fomewhat different, and ufually lefs conducive to happiness, than if it had remained in the hands of the private proprietors; it is turned from one channel of confumption into another; but the refources of the nation, confifting in the ability to reproduce the fanie value of commodities next year, and confequently to continue the public expences as long as they are judged requifite to the interefts of the ftate, are in no degree diminished.

On the contrary, when taxes are levied upon capital, they confume part of what would otherwife have been ftored up, and by diminishing the funds deftined for agriculture, commerce, and manufactures, reduce the future produce of the land and labour. Every fuch tax renders it more difficult to raife future fupplies, and preys upon the vitals of the state. A nation laying heavy taxes on expenditure may be compared to a vain man, living frugally at home, that he may make a fplendid appearance in the world; a nation laying taxes on capital, to the prodigal, who, fpending more than his income, is fpeedily involved in ruin: the former may continue his mode of living for years, and at laft leave a patrimony to his children; the latter finds his embarrassments daily increafe, and finks rapidly to want and mifery. The ten millions, which Lord Lauderdale proposes to raife by a tax on fucceffion, would not only expend all those favings of income, from which alone the augmentation of national wealth can arife, but even annually confume part of that capital which we have already acquired: and this confideration appears to me decifive against his Lordship's plan.

I am, Sir, your most humble fervant,
A MERCHANT.

Glasgow, July 12, 1799.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

G'

IVE me leave to fay, that I greatly approve many of the hints of your correfpondent X, (p. 358.) on the fubject of enclosures.

That of an increafed proportion in favour of fmall owners makes part of an act which I was lately concerned in obtaining; and which gives an increase of their allotments, fo as not to exceed double of the other allotments.

There is alfo in that act an exemption from tythes in favour of the small allot

* Stanton, in Bury, Suffolk. 38 G. III. anno 1798.

ments, while they continue in the poor owners, or their issue.

The allotments of poor owners to be enclofed in a ring-fence without any expence to them.

And a like exemption from tythes in favour of a portion of land fet apart as the poor's eftate for railing fewel. This exemption in perpetuity.

An exemption from tythes for feven years on the allotments from the common and waste.

The liberality of the rector greatly facilitated the obtaining of these clauses.

I propofed fetting apart a certain portion of the common, to be used as common by fuch as might prefer it: but this met with no fupport from the fmall owners for whose accommodation it was intended; nor of courfe from others.

I do think with your correfpondent, and I know that refpectable opinions agree with him, that the want of HABITATIONS for the POOR is a great, an increasing, and I fear a general evil in ENGLAND. We are accustomed to talk much of the wealth of the nation, I doubt whether upon any well-affured grounds of reliance: but this I know; wealth may exift to an high degree in a nation, and vice, mifery, and public danger may exift at the fame time in a ftill greater. I had rather hear of the comforts of the poor-which implies the reasonable comforts of all claffes-than of the wealth of fome claffes. If the comforts of the poor are made general, and dependent only on their industry and good conduct; virtue and happiness and public fecurity muft become general from the faine caufes, and be rendered permanent by the fame means. To fay that the mafs of the nation is really in a comfortable state, is to fpeak the happiness of the nation. But of this comfort their dwelling is an effential part. Without this what becomes of the idea of a family, of independence, of individual or focial welfare; furely these ideas are far from the unhappy beings who, though they could hire an habitation, were it to be had, find that none is to be had wherein to lay their head. The ftatute has been repealed, which required land to be laid in a confiderable quantity wherever a cottage fhould be built on the wafte. In fact, it operated rather as a prohibition against building cottages, than an encouragement to that most defirable object of adding land to them. But encouragement must be given to building habitations for the poor, if we refpect the ineftimable benefits to the individuals, and to the whole nation, of industry, of health and comfort,

of

of domestic happiness, of morals, of public welfare. The enormous increafe of the poor-rates, though a great evil, neceffarily muft flow more and more from the want of habitations for the poor; not as the fole caufe, but as a powerfully increafing caufe of this burthen. And great as it is, it is far from the greatest evil derived from this fource. Encouragement to parishes to build cottages, if the prejudice of parishofficers and of wealthy inhabitants can be furmounted, would, as your correfpondent obferves, be doing much. The late alteration in the law of parochial fettlements has removed one of their objections. A fettlement is no longer gained by mere rating and payment to the rates: though a poor perfon is no longer removable on the uncertain ground of being likely to become chargeable, without being fo.

ENCLOSURES will be of no great ufe

without bands to cultivate. And it is difficult to believe that labourers will be long and easily found, if, confequently with the operations of other reducing caufes, the dwellings which fhould comfortably contain them and their families fhall continue to decrease.

unless, as to editions, we except WAKEFIELD's certainly very valuable, in which it is adopted; but without obfervation on it in the notes: and it feems to be a reading which, unless authority compelled, reafon would little recommend.

ASTRONOMICAL QUESTION.

I wish to propofe this Question:

1. WHETHER according to the laws of GRAVITATION a PLANET confifting of earth, feas, and atmosphere, might NECESSARILY require a ROTATION ON ITS AXIS to counteract the tendency of thofe lighter and fluid parts of its mafs to be carried off from it by the rectilinear influence of ATTRACTION?

2. WHETHER the IMMEDIATE CAUSE of fuch ROTATION can be found in the properties refulting from fuch a combination of the great conftituent parts of the planet? I remain your's fincerely, Trofton, July 17, 1799.

C. L.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

I Logic the other day, I met with fome

N looking into Collard's Effentials of

observations on the following fentence from Dr. Johnson's preface to Shakefpeare, which I beg leave to fubmit to the readers. your confideration of "But becaufe human judgment, though it be gra dually gaining upon certainty, never becomes infallible; and approbation, though long continued, may yet be only the approbation of prejudice or fafnion; it is proper to inquire by what peculiarities of excellence Shakespeare has gained and kept the favour of his countrymen.' "Now," fays Mr. C. page 244, "the first member of this fentence is rendered obfcure by a bad arrangement; for it appears, that we are to appeal from the human judgment of a former time, to the human judgment of a latter time; because, though gradually gaining upon certainty, it never becomes infallible. But by a fmall tranfpofition, which indeed materially alters the fenfe, the first reason will be amply striking and fatisfactory: as, becaufe human judgment is gradually gaining upon certainty, though it never becomes infallible. Here we appeal from the human judgment of a former time to the humán judgment of a latter time, becaufe it is gradually gaining upon certainty; which is a reafon fufficiently forcible. Thus, by tranfpofing the conjunction" though, and the pronoun it, we remove the obfcurity of this very elegant fentence; as will appear by reftating it in the Doftor's 412

own ftyle, with this little alteration only: But because human judgment is gradually gaining upon certainty, though it never becomes infallible, and approbation, though long continued, &c. &c."

Now, Sir, with all due deference to Mr. Collard's logical acuteness, I muft own, it is my decided opinion, that he has totally mifunderstood the turn of the argument in this fentence. Dr. Johnfon did not propose to appeal from the judgment of a former to that of a latter period, but to claim the right and affert the propriety of private judgment at all times, and of non-acquiefcence in opinions, however long established or popular, without previous investigation. To render the meaning ftill more evident, let us fuppofe the fentence to be extracted from the writings of an author hoftile to the reputation of our bard. Notwithstanding the judg. ment of fucceffive critics, and the applaufe of fucceffive generations (Voltaire for inftance would have said), I think it proper to fufpend my opinion, till I fhall have inquired for myfelf by what peculiar excellencies Shakespeare has gained and kept the favour of his countrymen; becaufe human judgment, though it be gradually gaining upon certainty, never becomes infallible, and approbation, though long continued, may yet be only the approbation of prejudice or fashion.-Now the reafoning, whether coming from Johnfon or Voltaire, is precifely the fame, though the objects which they have in view are diame. trically oppofite; both are anxious that Shakespeare's own evidence alone fhould he admitted on his trial; the former in full confidence that the poet's paramount merit would thereby be rendered more confpicuous and impreffive; the latter with the hope of fhewing, that much of his fame refts on no other foundation but national prejudice and partiality.

Inaccuracies of thinking or writing, when detected in any fpecies of compofition, ought to be expofed for the improvement of criticifm; but in a treatife on logic, or the art of reasoning, they deferve ftill more particular attention; and on this ground the prefent article folicits admiflion into your valuable mifcellany. Yours, &c.

May 20, 1799.

N. K.

may be guilty of. Indeed I should not have dared to have taken up the pen at this time, but that I felt it a duty to contradict affertions made by your correfpondent A. B. on the Hofpital for the Poor in Bristol. I must beg here to exprefs my furprife, that a gentleman, who certainly appears to be well informed on every other part of his fubject, fhould venture (on this) to exprefs himfelf from report; for I think it impoffible he could have vifited the House, or he would not have faid of it" that light and air struggle almost in vain to get admittance." I feel an honest pride in faying, that I have taken a very active part in its direction for upwards of three years paft, and during that period it has been in a progreffive ftate of improvement. It is within that time the manufacture for coarfe woollens has been introduced, noticed by your correfpondent, not with a view to immediate profit, but rather to inftil habits of industry in the rifing generation. If A. B. has refided for any length of time in the city of Bristol, it is fcarcely poffible but that he must have known the prefent Directors have conftantly expreffed a wifh, that their fellow-citizens would inspect the improvements, and point out any others, they might wish to be introduced; an advertisement to this effect was fent to all the Bristol papers.This Houfe of Induftry, as it is now called, is fituate on the banks of the river Avon: the tide flows immediately under its walls; the windows of most of the wards look towards it, and from fome of them the profpect is extenfive and beautiful, equalled by few, furpaffed (I had almoft faid) by none. Having myself feen moft of the Houfes of Induftry in this part of the kingdom, I have no hesitation in faying, however refpectably many of them are conducted, I never faw one more clean, more healthy, or in which the poor are better fed or better clothed. I am not informed what may be the dimenfions of a Norfolk barn; but, for the information of your correfpondent, I directed that the ground on which the hospital stands fhould be measured, and find it to be, 227 feet in length, and 108 feet in width. There are four wards, each 53 feet by 21; three ditto 73 by 28; three ditto 54 by 21; three ditto 58 by 20; two ditto 67 by 18; and two ditto 39 by 21; befides thefe, there are many other rooms of lefs dimenfions, with kitchens, brew-houfe, bakehoufe, cold and warm baths, furgery, apothecary's fhop, and every other neceffary convenience for a houfe of this defcription. The average number of the family,

including

a channel.

I am Sir, your obedient humble Servant, THOMAS BATCHELOR.

Bristol, June 12, 1799.

N. B. The house is attended by three furgeons, an apothecary, and a chaplain, daily.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

You

OUR correfpondent I. C. has propofed a fubject for the confideration of the readers of your useful mifcellany, which is pretty generally allowed to be attended with confiderable difficulty, namely, the Origin of Springs. Some letters on this fubject, by two or three anonymous writers, by Mr. Kay of Aberford, and myfelf, have appeared in the three or four laft Numbers of "The Mathematical and Philofophical Repository," and I believe another letter on the fame fubject will appear in No. 8. of that publication. But I am much afraid that after all which has been written relative to the Origin of Springs, in the work now referred to, the matter is by no means decifively fettled, and perhaps the various hypothefes which have been advanced will be long before they have any thing more than probability in fupport of any of them. I am, how ever, of opinion with I. C. that "by a clofer attention to the fituation, appear ances, &c. of fprings themselves” a more fatisfactory acquaintance might be gained both with their nature and origin: I would therefore join in that gentleman's requeft, and I hope fome of your numerous and ingenious correfpondents will be able to communicate fuch a series of obfervations as fhall have a great tendency to remove the difficulty.

In your Magazine for this month, R. H. of Exeter, inquires what is the cheapest, fimpleft, and most expeditious mode of making vinegar? It will, probably, be not very ealy to meet with a method in which all the qualities of cheapaels, fimplicity, and expedition are united; though I am not without hopes that fuch a method may be communicated to you. A few years ago a lady of Warwickshire told me the way in which the made vinegar, and, as it had cheapnefs and fimplicity, though not expedition, to recommend it, I made it known to feveral perfons, who immediately adopted it: it has fince been tried in my own family, and the vinegar which was thus made is as good as any I ever met with. The method is as here defcribed: "To every gallon of water, put a pound of coarfe Lifbon-fugar; let the mixture be boiled, and keep fkimming it fo long as any fcum arifés. Then let it be poured into proper veffels, and when it is as cool as beer when worked, let a warm toaft rubbed over with yeast be put to it. Let it work about twenty-four hours, and then put it in a iron-hooped cask, and fixed either near a conftant fire, or where the fummer fun fhines greater part of the day: in this fituation it fhould not be closely ftopped up, but a tile or fomething fimilar laid on the bung-hole to keep out the duft and infects. At the end of about three months (fometimes lefs) it will be clear and fit for ufe, and may be bottled off. The longer it is kept after it is bottled, the better it will be. If the veffel containing the liquor is to be exposed to the fun's heat, the belt time to begin making it is in April."

In answer to the inquiry of C. A.R. relative to the author of the melody of the old hundredth pfalm tune, I beg just to fay, that fome time ago, I met with an old book, the title of which I have now forgotten, in which it was ftated that Martin Luther was the author of the melody of this tune, but that the bass, the 2nd. and the counter-tenor were put to it by a Dr. John Dowland. But on what kind of evidence this statement refts, or in what part of the laft century this Dr. Dowland lived, I have not been able to determine. I have feen mufic-books publifhed at the latter end of the last century and the beginning of the prefent, by Playford, Broome, Green, and others, in which the tune was, to the best of my recollection, conftantly afcribed to Dowland.

May I be permitted to relate a circumftance concerning this tune? A few

years

years ago the place of organist at a cathedral in the country was yacant, For this fituation there were ten candidates, each of whom was to perform any tune which he thought proper, before the electors. The perfon whofe turn it was to play laft, had the mortification of finding that the piece which he had intended performing, had been chofen by one of the other candidates in this dilemma he knew not for fome time how to proceed, but at length had recourfe to the old hundredth, or Savoy "The electors," as he had used to exprefs it, "having had their ears tickled, the whole morning through,with light, fantaftic, and wonderfully rapid movements, were at length alleviated by the fimple harmony of old Savoy; its well-known tones found accefs to their fouls, infpired devotion, and induced them to make choice of the last performer for their organist."

tune.

I am, Sir, your's respectfully,
OLINTHUS GREGORY.

Cambridge, July 2, 1799.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

I

SIR,

FEEL myself obliged to your correfpondent W. R. page 429, for bringing into public notice, through the medium of your Magazine, a plan of a fociety for alleviating the miferies attendant upon common proftitution. He has not, however, fpecified the objects whom it is intended to relieve. From a fincere with that the plan in agitation may not be fruftrated by any want of fupport from the rich and benevolent, I beg leave to fend you the following note extracted from the pamphlet itself:

"It occurs to me, that many of the fituations of diftrefs above enumerated being peculiarly within the fcope of the Magdalen charity, it may feem, to fome of my readers, that the fociety I wish to fee established will not differ, in refpect to its object, from that inftitution; I think it, therefore, requifite to fpecify certain cafes which claim relief from the good policy, as well as the humanity, of the public, and which appear to be without the scope, or beyond the reach of any existing establishment.

1. Girls as yet undebauched, without employment, money, or friends.

2. Women liable to be imprifoned for 'small debts, in circumftances of peculiar diftrefs.

the mischievous confequences of fuch expofure or detection.

4. Girls in a state of pregnancy, houselefs, friendless, and deftitute of every thing.

N. B. Girls infected with the venereal or any other difeafe, or in a state of pregnancy, or having infants at the breaft, are not (for obvious reafons) admitted into the Magdalen Hofpital. The figns of pregnancy render it extremely difficult to procure a place of habitation. They who let lodgings are unwilling to admit the inconvenience attending child-birth into their houfes; and fear, befides, the refentment of parish-officers, if they receive one likely to bring a charge upon the parish.

5. Girls fallen from the fuperior fituations of life, doubly distressed because untried in difficulty, hiding themselves in the mifery of utmost obfcurity, and shrinking with terror from every idea of the publicity of an hofpital. Some of these are perhaps married; fome of an age exceeding that which is confidered as proper for admiffion into a penitentiary inftitution.

6. Girls in extreme distress, who, from mifconduct in (if not in the utmost degree nefarious) or running away from hofpitals, &c. or from other circumftances, may not be entitled to the benefit of other charities.

7. To the above may be added all cafes of poffible diftrefs, at a time when it shall appear, upon inquiry, that other inftitutions fhall, from a furplus of recommendations, be unable to receive and protect their peculiar objects."

I shall be very much obliged to your correfpondents for any hints they may fuggeft relative to this fubject; as well as for fome account of the prefent ftate of the Magdalen Hofpital, the number of females admitted there, the mode of admiffion, ftate of their funds, &c.

I am, Sir, your most humble fervant,
L. K.

For the Monthly Magazine. Extract of a Letter, dated October, 1798, from DANIEL MACKINNEN, Efq. Barrifter at Law, to Major giving an Account of the Country South of Lake ONTARIO.

mile

(Continued from page 524.)

THE WILDERNESS.

FTER having croffed a fine flat on the weft of the Genefee river, a in extent, we penetrated into the filence