tions on the fituation of the country powers with reference to our political interests in that part of the world. To thefe Mr. Haftings, has added some hints for the proper frame of government over those remote poffeffions; which have the recommendation of being the refult of long experience, and may now be accepted as frank difinteN. refted communications. Art. 35. Tranfactions in India, from the Commencement of the French War in 1756 to the Conclufion of the late Peace in 1783. Containing a History of the British Interefts in Indoftan during a Period of near thirty Years, distinguished by two Wars with France, feveral Revolutions and Treaties of Alliance, and the Adminiftration of Governor Haltings. 8vo. 6s. Boards. Debrett. 1786. To criminate the adminiftration of Governor Hastings, feems to be the chief object of this narrative, which is evidently written by an able hand. The Author describes fcenes, rather than relates facts. We hope, for the credit of our country, that the picture he has drawn is fhaded beyond the life. Art 36. A ferious Addrefs to the Proprietors of Eaft-India Stock, E and to all concerned in the commercial Profperity of Great Britain, on the Subject of the prefent Difputes relative to the Company's Shipping. 8vo. 1s. Sewell. 1786. The neceflity of lowering the freight of fhips employed in the fervice of the Eaft-India Company has been loudly contended for by various projectors-one of whom, in particular, has lately offered to float as many veffels as the Directors of that Company might require, at a faving of five pounds per ton, or 150,000 pounds per annum. This idea of economy in the article of fhipping is strongly ridiculed by the writer of the prefent Addrefs; and he boldly afferts that-calculators, endowed with as great accuracy and comprehenfion as the ideal favers of the fum already ftated, have demonstrated, that the faving which might poffibly be made by the new plan (and which is fhewn to be in many respects an hazardous one) would not at the utmoft exceed the annual fum of 60,000 pounds. The Author informs us, that a capital of two millions fterling has been funk by the owners of fhips for the fervice of the East-India Company; and he infifts (in anfwer to the feveral fpeculators, who have maintained that veffels of 500 or 600 tons burden are better adapted to the India trade than those of 700 or 1000 tons, which are now in use) that ships destined to encounter, for fo long a space of time, all the varieties of climates, feafons, and feas, and expofed to the attacks whether of pirates or national troops in different latitudes of the world, ought to be of a ftronger conftruction, as well as of larger capacity than those employed in what may be called, in comparifon of this, ordinary and domeftic commerce: that the Portuguefe, the Spaniards, the Dutch, and the French have ever made military preparations a part of their mercantile projects and farther, that if it be poffible to reduce the freight of fhips proper to be employed in the aforefaid fervice, it can only be done by building veffels of a larger fize than that of the present- Which fhips (lays he) may with cafe, and at a small expence, be converted into men of war, and carry 18 pounders on the middle deck, and 9 pounders on the upper deck; in all 58 guns.' There There is fomething particularly fpecious in the following argument; and the propofal immediately fucceeding it, has (as far as we can pretend to judge) every appearance of fairness. The number of fhips neceffary for carrying on the commerce of the Eaft-India Company, is not lefs than one hundred. Suppofing then that we are provided, as in the courfe of a few years we may be, with fuch a number of fhips in the beft condition, conftructed in fuch a manner as to admit of a reduction of freight*, and at the fame time to do as much execution as our 60 gun fhips, would we not poffefs a mighty commercial advantage, as well as a strong fecurity for our East-India fettlements? And is not this a more worthy object of purfuit, than thofe paltry and perilous parings projected by the reformers in the Company's thipping?' Propofal. The owners of thips deeply interested in the profperity of the Eaft-India Company, are anxious and willing to adopt every hint for economy that is compatible with the fafety and ftability of their commerce: they are therefore ready to come forward and build, for the next feafon, whatever fhips the Company fhall chufe. And in the mean time, that the Company's commerce may fuffer no interruption, and incur no danger by new and unfafe experiments, they are willing to fit out whatever number of vessels may be neceffary for this feafon, leaving the matters now in difpute between the Directors and them undetermined; and trufting for an equitable compenfation, if differences cannot otherwife be fettled, to arbitration.' This, as we have already obferved, feems honeft on the part of the ship-owners. But what the Eaft-India Directors may think on the matter, we know not. "Secrets! Secrets!"-fays Scrub" to be fure there are fecrets in every family." True: and there are likewife myfteries in almost every profeffion and trade. It were therefore abfurd to think of diving into the arcana of Leadenhall-street. AMERICAN. A.B. Art. 37. A Treaty of Amity and of Commerce between the United States of America and his Majesty the King of Pruffia. 8vo. No Price nor Bookfeller. 1786. This treaty is replete with benevolence; an unparalleled inftance of which we find in the 23d Article. If war fhould arife between the contracting parties, all merchant and trading veffels, employed in exchanging the products of different places, and thereby rendering the neceffaries, conveniences, and comforts of human life more easy to be obtained, and more general, fhall be allowed to pafs free and unmolested, and neither of the contracting powers fhall grant or iffue any commiffion to any private armed veffels, empowering them to take or deftroy fuch trading veffels, or interrupt fuch commerce.' The article concerning the treatment of prifoners of war is alfo remarkable for its truly benevolent fpirit.-The whole treaty is a fingular phænomenon in the hiftory of nations. Military powers uniting to alleviate the miferies of war, to leffen the horrors of bloodfhed, and relieve the diftreffes of their enemies, is the beft lefion of * This, we are told, the owners of India fhips have actually in contemplation, X 3 humanity humanity which a philofophical king, acting in concert with a philofophical patriot, could poffibly give to the princes and ftatefmen of the earth. Happy are we to fee fuch laudable ideas once ftarted in their view; and happy will it be for the world if its rulers never lofe fight of them! RArt. 38. Tranfactions of the American Philofophical Society, held at Philadelphia, for promoting ufeful Knowledge. 4to. Vol. II. Philadelphia printed. 1786. -m The peculiar circumftances of the American revolution fince the former volume of thefe Tranfactions was published, are alleged, and will ferve as a fufficient apology for the long delay in publishing a fecond t. The Society having, however, refumed their former labours, and finding themselves in poffeffion of materials more than fufficient for a fecond volume of Tranfactions, appointed a Committee, to felect fuch pieces as might be moft proper for the purpose, the refults of whofe felection are now offered to the Public, confifting of papers, on different fubjects, of which fome account will be given in a future number of our Journal. Several others, worthy of publication, we are told, ftill remain, to appear in a fubfequent volume. Ban Art. 39. Laws of the Legislature of New York, in force againft the Loyalifts, and affecting the Trade of Great Britain, and British Merchants, and others having Propery in that State. 8vo. 35. Debrett, &c. 1786. 45 The objects of this collection are specified in the title; and appear more fully in the concluding paragraphs of the Preface; viz. The editor has added the Definitive Treaty, and the refusal of the fenate and affembly to ratify the fifth article, together with fuch other extracts from the journals of thofe two branches of the legislature, as tend to fhew the fpirit that actuated them in paffing fome of thofe laws, notwithstanding the objections of the Council of Revifion, (confifting of the Governor, the Chancellor, and Judges of the fu preme court), the third branch of the legiflature-as also fuch other extracts as affe&t British creditors. The editor begs leave further to observe : Firt, That thofe parts of the feveral laws which have been omitted, relate only to the internal police of the state. Secondly, That the treaty is infracted, not only by fuch laws as have been paffed fince the peace, but by the non-repeal of every one of thofe enacted during the war, and which, to give the treaty its intended effect, ought to have been repealed; for they have their operation now in full vigour, the people and fubordinate magistracy being obliged to obey the fovereignty of the country in all the hoftile afts commanded or authorized by their laws.' POLICE. N. Art. 40. Thoughts on the Conftruction and Polity of Prisons, with Hints for their Improvement. By John Jebb, M. D. To which is anded, An Abstract of Felonies created by Statute, and other Articles relative to the Penal Syftem. 8vo. 25. With an Engraving of the Doctor, 2s. 6d. Dilly. FRANKLIN. † For an account of the first volume, fee Rev. vol. xlvii. p. 333 The The reflections upon the penal laws, at the clofe of this pamphlet (which, with the abstract, and a brief sketch of Dr. Jebb's character, is all the new matter contained in it), may poffibly fuggeft fome ufeful hints on the important fubject of the revifal of our penal laws, which, we truft, will fhortly take place under the direction and authority of parliament. On fo extenfive and difficult a topic, we can only, at prefent, exprefs a general with with our Author (Capel Lofft, Eq.) that fuch improvements may be speedily adopted in this part of the English law, that its future characteristics may be fimplicity, equity, and energy. Ꭼ . EDUCATION. Art. 41. Dramatic Pieces, calculated to exemplify the Mode of Conduct which will render young Ladies both amiable and happy when their School Education is completed. Small 12mo. 3 Vols. 6s. Marshal. Several important lessons of moral inftruction are, in these volumes, conveyed in a moft agreeable and interefting form: they are a valuable addition to the Library for Children, which the Editor is fo laudably employed in providing. The duty of filial affection and obedience in difficult fituations; the fatal confequences of a life of diffipation; the folly and odioufnefs of pride; the advantages to be derived from a liberal education in a state of adverfity; and the value of domeftic education, are the topics illuftrated in these dramatic pieces. NATURAL HISTORY. E Art. 42. Obfervations of Marine Vermes, Infects, &c. By Mathew Martin, Member of the Bath Philofophical Society. With Notes and Quotations from different Authors. Fafciculus I. 4to. Is. 6d. White, &c. 1786. This Number contains the defcriptions of only three worms; namely, the Actinia caryophyllus, Siphunculus nudus, and Siphunculus reticulatus. The Author appears to be a man of obfervation; and, if he pursues his work with the fame accuracy and judgment that he exhibits in this fpecimen, he will throw confiderable light on a part of natural history which is, as yet, very obfcure. The accompanying his defcriptions with drawings, is a great improvement of his plan, Mr. Martin thanks God that he is bleffed with a good recollection.' If he means memory, we advife him not to make too much use of it, left he should wear it out too foon; let him rather commit his obfervations to writing, as they occur. MATHEMATICAL. R-m Art. 43. A Table which reduces Deals as imported from the Baltic to ftandard Deals. Shewing the Quantity of ftandard in any Number of Baltic or common Deals from 1 to 1000, of any Length from 6 to 16 Feet long, and from 7 to 12 Inches broad, Thicknefs being 1, 2, 2, and 3 Inches, &c. Calculated by Ifaac Sandys. 4to. 6s. Liverpool printed; fold by Lowndes, in London. The timber-merchant and carpenter will find this performance a ufeful affiftant in computing the quantity of any given number of common deals; fince it will fhew in two minutes, what in the ordi nary course of calculation would require twenty minutes to perform. The merit of Tables of every kind confifts chiefly in their being accurately computed, and correctly printed. We have examined this in feveral places, and find it free from error, in all the examples we have tried. RArt. 44. An entire new Work, and Method of proceeding to dif cover the Variation of the Earth's Diameters, with Evidence laid down, amounting to a Demonftration, that its true Ratio is not lefs variable than as 45 to 46, and fhorteft in its Pole's Axis 174 Miles, &c. &c. By Thomas Williams, Inventor. 4to. 4s. No Bookfeller's Name. 1786. As Mr. Williams has given no demonftration of his affertions, we cannot afford our affent to them. 2: RIVER-FISHING. Art. 45. The Gentleman Angler. Containing brief Instructions by which the Beginner may, in a fhort Time, become a perfec Artift in angling for all Kinds of Fish. With feveral Observations on Angle Rods, Artificial Flies, &c. Alfo the proper Times and Seafons for River and Pond-fishing; when Fish fpawn; and what Baits are chiefly to be ufed: with the Art of Rock and Sea-fishing; and an Explanation of the technical Words used in the Art of Angling. By a Gentleman who has made it his Diverfion fourteen Years. 12mo. Is. 6d. Kearfley. 1786. Compiled from former publications on the fubject, with all their fins and tranfgreffions about them. See Univerfal and infallible Bait ; How to make an artificial Fly; The twelve Sorts of artificial Flies; Directions for Roach and Dace Fishing; Method of Rock-fishing, &c. &c. POETRY. Th : Art. 45. The Age of Genius! A Satire on the Times. In a Poetical Epistle to a Friend. By Thomas Bufby. 4to. 3s. Harrifon. 1786. This writer, as a profeffed enemy to laboured productions, has acted very confiftently in leaving a few negligences in his piece, left the reader's tafte fhould be cloyed with too much accuracy and elegance. We meet, however, with fome bold-ftrokes, and good lines, in the poem, which convince us, that if the Author's fyftem had not prevented him, he would have written an excellent fatire on the folly which is fo ftrongly marked in the following lines: Cits, fcholars now and rhetoricians grown, No thirft of letter'd reputation yet Had e'en begot th' idea of city-wit; No brawling knew they loud as at the bar; No blows uncivil bred a civil war : Each talk'd and doz'd in turn, and that was all; No |