trymen, and he will, we hope, derive fome benefit to himself from his ufeful invention. This report was given in to the board of admiralty by Capt. Phil. D'Auvergne, commanding the Narciffus frigate, December 29. 1788-And it contains the refult of various experiments and obfervations made on board that frigate, in the English channel, fince the month of April 1787; in which Mr. M'Culloch's compafs was compared with other approved compaffes. The refult may be judged of from the following extract: Sailing through the Race of Alderney in a storm of N. E. wind in December 1787, against a flood tide, the fhip failing at the rate of eleven miles on the furface, and fcarcely making any headway by the land, the fea, as will readily be concluded by naval judgments, was of an awful height, and fo extremely irregular, that the motion is undefcribable: None of the compaffes of Mr. Adams on Dr. Knight's conftruction, would ftand (in the fea phrafe), but vacilated more than four points on each fide of the pole;-at this time Mr. M'Culloch's fteering compafs quickly and readily recovered the vacilations communicated to it by the motion of the fhip, and the fhocks of the fea, pointing with little variations to the pole, in a manner to command the admiration of all that were within reach to obferve it, and to win the confidence of the most timorous. I acknowledge, myfelf, that I would have put the highest truft in it, had a fog or thick weather come on in the critical fituation we were in; while the compaffes fupplied from his Majesty's ftores, were only fit to convey alarm, and infpire anxiety and doubts.' By other experiments, Captain D'Auvergne found that these compaffes (both the fteering and azimuth) were equally fuperior; and therefore warmly advifes his brother officers to make trial of them. At his recommendation, these compaffes were tried on board the Andromeda, commanded by Prince William Henry; who was fo much fatisfied of the utility of the invention, that he honoured Mr. M'Culloch fo far with his countenance, as to appoint him his compass maker. We do not doubt that, under fuch patronage, this invention will meet with fuch trials as will fairly appreciate its real merits in a fhort time. If it fhould prove, in every cafe, as fuperior to others as Captain D'A. experienced, it will, indeed, be a very valuable difcovery. An.....n. Art. 28. The Seaman's new Vade Mecum; containing a practical Effay on Naval Book-keeping, with the Method of keeping the Captain's Books, and complete Inftructions in the Duty of a Captain's Clerk, &c. By R. Liddel, Purfer in the Royal Navy. 5s. Boards. Robinsons. 1787. 8vo. This performance contains every neceffary inftruction for keeping the accounts of the fhip: the methods now in ufe are clearly explained, and fpecimens of the different books are added, as examples of the rules that are given. Forms of orders, certificates, receipts, &c. are fubjoined. The methods of keeping the fignal book are largely treated, and illuftrated with numerous coloured engravings. A brief maritime dictionary is added; which is extremely useful, especially efpecially for noviciates or landmen:--and the book concludes with an abstract of the act of parliament, commonly called the articles of war. From this account of the contents of the prefent performance, our readers will eafily perceive the purposes for which it has been written; and, as far as we are able to judge, it feems well calculated to answer the author's intention. R...... m. SLAVE TRADE. Art. 29. Two Reports from the Committee of the Honourable Houfe of Affembly of Jamaica, appointed to examine into, and report to the Houfe, the Allegations and Charges contained in the feveral Petitions which have been prefented to the British House of Commons, on the Subject of the Slave Trade and the Treatment of the Negroes. Published by Order of the Houfe of Affembly, by Stephen Fuller, Efq. Agent for Jamaica. 4to. 35 Pages. 15. White and Son. 1789. By thefe reports, it appears, with regard to the treatment and fituation of the flaves in Jamaica, that they are under the protection of lenient and falutary laws, fuited to their fituation and circumftances; and that the decrease of the flaves does not arife from the causes alleged in the petitions prefented to the House of Commons, but from various other caufes not imputable to the flave-holders, and which the people in Great Britain do not feem to comprehend. R......m. Art. 30. The New Act of Affembly of the Ifland of Jamaica, commonly called the New Confolidated Act; being the prefent Code Noir of that Ifland. Published for the Ufe of both Houses of Parliament, and the Satisfaction of the Public at large, by Stephen Fuller, Efq Agent for Jamaica. 4to. 17 Pages. 1s. White and Son. 1789. This publication is intended to fhew that the flaves in Jamaica are not in fo deplorable a state as is generally imagined in England. Mr. Fuller obferves that for near thefe laft hundred years the good government of the flaves has been the great object of the legislature of Jamaica; and almost every year has produced regulations tending to the melioration of their condition. He hopes, that thofe who will give themselves the trouble of reading this act, will fee that the flaves in Jamaica are in excellent hands already; and that they will also fee how vain and needlefs it is for corporate bodies on this fide the Atlantic, difperfed in various and diftant fituations in Great Britain, to endeavour to take them out of the hands of thofe very men who are most interested in their welfare.' For Mr. Fuller's publication of The Act of Affembly of Jamaica, paffed in favour of the Negroes, in 1787, fee Rev. Sept. 1788, p. 265. Do Art. 31. Commercial Reasons for the Non-abolition of the Slave trade in the Weft India Islands. By a Planter and Merchant, of many Years Refidence in the Weft Indies. 8vo. pp. 20. 6d. Lane. 1789. We here meet with little more than the common arguments against the abolition of Negro flavery in the British Welt Indies. But thofe arguments arguments may reafonably be fuppofed to receive additional force, if the author, as he profeffes, writes from the convictions of experience, and a perfonal acquaintance with the fubject. POLICE. Art. 32. Public Improvement; or, a Plan for making a convenient and handfome Communication between the Cities of London and Westminster. By William Pickett, Efq. 4to. 37 Pages 2s. 6d. Bell. 1789. The plan which alderman Pickett here propofes is, to pull down all the houses between Butcher-row and the Strand; as alfo thofe on the north fide of St. Clement's church, and to rebuild the church, altering its fituation, fo as to make a fpacious avenue to Templebar; which gate he alfo would remove. The pamphlet, befide defcribing the particulars of the fcheme, gives an account how it has been treated by the court of aldermen and common council, who have repeatedly objected to the propofal. The public-fpirited alder, man here answers the objections, and offers additional arguments in favour of his defign. The fum requifite for effecting the alteration mut doubtless be very large: no eftimate of it is made. The propofer hopes it will not be long before he fhall be able to announce to the public that fubfcriptions will be opened at feveral bankers, in fupport of the measure, and he offers 100l. as his firft fubfcription. Two draughts are added, one defcriptive of the present state of the avenue, and the other of the intended improvement. R..... EDUCATION, SCHOOL-Books, &c. Art. 33. Thoughts of Jean Jacques Rouffeau, Citizen of Geneva, Selected from his Writings by an anonymous Editor, and tranflated by Mifs Henrietta Colebrooke. 12mo. 2 Vols. 7s. 6d. fewed. Debrett. After an eulogium on the abilities of that extraordinary erratic genius, Rouffeau, Mifs Colebrooke confeffes that the eccentricities and errors in his writings may induce well-difpofed perfons to doubt, whether an indifcriminate perufal of all that he has written, might not be followed by dangerous confequences. But as his writings are all abroad, in tranflations as well as in the original, we do not readily apprehend, how the free perufal of them is to be reftricted; moft certainly not by introducing his works to those who might perhaps otherwife pafs contentedly through life without feeing or wishing to fee one of his publications: and who, if they understand what is now prefented to them, fufficiently to excite a curiofity to be better acquainted with the works whence thefe thoughts are extracted; any danger they may thereby incur, is chargeable to the officioufnefs of the cautious collector. The Tranflator proceeds to inform us, that what is excellent and ufeful might not be lolt, by an intermixture of any thing improper and offenfive, an ingenious Frenchman has made a judicious collection from the writings of Rouffeau, of what is beft adapted to the formation of rational views, found moral principles, just taste, and It is a tranflation of this collection that is now proper manners. offered to the English Reader. It was undertaken at the defire of certain certain refpectable judges, who were of opinion, that it would furnifh a very agreeable entertaiment to all liberal minds, and that it might be useful in the education of youth, and particularly in that of young ladies.' When we come to reflect on the utility of thefe volumes for the inftruction of youth, we cannot but regret the neceffity of our differing, in any degree, from a lady who has beflowed on them the labour of tranflation, from a laudable motive. We have nothing further to fay to M. Rouffeau now, than what refers to the collection at prefent before us; and though the opinion of certain refpeftable judges is pleaded for the merit of the work, as a book of infruction, particularly for young ladies; we are clear, that his remarks are in general too refined, abftracted, and fingular, to find an eafy paffage into youthful understandings; and that they call for clofer thinking than fuits the vivacity of female minds. It may also be remarked, that eccentric writers, like that uncommon being, the Philofopher of Geneva, may utter many good things that will not combine to form general truths; and a lover of paradoxes is not the moft happily qualified for a preceptor: youth ought to be inftructed by plain precepts, and not be left to draw inferences from fentences artfully conftructed, which require more penetration to analyze, than falls to the fhare even of every mind that has arrived at maturity. To infpire the rifing generation with cynical maxims before they know enough of the world to form an estimate of their truth or error, cannot, furely, be a proper mode of preparing them to act a becoming part in the focial connexions into which they are foon to enter. Mifs Colebrooke renders her author in a natural, easy, style, but it is very rare to find a female writer totally free from occafional inaccuracies in grammar: the most usual of which are, combining plural nouns with fingular verbs. N. Art. 34. Elays on Education. By John Weddell Parfons, A. B. Vicar of Wellington in the County of Hereford. 12mo. Cadell. 2s. 6d. fewed. Many juft remarks occur, in the course of these effays, on the importance of education, and the defects attending the present mode of conducting it; but they are too general, and written in too declamatory a ftyle, to produce any confiderable effect. The author ftrongly recommends to the legislature, the inflitution of public feminaries for the encouragement of indigent genius. Is not this already done in our free-fchools and colleges? E. Art. 35. Bibliotheca Claffica, or a Claffical Dictionary: containing a full Account of all the proper Names mentioned in ancient Authors. To which are fubjoined Tables of Coins, Weights, and Measures in ufé among the Greeks and Romans. Large 8vo. Boards. Reading, printed by Smart and Co. and fold by Cadell in London. 85. Various compofitions, of a kind fomewhat fimilar to the prefent dictionary, have iffued from the prefs; and it must be acknowleged that they have been very useful to the claffical ftudent. The author of this work (Mr. Lempriere, of Pembroke College, Oxford) thinking that that his predeceffors, in compiling their respective publications, have been partial and unfatisfactory, endeavours to complete what others have left imperfect. The dictionary now before us, confifts of all the proper names that occur in the claffics, viz. of famous men, women, &c. of countries, cities, rivers, cuftoms, laws, religious rites, public feftivals, fports, &c. &c. Under each article, befide the account of the perfon or thing which is the immediate fubject, several anecdotes and hiftorical facts are introduced; with quotations from fuch authors as will afford more ample information on each particular point of inquiry. From this fhort account, our readers will perceive that Mr. Lempriere's Bibliotheca Claffica is a useful school-book: but its ufe is not confined to fchools alone; the ready information which it affords to the inquirer, will be a fufficient inducement to every gentleman who poffeffes a library, to give it a place on the dictionary shelf. R......m. Art. 36. The Hiftory of three Brothers: to which are added, The This moral and entertaining hiftory is extracted from The Children's Mifcellany, of which we gave an account in our number for Auguft laft, p. 173 and it is here republished in a convenient fize, ornamented with five neat wooden cuts, and fold at the very cheap rate above-mentioned. In matters purely of opinion, no two perfons, perhaps, will agree; for (though at the fame time that it is an illuftration of the fact, it is, in fome meafure, an exception to the rule) all will allow that quot bomines, tot fententiæ. Various judgments, therefore, will be formed with refpect to the utility and propriety of introducing here, Joha Gilpin, with Gray's Elegy, and Pope's Univerfal Prayer. The former is truly and confeffedly humorous and ingenious; but for the very reason that it deferves the first mentioned epithet, we feel ourfelves fomewhat inclined to difpute that it affimilates with the ac companying plaintive and mournful elegy, and the folemn and reverential address to the "Father of All! In ev'ry age, MISCELLANEOUS. G.2. Art. 37. Reports of the Special Provision Committee, appointed by the Court of Guardians in the City of Norwich with an Account of the Savings which have been produced by the late Regulations in the Diet of the Workhoufes: Exhibiting fome Important Facts refpecting the Oeconomy of thofe Establishments. By Edward Rigby. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Johnfon. 1788. It is of little advantage to the public, to amuse them with fchemes for the better maintenance of the poor, and least of all, for affociating the *No name has occurred to us which we have not found in the work. paupers |