weekly, monthly, or annual wages, acquire in time a fufficiency to maintain them, without labour, when they grow old. There is much good fenfe and plaufibility in what he advances on the fubject; and could fuch a fcheme be put in execution, and the duty of the Commiffioners appointed for that purpofe, continue to be faithfully difcharged, it would doubtless be of great fervice to the lower rank of people; but there appears to be a kind of fatality in charitable corporations in fome countries; and tho' in France fuch a project might poffibly take effect, the meanest artificer or labourer in this nation, would very probably think his liberty infringed, by being laid under a kind of obligation to fave his money, when he should have a mind to spend it. Men of fuch narrow property, love to be their own purfe-bearers; and tho' oeconomy be a very prudent, it is not always a palatable expedient, even with those who ftand most in need of adopting it.

Art. 15. Effai fur l' Inflitution des Avocats et Procureurs des Pauvres, &c. Or, An Effay on the Expediency of providing Attorneys and Pleaders for the Poor. 12mo. Paris, 1762.

It hath been frequently faid, tho' probably with less candour than truth, that Priests of all religions are the fame; it might, however, be affirmed, with an equal degree of both, that Lawyers of all countries are the fame. At least the chicanery and delay of the courts in France, must be as bad or worse than our own, if what this Author declares be true, that Debtor, who was poffeffed of an hundred thousand livres, being fued for fifty thoufand, by an impatient and litigious Creditor, found his whole fortune hardly fufficient to pay the debt and cofts of fuit. What then, fays he, muft become of a poor man, who finds himfelf under the neceffity of contending with a rich one? He may plead, indeed, in forma Pauperis, both here and in France: but, alas! under the prefent influence of wealth, he is not likely ever to plead any other wife, from what he may gain by his procefs. The intent of this Writer, therefore, is, to raise a fund, by fubfcription, to carry on the juft caufes of the poor; and to prevent their being cheated, robbed, and oppreffed, by the rich; a very humane and noble scheme, if it could be executed in the manner laid down by the Author.

Art. 16. Lettre de M. Marin, Cenfeur Royal et de la Police, de Academie de Marseille, &c. à Madame la Prefident de P***, fur un Project intereffant pour l'Humanité. Or, A Letter from M. Marin to a Lady, on a Project interefting to Humanity. 12mo. Paris.

This letter relates to the fame fubject as the preceding article, and difplays at once the goodness of heart, as well as the good fenfe of the Writer. Mr. Marin here propofes, that a fubfcription may be opened, in order to raise a fund, by voluntary contributions, for the profecution of the juft law-fuits of the poor: the fubfcribers to engage for what fum they pleafe, which is to be paid, when the establishment is compleated, into the hands of a banker, till fuch time as it can be fecurely depopofited in the public funds, or otherwife, for the advantage of the inti.ution.

That

That a certain number of Advocates fhall affemb'e twice a week, at a proper office, where the poor fhall be at liberty to confult them, and to reprefent their respective cafes. On which the faid Advocates, who are to be pud and rewarded according to their merit out of the above-mentoned fund, are to take the feveral cafes into confideration, and to advie the confulting parties thereon, either on the propriety of accommodating the differences with their adverfary, or on the legitimacy of their ovn pretenfions.

That when matters are not to be accommodated to the fatisfaction of the parties, the faid Advocates fhall proceed to bring the causes of the fail poor and indigent clients before the proper courts; the expences of which are to be paid out of the general stock thus raised.

If the poor lofe their caufe, they are to be at no expence; but if they gain it, and the damages be confiderable, fo much is to be deducted out of that fum, as will pay all the incidental charges, which the adverse party is not obliged by the fentence of the court to refund.

How far this project be practicable or expedient in France, we cannot take upon us to fay; but that fuch an inflitution, if it could take place, would be a very humane and charitable one in this country, is certain. Not but that we are in fome doubt, whether it might not tend as much to the emolument of the Gentlemen of the law, as to the good of the community in general.

Art. 17. Reflections critiques, fur le premier chapitre du Septieme Tome des Oeuvres de M. de Voltaire, au fujet des Juifs. Or, Critical Reflections on Mr. Voltaire's Account of the Jews. 12mo. Paris, 1763.

If the ingenious Author of this apology for the Jews, had not made fo great a diftinction between those of the Portugueze and the Dutch nations, he might have been efteemed a candid, as he is otherwise a polie and able advocate. But there is fomething too partial and invidious, however juft, in that distinction, to entitle him to the honour of being the Defender of the Jewish people in general. Mr. de Voltaire, indeed, is faid to have felt the force of our Author's remonftrances, and to have retracted, in a private letter, the fevere expreffions he made ufe of; promifing to foften or correct them in a future edition of his works : but if Mr. Voltaire thinks himself to blame in having imputed to a whole nation the vices of feveral individuals, our Apologift muft be, in a great degree, equally guilty, for fhifting off the burthen from the fhoulders only of his own party the Portuguese and Spaniards, and leaving it on thofe of the Poles and Germans; who, fo far as they are Jews, are probably no worfe than their brethren. That the former having been hitherto more rich, have been more liberally educated, and have been admitted on a more friendly footing into the polite world, is very certain; but how far that pre-eminence is to be attributed to the ditinguifhed caufes our Author lays down, or to others more modern or obvious, we cannot take upon us to fay.

Art. 18. Efaie fur le Luxe. Or, An Effay on Luxury. 8vo. Amfterdam, 1762.

This

This is a forcible, and not impertinent, declamation against Luxury; by which our Author means rather the extravagance of individuals, than what fome Writers have meant by that term. It is attributed to Mr. Pinto, formerly of Amfterdam, Author of the above apology for the Jews, and is well worthy the perufal and mature confiderat.on of the inhabitants of a populous and commercial city, fuch as are thofe of Amfterdam and Londor.

Art. 19. Nouveaux Amusemens des Eaux de Spa; Ouvrage inftructif & utile à ceux qui vont boire ces Eaux Minerales fur les Lieux. That is, New Amusements for the Spa; an ufeful and inftructive Performance for all those who refort to those Waters. 12mo. 1763.

This work is a very different kind of a performance to that which has been fo long known under the fame title and is univerfally acknowleged to be as frivolous as ufelefs. The prefent New Amusements afford, on the contrary, a very instructive and agreeable entertainment; confiting of a circumftantial account of the nature of the waters; of the cures effected by them; of the manner of living at the Spa; of the different characters of the people ufually to be met with there, and of the natural history of the country; intermixed with inftructive adventures, and curious anecdotes, relative to the amufements and circumstances of the place. It is written by Dr. Limbourg, a Gentleman well known in his profeffion, as well as in the literary world.

Art. 20. Verdediging van de eer der Hollandfhe Natie. Or, A Defence of the Dutch Nation, occafioned by the Calumnies thrown out against them by the English Authors of the Univerfal History. 8vo. Amfterdam, 1763.

This is a fpirited and sensible remonstrance against the character drawn of the Dutch, in the thirty-first volume of the Modern Part of the Univerfal History; the Authors of which are called upon to acknowlege or refute the facts and arguments here advanced against them.

Art. 21. Johannis Philippi Heinii, Differtatio de Auctore & caufa fragis Affyriorum tempore Ezechia Judæorum Regis, ad illuftrationem Jefaiae capitis xxxvii. v. 36. Or, A Differtation on the Author and Caufe of the Slaughter of the Affyrians in the time of Hezekiah. 4to. Berlin, 1762.

Mr. Hein, the Author of this learned and curious differtation, conceives, that the deftroying Angel which overthrew the hoft of Sennacherib, was nothing more than a hot and peftilential wind, like that which the Arabs call Samúm or Sammie', and which makes fuch terrible ravages in Arabia, Perfia, Palestine, and other places in the East. To prove the justice of this conception, he brings feveral paffages out of the facred writings, to fhew that thofe inanimate beings, which Providence makes use of to execute its defigns, whether of justice or mercy, are often called the Minifters and the Meffengers of him who maketh the winds his angels,

With regard to the deftruction fometimes occafioned by the Sammiel, he quotes

3

quotes feveral examples, taken from Hiftorians and Travellers of note, who affirm, that large caravans, and fometimes whole armies, have been almost instantaneously fuffocated by these deftructive winds. Indeed, the certainty of this fact is hardly to be disputed, if any credit is to be given to the relations of Travellers. Now, Mr. Hein very juftly thinks it of little confequence to enquire, whether this peftilential wind, which destroyed the army of Sennacherib, was the effect of a fupernatural and miraculous exertion of the divine power, or whether it was to happen in the natural and ordinary courfe of things. For, even fuppofing it to be the latter, viz. that it was an occurrence which must neceffarily happen according to the ufual courfe of Providence; none could foretell that event but God, or affure Hezekiah of the deftruction of his enemies.

Art. 22. Abrégé de l' Hiftoire Ecclefiaftique. Or, An Abridgment of the Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. By Mr. Formey. 2 Vols. 12mo. 1763.

Never furely was there fo indefatigable a Writer as Mr. Formey! the Wits have formerly diverted themselves with fuch rapid Composers, by talking of their having mills to make verfes with; but really one would be apt to imagine, by the number and variety of our Author's works, that he must have hit upon fome mechanical contrivance equally expeditious and durable.

Art. 23. Hiftoire de l' Imperatrice Irene.

the Emprefs Irene.

Or, The History of 12mo. Paris, 1762.

It is furprizing, fays the ingenious Author of this Hiftory, that no Writer hath hitherto taken the trouble to collect the feveral anecdotes relative to this Princefs, from the feveral ancient Authors who have occasionally mentioned her extraordinary character. Certain it is, that her reign was as fingular and remarkable, as her elevation to the throne was fudden and unexpected. Born of an obfcure, tho' not ignoble family. the could have no pretenfions, or expectation, to mount the throne of the Emperors of the Eaft. Leon, the fon of Conftantine, however, no fooner faw her make her appearance at Conítantinople, than he became enamoured of her; and, upon her renunciation of the worship of images, to which fhe was extremely attached, married her, with his father's approbation. So long as Leon lived, indeed, this Princefs made no extraordinary figure; but, after his death, fhe appeared with all the dignity and fplendour of an Emprefs, and manifefted the moft uncommon talents for political intrigue, and all the finifter arts of government. The tranfactions recorded in this history are very interesting; the reflections, for the most part, juft and pertinent.

N. B. As it would take up too much room, and afford but little entertainment to the generality of our Readers, to print a Lift of all the Foreign Publications, we are obliged to confine ourselves to the most po pular and interesting: a method which we hope will fufficiently gratify the curiofity of those Friends who were fo particularly defirous we should extend this part of our plan.

Our foreign Correfpondents, whom we may have heretofore neglected, will alfo find, that fuch neglect hath been owing, not to want of incli nation, but of opportunity, to oblige them.

INDE X.