfully related from the dictates of nature. Mr. Rigby gives us the best and most useful rules how to proceed in an exigence which has puzzled the most able practitioners, and on which authors have been frequently filent, from an inability to decide. These rules have been now reviewed by different practitioners, and the increafing demand for the work is fufficient argument of the propriety of the author'sdirections. We have had frequent occafion of mentioning it with respect. Some New Hints, relative to the Recovery of Perfons drowned, and apparently dead. By John Fuller, Surgeon. 8vo. Is. Cadell.

Thefe Hints deferve attention: the novelty confits first in laying the body on cakes of wax, by which it is completely infulated, and, in that fituation, drawing sparks from different parts of it; 2dly, in transfufing the warm blood of a living animal into the veins of the perfon who is apparently drowned. If electricity is ever of fervice, it will be probably in the way here recommended; but the fecond expedient, which promifes great advantages, will not be fo readily adopted. A proper animal cannot always be procured; and a confiderable averfion to transfufion yet continues. The author, whofe ingenuity deferves our commendation, thinks alfo, that bleeding from the jugular veins is not practifed fo often as it should be, for the advantage of the patient. In this too we agree with him; fince, in the experiments of De Haen, a large collection of blood was always found in the veffels of the brain.

A Treatise on Cancers, with a new and fuccessful Method of operating, &c. By Henry Fearon. 8vo. is. 6d. Johnson. It was formerly a received opinion, that the wounds, after the extirpation of cancers, fhould be kept open, so as to dif charge freely, and evacuate that part of the morbid matter which might imperceptibly have remained. But, though the practice was in appearance plaufible, the fuccefs was not fo trongly marked as to prevent practitioners from other attempts. Mr. Fearon recommends a longitudinal incifion, and advifes the furgeon to preferve the fkin, if found, that after the diffec