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ART. 36. Thoughts on the Dearness of Provifions, and the most certain Method to reduce the prefent high Price of Wheat; addressed to the principal Inhabitants of Great Britain. 8vo. 15 pp. 6d. Robinfons, &c.

Thefe Thoughts, at the price of fixpence, are dearer, in our opinion, than provifions have ever been; and the "certain method to reduce the prefent high price of wheat," is of lefs value than one handful of the most damaged wheat we have seen.

ART. 37. Refutation of certain Misrepresentations relative to the Nature and Influence of Bank- Notes, and of the Stoppage of Iues in Specie, at the Bank of England, upon the Prices of Provifions, as stated in the Pamphlets of Walter Boyd, Efq. and Mr. William Frend. By T. S. Surr. 8vo. 44 PP. Is. 6d. Hurft.

1801.

The author's purpofe is to fhow, that, from the very nature of the operations of the Bank, it is impoffible that the Directors can have availed themfelves of the reftriction, to have iffued a fingle pound more than they could have done, had it never exifted. (P. 42) And his conclufion is, that the restriction of the Bank from payment in fpecie, has not increased the circulating medium. (P. 43) This tract appears to have been written with the best intentions; but the author characterizes it justly, when he speaks of it as "touching too lightly on the fubject." P. 21.

POLITICS.

ART. 38. The Queftion, as to the Admiffion of Catholics to Parliament, confidered upon the Principles of exifting Laws; with fupplemental Obfervations on the Coronation Oath. To which is annexed, a further Supplement, occafioned by the Second Edition of Mr. Reeves's Confiderations on the fame Subject. By John Joseph Dillon, Efq. Barrister at Law. 8vo. 53 PP. 3s. 6d. Booker. 1801.

The reafons which, on a former occafion, we alledged for declining to enter into a full difcuffion of the Catholic Question, subsist in their full force, and must neceffarily abridge our account of the tract before us. It is, however, but justice to fay, that it is written not only with ability and information, but with candour and temper.

The claim of the Catholics to be rendered eligible to feats in the legiflature, is the point chiefly urged by this writer; and his principal argument is drawn from the circumftance, that Proteftant Diffenters, though incapacitated (by the Teft Act) from holding offices, or being members of corp rations, are not difqualified (as the Catholics are by another ftatute) from fitting in Parliament. Thence he infers, that "by no principle of the British Conftitution, are those who exercife parliamentary functions obliged to profefs the religion of the state;”

*See Brit. Crit. for May, 1801, p. 549.

and

and he infifts, that "the principle on which Catholics were originally excluded from Parliament has ceased to exift, being deftroyed by modern' Acts of Parliament, and that the Legislature itself has acknowledged the perfons who take the Catholic Teft to be good fubjects of his Majefty, and has declared, that, as fuch, they ought to be relieved from difabilities impofed folely and peculiarly on them." We ftate not thefe arguments exactly in the fame order in which Mr. D. has arranged them, but as the courfe which his reafoning feems to us to take.

Without examining the validity of his inference from the cafe of the Diffenters (though we think it too much to draw an omiffion, perhaps cafual, perhaps owing to fome peculiar circumftances, into a fixed conftitutional principle) it will, we apprehend, be obvious, that the cafes of the Proteftant Diffenters, and of the Roman Catholics, differ widely from each other, inafinuch as the former do not acknowledge the jurifdiction or authority of any foreign prince or potentate, either in temporal or Spiritual concerns within this kingdom.

As to the argument that because the penalties, and fome even of the difabilities, impofed on Roman Catholics, have been taken away, no diftinction whatever between them and the members of the established church fhould remain; but that they must be invefted, in all its plenitude, with political power, the difcuffion of it would lead us far beyond the limits within which we have hitherto judged it proper to confine ourselves on this great Queftion. Mr. Dillon's reafonings, we have admitted to be ingenious, as they are elaborate. They have not, however, convinced us that it can be expedient or fafe to admit the profeffors of a religion, ever hoftile to our own, into that affembly, on which the maintenance of the established conftitution, both in church and state, so effentially depends. On this point, fome of the arguments of Dr. Duigenan, and others, appear to us unanfwerable. Much of this treatise, as of moft others on the fame fide of the Question, is employed in replying to Mr. Reeves's tract on the Coronation Oath. We have (in the article referred to) already expreffed our opinion upon that fubject.

ART. 39. Obfervations on the Income Tax; with Regulations, fuggefted for the Security of the Revenue, and preventing the Waste of public Money. Together with a propofed Plan for an Auxiliary to the Sinking Fund. By Jofeph Burchell, One of the Joint Clerks to the Commiffioners of Taxes for Holborn Divifion, Middlefex. 8vo. 24 pp. 15. Jordan. 1801.

Although the public are, no doubt, obliged to every individual who, with honeft purpofes, applies his mind to fo important an object as the improvement and eafier collection of the revenue, yet, of the numerous volunteers in finance, few have the fagacity to devife beneficial measures, or the clearness of mind to elucidate and digeft them.

The writer before us objects to what he calls "an equal tax on an unequal income," ftating, that "an equal charge, of a tenth only, on an income of forty thousand pounds, and one of two hundred a year, must tend to privation and destruction of one clafs, while another enjoy's

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BRIT. CRIT. VOL. XVII, JUNE, 1801.

joys every luxury." As "men of the pen," who are not likely to be in the highest claffes of income, our feelings accord entirely with his opinion; and poflibly the fcale of taxation might be regulated in a manner more confiftent with the ease of the claffes most affected by it, and equally productive to the state. Yet, as the very large incomes are comparatively few, much could not be done for the relief of perfons of this defcription, without a confiderable defalcation in the revenue. The temporary nature of this tax alfo renders it the lefs neceffary to hazard doubtful experiments. Thefe difficulties are, however, trifling compared with that of applying the affeffment to the nature of every man's income, and even (as this author feems to propose) to his rank, profeffion, and habits of life. The mode of taxing commercial men according to the fame rule as land owners, and an increafing no higher than a ftationary income, may, in fome degree, produce the confequences here defcribed; but, we conceive, an attempt to prevent them by fuch alterations as could alone be effectual (and which must be founded on doubtful fpeculations) would be a remedy far worse than the disease.

The next propofal is to fimplify schedules of property, and to require a verification, on oath, in the first inftance, appointing perfons of character in every parish to adminifter it. Thefe meafures, the writer thinks, would (in many inftances) render printed notices, and even Commiffioners of Appeal, unneceffary, as every man would thus charge himself. We fear this great confidence would often be extremely abused, and an additional temptation to perjury would be held out, which many perfons, now perhaps deterred by the dread of a fubfequent examination, would find it difficult to refift. Other regulations, of less conkquence, are fuggefted; one or two of which it might perhaps be advifeable to adopt. The propofed Auxiliary to the Sinking Fund (which confifts in charging intereft for public money in private hands, and introducing the law of fet off) feems unexceptionable, but not likely to have, as this author supposes, a powerful effect.

ART. 40. Thoughts on Parliamentary Reform, and on Reform in General: in which the Nature of the British Conftitution, the Government, its component Parts and Eftablishments, Sc. Sc. Sc. are freely, but briefly confidered. By an Ex-Member of the prefent Parliament. 8vo. 52 pp. 1s. Jordan. 1801.

Of this Ex-Member it may be said, that he appears rather excentric, that his arguments are frequently extraneous, and his work, upon the whole, fomewhat extravagant. He propofes, in the first place, to "add to the fplendor of the Monarchy," and yet "reduce the expences of it:" two very defirable objects, we admit, but not perhaps To eafily attainable as this worthy gentleman concludes. He begins, by ftriking off the whole falaries from four great offices,, giving the poffeffors in return four ribbands, with precedence above other Peers. From inferior officers in the houfhold, and (as the author terms it) "mere ftately departments," he would deduct only a part of their falaries, or rather a part of the overplus beyond a certain income. Whether the four great officers thus reformed (as the modern term is)

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would be as well pleafed to barter " folid pudding for empty praise," as this writer imagines, and whether the faving in falaries would amourt, upon the whole, to any thing that could be deemed a national object, we will not at prefent difcufs; but we think it right to inform him, that the part of his plan on which he feems most to rely, namely, the propofal "to take on the public account, every fee, and every emolament poffeffed by every individual," arifes from a misapprehenfion (we had almoit faid ignorance) of the fubject in queftion. We believe there is no fubject on which greater pains have been taken, both by Government and Parliament, to form a juft and uniform fystem, and none which is involved in more difficulties. At all events, the fweeping mode which this writer propofes, would not anfwer his purpose fince, if all fees and emoluments were taken on the public account, the individuals concerned muft be compenfated, in fome degree at least, by additional falaries, or they would, in many inftances, literally want bread. If fuch additional falaries, on the one hand, a nounted to lefs than the fees before received, the fees themfelves would be very difficult to collect, when they no longer produced that alertness and dif patch of business for which the perfons concerned had voluntarily and cheerfully paid them. But this matter has fome time fince been regulated in most of the public offices (though not by one uniform mode in all) and it yet we believe is doubtful, whether any faving to the revenue, or any improvement in the dispatch of bufinefs, will be the confequence. The remainder of this defultory tract confifts of a long fpeech which the author would make to the King if he were Minifter; fome trifling remarks on finecure places, penfions, and grants; a fcheme for a new office for army agency (on which we do not feel ou felves competent to decide) fome general obfervations on the duty of Peers; 'complaints of abufes in boroughs; and arguments againit imprifonment for debt. Some of the parliamentary regulations propofed, particularly as to a bribery oath, and qualifications of members, feem not unworthy of attention.

LAW.

ART. 41. Confiderations on the Increase of the Poor-Rates, and the State of the Workhouse, in Kingston-upon-Hull: to which is now added, a fhort Account of the Improvement in the Maintenance of the Pour of the Town. 8vo. 98 pp. Robinson, &c. alfo the Bookfellers in Hull and York. 1800.

We have here two tracts united. The first was published in 1799, with a view to excite the attention of the inhabitants in Hull, to the numerous abuses which had long prevailed in the maintenance of the poor of the town." P. 3. (Part ii.) The effort was as fuccefsful as it was vigorously and judiciously made. Abules were difcovered fo numerous and grofs, that the exiftence of them couli fcarcely have been credited, without actual demonftration. A general difpofition to correct them was happily found (even in a corporate town, fending menbers to Parliament) among thofe perfons who had the chief power to

do

do fo, and in the inhabitants of the place at large. The refult has been, that the poor-rates in Hull, which, on the ift of July, 1799, amounted to 8320l. per annum, were reduced, on the 10th of January following, to 4160l. though, at the latter period, wheat was felling at 11s. 6d. per bufhel. The deferving objects of charity appear to have fared better than before, vice and idleness feem to be in a great degree extirpated, and habits of virtue and industry planted in their room. The provifion for fpiritual inftruction is highly creditable to all parties concerned in it. Moft juft is the remark, that "the poor-laws have often been condemned, when, in reality, the fault has been in the indolence or incapacity of those who ought to carry them into execution." P. 43. Mr. Thompson, the chief author of this reform, has well earned the high esteem of his neighbours, whether rich or poor; nor is it easy to fay to which of thefe claffes he has been the greater benefactor. May this, and other fuch recent examples, pervade and animate every parish in the kingdom!

NATURAL HISTORY.

ART. 42. Infecto-Theology; or, a Demonftration of the Being and Perfections of God, from a Confideration of the Structure and Economy of Infects. Illuftrated with a Copper-Plate. By M. Leffer: with Notes, by P. Lyonet. 8vo. 439 PP. 6s. Creech, Edinburgh; Cadell and Davies, London.

Leffer was an author of fome fame among his countrymen, the Germans, and wrote not only an Infecto-Theology, but a Litho-Theology. Lyonet was the famous author of the "Traité anatomique fur la chenille," &c.-a prodigy of phyfiological labour and exactness. The origin of the notes of Lyonet upon this work is thus related by himself.

The fuccefs which this book had in Germany, and the encomiums bestowed upon it in the Leipfic Tranfactions, induced the publisher to have it tranflated into French. He requested me to revise the manuscript, and to correct those passages which the tranflator's ignorance of the fubject might have occafioned. That I might not deprive the public of the advantage to be derived from a book, intended to promote the glory of God, I undertook the task; but I had no fooner begun than I found that the faults of the tranflator were not the only ones I had to correct, but that the original itself in many places ftood in need of revifion and elucidation." P. ix. Befides fome notes of the author, to which an asterisk is prefixed, there are feveral by the tranflator. The notes are placed at the end, with proper references to the text.

The word infect is used in this work with fome latitude, as is explained in the following paffage of the introductory advertisement, which it will be useful for readers to know." As the original work was published before the accurate definition of an infect was given by Linnæus, the word is ufed much more loofely than at prefent. By Lef'fer, all the animals that compofe Linnæus's clafs of vermes are called infects; and even Lyonet, who defines an infect to be an animal with "an external skeleton, gives the fame name to fnails. The naturalift, accustomed to the ftrict acceptation of the term, will revolt at this inaccuracy; but it was thought better to retain the expreffion." P. xi.

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