The author of "A Temperate Difcuffion of the Caufes which bave led to the prefent high Price of Bread," contends that it is neither the effect of monopoly and combination, nor of the fpeculations of the farmer, the corn-dealer, or the miler, nor the confequence of the war, though all thefe things have had their weight in the fcale, but of an ordinary confumption confiderably exceeding our ordinary produce, and of a produce, in the years 1799 and 1800, below the average; and that the price is ftill further augmented by the increased wealth of the nation, and the confequent depreciation in the value of money. The principal remedies which he confiders to be confiftent with juftice and good policy are, a more limited ufe of wheat; a further encouragement to the importation of it; a general inclofure; and the removal of every impediment to a more extended cultivation of arable land. What he has written is diftinguished by good fenfe and good temper, and was read by us with pleafure even when it did not produce conviction. The "Enquiry into the Caufes and Remedies of the late and prefent Scarcity and high Price of Provifions, in a Letter to Earl Spencer, K. G.," is another fenfible and temperate production, in which the author maintains fimilar fendments with thofe in the preceding article refpecting the origin of the prefent diftrefs, and delivers fome important obfervations on the neceflity of a free and unrestrained trade in the article of provifions, and on the utility of middle men, against whom the public prejudice, among the higher as well as lower c'affes, has been very generally excited. He reckons, indeed, among the caufes of the calamity, the pro. fecution of foreftallers, and the affize of bread; and among the neceffary remedies, the reftraining of profecutions against dealers in corn; the abolition of the affize; the enforcing the ftale bread act; and the ftoppage of the distilleries, and of the manufactures of starch and hair powder. As he concludes, he ftrongly protests against the project of a maximum. The author of "Thoughts on the prefent Prices of Provisions, their Caufes and Remedies, &c.," who ftyles himself an independent gentleman, is a bold and ingenious advocate for the measure of a maximum of prices, both of provisions and labour; which he maintains to be the only alternative left, "calculated to afford the most diftant chance of cure for the enermous and inveterate malady of the land." That measure he attempts to vindicate, by a comparison of it with the law of intereft, and the maximum in the aflize of bread, both which fome of our ableft political economists have concurred in pronouncing highly inexpedient and prejudicial. And in afüguing his caufes for the prefent ftate of things, befides indulging himfelf in declamations against the avarice and extortion of farmers, he mentions a deficiency in the harvest of 1799; impediments thrown in the way of imports from the Baltic; the increafe of taxation; the increase of real capital; the increafe of artificial capital by paper circulation, to an enormous amount, particularly through the medium of coun try banks; and the state of the warfare in which we are engaged. In the treatise entitled "Corn Trade: an Examination of certain commercial Principles in their Application to Agriculture and the Corn Trade, as laid down in the fourth fourth Book of Mr. Adam Smith's Treatise on the Wealth of Nations, &c.," an attempt is made to prove, that the theory of that celebrated writer on the fubject of Free Trade, although in general juft and good, is wholly inapplicable to that of bread corn; which, on account "of its being indifpenfable for fubfiftence to the people generally, and in a commercial view, further, as a material on the price of which that of every manufacture whatever must reft, and the fuccefsful trade thereof, in competition with other nations, muft ultimately depend, ought to have holden over it the arm of regulation and control." We cannot fay, however, that his arguments are fufficiently ftrong and convincing to refute the doctrine of the Smithian fchool. is entitled, "the Discharge of thirty-feven Millions of the National Debt demonftrated to be a Part of the Caufe of the rapid Dearnfs of Provifions that has taken place within the last ten Years; proving, on the fame compound Principle on which the Debt is difcharged, the Extent of that Part, viz. that the first four Millions had the pernicious Effect of depreciating each annual Income of 261. to the amount of 11. 145. S. i. e. to 24. 55. 4d. and fo on progrefively &c.' The author's plan for dif charging the national debt, befides the abolition of paper currency, recommends a divifion of the crown lands among the ftockholders, and the reduction of the annuities in proportion to the cheapnefs produced by the preceding measures. The author of "the Cause of the present threatened Famine traced to its real Source, viz. an actual Depreciation of our circulat. ing Medium, occafioned by the Paper Currency, with which the War, the Shock given to public Credit in 1794, the Stoppage of the Bank in 1797, and the Bankruptcies of Hamburgh in 1799, inundated the Country, to accommodate Government, and enable the Merchants to keep up the Price of their Merchandize, &c.," who has adopted the fignature of Common Senfe, fufficiently explains in his long title page what he confiders to be the origin of the prefent alarming fearcity. The principal remedies which he prefcribes are, the abolition of paper currency; the removal of the exclufive monopoly of money from the bank; and a new fyftem of taxation, which would make the burden fall folely on the opulent claffes of the community. A fecond part of the fame work The principal object of the treatife entitled "Patriotic Competition against Self-interested Combination, &c.," is to recommend it to the nobility, the landed and independent intereft, the clergy, &c., to unite in the cftablishment of county banks, for the purpofe of purchafing and importing, on a large fcale, articles of provifion, to be retailed to confumers in the most convenient and economical methods. According to the author, fuch a plan would reduce "commodities from their money, or market, price, to their real, or labour, price." Homo's "Confiderations on the preient high Price of Corn, &c.," are employed in endeavouring to prove the neceffity of eftablishing a maximum, beyond which the price of corn fhall not be carried in the dearest times; as are, likewife, the "Thoughts of an old Man, of independent Mind, though dependeni Fortune, &c.," in which the R 3 policy policy of erecting parochial granaries is alfo ftrongly recommended. With the "Short Thoughts on the prefent Price of Provifions, by an Officer of the Volunteer Corps," and the "Hints for a Vindication of Monopoly, Foreftalling, and Regrating," &c., we fhall close our long lift of treatifes, to which the prefent unexampled dearnefs of all the neceffaries of life has given rife. The author of the former attributes the evil chiefly to rapacious combination, and contends for the neceffity of legiflative interference to remedy the mifchief. The author of the latter, with much energy and ferioufnefs, combats the popu lar opinions on the fubjects indicated in his title page, and maintains, that "to attempt to reduce the price of provifions, by any other means than those of increased production, is a policy fpurious as it is unavailing." 66 The Law Publications of the year 1800 were, a Digeft of the Laws of England, by the Right Hon. Sir John Comyns, Knight, Lord Chief Baron of his Majefty's Court of Exchequer, the fourth Edition, corrected, and continued to the prefent Time, by Samuel Rofe, Efq. Barrister at Law," in fix volumes; Reports of Cafes argued and determined in the Court of King's Bench, from Michaelmas Term, 39 Geo. III. 1798, to Trinity Term, 40 Geo. III. 1800, both inclufive, with Titles of the Names of Cafes and principal Matters, by Charles Durnford and Edward Hyde Eaft, Efqrs." vol. VIII; the fecond edition of "Reports of Cafes, adjudged in the Court of King's Bench, from Hilary Term, the 14th of Geo. III. 1774, to Trinity Term, the 18th of Geo. III. both inclufive, by Henry Cowper, Efq. Barrister at Law," in 2 vols. 8vo; a fecond edition, corrected, and confiderably enlarged, of "a digefted Index to the Term Reports, containing all the Points of Law determined in the Court of King's Bench, from Michaelmas. Term, 1785, to Trinity Term, 1800, and in the Court of Common Pleas, from Eafter Term, 1788, to Trinity Term, 1799, by T. E. Tomlins, Barrister at Law;" "Reports of Cafes argued and determined in the Courts of Common Pleas and Exchequer Chamber, and in the Houfe of Lords, from Easter Term, 36 Geo. III. 1796, to Trinity Term, 39 Geo. III. 1799, both inclufive, with Titles of the Cafes and principal Matters, by John Bernard Bofanquet, and Chriftopher Puller, Efqrs." vol. I. folio; "Report of a Cafe recently argued and determined in his Majefty's Court of King's Bench, on the Validity of a Sentence of Condemnation by an Enemy's Conful in a Neutral Port, and the Right of the Owner of the Ship to call upon the Underwriters to reimburse him for the Money for the Purchase of the Ship at a Sale by Auction under fuch Sentence, with an Appendix, containing the French Laws now in Force relative to Maritime Prizes, &c., by Nathaniel Atchefon, F. A.S. Solicitor;" "Report of a Cafe argued and determined in the Court of Exchequer Chamber, in Eafter Term, 40 Geo. III. between the Right Hon. Lord Petre, Plaintiff, and the Right Hon. Lord Auckland, and Earl Gower, his Majefty's Poftmafters-general, Defendants, by John Jofeph Dillon, Efq.;" "Cafes in Crown Law, determined by the Twelve Judges, by the Court of King's Bench, and by the Commiffioners of Oyer and Terminer, and General Gaol Deli very, from the 4th Geo. III. 1730, to the 40th Geo. III. 1800, by Thomas Leech, Efq. Barrister at Law, the third edition, with corrections and additions," in 2 vols.; "Reports of Cafes relative to the Duty and Office of a Juftice of the Peace, from Michaelmas Term, 1776, inclufive, to Michaelmas Term, 1785, inclufive, part III. and laft, by Thomas Caldecott, Eq. Barrister at Law;" "a Compendious View of the Ecclefiaftical Law, being the Subftance of a Course of Lectures read in the University of Dublin, by Arthur Browne, Efq. S F. T.C. D. &c." vol. II.; "the Spirit of Marine Law, or Compendium of the Statutes relative to the Admiralty, being a concife and perfpicuous Abridgment of all the Acts relative to Navigation, alphabetically arranged, and the Substance and References to the feveral Claufes placed in the Margin, by John Irving Maxwell, of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple ;" Reports of Cafes argued and determined in the High Court of Admiralty, commencing with the Judgments of the Right Hon. Sir William Scott, Michaelmas Term, 1798, by Chr. Robinfon, LL. D. Advocate," vol. I. part II; "an Argument of Dr. Croke in the High Court of Admiralty, 27th November, 1799, in the Cafe of the Hendrick and Maria, &c. upon the Queftion of the Validity of a Sentence of Condemnation, while a Veffel is lying in a neutral Port, taken in Short Hand by T. N. Mendham;"" a Report of the Cafe of Horner against Liddiard, on the Queftion of what Confent is necellary to the Marriage of illegitimate Minors, determined on the 24th of May, 1799, in the Confiftorial Court of London, by the 66 Right Hon. Sir William Scott, Chancellor of the Diocese, with an introductory Effay on the Theory and Hiftory of the Laws relating to illegitimate Children, and to the Encouragement of Marriage in general, by Alexander Croke, Efq. LL. D. &c.;"" the modern Practice of levying Fines and fuffering Recoveries in the Court of Common Pleas at Weftminster, with an Appendix of felect Precedents, by W. Hands, Gent. one of the Attor nies of the Court;" "Memoranda Legalia, or an alphabetical Digest of the Laws of England, adapted to the Ufe of the Lawyer, the Merchant, and the Trader, by Geo. Clark, Attorney at Law;" the 19th. edition of the Justice of the Peace and Parish Officer, by Richard Burn, LL. D., continued to the prefent Time by John Burn, Efq. his Son, corrected and confiderably enlarged, including the late adjudged Cafes, and the Statutes of the last Sellion of Parliament (39 and 40 Geo. III)," in 4 vols.; "an Abridgment of the modern Determinations in the Courts of Law and Equity, being a Supplement to Viner's Abridgment, by feveral Gentlemen in the refpective Branches of the Law, vol. III.— Creditor and Bankrupt-Durefs;" "a Treatife on the Revocation and Republication of Wills and Teftaments, together with Tracts upon the Law concerning Baron and Feme, including Curtefy, Dowers, Jointures, Leafes, Settlements, &c., by R. S. Deniton Roper, Efq. Barrifter at Law;" "the Law of Exe cutors and Adminiftrators, by Samuel Toller, Efq. Barrifter at Law;" "the Principles of the Bankrupt Law, by Archibald Cullen, Efq. Barrister at Law, and a Commiffioner of Bankrupts;" "the Prin ciples of Conveyancing, defigned for the Ufe of Students, with an Introduction on the Study of that Branch of Law, by Charles Watkins, Efq;" "An Enquiry into the Laws, ancient and modern, refpecting Foreftalling, Regrating, and ingroffing, together with adjudged Cafes, Copies of the original Records, and Proceedings in Parliament, relative to thofe Subjects, by William Illingworth, of the Inner Temple;" ""the Trial at large of John Ruby, Corn-factor, for Regrating Corn at the Corn Exchange, Mark Lane, London, 8th November laft, tried before Lord Kenyon, and a Special Jury, in the Court of King's Bench Guildhall, the 4th of July 1800, taken in Short Hand by a Barrister of the Inner Temple;" "the Proceedings of the Houfe of Lords, in the Cafe of Benjamin Flower, Printer of the Cambridge Intelligencer, for a fuppofed Libel on the Bishop of Llandaff, &c., by the Printer; to which are added the Argument in the Court of King's Bench, on a Motion for a Habeas Corpus, and a Poftfcript, containing Remarks on the Judgment of the Court, by Henry Chifford, Efq.;"A Letter to a Nobleman, on the propofed Repeal of the Penal Laws which now remain in Force against the Irish Roman Catholics, from Charles Butler, Efq. of Lincoln's Inn;""Confiderations on the Coronation Oath to maintain the Proteftant reformed Religion, and the Settlement of the Church of England, as prefcribed by Stat. 1. W. and M. Ch. 6. and Stat. 5. Anne. Ch. 8, by John Reeves, Efq;"" the Queftion as to the Ada iffion of Catholics to Parliament confidered, upon the Principie of exifting Laws, with fup. plementary Obfervations on the Coronation Oath, by a Bariifter;" "A further Supplement (ocafioned 66 by the fecond Edition of Mr. Reeves's Confiderations, &c.) to a Pamphlet entitled the Queftion as to the Admition of Catholics,' &c." by the fame Author; "Cafe of the Catholics confidered, and an Expedient propofed for the final Settlement of it, with an Appendix, containing Remarks on Mr. Reeves's Pamphlet:" "a fhort View of the Catholic Question, in a Letter to a Counfellor at Law in Dublin, by the Hon. Auguftus Dillon, M. P.;” and "the Cafe of Confcience folved, or Catholic Erancipation proved to be compatible with the Coronation Oath, in a Letter from a Cafuit in the Country to his Friend in Town, with a Supplement in Answer to Confiderations on the Coronation Oath by John Reeves, Efq." Our lift of the Mathematical Pro ductions of the year commences with "Tracts on the Refolution of affe&ted algebräic Equations, by Dr. Halley's, Mr. Raphfen's, and Sir Ifaac Newton's Methods of Approximation, publified by Francis Maferes, Efq. F.R.S. Curfitor Baron of the Exchequer." Thefe Tracts, which are ten in number, confift of a method of finding the roots of any equation generally, and that without any previous reduction, by Dr. Halley, taken from the Philofophical Tranfactions; an Appendix to the preceding, by Baron Maferes; Dr. Wallis's Solution of Colonel Titus's arithmetical Problem, with an Explanation of the difficult Pallages that occur in it, by Baron Maferes; another Solution of the fame, by Mr. Frend; Obfervations on Mr. Raphfon's Method of refolving affcted Equations of all Degrees by Approximation, by Baron Maferes; an Application of Simon Stevin's General Rule to ex tract |