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Monf. de Mirabeau expreffes his furprize, that the English fhould have paffed fo rapidly from the most abfurd incredu lity, and the moft inexplicable indifference on this subject, to an unexampled enthufiafm for the most ignorant pretenders.' It has indeed roused the indignation of many, and we have expreffed our's in very ftrong terms, that Mr. Lunardi, for having afcended in a balloon badly made, and indifferently filled, which would scarcely have lifted him, if he had not discharged all his apparatus, and changed his gallery, should have received greater honours than Cook ever experienced.' Blanchard, the rival of Lunardi, in his popularity, has not, in our author's opinion, higher pretenfions to the honours heaped on him. The count's complaifance attributes the contempt of the English philofophers to the indignation felt, on feeing a plan, which fhould have been improved by filence and attention, transformed into a fascinating and childish spectacle.'-May we be allowed to add, that fome part of their inattention arofe from having forefeen difficulties, in their nature infurmountable, which would probably prevent the fcheme from being applied to any useful purpose.

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The duke's memoir contains a fhort history of the different aerostatic globes, and the means of procuring the inflammable air defigned to fill them. He explains too, the proposal of that very intelligent academician, monf. Meunier. His balloon contains a little one filled with common air; so that, in the higher regions, when the inflammable air expands, it expels the atmospheric air, which adapts the balloon to that ftate of the atmosphere into which it has arifen, and prevents the efcape of the more precious fluid. The common air is to be again fupplied, when neceffary, with a pair of bellows in the gallery. We strongly fufpect that this plan is, at present, theoretical but the objections which we perceive to it are not infurmountable; and it is probable that the machine may, in this way, be rendered more permanent. Perhaps the power of directing it is ftill wanting. The difficulties which we mentioned to this improvement, fuggefted themfelves alfo to the duke, and he is at laft reduced to the following expedient. As we know, fays he, that at different heights, the currents of air move in different directions, and, as we can raise or lower the machine at pleasure, we must search for these currents which are favourable to our courfe. This is indeed a precarious plan; but, in reality, our power over the height of the machine will limit the experiment, as we do not find that it can be exerted but at the expence of the materials. It seems not to have occurred to Monf. Meunier, the author of the above improvement, that, fo soon as his common air is once

ex.

exhausted, it must be fupplied from that rarefied ftratum in which the balloon is, and confequently cannot contribute to fink it. We must then have recourfe to, we fear, a weak expedient, the oar, or to the discharge of the ballait; in either way, the expedition must be foon at an end. The ufes of balloons, defcribed by the duke, are nearly the fame as those which we have formerly mentioned. The fteadiness of this machine cannot be fufficiently great, to take any good aftronomical obfervation by its means; and we want not its affiftance to draw the plan of a country.

We fear that the greater part of this work is fplendid but delufive, plaufible but erroneous. Time, and time only, will draw off the veil, which different causes have spread over the political part of the fubject: the philofophical will perhaps yield to the next fashion, which ftrongly engages the ima gination.

Confiderations on the Order of Cincinnatus; to which are added, as well feveral original Papers relative to that Inftitution, as alfo a Letter from the late M. Turgot, Comptroller of the Fimances in France, to Dr. Price, on the Conftitutions of America; and an Abstract of Dr. Price's Obfervations on the Importance of the American Revolution; with Notes and Reflections upon that Work. Tranflated from the French of the Count de Mirabeau. 8vo. 45. ferved. Johnfon.

WE have given a general account of the work in the pre

ceding article, and our present bufinefs is chiefly to examine the tranflation; for the additions are very inconfiderable: we have observed only two fhort notes which the tranflator claims as his own. From the comparison which we have been enabled to make, we cannot object to the fidelity of the tranflation; but we fometimes perceive an affe&ed ornament, not warranted by the original. The language of the count, relating to the new order, is animated and indignant, though clear and precife: the tranflator frequently foars above him; and fometimes feems to be loft in the clouds into which he is raised. The most frequent fault, however, is want of neatnefs and fimplicity; but it does not very often occur.

In our former article we have given a little specimen of the author's defire to bring back the age of innocence and feclufion; that each man may drink of his own wine under the tree which has produced it. With the deftruction of commerce, public debts are alfo to be paid. In this manner he addresses the Americans; and we shall select the following pa

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ragraphs as a fpecimen of his obfervations, and of the tranf lator's execution.

To speak without referve. I cannot approve the arithmetical fpirit which reigns throughout the chapter upon public debts. One reads of nothing but of millions, and of the means of increafing them; of growing intereft; of a produce, which in a few years doubles its capital, triples it, multiplies it to a degree which I had rather admit without inveftigation, than pore over the difgufting calculation

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Why this dazzling display of gold before the eyes of the fons of freedom, and the cultivators of a land favoured by heaven? What avail the means, whether real or imaginary, of becoming rich and corrupted, where the only object to be pursued, is to establish the reign of virtue and happiness ? Your debt, my friends, amounts to nine millions. Pay it quietly, gradually, without any extraordinary effort, by judicious contributions levied upon the land-owners; deny yourfelves, for a time, fome of the comforts of life. That facrifice will be the price of your liberty: can it then be burthenfome to your brave and generous minds? Let every public fervice be difcharged by yourfelves; let the contribution diminish in proportion as the debt is difcharged; and let the funds which the confederation will no longer ftand in need of, be applied in the cultivation of your fruitful foil, which will pour into your hands thofe pure treasures, for which you will have only Providence to thank.

It is, alas, next to impoffible, for the moft juft and enlightened understandings, to keep entirely clear of the prejuIdices which furround them. It is from England that you are addreffed; it is from England that you are advised to establish a permanent credit, and to form a continental patrimony for

the United States.'

The Book of Seven Chapters. Containing a New Syftem of National Policy. With a Poftfcript on Parliamentary Elocution, and an Utopian Scheme for the Confideration of the Rev. Mr. Wyvill. 8vo. 35. ferved. Baldwin.

SUCH is the multiplicity of fubjects in this little volume, that

it would be tedious to enumerate the particulars. The author therefore has treated them with proportionable brevity, and in general, likewife, with force of argument. In regard to political principles he is no lefs commendable than for the apparent zeal which he difcovers in favour of the national interelts. He is every where an enemy to ministerial difingenuity, as

well

well as corruption; and though neither his opinions nor ar guments have any title to novelty, they are, for the most part, not only well felected for the purpose of illuftration, but are calculated for establishing juft ideas refpecting objects of importance to the public.

We fhall lay before our readers this author's fentiments on taxation, remarking only that the fame principles, and even obfervations, have been frequently made by other writers.

The proper objects of taxation in every state are avarice, pride, vanity, fashion, folly, caprice, pleasure, indulgence, fuperfluities, and fuperabundance. Thefe, in a kingdom abounding with affluent individuals, afford an ample field for taxation; and, where extreme taxation is become unavoidable, until these fources are exhausted, the neceffaries of life should remain untouched. The idea, that they are not productive, is falfe. I am very certain that under proper management they would prove more certainly efficient, and much lefs liable to evafion, than taxes on neceffaries. If this be doubted, let them be fucceffively tried as fuperfluous taxes, and remain unappropriated until the product of each be determined let them then, in fucceffion, fupercede the tax on leather, on candles, on foap, and many other old taxes, which were impofed by minifters who in raising money loft fight of every confideration, except that of producing the fum required.'

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All taxes on raw materials, in a manufacturing country, are wonderfully abfurd. Taxes on land or water carriage are no less prepofterous. But one of the most oppreffive taxes on manufacturing towns, is that which was defigned for their relief, and from which government reaps no advantage. I mean the enormous affeffment of two millions per annum for the maintenance of the poor; a tax on the induftrious for the fupport of idleness; a mistaken, mifapplied charity, which renders every manufacturer a spendthrift. Depending for subfiftence on the relief which he has a right to demand from the parish, he is careless of futurity, and never dreams of accumulating the fmalleft fum for himfelf or family, in cafe of ficknefs, decrepitude, or want of employment. The legiflature hath fo effectually provided for his neceflities, that he thinks it useless to take any care of himself.

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To those who have beftowed but a curfory attention on this fubject, it must appear very extraordinary, that in our moft flourishing manufacturing towns, where the induftrious poor are best paid, and moft conftantly employed, the rates for the fupport of indigence fhould be most oppreffive. But the enigma is eafily folved, when we confider, that the bene

volence

volence of the legislature hath made it unneceffary for the poor to provide against future distress.

From the manufacturers of woollen cloth in the weft riding of Yorkshire, we learn, that, when corn is cheap, they frequently find a difficulty in executing their orders from abroad; for the spinners, who make it a rule to earn no more money than is fufficient to fupply their neceffities, will labour four, five, or fix days in the week, according to the price of provifions.

The manufacturers at Norwich, Leeds, Hallifax, Sheffield, and Manchester, tell us, that their best hands conftantly make Monday a holiday, and by thofe of Birmingham, I am affured, that the generality of their people feldom fettle to work until Wednesday morning. Here then is a loss to the nation and to the workmen themselves, of one-third of what ought to be the entire produce of their labour. This loss to the nation amounts to a very large fum. But the lofs to each individual workman is proportionably much greater; for, to the lofs of two days wages in every week, we must add the money spent in liquor during these two idle days, which may be fairly estimated at the earnings of one day, at the very leaft: fo that there remains, for the fupport of himself and family, exactly one half of what he would earn if he could be fatisfied with one day in feven for relaxation and amufe. ment. But this habitual diffipation is productive of a ftill greater injury to the community; it impairs his ftrength, diminishes his years of utility, and brings him prematurely on the parish, without a fingle farthing in ftore for the fupport of his wife and children.

'Let us now suppose that every labouring manufacturer, in full employment, were compelled by a general law to leave, in the hands of his employer, the wages of one day in every week, to be appropriated to the maintenance of difabled or fuperannuated workmen and their families. Let thefe fums bet paid weekly to a receiver-general of every parish. Would there be any thing inequitable or unjust in fuch a law? Would it not, on the contrary, relieve many of the inhabitants of manufacturing towns from a very heavy and a very inequitable tax? Would it not, by eafing thefe towns of enormous poor. rates, enable them to lower the prices of their goods? and would it not finally prolong the lives of many useful individuals, and render them much more valuable members of fociety?'

The author of this fmall volume may be compared to an induftrious bee, that collects the fweets of various flowers to VOL. LX. Aug. 1785.

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