of the livre, pefo, or other nominal coin: prices conftantly accommodating them felves to the market-rate of the metals fo weighed and affayed.

Bank notes we know not how to analyze better than in the words of a former article of our Review: (vol. xi. N. S. p. 336.) "For every note which a banker iffues,he receives a depofit in hard cash. This cafh he lends out to various traders in fhares proportioned to his opinion of their responsibility: he ufually founds this opinion on the amount of the fixed property which they poffefs, on their warehouses, machines, workrooms, dwellings, and vifible ftock; of their other property he cannot judge, and therefore does not truft to it. There always exilts, then, in a folid and vifible form, in the form of houses, buildings, and goods, the whole mass of property which is paid to a banker for his notes. Though not fuddenly convertible, his notes, like affignats, are mortgaged on a fubftantial exift ency. In a word, they are a machine for rendering fixed property circulable. They enable the country to derive from its biens fonds not only, like other countries, a rent, an income, a yearly revenue, but to employ their capital value befides in productive industry."

Bills of exchange are a representation of circulating productions, as bankers' notes are of fixed property. The owner of corn, of raw filk, of manufactured goods, draws, when he ships them, on the buyer for the value of thefe commodities, payable at or after the probable period of their delivery or fale. The bill being discharged, the contract is completed. In this tranfaction, the bill of exchange is no lefs the representative of an exifting production, of corn, or raw filk, or mannfactured goods, than the money tendered at a fhop in payment of a pair of gloves. In both cafes, a real barter takes place. That the period of drawing is frequently by agreement diftant from that of fhipping, that fubdivifions of labour intervene, which often occafion the producer of a commodity to draw on the metropolis of his own country, and a banker, or other intermediate agent of exchange, on that of the country receiving the goods, may complicate but cannot alter the nature of the operation. Bills of exchange, then, are always reprefentatives of commodities. in voyage or in warehouse; and they appear, on an average, to be coined at the production, and difcharged at the confumption, of the articles of commerce which they reprefent, and thus to be wholly dependent on commodities both for creation and duration. Unless the commodity existed first, the bill of exchange would not have been drawn.

We fhall not, however, difmifs this part of the fubject without declaring our affent to one opinion, which the author de

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duces from his theory of money: namely, that imprisonment for debt ought to be abolished.

The 8th chapter is full of merit, and decides in favour of public religious inftruction, and of enforcing a ftrict conjugal fidelity; two points about which our modern gallicizing legiflators affect a fuperlative indifference.

The 9th chapter contains fpecific propofitions applied to the cafe of a new colony; among which occurs the advice to abolish all kinds of oaths,-a regulation devoutly to be wished.

The 10th and laft chapter is partly historical and partly geogra phical. It prefents a very good account of the various Portuguese undertakings in Africa; a fufficient fummary of the Spanish progress in colonizing it; feveral additional particulars of Benyowfki's romantic projects in Madagascar*; and some account of the Dutch colony at the Cape. We fhall extract a few pages concerning the unfortunate Benyowski :

The laft papers in the Count's Memoirs are " A Declaration,” &c. and Propofals, &c." to the miniftry of his Britannic Majefty, to be prefented at London, Dec. 25th, 1783." But whether or not they ever were prefented, does not appear. In these papers, the Count refpectfully reprefents, inter alia, That, having fucceeded in forming a colony for France, in Madagascar, the French miniftry fent orders to him to change the fyftem of alliance agreed upon, into an unlimited fubmiffion of the chiefs and people of the island; a violation of treaty which induced him to renounce the fervice of France : (To this change of fyftem the Count alludes in his anfwer to the 25th query of the commiffaries.) That the chiefs and people, having conferred on him the charge of fupreme judge and chief of the nation, had empowered him to form connections in Europe, for trade or friendship: That, having fince been violently perfecuted by the French ministry, he had entered into the fervice of His Imperial Majesty, in hopes of obtaining his affiftance for Madagascar; but, that the Emperor not being difpofed to promote his views, he had, two years before, regularly quitted his fervice. And, now, in the name of an amiable and worthy nation, he propofes and fubmits to His Britannic Majefty, to acknowledge him Suzerain (Lord Paramount) of Madagascar; the interior government, and all the regulations of civilization, police, cultivation, and commerce, remaining independent; the chiefs and people being only vaffals to His Majefty. In this quality, they engage to furnish His Majefty with 5000 men to act in India, under their own officers, fubject to the orders of His Majesty's Generaliflimo, and 2000 feamen, to ferve in India, on board the British men of war, which they oblige themselves to victual, &c. &c. (The Count, in his anfwer to the 22d query of the commiffaries, Rates, that the islanders are accustomed to navigation.)

For our account of the Memoirs of this daring adventurer, see the 3d vol. of our New Series, p. 169.

Being ignorant of the fate of the Count's " Declaration" and "Propofals," and whether they ever came before the British ministry, I must now turn to Mr. Nicholson's well-written preface, where the Count's remaining transactions, together with his final catastrophe, are recorded. The fubftance of both is as follows:

The Count and his family, with fome affociates, arrived at Baltimore in Maryland, July 8th, 1784, in the Robert and Ann, Capt. M'Dougall, from London, with a cargo, fuited to the Madagascar market, worth near 4000/. fterling. This feems to have been fubscribed in London; for Mr. Nicholfon tells us, that the late celebrated Mr. Magellan, with a fpirit of enterprize worthy of his name, contributed a very confiderable fum*. A refpectable house in Baltimore furnished the Count with a ship of 450 tons, carrying 20 guns and 12 fwivels; the ship and stores amounting to above 4000/. fterl. exclufive of the goods brought from London. On the 25th of October 1784, the Count failed for Madagascar, leaving his family in America, on account of the pregnancy of Madame de Benyowfky. Every one on board was, by agreement or oath, fubject to his abfolute command; though the captain and fupercargo were to affift him, and to bring back the fhip. He did not put in at the C. of Good Hope, probably for the fame reason which, as we shall foon fee, induced Colonel Bolts alfo to pass by it, namely, the fear of alarming the commercial jealoufy of the Dutch.

The Count first touched at Sofala, where he remained fome time for refreshment: and, on the 7th of July 1785, anchored in Antangara Bay, 10 leagues SW. of C. St. Sebaftian, in Madagascar, and the cargo having been landed there, the Count intending to go over land to Antongil Bay, whither the fhip was to proceed. It appears, by letters, that the Count's old friend, the King of the North, came to pay his refpects, and the chief of the Seclaves, his former enemy, with a body of men, encamped near the Count, who proposed to him the ufual oath, which the chief declined. The mafter's proteft ftates that, on the night of the first of August, a firing was heard and feen on fhore at the Count's encampment; that at day light neither white men nor effects were to be seen; that their own danger, and the probability that the Count and his party were cut off by the natives, compelled them to fet fail for the island of Joanna; and that at Oibo, on the oppofite continent, the fupercargo fold the ship.

A letter from a man on board ftates, that the writer and another perfon, though not convinced that the firing was from the natives, were forced to fign the proteft. A letter from an officer, brought prifoner to the I. de France, after the destruction of the Count's party, confirms the preceding, "as far," fays Mr. Nicholson, "as relates to the deftruction of the Count and his party by the French." The writer mentions the firing in the night; but, contrary to the proteft, affirms that the ship failed away in fight of those on fhore, who could not

* I have been told that Mr. Magellan was lineally defcended from the famous Portuguese navigator, who difcovered the Straits which bear his name. The Count left with Mr. Magellan, the MSS. of which Mr. Nicholfon formed the Memoirs. See Preface, p. z.'

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overtake her in the country boats. From this letter, it appears, that the Count, at the head of a body of natives, commenced hoftilities against the French, by feizing their ftore-houfe at Angoutzi. Here he began to build a town in the country manner; and thence detached 100 men to feize their factory at Foul Point, who defifted, on feeing a frigate at anchor there. On being informed of thefe tranf actions, the government of the Ile de France fent a fhip with 60 regulars, who landed and attacked the Count, on the 23d of May 786, in a redoubt he had constructed, mounting two cannon, and where he, with two Europeans, and 30 natives waited their approach. The blacks filed, and Benyowsky receiving a ball in his breaft, fell behind the parapet, whence he was dragged by the hair, and expired in a few minutes.

The last mentioned letter, Mr. Nicholson obferves, " in many refpects, feems to want explanation;" like the proteft and the other letters, relative to the Count's unhappy end. From fuch materials, it was impoffible even for the abilities of the editor, to extract a confiftent account; nor would the Court of France have derived much credit from a fair statement of a transaction which, I have good reason to believe, could not bear the light. The total concealment of deeds, of which the witneffes are neceffarily numerous, cannot be effected, even by an arbitrary ministry; and, to their machinations, the deftruction of the brave Benyowfky, was univerfally attributed, when I was at Paris in 1787. But this did not fatisfy my curiofity respecting the fate of fo diftinguished a friend to Africa. I made particular enquiry, and was affured that the ministry ordered out a frigate to fecure the Count, alive or dead; but the particular minister who iffued the order was not mentioned. This information I received from Monf. Hall, one of Europe's first artists, a near relation of the commander of the frigate, who, of courfe, was obliged to execute, and, I have no doubt, did execute his orders. This was what I chiefly wished to know; and it would have been indelicate to trouble a gentleman, fo connected, with minute questions. He faid, however, that the Count aimed at the fovereignty of Madagascar, independent of the French; but he was far from impeaching him, in other refpects, and candidly admitted, that he poffeffed confummate bravery and ability.

Thefe qualities fhine confpicuous in every page of the Count's history; which alfo exhibits marks of other virtues, more to be regarded than the vague affertions of perfons who have obvious reafons for wishing him to be thought the tyrant and the robber. But a very different character appeared, in his earnest and fuccefsful endeavours to induce fome tribes of the natives to abandon their criminal practice of facrificing deformed children, and thofe born on unlucky days-a reform, however, of which Madame de Benyowfky ought to fhare the praife. The deteftation with which he fpeaks (p. 352) of the avidity, injuftice and oppreffion of the ufurpers and tyrants," who conducted former attempts in (or rather on) Madagascar, and his refigning, rather than violate a treaty, by attacking the liberties of the natives-if thefe circumftances account, as they partly do, for the number of his enemies, his friends may also infift on them, as marks

of

of a noble, humane, and generous difpofition. They may infift, ftill more ftrongly, on the attachment of his officers and men ("my poor fellows," p. 201) in the most trying conjun&tures, and even when he appeared to be dying of a tedious illness (p. 283) and when nothing but an ardent affection to their leader, not to fay an admiration of his virtues, could have kept them within the limits of difcipline.-In fhort, Mr. Nicholfon, who had all the letters and documents before him, declares, that he has not yet feen any thing against the Count, which will not bear two interpretations, or which has not been written by men who contradict each other, and had an intereft in traducing him."-I mult add, that, for aught I ever heard to the contrary, the Count de Benyowsky deserved a better fate. Nay, I am clearly of opinion, that his conduct in Madagascar, deferves no fmall portion of admiration, and even of refpect: and, all things duly confidered, I fee no reason, why a monument might not be erected to his memory, inscribed MAGNIS TAMEN EXCIDIT AUSIS.'

We look forwards with intereft to the continuation of this work; which is elegantly printed, and furnished with the requifite engravings.

ART. III. Difcourfes on the Evidences of Revealed Religion. By Jofeph Priestley, LL. D. F. R. S. &c. 8vo. pp. 420. 6s. Boards. Johnfon. 1794.

OWMUCHSOEVER fome Chriftians may difapprove of Dr. Prieftley as an expofitor of scripture doctrine, all must allow him to be a firm believer in, and a ftrenuous advocate for, the existence of divine revelation. On the establishment of this great poftulate, the importance of the scriptures, as a test of truth, muft reft; and therefore all who make their appeal to them, for decifion in controverfy, are alike concerned in its demonftration. Should we allow the idea of a divine communication to be abfurd, and the doctrine itself altogether incapable of proof, those books which are fuppofed to contain God's revealed will muft lofe their value, and the creed of every sect that builds on its authority muft fall to the ground. So far, therefore, Dr. P. deferves the thanks of all Chriftians, that he has repeatedly stepped forwards to defend the common caufe against not only the open attacks, but the moft artful infinuations of Deifm; and, by stating the neceffity, reasonableness, and evidences, of revealed religion, he has incited an inquiry that must eventually prove both honourable and advantageous to Chriftianity. Publications in defence of revelation were never more neceffary than at the prefent period;--we mean, publications by able and learned advocates; and fuch we cannot but have great pleasure in announcing. The prefent volume, however, does not altogether fatisfy us, as we think that the Doctor proves, or rather attempts to prove, more than

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