Imatges de pàgina
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pity, and was therefore avoided as an enemy to fociety. As fhe feldom commended or cenfured but with fome limitations and exceptions, the world condemned her as indifferent to the good and bad; and because the was often doubtful where others were confident, fhe was charged with laxity of principles, while her days were distracted and her rest broken by niceties of honour and fcruples of morality.

Report had now made her fo formidable that all flattered. and all fhunned her. If a lover gave a ball to his mistress and her friends, it was ftipulated that Floretta fhould not be invited. If fhe entered a public room the ladies courtfied, and fhrunk away, for there was no fuch thing as fpeaking, but Floretta would find fomething to criticife. If a girl was more fpritely than her aunt, fhe was threatened that in a little time fhe would be like Floretta. Vifits were very diligently paid when Floretta was known not to be at home; and no mother trufted her daughter to herself without a caution, if the fhould meet Floretta to leave the company as foon as fhe could.

With all this Floretta made fport at firft, but in time grew weary of general hoftility. She would have been content with a few friends, but no friendship was durable; it was the fashion to defert her, and with the fashion what fidelity will contend? She could have eafily amufed herself in folitude, but that fhe thought it mean to quit the field to treachery and folly.

• Perfecution at length tired her conftancy, and the implored Lilinet to rid her of her wit: Lilinet complied and walked up the mountain, but was often forced to ftop and wait for her follower. When they came to the flinty fountain, Floretta filled a small cup and flowly brought it to her lips, but the water was infupportably bitter. She just tafted it, and dafhed it to the ground, diluted the bitterness at the fountain of alabafter, and refolved to keep her wit with all its confequences.'

It is with pleasure we are informed that the publication of thefe poems was encouraged by a genteel fubfcription. The humanity of the prefent age, as well as its improvements in commerce and taste, is a great encouragement to genius.

Three Trans on the Corn-Trade and Corn-Laws: viz.-I. A short Effay containing a general Relation of the prefent Method of carrying on the Corn-trade, and the Purport of the Laws relating thereto in this Kingdom, firft printed in 1758. II. Confideration of the Laws relating to the Importation and Exportation of Corn, being an Inquiry what Alteration may be made in them for the Benefit of the Public, wrote [but not published] in 1759. III. A Collec

tion of Papers relative to the Price, Exportation, and Importation of Carn, with fome Obfervations and Calculations, shewing what the Nation may be supposed to have gained by giving the Bounty on the Exportation, what the Quantity of each Sort of Corn annually confumid, exported, imported, and grown, may amount to, and the Proportions they feverally bear each to the other. 8vo. 3s Brotherton.

HE Author's professed design in this publication, is, by explaining the corn-trade and corn-laws, to contribute what is in his power towards keeping corn continually at fuch a moderate price as may be within the reach of the labourer and industriou poor.This he thinks is most effectually done by encouraging the farmer to grow large quantities of corn, by means of a bount upon its exportation when moderately cheap; for whateve may be thought to the contrary, the quantity fown will eve bear a proportion to the demand; and for this reafon in dea years, the demand being, at least in appearance, increased, much larger quantity is always fown; and though this for th prefent ftill helps to increase the fcarcity, it neverthelefs make provifion for greater plenty the enfuing year.'

In fupport of this principle, he fhews, that, in fact, cor has been fold confiderably cheaper, on the average, fince th bounty on exportation was given, than before; though all oth forts of provifion have been greatly advanced in price, durin the fame period. But though he is a ftrenuous advocate f a bounty, yet he juftly thinks the prefent too high, or, hov ever, allowed when corn is at too high a price: in which refpe we are entirely of his opinion. As to the quantity of co ufually exported, he ftates it at no higher a proportion, comm nibus annis, than at one thirty-fixth part of the whole growth: that, if this be truly stated, the exportation can scarce have very great an influence on the price of corn, as is fometim imagined.

Our Author appears to be no friend either to public m gazines for corn, or the fcheme of fixing the price thereof law. In the first place, the corn itself is almost fure to fuffe and in the other, the farmer would be in a worse fituation th any other member of the community, in not being allowed difpofe of the produce of his land, according to its real valu which must neceffarily vary, in confequence of the unavo able variety of feafons. Therefore all that can well be tempted, is to regulate the matter fo, that the price of co may be kept in a due medium; which our prefent laws (he fa appear to have done beyond expectation.

An Essay on the Nature and Method of ascertaining the fpecifick Shares` of Proprietors, upon the Inclofure of Common Fields. With ObJervations upon the Inconveniences of Open Fields, and upon the Objections to their Inclofure, particularly as far as they relate to the Public and the Poor. 8vo. Is. 6d. T. Payne.

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N this age, abounding with inclosures, the Writer of this pamphlet thinks it cannot be uninterefting, either to individuals, or the public, to canvafs the principles upon which the determinations of commiffioners are ufually founded: and if what he has offered, upon a fubject entirely new, may be conducive to the better discharge of this bufinefs, he flatters himself that his labour will not appear ufelefs.

After a general idea of the nature of open fields, and the inconveniences attending them, the Author confiders the objections usually made against inclosures.

Obj. 1. Inclofures are faid to diminish the number of inhabitants, and occafion a national depopulation.-To this he replies, that the money expended about inclosures, and the repair of roads, prevents any remarkable decrease of inhabitants; and though fome decrease should be allowed to have followed, yet the increase in many trading towns has, within a fhort fpace of time, been prodigious fo that whatever depopulation has happened, muft have been merely local, and not national. For there is a natural tranfition of the youth of villages, where agriculture is leffened, into places of trade, where our naval fuperiority will furnish fources of perpetual employment.

Obj. 2. Inclofures convert tillage land into pafture, and thereby leffen the quantity of corn.The first part of this objection is allowed, but the latter denied:-and several plaufible reasons alledged in fupport of the denial.

Obj. 3. Inclofures deprive the poor of feveral privileges, heretofore enjoyed by them; and also of their labour, which is the means of their fubfiftence. As to their privileges, (though perhaps built chiefly upon indulgence or connivance) our Author advifes the proprietors to make a fmall facrifice to humanity, by giving the poor a trifling fhare of property, in lieu of thofe privileges which they muft no longer enjoy.-[This we have known fometimes done, and could wifh to fee it provided for in every act of parliament, paffed upon fuch occafions; and then the strongest objection against inclofures would be entirely removed at once.] -As to the diminution of labour, he feems to think it not quite fo evident, as commonly imagined; and alledges the advance of wages as a proof of his opinion.

bj. 4. Inclofures render a country lefs commodious both for travelling and sporting.The latter part of this allegation he does not undertake to anfwer, as thinking it infignificant, when set in competition with the right of improvement, which every proREV. May, 1766.

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prietor has over his own eftate: but as good roads are of public utility, the law will compel the repair of them. He wishes, however, that fome new regulations, in that respect, were introduced into every bill of inclofure; and points out feveral very judicious ones.

Another material objection, though not mentioned by our Author, is that inclofures diminifh the number of fheep ufually kept upon heaths and commons; or at least introduce a larger breed, whofe wool (being of a longer staple) is not fo proper for the manufacture of English broad cloth.-If this objection has any real foundation, it certainly merits fome regard, in a com

mercial view.

With respect to the advantages refulting from inclosures, this Writer refers for fatisfaction, upon that point, to a pamphlet published in the year 1723, entitled, Propofals for the Improvement of Common and IVafle Lands:-and contents himself with jult remarking, that-whatever is a fource of greater wealth to individuals, muft alfo add to the riches of the public ;-that whatever enlarges the quantity of provifions, &c. must contribute to the better fubfiftence of the inhabitants of any country, and confequently to augment their number;-that the fewer hands are wanted for the occupation of land, the more will be to be had for the enlargement of manufacture, commerce, and navigation: and all these advantages (he thinks) either directly or confequentially flow from inclofures.

The remainder of the pamphlet is chiefly taken up in offering a variety of hints proper to be obferved by the commiffioners, and others concerned, in allotting the specific shares of proprietors, upon an inclofure; and afcertaining the comparative value of lands and tythes. What he advances upon thefe points, well deferves the attention of all perfons more immediately interested therein; as the Author appears to have treated his fubject with great accuracy and precifion :-allowance being made for a few provincial expreffions, fuch as balks, leys, hades, open-tide, &c. which, however, are fufficiently common to be understood, in the midland counties, which he seems to have more peculiarly in his view.

Remarks on Dr. Lowth's Letter to the Bishop of Gloucefter. With the Bishop's Appendix, and the fecond epistolary Correspondence between his Lordship and the Doctor, annexed. 8vo.

Davis and Reymers.

I s. 6d.

HESE Remarks, which are generally fuppofed to be written by the CANDID EXAMINER, and are introduced with Vid. Free and Candid Examination of the Bp. of London's [Sherlock's] Sermons: fee Rev. Vol. XX. p. 114.

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the following fhort preface. If (amidst the ribaldry of these times, when the public tafte feems capable of being gratified by nothing but abufe, whether in literary or political debates) a little fair reafoning may be heard, the following fheets, which only aim at vindicating the principle of toleration against an Oxford doctor, will have fome claim to the Reader's attention; if for nothing elfe, yet for this, that it may poffibly produce another letter from the Doctor, well feafoned, like the firft, to the public tafte.'

What meekness and modefty appears in this learned Author at his first fetting out! Surely, the Reader will be apt to fay, this is not the language of the Warburtonian fchool! Do not, however, determine too haftily: It must be owned, continues he, that the confutation of a man's principles, especially if accompanied with any degree of raillery, is enough to put him out of humour. But fuch a one would do well to have reafn in his rage; and, when he anfwers, to diftinguifh between the abufe of an adverfary's writings and of his perfon. Had the doctor been either fo wife or fo honeft, as to have done this, he had not been troubled with these fheets: which yet (with all the right of retaliation) are confined folely to his argument.-To conclude. As keen and fatirical as the doctor reprefents the bishop to have been in his controverfial writings, in which he was only on the defenfive against aggreffors like the doctor, yet he never left the argument to fall upon the moral character of any man, not even within the limits and bounds of truth; much lefs did he ever, like one enraged, attack it with atrocious falfhoods, as the doctor hath done: for which, at a proper time, he may be brought to account.'

What now, gentle Reader, thinkeft thou of this humble inoffenfive Writer, this fair reafoner, this enemy to ribaldry and abuse?-But he proceeds:

Before I enter on the argument, it may be expedient that the reader fhould know what high injury it was, which provoked Dr. Lowth to all his Billingsgate against the author of the Divine Legation.The offence given by his lordship is an Appendix, repelling Dr. Lowth's attack upon him; which therefore I fhall give in his lordship's own words at large.'

After copying the bishop's Appendix, the Remarker goes on thus: Thefe are the words of the Appendix*, as they are found at the end of the fifth volume of the Divine Legation. Let the reader judge of the reproof, by the provocation; and then compare both with the doctor's libellous letter to his lordship.My part fhall be to pick up as carefully as I can, from under

The particulars here referred to, are to be found in our Review for September last,

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