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may ferve to regulate clocks. It is alfo proper to observe, that the two articles, relative to conftellations and comets, are new compofed, and new plates added for the illuftration of the latter, and that the whole is terminated by an historical and chronological fummary of the progrefs of aftronomy, which shews the Reader the ftate of that fcience in the different periods of the world, and the difcoveries that have been made in each.

XII. B. L. TRALLES DEUTLICHE und Überzeugende Vorftellung, &c. i. c. Clear and perfuafive Confiderations tending to hew that the Proof of the Existence and Immateriality of the human Soul, drawn from the mutable and fluctuating Nature of all the folid Parts, without Exception, of the human Body, is both highly important and perfectly conclufive. By M. B. L. TRALLES, M.D. 8vo. Breflau. 1779. This worthy and eminent physician, whofe medical productions, and particularly his conteft with De Hahn of Vienna on the fubject of inoculation, difcovered fuch acuteness of head and goodness of heart, has now drawn his pen, in a very advanced age, against the materialifts. This curious tribe of fpeculatifts, whofe hypothefis is incapable of pofitive proof, and deftitute of any utility, that can justify the noife they make about it, must be embarraffed at the inconveniencies that arife from fuppofing the body, in general, to be the feat of intelligence. This form of materialism is not only unphilofophical beyond all expreffion, but is adapted to excite laughter. A principle of intelligence which is purged and vomited,-difperfed by evacuations, and renewed by beef and pudding, turtle, port, and porter, is (begging leave of manfionhoufe metaphyfics) the most ridiculous phenomenon imaginable. Therefore the more plausible writers on the manufacture of fouls, place the feat of intelligence in fome of the finer ftuff of the brain and nerves, which is not fo flux, mutable, and perishable, (according to them) as the groffer parts of the body. It is against this fubterfuge that M. TRALLES raises a warning voice in the work before us. He had proved, in a preceding work, that the inftability of the folid parts of the body, and their perpetual change, are abfolutely incompatible with the idea of a thinking being, which muft, in its nature, be permanent, and the fame, as long as it remains capable of thought. A learned Profeffor, to obviate this difficulty, reprefented to him the immutability or permanent state of the nerves and the brain; but our Author fhews that the nerves and the brain are as subject to change as the other folid parts of the body, and are dispersed by fecretion, and repaired like them.

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MONTHLY

MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For SEPTEMBER, 1779.

POLITICAL.

Art. 11. Remarks on the RESCRIPT of the Court of MADRID, and on the MANIFESTO of the Court of VERSAILLES. In a Letter to the People of Great Britain. To which is added, An Appendix, containing the Refcript, the Manifefto, and a Memorial of Dr. Franklyn to the Court of Versailles. 8vo. 2 5. Cadell.

1779.

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Na prefatory advertisement, the very ingenious and fpirited Author of thefe Remarks obferves, that the Refcript and Manifesto above mentioned, are intended to work upon the understandings and affections of four diftin&t claffes of men-The Rulers of other States -The Subjects of their own Dominions-His Majefty's rebellious Subjects in America-and his loyal Subjects in every part of his do minions.

But, in the following Addrefs, it is not intended to examine them, either as they were meant to operate on the rulers of states, or on the subjects of France and of Spain; or on his Majefty's rebellious fubjects in America. It is intended to examine them merely as they are addressed to ourselves.

So far as they are addreffed to his Majesty's rebellious fubjects in America, they are almost too ridiculous to deferve a serious anfwer. Every thing serious, that can be faid about them, has already been faid, and well faid-" One fentiment only can arise refpecting the conduct of thefe powers, who, affecting the patronage of rights which they neither feel nor underftand, could have but one object— Amidst the distractions of the British empire to gratify their own ambition "."

So far as they are meant to operate upon the Rulers of States, it is the proper bufinefs of his Majefty's confidential fervants to reply to them. They only are furnished with the proper materials: to them alone can the bafinefs be fafely committed. And I hope and trust, that they will acquit themselves of the task, with that preci. fion, which the juftice of their cause enables them to ufe; with that fpirit, which the infolence of our enemies demands; with that dig nity, which the honour of the crown requires.

So far as they are meant to operate on the deluded fubjects of France and of Spain, they must be answered in another way. Conviction must be wrought, not by the force of argument, but by the vigour of arms. Would to Heaven, for the fake of humanity, con. viction could be wrought in a milder way!

So far as they are addreffed to ourselves; as they are meant to operate upon us; to warp our understandings, or to bias our af fections; to weaken our efforts, or to deprefs our fpirits; to alienate our minds from the government, or to leffen our confidence in the councils of our Sovereign; 1 thought it might not be useless, and I trafted it would not be unacceptable, to point out to my country

• See Address from the Eaft-India Company?? Rev. Sept. 1779.

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men the infolence of ftyle, the fallacy of argument, and the groff hefs of mifreprefentation, which strongly marking both the Refcript and the Manifefto, reflect difgrace on their authors; and point them out to us as the ojects at once of our indignation and contempt.

Confidering em with this view only, it will not be expected that I should enter into a minute detail of particular facts, or inta a refutation of injuries pretended to have been fuftained, demands of reparation pretended to have been frequently made, and as frequently refused. This is the proper bufinefs of men in office. It will be enough for my purpose, if I fhew, that in admitting our rebellious fubjects in America to a participation in all the privileges enjoyed by independent ftates, Lewis committed an unprovoked injury on the people of Great Britain; that the reafons alleged to justify that admiffion, add infult to injury; that his forming a treaty of friendship and commerce, of alliance offenfive and defenfive, with them, was intended to perpetuate the original injury; and lastly, that the terms of accommodation propofed by France and recommended by Spain, were meant to be a grofs repetition of the original infult.'

In effecting this purpose, viz. the pointing out to his countrymen the infolence of ftyle, the fallacy of argument, and the groffness of mifrepresentation, which ftrongly mark both the Refcript and the Manifefto,' the Remarker employs the united force of reafon and ridicule. To the aid of thefe he has, moreover, called in the powers and embellishments of oratory; fo that thofe readers who may not, in every inftance, be convinced by his arguments, or influenced by his ludicrous comments, will, at least, allow, that he has given the public a masterly piece of declamation.-If he be accufed, as he probably will (by thofe who look with more profound veneration on courts and crowned heads), of having taken unbecoming liberties with their most Christian and Catholic Majefties,-his defence is briefly this: In thefe Remarks I have spoken as I felt; too regardless, I was fearful, of the forms and etiquettes of courts. On this head I was going to make fome apology; but the parties ftopped me. I faw the epithets" abfurd"-" frivolous"-" infidious"-" perfi dious"-bestowed with a liberal hand by Lewis on the King of Great Britain. I therefore concluded this to be the language of courts; and cannot but congratulate myself, that, without knowing it, I

have written like a courtier.'

Art. 12. Strictures on the French King's Manifefto; or, Narra tive of the Motives of his Conduct towards England: Expofing the Fallacy of the Pretences therein fet forth. Pointing out the real Motives which urge the French King, and fhewing the Injustice of his Conduct towards England. Alfo, proving to a Demonftration, from the Words of the Manifefto, that he is the Aggreffor and fole Beginner of the War, confequently the Caufe of all the Blood that is or may be fhed in this unrighteous Quarrel. 8vo. 4 d. Bew. 1779.

Thefe Strictures appeared originally in the Morning Post, on fix different days; and they are now collected into a pamphlet, by the Writer, with the fole view of elucidating the truth, expofing falfehood, chicanery, and treachery, and furnishing the minds of his fellow-fubjects with right and apt ideas of the different parties

engaged

engaged in the prefent confufed quarrel, and enabling thofe who fnay travel into foreign parts, to repel the reproaches and reflections that foreigners may caft upon our country, on the faith of those fallacious Manifeftos, &c.'

This was well done; and we will readily give the Author credit for the best motives towards an undertaking which may contribute, with the rest of our publications on this fubject, to convince the world, that we can out write our enemies, if we do not out fight them. Art. 13. A Political Mirror; or, a fummary View of the prefent Reign. With Notes explanatory and hiftorical; and an authentic Lift of the Ships and Veffels of War, taken and destroyed, fince the Commencement of Hoftilities. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Fielding and Walker. 1779.

Calculated to fupport a very heavy, but not very novel charge against the fyftem which has prevailed during the prefent reign. The Reviewer confiders the Court as having, from the commencement of the Butean influence, entertained principles inimical to the spirit and fafety of the conftitution; and administration he execrates for its unfleadinefs and imbecility of conduct.-If the firft allegation be true, it may be eventually happy for this nation that the fecond be true likewife.

As a fpecimen of what may be feen by looking into this Political Mirror, take the Writer's general deduction, or concluding fummary view of our prefent uncomfortable fituation, viz. A mutilated empire engaged in a war, the event of which is as uncertain as is the period of its conclufion; without an ally on whom the can depend, in the moment of danger and neceflity, for affiftance. The most valuable part of her commerce gone, for ever, into a different channel, and the other part fubject to such risk, as to check the ad venturous fpirit of trade; while her people are oppreffed by taxes, and by acts of parliament, which, in their confequences, tend to the total fubverfion of their rights and liberties, and to prepare them for that flavery which, by their abject fubmiffion to a fhameless cabal, they seem to invite and deferve.

Such is the precife and dreadful condition to which this country is reduced, by a progreffive chain of events, which have regularly apprifed us of what has at laft happened; and as we have not the virtue to bring the perpetrators of our mifery and difgrace to condign and exemplary punishment, it must be left to the juftice of potterity to mark with infamy and deteftation the memories of those who have brought the character of their fovereign into difrepute, his crown into abfolute danger, and accelerated the decline of the British empire, by the complicated crimes of treachery, venality, and corruption.'

Art. 14. Obfervations on a Pamphlet, entitled, "A fhort History of Oppofition," &c. To which is prefixed, an Address to Meffrs. Wedderburn, Gibbon, and Macpherson. By a Member of Parlialiament. 8vo. 2 s. 6d. W. Davis, Ludgate Hill. 1779. The gentlemen whofe names are mentioned in the title-page of this pamphlet, have been feverally given, by report, as the writers of

Vid. Review, July, Art. 36 of the Catalogue.

the Short Hiftory, &c. But our Obferver (after a fatirical difcuffion of the point) fixes the performance on Mr. Macpherfon, the celebrated Editor of Offian's Poems; and he, probably, is not a bad gueffer, but fill it is only guess-work.

Whoever was the writer of the Short Hiftory, he is here most acrimoniously attacked, by an opponent who will neither allow him principle nor ability; which is, furely, going a little too far. The Hiftorian of Oppofition is, unquestionably, a man of excellent parts: and this, we think, muft be allowed him by all judges of writing,whatever they may deem of his motives or his candour.-As to the anfwer here given to his pamphlet, it is minute and tedious; but it contains fome very juft and matèrial ftrictures. The Author feems particularly defirous to invalidate, in fome degree, the evidence given by General Robertfon and Mr. Galloway, relative to the conduct of the war in America, before the Committee of the House of Commons; which evidence having been eagerly taken up by the minifterial writers, has proved the bafis of feveral notable pamphlets on that fide of the queftion: Vid. our Political and American Articles, for feveral months paft.

Art. 15. A Short Defence of the Oppofition; in Answer to a Pamphlet, entitled, "A fhort Hiftory of the Oppofition." 8vo. I s. 6 d.

Almon.

This is a ferious, candid, and folid refutation of the Short Hiftory: -a performance, of which the following general notice is taken, by the prefent Writer, in the conclufion of the tract before us: viz. I fhall now only make an observation on the evident defign of the author, in his Short Hiftory, which is, plainly, to keep alive party difputes, at a time that is more proper for action than debate; to decry the characters of fome of the most upright and virtuous men in this nation, and by depreciating their merit, to enhance that of his own friends and patrons. Confcious that the conduct of thefe laft will not ftand the teft of examination, he fees that nothing can keep them much longer in their station, unless he can establish an opinion to the difcredit of those who have oppofed them.'

The Short Defence is written with lefs vivacity than the Short Hif tory; but we really think the former has greatly the advantage in point of argument.- --What the Author has faid on the importance of the freedom of parliamentary debate, deferves to be particularly attended to; the fame may be faid of his decifive refutation of the popular notion that the rebellion in America was fomented by oppofition. We muft add, that he has clearly fhewn, that America was ⚫ uninfluenced by any other caufes than her own fenfibility.'

AMERICAN CONTES T. Art. 16. Letters to a Nobleman, on the Conduct of the War in the Middle Colonies. 8vo. 2 S. Wilkie. 1779.

To this tract the following advertisement is prefixed:- An attempt has been made, in the House of Commons, to eftablish the following propofitions : That the revolted Colonies are naturally fo ftrong as to be impracticable by war,-that their inhabitants are almok universally difaffected to the British government,—and that the

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