ful to the perfon addreffed, highly honourable to the writer, and deeply impreffive to the British reader. We trust there will be no immediate occafion for the further display of these arguments; but if there fhould, to these Letters muft recourse be had, as of peculiar cogency and force. On the finances of our country, two very able works demand the public attention. These are, Dr. Clarke's Survey of the Strength and Opulence of Great Britain; and a tract, anonymous indeed, but coming evidently from fome perfon of accurate knowledge, entitled Financial Facts of the Eighteenth Century. The latter is fomething more concife than the former, but refers in general to nearly the fame documents.

To extend our political clafs, let us add to it what may be styled difcuffions on political economy. The fcarcity produced many publications of this description; among which, that of Dr. Anderfon‡ appears to deferve diftinction. His tract has its faults, but those are compenfated by many remarks of real and practical utility. The tract of Mr. Wanfey on Poor-Honfess, containing chiefly an account of what is practifed at Salisbury, accompanied by fome general reflections, conveys at once valuable information, and ufeful fuggeftion. May we not add to thofe, Dr. Parry's tract on Wool? The importance of that article to the political welfare of Great-Britain, may properly entitle it to a fituation here; and the tract, wherever it is estimated, muft be commended.

HISTORY.

If we are to give hiftorical works their place, according to chronological order, we must begin this article with Mr. Naylor's Hiftory of Helvetia, which

No. II. p. 175. No. II. p. 213.

+ No. III. p. 324, I No. V. p. 490.

No. II. p. 211. No. VI. p. 601.

proceeds

proceeds at prefent no further than to the middle of the fifteenth century. The work we confider as not deferving to be condemned, in point of execution; nor very neceffary to the public after Mr. Planta's excellent work. We fhall, however, have more to fay upon it. An Epitome of Military Events*, in a part of the prefent war, tranflated from a French production, has, with allowance for particular partialities, great merit in its general fkill of compilation. The work of Sir Richard Mufgrave, entitled 'Memoirs of the different Rebellions in Ireland†, is a record implying heavy accufations, which many are interested to palliate or contradict. To all that can juftly be faid in alleviation of its statements, we fhall be glad to pay attention; but the greater part of the matter feems to be too folemnly and effectually attefted, to admit of contradiction. We proceed to the auxi liaries of Hiftory.

ANTIQUITIES.

The articles belonging to this class are few, and two of them confined to local enquiries. Of a more general nature are the Grecian Antiquities of Mr. Harwood; which, to characterize them briefly, are an abridgment of Potter's Archæologia, reduced, for the convenience of fchools, into the form of Adam's Roman Antiquities. Of local antiquities, thofe of Framlingham, long laid by, deferved much commendation and Mr. Loder, though little more than an editor, has performed his part with judgment. That which is called the Hiftory of Guildford, is of very inferior account; and must be greatly augmented and improved, before it can deTerve to quit the form of an anonymous work.

No. I. p. 34.

P. 534.

+ No. III. p. 295;. No. IV. p. 417.

IV. 374. ‡ No. V. No. III. p. 303.

BIOGRAPHY.

BIOGRAPHY.

The literary lives of four eminent writers, natives of Scotland, were publifhed as a pofthumous work of the late Mr. Smellie*, of Edinburgh. Thefe lives, however, are more properly abftracts of the works of thefe feveral authors, than fatisfactory narratives of their perfonal history; and will rather be confulted in aid of other materials, than be admitted as in themselves fufficient. Another, but a much fmaller volume, on the lives of three Scottish authors, fell under our obfervation nearly at the fame time. The authors were of lefs celebrity; but Mr. Irvingt, the writer of their lives, has acquitted himself with credit in the narration.

GEOGRAPHY.'

The important work of Major Rennel, on the Geography of Herodotus§, was mentioned by us on former occafions; fuffice it to fay now, that all which we had expected from the talents and research of the author is fully performed; that we applaud the prefent, and look forward with eagerness to the future, exertions of this fagacious enquirer. A geographical phænomenon, of a very curious nature, was prefented to the public by Sir William Oufeley, in his tranflation of Ebn Haukal. This venerable writer on Oriental Geography, who lived in the tenth century, appears to have been the guide of other eaftern authors, who hitherto have had more celebrity. Sir W. Q. has vindicated the fame of his Oriental original by this publication, and extended his own. To this clafs we must also refer Mr. Pennant's work, entitled Outlines of the Globe**, continued from his papers, fince the decease of the author.

No. III. p. 245. + No. III. p. 327, The writers celebrated in the former work are, Dr. John Gregory, Lord Kames, David Hume, and Adam Smith; in the latter, Ferguson and Fal coner, poets, and Ruffell the hiftorian. No. II. p. 136. Vol. xvii. p. 592, and the Preface to that volume, p. xii. No. VI. p. 574. ** No. V. p. 453.

That ingenious compiler had certainly collected in abundance the most excellent materials for the work; and the continuation being in the hands of his for enfures fidelity to his plans and opinions.

TOPOGRAPHY.

To this clafs we have before referred, and in the therefore we place again Profeffor White's Egyptiaco* ; a work of very learned research, which we regret to find fo long confined to a fingle part of the plan. In unifon with a large part of the reading world, we with for the continuation. For local information of a peculiar kind, we have feldom feen any thing fo complete as Mr. Serres's Sea-Torcht; its ufe indeed is chiefly confined to the direction of navigators; but, in their accommodation and fecurity the whole nation is interefted, whofe wealth is entrusted to their care, and fecured by their prefervation.

TRAVELS.

We are not deftitute, in this clafs, of our accuftomed affluence of materials. We fhall begin with thofe travellers who treat of foreign countries. Among thefe, the moft curious and valuable production, lately iffued from the prefs, is Mr. Barrow's Travels in Southern Africa‡. Aided by advantages hitherto not poffeffed by Englifhmen, this author explored thofe regions which furround the Cape of Good Hope. In correcting the accounts of former travellers, and adding much that is curious of all kinds, from perfonal obfervation, Mr. Barrow has perform ed a public fervice. The Travels of Profefjar Link, through Portugal§, in many particulars appear preferable to prior works upon the fubject. But, though we had not the original before us, we could not quite give credit to the tranflator for doing juftice to his author. The book, however, will be read with pleasure.

* No. 11. p. 131; fee vol. xvii. p. 572, and Pref. P. 532. No. II. p. 113.

No. V. p. 501.

+ No. V.

Our

Our remaining travellers confine themfelves to the compafs of our own country. Among thefe,' Mr. Coxe, well known for his northern travels, and feveral works of value, has made his Tour in Monmouthshire alone*, and has thereby produced a book, concerning the claflification of which we may doubt, but not concerning the merit. It partakes of topographi cal and antiquarian knowledge in great abundance; but he has chofen to style it a Tour, and therefore it is noticed in this place. Mr. Pratt continues his Gleanngst, in a ftyle as rambling as his excurfions; yet he furnishes amufement, and fometimes information. Mr. Stoddart wanders as far as Scotland, and there illuftrates Local Scenery and Manners. He is a lively writer, and certainly repays with entertainment the trouble of reading; and, to those who are opulent, even the expence of purchafing his book. Mr. Pennant, who chofe to die, nominally, while he was actually alives, feems now to write when he is actually dead. Of his fourney to the Ifle of Wight, the public is but lately in poffeffion; and recognizes in it the well-known talent of the author, in making trivial occurrences interefting, and antiquarian refearches lively. Mr. Lipfcombe carries us as far as Cornwall, and would have done fo a year or two ago, had we been prepared for the excurfion**. He is certainly a pleafing companion in a journey, for his. remarks have liveliness and good fenfe to recommend them. The Cambrian Directorytt, under a quaint and fingular title, attended with fimilar peculiarities within the book, gives abundant information of a very ufeful kind, refpecting the various places which it notices. The Effence of many different Tours is united by Mr. Cruttwell, who, dividing the whole ifland of Great Britain into a certain number of journies, details, in local order, the account of every part. There is judgment as well as labour ftrongly * No. I. p. I. + No. II. p. 165. No. III. p. 237See our first volume, p. 15. I No. VI. p. 580. P. 399. **The book appeared in 1799. 1: No. V. p. 471.

¶ No. IV. +t No. V. p. 558.

ex