oath when a part of it, is determined by decifions in the courts of law; and it is a rule of law, as well as of reason, that an oath is to be taken and understood in that fenfe in which the legislature intended it, and not in any different construction which the person to whom it is administered may choose to put upon it. As it would greatly exceed the limits of a Review to give a particular account of the many judicious remarks which occur in this fenfible production, we must content ourselves with re"commending it as the fulleft and most explicit reply to Dr. Price's Obfervations, of any that has hitherto appeared. 44. Obedience the beft Charter; or, Law the only Sanction of Liberty. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Richardfon and Urquhart. This correfpondent inveftigates the doctor's principles at greater length than any of the other writers who have taken up the pen on the occafion. Being, as we believe, the latest in the order of publication, we meet here with many remarks which have been already fuggefted; but, though on this account, the letter be precluded from the merit of novelty, it compenfates for this defect by fome of the observation it contains. 45. Curfory Remarks on Dr. Price's Obfervations on the Nature of Civil Liberty. Svo. 6d. Nicoll. Had this pamphlet been published a month fooner, it might, perhaps, have claimed a small degree of attention; but it now prefents us only with a repetition of arguments, which have already been more forcibly urged. 46. A Dialogue on the Principles of the Conflitution, &c. 8vo. 25. Owen. The two fpeakers in this dialogue are Ariftocraticus and Philodemus, who, as may be prefumed from the import of their names, entertain different opinions refpecting the difpute with America; the former being a friend to the caufe of government, and the latter to that of the colonies. Dialogue is, perhaps, the most improper form in which a political queftion can be difcuffed; as the author always reprefents the arguments of one of the antagonists in fuch a light, as may give additional weight and plaufibility to thofe of the party which himself favours. A partiality of this kind is extremely evident in the production now before us; where Philodemus feems to maintain a fuperiority merely on account of a defect of abilities in Ariftocraticus. To fay the truth, we fhould think the Ameri can controverfy had fallen into very bad hands, if it was to be determined by fuch cafuifts as either of these champions. 47. The Plain Question upon the prefent Difpute with our American Colonies. 12mo. 2d. Wilkie. The defign of this little tract is to give a fhort and perfpicuous account of the merits of the controverfy between Great Britain and her colonies. The author expofes the impropriety of the American pretenfions by various arguments, and places the fub ject ject in fo plain a light as to be fully comprehended by any ca pacity, whofe fituation will not allow the perufal of more elaborate performances. 48. Hypocrify Unmasked, or a short Enquiry into the Religious Com plaints of our Colonies. 12mo. 2d. Nicoll. The author of this pamphlet, which in refpect of style bears. great fimilarity to the preceding, endeavours to fhew that Popery fo far from gaining an original establishment under the Canada act, as has been alledged, was established in an English colony above a century before Canada was ceded to the British crown. He likewife evinces that the Catholic religion, instead of being obnoxious to the difaffected colonies, is in reality admitted by the congrefs, in pofitive terms, to be not only perfectly confiftent with the freedom of the Proteftant provinces, but to be a right which the Canadians poffefs from the immediate gift of God. Thefe are facts which ought to filence the popular clamour against the act for regulating the government of Quebec, and particularly place in a strong light the inconfiftency of the congrefs. 49. Reflections on Government with Respect to America. To which is added Carmen Latinum. 8vo. Is. T. Lewis. One obfervation advanced in thefe Reflections may elucidate their general character. The author acknowledges that in every government a fupreme power must be placed fomewhere; and this, he fays, can be no where elfe but in the people. By a ftroke of his pen this political Drawcanfir has annihilated not only two of the conftitutional eftates of the British parliament, but every monarchy and ariftocratic government in the univerfe.-The Latin ftanzas fubjoined to the Reflections, are less exceptionable in point of measure than of sentiment. The author is fo zealous a patriot, that he wishes all our ships of war. may be wrecked on the American coast. 50. State of the National Debt, the National Income, and the National Expenditure. By John Earl of Stair. Folio. Almond. According to this eflimate, Great Britain is not in the capacity to maintain war with America, even for one campaign; and this mortifying conclufion lord Stair inculcates, with vehemence and farcafm, in the inferences and reflections which are here interfperfed. It is, however, to be prefumed that the event will prove his lordship to have been miftaken in his opinion. Admitting that the national burthen must of neceffity be confiderably accumulated by profecuting the present war, we may afk, whether it would be really confiftent with prudence, abstracting from the dignity of the nation, to renounce, on that account, the fuperiority of the colonies? Might it not be juftly apprehended, that, fhould the government be determined in their measures, folely by œconomical confiderations, the interest and honour of the nation would never ceafe to be violated by foreign powers, till at length we fhould fall an inglorious facrifice so public parfimony, and be ruined by an adherence to thofe very principles which are now urged as the only means of our prefervation? 51 Subftance of a Speech in Parliament upon the State of the Nation and the prefent Civil War with America. Upon Monday,. April 1, 1776. By David Hartley, Efq. 4to. 15. Almon. The nature and purport of this Speech correfpond fo much with the obfervations and fentiments of lord Stair, that we shall not trouble our readers with a particular account of it, which is the more unneceffary, as it seems from the title, that this is not Mr. Hartley's genuine speech. DRA MA TIC. 52. The Spleen; or Iflington Spaw; a Comic Piece of Two Acts, By George Colman, Efq. 8vo. Is. Becket. The idea of this piece is acknowledged to have been fuggefted by Moliere's Malade Imaginaire; but Mr. Colman has fo much deviated from the French author, and indeed even improved on the subject, that this drama, though founded on a general fimilarity of character, must be confidered as an original production. The whimfical features of D'Oyley, and thofe of Rubric, are marked with peculiar energy of expreffion; and the whole is no lefs fuccefsfully than ingeniously calculated as a cure for the Spleen. NOVEL S. 53. The Loves of Califto and Emira; or the Fatal Legacy. By John Seally, Gent. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Jewed. Becket. The author of this work has already paid him felf fo many genteel, and we dare fay fincere, compliments, upon the merit of his performance, in a French letter from madame la comteffe de *********, which is prefixed to the novel, that he has deprived us of the most agreeable part of our official task, by having anticipated all that could poffibly be faid in favour of his work. By this means he has laid us under a neceffity of pursuing the oppofite line of criticifm; and we fhall take the liberty of pronouncing the Loves of Califto and Emira, to be a very trifling and uninterefting performance; barren of incident, and deficient in character. The language is below criticism, at once affectedly obfcure, and familiarly vulgar; -as an inftance of the latter, we fhall quote the XVIth Letter. EMIRA and CALISTA. The moment this comes to hand, fly, my Califo, on the wings of love, to Thy Emira loves thee to madnefs. Absence from my beloved fellow has increased the ardour of my affection. Come then, and bless me with thy prefence. My memory paints in the moft lively colours thy lalt vifit. was, indeed, elyfium! How fweetly flew the days! And how wifhed I the night away, to enjoy thy charming company! Yes, Califto, they were fcenes not to be expreft, but felt. I once more expect to fee thee, fond man-and once more to liften to a tale, which will ever prove delightful to the affectionate Emira.' We We shall here take leave of Mr. John Seally, with reminding him, that his attempt at the pathetic, in the two laft pages, is wretchedly imitated from the beautiful ballad of Edwin and Emma, in the pofthumous works of Mallet. 54. A Week at a Cottage. A Paftoral Tale. Small 8vo. 25. Hawes. What a deal of bufinefs our author executes in one short week! betwixt Monday morning and Saturday night, (for Sunday only opens the fcene) fuch unexpected events are brought to pafs, that we think he ought to have adopted for his motto, Thou knoweft not what a day may bring forth.' To speak truth (and we never are ashamed of veracity) we conceived no fmall diflike to him in our Sunday's excurfion in his company; the quaintnefs of his expreffions, and the affectation in his ftyle, we could by no means relish, and although in the courfe of the week we grew better acquainted with him and his manners, we cannot yet eradicate the notion we at first conceived, that his phrafes border on fuftian; and, not being poetry, are profe run mad. Our readers will judge for themselves from the paffages tranfcribed: but, in our opinion, this traveller would have been a much more agreeable companion, had he not fuffered his fancy to run away with him, and followed the fober style of good writers. His outfet, it is true, which ftruck us with diflike, is infinitely more blameable than what fucceeds it, and therefore we hope he may yet become more correct. The tale is that of events fupposed to have fallen under the writer's cognizance, during a week in the country; an abridgement of it would be infipid, and we fhall content ourselves with feleting a part which will do no difcredit to the writer's defcriptive abilities. The dwelling of this family, is placed on a low ground, where rushes are abundant-a creeping ftream winds thro' the flat, worn in the peaty earth, which flains the muddy watersa grove of alders croud the marth, obftructing the view from Cymon's cottage; and intercepting every object, fave the elevated mountains which o'ertop the trees : -Close to the windows, in a miry track, the cattle trudge at the door, on dunghill laid, the fow delights in indolence, and courting eafe with many a figh, extended pants, full in the fun-the entrance is diftinguished by its flags, rude and irregular; where beneath a ragged fhed, fome peats and wither'd wood are heap'd-dark, damp, and melancholy the habitation. Jooks-cold ivy mantles on the front, where fparrows nestlefome ftunted thorns, fpread their green bofoms around the door, and dry the dangling difhclouts, and give air to stockings blue and brown-the fcanty windows fcarce fufficient to admit at noon a twilight ray, are patch'd with paper-on the hearth the fuel blazes, encircled round with bricks, whofe fmoak in winding volumes eddies in the open range; where many an, iron inftrument of household, as decorations hang-a long fettee, the firefide throngs, cover'd with calf-fkin; beneath whofe frame, old old Cymon's wooden fhoes keep holyday, and harbour Tabby's kittens-a fhining table, fpreads its ample board beneath the window, loaden with a leaven loaf, a cheese, and scatter'd leeks -full oppofite, an oaken cupboard ftands, where carving is benumb'd in ftiff ftalk'd lillies, lumps of grapes and wooden foliage the pillars fwell protuberant with timber, and half reveal each private recefs and carv'd clofet door-with pewter doublers, all the top ftands furnish'd-the white-wash walls are pictur'd with the fufferings of faints, gafh'd and bedaub'd with crimson and yellow-here Cymon lives in wealth-for he, laborious in his youthful years, and crafty, had amassed a fortune. Riches obtained by the fweat of toil, and many a fubtle bargain; yet faved by abftinence, pinching penury, and felfdenial; fnatch'd from the hand of hunger, and the lip of thirst, with coarfe and homely food fuftain'd, not knowing comfort but in gain-all his delight was gold-the yellow ftore, which neither accommodations purchased, or eafe, was his felicity,-it joy'd his ear-tranfports diffufed on his foul, as gold poffefs'd his eyes-its touch was exquifite-its numbers heavenlywithout an eftimate to give it an importance, he adored the ore -fo the infatuated Indian, bows in worship, to the mute log. whofe ftrange diftorted features his own rude carving render'd hideous; and of whofe impotence and infenfibility he was fully confcious from its beginning. -a -Bending with age, the fage old man, fat multiplying in his mind, the ftore he had amafs'd by numbers, to which his, love of life, had bid him hope he fhould increase his years. little white hair filver'd his brow, beneath a cap of woollen, ftrip'd with green and grey-his heavy eye-brows hid eyes with tufts of yellow hair-on his fharp nofe two fhatter'd glaffes hung -hollow was his cheek, brufh'd with a briftly beard - his partycoloured coat, bound with a leathern girdle, had wearied induftry to patch, and avarice to gather. The partner of this wealthy man, fat o'er the embers, whiffing fragrant fumes from out a footy pipe-her fmall and meagre figure was attir'd in home-fpun grey-girt with blue bands, her tatter'd apron wav'd in fringes to her knees-her fallow skin, hung shrivel'd on her brow in many a plait-her cheeks were lean and lank-her acute looks feem'd with fufpicion keen, and in her wither'd carcafs, hollow founds inceffantly croak'd and wander'd-Alcris was the iffue of their youth-a child they had, born in their elder years, a daughter-Alcris was the day-long from their fight, he was the guardian of their flocksbut their Jenetta was employ'd at home in domeftic duties-her Occupations were the dairy and the fold. This daughter, fad misfortunes had mishapen-her shoulders were protuberant-her ankles twisted, and her countenance was crooked-as her frame, fo was her mind diftorted-for tho' the cow's benevolence fupplied her daily pail, and fill'd her bowls with riches; tho' the meek flocks their heavy fleeces yielded to her arms, and fill'd the grafp of avarice with wealth-tho' the pro |