ART. 31. Great Britain's Faf, or Three pious Exercises to affift the Devation of the Faft-Day: the First, a Service of Preparation; the Second, a Service for the Day; the Third, a Service for the Sunday after the Faft. To awaken the Nation to a Senfe of its Sins; to point cut the Judgments of God against wicked Nations; to afflict and confole Great Britain in this her Day of Calamity. The whole felected from the Bible. Svo. 33 PP. Is. 6d. Ridgway. 1801.

When it is faid that the whole is felected, a Preface of nine pages should be excepted, in which the author fhows a predilection to the doctrines of Me hodifm, and afferts that they alone are perfectly confiftent with the Articles of cur Church. He thinks that too much latitude of interpretation has been given by fome modern expofitors; but when he fays, that a ftill higher authority has afferted it to be

unucceffary and prefumptuous to utter fome part of our Liturgy," we are at a lofs to know where his allufion points. The publication feems to have been drawn up with pious feelings, though often with erroneous views, and many of the felections from Scripture are ftriking and important.

ART. 32. The Evangelical Clergyman, or a Vindication of the Religi ous Principles and Conduct of a Minifter of the Gospel; occafioned by the Circumftances attending a recent Election of Guardians to the Poor in the Parifb of Clerkenwell. By G. Hodjon. 8vo. 62 pp. 1801.

Is. 6d.

In the very exact steps of the Puritans, who formerly overthrew the ecclefiaftical and civil establishment of this country, are these men treading, who arrogantly and pharifaically affume to themfelves the appellation of Evangelical teachers!--and what was the refult of that difmal experiment? When multitudes of pious and worthy men (as many as fill a folio volume*) had been difplaced and perfecuted to make room for fuch as called themfelves evangelical or golpel minifters, it appeared that nothing but mifery and confufion refulted from this godly reformation (as it was termed) and the whole nation rejoiced to fee things placed upon their ancient bafis. We declare, from pofitive knowledge, that nothing can be more completely calumnious than the infinuations against the established clergy with which this publication abounds. To defend at large a clafs fo numerous, muft be done with a certainty that exceptions may be found; but when this writer draws the picture of an evangelical clergyman, beginning, "the grand mafter principle by which he is educated is a vigorous and ardent defire to promote the Glory of God," &c. (p. 24) he draws, in its principal features, the picture of a great majority among thofe whom he calutoniates. If the Clergy think that, on fome points, they have more Chriftian liberty than thefe Puritans allow, let not their liberty be evil-fpoken of, unless it ferve for a cloke for licentiousness. The article of plays, &c. has always been a favourite fub

* Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy.

jea

ject of declamation with fuch reformers; but the good of them may certainly be taken by pure minds without the evil, and therefore taken innocently.

We always read fuch effufions as this tract with a pious fear, left we fhould in truth be found wanting, on examination; yet, on a fair and earneft view of ourselves, we humbly hope and truft it is not fo. If zeal be at all wanting, these affailants may be the inftruments of God to animate and ftrengthen it. But when they fay that we have forfaken the doctrines and the articles of our Church, we deny it; and affert, that they only exaggerate fome points, which we interpret juftly. We could anfwer this tract step by step; but it must be by a difcuffion almoft equally long. We forbear, therefore, though to the subject we muft frequently recur. We lament heartily that there have been these evangelical contentions in the parifh of Clerkenwell.

POLITICS.

ART. 33. Colle&anea Maritima; being a Collection of Public Inftruments, &c. &c. tending to illuftrate the Hiftory and Practice of Prize Law. By Chr. Robinson, LL. D. Advocate in Doctors' Commons. 8vo. 81 pp. 35. White. 1801.

The object of this publication is thus judicioufly ftated, in the Advertisement prefixed to it.

"It has been the aim of fome writings lately circulated in this country, to represent the ancient practice of vifitation and fearch in time of war, as incompatible with the true principles of juftice, and as injurious to the rightful exercife of neutral commerce: thefe objections have been made, with a view of fubftituting in its place one of two theories; either that all question of property fhould be fuperfeded on board neutral veffels; or if Belligerents will not formally renounce all pretenfions over the property of their enemies, that at least the pafs of Sovereigns, and the flag of convoying ships of war, should be accepted as a fufficient affurance that every thing, under that protection, is neutral property. So momentous a propofal neceffarily calls forth very ferious apprehenfions: we cannot, in common prudence, forget how defirable it is that every principle, which is propofed to us as a rule of action, fhould come approved by fome teft that it has undergone in the actual experience of mankind. But, inftead of being thus practically recommended, thefe propofitions both ftand condemned and rejected by the experience of our ancellors in times of great political wifdom; the former having been, on trial, declared incompatible with the juft interests of a belligerent nation, in the time of Queen Elizabeth; the latter having been peremptorily refifted, in the only inftance in which it is known to have come into difcuffion-between Holland and this country, during the times of the ufurpation." P. i. "That a temperate use of the right of fearch and perfonal infpection, would be at all times the beft fecurity, cannot reasonably be doubted. It is the particular object of the following pages to fhew that, in addition to the expediency and political fitnefs of this pretenfion, we

have

have on our fide the fanction of immemorial usage and cuftom of the fea, proved as regularly, and as fully, as any other legal cuftom whatever." P. ii.

The learned compiler proceeds to notice the fophiftry and bold afsertion of thofe, who would reprefent this fpecies of law as more arbitrary in its foundation, and more queftionable in the obligation it creates, than other laws. It was," he adds, "for the purpose of interpofing fomething like an appeal to the experience of former times, that a tranflation of the prize chapters of the Confolato del Mare was lately offered to the public. In profecution of the fame defign, and as a fequel to that little work, the following collection of public acts is now brought forward, in fuch a manner as feemed best adapted to convey the most information by the shorteft means."

The collection begins with the inftructions given by King Henry the Eighth to the admiral of his fleet, Sir Edward Howard, on the occafion of a treaty with the King of Arragon, by which each party ftipulated to employ a fleet on a particular fervice. In these inftructions, the moft material paffage is to the following effect.

"And in cafe it may be by theym founde that fuche goodes or any parte thereof apperteign to ennemyes, or that ther be any fufpection thereof, then the faid veffellys, with their goods, maifters, and Governers of the fame, fchall be by theym brought furely and fafely befor th' admirall; to thentent that in cafe they be founde true marchauntys, without fufpition or colouring of enemys goodes, they may be enlarged, and fuffered frely to paffe at their libertie; ells the goodes and fhippes apperteyning to enemyes, to be taken as to the faid admirall, and the larwes of the fee fhall be thought good and apperteign.” P.11.

The next document produced is a Proclamation of Queen Elizabeth to reprefs depredations on the fea; the fecond claufe of which declares, that if any perfon whatsoever fhall uppon the fea take any fhip that doth belong to any of her Majettie's freynds and allies, or to any of their fubjects, and after knowlege had that the said shippe doth belonge to her freyndes, doth not forbeare to stay the fame, unlesse it shal be laden with goods of her Majeftie's enemyes, or with marchaundizes of fuch nature or quallety as may serve to furnish the Kynge of Spayne, his armyes or navyes, and going into the kingdoms of Spayne and Portugall, or fhall take out of it anie goodes belonginge to her fayde freyndes, except goods of the aforefaid nature or quallity bound for Spayne or Portugall, hee or they foe offending, fhall fuffer death, with confifcacion of landes and goodes, according to the lawe in that cafe provided." P. 25.

Next in order appear certain propofitions for a treaty between Henry IV. of France and Queen Elizabeth, made by the commiffioners on both fides, but not finally agreed upon.

A Proclamation, in the first year of Charles I. against the King of Spain, is next ftated; whi h prohibits the fending into that fovereign's dominions" any manner of graine or other victualls, or any manner of provifions, to ferve to build, furnish, or arme any fhipps of warr, or any kind of múnition for the warr, or materialls for the fame, being not of the nature of meer merchandize;" and this is followed by E e a fecond

BRIT, CRIT. VOL. XVIII, OCT. 1801.

a fecond Proclamation, in the fubfequent year, enforcing the former, and by a commiffion directed to Dudley Lord Carleton and others, to review the principles of prize-laws. The two laft documents are only material to fhow, that the law refpecting prizes has been uniformly acknowledged to be one of the laws and cuftoms of the realm of England;" as it is exprefsly declared to be in the Commiffion. Extracts from an ordinance of Charles VI. of France, as a proof of the early law and practice of that kingdom, conclude this publication: but it is intended to be continued, and will, we think, prove highly ufeful, both as a book of reference, and as proving the maritime law, afferted by us in the late controverfy, to be confiftent with the former established practice of Great Britain.

ART. 34. Mémoire Juftificatif de la Conduite de la Grande Bretagne, en arrêtant les Navires étrangers et les Munitions de Guerre, deftinées aux Infurgens de l'Amérique. 8vo. 106 pp. 35. 6d. Bickerstaff.

1801.

This Memorial was drawn up by Sir James Marriot (then Advocate General) in answer to a complaint made by the States General to the government of this kingdom during the early part of the American war, and while the Dutch were confidered as a neutral nation. The States had complained, through their Ambaffador, of the decifion of the Court of Admiralty on two veffels detained by the late Lord Mulgrave; which the Court had directed to be released; but it had, at the fame time, decreed that the Dutch claimants should have no da mages, and should pay the cofts of fuit, on account not only of fome improprieties in the conduct of the mafter and owners, but of several fufpicious circumftances attending the capture. The propriety of this laft part of the decree is ably, and we think juftly, maintained by Sir James Marriot; who ftates, and very fully explains, the practice of that court in cafes of a fimilar nature, and juftifies the maritime jurifprudence of his country. As, in the courfe of this juftification, he neceffarily touches upon fome general rules of maritime law, and as fome of the late decifions of the Admiralty Court have been attacked by foreign writers, the publication of this Memorial, at the prefent time, cannot be deemed unfeasonable; and it will form an useful fupplement to the more important works of the Earl of Liverpool, Dr. Croke, and Mr. Ward.

AGRICULTURE

ART. 35. A Letter addressed to the Right Hon. Lord Carrington, Prefident of the Board of Agriculture. By Colonel Fullarton, of Fullar ton, M. P. F. R. S. Author of the Agricultural Report for the County of Ayr. 8vo. 100 pp. 2s. 6d. Debrett. 1801.

The Board of Agriculture lately propofed, as the fubject of a prizeeffay, the most approved modes of converting grafs-lands into tillage,

without

without exhaufting the foil; and of returning the fame to grafs, in 435 an improved state, or at leaft without injury." P. 2. in the first place (or, as we should fay, previously)" to fpecify the chaIt was required racters attached to the leading qualities of land," (p. 2) that is, in plain English, the particular quality of the feveral lands. These are, ift. Clay in all its diftinctions; and foils, too ftrong or wet for turnips. 2d. Loam, fit for turnips. 3d. Sand, including warrens and heaths. 4th. Chalk-lands and downs. 5th. Peat, including moory, fedgy, rough bottoms, and fens."" Every part of the plan recommended is the refult, not only of long and accurate obfervation, in many partsof the three kingdoms, but of actual operations, with which the writer is immediately connected, as a proprietor, as a farmer, and as trustee on large eftates." P. 62. We think the plan here recommended by Col. F. generally very deferving of attention, though we do not affent to it in all particulars; efpecially in fowing the "fweepings of hay-lofts," along with clover and ray-grafs feeds (p. 17). The fowing of fuch fweepings appears to us barbarifin itself in agriculture. The knowledge, and the liberal spirit, and the wisdom of the Board, and of its Prefident, and of its " courteoufly acknowledged by the author; and feem to be points, on able and enlightened Secretary," are moft which he apprehends no contradiction. All this may be very proper, and a matter of course, when one gentleman is writing a civil letter to another; but the public, and that part of it in particular which has read all the things that have been written by the associates of the Board, may probably demur a little in acceding to fuch unqualified compli

ments.

ART. 36. Auxiliary Remarks on an Effay on the " vantages of Oxen for Tillage in Competition with Horfes." In a LetComparative Adter to Sir John Talbot Dillon, K. N. 1. M. R. I. Á. Sc. Sc. To which are added, Sundry Communications on this interefting Subje&. By William Tatham, Author of the Political Economy of inland Na vigation, Irrigation, and Drainage; an Hiftorical Effay on the Culture and Commerce of Tobacco; Communications concerning the Agriculture and Commerce of America; National Irrigation, Sc.. Ft. $3 PP. Is. 6d. Scott. 1801.

8vo.

Thefe Remarks relate principally to the horses and oxen of America and of Spain. We find in them a few things, tending to fhow the docility of oxen, and their powers of draught; but little, or nothing, that proves their general fuperiority over horfes. Indeed, the author intimates that his opinion leans the other way. (p. 4) The " Communications" furnish much pofitive affirmation, but little eviSundry dence, on this fubject. We believe that the number of farmers is not fmall, who have made trial with oxen, and have returned to the use of horfes. A few experiments of this kind outweigh, in our judgment, a hundred declamations.