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gifter's Books. By Francis William Sanders of Lincoln's Inn, Efq." Author of an Effay on the Law of Ufes and Trufts. In three Volumes Royal 8vo. 21. Boards. Brooke. 1794.

Thefe Reports appeared in folio in the year 1765, and were noticed in our 33d vol. p. 107. In the year 1781, a new edition in three volumes royal octavo, with the addition of fome marginal references, was published. The prefent editor gives the following account of the plan purfued on this occafion: To examine the cafes with the Register's books, and to correct them, when found neceffary, has been his principal object. Where a correction has been thought in any wife material to the decifion of a cafe, it has been diftinguished by a feparate note. In fome very few inftances a flight alteration in the original text has been adopted, with a view of making it correfpond with the Regifter; but this has been done in fuch cafes only, where the alteration has been deemed too inconfiderable to require a diftinct In other refpects the original text has been fully preferved. Where it has been thought unnecessary to make extracts (the cafe being confidered fufficiently correct without them) a mere reference to the folio, letter, and year of the Regifter's book has been added.'

The editor proceeds to obferve that he has frequently experienced his researches in the Register's books anticipated by the previous la-. bours of Mr. Atkyns. To the prefent edition a variety of references have been made to cafes determined, as well before, as fubfequent to, the original publication of thefe Reports. Some MS. cafes have likewife been added; and to each volume is prefixed a table of the names of the cafes referred to by the notes contained in fuch volume. Upon points which have been confidered material, notes have been fubjoined, in which the principles of the feveral cafes relative thereto, have been carefully extracted and explained.'

Mr. Sanders, by his diligence and accuracy, has confiderably improved thefe valuable Reports; what he has undertaken he has performed with fidelity and ability; and the prefent work may be confidered as a proper companion for Mr. Coxe's admirable editions of Peere Williams's Reports-We could have wished that the three indices had been comprized in one; the convenience of the reader would by that measure have been confulted, and the fize of the volumes fomewhat diminished.

Art. 23. Report of Cafes argued and determined in the Court of King's Bench, from Michaelmas Term 33d George III. to Trinity Term 34th George III. inclusive. With Tables of the Names of Cafes and principal Matters. By Charles Durnford, and Edward Hyde Ealt, of the Temple, Efquires, Barristers at Law. Vol. V. Folio. pp. 780. 21. 8s. bound. Butterworth. 1794.

It is only neceffary to inform our readers that, by the publication of the last number, the fifth volume of this useful work is now completed.

Art. 24. Term Reports in the Court of King's Bench, from Trinity Term 27th George III. to Michaelmas Term 29th George III. both inclufive. With Tables of the Names of Cafes and principal Matters.

By

S.R.

S.R.

By Charles Durnford, and Edward Hyde Eaft, of the Temple, Efquires, Barristers at Law. The fourth Edition corrected, with additional References. In two Volumes. Royal 8vo. pp.830. 19s. Boards. Butterworth. 1794.

We noticed the republication of the first volume of these Reports in their prefent commodious fize in our 15th vol. N. S. p. 200; to which we refer our readers, the second volume being exactly on the fame plan.

• S.R.

Art. 25. The Genuine Trial of Thomas Hardy, for High Treafon, at the Seffions Houfe in the Old Baily, from Oct. 28, to Nov. 5, 1794. By Manaah Sibly, Short-hand Writer to the City of London. Vol. I. 8vo. 75. Boards. Jordan.

If we confider the nature of the late proceedings on the heavy charge of high treafon, together with the critical circumstances of the times, the prefent cafe will appear to be one of the most interesting and most important that has occurred in this kingdom, fince the eftablishment of our happy conftitution.

The volume now before us contains the-opening of the special commiffion, the Lord Prefident's charge to the Grand Jury,-lift of the names, and places of refidence, of the witneffes, and of the jurors, the arraignment of the prifoners [for there were eleven perfons in the general indictment, befides Mr. Hardy,]-copy of the indictment, challenging of the jury,-and the proceedings of the Court during the first three days of the trial of Thomas Hardy, Secretary to the Correfponding Society.

The remainder of Mr. Sibly's publication will comprehend the fpeeches of the Attorney and Solicitor General, the examination of witneffes, copies of the papers that were read in evidence,-fpeeches of Meffrs. Erfine and Gibbs,-defence of the prifoner,-the Lord Prefident's fummary,-verdict of the jury, &c. &c.

EAST INDIA AFFAIRS.

*

Art. 26. An Anfwer to Mr. Princeps's Cbfervations on the Mecurrery
Syftem. By T. Law, Efq. 8vo. 1s. Faulder.
Intended to counteract the great effect already produced on the
public fentiment by Mr. Princeps's pamphlet, Mr. Greville's chap-
ter on the Mocurrery Syftem, and fuch other publications as may have
lately Tued from the prefs in fupport of Mr. Grant's opinion, that the
Zemindary tenures of Hindoftan were rather of the nature of ad-
vowfons than of feudal dominion, and confifted in the right of levying
over certain districts a land-tax varying with the produce, and not in
the abfolute property of the foil, which a fet of vaflals, or farmers,
were permitted to cultivate on the payment of certain dues. Mr.
Law, as is well known, inclines to the latter hypothefis, and bestows
high encomiums on Lord Cornwallis for acting on it.

The cafe of the Nabob, p. 27 of this tract, feems to evince that the fums paid by the Zemindars to the fovereign often differ as widely from the amount which they levy on the husbandman, as the rate of a benefice in the king's books varies from its actual produce. The cafe of

See Rev. for October, p. 184. Art. British India Analyzed.

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Syed Gulaum Huffien, the hiftorian, p. 28, fhews that it was cuffomary for private perfons to commute the tythe on their own eftates for the fee-fimple of equivalent land. The Syed appears to have made this commutation for his own life, and to have wished to make it in perpetuity.

There is one regulation by Lond Cornwallis, on which we feel no lefs inclined than Mr. Law to dwell with approbation; namely, that which corrects the fluctuating nature of the land-tax, which makes the prefent affeffment a maximum, and forbids the Zemindars to derive any increase of opulence from the improvement of a cultivation to which they in no refpect conduce. Tay.

Art. 27. Remarks upon Obfervations on the Report of the Committee appointed to infpect the Lords' Journals, in relation to the Trial of Mr. Haftings. 8vo. 15. Debrett. 1794.

The Obfervations, to which thefe Remarks are a reply, were written to complain of delay of judgment in Mr. Haflings's trial, as an act of injuftice to an individual who has performed effential and important fervices to the public. The refpondent criminates Mr. Haftings with more severity than feems juftifiable, pending the trial. His principal anfwers to the charge of delay are, that the complaint, whatever ground there is for it, falls on Mr. Haftings; and that in fact the trial, in its full fpace of feven years, has only occupied 148 days; which, allowing three hours to each day, makes 444 hours, or fomewhat more than a fortnight of actual time. Mr. Burke is extolled as the avenger of Indian crimes, and his name is loaded with honour little fhort of idolatry.

E. Art. 28. The Substance of a Speech delivered at a General Court at the Eaft India Houfe, 18th June 1794; on the Impropriety of allowing the Directors of the East India Company to trade to or from India, in their private Capacities; with Notes. By Richard Twining. 8vo. IS. Cadell.

This fpeech undertakes to prove principally two points :-one, that the private commerce of Directors to the East, whether as principals or agents, is utterly inconfiftent with the interefts of the Eaft India Company: the other, that the right, which Directors at present poffefs, of trading to India in their private capacities, has been granted to them without the knowlege either of the Court of Directors or of the Court of Proprietors; and in direct violation of what was most clearly agreed between Government and the Company.

The obfervations on the oath of the Directors, p. 22, might furely have been omitted.

Art. 29. The Debates at the East India Houfe, 18th June, 1794; on the Confideration of the Report of the Committee of Bye-laws, and on Mr. Twining's Motion, "that no Director be allowed to carry on any Trade or Commerce to or from India, directly or indirectly, either as Principal or Agent." Reported by William Woodfall. 4to. 2s. Debrett, &c.

We are pleased that the reporting of debates at the India-house fhould have fallen into hands fo well qualified for arranging the fugitive remarks of our leading merchants, in a form which will do honour to commercial eloquence. It may be fufpected, however, that

Tay.

the

the confequence of this publicity will be analogous to that produced in the Senate by the circulation of parliamentary debates, and will ultimately throw the office of Director into the hands of those who make the best orators and pamphleteers, in behalf of the fuppofed interes and rights of the proprietors. With refpect to the prefent publication, it may fuffice to state that, although thefe debates, which regard the right of the Directors to a private trade to India, took place in June last, yet, as the confideration of Mr. Twining's motion on the fubject was adjourned to December, it appeared to the editor more convenient to reserve their appearance till they were likely again to occupy the public attention. The Appendix contains the neceffary documents. Tay.

Art. 30. An Answer to the Speech delivered by Mr. Richard Twining, at the East India Houfe, 18th June 1794, &c. By Samuel Tolfrey, a Proprietor of India Stock. 8vo. Is. 6d. Stockdale.

This reply more than infinuates that the great object of that temperate fpirit of reformation, that moderate patriotifm, which has of late illuftrated the India house, is to exclude from the Direction those very gentlemen whofe influence, talents, and experience effentially contributed to accomplish' the late renewal of the charter. It contains a very methodical and inftructive comment on Mr. Twining's pamphlet, and may be expected to call forth a rejoinder, which cannot but warmly intereft the whole body of proprietors.

Art. 31. A Sketch of the Debate, that took place at the India-house in Leadenhall-ftreet, on Wednesday the 9th of October inft. on the following Motion of William Lufhington, Efq." That a General Court be held on the 23d inftant, to take into confideration an Addrefs to his Majefty, expreffive of the firm determination of this Company to give every fupport in their power, to the Government of the Country, at this arduous crifis, and particularly to exprefs a wifh to raise and cloath three Fencible Regiments, to ferve in Great Britain, Ireland, or the Iflands of Jerfey and Guernsey, and to recommend that the Officers belonging to the Company's military establishment in India, now in Europe, may be employed in thofe regiments, fubject to his Majesty's approbation." By William Woodfall. 4to. Is. 6d. Debrett.

D:

There is fomething fplendid in that coalition of establishments which has hitherto been found requifite for each other's fupport. Wealth, in large maffes and in corporate action, is very dazzling; and to vulgar eyes it appears in that form more productive of acute happiness, of ornamental civilization, and of applicable force, than in the ftate of more equal diffufion and swifter increase, to which the principles of that arch-leveller, Dr. Adam Smith, would naturally reduce it. We must not wonder, then, that, within the purlieus of Leadenhall, philofophic theories of commerce fhould pafs for revolutionary impiety; the nation, which has abolished companies and custom-houses, for an academy of barbarism; its armies, for an horde of banditti; and its laws, for a digeft of anarchy. Under fuch impreffions, the contemporary progress of the French in arts and arms, the rapid increase among them of the wages of labour, and of the furface of

cultivated

cultivated foil,-the attachment of their populace,-their privileged democratic inftitutions,-their multiplying marriages,-their fucceffful piracy, their fuppreffion of unproductive toil,-their capability of an agrarian law, and all their growing refources,-are overlooked, and a defperate war against them is to be fupported and encouraged: a war begun through the want of recognizing a right of power in the deputies of their people; the continuance of which ferves, no doubt, to perpetuate the odious profcriptions to which, in moments of crisis, their factions in turn refort: but the termination of which, uniefs fpecdy, must be fatal to our dearest domestic interefts. Surely it were more prudent to recal the French to the arts of peace, in which we can excel them, than to perfevere in a conteft which may ton foon be conducted on our own foil, to the inevitable interruption of thofe tranquil refinements of which we grow fo effeminately jealous.

So much for the general propriety of the Addrefs. The debate was of courfe opened with an eloquent felection from Mr. Burke's exhauflefs book of topics. Of its local propriety, the following extráft may give fome idea:

Sir Francis Baring faid, he did not rife to ftate his fentiments on the Addrefs then, because he did not think that the fit moment for difcuffing it, as it would come under the confideration of the Court a fortnight hence. He thought the Court could not go too far in expreflions of attachment to the King and Conftitation, but his doubts how far the Court was competent to vote away any of the Company's cash, for that, or any other publick purpose, before they had complied with the injunctions impofed upon them by the charter, went farther than thofe of the Honourable Gentleman who had propofed the amendment. By that charter, gentlemen would recollect, that Government were entitled to 500,000l. if there should remain fo much furplus, after the other provifions of the charter had been fulfilled, In his opinion, Sir Francis faid, there was not likely to be any furplus for Government this year, and as they had found it neceffary to go to Parliament a few months fince, for leave to borrow a million, it would have a very odd appearance for the Company to be profufe, efpecially when, from the ftate of their accounts, it would be evident that they had it not in their power to be even juft, much more generpus. Upon the whole, he thought it would be neceflary for the Directors to take legal advice upon the subject, and not precipitately vote away large fums of money, while the exigences of the war kept their treasury empty."

Art. 32. The Adjourned Debate, which took place at the India-houfe in Leadenhall-itreet, on Thursday, October 23, 1794, on the Question for prefenting an Addrefs to his Majefty, offering to raife three Regiments for the Publick Service. Reported by William Debrett. Woodfall. 4to. 25. This continuation of the difcuffion noticed in the preceding article thus opens:

Mr. Collins feized the occafion the moment the Chairman had taken his feat, and began to read a written remonstrance against the cafure agitated at the laft Court, ftating, in strong and marked

terms,

Tay.

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