them on was to be procured from abroad; and after all thefe various and unavoidable difficulties were furmounted, much time was neceffarily required for executing a numerous impreffion of the long lift of plates, with fo much care as might do justice both to Mr. Webber and to his feveral engravers. When all these circumftances are taken into confideration, we truft we fhall hear no more of the delay they have occafioned; and only be grateful to that munificent Patron of fcience, who not only directed the hiftory of the voyage to be published; but to be publifhed with fuch a fplendid train of ornaments, at the public expence, as will ftill add to the merit of having ordered the voyage itself to be undertaken.'

We must here conclude our account of this most valuable and magnificent work, for this month: in fucceeding numbers of our Review we fhall proceed to give the outlines of the voyage, with extracts of the more interefting paffages. And we fhall endeavour to be as full, in this refpect, as poffible, in order to gratify the curiofity of fuch of our readers as have not been happy enough to procure a copy of it. We remember not a circumftance like what has happened on this occafion. On the third day after publication, a copy was not to be met with in the hands of the bookfellers; and, to our certain knowledge, fix, feven, eight, and even ten guineas, have fince been offered for a fett.

MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For JUNE, 1784.

POLITICAL.

Art. 14. Letters to the Majefty of the People, and a Declaration of thofe Rights of the Commonalty of Great Britain and Ireland, without which they cannot be free. By Major Peter Labilliere. 8vo. 6d. Laidler. 1784.

6

BBE RAYNAL remarks, in honour of the English language, that it is the only one which has expreffed the idea conveyed in the phrafe, majefty of the people and Major Labilliere is fo ftruck with the force of his expreflion, that he has entered into a cor refpondence, not with the people, but with the attribute, or quality afcribed to their aggregate dignity! This may be overlooked in a foreigner, as we may fuppofe him to be by his name; but if he is a foreigner, he has imbibed a larger portion of the fpirit of patriotifa than even the generality of true born Englishmen. It has indeed gained fuch an afcendency over his mind, that it has bapisked every other inmate except piety; and these two affociates have formed a coalition ftrong enough to put to fhame every other coalition whatever. These letters, the epitome of fifteen years study,' have, if we rightly understand their author, already appeared in one newspaper;

and

and from the refufal of the rest to admit them, he draws an inference not much to the advantage of thefe diurnal vehicles of intelligence; for he afferts, that the rejection of his letters affords the strongest and clearest proofs of the moral and political depravity of the newspapers, whofe publishers ought to have been happy, in the prefent diftracted fituation of the nation, to have ufhered in the new year with bold truths, and a plan of a blessed union of Christian and civil Jiberty, which, when adopted, the names of Whig and Tory will be lot in the dignified one, of a Chriftian patriot and citizen of the world,'

We cannot attempt to enter minutely into the fubjects of thefe letters; but we are of opinion, that there is fo much fimplicity of character, and fo much goodness of heart difcoverable, that even the reader who diffents in opinion from the author, may perufe them with fome degree of pleasure. We are rather furprifed, that the Editors of the daily papers should have refused to infert them; but whatever were their reafons, they furely could not deny to this zealous writer the title which he affumes, of a real friend to the people, a chriftian soldier, and a chriftian watchman.

Art. 15. Obfervations Politiques, Morales & Experimentales, fur les Frais Principes de la Finance, &c. i. e. Obfervations, Political, Moral, and Experimental, upon the true Principles of Finance: with an Effay on the Means of reforming the Finances of Great Britain; and a Sketch of a Plan for a Loan, by which the British Government may be provided with Supplies for difcharging the Arrears of the laft War, without impofing any Duty, Tax, or Excife. By J. V. D. Hey, Privy Counfellor of Commerce to the King of Pruflia, and late Clerk of the Treafury to the State of Zealand. 8vo. 3s. 6d. Debrett, &c. 1784.

This work is offered to the Public as the mature refult of the cbfervation, ftudy, and experience of forty years. The Author profeffes to lay down the true general principles, both political and moral, of the science of finance; to fuggeft the means by which the affairs of a flate, burdened with public debis, may be retrieved; and particularly, to point out a method, by which the British government may difcharge the arrears of the late war without fresh taxes, and at the fame time establish a fyftem, which will produce an annual reduction, and at length the entire annihilation, of the national debt.-As the Author is preparing for the prefs, an English tranflation of this work, we fhall content ourfelves for the prefent with barely announcing it to the Public.

Art. 16. Letters to a Member of the Prefent Parliament, upon the extraordinary and unprecedented Tranfattions in the latt Houfe of Commons. 8vo. 18. 6d. Debrett. 1784.

Here we have a defence of the Coalition, a juftification of the conduct of the miniftry formed by is (particularly with regard to their famous Eaft India bill), an invective against the prefent minitry, and a fireng cenfure of the diffolution of the late parliament. Thefe points are confidered on principles that have been frequently urged both in the fenate and in print, and therefore the Public are no frangers to them.

Art.

Art. 17. Candour's Appeal to Independence; or an Addrefs to the Independent Members in the enfuing Parliament, and in particular to fome of those who were also in the laft. 8vo. 1s. Stockdale. This loofe declamatory writer is an advocate for the present minifry, and had he been the firft who ftepped forth in their caufe, he might perhaps have gained fome attention; but we have had all this, and much more to the fame purpose, again and again, long ago! Art. 18. Address to, and Expoftulation with the Public.

By John Earl of Stair. 8vo. Is. 6d. Stockdale. 1784. Lord Stair fill continues to warn us of our defperate circumftances, and to complain of the cold hand of neglect laid on' himself; from which it is but natural to supppose, that a few rays of court funshine might ripen his ideas fo as to produce fruit not quite fo harfh as they have hitherto brought forth. Indeed every crop is more four than that which preceded; for whereas in his lordship's former state of the public debts, the neceffary peace eftablishment was fixed at fixteen millions, he now raises it to eighteen millions, from new lights and farther confideration:' fuch a correction feems to argue, that these fums are formed on loose computations rather than from accurate calculations, and to leave room for farther confideration from new acceffions of light; and even Dr. Price, in his late Poftfcript, thinks the fum too large. To make up the great difference between this income and our expenditure, Lord Stair is for applying to the late numerous and warm addreffers, to fupport the prefent minifter, the offspring of their addreffes, the child of their prayers,' with gratuitous contributions; rating their profeffions of fupport according to their abilities, thus:

£10,000,000

From the city of London, the great emporium, centre, and repofitory, of the wealth of the world, as a fum that will not be miffed From Westminster, the city of palaces, the temple of refined luxury, where pleasure is pushed to the very confines of its oppofite, pain From the reft of the opulent addreffing counties, cities, and boroughs Without an aid of this kind his Lordship does not fee how this allpraised youth' is to pay ten fhillings in the pound to the public creditors, taking years of peace and war together.

5,000,000

15,000,000

Contributions from the public, the desertion of Canada, the fale of Gibraltar, and a duplication of the land tax, compofe the principal articles in Lord Stair's prefent fyftem of ways and means: and even thefe are propofed with fo defponding an air, that we rather incline to wait for fome of thofe lefs humiliating plans,' that he ftill doubts not are ready to be produced by the contending parties for the ministerial government.

LAW.

Art. 19. Rayner's Cafes at large, concerning Tithes: Containing all the Refolutions of the refpective Courts of Equity, particularly thofe of the Exchequer, taken from the printed Reports, and Manufcript Collections, moftly by Sir Samuel Dodd, late Lord Chief

Baron, never before published; together with all the Appeals in. the Houfe of Lords, to and in Trinity Term, 22 Geo. III. To which is prefixed an Introduction, comprehending a concife View of the whole Law of Tithes; with Obfervations on feveral Cafes of Appeal, that have been adjudged within the last Ten Years of his prefent Majefty's Reign; likewife a full Vindication of the Clergy refpecting thefe Suits for Tithes: alfo an Appendix of Acts of Parliament, with Readings, particularly on Stat. 13 Eliz. chap. 10. and chap. 20. on which Acts, and the Conftruction of them, depend the whole Learning refpecting, and the Validity of, all Alienations of Ecclefiaftical Livings at this Day. The Whole upon an entire new Plan, and digefted in a Chronological Series; with proper Tables of the Cafes, &c. and a complete copious Index to the principal Matters. By John Rayner, of the Inner Temple. Svo. il. Is. 3 vols. bound. Richardfon and Urquhart. 1783.

The general principle of the tithe laws is fimple and unequivocal. Notwithstanding this, the frequent perplexity of their operation, arifing from caufes which, probably, were not forefeen, has been productive of many serious evils. To unravel this perplexity, and, confequently, to prevent the evils it might produce, no method feems more effectual than that which has been adopted in the volumes before us; in which are exhibited the opinions and decifions of the first lawyers on almost every poffible cafe in which tithes can be an object of litigation. The account of the whole law of tithes, which is given in the introduction, and which the author modeftly speaks of as comprehending only a concife view of his fubject, is ample and fatisfactory. It is divided into feven chapters, five of which are confined to the subject itself, the other two are only relatively connected with it; namely, the fixth and the laft. Of these, one contains, Obfervations on fome fpecial Cafes of Tithes, decided in favour of the Clergy, during the prefent reign.' The other is, A Vindication of the Clergy from the afperfions cast on them, on account of their fuits for tithes.'

Refpecting the cafes themselves, they muft in great measure be taken on the credit of the compiler; on whom, indeed, we repose with much confidence, as in all thofe cafes which have come within our own knowledge (and they have not been a few), we have every reason to applaud his fidelity and accuracy,

Subjoined to this work is an index, which may be thought to require fome pruning; it is equal to the tenth part of the bulk of the whole three volumes, and contains, at least, 160 pages. It is not impoffible, however, that a fcanty index to a work of this kind might, with many people, be more objectionable than the bulky one we complain of; and, perhaps, in this instance, the proverb, of two evils to chufe the lefs, it may be advisable to reverse.

MISCELLANEOUS. Art. 20. Hiftory of the Difputes with America, from their Origin Written in the Year 1774. By John Adams, Efq. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Stockdale. 1784.

in 1754.

The avowed defign of this pamphlet is to purfue the tories through all their dark intrigues and wicked machinations, and to flew the rife and progress of their schemes for enflaving America. The con

1i3

duct

duct of Barnard and Hutchinson is treated with great freedom and afperity; nor is the indignant Author lefs fparing of the characters of fome eminent fatefmen in England, under whofe influence they projected and purfued the inaufpicious fyftem of American taxation. Mr. Adams foretold the confequence of obftinately adhering to it; and the event hath too well verified his predictions.-They were, however,

PREDICTIONS WHICH REQUIRED NO INSPIRATION.

Art. 21. An Appeal to the Fellows of the Royal Society, concerning the Measures taken by Sir Joseph Banks, their President, to compel Dr. Hutton to refign the Office of Secretary to the Society for their foreign Correspondence. By a Friend to Dr. Hutton, 8vo. Is.

Debrett. 1784.

A plain, and as far as we can judge, difpaffionate detail of the tranfaction which gave rise to the late diffentions and debates in the Royal Society; an account of which, as reprefented by the gentlemen of one fide of the question, we have already given in our Review of the Narrative *, &c. The facts are here ftated nearly in the fame manner as in that publication-one circumftance only excepted, of which indeed we had intimated our fufpicion that it had been there misreprefented, namely, that the Prefident had fuggefted that the council itself might be a competent committee for examining into the conduct of Dr. Hutton.' The author of the prefent appeal, who certainly does not mean to fpare the Prefident, does not however tax him with fo grofs an infult upon common fenfe and common equity. Art. 22. An Anfwer to a Leiter lately addreffed to her Grace

the Duchels of Devonshire. 4to. Is. Crowder, &c.

The letter to the Duchefs of Devonshire, here alluded to, was noticed, with a degree of approbation, in our Review for laft month, That performance, however, meets with no approbation from the author of this anfwer to it; who is of opinion that the noble lady deferves no kind of cenfure for the part the condefcended to act during the Westminster election. On the contrary, he contends, that it was an at particularly virtuous' in her Grace, to exert herself in the fervice of fo good a caufe as that in which the fo laudably engaged; a caufe of the utmost confequence to the national welfare;' a caufe which juftly demands the ftrenuous affillance of all thofe who have the leat opportunity of ferving it; that ladies, as well as the hardier fex, owe a duty to the welfare of their country; and can never be justly reproached for occafionally stepping afide from what may be literally called their proper fphere, providing † they have an opportunity of rendering themfelves ufeful. Under this perfuafion.' adds the writer, I am fare the Duchefs of Devonshire has acted. May her conduct, therefore (he exclaims), be an example for others! who, defpifing the illiberal remarks of the vulgar, will undauntedly ftep forth whenever their country fhall need their affiftance.'-Should this party defence of her Grace be deemed infufficient to exculpate her conduct, in the eyes of thofe who have no ideas of political gallantry, we fancy it will be in vain to look for a more efficient apology.

4

* See Rev. for April, p. 298.

Probably the author wrote provided.

Art,