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ward an old adage, that what is the bufinefs of every man is attended to by none; and leave its farther inveftigation to those who can afford leifure to confider the queftion more fully.

We may farther remark, that the few cafes here adduced, refpecting the management of the poor in Scotland, are (unfor tunately for Mr. H.'s argument) directly against the conclufion he has drawn; for we have been informed, on authority which we confider as very good, that in the two cafes he has pitched on, and fome others of the fame kind that might be found, a poor's rate has been there established as in England; and if the fame confequences refult in both cafes, nothing appears to be extraordinary. In Scotland at large, however, we are affured, on the fame authority, that the poor are provided for in a very different way, and that neither complaints of fuperabundant poor, nor great expence attending them, have been there heard of, unless in thofe very places where a poor's rate has been established, and in fome towns under a bad fyftem of police.

Though we confider his remarks on the fundamental part of the argument as not very conclufive, Mr. Howlett's obfervations on what has been idly urged about alehoufes, and monopolizing of farms, seem to us perfectly juft, and highly fatisfactory. His digreffion on the bounty on corn might have been spared, if he meant to add to his own reputation a man often thinks he understands a fubject fully, when he has got a glimpse of it only under one point of view, and if the pen be in his hand, it then runs on very smoothly. Nor does it appear to us, that he has fucceeded either in proving that the price of labour has not (in England) rifen in general in the fame proportion to the price of grain, or that the rife in the poor's rates, &c. is to be attributed to that circumftance. Here, as in the first part of the work, our author has only catched at flight appearances, without taking in a variety of circumftances that would highly affect the argument. His remarks on the unhealthinefs of houfes of induftry are judicious, and ought to be attended to.

Mr. Howlett is a quick and lively writer; and in those parts of his work which tend to point out the defects of the plans that have been propofed by others, there is much ingenuity. But he feems to have viewed the fubject in too flight and fuperficial a manner, to rear and fupport a fabric of his own that will be better able to ftand the teft of future enquirers. We observe a certain degree of dictatorial conclufiveness prevailing through the whole pamphlet, which its ingenious author will do well, in future, to avoid. He has evidently read too much himself not to have remarked, that thofe who reafon the moft deeply, ufually find caufe to be very guarded in their conclufions.

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MONTHLY

CATALOGUE,

For JUNE, 1788.

POLITICA L.

Art. 15. Letter from M. Lambert, Comptroller General of the French Finances, to Mr. Jefferson, Minister Plenipotentiary for the United States of America at the Court of Verfailles; with an Arret of the King's Council of State, for the Encouragement of the Commerce of France with the United States of America. Both dated Dec. 29, 1787, and published by Authority in France. 4to. is. Johnfon, in London. 1788.

REATIES and ordinances to invite and to regulate an inter

Tchange of national benefits, from whatever motives they may

originate, have a direct tendency to promote the true general interefts of humanity: and in that point of view we are glad of occafions to mark their progrefs. France appears to have done all that can be done to fecure the trade of America, particularly in the articles of tobacco, and American built fhipping; fo that if the American commerce does not principally flow in that channel, there must be ftrong natural caufes to give it a different direction. We perhaps truft too fupinely to the operation of fome fuch caufes, while they may be progreffively fubdued by time and industry.

Art. 16. Obfervations on the late Increase of the Dividend on Bank Stock. 8vo. 6d. Sewell. 1788.

The late extraordinary increafe of the dividend on Bank Stock appears in a very questionable light to the Author of thefe Obfervations;-who expreffes his doubts and apprehenfions on the fubject, with great propriety.

Art. 17. Extravagance fupported on the Principles of Policy and PhileJophy. 8vo. 2s. Symmonds. 1788.

This pamphlet first appeared in the year 1783, under the title of "Luxury no Political Evil;" and was reviewed in our 69th vol. p. 138. It is now republished by the Truflers,' as the new titlepage informs us.

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Art. 18. Confiderations on Parochial Evils: in a Letter addreffed to Thomas Gilbert Efq. 8vo. 1s. L. Davis. 1788.

This judicious and fenfible letter appears to be written by a magiftrate, who has had long experience in office, who poffeffes a talent for obfervation, and who is animated with a warm zeal for the public good. The defign of the letter is to fhew, that the laws now fub. fifting are fufficient, not only for the proper management of the poor, but for the prevention of thofe diforders which produce and perpetuate poverty. It is not the defect of the laws, but the irregular and imperfect manner in which they are executed, that occa fions the evils fo long and fo juftly complained of. Inftead of making new laws, therefore, or amending the old ones, which feems to be the aim of fome members of parliament, rather well-meaning than enlightened,

enlightened, the great object ought to be an enforcement of the due execution of the laws now exifting. That this is not to be expected from the perfons to whom it is now entrusted, the Author fufficiently proves; and then proceeds to offer a plan for the better execution of the laws refpecting the poor; for the particulars of which we must refer to his pamphlet. It was our wish to infert it, but we want room. We fincerely with, that the fenfible obfervations contained in this letter, may meet with proper attention from those who have power to render them beneficial to the Public, by reducing the Author's plan into practice.

SLAVE TRADE.

Art. 19. Examination of the Rev. Mr. Harris's Scriptural Researches on the Licitnefs of the Slave Trade. By the Rev. James Ramsay. 8vo. 6d. Philips. 1788.

In our Review for April (p. 344.) we gave a fhort account of Mr. Harris's publication in defence of the flave trade, on the ground of fcripture authority and fanction; and we then expreffed our apprehenfion, that his Scriptural Researches might tend to confound and perplex fome of thofe well-meaning perfons who are laudably aiming at the fuppreffion of Negroe flavery in the Weft Indies, &c. therefore recommended the task of refuting Mr. Harris, to Mr. Ramfay, or Mr. Clarkfon; and our with, in this refpect, is completely gratified the great caufe of liberty is here ably defended, and the Scriptures are fully vindicated from the implied charge of countenancing the most enormous oppreffion of our fellow-mortals, that one human being can poffibly inflict on another.

Art. 20. An Anfwer to the Rev. Mr. Harris's "

Scriptural Refearches on the Licitnefs of the Slave Trade." By the Rev. W. Hughes, M. A. 8vo. 1s. Cadell, 1788.

A fecond champion here enters the lifts against the reverend affertor of flavery, on fcripture principles. We were forry to fee the facred writings involved in this controverfy; but they will, probably, find many competent vindicators of their credit, against the fpecious charge of countenancing a practice founded in manifeft injuftice, and fupported only by the iron hand of power: but POWER is not RIGHT. Mr. Ramfay and Mr. Hughes have, very laudably, led the way; and there is no doubt but they will be followed by other able defenders of the great caufe of humanity.

Mr. GILBERT'S POOR BILL.

Art. 21. A fummary View of the Objects and beneficial Provifions in Mr. Gilbert's new Bill, intended to recommend it to public Notice and Encouragement. 8vo. IS. Debrett. 1788.

A familiar explanation of Mr. Gilbert's bill, which is now rendered of little ufe, as the bill has been fet afide by the House of Commons. The Public are certainly under great obligation to that gentleman for his indefatigable labours on this great object; and though it might not be deemed prudent to adopt his plan, the dif

* See the preceding article.

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cuffion it has given rife to, has caufed the nature of our poor laws to be more generally and better understood than they were before. Art. 22. Curfory Remarks on Mr. Gilbert's laft Bill, for the better Relief and Employment of the Poor, &c. and his Confiderations thereon in a Letter to that Gentleman. By H. Bate Dudley, Clerk, one of his Majefty's Juftices of the Peace for the County of Effex. 8vo. IS. Debrett. 1788.

Mr. Dudley's objections to Mr. Gilbert's bill appear to be well founded, and are clearly stated. He has fummed up his character of it in few words: Your plan departs too widely, and wildly, from the fimplicity of our eftablished fyftem of poor laws, multiplying, rather than diminishing, the difficulties of redrefs.' The Houfe of Commons feem to have been of the fame opinion. He thinks our prefent poor laws fufficient for their purpose, if properly enforced, and to that end recommends an intermediate officer, under the name of comptroller, with a falary, between the juftice of the peace and the parish officers, to keep the latter to their duty. The high conftable, he thinks, might execute this truft.

The extraordinary petition of Mr. Wilkinson, the great iron manufacturer, of Bradley in Staffordshire, to the House of Commons, praying that his workmen might be deemed extra-parochial, and of courfe exempted from removals to fettlements, and engaging to provide for his poor among themfelves, as cited by Mr. Dudley, may hint to us on the authority of a mechanical head, (and fuch heads may be trufted in all points that affect their own intereft), that the number of poor in an induftrious community, is no formidable caufe of apprehenfion; and that the smaller the diftricts, the easier the helpless poor may be fupported; cheaper to those who pay, and more humane to those who receive.

Art. 23. Remarks upon the late Refolutions, &c. published by Henry Zouch, Clerk (a Juftice of the Peace), in the Year 1776, and now republished by a Member of Parliament. Together with a few Remarks upon Mr. Gilbert's prefent Bill, which is fhortly to be offered to the Houfe of Commons. 8vo. 1s. Cadell. 1788. Thefe Remarks on the Refolutions of the House of Commons were first noticed in our Review, Vol. liv. p. 334; and the Remarks now added on Mr. Gilbert's bill are not more friendly to it than thofe of Mr. Dudley above mentioned, but predict its operation and tendency in very alarming terms.

WOOL-BILL.

Art. 24. A Letter to Arthur Young, Efq. on the Bill now depending in Parliament to prevent the Exportation of Wool. By Thomas Day, Efq. 8vo. Is. Stockdale. 1788.

Mr. Day reprobates, with a becoming warmth, the principles of the Wool-bill, and throws out many pertinent obfervations that would well have merited the attention of our legislators; but we think he apprehends greater danger from it than there is reason to fear; or, at least, that the danger is of a different fort from what he forebodes. Such abfurd laws as this, cannot tend, we should think, to undermine the conftitution. Their operation must be too

short

fhort-lived to produce that effect. For, however weak, or inconfiderate, our law-makers may be at an unlucky moment, they will foon be brought to think more justly by the good fenfe of a Mr. Day, and others, who will point out their mistakes; and a fpeedy repeal muft be the confequence. The conftitution will not, therefore, be deeply affected; but trade and manufactures are of fuch a delicate nature, that they may be ruined by an injudicious meafure continued only for a fhort time, and cannot be re-established by a repeal of the obnoxious law. When a manufacture is once abandoned, it cannot be resumed at pleasure; and when trade is, by any accident, diverted from its ufual channel, we feldom fee that it ever can be brought back to its former course. We fear for the lofs of our woollen manufacture; a lofs which, when it takes place, will be feverely felt; but which will not be recovered by unavailing complaints. Now is the time to look forward, and to avoid evils which an injudicious conduct in our legiflators may too fpeedily accelerate. Mr. Day's well-written pamphlet contains many judicious obfervations on the nature and tendency of the Wool-bill.

Art. 25. A Speech on the Wool Bill, that might have been spoken in the House of Commons, May the 1ft, 1788, on the Question of adjourning the Confideration to that Day three Months. 8vo. 6d. Nicoll, St. Paul's Church-yard.

Our youthful and enterprifing Premier laid himself open to the lash of cenfure, by an inconfiderate and ill-digefted fpeech in the Houfe of Commons, on the question mentioned in the title-page of this tract; and the acute writer of these remarks has expofed the abfurdities of the fpeech, and pointed out the pernicious tendency of fuch rash measures with much force of argument. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, he fays, declared that he had not bad leifure to examine the facts on which the question turned, yet he did not hefitate to give a clear and decided opinion on a queftion that materially affected the interefts of the country. He had not (it is here obferved), according to his own confeffion, examined the facts, yet he takes all the affertions, on one fide, as facts uncontrovertable, without paying the smallest attention to thofe ftated on the other fide of the question.-He boldly advanced, then, blindfolded, to decide; and after him followed his ever faithful adherents-but when the blind lead the blind, we know what to expect, as the natural confequence.

We recollect once to have heard of a man who conftantly prayed that it might please the Almighty never to make him a king.-We, humble reviewers, have fometimes been tempted by Satan, and have in our hearts wished to be admitted among the envied fraternity of "parliament men." But, although we are not yet entirely devoid of ambition, we folemnly proteft by our ink-horn and goofe-quill, the ever faithful companions of our folitary hours, that we rejoice, on the prefent occafion, that we cannot be numbered among the fervum pecus belonging to that auguft body.

The man whofe fituation, in a great kingdom, enables him to difpenfe favours and diftribute rewards, we are ready to admit, has need of more than an ordinary share of found fenfe, and an enlightened understanding, because the opinion of fuch a perfon alone

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