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 3. Cadell.

1779.

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Na prefatory advertisement, the very ingenious and spirited Author of thefe Remarks obferves, that the Refcript and Manifefto 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 Majesty's rebellious Subjects in America-and his loyal Subjects in every part of his dominions.

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 fubjects of France and of Spain; or on his Majesty rebelHious fabjects in America. It is intended to examine them merely as they are addreffed to ourfelves.

So far as they are addreffed to his Majesty's rebellious fubjects in America, they are almoft too ridiculous to deferve a ferious anfwer. Every thing ferious, that can be faid about them, has already been faid, and well faid-"One fentiment only can arife refpecting the conduct of thefe powers, who, affecting the patronage of rights which they neither feel nor understand, could have but one objectAmidst 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 Majelly's confidential fervants to reply to them. They only are furnished with the proper materials: to them alone can the balinefs be fafely committed. And I hope and truft, that they will acquit themfelves of the task, with that preci. fion, which the justice of their caufe enables them to ufe; with that fpirit, which the infolence of our enemies demands; with that dignity, 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 anfwered 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, conviction could be wrought in a milder way!

So far as they are addreffed to ourfelves; as they are meant to operate upon us; to warp our understandings, or to bias our affections; 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; I thought it might not be useless, and I trufted it would not be unacceptable, to point out to my country

• See Addrefs from the Eat-India Company.' Rev. Sept. 1779.

men

faces and Notes, with which M. GOBET has enriched this collection, render its perufal both agreeable and inftructive.

VII. Effui fur la Jurifprudence Univerfelle, où l'on examine quel eft le premier Principe de la Justice and le Fondement de l'Obligation Morale, &c. i. e. An Effay concerning Univerfal Jurifprudence, in which an Inquiry is made into the first Principles of Justice and the Foundation of Moral Obligation. By FATHER THOMAS JACOB, Prior of the Jacobines at Paris. 12mo. Paris. 17:9. We are glad to fee Monks writing on fuch fubjects as thefe, when their productions do not smell of the convent. This Effay, which is a warm attack upon the Encyclopedifts of Paris, as enemies not only of Revealed, but alfo of Natural Religion, would be read with more pleasure and profit, if the Author had treated his fubject with more precifion. He establishes, on folid foundations, the existence of a law of nature. He shews that Chriftianity is not only its beft interpreter, but also the difpenfation that finishes its confiftence, its obligation and perfection; but he has not carried the fagacity of the true analytic fpirit into his researches concerning the principles of moral obligation.-He is far behind the British writers on this fubject.

VIII. Effai fur l'Hiftoire Generale des Tribunaux des Peuples tant Anciens que Modernes, ou Dictionaire Hiftorique et Judiciaire, contenant des Anecdotes piquantes & les Jugemens fameux des Tribunaux, &c. i. e. An Historical Effay concerning the Tribunals of ancient and modern Nations, or, An Historical and Juridical Dictionary, containing interefting Anecdotes, and the most remarkable Judiciary Sentences of Public Tribunals in all Times and Nations. By M. DES ESSARTS, Advocate, and Member of feveral Acade mies. Vol. III. 8vo. Paris. 1779. Price 4 Livres. In this, and the two preceding volumes, we have an history of the paffions and crimes of men, at least in their effects and punishment; and as the penal laws, employed by different nations for the difcovery and chaftifement of offenders, have a connection with the manners and government of each people, and are, generally speaking, no bad prognoftic of the national fpirit and character, a work of the nature of that before us, when well executed, must be curious and inftructive; and fuch is the work of M. DES ESSARTS.-It is, indeed, likely to be voluminous; for this third volume goes no farther than the first articles of letter H.

GERM A NY.

IX. De Angyna Polypofa five Membranacea: i. e. Concerning the Membranous Quinzy, or that which is called the Angina Polypofa. By M. MICHAELIS, M. D. 8vo. Gottingen. 1778. The Author of this work is phyfician to the Heffian troops in the fervice of Great Britain; a fituation favourable to the ad

vancement

vancement of medical knowledge by obfervation and experience. It is from thefe two guides, rather than from the perutal of the writings of his predeceffors and contemporaries in the art of healing (with which, nevertheless, he feems perfectly well acquainted), that he has derived his knowledge of the disease here treated, and his opinion with respect to its nature and caufe. It

is from having opened the bodies of many perfons, who died of this difeafe, that he deems the membranous quinzy lymphatic in its principle, inftead of proceeding from phlegm, as many have supposed; for he found the membranes, in the perfons he diffected, of the fame nature with the polypus of the heart and the large blood veffels, and much fofter and fooner corruptible than phlegm, which contracts a certain aridity and hardnefs. With refpect to the manner of treating this diforder, Dr. MICHAELIS diftinguishes the quinzies into different claffes, according to their different circumftances and fymptoms, prefcribes what is requifite in each cafe, and confiders, with peculiar attention, thofe cafes where bronchotomy, or the opening the wind pipe, may be useful. His hiftory of the diforder is curious, though chargeable with fome omiffions: we must not, however, confider as fuch, his making little or no mention of the authors, who have written concerning inflammatory quinzies, or other branches of that difeafe diftinct from that here treated of.

X. Lobfchrift auf Winkelman, &c. i. e. The Eulogy of the late Abbé Winkelman. By CHR. GOTTL. HEINE. This excellent piece, which is in every refpect worthy of its fubject, on whofe tomb the arts and the graces will long weep, was crowned by the Academy of Antiquities at Heffe Caffel. In it the learned and judicious Author, fo famous for his merits in claffical literature, not only examines the writings of the celebrated Abbé with tafte, judgment, and impartiality, but also points out the qualities that conftitute the true Antiquary, and the improvements that have been hitherto made; as alfo thofe that are yet required in that line of fcience.

XI. The New Edition of the Abbé DICQUEMARE's Afronomy, which has lately appeared, with important Additions and Improvements, deferves particular notice. Its new title is, Connoiffance de l'Aftronomie, rendu aifee & mife à la porte de tout le Monde: i. e. The Knowledge of Aftronomy made easy and proportioned to every Capacity. 8vo. With Cuts. Paris. 1779. The additions, which diftinguifh this edition, confift in feveral obfervations; in fome articles entirely new, and in inftructive notes, relative to the folar atmosphere, the apparent motions of the fixed ftars, thofe of the planets, the parallax, &c. all which objects are illuftrated by two new plates. Among the tables, we find one of the annual equation of the fun's mean motion, which

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men the infolence of fiyle, the fallacy of argument, and the groffnefs of mifreprefentation, which ftrongly marking both the Refeript and the Manifefto, reflect disgrace on their authors; and point them out to us as the objects at once of our indignation and contempt.

• Confidering them with this view only, it will not be expected that I fhould enter into a minute detail of particular facts, or into a refutation of injuries pretended to have been sustained, demands of reparation pretended to have been frequently made, and as frequently refufed. 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 friendfhip 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 flyle, the fallacy of argument, and the groffness of mifrepresentation, which strongly mark both the Refcript and the Manifetto,' 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 instance, 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 those 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 briefy 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"-" perkdious"-beflowed 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 myfelf, that, without knowing it, I have written like a courtier.'

Art. 12. Strictures on the French King's Manifefto; or, Narrative 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 Poft, on fix different days; and they are now collected into a pamphlet, by the Writer, with the fole view of elucidating the truth, expofing falsehood, 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 those who inay travel into foreign parts, to repel the reproaches and reflections that foreigners may caft upon our country, on the faith of thofe 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 rot out fight them. Art. 13. A Political Mirror; or, a fummary View of the prefent Reign. With Notes explanatory and hittorical; and an authentic Lift of the Ships and Veffels of War, taken and deftroyed, fince the Commencement of Hoftilities. 8vo. I s. 6 d. 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 fpirit and fafety of the conftitution; and administration he execrates for its unfleadinefs and imbecility of conduct.-If the first 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 affistance. The moft valuable part of her commerce gone, for ever, into a different channel, and the other part fubject to such risk, as to check the adventurous spirit 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 precise 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 pofterity to mark with infamy and deteftation the memories of thofe 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 Hiftory of Oppofition," &c. To which is prefixed, an Addrefs to Meffrs. Wedderburn, Gibbon, and Macpherfon. By a Member of Parlialiament. 8vo. z 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.