109. The Hedaya, or Guide; a Commentary on the Muifulman Lars; tranflated by Order of the Governor General and Council of Bengal. By Charles Hamilton. 4 Vol. 419. IN the prefent connexion of Great Britain with the extenfive regions of the Eaft, it is of importance to be informed of the laws by which her Indian fubjes govern themfelves. The connexion between the laws of a country and its civil and natural hiftory is obvious. This very interefting and comprehenfive work is dedicated to Warren Haltings, Efq. under whofe immediate patronage it was for fome time carried on, and by whom it was at first projected. The preliminary difcourfe of 89 pages contains various comments on the commentary, and defcribes the state of jurifprudence in the Bengal provinces, at the time they fell into the hands of the English. "Little acquainted with the forms, and still lefs with the elementary principles, of the native administration of justice in their newlyacquired territories, the British Government determined to introduce as few innovations, in thofe particulars, as were confiftent with prudence; and the only material alteration which, in courfe of time, took place, was the appointment of the Company's fervants to fuperintend and decide, as judges in the civil Muffulman courts, and as magiflrates with refpect to the criminal jurifdiction.-An important change was indeed effected in the adminiAration of both juftice and revenue, fo far as affected the diftinctions hitherto maintained between Musulmans and Hindoos. Of thete the latter had always been fubject to double taxes, and impofts of every denomination, levied on principles which are fully exFlained in the courfe of the prefent work; and they alfo laboured under particular inconveniences and difadvantages in every judicial procefs (cfpecially where the litigating advertery was a Mejjulman), fome of which have been already noticed. By the British Government both have been placed, in thefe points, upon an exact equality; and the Hi doo and Mujulman, respectively, have their property fecured to them under that fyftem which each is taught to believe poffeffed of paramount authority: but where their interefts clafh in the fame caufe, the matter is Receffarily determined by the principles of the Mufulman law; to which long ufage, fupported by the policy of the Algul Government, has given a fort of prefcriptive fuperiority.-Still, however, though much was effected, much remained to be done.The gentlemen who were appointed to fuperintend the proceedings of the courts, having had no opportunity of studying the languages in which the laws are written, were constrained, in their determinations, to be guided by the advice of the native officersmen fometimes themfelves too ill informed to be capable of judging, and generally open to corruption. Hence appeared the neceffity of procuring fome certain rule whereby thofe gentlemen might be guided, without being expofed to the mifconftructions of ignorance or intereft, and which might enable them to determine for themselves, by a direct appeal to the Maulman or Hindoo authority, on the ground of which they were to decide.-A compilation was accordingly formed, under the infpection of the most learned Pundits (Hind lawyers), containing an abitract of the Hindoo laws; the tranflation of which into English was committed to Mr. Halhed: and, fhortly after this was accomplished, a number of the principal Mohammed in profesfors in Bengal were employed in tranflating from the Arabic into the Perfian tongue, a commentary upon the M-filman law, called The Hedaya, or Guide, a work held in high eftimation among the people of that perfuafion. The English verfion of that commentary is now fubmitted to the publick." The grand foundation of the laws here treated of are the Koran and the Sonna, or oral law. "Book J. Of Zakat.-II. Of Marriage.III. Of Fofterage.-IV. Of Divorce.-V. Of Manumifion.-VI. Of Vows.-VII. Of Punishments.-VIII. Of Larceny.-IX. The Institutes. -X. Of Foundlings. - XI. Of Troves.-XII. Of the Abfconding of Slaves. -XIII. Of mifling Perfons.-XIV. Of Partnership.-XV. Of pious or charitable Appropriations.--XVI. and XVII. Of Sales and Ufury.-XVIII. Of Bail.-XIX. Transfer of Debts.-XX. Duties of the Razee, or Magiftrate.-XXI. and XXII. Of Evidence, and the Retraction of Evidence.-XXIII. Of Agency.-XXIV. Of Claims.--XXV. Of Acknowledgments.-XXVI. Of Compofition. -XXVIL.Of Mozaribat.-XXVIII. Of Depofits.-XXIX. Of Loans.-XXX. Of Gifts. -XXXI. Of Hire.-XXXII. Of Mokalibs. -XXXIII. Of Willa -XXXIV. Of Compulfion.-XXXV. Of Inhibition-XXXVI. Of Licenfed Slaves-XXXVII. Of Ufurpation-XXXVIII. Of Shaffa.-XXXIX. Of Partition.-XL. and XLI. Thete books are of ufe chiefly on account of the regulations which they contain refpecting landed property.-XLII. Of Zabbah.-XLII. Of Sacrifice.-XLIV. Of Abominations.-XLV. Cultivation of Wafte Lands -XLVI. Of Prohibited Liquors.-XLVII. Of Hunting.XLVIII. Of Pawns.-XLIX. Of Janayat.-L. Of Fines.-11. Of the Levying of Fines.LII. Of Wills.-LIII. Of Hermaphrodites.” The The work concludes with an apoftrophe to GOD, to Mahomet, and to Mr. Haftings. The latter is well worth tranfcribing: "Upon the tables of the hearts of those who adorn the exordium of the book of knowledge and wifdom, and upon the minds of those who expound the collected mysteries of the creation, it is impreffed,-that, from the day that the delightful region of Bengal was cheered by the rays of government of the Nawab governor-general, Mr. Warren Haftings, the whole of his wife and prudent attention was occupied and directed to this point, that the care and protection of the country, and the administration of public affairs, fhould be placed on such a footing, that the community, being fheltered from the fcorching heat of the fun of violence and tyranny, might find the gates closed against injuftics and oppreflion; and that the range of fedition in those who deviate from the road of truth might be limited and fhortened:-and fince this hope must be fulfilled through the influence of the holy Law of the Prophet, and the injunctions and inhibitions of the chofen fect,-this denizen of the kingdom of Humility and Solitude, named Gholam Yehee, was therefore inftructed and empowered, together with Molla Tajaddeen, Meer Mohammed Hoffein, and Molla Sharreeat Oolla, to tranflate from the Arabic language into the Perfian idiom certain treatifes upon the law, but particularly that excellent work the Hedaya (which, from its great fubtilty, and the clofenefs of its style, is a fpecies of miracle,)—to which, accordingly, with their affiftance, applying his attention, the Arabic text was, as much as it would admit, reduced into a Perfian verfion; which they have intituled the Hedaya Farfee [Ferfian Guide], hoping that mankind may thereby find their wants fupplied, and that profit and advantage may thence accrue." The ftyle of this compofition is not like that of mofi Eaflern compofitions, turgid and flowery, but plain, close, and didactic. 110. Memoirs of the late Rev. John Wesley, A. M.; wib a Review of bis Life and Writings, and a Hiftory of Methodim, from its Commencement in 1729 to the prefent Time. By John Hampson, 21. B. THIS Life was begun in the life. time of its fubje&, and completed fince his death. Mr. H. feems to have taken great pains to be well informed; and, except in one or two inftances, where he difcovers a little too much acrimony, feems to have conducted it with accuracy and impartiality. 111. A Tour through Italy: containing full Directions for travelling in that interefting [August, Country; with ample Catalogues of every Thing that is curious in Architecture, Painting, Sculpture, &c. Some Obfervations on the Natural Hiftory, and very particular Defcriptions of the Four principal Cities, Rome, Florence, Naples, and Venice, with their Environs. With a coloured Chart. By Thomas Martyn, B.D. F.RS. Profeffor of Botany in the University of Cambridge. "TO form his book, the method which Mr. M. adopted was (Pref. p. iv.) first, to extract from his own journal whatever appeared to deserve the attention of the publick; he then looked over the most esteemed writers of travels * ; he next confulted fome friends, both countrymen and Italians, in whofe knowledge and judgement he most confided; and, laftly, he digefted his materials, thus collected, into as small a compafs as he could, and arranged them fo as to meet the eye as readily as poffible. He had not vifited every town in Italy; in many places his ftay had not been long; but even where he had ftaid the longeft, he had not the folly to fet up his own judgement and obfervation against those whose opportunities and abilities were fuperior to his: he has availed himself, therefore, of every light which he could derive from men as well as books." 112. New Confiitution of the Government of Poland, eftablished by the Revolution of the 3d of May, 1791. APPEARS to be an authentic copy of the new Conftitution established by that wonderful Revolution in the Government of Poland, already mentioned "Mr. Sandys fet out for Italy in 1610. Coriate, 1611. Mr. Raymond in 1646. Mr. Laffels was five times there; he was at Rome in 1650. Mr. Ray was in Italy in 1663. Bishop Burnet in 1685 and 6. Mr. Miffon in 1687 and 8. Mr. Addifon from 1700 to 1703. Mr. Richardfon in 1720. Mr. Wright from 1720 to 1722. Mr. Keyfler from 1729 to 1731. Mr. Gray, with Horace Walpole, Efq. in 1739, 40, and 41. Mr. Ruffell from 1739 to 1749. M. Cochin in 1749 or 50. Mr. Northall in 1752. The Chevalier de la Condamine in 1754. John Earl of Corke and Orrery in 1754 and 55. Mr. Grofley in 1758 Abbé Richard in 1761 and 62. Dr. Smollet in 1763, 64, and 65. Mr. Sharp in 1765 and 66. M. De la Lande the fame years. Dr. Burney left London in June, 1770. Lady Miller travelled in 1775 and 71. Mr. Ferber in 1771 and 72. William Young, Elq. (now Sir William Young, Bart.) in 1772: only ten copies of his journal were printed at a private prefs. Mr. Sherlock in 1777. The authors of Voy ge pittoresque de Naples et de Sicile were there the fame year. Mr. Swinburne, from 1777 to 1780. Dr. Moore, I fuppofe, about the fame time. Mrs. Piozzi, 1786." by novelty of this work will be a fufficient apology: it is intended as an imitation of highfinished drawings; the sketches are taken in different points of view to any yet published; and, in order to render it still more acceptable to its encouragers, care will be taken to give a preference to fuch remains of antiquity as have not hitherto been delineated in any performance of a fimilar nature. "A regular deduction of hiftorical facts, and a perfect defcription of the places which are the fubjects of the following work, are by no means aimed at by the editors; they content themselves with giving as concife an account as may be neceffary for illuftration. To this end, feveral gentlemen, members of the Society of Antiquaries, have kindly offered their afliftance. "The form is peculiarly adapted for the pocket; and, as it is propofed to be continued to more than one volume, the extra expence and labour of a larger fize have been avoided." This beautiful work, fuperior to any 114. The Antiquities of London, engraved by thing of the kind we have yet feen, does T. Smith. N° II. CONTAINS a View of Newgate. The Monument of Robert Scott, Efq. at Lambeth. The Picture of William Earl of Craven, in Craven-buildings. The Monument of Stephen Theodore Baron de Neuhoff, King of Corfica, in St. Anne's Church, Weftminster. The Pump in the Yard of Leatherfellers-hall, Bishopfgate. ftreet. A Baffo-relievo of a Gardener, a gainst Mr. Holyland's Stables in Gardener's-lane, Thames-ftreet, dated 1670; a rebus, or device, of the owner of the lane, then perhaps firft laid out and built. The Statue of James II. in Privygardens. A Bas-relief of Guy Earl of Warwick, in Warwick-lane. We reviewed the first number of this work in p. 157. 115. Monaftic Remains and antient Gafiles in England and Wales; drawn on the Spot by James Moore, Efq. F. A. S.; finished and etched by J. Schnebbelie, Draughtsman to the Society of Antiquaries; aquatinted by G. J. Perkyns, Ef. "THE sketches from which thefe plates are executed were collected by Mr. Moore, in excurfions made, in feveral years, for his amufement; and containing a large portion of the remains of monaftic buildings and cafties now exifting: a felection from them was recommended by feveral gentlemen, and is now undertaken by Meifrs. Schnebbelie and Perkyns, who are folely interested in this publication. "It is prefumed that the execution and credit to the parties concerned, who have not confined their views to the drawing only, but, with becoming liberality, extended their attention to the paper and prefs-work. The views in this first number are, Walfingham Abbey-chapel. They are dedicated to the Earl of Leicefter, prefident of the Society of Antiquaries. 116. Etchings of Vierus and Antiquities in the County of Gloucester, bitherto imperfectly or never engraved. CONTAINING, 1. A Vignette View of Gloucefter, from Robinhood's Hill. 2. Iron Acton Crots. 3. Portrait of King Henry IV. in the Chancel window at Iron Acton. 4. Tomb of Robert Poyntz and Anne his Wife, in Iron Acton Church. 5. Down Amney Manor-house. 7. Tomb of Sir Nicholas De Villers and his Wife, in Down Amney Church. "The etchings, of which this work is intended to be compofed, were begun by the Editor for his amufement, and as a relaxation from the purfuit of a laborious profeffion. Finding that they increafed confiderably under his hands, and that he could make them with great facility, a defire of adding fomewhat to the topography of his native county has induced him to offer them to the publick in the prefent form. "A fecond part will be published on the first of Auguft; and, if the number of copies fold 744 Review of New Publications. fold thould be fufficient to defray the expences of the undertaking, he propofes to continue the publication every three months, till it becomes fufficient to form a volume, which, he flatters himself, will be thought no unacceptable Appendix to the Hiftories of Glouceftershire already pablished, and the Collections now publishing from the papers of the late Garter King at Arms. "Herein he hopes to be able to comprize every remarkable building or piece of antiquity within that county, of which no engraving, or only an imperfect one, has hitherto been publifhed. With regard to the defigns, he has only to fay, that he has endeavoured to render them as accurate as poffible; and has, in no inftance, ventured to facrifice truth to effect, his intention having been to give faithful portraits of the objects he wished to reprefent, and not picturesque views, unless he found them fuch. It should be remembered, that the plates are not the works of an artist by profeffion, and therefore not to be examined with too critical an eye. "As there are many curious remains of antiquity in the city of Bristol, hitherto unpublished, and others which have been very inaccurately engraved, he propofes to infert views of them in the prefent collection; for though that city conftitutes a county of i felf, and has therefore never been treated of in the Hiftories of Gloucefterthire, yet, the greater part of it being commonly confidered as ring within that county, he has thought it fufficiently connected with his plan to make a part of it." No II. was published the beginning of this month; and contains Elketone Church, its South Door and Stone-vaulted Chancel. Aingham Church. Boxwell Church. Gateway of Kingfwood Abbey. Cirencester Crofs. The Editor of this elegant work (we know not why) withholds his name at p efent from the publick; but we un derftand it to be the production of Sa. muel Lyfons, Eq. F.A S.; whofe brother (the Rev. Daniel Lyfons) is engaged in a fimilar one for the environs of London. See the cover of our laft month's Magazine.-When we fay that the diasings are accurate, the etchings good, and the defcriptions faithful, it is proper to add, that the Editor unites in his own perfon the various, but not difcordant, employments of Writer, Draughtfman, and Engraver. 117. A new Gramm r of the French Language. By Dominique de St. Quentin, M. A. AS the intercourfe betwixt France and this country is likely to become [Auguft, more frequent and more general, every 118. Calmology; in which the Motions of the Heavenly Bodies, and the Prefervation and Operations of all Nature, are deduced from an univerfal Principle of Flux and Reflux. THE doctrine of attraction has been thought by many to be the opprobrium of the Newtonian fyftem; in which the firft ftep is to fuppofe that the fun attras all the planets, and every drop of water, and every grain of fand, in them, by fome invifible chain: and this attraction is not interrupted by any intervening body. This doctrine has been thought by many trange and inconceivable. The defign of this effay is, to fubftitute another principle, of flux and reflux to and from all bodies, as caufing, in a plain, intelligible way, all the motions and appearances on earth, and in the heavenly orbs. In the execution of this defign, the anonymous author illuftrates the principle by the initance of a lamp, in which the conftant emanation of light is fupplied by a conitant influx of air (fee chap. I.) In chap. II. the fame principle is traced as operating in the Jun, whofe efflux is confidered as the centrifugal power by which the planets are kept at a proper diftance; and the ætherial fluid (like air to the lamp) contitutes the centripetal power. The fun's motion round its axis is that which gives every planet a correfponding motion from ! from Weft to Eaft. The diurnal motion is effected by the annual and the fuperior refiance of the medium on that fide of the planet which is nearest to the fun, like a bullet in air, or body floating in water. In the following chapters the fame principle is traced in the moon, the earth, and every part of it. The gravity of bodies is cheemed as the effect of impulfe from all the heavenly bodies; whofe emanations, when they reach the atmosphere, are refracted towards the earth: and this gives every thing weight proportioned to its quantity of matter. For the united emanations of every ftar, planet, fun, and moon, reach and impel every part of matter. In the fixth chapter the various kinds of attractions (fo called, for this is here confitiered as a word without any correfponding reality) are accounted for from the principle that is the fubject of this inquiry. The points treated of are illuftrated by annotations, in which reference is made to a great variety of experiments; and at the end is an Appendix, containing four Differtations on fubjects connected with the principle of the preceding Effay. The firit of thefe gives an account of the tides and curients; the fecond is concerning earthquakes; the third is on the expected deftruction and renovation of the earth; and the laft is on the analogy between creation and redemption. 119. The Poetic Works of the Rev. William DR. SMITH, fon of Rev. Richard S. rector of All Saints, and minister of St. Andrew, both in Worceßler, who died in 1726, was born at Worcester, 1711; educated at the Grammar-fchool in that city; admitted at New College, Oxford, 1728; where he proceeded B. A. 1732, M. A. 1737, D. D 1758; prefented by his patron, James Earl of Derby, in whole family he was reader, to the rectory of Trinity Church, Chefter, 1735; and by his fon and fuccellor's intereft, whofe chaplain he was, to the deanry of Chefter, 1758. He held the matterthip of Brentwood fchool, in Effex, one year, 1748, and in 1753 was nominated by GENT. MAG. Auguft, 1791. the corporation of Liverpool one of the minifters of St. George's church there, which he refined 1767. He proceeded and held with his deanry the parishchurches of Hindley and Trinity, which laft he refigned for the rectory of West Kirkby, 1780; and died Jan. 12, 1787. He tranflated, when M. A. Longinus on the Sublime, 8vo. 1739, which went through four editions, of which the laft is the beft, the frontifpiece defigned by Dr. Wall, of Worcefter; Thucydides, 2 vols. 4to. 1753, reprinted in 8vo. 1781; Xenophon's Hiftory of the Affairs of Greece, in one vol. 4to. 1781. In 1782 he published nine Sermons on the Beatitudes; and, in 1740, a Faft-fermon.The poems here published were left to the care and difcretion of his friend the editor; that on Knowfley, the feat of the Earl of Derby, was firft printed in our Mifcellany, vol. XXX. p. 241, incorre&ly; Verfes from a Mafliff to a Lap-dog, and the Anfwer; an Epigram; Dr. Donne's Third Satire; Two Epitaphs, &c. His character is thus briefly drawn by his biographer :-" He was tall and "genteel; his voice was firong, clear, "and melodious; he fpoke Latin flu ently, and was complete mafter not "only of the Greek but Hebrew lan guage; his mind was fo replete with "knowledge, that he was a living li "brary; his manner of addrefs was "graceful, engaging, and delightful; "his fermons were pleafing, informing, convincing; his is memory, even in age, "was wonderfully retentive; and his "converfation was polite, affable, and, "in the highest degree, improving." 120. An Hiftorical Report on Ramsgate Harbour: swritten by Order of, and addressed to, the Trifles. By John Smeaton, Civil Engineer, F. R. S. and Engineer to Ramfgate Harbour. THIS is a very useful and interesting detail of the progrefs of Ramigate Harbour, which, though it was ten years ago to far cleaned of fand and filt as to be capable of taking-in fhips of fuperior draught of water and tonnage to what appears to have been the object of Parliament in granting the act, and the views of the original proprietors of the undertaking, yet it was not till the Winter before January, 1790, that the real practical utility of this harbour ap peared in full view. The advanced per, begun 1788, was run out near one-third of its propofed length by Chriftmas |