through flovenly hands: fo flovenly indeed, that we are told the method of voting among the Romans, was either by centuries, or by bribes; and left this fhould pafs as a mere typographical error, it is added that the method by bribes, was gradually introduced by the tribunes of the people! With fimilar accuracy we are informed, among the qualifications of perfons to be members of the Houfe of Commons +, that they must be aliens born or minors!' Our Cumberland freeholder would do well to mind what freehold he may have, as it is not very probable he will ever raise a copyhold by his pen. N.

Art. 35. A Collection of Rules and Standing Orders of the House of Commons; relative to the applying for, and paffing Bills, for inclofing and draining of Lands, making Turnpike Roads, Navigations, and other Purposes. The Standing Orders which have been made this Seffion of Parliament, for previous Notice to be given at the Michaelmas Quarter Seffions of the Peace, and in the County News-Papers, by Perfons intending to apply for Private Bills, were the Occafion of this Collection being published; as thefe Orders are indifpenfably neceffary to be obferved by all Gentlemen who intend to inclofe their Eftates, and by all Surveyors, Engineers, Agents, and Solicitors, who are likely to be employed in the Profecution of Bills for Turnpike Roads and Navigable Canals. 4to. Is. Hingefton. 1774.

As fuch a collection as this is very easily made, when the laft regulations, which revive the confideration of the former, are recent, it may be prefumed to be correct; though an order of the House for the publication, does not appear to authenticate it, The laft long fentence of the title is very awkwardly framed, in the advertising ftyle of mplification, and is unfuitable to the dignity with which the orders of a legislative body ought to appear. N. Art. 36. Vox Populi; or, Old England's Glory or Deftruction in 1774. Being a choice Collection of Hints, found in the Cabinet of a late worthy and noble Lord, to the Freeholders of Great Britain, in their Choice of Members to ferve in Parliament at the enfuing General Election. With Comments upon them. By an Old Member of the Lower Houfe, but no Placeman, Penfioner, or Title. To which is added, by the fame Nobleman, an Hint to his Majesty. 8vo. I s. Parker, &c.

A great deal of good, patriotic advice is here, we are afraid, thrown away, on the freeholders, &c. of this kingdom.

If fuch publications are confidered as pearls, we need not fay what thofe are before whom they are fo unprofitably caft.

Art. 37. The Freeholder's Political Catechifm; or, the Duty of Voters for Members of Parliament: Delivered in a plain, clear, and concife Method. By Henry St. John, L. V. Bolingbroke, 8vo. · 6 d. Davies. 1774

Reprinted from Bolingbroke's tracts. It contains not only the duty of voters, but gives a concife view of the political conftitution

P. 6.

+ P. 12.

of

of this country; of which our common people are, in general, very ignorant. This tract, therefore, ought to be largely circulated among our freeholders, &c. And with this view the Editor has given a N. B. at the bottom of the title page, fpecifying the confiderable allowances which are to be made to those who are disposed to promote the circulation.

MEDICA L.

Art. 38. Infant Relief to the Afthmatic, &c. From a MS. of the late Dr. Lucas. 12mo. 6 d. Folingfby. 1774:

It is enough to fet a poor afthmatic, of an irritable fibre, a wheezing, merely to read that the noftrum here recommended to be fucked into his lungs, is a volatile acid falt, extracted from a combination of the ftrongest acids;' did not the learned Writer seasonably come to his relief, and give him time to take breath again, by affuring him that the overacting' power of this volatile, atherial, antifeptic, acid falt is properly dulcified according to the rules of art. We fhould beg his pardon, indeed, for treating him as a noftrum-monger. His medicine, he declares, cannot be called a quack noftrum,-as he honeftly tells the world his procefs.' This process however is not here divulged, but we are told that it is one of the most tedious, difficult, and expenfive in chymistry,' and that indeed very few chymifts can go through it all.'

But paffing over this fmall overfight-the Reader may have the medicine itself, at certain places named in the laft page, in bottles of 5 s. 3 d. half a guinea, and a guinea each. The Author prefers and recommends our purchafing the guinea bottle; for, faith he,Blefs his benevolent heart!-the choice is of no confequence to him -the larger the bottle, the ftronger the ather, and more efficacious its effects.-Confiderate creature!

B.

NOVELS and MEMOIRS. Art. 39. The Earl of Douglas, an English Story, Tranflated from the French of the Countess D'Anois. 7 s. 6d. fewed. Baldwin. 1774.

Izme. 3. Vols.

The talents of the celebrated Countefs D'Anois, for this fpecies of compofition, are univerfally known. Her romances, though wild and improbable, like the rest of thofe marvellous details that were fashionable in her days (in which the fpirit of chivalry was not quite evaporated) abounded with that fort of invention which never fails to intereft and captivate the reader. We had a former tranflation of this ftory, printed in 1741, under the title of, The Hiftory of Hippolitus, Earl of Douglas; but that was a wretched piece of work. The prefent tranflation is much more just to the fame of the ingenious and romantic Frenchwoman.

Art. 40. Memoirs of an unfortunate Lady of Quality. 12mo. 3 Vols. 7 s. 6 d. Snagg. 1774:

A romance founded, chiefly, on the ftory of Lady Jane Douglas, fifter to the late Duke of Douglas. It is a poor performance, affording little of fentiment, and less of character; and yet the Author, (or pretended Editor) has the affurance to ftyle it " an entertaining work, not unworthy a place on the shelf with the productions of a Fielding, a Smollett, or a Goldsmith.' Thus a draggle-tail'd nymph,

from

from Billingsgate, cries about the streets" Sprats as big as herrings, ho!"-but then he is not fo filly as to imagine that any body believes her.

Art. 41. The Child of Nature improved by Chance, a Philofophical Novel. By Mr. Helvetius. 2 Vols. 6 s. bound. Becket. 1774. We were not acquainted with the impofture of this title page (the book will not impofe on any body) till it had wrought all the effect it is likely to have. Thofe who have read this philofophical novel, as it is called, need not be told that it was not written by the late celebrated Helvetius *. It confifts of characters not well drawn, and very improperly placed; and the morality and language of it is probably defigned to injure the principles and manners of the Public.

LA W.

Art. 42. The genuine Arguments of the Counsel, with the Opinion of the Court of King's Bench, on Cause fhewn why an Information fhould not be exhibited against James, Clarke, Aldus, Miles, Sparks, and Leigh; for a riotous Confpiracy to deprive Charles Macklin, Comedian, of his Livelihood, &c. &c. 8vo, is. 6d. Williams. 1-74.

This publication relates to the famous riots which happened at Covent Garden theatre, laft winter, in confequence of Macklin's attempting the character of Macbeth.-It is to be hoped that the cenfure paffed by the Court of K. B. on the behaviour of the perfons against whom M. exhibited his complaint, will have fome tendency toward putting a ftop to the illiberal, tyrannical, and unmanly conduct of fome play-going people, who call themselves The Town, and think they have a right to infult, and treat with the most wanton cruelty, any actor against whom they have a private pique, or whofe public performances do not happen to please these noify and boisterous critics. In all thefé cafes, the caufe of the player is, undoubtedly, the caufe of humanity.

AMERICAN AFFAIR S. Art. 43. The Petitions of Mr. Bollan, Agent for the Council of the Province of Maffachufet's-Bay, lately prefented to the two Houses of Parliament; with a brief Introduction relating to the Law of Naure, the Authority of Human Rulers, and the Subject's common Right of Defence; with fubfequent Obfervations, refpecting the Nature of the Principalities eftablished in Europe, by the Northern Conquerors, and of the English Conftitution; to which is fubjoined the Council's Defence against the Charge of certain Misdemeanors. 4to. 13. 6d. Almon. 1774.

This publication will naturally excite in the mind of the philofophic reader, uninfluenced by the little fluctuating unfyftematic politics of the times, reflections fimilar to that of Lord Clarendon (here quoted, by way of motto), viz. "Men pay too dear for their want of providence, and find too late that the neglect of juftice infallibly, though undifcerned, undermines that fecurity which their policy

It is now fupposed to have been the work of a noted writer lately deceased; and who feems to have formed an artful scheme not only to impofe on the Public, but to take in even the bookseller.

would

would raife in the place of what wisdom and juftice had provided for them." Survey of the LEVIATHAN,

RELIGIOUS.

Art. 44. An Appeal to Reason; or, Thoughts on Religion. Wherein the Interference of the Civil Power, and the Matter of Subfcription, are candidly confidered. By a Layman, of Hampfhire. 8vo. 3 s. 6 d. Devizes printed, and fold by Rivington in London. 1774.

This treatife chiefly confifts of a fummary of the nature, evidence, contents, and history of [natural and revealed religion, delivered in plain, unadorned language, and without any novelty of fentiment. In the latter part of the performance, fome Arictures are made upon the Diffenters, and the conduct of the establishment is vindicated, in requiring fubfcriptions of its minifters. Whether the Author be always right in his opinions, and whether he does not fometimes fail in precifion of ideas, may, we think, be juftly queftioned. But one thing is certain, that he is never defective in candour and moderation. He evidently appears to be a man of unaffected piety, of real benevolence, and enlarged charity. His fentiments, on the whole, are judicious and liberal. He is a friend to fome farther reformation in the Church of England; but wishes, nay, and ftrange to tell! expects it to proceed from the ruling clergy themfelves. One would imagine that he had not heard of the Archbishop of Canterbury's answer to the application lately made to him upon that fubject.

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the AUTHORS of the MONTHLY REVIEW. GENTLEMEN,

IN

N your Review for last month you confider Mr. Wefley's Thoughts on Slavery. I fhall not difcufs either his thoughts or your examination of them. I own that the behaviour of the Planters, in general, towards their flaves, is harsh; but I muft, for myself, fay, that although I have refided many years in the Plantations, and have been, and ftill am, owner of many of thofe poor wretches, I never was deftitute of tender feelings for them; and I can with great truth, and with much inward fatisfaction, declare, that I cannot charge myfelf with any act of cruelty or inhumanity towards one of them, What I mean particularly to obferve, is with regard to that part of your Review where you fay "the murder of flaves is by our plantation laws punished only by a pecuniary fine, and Mr. Wesley, &c." I inclose a clause of an Act now in force in one of our plantations, where

*

"And whereas cruelty is not only highly unbecoming those who profefs themselves chriftians, but is odious in the eyes of all men who have any fenfe of virtue or humanity, therefore to restrain and prevent barbarity being exercised towards flaves, be it enacted that if any perfon or perfons fhall wilfully murder his own flave, or the flave

where Mr. Wesley's refidence is proved upon record, that will, I hope, convince you, the legislature of that province have fome tender feelings, that fomething more than a pecuniary fine is inflicted upon the murderer of a flave, and that every fuch murderer must be tried by his country. As to the fact of a flave being roafted alive, 'I muft believe Mr. Wefley. I can only fay that a very few years after Mr. Welley left America, I went there, and pretty near to the Province where he refided, and I never heard of fuch a thing; although from the general knowledge I had of the inhabitants, I am perfuaded that a man guilty of fo horrid an action would have been pointed out, and detefted by the whole community, and must besides have been amenable to the laws.

The other parts of the A&t, had I time to tranfcribe it, would, I am certain, convince that reverend gentleman, as well as yourselves, that it is calculated to inforce a humane behaviour and jurifdiction towards and over the flaves, as far as is confiftent with the safety of the white inhabitants, whose numbers are not one to three. I am a conftant Reader,

October 8, 1774•

and Admirer of your Review.

flave of any other perfon, every such person fhall, upon conviction thereof, by the oath of two witneffes, be adjudged guilty of felony for the first offence, and have the benefit of clergy, making fatisfac tion to the owner of fuch flave, and shall be rendered, and is hereby declared, altogether incapable of holding any place of truft, or of exercifing, enjoying, or receiving the profits of any office, place, on employment, civil or military, within this Province; but if any perfon fhall offend in like manner a fecond time, fuch second offence Thall be deemed murder, and the offender fuffer death for the faid crime, and fhall forfeit as much of his lands, tenements, goods and chattels, as may be fufficient to fatisfy the owner of fuch flave fo killed as aforefaid: and in cafe any person shall not be able to make the fatisfaction hereby required on committing the firft offence, every fuch perfon fhall be fent to any frontier garrifon of this province, or committed to the gaol at Savannah, and there to remain, at the publick expence, for the space of feven years, and to ferve or be kept to hard labour, and the pay ufually allowed by the public to foldiers of fuch garrifons, or the profits of the labour of the offender, shall be paid to the owner of the flave murthered; and if any perfon fhall on a fudden heat of paffion, and without any ill intent, kill the nave of any other perfon, he fhall forfeit the value of the flave fo killed, to be appraised by any three or more freeholders; and in cafe any person or perfons fhall wilfully cut out the tongue, put out the eye, caftrate, or cruelly fcald, burn, or deprive any flave of any limb or member, or fhall inflict any other cruel punishments other than by whipping, or beating with a horfe-whip, cowfkin, switch, or fmall tick, or by putting iron on, or confining or imprisoning fuch flave, every fuch perfon fhall, for every fuch offence, forfeit a fum not exceeding fifty pounds fterling."

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