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MONTHLY

CATALOGUE.

[For MARCH 1787. ]

MISCELLANEOUS

AND POLITICAL.

ART. 19. A ferious Admonition to the Public on the intended ThiefColony at Botany-Bay. 8vo. 1s. 6d. J. Sewell. London, 1786.

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HIS writer is decidedly against the scheme of transporting our felons to Botany-Bay. He alleges, that the execution of the plan will encourage felony, rather than deter men from the commiffion of crimes, as it holds forth to them, inftead of fervitude, hard labour, and confinement, freedom, felf-government, nay, profpects of ambition, in a temperate climate. He further fays, that, if an intercourse is intended to be kept up with this colony, it will promote smuggling, and every fpecies of illicit trade. If, on the contrary, they are left to themselves, he maintains that they will neceffarily be driven to fupply their wants, and fatisfy their defires, by every means which can be employed by men regardless of honefty or juftice; and that, in this cafe, miniftry is laying the foundation of a piratical ftate, which may ruin our trade with China, and in many other refpects prove injurious to this country. Though he disapproves of the transportation of convicts in the way now propofed, yet, if they must be tranfported, he recommends the island of Tristan da Cunha, in 37° fouth latitude, whither they might be sent at less expence, and without any danger from future confequences. The author is indebted to Mr Dalrymple for moft of the arguments in his pamphlet. It is hardly any thing more than a commentary on that gentleman's letter to the court of directors, when the Eaft-India company was applied to for permiffion to fettle Norfolk ifland. That letter, with a description of the lands which go by the name of Triftan da Cunha, extracted from Mr. Dalrymple's explanation of plans of forts, make up the greater part of this publication. This writer has undergone the fame mortification with most political pamphleteers; miniftry have paid no attention to his "Admonitions ;" his warning voice has been exerted in vain; the expedition to Botany-Bay is to take place. We hope it will not have all the bad confequences here prognofticated; though, in our own opinion, it appears an ineffectual and pernicious plan.

ART. 20. The New Rofciad; a Poem. 4to. Is. 6d. Hookham. London, 1787.

Some tolerably juft obfervations on the merits of actors and actreffes, expreffed in very lame, inharmonious verfe. The following paffage will ferve as a fpecimen of the author's poetical and critical abili

ties:

Lo Crawford comes! than whom a foul more vain
Never appear'd to grace the ranks of fame;
Will the, who ne'er can hope in eloquence to rife,
Prefume with Siddons to difpute the prize?
Without one grain of judgment, can fhe claim
'Mongft Thefpis children an eftablish'd name?
Of elocution quaint, yet full of fire
When luitful Phædra darts her vengeful ire;
In parts where reafon is in paffion loft,
And the big foul by furious tempefts toft,
Crawford, you once had merit; but 'tis flown-
You ne'er can please, because your fire is gone."

Whatever may have become of Mrs. Crawford's fire, the author of the New Rofciad has one confolation with regard to himself, he need be under no apprehenfion of his fire fuffering diminution.

ART. 21. A Defcription of a Set of Prints of Ancient Hiftory; contained in a Set of eafy Lefjons. In Two Parts, Part Firft. is. 2d. Marshall, London, 1787.

This publication is well calculated to give children an early ac quaintance with the principal facts of ancient hiftory, and to imprefs them ftrongly on the memory. There can be no better furniture for a nursery than a fet of prints, which, at the fame time that they are a fource of amufement, inculcate the most useful instruction.

ART. 22. The Game-Laws, from Henry III, to the prefent Period; in cluding 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, Free Warrens, Fisheries, Property in Animals, &c. By George Clarke, Efq. Author of the Penal Statutes abridged, &c. 8vo. Is. 6d. boards. Fielding. London, 1786.

Mr. Clark, in a fhort introduction, explains the nature of the objects to which his collection refers: the fenfe in which the word game is taken, and the different fpecies of game, terreftrial, aerial, and aquatic; forefts, purlieus, chafes, parks, free warrens, and property in animals. This collection of the game-laws, arranged in the order of time, is full and accurate, and must be very useful to country jultices, barrifters, and fportfmen, who may very readily, without fuch a guide, fall into the moft ferious dangers while they naturally conceive they are only exercifing a natural right.

This collection of game laws fhews, in the most emphatical manper, the infolent encroachments of power on the rights and liberties of human nature. The exigencies of the ftate, however foolishly and unworthily thefe may have been incurred, afford fome excute for oppreffive exactions; but the wantonnefs of the game-laws muit appear intolerable to every man who entertains a due refpect for human

nature.

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ART. 23. The People's Anfwer to the Court Pamphlet, entitled, A Short Review of the Political State of Great-Britain. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Debrett. The "Short Review of the Political State of Great Britain" has run like a new fashion, and of confequence muft excite many critics, anfwerers and opponents. According to the author of this pamphlet, “it has been mentioned oftener than the newest vis-a vis, or the prettieft dress at the birth-day. The pages learn to spell it. The chaplains in ordinary copy its ftyle in their fermons. The laureat is to verfify it. The household apothecaries quote it," &c. We are much inclined to doubt the truth of thefe anecdotes; but we are perfectly certain that "The People's Anfwer" will never be fo popular. A few. lines extracted from this performance may ferve to give an idea of it. "The grand prefiding principle is flattery to his majefty, which to dream of realizing were madness or idiotifm. This infidious attempt is fairly deducible from the whole of the Court Pamphlet; not of the.. court in its proper fenfe, but of the vermin of the court." This author is little more inclined to flatter foreign courts than the British. Hear how he talks of the late king of Pruffia, and the prefent emprefs of Ruffia. "Chains of penury were fastened on the prince of Pruffia by his predeceffor. How far the past reftraints on the gallantry of the king of Pruffia may have produced a multiplicity of prefent amours, is an unfair inquiry; but certainly his Pruffian majefty was too poor to have a mistress before he afcended the throne.-In Ruffia, the tender expenditures of imperial patronage may be fome excule for the diftreffes in which the Grand Duke and Duchefs are retained. Where a fovereign who has a tafle for variety prefides, the only man in her dominions who must defpair of her munificence is he who has the ill-fortune to be too nearly her relation." Don Carlos, the prince of Spain," we are told, was legally murdered by his father Philip the Second." Such flowers of eloquence could never be produced by the "vermin of the court."

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After having become the rival of Margaret Nicholson in fuch innocent acts of regicide, we need not be furprized that he dispatches the character of Mr. Haftings in one line; "His whole merit confifted in merely drawing his pen to fatiate his private enmities."

An author of this kind may enfure the cause that he defends; but what additional strength must he give to that which he attacks?

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ART 24. Laws of the Legiflature of the State of New-York in force against the Loyalifts, and affecting the Trade of Great-Britain and Britif Merchants, and others having Property in that State. 8vo. 35. Debrett. London, 1786.

These laws confift of those for attainting the perfons, and forfeiting and difpofing of the eftates, of the loyalifts; thofe refpecting debts due to them; thofe for banishing them; punishing their adherence to the king of Great Britain, and excluding fuch as had left the state from returning; thofe excluding profeffional men from the exercise of their profeffions; thofe refpecting trefpaffes, fubjecting the loyalifts and fervants of the crown to profecutions for acts done in the discharge of

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their duty; and thofe affecting the trade of Great-Britain, by impofing duties on British importations, and enormous taxes on British merchants there fettled.

The defign of their publication here is to fhew how juftly the loyalifts are entitled to the attention of their fellow-fubjects, as being utterly deprived of any other refource; and we lament, with the editor, that this view of their fevere laws was not made public earlier, before any of the claims of the loyalifts were determined on; and that not only thefe laws of New-York, but the fimilar laws of other ftates, which are equally fevere, and which he thinks would check the spirit of emigration; as thofe who think themselves oppreffed in their native country would find mifery and diftrefs in an extreme degree in that land of freedom and independence, fo highly recommended by the advocates of America on this fide the water.

The definitive treaty, and the refufal of the fenate and affembly to ratify the fifth article, together with fuch extracts from their journals as tend to fhew the spirit that actuated them in paffing fome of these laws, are here added by way of appendix.

This work does not confift of an abstract of their several acts, but gives us the whole of them.

ART. 25. A new Syftem of Libelling illuftrated; in a critical Examination of a late Short Review, &c. 8vo. Is. 6d. Debrett. London, 1787.

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The Short Review" afforded a favourable occurrence for those literary champions who are ever forward to exercise their ingenuity on a temporary fubject; and they have availed themselves of the occafion. The prefent combatant difcovers no lefs alacrity for the encounter than the authors of the "Anfwer” and “ Reply;" but he betrays fo much illiberal prejudice and animofity against a particular character, that it feems doubtful whether he is more actuated by the importunities of hunger, or the thirft of detraction. Many of the obfervations which he makes have been anticipated; and of those to which he may have á perfonal claim, we meet with none that are worthy of any particular remark.

ART. 26. A Differtation on the Lues Venerea, Gonorrhea, and Tabes Dorfalis, or Gleet. By S. Perry. 8vo. 2s. Murray. London, 1787.

So much has been faid of venereal disorders that the faculty is now fatiated with the fubject. There is, however, no end of writing for the public. Mr. Perry, like many others, adopts this expedient with plaufibility; and what with phyfic and bagatelle in conjunction, it is not unlikely, with fuccefs.

ART. 27. The Complete Tradesman; or, a Guide in the feveral Parts and Progreffions of Trade, &c. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Dixwell. London, 1787.

This is evidently the work of a man of obfervation and good fenfe. It abounds with useful inftructions for a tradefman, in different fituations of life, and the various departments both of his commercial and

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moral tranfactions. In his rules for writing letters the author discovers tafte, as well as propriety; and on other fubjects, in general, he fhews jultnefs of fentiment, integrity of principle, and undeviating wisdom of admonition. In a word, we would recommend this production as a valuable guide to thofe for whom it is intended; being happily calculated to render them not only prudent and respectable, but, eventually, fuccefsful in their station.

ART. 28. An Addrefs to Tradefmen, &c. particularly Shopkeepers, throughout the Kingdom. 8vo. 6d. Richardfon. London, 1787.

The first article of the grievances enumerated by this tradesman is, that, notwithstanding the late regulations relative to hawkers and pedlars, they artfully contrive means to evade the act of parliament, to the no fmall prejudice of the shopkeepers. Another object of complaint, no lefs injurious than the former, is the rapid increase of thofe travelling traders called riders, who are reprefented as not only extremely detrimental by their own practices, but by the people whom they employ as their agents in different parts of the country, particularly in the character of taylors.

For remedying the abovementioned, and other fimilar grievances, the author propofes the establishment of a chamber of commerce in every county; to make reports to the principal chamber in London every three months, of the ftate of manufactures, trade, and commerce; and to send thither deputies to affiit in forming laws, or propofitions, to government, for the better promoting and regulating manufactures, commerce, and inland trade. Many advantages, it is alleged, would accrue from fuch inftitutions at this juncture. For, as fmuggling decreases in the maritime counties, the bulk of the people, being unacquainted with any fpecies of manufacture, either become indolent for want of employ, or pilfer and rob to fupport themselves. Therefore the chamber of London might properly represent such grievances to government, with the moft likely means of promoting inland navigation and the fisheries.

Such is the plan of reform fuggested by this agitating tradesman, whofe propofal, however, with regard to the fhop-tax, we think too indefinite to be mentioned.

ART. 29. Inftructions for Merchants, Ship Owners, Ship-Maflers, &c. Extracted and digefted from the Navigation, the Manifeft, Newfound land, and Wine Acts of Parliament, poffed laft Year, and from the Smuggling At paffed 1784. By a Merchant. 4to. Is. Plymouth printed. Law, London. 1787.

These extracts, we are informed in an advertisement, were first compiled for the private ufe of the author, and defigned for inftructions for his fhip-matters. It was afterwards imagined that they might answer the fame defign to others concerned in trade and navigation. They are published, therefore, from an experience of their utility; and, indeed, confidering the scattered authorities from which they are taken, they cannot but prove highly useful and convenient to merchants and commercial navigators.

ART.

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