White, Efq. Author of Earl Strongbow, and John of Gaunt. Izmo. 3 Vols. 9s. fewed. Evans. 1791. Our readers have been, already, made acquainted with the whimfical turn of this writer's humour, wit, and invention, by our accounts of his former pieces, above mentioned. He fill proceeds in his heterogeneous plan, of combining Hiftory with Romance, Chivalry, and burlefque Ridicule by which laft ingredient, the Dignity of Heroilm is oddly caricatured, in almost every part of the compofition. Nevertheless, in fpite of every violation of the laws of Novel-writing, as generally obferved by the best of our modern authors in that branch of literature, thefe adventures,, [which never could have happened,] have afforded us a good deal of amufement; fo that, after much laughing with the writer, and at him, we, on the whole, grew forry to part with him, as we drew toward the clofe of his performance. Mr. White is, in truth, evidently pof feffed of fuch abilities, though of a very fingular caft, (if we judge from this performance, and his John of Gaunt, &c.) that we think him capable of forcing even the moft ferious, critical, faftidious reader, to fome degree of approbation-though it be only that fort of constrained applaufe which we were wont to beflow on the flagebuffoonries and grimace of Theophilus Cibber, and (in later times,) on the licentious eccentricities of Shuter and Edwin: at which we shook our fides and our beads at the fame time, A fhort poem, on the death of Lord Falkland, who was flain at the battle of Newbury, fighting for Charles I. is added to the 3d vol. of this wild and Gothic Romance, and is an effufion of fancy, of a fuperior kind: if not entitled to the highest praife, it will, probably, from many readers, of good tafte, meet with a better reception, than will the extraordinary work to which, we hardly know why, it is an appendage. POLITICS and POLICE. ART. 45. An Account of the Origin, Proceedings, and Tetentions, of the Society for the Promotion of Industry in the Southern Difirit of the Parts of Lindley, in the County of Lincoln. Publifhed at the Defire, and with the Approbation, of the Standing Committee of the faid Society. To which is added, A Report of the Board of Trade to the Lords Justices, refpecting the Relief and Eployment of the Poor; drawn up in the Year 1697, by Mr. John Locke, one of the original Commiflioners of that Board; with Notes by the Editor. 8vo. pp. 152. Is. 6d. fewed. Harrison. Under the heavy burthen of the poor, added to the other burthens fuftained by fociety, we are pleafed to fee public-fpirited schemes undertaken in different places, and on different plans, to remedy the grievance. The following obfervations on the true intent of that ftatute of Elizabeth, which is the foundation of our prefent fyftem of poor laws, are judiciously conceived, and ought to be duly weighed by every magiftrate, and every intelligent parish officer, in the kingdom. * See Review, New Series, vol. ii. pp. 414 415. • The The 43d Eliz. chap. 2. whereupon fo many claims have been grounded on the part of the idle and profligate, gives no overfeer any kind of power to relieve or maintain gratuitoufly fuch as are capable of working, nor to fuffer their children to be brought up in idleness. On the contrary, the very firft enacting claufe of that judicicus and falutary, but much misinterpreted ftatute, immediately after inftitating or new modelling the office of overfeers of the poor, proceeds thus: "They (the churchwardens and overfeers) or the greater part of them, fhall take order from time to time, by the content of two or more fuch juftices of peace as is aforefaid, for fetting to work the children of all fuch, whofe parents fhall not by the faid churchwardens and overfeers, or the greater part of them, be thought able to keep and maintain their children," (this feems to have been the first object of the act, and the judgment and difcretion here vefted in the parish officers, refpecting the ability of the parents, may fhew of what importance thofe wife legiflators efteemed the induftrious education of children,) "and for fetting to work all fuch perfons, married or unmarried, having no means to maintain them, and (who) use no ordinary and daily trade of life to get their living by: and alfo to raise weekly or otherwife (by taxation, &c.) a convenient flock of flax, hemp, wool, thread, iron, and other neceffary ware and fluff, to fet the poor on work." This is the first and chief part of that law; when that is provided for,* but not till then, follow the claufes refpecting the sole objects of gratuitous relief; and with great reafon : for fo naturally doth compaflion arife in every human breast, and fo forcibly doth it plead the caufe of the lame, impotent, old, blind, and otherwife really difabled poor, that the fanction of the legislature might feem to be fcarcely wanted in their behalf. It provides however, that "competent fums of money fhall be raised for their relief, and alfo for putting out of fuch children to be apprentices, to be gathered out of the fame parish, according to the ability of the fame parifh.” And in feel 4. it is required of "the faid juftices of peace, or any one of them, to fend to the houfe of correction, or common gaol, fuch as fhall not betake themselves to work, being appointed there unto as aforefaid."- Lile did the prudent and frugal authors of this ftatute imagine (what is fo frequently obferved in thefe days) that a perlon appointed one of the overfeers of the poor, by virtue of this act, would never confult his colleague, much lefs the churchwardens, nor hold the appointed monthly meetings with them; nor call any parifh veftries; nor ever come near the magif trates, unless brought by force-but that confidering himself as the fole difpofer of the rates, because his name ftands first in the appointment he would dare to give away the money of his more induftrious and often more neceffitous neighbours, to the lazy and diffolute, perhaps to his friends and favourites, or perhaps to the wort fluggards, because they are the most clamorous, and all the while, with-hold employment from thofe few who would really prefer it to extorted alnis, and therefore languifh in neglected mifery, neglected by him, whom the law commands to find them employment. • Nor Nor would the good yeomanry of that time eafily have foreseen that fuch behaviour, on the part of an overfeer, would be connived at by thofe who bear the burden; either because they dread the trouble of calling him to account, or are foolish enough to perfuade themselves that it is more expenfive to employ the poor than to maintain them in doing nothing, or hope to be equally indulged in betraying the fame troft when it fhall come to their turns to ferve and abuse the office. Quo ufque tandem! When fhall we be weary of the cruel injuftice we do to the memory of our ancestors, by imputing to their want of wifdom in legiflation, the mischiefs which arife wholly from that floth and careleffness in the execution, from that general effeminacy of manners, which makes half the community fhrink from their duty, and the other half equally afraid of the labour of bringing them back to a fenfe of it? • Strong clauses compelling the overfeers to execute their office according to the true and original intent of this ftatute, with fuch precautions as fhould cut off or make useless any fhelter from the connivance of the rest of the parish, and a revival (with such modifications as may be found neceffary) of the neglected provifions in the ftatutes of 3 and 4 W. and M. chap. 11. and 8 and 9 W. and M. chap. 30. would probably produce both fpeedier and more lafting effects, and certainly be much lefs hazardous, than the tearing up fuch venerable foundations as this law, and substituting specalative experiments, of the fuccefs of which no man can entertain any fanguine expectations who has obferved the many frauds and abufes on one hand, or oppreffions and hardships on the other, which have almoft univerfally ensued, at least in fmall places, and efpecially, if diftant from the metropolis, where workhouses or pretended workhoufes have been erected in pursuance of 9 G. chap. 7, which may be called the first material deviation from the spirit and intention of the fyftem established by 43 Eliz. chap, 2. But the confideration of this law and its numberless perverfions would require a volume rather than an occafional note. The latter is a form better fuited to the Editor's abilities, who could not forbear hazarding these few hints; but hopes to see the subject handled by men of fuperior talents, at a time when the magnitude of the evil confeffedly deferves, and calls for the most vigorous efforts of all wellwithers either to the property or morality of this country. Meanwhile let it be observed in addition to what has been faid, that the active minds which framed this excellent law, in the beginning of the last century, do not feem to have fuppofed it poffible, that there should ever exift a place fo devoid of all manufacture, and by nature and fituation fo unfit for the establishment or fupport of any, as to afford the overfeers of the poor no opportunity of employing them ufefully. Nor indeed ought there to be any fuch in a well regulated commercial empire. What fhall we fay then, when we hear thofe who ought to be better informed propagate this unfavourable idea of the county of Lincoln ? - A county which actually groans under the weight of the firft ftaple commodity of this kingdom, and fends it to be manufactured by the poor of other counties, who having now found other bufinefs more fuitable to their local fituation, reREV, OCT. 1791. R turn turn it back upon our hands, or leave it to perish there, unless we will at least convert it into yarn. A county, abounding in all the neceffaries of life within itself, and enjoying the convenience of an extenfive fea-fhore as well as inland navigations. A county in fhort, refembling the territory of its tranfmarine neighbours in fituation, furpaffing it in all natural advantages; but falling fhort, infinitely fhort of their wealth and population, because it wants their fober and temperate but INDEFATIGABLE INDUSTRY.' This mode of reafoning governed the fociety whofe proceedings are here detailed; and it is a fufficient key to their plan, which was, instead of affociating and maintaining the poor in what are called workhouses, to establish work-rooms, where thofe who apply for relief are employed to spin Jersey and knit, under fuperintendence, and are paid for their labour. They invite the poor to fend their children to these places, where they are taught and employed, with the encouragement of premiums, and honorary diftinctions for the beft fpinners of certain defcriptions. They retire from their labour to their own cottages, where the orderly are not difturbed nor corrupted by the diforderly, but enjoy the comfort of a private house, and where they feed and clothe themselves much cheaper than could be done by the most frugal parish maintenance. Those who with for more particulars must be referred to the pamphlet, which is well worth their attention. Art. 46. Appendix to Some Account of the Shrewsbury Houfe of Induftry containing a Correfpondence with the Rev. J. Howlett, Vicar of Great Dunmow in Effex, Author of feveral Effay's on Population, and of an Inquiry into the Mortality of Houfes of Induftry, &c. 8vo. pp. 22. 6d. The inquiries of Mr. Howlett have produced fome farther information refpecting the Shrewsbury houfe of industry, which is much in its favour. See Rev. for May laft, p. 112. Art. 47 Report from the Select Committee appointed to examine and flate the feveral Accounts, and other Papers, prefented to the Houfe of Commons in this Seffion of Parliament, relating to the Public Income and Expenditure, and to report to the Houfe what has been the whole Amount of the public Income and Expenditure during the last five Years, and what may be expected to be the annual Amount in future; and alfo, what Alteration has taken place in the Amount of the public Debt, fince the 5th of January 1786. Ordered to be printed May 10, 1791. 8vo. 5s. fewed. Debrett. If we may venture to accept the retults of complicated accounts, the particulars of which are so often contested by thofe to whom they are offered, as clear fums, after the numerous drawbacks, &c. &c. with which reports of this nature are loaded, the present comparative ftate of our national income and expenditure is, Receipts, L16,030,286. 61,108 This balance, fmall as it is, appears on the right fide; we fincerely with it may actually remain there. As As to the reduction of the national debt, the momentous object of attention, we are informed, that The capital ftock bought by the commiffioners for discharging the national debt, up to the ift day of February 1791, (being the Day on which they made up their accounts of the application of the fums iffved in the preceding year,) was 6,772,3501. but, unluckily, we are previoufly informed, that The whole excefs of the fum applied to the discharge of the public debt, beyond those by which it has been increased (during the last five years) appears to have been 3,822,003 1.' Such intelligence would have made Uncle Toby whistle Lillaballero! THEOLOGY and POLEMICS. Art. 48. A Defence of the Doctrines, Eftablishment, and Conduct, of the Church of England, from the Charges of the Rev. Jofeph Berington and the Rev. John Milner. By James Williamfon, B. D. of Queen's College, Oxford, Prebendary of Lincoln, and Rector Is. Roof Winwick in Northamptonshire.. 8vo. binfons. PP. 71. Mr Milner and Mr. Berington having ftood forth as advocates in behalf of the prefent body of Roman Catholics in England, the former, to vindicate them from the charge of uncharitableness, fedition, and perjury, and the latter, to affert their claim to be admitted to places of honour and truft; Mr. Williamfon undertakes to invalidate their pleas; and he maintains that, from the nature of the papal power, and from the doctrine of the Romish Church, it would be unfafe to admit them to any participation of civil privileges. The difpute, in the prefent ftate of things, appears to be wholly unneceffary: for, though it be true, that future Popes may poffibly attempt to interfere in the affairs of foreign nations, there is now little probability, either that fuch an attempt will actually be made, or, if it were, that it would meet with any confiderable countenance and fupport;-and though it be admitted, that fome of the peculiar tenets of the Roman Catholics are abfurd, and others intolerant, yet it is reasonable to expect, that the general principles of morals and policy, at prefent fo well understood, will fo far counteract their influence, as to render them wholly innoxious. Befide, it is a maxim of found policy, that the belief and profeffion of any tenets ought not to be treated as a crime, till the individual, who holds them, be found guilty of some actual offence, cognizable by law. If the principle of prevention be allowed to operate in civil polity, there will always be great danger, left it fhould produce oppreffion and perfecution. A liberal confidence, on the part of governors, in all the members of the ftate, who have not forfeited it by an actual violation of law, is the only firm ground of national tranquillity; and at a time when a nation of Roman Catholics is become a pattern to the whole world as affertors of civil and religious liberty, Proteftants can have little to apprehend, in this kingdom, from affording their Roman Catholic Brethren, in common with all other fectaries, an unlimited enjoyment of the rights and privileges of citizens. |