ting the means of introducing a French army into that kingdom. From a comparifon, therefore, between your character of him and his own confeffion, it most evidently and undeniably follows, either that Mr. O'Connor was the most artful of hypocrites, and confequently you and his other friends the most egregious of dupes, or that you and thole friends- -but I fpare you the recital of the alternative. It was moreover ftated by one of the witnelles, your Law-oracle and friend, (whofe profeffional abilities are unquestionably of the first rate,) that he advised Mr. O'Connor, by all means, to get out of the kingdom as fast as poffible; and it appears that Mr. O'Connor (whether in confequence of that advice or not, I prefume not to determine,) at the time of his apprehenfion was endeavouring to make his escape to France. Upon what principle then, Sir, was it that Mr. Erskine gave Mr. O'Connor that advice? Of two fuch dear and loving friends, who appeared to be fo delighted with each other's company and converfation from a congeniality of fentiment, why should the one recommend, and the other meditate, a voluntary banishment, which would probably separate them for ever? To you, Sir, and your Law-friend, I leave it to answer these questions at the bar of public opinion." Pp. 13, 14.

But ftrongly as Mr. H. condemns the conduct of Mr. Fox, he does ample juftice to his talents, and calls upon him, in emphatical language, to retract his paft errors, and to be true to his country and himfelf. Alas! we have feen too much of the political degeneracy of this loft man to expect that he will ever lend a favourable ear to fuch a call. Mr. H.'s reflections on the desertion of his duty in Parliament are particularly pertinent; and, indeed, the whole tract betrays ftrong marks of found fenfe, a correct judgement, and a mind filled with fentiments of genuine patriotism.

ART. XVII. An Account of the prefent English Confpiracy, taken from the Report of the Secret Committee of the House of Commons, just now published; in which are laid open the Attempts to excite Mutiny in our Fleets; and also the Plan for a general Rifing in London, and in other Parts, at this Time meditated by United Irishmen now here, and by numerous other fecret Societies, in the Pay or Interests of France. 12mo. Pp. 20. Price Three Halfpence. Hatchard, London. 1799.

THE contents of this book are fo amply explained in the title-page, that nothing remains for us but to commend the intention, and to exprefs our wish that it may have a circulation proportioned to the importance of the subject of which it treats.

ART. XVIII. Arguments for a Coalition against France. 8vo. Pp. 51. Price is. Hatchard, London. 1799.

THE evils refulting from the extenfive diffufion of French prineiples, and the gigantic aggrandizement of French power, are here reprefented, in ftrong and nervous language, as potent inducements to the formation of an Union, for the fuppreffion of the one and the reduction of the other. Peace, without the accomplishment of thefe objects, would, the author maintains, be certain deftruction to the prefent enemies of France, by giving folidity to the advantages to be derived from an extenfion of territory. More powerful motives than are here urged in favour of a new coalition cannot be conceived, and Tt2 the

the author, by a very ingenious and fatisfactory train of reafoning, convinces his readers that thofe circumftances which facilitated the diffolution of the laft confederacy no longer exift. He inveftigates the bafis of all coalitions, and indicates the caufes of their failure, and the grounds of their fuccefs. In the difcuffion of the various topics connected with his main argument he difplays confiderable ability, and no fmall portion of political wifdom; and there are few readers who will not derive fome inftruction from the perufal of his tract.

ART. XIX. A Letter to his Excellency Charles, Marquis Cornwallis, in which the leading Measures of his Adminiftration are confidered. By a Friend to Ireland. 8vo. Pp. 36. Price 18. Milliken, Dublin. 1799.

THIS defence of the conduct of Lord Cornwallis, in his Viceregal capacity, is written with temper, and without adulation, though we cannot but think that the praise bestowed on his Lordship is too indifcriminate. The lenient measures adopted by the ViceRoy are maintained to be neceffary for fuppreffing the rebellion; we, however, are among those who believe their tendency to have been to encourage the rebellion. Certain it is, as the author acknow." ledges, rather unfortunately for his argument, that the vital principle of the rebellion ftill fubfifts, and that the rebels have only been deterred from proceeding to action by the prefence of the British troops. The measures fo commended, therefore, have failed to produce their desired effect. At the fame time that we ftate our dif ference from the author on this point, we heartily fubfcribe to the ftrong panegyrics which he pronounces on the perfonal character of the noble Marquis, who, we are convinced, has ever acted from the moft pure and honourable motives; and to the juftice of the cenfures which he bestows on those who have vilified and calumniated him. The author is a decided enemy to Catholic Emancipation, as 'tis called, and deems an Union the only means of restoring permanent tranquillity and happiness to Ireland.

ART. XX. Confiderations on the Competency of the Parliament of Ireland to accede to an Union with Great Britain. By the Right Honourable Charles, Viscount Falkland. 8vo. Pp. 22. Price 6d. Wright, London. 1799.

THE noble author combats the arguments of those who deny the competency of the Irish Parliament to affent to an Union, and proves from hiftory, as well as from the very conftitution of the Parliament, that it muft poffefs fuch competency. The queftion appears to us fo plain, that we are only furprized that it ever could admit of a doubt; but this, unfortunately, is the age of political fcepticifm, and there. fore the information contained in these pages may be useful.

ART.

405

ART. XXI. The Rife, Progrefs, and Proceedings of a Corps of Volunteers; fhewing how Thirty Republicans have endeavoured to make Five Hundred Loyal Gentlemen truly laughable. To which is added a Letter, addressed to the Republicans only, giving them Advice how they may manage Matters in future, as not fo completely to expofe themfelves. By a Loyal Volunteer. 8vo. Pp. 47. Price is. Sold by the Author, No. 5, King's Row, Pimlico.

1799.

THE corps of volunteers, whofe "Rife, Progrefs, and Proceedings," are here traced, is the Liverpool Corps, of which the author, Mr. Bryan Blundell, was a member. That the 500 loyal gentlemen rendered themfelves "truly laughable" will be easily credited by those who read the following account of their discipline and appearance :

"General Greenfield requested the battalion would go out with the other troops, that he might inftruct them in fome movements, which could only be learned in large bodies. When the battalion came to the ground, they marched in the order they had drawn for; when this was perceived by the General, he laid, Gentlemen, you are wrong! Oh! no, Sir,' replied one of the officers, we drew for places, and here is a card as the lots were. Tell me not how you drew; tell me,' faid the General, which are the Colonel's and the two Major's companies, and I will fhew you how you ought to ftand! They did fo, and the General placed them according to the regulation of the army. Will it be believed when it is related, that the officers of the battalion thought themselves fo much better judges of these things than the General, that, excepting once, when they were again before him, they always went after their own regulations, and stood as they had drawn? Many things were equally as ridiculous: three of the companies were taught to fix and unfix the bayonet with the right hand; the other four with the left, and each practifed as they had been first taught.

"Three of the companies had been taught in the facings, at the firft word of command, to move the foot, and at the next to go about. The other four were instructed to take both words as cautionary, and to look to the fugle-man for the time to go about; and each retained their peculiar mode. There were about eight drummers and eight fifers belonging to the battalion, and, ftrange to tell, they were habited in feven different uniforms :*—

Rifum teneatis, Amici !'

"In fhort, if ridicule has any power to make men afhamed, one would have thought the Field-officers had ftudied to make them fo completely: three of the companies, Captain Beld's, Captain Goring's, and Major Birch's, had colours belonging to them, but the battalion had none.-Six of the companies had blue, and Major Birch's had yellow, facings: they had no grenadiers nor light-infantry companies; the tall men of cach company were to the right and left; the low men in the centre, that, when the line was extended, it looked like feven fegments of different circles."

The impediments which occurred to the improvement of this corps are ftated, by the author, to have proceeded from the perverfe difpofitions of thirty republicans who had procured admillion into it. This is no subject for criticism: we fhall, however, venture an opinion, certainly not inappofite to the point in queftion;-that, in

There is a very good caricature annexed to this defcription, representing this motley band of party-coloured drummers.

fuch critical times as the prefent, to put arms into the hands of mea who are notoriously hoftile to the conftitution and government of the country, is, to fay no worfe of it, the height of imprudence; and that to affociate with fuch men, in a military capacity, is to give countenance to the fentiments which they profefs. Such falfe liberality cannot be too strongly reprobated; it proceeds from á most mistaken principle, and leads to the moft deftructive confequences.We do not mean to fay that this has been the cafe at Liverpool; as we are not fufficiently informed on the subject to speak on it with decifion.

Mr. Blundell appears, from his own statement, to have been harthly, if not unjustly, treated; for his eagerness to preferve the corps from difgrace occafioned his difmiffion; and the odium attend. ing it reduced him to the unpleasant neceffity of leaving the town.— He pleads his own cause with spirit and ability.

DIVINITY.

ART. XXII. The Gofpel a Law of Liberty. A Sermon, preached at Highgate, Middlefex, Sunday the 17th of July, 1796. By the Rev. David Rivers. 8vo. Price is. Hindmarsh, London.

THO

HOUGH there feems to be nothing that is particularly ftriking in this difcourfe, we may fafely pronounce of it, that it does credit to its author, and is, indeed, fuch a difcourfe as would not have difcredited any of our most eminent preachers. The text is, James, i. 25, and though, in conformity to this text, it neceffarily treats of liberty, it is not of political liberty, the difcourfe being, throughout, plain, practical, and religious. In the following paffage there feems to be, at leaft, an approach towards eloquence :

"The rest of the creation filently and fteadily obey the laws of their Maker; the heavens and the earth hear and obey God's voice; the winds and the fea obey him; at his command the fun stands fill, and the wheels of nature are flopped; at his command the rain defcends, the thunder roars tremendous, and the forked lightenings illuminate the hemifphere." p. 6.

The contrast between human and divine laws, in the following paffage, is juft, and well drawn:

"It the misfortune of all human laws, however wifely formed, that they reach only to certain points, and are fitted only for certain periods of time; and fuch are their defects, that they may be easily cluded, and bafely perverted; but where is the bold finner that can evade this perfect law? Human laws can reach only to the exteriors of men, and make their conduct outwardly decent and bccoming; make clean the outside of the cup and the platter, while the heart may be full of all wickednefs. But the law of Chrift penetrates into the inmost recentes of the foul, cleanfes from all filthinefs, both of flesh and spirit, and is a difcoverer both of the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Human laws are likewife frequently evaded by the artifices of the culprit, but nothing of this kind can poffibly avail the finner, who tranfgrefies againit this perfect law. The evidence will be

complete

complete and full, for our own confciences fhall accufe us; the proofs, pointed and irrefiftible, for there is nothing fecret that fhall not be made manifeft." P. 11.

Again :

"The words law and liberty feem ftrangely oppofite one to another; it appears like the union of fire and water; for, where no law is, there it is fuppofed, by fome, that liberty dwells; but, however paradoxical it may found, there is no liberty, but where there are found, juft, and wholefome laws, Liberty is a very popular word, and a word, of late, moft fhockingly perverted; to blafpheme God, and fpeak evil of dignities; to run to every excefs of mad fury, unbridled and unrestrained, is to enjoy a ftate of liberty, according to the ideas of fome who, poffelling neither virtue, integrity, nor property, go about inflaming the minds of men with declamations about liberty; whereas, in truth, no greater tyrants in nature exift than themselves." P. 13..

To this fermon the author has prefixed an advertisement, expreffing, in very fpirited terms, his fovereign contempt of fome illiberal reflections, caft upon a former work of his, by the Analytical Reviewers.

ART. XXIII. A Sermon preached at the Meeting-Houfe, in CarterLane, on Thursday, November 29, 1798, being the Day appointed for a National Thanksgiving. By Thomas Taylor. Price 6d. Dilly, London.

THE text, on which this preacher expatiates, is from Pf. ii. 11. "Rejoice with trembling;" and it gives us much pleasure to have It in our power to declare, with truth, that, in our opinion, he has done great juftice to his fubject. His difcourfe, indeed, fhews him to poffefs confiderable skill, and no ordinary felicity, in the arts of compofition. The ruling purpose of his fermon is to fhew, that the very fignal interpofitions of Divine Providence, which the nation. was then called on devoutly to acknowledge, important as they were in themfelves, and likely to be in their confequences, yet laid no foundation for prefumption and vain glory; and this feafonable and interefting caution, we fincerely think, he has given and fupported in a masterly manner.

To exhibit fome fair fpecimens of our author's manner, and, at the fame time, to enable our readers to form their own judgement of it, we shall now fubjoin a paffage or two, felected, in particular, for no other reafon than that they admit of an easy detachment from the body of his work :

"For myfelf, I freely acknowledge, I have never heard of a country, in any part of the world, which I would prefer to my own. And I verily believe there are few who have left it, (except for their crimes and follies.) who would not think, with delight, of returning to it again. Particular perions, and particular claffes of men, may complain of the difficulties they fuffer, and I will not fay they are altogether groundlefs; but in what part of the globe, I would afk, will they meet with a country where, at this day, the fober and diligent are likely to enjoy more, or fuffer leis ? In what nation upon earth is justice more equally adminiftered, or life and property, and the rights of confcience, held upon a more fecure tenure? Where are the induttrious poor more liberally fupplied, by the hand of charity, in times of ficknefs and calamity, or furnifhed with better means of fubfiftence, in feafons of health and vigour? Efpecially, among what people are the means of religious inftruction enjoyed in greater plenty, or more generally

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