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marching to the fea, all the way from Bayonne to Dunkirk, in ⚫ order to go on board the flat-bottomed boats prepared to tranfport them; these, and other equally fubftantial reafons, could not but alarm a wife and prudent adminiftration, who could ⚫ fpare no fuccour to Minorca, while we were in fuch imminent danger in England; a danger which continued as great as ever, ⚫till the arrival of our Hanoverian and Heffian friends, whose very name fo intimidated the boating French, that no fooner were the orders given for bringing them over, than the talk of an invafion was at an end. And then, but not till then, it became prudent to fpare from our own defence, that most potent ⚫ fleet of ten fail for the relief of Minorca, the exploits of which ⚫ have been celebrated in so many immortal productions of Grub• ftreet.

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'But, even tho' there had not been fo many folid grounds for apprehending a French invafion at home, the My have • much to fay to free themselves from any blame on account of ⚫ the lofs of Minorca. For whoever looks into the map, and ob⚫ ferves the great distance of Toulon, will not wonder that what was doing there, fhould be a fecret in England. Who could • have imagined it pofible, that a fleet of twelve Men of War fhould be equipped with the fame expedition, that a set of • borfes can be put to a coach? Could our M- -rs, who are no conjurers, know that the Genocfe would fend two thoufand failors to Toulon? Or can they be blamed, for not having intelligence of the ftrength and motions of the enemy there, as ⚫ this could not be obtained without encouragement to the deteft⚫ed race of spies, and without fending abroad the public treafure? For in the prefent deplorable state of our finances, in⚫ftead of being blameable, it ought to be looked upon as a laud⚫able inftance of frugality in the A n, that they rather ⚫ chose to run the risk of lofing Minorca, than to export one fingle farthing for foreign bribery, which might have put it out of their power to furnish the neceflary fums for kome-confumption.

As, therefore, it is fo inconteftibly made out, from the above particulars, that no blame is to be thrown upon the Ministry others, with whom I have converfed, turn their enquiries and indignation from the Cabinet Council at home, to the Cabin • Council abroad; from our Minifters to our Admiral; and, being unwilling to allow any fufpicions to be entertained which might derogate from our national character, or contradict this ⚫ felf-evident truth, that one Englishman is a match for three Frenchmen, have afferted, that under any other Commander be fides Byng, thirteen English Men of War would have blown • Galiffoniere's fleet out of the water.

For my own part, I frankly own myself diffatisfied with this way of talking, and I equally acquit the Vice-Admiral, and the Foretop-maft of the Intrepide (on which he hath laid all the blame) from being the caufes why an inferior French fleet

"fhould

hould make a fuperior English one run away. This Phænomenon being entirely new, fome caufe must be affigned for it, which did not begin to operate till now. Accordingly, I think, I have difcovered what this Cause is, by fuppofing that the fault is not personal to any individual, but to be traced in the general difpofition of the nation; in a word, that the breed of our Britons is changed from what it was, when we conquered France under our Edwards and Henrys, and triumphed upon the ocean under our Blakes and Ruffels.

2.

Far be it from me to propofe any schemes of Oeconomy in the collection of the Revenue, the abolishing an endless num*ber of fine-care places, and diminishing the falaries of the few placemen who have fomething to do: nor will I recommend it to thofe in power, to be more fparing of the public treasure in fecret fervices, maliciously termed Jobbs; to retrench penfions to the rich Courtiers at home, and fubfidies to poor Princes abroad. Vaft fums of money may indeed be faved, by having recourse to fuch methods; but they would be liable to infuperable objections, as they plainly tend to fubvert that system of politics which hath been adopted, for wife reafons; as they * would give a dangerous independency both to the Electors and to the Elected, and rob many thousands of worthy Placemen and Penfioners of the means of faring delicioufly, and being t cloathed fumptuously, amidst national diftrefs. For the fame

reafons, I can, by no means, agree with thofe, who, to their ⚫ plaufible schemes of Oeconomy, would add their invidious x plans of enquiry, and talk of the expediency of establishing a Parliamentary Commiffion of Accounts. What infinite confufion would this create in our country, where, for thefe forty years laft paft, every one who hath had the fingering of the public money, hath done what feemed good in his own eyes, unchecked by the fears of paffing in review before a meddling Houfe of Cns? And what a number of noble families who now live in affluence and fplendor, may be pulled to pieces and ruined for debts they owe to the public, on the pretence of their fathers; grandfathers, or predeceffors, being confiderably in arrear, and not having paffed any accounts while they were trufted with public treasure? But no fuch enquiry need be apprehended: For when I confider, that befides the hundred millions which we owe, one hundred and fifty millions have been raised in support of measures well known to be national, fince the prefent fucceffion took place; what room can there be to fear that any fet of Gentlemen of the House of Cns (even though an unhappy fpirit of enquiry were to start up there) fhould undertake to unravel the intricacies of accounts amounting to near two hundred millions; a fum which ⚫ neither the first L-d of the Ty, nor his C-r, nor the other L-ds, joined to their Secretaries, could put into Figures, unless they fent for their Clerks to affift them ?

!

As to the general plan of this piece, in addition to what har already been quoted concerning the degeneracy of the British breed, the Author proceeds to fay, That unless this degeneracy be admitted, there is no accounting for the rejection of the Militia-Bill laft feffion; the declaration of a certain noble and learned Lord upon it, [That our national difpofition was to Commerce, not to Arms; and that Manufactures and Militias were inconfistent ;] the advancing perfons to military Honours and Commands, who thought it no part of their duty to fight: the permitting the Officers of the garrifon at Minorca to be abfent from their pofts, when the place was in danger, &c. And, that on the contrary, when admitted, we not only need no other clue to the conduct of our Minifters, but by the help of it also discover an extent of penetration and fagacity through the whole courfe of it, (as in the Naturalization-Bill, the Jew-Bill, and laftly the importation of fixteen thoufand vigorous Germans) of which before they were not fuppofed to be capable. He then proceeds to applaud and illuftrete the peculiar propriety of having recourfe to Germany for this redintegrating principle; and specifies many of the good effects to be expected from it: to prove also, that both Ministry and Parliament came into this measure for the purpofe above explained, he obferves, that the parliamentary provifion for the Foundling Hofpital, went hand in hand with it, that the new breed might be maintained as well as got. He then fuggefts feveral thoughts of his own, for enlarging and improving fo beneficial a plan; among which, the tranfporting all our own troops into Germany, to be used in the Pruffian adventure now depending, and the replacing them with a like number of Electoral troops, feems to be moft worth attending to; and laftly, he calls on thofe worthy and loyal corporations, traduced by fome as the rotten part of the conftitution, but which are, indeed, the main-pillars of the State, to fend up, by way of countermeasure to the inftructions now walking round about the kingdom, Addreffes to the firft L- of the Tas the Mr, who, by his office, is moft connected with them, affuring him, and his Colleagues, "That far from being influ"enced by the cries of Faction, circulated, at prefent, through "the kingdom, they remain faithful to those who are in power, and ready to give the most fatisfying proofs of their attachment to government, by choofing, whenever vacancies fhall happen, fuch Reprefentatives as fhall come with the proper recommendation from the Treafury to exprefs their entire acquiefcence in every thing that hath been done, or not been "done, in the management of the war; perfectly convinced "that Minorca could not be worth keeping, or that there were "wife, fecret reasons for not keeping it, otherwise it would not "have been loft, as it was: to declare, that they make no "doubt, that the fame wifdom which provided fo early and fo effectually for the peace and tranquility of Germany, by fub"fidies

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"fidies paid to Ruffians, Heffians, and Pruffians, could, were it neceffary, give fufficient reafons for not having provided effectually for the fecurity of North America. And laftly, to proclaim their gratitude for the introduction of foreign armies; a measure which, tho' it may be cenfured by thofe who ignorantly fuppofe that the Heffians and Hanoverians were intend❝ed to protect Britain from Invafions, must be esteemed as a mafter-piece of profound policy, by thofe who know that they were intended to Mend the Breed."

VIII. His Majefty's Royal Bounty: or a Scheme for keeping in his Majefty's Service fuch a Number of Seamen, that, upon the breaking out of a War, or when required for any particular Service, upon three Months Notice, 24,000 able Seamen may be ready to embark on board fuch of his Majesty's Ships as fhall pe required. 4to. 6d. Dodfley.

The very great number of schemes of this kind, which have been published, from time to time, is alone fufficient to fhew the neceffity of fome new regulations, in order to the more speedy and effectual manning of the royal navy. And that none of them have as yet been adopted, muit argue, either, that none of them are fatisfactory, or that there is fome adverfe principle in power, which can never be brought to be fatisfied with them. The evil of prefiing has been fo managed as to become more an evil than ever the hardships impofed, and the mischiefs brought upon the men by it, greater, and the fervice confequently lefs. This fcheme now published, (which is of the Regifter kind) was calculated for time of peace; and the annual expence is ftated at 90,000l. per annum which may be very easily faved on the present expenditure, and would be very well bellowed, in procuring fo great an advantage to the community. The Author, Mr. Bouchier Cleeve, tells us, he fhould not have prefumed to lay his thoughts before the public, but in compliance with the intreaties of several worthy Gentlemen converfant in naval affairs, and Merchants, to whom he had fhewn it. We are to infer, therefore, that they thought well of it. But as it is fcarce to be fuppofed, that any thing of this comprehenfive nature should be brought forth perfect, we need not wonder, if, upon examination, room should be found for alterations and amendments.

And

IX. A Differtation on the following Subject: What Caufes principally contribute to render a Nation Populous? what Effect has the Populoufnefs of a Nation on its Trade? Being one of those to which were adjudged the Prizes given by the Right Hon. the Lord Viscount Townsend, to the Univerfity of Cambridge, in the Year 1756, and read there in the public Schools, on Friday, July 2. By William Bell,

Author of a Scheme for preventing a further Increase of the National Debt. See Review, vol. XIV. p. 454. X 31

M.A.

M. A. Fellow of Magdalen College, Cambridge. 4to. I Rivington.

This is one of the firft-fruits of a new inftitution for the trial of wits, and has certainly ingenuity and merit enough to excite a perfuafion that the noble Founder will not be difhonoured by it. There is no country, perhaps, where thefe fubjects deferve more to be confidered, and where they are confidered lefs. The Britifh dominions were never populous enough; and never were liable to fuch drains as at prefent. But whatever our defects are, we are afraid, fpeculations, unaffifted by power, will hardly furnith fuitable remedies.-In what manner our Author has treated his fubject, may be gathered from the following short fpecimens, viz. from page 8. Thefe, therefore, appear to be certain and effectual methods of rendering a nation populous: The procuring a great plenty of every thing requifite for their fupport. The diminishing the number of their imaginary wants. The univerfal encouragement and increase of industry; and the reftraining debauchery, and preferving a due regard to the principles of modefty and virtue.' And in this manner he concludes, From the whole of what has been fuggefted, may be clearly feen, a perfect harmony between the true intereft of commerce, and the most effectual means of augmenting a people. For as in the first part of this enquiry it was fhewn, That no nation can in the end become as populous, as it is capable ⚫ of being, unless commerce and refinement are avoided, till the more neceffary arts alone have well filled it with inhabi tants; fo it has, in the next place, appeared, that trade can no where be brought to fo flourishing and permanent a flate, as ⚫ where it has, from the firft, been cultivated by an exceeding numerous people.'

<

X. The Difpute between the King and Senate of Sweden, in regard to the Regal Power, and the Liberties of the People. To which is prefixed, a fhort Account of the Swedish Conftitution. 8vo. Is. Scott.

This pamphlet is precifely what its title indicates it to be: that is to fay, a mere collection of the public papers which have paffed on both fides.

XI. German Cruelty: A fair Warning to the People of Great Britain. 8vo. 6d. Scott.

The defign of this, is merely inflammatory; as the title plainly indicates..

XII. A modeft Addrefs to the Commons of Great Britain, and in particular to the free Citizens of London; occafioned by the ill Succefs of our prefent Naval War with France, and the want of a Militia Bill. 8vo. 6d. Scott

The Author warmly inveighs against the late measures of the Administration, and feems to be of opinion, that nothing is fo likely to fet us to rights again, as a proper Militia-Law. He is not a first-rate writer, but he is as violent as the beft of them.