of bishops, and the removal of prebendal clergy, as is common, from finall to large livings belonging to the fame chapter. All these changes, he fays, tend to dilapidations, and prevent the incumbent cultivating his flock, which he has in sontemplation foon to leave. He difapproves all pluralities whatfoever, and wifhes fome equalization of church property, that would induce the clergy to refide in confidence, that they might live refpectably. He also thinks, that a refident clergy would tend to reconcile the farmer to the payment of tythes, which he now grudges the more, because it is to be paid to an abfentee. These animadverfions are made by a perfon, who profeffes to be a friend to the establishment, and who thinks that fome amendment in the above-mentioned points would encrease its ftability. POLITICS. ART. 28. No Union; or, an Appeal to Irifhmen. No power of mufcles is adequate to the perufal of this pamphlet ; which furely cannot be the production of any barrister. As a fpeci men of what the writer (we fuppofe) would call an argument, take the following: "But if the parliament of England appoint commiffioners to treat for an union, with others appointed by the parliament of Ireland, and the terms are finally adjufted and agreed upon by both; where is the difficulty, or what prevents the ratification of fuch an incorporating union? I reply, if the parliament of England have given up every right of legiflating (which they have done, by corroborating the independence of the latter in 1782), would not the very act of the parliament of England interfering with that of Ireland, (which the British parliament have over and over declared) be a breach of public faith? I confess I feel myself at a lofs, to know how the British parliament, with all its omnipotence, can, without a dereliction of those declarations and votes fo often reiterated, appoint commiffioners to annul the Irish parliament, without the lofs of English reputation, and honor as a nation." P. 11. With the man who can call the appointment of commiffioners to treat with Ireland," affuming a right to legiflate for that kingdom, breaking the public faith, and annulling the Irish Parliament"-who can argue? His candour and his eloquence are equally confpicuous with his difcernment. For inftance; he fays of the reprefentatives for Ireland, who may be fent to the British Parliament- If we are to judge from Scotland, they will inviolably vote against their country; as no one has yet been hardy enough to accufe a Scotch reprefentative of ever confulting, by his influence in the British Senate, the intereft of his native land." In another place he exclaims-" Gracious God! is it decent in Minifters to infult an half-butchered, half-burned cou)◄ try, by propofing an Union? An Union! Yes, of complicated rain, mifery, and defolation! Thefe, the bleffed fatellites of a monitrous, unnatural unnatural Union with England!" Bravo! If fuch were the talents and temper of the Irish in general, and the project of an Union fhould fail, Great Britain would find, even in the difappointment, one fource of confolation. ART. 29. A Letter, addreffed to the Gentlemen of England and Ireland, on the Inexpediency of a Federal Union between the two Kingdoms. By Sir John J. W. Jervis, Bart. 8vo. 71 pp. Whitworth, Dublin. 1798. The reader may judge of the worthy baronet's ftyle from the extract fubjoined. His arguments are to us incomprehenfible. "My laft queftion induces ine further to ftate to your confideration, that England, in point of her political conftitution, being rendered perfect, or prefuming herfelf to be fo, would, in all poffibility, endure this innovating encroachment upon her fubfifting reprefentation and eftablishment, with apathy and difmay, and of confequence would not well endure or fubmit to an intention, not only contrary to, but finally fubverfive of her legiflative dignity: for prefently I fhall prove, that a well balanced conftitution, fuch as the now enjoys, unequalled by any other, ruft feel the shock that would be occafioned through an introduction of new vifages, whofe palms being in ufage in the realm of Ireland, might prowl about as men in the dark, until difcovered by the minifter's wand of furprise, whofe metallic touch reftores the blind to fight, as well as to other rapturous feelings!" P. 9. Certainly our feelings muft have been very rapturous on the perufal of this pamphlet. ART. 30. A Demonftration of the Neceffity of a Legislative Union of Great Britain and Ireland, involving a Refutation of every Argument which has been or can be urged against that Measure. By a Philofopher. 8vo. 40 pp. Moore, Dublin. 1799. This is an argument ad invidiam; intended manifeftly to drive the Hibernian reader to the utmoft fury of indignation, against the meafure which it pretends to confider as neceffary. The author af fumes the high tone of a philofopher, who can judge of cause and effect without regarding the human paffions. His modefty may be judged by his defcription of a philofopher, which he gives in the very highest terms, and then fays, "Thus qualified, I have thought proper to communicate to a benighted people the unerring decifions of philofophy, the radiant illuminations of truth." This unerring and illuminating philofopher is faid to be Dr. M'Nevin, now in jail for treafon. His doctrine is that the union must take place because the natural advantages of Ireland will of neceffity tempt the ftronger country to force it into a union, fooner or later, without any regard to the advantage of Ireland. This, he fays, became unavoidable from the moment that the first English adventurer fet his foot in the country. At the fame time the philofopher takes care to infinuate the feveral things against the union, and the most atrocious accufations of the English minifter. It seems strange that men fo circum stanced flanced as O'Connor and M'Nevin fhould be allowed to iffue inflammatory pamphlets. By an omiffion of a ftop, or fome fuch error, we have a ridiculous paffage in the defcriptions of the philofopher. He fhould have, the author tells us," a heart unfwayed by paffion, candour, moderation, humanity." This is true of modern philofophers, though probably not intended. ART. 31. Confequences of the French Invafion. Sir John Dalrymple avows himself to be Author of this Pamphlet of fatirical Inftruction, conveyed in a new Way; and intreats the Attention of the Public to it at the prefent Crifts of impending Invafion. 8vo. 37 Pp. Wright. 1798. This is a defcription of various defigns, made by Sir John Dalrymple, to be executed by Mr. Gilray. It was intended in this manner to reprefent the various scenes of fubverfion and defolation, that were likely to follow, if the French fucceeded in their intended invafion; and by these means to excite an ardent spirit to repel fo deteftable a foe. Some of these designs were actually executed: but, we understand that they did not give entire fatisfaction. It was thought not quite prudent to reprefent dignity and authority trodden under foot, although it was mere fuppofition, and was done for the good purpose of procuring them defenders. For thefe reafons the undertaking was dropped. The prints, however, which are in the caricature ftyle, are excellent fpecimens of Mr. Gilray's art; and this pamphlet will no doubt hereafter be regarded as a curious defcriptive picture, to record the apprehenfions and the hopes, the temper and fentiments of Englishmen in these times. ART. 32. An Address to the People of the British Empire, on the prefent Pofture and future Profpect of Public Affairs; with an Appendix in Defence of the Fourth Volume of the Reign of George the Third. By its Author, Robert Macfarlan. 8vo. 72 pp. Is. Richard fon, &c. 1797. There is so much of right feeling and genuine patriotism in the former part of this tract, that we feel very forry to have laid it by fo long. It does not deserve to be overlooked; though, from its fize, it has been involved in that fate. It is not, however, fo very temporary in its nature as to be obfolete at this moment. It contains a fpirited exhortation to Britons to refift the French; and not to forget their various fucceffes against them by land as well as by fea, in the prefent as well as in former wars. The author confeffès, at the fame time, one or two opinions which we hold to be erroneous: but his fpirit is good, and his heart manifeftly honeft. In his Appendix he vindicates himfelf with much kill, against the objections made by fome public critics to his history. Our account of that work, which was favourable on the whole, may be found in our tenth volume, p. 482. It should be obferved at prefent, that in page 23 of this Appendix, he formally disclaims the fecond and third volumes of that history; and fays, that even the firft has been so disfigured in a third edition, that he will no longer claim it as his own. ART. 33. Buonaparte in Britain!!! Every Man's Friend, or Britain's Monitor. In Two Parts. Part I. An Hiftorical Narrative of the Invafions of England, from Julius Cæfar down to the prefent Landing in Wales. Part 11. A Catalogue of French Cruelties; with Obfervations on the Fatal Confequences attending every Class of Perfons in the Kingdom upon a fuccessful Invasion. Taken from the most authentic Documents. To avhich is added, a fhort Appeal to Mothers, Widows, Wives, Sifters, and Daughters, upon the Brutality of the French Army, addreffed to all Ranks. He that runs may read. 12mo. is. 6d. Dilly. 1799. This is a very meritorious publication. The exceffes of the French are not only enumerated but proved from unequivocal authority. We think it will do a great deal of good, and have little doubt of its being much and generally circulated. ART. 34. Confolatory Thoughts on Taxation or Contribution, in Three Letters to a Member of the House of Commons. 8vo. 8 pp. No Publisher's Name. 1798. It has been faid, with fome degree of juftice, that every man is more or less a phyfician. With equal truth may it be afferted, that almoft every man in this country is a financier. Scarcely one but imagines that he has difcovered fome mode of adminiftering and increafing the revenue, preferable to that which may have been adopted by the minifter. But although a difpofition of this kind often leads into abfurd fpecu lations, it has fometimes produced useful fuggeftions. The writer before us propofes," that an act fhould be paffed to prevent the further increase of the national debt; and that the ftockholders fhould be incorporated, and bound to contribute, all in their feveral propor tions, according to what the committee of proprietors might be empowered to concede by a court of proprietors." He fuppofes, that the rife of the funds, on its being fhown that no more money would ever be borrowed by government, would counterbalance to the flockholders the lofs of the fums thus contributed, as this contribution would laft only during the continuance of war. Upon land, the writer thinks, a certain fum might be laid, a cording to the rent actually paid, which fhould be in the nature of a perpetual rent charge, but made redeemable. This being fold at 24 years purchafe, would, he fays, produce 12 millions, (fuppofing the charge to be fixpence in the pound) which, being continued during the war, might, jointly with the contribution from the flocks, anfwer every expence that would neceffarily occur, and stand in the place of < taxes. Such is the plan of this writer; on the practicability of which it is - not our business to pronounce. The idea of forming the ftockholders into a body corporate feems ingenious, and poffibly may be worth attention. But we cannot think it fair, that, while the flockholder contributes (and that only during the war) a fmall part of his property, and thereby poffibly enhances the value of the reft, the landholder should be burdened with a perpetual rent charge, to be encreafed annually during a war, leaving him at the close of it with a diminished property; whereas, at that period, the burden upon the ftockholder would ceafe. But, whether the fcheme of this gentleman be eligible or not, it seems to have been dictated by pure and public-fpirited motives. MISCELLANIES. ART. 35. A Differtation on the modern Style of altering ancient Cathedrals, as exemplified in the Cathedral of Salisbury. By the Rev. John Milner, M. A. F. S. A. 4.to. 2s. 6d. Pridden. 1798. A warm controversy has arisen, (which broke out in part laft win ter at the Antiquarian Society,) between Mr. Wyatt and his admirers on the one fide, and another Architect who is of the Romish perfuafion, and his friends, on the other. Mr. Milner efpoufes the latter party, the zeal of which feems frequently to be attached to certain remains of antiquity, from moives of a religious rather than an architectural nature. The alterations made in the beautiful Cathedral of Salisbury are particularly a fubject of contention; many writers afferting that the Church is improved by them, beyond all comparison with its former ftate: others no lefs pofitively declaring it to be totally disfigured. The principal charge in this tract is the defacing of Bishop Poore's monument, a neat engraving of which is given in this publication. It may -happen, that in fome inftances, too much may be facrificed to beauty of effect; but the tafte of Mr. Wyatt is fo excellent, and his attention to the ftyle and genius of Gothic Architecture has of late years been fo great, that we cannot imagine him frequently to err in the alterations he proposes. This monument of Bishop Poore, as he was founder of the church, certainly deferved a grateful refpect.. ART. 36. An Authentic Narrative of the Proceedings of his Majefty's Squadron, under the Command of Rear Admiral Sir Horatio Neljon, from its failing from Gibraltar to the Conclufion of the glorious Battle of the Nile; drawn up from the Minutes of an Officer of Rank in the Squadron. The Second Edition. 8vo. 56 pp. 15. Cadell, &c. 1798. This very clear and fatisfactory narrative was published firft in the newspapers called the True Briton and the Sun. It is faid, in the Introduction, to have been communicated to the person who drew it up, by the kindnefs and indulgence of an officer who bore a moft diftinguished fhare" in the glorious action there recorded. This officer we understand to be Captain Berry, whofe modefty is no less evinced in the cafual and undiftinguished manner in which his name is introduced in the narrative, than his courage and abilities were in the Q 2 |