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MONTHLY

CATALOGUE,

For DECEMBER, 1788.

LAW.

Art. 19. Some Hints towards a Revifal of the PENAL LAWS, the better regulating the Police, and the Neceffity of enforcing the Execution of Juftice: and the evil Confequences to Society from a falfe mistaken Lenity, which has fo much prevailed of late. In a Letter to a Member of Parliament. By a Magiftrate. 8vo. Is. Debrett. 1787.

HIS Writer is an advocate for the more vigorous execution of

which

dom, equity, and juftice, were they well and faithfully administered: and he imputes the daily increase of felons to a falfe tenderness and compaffion, which operate to screen them from profecution, or when convicted, from punishment. He fubjoins fome firong animadverfions on the state of the police in Middlefex, which, however, he proteils, are not meant to extend to the magiftrates for that county in general.

To these bints, a fhort fupplement is added, in which are pointed out fome defects in the penal ftatutes that feem to require revifion and correction. If the Author be in truth what he defcribes himself, a magistrate, we cannot help being a little furprised at the following affertion: In refpect of the crime of bigamy (which is the offence of marrying a fecond wife or husband in the lifetime of the firft), the law is moft fhamefully defective; it was originally made felony without benefit of clergy, which fhould never have been reverfed; but in the licentious reign of Edward VI. they were allowed the benefit of clergy.' The fact is, that this offence was not made felony till the beginning of James the Firft's reign, and before that time was merely the fubject of ecclefiaftical cenfure. We wish too he had given us his authorities for the story concerning one of the Kings of France, faid to be related by Solon the Athenian lawgiver.

IRELAN D.

Art. 20. A brief Review of the Question, Whether the Articles of Limerick have been violated? By Arthur Browne, Efq. Reprefentative in Parliament for the University of Dublin. 8vo. Pamph. Dublin, printed for Mackenzie. 1788.

Great ftrefs having been laid by the Roman Catholics of Ireland on the privileges fecured to them by the articles of Limerick (of which they charge the penal laws they have fince lived under to have been violations), the Author of this well-written tract enters into an examination of thofe articles; the refult is, that, excepting the first, all thofe which grant any benefit to Roman Catholics, are limited to perfons then living, or to certain portions of that body, defcribed in the fecond and third articles, and to their heirs, by whom alone fuch benefits are claimable: and that the general boon contained in these articles, is a covenant expreffed in the first of them, that the Roman

Catholics

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Catholics of Ireland fhould enjoy fuch privileges in the exercife of their religion, as were confiftent with the laws existing in the reign of Charles II.

It remains, then, to confider what privileges they enjoyed in that reign, and the laws then appear to have been fufficiently fevere against the Catholic religion, founded on the act of uniformity under Queen Elizabeth. Moreover, if thefe articles contained privileges as extenfive as the Catholics wish to reprefent them, they were not ratified by parliament, fo as to enable Catholics of the prefent day to claim any privileges under them. If these points are deemed to be fatisfactorily established, the claims of the Irish Catholics are effectually fuperfeded; and here we drop the fubject; obferving only, that the copy tranfmitted to us was imperfect.

BIOGRAPHY.

Art. 21. A Sketch of the Life and Paintings of Thomas Gainsborough, Efq. By Philip Thickneffe. 8vo. Is. 6d. Fores. 1788. Capt. Thickneffe has here given us, in his erratic manner, fome curious and pleafing anecdotes of Mr. Gainsborough-his family connections-his excellent performances, &c. &c. all of which will ferve as useful materials for the biographer who fhall undertake a more elaborate life of that eminent artist. The prefent writer appears to have been most intimately acquainted with him, and, indeed, to have been chiefly inftrumental, from an early difcernment of his rare talents, in drawing him from his original obfcurity, and introducing him to the notice and patronage of the Public; fo that, according to this account, the friendship of Mr. T. may be confidered as the foundation of Mr. G.'s fuccefs; the fuperftructure of which could only be completed by his own genius.--Mr. T.'s peculiar, easy, ftyle of writing is too well known to require particular animadverfion: perhaps, if he were more accurate, he would be less lively, and confequently lefs entertaining.

EDUCATION.

Art. 22. Letters from a Parent to her Children, written to them un der Tuition at School, by Mrs. Arabella Davies, late Wife of the Rev. Edward Davies. 12mo. 2s. 6d. fewed. Buckland, &c. 1788.

Thefe Letters appear to have been the genuine effufions of piety and maternal affection. They turn chiefly on religious fubjects, and are written on Calviniftical principles. They will doubtlets be acceptable and useful among thofe, who ftill retain the opinions and tafte of the Nonconformists of the last century.

ASTRONOMY.

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Art. 23. A Plain, Eafy, and Familiar Guide to the Knowledge of Aftronomy, including fo much of the Laws of Matter and Motion as is neceffary to explain the Solar Syftem, &c. By John Prefton, late an Afifiant at Mr. Naudin's Academy, Hackney. Small 12mo. 1s. 6d. bound. Bew. 1788.

An epitome of the folar fyftem (including the planet lately dif covered by Dr. Herfchell), which, confidering its fize, contains much

much that will benefit the young student in this fublime branch of fcience.

SLAVE TRADE.

Art. 24. Obfervations on the Treatment of the Negroes in Jamaica. Including fome Account of their Temper and Character, with Remarks on the Importation of Slaves from Africa. By Hector M'Neill. 8vo. 1s. Robinfons. 1788.

Mr. M'Neill afferts, from perfonal inveftigation, knowlege, and experience, the very tolerable fituation, in general, of the black flaves in Jamaica, and he fuppofes it to be nearly the fame throughout the West Indies. On the whole, he concludes, with other writers, that their state is much preferable to that of the labouring poor, and fea-faring men, even in England: except in the mere circumstance of political and legal freedom, of which the Negroes never had the fmalleft idea. He gives a very particular, diftinct, and (to us) a fatisfactory account of the temper and manners of the different nations or tribes of Blacks* ufually imported from the coaft of Africa, as well as of the mixed breeds-Mulattos, Sambos, &c. He alfo defcribes not only the treatment they actually do meet with, but the manner in which they ought to be treated, in order to render their ftate of bondage not only comfortable to themselves, but juftly beneficial to their mafters.-His remarks on the impolicy [as he judges it] of the fcheme for abolishing Negroe-flavery, are fuch as prove him to be a judicious and penetrating obferver. In a word, his pamphlet, in our opinion, merits the ferious confideration of all who are either approvers or oppofers of the several benevolent plans and projects which have lately been fuggefted to the Public, relative to the very important, and much agitated fubject of Negroe-flavery, the common rights of human nature, and the great cause of univerfal liberty, as it is or may be affected, in every quarter of the habitable globe:

NAVAL.

Art. 25. A Short Account of the Naval Actions of the last War; in order to prove that the French Nation never gave fuch flender Proofs of Maritime Greatnefs as during that Period: With Obfervations on the Difcipline, and Hints for the Improvement of the British Navy. By an Officer. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Murray. 1788.

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This officer has taken up the pen, in order to difpel a notion," which, he thinks, has prevailed, extremely prejudicial to the honour of this country, that the French have not only equalled, but furpaffed us, as a maritime nation, whether in maneuvering, failing, or fighting a fleet. This idea, he apprehends, has been zealously propagated by our induftrious natural enemies, who well know that if fuch an opinion were once generally embraced, it would produce the very effects they wish to flow from it.' Permit,' fays he, the French to have the REPUTATION of fuperior genius, courage, and

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*The favage and ferocious Coromantee, the milder but baser Eboe, and the more harmless Mundingo;—the Creole, &c. &c.

abilities,

abilities, and you immediately damp the fpirits of our officers and feamen; who, in that cafe, would not plough the ocean, as they have done, in queft of the enemy, with elated courage, and in confidence of victory.' To fhew the falfehood of this notion, our Author proves, from facts, that at no æra, whatever, had the French fo little prowess, or fuccefs, to boast of. In order to evince this truth, he has taken a fair and well-authenticated review of all our naval transactions, in which the French had any concern, during the course of the late war; and in which the fuperiority of the British marine was manifefted, beyond all doubt. The particulars, though not new, have the merit of being accurately related; and they cannot fail of proving highly entertaining, as well as interesting, to the English reader, who is zealous for the honour and profperity of his Country: and the obfervations which the Author has interfperfed, and added, fhew him to be a man of judgment and [as we imagine] of experience in his profeffion.

POLITICA L.

Art. 26. County Management. With an Argument in favour of Pocket Sheriffs, &c. &c. 4to. 2s. 6d. Blamire. 1788. In this fatirical piece we have a mingled difplay of learning, humour, hiftory, law, and politics. The work appears to have originated in the writer's difapprobation of the conduct of certain great people in the north of England, with refpect to the nomination of fheriffs, the choice of juries, &c. The performance is dedicated to the Earl of Lonfdale, with a severity of compliment for which the ironical author, if known, could expect no other reward than that which Cherilus the poet is faid to have received from Alexander the Great; though the cafe, with refpect to the two writers, was widely different, as the lucklefs panegyrift of " Philip's warlike Son" really meant to praise the conqueror of the world.

Art. 27. A Collection of fcarce and interefting Trads, written by Perfons of Eminence, on the most important political and commercial Subjects, during the Years 1763, 1764, 1765, 1766, 1767, 1768, 1769, and 1770. Svo. 4 Vols. 11. 4s. Boards. Debrett. 1788.

Mr. Debrett has here given to the Public a valuable collection of Tracts, most of which, if not all of them, are now become very fcarce.

From the great importance of the principal events to which many of thefe Tracts relate, the contents of thefe volumes muft, for ages to come, prove highly interesting to the lovers of political and hiftorical fubjects. There is also another confideration, which muft, at all times, render a collection like this acceptable in every country where legal government and freedom of inveftigation prevail, and which is well expreffed in the motto borrowed from Lord Somers, and prefixed to thefe volumes, viz. "The bent and genius of the age is best known in a free country, by the pamphlets which daily

Particularly that great revolution in human affairs, the emancipation of North America from the power of Great Britain.

" come

<come out, as containing the fenfe of parties, and fometimes the "voice of the nation."

Art. 28. Epitre aux Anglois dans les triftes Circonftances prefentes. Novembre 1788. 8vo. 15. Elmfley.

A ferious and animated exhortation to the people of England, touching their manifold fins and wickedneffes. The author is of opinion, that the malady with which our most gracious Sovereign is ftricken, is a mark of the vengeance of Heaven for the offences of his fubjects (fuch is the author's notion of Divine juftice), who are to be punished more feverely in themselves, unless they instantly turn from the path of error, bending before the throne of the Almighty, with true and contrite hearts.

The whole is a rhapsodical invective, written with the fame kind of enthufiafm, but in a ftyle far fuperior, with that which is frequently found in the difcourfes of our fanatical declaimers: and, like many of thofe difcourfes, containing, amid a good deal of religious extravagance, fome harsh but not unfeasonable truths.-The pamphlet clofes with a high ftrained panegyric on the Prince of Wales.

Art. 29. Obfervations on the political Life of Mr. Pitt. 8vo.

Ridgway.

Not a finifhed portrait, but a hafty fketch, a little inclining to caricature. Neither accuracy nor fidelity will be expected from political or party painters. This artist, however, though not an unskilful hand, muft not, from this fpecimen, look for much employment among the friends of the Minister.

Art. 30. A ferious Addrefs to the Queen, Prince of Wales, and the Public at large, relative to his Majefty's unhappy Situation. By the Rev. Theodore Jackson, A. M. 4to. IS. Riebau, in Butcherrow, Temple-Bar.

Mr. Jackfon pathetically difplays and laments our alarming profpect, in confequence of the prefent dreadful interruption of his Majefty's health. After enlarging, with becoming concern, on the critical nature of our prefent fituation, and the dangers to be apprehended from it, he proceeds to obferve, that Government poffefling no conftitutional provifion againft an emergency of fo extraordinary and deplorable a kind, there is a neceffity that a regency should take place in the perfon of the P. of Wales. He trufts, however, that when invested with every regal prerogative (the Crown only excepted) the Prince will be careful to make no change in adminiftration. He allows the full merit of thofe diftinguished characters with whom his R. H. has been known to affociate; he does full juftice to the merits of Meffrs. Fox, Sheridan, and Burke, with a proper difcrimination of their abilities; but he obferves, on the other hand, that Mr. Pitt is not only a confummate statesman, but that he hath been a fuccefsful minifter, and is now in the zenith of his popularity from all which confiderations, he concludes, that to difplace fo excellent a fervant of the public, would be most impolitic, and poffibly, in the event, prove fatal to the peace and happiness of the kingdom.

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