enced in different parts of the kingdom; and they are fuch inftitutions as ought to meet with every pollible encouragement. How much induftry might be increased, and public happiness promoted, by rendering them more general over the nation, is fully difplayed in the prefent pamphlet. It may therefore be expected, that the efforts of private individuals, towards eftablishing inftitutions of fo falutary a nature, will, as foon as proper regulations fhall be framed, receive the fanction of parliament. Confiderations on the Proclamation of the Governors of the Austrian Netherlands against France. Published at Bruffels, the 19th of May, 1792. 8vo. 15, 6d. Hookham and Carpenter. 1792. Thefe Confiderations appear to have been written by a zealous friend to the national affembly of France. They cannot be regarded as very interefting to the people of this country; and with refpect to affairs on the continent, the proclamation of the gover nors of the Auftrian Netherlands, is exceeded, in importance, by the most recent declaration of the duke of Brunswick, at the head of the allied armies. A Treatise concerning the Properties and Effects of Coffee. The Fifth Edition, with confiderable Additions. By B. Mofely, M. D. 8vo. 1. 6d. Sewell. 1792. We have already noticed two editions of this elaborate work in our fixtieth volume. To this edition, we perceive fome additions, but these are not of great importance. Somewhat too much of the virtues of coffee had been faid before. An Account of Experiments, to determine the Specific Gravities of Fluids, thereby to obtain the Strength of Spirituous Liquors. Together with fome Remarks on a Paper entitled, The beft Method of Proportioning the Excife upon Spirituous Liquors. Lately printed in the Philofophical Trenfactions. By J. Ramfden. 8vo. 25. Printed for the Author. 1792. Mr. Ramsden's excellent paper, in the Philofophical Tranfactions, is here reprinted; and we truft it will, in this way, be as generally known as it deferves. La Rebellion des Bites, Fable allegorique. Par G. Polidori. 8-va. is. Jeffery. 1792. Our author, who is by no means a democrat, defcribes under the allegorical form of the lion and the beats, the king of France -we fufpect that we may fay the late king of France, and his reforming fubjects. Allegory is, however, feldom pleasing, even when mot happily conducted. In the prefent work M. Polidori is feldom very happy in his allufions, or in his conduct of the fable. Pratique Pratique de l'Orateur François, ou Choix de Pièces d'Eloquence, The extracts in this collection are compiled from the most eminent French writers, both in profe and poetry. They are well calculated for giving the English youth a tafte for French compofition, and improving them in the ftudy of that language. The introductory effay, on oratorical action, is chiefly drawn from the obfervations of preceding writers, ancient and modern, on the fubject; and the concluding part of the work contains fome curfory remarks on the authors from whofe writings the mifcellany is compiled. Remarks on the New Sugar-Bill, and on the National Compacts ref pecting the Sugar-Trade and Slave-Trade. 8vo. 15. Johnfon." 1792. The author of thefe Remarks has greatly illuftrated the fubje&, and his obfervations are acute, able and judicious, though his manifeft bias, in favour of the colonial cultivators, must be carefully guarded against by the candid enquirer. He infifts, with great force and propriety, on the national compacts respecting the fugar and flave-trades, in confcquence of various regulations in their management, which must, of course, admit their principles. To this argument much, however, may be objected; and the admiffion of a principle on one fide, mutt imply the avoiding of abufes and impofitions on the other; nor can any compact of these kinds be admitted as obflacles to improvements in commerce, the increase of happiness, or the abolition of oppreflion and injustice. Obfervations on the Writings and Conduct of our prefent Political and Religious Reformers, &c. To which is added, an Appendix on the Literary Decifions and Character of the Critical Reviewers. By Percival Stockdale. 800. 15. 6d. Swan. 1792. Mr. Percival Stockdale is evidently a writer who eagerly feizes every expedient to force himself into public notice: and while this propenfity is regulated by a due fhare of modefty and judg ment, it is meritorious and laudable. But we recognise in this author fuch a perpetual and feverish thirft of notoriety, fuch an unceafing defire of obtruding himself, on all topics and all occafions, upon the public attention, that we are difgufted with his perfeverance: whilft the opinion he entertains of his own confequence in all matters of tafte, erudition, and fentiment, and his unblufhing abufe of the most refpectable chara&ers this country has afforded, would, if they proceeded from any writer of real importance, fill us with indignation. But, vented by an auther of Mr. Stockdale's defcription, confeffedly difappointed in his pro feflion, feffion, and irritated by public neglect, they excite only an equat mixture of pity and contempt. From a letter that appeared in a newspaper, and which there is reason to confider as his own production, Mr. Stockdale takes occafion, as ufual, to enter on a very long and important detail. of himfelf, his opinions, and his own exalted abilities; in the courfe of which we are informed that had he been educated at Cambridge, his laurels would have been protected from the blight of penury and envy;' that Dr. Johnfon was one of the moft abfurd and injurious of critics;' and that he was equally exceptionable in matters of religion; that he had all the prejudices, and all the fuperftition of the weakest old woman, and that his death was humiliating to the friends of religion.' The cruelty of this last infinuation is fo atrocious, that nothing but the infignificance of its affertor can fhield it from the fevereft cenfure.In this furious production the bishop of Llandaff is called an apoftate from the CHURCH OF ENGLAND;' and, in order to depreciate his philofophical labours, this literary Drawcanfir informs us that any perfon endowed with common sense may be a chymist, a botanist, or a mathematician: and that any chimney-fweeper's boy in this metropolis might, in time, be as good a chymift as DR. WATSON.'-Such mean abuse can reflect difcredit only on its author. Dr. P. is, by this amiable, gentle, clergyman (for the name of a prift he holds in utter deteftation) fignalifed by the titles of an impudent, vindictive, and lawlefs affaffin;' and the public juftice' of this country is said to be administered with ignominious timidity.' After this brief display of Mr. Stockdale's flyle and temper, it cannot be expected that we should occupy much of our reader's time in repelling the pointlefs fhafts which are levelled against us in the Appendix. To be calumniated by an author who fmarts under recent chaftifement is not furprising: but his petulance shall not provoke us to lift him into any confequence by public altercation. It is fufficiently obvious that if the living of Hartburn' had been given to Mr. Stockdale, no abuse would have been poured on the bishop of Durham; and that if his letter to that prelate had been praised by us, no cenfure would have invaded the Critical Reviewers.-Mr. Stockdale's boafted delicacy and difinterestedness are perfectly congenial with his vaft erudition and fagacity. THE aferim, I. 11. p. 131 of our laft Number fhould not have been placed there, but prefixed to the fecond quotation; as the note to which it refers the Reader alludes to that paffage. MR. Renwick's Letter is referred to the author of the article, whe isat Jillance, and has not yet returned it. Memoires de Marechal Duc de Richelieu, pair de France, &c. pour fervir a l'Hiftoire des Cours de Louis XIV. de la Regence du Duc d'Orleans, de Louis XV. & a celle de quatorze premiers Anneé du Regne de Louis XVI. 4 Vol. 8vo. Buiffon. THESE volumes are faid to have been compofed in the library, and under the eye of the maréchal de Richelieu, from the best materials, either furnished by himself, or col lected from the actors in the different fcenes, who were his cotemporaries. They are illuftrated by portraits, plans, and charts; and, though they often excite our contempt and in→ dignation, theyare, on the whole, curious and entertaining. The work difplays, however, a continued and confiftent system of oppreffion, of corruption, venality, and intrigue. The reign of Louis XIV. is well known; and his perfonal character, or his plan of government, cannot be any farther illuftrated. The regent gave fuch an example of corruption as depraved every political tranfaction; and the adminiftration of Fleury debafed the human mind by the most abject fuperftition. The reign of Louis XV. was that of minifters and their families. Every thing was openly purchased, and every kind of liberty fell proftrate when oppofed either to influence or money. The marshal feemed willing to expiate his own fhare thefe infamous tranfactions, by this pofthuhumous confeflion. The editor tells us, that he was ordered APR. VOL. V. NEW ARR. LI 10 to freak of the faults, the vices, and the crimes which occurred in the Memoires, in the most clear and pointed terms. He himself reprobated them very strongly; and the editor, catching a portion of his fire, has fcarcely in any inftance fpared the authors.. The fingularity of the marshal's character and destiny, his fuccefs in different departments, his courage and vivacity, the fplendor of his gallantry, at a period when this kind of fame often led to a more important fituation, his political and military employments, particularly at the battle of Fontenoy, the capture of Minorca, and the capitulation at Clofter-Seven, his intimacy with the different kings, &c. would render the Memoirs before us curious, independent of the present political fituation of France. At this time the contraft is fo ftriking, that they become highly interefting. It is fingular that fuch a man as Richelieu thould, with a confident frankness, make the public and pofterity his confeffors; and not only confefs his own faults, but thofe of many of his cotemporaries. The billet-doux even, which he never opened, he left to be examined by his hiftorian. He was born in 1696, after a pregnancy of only five months, and his life was preferved by extraordinary care. At the age of fourteen he was prefented at court, careffed by the king and madam Maintenon, who, in confequence of fome family connections, used to call him her dear fon. The graces of his person, the vivacity of his temper, fome lucky hits, and confident replies, foon diftinguifhed and rendered him fashionable, in a court which ftill remembered former gallantries.' The young duke enlivened the devotional gloom which the grave difpofition of the king had fpread over the court; and he was faid to have attracted the attention of the dutchefs of Burgundy. The pretty creature,' and the lovely child,' his ufual appellations, was confequently fent to the Bastile. He draws a difagreeable picture of the prifon, whofe interior is now better known. I had now time enough, he says, to curse the fervices which my great-uncle had rendered to defpotifm'a reflection that he had occafion to repeat; for he was confined three times in this prison. At last, by the entreaties of the ladies of the court and of the city, he obtained his deliverance, particularly by the entreaties of thofe, he adds, who knew what was the greatest punishment I experienced in my prifon.' From the Bastile he went to the army in Flanders, where marthal Villars made him his aid-de-camp, and was much pleafed with his freedom, his fpirit, and his pleafantry. M. de Richelieu mentions an anecdote, which fhows how much marthal |