life, they fhew the nation in its undrefs, if I may be allowed the ex-' preffion. Opinions, prejudices, fuperftitions, cuftoms, turn of converfation, mode of courtship, all are to be found in them, and in them alone.

The manners, which the stories exhibit, are not, I must confess, always fo chaste and decent as I could wish them; and this circumftance I have several times had occafion to regret in the course of my work. The expreffions are often ftill worfe, their texture being fre quently of the most difgufting coarfenefs. Whether it proceeded from the fimplicity of the times, or that they thought, as is obferved in the Romance of the Rofe, that there was no evil in naming what God had made; or whether it be attributed to the imperfection and infancy of the language, the spirit of libertinifm not having then invented thofe ingenious turns of phrafe and circumlocutions, by which, in half concealing it, one renders the fin more feducing, thefe fabulifts had no kind of referve; but, as the vulgar faying is, called a spade a fpade: and it is not in the relation of the author only that the ear is fhocked with thefe expreffions; one is surprised to find them put into the mouths of virtuous maids, women of character, and fathers inftructing their children.

After all, if we had nothing to object to thefe authors but the indecency of a few words, they might eafily be pardoned. But befides the frequent coarseness of the ftyle, fome stories are in their substance reprehenfible; for libertinifm and adultery never can be reconciled to found morals. Yet, however liable to objection the diction, the manners, or morals of these tales may be, it is my business to reprefent them fuch as they are, fince they are defcriptive of the times, Nevertheless, the refpect that is due to the reader shall not be forgotten. Though all embellishment fhall be rejected, and though to preferve the character, the humour, and fimplicity of the fables, the language may fometimes appear bald, quaint, or approaching to vulgarity, I fhall be careful not to admit any immodeft or indecent expreffion. There are feveral stories which, on this account, must be fuppreffed entirely; others, of which I fhall prefent only an extract, or from which I fhall retract the too licentious paffages. That cannot be called ftripping an author; but only putting him into a condition that may enable him to appear in good company.'

Thefe Tales fhock probability. We cannot realife many of the incidents, yet they difcover a vigorous and wild imagination. They awaken curiofity; and as they are generally short, they are seldom tedious and we eafily fuffer ourselves to be carried away by the pleafing illufion into the land of inchantment.

ART. XIII. A Plan for rendering the Poor independent on public Contribution: founded on the Bafis of the Friendly Societies, commonly called Clubs. By the Rev. John Acland, Rector of Broad-clist, and one of his Majefty's Juftices of the Peace for the County of Devon. To which is added, a Letter from Dr. Price. 8vo. Is. Rivington, &c. 1786.

HE increase of the poor-rates hath been a long and grow

Ting complaint; and the burden is, at this day, lo grievous

that

A

that if fome remedies be not applied to relieve it, the landed in. tereft (oppreffed as it is by fuch an accumulation of taxes) muft, in time, fink under its weight.

Various means have been devised to check the progrefs of this increasing evil. Some have been plaufible in theory; but their application hath been deemed injurious and tyrannical; and: long-established grievances have been fubmitted to, from a featthat the means defigned to remove them would introduce ftill greater inconveniences.

wouldy

The Author of this pamphlet appears to be influenced by the worthieft motives, in the Plan which he offers to the Public; and, the leaft that we can fay of it is, that it merits the most serious attention of all defcriptions of people; and whether practicable or not, Mr. Acland will be entitled to the thanks of his country, for his very laudable attempt to blend in one scheme the interefts both of the rich and of the poor; and to make usefulness co-operate with charity.

In his addrefs to the poor (in a feparate paper), he hath given a general view of his plan; and as that comprehends the leading objects of the fcheme, we will present an extract of it to our readers in the Author's own words:

In the first place, it is built upon the bafis of the friendly fo cieties, commonly called clubs, and without interfering in the leaft with thofe already eftablished. It forms all the members of fociety (excepting fuch as are therein excepted) into one general club'; which is fubdivided into twelve different claffes of perfons, who are all, under certain circumstances, to receive, as a matter of right, a different allowance according to their respective contributions, in cafe they should ftand in need; but otherwife, the contributions of the richer fubfcribers are to go in aid of the poorer ones, and afford them a better provifion under all their wants. But for matters of this fort I must refer to the plan itself, and proceed to give an account of the monthly fums to which the weekly contributers of the two lower claffes are, under the following circumftances, to be entitled.

The fubfcribers of three-halfpence per week will be entitled to fixteen fhillings per month during confinement through fickness, or what is commonly called bed-lying pay; to eight fhillings per month till they are able to earn, the man fixpence a day, and the woman threepence a day, or what is commonly called walking pay; and for every child more than two and under eight years of age, four fhillings per month. The fubfcribers of twopence per week will affo be entitled to one pound four fhillings per month bed-lying pay; to twelve fhillings per month walking pay; and for every child more than two and under eight years of age, five fhillings and fixpence per month. And though one parent fhould die, the furvivor is to receive the children's pay for both, with the deduction only of the weekly fubfcription of the deceafed parent, for fuch time as any one child thall receive its allowance. With a like deduction of both pa. rents fubfcription, all orphan children are to receive according to the fubfcription

fubfcription of their parents; for instance, were two fubfcribers of 2d. each to leave fix orphan children, thofe children would receive a clear 31. 4s. 8d. a month; of which fum, whatever remained over and above their neceflary nurture, is to be laid up for their ufe.— The fubfcribers likewife of 1d. and 2d. are, after they arrive at the age of fixty-five, to receive, the one 3s. 61. the other 45. per month; after feventy, or any time before, that they fhall not be able to earn, the man 6d. or the woman 3d. a day, the one 5s. 6d. the other 6s. 6d. per month; and after feventy-five, or any time before, that they fhall be rendered incapable of all labour, the one 12s. the other 14s. per month.

And on account both of the greater number of gratuitous fubfcribers, and the higher rate both of houfe-rent and all the neceffaries of life, it is propofed, that the inhabitants of the city of London, and the circumjacent places to the diftance of four or five miles, fhall have an encreased allowance of 4s. per month in the first inftance, of 23. in the fecond, of 1s. in the third, of 1s. 6d. in the fourth, of 25.. in the fifth, and of 2s. 6d. in the fixth. And for the fame reasons it is propofed that in fome other of the great trading towns and cities, there fhould be an advance; in the first instance of 2s. 6d. in the fecond of 15. 4d. in the third of 1s, in the fourth and fifth of is. 4d. and in the fixth of 2s. per month. Such is the plan that is, now offered to your confideration, and it is hoped that no liberal mind will be in any doubt whether to prefer fuch a certain comfortable and independent fupport to the uncertain, wretched, and dependent pittance fupplied them, by enforced and precarious relief from their respective parishes.'

. Mr. Acland fubmitted his plan, before he published it, to the infpection of Dr. Price, who approved of its general principle, and made fuch obfervations on the fubject, as tended to confirm the writer's general notion, though in fome inferior points of calculation the Doctor proved that Mr. Acland was miftaken. As the approbation of such a diftinguished writer muft give weight to any plan that may be offered to the Public, on fubjects of this nature, we cannot better promote the object of this publication, nor pay the ingenious and worthy Author a more acceptable compliment, than. by prefenting, our readers with the following extracts from Dr. Price's letter.

I have confidered with much attention your plan for making a general provifion for the poor. It is impoffible that the principle on which it is founded fhould not be univerfally approved, nothing being being more plainly equitable and reafonable than that "the poor, "while young, and in health and vigour, fhould be obliged, by "fmall favings, to contribute towards their own fupport, when dif"abled by fickness, accident, or age." The many clubs eftablifhed for this purpofe in different parts of the kingdom, however illformed their plans generally are, prove this to be the fenfe of the poor themselves; and therefore afford a particular encouragement to the legislature to think of eftablishing fome plan of this kind, and thus to ease the Public of a burden which is grown almost intolera ble,' . . . In short, it feems to me that your plan has a ten

dency

dency to do the greatest good, by affording, in the best manner, the moft agreeable and ufeful relief to the poor; by encouraging frugality, induftry, and virtue among them, and by promoting the population of the kingdom, and removing many of the evils which attend our prefent poor laws. I will add what appears to me a further recommendation of it, that it will fubftitute in the room of the prefent dangerous plans of the friendly focieties fcattered throughout the kingdom, ONE GENERAL PLAN of the fame kind, well-formed, fubftantial, and permanent.'

Every other teftimonial would feem needlefs after this; and we have only to add, that if Mr. Acland's plan should meet the approbation of the legislature, and a trial fhould be made of its practical efficacy and utility, we fincerely wish that its fuccefs may answer his expectation, and reward his zeal.

k ART. XIV. Lucubrations; confifting of Effays, Reveries, &c. in Profe and Verfe. By the late Peter of Pomfret. 12mo. 3s. fewed. Dodfley. 1786.

WE

E have been fo frequently entertained by this ingenious Author, that it would give us great pain if, after all, we were obliged to facrifice him at the altar of criticism. We always make thofe immolations with reluctance; even when there is no claim on our gratitude for paft obligations: but when an old friend, to whom we have been indebted for many hours of rational amufement, becomes infipid or tedious, and yet will will talk, it occafions a fad conflict between humanity and juftice before we have the heart to bid him hold his tongue.

As we dread to have our better feelings put to fo rigid a teft, we were really afraid to go one step beyond the title-page of thefe Lucubrations, left Peter, whom we had loved and cherished in his more vigorous days, fhould become our victim in his old age.

But (happy for us both!) as we proceeded, our apprehenfions fubfided; and we exclaimed with pleasure, Though Peter's grey hairs appear, yet the laurels are not yet withered on his brow!'

6

Languefcit!' he exclaims: or in other words, he feels himfelf growing old, and is confcious that his mufe partakes of his infirmity. The acknowledgment is ingenuous: for very few whose powers are languishing by age have the candour to confefs it; but moft old fools have the vanity to think that they are as young as they ever were, and whether their object be a mule or a miftrefs, they will fill affect to be brifk and gay; though all their gaiety only reminds us of

Sober Lanesborough dancing in the gout.'

Thefe Lucubrations appear to have been the amusements of a vacant hour and while there is nothing in them offenfive to virtue, religion, or good manners, there is fomething that will

afford

afford entertainment to those who read for no other purpose: and fomething too from which minds of a more elevated and enlightened caft may not difdain to take hints of inftruction.

The lines on fuicide exprefs the common arguments againft felf-murder, in a concise manner; though we can fay little in praise of the poetry; for it is deficient both in eafe and fpirit.

From the effay on our reception in public places,' our Author appears to have met with fome fevere affront from a haughty divine, which he hath taken the opportunity of chaftifing with more than common afperity.

We cannot conclude without faying, that though Peter's taper doth not burn with its former vigour, yet its light is clear and pure; and we doubt not but when its laft flame trembles on the focket, it will ftill fhow the good qualities of its compofition, and leave a grateful odour behind. k. ART. XV. A fhort Review of the political State of Great Britain at the Commencement of the Year One thousand Seven hundred and Eighty-feven. 8vo. Is. 6d. Debrett. 1787.

B.

N intelligent mind,' fays this very ingenious writer, ac

A cuftomed to speculate upon human events, to regard

their caufes, their progreffion, and their effects, and to form its general opinions from an expanded furvey of the whole; fuch a mind will naturally ftop at particular æras in the hiftory of nations, and affémble their feattered rays into one concentered point of view. The political fituation of this country at the prefent juncture, may, perhaps, be regarded as forming one of thofe epochas; and may merit confideration, as detached from the general mass of time and matter, which conftitute and compofe what we denominate hiftory. My object, in writing the following fheets, is principally to prefent a picture of the actual and existing moment, without either taking any ample retrofpect of paft tranfactions, or extending my conjectures far into an unafcertained and imaginary futurity. It is certainly curious, and it may be useful, to confider the relative and respective pofitions of the king and the people, of the governors and the governed, of the miniftry and of the oppofition, at the opening of a new year, before the incumbent preffure of fucceeding events bas diverted our attention to other fcenes and objects. I fhall confine my furvey to a few of the great component features.'

He, accordingly, begins with THE SOVEREIGN, who stands foremost on the canvas: a moft refpectable figure, as a good and amiable man. The reader may imagine the back ground of the picture to be grouped by Edwards, and Henrys, and the late King of Pruffia, as MONARCHS. The piece is well sketched, with a bold but not licentious pencil. To drop, for a moment, the allufion, our unknown Author feenis to poffefs a great deREV. Jan. 1787. gree

F