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Sir Edward Coke, continues he, rejected the authority of thofe precedents as not being conformable to law.'-But we have, in our own time, feen the dictum of a judge, fuperior to that of Sir Edward Coke, difagreed to by both houses of parliament; and it is very plain that the house had no regard to Sir Edward Coke's opinion in this case. We fhall here just put this writer in mind, that at the time when this precedent happened the house of commons was very much out of humour with the Scotch nation in general; and that the affair was mere party work, appears from the face of the precedent itself We have not room to follow this author through his other obfervations upon Dr. Blackstone's Letter, many of which are very fevere upon the proceedings of the house of commons in the cafe of the Middlefex election, which he may have a privilege to treat with greater freedom than we dare affume.

25. Genuine Copies of all the Letters which have passed between the fight hon. the Lord Chancellor, and the Sheriffs of London and Middlefex, and between the Sheriffs and the Secretary of State, relative to the Execution of Doyle and Valine. 8vo. 15. R. Davis

How greatly is the public of England obliged to the patriotic Theriffs of London and Middlefex, for difcovering the more than gunpowder-treafon, in exchanging, by his majesty's command, the place of executing two condemned felons, who had been guilty of crimes that rendered them peculiar objects of public justice, and required an exemplary punishment, by their being executed near the place where their crimes were committed! As every news-paper has rung peals of praises and thanksgiving for this valuable detection, it would be quite fuperfluous, if not impertinent in us, to fay any thing more upon the fubject.

26. An Appeal to the World; or a Vindication of the Town of Bofton, from many falfe and malicious Afperfions. 8vo. 1s. Almon.

Some of our readers, perhaps, may think that we have already bestowed too much attention on this fubje&t *; and as this appeal contains nothing new, but fresh declamation, we muft refer the reader to the publications we have already reviewed on the fame fubjects, especially as the matter is now in dependence before a high tribunal, and probably will be carzied before a ftill higher.

• See Vol. xviii. p. 283, et paffim.

27. Brit

27. Brief Confiderations on the Expediency of a Plan for a Corps of Light Troops, to be employed on detached Service, in the Eaft-Indies. By a late Officer of Cavalry on the Coaft of Coromandel. 8vo. Pr. Becket.

The event of our late military operations on the coaft of Coromandel, manifefts the expediency of cavalry in India. But whether the company can poffibly adopt our author's plan, appears to us a matter not eafily to be determined. Many reasonable objections against European light cavalry have been urged. Experience has fhewn the intolerable expence incurred by the establishment of a fmall corps, not exceeding feventy men, in Bengal. Their utility not being found to compenfate the charge, they were reduced by lord Clive; and we are well Informed, that a battalion of fepoys is maintained at lefs expence. The nature of the climate, and of the service for which this corps is deftined, feem, however, the great objec tions to European light horfe. Perhaps it might be an improvement on our author's plan, that natives of the country, with British officers, fejeants, drums, and corporals, were fubftituted in the room of European foldiers.

28. A Letter to the Proprietors of Eaft-India Stock. Containing a brief Relation of the Negotiations with Government, from the Year 1767, to the prefent Time; refpecting the Company's Acquifitions in India, &c. 8vo. Pr. is. White.

The fenfible writer of this accurate and candid narrative of recent facts, points out to the proprietors of East India stock, the choice they ought to make of directors at the enfuing election. The conduct of the leaders in the late tranfactions with government is strongly contrafted, and every fact fo clearly explained, and notoriously known, that the Independent proprietor cannot be at a lofs where to place his confidence.

29. A Review of the Condua of Pafcal Paoli. Addreffed to the Right Honourable William Beckford, Efq. Lard-Mayor of the City of London. 8vo. Pr. 1. Bladon,

This pamphlet has all the appearance of a catch-penny, great part of it being reprinted from the public papers. The beft fervice that can be done to the Corfican chief is to let him, his actions, and character reft in quiet.

30. A Political Romance, addressed to

Efq. of York.

12mo. Pr. 15. Murdoch. This Political Romance is certainly a mifnomer, and the true title of it ought to be the York Races. That such an embryo might drop from the author of Triftram Shandy is not improbable, from its manner; but it can never be in the least

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entertaining to any reader, who is not perfectly acquainted with the ecclefiaftical fquabbles about fome preferment in Yorkshire. In short, if the whole is not an impofition, we will venture to say, that it never was intended to appear out of the circle of a few friends to the author, in the neighbourhood of the place, where the difpute happened about an old pair of caft black plush-breeches, which (fays the author) John, our parish clerk, about ten years ago, it seems, had made a promise of to one Trim, who is our fexton and dogwhipper.'

31. Reflections on the various Advantages refulting from the drain ing, inclofing, and allotting of large Commons, and Common Fields. By W. Pennington. 8vo. Pr. s. 6d. White.

Though we do not pretend to be competent judges of the fubject of this pamphlet, yet every reader muft perceive that it is written in a masterly ftile, and with an uncommon force of reasoning.

32. Confiderations on the Exportation of Corn: wherein the principal Arguments produced in favour of the Bounty are answered: and the Inferences commonly drawn from the Eton Regifler are difproved. To which are added, fome Remarks on the Expediency of felling Corn by Weight, and not by Meafure. 8vo. Pr. 15. 6d. White.

This publication is penned with art, addrefs, and fpirit, and no doubt will meet with an answer from the patrons of the bounty upon corn. If we are (fays the author) accufed of attempting innovations, we difavow the charge. We appeal to the experience of paft times, when wheat and malt were cheaper on an average than they have been fince the bounty. It is not our purpofe to difcourage tillage by destroying fo useful a branch of commerce as the corn trade. On the contrary, we propose it should be free; but let it be left to its natural course, neither reftrained by duties, nor forced by a bounty. If we muft give premiums, our manufactures have the best right to that indulgence, which, being the only true fupports of industry and population, must raise or lower the value of land in proportion as they flourish or decay.'

33. A new Hiftory of Scotland; from the earliest Accounts to the prefent Time. By John Belfour. 12mo. Pr. 35. 6d. Dilly.

This is fuch a hiftory of Scotland as may be formed from a copious index of a larger performance of the fame kind. Whether fuch a perfon as John Belfour exifts, is of no importance. The author, in his account of Mary queen of Scots, the Refor

mation in Scotland, Charles the First, and his conduct in Scotland, and various other paffages, point him out, whoever he is, to be a ftaunch prefbyterian; not to mention his invectives against archbishop Sharp, who was most infamously murdered by that party. The publication itself is fo fuperficial, that we can fcarcely look upon it as an object of hiftorical criticism.

34. The Court of Alexander. An Opera. In two Alts. As it is performed at the Theatre-Royal in Covent-Garden. 8vo. Pr. Is.

Waller.

In this piece Mr. G. A. Stevens, (author of the Lecture on Heads, a production univerfally approved by the good people of these kingdoms) directs his humour, of which he is allowed to poffefs a great fhare, against the abfurd tafte which still prevails for ferious Italian operas. For this purpose, he introduces great perfonages fpeaking low and abfurd dialogue, to fine mufick. As a fpecimen of the author's talents for this droll manner of writing, we shall felect his defcription of Orpheus.

• Orpheus was musick-master to the woods,
Gave groves a gamut, put in tune the floods;
He made tall trees a minuet-ftep advance in,
Taught hedges hornpipes, fhrubberies country-dancing;
For every reptile he had fongs and jigs,

And fymphonies compos'd for Guinea pigs.
For weazles and rats,

He had both fharps and flats,

For dogs barking Largo and Affetto;
From the grinding of knives,

And the fcolding of wives,

He compos'd a Difmallo Duetto.

He made of frogs croaks,

And the kawing of rooks,

And cats caterwawling, Arpegios:

Found in D, that cocks crow,

Bulls found G, below,

And fucking pigs squeak out Adagios."

35. The Sultan: or, Love and Fame. A new Tragedy. As acted at the Theatre-Royal in the Hay-Market. 8v. Pr. Is. 6d. Bell.

This performance is built upon a noted event in the Turkish history, which has been greatly embellished and mifreprefented by novellifts. It contains many lines and fentiments that would not difgrace the best of our modern tragedies; and if prefented on a French ftage, for which it is entirely

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calculated, it may very poffibly, as the faying is, pafs mufter with applaufe. The cloathing fo high a fpirited prince as Ofman was, in the habit of a sneaking dervife, is improper. In other respects, the characters are not ill fupported; but we believe the piece itfelf never could fucceed on an English theatre.

36. The Rider; or the Humours of an Inn; a Farce of Two Alts : as it has been afted with general Approbation, and was intended for the Theatres in London. 8vo. Pr. 15. Nicol.

This is the production of fome author who is run theatrically mad.

37, Poems on feveral Subjects. In two Vols. By John Ogilvie, D. D. 8vo. Pr. 10s. 6d. Pearch.

These two volumes contain an Effay on the Lyric Poetry of the Ancients; the Day of Judgment, a Poem; Odes to Melancholy, the Genius of Shakespeare, Time, Sleep, Evening, Innocence; Providence, a poem; Solitude, or the Elyfium of the Poets, a Vifion; Paradife, a Poem; an Eolian Ode; and about seventeen other pieces of lefs importance.

In this edition, the author has enlarged his critique on lyric poetry, with obfervations on fome fragments of antiquity, which had not fallen into his hands when that Effay was first written. In the poem intitled Providence, he has made feveral corrections, and improved the argument, particularly in the fecond book, where it was defective, by entering into a detail of fome length.

Several of the pieces in this collection have not been printed before but thefe are of the more inconfiderable kind. The capital productions, fuch as, The Day of Judgment, Providence, Solitude, Paradife, &c. have been already mentioned in our Review, and are so well known, that it would be superfluous in us to detain our readers with a longer article on this occafion.

38. Fables for Grown Gentlemen for the Year 1770. 4to. Pr. 25. DodЛley.

Whoever has read Dryden's, Swift's, Prior's, and Gay's performances, in fable, muft have obferved the keen fatire, and ftriking moral, which every tale contains; not to mention its pleafing harmony of numbers. We do not remember that party, or temporary Billingsgate, 'ever entered into those mas terly compofitions. They are generally directed against foibles, levities, or vices. Even Gay's difappointments at court never provokes him beyond the Hare with many Friends, and is applicable to numerous cafes that happen every day. Our fabu

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