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in the jocular way; proving, that he is as ignorant of the hiftorical facts which he pretends to quote, as he is defective in argument, and illiterate in respect to grammar.

T III. Reflections upon the present state of affairs at home and abroad, particularly with regard to subsidies, and the difference between Great Britain and France. In a letter from a member of parliament to a constituent. 8vo. Is. Payne.

The public hath ascribed this piece, how justly we will not pretend to say, to a real, not an imaginary member of parliament, and a person of diftinction. It seems there was a time, when this author opposed those measures in public, which he now defends, and which even at that juncture he approved in private. The following are his own words, 'When I first ⚫ entered into parliament, foreign measures were sometimes mentioned, but seldom debated. This was owing to the power of the minister, which I thought alarming; and there• fore I litted myself into the opposition to ALL his measures; I say, to ALL his measures. For one of our first principles was, to keep him from the credit of doing even what was right, as well as to load him with the blame of whatever was wrong."

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This is a very frank confession, and may serve at least to give us a true idea, and proper estimation of the worth of modern patriotism. Moreover, it ferves also to explain a certain aphorifm, faid to be frequently in the mouth of the late Sir R. W. which, without such a comment, would have appeared very unintelligible, viz. My enemies do me wrong to say, * that I give money to men to vote against their confciences: ' and they themselves know full well that it is falfe: but if I give any money, it is not to make them vote against their 'confciences, but according to their confciences, and real conviction.' The author then undertakes to prove the neceffity of making fubfidiary treaties, for preferving the balance of power on the continent, and afferts, 'that the engagements

we have now entered into, would have been wife and ne' cessary, tho' his Majesty had not possessed one foot of ter

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ritory upon the continent.' Towards the close, he makes ufeful remarks on that part of the civil law which is ftiled the law of nations; and observes very justly, that a fet of rules and maxims derived from the Romans, and calculated for fettling territorial difputes between states in Europe, where the boundaries of each are exactly marked out, can be no precedent for fettling territorial disputes in America. But why can they not? For this plain reason, viz. Because neither the French nor English, (being new-comers) nor the feveral tribes of Indians, (the original inhabitants) have ever yet marked out their limits respecting each other, with that exactness and regularity which obtain in all European countries. Consequently, all that can be done in such circumstances, is to proceed upon equitable

ble constructions, and the best evidence that can be given. And Great Britain has done this : 'but France takes fubterfuge in scientifical principles, arbitrarily laid down, and magisterially pursued. She hath christened whole nations by • other names than they had always born, and hath put con'structions on the words of treaties, that were never dreamed of before.'

So far may be very true for any thing we know to the contrary. But the misfortune is, that this eminent writer hath left the grand point untouched, which it was most for his cause to clear up, viz. Whether it is the interest of the mothercountry to settle colonies so far back in the interior parts of North-America, as the river Ohio, the great lake, and the fall of Niagara? If we conquer these countries from the French, the English will certainly settle them sooner or later; for it will be impossible to prevent them. -The only question therefore worth a debate, is properly this, Whether it will be more advantageous for Great Britain to permit those countries to remain in the hand of the French, or to conquer them, in order to have future settlements two, three, four, or five hundred miles distant from the sea?

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IV. A Letter to the King of ****. By an Englishman, not a Member of the House of Commons. 8vo. Is. Corbet.

His majesty of France is the king to whom this epiftle is addressed. Its design is to inform the most christian king (if he will but read it) that we are the happiest people, and governed by the worthiest prince, under the sun: and, therefore, that if he the faid christian king has formed schemės against us, through any idea of our being a divided nation, living in distrust of, and at variance with, our government, he will find himself mistaken, and that to his great cost. In short, the design of this pamphlet seems to be quite the reverse of that of the author of the Two Letters to the People of England: See our Catalogues for September and November.

V. Secret History, relating to the times. Particularly the rumour of an invasion. An essay tending to quiet the minds of the people. 8vo. 6d. Kinnersley.

Stily affected banter. We hardly know how to speak more characteristically of this pamphlet; which, indeed, as Mr. Pope faid of the ladies, (perhaps with less justice) has no character at all. But if, by quieting the minds of the people, the author hints at the foporific quality of his performance, we may venture to say, from experience, that nothing can more effectually answer the intention, of composing the reader to rest.

VI. The French Encroachments exposed: or, Britain's original right to all that part of the American continent claimed by France, fully afferted: wherein it appears, that the honour

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and interest of Great Britain are equally concerned, from the conduct of the French, for more than a century past, to vindicate her rights; the practicability of which, at this juncture, is manifestly proved. In two letters from a merchant retired from business, to his friend in London. Recommended to the perusal of every honest Briton. 8vo. Is. Keith.

Tho' we cannot dispute any author's right to recommend his own works, for which he may have very substantial reasons; yet as those reasons will not in the least affect us, we do not think ourselves obliged always to concur with fuch recommendations. With respect to the pamphlet now before us, we perceive nothing in it, but what has been taken notice of again and again, by feveral of the many, who have assumed the discussion of this, at present, popular fubject. Could a few vollies of hard words reconcile the differences between the two kingdoms, and reinftate Great Britain in her just possessions, it is poffible our author might be thought no inadequate champion for fuch a purpose; his zeal for his country is expressed in furious declamations against its enemies, and in these declamations his merit, as a writer, seems chiefly to confift.

MISCELLANEOUS.

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VII. An Account of the Trial of Francis Delap, Efq; late provoft-marshal-general, upon an information for a mifdemeanour; at a fupreme court of judicature, held in the town of Kingston, in the island of Jamaica, June 18, 1755. 8vo. IS. Kinnersley.

The information brought March 11th, 1755. fets forth, that a writ was issued under the great seal, directed to Francis Delap, provoft*, &c. for an election of representatives for • the parish of Port-royal, in the ensuing general affembly; * that on the 2d of October, the governor, before the tefte and * return of that writ, did, by virtue of an instrument of writ⚫ing under his hand of that date, directed and delivered to the • faid Delap, fufpend him from being provoft-marshal; and ⚫ that the governor did appoint and impower Samuel Jobafon

to be provoft-marshal in his tead. That the faid Johnson was sworn on the 3d of October, and gave security to the • faid Delap, and in every respect was legally qualified.' And then charges, That the said Delap, maliciously contriving, • designing, and intending, to fubvert the government, and 'disturb the peace and tranquility of the island, and to pre⚫vent the due execution of the writ, did, on the 3d of October, • fecrete and detain the said writ, and refuse to deliver it to

the faid Johnson, then provost marshal; and that the faid

* The office of provost marshal, in that part of the world, Yeems to be analogous to the office of sheriff here..

• Delap

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• Delap did not, on the 4th of October, deliver up the said writ to the said John, tho' often required by the faid • Johnson, and altho' Delap knew him to be provost marshal at the time of such refusal.'-Of this mifdemenor Mr. Delap was convicted, and sentenced to pay a fine of 5001. and to be imprifoned a year and a day. This pamphlet seems to have been published by the friends of Mr. Delap, (with the pleadings of his council in his defence) in order to represent the prolecution as a party-business, carried on in a despotic and cruel manner: but the account here given does not look with a very impartial aspect.

VIII. The Chain of Fate; or public spirit preferred to private interest: being an history of the adventures and sufferings of a North-Briton, who was ruined by serving the public, but retrieved himself by industry. 8vo. Is. Gibson.

One J. Brenes, fome of whose publications have been noticed in former Reviews*, in this pamphlet relates his own history: he tells us, that after having, from a principle of public spirit, concerted, and, in a great measure, effected, the establishment of a corn-market at Perth, he was not only difappointed of the profits that might naturally be expected from so useful a scheme, but was also ruined by the contrivances of those who thought themselves interested in oppofing it. In consequence of this disappointment, he found himself under a necessity of leaving his native country, [Scotland) and repairing to London; Lo where he, at laft, under the favour of a humane gentleman, joined to his own industry, was enabled to disentangle himself from all incumbrances, and discharge his former obligations. The narrative is simple, and its author appears to be a thorough honest man, culpable, we imagine, in nothing more than an over-fondness for appearing in print, however disqualified for it in point of literature.

• See Reviews, Vol. IX. p. 315. and Vol. X. p. 313. IX. The Wife. By Mira, one of the authors of the Female Spectator, and Epistles for Ladies. 12mo. 3s. Gardner.

The title of this work may, perhaps, have induced some to imagine it of the novel-kind; it is, however, wholly perceptive, and intended to direct the conduct of wives; who are here advised to discard those fashionable follies, and subdue those dangerous paffions, that too often contribute to render the married state of all others the most unhappy. Mrs. Mira, tho' not a very spirited writer, in general, has painted some of the foibles of her sex in striking colours; but to anticipate the resentment she seems to apprehend from the freedoms she has so taken, she concludes this volume with 'promifing, that if any of them shall think her admonitions too strongly en. • forced, they will have their full revenge, when they read ' the duties she has enjoined a husband.'-These last are to be the subject of another publication, faid to be now in the prefs.

A Brief

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X. A brief History of the Kings of England, particularly those of the royal house of Stuart, of blesfod memory. 8vo. IS. M.Hunt.

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It hath been a custom,' says the author, among our flattering priefts, upon mention of deceased princes, to ufe the • expression of blessed memory; and so, I believe, have used it • fince William the bastard of Normandy over ran this kingdom." This, he adds, prompted him to search the lives of all our kings fince the faid bastard, to find if any of them had deserved that reverend remembrance.' The result of his enquiry is, that all our kings, except Edward V. and Edward VI. have indeed left behind them BLESSED MEMORIES in an ironical sense only. He is particularly fevere on the Stuarts. By the obsolete style, we have been led to suspect this to be an old tract reprinted: tho', possibly, this may be only a studied disguise. * These two princes are spared on account of their infancy.

XI. Two Letters to a friend on the present critical conjuncture of affairs in North-America. 8vo. Is. Jefferys. Reprinted from the New England edition.

The first of these letters gives an account of Braddock's defeat, and is only a new edition of the 23d article in our Catalogue for October last; the second letter represents the vast importance of the repulse of the French army at Lake-George; and includes a circumstantial detail of that action, with some particulars not mentioned in our news-papers.

NOVELS.

XII. Memoirs of an Oxford Scholar. Written by himself. 12mo. 3s. Reeve. See below.

XIII. The History of Charlotte Villars. A narrative founded on truth. 12mo. 3s. Crowder. See below.

XIV. The accomplished Rake; or, modern fine gentleman. 12mo. 3s. Noble. See below.

XV. The History of Barbaroffa and Polyana. 12mo.3s.Crowder. In October-Review we took notice of the earner novels produced this season. We could not greatly praise what we then tafted, and of this fecond crop, we have only to say, that we admire it as little as we did the firft.

XVI. The Tell-tale: or, anecdotes, &c. collected from the best authors and best companions, for the improvement of youth in converfation. 12mo. 2 vols. 4s. Baldwin.

* A new collection of old jests and stories, ferious and comic; with the addition of a confiderable number of new ones; several of which my do fome credit to the editor.

XVII. An earnest Exposition of that important and interefting portion of the revelations of St. John, (especially to the present age) concerning the prophecy, death, refurrection, and ascension of the witnesses. Shewing that these kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland shall never more fall into the hands

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of papifts. By Allen Crosby. 4to. 6d. Lewis.;

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