the laws relating to fucceffions. It is full fraught with a variety of records, quotations, and reafonings; but how far they are applicable to the author's cafe, we will not pretend to determine.

19. A candid Examination of a Pamphlet, entitled, An impartial View of English Agriculture, from permitting the Exportation of Corn. By the Author of the Letters in the Gazetteer, figned, A Friend to the Poor. 8vo. Pr. IS. Wilkie.

This examination is conducted by one of thofe uninformed and clamorous gentry, whom the author of the pamphlet to which this is an answer so justly cenfures. Invective against that writer, and perverfion of his arguments, are the prevailing principles in this performance. The licentiousness of the prefs has now rifen to fuch excefs, that the most useful writers cannot escape its malevolence. The writer before us pretends to have undertaken the caufe of the diftreffed poor; but he has not proved that the poor are diftreffed, or that their di ftrefs arises from the exportation of corn; indeed, the two former writers have fufficiently demonftrated that it has the contrary effect. By the poor he probably means the rabble of London, than whom there exists not a more abandoned and turbulent fet of people; and whose clamors fhould be as feldom regarded as they are rarely juft. We shall give one fpecimen from this writer, and let the reader form his own judgment of him.

At a time, says he, when the universal cry of the poor, the honeft induftrious mechanics, manufacturers, and labourers, founding and refounding from every part of England, as well as the metropolis, has happily reached the ears of our auguft legiflature, and prevailed fo far as to attract the ferious attentionof the reprefentatives of the people, as to engage them to make a rapid progress towards the relief of their diftreffed conftitu ents, you, in your fuperior wisdom, have burfted forth, as from an ambuscade, with a whole volley of your artillery, a pompous declamation, calculated to defeat, by furprife, the good inten tions of one branch of our legiflature towards the poor and middling people, and to infinuate to the other branches of the legiflature the moft fupercilious contempt of the united voice of the people; and that becoming attention and regard fhewn by the representatives to the juft complaints of their conftituents." After this warlike exordium, we have ventured to follow this Drawcanfir through his pamphlet, and are clear in opinion, that he has reverfed the poet's direction, which exhorts,

• Non fumum ex fulgore, fed ex fumo dare lucem.'

20. An Effay on the Nature and Method of afcertaining the Specifick Shares of Proprietors, upon the Inclosure of common Fields. With Obfervations upon the Inconveniences of open Fields, and upon the Objections to their Inclosure, particularly as far as they relate to the Public and the Poor. 8.v0. Pr. Is. 6d. Payne.

The farther improvement and extenfion of agriculture is the object of this pamphlet; and it seems to be well calculated for fo defirable a purpofe. The great quantity of common land in England has long been confidered as injurious; and nothing strikes an obferving ftranger more than this defect in our fyftem. This effayift confiders first the particular nature and tenure of open fields, and explains the inconveniences that attend them. He next enters into the question concerning the inclofing these commons, points out the advantages that would refult from it to the public, recites faicly the arguments which have been produced againft inclofures, and refutes them in a very fatisfactory manner. His arguments on this head' feem to be fo candid and weighty, as to carry conviction with them. After having thus endeavoured to establish the utility of forming inclofures on the common lands, he proceeds next to treat of the method ordained by the legislature for conftituting inclosures, and to lay down the feveral fteps to be taken previous to the partition or allotment of common fields. The ufual method of afcertaining the quality or estimation of open fields, is next explained; in which it is obferved, that the office of forming this eftimation is fometimes undertaken by commiffioners themselves, but more frequently by fome neighbouring farmers mentioned in the act, or chofen by the proprietors, with confent of the commiffioners, for that purpose. The proper manner of making the furvey is next directed; after which the power of the commiffioners and their duty is explained. From this he proceeds to confider particularly how inclofures may be bett improved; which leads him to a difcuffion of the herbage or rights of pasture in common or open fields, and the method of providing for them upon forming inclofures. The next fubject of enquiry is concerning the abfolute and comparative value of tythes in common fields, and their proportion of improvement upon inclosure; which is followed by an explanation of the method of allotting eftates, and fences upon the in closure on common fields. The author gives us alfo fome fenfible reflections relative to the laying out roads on new inclofures, with the proper aflizes and breadth that fhould be allotted to them. After having thus given a fummary, though a very inftructive, view of the feveral transactions and principles on which an exchange of open-field property for inclofed is VoL, XXI. February, 1765. L founded,

founded, the effay is concluded with pointing out some of the abuses which have crept into the conduct of fuch business. Thefe ftrictures are comprehended in fome general obfervations upon the common method of transacting inclosure bills, and in what it might be improved, with the neceffity of redrefling a grievance arifing from the increase of expences in this tranfaction. The common objections, fays the author, against inclosures admit of an eafy and fhort anfwer. Can there be want of employment, when the prices of all kinds of labour are continually advancing? How is it poffible that provifions can be rendered scarcer by that which increases the quantity of them? Can the number of people be diminished, as the conveniences of life are multiplied? These are very abfurd confequences to draw from inclofures.' As to the advanced price of provifions, the root of that is to be elsewhere fought for; and as far as it is the unavoidable confequence of the increase of inhabitants, the flourishing trade, and the extended empire of Great Britain, let not Englishmen repine at it. Our demands must be expected to rise in proportion to our wealth, and the markets must be regulated by the quantity of the product and the demands. But if we make a right ufe of the means which Providence has put into our hands, we have yet abundant fources of supply within ourselves. Fertility of foil and temperature of climate are bleffings which the bounteous Author of nature has bestowed upon this island in great perfection. If these were feconded by the industry and spirit of the inhabitants, exerted in the cultivation of our waftes, and in the improvement of our cultivated lands; and if the endeavours of our husbandmen were rendered successful by rain from Heaven and fruitful feafons, the fcene would be foon every where changed from barren and dreary prospects, into the more pleafing appearances of fulness and plenty.—The folds would be full of sheep, the vallies also would ftand so thick with corn, that they would laugh and fing.'

From the fummary view we have here given of the fubje&t matter of this effay, our readers will perceive that it is of great importance; and we have only to add, that the author feems to us fufficiently mafter of his fubject: a commendation which we seldom have the pleasure of giving the effayifts of the prefent times.

21. An Examination of the Alterations in the Poor's Laws, propofed by Dr. Burn, and a Refutation of his Objections to Workhouses, fo far as they relate to hundred houfes. 8vo. Pr. 1s. Becket. This is a controverfy that can only be determined by parlia The author of the pamphlet before us appears to be

ment.

I

mafter

mafter of his fubject. He is an advocate for hundred-workhaufes, and for a general bill founded upon fome such plan as that for the better relief and employment of the poor; but he is an enemy to the general bill lately offered, and the particular one for the county of Norfolk. He writes with great candor, and every housekeeper in England muft agree, that an amendment of the poor's laws, as they now fubfift, becomes daily more and more neceffary."

22. A Charge delivered to the Grand Jury for the City and Liberty of Westminster. By Sir John Fielding, Kat. 4to. Pr. 15. Marsh.

No writer poffeffes more of that excellency which we call propriety of compofition than the worshipful author of this Charge. It is well adapted for the occafion, and nothing could be better fuited to the capacities of the hearers, or the gravity of the author. Mr. Pugh and Mr. Penn, Mr. Tripp and Mr. Trott, whofe names as jurors are prefixed to this Charge, we make no doubt, were edified by it, as well as their brother-jurors, which is more than many other authors can boast of; so that the learned knight may fay with the greatest propriety, omne tuli pun&tum,

23. Mofes and Bolingbroke; a Dialogue. In the Manner of the Right Honourable *******, Author of Dialogues of the Dead. By Samuel Pye, M. D. 4to. Pr. 2s. 6d. Sandby.

The principal fubject of this dialogue is the creation of the world. Lord Bolingbroke propofes his objections to the first chapter of Genesis, and Mofes endeavours to explain and vindicate bis own account.

He tells us that his history extends only to the creation of the solar system; that the heavens, which were created with the earth, are the heavenly bodies in that fyftem; that these bodies, together with the earth, in the beginning of the first day, came out of the hands of the Creator mere maffes of matter, each of them a diftin&t fluid chaos, without form, and void of motion, light, and heat; that the first act of the Divine Being, in the formation of these bodies, was communicating to them a motion round their respective axes; that the second, which was effected at the fame moment and time, was the formation of light, when the immenfe chaotic body of the fun, at the command of the Almighty, inftantaneously became a globe of fire; that on the fecond day the Creator formed firmaments or atmospheres to every body in the creation; and on the fourth, completed the fyftem by giving the planets that motion round

L 2

the

the fun, which conftitutes a difference of feafons, and a variety of days and nights..

In the conclufion, Lord Bolingbroke acknowledges the temerity of his invectives against Mofes, and feems to be fully fatisfied with his explication of the first chapter of Genefis.

The author has generally given the fentiments of Lord Bin his own words, and if it should not be allowed that he has cleared up every difficulty in the Mofaic account of the creation, it must be confeffed that he has fupported the converfation in an agreeable manner.

24. Epiftola ad doctiffimum Virum Robertum Lowthium, S. 7. P. In qua nonnulla, quæ ad nuperæ fuæ de facra Hebræorum Poefi Prælectionum Editionis calcem habet, expenduntur. A Thoma Edwards, A. M. Aul. Clar. Cantab. nuper Socio. 8vo. Pr. 15. Hooper.

The author of this letter is an advocate for the Hebrew metre, upon bishop Hare's fcheme; the truth and certainty of which he has attempted to evince in two former publications. Dr. Lowth, in his Prelections, has objected to the bishop's hypothefis, declaring, Se non fatis intelligere, quid fit metrum fine difcrimine fyllabarum longarum breviumque.' Our author anfwers, Eadem eft Hebraicæ, ad poefin quod attinet, quæ linguæ noftræ ratio. Syllabarum longarum breviumque difcrimen, quale in linguis Græcâ & Latinâ locum obtinet, refpuit ac repudiat: Duo tantum metrorum genera, trochaicum & . iambicum, admittit: Verfus trochaici puris noftris trochaicis, iambici vero puris iambicis ad amuffim refpondent: Ita porro comparata eft verfuum Hebraicorum natura, ut qui parem fyllabarum numerum habent, eos in locis imparibus, qui imparem, eos in paribus acui, quo recte cadant, neceffitas poftulet,' &c. This opinion he endeavours to confirm and illuftrate by feveral examples. But notwithstanding all the arguments which have been hitherto advanced in defence of bishop Hare's hypothefis, we will venture to affirm, that there is as good metre (the Hebrew language naturally running into iambics and trochaics) in the tenth chapter of Nehemiah, as in any part of the Pfalms.

25. A Differtation on the ancient Pagan Myfteries. Wherein the Opinions of Bishop Warburton, and Dr. Leland on this Subject, are particularly confidered. 8vo. Pr. 1s. 6d. Reymers.

Of the antient Pagan, myfteries there were two forts, the greater and the leffer.

According to the author of the Divine Legation, the leffer, by certain fecret rites and fhews, taught the origin of fociety,