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are many politicians among our public-fpirited countrymen, who are no ftudents, it is for their ufe, as we apprehend, for there is no kind of introduction prefixed, that this detached portion of the Spirit of Laws is tranflated and published.

Art. 15. An Addrefs from the Committee of Affociation of the County of York, to the Electors of Great Britain. To which are prefixed, the Refolutions of that Committee, at their Meetings held on the 3d and 4th of January 1781. 4to. 6d. Almon,

&c.

In this ferious, nervous, well-written Addrefs, after a free, proper, and manly expofition of their views of political reformation, and their motives of pubic conduct, the Yorkshire Committee express their hope, that the other counties, cities, and boroughs, who concur in the fame fentiments, will co-operate with the intended general Deputation, by appointing Deputies, with power to fupport, in that affembly [Parliament] fuch propofitions of reform as they may respectively approve.'- he great leading propofition here. recommended, is an Application for obtaining at leaft 100 additional County Members,-and for fhortening the duration of Parliaments to a term not exceeding three years.'

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Art. 16. A Philippic on the Opposition; addreffed to the Electors of Great Britain. By a Freeholder of Middlefex. 8vo. I s. 6d. Taylor in Holborne. 1781. Confifts, chiefly, of the common, fpecious, declamation against the leaders of our Political Oppofition; but the Author, though not equal to a Lind, or a Macpherson, is not one of the meaneft of the prefent fet of Miniflerial Writers.

Art. 17. Speech of the Earl of Buchan, intended to have been delivered at the Meeting of the Peers of Scotland, for the General Election of their Reprefentatives, October 17, 1780. In which his Lordship propofes a Plan for the better Regulation of the Peerage of Scotland. To which are added, fome Papers in Illuftration of the Subject. 4to. 2 s. 6d. Edinburgh printed. Sold by Almon in London. 1780.

The circular letter of the Earl of Buchan to the peers of Scotland, previous to the laft general election, was printed in all the public news-papers; and is here reprinted in the Dedication of this Speech to his Lordship's brother, Counfellor Erfkine, In this letter his Lordship endeavoured to infpire his brother peers with his own fentiments concerning the degradation of the Scottish peerage; which being admitted into the British Houfe of Peers only by elective representation, that reprefentation was guided by circular reprefenta tions from the Secretary of State. The idea he then threw out in confequence of this difagreeable and indecent fituation in which the peers electors in Scotland are at prefent,' was, that an addrefs should be prefented by them to the legislative body of the three Eftates in Parliament, that the fixteen reprefentatives might hereafter be chofen by rotation.

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Adminiftration hath lately fuftained a great lofs by the death of very able advocate.

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It is not unfrequent, that thofe political regulations which appear the most wife, fair, and equitable, on paper, prove the most oppofite to these specious appearances when reduced to practice; and Lord Buchan feemed aware of the objection, that by this means improper perfons might be introduced into the Houfe of Lords. Whether his reply to this anticipated objection, that the peers of Scotland are at leaft upon a footing of equality with the hereditary peers of England, as to birth and education, the two external advantages which infpire noble and liberal fentiments,' will be deemed in this inftance full and conclufive, mufl be left to the confideration of that great affembly, if the question fhould come before them.

In this intended fpeech, his Lordship purfues the fame ideas, and gives an hiftorical view of the peerage of Scotland, from which he deduces, that at the union of the kingdoms, in the year 1707, the number of the Scotch peers on the rolls of Parliament, amounted to 153. That number, from the circumftances above mentioned *, has diminished to 88; and upon an average, fince the Union, every two years have feen the lofs of a peerage by the failure of heirs. If to this expectation we add the coalition of peerages by marriage, by fucceffion of collaterals, having other peerages, the poffibility of new attainders, and the probability of many of them being united to Britifh peerages; the number of the Scotch peerage, not having feats in the British Parliament, muft, in little more than half a century, fall confiderably short of double the number of the 16 representatives.'

To this fpeech are fubjoined, lifts of the peers of Scotland at different periods of time, from the year 1597; with extracts from the orders of the British and Irish Houfes of Lords, prescribing the rules for afcertaining the defcents of peers.

Art. 18. The Old Funds fufficient for a New Loan: or, a Propofal for raifing the Supplies of the current Year by lowering the Legal Interest of Money, and taxing the Funds. 8vo. 1 S. White. 1781.

After tracing the gradual reduction of intereft, from ten to five per cent. and infifting on the burdens laid upon landholders, from which money-holders are exempt; the Author thus propofes his plan of ftriking an average between them: In the prefent emergency, when large fupplies must be raised, and most other refources are exhausted, and the land is burdened beyond an equal proportion; can it be improper to try what may be effected by a reduction of the national intereft? By way of experiment, let us fuppofe it reduced to four per cent. what will be the confequences? Why, the poffeffors of money lent upon mortgages or bonds, who now generally receive five per cent. or near it, for intereft, will have their income diminished a fifth or fixth part; and the value of land will increase in the fame proportion, but ftill fall a fifteenth or twentieth below its value in peace, on account of the extraordinary taxes and ceffes already mentioned. On the other hand, the flocks will rife a fourth part, fo that

After 73 years have elapfed fince the Union, the failure of 38 peerages through want of heirs, and the lofs of 25 by attainders.' Alterations of fucceffion not upon record, and the originals loft or defroyed.

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the Three per cents confolidated, which are now fold at fixty or near it, will fetch feventy-five; because, if 1. be the intereft of 100 1. 31. will be the intereft of 75 1.-In all faleable commodities, whether land, moveables, or money, whatever inequalities arife, an average in the multiplicity of transfers foon fettles among them all; and while rents are fo generally advancing every where, complaints of the depreciation of land, under all its burdens, appear to be ill founded. The quantity of money in circulation will, as in all other articles, regulate its price; fo that when it will bear no more than four per cent. no arguments for or against the measure will either accelerate or retard it.'

The Writer proceeds- But this is an advance of capital, which the flockholders are by no means intitled to, and for which they ought therefore to make a proper compenfation to the Public. Let this be done by a tax of three fhillings in the pound upon all the intereft of flock. For though a tax of four fhillings in the pound would be requifite to balance exactly the fall of national intereft, and the confequent rife of flock; yet I propofe to take only three fhillings, as the capital of a ftockholder is not fixed and permanent like that of a mortgagee, and may happen for a time to fink below the level proportional to the new impofition. If any think this an unfair advantage given to ftockholders, yet no ill can en fue from making the experiment for one year at this fum, and afterwards advancing to four fhillings, if the flocks fhall appear able to pay it upon the principle of equality.'

It is upon the produce of this tax, with the advantages of money being reduced to four per cent. that the Author propofes to raise the current fupplies for the year. But to make the increased price of ftock, under a reduction of legal intereft, a plea for taxing the funds, is a palpable act of injuftice. The prefent fet of stockholders, when intereft fhould be reduced, might certainly gain by an advance on the flock in hand, and with them the advantage would ceafe; for the first fale would fettle the average price it was worth; as the buyers at the rate of 4 per cent. would pay the full value at which stock would remain, fubject to the ufual fluctuations. But to impofe a perpetual burden on all future ftockholders, merely to reduce the profit of the first fet who fell out, is a refinement in policy the equality of which is not readily apprehended, notwithstanding the objections ftated and answered by the propofer. It is to be hoped the new loan refts on a more mature fyftem of equalization.

POETICAL.

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Faulder.

Art. 19. An Heroic Epifle to the Rev. Martin M-dAuthor of a late Treatife on Polygamy. 4to. I S. 1780. This piece is written profeffedly in imitation of M'Gregor's; and, in fome parts of it, with tolerable fuccefs. The Author hath given a ludicrous turn to fome of Mr. Madan's very ferious politions; and well parodied that most pathetic exclamation, quoted in our October Review, in which the reverend Polygamist pities the bondage of modern hufbands in Chriftian countries, who must grind (poor men !) in mola afinaria during life.'

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Thro

Thro' Britain's realms can any wretch be found,
Grinding (poor afs!) his mill's eternal round;
How dull foe'er, who would not wish to try
To footh his ills with dear variety?

Tho' all were bad, when various help-mates teize,
A change of torment is a kind of eafe.

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Ye hufbands, roufe!-nor let me ftrive in vain
To add fome links to lengthen Hymen's chain.
Since to be married's better than to burn,"
When tied, at least you should have room to turn.
Let parfons rave-we know what means their fufs,
Thofe craftsmen of the fhrines of Ephesus!
We'll teach the State, unaw'd by empty found,
To fell their great Diana" to the ground.

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Then thou, great feer (with whom my verfe began),
Shalt fee fulfilled thy patriotic plan.

What triumphs, Martin, then fhall crown thy fame,
Thou fecond bold reformer of the name!

A bronze Coloffus, modell'd from thy face,
Where fam'd Moor-Fields extend their ample space,
To endless time, unhurt by tempefts rude,

Shall speak a happy people's gratitude.'

This little poem is illuftrated by Notes, chiefly confifling of quotations from Thelyphthora. The Author hath felected fome of the most exceptionable paffages, the better to excufe his own want of decency; and feems to think-(how juftly we leave our Readers to determine) that if a grave preacher may be indelicate in earnest, a gay poet may be fo in jeft.

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Art. 20. Anti-Thelyphthora. A Tale in Verfe. 4to. I S. Johnfon. 1781.

The heroes of this little tale are) Reader, pull off thy hat! the Rev. Martin Madan, and put on thy hat again-the Monthly Reviewer! These redoubted champions enter the lifts in quality of knights; each having his mistress, but neither of them provided with an efquire to gird on his buckler, lead forth his Rofinante, or hold the ftirrup. This is a fad defect in a chivalrous poem; and the Author might as well have left the knight's here, as his efquire, at home. And, moreover, we think it is a flight on 'fquire Dodfley and 'fquire Griffiths to have been totally omitted in the Tale of their own knights; when it is evident that they attended them to the field, and at least held the ftirrup, if they did not draw the fword.

But let us be ferious-though it is impoffible to help fmiling at the idea of a Reviewer's becoming a knight-unless a Knight of the Poft, in the prefent dearth of letters!We must do our Poet the juftice to acknowledge, that his Tale is the offspring of an elegant fancy, and we are much obliged to him for the compliment he hath paid our theological affociate. We are linked together by very close bands, and are mutually affected by the applaufe or cenfure of any member of our corps: fo much fo, that in our merry moments, when we are fmoking our focial pipes together in the cloud-capt" garret, we

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have merrily compared ourfelves to the fpider, which feels in the centre the flightest touch at the extremity.

The argument of the Tale may be comprized in a few words. Mr. Madan is dubbed knight of Airy-Cattle [Airy del Caftro], and like another Quixote contends for another Dulcinea-a metaphyficotheologico-political mistress:

In Fairy land was born the matchless dame,
The land of dreams, HYPOTHESIS her name.
There Fancy nurs'd her in ideal bow'rs,
And laid her foft in amaranthine flow'rs;
Delighted with her babe, th' enchantress smil'd,
And grac'd with all her gifts the fav'rite child.
Sir Airy woo'd her by meand`ring streams,
In daily mufings, and in nightly dreams:

With all the flow'rs he found, he wove in hafte
Wreaths for her brow, and girdles for her waist.'

This fair, but fickle dame, who had captivated and deceived many a fond and foolish admirer, at length attracted the eye and gained the heart of Sir Airy-that mirror of knighthood and fainthood too!He efpoufes her-in his own way-in other words—à la Madan.

• Small need of pray 'r-books or of priest, I ween,
Where parties are agreed, retir'd the fcene,
Occafion prompt, and appetite fo keen.'

Having HUMBLED the lady, an alarm is fpread :

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Fear feiz'd the trembling fex; in every grove
They wept the wrongs of honourable love.
In vain, they cried, are hymeneal rites,
Vain our delufive hope of conftant knights:
The marriage bond has loft its pow'r to bind,
And flutters loofe, the fport of every wind!'

The alarm roufed the valour of many a worthy knight, all prompt to deeds of hardihood:

T'affert the charter of the chalte and fair,

Find out the treach'rous heart, and plant a dagger there.' The hero who firft enters the lifts, and, by the account of our complaifant Poet, leaves little room for others to difplay their prowess, is our Brother Reviewer

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Knight of the Silver Moon, Sir Marmadan,
This votary of chafte Diana-

But we must not repeat our own praife; for, notwithstanding we have been called impudent, and faucy, and magisterial, and all that, yet we are verily fo modeft that we fhould bluth to repeat all that hath been faid about us. We shall only add, that we, that is, Sir Marmadan, the Reviewer,

Rush'd with a whirlwind's fury on the foe,
And, Phineas like, transfix'd them at a blow.'

• Transfix'd them :-i. e. Sir Airy and Dame Hypo :-fpitted like two fparrows!-By Dian's quiver-an excellent ftroke!

Art.

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