of the land-holders in that kingdom. We trust that his pictures are overcharged; but if in any degree juft, they fhould be attentively and feriously contemplated by his countrymen, whofe natural good fenfe would then, we should hope, point out the neceffity of prudence and moderation.

ART. 34. A Dive into Buonaparte's Councils, on his projected Invasion of Old England. By Thomas Martyn, Author of a Work on Shells, and other Subjects on Natural Hiftory, the Soldier's and Sailor's Friend, &c. 8vo. 44 PP. 2s. 6d. Faulder. 1804.

The object of this patriotic writer is to put his countrymen on their guard against the mode of invafion which will probably be adopted by our enemy. He fuppofes, with great probability, that "at least two, perhaps three or four distinct feints to land a certain number of troops on our coafts will be attempted." To diffipate every alarm which thefe feints might create, he obferves that, "whatever be the number of veffels compofing the French flotillas, or the number of troops they have landed, still the distant fituation of their operations from London would at once be the fure guide and indication to know and distinguifh their errand; viz. to create furprize, to confufe the public mind, and divert government and the nation from their real and great object." The principal of these armaments would, he thinks, be directed to the coaft of Devon, the second to that of Dorset, the third and fourth to the Norfolk and Lincolnshire fhores. The great Armada will, he prefumes, then iffue forth, calculating at a fixed period to unite on the coatts of Suffex or Suffolk.

This anticipation of the enemy's defigns is probable enough, but not new, nor accompanied by any novel fuggeftions as to the modes of defence. Thefe however may, in fome degree, be inferred from the author's general remarks, and from what he fays in his notes; which contain nearly as many pages as the text. Subjoined are, an Addrefs to the Volunteers, recommending warm cloathing during fervice, and fuch diet as appears to the author the most falutary, and a pro pofal to inftitute honorary rewards, to be given to those who shall diftinguish themselves in the detence of the country.

ART. 35. Remarks addreffed to the Country, not to Parties, by a National Obferver. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Richardfon. 1804.

This, though obviously the performance of a young writer, breathes the honeft fpirit of a patriot and an Englishman; and fome fober reflections are communicated in a style and manner, which the more grave and experienced politicians cannot do better than confider and obferve. The writer's advice with respect to the choice of our for ga minifters is very wife and falutary.

ART. 36. Letter to Sir Francis Burdett, Bart. on the Folly, the Indecency, and the dangerous Tendency of his public Conduct. By the Rev. Edward Hankin, M.A. M. D. Second Edition. 8vo. 58 pp. 25. Rivingtons. 1804.

66

The conduct of the gentleman to whom this Letter is addressed is arraigned on grounds which, we think, every real friend to the country must approve. Though the author might have taken a far wider range, he confines his objections to the Hon. Baronet's Speech in the House of Commons, on the Defence Bill, July 18th, 1803, and his address to his guests, at the Crown and Anchor tavern, on July the 29th following. The first of thefe fpecches he confiders as a grofs abuse of the freedom of Parliamentary debate, as a libel of his Majefty, and as having a direct tendency to withdraw the people from their allegiance to their fovereign, to deftroy their confidence in the wifdom and integrity of the two Houfes, and thus to prepare them for fedition, treafon, and rebellion." This charge he proves in detail, and to our fatisfaction, and instead of the very objectionable fpeech at the Crown and Anchor, propofes a very loyal and proper one; but which, we fear, he will not eafily perfuade the Baronet to adopt. The defign, however, of this publication is laudable, and the execution by no 'means difcreditable to the reverend author.

MECHANICS.

ART. 37. Obfervations on the Effects which Carriage Wheels, with Rims of different Shapes, have on the Roads; respectfully fubmitted to the Board of Agriculture, and to the Confideration of the Legiflature. By Alexander Cuaming, Efq. F. R. S. Edin. 4to. 66 pp. Bulmer and Co.

The object of this most useful publication is to fhow, that the common practice of making the broad rims of the wheels of waggons, and indeed of any other carriage, of a conical fhape, is difadvantageous in every point of view; and that the cylindrical fhape is of all others the most favourable and advantageous that can poffibly be adopted.

Befides the subject itfelf, this work contains feveral letters which passed between Lord Somerville, Prefident of the Board of Agriculture, and Mr. Cumming; from which it appears, that the prefent effay was fome time ago prefented to the Board of Agriculture for their perufal and approbation; and that the Board having highly approved of it, requented Mr. C. to procure at their expence two models of broadwheeled waggons, one of which fhould have wheels with conical, and the other with cylindrical rims.

The models were accordingly made, together with other neceffary apparatus, and the experiments were carefully and repeatedly performed with the fame. Their setult proved, to the ful fatisfaction of the Board of Aquiculture, and of every beholder, the indifputable fuperiority

3

ority of the wheels with cylindrical rims over thofe of a conical fhape. A parricular account of thofe experiments, and likewise a tabular flatement of them, together with their refults, form the latter part of the work. In the preceding part, Mr. C. enumerates, and in a very able manner explains, the peculiar properties of the conical and of the cylindrical thapes of wheels. He shows the theoretic principles of their actions, and illuftrates the fame by means of practical inftances; after which, by way of recapitulation, he collects under one point of view the principles which he has endeavoured to explain and eftablith. Thefe, which contain a useful abstract of the work, we shall now fubjoin.

"The cylindrical rims.-1. Naturally advance in a straight line; 2. Have no friction or rubbing at the circumference; 3. No rub bing against the fides of deep ruts; 4. No throwing up of dirt by the hind part of the wheel; 5. Do not increase friction on the axis; 6. Have no preffure againit the linch-pin; 7. The only refiftance to their rolling in a ftraight line is from compreffing, fmoothing, and levelling the fubftances on which they roll; 8. They have no tendency to displace, derange, break the texture, or retard the concre tion and incuration of the parts on which they roll; 9. Their frequent rolling on compreffible substances renders them more compact, fmooth, hard, and impervious to water; and leaves them in a flate more favourable to concretion and indura ion; and by keeping the interior and fofter parts dry, they are the better enabled to relift violence, and to fupport the cruft that protects them; 10. They have no tendency to open the joints in paved treets; but, on the contrary, to improve them, by producing the effect of ramming the ftones on which they pafs, by the dead preffure produced from the uniform velocity of all the parts; 11. And they advance in a straight course with the leaft poffible refiftance, and with advantages fuperior to any other poffible shape; 12. They ferve equally to improve the roads, to relieve the cattle, and to preferve the tires of the wheels: and all these properties are as peculiar to, and infeparable from the cylindrical shape as they are favourable to the roads and to the cattle."

Conical rims.-1. Trey naturally roll in a circular direction, round their conical centre; 2. A conftant force is required to confine them to a straight courfe; 3. When conftrained to move in a straight direction, a rubbing and friction take place at the rim; 4. They increase friction on the axis; 5. They occafion a rubbing against the fides of deep ruts; 6. And a throwing up of dirt from the hind part of the wheel; 7. In dry weather they pulverife the beft materials 8. Which occafions much fludge in wet feafons, and much duft in dry; 9. In a compreffible,ftate of the roads they derange and break the texture of the parts, and leave them in a broken ftate ready to imbibe water, which introduces all the ruinous effects of wet feafons and fevere frofts; 10. They promote the deftruction of paved ftreets and caufeways, by forcibly opening the joints and admitting water under the ftones, which ultimately floats and difcharges the gravel, loofens the ftones, and finks the pavement into holes; 11. They increase the labour of the cattle; 12. And promote the wearing of the tiers of the wheels by their conftant dragging and grinding on the roads, none of

which take place with the cylindrical wheels: fuch are the effects that unavoidably arife from the conical fhape, and they feem as much calculated for the deftruction of the roads, as thofe of the cylindrical wheels are for their prefervation and improvement."

The fubject of this work is illustrated by two copper-plate engravings, the first of which exhibits a cylinder and a cone, for the purpofe of explaining the peculiar properties of thofe figures. The fecond plate exhibits the apparatus, and the manner of performing the experiments with the above-mentioned models.

It is hardly neceffary to add, that the perufal of this work, and the adoption of the principles which are therein explained, cannot be too much recommended to the public at large, as well as to those who are laudably inclined to remove pernicious prejudices, and to adopt ufeful improvements. The tract appears to have been printed long before it was published.

MISCELLANIES.

ART. 38. The Report of the Evidence, and other Proceedings in Parliament, refpe&ting the Invention of the Life-Boat. Also feveral other authentic Documents, illuftrating the Origin, Principles, and Conftruc tion of the Life-Boat, and its perfect Security in the most turbulent Sea. With practical Directions for the Management of Life Boats. By Henry Greathead, of South Shields. 8vo. 71 pp. 25. Alperne, Cornhill. 1804.

It is a striking teftimony to the merit of this invention, that in the difcourfe of the Bishop of St. David's, at the Royal Humane Society (fuprà Art. 23,) it is spoken of as one out of three extraordinary events honourable to our country, and beneficial to fociety, which have occurred within a few years: 1. the establishment of that fociety; 2. the difcovery of the cow-pox; and, 3, the invention of the life-boat: and, in the Appendix to the fame difcourfe, Dr. Gregory claims for the Humane Society the honour of having been "the first PUBLIC BODY who stood forth in recommending to the earnest attention of the country at large, that most important invention the LIFE-BOAT."

In fpeaking of a tract like this, we are not, as in many cafes, to analyfe or criticize its contents; we are only to contribute our endeavour to make more known and more patronized an invention of the highest utility. In this tract, all the documents necessary for explaining and illuftrating the invention will be found. It will be feen, that Mr. Greathead has been honoured with the reward of 12col. by a vote of Parliament; and that every other teftimony confpires to prove, that it is not an empirical attempt, but a real, authenticated, and complete invention, calculated to fave innumerable perfons, under circumstances of the most trying hazard.

ART.

ART. 39. Verulamiana; or Opinions on Men, Manners, Literature, Politics, and Theology. By Francis Bacon, Baron of Verulam, Sc. Sc. To which is prefixed, the Life of the Author, by the Editor.

4s. 6d.

Dutton. 1803.

12mo.

There are many readers, it should feem, who are fond of thefe diffections of celebrated authors; and if any will justify fuch use of their works, Lord Bacon undoubtedly will. Thefe extracts appear to have been made with care and judgment, and is by no means improper for "a parlour window".

ART. 40. A Narrative, expofing a Variety of irregular Tranfactions in One of the Departments of Foreign Corps, during the late War. By Mr. James Poole, feveral Years a Regimental Infpector, and fince Deputy Inspector General in that Department. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Par

fons.

1804.

This publication expofes fome very nefarious proceedings in a public department, and Mr. Poole appears to have acted an honest and fpirited part in a cafe of much peril and perplexity. It appears rather furprising, that of the charges here brought, in ftrong and unequivocal terms, no public notice has yet been taken. The pamphlet was publifhed at the commencement of the year.

ART. 41. Letters on the Study and Use of Ancient and Modern Hiftory; containing Obfervations and Reflections on the Caufes and Confequences of thofe Events which have produced confpicuous Changes in the Afpect of the World, and the general State of human Affairs. By John Bigland, Author of Reflections on the Refurrection and Afcenfion. 12mo. 6s. 1804.

We are well pleased with this publication, which, founded on the authority of the most celebrated historians, exhibits a very useful manual for the younger ftudent. It is written with great vigour and perfpicuity; nor do we fee any fentiments obtruded, against which, as they relate either to religion or politics, it appears neceffary to caution the young reader. It is a ufeful undertaking well executed.

ART. 4 Tranflations from the Greek, viz. Ariftotle's Synopfis of the Virtues and Vices, the Similitudes of Demophilus, the Golden Sentences of Democrates, and the Pythagoric Symbols, with the Explanations of Jamblichus. By William Bridgman, F. L. S. To which are added, the Pythagoric Sentences of Demophilus, by Mr. Thomas Taylor. 12mo. 5s. White. 1804.

Whether these maxims, which are imputed to Ariftotle, are his or not, they are here, in addition to the others, fpecified in the title page, made to form an agreeable little volume, in the manner of Rochefoucault and Bruyere. The Pythagoric Sentences, by Mr. Thomas Taylor, have been printed before in that writer's version of Salluft, on the Gods and the World.

ART.