demand for foreign goods, it follows that, to form a juft eftimate of the general ftate of the nation, we must take into confideration the quantity of exports and imports. And as the annual amount of the duties of the excife, as well as of thofe of the customs, is affected by the excess or diminution of foreign trades, it likewife follows that the true state of the revenue will be more accurately found by taking the average of the whole amount of two years, than by reasoning from the amount of either of thofe years feparately.

The minifter, then, in averaging the whole amount of the duties paid to the excife in the two last years, and thus forming an estimate of its probable future amount, appears to have acted fairly. Neither need we be apprehenfive that the produce of land and labour is annually decreafing the premises from which this conclufion is drawn, have been fhewn to be fallacious; the conclufion confequently falls to the ground.

The author next proceeds to fhew that the capital of the nation is decreafing. The arguments on which he founds this opinion are chiefly thefe:

6

If capital be increased, every means of employing it will be fought, and thus more productive labour will be maintained: but to maintain more productive labour in a state, you must increase the number of labourers; these labourers must be fed and clothed, &c.; you increase then the confumption of the great body of the people; and confequently the produce of the excife taxes.' (p. 47.)

But, we are told, thefe taxes have decreased; fo, therefore, have the confumption, the productive labour, and finally the capital.

To this it may be answered, that the excife taxes do not measure the confumption of our own produce, neither do they measure the produce itself; all deductions then, where these steps are taken for granted, must be inconclufive.

Another circumftance which tends to perplex this writer's reafoning in this part of his fubject is, that he fometimes appears to confound capital with fpecie; as if capital confifted alone in gold and filver. Hence he argues (p. 51.) that because, in our China trade, we at present tranfmit more fpecie than we formerly did, therefore, our capital is decreafing, and the country is endangered. But the fame argument might be urged against every foreign trade. The fish, &c. that we fend to Spain as truly form a part of our capital, as the filver which we receive in exchange forms a part of the capital of Spain nor does that fame filver which we fend over to the Chinese conftitute our capital in any other way, than the tea returned to us conftituted theirs. Neither is there any danger to be apprehended from thus parting with our filver; nor would any benefit accrue from fuffering it to accumulate at home. Money requires to be increased no further than is neceflary for convenient circulation: and "a country which abounds with the produce of land and labour, beyond what is neceflary to fupply the home-confumption, has always the power of commanding an increafe of its treafure, by fending its furplus to foreign markets *."

See Dr. Smith's Inquiry into the Nature and Caufes of the Wealth of Nations, Book 4.

This is not the only error into which our author is betrayed by confidering capital as confifting, exclufively, of money; and afterward fuppofing that money to conftitute the wealth of a nation. We truft, however, that we have faid enough to put our readers on their guard; and to induce them carefully to examine this writer's arguments before they admit his conclufions. There is the greater neceffity for this, as they will find that his reasonings, if not always accurate, are never feeble; and that if, in laying down his principles, they fuffer an error to pass unnoticed, they will not eafily be able to refuse their affent to the confequences.

On the whole, this pamphlet evinces confiderable knowlege of the fubject, and no little thought. Its language, too, is vigorous, though, from the length of the periods, it is fometimes confufed. It has another recommendation; in our opinion, a material one: it is written with temper. Though warm in the cause, the author is neither perfonal nor acrimonious.

Art. 19. A Reply to a Pamphlet, entitled, "Confiderations on the War with the Turks, by M. de Volney." 8vo. 2s. 6d. pp. 120. Stockdale, &c. 1789.

About 15 months have elapfed fince M. de Volney published his Confiderations on the probable Confequences of the prefent War between the Emperor of Germany, in conjunction with the Czarina on the one hand, and the Grand Signior on the other; in which investigation he predicted the downfal of the Ottoman power: See Rev. vol. lxxix. p. 66. His arguments and his prophesyings foon underwent the examination of M. de Peyffonnel, a writer well qualified, from his former refidence in Turkey, for the task of reviewing what M. de Volney had published on this important fubject; and whose reasonings and predictions run in a courfe directly oppofite to that of M. de Volney See Rev. above referred to, p. 606.

The prefent writer is not merely the criticifer of M. de V.; he is on certain points, the liberal encomiaft of the Turks; whofe national character, for bravery, and fidelity in the obfervance of treaties, he vindicates *, with great appearance of truth and juftice. He is by no means of opinion that the Turkish empire is now declining, or that any material advantage was gained over the late Sultan, Achmet, in the last year's campaign; and his ideas feem to be well fupported by his ftatement of facts and circumftances that are not generally or fully known in this part of Europe. Our unknown author appears to have received good information on the fubject. He reafons calmly, though his arguments feem weighty; and, on the whole, we think he has amply evinced the futility of the performance which paffes under his examination: and that he has justified our remark, that M. de V. was rather too forward in proceeding to divide the bear's fkin, before the fhaggy forefter was killed.-But,

* He does not with, however, to be confidered as the champion of the Turks. I can fee,' fays he, the errors of the Ottoman government, its unhappy prejudices and abfurd opinions, with all the regret, and all the feeling of M. de V. An Englishman wants no incitement to commiferate the fubjects of defpotifm.'

4

what

what particularly pleases us, in this tract, is the candour with which the author treats his opponent. We here meet no intemperance of language, no unpolite modes of expreffion [fo common in literary contefts], nor the leaft appearance of contempt for the writer who has maintained the other fide of the queftion. On the contrary, our anonymous author has expreffed his high refpe&t for M. de Volney's literary abilities and merit as an historian, and as a faithful and elegant defcriber of what he has feen and known; but, in regard to his political fpeculations, the cafe is different. To thefe he freely ftates his objections; but he ftates them with decency, as well as with energy, and found argument.-Yet, after all, what are the dif quifitions of an author, on matters depending on the viciffitudes of war? When the fword is appealed to, that inftrument often does more in one day, than an hundred writers, in their closets, can accomplish in as many years.

Art. 20. A Review of the parliamentary Conduct of the Right Hon. Charles James Fox, and the Right Hon. Edmund Burke, &c. 8vo. pp. 88. 25. Stalker. 1789.

We are told that this pamphlet was written while the late Regency Bill was in difcuffion. We fee no very weighty reafon, as the bufinefs on account of which it was compofed is over, why it should now be brought forward. But, the flattering folicitations of an author's friends' cannot be refiited.

The writer remarks that the fpeeches of Meffrs. Fox and Burke are, not only in the metropolis, but in every part of the kingdom, perufed with avidity and pleafure, even through the imperfect medium of public prints.' To give his readers a better idea of the talents of thefe gentlemen, he endeavours, in the moft concife manner poffible, to point out wherein the forte of each confifts, with their peculiar mode of elocution.' Doubtlefs, it is kind to give this information; but we are of opinion that it is at least as well given in the reprefentations of their freeches, thofe rude, abridged, flight fketches, in their mutilated ftate,' with which we are prefented in the daily papers.

As to the remainder of the pamphlet, it contains the ufual encomiums on the gentlemen who figure as the leaders of Oppofition, and the common abuse of the Minifter and his adherents.

GRAND REVOLUTION IN FRANCE.

Art. 21. A true and minute Account of the Destruction of the Baftille; by Jean Jaques Calet, a French Proteftant, who had been a Prifoner there upward of 20 Years, and who affifted at the Demolition of that infamous Prifon. Tranflated from the French. 8vo. Is. 6d. pp. 61. Stalker, &c. 1789.

We could have wished for fome more fatisfactory affurance of the authenticity of this detail, than the declaration of the anonymous tranflator, who affirms that Monf. Calet, on his arrival in England, in molt diftreffed circumstances, was received by a humane gentleman, who did him fuch acts of kindness as came within his narrow abilities; that M. Calet abfolutely refused any pecuniary affittance whatever; and that the Gentleman advised him to publish this ac

Count

count of the demolition of the Baftille, as having been an eyewitnefs: which advice the author tells us he followed to procure a morfel of bread.' In this laudable view, if his account be as true as it appears artless, we hope he will not be disappointed. Some circumftances, however, in his narrative, seem to be very extraordinary, indeed; fuch, for inftance, as his never having been permitted to exchange a word with any human being, during his full 20 years confinement in that horrid prifon yet we do not prefume to fay that this is impoffible. Admitting, then, the veracity of M. Calet, we muft at the fame time allow that his story is, indeed, piteous, as well as horrible, in the extreme; and that the author is therefore undoubtedly worthy of that protection which he has fought in this land of liberty and peace: a land which heaven has thruft from other lands, in order to blefs it beyond comparison.' p. 60.

Art. 22. Tyranny annihilated: or, the Triumph of Freedom over Defpotifm. Containing a particular Account of the Rife, Progrefs, &c. of the late memorable Revolution in the Government of France; with an ample Description of that horrid Prifon, the

Baftille. By an Eye-witnefs, &c. &c. 8vo. JS. PP. 43. Ad

lard. 1789.

A collection of the various circumftances (generally known, by means of the public prints) immediately preceding, and attending, the late aftonishing revolution in the government of France; prefaced by a brief account of the ancient ftate of civil liberty in that country, together with the innovations by which defpotifm gained the afcendant. A copper-plate print, by way of frontispiece, is prefixed; representing the demolition of the Baftille, and the release of the prifoners-ad captandum vulgus.

NOVELS.

Art. 23. Zelia in the Defert. From the French. By a Lady. 12m0. 3 Vols. 9s. fewed. Wilkie. 1789.

This performance is evidently founded on the Ifola Difabitata of Metaftafio,-a circumftance which we think the writer thould, in juftice to his diftinguished prototype, have acknowleged by a line or two in the way of preface: many of the fituations in the Novel being exactly the fame as thofe in the Drama. The incidents, however, are here confiderably multiplied, and the amplification of the whole evinces a fufficient degree of imagination, tempered by a fuitable judgment. The outline of the ftory is this-Zelia, accompanied by her father and her lover on a voyage to the Ifle of France, is fhipwrecked on a barren coaft. The men are fuppofed to be loft with the veffel, but afterward rejoin her in the Defert, in which she had refided many years. The volumes are intended to fhew, that even in a wilderness, and amid the terrors confequent on fuch a fituation, the good and cultivated mind can fupport itself with a becoming fortitude, and with refignation to the Almighty will. Nay, fuch is the force of habit, when affifted by virtue, that the fair Anchoret at laft became enamoured of her place of refidence, and quitted it with a fenfible regret.

"He who is delighted with folitude (fays a certain philofopher), must be either a wild beast or a god." An exquifite remark! and

we

we leave it to the reader, poffeffed of fenfibility, to determine, under which of these defcriptions the lover of retirement (we speak not of retirement in a Defert, nor from a principle of mifanthropy) will properly fall. Should he, however, be inclined to make a paufe, let him attend to the following obfervation of a witty and ingenious Frenchman: Le fage quelquefois evite le monde de peur d'etre ennuyé. Art. 24. The Child of Woe. By Mrs. Elizabeth Norman.

3 Vols. 7s. 6d. fewed. Symonds. 1789.

"Ah woe is me,

1200.

To fee what I have feen, fee what I fee!" SHAKESPEARE. Now this is precifely the cafe with us; for of all the woful productions which have lately come into our hands, this is unqueftionably the most woful-whether we confider it in point of character, contrivance, fentiment, or ftyle.

Art. 25. Fashionable Infidelity, or the Triumph of Patience. 12mo. 3 Vols. 9s fewed. Hookham. 1789.

Infidelity, in various fhapes, has fo long infefted the land, that every friend to virtue must wish to fee it attacked with boldness and with fkill. To crush this terrible monster, however, the arm of a giant is neceffary; but the prefent combatant is a pigmy. In brief, we have nothing to commend in a writer who feems unacquainted with almoft every rule of grammar-but his good intentions.' The volumes may, however, on account of the morality which generally pervades them, be perufed by the younger part of the community with fome advantage.

Art. 26. The Triumph of Friendship: or the Hiftory of Charles Courtney, and Mifs Julia Melville. By Jane Timbury. Izmo. 2 Vols. 55. fewed. Fox. 1789.

Trifling and infipid to a degree.'

ARTS, &c.

Art. 27. Chefs. Vol. II. * 8vo. pp. 272. 5s. Boards. Robinfons, &c. 1789.

It is impoffible not to admire the fingular brevity of Mr. Twifs's title-page, which is fimplified to one word! This is far different from the laboured amplifications of fome verbofe writers, who exhauft the copulatives and disjunctives, and, alfo, or, likewife, containing, comprehending, including, together with, to which is prefixed, to which is added, the whole concluding with, &c. all which may fometimes be found woven into one clumsy title to a worthlefs publication. Yet even this fingle word prefixed to Mr. Twifs's book, expreffes too much; for in a work fo emphatically ftyled - Chefs, we are warranted to expect all that relates to the fubject: we shall more efpecially look for the rules and principles of the game, to affift the learner in his practice. Whereas this work is compofed of quotations from writers who have incidentally mentioned, or alluded to the game; with anecdotes, in which the game on the chefs-board is introduced. So that, Hiftorical Memoirs of Chefs,' Antiquities

For the first volume, fee Rev. vol. ixxvii. p. 312.

of