The Screech owl, startled at the morning light, After describing the first appearance of the Sun, above our horizon, he proceeds to draw a lively picture of the various objects that presented themselves to his view. The whole poem is a series of landscapes, wherein is beautifully painted, first the dawning, then the fun-rifing, after that a piece confifting of corn fields, meadows and groves; and lastly, a description of the effects of spring on the several orders of animals. Having already given an example of his description of the dawn, we shall next subjoin a specimen of the other parts. And first of the fun-rifing. While shortly with the blazing torch of day 1 The resplendance of the fun's beams on the sea, and the sporting of the fish, are next described; after which the landscape of meadows and corn-fields follows. The fair creation swell'd upon the eye; And fome cerulean, like the wat'ry main, Like Paradise appear'd each blissful scene Emerging from their coral-paven cave 1 ART. XXXII. ART. XXXI. Reflexions on the expediency of a law for the naturalization of Foreign Protestants, &c. Part II. By Jofiah Tucker, M. A. 8vo. I s. Trye. N Totice has already been taken of the first Part, * nor do we fee any reason to deny the fame recommendation to Part the second, now under our confideration. It is written by way of queries, possibly in imitation of the Bishop of Cloyne's Queristt; between which and the present tract, there seems to be a very great correspondence, and that in regard to the matter as well as method. : In a prefatory discourse, the reverend author has fet forth the various hardships suffered by the protestants abroad, in a very concise, clear, and affecting manner; the conclufion of which is in these words: 'Let the candid and benevolent reader conceive himself in the situation of these unhappy sufferers, helpless and distressed, forced to abandon all his poffeffions, his dearest relations, and his native country, and flying from his perfecutors into a land of strangers, where he only desires a secure retreat, with an exclufion from all public employments, and from parliament, and upon his giving the strongest assurances of fidelity to the government, to be received as a faithful subject; - and may the Almighty direct him to form fuch a judgment concerning the treatment due to persons in these circumftances as becomes a chriftian and a proteftant!'. Though we have a strong defire to declare our sentiments on this subject, we choose rather to be filent, that the charitable may have the pleasure of determining for themselves. No arguments are necessary to convince them, that to do good and relieve the distressed are indispensible chriftian duties. It is the avaricious part of mankind, who stand in need of felf-interested motives to induce them to practise those virtues, which the truly benevolent exercise with pleasure, merely on account of their intrinfic excellence. Our author, therefore, takes a good deal of pains to convince the former, that the naturalization of foreign protestants, instead of being detrimental, would really be for the advantage, and true interest of Great Britain. As this is a matter of the greatest importance, the reader will no doubt * See Review for December last, p. 523. + Review for March, 1750. p. 355. : be be pleased to fee it cleared up by the following queries, taken from page 31. feq. 1. Was there any clause ever offered in a naturalization bill to deprive the freemen of towns corporate of their rights and privileges? And was it not always declared by the promoters of fuch bills, that freemen should preserve these (fupposed) privileges, as long as they themselves would chuse to keep them, and till they would petition to be released from them? 2. What are the privileges of freemen? are they real or imaginary? Would the inhabitants of Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds, accept such privileges if they were offered them? 3. Are the tradesmen in Westminster the poorer for being without, or the tradesmen in London the richer for being within the liberties of the city? 4. ' If a tradesman sells the dearer by excluding those who are not free, doth he not buy the dearer of other tradesmen for the like reason? If his intention is only to exclude rivals, do not the freemen of other trades exclude their rivals upon the fame motives? And when other tradesmen exclude their rivals, do not they in fact exclude such as might be his customers? 5. Is not every tradesman willing to buy as cheap, and sell as much as may be? but how can he do either where trade is not free? : 6. If there will and must be rivals either at home or abroad, which is the most detrimental to the kingdom? To have competitors at home? or, to be out-rivalled a-broad? 7. What is the public good? Is it not, for the most part, the result of emulation among the members of the same society? And what would become of industry, temperance, frugality, and the defire of excelling, if there were no emulation? 18. Which is the best for the public? - to have emulations among tradesmen and manufacturers, or combinations? And which of these hath the strongest tendency to height 1 en the price of exportable goods, and impoverish our country? In answer to the objection, that foreigners would take the bread out of the mouths of the natives, he has the following queries, p. 34. 1. Which fort of foreigners are most to be dreaded, as taking the bread out of the mouths of the natives? Thofe without the kingdom? or those within? 2. " If the good people of England could see through a telescope those merchants and manufacturers in the several parts of Europe, who out rival them, and prevent the fale of their manufactures, - would they not rather say, these are the people who take the bread out of our mouths? - But will the refusal of a naturalization bill be a means to cure this evil? 3. Who are those who have carried the mysteries of trade out of the kingdom? - Foreigners or Englishmen? And whether there are not Englishmen fettled very lately in most kingdoms in Europe, who teach the natives of those countries the particular trades in which we most excell? Whether also there are not undeniable proofs of their having folicited charters to exclude goods of the fame kind coming from England? In order to expose the bad policy of denying foreigners the privilege of fettling in this kingdom, he has, among o thers, the following queries, p. 36. 1. 'Whether the kingdom of Spain would have been depopulated by the Spanish settlements in America, if all the manufactures sent to that country had been worked up in old Spain? 2. As great multitudes of French, English, Dutch, Italians, and other nations, are now employed in the making of manufactures for the Spanish West-Indies, - Would not old Spain be a very populous country, if these people, with their wives and children, were transplanted there? 3. Whether the Spainiards, from a sense of this truth, are not now inviting foreigners to fettle among them? And do not the English seem inclined to run into the oppofite error? 4. Whether it is not prudent to keep open two doors in a state, one for fuch persons to go out to our colonies, as may have their reasons for such departure, and the other to admit those persons in, as are inclined to live among us?' This specimen, we presume, will, not only justify the character already given, but likewise excite the reader's curiosity to peruse the piece itself. ART. XXXIII. : |