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Art. 60. A Dictionary of the Norman, er Old French Language; collected from fuch Acts of Parliament, Parliament Rolls, Journals, Acts of State, Records, Law Books, Ancient Historians, and Manufcripts, as relate to this Nation. To which are added the Laws of William the Conqueror, with Notes and References. By Robert Kelham of Lincoln's Inn. 8vo. 6s. Brooke. 1779. The uncouth and barbarous dialect in which our records antecedently to the reign of Edward the Third, and many public inftruments fince that time, are written, long maintained its ground with the writers on law. Most of the Reports till within a century were communicated in this technical language. But fince it is now univerfally fallen into difufe, the profeffors of the law have contented themselves with a general acquaintance with its phrafeology, relin quifhing all pretenfions to a more nice and critical skill to profeffed antiquaries. Hence, however, have been experienced fome inconveniences. How little the Norman or Law French is at prefent underflood by the gentlemen at the bar, is decifively fhewn by Mr. Kelham, who relates (and the incident, it must be confeffed, reflects on them no credit) that at a late remarkable trial a French gentleman was called in to read and explain fome Norman French charters in one of our courts of judicature. As the knowledge of this old language is fill the only key to many curious antiquities, and to fever I of our early writers, the prefent publication will be found of confiderable affistance to those who are engaged in refearches of this nature. Mr. Kelham's reputation as an antiquary is a fufficient pledge for the fidelity and accuracy of the work.

The laws of William the Conqueror are fubjoined in the Norman French, with a Latin and an English tranflation. They are brought together into one point of view, in order to combat and overturn fome novel opinions which Monf, Houard (a celebrated Norman jurist) has lately attempted to maintain. Mr. Kelham proves beyond all cavil, that the early laws of this king, prior to the introduction of the feudal law, were moulded on the Saxon cultoms, which, according to the authority of our best writers, are the elements of the common law.

HUSBANDRY.

Art. 61. A Treatise on the Culture of the Tobacco Plant; with the Manner in which it is ufually cured. Adapted to Northern Climates, and defigned for the Ufe of the Landholders of Great Britain. To which are prefixed two Plates of the Plant and its Flowers. By Jonathan Carver, Efq; Author of Travels + through the interior Parts of North America. 8vo. 2 s. 6d. Johnfor. 1779.

Should the culture of tobacco ever form a part of English agriculture, we doubt not but the planter will meet with fufficient information, in the prefent pamphlet, to encourage him to attempt it with every reafonable profpect of fuccefs. The leaf is the valuable part of the plant. It is natural to fuppofe the humidity of our

*Introduction.

+ An account of thofe Travels is given in the Reviews for February and April aft.

climate

climate will be favourable to its production. Poffibly there may be fome difficulty in the management of thofe plants which are intended for feed. But fuppofing this to be the cafe, feed would, we prefume, be easily imported at a very trifling expence. We have, however, known the feed ripen to great perfection in our English gardens.

The rules which Mr. Carver lays down, though drawn only, as he informs us, from memory, feem to be both full and fatisfactory as well for the cultivating as curing this important article of commerce. If Mr. Carver's reprefentations be true, and there is no reafon for fufpecting they are otherwife, the cultivation of tobacco is attended with as few difficulties as that of the most common vegetable; and the method of curing it alfo feems to be equally eafy and fimple. Befides the ufual purpofes to which it is applied, it may be used alfo as a fubilitute for oak-bark in tanning leather. As an ornamental plant, it may be admitted into the pleasure-garden, being when in flower both majestic and beautiful. There is a good print of it in Mr. Carver's book.

EAST-IN DIE S.

Art. 62. Confiderations on the Eaft-India Bill now depending in Parliament. 8vo. 6 d. Elmfly. 1779

Arraigns the juice of the bill, as a breach of public faith to the company affociated under a charter confirmed by fubfequent acts of parliament, purchased for valuable confiderations. But that bill having fince paffed into a law, the question is fo far decided, as to fuperfede any farther debate on it, except perhaps among the parties. affe Sted.

RELIGIOUS.

Art. 63. Earnest Advice, particularly to Perfons who live in an babitual Negled of our Lord's Supper; confidered as a commemorative Sacrifice infeparable from Christianity, and as a Prefervative against fuperftitious Fears, and the immoral Practices, which deface the Glory of our Country, and darken our Profpects of a Life to come. In forty nine Letters. By Jonas Hanway, Efq. 12mo. 2 s. Dodfley, &c. 178.

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Mr. Hanway, we fee, continues his benevolent labours to promote the virtue and happiness of his countrymen. He formerly published a ímall volume cailed the Commemorative Sacrifice; great part,' he fays, of the matter of that work is brought into this, but newly arranged; fome of the letters are fresh composition, but comprehending the fenfe of different writers Mot of the letters are short, prefuming that fo many resting places will encourage those who read but little, or fuch as have but little time for reading. On the whole, he adds, I have endeavoured to divett myself of that myfterious awe which gives the major part of the people falle impreffions of that nworthiness alluded to by St. Paul; and fo far difpel the clouds of ignorance and careleffness, which spread fo deep a fhadow over the land. Thus, I hope, my humble pen will bring fome to the table of our Lord, who might otherwife live and die totally negligent of this facred inftitution."

In the dedicátion of this volume to the Countefs Spencer, he obferves, when speaking of the state of piety and virtue, moc-lifts,

as well as divines, in all ages, have complained: the prefent ærd cannot be called wonderful, when we fee the hiftories of mankind furnish fuch unnumbered inftances of the fame caufes producing the fame effects. Indeed we feem to be fo far fingular, that I will venture to fay there never was fo free, learned, and ingenious a people in the fame degree negligent with regard to the prime article of the religion of their country; and from this caufe I apprehend we may fairly date the greatest part of the calamities which threaten us.

Impreffed therefore by the truth and importance of christianity, and alfo by the obligation and ufefulness of the peculiar inftitution which he here more profeffedly confiders, he proceeds with earneftnefs, and under a variety of views, to perfuade Chriftians to comply, in this instance, with the requeft and precept of their Lord. His book contains much ufeful inftruction and perfuafive piety; but had it been brought into a yet narrower compafs, it might perhaps have been more beneficial. His frequent ufe of the words altar, Jacrifice, &c. tend, we think, to convey an idea of this ordinance fomewhat different from that which the plain and fhort account given of it in the New Testament fuggefts or warrants. However, though we do not regard the work as entirely free from objections, it is certainly calculated to promote the best purposes, and we heartily with the views of the worthy Author may be answered, by rendering his readers the better, and happier, for the perufal of his well-intended

letters.

SERMONS.

I. Chriftianity the true Foundation of Civil Liberty.-Preached at St. Mary's, Leicester, at the Alizes held there Aug. 12, 1778, by John Cole Galloway, A. M. Vicar of Hinckley in that County. 8vo. I S. H. Payne, &c.

Plain, ferious, fenfible, and well adapted to the occafion. II. Chriftian Fortitude particularly recommended in Times of Danger, at the Chapel-Royal, St. James's, July 4, 1779. By S. Glaffe, D. D. F. R. S. 8vos 6d. Rivington

Dr. Glaffe fhall, himself, review this pious and feasonable fermon.. It is the design of this difcourfe to encourage reflections of the molt falutary kind; to draw the line, as carefully as may be, betwixt a dangerous felf-confidence on the one hand, and a not lefs dangerous defpair on the other; each leading by different paths to the fame end, viz. to a fatal inactivity?

PM

CORRES P. ON DEN CE.

A CARD..

HILODOMUS prefents his refpectful compliments to the Monthly Reviewers, begs that they will acquaint him when Organs were fit introduced into the Chriftian Church, and by whom which will much oblige him, and fome others of their conflant Readers.

Cumberland, 12th July, 1779.

Some of our Readers may, perhaps, be able to fatisfy the curiofity of this Correfpondent. Poffibly the information he fecks may be obtained by confulting Burney's Hiltory of Mufic, or Sir Jolin Hawkins; or Anderfon's Flittory of Commerce.

THE

MONTHLY REVIEW,

For AUGUST, 1779.

ART. I. JOHNSON's Prefaces to the Works of the English Poets. Volume II. Vid. laft Month's Review, Art. I.

MILTO N.

HE active part which Milton took in the public tranfactions of the times he lived in, will ever fubject him to the misrepresentations of partiality or prejudice. In the biographical part of the preface before us, we have obferved fome paffages not totally free from the influence of one of these principles.

In the opening of the narrative, after mentioning fome other particulars of his family, we are told that his father had two fons, John the poet, and Chriftopher, who ftudied the law, and adhered, as the law taught him, to the King's party. After the acceffion of King James, he was knighted, and made a judge; but, his conftitution being too weak for bufi• nefs, he retired before any difreputable compliances became neceffary.' Fenton fays, " by too eafy a compliance with "the doctrines of the court, both religious and civil, he at"tained to the dignity of being made a judge of the Common "Pleas, of which he died divested not long after the Revolu"tion." As he is faid to have adhered to what the law taught bim, we will hope, though there doth not feem much reafon to believe, that he retired before any difreputable compliances became neceffary. Yet, when the difpofition of the times is confidered, it is far from probable that he fhould have been advanced from the obfcurity of chamber practice, which he followed, to fit as a judge in the court of Common Pleas, unless his readiness of compliance had been previously known. But, perhaps, as he adhered, as the law taught him, to King Charles's party, the biographer thought him entitled to fome little indulgence.

VOL. LXI.

G

Milton

7

Milton was first educated under a domestic tutor, and afterward fent to St. Paul's fchool; from whence, in the beginning of his fixteenth year, he was removed to Cambridge. We are told, there is reason to suspect that he was regarded in his college with no great fondnefs. That he obtained no fellowship is certain; but the unkindness with which he was treated was not merely negative. I am afhamed,' continues the biographer, to relate what I fear is true, that Milton was the laft ftudent in either univerfity, that fuffered the public indignity of corpo

ral correction.

It was, in the violence of controverfial hoftility, objected to him, that he was expelled: this he fteadily denies, and it was apparently not true; but it feems plain from his own verfes to Diodati, that he had incurred Ruftication; a temporary difmiffion into the country, with perhaps the lofs of a term:

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Jam nec arundiferum mihi cura revisere Camum,
Nec dudum vetiti me laris angit amor;

Nec duri libet ufque minas perferre magiftri,

Cæteraque ingenio non fubeunda meo.

I cannot find any meaning but this, which even kindness and reverence can give to the term, vetiti laris," a habitation from which he is excluded;" or how exile can be otherwife interpreted. He declares yet more, that he is weary of enduring the threats of a rigorous mafter, and fomething else, which a temper like his cannot undergo. What was more than threat was evidently punishment.'

If the evidence of Milton's fuffering the public indignity of corporal correction reft only on the above quoted lines, there is certainly a conftruction put upon them which the fenfe by no means requires. By rendering cæteraque in the fingular number, the application which in the original is general, in the translation is made particular. There are many infults and indigni ties which academical fubordination might make him liable to, befide corporal correction, or the threats of ruftication or expulfion, which a temper like Milton's might find a difficulty in fubmitting to. But fuppofing the conjecture to be true, fhame would furely never fuffer him even to allude to what he could not but think of with the utmoft indignation, nor is it probable he would ever with to revifit fcenes where he had fuffered fuch public indignity.

When the biographer comes to that part of Milton's life when he returned from abroad, he tells us, that hearing of the differences between the King and parliament, he thought it proper to haften home, rather than pafs his life in foreign amufements while his countrymen were contending for their rights. At his return he hired a lodging at the house of one Ruffel a taylor, in St. Bride's Church-yard, and undertook the education of John and Edward Philips, his fifter's fons. Finding his rooms too little, he took a house and garden in Alders4

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