Art. 30. The Trial of Mrs. Ann Wood, Wife of William Wood, Efq. Commiffary and Paymafter of Artillery; for Adultery with Quintin Dick, Efq. Merchant, of King-ftreet, Cheapfide, London, during the Abfence of her faid Husband in America, &c. on his Majesty's Duty. Tried in the Confiftorial Court at Doctors Commons. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Lifter.

The proof of the charge against Mrs. Wood, produced a sentence of divorce from bed, board, and mutual cohabitation with William Wood, Efq. her husband, by reafon of adultery.'

Art. 31. The Trial of James Mair, for wilful and corrupt Perjury at Nifi Prius, the Sittings after Trinity Term, 26 Geo. III. at Westminster, before Judge Buller, and a Special Jury, in K. B. 8vo. 1s. Kearsley. 1786.

Mair was indicted of perjury, in an answer to a bill filed by several Under writers, in the court of Exchequer, in a cafe refpecting the capture and infurance of the fhip Leonidas Hero, taken in her voyage from Africa to the Weft Indies, in 1782. He was found guilty. Art. 32. The Statutes at Large, from the twentieth of King George the Third, to the twenty-fifth, inclufive. To which is prefixed, A Table of Titles of all the Public and Private Statutes during that Time. With a copious Index. 4to. 6s. 6d. sewed. Vol. XIV. King's Printers. 1786.

This is a continuation of the valuable edition of the Statutes at large, of which we have given ample accounts in our Review, vol. XXVIII. p. 61. vol. XXX. p. 80. vol. XXXI. p. 243, &c. See our General Index, under the name Ruff head, by whom this excellent work was begun.

Art. 33. The Game Laws, from King Henry III. to the present Period; including all the Acts of Parliament which are now in force on that Subject, with Obfervations on them, tending to convey real Information to the Lawyer, the Magiftrate, and the Sportsman; and an Introduction, explaining the general Nature of Forefts, Purlieus, Chafes, Parks, &c. &c. By George Clark, Efq. Author of the Penal Statutes abridged, &c. Izmo. 3s. Boards. Fielding. 1786.

The collecting into a small compass the fubftance of all the laws relative to game must be useful to thofe who are liable to the penalties inflicted by them. The fportfman will find in this performance an abstract of every act that has been paffed for the prefervation of game, of all kinds, with the laws concerning fisheries, warrens parks, &c. The obfervations which Mr. Clark has made on these laws are juft; and we doubt not that his performance may be serviceable to all who are interested in the subject.

EAST INDIES.

Art. 34. Mr. Haflings's Review of the State of Bengal. 8vo. 38. Kearfley. 1786.

These sheets, which the Author informs us he wrote during his paffage to England, were first printed for private diftribution. Every article of information from the pen of Mr. Haftings claims peculiar attention; thofe, therefore, who ftudy the political fyftem of our Eastern dependencies, will meet with a fund of interefting obferva

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tions on the fituation of the country powers with reference to our political interefts in that part of the world. To thefe Mr. Haftings has added fome 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 difinterefted 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 Hiftory of the British Interests in Indoftan during a Period of near thirty Years, diftinguished by two Wars with France, feveral Revolutions and Treaties of Alliance, and the Administration of Governor Haftings. 8vo. 6s. Boards. Debrett. 1786. To criminate the adminiftration of Governor Haftings, feems to be the chief object of this narrative, which is evidently written by an able hand. The Author defcribes 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, and to all concerned in the commercial Profperity of Great Bri tain, on the Subject of the prefent Difputes relative to the Company's Shipping. 8vo. 1s. Sewell. 1786.

The neceffity 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 œconomy in the article of fhipping is ftrongly ridiculed by the writer of the present Address; and he boldly afferts that-calculators, endowed with as great accuracy and comprehenfion as the ideal favers of the fum already stated, have demonstrated, that the faving which might poffibly be made by the new plan (and which is fhewn to be in many refpects 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 service of the Eaft-India Company; and he infifts (in answer to the feveral fpeculators, who have maintained that veffels of 500 or 600 tons burden are better adapted to the India trade than thofe of 700 or 1000 tons, which are now in ufe) that ships deftined 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 stronger conftruction, as well as of larger capacity than thofe employed in what may be called, in comparifon of this, ordinary and domestic 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 prefent- Which fhips (fays he) may with ease, 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 best 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 Eaft-India fettlements? And is not this a more worthy object of purfuit, than those paltry and perilous parings projected by the reformers in the Company's fhipping?'

Propofal. The owners of fhips 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 feason, whatever fhips the Company shall 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 veffels may be neceffary for this feason, 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 honest on the part of the fhip-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-ftreet.

AMERICAN.

Art. 37. A Treaty of Amity and of Commerce between the United States of America and his Majefty the King of Pruffia. 8vo. No Price nor Bookseller. 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 pass 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 also remarkable for its truly benevolent fpirit.-The whole treaty is a fingular phænomenon in the hiftory of nations. Military powers uniting to alleviate the miseries of war, to leffen the horrors of bloodfhed, and relieve the diftreffes of their enemies, is the beft leffon of

* This, we are told, the owners of India fhips have actually in contemplation.

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humanity which a philofophical king, acting in concert with a philofophical patriot *, could poffibly give to the princes and statesmen of the earth. Happy are we to fee fuch laudable ideas once started in their view; and happy will it be for the world if its rulers never lofe fight of them!

Art. 38. Tranfactions of the American Philofophical Society, held at Philadelphia, for promoting useful Knowledge. 4to. Vol. II. Philadelphia printed. 1786.

The peculiar circumftances of the American revolution fince the former volume of these Transactions was published, are alleged, and will ferve as a fufficient apology for the long delay in publishing a fecond +. 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 purpofe, the refults of whofe felection are now offered to the Public, confifting of 45 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. Art. 39. Laws of the Legislature of New York, in force against the Loyalifts, and affecting the Trade of Great Britain, and Britifh Merchants, and others having Propery in that State. 8vo. 3s. Debrett, &c. 1786.

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 those two branches of the legiflature, 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 legislature-as alfo fuch other extracts as affect British creditors.

The editor begs leave further to observe :

Firft, 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 in. tended effect, ought to have been repealed; for they have their operation now in full vigour, the people and fubordinate magiftracy being obliged to obey the fovereignty of the country in all the hoftile acts commanded or authorized by their laws.'

POLICE.

Art. 40. Thoughts on the Construction and Polity of Prifans, with Hints for their Improvement. By John Jebb, M. D. To which is added, 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 fketch of Dr. Jebb's character, is all the new matter contained in it), may poffibly fuggeft fome useful 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 wish with our Author (Capel Lofft, Efq.) that fuch improvements may be fpeedily adopted in this part of the English law, that its future characteristics may be fimplicity, equity, and energy.

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 leffons 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 domestic education, are the topics illuftrated in these dramatic pieces.

NATURAL HISTORY.

Art. 42. Observations of Marine Vermes, Infects, &c. By Mathew Martin, Member of the Bath Philofophical Society. With Notes and Quotations from different Authors. Fafciculus I. 4to. 1s. 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 advise 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.

MATHEMATICA L. Art. 43. A Table which reduces Deals as imported from the Baltic to ftandard Deals. Shewing the Quantity of standard 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