rerogation. There is now no complaint, that we know of, in this refpect, against the crown. If the liberties of the subject are in any danger, it feems rather to be apprehended from another quarter. But we hope there is little, of this fort, to fear from any quarter. For, we truft, that the people of this country will always be on their guard against the encroachments of every branch of government; and that they who have hitherto fo nobly withftood the tyranny of ONE, will ever difdain to bow their neck to the flavery of FIVE HUNDRED. Art. 18. A History and Defence of Magna Charta. Containing a Copy of the original Charter at large, with an English Tranflation; the Manner of its being obtained from John, with its preservation and final Eftablishment in the fucceeding Reigns; with an introductory Difcourfe, containing a fhort Account of the Rife and Progress of national Freedom, from the Invafion of Cafar to the prefent Times. Alfo the Liberties which are confirmed by the Bill of Rights, &c. To which is added, an Effay on Parliaments, defcribing their origin in England, and the extraordinary Means by which they have. been lengthened from half-yearly to feptennial ones. 8vo. 5 S3 d. in boards. Bell, &c. 1769.

This publication is evidently calculated pro tempore, and together. with Magna Charta introduces a copy of the late Middlefex Petition. Who the compiler is, does not appear in the work; but he has given a loofe account of the wars of the English barons with our early kings in very curvy language, to adopt a term of his own, p. 1c5.; where he tranflates petitiones peffimas, fcurvy petitions: many flowers of language may be collected from p. 109, 112, 115, 120, 121, 247, 248, &c. which extend beyond the Compiler's apology, p. 107. but no one is juftified in adopting bad language from others, excepting in profeffed extracts. Even the warm profeflions in favour of liberty made throughout the volume, do not, in our opinion, render it worth farther confideration.

COLONIES.

N. Art. 19. An Appeal to the World; or a Vindication of the Town of Bofton, from many falfe and malicious Afperfions contained in certain Letters and Memorials, written by Governor Bernard, General Gage, Commodore Hood, the Commiffioners of the American Board of Customs, and others, and by them refpectively tranfmitted to the British Ministry. Published by Order of the Town. Bofton, printed by Edes and Gill: London, reprinted for Almon. Svo. I S.

It will be very proper for those who have read the collections here. referred to, (and who may, poll.bly, from the fpecious reprefentations contained in fome of the letters, &c. have received impreffions unfavourable to the people of New-England,) to perufe this commentary, in which confiderable light feems to be cait on many questionable paf fages in those letters and memorials.

After taking fpecial notice of many particular reprefentations in governor Bernard's letters, in order to thew their invidious nature, and evil tendency, with refpect to the town of Bolton, the appellants obferve, that it would be an endless talk to take particular notice of every falfe and injurious reprefentation contained in these voluminous letters; and they conclude, that no one can read them without be

ing aftonished, at feeing a perfon in fo important a department as governor Bernard fuftained, defcending in his letters to a minister of ftate, to fuch trifling circumstances, and fuch flanderous chit-chat: boafting, as he does in one of his letters, of his over-reaching those with whom he was tranfacting publick bufinefs; and in order to prejudice the most refpectable bodies, meanly filching from individuals belonging to thofe bodies, what had been dropped in the courfe of bufinefs or debate: journalizing every idle report brought to him, and in fhort acting the part of a pimp rather than a governor.-As thefe letters, being now made public, will be a monument of difgrace to him, it cannot be fuppofed, that any honour can be derived from them, to those great men to whom they were addressed.'

Of the letters of general Gage and commodore Hood, they, in a fummary way, remark, that although both thefe gentlemen were perfect ftrangers in the town, they have yet taken fuch extraordinary freedoms, and the general in particular has wrote in fuch a pofitive ftrain, as muft unavoidably give high difguft to every reader of candour and impartiality.-If thefe gentlemen received the character of the town, or of any of its individuals, from governor Bernard, as we are ready to think they did, they must have been long before convinçed, if they knew any thing at all of the ftate of the town, that the governor was too deeply interested in mireprefenting, to be credited in a point of that importance; and therefore common justice would have dictated a fufpenfion of their publick teftimony to the prejudice of a community, till they could have had the opportunity of doing it upon im partial enquiry, or their own obfervation.'

At the clofe of thefe animadverfions, are the following rofolutions of the town of Boston,' at their meeting held in October 1759, viz.

Refolved, that the letters and memorials of governor Bernard and the Commiffioners of the customs in America, tranfmitted by them respectively to his Majefty's minifters, and laid before the parliament of Great Britain, authentick copies of which are now before this town; had a tendency to deceive the ministry, and lead them unavoidably to mifinform his Majefty, with regard to the affections and loyalty of his American fubjects in general: and that the faid governour Bernard and the commiffioners have particularly, in their letters and memorials before-mentioned, difcovered an implacable enmity to this town, and the most virulent endeavours to traduce it even to his majefty himself; by means whereof the inhabitants very fenfibly feel the difpleasure of their gracious fovereign.

Refolved, that this town have reason to rejoice in the measure taken by the honourable house of reprefentatives, in the last fefsion of the General Affembly; by fo feafonably preferring their dutiful and loyal petition to his majesty, for the removal of governor Bernard for ever from the government of this province: and the town take this opportunity to exprefs their most ardent wish, that the prayer of faid petition to his majefty may be gracioufly heard and granted.

Refolved, that general Gage and commodore Hood in their feveral letters to his majesty's minifters and fervants, authentick copies of which are now before this town, have difcovered an unreasonable prejudice against the town. And the general in particular, in decla

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ring in his letter to the right honourable the earl of Hillsborough, one of his majefty's fecretaries of late, that " in truth there was very little government in Befton ;" and in making ufe of other expreffions alike Jevere, has done great injuftice to the town, and an irreparable injuAnd it is moreover the opinion of the town, that the readiness he has difcovered to receive unfavourable impreflions of it, and the publick teftimony he was prevailed upon to bear against it, before he could have time to make an impartial enquiry, betrayed a want of candour unbecoming his ftation and character.

ry.

Refolved, that mary of the letters and memorials aforefaid are falfe, fcandalous, and infamous libels upon the inhabitants of this town, province and continent, of the moft virulent and malicious, as well as dangerous and pernicious tendency: and that the felectmen be and hereby are directed to apply and complain to proper authori ty, that the wicked authors of thofe incendiary libels, may be proceeded with according to law, and brought to condign punishment.'

We fhall conclude the prefent article with the following very important paffage, from p. 52 of this Appeal; which appears, to us, to convey the general fenfe of our American brethren, on the prefent fituation of affairs:

Notwithstanding the town have been obliged in juftice to themfelves, to fay thus much in their own vindication, we thould yet be glad, that the ancient and happy union between Great Britain and this country, which governor Bernard has fo induftrioufly laboured to interrupt, might be restored. Some have indeed flattered themfelves with the profpect of it; as intelligence is faid to have been received from administration, that all the revenue acts would be repealed: but as it fince appears by lord Hillsborough's own account, that nothing more is intended, than the taking off the duties on paper, glass, and painter's colours, upon commercial principles only; if that is all, it will not give fatisfaction: it will not even relieve the trade from the burdens it labours under; much lefs will it remove the grounds of difcontent, which runs through the continent, upon much higher principles. Their rights are invaded by thefe acis; therefore until they are all repealed, the cause of their juft complaints cannot be removed: in fhort, the grievances which lie heavily upon us, we thall never think redreffed, till every act, paffed by the British parliament for the exprefs purpose of railing a revenue upon us without our confent, is repealed; till the American board of commin oners of the cuftoms is diffolved; the troops recalled, and things are reflored to the fate they were in before the late extraordinary measures of adminiftration took place.'

TRADE.

1769.

Art 20. Reflections on the Principle of Trade in general. Py a Wellwifher to his King and Country. Small 12mo. 1 S. No Bookfeller's Name. Sold by Brotherton. Contains fome general maxims and principles of trade; which thew that the author has thought much and juitly on this fubject. His principal view, is to fhew that the public weal requires that all pofible protection, and efpecially freedom, be allowed to trade: that this foull ever be the grand point in view, and the foundation of al

the

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the refolutions of legislature.' He has thrown in, likewife, fome very pertinent obfervations on the means of rendering manufactures cheap; on coins, and the fcarcity of filver money; of the courfe of exchange; and of the bounty on corn: but his difcuffions are extremely brief, fcarcely any thing more than mere hints, thrown out with little regard to order or connection. He is, moreover, fo peculiar in his method of pointing, that his meaning is not always easy to be understood.

RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERSIAL. Art. 21. Many made righteous by the Obedience of One. Two Sermons, on Rom. v. 19. preached at Biddiford Devon, in the Year 1743. By the late Rev. James Hervey, A. M. Rector of Wefton-Favell: with a Preface, by Auguftus Toplady, A. B. Vicar of Broad-Hembury, Devon. 8vo. 6d. Gurney.

It is fufficient to fay concerning these fermons, that they are in the fame ftrain with the other works of this Author, whofe warm imagination, or fome other caufe, led him, fometimes, into fentiments, or methods of expreflion, not perfectly confonant either to reafon or fcripture: but the piety of the man and his fervent benevolence will ever recommend his character and memory to regard, even with those who cannot embrace his opinions.

Mr. Toplady prefaces thefe fermons with high encomiums on Mr. Hervey's ftyle; which is indeed very pleafing; but furely he fpeaks too strongly when he fays, With Hervey in their hands, his delighted readers well nigh find themselves at a lofs, which they fhall most admire, the fublimity and fweetness of the bleffed-truths he conveys, or the charming felicity of their conveyance.' Certainly, if the truths are important, the reader does not appear to fhew them great regard, who places on a level with them the ftyle and manner in which they are delivered.

Whatever profits may arise from the fale of these sermons, we are affured, will not be appropriated by the publisher to his private benefit, but applied to other purposes.

Hi.

Art. 22. A Vindication of the Athanafian Creed, in Respect to the explicit Explanation of the Three diftinct Perfons in the Godhead; and of the Incarnation of our Lord Jefus Chrift. By Francis Lloyd, A M. 8vo. 1 S. Bladon.

Incredible as it may feem, we find there is yet living in this enlightened age and country, one clergyman, a perfon of fome fense and of a competent fhare of learning, who is, nevertheless, (fuch is the amazing inconfiftency and imperfection of human nature) capable of undertaking a serious defence of this ftrange and justly exploded creed!-His name, we fee, is Lloyd, and his preferment is, the rectory of Trotterfcliffe, in Kent.

Art. 23. Reflections on the Modern but Unchriftian Practice of Inocula
tion; or, inoculating the Small-pox tried by Scripture Doctrines and
Precepts, and proved to be contrary to the revealed Will of God. By a
Friend to Truth. 8vo. 6 d. Keith. 1760

When first inoculation was introduced here, and began generally to prevail among us, feveral ignorant, or wrong headed, divines, fet themselves to preach and to publish against this falutary practice; inweighing against it, as highly prefumptuous and impious. They were

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foon filenced, however, by the folid arguments of those who were happily convinced of its immenfe utility; and who faw nothing reFugnant to it in the facred writings.

Whether the traft now before us is one of thefe unavailing, exploded pieces, reprinted; or whether this be its first appearance, we know not: but one thing we clearly perceive,-that this pretended Friend to Truth, is a real friend to nonfenfe.

He fays inoculation comes not from God, but from Satan.' Truly, the Evil one is not a little obliged to our Author for afcribing to him fo much good: and the multitudes who are duly fenfible of the infinite advantages which mankind have reaped from inoculation, muft, for the future, if they credit this wife Reflector, have a more favourable opinion of Satan, than they have heretofore entertained of him.

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Art. 24. Confiderations on Differences of Opinion among Chriftians; avith a Letter to the Rev Mr. Ven, in Anfwer to his Free and full Examination of the Addrefs to Protefiant Diffenters, &c.*' By Jofeph Priestley, LL. D. F. R. S. 8vo. Js. 6d. Johnfon and Payne. The first part of this treatise contains an excellent diffuafive against an obftinate attachment to controverted tenets in religion, and what men call orthodoxy; against the too prevailing practice of ftudying controverfial writings more than the Bible; and against uncharitablenefs toward those who differ from us in matters of opinion. It is to be feared, however, that by connecting these liberal fentiments with an address to Mr. V-, he has only caft his pearls before — those who will turn again and rend him.

In the fecond part, our Author animadverts, in a very becoming manner, on Mr. V.'s Anfwer to the Addrefs. If Mr. V. be well advifed, he will here let the controverfy drop: unlefs, becoming a convert to Dr. P. candour, and a pious regard to truth, fhould prevail on him to publish his conviction. But when do we fee difputants acting in this manner? Alas! it is not, we fear, to be expected, while pride and paffion continue to maintain the influence they have hitherto held over the human mind!

POETICA L.

Art. 25. The Battle of Minden, a Poem, in Three Books. By Sidney Swinney, D. D. Fellow of the Royal and Antiquarian Societies. Enriched with Critical Notes by Two Friends, and with Explanatory Notes by the Author. 4to. Ios. 6d. DodЛley, &c. 1769. The first thing that appears upon opening this book is, that the Author raifed fubfcriptions for it under conditions which he neither has fulfilled, nor intends to fulfill. He promifed a plan of the battle of Minden, and feveral engravings by Strange and Grignion. The reafon he affigns for difappointing his fubfcribers in this particular, is only that he would not have got fo much money by fulfilling his promile, as he gets by breaking it. To make fome atonement for this, he propofes to prefent his fubfcribers with three books in lead of one. One only, however, is yet published, and we shall foon fee what advantage the fubfcribers are likely to derive from having two more.