themselves under convoy; and, in the next place, the imposition of a duty on merchandise in return for the protection which was thus afforded. The convoy-system has continued in force ever since, and in the present state of our ship-building has probably tended to lessen considerably the harvest which the enemy's privateers have long been accustomed to reap from our commerce. It is, however, subject to considerable objections. The vessels, as remarked by Mr. Gower, are a long while collecting before they sail from port, and, when under sail, are obliged to proceed much more slowly than if alone; the worst sailer in the fleet keeping back all the other ships, and restricting their rate of progress to her own. Examples have also occurred in which the assemblage of vessels in convoy has been the cause of extensive shipwrecks; as in the case of the homeward-bound Jamaica fleet in 1801, off Inagua, and of the outward-bound West India fleet in 1804, off the coast of Portugal; in both of which instances, the miscalculation on board the men-of-war proved fatal to the ships which were following: but a more frequent source of danger arises from the damage which ships, crowded together, are always liable in bad weather to cause to each other. Since the repeated defeats of the enemy at sea have extinguished the hope of coping with our men-of-war, their exertions have been chiefly directed to the equipment of a host of privateers. Hence the expediency of reducing on our part the number of our ships of the line, and of multiplying our cruizers. The saving of the cost of one line-of-battle-ship will supply a fund for the outfit of eight or ten small vessels. Another reform, still more urgently required, is the abrogation of our shamefully tedious and expensive law-processes, the vexation of which materially lessens the activity of our smaller ships of war. A farther advantage of an increase of small vessels would consist, as Mr. Gower justly remarks, in affording a nursery for active seamen. After having augmented the number of our cruizers, Mr. G. proposes to establish a chain of them along the channel, with instructions to communicate with each other as well as with the signal-posts along the shore; and he recommends an increased frequency in their communications with the signal-posts, together with orders to ply between the posts, instead of keeping immediately off them. Merchantvessels chased by the enemy would thus be at no loss to know in what direction they ought to fly for protection; for it is not likely that French privateers would venture into the channel when the weather was so bad as to drive our cruizers from their stations, except with a particular wind. With With regard to the construction of our cruizers, Mr. Gower remarks that we have hitherto been so far behind the French as to make ourselves objects of ridicule to them. He condemns our system of over-masting, and urges that our attention should be given to make our ships good sailers, not before a wind but upon a wind. The injury to the health of our men, from exposure to wet on board our small cruizers, is also a just subject of reproach to those who are charged with their construction.The inattention to fast-sailing in the building of our merchantmen, which has prevailed since the convoy-act was passed, will make it necessary to continue during the present war the system of convoys, but they ought to be small and frequent. In the course of years, Mr. Gower thinks, merchant-men may be so constructed as to sail as rapidly as privateers, and to be consequently independent of convoy: but this we can by no means consider as likely to become a general case, since extent of stowage-room is a primary consideration in regard to a merchant-man; and we have yet to learn that this can be attained without interfering with quickness of sailing. As far as our researches on this subject have hitherto proceeded, we should be inclined to pronounce extent of stowage a superior object in the case of the majority of our merchant-men; and a partial delay from convoys to be a smaller evil, in the great branches of our trade, than the sacrifice of capaciousness for the reception of merchandise. By the great branches of our trade, we mean such as our commerce with the East and West Indies and the Baltic. We see no reason against having a monthly convoy to the West Indies from the Downs, during the whole season from September to March; nor why the order to sail should not be positive as soon as a dozen of ships are collected. It is only by such energy as this on the part of the Admiralty, that an end can be put to the perpetual delays of the merchants and ship-brokers. In the smaller branches of our trade, where frequent convoys cannot be provided, it would evidently be preferable to adopt Mr. Gower's plan of running-ships, and to seek their protections not by such expensive methods as loading them with ordnance or crowding them with seamen, but by making fast sailing a primary object in their construction.-This is a wellmeant pamphlet ; and, with the exception of a recommendation of bounties, (p. 14.) we are disposed to regard its contents as intitled to a considerable share of public attention. MONTHLY MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For JANUARY, 1812. BIOGRAPHY. Art. 13. Histoire des Femmes Françaises les plus célèbres, &e. i. e. An Account of the most celebrated French Women, and of their Influence over the French Literature as Patronesses and as Authors. By Madame de Genlis. 2 Vols. 12mo. Paris, and reprinted in London for Colburn. 1811. Madame de Genlis possesses the talent of giving interest to every character whose history she narrates; and this power enables her to celebrate some of her country-women whose biography, in other hands, would have proved as insipid as are their writings. She has enlivened the present work by introducing her own remarks on lite rary subjects; and among these we admired the eulogium on Madame de Sévigné, which is penned with equal truth and elegance. We also subscribe to her severely virtuous censure of Madame Cotin's "Claire d'Albe," since the extracts which are made from that novel afford suf. ficiently damning proofs of its indelicacy and immorality. The biographical account of Madame Cotin is, however, ludicrously defective; no other information being given than that she wrote her first work at Paris in the time of Robespierre, and this assertion is contradicted in a note by the London editor. Madame de Genlis's constant abuse of D'Alembert is rather wearisome than convincing; and she praises so highly the moderation of La Motte in his contests with Madame Dacier, that her own acrimony becomes the less excusable. Her defence of Louis XIVth's resentment against Fenelon is too courtier-like, and seems to be introduced chiefly in order that her own book may be lengthened by extracts from Telemachus. For this purpose, the "Mélanges" of Madame Necker, and the former works of Madame de Genlis herself, have also been pillaged. Without, however, investigating all this lady's literary opinions or manoeuvres, we can pronounce many parts of this publication to be so amusing and ingenious, that our readers will be amply repaid by them for the trouble of turning over the whole. The retrospect of this history begins so early as with Radegonde, wife of Clothaire I. and is brought up to our own times. EDUCATION, &c. Art. 14. A Vocabulary in the English, Latin, German, French, Spanish and Portuguese Languages. By J. Boardman. I2mo. 73. Boards.. Boosey. This work is intended for those learners of languages, who, being suddenly called abroad, require a ready provision of current words. It is easy to learn and to remember the name of an object in similar languages, but difficult to remember it in those which have no resem blance; and therefore, in order to teach an Englishman the southern languages, the Latin nomenclature of his own tongue should be made the basis, but, in order to teach him the northern languages, the the Saxon nomenclature of his own should be the basis. Let us take the word ingratitude as a theme. Lat. Ingratitudo. Fr. Ingratitudes Ital. Ingratitudine. Span. Ingratitud. Portug. Ingratidão. When we read over this list, all the words are easily retained.-Now, in order to teach German, it is proper to employ the synonym unthankfulness as the theme. Germ. Undankbarkeit. Holland. Ondankbaarheit. Dan. Utaknemmelighed. If we read over this enumeration, also, the words are easily retained. The parallel terms become imprinted on the memory by means of their analogy. Mr. Boardman, however, rashly combines in one vocabulary both northern and southern words. His German column should have been omitted; it is incorrectly printed; and it is so ludicrously careless, that the word nipple, for instance, is translated by the German word wartze, a wart, as if on purpose to render ridiculous the stam, mering gallantry of our young officers. For learners of the southern languages, the work is better adapted. It resembles the Amara-singa of the Hindoos; the words being arranged not in alphabetic but in systematic order. First occur the days, weeks, months, seasons, cardinal points, and other ideas of time. Secondly come quadrupeds and birds. We know not why fish, insects, fruits, are not comprehended in the subdivision. Thirdly, colours, dress, dignities temporal and spiritual. Fourthly, buildings, rural objects, diseases, accidents.Fifthly, divinity under which head the mixture of words is very whimsical, and bears marks of an attempt at wit. Thus the words altar and angel are contiguous, as associated in the bridegroom's mind: so are the words bible and devil, divinity and font, bell and holiday, nature and organ. A sixth subdivision contains the nomen clature of vegetables; a seventh, those of household furniture; an eighth, those of the human body; a ninth, those of degrees of affinity. -Music, Meats, Minerals, have their appropriate chapters; and the book concludes with Numerals. same The words are arranged in seven parallel columns: first in English, next in German, then in Latin, French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese. The preface displays a very inconsiderable knowlege of comparative grammar. Art. 15: A Guide to Happiness, or the Doctrines, Precepts, and Promises of Christianity displayed and enforced. Originally intended for the Instruction of a young Lady. 12mo. Is. 6d. Sold by Mrs. Cook, bookseller, Jermyn-street. This catechism, compiled for the purpose of initiating young persons in religious and practical knowlege, is divided into eight sections, with the following titles: Of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.-Of the Fall of Man. Of our relative Duties, and first of our duty to God.-Duty to our Neighbour.-Duty to ourselves. Of the Divine Attributes. Concerning the Religion of the Jews.-The Superiority of the Christian Religion. The compiler of such a work ought to possess very extensive and accurate learning; how far these qualities belong to the present catechist may be inferred from the information` given to the pupil, p. 73., that the Church of England is called episcopal, from Episcopius, a celebrated divine.' Art. 16. POETRY. Cottage Poems, by the Rev. Patrick Brontë, B. A. Minister of Hartshead-cum-Clifton, near Leeds, Yorkshire. Crown 8vo. 3s. 6d. Boards Crosby and Co. 1811. The title of these poems seems to require some explanation; and we are told that they are called Cottage Poems because they are chiefly designed for the lower classes of society.' To adapt his verse to the inhabitants of the cottage, (we wish that this class was more numerous than it is,) the author has aimed at simplicity, plainness, and perspicuity, both in manner and style.' He farther adds that he has written not only for the good of the pious, but for the good of those who are not so; and that he hopes his poems will be rendered useful to some poor soul, who cared little about critical niceties.' Thus pre, pared by the advertisement, we expected not from Mr. Brontë any high poetic flights. His muse shall speak for herself: From a poem intitled the 'Happy Cottagers,' we extract these stanzas : The table-cloth, though coarse, Was of a snowy white, The vessels, spoons, and knives, So down we sat, When nature was refreshed, Come, let us all, |