He begins with enumerating the feveral articles of commerce which the Americans cannot have upon fuch good terms, any where in the world, as from Great Britain; fuch as woollens, cutlery, earthen ware, ftockings, fhoes, &c. He next proceeds to enumerate thofe articles in which there may be a rivalfhip, fuch as lemons, fail-cloth, paper, filks, falt, tea, and Eaft India goods, lawns, &c.

And, laftly, enumerates thofe articles which Great Britain cannot fupply to advantage, viz. wine, brandies, geneva, fruits of various kinds, oil, cambricks, &c. &c. His obfervations on the articles of iron, fail-cloth, and the American trade in general, will furnish an ample fpecimen of his Lordship's commercial knowledge.

"No branch of commerce is more interefting to us than the manufactures of iron, yet we fuffer them to be clogged with a moft improper duty, for the fake of revenue. There fhould be no duty on raw materials. Raw materials are better for us, in return, than gold. Before the war, vast quantities of mails were made of foreign iron, and exported from Glasgow to the fouthern provinces of America; and although they coft 15 per cent, more than nails from British iron fent from Bristol, &c. yet they were always preferred in America, from their toughness and fuperior quality: and therefore, if the raw material is not exempted from duty, the many articles made of foreign iron must be loft to this country, as the Britith iron cannot be fubftituted, particularly in making the different forts of fteel, which was formerly an immenfe article of export to America. It was manufactured in Britain from Swedish iron, and although it continued in bars, as formerly, yet no drawback could be allowed.

"The coft of a ton of iron is from rol. to iol. 10s.

"Duty, freight, charges, and manufacturing, gain to the country from 11. to 451.

"The total value of a ton of foreign iron, when manufactured in Great Britain, is, according to the kind of manufacture, from 211. to 561. viz. a too of iron, when manufactured into £. Rods, is worth

Hoops,

· 21

22

Hoes, axes, &c. 42 Anvils,

42

56

Bolts, 24 Tin-plates, Anchors, 30 Steel, from 241. Nails, 35 to 56 "From 15 to 20,000 tons are annually manufactured for exportation; the average of which, eftimated at 281. per ton, the medium of 111. and 451. (the lowest and highest increase per ton) produces, annually, a profit to this country of 484,5001.

"Sail-cloth, of every kind, is imported by the American States. Ruffia has the advan

tage in Ruffia-duck and Raven-duck; hut, when charged with the duty on importation here, they were as dear as British fail-cloth Lately, the exportation from hence of Ruffa fail-cloth for America has almoft ceased. Ruffia-duck, in England, is about 6s. per arifing from duties and other expences, piece (of 36 yards) dearer than in Holland,

which, as far as it will not interfere with our linen-manufactures, thould be lowered.

"At prefent, Ruffia-duck is fo fearce in England, that near 31. is given for a piece that formerly fold from 355. to 40s. This occafioned a great demand for British failcloth, which has a bounty of 2d. per yard on exportation. The duty on Rama duck, when fhipped, is about 25. per piece, of 36 yards. It is confiderably wider than English.

"The law that obliged American fhips to have the first fet of fails of British canvas, being at an end, there will be competition for this article. Of late years confiderable improvements have been made in the various fpccies of fail-cloth in Scotland, and the price is confiderably reduced in confequence of the facility with which hemp can be brought from the Baltic, and the low price of labour in the North of Scotland. It will be the intereft of the Americans to take Britifh fail-cloth, while the prefent bounty is continued. It is faid, the British fail-cloth is more apt to mildew; but that may be prevented, in a great meafure, by pickling when new: it is alfo faid, that the Ruffian failcloth is more pliable. France makes failcloth, but it is much dearer and inferior. Some has been made at Philadelphia, but the quantity must be trifling for fome time.

"Nearly all the articles of importation from Europe into the American States are comprehended under the heads of woollens, cutlery, iron and feel manufactures of every kind, porcelain and earthen ware, glafs, tockings, thoes, buttons, hats, cotton, or Manchester manufactures of all kinds, haberdashery and millinery, tin in plates, lead in pigs and in theets, copper in theets and wrought into kitchen and other utenfils, painters colours, cordage, and hip-chandlery, jewellery, plate, and ornamental as well as ufeful articles of Birmingham manufacture, fuch as buckles, watch-chains, &c. alfo Sheffield manufactures, materials for the coachmakers, fadlers and upholsterers, medicinal drugs, feel in bars, books, linens, fail-cloth, paper and flationary, laces, printed callicoes and other printed goods, filks, fait from Europe, tea, and Eat-India goods in general, falt-petre and gun-powder, lawrs, thread, hemp, wine, brandies, geneva, o`l, raifins, figs, olives, and other fruits, and cambricks. The principal part, at least four-fifths of them, were at all times provided on credit. The American States are in greater want of credit at this time than at former periods. It can be had only in Great Britain. The Frerch, who gave them credit, are all bankrupts. French merchants in general cannot

give much credit; many principal commercial houfes in France have been ruined by it. The Dutch in general have not trufted the Americans, and will not: it is not their custom to give credit but on the best fecurity. It is therefore obvious, from this circumftance, and from the above ftate of imports, into what channels the commerce of the American States must inevitably flow; and that nearly four-fifths of their importations will be made from Great Britain directly.Where articles are nearly equal, the fuperior credit given by England will always gain the preference; and, it is probable, many foreign articles will go to America through Great Britain, as formerly, on account of the difficulty the American merchants would find in reforting to every quarter of the world to collect a cargo."

THE following paffage, which the Bishop has quoted from Dr. Bentley, this writer thinks, in fact, an answer to his whole book:-"A few thining dig"nitics in the church are the pious frauds that induce and decoy parents "to risk their childrens fortune in this "lottery. Every one hopes his own "will get fome great prize in the "church; and never reflects on the thousands of blanks in poor country livings. It is this part of our eftablifhment which makes our clergy ex"cell thofe of other parts of the world. "Do but once level all our preferments, and we fhall foon be as level in our learning. For, inftead of the flower of our youth, we fhall have "only the refufc fent to our academies, ** and those too cramped and crippled "in their studies, for want of aim and "emulation; fo that if free-thinkers had any politics, inftead of fuppreffing our whole order, they thould make us all aliket." On this text the Curate enlarges. He adds, and endeavours to prove, in anfwer to the first good confequence expected from his Lordship's propofed bill, that "the objection to commendams is greater in appearance than it is in fact." On the fecond he infifts that the Crown has at prefent too little, rather than too much, influence, the government being,

46

Those who did are bankrupts." Bentley's Phileleutherus Lipfienfis, 8th edit. 8vo. p. 151.

"in fact, become a downright repub "lic, and the king, though as good "and gracious a one as ever fat on a "throne, a mere Prefident of Congrefs, "or Stadtholder." And though there is influence, which is "the popular cry "of the day," it is not in the hands "of the Crown," but "of powerful

66

On the

peers, of profeffed leaders of parties, "of great fpeakers in parliament." On the third argument our author fees not how equalifing the bishopricks would remedy the evil of non-refidence, if fuch exifts, which he queries; and the prelate whom he addreffes "furnishes a "proof that a bishoprick may be got "without a town houfe." whole, he contefts that his lordship's "moft plaufible arguments, when op"posed by plain matters of fact, dwin"dle into mere vague furmifes." As to the fcheme of appropriating onethird, or fome other definite part, of the incomes of the great dignities to the augmentation of fmall livings, it is here afferted that such dignities are not more than 320 at most, and only about half of thefe would admit of any deduction. And, computing the fum they would yield at 30,000l. a year, this, divided among the 5597 livings under 50l. a year, would be but 51. apiece, or probably not half that fum-confequently are no object. The concluding plan, propofed by his lordship, this writer comparcs with the ordinances of Cromwell's parliament in 1641, from which he affects to think it copied; and, if he abhors the end, wishes the bishop to avoid the means.

126. BIBLIOTHECA TOPOGRAPHICA BRITANNICA. NO XI. Containing the Hiftory of Croyland Abbey. 4to.

WE are here prefented with the local hiftory of one of our moft ancient religious foundations, in the midst of a vaft fenny level, on the South fide of Lincolnshire-a wonderful effort of human induftry, animated by fuperftition. A town foon followed the foundation of the abbey, and may be faid to have almost funk with it.

A foldier of fortune, from motives of contrition, turning monk, and in the fever of enthufiafm burying himself alive in the heart of the fens, where his melancholy imagination prefented to him the Devil under every pollible form, is the character of Guthlac, the pation faint of the place. Ethelbald,

an

an outlaw, afterwards advanced to the throne of Mercia, erected a monaftery to his honour, in the first tranfport of gratitude for the shelter and advice he had received here in his distresses. The foundation was laid on immenfe piles and planks driven into a foil rendered firm and folid by earth and gravel brought from a confiderable diftance. The influx of wealth drew the Danish invaders to this fpot, which one would have thought fufficiently protected by nature, if not by miracle. It was reinftated by the zeal of Turketyl, a near relation and chancellor to King Edgar, who became abbot of this houfe. Ingulphus was the first abbot after the Conqueft, and under his adminiftration a dreadful fire (the marks of which, or of another which happened fifty years after, are still to be feen on the ruins) confumed the church, with the greatest part of the houfe. It recovered from this calamity by the exertions of this abbot, joined to thofe of his fucceffor Joffrid, who is esteemed by fome the founder of the univerfity of Cambridge. Certain it is that he fent to the abbeymanor of Cotenham adjoining certain learned monks of his houfe, who taught the ftudents, while his preaching, tho' in an unknown tongue, drew contributions out of their purfe. The plan of the church then built at Croyland, drawn by the ingenious Mr. Effex, from the minute defcription left by its hiftorian Ingulphus, perfectly coincides with the prefent Gite, which is circular at the Eaft end. Accident, decay, or a display of magnificence, occafioned the church to be rebuilt more than once, but most magnificently in the 13th and 15th centuries. The Weft front, which fill proclaims the elegance of the builders, was probably the work of William de Croyland, a native, under abbot Upton, between 1412 and 2427. It is charged with beautiful ftatues of the Apostles, Saints, and benefactors, and reliefs of Scripture and legendary hiftory; and has withftood the ravages of time, the fettling of the foil, and the violence of aukward workmen, who dilapidate this ornament of their wretched town, and of the country round, to buttrefs the North aile, which after the Reftoration, if not at an earlier period, was converted into a

Correct a small error in p. 106: Ethel bald reigned from 716 to 755; not from 856 to 860.

parish church. The abbatial buildings were probably early demolished; the very fite was overwhelmed by the fruit lefs barricade against the parliament's forces under Cromwell, who, after hav ing committed, in Peterborough minfter, outrages that would difgrace the Goths or Vandals. and which even the enthufiafts of North America do not feem mad enough to attempt, attacked and took this town.

The triangular bridge at Croyland, rifing from three fegments of a circle, mecting in a point at top, is one of the greateft curiofitics in Britain, if not in Europe. It feems to have been created under the direction of the abbots, not improbably of Turkety!, as early as the tenth century, originally fronting the abbey, for a parade of architecture, bcing unfit for general ufe,

A pretty ample hiftory of the affairs of this abbey, from its foundation to A. D. 1089, was drawn up by Ingulphus, who died A. D. 1209. It was continued to A. D. 1117, at the defire of abbot Longchamp, by Peter de Blois, archdeacon of London, who died about 1200. Who continued it afterwards from 1152 to 1486, 1 Hen. VII, is not known. All thefe feveral accounts, or Chronicles, as they are called, taking in contemporary national events, were printed in the first volume of the "Scriptores Hiftoriæ Anglicanæ," at Oxford, 1684. The fubftance of what they contain, relative to the abbey, is here tranflated and continued to the prefent period, from information received from the prefent rector, and from actual obfervations on the fpot.-A large Appendix is fubjoined, confifting of charters, and extracts, by the late Mr. Cole, from a valuable regifter of this abbey, and other records.

The fignature of the preface dire&s the acknowledgements of British Antiquaries to their well-known fellow-labourer, whofe early predilection to this fpot has led him to pare no pains to eternize it by every exertion of the pen and pencil.

grant of the manor to Archbishop Lanfranc, and was particularly honoured in the refidence of Archbishops Courtney, Arundell, Chichele, Cranmer, Parker, Whitgift, Abbot, Laud, Wake, and Herring. One cannot, therefore, but with regret, hear that the late Archbishop of Canterbury fold this venerable manfion, in 1780, for 2320l. to a brandy merchant. Unwholefomeness of fituation was alledged. But peace to the good prelate's manes! and let his fucceffor, or fucceffors, build a better houfe on a more healthful fpot.

The indefatigable compiler of the account of the town, church, and palace of Croydon, has here deduced the former from the Saxon times, and would, if he could, have given it a Roman origin; the two latter from the Norman times; the fchools from the 14th, the alms-house, and Archbishop Whitgift's hofpital, from the 15th, century.

It is impoffible to make an abstract of fuch local compilations. Suffice it to fay, that no induftry feems to have been fpared by the archiepifcopal librarian, or his printer, to render this as comp'ete as poffible. The ancient epitaphs are literally reprinted from Aubrey; the modern ones from faithful copies.-The existence of vine-yards in England, at leaft as early as the reign of Edward 11, is afcertained, again ft the moft chime rical doubt, from the mention of one at the palace here in a record of that time.

128. BIBLIOTHECA TOPOGRAPHICA BRITANNICA. NO XIII. Containing the Hiftory of Great Coxwell, Berks. 410.

OF this Number we cannot give a better account than in the words of the Advertisement prefixed to it:

"The Editor having the ufe of fix plates, engraved at the expence of the late Mr. E. Rowe Mores, with a view to fome account of Great Coxwell, in the county of Berks, where his family had been feated from the 16th century, thought he could not apply them to a better purpofe than in ornamenting fuch particulars as he has been able to procure refpecting that parith. In this fecond fet of Anfwers to his Queries he acknowledges his obligations to John Richmond Webb, of Stilton, in the county of Wilts, Efq. who is at prefent poffeffed of confider able property in this parifh. Thefe outlines are in part filled up by fuch notes, relating to the parish, as were found among Mr.

*Lambeth is not fuppofed to have been. an archiepifcopal refidence till two centuries after,

Mores's Berkshire papers, in the hands of Mr. Gough."

Thefe plates exhibit the manor house, the manerial barn, and its plan, two views of the church, and a brafs plate of William Morys and his wife.

129. BIBLIOTHECA TOPOGRAPHICA BRITANNICA. N° XIV. Cntaining Additi ons to the Hifery of Stoke Newington, 4to. BESIDES a large appendage of mo numental infcriptions, this Number contains fome curious biographical anecdotes of the Abney family; memoirs of teacher; a particular hiftory of the old Mr. Caryl, the celebrated diffentingmanfion-houfe, lately fold by auction: and feveral other additions to No IX.

130. The Praxis: or, A Course of English and Latin Exercifes, in a Series of Exemplifications, from an Initial One for a Beginner at S.bool, to fuch as are applicable to the Capacities and Circumftances of young Academics, in order to form a proper Habit of Thinking and Writing at an eary Time of Life. For the Ufe of Youth in the affer Schools. By Henry Bright, M. A. Maler of New College School, Oxford. 8vo.

THIS is the firft attempt of the kind in our own language, upon the fame plan. In our own language, and upon the fame plan, we, repeat; for in 1627 there appeared, in Latin, a work, under the title of Formula Oratoria in Ujum Scholarum concinnata cum Praxi et Usu earundem in Epiftolis, Thematibus, et Declamationibus contexendis, by John Clark, mafter of Lincoln School, whence this author had his idea; and which the Praxis has improved upon in the num ber as well as the fpecies of its exemplifications, and fo far hath confeffedly the merit of originality. If the defign be but as well executed as it is happily conceived, we may venture to congra tulate the publick upon it as a real acquifition to the rifing generation.-The following extracts from it will enable the reader to judge for himself, and pronounce upon the merits of it.

"A Defcriptive Effay.

"The fun is a glorious planet, of infinite confequence to the world. It is not only the fource of light, but the fpring of heat and life alfo. The prefence of it immediately difpels the gloom of night; and the face of nature, which, ere now, was a mere blank,

*This word feems improperly applied to the fun, which is fixed. EDIT.

appears