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were borrowed, and the cases specified which support the doctrine; it was not necessary that it should be made known to the public that the compilers were better lawyers than grammarians. The attempt of Mr. Ritson was well imagined, and, had it been better executed, it would have proved interesting.

Art. 21. The Principles and Law of Tithing, adapted to the Instruction and Convenience not only of Gentlemen of the Profession of the Law, but of all Persons interested in Tithes; illustrated by Reference to the most leading and recent Tithe Cases. By Francis Plowden. Esq., Barrister at Law. 8vo. pp. 627. 165. Boards. C. and R. Baldwin 18c6.

Like the other writings of this learned author, the present volume discovers considerable reading: but, like them, also, it fails in its object, from the want of chasteness in the plan and of finishing in the execution. Politically and economically considered, the subject here treated is one of the nicest and most difficult on which talents and learning can be employed; and the legal view of it is not free from intricacies and embarrassments. Mr. Plowden shews, we conceive, a deficiency of judgment in uniting in one work investigations so widely different in their nature, though relating to the same subject. The politician and the economist feel little interest in the nature of the legal liability, or in a detail of the methods by which that liability is enforced; while the practising lawyer is not much disposed to specu late on the nature of the right, nor to examine its consequences in an economical point of view.

Art. 22. Observations on the Rules of Descent; and on the Point of Law, whether the Brothers of a Purchaser's Paternal Grandmother shall be preferred in the Descent, to the Brother of the paternal Great Grandmother of a Purchaser? in Defence of Mr. Justice Manwood's Position; and in Reply to the Advocates for the Doctrine of Mr. Justice Blackstone. Together with some Reflections on the Subject of our Law's Disallowance of Lineal Ascent. By W. H. Rowe, of Gray's Inn, Esq. Conveyancer. Svo. pp. 117, gs. 6d. Boards. Clarke and Sons.

If this question be not without practical interest, it principally claims the attention of the student as forming him to a habit of investigating abstruse legal points. Much of the learning that bears on the matters in discussion admits of more useful application. Art. 23. A Vindication of the Commentaries of Sir William Blackstone, against the Strictures contained in Mr. Sedgwick's "Critical and Miscellaneous Remarks." By William Henry Rowe, of Lincoln's Inn, Esq. 8vo. pp. 246. 78. Boards. Clarke.

1806.

In our 37th Vol. N.S. p. 103, we announced Mr. Segdwick's Remarks on Blackstone in terms of qualified commendation. While some of them displayed considerable subtilty and acuteness, and several of them were well founded, others were dubious, and some were erroneous; some also were not unimportant, while others were extremely trivial. On the whole, they were too desultory, and too little connected, we think, to call for the notice that is here taken of them. We cannot discover that either legal or miscellaneous know.

lege

lege has gained much by these discussions: but Mr. Rowe has in some instances convicted Mr. Sedgwick of a very superficial examina tion of his authors.

Art. 24. A Companion or Supplement to Digest of the Stamp Laws; being an Analysis of so much of the late Acts, 44 Geo. 3. c. 98. and 45 Geo. 3. c. 28. as relate to the English Duties: shewing at one View, under distinct Heads, the various Stamp Duties now payable, contrasted with the old Duties, and pointing out the Difference or Increase between them, and the particular Laws, Regulations, or Restrictions applying thereto; as also, Instru ments positively or constructively exempted. The whole illustrated with practical Annotations. By J. A. Heraud, Law Stationer. 8vo. 5s. Boards. Clarke and Son.

The character of Mr. Heraud's plodding labours is too well known to the public to require any description of them from us. He has here, with his usual care and correctness, analyzed the statutes mentioned in the title page; which we regard as the most oppressive, and the least politic, even in the fiscal division of our legislative enact

ments.

Art. 25. The Practice of the Commissioners, Assessors, Surveyors, Collectors, and other Officers, under the Authority of the several Acts relating to the Assessed Taxes; including a correct analytical Abridgement of the several Statutes passed in the 43d and 45th Years of the Reign of his present Majesty, relative to the Duties under the Management of the Commissioners for the Affairs of Taxes; with Tables of the Duties, adjudged Cases, explanatory Notes, and original Precedents. The Whole digested and arranged in the Methodical Order and Course in which the Acts are to be carried into Execution. By Thomas Walter Williams, Esq. of

the Inner Temple, Barrister at Law. Svo. pp. 112. 4s. 6d.

Boards. Pheney.

The great convenience and utility of a work of this kind are now too generally felt, to require that they should be pointed out by criticism. Mr. Williams's labours, unfortunately for the public, will be acceptable to a much greater extent than it is in our power to recommend them.

NOVELS..

Art. 26. Men and Women: dedicated to Sir James Mackintosh. 3 Vols. I 2mo. 138. 6d. Boards. Longman and Co. We learn that the author of this novel professes to have undertaken to represent Men and Women, inhabitants of the earth, and clogged with all its imperfections. In the characters which he brings forwards, he has certainly exhibited a variety of impertections; and he has endeavoured to shew the absurdity of some of them, by holding them up to the ridicule of the world. In satirizing a poet without learning, he is too severe, and particularly as he associates the name with that of a living character: however imprudent it may be in a mechanic to devote himself to poetry, yet surely the act is not likely to compel him to become the instrument of an abandoned attorney, and lead him REV. JAN. 1807.

H

to

to attempt murder; here seems to be something like ill-nature, which - has a forbidding aspect. Other parts of the work are reprehensible on account of the indelicate ideas which they excite; and a farther objection to this novel, though not of so serious a nature as the former, may affect its popularity, viz. the learning which it contains: allusions to and quotations from Greek and Latin authors generally frighten readers of publications of this nature, and often prevent a continued perusal. Moreover, and worst of all, the novel, as the author dreaded, is sometimes dull, and often improbable; and the main tale is broken by too long episodes, which, though connected with it, are disproportionate and tedious. We read with abhorrence the passage in which Julia, with whose character we are interested on account of the general purity of her sentiments and the propriety of her conduct, without any immediate solicitation, deliberately proposes to become the mistress of Carberry, on account of their mutual love, and to suit his convenience. Many parts of the tale, however, are related in an interesting manner, and may afford amusement to those who delight in reading works of this nature.

Art. 27.

Memoirs of M. de Brinboc: containing some Views of English and Foreign Society. 3 Vols. Izmo. 12s. 6d. sewed.

Cadell and Davies.

The hero of these memoirs is a supposed French emigrant, who flies from the savage persecution of his countrymen, first to Berlin, and afterward to London. The recital of his adventures, and of various collateral incidents, is conducted with considerable skill, and manifests a mind that is capable of discriminating and portraying the light and shade of human character. We pursue the fortunes of the principal personages of the tale with undiminished interest; and we easily suffer ourselves to be carried along by a train of events which we can readily fancy to have occurred in real life. To these advantages which the narrative derives from the selection and distribution of the materials, we may add those which naturally flow from an animated and impressive style, from spirited conversations, and from occasional strokes of humour.

The Faculty are unmercifully treated in a part of this performance: but modern philosophers, and the abettors of the doctrine of perfec tibility, are chiefly the objects of the author's unrelenting satire. The - caricature of Halfaz betrays some coarse buffoonery, which might well be spared; and the abuse of amiable sentiments should have been more carefully distinguished from the sentiments themselves. The progressive melioration of the species is a generous and consoling idea, which we are not willing tamely to renounce, because it has given hib to some absurd and extravagant reveries.

We will not contend that turpitude like that of Chevreville never existed: but we regret that a picture so odious and disgusting should be exhibited in a popular and otherwise entertaining display of life and manners. The delineation of enormous criminality, which is palliated by no amiable quality, nor by any visitation of remorse, has fortunately little connection with the ordinary occurrences of humanity, and can afford neither pleasure nor improvement to the readers of novels.

Art.

Art. 28. The Novice of Saint Dominick. By Miss Owenson, Au. thor of St. Clair. 4 Vols. 12mo. 18s. Boards. R. Phillips. 1806.

In the forty-third volume of our New Series, (p. 266.) we gave our willing testimony to the merits of this fair writer; who, as we have been since informed, is the daughter of Mr. Owenson, of the Theatre Royal, Dublin. The present production affords another proof of her intimate acquaintance with the finer feelings of the heart, and of the possession of talents fully adequate to the formation of a tender and attractive tale.

The interest of the narrative improves with its progress; it seldom transgresses the legitimate bounds of probability; it exhibits unity of design, and consistency and appropriation of character; it abounds in trying incidents; and all its tendencies are strictly moral When the author indulges in description, either direct or indirect, she seldom fails to excel; and as specimens of powerful expression of emotion, we may safely refer to the parting scene between Imogen and the minor Canoness of St. Dominick, and to various interviews which occur in the course of the recital.

Having thus stated our very favourable opinion of her performance, Miss Owenson will excuse us for hinting that it would have lost none of its effect by a little compression; that her heroine is sometimes too much addicted to the contemplation of beautiful scenery, when her thoughts should be otherwise occupied; and that, with her quickness of perception and delicate sense of propriety, she profits somewhat tardily by the lessons of sad experience. The ode to the Butterfly is not destitute of graceful playfulness, but it is too much protracted, and wants finishing. We would also recommend a greater economy of epithets, and more attention to the subordinate accuracies of composition. Thou and you are often promiscuously applied to the same person; transmit is used for transmute, and aqueous for aquatic; the relative is too often suppressed, and is sometimes ambiguous by improper collocation. as in the following notable instance: I found Í was too weak to allow them to extract the ball, without endangering my life, which lay almost within a hair's breadth of a vital part. Italian, whenever it appears, is printed with extreme negligence; and French names do not experience much better treatment. Thus Montelimar is written Montelemarl; Venaissin, Venaison; Cavaillon, Cavillon; Joachim de Bellay, Rimi de Balleau; and D'Aubigné is styled the King's écurie.-Lastly, Montelimar is not visible from the coast of Provence; and the antiquities of St. Remi are not within an evening's walk of Tarascon. These may appear to be too minute criticisms: but the little inattentions, to which they allude, disfigure the work, and may be easily avoided in the author's future publica

ons.

Another novel from this Lady's pen has lately appeared.

RELIGIOUS.

Art. 29. Two Discourses designed to recommend a general Observance of the Lord's Supper, by T. Drummond. Johnson.

H 2

8vo. PP. 43. IS.

A passage

A passage in the preface to these Sermons seems not unworthy of selection for our readers: With respect to the numerous friends and adherents to the Established Church, it is generally understood that, comparatively speaking, few of them esteem it an indispensable duty to think conformably to the direction of the Reformers in the reigns of Henry VIII., Elizabeth, or James I. It is no impeachment of the characters of the venerable first advocates of Protestantism, that they retained a few of their early prejudices; study and reflection had, in a great measure, emancipated them from the bondage of papal influence, but many disputable matters remained partially discussed; many ceremonials, from habitual observe ance, were regarded as unquestionably defensible; if the intelligence diffused at that period, and the spirit of the times, had borne any resemblance to the information and liberality of the present, little doubt can remain that the bond of uniformity would have encircled a far greater number than ever entered within the pale of the Episcopal Church. It may not be an opinion absolutely chimerical, that, were the dignitaries of the Church in the nineteenth century empowered to revise the formula of subscription, the benevolence which the gos pel inculcates would be admitted as the most indisputable criterion of Christian faith; whilst those texts of scripture usually quoted in sup port of any particular hypothesis might furnish subjects of calm investigation; and the different explication of certain passages, no longer exciting pride or bigotry in the human mind, would be no longer regarded as tests of the favour of heaven, or as the signs, tokens, or testimonials of salvation.'

The sermons correspond with these observations, and are intended to weaken the bases of those remnants of prejudice and superstitious attachment which still too evidently prevail in what is characterized as the church-reformed. If, it is said, the following pages contribute, as they are designed, to dissipate any of those formidable apprehensions which deter the majority of professing Christians from uniting in the celebration of the Lord's Supper,' the design of the writer will be accomplished. A kind of history of the ordinance and its corrup tions is here given, for a consideration of which we must refer the reader to the pamphlet itself; and if he does not entirely concur with the sentiments here expressed he will no doubt perceive that Christians of different denominations have formed, and do form, mistaken notions concerning this institution, as well as other topics which the' Gospel leads them to regard.

Art. 30. Sermons by Sir Henry Moncrieff Welwood, Bart., D.D. &. F.R.S. Edinburgh, one of the Ministers of St. Cuthbert's, Edinburgh, &c. 8vo. pp. 480. 8s. 6d. Boards. Longman and

Co.

This volume consists of fourteen Discourses, not all of equal value, in our view, but some of them well deserving of being in this manner communicated for general perusal. In the preface, the author remarks, that the subjects, to which they solicit the attention of the public, cannot be new; and at this period of the Christian church, even novelty of illustration is scarcely to be expected: but it is with justice added, that the topics which they generally discuss are of per

petual

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