MISCELLANIES.

ART. 54. A Letter to Bryan Edwards, Ef. containing Obfervations on fome Paffages of his Hiftory of the West Indies. 4to. 39 pp. 2s. Johnfon. 1795.

Nothing, in our opinion, can folidly be argued in favour of the continuance of the flave-trade for a fingle hour, except that where an evil is fo deeply rooted, and connected with fo valt a train of confequences, wildom will do that gradually, which humanity would with to conclude fuddenly. We must not deftroy for the fake of amending. Mr. Preston, whom we conceive (as he dates from Dublin) to be the gentleman fo highly and juftly celebrated for his poetical productions, is the writer of this letter. He argues cogently, but temperately, with Mr. Edwards, on the prejudiced defence of that traffic, which he had brought forward in his admirable Hiflory of the Welt Indies; and, allowing very fully the great merit of that production, combats with diftinctnefs and force the pofitions which relate to this strong proof how particular point. "Your book," fays he, " is far education and ufe may harden the tendereft natures, and mislead. the strongest understandings; and how incapable men are of feeing, in a juft point of view, or in its proper colours, what is either too near them, or too conftantly before their eyes." In anfwer to the comparifon made by Mr. E. between the flaves in the Weft Indies and our own peafantry, he fays, with energy and truth, "The marked, diftinguishing feature, the great effential difference, the ineftimable bleffing that endears every fcene, and recommends every condition, that fills the Laplander with enthufiaftic love for his fnowy waftes and caverns-freedom-is wanting! The peafant, if he chooses to fleep and fast is not compelled to labour. If he finds one neighbourhood unpropitious he may change it for another. The range power of home, as the poet terms it, fweetens his toil; and, if his misfortunes and defpondency fhould be fuch as to extinguish in his heart that ftrong univerfal feeling, he can emigrate to fome other land, where brighter hopes allure him; and, amidft wretchednefs, toil, and want, he is free from ftripes and bonds, his perfon is facred, he repofes in the fhade of the conftitution, the guardian power of the law is about his path, and about his bed, and he reflects, with pride, that he too, mean as he is, has a place and weight in the fcale of civil exiftence." P. 5. There is no acrimony in any part of this letter; but abundance of vigour and good fenfe.

8vo. 10 pp. 68. Darton and Harvey. 1796.

ART. 55. Hints for promoting a Bee Society.

The public is already indebted to the pen of this benevolent writer, whom we understand to be Dr. Lettfom, on many important occafions. The object of the prefent pamphlet is to encourage the propagation of bees, by offering premiums for afcertaining the most fuitable food for this infect, the best mode of taking the honey, of conftruct

ing

ing the hive, and preferving the young ones. Honey, the writer obferves, would fave the ufe of butter; and 50,000 hives, which might be main ai ed in the circumference of twenty miles round the metropolis, would produce as many guineas annually, in honey and wax. A drawing of a curious pyramidal bee-hive is annexed.

ART. 56. Thoughts on the Practice of carrying off Bodies from Churchyprus, Ec. for Diffction. Dedicated to Sir John Frederic, Bart. Sve. 19 pp. 6d. Johnfon. 1795.

There is nothing very new, however cogent, in the arguments here adduced; nothing but what must be faid whenever the fubject is mentioned; that bodies are wanted for the purpose of science. The queftion now fleeps, and it is better that it should fleep.

ART. 57.

Three Effays. 1. On dramatic Compofition; 2. The Advan tages and Difadvantages of foreign Travel; 3. On Sculpture. 8vo. 59 pp. 1s. 6d. Chapman. 1795.

There is, in thefe volumes, a confiderable portion of elegance and tafte. The writer appears to have approached his fubjects with a mind difpofed to liberal enquiry, and prepared for juft difcrimination. On dramatic compofition-which takes the lead in this feries-the fentiments of the author, without firict originality, are delivered with an agreeable mixture of fpirit and beauty. In difcuffing the fubject of foreign travel, the arguments on the different questions are not fufficiently detailed, though the balance is held up with fufficient difcrimination. Some remarks upon the impropriety of premature travel, are equally deferving of attention and praife. The effay on Sculpture prefents an ingenious fketch of the origin and progrefs of that art. We could make fome extracts, fufficiently favourable to the author's reputation, could we allow fufficient fpace to fo very small a work. The public, however, may be prepared to expect gratification from the perufal of thefe Elays; the merits of which ought not to be eftimated from the fmallness of their fize, or the obfcurity of an anonymous writer.

ART. 58. Plans for increafing the naval Force of Great Britain, by rendering the Service a more defirable Object to Officers and Seamen; in which the following Claffes are particularly confidered: Mafters and Commanders, Mafers Mates, Midshipmen, and able Seamen. Alfo fome Hints, offered towards their better Establishment. Addreffed to the Right Honourable William Pitt. By Richard Clarke, M. D. Surgeon in the Royal Navy. 8vo. 38 pp. rs. 6d. Richardfon. 1795. It is perfectly out of our line to give an opinion upon a topic of this kind; we thall, therefore, only ftate, in Mr. Clarke's own words, what are the particular objects of his contemplation

"I fhall begin with firit confidering the rank of Mafter and Commander, as it now ftands, and offer a plan for removing, effectually, the prefent exifting impediments to their future profpects.

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Secondly. hall confider the neceffity, propriety, and utility, of introducing the rank of Second Lieutenant into the Navy. "Thirdly,

Thirdly. I fhall offer fome hints for providing the navy with Mafters' Mates.

"Laftly. I fhall propofe an expedient for bringing, voluntarily, into the navy, a competent number of experienced and respectable feamen." P. 3.

ART. 59. Plain Suggestions refpeting the prefent Admiralty, and the Mode of conftituting the Board, &c. with the Figure made by this Country on the Seas, during the prfent War. And fome lofe Hints for a Plan for manning the Navy without prefing. By a British Sea man. Part II. 8vo. 51 pp. 1s. Jordan. 1795.

Loofe hints, fome bad and fome good, form the whole texture of this pamphlet: which is not written in any good humour with the prefent naval arrangements. If the author is not fatisfied with the figure made by this country on the feas, during the prefent war, we hould be glad to know what war he could point out, in which we made a better, or what country ever made one fo good?. If the first part of this tract was published within our time, it, by fome means, efcaped our notice; the mention of the fecond will, however, futfciently imply, that a firft has appeared; and, in all probability, the character given of the one will equally fuit the other.

ART. 60. Familiar Remarks on the different Modes of Education. By John Lane, A. M. 12mo. 30 pp. 64. Cadell. 1795.

This tract is probably no more than a schoolmaster's mode of advertifing his fchool. Otherwife we do not conceive why any man fhould think it worth while to print fuch very trivial and trite remarks in fo neat a manner.

ART. 61. Letters; containing a Sketch of the Politics of France, from the 31st of May, 1793, till the 28th of June, 1794; and of the Scene which paffed in the Prifons of Paris. By Helen Maria Williams. Vol. IV. 12mo. 225 pp. 35. 6d. Robinson. 1796.

We did not think ourselves at all authorized to speak of this young lady's last volume in terms of commendation, neither do we of the prefent. As ufual, the French are all wife, generous, good, great, &c. &c. &c. and every other nation, her own in particular, contempti ble in the balance. Mifs Williams, in her account of the glorious firft of June, fays, the defeat of the French was not attended with dif grace, and that England triumphed on the element which she calls her own; yet fomewhere elfe fhe talks of having all the feelings of an Englishwoman at the heart. They who fmile at her political re marks, may however be entertained by fome of the anecdotes which The relates.

ART. 62. Tales of the Minstrels. Tranflated from the French of Monf. Le Grand. Third Edition. 12mo. 263 pp. 35. Rofs. 1796. An eafy and agreeable tranflation, taken from a very popular work in felecting from which a proper regard feems to have been shewn to A a tafte

BRIT. CRIT. VOL. VIII. SEPT. 1796.

tate and delicacy. Not having feen the former editions, we notice this.

ART 63. Travels before the Flood; an intereffing oriental Record of Men and Manners in the Antediluvian World; interpreted in fourteen Evening Converfations between the Caliph of Lagdad and his Court. Tranflated from the Arabic. 2 Vol. 12mo. 75. Robinfon. 1796.

There is certainly wit as well as humour in these volumes; but the wit lies too far beneath the furface, and the humour is not obvious to common apprehenfions. Alas, what avails it to fay, that human nature is foolish, fallible, and vicious; that knowledge is vain; and the prefent state of things imperfect. The moralift, who prefents this view of things to his followers, will meet, it is true, with a gloomy acquief cence in his affertions, but can hardly be thanked for his philanthropy.

ART. 64. Memoirs of a late eminent Advicate and Member of the Honourable Society of Lincolns Inn. By William Melmoth, Efq. 8vo. 72 pp. 59. Cadell and Davies. 1796. This honourable tribute of filial piety is from the pen which, by the tranflation of Pliny's Letters, and other excellent works, has fo much adorned the literature of our country. Mr. Melmoth, the author's father, is reprefented as a moft confcientious man, of the ftricteft principles of honour, and of the moft ardent zeal to diftinguish himself on all occafions as an upright, useful, and, indeed, irreproachable character. Some valuable letters are introduced, which difcufs the important queftion of fecuring allegiance to King William, at the time of the revolution; and a portrait is prefixed, which has all the marks of a strong and faithful refemblance.

ART. 65. An Effay on musical Harmony, according to the Nature of that Science, and the Principles of the greateft mufical Authors. By Auguftus Frederic Chriftopher Kollmann, Organift of his Majefty's German Chapel, at St. James's. Folio. Dale. 1796.

Though the examination of mufical compofitions comes no more within our plan than that of pictures or prints, yet fyftematic treatifes on practical harmony, painting, or engraving, are certainly entitled to our notice, as literary productions; and the public has as much right to expect that we should give our opinion of their merit, as of those concerning poetry, politics, hiftory, or mathematics.

No elementary or didactic treatife on the compofition of mufic in our language, has arrived at our knowledge, which appears fo ample, clear, and methodical as that before us. The author has no wild theories, or fanciful hypothefis to fupport. He gives a code of harmonical laws from the writings and compofitions of the molt feientific and eminent practical musicians of his own country (Germany) which he feems to have read with diligence, and explained with clearness and intelligence. His language may fometimes be tinctured with foreign idioms, but it is generally ftrong and intelligible: And if any obfcurity fhould appear in the text, it is conftantly cleared up in the

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plates,

plates, which are numerous, and filled with admirable illustrations of the rules laid down in the feveral chapters of the work, under the following titles: Of the fcale;of intervals;-general rules concerning the use of intervals in harmony and melody;-of chords in general;— of the triad (or common chord) and its inverfions ;-of the chord of the feventh, and its inverfions;-of accidental chords;--of the fignatures (or reprefentations of chords by figures) in thorough-bafe ;--of cadences;-of modulation; - of time-of rhythm ;--of fimple counterpoint of double counterpoint;-of imitation ;-of variation;-of fancy of the ancient ecclefiaftical modes. Thefe chapters are all divided into articles, and fubdivided into fictions in a very diftinct and methodical manner: and it is with pleasure that we recommend this treatise, which the author humbly tiles an Effay, to the attention of young ftudents in mufical compofition, as a work whence much ufeful knowledge may be obtained that is not to be found in any other fingle work on the fame fubject.

ART 66. A few Reflections upon the prefent State of Commerce, and Public Credit; with fome Remarks on the late Conduct of the Bank of England. By an old Merchant. 8vo. pp. 23. 6d. Sewell and Debrett, 1796.

A temperate, and well written apology for the reftriction which the directors of the bank have lately put, on the extent of their difcount trade. Of the causes of the great increase of circulating paper, we gave our opinion in a former article: by the events on the continent, the demand for our commodities in 1791 and 1792 increased beyond what the exifting mercantile capital" would fairly furnith*:” in confequence of this, paper money was increased. The original caufe of it was not intemperate fpeculation, but an augmentation of demand; although undoubtedly the fpirit of fpeculation was thereby kindled in fome degree; hence, though the bank at the end of 1792, and the commencement of 1793, prudently declined to fupport the new paper; and have fince again had recourfe to that measure; a confiderable part of the cenfure this refpectable old merchant paffes upon the over trading of thofe periods ought to be much foftened. The merit of the conduct of the directors, in having for a time witheld the ordinary fupport to the fubfcribers to the loan, muft ftand upon different principles, we fee no direct argument for it. That they voluntarily gave up a confiderable profit by declining it, though it impreffes us with a belief it was a proper meafure, falls perhaps fhort of full conviction, which is only to be obtained, by fhowing us why it was proper.

ART. 67. A new Sequel to Mrs. Barbauld's Lessons adapted for Children, from four to feven Years old. By the Compiler of an easy Introduction to Reading, embellished with a beautiful Plate. Is.

A very proper book for children.

Sael.