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This IMITATOR is not a fervile one. He is more fuccefsful than copiers generally are. Many things are well faid; and there are, in our opinion, fome reprehenfible paffages, of the farcaftical kind. We think the Shropshire Baronet, in particular, is ill treated. Art. 24. Reponse de M. NECKER, au Difcours prononcé par M. de CALONNE à l'Affemblée des Notables. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Debrett. In our next, we fhall give an account of this tract, from the tranflation.

Art. 25. A Hint to the British Nation on the Violation of their Conftitutional Rights. 8vo. IS. Debrett. 1787.

The late act refpecting the fervants of the Eaft India Company is here reprobated, as tending to deprive thofe gentlemen of the most valuable bleffings of freedom, particularly the trial by jury. The Author obferves, that the number of perfons in the Company's service against whom any specific charge has been alledged, bears a very small proportion to the whole number employed; and that, were a like comparison to be made among the fervants of the nation at home and abroad, it is doubtful in whofe favour the fcale of integrity would preponderate.

Another grievance complained of, in a petition from the Bengal army to Lord North, is, his Majefty's regulation refpecting military rank, between his officers and thofe of the Company, whereby the latter rank as youngest of each degree, the fame as the provincial troops in America, and the embodied militia in England. Against this arrangement many arguments are adduced, fome of them inftancing particular cafes, which bear hard on the Company's troops. This grievance, if not redreffed, as well as thofe complained of by the civil fervants of the Company, may, the Author obliquely hints, be productive of difagreeable circumstances.

The petition is, on the whole, well drawn up; there is, however, one confiderable mistake in that paragraph, wherein it is afferted, that the regulation complained of, was, during the late war, abolished in favour of the militia. Militia colonels, of a certain ftanding, had indeed army rank, but no alteration was made in the rank of any of the other officers.

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Art. 26. Prémiere Suite, &c. Firft Continuation of Confiderations on fome Parts of the Mechanifm of Societies, by the Marquis de Cafaux, of the Royal Society of London, and of that of Agriculture in Florence. 8vo. 13. 6d. Elmfley. 1786.

The Marquis de Cafaux continues his political fpeculations nearly in the fame train as in his larger work, which we announced to our readers in our Review for the last month. The thoughts and mode of illuftration are very fimilar. The fame quickness of imagination, ingenuity in reafoning, and fondness for paradoxical hypothefes, that directly oppofe received opinions, characterife the prefent. The chief tendency of this effay is to fhew, that a reduction of the intereft of money would be a great national miffortune. The arguments, too, reft on the fame doubtful foundation, and do not admit of abridgment.

We are forry to be informed, by a memoir prefented to Lord Sydney, copied into our Author's introduction, that his Majesty's

liberal

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liberal intentions of protecting the French inhabitants of Granada,
seem to have been, in a great meafure, fruftrated by the manner in
which thofe who have been intrufted with authority there have
thought proper to act; on the other hand, we are happy to find,
that the King of France has had the magnanimity to grant full
protection to the English Proteftants at Tobago. This, we hope,
will ferve to excite a fpirit of emulation between the two nations,
and make them try who fhall most excel in acts of national justice
and generofity. The Seconde Suite is published; but we have not yet
perufed it.
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IRELAND.

Art. 27. A Vindication of the Principles and Character of the Prefbyterians of Ireland. Addreffed to the Bishop of Cloyne, in Aniwer to his Book entitled, The Prefent State of the Church of Ireland *. The third Edition t. By William Campbell, D. D. Minister of Armagh. 8vo. Is. 6d. Evans.

The bishop of Cloyne, in his State of the Church of Ireland, expofed himself to this fevere retort, by unneceffarily ftigmatizing the Prefbyterians of that country, as independents, whofe principles tend not to fet up, but to puli down an ecclefiaftical establishment; and therefore as not intitled to national confidence. So pointed an accufation, though we took no farther notice than merely to cite it, while attentive to his lordship's reprefentation of the hardships the clergy there fuffered, by mob-law on account of tithes, could not be overlooked by an impartial obferver; and we then imagined it would probably be taken up by fome one of thofe whom it immediately affected. Accordingly, a temperate and mafterly vindication of that refpectable body of Proteftants, refpectable as well from their numbers as their principles, from this injurious afperfion, injurious not only to the accufed, but alfo to the accufer, has been executed by an able advocate. It is much to be lamented that even the inroads of a common enemy cannot awaken a fenfe of duty, and eradicate the feeds of ill-will from the breafts of those who ought to unite their common ftrength to repel the invader.

64

The bishop argued, "that almost every legiflature (in Europe) has adopted an ecclefiaftical policy conformable to the genius of the civil conftitution:" and, that our established church is fo effentially incorporated with the ftate, that the fubverfion of the one muft neceffarily overthrow the other." To investigate the firft pofition, Dr. Campbell runs curforily through ecclefiaftical hiftory, from the time of Conftantine, who gave his imperial fanction and support to the Chriftian church, to fhew that ecclefiaftical establishment did not tend to the ftability or peace of the empire, but was fubverfive of the public peace and happinefs' As little can he find it in the English hierarchy, which the bifhop affirms to be friendly to civil liberty. But,' adds Dr. Campbell, whatever the ecclefiaftical eftablishment is, and to whatever period we are to affign it (for you have not defined it), you affure us, it is an effential part of the con

* See Rev. April, p. 341.

The two former editions, we are informed, were printed at Dublin.

ftitution

ftitution-and that there is a natural union of the civil with the ecclefiaftical branch of the constitution." If it be the present eftablishment of the Proteftant church, which is an effential part of the conftitution this pofition is contradicted by fact for the Britannic conftitution flourished in great vigour many ages before the Reformation-But if you would include alfo the Popish eftablishment in former times, you have already told us, this is congenial with arbitrary dominion, and confequently cannot be an effential part of a free conftitution; nor can there be a natural union between them.

There is another difficulty-After laying it down that the ecclefiaftical eftablishment is an effential part of the conftitution —you fay, "the kingdom of Scotland may perhaps be held forward in oppofition to thefe principles; but you anfwer, that a fingle exception is never a fair objection to a general rule."- Shall we call this an overfight, or an apparent inconfiftency in reafoning, to allege that any thing can exilt without what is effential to it? In any other fubject, this would be looked upon as a contradiction in terms; but where ecclefiaftical authority is concerned, it may fometimes be a merit to affert and believe what is unintelligible. Yet as he observes in another place], you describe the clergy a helpless "clafs of men," and call aloud for fupport, not only from government, but from Prefbyterians-Here is the most apparent inconfiftency; for you have faid before, that the members of the established church alone can be cordial friends to the entire conftitution of this realm with perfect confiftency of principle. If this means any thing, the entire conftitution muit mean the church and state, and the reafon why Prefbyterians cannot be cordial friends, is their diffent from the church-and yet you call upon them to fupport you in that part alone, where you fay they cannot be cordial friends, with confiflency of principle. What fhall we fay of fuch reafoning as this? and what credit will the public give to thofe charges you have brought against Prefbyterians, which you yourfeif feem immediately to relinquif? The nation is not fo blind, as to think the state is in the finalleft danger from the diftreffes of the South- and your want of information in regard to the principles and conduct of the Prefbyterians of Ulfter, where you lived fo long, will induce them to receive with caution all that you have faid concerning the rifings and tumults in Muniter.'

To come to the pinch of the question in difpute, the Doctor urges that if indeed the evil be thus preffing, if there be the most urgent neceflity for Protellants of every denomination to unite their strength in fupport of our admired conftitution, where was the prudence of an unprovoked attack upon the whole body of Prefbyterians? Was it prudent to hold out to the world, that the Proteftants of Ireland were not intimately united in fupport of the conftitution? Is it thus you would ftrengthen the hands of government? And, at a moment fo awful and critical in your apprehenfion, could it be imagined that wisdom fhould dictate the expedience of reprefenting the Pref byterians, who form the great body of Proteftants in this kingdom, and who confequently form the great natural strength of our Proteftant government, as a "body of men who cannot be entitled to national conAdence?" You ought, my lord, before you brought fuch a charge, to

have been better acquainted with their principles and conduct. Had you been better acquainted with their history, you would have known that, from their first establishment in this country, they had rendered the most important fervices to government; that for near two centuries in the most difficult and trying times, and in the most dreadful convulfions of the ftate, their conduct had been uniform and feady in fupport of the conftitution, when fome members of your church, and not a few, were more than fufpe&ted by government, as we shall fee hereafter. When you confider thefe facts with attention, you will perhaps find reafon to change your opinion, and to find the principle is merely fanciful, dictated by your fears or by prejudice, that the members of the "eftablished church, alone can be cordial friends to the entire constitution of this realm, with perfect confiftency of principle."

An altercation of this kind operates like the vibration of a pendulum; from whatever point it commences, it fwings nearly as much beyond the perpendicular to the other fide. Thus Dr. Campbell, having fufficiently pleaded the caufe of his injured brethren, does not quit the field, but preffes his advantage, and attacks the bishop on his own ground refpecting tithes. What he urges on this fubject is much to the purpofe, and well worth the reader's attention. The paffage we allude to, will be found at p. 46, and ending p. 52.

Should the bishop of Cloyne find the defence of tithes more embarraffed than it was before this interference; the duty of Chriftian forbearance and charity will but appear in fo much a clearer light. In a complaint against the Catholics, why was the inoffenfive Prefbyterian bystander to be wantonly attacked; he, who with a little brotherly treatment would now, as in time past, have proved a cheer, ful auxiliary ?

N.

IMPEACHMENT of Mr. HASTINGS. Art. 28. The Speech of Richard Brinfey Sheridan, Efq. delivered in the House of Commons, April 2, 1787, on a Charge of High Crimes and Misdemeanors againft Warren Haftings, Efq. 8vo. Lowndes.

IS.

Had this publication of Mr. Sheridan's fpeech proceeded from any authority fuperior to a common compilation, it would certainly have appeared to greater advantage both as to matter and manner. In default of competition, it becomes, nevertheless, the best edition as yet extant.

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Art. 29. Major Scott's Speech, on the Charge moved by Mr. Sheridan relative to the Prefents received by Mr. Haftings, April 2, 1787. 8vo. 15. Debrett.

'Tis ftrange, 'tis paffing ftrange! Every act, which in the preceding fpeech is represented as inconfiftent with the duty of the governor general, is now perfectly confiftent; and inconfiitency thrown at the door of his perfecutors! The public are feldom left without a Tale of a Tub for their amufement.

2: Art. 30. An Appeal from the Hafty to the Deliberative Judgment of the People of England; containing a Statement of the manifold Services rendered by our Countrymen in India, and their undeniable

Claim to the Applaufe of their Country,-to their good Fellowfhip and Esteem. Alfo vindicating the Characters of the Many from the Imputations thrown on them by the Conduct of a Few. Together with fome important Hints to Minifters, and to the Nation in general; but more immediately valuable to the Shipping Interefts of this Kingdom. 8vo. Is. 6d. Debrett. 1787.

This performance is verbofe, heavy, and not always intelligible. The writer fhapes his courfe like a fhip in a foul wind, continually tacking about, with a great deal of trouble to gain a fhort distance; and feeming to go any way but that which is intended. The argument taken up by the writer might have been made fomething of with dexterous management; but alas!- Grammarians fometimes inftruct their pupils by exhibiting leffons of falfe English.

D Art. 31. Minutes of the Evidence before the Committee of the House of Commons against Warren Haftings, Eiq. being the Examinations of Sir Elijah Impey, Mefirs. Middleton, Mercer, &c. &c. 8vo. 35. Debrett. 1787.

There is no occafion for entering into the particulars that appear in this publication.

POOR.

Art. 32. A Letter to Thomas Gilbert, fq. on his intended Reform of the Poor Laws. By a Country Gentleman. 8vo. is. Debrett. 1787. This is a letter of encouragement to Mr. Gilbert on occafion of fome oppofition to his plan, by a meeting of magiftrates and gentlemen at Wakefield in Yorkshire, who have published a fet of refolutions difapproving it, figned by their chairman Mr. Zouch; and by Mr. Bayley of Manchester, who has alfo ftated his reasons against it in the public papers. The prefent writer treats thefe gentlemen very cavalierly; but a fcheme of fo ferious an extent, a fcheme that, as the Wakefield meeting obferve, shakes the whole fyftem of our poor laws to its very foundation, is not to be so decided. For though the office of justice of the peace may in fome inftances fuffer by being improperly executed, and in fome local fituations, by being unworthily filled; yet the office is of that real importance, that he must very ill understand the conftitution of his country, who takes advantage of particular objects of complaint to extend popular expreffions of contempt to thofe magiftrates collectively. Surely a bench of juftices, or any individuals, giving their reafons, are free to approve or difapprove any propofed alteration of laws that come within their cognizance! Why elfe did Mr. Gilbert fo candidly circulate his plan? This country gentleman, whether a juftice or not, is rather too fanguine and warm to be of material fervice either to the public or to Mr. Gilbert.

MISCELLANEOUS.

N.

Art. 33. The Treafury of Wit; being a methodical Selection of about Twelve Hundred, the beft, Apophthegms and Jeits; from Books in feveral Languages. By H. Bennet, M. A. 12mo. 2 vols. 55. fewed. Dilly, &c. 1786.

No fpecies of literary compilation has, perhaps, been fo hackneyed as that of jeft books; and vile trath they have generally been;

but

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