Page images
PDF
EPUB

LAW.

Art. 24. Thoughts on the Extenfion of Penal Laws. With fome Remarks on a Memorial delivered to the Right Honourable the Lords Commiffioners of his Majesty's Treasury by a Committee of Tea Dealers, Feb. 2, 1779. 8vo. IS. Wilkie. 1779.

The excife laws, it is well known, received a confiderable acceffion both of bulk and ftrength from a ftatute which paffed in the last feffions of parliament, and which probably took its rife from the memorial alluded to in the title page. It is natural for those who fuffer, to complain; and it is not unwife in those who complain, to point out fuch means as they think likely to prevent, or remedy, the ills they fuffer. The framers and prefenters of that memorial were confiderable traders; and in order to check the growth of fmuggling (the practice of which they conceived to be fo injurious to the revenue, and which they felt to be fo detrimental to trade) they fubjoined to their memorial a propofal for fome future regulations and reftrictions, that feemed to them moft efficacious for this purpose. This propofal excites the indignation of our Pamphleteer. Mark his apostrophe to thefe recreant tea dealers. Blush, if ignorance will permit you! Be feen and heard no more! Or if you will, be confiftent, and let oppreffion be the theme! Nurfed with the milk of monopoly, follow the practice long fince adopted; combine and crush the little dealers round you, and give over your attempts to undermine the grand and noble fabric of our liberties, which has already coft us fo many millions of treasure, and an inundation of blood to rear and fupport.' This is certainly magnificent language! Voilà le vrai fublime!

Whoever is fond of tracing the coincidences of expreffion between great writers, will be amused to find how nearly in fome paffages this Writer approximates to Junius's Letter to the K-. The following fentences are selected from each, and compared. Our Author thas fpeaks of Mr. Alderman Bull, whofe name, he observes with fome concern,' fubfcribed to this offenfive memorial:

'I am ftill inclined to make an indulgent allowance for the pernicious leffons" he received from these arch-projectors.'

Junius to bis M. "We are still inclined to make an indulgent allowance for the pernicious leffons you received in your youth." This Author to Mr. Alderman Bull. I am unwilling to think him capable of a direct deliberate purpofe to invade the original rights of fubjects, on which all their civil and political liberties depend.'

Junius to bis M. "We are far from thinking you capable of a direct deliberate purpofe to invade the original rights of your fubjects, on which all their civil and political liberties depend."

This Author to Mr. Bull. Banish from your mind the unworthy opinions with which those interested persons have laboured to possess you.'

Junius. "Banish from your mind thofe unworthy opinions with which fome interested perfons have laboured to poffefs you."

Whether fo unusual a fimilarity of phrase be the refult of accident or artifice, we cannot determine. We would not, without ftrong evidence, pronounce this Writer guilty of plagiarifm, because "W

аге

are unwilling to think bim capable of a direct deliberate purpose to invade the original rights" of another author. T. Art. 25. Thoughts on Martial Law, and on the Proceedings of

General Courts Martial. 4to. 2s. 6d. Becket. 1779. That celerity of decifion, which the exigencies of war require, is in a great measure incompatible with the fcrupulous investigation, and cautious formalities, which ought to be adhered to in the admi niftration of civil juftice. Hence every attempt to affimilate the martial to the common law will be found extremely difficult; if not altogether impracticable. Martial law (we are told by the best writers) is built upon no fettled principles, but is entirely arbitrary in its decifions, and is in reality no law, but fomething indulged, rather than allowed as law.' Yet it is furely to be wished, that those gallant men, whom enthufiafm impels, or public neceffity calls forth, to the public fervice, fhould not be left unguarded by the laws of that country which their valour is employed to defend. When we confider how many of our fellow subjects are, in time of war, amenable to a military tribunal, we cannot but regret that they should forfeit as foldiers, the rights they poffeffed as citizens; and that their lives and liberties fhould be less anxiously watched over and protected by the barriers of law, than those of any other order of men. The defign of this fenfible and well-timed tract is to reduce into form and precifion, the proceedings of courts martial; and in the courfe of it the Author hath fuggefted many valuable hints for the improvement of this mode of trial. He has certainly a claim to the attention and gratitude of all military men; to their attention, from the information he communicates; to their gratitude, for the benevolence he expreffes: -for he acquaints them, that if his efforts tend to fecure the wellbeing or fafety of even the lowest veteran of the camp,' his purpose will be fully answered.

MILITARY

[ocr errors]

AFFAIRS.

T. Art. 26. The Military Inftructor for non-commiffioned Officers and private Men of the Infantry. By Thomas Simes, Efq; late of the Queen's Royal Regiment of Foot; and Author of the Military Guide, &c. Second Edition. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Almon, &c. In this publication, which we do not recollect seeing before, though it is called the fecond edition, the Author has fupplied the deficiency we remarked in the account of his Military Guide; and by the inftructions and precedents it contains, it promifes to be a very useful manual for all intelligent fubalterns and private men in military fervice.

POETICAL.

[ocr errors]

Art. 27. The Vifion: A Poem, on the Death of Lord Lyttelton.
Infcribed to the Right Hon. the Earl of Abingdon. 4to.
Millidge.

The story of Lord Lyttelton's apparition-lady, thrown into verfe ; with a handful of good, honeft oppofition-politics, tofs'd in for a make-weight. This inexorable poet, and patriot, condemns all the

See Rev. vol. lviii. p. 303.

G4

minifterial

N.

ministerial rogues + to an ignominious death in this world, and eternal damnation in the next:

Nor fhall their punishment on earth atone,

In endless torments they fhall ever groan.'
Oh! oh! oh!!!-

Art. 28. Poems, by Mr. Jofeph Holden Pott. 8vo. 1 s. 6d.
Becket. 1779.

This little Mifcellany, confifting of Odes, Elegies, &c. carries with it many marks of a cultivated mind. The Odes, which form the principal part of the collection, are easy and harmonious; and if they abound not in any great strokes of original genius, they are, at leaft, not deftitute of those graces which fpring from a true and elegant taste.

At the end of the volume are added Poemata Latina. Of thefe, none are wholly without merit; but the laft, in our opinion, is the best.

AMERICAN AFFAIRS.

C.t Art. 29. Cool Thoughts on the Confequences to Great Britain of American Independence; on the Expence of Great Britain in the Settlement and Defence of the American Colonies; and on the Value and Importance of the American Colonies and the Weft Indies to the British Empire. 8vo. 1 s. Wilkie, 1780.

The Author fets out with obferving, that the independence of America has been long fince recommended, by a learned and ingenious author, as beneficial to Great Britain; that the plaufibility of his arguments has made fome profelytes; and that it has even produced a motion in the House of Commons, to that end.' Whether,' fays this writer, the boldness or novelty of the fentiment has been mistaken for truth, I fhall not determine; this, however, is certain, that at the first view of a propofition to dismember from a ftate 3,000,000 of its fubjects, and the far greater part of its territory, reafon takes the alarm, and creates in the mind ftrong fufpicions that it cannot be well founded.'-To prove that it is ill founded, is the main bufinefs of this temperate and judicious performance. By a candid fate of facts, and a series of juft and pertinent remarks, he fhews the ruinous confequences [to this country] of a plan, by which Great Britain must give up not only the greatest part of its territory, and more than one fourth of its people, but likewife near one half of its commerce, (the trade to Ireland and the Eaft Indies excepted), foreign as well as Colonial. The confequences he deduces are- the decay, if not the ruin of the beft fources of wealth and ftrength in the empire: more especially, as a great part of what we fhall give up, mult fall into the hands of our natural and determined enemies.'

This pamphlet is justly entitled Cool Thoughts. The Author difcuffes his fubjects in a decent and difpaffionate, though very earnest and ferious ftrain: in which the Americans are not abufed as rebels, nor is government traduced with accufations of defpotism. The

This is a mistake, Master Reviewer! the Author does not fay rogues he only calls the gentlemen titled traitors,' and hellish PRINTER'S DEVIL.

crew.'

Dean Tucker,

question,

queftion, indeed, as to the grounds of our quarrel with the Colonies, is totally avoided: the writer having wholly confined himself to the difcuffion of the fingle point which he had in view, viz. The fatal confequence [to Great Britain] of American independence, fhould that fcheme be firmly established.

Art. 30. Obfervations on American Independency.

Edinburgh.

8vo. 6 d..

This North British publication appears (and to fome it feems a phenomenon) in favour of American Independency; which the writer fuppofes, on commercial principles, to be the most advantageous ground on which we can fettle our differences with the revolted Colonies. The Author reafons like a man of fenfe, moderation, and humanity; and he appears to have formed juft notions of the value of that commercial intercourfe which hath fubfifted, or that may, hereafter, fubfift between Great Britain and North America,-fhould the latter become Independent.-We perfectly agree with him in his conclusive reflection, that if there be any truth in the arguments now offered [to prove] that the Independency of America, instead of being a lofs to the trade, manufactures, and marine of Britain, will rather enlarge and increase them,-what pity is it that this plan of reconciliation had not been agreed to fooner! He takes leave of his Readers in the following terms, after mentioning the neceffity of our taking care to prevent America's falling under the influence or dependence of other nations: If thefe obfervations,' fays he, fhall have any effect to promote that purpose' [of prevention], the Author will deferve the name of a TRUE BRITON; rather than those who, through miftaken principles, have loft the natural feelings of humanity, and can hear of burning and defolation without regret, and without properly confidering the confequences of fuch unpolitical barbarity.'

[ocr errors]

Art. 31. Letters of Papinian; in which the Conduct, prefent State and Profpects of the American Congrefs are examined 8vo. Is 6d. New York printed: London reprinted, for Wilkie, 1779.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

According to the account of this writer, the Conduct' of the Congrefs has been altogether Machiavelian, tyrannical, and wickedtheir Prefent State' is defperate-and their Profpects' prefent them only with fcenes of wretchedness and irretrievable ruin. He calcuJates the lofs already fultained by the Americans, including their public debt to France, at above 80 millions sterling; and concludes with warmly and pathetically exhorting the people to abandon the miferable and hopeless caufe in which they have been fo unhappily engaged; to return to the protection of Great Britain, and thereby procure to themselves the restoration of peace, freedom, and fecurity:' bleffings which (he is very certain) they can never hope to enjoy, while they remain under the deftructive power and mifgovernment of their prefent defpots.Such are the ideas of a very plaufible writer; but we must make allowances for the zeal and prejudices of party. And we must remember, too, that misrepresentation is fometimes deemed good policy though HONESTY is faid to be the BEST.

MEDICAL.

MEDICAL.

Art. 32. Animadverfiones de Natura Hydropis, ejufque Curatione. Auctore Francifco Milman, M. D. Coll. Reg. Med. Lond. & Reg. Societ. Lond. Socio. 8vo. 3 s. fewed. DodЛley. 1779. The principal view of this Writer appears to be, the answering a query propofed by Sir George Baker, in the fecond volume of the Medical Tranfa&tions, whether more cures of the dropfy might not be effected, if a greater indulgence, in refpect to drink, were allowed to the patients? Dr. Milman was first led to incline towards the affirmative of this question, by the opportunity he had, while abroad, of obferving the fuccefs which attended the ufe of Bacher's tonic pills in France, and the practice of Dr. Collin at Vienna, in both which no reftriction in diluent drinks was enjoined. He likewife obferved, that the directions given by Hippocrates, in the cure of this difeafe, correfponded in general with this idea; and he employs a confiderable part of his work in commenting on what the venerable father of phyfic has faid on this fubject, and endeavouring to reconcile fome apparent contradictions in his doctrine. Finally, our Author refers to his own practice, in the Middlefex Hofpital, for additional confirmation of the utility of diluting liquors in dropfical cafes, which he allows, with the Hippocratic intention of preparing the body for the operation of medicines; and particularly of promoting the efficacy of diuretics, on which he chiefly depends for the cure of the dropfy. The general method of treatment he lays down, is, to begin with fome fmart hydragogue purgatives, and then to employ diuretics, fuch as the faline mixture, fquills, and decoction of feneka root, together with the following drink in a quart of barley water, half an ounce of Creme of Tartar is diffolved, and a little fugar and proof spirit is added. Of this the patient is permitted to drink at pleafure. By this method, a copious discharge of urine was usually procured in a fhort time; and where the cafe was tolerably favourable, a cure was generally effected. The hiftories of fome cafes, treated in this manner, are fubjoined; and the appearances (on diffection) of those which terminated fatally, are added. On the whole, we cannot but think, that the learned author has done a great deal towards establishing his point, and has fuggefted a confiderable improvement in the treatment of a very obstinate and dangerous diforder.

An Appendix to the work contains an account of the manner of preparing and compofing Bacher's pills. The principal remedy is an extract of black hellebore, prepared in a more troublesome and elaborate manner than is probably neceffary. It is formed into pills by: the addition of Myrrh, and powder of Carduus Benedictus. MISCELLANEOUS.

A. Art. 33. Ilaλoyía, five Tragadiarum Græcarum Delectus: Cum Adnotatione Johannis Burton. Editio altera, cui Observationes, Indicemque Græcum longe auctiorem et emendatiorem, adjecit Thomas Burgefs, A. B. e C. C. C. 8vo. 2 Vols. 10s. 6d. Oxford, at the Clarendon Press.

The established reputation and known character of Dr. Burton's Pentalogia make any comment that can now be passed upon it unne

ceffary,

« EelmineJätka »