WRYNECK. Thefe birds appear on the grafs-plats and walks; they walk a little as well as hop, and thrust their bills into the turf, in queft, I conclude, of ants, which are their food. While they hold their bills in the grafs, they draw out their prey with their tongues, which are fo long as to be coiled round their heads. RENOVATION OF LEAVES. When oaks are ftripped of their leaves by chafers, they are clothed. again foon after Midfummer with a beautiful foliage. But beeches, horfe-chefnuts, and maples, once defaced by these infects, never reço, ver their beauty again for the whole season, POLITICS. ART. 33. A Profpect of the political Relations which fubfift between the French Republic and the Helvetick Body. By Colonel Weifs, Member of the Sovereign Council of Berne. Originally published in French, 26th of February, 1793. Tranflated by Weeden Butler, B. A. of Sidney Suflex College, Cambridge. 8vo. 56 pp. 1s. 6d. Debrett, $794. The object of this pamphlet is principally confined to a question, in the difcuffion of which Swifs and Frenchmen are only interested; the policy of war or peace between thofe countries. The author is an animated and perfpicuous writer; and, though fufficiently enamoured to Republicanifm, appears equally a lover of true liberty and order. Before he enters on his ful 'ect, Col. Weifs lays down, as neceffary to the understanding of his tubsequent remarks, a sketch of his political creed. It is fufficient to obferve upon this creed, that it is his creed refpecting the French Revolution only, and that it throws the chief blame of all events upon the court. In treating fome parts of his fubject, the author affumes a tone of honeft patriotifm, which places his character in an advantageous light. He confeffes there are faults in the conftitution of Berne, and that he is a malcontent, as fuffering by them; yet he afks," fhall I be fo mean, fo defpicable, as to facrifice truth, juftice, and my country's repofe, to private refentment ?" and extolls the probity and pure defigns of the Sovereign Council. He then fubjoins the following reflections, which certainly have much wisdom. "When we find an ever-increafing profperity to be the result of an adminiftration that has lafted fix hundred years, we need no other inducement to decide, with confidence, that the government is good, and that the constitution is not bad. Experience is a more certain criterion than reasoning; and facts are ftronger evidences than abstract fpeculations. States are not made to ferve as models of a conftitution; but conftitutions are made for the service of states :what agrees with one nation, may not with another; but that form is indifputably the beft, which renders the people moft happy." Upon the whole we cannot but regard with confiderable approbation the manly, yet conciliatory spirit in which this pamphlet is writ tena ten. It fpeaks the language alike of firmnefs and of feeling, and does equal honour to the humanity and the patriotifm of its author. ART. 34. A Letter to the Prince of Wales, on a fecond Application to Parliament, to discharge Debts wantonly Contracted fince May 1787. Eighth Edition; with Notes, and a Poftfcript enlarged. 8vo. 67 pp. Is. 6d. Owen. 1795. It is certainly of great importance that perfonages poffeffing even the highest fituations under the conftitution of a free country, fhould refpect the public opinion; and eight editions of the prefent pamphlet fhow, beyond a doubt, that the public has not been indifferent to the fubject of it. But there are different ways of stating the fame thing, and of all the ways that could have been devised, this writer feems to have chofen the most harfh. For a man alfo, profeffing attachment to the royal family and conftitution, he has not chofen the moft prudent or confiftent language, when he speaks of the "very onerous establishment of monarchy" and feems to allow, what is contrary to the fact, that governments without monarchy are lefs expenfive. By far the most expenfive governments that the respective countries have known, have been the republics of England and of France. Nor does the writer fpeak the fenfe of the real friends of monarchy, when he fays, that the court of Versailles has been "defervedly annihilated:" nor when he exaggerates the diftreffes of this kingdom, and raises the queftion of the debts into a matter on which the very exiftence of the conftitution may depend. He writes in general with ability, but not always correctly, when he writes in hafte. In page ii. of the preface, by a vulgarifm which we should have thought too low to have infected any man of education, he speaks of debts" which the nation has certainly no right to difcharge," meaning that it is not under any obligation to discharge them. For that the nation has a right to pay any debts it thinks proper is indubitable. These are things frequently confounded in low converfation, but very feldom in writing. He fays alfo, in p. xiv. of the fame preface, "if by exercifing the virtue of felf-denial, Mr. Fox means punishment," when he means to fay, "if by punishment, Mr. Fox means exercifing the virtue of felf-denial." The letter itself is fhort: the pamphlet is made out by other letters from newspapers; and two large poftfcripts, which, as is jocularly faid of those of ladies, far exceed the letters themselves. ART. 35. A Letter to the Earl of Lauderdale, containing Striflures on his Lordship's Letters to the Peers of Scotland. By John Gifford, Efq. 8vo. 179 pp. 35. Longman, 1795. The letters of this noble lord it was lately our task to examine, and we found them little calculated to do him credit. Mr. Gifford undertakes a more fevere examination, and carries it on in a ftrong perfonal addrefs, which probably will not be confidered as very friendly. Mr. G. appears to prove irrefragably, that many of his lordship's pofitions are perfectly unfound, and not a few of them inconfiftent. Almost every topic that has been difcuffed, refpecting the prefent war, is here confidered, in reply to the ftatements of Lord L. How ably they are handled will be judged from the following paffage refpecting the aggreffion of the French. It is compofed of proofs, well chofen, and well flated. "M. Deleffart, from his prifon at Orleans, wrote a letter to his friend M. Neckar; in which he laments the delay which had taken place, in procuring the papers neceffary for his defence." I fhall lament," fays M. Deleffart, as long as I live, that it could not appear at the prefent period; for it would prove curious, not on account of what particularly relates to me, but in confequence of the manifeftation of what has paffed in foreign courts; in confequence of the demonftration that they were unwilling to make war against us; in confequence of the unanswerable proof, that it is we who have provoked them to boftilities; who began them, and who have fet Europe against us." I must remark that M. Deleffart could not be mistaken; he had himself conducted all the negociations with the Imperial Court, till the appointment of Dumourier to the foreign department, and was of course fully acquainted with the difpofitions and intentions of the confederated powers. His evidence therefore is decifive. As to the letter in queftion, M. Neckar thus fpeaks of it." This letter is the more entitled to credit, as it was written without any particular view, and at a moment when the present fituation of the king (then a prifoner in the temple) could not have been forefeen: this letter is from a folitary prifoner to a man not living in France; this letter, in fhort, was drawn up by a man who is no more. What a teftimony! Did a teftimony ever exift upon which the character of truth was more immoveable? It feems to have derived, from misfortune and from death, fomething at ence terrible and facred." P. 98. Such is the fpirit with which this letter is drawn up and we cannot but incline to think that it would have been better for the perfon addressed to have preferved a modest filence, than to have rushed into a public argument, in which he was fo likely to be encountered by fome antagonist of strength fo far fuperior to his own. ART. 36. A Letter to the House of Peers on the prefent Bill depending in Parliament, relative to the Prince of Wales's Debts. By a lianoverian. Second Edition. 8vo. 23 pp. 1 S. Lee, 1795. This Writer does not approve of the Payment of the Prince's Debts by the Nation, and expreffes himself with no fmall feverity, both with respect to the Prince and the House of Peers. ART. 37. Thoughts on the Prince's Debts. Third Edition; to which is added a Preface, containing an Anecdote. 8vo. 30 pp. Debrett, 1795 Is. 6d. This writer ably vindicates the Prince from fome rude afperfions, and relates in his preface an anecdote highly honourable both to the liberality and spirit of his Royal Highness. He recommends the payment of the debts without referve. ART. ART. 38. The Voice of Truth against the Cerruptions in Church and State. 8vo. 68 pp. Is. 6d. Ridgway, 1794. The voice of truth is undoubtedly always worthy of our attention; but, before we liften with implicit confidence, let us be affured that it is really the voice of truth which we are to hear. Such pofitions as the following difpofe us to think, that it is not to this pamphlet we are to attend as to the voice of truth.—“Our creator (fays this author) commands what is calculated for promoting our own happiness, and there, fore deferves to be obeyed with chearfulness; man commands that which increases only his own power at the expence of the national profperity, and therefore deferves not to be obeyed." P. 53. Every one will readily acknowledge the former part of this pofition to be true, while the unqualified admiffion of the latter part of it, muft diffolve all the ties of human fubordination. The voice of truth is not lifted up to the honour of God, by ridiculing the ordinances of his religion, nor to the benefit of mankind, by clamours for the breaking of thofe bonds by which fociety is united, regulated, and fupported. ART. 39. A Vindication of the Conduct and Principles of the Printer of the Newark Herald: an Appeal to the Justice of the People of England on the Refult of two recent and extraordinary Profecutions for Libels, with an Appendix. By Daniel Holt, Printer of the Newark Herald. 8vo. 148 pp. 2s. 6d. Symonds, 1794. The publication before us might be entitled, Holt verfus Holt; fince it feems to contain a full confirmation of the juftice of that fentence which was pronounced by a British Court of Judicature, in the cause of the King against Daniel Holt, for a libel on the conftitution. ART. 40. Outline of the Speech of the Right Honourable Henry Dundas, on the Bill for embodying French Corps. April 18, 1794. 8vo. 32 PP. 18. Debrett, 1794. Strong arguments upon a fubject of frequent difcuffion, methodi cally arranged, and energetically urged. ART. 41. Letters to the Inhabitants of the Town and Lordship of Newry, by Jofeph Pollock, Efq. 8vo. 211 pp. Dublin, P. Byrne, Grafton-street. 1793. To Mr. P. the Catholics of Ireland appear to be indebted for the first step, leading the way to the abrogation of their political restrictions. What thefe letters contain on that fubject, we should have noticed more, if we had not confidered the matter at large in our cri tique on Mr. McKenna's effays. Mr. P. is likewife an advocate for what he esteems.a reform in the conftitution of the Irish Houfe of Com- . mons: but has tried to fay to the fpirit of alteration, "hitherto fhalt thou go and no further." He is one of thofe, who having fixed an ultimate point of alteration, beyond which he would not proceed, has, with integrity integrity and refolution, oppofed attempts to carry it to greater lengi. Mr. P. profeffes to prefer the free conftitution poffeffed in Britain and Ireland, to any thing which might refult from an attempt to make it more. free; and fully declares his belief, that there exifts a numerous and induftrious party, who, under the name of a reform, aim at the establishment of a real democracy. Such a charge, on fuch an evidence, we think deferves attention. His propofitions at the fecond meeting of Dungannon, were received in the manner in which fimilar measures of perfons of the fame integrity of principle will always be received: though very strong, they were cenfured as too "milky:" and he appears afterwards to have been denounced for incivifm. We cannot fay that the style of this pamphlet is clear; one circumstance rendering it obfcure, is the fingular length of the periods. Our notice of it has been poftponed longer than we intended. ART. 42. War with France the only Security of Britain at the prefent momentous Crifis: fet forth in an earnest Addrefs to his fellow Subjects, by an Old Englishman. 8vo. 39 PP. IS. G. Nicol. 1794. The arguments detailed in this addrefs are drawn from facts refpecting the atrocity of the French, which are generally known, and well authenticated. If therefore they appear ftriking, it is not fo much from their novelty, as from their being urged in a manner which is not deftitute of elegance or animation. The fagacity of the following remark has already been partly proved by the event. "Look at the wonderful change that has taken place in France, and let any one, who is the leaft judge of human nature, fay whether the prefent temper is likely to laft. They are in a fituation fo artificial, that it could not laft among the fteadieft nation in Europe; much less among Frenchmen." The pamphlet is dated at the beginning of 1794. ART. 43. Thoughts on the Introduction and Employment of foreign Troops, without the previous Confent of Parliament. 8vo. 31 pp、 IS. Debrett. 1794. As a fubject for the exercife of logical ingenuity, this question is neither ill-chofen nor ill-difcuffed. But as thefe thoughts on the introduction and employment of foreign troops appear to have arifen from our admiffion of the Heffian troops in diftrefs, we fhall take occafion to ftate our opinion upon that fubject. The fpirit of the British conftitution can certainly have received no fhock from having extended its hofpitality to ftrangers of any denomination, whofe intentions were friendly, and whofe fituation was calamitous. It may be called indeed an act dictated by neceffity, for the obligations of humanity and benevolence are, or ought to be, among civilized nations as binding as neceffity itself. The caufe of their admiflion was obvious and approved, and its effect has been innocent, at least, if not falutary. ART. |