the plaufibility, and even the propriety, of his reafoning; and we cannot withhold from him the tribute due to that decorum and temper with which he conducts the difcuffion. His statement of the queftion, as it regards this country, provokes a very different fentiment. If this author may be credited, England was the guilty aggreffor: the pacific Convention, forfooth, would have received us in the arms of Fraternity; but we thwarted all their meafures of reconciliation. We cannot exprefs our astonishment, without mixing with it fome portion of indignation that truth fhould be thus publicly libelled. If decrees the most flagrant, if interference the most notorious, be not fufficient to remove the charge of aggreffion from ourfelves, the execution of Briffot ought at least to have convinced the world, that War with England was a meafnre precipitated by a Faction in France, in order to accomplish the most nefarious defigns. We think equally ill of the Remedy propofed by this author: it is no other than to folicit Peace. What valuable end fuch humiliation could obtain, we leave for this writer and his friends to determine. We cannot for our own parts conceive, that an avowal of imbecillity would foften the Republican heart, or that our intereft as a nation would be confulted by a compromise of our fafety and our honour. MISCELLANIES. ART. 42. This author properly remarks that great difficulties are indifpenfible with the establishment of a colony, but he has not the leaft doubt (p. 39.) of the ultimate fuccefs of this. His account, though short, is not without its portion of entertainment. ART. 43. Two Voyages to Sierra Leona, during the Years 1791, 2, 3. In a Series of Letters, by Anna Maria Falconbridge, to which is added a Letter from the Author to Henry Thornton Efq. M. P. and Chairman of the Court of Directors of the Sierra Leona Company.—2d. Edition. 12mo. Printed for the Author, no Bookfellers name. pp. 287. 58. 1794. We do not remember to have seen the first edition of this work, and we are rather surprised that the writer's fuccefs fhould not have induced her to prefent the reader with a little better paper and type. She writes in a fprightly manner. Before we proceed far in the work we find the Lady's name changed from Falconbridge to Dawes; and at the conclufion fhe defcribes herself as involved in a difpute with Mr. Thornton,the chairman of the Sierra Leona company,concerning which, as we do not understand it, we forbear to give any opinion. ART. ART. 44. The American Calendar, or United States Regifler, for the This is an object of curiofity in itself, and muft be very acceptable to all who have connections or concerns in America. It seems to be executed nearly on the plan of our Court Calendar. ART. 45, Short Hand made eafy, the Elementary Principles of Short Hand exemplified, in a variety of eafy Leffons, by which a Knowledge of that useful and elegant Art is attainable in a few Hours by the most Common Capacity. The whole founded on Nature's Grammar, and true Philofophy. By an eminent Short Hand writer.—2d. Edition, for the ufe of Schools, and Private Gentlemen. 8vo. pp. 16. 2s. 6d. Symonds. 1794. Stenography is becoming more and more popular, confequently treatifes which profefs to teach the art are multiplied. The prefent feems calculated to answer the purpose as effectually as any we have teen." ART. 46. Letter Addressed to Sir John Sinclair Bart. Prefident of the Board of Agriculture and internal Improvement, respecting the Important Difcovery lately made in Sweden, of a method to extinguish Fire, with an Account of the Procefs adopted for that Purpose, and Hints of Means for preferving Timber used either in Houfes, or in Ship Building, from that Deftructive Element. By Mr. William Knox, Merchant in Gottenburg.-Edinburgh, Printed. 8vo. PP. 32. 1s. 6d. London. Debret. 1794. This Letter is tranflated from the Swedish language, and was communicated to the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences at Stockholm, in December 1793. The idea is of the higheft Importance, and the mode propofed to extinguifh fire, is to mix folutions of incombustible ingredients in water thrown by engines. Simple and compound folutions are propofed and defcribed, and many fuccessful experiments are circumftantially related. A curious plate is prefixed, explanatory of an experiment, made in the prefence of the King of Sweden, and the nobles of his court, which produced the defired effect. We recommend this pamphlet to the ferious confideration of those who are engaged in chemical purfuits. ART. 47. Characters of the Kings of England, and a concife Hiftory of the Kingdom, with Hiftorical Notes. By John Holt, embellished with a Frontispiece. 12mo. 35. 6d. Stockdale. 1794. This is a well planned and well executed book for children, confifting of the characters of the English Monarchs from William the Conqueror, felected from our best historians, with a fhort fummary of the military events of each reign, and hiftorical notes relative to other important points, drawn from the fame fources. The whole is clearly arranged, and rendered highly attractive and entertaining to young minds by various means, and occafionally by the infertion of poetical illuftrations. ART. 48. Moral Annals of the Poor and Middle Ranks of Society, in various Situations, of good and bad Conduct. 8vo. PP. 44. Price Is. 6d. Pennington, Durham, &c. and Rivingtons, London. 1793. The minds of Englishmen feem to be inceffantly at work, in devifing schemes for doing good to the poor, and fociety at large. The Editor of this fingular compilation appears, from the preface, to be a writer qualified for much higher things: and his defign cannot be better explained than in his own words. "The following traits of character and conduct, are an Effay towards a collection of genuine Annals of the Poor, and Middle Ranks of Society. The objects of the collection are to encourage by example, the practice of truth, honefty, industry, fobriety, gratitude, and other fimilar virtues amongst the poor; and to fhew them, that though every good and contented man will look for his reward to the great day of final retribution in the next life, yet good conduct is often not without its recompence in this: to induce the rich to look fometimes beyond the limits of their own neighbourhood and experience, and to obferve the exercise of virtues amongst the poor, for which, in moments of diffatisfaction and complaint, they may not always be difpofed to allow them credit: and of course, to promote that mutual confidence between the richer and poorer ranks of fociety, which cannot but contribute to the convenience and happiness of both." P. 5. The anecdotes are well adapted to ftrike the minds of the perfons, for whose use they are chiefly intended; and fome of them will strongly affect any mind. But we recommend caution in admitting fach as are found at pp. 11, 12, which, though well meant, are feldom capable of authentication. ART. 49. A General View of the Fishery of Great Britain, drawn up for the Confideration of the Undertakers of the North British Fish ing, lately begun for promoting the general Utility of the Inhabitants and Empire at large. By the Rev. John Lanne Buchanan. 8vo. Pp. 25. 55. Kay, and Longman. 1794. After a long and defultory account of former Fishing Companies, with the caufes of their failure; and another tedious account, with feveral repetitions, of the origin, progrefs, and fuccefs, of the Dutch Fisheries; the author comes to the main business of his book; which is, to show that the Directors of the British Society, lately incorporated for extending the Fisheries of the kingdom, &c. have been Qq mifinformed BRIT. CRIT. VOL. IV. NOV. 1794. mifinformed and mifled in the choice of fishing ftations. The author Jeems to poffefs local knowledge on this fubject. But our reliance on his ftatements is confiderably abated by the acrimony which pervades them against some refpectable individuals, Mr. Dempster, Mr. Anderfon, and, in particular, Mr. Knox. We are convinced that the goodness of a caufe is not ufually in proportion to the heat and vislence of those who maintain it: and we have feen public reasons advertised in the Papers for doubting the affertions of this author. As a literary performance this book is one of the meaneft we have reviewed. The idiom, and even the grammar of it, are as far removed from English as we can easily conceive. ART. 50. The Elements of useful Knowledge; comprehending, among other interefting Particulars, Jhort Systems of Aftronomy, Mythology, Chronology, and Rhetoric; with a brief Account of the Trial and Execution of Louis XVI. and of the late Tranfactions in France. By the Rev. J. Adams, A. M. Author of the Elements of Reading and Leetiones Selecta. 12mo. 35. B. Law and Son. 1793. The author of this compilation has executed his task with diligence, and, for the most part, with accuracy; especially in respect to language, which, in a book defigned chiefly for young readers, is a point of no fmall confequence. The work is very mifcellaneous in its nature, being an epitome of moft kinds of learning. Profoundnefs of information, of course, will not be expected in it. The purpofe of it evidently is, rather to excite than to gratify a thirst after knowledge; and it seems well calculated to answer this laudable purpofe. ART. 51. An Easy Method to acquire the Italian Language by the Help of the French and English. I wo Parts in one Volume. By John Sailleux. 8vo. 2s. 6d. bound, Elmily. 1793. From the great analogy exifting between the French and the Italian languages, it is certain that they may be made very ufefully to illuftrate each other: and we are happy to fee this mode of inftruction preted to English fludents, in English, by a perfon who appears well qualified to give it. ART. 52. A Plan of Education for a limited number of young Gentlemen, humbly fubmitted to the confideration of thofe Parents who regard the Health, Comfort,and Virtue of their Children, as points effentially to be attended to in the course of their Education. By a Clergyman of the established Church. Printed for the author. 12mo. Robinsons. 1794. The author of this tract is the Rev. J. Lancafter, of Wimbledon, Surry. It will be read with different degrees of approbation by those who have been educated at a private seminary, for that feems the fathionable word, or a public fchool. We fmiled, and are not certain that our mouths did not water when we read at p. 9. "The cheerfulness of my 559 my pupils fhall be encouraged, by allowing them a free choice of whatever appears on a table always well supplied, with a variety of animal and vegetable food." ART 53. Remarks on the Profeffion and Duty of a Soldier, with other Obfervations relative to the Army at this time in actual Service on the Continent. By Philip Aftley, Efq. to Hercules Hall, Lambeth, London. 8vo. pp. 56. 25. Moore and Stanly. 1794. This pamphlet contains fome fenfible and judicious obfervations, and cannot fail of being useful to the inexperienced foldier. ART. 54. A Defcription and Hiftorical Account of the Places now the Theatre of War, in the Low Countries: viz. Charlemont, Givet, Arras, St. Omer, &c. &c. Embellished with a Frontispiece, and Plans of the Places the most remarkable for their Fortifications. By Philip Aftley, Eft. 8vo. pp. 82. 6s. Moore and Stanly. 1794. A fhort, but feemingly an accurate account of the places mentioned in the title, points out this volume as very well worthy of attention, except that we think it too dear, TRIALS. ART. 55 Minutes of the Proceedings of the Court Martial held at Portsmouth, August 12th, 1792, on Ten Perfons charged with Mutiny, en Board his Majefty's Ship the Bounty, with an Appendix, containing a full Account of the real Caufes and Circumftances of that unhappy Tranfaction, the most material of which have hitherto been withheld from the Public. 4to. PP. 79. 35. 1794. The circumstances of this tranfaction are already very well known. The fafferings, the fkill, the fortitude, and final efcape of Captain Bligh, are memorable not only in this country, but throughout the world. This trial affords one among innumerable examples, that guilt, however atrocious, and delinquents, however dangerous, are fecure among Englishmen of a fair and impartial trial. Of ten perfons who were brought here to be tried, fix only were condemned, and only three executed. This publication will be found clear, circumftantial, and fatisfactory, in every thing which regards the evidence for the profecution. The appendix endeavours to palliate the behaviour of Chriftian, and the Mutineers, and to criminate Captain Bligh; to which he will, without doubt, think it necessary to make reply. ART. 56. The Trial of Jofeph Gerrald, Delegate from the London Carrefponding Society, to the British Convention, before the High Court of Jufticiary at Edinburgh, on the 3d, 10th, 13th, and 14th of March, 1794, For Sedition. Taken in Short Hand by Mr. Ramfey. Edinburgh 8vo. pp. 256. 4s. Eaton. The literary fame, and fplendid talents, of Mr. Gerald, fays the editor, are as much admired, as the feverity of his fentence is lamented, Q92 Το |