ceffary. Nothing can bear greater teftimony to its merit than the attention which has been bestowed upon the prefent edition. Mr. Burgess feems to have fpared no pains in rendering it, in every refpect, as complete as poffible. The erudition, fidelity, and diligence which are confpicuous in his Obfervationes, entitle him to a confiderable share of praife. Though he expreffes himself, on every occafion, with diffidence and modefty, yet, when he thinks it neces'fary to combat the opinions of others, he delivers his fentiments with that manly kind of confidence, which is, at once, both liberat and becoming. . To accommodate the purchafers of the first edition, that part of the work which more properly belongs to Mr. B. namely, the Obfervationes, &c. may be had feparately. Art. 34. A Marine Propofal for the Advancement of private Intereft upon the honorary Bafis of public Utility; or, A Plan for the Equipment and Employment of a powerful Fleet of private Ships of War, on a more patriotic, extenfive, fecure, and profitable Scale, than ever hitherto attempted: in the Benefit of which, every opulent Individual is invited to participate. 8vo. 8vo. Is. Millan. 779. To change the Spirit of adventure, which fo ftrongly characterises the prefent age, from a private vice to a public benefit, is a good thought; but whether the application of it to the fcheme here propofed, be practicable or not, TIME, which reveals most things, will perhaps fhew. Our Projector's general idea, is to raife, by fubfcription, among the great and the opulent, an affociated fleet, confiting of fifty privateers, to cruife in concert, in ten divifions, of five ships each, in various parts of Europe and America. He fettles the difpofition, or ftations, of the several divifions of this fleet, in fuch a manner, that he pronounces it hardly poffible for the trade of our enemies to escape, as fuch of their fhips as miffed one divifion, would, almost at a certainty, be intercepted by fome or other of them.' We have not room for the particulars of this plan, nor for the Author's reafoning on any of them. We hall, therefore, only add, that fomething of the kind here projected, might poffibly be accomplished, were a few active people, of confequence and influence, earnestly to fet about carrying the propofal into execution. We may fee, as this Writer justly obferves, a ftriking inttance of the efficacy of well-appointed fmall fquadrons, in the fuccefs of that commanded by our inveterate enemy Paul Jones:' and he adds, the capture and lofs of at least half the privateers that have hitherto been fitted out, and thereby of fome thousands of our ableft feamen, is a fatal demonftration of the grofs error of the ofdinary fyftem of privateering, that is, by fingle fhips, without any restriction in point of force.' Art. 35. Memoirs of the Life and Death of the Right Honourable the Lord Deputy Wandesforde. Collected from authentic Records and MS. By his great great Grandfon Thomas Comber, LL.D. Rector of Buckworth and Morborne, Huntingdonshire, and Chaplain to the Countess Dowager of Balcarras. Vol. II. Izmo. 2s. 6d. Cambridge printed. London, fold by Becket, &c. 1778. This book is to be confidered as the second volume of a work, the firft of which was published in 1777. The title of that volume is, • A Book c.t.t. A Book of Inftructions, written by Sir Chriftopher Wandes forde, &c, to his Son, &c.' For fome account of which, we refer our readers to the Monthly Catalogue of our Review for June. (in the year above mentioned), p. 483. Dr. Comber has here added to the Book of Inftructions, feveral particulars concerning the life of the Author, which are chiefly compiled from memorandums, written by Mrs. Thornton, his daughter, a woman of excellent understanding, and exemplary piety. We apprehend, we cannot give a better view of the nature of the performance, than by extracting the following paffage from the dedication of the work to the Marquis of Caer marthen. In thefe memoirs, your Lordship and the public have the faithful portrait of a great man, a great itatefman, and (which is far the greatest and nobleft character) a great chriftian. Your Lordship fees him delineated through all the ftages of life and fortune. You fee him from a private fchool repairing to the univerfity, early leaving that feminary of learning, not to fink among dogs and horfes, nor the scarce lefs brutal pack of drunkards and electioneers, but commencing country gentleman, improver of his lands and of his mind, commencing patriot and orator in the fcene, which you, my Lord, adorn, the Houfe of Commons; becoming patriot in oppofition to a moft flagitious favourite, and obtaining by dint of natural eloquence the public bleffings of the Petition of Right; you fee him, my Lord, becoming a courtier at a memorable period, when to have continued in oppofition, must have been little better than to have commenced rebel. Then your Lordship will furvey him difcharging the part of a minifter, fucceffively the offices of Mafter of the Rolls, of Lord Juftice, and finally, of Lord Deputy in Ireland, and going thence happily to heaven; not like Lord Strafford, from a fcaffold, but from his bed, whofe pillows are stuffed with refolution and patience, the down of content, and the bleffings and congratulations of all who withed the profperity of their country, and apparently like a faint afflicted with the foretafte of his Britain's fufferings, from the unnatural union of popery and puritanism. In short, my good Lord, as defervedly happy, as any true Englishman in thofe critically fad times could be!' The union of puritanism and popery does indeed feem very unnatural; it is probable, the Author, lately deceafed, would have found himself reduced to a perplexing dilemma, if he had been required to prove his affertion concerning it; though it is poffible, that parties, in very different fentiments, may fairly and honourably concur in promoting a particular purpose: But on this fubject we fhall not contend. The Lord Deputy Wandesforde appears to have been a man of piety and integrity; and properly recommended as an example, worthy of regard. One inftance of his probity deferves particular notice: He was engaged in the management of a chancery fuit, for fome near relations, in which an estate of above 2000l. per annum, was depending from the account here given, there could be no doubt of his gaining the caufe before any impartial judges. On the day of trial, he was told by an intimate friend, "I know certainly, that a coach with a bribe of 1ocol, is gone this very morning to to the Lord Chancellor's. The weight of this will certainly bear down the equity of your caufe, if you do not throw an heavier parfe into the other scale.” Mr. Wandesforde anfwered, "I will omit no lawful means of recovering my own and my relation's rights. But fince God has declared to the judge, Thou shalt not take a gift, I think it unlawful to give one; and therefore, if this great effate could be redeemed with a bribe of 57. I would not give it. If I cannot recover our rights by fair means, I fhall conclude, that God fees it not good that we fhould recover them. If we lofe this eftate, God can give much greater. Therefore the Lord's will be done!" Mr. Wandesforde was conftantly, connected with Sir Thomas Wentworth, afterwards Lord Strafford, and acted in conjunction with him in Ireland, before he was Lord Deputy himself. Some perfons will think it difficult to reconcile this with other parts of his character and conduc&. The materials of this work are not put together in the most orderly and agreeable manner; but the piety and virtue which are fo laudably exhibited in it, call for attention and imitation. Hi. Art. 36. Itineraria Symonis Simeonis, et Willelmi de Worceftre Quibus accedit, Tractatus de Metro, in quo traduntur regula a Scriptoribus medii ævi in Verfibus Leoninis obfervatæ, &c. The Itineraries of Symon, Son of Simeon, and William of Worcester. To which is added, A Tract, exhibiting the Rules obferved by the Writers of the middle Age, in their Leonine Verses. Now first published from the Manufcripts in the Library of Corpus Chrifti College, Cambridge. By James Nafmith, A. M. S. A. S. and lately Fellow of the fame College. 8vo. Ios. 6 d. fewed. Cambridge, printed. Sold by T. Payne, &c. in London. Thefe journals are curious, as ancient monuments, though not very inftructive or entertaining. That of Symon was written A. D. 1322. It gives an account of his journey to the Holy Land, in company with his brother Hugo. Some few places in England are taken notice of, as well as foreign parts. He fpeaks much of the Mahometans, and of the treatment he met with among them; of Egypt, and of many places in Canaan, which they visited in a devotional view. The thread of the narration is interrupted for a time, while Symon laments, which he does very pathetically indeed, the death of his brother Hugo, which happened at Cairo in Egypt. This Latin manufcript is imperfect; but it is not without fome pleasure that we read this old, though fhort, account of the ftate of places, &c. in thofe days. Symon was a Doctor in divinity, and feems to have been a native of Ireland. William of Worcester appears to lefs advantage, in his itinerary, than Symon; who writes much better, and more to the purpose. He was the author of many writings. This, which is the greatest part of the volume before us, might rather have been called, as the Editor obferves, Collectanea, or Adverfaria, as things are not placed in any proper order, and fome are altogether foreign from his immediate purpose. It was written in 1478; and confifts of obfervations made in a journey from Bristol to St. Michael's, Cornwall. He was a native of Bristol; a man of great induftry; and feveral matters are related by him, efpecially regarding the English topography and antiquities, which may be fearched for in other works in vain; but, fays the Editor justly, muft we not lament that his ftyle is fo rude and barbarous, that he heaps together a number of trifles, and paffes by in filence things, an account of which pofterity would have received with avidity? that whole pages are confumed in the measurement of churches and streets, while no defcription is given of the buildings themselves? We must then regard William of Worcester as a man moderately learned, of no bright genius, more remarkable for application than for judgment and acumen. The work before us, however, certainly has its ufe in refpect to history, as well as topography; and muft, accordingly, be valued by the antiquary. The little tract concerning Metre, is faid to have been written in the 15th century; Dr. Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, has remarked, on a plain leaf of this manufcript, that no book is fo contemptible but it may prove of fome ufe, and that the method here pointed out for compofing a particular (and fanciful) kind of verfe, may not easily be found elsewhere. COMMERCIAL. Hi. Art. 37. Epiftola Commerciales; or, Commercial Letters, in Five Languages, viz, Italian, English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese, with their respective Idioms diftinctly pointed out, written on various interefting Subjects, in the Modern mercantile Style, as now practifed; all which are carefully felected from original Letters, as they ftand in the Copy Books of the most eminent Merchants in Europe, and are here exhibited under fictitious Names, &c. The whole fo methodically digefted as to ferve as Models for a regular Correfpondence, &c. To which are added, Mercantile and Maritime Vocabularies, of each Tongue, &c. &c. By Charles Wifeman, Notary Public, and Tranflator of all the above Languages. Printed for the Author, and Sold by B. Law, in Ave-Mary Lane. 6 s. boards. 1779. There is no doubt but many occafions may occur, in which a book of this kind will be found ufeful in the accompting-house of a merchant. MATHEMATICS. Art. 38. The Nautical Almanac and Aftronomical Ephemeris for the Year 1781. Published by Order of the Commiffioners of Longitude. 8vo. 3s. 6d. Nourfe. 1779. It is with great fatisfaction that we fee this ufeful and laborious work continued, and conducted in the fame careful and accurate manner as at first. Its fuperiority in this refpect, as well as in the extent and usefulnefs of the articles contained in it, over every fimilar publication in Europe, is obvious to, and confeffed by every judicious aftronomer, both of our own and other nations; infomuch that in the most ancient publications of this kind *, the Editors now content themselves with copying profeffedly the calculations from this work, allowing only the difference between the meridian of Greenwich, and that of the place to which theirs is adapted. To this Almanac, there is added a Collection of Aftronomic Problems, useful at fea. By the Rev. John Edwards, B. A. And also, Connoiffance de Temps, published by order of the Royal Academy of Science at Paris. an addition to the logarithmic folar tables, annexed to the Nautical RELIGIOUS. W. A plain and serious address to the public, on a fubject of acknow- SERMONS. 1. Preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, July 1, 1779. On the Anni- A fenfible and elegant difcourfe, judiciously adapted to the occa-- Every member of the Friendly Society,' we are told in a note, E. exercife of charity by convincing arguments, and pathetic repre-Hi. fentations. III. Preached before the Prefident and Governors of the Marine In this difcourfe, the preacher infifts at large on the utility of the 2 E in |