of Bath and Wells, the diocefan; and Dr. Mofs, the chancellor, though they at first entertained a favourable opinion of Mr. Bere, and of his conduct with respect to the schoolmafter and school at Blagdon; yet afterwards, upon the fullest investigation of the queftion, and the moft folemn and mature deliberation, they entirely changed their opinion, and all concurred in removing him from the curacy.

ART. 35. Etiologia; or, an Anfwer to the Queftion, When does the Nineteenth Century Commence ? 8vo. 43 PP. 1S. Johnfon.

1800.

Whether this pamphlet has, or has not, had much influence in fettling the great difpute on the topic mentioned in its title, we know not; but it seems to us to place it, in many inftances, in a very good light. We fhould object chiefly, if we objected at all, that more is faid about it, not perhaps than, to fome minds, the fubject might demand, but rather than clearness allowed; fince a fubject is liable to be obfcured by being handled too minutely. One obfervation feems to us to place the whole in a very plain light. It is this: that the difficulty belonging to the Queftion, has arifen folely from the inaccuracy of our idrom, in ufing the cardinal number for the ordinal. We fay the year eighteen hundred, or 1,800, when we mean, and fhould fay, the eighteen-hundredth year. Tranflate this into any language of more fcrupulous conftruction, and all doubt is removed. Thus in Latin, "Anno Millefimo octingenteffimo," literally, "the one thonfandth and eight hundredth year," (which would be the language of every scholar, from the invention of the date till now) immediately makes it clear, that the hundredth year was not then completed.

The title should be Eteologia, if taken from eros.

ART. 36. A Propofal on Behalf of the Married Poor. 8vo. 52 pp. Is. 6d. Arch. 1801.

After curforily going through the fyftem of our poor laws, touching on its principal defects, and reprefenting in ftrong, and we fear just terms, the diitress to which industrious married labourers are liable, this author propofes" a commiffion of fix refpectable perfons, in every parish or district, who contribute largest to the affeffed taxes, three of them to form a quorum, for the care and relief of the poor who have families therein;" and he fuggests, that it be useful to arm them with fome power and controul, at leaft by way of appeal, over the overfeers and fuch parish officers, who may have the direction and management of the poor, in order to attain the most beneficial effects from the mode of relief propofed."

Thefe infpectors, he propofes, fhould act as a permanent board "for apportioning relief to be administered at the houfes of the poor having children, and allowing to every labourer and poor artizan, whofe wages do not exceed 15s. per week, if within twenty miles of the metropolis, 18, per week, at least, for every child born in lawful wedlock,

ard

H

and the like allowance to fuch as fhall refide more than twenty miles, from the metropolis, whofe wages fhall not exceed 1 28. per week, until their refpective children fhall attain the age of feven or eight years, and for every lawful child of a widow 1s. 6d. per week."

Some eftablishment, or fome authority, fimilar to that above propofed, might probably be attended with beneficial effects; but we doubt whether a fufficient number of perfons qualified to form such a board.could be found in many of the smaller parishes, or less opulent 'diftrics of the kingdom; and we fufpect that an appeal from the overfeers to fuch a board would often be ab eodem ad eundem. Perhaps the object might be better anfwered by increafing the power of the magiftrates, and establishing more regular and frequent meetings of juftices for this particular purpose.

ART. 37. The Contemplative Philofopher; or, fhort Effays on the va rious Objects of Nature throughout the Year; with poetical Illustrations and moral Reflections on each Subject. Two Volumes. 12mo. 85. Rivingtons. 1800.

Thefe Effay's appeared originally in the Univerfal Magazine, between the years 1785 and 1792; the fubject of each paper fuitable to the month in which it was inferted." This is the fubftance of the Advertisement prefixed to this work. They appear highly deferving of republication; and may be recommended ftrongly, and particularly to young perfons.

ART. 38. Ce que nous avons été, ce que nous fommes, et ce que nous de viendrons. Par Pierre Fournié, Clerc Tonfuré. Svo. 6s. Dulau, 1801.

We entertain not the smallest doubt but that Monf. Pierre Fournie, Clerc Tonfuré, as he calls himself, is a good fort of a well-meaning man; but fuch an incomprehenfible jargon of enthufiafm and fanaticifm was hardly ever put together. The Deity, Jefus Chrift, Satan, and the World, are, among other abfurdities, reprefented in the form of planets (p. 240) acting upon each other, and moving in different orbits, like Saturn, Jupiter, &c. &c.

ART. 39. Two Biographical Trads. 1. Obfervations on Mr. Holliday's Life of William late Earl of Mansfield. 2. Thoughts on the Judicial and Political Life and Character of the faid Lord Chief Juftice of the Court of King's Bench. Illuftrated with a Variety of Notes and References. By an ancient Member of the Inner Temple. Vol. I. Part I. 8vo. 216 pp. 45. Murray and Highley.

This unfinished fragment of a book is more ftrange in its conftruction, even than the work againft which it is aimed. The intention of the author is profeffedly to prepare the way for a new life of Lord Chief Juftice Mansfield; but he feems to have a more unbiographical prejudice upon his mind than the former writer-a prejudice against the

fubject

fubject of his work. Under fuch circumftances, we should be very forry to fee a Life of Lord M. undertaken. But the crude farrago here prefented to the public, is little likely to excite a wifh in a single mind, for a life written by fuch a pen.

ART. 40.

Traité des Sons de la Langue Françoife, fuivie du traite de l'orthographe, et de celui de la Ponctuation. Par M. L'Abbe Lévifac 107 pp. 35. Dulau and Co. 1890.

: 8vo.

The talents and qualifications of the Abbé de Levifac, for illuftrat ing his native language, have been fo fully evinced by prior publications, that the students of French will hear with pleafore of a work from him, on the subjects here mentioned. These treatises, on the founds, orthography, and punctuation of that language, complete his work, entitled "L'Art de parler et d'écrire correctement la langue Françoife,"

ART. 41. The Elements of a polite Education; carefully felected from the Letters of the late Right Hon. Phillip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, to his Son. By G. Gregory, D. D. Author of Essays, hiftorical and moral; of the Economy of Nature, Sc. 12mo. 452 PP 4s. 6d. Phillips, &c. 1800.

That the utility of these famous Letters, for the inftruction of youth, might not be loft to the public, from the difguft attached to fome part of their contents, Dr. Gregory has condefcended to extract from them all the matter that he deemed valuable. "I believe," fays he," that I have preserved in this volume all that is really useful in the four volumes of Lord Chefterfield's Letters; I have omitted only what was exceptionable, or what was mere repetition." His Lordfhip's Letters thus compreffed, may certainly be put into the hands of youth as models of epiftolary style, and as containing much practical knowledge of mankind.

ART. 42. A concife English Grammar for the Ufe of Schools. By the Rev. B. Willis. 12mo. 158 pp. 35. 6d. Mawman, &c. 1801.

This compilation is intended as a school-book, and being well arranged, feems calculated to be ufeful for that purpofe. English Grammars have been fo multiplied within a few years paft, that, without a very minute and laborious examination, their respective merits cannot be appreciated. Few are fo deficient as not to answer the purpofe reasonably well; and, in the prefent cafe, experience has been bad by the author of the ufe of his work.

ART.

ART 43. Cautions to young Sportfmen. 8vo. 24 pp. 6d. Robson.

1800.

This small tract being written with the humane defign of preventing dangerous or fatal accidents, which frequently occur through the inexperience of young men, will certainly obtain a proper confideration from the perfons concerned. It will add new weight to the fuggeftions, if we mention, that it is understood to be written by Sir Thomas Frankland. A great part of it regards the fafe use and management of the double-barrelled gun.

ART 44. The Principles of English Farriery vindicated; containing Strictures on the erroneous and long exploded Syftem, lately revived at the Veterinary College, interfperfed with curfory Remarks on the Syftems of Solleyfell, de Saunier, de la Forfe, &c. &c. In which is fully dif played, the Superiority of English Farriery over that of foreign Nations. By John Lane, A. V. P. late of the Second Regiment of Life-Guards 8vo. 97 pp. 4s. Riebau, &c. 1800.

As our countrymen excel in the breed, and in the general management of horses, it is not improbable that they are fuperior alfo in the medical and œconomical treatment of them. The patriotic attempt of this A. V. P. will therefore deferve the confideration of ftudents in this branch of knowledge; and if he occafionally rides the high horfe, he is likely, from his profeffional experience, to do it with fecurity.

FOREIGN CATALOGUE.

GERMANY,

ART. 45. Ueber die mittel Naturgefchichte gemeinnütziger zu machen, &c. On the Means of rendering Natural Hiftory more useful, and of `introducing it into common Life, and among the different Claffes of So ciety; with the Plan of a Series of Works tending to promote this End, by F. J. Bertuch. Weimar. 4to. with three Plates.

Every one, fays M. Bertuch, is convinced of the important and general influence which the knowledge of natural history has on agricul ture, manufactures, commerce, the arts, and on political and domeftic economy. It is now taught, and looked upon to be indispensably

neceffary,

neceffary, in different universities and colleges; it conftitutes a part of public and privare inftruction; every day the number of its amateurs increases, and new focieties are formed which occupy themselves with it. But ftill, notwithstanding the great progrefs it has made, confidered as a fcience, it is very far from having received the numerous applications to the purpotes of fociety, of which it is capable; and the knowledge of natural hiftory is not yet fufficiently diffeminated, more particularly among the inferior claffes. The advantages refulting from it would, however, be found not lefs important than numerous. It would contribute moft effectually to deftroy many prejudices which ftill prevail among the lower ranks of the people, detrimental to their daily employments and operations; it would teach them to avail themfelves of a variety of indigenous natural productions for the neceffities of life,' to avoid the dangers to which they may otherwife be expofed from different animals, noxious plants, or minerals, &c.

M. Bertuch speaks afterwards of the caufes by which hitherto the general propagation of the knowledge of Natural Hiftory has been fo much retarded. Natural history has been treated in so scientific and learned a manner as to place it beyond the comprehenfion of those perfons who do not make an immediate study of it. The want likewife of good figures, or objects of Natural History, is another great impediment to its general diffemination, as well as that of suitable elementary books. M. Bertuch proceeds, in the next place, to the means of removing thefe obftacles. The first mean, a complete enumeration of all known natural bodies, and of their characters, or, rather, a good Syftem of Nature, executed after the particular views conformable to the propofed plan. The fecond mean, the adoption of an eafy and natural fyftem of claffification, founded on the exterior and visible relations of bodies, because their anatomical, chemical relations, &c, are not adapted to vulgar comprehenfion. M. Bertuch propofes, with this view, the fyftem of M. Batfch, as the moft eafy and natural. The third mean, good figures of the three kingdoms of Nature, published in fyftematical order. As thefe engravings form the bafis of the undertaking announced by M. Bertuch, he enters into confiderable detail with refpect to them. The fourth mean, certain elementary books on Natural Hiftory, adapted to the comprehenfion of the vulgar, and calculated to render the knowledge of it more popular. The fifth mean, inftruction in this fcience, according to these elementary books. The fixth mean, the ellablishment of focieties of Natural Hiftory among the ftudents in each univerfity. The feventh mean, the formation of collections of Natural Hiftory, for the fcholars in the different schools.

After thefe preliminary obfervations, Mr. B. gives the plan of a work, which he has been employed in preparing for many years, and of which the execution requires all the talents and zeal of the intended author. The engravings, as has already been obferved, conftitute the principal part and basis of this work; to execute which, Mr. B. has himfelf been obliged to form defigners, engravers, and illuminators, who might poffefs a tafte for objects of Natural Hiftory. He is affitt ed in this undertaking by Mr. Tunke of Detlau, and Mr. Batfch, Profeffor of Natural History at Jena.

The