much that will benefit the young student in this fublime branch of fcience. SLAVE TRADE. Art. 24. Obfervations on the Treatment of the Negroes in Jamaica. Including fome Account of their Temper and Character, with Remarks on the Importation of Slaves from Africa. By Hector M'Neill. 8vo. 1s. Robinsons. 1788. Mr. McNeill afferts, from perfonal investigation, knowlege, and experience, the very tolerable fituation, in general, of the black flaves in Jamaica, and he supposes it to be nearly the fame throughout the West Indies. On the whole, he concludes, with other writers, that their ftate is much preferable to that of the labouring poor, and fea-faring men, even in England: except in the mere circumstance of political and legal freedom, of which the Negroes never had the fmallest idea. He gives a very particular, diftinct, and (to us) a fatisfactory account of the temper and manners of the different nations or tribes of Blacks* ufually imported from the coaft of Africa, as well as of the mixed breeds-Mulattos, Sambos, &c. He also describes not only the treatment they actually do meet with, but the manner in which they ought to be treated, in order to render their state of bondage not only comfortable to themselves, but justly beneficial to their mafters. His remarks on the impolicy [as he judges it] of the scheme for abolishing Negroe-flavery, are fuch as prove him to be a-judicious and penetrating obferver. In a word, his pamphlet, in our opinion, merits the serious confideration of all who are either approvers or oppofers of the several benevolent plans and projects which have lately been fuggefted to the Public, relative to the very important, and much agitated fubject of Negroe-flavery, the common rights of human nature, and the great cause of univerfal Jiberty, as it is or may be affected, in every quarter of the habitable globe. NAVAL. Art. 25. A Short Account of the Naval Actions of the last War; in order to prove that the French Nation never gave fuch flender Proofs of Maritime Greatnefs as during that Period: With Observations on the Difcipline, and Hints for the Improvement of the British Navy. By an Officer. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Murray. 1788. This officer has taken up the pen, in order to difpel a notion,' which, he thinks, has prevailed, extremely prejudicial to the honour of this country, that the French have not only equalled, but furpaffed us, as a maritime nation, whether in maneuvering, failing, or fighting a fleet.' This idea, he apprehends, has been zealously propagated by our induftrious natural enemies, who well know that if fuch an opinion were once generally embraced, it would produce the very effects they wish to flow from it.' Permit,' fays he, the French to have the REPUTATION of fuperior genius, courage, and *The ge and ferocious Coromantee, the milder but bafer e harmless Mundingo;-the Creole, &c. &c. Eboe, abilities, abilities, and you immediately damp the fpirits of our officers and feamen; who, in that cafe, would not plough the ocean, as they have done, in queft of the enemy, with elated courage, and in confidence of victory.' To fhew the falfehood of this notion, our Author proves, from facts, that at no æra, whatever, had the French fo little prowess, or fuccefs, to boast of. In order to evince this truth, he has taken a fair and well-authenticated review of all our naval tranfactions, in which the French had any concern, during the course of the late war; and in which the fuperiority of the British marine was manifested, beyond all doubt. The particulars, though not new, have the merit of being accurately related; and they cannot fail of proving highly entertaining, as well as interefting, to the English reader, who is zealous for the honour and profperity of his country and the obfervations which the Author has interspersed, and added, fhew him to be a man of judgment and [as we imagine] of experience in his profeffion. POLITICA L. Art. 26. County Management. With an Argument in favour of Pocket Sheriffs, &c. &c. 4to. 2s. 6d. Blamire. 1788. In this fatirical piece we have a mingled difplay of learning, humour, history, law, and politics. The work appears to have originated in the writer's difapprobation of the conduct of certain great people in the north of England, with refpect to the nomination of fheriffs, the choice of juries, &c. The performance is dedicated to the Earl of Lonfdale, with a feverity of compliment for which the ironical author, if known, could expect no other reward than that which Cherilus the poet is faid to have received from Alexander the Great; though the cafe, with refpect to the two writers, was widely different, as the lucklefs panegyrift of " Philip's warlike Son" really meant to praise the conqueror of the world. Art. 27. A Collection of fcarce and interefting Tracts, written by Perfons of Eminence, on the most important political and commercial Subjects, during the Years 1763, 1764, 1765, 1766, 1767, 1768, 1769, and 1770. 8vo. 4 Vols. 11. 4s. Boards. Debrett. 1788. Mr. Debrett has here given to the Public a valuable collection of Tracts, most of which, if not all of them, are now become very fcarce. From the great importance of the principal events to which many of thefe Tracts relate, the contents of thefe volumes muft, for ages to come, prove highly interefting to the lovers of political and hiftorical fubjects. There is also another confideration, which muft, at all times, render a collection like this acceptable in every country where legal government and freedom of investigation prevail, and which is well expreffed in the motto borrowed from Lord Somers, and prefixed to these volumes, viz. "The bent and genius of the age is best known in a free country, by the pamphlets which daily 66 *Particularly that great revolution in human affairs, the emanci pation of North America from the power of Great Britain. "come "come out, as containing the fenfe of parties, and fometimes the "voice of the nation." Art. 28. Epitre aux Anglois dans les trifles Circonftances prefentes. Novembre 1788. 8vo. 15. Elmiley. A ferious and animated exhortation to the people of England, touching their manifold fins and wickedneffes. The author is of opinion, that the malady with which our most gracious Sovereign is ftricken, is a mark of the vengeance of Heaven for the offences of his fubjects (fuch is the author's notion of Divine juftice), who are to be punished more feverely in themselves, unless they instantly turn from the path of error, bending before the throne of the Almighty, with true and contrite hearts. The whole is a rhapfodical invective, written with the fame kind of enthufiafm, but in a ftyle far fuperior, with that which is frequently found in the difcourfes of our fanatical declaimers: and, like many of thofe difcourfes, containing, amid a good deal of religious extravagance, fome harsh but not unfeasonable truths.-The pamphlet clofes with a high ftrained panegyric on the Prince of Wales. Art. 29. Obfervations on the political Life of Mr. Pitt. 8vo. 1s. Ridgway. Not a finished portrait, but a hafty fketch, a little inclining to caricature. Neither accuracy nor fidelity will be expected from political or party painters. This artift, however, though not an unskilful hand, muft not, from this fpecimen, look for much employment among the friends of the Minifter. Art. 30. A ferious Addrefs to the Queen, Prince of Wales, and the Public at large, relative to his Majesty's unhappy Situation. By the Rev. Theodore Jackson, A. M. 4to. Is. Riebau, in Butcherrow, Temple-Bar. Mr. Jackfon pathetically displays and laments our alarming profpect, in confequence of the prefent dreadful interruption of his Majefty's health. After enlarging, with becoming concern, on the critical nature of our prefent fituation, and the dangers to be apprehended from it, he proceeds to obferve, that Government poffeffing no conftitutional provifion against an emergency of fo extraordinary and deplorable a kind, there is a neceffity that a regency fhould take place in the perfon of the P. of Wales. He trufts, however, that when invefted with every regal prerogative (the Crown only excepted) the Prince will be careful to make no change in adminiftration. He allows the full merit of those diftinguished characters with whom his R. H. has been known to affociate; he does full juftice to the merits of Meffrs. Fox, Sheridan, and Burke, with a proper difcrimination of their abilities; but he obferves, on the other hand, that Mr. Pitt is not only a confummate statefman, but that he hath been a fuccefsful minifter, and is now in the zenith of his popularity: from all which confiderations, he concludes, that to difplace fo excellent a fervant of the public, would be most impolitic, and poffibly, in the event, prove fatal to the peace and happiness of the kingdom. In In regard to the Queen, Mr. Jackfon exhorts her Majefty to depend (under her prefent most severe affliction) on RELIGION, for the fureft confolations; and to the care of fuch of the royal progeny as are not arrived at the years of difcretion, for those comforts which fhe may juftly expect as the fruits of her excellent instructions and amiable example. Art. 31. The Prince's Right to the Royal Diadem, defended: being an Answer to the Rev. Mr. Jackson's Serious Addrefs, &c. By a Gentleman of Lincoln's-Inn. 4to. IS. Riebau. This defender of a right which no one, we believe, ever called in queftion, manifefts great zeal for the P. of W. and for his friends who have long been at the head of oppofition [men famous for their integrity and ability throughout the world,'] but we do not perceive that his zeal is accompanied by great knowlege. He fpeaks with contempt, whether real or affected, of Mr. Pitt; and on the whole, he attacks the author of the Serious Addrefs, rather with the pert air of a fuperficial party caviller, than with the manly tone and convincing force of a well founded reasoner. Art. 32. The Law of Parliament in the prefent Situation of Great The fubject is here difcuffed in an able manner.—From the detail that the author has given of examples (which feems a better word than precedents), it appears that the English conftitution, if its principles are to be inferred from the practice of former times, has made a fufficient provifion for cafes of emergency. The cafe which bears the most resemblance to the prefent unhappy occafion, is that of Henry VI. who, in the 33d year of his reign, A. D. 1454, fell into a diftemper, which fo far increased his natural imbecility, as to render him incapable of maintaining even the appearance of royal authority. In this fituation, Margaret of Anjou, his confort, and the privy council, appointed Richard duke of York, who had pretenfions to the Crown, to be lieutenant of the kingdom, with powers to open and hold a feffion of Parliament. That affembly accordingly met, and, taking into confideration the ftate of the kingdom, raised the Duke to the office of Protector.' The chief ftrefs, however, is laid on the two great examples given us by our forefathers, at the Restoration, in 1660, and at the Revolu tion, in 1688. On these memorable events, the author has bestowed due attention, and juftly reafons from them to the prefent exigency. His advice is, clearly,. for an unfettered regency, in the perfon of the P. of W. But as to the manauvres of party, leading men in adminiftration, coalitions, &c. the grand queftion, he obferves, which he has been confidering, is too big for them. He has confidence enough, he fays, in the prefent leaders on either fide, to believe they will be fenfible of this.' He thinks it impoffible that adminiftration fhould be fo mean in their views, and fo defpicable in their feelings, as to ftudy for the best way of preferving their own fituations, when the welfare and the conftitution of their country are at stake. Let us, he adds, not be diftracted with difputes, when we should be cooperating with united hearts, for the prefervation of our conftitution, the the vindication of our liberties, and the existence of our country.'May the author's patriotic expectations be amply verified! Art. 33. The Parliamentary Opinions of Lord Mansfield, Sir Dudley Ryder, Mr. Charles Yorke, Mr. William Beckford, &c. on the Choice of a Regency or Regent; with other Difcuffions on that important Question. 8vo. Is. 6d. Stockdale. The materials of this pamplet are extracted (from what record, or authority, is not faid) from the debates occafioned by the King's appointment of a regency, on his going abroad, in 1751. The editor pledges himself' for the authenticity of the opinions and proceedings contained in his pamphlet; but is it not extraordinary to hear an anonymous editor pledge himself? What reliance can the public have on the declaration of a man who does not chufe to trust them with his name? Art. 34. Thoughts on the prefent alarming Crifis. Humbly addreffed to both Houles of Parliament. By a well-meaning Briton. 8vo. 6d. Hookham. Hints the expediency of a fole and uncontrolled regent, in the perfon of the P. of W. who, this writer takes it for granted, canno!, confiftently with his filial affection, delicacy, and acknowleged good fenfe, deprive himself of the affiftance of the able and esteemed fervant of his father, and the favoured minifter of the people ;whose influence with both Houses of Parliament will fmooth the rugged roads of government, for the wheels of a new director.' Perhaps this point will not feem quite fo clear to every reader, as it does to the author of the prefent Thoughts. Art. 35. Confiderations on the Establishment of a Regency. 8vo. Stockdale. Is. 6d. The author of this pamphlet encounters the idea which had been thrown out, that " in fuch a cafe as the prefent, the whole power, authority, aud prerogative of the King, devolve immediately, and of right, to the perfon next in fucceffion to the crown, in the fame manner as in the event of a demife." This is our author's text, and his difcourfe on it, though intended as a refutation of the above principle, is conducted with moderation, decency, temper, and knowlege of the fubject; yet we look on this to be the pamphlet to which a noble Law Lord alluded in the House; and of which he spoke in terms of the most fovereign contempt. Art. 36. Anfver to the "Confiderations on the Establishment, &c." 8vo. Is. Debrett. The answerer takes the other fide of the queftion, and contends that the heir apparent is of right fole regent, with full royal authority, during the incapacity of the King, to act for himself; that it is found policy, as well as law, that it fhould be fo; and that no convention has, or can have power, to change, alter, or abridge the royal authority, which prefides over the country; though they must, when neceffity compels, change the perfon, in whom, by the law of the land, it integrally refides for the good of the people.' We do not apprehend that this doctrine of right will be able to maintain its ground, with more fuccefs than that of indefeasible bere |