India Planter." By the Rev. James Ramfay, A. M. 8vo. 9d. Phillips. 1788.

In our Review for February last, p. 161, we noticed the 'Confiderations, &c.' to which Mr. R. has here given an answer. We then expreffed our apprehenfion, that on political ground, the arguments of the confiderer might prove invincible. Mr. Ramfay, however, has convinced us, that many of the objections to an abolition of the flave trade, as stated in that publication, and in others, are not unanswerable. We always wifhed to fee the fubject thoroughly difcuffed by perfons who have been made mafters of it by experience; and we now rejoice to fee the inquiry in fuch a train of investigation, as leaves little room to doubt of its being at length generally and fully understood, even in this country. As to Mr. R.'s glances at the M. R. he is welcome to glance on, till, if poffible, his vindictive and perturbed fpirit fhall have had enough, and be inclined to rest. We till think him, on the whole, a refpectable character, and we are fincere well-wishers to the cause in which he is fo zealously and daudably engaged.

Art. 22. Efay on the Slavery and Commerce of the Human Species, particularly the African. By Mr. Clarkfon. 2d Edit. 35. Boards. Phillips. 1788.

In our 75th vol. p. 364. we gave an account of the first edition of this valuable effay. The author has now revifed and confiderably enlarged his work, particularly by the addition of two chapters, containing a history of the African Negro Trade, as it fubfifts at this time, and in which are many anecdotes that give us much information on the subject; though it must be confeffed they at the fame time will greatly hurt the feelings of every humane and benevolent reader. We are glad to find, that an Effay on the Impolicy of the Slave Trade, by the fame author, is in the prefs. Art. 23. Some Hiftorical Account of Guinea, its Situation, Produce, and the General Difpofition of its Inhabitants; with an Inquiry into the Rife and Progrefs of the Slave Trade. By Anthony Benezet. A new Edition. 8vo. 2s. Boards. Phillips. 1788.

The first English edition of Mr. Benezet's publication was briefly noticed, with fome commendations, in our 47th vol. p. 73. An account of the worthy author is here prefixed. He died at Philadelphia, in 1784.

Art. 24. An Account of the Slave Trade on the Coat of Africa. By Alexander Falconbridge, late Surgeon in the African Trade. 8vo. 9d. Phillips. 1788.

Mr. F. gives an account of the fufferings which the unhappy objects of the flave trade undergo, and the dreadful cruelties to which they are ufually expofed, from the period of their being reduced to a state of flavery, to their being fold in the Weft India Islands. It is a horrid detail, abounding with anecdotes fufficient to make his readers conclude, that the Europeans who carry on this infernal trade are devils, and not human beings. He alfo enumerates the Sufferings and ftates the lofs of the feamen employed in this odious commerce; of which those who are unacquainted with the circumstances, can have no conception.

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Art.

Art. 25. Letter to the Treasurer of the Society instituted for the Purpofe of effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade. From the Rev. Robert Boucher Nickolls, Dean of Middleham. A new Edit. 8vo. 4d. Phillips. 1788.

The first edition of this well defigned tract, was heartily recommended in our Review for January laft, p. 65. Confiderable additions are now made to it. We cannot too much applaud the humane and generous fentiments of a writer, who, in the honeft warmth of his heart, can scarce mention the word flavery, without expreffing his abhorrence of the idea in terms of the highest energy. My heart,' fays he, detefts it as the gates of hell.' This is a good old Monthly Review fentiment. Were there now in our cellar as many dozen of found port, as we have toafted, in the courfe of our literary existence, To the liberties of mankind,' it would not be ill stored. Art. 26. Scriptural Refearches on the Licitnefs of the Slave Trade, fhewing its Conformity with the Principles of Natural and Revealed Religion, delineated in the facred Writings of the Word of God. By the Rev. R. Harris. 8vo. Is. 6d. Lowndes. 1788. The reverend author undertakes to prove, from the bible, the lawfulness and rectitude of flavery, and the flave trade; and he has been very industrious in felecting fuch parts of the fcriptures, as he deems fufficient to establish his hypothefis. He appears to be a very pious and well-meaning man; and, though an advocate for slavery, not a friend to violence and oppreffion,' nor willing to countenance the least encroachment on the rights of virtue.' As therefore his publication may ferve to confound and perplex fome of those who are laudably aiming at the abolition of the negro trade, and as he may in fome inftances have mifconftrued the facred writings, we think it should be exprefly answered; and we would recommend this neceflary task to Mr. Ramfay, or Mr. Clarkson, who have fo ably exerted their abilities on the oppofite fide of the general question.

LAW.

Art. 27. The King on the Profecution of R. B. Remmet, Doctor of Phyfic, against A. Archer, Efq. The whole of the Arguments made ufe of in the King's Bench, for and against the Defendant, in Michaelmas Term laft, when Sentence was pronounced on him. Alfo the Affidavits read on the Part of the Profecutor, and those not permitted to be exhibited on the Part of the Defendant. Taken in Short-hand by J. Gurney. Folio. 2s. Law, &c. 1788. Dr. Remmet of Plymouth profecuted Mr. Archer for a perfonal affault, and blows given. The public are here entertained with the pleadings of Meffrs. Erfkine, Bearcroft, Lawrence, &c. on this occafion. The fentence, by Mr. Justice Afhhurst, is likewife given, viz. three months imprisonment, with fureties for good behaviour for feven years. Thofe who may think this punishment not a very heavy one, will naturally infer, that the provocation given to the defendant, before the affault, was duly attended to by the court: but this is a point concerning which we have no information.

To the account of the proceedings in court, the Editor has added a number of affidavits, by perfons of the beft credit, in favour of Mr.

Mr. A.'s character, all uniting in the ftrongest teftimony, to his being a gentleman of humanity, ftrict honour, and peaceable difpofition: but these were not, it feems, read in court.

Art. 28. A Letter to a Proprietor of a Fishery in the River Thames. In which an Attempt is made to fhew in whom the Right of fishing in public Streams now refides. To which is added, an Appendix of adjudged Cafes, and other Documents. 8vo. I 5 Whieldon. 1787.

It appears from this pamphlet, that the proprietors of the fisheries in the Thames have been oppofing the right of public fishing; and that an affociation of gentlemen being formed, they held a meeting at Henley, for the purpofe of fupporting the public privilege of fishing, and for fuppreffing the prefent fhameful and illicit practice of taking fish out of feason, and with unlawful nets.'

The Writer of this Letter, who figns himself H. H. *, and feems to be learned in the law, vindicates the proprietors of the fisheries. He brings many authorities, and ufes much ingenious reafoning, in fupport of his opinion, That as well in rivers made navigable by artificial means, as in private ftreams, the right to the fisheries is generally vefted by our common law in the owners of the lands adjacent: That in rivers naturally navigable, although the right to the fisheries is in the public at large, or is " a privilege common to all,” yet even in these, and alfo in arms of the fea, fuch right is capable of being appropriated.' The Cafes, &c. ferve to confirm the Author's doctrine.

EAST INDIES.

Art. 29. Impartial Reflections on the Proceedings of Government, and of the Court of Directors, refpecting the four Regiments raifing for the Service in the East Indies. Svo. 1 s. 6d. Morgan. 1788. Art. 30. Review of the Contest concerning the four Regiments, &c. 8vo. I s. 6d. Sewell. 1788.

Art. 31. A hafty Sketch of the Conduct of the Commiffioners for the Affairs of India, with a concife State of the Cafe relative to the four Regiments, &c. 8vo. 6d. Debrett, &c. 1788.

The difpute on the above-mentioned fubject, between the two great adminiftrations of this country, that of the fupreme govern ment at large, and that of the Eaft India Company in particular, being (as we understand) happily accommodated, to the fatisfaction of all parties, nothing more is necefiary for us, in mentioning the three foregoing tracts, than merely to obferve, that all of them ap, peared in fupport of the Company's claims. The matter of right, indeed, as well as of reafon, feems to have been all on that fide; and it is to the credit of Government that it has known when and where to make the proper and becoming conceffions. Art. 32. A Comparative Statement of the two Bills for the better Government of the British Poffeffions in India, brought into Parliament by Mr. Fox and Mr. Pitt; with explanatory Obfervations. By R. B. Sheridan, Efq. 4to. Is. 6d. Debrett, and Becket.. 1788. The title-page having told our Readers that this publication has Mr. Sheridan for its author, nothing more will appear neceffary to Henry Hodgson, in the advertisements.

recommend

recommend it to their attention. They will, in course, expect an acute investigation of the subject; and in perufing it they will not be disappointed.

The Author obferves, in his preliminary addrefs to J

M

Efq. -, Staffordshire, that, with refpect to Mr. Fox's bill, there never was a legislative measure fo little examined, fo generally misunderstood, and fo confidently mifreprefented.'

Mr. Pitt's bill he confiders as bearing no refemblance to that of Mr. Fox, in any circumftance, excepting only the little ceremony with which they both treated the character of the Company.'

The profeffed object of the two bills, indeed, was the fame, viz, "to relieve the natives of the British poffeffions in India from the many evils which they had experienced under the dominion of, or in confequence of their connexion with, the government of the Company of the United Merchants trading to the East Indies."

How far either bill was beft calculated to produce the proposed good effects, without injury to the Company, or to the dignity and prerogatives of the crown, is the great defign of this well-exhibited Comparative View; which, fays the very ingenious Author, was written in the Houfe of Commons, during the debate, from feeling it, I confefs, a teazing circumftance to hear gentlemen of the most refpectable abilities, day after day, arguing upon, and drawing parallels between the provifions of the two bills, upon which, it is perfectly obvious, they had not condefcended to bestow any very minute degree of attention; and conceiving it to be no very difficult talk to reduce the difcuffion to a plain and concife statement of facts.'- And fuch, we apprehend, is the prefent publication: but we have neither leifure, room, nor inclination for particulars. Art. 33. Major Scott's Speech in the House of Commons, March 17th, 1788, on the Declaratory Bill. 8vo. 1s. Stockdale.

Major Scott appears to have given the Houfe much important information concerning the expediency of fending reinforcements of European forces to Bengal, and refpecting the much-agitated queftion in regard to the appointment of the officers of the four regiments then preparing for embarkation.

Art. 34. A Letter to the Right Hon. Ch. J. Fox, on the late Debates on the Declaratory Bill, in Parliament and in Leadenhall-ftreet, By an India Proprietor. 8vo. Is. 6d. Stockdale.

The Writer of this Letter, we are perfuaded, is well-informed with refpect to his fubject; and his obfervations and arguments are clothed in good language. He takes a comparative view of Mr. Fox's famous India bill, which mifcarried in 1783, and of that which Mr. Pitt fuccefsfully brought forward in 1784; he states the ill confequences that muft naturally have followed the one, in oppofition to the good effects that have actually been produced from the other; he ftrikes a clear and very large balance in favour of the lateer; and he concludes, that the charter of the Company must be renewed.' Some perfonal reflections, or allufions, we have obferved; and we think the Author's reasoning is not in any degree affifted by them.

Mr. HASTINGS.

Art. 35. The Trial of Warren Haftings, Efq. before the Court of Peers in Westminster-hall, on an Impeachment delivered at the Bar of the House of Lords, against the faid Warren Haftings, by the Commons of Great Britain in Parliament assembled. Part I. 8vo. 3s. 6d. fewed. Ridgway. 1788.

The Editor has exhibited a diftinct view and arrangement of the principal points of accufation urged against the late Governor General of Bengal, by Meffrs. Burke, Fox, and Gray, Members of the Committee of Managers appointed by the House of Commons to make good the charges they had exhibited against Mr. Haftings. The fpeeches of thele gentlemen are here neceffarily abbreviated; for to have given them at length would have required a folio. The fubftance is preferved, which by moft readers will be deemed fuffi→ cient. The forms of the proceedings in the HIGH COURT, and the examinations of the Evidence, are likewife here included, to the time of the adjournment of the Court, February 29th, to the 10th of April; where the fecond part of our Author's epitome will in courfe commence. Dreadful is the charge; but we wait the

anfwers.

Art. 36. The Form of Trial of Commoners, in Cafes of Impeachment for high Crimes and Misdemeanors, as established by the Peers of Great Britain; illuftrated with an accurate View of the Building erected in Weftminster Hall for the Trial. To which is annexed, an authentic Narrative of the Conduct of Mr. Haftings; a correct Statement of his Impeachment; and the Procefs of the Trial. Folio. 3s. Forbes. 1788.

The first part of this publication is a brief account how trials by impeachment are conducted. The fecond gives an abridgment of Mr. Haftings's trial, from its commencement to Feb. 29. The view of the building in Westminster Hall is a ground plan of the court, in letter-prefs, and not a view of it, as expreffed in the title-page.

POLITICA L.

Art. 37. The Claim of the American Loyalifts reviewed and maintained upon incontrovertible Principles of Law and Justice. 8vo. 35. fewed. Wilkie. 1788.

The Writers of this performance fhew the juftice of the claim made by the Loyalifts, from the ufage of nations, and the fundamental laws of civil fociety, from precedent, and from the promises and declarations of his Majefty, his Minifters, and the Parliament.

The cafe of the Loyalifts is briefly ftated; the difficulties under which they at prefent labour are enumerated; and they are fuch as would certainly demand a speedy and adequate relief, from motives of humanity only; but they feem yet more intitled to it, when it is confidered, that they facrificed their property in the caufe of the British nation, and that they are reduced to their prefent diftressful circumstances by their fteady attachment to the government under which they lived, and to which they looked up for protection, while, at their utmost peril, they were afferting its rights.-This pamphlet is well drawn up, and is in every refpect worthy of public attention.

Art.