tion of Mr. Malthus's "Essay on the Principles of Population; or a View of its past and present Effects on human Happiness." The original intention of this voluminous work was to subvert the absurd tenet of the perfectibility, as it was called, of human nature, so strenuously contended for by the late M. Condorcet of France, M. Weishaupt of Germany, and Mr. Godwin among ourselves. The object was laudable, and the book became popular: there was a plausibility in many of our author's arguments, a certain degree of mysticism in others; and both sorts appear to have been equally well framed to captivate the favour and secure the suffrages of the unthinking. To us, however, it is not sufficient to possess good intentions: the fires in Smithfield, the massacres on Bartholemew's day at Paris, all proceeded from the best intentions in the world; so probably did the conflagrations which have the reputation of having been excited about twenty years since by that keen philosopher and truly valiant soldier the late lord George Gordon. We remember, long ago, a metaphysical controversy between Drs. Priestley and Price, concerning the nature of the human soul; the one affirming that it must be material, and of the very nature and constitution of the body; and the other contending as strenuously that it must be immuterial, and of a nature the very reverse of that whence the body is derived; and we remember also, that, towards the close of this dispute the combatants mutually conceded to each other, that, provided the nature and constitution of the soul were the same, and that they comprised but one uningenous principle, it was of no consequence whether it were matter or spirit.

Something of the same result, but we grant altogether unintentionally on the part of our author, appears to have taken place on the present debate; for while Mr. Malthus, in all the panoply of La Manca, is urging his Rosinante against the pagan and discourteous illuminates of our own country and the contipent, he falls into many of the errors of the recreants he opposes, and advances a creed as difficult to be reconciled with the common principles of philosophic or Christian morality, as any of those it is his professed object to subvert and su← persede. The result of his reasoning is, that mankind can never be happier or better than they are at present; and that, as the chief miseries of our own country, as well as of many other parts of Europe, proceed from their being overstocked with inhabitants, it is a patriotic duty to relinquish the pleasures of the connubial bed and the domestic hearth, and for the larger proportion of our males to become virtually eunuchs, by a ri gid abstinence from all sexual intercourse; or, which is the alternative proposed to us, if we have not hardihood enough to persist in such a plan, to encourage with all our might promiscuous copulation, which, though a vice of an adverse description, will be found just as effectual in counterbalancing the evil of an overgrown popula tion, as the first proposal. Wo cannot enter in this place, though perhaps we may in another, into a detail of the arguments advanced, or indicate the source of their insecurity, or compute the quantum of their mischievous tendency. It must be sufficiently obvious to the reader, that our author has been fighting with fire-brands which have done as much injury to his friends

as to his foes; or, to vary the simile, that he has been building a fortress with combustible materials, which have unluckily taken flame and burnt up his own encampment as well as consumed that of his enemy.

"Memorial addressed to the Sovereigns of Europe and the Atiantic, by Governor Pownal."-At the present moment, in consequence of the hostile disposition between the cabinets of London and Madrid, this pamphlet is well worthy of the most attentive perusal. Its prime object is to obtain the emancipation and independence of the Spanish settlements in North and South America through the medium of British interference. Our author is possessed of much local knowledge of the country to which his memorial points; and his plan would unquestionably be a most desirable one could it be effected. But we fear there are at present divers powerful obstacles which it will not be found easy to remove. In the first place, can we safely detach, either from our own country, or, which would be still more convenient, if it could in any way be accomplished, from the army employed in the British Indies, a sufficient force for this purpose? and next, admitting that either were at our disposal, as the concurrence of the United States is a matter of absolute necessity, have we at this moment a sufficient influence in the cabinet of the new city of Washington, to seduce it into a war with France, as well as Spain; and not only to lull its jealousy, but actually to co-operate in this enormous scheme of British aggrandisement? These points being successfully adjusted, we cannot proceed too soon. But who will undertake to effect them?.

Not widely different in point of colonial augmentation, is a pamphlet by Mr. Orr on "The Possession of Louisiana by the French considered, as it affects the Interests of those Nations more immediately concerned; viz. Great Britain, America, Spain, and Portugal." The ease with which Louisiana has been relinquished to the United States, proves clearly that it has not been of late years much valued by the French government. If possessed by the British arms, as it might have been during the late war, there is hence little doubt that it might also have been converted into a British colony. It seems at that time to have been forgotten, and to acquire it now, whatever might be the advantages of such acquisition, is totally out of our power. From the same author we have also received a pamphlet entitled “The Importance of Malta considered." Mr. Orr seems to imagine this of as much consequence to us in the Mediterranean as Louisiana is on the banks of the Mississippi. It was differently so reported by lord St. Vincent and several of his parliamentary friends, on the return of peace; and, as it is even yet doubtful whether we shall be able to retain it, we may as well perhaps encourage such a report at present. Upon the same subject of "The Importance of Malta," we have also to notice a very valuable pamphlet by Mr. Wood; who, with much political shrewdness, foresaw the expedition of Bonaparte against both Malta and Egypt, and gave timely notice thereof to the ministry of the day; but the notice was treated with contempt, and Bonaparte effected his purpose.

In Dr. Clarke's Historical and Political View of the Disorganisation of Europe," we have an atU 2 tempted

tempted answer to M. Hauterive, whose reply to Mr. Gentz we remarked in our last literary survey. Posterior circumstances have much diminished the practical value of this pamphlet, and rendered it unnecessary for us to enlarge on its merits. We may say the same of the Summary Account of Leibnitz's Memoir addressed to Louis XIV. recommending to that Monarch the Conquest of Egypt as conducive to the establishing a supreme Authority over the Governments of Europe." The reasoning of M. Leibnitz with respect to Egypt has been proved, within the period of the Jast war, to be grossly erroneous. Admitting that even Bonaparte himself were in full possession of Egypt, is it questionable whether he would ever be able to do us any essential mischief in the British Indies. By sea and by land the route is not only tediously long, but for ever alternated with Scyllas and Charybdises.

The unhappy resumption of the war has given birth to as many political essays as political sermons. These it is impossible for us to enumerate in a regular catalogue; and we shall hence only observe, that those which have struck us as of most importance, or which have required the largest proportion of temporary interest, are the bishop of Landaff's intended Speech in the House of Lords upon the State of the Nation, which he was unfortunately prevented from delivering; "The Question why do we go to War?" argued with admirable force of language, but from principles altogether inadmissible: "The Reason Why," being an answer, though by no means a satisfactory one, to the preceding: "Cursory Remarks by a near Observer," asserted to be Mr. Ward, a locum-te

nens in the British senate: a pamphlet which has acquired far more popularity than its merit has entitled it to: "A Plain Answer to the Misrepresentations and Calumnies, &c." in the preceding tract, entitled to less notice than the tract itself. Four Letters to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, &c. by W. Cobbett ;" and "The Day of Alarm," the former of which it is sufficient to state is an acrimonious antiministerial production, chiefly directed against Mr. Addington's financial statements; and the latter a defence of the system pursued upon the subject of neutral bottoms, of which, from the change which has of late taken place in the politics of the north of Europe we expect to hear nothing more for the present.

Upon the subject of finance more properly so called, we have to notice a most valuable pamphlet by lord King, directed principally, however, to the late " Restriction of Payments in Specie at the Banks of England and Ireland," in which his lordship evinces that he has not only studied this intricate subject with minute attention, but is able to offer important and highly beneficial advice upon the subject. An "Investigation" into the same topic, but considerably less explicit, and evincing considerably less talent for the purpose, by Mr.Howison. “Remarks on Commerce and Currency" by Mr. Wheatley, containing speculations, of which some are to us unintelligible, and others highly dangerous; of which last description is that which would annihilate all country banks, while the bank of England is suffered to continue, and to swallow up all the money transactions of the former, in its avaricious and enormous grasp.

Ireland, and its relative connex

ion with Great Britain, at the present moment, has also proved a source of innumerable temporary tracts; of which it may be sufficient to mention Mr. Winter's "Observations on the Temper and Spirit of the Irish Nation at the present Crisis;" elegantly written, and with considerable candour and impartiality; but hardly pursuing the grievances to which it refers to their genuine sources, and most positive mode of relief: " Essays on the Population of Ireland, and the Characters of the Irish;" which seem scarcely to allow sufficient merit to the natural virtues of this high-spirited and affectionate people, and the statistic part of which we prefer to its philosophic; and Hints on the Policy of making a national Provision for the Roman-catholic Clergy of Ireland," which has been already strenuously recommended by one of the most able prelates on the English bench, and would have been tried before this time, had reason resided where prejudice has too long and too successfully sway

ed.

The department of the law has furnished many publications of interest and importance; of which the chief appear to us to be Mr. Evans's "General View of the Decisions of Lord Mansfield in civil Causes; "a digest which may be read with considerable information by every man, but which is necessarily of less value in consequence of the various inflexions which have of late been evinced in our law courts from the system established by this able though occasionally prejudiced lawyer. Mr. Wake's re-edition of Mr. Swinburne's Treatise of Testaments and last Wills," in which the antiquated but more accurate language of the original writer himself is judiciously restored: Mr. R. B.

Fisher's "Practical Treatise on Copyhold Tenure," constitutiug a new and improved edition of a valuable essay: Mr. Wyatt's "Reports of Cases argued and determined in the High Court of Chancery;" from a posthumous collection by the late venerable and indefatigable John Dickens, Esq. senior register of the chancery court: Mr. East's “Treatise of the Pleas of the Crown;' a work which confers the highest honour on the judgement, perseverance, and legal talents of the au thor, and adds all that posterior times allow him to add to the same subject as antecedently discussed by lord Hale and Mr. serjeant Hawkins: Mr. Collier's "Essay on the Law of Patents for new Inventions," which, with many useful hints, more general learning than is necessary, contains a spice of quackery that we by no means expected: Mr. Williams's "Abridgement of Cases ;" a useful compilation on the topics of replevin, usury, veneer, vendee, wager, wills, &c. drawn up, like Jacobs's Law Dictionary, in an alphabetic form : "A Compendious Law Dictionary, by Thomas Potts; a useful introductory book to attorney's clerks and unprofessional men; Mr. Montefiore's "Law of Copyright," which offers to authors, publishers, printers, artists, musical composers, and printsellers, a compendium of the various acts of parliament and adjudged cases which relate to their own professions and trades: "A brief Treatise on the Law relative to Stock-jobbing, and other Transactions in the public Funds, by I. J. Burn;" a pamphlet well worth consulting by all to whom it is addressed, and containing counsel as well public as private that is deserving of both public and private consideration.

The speedy return of hostilities, after a peace so cordially hailed, and so imperiously demanded, has turned the attention of writers, as well as of readers, from ethics and metaphysics to arms, and active preparations for defence. We have hence never witnessed a year more barren in subjects of the former description than the present; and the few publications which may, in any respect, claim an arrangement beneath them, refer rather to young persons than those of maturer years. Among this number we may reckon "An Essay on the Beauties of the Universe;" which consists of select thoughts, from a variety of eminent authors, designed to imprint upon the mind a knowledge of the cmniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence of the deity; and, at the same time, from the most common occurrences of nature, to awaken the heart to a sense of his universal benevolence and protection.

Mrs. Crespigny's "Letters of Advice from a Mother to her Son," is a truly valuable publication: the letters are written with a free effusion of bosom-affection; they evince a very competent knowledge of the world; and, what is of equal consequence, a power of fixing juvenile attention, and impressing the juvenile heart; and the style in which they are conveyed, is fluent and grace ful. Upon some metaphysical points, of no essential moment, we have detected a few errors, which we have no doubt will be pointed out by some of the more learned of the fair author's friends against a second edition, and will no longer be suffered to disfigure the intrinsic excellence of the greater part of the volume.

honour of the writer of this work, our readers will, from the moment, suspect, that he is more acquainted with his subject theoretically than practically; and we who have waded into its contents, can honestly confirm the truth of such a conjecture. There is much good belonging to it; but it is a good which must be looked at rather than intermeddled with; its practical applica tion is the worst part of the book. Though perhaps a methodist in physic, the author is an empyric in education.

"Improvements in Education, as it respects the industrious Classes of the Community, by Joseph Lancaster." Here, on the contrary, we have less theory than practice: the order of the day, to adopt an elegant theatrical phrase, is push on! keep moving! and he who can spell the greatest number of English words within a given period of time, is the first scholar, and most extraordinary genius of his age. As an unque stionable demonstration of the im mense learning of his academy in the aggregate, Mr. Lancaster proves to us, by a numerical process, that the total words spelt by one hundred boys per annum, under his care, amounted to net less than 2,000,000!

"Friendly Admonitions to Parents, and the Female Sex in general, by Charlotte Badger;" containing many sensible and important remarks, that cannot or ought not to fail striking home to parents' businesses and bosoms. On the same subject, we have to notice "Letters, by Miss Hatfield," which, though stated in the title to contain observations on the manners and education of the female sex, have just as much to do with males, hermaphrodites, or Swift's race of houynms.

"An Introduction to Geography and Astronomy, by the Use of the

Globes