the and co. governors of the bank of England. The establishment was formed partly on the conftitution of the bank of Amsterdam, and partly on the practice of the private bankers in England. It was an immenfe trading company, which dealt in bullion, dife counted bills of exchange, advanced money on fecurity to indivi duals, and occafionally to the government.-Its advances to the latter became at length so considerable, as to abforb the whole capital with occafional augmentations. Its connexion with the government, and the advances of money to the fupport of every war, rendered it the policy of the minifters, as well as of the bank directors, to involve in mystery as much as poffible its proceedings. Some fpirited, and, we muft add, patriotic efforts were, however, made by the late alderman Pickett, to oblige the directors to lay their accounts, annually, before the public; and we must remark (fo effential is publicity to the welfare of every national inftitution) that if his applications had been fuccefsful, the bank would pro bably never have experienced the shock which we have now to re cord.' P. 124.

The affairs of Ireland form the next fubject of difcuffion. They are not mentioned, however, in an independent way, or in a regular narrative, but merely as having been the topics of debate in our parliament.

The particulars of the defcent of the French in Pembrokethire, are followed by remarks which are not injudicious.

The conjectures have been various with refpect to the object of this expedition. The troops which were landed were faid by fome to have confifted of a number of the Vendean infurgents, who had enlifted into the fervice of the republic, but could not be trufted in their own country. By others they were reprefented as a band of galley flaves, and other criminals collected from the prifons of Breft, and landed in England merely to quarter them upon the enemy. This report is most generally believed, and is countenanced by fome debates in the French councils, in which Truguet, the minifier of marine, was vehemently cenfured for having planned fo d-igraceful a meature. In oppofition to this opinion, however, it may be mentioned, that the commander of the party declared, that he had with him 600 of the best troops in France, veteran and experienced foldiers; nor is it very credible, that if the fole object was to quarter a fet of banditti upon England, they would have fent with them fuch ample fupplies. There are other. caufes, which to us appear more probable for this undertaking. It was, in the first place, of fore importance to demonftrate to France, that the invafion of England, in the face of her powerful marine, was practicable in any circumftances; and fecondly, it is well known that the French have always been egregiously deceived with refpect to the temper and fentiments of the British nation; we have little doubt, therefore, but the French miniftry flattered

themselves that these troops would have been joined on their landing by confiderable numbers of the lower claffes of the people, and that at least a confiderable alarm would be excited throughout the kingdom. It was, therefore, an experiment to try at once the temper of the people, and the practicability of a defcent." P. 245.

Upon the fuccefs of admiral Jervis in the engagement near Cape St. Vincent, we find thefe obfervations.

So important a victory with fo decifive a difparity of force, is, perhaps, unparalleled in our naval annals. The ability displayed by the commander, was only to be equalled by the valour and adroitnefs of the feamen; indeed we have been informed by an eye witness, that the fire of the British was fuperior to that of their opponents, in the proportion of five or fix to one, during the whole of the action: and the expenditure of ammunition was confequently beyond example.-The Culloden, it is faid, ex pended 170 barrels of powder; the Captain 146; and the Blenheim 180. The Spaniards fought bravely, but with little fill and it is but fair to remark, that their fleet was ill-equipped and very indifferently manned, and in no refpect fit for action; their flag-fhip had not more than fixty or eighty feamen on board, the rest confifted of impreffed landmen, or foldiers of their new levies."

P. 249.

With regard to the victory over the Dutch, it is juftly remarked, that

The great merit of admiral Duncan in this action was the running his fleet between the enemy and a lee-fhore; a ftep which none of his predeceffors had ever dared to take in fimilar circumftances, and which was confidered as too hazardous to be attempted even by admiral Keppel, who was not deficient either in judgment or fpirit. This, it is obvious, and this alone, rendered the victory of admiral Duncan fo decifive as it proved; and he showed that his judgment in clofing the conteft in proper time, and in extricating his fleet and prizes from fo difficult à fituation, was equal to his boldness in hazarding fo decifive a measure.' P. 251.

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Our narrator condemns the conduct of the French towards the Venetians and Genoefe as unjust and oppreffive; and few will controvert that opinion. Speaking of the tranfactions to which we allude, he fays,

In whatever point of view they are confidered, they redound but little to the credit of the French government. They were the commencement of a fyftem of aggreffion against neutral but unprotected states, which has fince been carried to an abominable excefs, and by which the government has been difgraced, and the well-earned laurels of Buonaparte nearly blafted.

That the pretended republican government of Venice was no other than an execrable tyranny, vested in the hands of certain powerful families, and fupported by a complex and mysterious or ganisation of the executive power,is a fact very generally acknow ledged. That the government of Venice might view with a jea lous and a timid eye the rapid advances of the French, may be eafily fuppofed. That they would have rejoiced in the expulfion of the French from Italy, is equally probable. Yet these are not motives fufficient to justify the violent measures of the French; the feifure of territories, the diffolution of the political existence of a neutral independent state.' P. 265.

---

Having mentioned the treaty which fubverted the conftitution of Venice, he adds (not indeed expreffing himself in the best manner),

Admitting all the charges to be juft, which were brought against the Venetian government, this appears to have been a fufficient punishment for all their delinquencies--the fequel is truly difgraceful to the French government and nation; but experience has fhown that republics, not lefs than monarchies, are more frequently conducted on principles of policy than of juftice. The Venetian territory was filled with French troops, and the only article of the treaty they took care to fulfil, was the levying of the contributions. In a word, on the final adjustment of the definitive treaty with the emperon, which, after much delay, was concluded at Udina, on the 17th of October, it was found that Venice was to be the facrifice to peace, and the whole of the territories of that ancient and renowned ftate were ceded by a republic (which profeffedly was in arms for the caufe of liberty) to the defpotic yoke of Auftria.

In cenfuring fuch proceedings as thefe, we flatter ourselves our readers will not confider us as inconfiftent-the friend of li berty looks to no party as the guide of his opinions-

"Nullius addictus jurare in verba magiftri."

When the nafcent liberties of France were attacked by a combination of defpotic powers on the continent, we deprecated what we esteemed a most unjustifiable aggreffion, an interference not warranted by the law of nations, or by the principles of jufticewhen France in her turn becomes an oppreffor, the voice of truth and juftice will proclaim her infamy, and will cenfure the inconfiftency, the wickedness of her rulers.

The republic of Genoa felt at the fame time the predominant influence of the French; and its government, which was one of those mild aristocracies where the great are content with having all the political power without oppreffing their fellow-citizens, was changed for the fashionable form of a reprefentative government. -Whether the change will ultimately prove for the happiness of

the people or not, time only will determine; all that can at present be faid upon the fubject is, that the part which the French acted in the bufinefs was wholly unjuftifiable.' P. 266.

The remarks which close the hiftorical part deferve the attention of all who have any concern in the administration.

'In reflecting on the prefent politics of Europe, there is little confolatory to the friend of liberty and of mankind. The French government has departed from the grand principle on which they profeffed to enter into war, to indulge in vifionary schemes of aggrandisement, and to acquire conquefts, which, in the end, will be deftructive to themfelves. They forget that the nation only which is happy and at peace is truly great. They neglect the means of internal greatnefs, peace, and induftry, to purfue a falfe glory which dazzles only to mislead and deftroy.

With refpect to ourfelves, we are still convinced that the return of peace ought to be the principal, the fole object with the British government; and that no colonial acquifitions can be an adequate compensation for even a fingle year of war. We are not of that clafs of politicians who are disposed to despair of our country. But our finances are deranged, and a feafon of tranquillity. is neceffary to restore them. Our commerce may not in appearance be diminished; yet, if the expenfes with which it is at prefent burthened be taken into confideration, it can yet fcarcely be faid to be in a flourishing state. Our military arrangements may poffibly be neceffary for the fecurity of the nation; but we are convinced that they are calculated ultimately to enervate and diminifh its industry, which is the fole advantage Britain poffeffes over other European nations, its guardian, its fupport.' P. 297.

The remainder of the Regifter comprehends almost 650 pages; a space which would have been fufficient for the whole volume.

The review of literature is, in general, just and impartial; and it forms one of the most pleafing parts of the volume. The critical catalogue of foreign literature, however, is too concife; but this is not the fault of the annual reviewer.Upon the whole, this work, in its progress, is ftill worthy of our favourable report.

T. Lucretii Cari de Rerum Naturâ Libros fex longe emendatiores reddidit G. Wakefield, &c. (Continued from Vol. XXIII. p. 288.)

BEFORE we examine that part of the Lucretian poem, which occupies the fecond volume of this elaborate edition, we will take notice of a prefixed Latin elegy, facred to the

memory of the illuftrious patron of the literati of the Auguftan age. The author refers to the honor and happiness which the votaries of the Mufes then enjoyed, and laments the contraft. which the prefent times exhibit. He cherishes, however, the hope of a favorable change, and looks forward to more aufpicious times. The verfes, in general, are pleafing and harmonious.

The first remark which we have occafion to make upon the third book, relates to a paffage which has been frequently quoted.

Floriferis ut apes in faltibus omnia libant,

Omnia nos itidem depafcimur aurea dicta.

It appears, that moft of the manufcript copies have limant and Mr. Wakefield contends for the propriety and elegance of this expreffion: but it feems more probable that the poet wrote libant, as the latter word has a more close connexion with depafcimur.

In this, as well as in the preceding books, the editor takes opportunities of altering a variety of paffages felected from, other writers. For inftance, in Sappho's celebrated ode, which Lucretius feems to have had in his eye when he compofed the 155th and two following verfes of the third book, our commentator propofes, that poxaws and eT' fhould be Cpoxos us and e'; alterations which are certainly preferable to fome of the attempts for the improvement of the difputed paffage.

v. 216. Vitalem præter fenfum

Mr. John Jones, the friend of the editor, advised him to introduce ventum in lieu of fenfum; and thofe readers who will refer to other parts of the third book, will find reafon to approve the change.

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273, Senfifer unde oritur primum per vifcera tnotus.

This line is ftrongly fufpected by Mr. Wakefield of being fpurious; and, as it is explanatory of what precedes, it may have been written in the margin of a copy, and thence foisted into the text.

351-9. Quod fuper eft, fi quis corpus fentire refutat,
Atque animam credit, permixtam corpore toto,

Subfcipere hunc motum, quem fenfum nominitamus ;"
Vel manifeftas res contra, verasque, repugnat.
Quid fit enim corpus fentire quis adteret umquam,
Si non ipfa palam quod res dedit, ac docuit nos?
At, dimifsâ animâ, corpus caret undique fenfu;
Perdit enim, quod non proprium fuit ejus in ævo;
Multaque præterea perdit, quom expellitur ævo.

This paffage has given fome trouble to the commentators; but the prefent editor thinks that he has difcovered the true