of a different tendency, regarding a fimple regulation of trade in the article of Peruvian bark. Our government have refused to export that article under French fpecial licences, unless a certain quantity of our manufactures or colonial produce is alto included. But the oppofition invent the fuppofition that we are entirely withholding bark from France, and that thus we are depriving the bed of ficknefs of fo important a remedy, making war on their hoips, and engendering peftulence and plague; and that we are, therefore, inhumane! The French themfelves in their inveterate hoftility againit our trade, may haughtily reject our boon, as they would reject a peace not dictated by themfetves; and if they do, is it us who are depriving them of this falutary medicine? Is it we who refuse it, or they themselves? Are we impofing any cond tron which impedes them from the certatuty of obtaining it? On the contrary, have we not opened the doors of our market wide, that they may become purchaters on reafon ble terms? Where, then, is the denounced inhumanity? In this country, when any men appear in public, and pretend to have a greater fhare of fenfibility than that which is diftinguishable in others, it may reafonably be fufpected that their own pretenfions are disputable What good purpose can be attained by fuch unwarrantable appeals to the paflions, thus holding up the government of our own country as an object of deteftation, and a powerful foe as fuffering pteoufly by our oppieffion? Let it be granted that the oppofition intend no harin; but do they not effect it? In fuch attack on minifters, are they not fighting the caufe of the enemy? On every occapon there appears a disposition to NEGLECT our PUBLIC SPIRIT!"

We shall now take our leave of this enlightened effay, with thanking the anonymous author, not only for the pleasure we have had in the perufal, but for the pofitive good which it mu? do our countrymen in general, who are unaccustomed to take fuch original and philofophical views of the national influence of popular opinions and declamations in political aflemblies. We hope thefe British legiflators, who confidered it their duty always to oppugn and ridicule the meatures of his Majesty's minifters, will read it with that attention which the importance of the subject deserves.

The Political and Military State of Europe (1807); an Address to the Brityh Nation xh biting the fole Means of preferving the independ ence and Liberties of the British Empire, and of rescuing thofe of Europe from the ly any of the French Government By Alexander Walker. Eq. Pp. 88, 8vo. 55. Ballantyne, Edinburgh; Crof by ana Co., London. 1807.

THERE is much gesume benevolence, fome good fenfe, and judicious advice, wit a little vifionary fpeculation in this fplendidly printed volume. Te iubject was original prefented in the shape of a memoir to the Executive Government of the country, and we are

told was well received. Mr. Walker confiders all revolutions to rife from one caufe, namely the neglect of merit.—" Nor has the neg lect of merit," he afferts, fubverted merely the Grecian or the Roman tates-it is the grand caufe of the revolutions and the fall of em pires. Neither is the converfe of this principle lefs true than its primary statement. For nations have always been formidable after internal convulfions, folely, becaufe, during them, it becomes the intereft of governments, or of the public, to reward talent, which while profperous, they as uniformly avoid. The grand principle of government is that of rewarding merit. Ambition is vain only when fcience oppofes it." Thefe propofitions are doubtless generally true, although fomewhat vague. The character of Buonaparte is sketched in glowing and faithful colours. "Chance, however," fays this ani mated writer, "has at laft placed an Italian bravo and affaflin upon the [French] throne*; a wretch detefted by every nation; who, to the balett meannefs and the molt contemptible hypocrify, joins the groffeft brutality, and the moft ferocious infolence; whofe lan guage, ravingly repeating three or four irrational and incoherent ideas, is the picture of his mind, wild, infane, and frightfully de bafed; who is cruel to his flaves and the vanquished, and treacherous to all; whofe friendship is more dangerous than his hatred, and whofe whole career is stained with perfidy and blood. Nr has this moufter forgot the principle of his predeceffors; he has leagued against the interefts of Europe, and even of France, a band of ruffans, who have nothing to lofe and much to gain; he has rewarded their exertions, and they have aided him to enflave France, and to pugue the Continent."- "That there exifts one Briton who can applaud the tyrant, excites in me more than amazement. Some of thofe per

fons, who, on the laft peace, paid him homage, have feverely tuffered; and I trust that those, who may fimilarly debaje the honour of their country, will meet a still feverer fate!" Thefe are manly, noble, virtuous fentiments of just indignation, worthy of a free-born Briton, against a monster of human depravity and iniquity. It fhould be remarked that thefe energetic fentiments were written nearly two years ago; and how much more odious has the tyrant rendered himfelf fince? Yet Mr. Whitbread would still render him homage, and fuplicate him to make peace, even after his atrocious conduct to Spain! Mr. Walker, judging doubtless from the rectitude of his own mind, contends that the Germans have been defeated by the French only in confequence of their inferiority in tacties, and juftifies them as an honourable race, against the imputation f treachery: unfortu nately, however, either from the crooked policy of their govern ment, which rather perfecuted than rewarded merit, or froin their own want of integrity, many officers in the Auftrian armies unquef

« * Whoever confiders that Buonaparte has actually introduceḍ into a nation of more generous character the baseft of the customs of Italy that of fecret affaluation-will feel how juftly applied these •pithets are."

tionably fold their men. The" difafters of Europe are the natural confequences; the infeparable punishment of neglected [the neglect of talents," is alledged with too much truth. The author propofes, as an effectual means of acquiring a profound skill in military tactics, that free military fchools thould be established, and that regular examinations of all candidates for commiffions fhould take place as rigoroufly as young furgeons are now examined prior to their receiving appointments in the navy. In this manner talents only would attain preferment, and that too in proportion to their acquirements and powers. There can be no truth however more unquestionable, than that talents and merit in the military profeffion fhould be rewarded in a very different manner from what they are at prefent, and that commiffions, inttead of being bought and fold like other wares, fhould be exclusively the reward of merit. Till fome fuch meafure is adopted, we may always expect to have Whitelockes for officers, rather than men of fcience and bravery.

To this Addrefs or projet is appended an "Addrefs to the French People, calculated for the purpose of exciting in their minds distrust in the tyrant, and of preparing them to recover their loft independence. Originally written in French by a friend to rational liberty and to the real interefts of France." This is very well adapted to aroufe fomething of the fpirit' which marked the second stage of the revolution. The picture of Buonaparte is fufficiently hideous, but we were not a little furprised to fee the author claffing Mirabeau, Briffot, and the Duke d'Enghien, together. Upon the whole, the yolume does honour to the talents and patriotifin of the author, and is very well worthy of a ferious perufal,

The Dawn of Liberty on the Continent of Europe; or the Struggle of the Spanish Patriots for the Emancipation of their Country. By J. Agg. Pp. 89, 8vo. 2s 6d. Agg, Briftol; Tipper, London. 1808.

A VERY well defigned account of the atrocities committed by the French in Madrid, with a collection of the firft refolutions of the Patriots to defend themselves, and emancipate their much injured country from the fangs of French defpotifin. Mr. Agg has manifested a truly laudable fpirit in thus laying before the public, in a convenient form, fuch interefting and exemplary details as should be re-echoed throughout the civilized world,

EDUCATION.

Friendly Admonitions to Parents, and the Female Sex in general; with Refle&ons on Moral and Religious Subje&s: intended for the Benefit of the fing Generation. By Charlotte Badger, late C. Wain wright. Pp. 168, 8vo. Cadell and Davies.

IT is rarely we find, in books which are written expressly on female education, a úmform fentment of practical good tenfe and found chriftian morality. The love of novelty, the defire of faying pretty things, a favourite paradox, or the peculiar caprice of fome fafcinating female, tend to obstruct the natural exercite of reafon on this most important fubjeét. To these, and fome other caufes, may, perhaps be attributed the little fuccefs which bas yet marked the labours of authors who chose the fubject of female education. The male authors in general on this topic are extremely prejudiced, and the fphere of female writers' obfervation is too limited, and their remarks not lufficiently approfondi. There is often, indeed, much justnefs and plautibility, as well as great acuteness, in the obfervations of intelligent females; but they will be found to be drawn rather from furrounding circumftances than from the natural propentities of hu manity, under the guidance of true religion: they partake too much of individual character, and are too local to constitute the balis of any univerfal principle of education. It would perhaps be more correct to infer, from fuch ob/ervations, the character of the observer. than that of the perfons obferved. In this refpect, confiderable analogy will be found between Mrs. H. More and Mrs. M Wolftonecraft. But we fhail leave hypocrny and effrontery to turn to the modeft and rational volume before us.

Mis. Badger's effays are directed to the following topics: "Friendly Admonitions to Parents, &c." embracing a general, rational, and interefting view of the prevailing manners and abuses in female education and morals; "Reflections on Stability on the Neceffity of Employment-on Friendthip-on Senhbility—on the Abuse of inferior Animals-on the Power of Confcience-and on Religion.” I all these fubjects, the author evinces a confiderable fund of good fenfe and rational obfervation; and if her work does not render effential fervice to public manners, it is rather to be attributed to her over zeal to effect a greater good that the prefent nature of things would admit, than to any want of merit in her literary effufions. In didactic and rational works, that flippancy of fentiment which, among modern refinements, is called elegance, is not to be expected; but ftrength and perfpicuity a not wanting to give thefe "Admoni tions" that useful effect which the author appears to have so much defired. The defects in the modern fyftem of female education are clearly and forcibly pointed out. The neglect of all knowledge of domeftre concerns, and the ridiculous mufic-mania, which prevail among tradefpeople's daughters, are very joftly cenfured; while at the fame time, notwithstanding the familiarity of fcience and fentiment, their yacant minds and their ignorance of every thing really ufeful are furpifing.

"Can any thing be more abfurd," afks Mrs. B. " than the idea of a butcher's or baker's daughter devoting moft, nay perhaps the whole, of her time to the study of the polite arts, and the cultivation of certain accomplishments, unless for the purpose of qualifying herself for a profeffion, or for a teacher at a boarding school? Would it not

be much more for the interetis [and for the honour] of people in Certain fituations, to have their daughters made proficients in writing and accompts, plain needle-work, and other domestic employments, which would be of real utility to them, and might be done for lefs than half the fum which is frequently expended in ufelefs accomplishments ?"

The abuses in modern boarding-school education, as well as of fashionable manners, are very pointedly ftigmatized; and the almoft total neglect " of the cultivation of the fema e mind, both at public and private schools," and the confequent want of “mental vitues,” are fully expofed. But it is very doubtful whether the practice of people of fortune, who fend their children to public schools, be fo injurious, confidering the prefent circumftances and the moral character of fuch people, as the author feems to think. It would, doubtless, be better for fociety if all parents were able, wiling, and squalified, to direct the education of their own children themselves; but what greater misfortune could poffibly befal fome children than to leave them to the education of their parents of crim, con, notoriety? The remark that "children of rank and fortune, by affociating with their inferiors, have been often known to contract a vulgarism of fentiment and behaviour, and which has proved a jiumblingblock to them through life," if correct, can only be but a fotary exception, and therefore no argument against the general advantage of an early knowledge of fuperiors, inferiors, and equals. We would not by this remark, however, be underflood to fauction the familiarity of children, especially females, with fervants, who are generally the most dangerous companions they could pothbly meet. But it unfortunately happens that all parents are not qualified to inftruct their own children, and many from immoral hab ts, from ignorance, or from excellive and foolith fondnefs, are wholly incapable of pro perly fulfilling their parental duties. In treating of the qualibca tions of a governefs, it is pertinently afked, "How are the minds and manners of children to be formed? By precept and example, Can a governess, who is deficient in knowledge and experience, be considered as competent to cultivate the understandings of her pupils? Can the be expected to fortify their minds by virtue and religion, if ignorant herfelf of their extentive duties, or unaccustomed to the regular practice of them? Or can the be pronounced even qualified to forin their manners, if her own behaviour and converfation do not furnish a perfect example of politenefs and good breeding?" The whole indeed, of the author's remarks on the qualification of teachers, and the ume at which education fhould commence, are excellent, and deferve the attention of all parents, whether male or female, whọ with to make their offspring refpected and refpectable in fociety.

"Judgment" is, with great propriety, contidered “an effential requilite in those who undertake the important office of education ;" it is much more ufeful than genius or invention. It requires the exercife of a found judgment, and not of a fertile imagination, to decide whether feverity, leniency, or a mixture of both, would be