It may feem a matter of aftonishment that this question, which is probably the most interefting that ever engaged the human attention, is little more than to be able to tell what o'clock it is elsewhere; for the longitude is found by the comparison of local or relative time, and as the hour is eafily found at the place of obfervation by altitudes, or otherwife, the only difficulty is to find the time at fome other place whofe longitude is known. For as the fun in his daily courfe paffes over 360 degrees of longitude in 24 hours, he paffes over 15 degrees in one hour, and over any other space in this proportion; and therefore if the difference between the times of any two places be known, and this turned into degrees, the difference of longitude is thence found.

Hence if a perfect time-keeper could be conftructed, it would obviate all difficulty on this fubject, and render the longitude as fimple a problem as the latitude; for fuch an inftrument being fet to the time of any place whofe longitude is known (fuppofe to that of Greenwich Obfervatory, from whence we reckon our longitude) it would preferve this time in all other parts of the world, and by comparing this chronometer with a clock or watch properly regulated for the place of obfervation, the difference would fhew the longitude.

Notwithstanding the great degree of perfection to which time-keepers have been brought, they cannot be fuppofed fuch infallible guides to the longitude as the heavenly bodies; the only advantage the former have is that of being moft eafily confulted, but the prudent mariner will not truft to chronometers alone, though he may use them as helps or checks to his aftronomical calculations; for fuch delicate and complicated pieces of mechanism must be ever more or lefs liable to be affected by the violence of motion or the viciffitudes of feafon and climate, and must moreover, like all other productions of human art, be fubject to accident, diforder and decay; whereas the heavenly bodies are unchangeable, thefe only are the unerring time-keepers, which exhibit a true fpecimen of perpetual motion.' P. 184.

We cannot but applaud this fuccefsful attempt to facilitate an abftruse and ufeful fcience; a fcience fo effential to the perfection of that art by which the trade of this country has been carried to an extent far beyond that of any other age or nation.

MONTHLY CATALOGUE.

POLITICS,

&c.

Conftitutional Objections to the Government of Ireland by a separate Legiflature, in a Letter to John Hamilton, Efq. Occafioned by his Remarks on a Memoir on the projected Union. By Theobald McKenna, Efq. 8vo. Dublin. 1799.

As the time approaches for the formal re-consideration of the great question of union, the grounds for the adoption of this measure feem to be difcuffed with more tranquillity, and its propriety to be admitted by many who were averfe even to the difcuffion of fuch a question. The writer of the prefent pamphlet is well acquainted with the real state of Ireland, clearly fees the defects of its conftitution, and the impoffibility of a remedy under the fubfifting form of government; accurately defcribes the divisions and views of the parties which prevent any amelioration by an independent legiflature; and points out the neceffity of an imperial parliament to give peace and fecurity to Ireland, and to elevate the bulk of its inhabitants to the enjoyment of those rights by which their fellow, fubjects in Britain are diftinguifhed. The ftate of the Irish government is well defcribed in the following extract.

Embellish it by whatever fplendid names you please, the government of Ireland is an oligarchy. In the popular member of our conftitution, the weight of certain individuals is immenfe, and that of the people is inconfiderable. This bears materially upon the administration; for neither are the minifters of the crown acted upon in any eminent degree by the influence of the people; nor have thefe the benefit of that impartiality among his fubjects, which must be the natural feeling of every monarch. There is a controul indeed over the royal authority; but as it is almost completely fevered from the public intereft, it is neceffarily directed in its exercife by the private views, or at belt by the perfonal cha racter of the individuals who compofe it. A compromife is made, fuch as can only confift with a very irregular government, and which, if it were not the refult of diforders in the state, muft eventually introduce them. The patronage and internal management of the country is given up to thofe who have power to do, what ufually is called the king's bufinefs; that is, to raise the fupplies, to preferve the British intereft and an uniformity between the two governments.' P. 68.

Mr. M'Kenna's ideas of the nature of our parliament feem to be founded on theory rather than experience: but, as he writes in a cool difpaffionate manner, we hope that his work may contribute

to produce the defired effect in Ireland, and that, by the union of the kingdoms, a parliament may be formed in which the new houfe of commons fhall really fpeak the fentiments and confult the interefts of the people of the united empire.

A Treatise on the Caufes of Sedition, on the best remedy against this great Evil, and on what ought to be the Difpofitions of the Briti People at the prefent great Crifis of the Alarm of an Invafion by the French. By James Wright, A. M. &c. 8vo. 15. 6d. Wright. 1798.

This worthy writer is one of the difciples of the fchool of Barruel and Robifon; but he does not adopt all the delirious fancies of those authors. He makes an exception in favour of free-mafonry, which he cannot allow to have been an instrument in occationing the French revolution. We are not free-mafons ourfelves; nor have we so much respect for the craft as Mr. Wright feems to have; yet our opinion on this fubject is the fame with that which he entertains; and we fcarcely know of any thing more unworthy of a Chriftian and a scholar than to hold out, in this pretended age of reafon and philofophy, fresh and innocent victims to popular delufion and prejudice. We could have wifhed that equal care had been taken in the examination of every other point; for there are fo many good remarks on the caufes of fedition, that with concern we fee them weakened by fome erroneous opinions. We need only add, that, unlefs the cruelty, bigotry and defpotifm of Louis XIV., the improvement in knowledge throughout France from his patronage of the arts and fciences, and the abfurdities and tyranny of the church, are taken into the account, no adequate caufes can be affigned for the Gallic revo, lution. Rouffeau, Voltaire, Diderot, and other philosophists, could not have made fuch an impreffion as they did, unless they had fubftantial ground for their attacks on the errors of the established government both in church and state. Popular topics were connected with their peculiar opinions, In confequence of their ef fufions, the clergy, who had not learned toleration, became the objects of public deteftation; and not only their anti-christian tenets, but even what they ftid retained of the pure doctrines of our Saviour, were gradually the objects of general derifion. This is a grand and awful leffon to all nations, teaching them that to preyent fedition they muft fupport truth, and that vice and irreligion will produce tumult and fedition.

We are fometimes at a lofs to understand this writer, as when he tells us that hordes of profefled traitors who exercite the power of magistrates and judges, and who, without any form of law, prefcribe and denounce peaceable fellow-citizens, are now to be found in every corner of the land, With thefe traitors the jails are now filled, and the executive government, ftill acting according to the mild fpirit of our laws, gives them the benefit of a fair and

npartial trial. Whether the prifons are filled in this manner we cannot tell; but, if they are, we do not fee how the whole fentence hangs together; for the executive government affuredly has not brought hordes to trial, and we understand that the few under fufpicion for treasonable practices are anxious for an opportunity of vindicating their innocence. The paffage manifefts our author's fpirit; but, as fome of our readers might hence form a bad opinion of him, we will correct it by another quotation.

The preaching of the gospel, not by myfteries, but in its original plainnefs and fimplicity, is the beft means of inftructing the people in the nature and obligations of every fort of religious duty, and of correcting that feditious fpirit, which has made almoft every kingdom of Europe to mourn and weep. P. 61.

We wish that we could more frequently quote in this manner; and the writer might from the following fpecimen, by judiciously expunging many ill-founded paffages, make his work a very acceptable present to the public.

Every one ought to be pleafed with his own ftation, and not repine at that of another, because it is the ftation which the fupreme Lord of the world's great household has allotted to him; because it is the station in which he can be most useful; and because every other station is open to him, provided he becomes qualified to fill it, and provided God fhall fee it proper to place him in it. We fee fome men daily rifing, and others daily defcending in the scale of focial rank and office. While this alfo produces variety," and gratifies our love of novelty, it has moreover its ufe, in the hands of the fupreme Lord, in regard to the general good. Since such a strict relation fubfifts among all the members of the focial body, we ought to confider every one's profperity as making a part of our own. When I behold the large eftate, the fine lawns, the beautiful gardens, and the ftately palace of great and wealthy men, I confider all thefe as my own. They are indeed the property of the owners; but the fight of their plantations and buildings, and the pop of their equipage and attendants, while it varies and enlivens the focial ftate, afford as much pleasure to my eyes as they do to thofe of the proprietors. The fight of thefe things alfo raifes the most pleasing fentimental reflections, from confidering that this clafs of men are a part of that whole body, of which I am allo a part. And as the blood flows through the whole natural body, communicating motion, and vigour, and life to the whole corporeal frame, fo the profperous ftate of any one rank or order of men in the fociety flows through innumerable channels, cornmunicating good to the whole body politic. Therefore all the different ranks and orders of men ought to have a tender concern for one another. For, as in the natural body, "whether one member fuffer, all the members fuffer with it; or

one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it;" fo, in the cafe of the body politic, the depreffion and misfortunes of any one order of men in the fociety affect the whole with a greater or lefs degree of hurt. On the other hand, the profperity of one clafs circulates through the whole fociety.' P. 100.

Remarks on the Explanation, lately published by Dr. Priestley, reSpecting the intercepted Letters of his Friend and Difciple, John H. Stone. To which is added, a Certificate of Civifm for Jofeph Priestley, Jun. By Peter Porcupine. Svo. 15. Wright.

1799.

Dr. Priestley is called in this work anapoftle of feditionmiferable though perverfe old man-cunning fectary—political viper-fubtle hypocrite;' and there are, we understand, many perfons who can behold with fatisfaction this porcupine darting about his quills, regardlefs of decorum or character. Such grofs language may fuit the Americans; but he is unworthy of the English name who can approve this mode of pursuing even an enemy. At the fame time, we cannot acquit Dr. Priestley of imprudence in writing to an individual of fuch a character; for it is evident that fuch a man would avail himself of every pretext for gratifying the malignity of his difpofition. Dr. Prieftley is certainly not anfwerable for the contents of a letter fent to him; but if from that letter a degree of friendship fhould be apparent between him and his correfpondent, he muft naturally expect that, if this correfpondent does not stand well in the opinion of his other friends, they will not be pleafed with fuch a connection, or fatisfied with the mere affertion that the receiver of a letter is not accountable for the fentiments of the writer.

A concife Account of the material Events and Atrocities which oc→ curred in the late Rebellion, with the Caufes which produced them ; and an Answer to Veritas's Vindication of the Roman Catholic Clergy of the Town of Wexford. By Veridicus. 8vo. 25. Wright. 1799. ·

Every thing is here brought forward that can be urged againft the catholics; and the atrocities of the Orange-men are in general concealed, though, in one place, the writer allows that the Orange-men in the county of Armagh, who obtained a decided fuperiority over their antagonists, pushed their revenge to an extreme; for they drove great numbers of the defenders into the province of Connaught in the year 1796.' The book is written; we fear, with a bad intention; and, inttead of healing the bleeding wounds of Ireland, it tends only to embitter the animofity of the contending parties: but furely cool reflection ought to lead both to abhor the revengeful fpirit with which they feum to have been mutually inflamed.