ing the sheep-walks; but his method has, we know, been attended with inconveniencies. The author, in different parts of his work, gives fome surprising inftances of the uncommon fize of oxen, sheep, and fwine. The obfervations on the fmaller beafts are of little confequence.

In the Appendix is an account of the names of the different animals, at different periods; and, in another Appendix, the means of knowing the age of cattle, and the uncertainty of fome of the marks commonly employed. On the whole, we can recommend this treatife to the grazier and breeder, as ufeful, though plain; and as inftructive, though peculiar in its Janguage.

A Defcription, with Notes, of certain Methods of Planting, Training, and Managing all Kinds of Fruit-Trees, Vines, &c. For which his Majefiy's Letters Patent have been granted to the Rev. Philip Le Brocq, M. A. 8vo. 15. 6d. Shepperson and Reynolds.

This is a quaint title, and we at first fufpected that the notes might be mufical ones; but we found that there was little har mony in the performance. The author gives a good abridgement of his pamphlet, which we fhall tranfcribe.

There may be three different methods of preparing banks, beds, &c. for the reception of fruit-trees, vines, or any fruitbearing fhrebs or plants, to be principally adopted; befide various other modes not mentioned in this pamphlet. One method is, to train your trees on banks or beds, raised higher than the furface of the ground; the second is to train them on beds level with, and the third on banks or beds below, the furface of the circumjacent ground. This laft, though rather more expensive than the other two, has fome confiderable advantages over them. One of the moft ftriking and obvious is, that the trees are not fo much expofed to the blights which frequently float in the atmosphere, and which, fometimes, in a few hours, irretrievably blaft and destroy all hopes of a plentiful produce. The cold winds blow over them without mifchief. The rays of the fun are more reflected, and the heat, confequently, is increased.'

We do not think, with him, that fruit against a wall is much finer, and better flavoured, the nearer it grows to the ground. If a grapevine be planted against a very high wall, the grapes on the upper part ripen first, and are diftinguished by a finer tafte. The caufe of this feems to be, that the bunches enjoy a greater warmth; for the warm air rifes from the earth, and reaches them with the accumulated heat of each part of the wall. If the wall is not high, the remark will probably be

true.

We hope that the author will one day be indulged with a glafs of good English wine; and that his method of procuring it may not be rejected, because he has communicated his thoughts in fo flowery, affected, and reprehenfible a style.

A Pa

A Panegyric on Great Britain, in Imitation of the Funeral Orations of the Ancients. By Edward Hankin, A. M. 8vo. 15. Hookham.

The political conftitution of Great Britain has been the fubject of eulogy to many writers, as well of our own as of foreign nations; but the climate of the country, in point of its variableness at least, has not been fo univerfally admired. Mr. Hankin, however, finds fufficient foundation for panegyric in the temperature of the climate, and not only in this, but in every other circumftance which he remarks,-the fertility of the foil, the perfonal qualifications of the inhabitants, the fou-rishing state of commerce, the military and naval glory of Britain, &c. &c. If, after all, the people of Great Britain fhould be difcontented with their lot, let them not plead ignorance of the numerous bleffings they enjoy; for Mr. Hankin affures them of their distinguished happiness, and let them, therefore, be thankful.

The English Clergy's Right to Tythes examined, in order to promote Peace and Union between the Clergy and Laity; and to prevent' Lawfuits. By an Old Farmer. 8v0. 25. ftitched.

We have often found fo much good plain fenfe, and ftrong argument, in the writings either of real or pretended Old Farmers, that when we meet with this fignature affixed to any production, we are apt to conceive a favourable opinion of the author's fagacity. The inftance now before us confirms the juftnefs of this fentiment. The author contends, that for feveral ages after the promulgation of Chriftianity, what was paid to the church was entirely in the way of gratuitous offerings. In England, the establishment of tythes was introduced by king Offa, in the year 794. But the Farmer infifts that Offa had no legal right to this exercife of authority; and that the origin of the practice being unjuft, every fubfequent law, enacted upon the fame foundation, muft likewife be repugnant to equity. With regard to the doctrine of prefcription in cafes of this kind, that, according to Blackstone, you cannot plead prescription against the king, becaufe he is fo great, or he is fo ftrong; neither can you plead prefcription against the church, because it is fo little or fo weak,' the Farmer confeffes that he does not relish this ambo-dexter way of reafoning, as he calls it.

The author farther obferves, that fuppofing the authority exercised by Offa to have been legal, yet as the improvements in husbandry required greater expences than were known in his time, the clergy had no right to any part of thofe expences which Offa knew not of, and, therefore, could not intend in his gift. The Old Farmer, as we have already intimated, makes many fhrewd obfervations, but being a party in the difpute, his opinions are warped with felf-interelt. Perhaps the best means for promoting peace and union between the clergy and laity, which is acknowledged to be the object of this pam

phlet,

phlet, would be, for the former to abate of their demands, and the latter to increase their liberality.

Obfervations concerning the Medical Virtues of Wine. In a Letter to Dr. Buchan, by a Gentleman of the Faculty. 8vo. 15. Stewart and Stevenson.

The Obfervations are the remarks of fome refpectable phyficians, fo trite, by frequent repetition, that there are few medical readers who cannot repeat them. Wine is undoubtedly a good cordial, and living well a good prophylactic against debilitating difeafes. As to the tokay d'Efpagna, we are not much acquainted with it; but the whole tract would fuit, excellently well, a wine merchant; and to these gentlemen we recommend it. Perhaps it may have originated from this fource; for it wonderfully resembles, in all its parts, a quack bill..

The Night-cap. By Mr. Mercier. 2 Vols. 12mo. 6s. Hookham,

In our laft Volume *, we gave fome account of this work, and a fpecimen of the execution. The tranflation is not often accurate; and we feem to have felt more fenfibly, than even in the original, a want of intereft in the different parts. We shall make a few remarks on the mistakes which occur in the paffage we have quoted, in the volume referred to.

The tranflator tells us, that Spalanzani has published his new experiments on digeftion, and let thofe on generation efcape. This is not true; for the latter fubject is examined with as much care as the former; and, what is of more confequence, Mr. Mercier does not fay fo. Skilful Speculators have made ingenious researches and delicate experiments,' &c. It is not common that fpeculators' make experiments; Mercier fays Philofophers. Diphlogiftic' inftead of dephlogisticated." The doctrine of affimilating ferments' we do not understand: it should have been the effects of ferments, or the doctrine of fermentation. Water may be changed without paffing through the retort.' It cannot be changed by paffing through the retort, and Mr. Mercier has made a very different obfervation. • Expanfive ocean,' instead of expanded;' fea-water is become potable,' instead of is to be made potable,' &c. &c. But we need not enlarge on thefe errors; and we ought to acknowledge that the author is more correct on general than on fcientific fubjects. We, however, have no reason to think that his tranflation will repay his labour; fince we rife from reading the work with languor, and return to it with indifference. A candid and impartial Sketch of the Life and Government of Pope Clement XIV. Vol. III. 127:0. 25. 6d. Symonds.

This author continues to draw his Sketch in a manner which is plaufible, but not entirely free from the fufpicion of having mifreprefented, at least, the principal perfon in his narrative.

• Critical Review, vol. lx. p. 461.

He

He affects a more intimate acquaintance with the politics and private tranfactions of the Vatican, during the pontificate of Ganganelli, than we can reafonably fuppofe to have been acquired by a private individual, and, according to his own in-finuation, a native of this country. It is a juft obfervation, that molt men have two characters, one which is given them by their friends, and another by their enemies. Were we to determine this author's affections as a biographer, we could not he fitate a moment to rank him among the enemies of Ganganelli. Account of the present Arrangement of Mr. James Taffie's Collection of Paftes and Impreffions from ancient and modern Gems. By R. E. Rafpe. No Publisher's Name.

;

The labours of this ingenious artist, in executing imitations of ancient gems, are fufficiently known to the world, and have met with general approbation. By his prefent catalogue the collection amounts to twelve thoufand different articles of ancient and modern engravings. Under the former of these are arranged Egyptian hieroglyphics, facred animals, divinities, and priests; with Bafilidian, Gnoftic, and other abraxas, talifmans, and amulets, oriental and barbarous engravings. Next to these are Greek and Roman originals, copies, and modern imitations. This class is diftinguished into four fubdivifions the laft of which is the historical age; and this is again fubdi. vided into the history of Carthage, Greece, and Rome, with hiftorical fubjects unknown. Under modern engravings are arranged religious fubjects of the Old and New Teftament, legends, Chriftian allegory, portraits of fovereigns, and celebrated perfons, in alphabetical order; with cyphers, arms, fupporters, and a variety of mifcellaneous productions relative to modern hiftory. The arrangement has been made by Mr. Rafpe, who appears to be well acquainted with his fubject, and to have acquitted himfelf with a degree of diligence fuitable to the great merit of the collection.

Elays on Scripture Metaphors, Divine Juftice, Divine Mercy, and the Doctrine of Satisfaction. By W. Ludlam, B. D. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Davis.

Thefe Effays afford ample proof that the author is a man of difcernment and philofophical reflection. They all are deferying of approbation, particularly that on Scripture Metaphors. An Addrefs from a Clergyman to his Parishioners. By W. Bromley Cadogan, M. A. 8vo. 6d. Rivington.

The evangelical doctrines of which Mr. Cadogan treats, are Original Sin, Grace, and imputed Righteoufnefs. That he recommends the confideration of them to his hearers with fince

rity, we are fully perfuaded; but the Addrefs is not distingu fhed by any drain of eloquence, frequently attempted on fuch occafions.

Memoirs

Memoirs of a Social Monfier; or, the Hiftory of Charles Prics. 12mo. 35. fewed. Kearsley.

Two narratives of this extraordinary impoftor were lately. published, in the form of pamphlets; but the subject is now extended, in thefe Memoirs, to a moderate volume. It prefents us with a large collection of biographical anecdotes; many of them entertaining, and all of them evincing a difpofition powerfully bent to artifice and deceit. With regard to verfatility of character, Charles Price appears to have been a Proteus. The names which he affumed are innumerable; and no man was ever more fuccefsful in the art of perfonifying, for obtaining fome treacherous purpofe. Such Memoirs, even though they should not be entirely authentic, yet, if probable, have, we think, a claim to utility. For, by holding forth examples of artifice, they ferve, in fome degree, to fap the foundations of impofition.

If, fays the editor, they effectually warn one thoughtless youth from the destructive ways of wickednef-if they retrieve from the errors of paft proceedings but one unthinking man, who has deviated from the line of moral rectitude-if they guard one able and indigent creature only, again falling into the fnares and temptations with which his molt mortal enemy is hourly alJuring him; and if they operate, in general, with all good men, as encouragements to perfeverance in public and private virtues, our pains will be truly profitable.-Thefe Memoirs may then be conndered as arrows that hit, but do not hurt; and, that though they penetrate the heart, yet they are pointed with -goid.'

The volume contains a fac fimile of Charles Price's ufual handwriting, and of his disguised hands: befides which it is decorated with a plate, reprefenting him in three different forms, viz. in his ufual drefs; in his parfonic difguife, as Price's uncle; and in the difguise of Old Patch, in which he negociated the forged bank notes.

Doubts concerning the free Navigation of the Scheld, 8v0. 35. Ed. Faden.

In this volume the count de Mirabeau delineates, with much political knowledge and judicious obfervation, the views of his imperial majesty and the emprefs of Ruffia. The dispute concerning the Scheld is, for the prefent, compromifed; but how long the force of treaties will continue to restrain the ambition of the Auftrian potentate, the count de Mirabeau does not take upon him to determine.

ERRATA-P. 399, 1. 2. for Strictures tead Pictures, and for Polwhole read' Pelzubele.

*