the British," even when it flourished moft, and occafioned alarm in this country." P. 37.

"In fhort, it seems evidently the intereft of Ireland not to divert her attention from her ftaple manufacture, by ruinous endeavours contrary almost to nature, and to imperious circumftances, to aim at raifing her woollen manufactures to a rivalry with thofe of England." P. 40.

These are the leading topics of this judicious tract; which fpeaks of the Union in difpaffionate terms.

"The good fenfe of the country fees that the measure of Union is neceffary, in which light I have always confidered it; and I fhall be happy indeed when the arrangements fhall be completed, by removing all diftinctions between the two countries, and every idea of separate and jarring interefts. This will not be the cafe until all customs, duties, drawbacks, and bounties fhall ceafe, and the two iflands fhall be. on the fame footing as two counties in England. The great object to be obtained is a free intercourfe; that liberal principle is the bafis of the Union between the two countries; yet it requires time, though of no great length, for a meafure of fuch importance, and is impracticable perhaps during a war." P. 64.

"I have on a former occafion given my opinion on the principle and the neceffity of this great measure of Union: the longer I reflect, the more I am convinced of the commercial and other advantages which will be derived from it. As an Irishman, I am highly gratified 'by the liberality of giving the turn of the fcale, in almost every in-ftance, to the weaker country, which was more neceffary than perhaps appears to those who have not attentively confidered the ftate of the manufactures in that kingdom: as an Englishman, I am fatisfied with that part of the arrangement relative to which I confefs I was most anxious, and which appeared to me the most difficult; namely, the mode of fettling the reprefentation in Ireland.. My difficulties on that head are removed, by the ftrict attention that has been paid to every circumftance that could preferve the independence of Parliament. Sixty-four of the hundred members are to be fent from counties, and the remainder from the Univerfity, the cities, and principaltowns; and the Peers are to be elected for life.

"Some clouds, which in the early stages of this measure threatened its fuccefs, have difappeared. It now draws towards a conclufion with fo happy a profpect, that I feel relieved from great anxiety. When the arrangements fhall be completed, I fhall enjoy more fatisfaction from it than I have ever done on any other public occafion; and while fome triumph in our fplendid victories, and in thofe of our allies, I fhall confider this great event with abundantly more fatisfaction than I could any conqueft, however brilliant, achieved even against our most inveterate foe." P. 69.

We trust that both nations, now one kingdom, will have ample and lafting caufe for contemplating this event with the fame patriotic fatisfaction.

ART.

ART. XII. Domesday; or an actual Survey of South-Britain, by the Commiffioners of William the Conqueror, completed in the Year 1986, on the Evidence of the Jurors of Hundreds, fanctioned by the Authority of the County Jurors; faithfully tranflated, with an Introduction, Notes, and Illuftrations. By Samuel Henfball, Clerk, M. A. Fellow of Brazen- Nofe College, Oxford, and John Wilkinson, M. D. F. R. S. and S. A. This Number comprehends the Counties of Kent, Suffex, and Surrey. Number One, and Ten fimilar Numbers will contain both Volumes of the Original. 40. 268 pp. 125. Nicol, Payne, &c. 1799.

THOUGH

we cannot entirely agree with the learned editors of this fpecimen in their estimate of the neceflity of the work, thinking the original much more intelligible than they allow, with fuch aids as are already publifhed; yet we regret that it fhould ftand fill for want of adequate encouragement. In an Addrefs, fubjoined to the Introduction, it is indeed recommended to the patronage of Parliament; but it is well known that nothing can be obtained from fuch a body, without regular steps of recommendation, and a plan proposed by fome perfon of weight and influence fufficient to engage the attention of the House. A great ftep was gained when the Parliament ordered an exact copy of the original to be printed, which has now been for fome years in the hands of the public. The further process of rendering it perfectly eafy to modern readers, is in fome refpe&ts defirable, but by no means of equal importance. The Maps would form a very valuable part of the publication propofed by thefe editors.

But furely the following ftatement, in their Introduction, is fomewhat too strong. It is univerfally allowed, that no nation in Europe poffeffes documents of equal authenticity, antiquity, and accuracy." So much perhaps will be granted.

"But, ftrange as it may appear, we affert, without fear of contradiction, that there never exifted Books or Manufcripts fo little underflood, that there never was found a Record fo inaccurately illuftrated, or a fyftem to regulate judicial decifions, on which the common law of a great and polished kingdom depends, that has been fo little invefti gated."

An affertion fo ftrong demands fome particular confirmation. Befides the general illuftration above-mentioned, by

*Particularly Mr, Kelham's "Domesday Book illuftrated," 8vo. $788,

Mr.

Mr. Kelham, a very competent and able examiner, almost every compiler of a county hiftory, of late years, has inferted fo much of Domesday as related to his fubject. We cannot readily believe, that all these attempts can be fo very futile as the fentence above-cited evidently implies. To illuftrate the mode in which this collective work is propofed to be performed, we will infert a part of the beginning of Domesday, with the corresponding portion of this tranflation; removing the. contractions of the MS.

"DOVERE tempore regis Edwardi reddebat 18 libras, de quibus denariis habebat Rex Edwardus duas partes, et comes Godwinus ter-" ciam. Contra hoc habebant Canonici de fancto Martino medietatem aliam. Burgenfes dederunt viginti naves regi una vice in anno ad xv dies, et in unâquaque navi erant homines viginti et unus. Hoc faciebant pro eo quod eis perdonaverat faccam et focam. Quando miffatici regis veniebant ibi, dabant pro caballo tranfducendo tres denarios in hieme et duos in estate. Burgenfes verò inveniebant firemannum, et unum alium adjutorem, et fi plus opus effet, de pecunia ejus conducebant. A feftivitate Sancti Michaelis, ufque ad feftum Sancti Andreæ, treuva regis erat in villa. Si quis eam infregiffet, inde propofitus regis accipiebat communem emendationem. Qui cunque manens in villa affiduus reddebat regi confuetudinem, quietus erat de theloneo per totam Angliam. Omnes hæ confuetudines erant ibi, quando Wilhelmus rex in Angliam venit. In ipfo primo Adventu ejus in Angliam fuit ipfa villa combufta, et idcirco pretium ejus non potuit computari, quantum valebat quando Epifcopus Baiocenfis eam recepit. Modo appreciantur 40 libræ et tamen propofitus inde reddit 54 libras. Regi quidem 24, libras de denariis qui funt viginti in ora, comiti uno 30 libras ad numerum,"

"Dover, in the time of King Edward, rendered eighteen pounds, of which fum, Edward had two portions, and Earl Godwin a third. Befides this, the Canons of St. Martin had another moiety. The Burgeffes provided twenty fhips for the Monarch once each year for fifteen days, and in each fhip were twenty one men. They rendered this fervice because the King had liberated them from Sac and Soc. When the Meffengers of the Monarch came to this port, they paid threepence in winter, and two-pence in fummer, for the tranfportation of a horfe; but the Burgeffes found a pilot, and another affiftant; and if more were required, they were furnished at the Royal expence.

"From the Festival of St. Michael to St. Andrew, the Royal Peace. was established in the village. Whoever violated this, the Superintendant of the Monarch received the common forfeiture,

"Every refident inhabitant, that rendered the Royal Cuftoms, was quit of Toll throughout the Realm of England, All thefe cuftoms exifted, when King William came to this country. At his first arrival this village was deftroyed by fire; and therefore its value could not be eftimated, or its worth afcertained, when the Bifhop of Baieux received it. At the prefent period it is valued at forty pounds, yet the Mayor pays fifty-four pounds. To the monarch twenty-four pounds, of twenty-pence, in the Ore; to the Earl thirty pounds in tale." P. 1.

From

From this fpecimen fome idea may be formed of the manner of tranflation*.

"To give a literal, verbatim rendering," fay the tranflators, "was never defigned (for then no one would have read it) but to give a faithful, accurate, though occafionally literal tranflation, where cuftoms and manners are delineated."

We are among thofe who would be glad to fee this plan completed; and give it our recommendation, in the hope of contributing something at least to its success.

ART. XIII. A Report of the Cafe of Horner against Liddiard, upon the Question of what Confent is neceffury to the Marriage of Illegitimate Minors, determined on the 24th of May, 1799, in the Confiftorial Court of London, by the Right Honourable Sir William Scott, Chancellor of the Diocefe. With an Introductory Effay upon the Theory and the Hiftory of Laws relating to Illegitimate Children, and to the Encouragement of Marriage in General. By Alexander Croke, Efq. LL. D. Advocate in Doctor's Commons. 8vo. 199 pp. 5s. Butterworth. 1800.

THE Introductory Effay occupies much the largest portion of this work. Dr. Croke enters upon his fubject with a theoretical account of the origin and utility of the marriage ftate. It was not eafy to add any thing to the common stock of knowledge upon this head; and where nothing important is to be obferved, it feems most prudent to forbear difcuffion. We shall extract from this part of the Effay a paffage, in which the author fpeaks of the means of promoting marriage by the civil inftitutions of government.

The rewards of marriage may be either pofitive or negative, Actual bounties may be given to thofe who are in that ftate, or exemp tions from the general burdens of the community. That married men fhould be favoured in the impofition of taxes, there is an additional reafon, because the expences of a family render them lefs capable of paying them. The great value of their lives to that family, makes it more expedient that they fhould not be expofed to fervices of dan

ger.

"Some other conflicting principles interfere to reftrain the severity of laws against celibacy. Since not only the choice of the object, but the question whether a man fhould marry or not, is fo much a matter of private economy, and involves in it fo deeply the happiness of the

*The notes, however, which at firft are rather numerous, shrink almost to nothing after a small progress in the work.

individual,

individual, any thing like compulfion feems to interfere too much with the freedom of acting according to the fuggeftions of prudence, which is fo dear to every man in his domeftic concerns.

"Though marriage be generally a duty, the measure of obligation upon each individual, muft depend upon his peculiar circumftances and fituation; upon his wealth or poverty; upon the health and vigour of his conftitution; and, after all, upon the opportunity of meeting with a fuitable object. To enforce therefore by very harth penalties, an obligation imperfect at best, so various in its ftrength, and of which the degrees are not to be determined, fo as to fuit every cafe, seems to be an unwarrantable extenfion of penal legislation. The punishment therefore fhould be almott wholly negative. They might be excluded from fome of the privileges of married men, or, at moft, the weight of public duties might fall fomething heavier upon their fhoulders; but to render them abfolutely incapable of ferving their country, or honourable offices, or of enjoying property, which the industry of their ancestors has acquired, or the benevolence of their friends is defirous of bestowing upon them, is certainly going a great deal too far.

"If men can gratify their paffions without inconvenience, by irregular connexions, they will be the lefs difpofed to incur the troubles of matrimonial life; and, on the other hand, if they are prohibited from unlawful amours, imperious love will neceffarily impel them to the marriage bed." P. 12.

From this fpecimen of Dr. C.'s manner of writing, the reader will perceive that his style is flowing and fpirited; but by no means accurate. A negative reward" is little short of a folecifm. The phrase of " giving an exemption," is harsh, if not abfolutely incorrect. The application of the term "conflicting" to "principles," which are there brought forward as uniting at leaft to effect one common purpose in legiflation, namely, to restrain the severity of laws against celibacy," is inelegant. The laft of thefe" principles," if they can be fo called, as enumerated by Dr. C. upon which marriage is made to depend, is, " after all, upon the opportunity of meeting with a fuitable object," a circumftance little, if at all, diftinct from that which is put in the front of the battle, namely, the choice of the object" herfelf. The rewards for marriage, and the punishments for celibacy, feem unnecellarily divided, in an oftentatious parade of distinct enumeration. The one must always follow, as a direct and neceffary confequence, when the other is enacted. If married men are exempted from the payment of certain taxes, or the performance of particular duties, these burdens, if impofed at all, must be paid or performed by thofe who are fingle. Neither is the phrafe of

a negative punishment," properly applied by Dr. C. to that fanction of law which enacts, that the weight of public duties shall fall heavier upon the fhoulders of one clafs of indi

viduals