political or religious fubject can be difcuffed in the affemblies of Mafons." P. 15. The Sermon is a fpecimen of found and vigorous eloquence, worthy of the claffical fcholar by whom it was delivered.

ART. 30. Goliath Slain, and the Philipines put to flight. A Sermon, preached at Cirencester. By the Rev. John Bulman, Chaplain to General Phillipfon's late Regiment of 20th Light Dragoons, on Wednesday, Oa. 19, being the Day appointed for a General Faft. 4to. 22 Pi 1s. 6d. Turner, Cirencester.

A difcourfe lefs adapted to a day of genera fafting and bumiliation was perhaps never delivered from an English pulpit. It must have caufed (we think) a smile, almost a grin, to be vifible in the faces of the hearers while fome parts of it were pronounced. (Pp. 9, 11, 19, 20.) Good, therefore, as the preacher's intentions feem to have been, we must regret that he should be fo deficient in judgment; and we advise him, on feveral accounts, if he will persist in preaching, that he never again proceed to printing.

ART. 31. Effays and Sermons, on fele& Subjects; to which is annexed, a Difcourfe on the Nature of the Chriftian Religion. By John Buddo, A. M. Preacher of the Gospel. 8vo. 167 pp. 35. 6d. Longman and Co. 1804.

The contents of this volume are, two Effays on the Being, Providence, and Attributes of God, a future Existence, and State of Retribution; three Sermons on the Love of God, the Love of our Neigh bour, the Chriftian's Hope and Character; and a Difcourfe on the Nature of the Chriftian Religion. The author, who is probably the fame to be noticed alfo under Mifcellanies, delivers his opinions with great modelly and real piety; and he who wishes, as this writer does," to live the life of a good Chriftian, of a good citizen and fubject, and to be very loyal and faithful to his Majesty's family and government", has the ftrongest claim to candour and to kindness. We have read much of this volume with great fatisfaction, and have found in it found argument and pleafing reafoning,-proofs of a well-cultivated mind and of a good heart, though on such subjects much novelty cannot well be expected.

ART. 32. Preparatory to the General Faft. Reflections on the prefent State of Things in thefe Nations. By the late excellent Dr. John Leland. Republifhed by a Lay-Member of the Church of England. Svo. 19 PP. 3d. Hatchard. 1803.

We agree with the editor in thinking, that this difcourfe is " ed to the circumstances of the prefent hour; though it is now above adaptfifty years fince the following Reflections were firft delivered to the world"; and we with that the foundly pious admonitions, here offered, may be read, and duly attended to, by our country men in general.

POLITICS.

POLITICS.

ART. 33. Thoughts on the Formation of the late and prefent Adminiftra tions. By Lord Archibald Hamilton. 8vo. 70 pp. 2s. 6d. Longman and Co. 1804.

In the year 1784, a majority in the Houfe of Commons, compofed of parties lately difcordant, who had united for that purpose, denied (in fubftance) and refifted to the utmost of their power, the prerogative of the crown in the appointment of its minitters, on pretence, that the manner and circumftances of that appointment were unconstitutional; or, in other words, that the fovereign was apparently influenced by motives which they were pleafed to difapprove. This incroachment (as we may now venture to call it) being firmly refifted, and the parliament in confequence diffolved, the queftion in difpute was decided in favour of the prerogative, by the almost unanimous voice of the nation. Yet, in 1804, the fame queftion is not only revived, but the claim then negatived is carried till further, by an union of parties ftill more heterogeneous, fome of whom (credite pofteri!) were, in 1784. the moft ftrenuous affertors of the royal prerogative, and the most ob noxious to those who affailed it. We are now gravely told by thefe perfons, not only that the crown muft invariably choofe for its minifters the chiefs of the prevailing party, but that it cannot except against any individual, when once taken into the firm of that party, however unconstitutional the former conduct of fuch individual may have been, in the judgment even of those who now abet and fupport him. In short, the chiefs of a party may change their opinions at pleafure; but the fovereign muft not abide by his, though founded, perhaps, on their own fuggeftions and advice.

This is, in effect, the doctrine which the pamphlet before us is written to fupport. The noble author's objections to the formation of the late and prefent adminiftrations, reft entirely on the principles laid down by Mr. Burke in his pamphlet, called "Thoughts on the Caufe of the prefent Difcontents." The doctrines and arguments in that publication are cited not merely as arguments, but as a great authority." That the authority of Mr. Burke on conftitutional topics, though not infallible, deferves to be highly refpected, we are ready to admit : but this, we conceive, applies only to fuch of his works as fhow fome degree of impartiality, and appear to have been written for great national purpoles; and not to thofe which were obviously compofed to promote the temporary interefts of party. In the former he is an upright, enlightened, and (in a great degree) unbiaffed judge; in the latter an inge nious, but often very prejudiced advocate. Which of thefe defcriptions applies to the pamphlet in queftion, we need not point out to any one who recollects the circumftances under which it was published. The doctrines laid down in that pamphler, as well as in the prefent, are gloffed over with fpecious language; but, in plain English, they amount to this, that minilters must be chofen, not by the fovereign, but the prevailing parties in parliament,

But

But what is the principle maintained by one of the greatest conftitutional authorities, not for a party purpofe, not in an anonymous pamphlet, but in a work written exprefly for the purpose of explaining the laws and conftitution of the kingdom?" In the exertion of Jawful prerogative", fays Blackstone, the king is, and ought to be abfolute". This he fhows by irrefragable arguments; which need not be detailed here. He adds, indeed, that if the confequence of that exertion be manifeftly to the grievance or difhonour of the kingdom, the parliament will call his advifers to a just and severe account". We have thesefore to afk of this noble author, whether he will affert that either of the appointments about which he writes comes within that defcription, or can afford ground for fuch inveftigation? Having thus entered our proteft against the leading principles of this tract, it is needlefs to enter into details, or expofe all the fophiftries and mifre presentations contained in it. The author admits, exprefsly, that " the choice of its own minifters is the juft and conftitutional prerogative of the crown, Jubject to no exception and refraint". This admiflion, we conceive, is a fufficient anfwer to all the effential parts of his pamphlet. He indeed modifies it afterwards, in a manner that wholly deftroys its efficacy, and renders the fovereign a mere automaton. It may be granted, that parliament may, as the author afferts, not only " punish wrong, when committed, but prevent wrong from being done"; but this, we infitt, applies to extreme cafs only, fuch as the notorious incapacity, or notoriously bad characters of the perfons appointed; and not to vague fuggetions of " private partialities, perfonal feelings, and court intrigue"; charges which may easily be preferred by any party in oppofition, and fpeciously fupported by its advocates, however inconfiflent with truth.

ART. 34. A full Report of the Speeches of Sir Francis Burdett at the late Election; including thfe at the Croton and Anchor Tavern; of ahib but imperfect Sketches were given in the Newspapers. The legal Arguments upon the loft Day of the Election, particularly the admired Speech of Mr. Plumer, are given at full Length: together with a Selection of the Papers published during the Election, and a Preface, in which a Review is taken, by the Editor, of the Conduct, Character, and Connections of Sir Francis Burdett, and alfo of the Conduct and Character of his Opponents. Svo. 94 PP. 2s. 6d. Symonds. 1804.

We deem election fpeeches, in general, and election Squibs (as they are ufually termed) far beneath the notice of regular criticifm. In the present inftance, therefore, we should have contented ourselves with the remark, that the fpeeches here republished are, for the mcft part, copied verbatim from the new papers (in which every unprejudiced mind must have been ifgufted with their declamatory violence and mifreprefentations); that the legal queftion belongs to another tribunal; and that the "election pavers" are only diftinguifhed from the ordinary traih produced on fuch occafions by their uncommon virulence and illiberality. But to this publication is prefixed a long and elaboe Preface; for the fake of which, probably the whole collection

was

was published. Some obfervations upon that Preface may, therefore, be expedient; especially as the author appears to be, in abilities (and indeed in hardinets of affertion) rather above the level of the common drudges of party.

The first attempt of this party writer is to remove the imputation on his friend's conduct, arifing from his well known fpeech at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, and his fubfequent explanation of that speech at the Middlesex meeting at Hackney. To obviate this imputation, the writer takes upon himtelf to affert, that "not a word efcaped Sir Francis Burdett which had the remoteft tendency to produce any humiliation of our national Spirit". -"He recommended", fays his advocate, "an amelioration of the condition of the people, by redreffing grievances, and retrenching the public expenditure". Whether the month of Auguft, 1803 (when an invafion was hourly expected, and all the energies of the country were called forth to refift it) was exactly the proper time to demand of Parliament the redrefs of what Sir F. B. and a very few other perfons, are pleafed to call "grievances", and whether the Baronet did not accompany this recommendation with another of moft ferious import (namely, that the people should not arm until thefe pretended grievances were redreffed) we deem it immaterial now to inquire. It is enough for us to know, that at a meeting of Sir F. B.'s conftituents, publicly held and fully attended, he was called upon to explain or juftify the fpeech alluded to, and that his explanation or juftification was fo far from being fatisfactory to the meeting, as to produce a refolution containing, or at leaft implying, the ftrongeft cenfure; not lefs than a refufal to let him prefent the County Addrefs. Which opinion, therefore, is the public to adopt? That of a refpeftable and impartial affembly of Middlefex Freeholders? Or that of an anonymous writer, who stakes not his character or credit on the truth of his affertions? And where would have been the confiftency of the Freeholders of Middlesex, if, having publicly cenfured one of their reprefentatives for a fpeech tending (as they thought) to create difaffection, and impede the defence of the kingdom, they had again returned the fame perfon to Parliament, without any fubfequent change in his conduct? To the author's affertion, that difcontent and difcord already exifted (unless it be applied to a few difaffected perfons) we give the most pofitive denial: and, as to that part of the Baronet's fpeech which peculiarly applied to the feamen, we confider it (notwithstanding this writer's explanations) as replete with mischief and malignity†.

It is obfervable, that this friend of Sir F. B. though he makes fo confident an affertion refpecting the two fpeeches in queftion, has not thought fit to pablish either of them, with the others; or even to cite verbatim the expreffions which were used.

+ We hardly need to notice the abfurdity of this writer in comparing the Baronet's fpeeches to the people at taverns, with the parliamentary refolutions in ancient times, demanding a red refs of grievances, before the grant of fupplies.

BRIT. CRIT. VOL. XXIV. NOV. 1804.

Pro

Proceeding a little further we find, to our no fmall furprife (if any thing in thefe times could furprife us) that Mr. Cobbett, the friend of Mr. Windham, and till now the determin d enemy of the whole democratic tribe, is quoted and highly pan gyrized by this writer, as having at last become the champion of Sir Francis Burdett!!! We are allo treated with a moft wife remark, that Sir F. B. cannot be deemed culpable for the conduct which O'Connor is now purfuing in France. Granted; although his conduct ever fince the clebrated trial at Maidstone has tended to put those gentlemen to shame who fo eagerly, and upon their saths, vouched for his loyalty. Eu wha: fhall we fay to that man among them (if fuch a man there be) who, previously to the trial accepted a conveyance of this delinquent's property, upon trust, and in direct contemplation of a conviction for treaju? . Such a charge, the writer could not be ignorant, has been repeatedly (we hope untruly) brought against the hero of this Preface, yet it is left wholly unnoticed by this zealous and induftrious advocate.

Of the moral qualities of this author, we are enabled to judge from his language refpecting the members of the "Society for the Suppreffion of Vice" (lome of the moft honourable, and upright characters in the kingdom) whom he calls "demure and hypocritical canters". Of his political principles, we are fufficiently affured by his panegyric of Mr. Horne Tooke; and of his regard for veracity, by his daring affertion, that the trial of Tooke and his fellow prisoners, was but the prelude to the accufation and imprisonment of every man in the country, who fhould prefume to question the wisdom and rectitude of the Minifter"!!!

After fuch an affertion, can we wonder that this writer fhould place Lord Nelfon's pfeffional connection with Defpard (more than twenty years ago) and his humanity in prefenting a petition from kin, on a level with the continued protection of him, and affertion of his innocence, by Sir F. B. long after he was known as a difaffected perfon, and even to the very day of his apprehenfion ?

But we shall wafe no further time on fuch a writer. His grofs calumnies on individuals, thofe gentlemen will, doubtless, most cordially defpife; and we trut that his political opinions are those of a very small and contemptible faction in this country.

ART. 35. Plan of National Improvement, pointing out the Means to render Great Britain independent of Supplies of Corn from Abroad, to extend the Brith Fiferies, and augment the naval and military Strength of the Empire, without Expence or Inconvenience to the Public. To which are added, Remarks on the feveral Attempts that have been made to invade the British Inands, and an Expofition of Benaparte's grand Project 10 conquer Great Britain and Ireland; with Objervations on the prefent Invasion of Hanover. 4to. 154 PP• Ics. 6d. Brunfwick; Budd, London. 1803.

From a refemblance in the mode of printing this work, as well as in the ftyle of its compofition, we are inclined to afcribe it to the author of Sketches on the intrinfic Strength of France and Ruffia”;

I

a book