limiting, circumfcribing, and of interpreting it, in what manner they thought proper ;---and at lait of totally withdrawing it, when they believed it to be abused, or perverted to their prejudice.' It cannot be denied, that according to the expreffion of the abovementioned compromife, the conceffion of the Americans. would not be decifive with refpect to the plea of right; but if we confider, that there is no bond of political union or dependence, efpecially between countries widely feparated from each other, which particular intereft may not induce the parties to infringe, perhaps fuch a conceffion as implies only an acquiefcence, may prove equally valid in effect with a formal renunciation. In the prefent crifis, however, the remarks of this fagacious writer certainly merit attention. 31. Plan offered by the Earl of Chatham to the House of Lords, entitled, A provifional Act for fettling the Troubles in America, St. 410. IS. Almon. It would be fuperfluous to fay any thing further of this Plan, than that it propofes an accommodation with America upon the following terms: that it be declared, that the colonies of America are, and of right ought to be, dependent upon the imperial crown of Great Britain, and fubordinate unto the British parliament. That the British legiflature has full power and authority to enact laws for the government of the colonies, in all matters touching the general weal of the whole dominions of the crown. That no tax fhall be levied from the Americans without their confent, given by act of provincial affembly. That it fhall be lawful for the delegates from the refpective provinces, lately affembled at Philadelphia, to meet in general congrefs in May next, in order to take into confideration the making due recognition of the fupreme legiflative authority, and fuperintending power of parliament over the colonies; and that the delegates be required to take likewife into confideration (over and above the ufual charge for fupport of civil government in the refpective colonies) the making a free grant to the king, his heirs and fucceffors, of a certain perpetual revenue, fubject to the difpofition of the British parliament. 32. Journal of the Proceedings of the Congress held at Philadelphia, Sept. 5, 1774. 8.00. 1s. 6d. Almon. This Journal is published as a fupplement to a pamphlet mentioned in our laft Review, under the title of " Extracts from the Votes and Proceedings of the American Continental Congress." The contents of each are already well known to the public. 33. The Congrefs canvaffed. 8vo. Is. Richardfon and Urquhart. The fenfible author of this examination continues to expoftulate with the Americans, in a warm and forcible manner, concerning the late congrefs at Philadelphia, He clearly fhews, that the appointment of the delegates was a capricious, unauthorized act of the reprefentatives of the refpective provinces; totally void of the fanction of the legislature neceffary to its validity, and therefore unconftitutional. He then exposes the falfe and arbitrary principles upon which the congrefs acted, and points out their fatal tendency to the interefts and liberties of the colonies. The whole of the expoftulation is judicious and animated and we fincerely with that the Americans would pay that atten tion which is due to the fenfible admonitions of this fagacious and prudent writer. 34. Remarks on the New Effay of the Penfylvanian Farmer. 8vo. IS. Becket. With respect to the Effay, which is the fubject of these Remarks, we obferved, that it was an indecifive difcuffion of the fo much agitated queftion relative to the extent of the authority of the British legislature; in treating of which, the author had produced more opinions than arguments, and cited authorities not properly connected with the fubject. Such being the character of that performance, it affords ample fcope to any writer who may be difpofed to difplay his penetration in expofing its defects. 35. A Letter to the People of Great Britain, in Answer to that published by the American Congrefs. 8vo. IS. Newbery. The intention of this letter is to guard the public against the partial reprefentations and fallacious arguments produced by the Americans in their own behalf. For which purpofe the author's reafoning is, in general, fair and conclufive. 36. The other Side of the Question: in Answer to a late friendly Addrefs to all reajonable Americans. 8vo. 1s. Richardfon and Urquhart. We are glad to find that, amidst the general difcontent which prevails among the partizans for America, fome of her advocates have yet fo much good humour left, as to reply to their opponents in a ftrain of pleasantry. The author of the prefent defence has had recourfe to this method; but the arguments of the writer whom he criticizes were too reasonable to be totally invalidated. 37. Obfervations on the prevailing Abufes in the British Army, arifing from the Corruption of Civil Government. Sva. 1s. 6d. Davies. The custom of obtaining military preferment by means of parliamentary intereft, to the prejudice of thofe who are not patronized by men in power, has long been a fubject of complaint among the veteran officers of the army; and the author of these Obfervations expofes the abufe in the ftrongest and most farcaftic terms. He afterwards enters into a nervous detail of the incompetency of the military pay at prefent for the fupport of the army fhewing that it bears not any reasonable proportion to the advanced expences in every article of life, fince its original eftablishment. Having infifted on this fubject at confiderable length, he propofes that all the officers in the army fhould fubfcribe a petition to the king and the house of commons, requestSee Crit. Rev. for January last, p. 71. ing ing an augmentation of their pay; and he has drawn up a form for each of thefe applications. The whole is conceived in a ftrain of dutiful, affecting, and manly fentiment, expreffed with all the energy of language. 38. A Letter to Dr. Johnson, occafioned by his late Political Publications. With an Appendix, containing fome Obfervations on a Pamphlet lately published by Dr. Shebbeare. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Towers. The former of thefe gentlemen is here accufed of having changed his political principles, and the latter, of facrificing hiftorical truth to the gratification of a certain clafs of readers. From the general strain of the pamphlet, however, the circumftance that renders them most obnoxious to the author, feems to be their differing from him in opinion with refpect to public meafures and it is probably an additional aggravation in his eyes, that they are faid to have obtained penfions from the crown. 39. A Letter to Dr. Shebbeare, containing a Refutation of his Arguments concerning the Bolton and Quebec Acts of Parliament, and bis Afperfions upon the Memory of King William, &c. By Hugh Baillie, LL.D. 8-40. 25, Donaldfon. A perfon who writes on the fubject of politics feldom fails of meeting foon with an antagonist; and if both parties be tolerably well fupplied with arguments and facts, the controverfy may long be maintained with vigour, and at laft the victory prove doubtful. The truth is, that with respect to the character of king William, which is the principal object in queftion, the one of thefe doctors appears to be influenced by prejudice, and the other by equal partiality. 40. A Speech in the Lower Houfe of Convocation, Jan. 23, 1775. By James Ibbetfon, D. D.. 4to. 6d. White. A fhort fpeech, containing fome general encomiums on the king's fupremacy, as established by the laws of England; reprefenting this branch of the royal prerogative, as the decus et tutamen of our civil and religious rights and recommending the infertion of a claufe to this effect, in the addrefs to his majesty, then under the confideration of the clergy affembled in convocation. 41. An Impartial Review of the Proceedings of the late Houfe of Commons. By one of the late Baron. of the Cinque Ports, 12mo, 2s. 6d. Witts. By The baron of the Cinque ports, good foul! is too honeft a man to be swayed by partiality, and he therefore defcants only on fuch acts of administration as were the most unpopular, 42. An Address to the Public, occafioned by the extraorainary Behaviour of the Mayor and Corporation of Southampton, Sr. William Andrews, Attorney at Law. 4tc. Is We find nothing in this addrefs that merits the attention of the public; for it relates entirely to tranfactions of a private and perfonal nature, which happened during the late election at Southampton. Beecroft. 43. Obfery 43. Obfervations on Mr. Andrew's Addrefs to the Public. 8vo. 6d. Beecroft.. Thefe Obfervations are written in fuch a ftrain of candour and decency, as not only adds greatly to their force, but reflects honour on the difpaffionate regard to truth with which the author. appears to be actuated. Ordered to be burnt by the hands of the Common Hangman ': 44. The Prefent Crifis, with Refpect to America, confidered. 8v0. This writer zealously maintains the fupreme authority of the British legiflature over the colonies. His arguments for the most part are well founded in the general principles of government; but his meaning is frequently obfcured by an abftrufe manner of reafoning, an uncouth ftyle, and ungrammatical expreffion. The moft remarkable pofition we find him advance is with refpect to taxes; of which he affirms, that the idea of their being free gifts is erroneous and contradictory to the nature of their inftitution. The king, he obferves, poffeffes the right to declare war against a foreign power, if his dominions are invaded, or are in danger, even though it might be contrary to the inclinations of the commons. Should they refufe fubfidies, fays our author, is he (the king) not warranted to levy them? otherwife of what confequence is the right it would be nugatory and void. It would be a contradiction in terms, and make the conflitution, inftead of being founded on truth and principle, a jargon of inconfiftencies. Whether this argument in favour of the royal prerogative might be admiffible, even upon the fuppofition that the Salus populi was abfolutely in danger, we will not prefume to determine; but as it is morally impoffible that a majority of the commons can ever be fo much actuated by caprice or prejudice, as to refufe reasonable grants to the crown, for the prefervation of their country, in the general ruin of which their own muft inevitably be included, a cafe which would juftify the exertion of fuch a power in the crown, cannot be fuppofed ever to happen. Befides, arguments drawn from fuppofed cafes of the greateft imaginable urgency, are by no means con clufive of the limits of legal authority. The British conftitution has eternally feparated from the crown the power of impofing taxes; and if ever any king of thefe realms fhould attempt to tranfgrefs this inviolable barrier of public liberty, the nation would undoubtely be again involved in all the horrors of a civil war. POETRY. t '45. A Dialogue between a Southern Del gate and his Spouse. 8vo. Is. Richardfon and Urquhart. A ludicrous dialogue in verfe, without much humour. 46. The Affociation, &c. of the Delegates of the Colonies, verfified. 8vo. 15. Richardfon and Urquhart. Another poetical jeu d'efprit, nearly of the fame ftamp; to which is fubjoined a copy of the affociation, in the original profe. 47. The 1 Some of 47. The Land of Liberty: an allegorical Poem. 4to. 2s. 6d. Davies. The imitation of Spenfer in this poem is far from being close; but the verfification is fmooth, and tolerably correct. the descriptions are well executed; but the allegory becomes tedious, although extended through no more than one hundred and twenty ftanzas. 48. Modern Midnight Converfations. 8vo. IS. Evans. Those who have a relish for the nuptial dialogues of Ned Ward, will not fail of finding entertainment in the perufal of this volume. To fay the truth, the prefent writer ought to take the wall of honest Ned; but we hope the pre-eminence we affign him will not make him fo far forget himself, as to omit to doff his bonnet, when any legitimate fon of Phoebus comes in his way. 49. Duelling. A Poem. 410. IS. Davies. Thanks to good fortune the author of this poem has a mortal antipathy to cold iron-we, therefore, may venture to inform him that his piece is totally void of poetical merit. With 50. Leonora. An Elegy. 4to. Is. Davies. We have read many elegies far inferior to this. 51. A bort Effay on Charles Churchill. Written in 1764. Notes and Alterations in 1774. 410. Is. Flexney. If Mr. C. Churchill was really a motley eccentric character, as here reprefented, the effayift has certainly defcribed him in a congenial ftrain of poetry. For he has compounded a curious hodge podge of English, Greek, and Latin. We may say of it in the author's own words, ཀ་ flesh and fish IS. Almon. Tofs'd up together in a dish.' 52. The Genius of Britain. An Ode. 4to. After fearching in vain for the genius of ancient Britain through different parts of Europe, the Mufe at last defcries the fugitive beyond the Atlantic. The various countries vifited are defcribed with a degree of poetical beauty, and the verfification of the ode is not unharmonious. 53. The Genius of Ireland. A New Year's Gift to Lord Clare. 410. Is. 6d. Wilkie. We know not whether the genius of Ireland be alfo fled from her native country; but if the be, we wish her a more honourable reception in her exile, than the is likely to obtain by this production. 54. Verfes addreffed to the, with a New Year's Gift of Irish Potatoes. 410. 15. Almon. A burlefque imitation of lord Clare's Verses to the Queen, but executed with fo little humour, that if the potatoes which are faid to have accompanied it, were not better of their kind, they were certainly a forry new year's gift. 55% Particular Providence; a Poetical Essay. By Mr. William Woty. 410. 15. Flexney. The poet, after fome general reflections on the comforts arifing from |