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plenty of Guineas in circulation; and let the queftion be asked, if merchants can now as readily get good bills difcounted by bankers and others as formerly?

With refpect to his fecond propofition, it hardly deferves an anfwer; for it is impoffible, without a total ftagnation of public credit, that the Bank of England fhould ever be called upon to pay on demand, all their notes in fpe cie; therefore the Directors cannot be fuppofed, or required, to keep a stock of fpecie for that purpose; but they may fafely let out a few millions in circulation in aid of that extenfive fyftem of paper money, which the multiplication of country bankers has thrown into circulation. A twentieth part of their outstanding notes never can be demanded at once, in fpecie, or other wife; they are too widely difpersed.

In antwer to the queftion in Chapter II. whether metallic money be neceffary for fupporting public credit; in oppofition to the author, we maintain the affirmative; and all his deductions from the low ftate of public credit in Spain, poffelfed of mines of gold and filver, and from France, when, according to Neckar, ninety-one millions fterling were circulating in fpecie, only ferve to prove the mal-adminiftration of the finances in both countries, and the violation of the honour and good faith of the Crown in the lat, to its creditors, which would have been prevented, if the administrators of its finances had applied a part only of that immenfe fum to the regular payment of the demandable capitals of fome, and the interest of all the public debts; but Juxury and prodigality abforbed and fent out of the kingdom confiderable fums, and foreign alliances have done the fame with us.

The disadvantages of fpecie, as the prevailing medium of circulation, stated in Chapter III. mutt be well studied to be understood; it is beyond our comprehenfion; it is faid, "that the nation lofes the fimple intereft of all its current coin." Query, does it gain any by paper money? The Bank of England certainly profits in capital and in. tereft, by iffuing notes inftead of fpecie; but the publick, by which we denominate the nation, lofes by the want of a fufficient circulation of fpecie, more efpecially of filver; and the ditiefs it occafions is felt all over the kingdom; a thousand facts prove it daily, in Lon⚫

don alone. Hardly any change can be procured for a one found note, but by a half guinea, and feven fhilling piece, in gold, and two fhillings and fixpence in filver; and in thofe parts of the town, populously inhabited by the poorer claffes, many a fhopkeeper and publican lofes fmall fums because he cannot give change for the smallest gold coin; credit must be given, and the debtor never returns to the fame shop.

If the Restriction Bill continues another year, the distress mult increase; if it is taken off, let the Bank be obliged to pay their one pound notes in filver, and there will be lefs occafion for Guineas; and it may be found policy not to increase the quantity in circulation, till the rage for visiting and expending money in France has fubfided. But a proposition to make the reftriction permanent feems to be a trap to eninare our prefent honeft and prudent adminiftrator of the public finances of the kingdom.

Amongst other difadvantages of Guineas, the author reckons the lofs of time in counting large fums, of which he attempts to make an important eftimate; and one of the expences chargeable on their circulation, is the greater number of clerks, bankers were obliged to keep on that account! Can any reafoning be more futile than this? Confidering the great expertnefs of the tellers of guineas in banker's fhops, we believe that more time, and perhaps more clerks are required in making the double entries of Bank notes, from whom received, and to whom paid, to gether with the numbers and value! at all events, it is too trivial a circumftance to be produced in the difcuffion of a national question.

The confounding of mercantile credit with public credit, of bills of ex. change with the paper money of Go-* vernment, leads the author into erroneous propofitions in Chapter IV. on the advantages of paper money. Chapter V, and the laft, "on the abufes of paper credit," in fome meafure redeems the credit of the author, who plainly difcovers himself to be a trenuous advocate for the political and financial meafures of the Ex-minister; but he does not confider the great increafe of country bankers as an abuse of paper credit, yet it certainly is one of is greateft evils, by the facilities it gives to menopolizers of the chief ne

ceflaries

ceffaries of life, thereby enhancing their prices: but neither the reafon ings of Mr. Thornton, his favourite writer, nor his own affumptions, can prevail against the dear bought expe. rience and feelings of the middle and lower claffes of the people. We conclude with fubmitting this question to our author, whom we refer for the fo. lution of it to Sir John Sinclair's excellent History of the Public Revenue of the British Empire; the fame worthy Member of Parliament who oppofed and predicted the disgraceful fate of the Income Tax.

Whether public credit has ever been in a more profperous state than in the glorious year 1759, when the great Mr. Pitt (great only whilft he was Mr. Pitt) was at the head of Administration, and the circulation of Guineas was abundant! Larger loans have been railed during the late war; but the prefent low price of the funds, and the difficulty of paying in the last loan, evidently demonstrates that the funding fyftem, founded on the fabrication of paper money, has been carried too far.

M.

A Journal of a Party of Pleasure to Paris, in the Month of August 1802, with thirteen Views from Nature (illustrative of French Scenery) in Aquatinta, 8vo.

THE love of reading journals, and the love of writing them, are fuch general propenfities in human nature, that the latter clafs not unfrequently are induced to work on the materials of others, as the easiest method of providing entertainment for the former. This is fometimes done, as Sancho Panca fays, fnug and dry-fhod at home, fometimes by mixing a little of what they have feen themfelves with a great deal of what others have written; and fometimes adding to both fome inventive anecdotes and travelling ftories, which, however they may embellifh romance, thould not be fet down in the faithful pages of history.

Of all the countries of Europe which have excited the curiofity of Europeans within the last ten years, there is none to predominant as that of France: her revolution has made her a new be ing; new in the nature of her birth and conception; new in her government, legiflation, religion, manners, &c. &c.; infomuch, that he who has known France formerly, inay be now faid to know it only from hiftory: he must again retrace the fpot, where he will not only fee the foil in a great degree turned up afresh, but the whole difcipline of the country in Church and State, new modelled fo that modern Republican Frenchmen feem to be as little like Monarchical Frenchmen, as the latter were like the original Gauls.

This great and fudden change has already induced many Englishmen, and no doubt will induce many others, to vifit the country, and of courfe will

VOL. XLII. DEC. 1802.

produce many occafional journalists. The author however of the little tract before us, feems to have taken the start of any writer on this fubject fince the peace; for though others have given letters, books of poft roads, and French Directories, he is the first who has published a minute history of his trip from London to Paris, and back again, under the new regime; where every thing of ufe is fet down, and commented on; every thing particu. larly curious is defcribed, and comparitons drawn between the two countries of France and England, in a familiar and impartial manner,

Of the fidelity of the narrator, we can have no doubt; other writers may affert it for themfelves, but he proves it in every page. In his outfet we fee all the preparation and bustle of the intended journey; on his landing all his firft impreffions; if a beauty ftrikes him, it partakes of the glow of his colouring; and if an impofition angers him, he cannot retrain his irritation. In short, we see him every moment, whether on his journey, at his inn, public places, &c. &c. bufied in obfervation, and taking his notes with freedom, tafte, and accuracy.

His obfervations whilst at Dover, af. ford many ufeful hints relative to the pacquet matters, with fome curious anecdotes of the watte of public money in the improvements of different engineers during the last war. At Calais he commences with a delineation of the French character, which he purfues up to Paris, in a lively defcription

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of their dreffes, manners, inns, carriages, poft horfes, roads, &c. At Paris his obfervations begin afresh, where every thing particularly curious in that great capital is defcribed, in a very impartial and difcriminating manner; for though he fpeaks with becoming afperity of the defpotifm of the military government, and the va rious impofitions of fome of the tradef. men, inn-keepers, &c. his praife is equalls ready to do juftice to the grandeur of their buildings, the utility of many of their public inftitutions, and the becoming regularity of their theatres, &c.

Of the Palace of the Louvre, he fays, "No words can exprefs the fenfation of delight that this grand affemblage of all that is molt exquifite in the fine arts, afforded us. We were first conducted into the Hall of Statues, which is a room of excellent proportion; with large niches, admirably adapted to the arrangement of the fine groupes. The hall branches out feveral ways, and each part is named after the grand ftatue placed at its own end; as for inftance, that of Apollo, Laocoon, and others. It is in vain to enter into the particulars of the different merits of these wonderful ftatues. Suffice it to fay, that each one is the first of its clafs, arranged in the best manner, and in the highest state of preservation.

admiration of the stranger, next to the ftatues themfelves, is the liberality of the Government, which allows all people, of whatever nation, to make what copies they please from them, entirely free of expence; and there were not lefs than twenty perfons availing themselves of this indulgence, whilst we were there."

On the Theatres he has the following remarks: "We arrived here (Calais) about five o'clock, and heard that the Comedy was just began; and as the Theatre is within the walls of the inn, we were induced to order our dinner at half past fix o'clock, and went to the Theatre. We were not ill amufed; the performance was a little Comic Opera, in which the mufic was really very pretty, and the actors tolerably good; one in particular, an old man, reminded me of our late fa. vourite Parfons. Whilst at this Theatre we met with an inftance of politenefs, which I must confefs we are but little ufed to in England. Two gentlemen who were fitting in a box when we came in, feeing us in the company of two ladies. and that we had no places, immediately left the box, and infifted on our making ufe of it. This they did with fuch an easy, yet foliciting politeness, that we could not refufe; and which, contrafted with the rude behaviour of fome of our box lobby loungers, left a very predomi nant imprefion in favour of French politeife."

Of the Theatre in Paris :-" At night we went to the Theatre Louvois, where we were amufed with three well acted comic pieces, but which lafted an uncommon length of time. The French actors in Comedy have an extreme natural manner, and the spectator would almoft think he was look

"The APOLLO appears to me to be the most aftonishing production of the genus of man: the figure is all animation, grace, and vigour; the God beams in his countenance, and there is a character of dignity, mixed with beneficence about it, at once commanding and gentle. The point of time chofen by the artit is the inftant when Apollo had discharged the arrow at the ferpent Python, and he is looking into a private room, where people ing with triumph on his victory. Of the LAOCOON alfo, I know not how to fpeak in terms of praise fufficient; the marble feems to move and breathe; the agony of the parent, the terror of the children, all fix the attention, and an Englishman cannot but exclaim, that his journey to Paris was worth the pains, if he went no farther.

"There are many others, though lefs wonderful than thefe two, ftill very beautiful and interefting in their feveral lines; fuch as the Diana in the chafe, the dying Gladiator, and the Antinous; but what calls for the

were converfing familiarly of their own affairs: fo well do they carry on the illufion, and fo little is their attention diftracted from the business of the stage. Another pleafing circumftance we noted, which is the great attention and quietnefs of the audience, who come as they fay to hear and fee a play, and who do not think themselves authorifed, because they may happen not to be well amufed, to interrupt others who may not be fo faftidious: the leaft noife is ftrongly reprobated; no flamming of doors, or women of fashion talking louder than the actors."

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On returning likewife from the Play, or Opera, and in short all public places, no perfon is permitted to call for a carriage, until the party to whom it belongs are actually at the door, ready to step into it; and when the carriage is there, the foldiers oblige the coachman to drive off instantly; the confe quence of which is, there is no confufion, noife, or difficulty; all the carriages fet down with their horfes' heads the fame way, and take up with the fame regularity: "and there is no difputing this order."

"This (among many faults which I have had occafion to notice in this journal) must be ranked amongst the perfections of the French people; at the fame time that our want of decorum in thefe particulars calls loudly for reformation

Fas eft et ab hofte doceri."

During the courfe of this tour the author is very pertinent and feeling in his observations on the various cala. mities brought on the country by the ravages of the Revolution. On the chateau and domain of the Duke de Fitzjames, near Clermont, which from the highest state of magnificence and revenue is now reduced almost to a heap of ruins, he laments the tranf. formation, under the character of an Emigrant, in fuch very elegant and impreffive Poetry, as demand particular notice in this critique.

After giving a general defcription of the strides of maddening faction and lawless liberty which broke loose in the feveral parts of the late Revolu. tion, he particularizes the fate of the fpot in the following affecting man

ner:

"There, where once ftood the hofpitable board [tor'd, With mallive plate and choiceft viands A pond'rous ruin lies, to crumbled dust, Full many a painted dome, and well wrought buft! [rode, The fpreading lake, where once majestic In marble pride, tull many a river god: O'ergrown with weeds, and thick with waving grafs,

And lonely wild fowl tenants of the place.

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Lectures on the Gospel of St. Matthew; delivered in the Parish-Church of St. James, Westminster, in the Years 1798, 1799, 1800, and 1001. By the Right Reverend Beilby Porteus, D. D. Bishop of London.

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[Concluded from Page 356.]

opening the fecond volume of thefe inftructive Lectures, our ad. miration of the whole courfe fenfibly increased. From one degree of patermal exhortation and weighty inftruction to another, our faithful Monitor and fpiritual Guide appears to proceed in regular gradation, till he attains the important end for which they were compofed.

The fourteenth Lecture is the first of this volume, and the fubject is the affecting history of Herod and his wife Herodias, comprising the death of John the Baptift; every attraction that can be well conceived to induce the ferious and clofe attention of auditors and readers is exhibited in the masterly explanation and judicious application of this remarkable narrative. Difficult as the task may feem, we hall endeavour to give our readers a clear idea of this Lecture, which, with great deference to better judgments, we pronounce to be far fuperior to others both in this and the first volume.

Herod, a flagitious Tyrant, had, in the face of day, and in defiance of all laws, human and divine, committed the complicated crime of adultery and inceft. He had been married a confiderable time to the daughter of Aretas, King of Arabia Petræea; but conceiving a violent paffion for Herodias, his brother's wife, he first feduced her affections from her husband, then dif miffed his own wife, and married Herodias, in the life-time of his brother, John the Baptift had the honesty and the courage to reproach the Tyrant with the enormity of his guilt, although he could not be ignorant of the danger he incurred it brought down upon him the indignation of Herod, and was ultimately the occafion of his death, though unintentionally on the part of Herod, who feared John, who was held in high efteem and veneration by all the people; and it appears that he frequently fent for him out of prifon to converfe with him. But an incident took place which unexpect edly, and fuddenly, decided the fate of the bleffed martyr.

Salome, the daughter of Herodias by

her former husband, came and danced before Herod on his birth-day, and pleafed the King and his Court fo much, that, in a sudden tranfport of delight, he cried out to the damfel, and then fwore unto her- Whatfoever thou wilt afk of me, I will give it thee, even unto the half of my kingdom." The magnitude of the promise startled her; and unfortunately the applied to her mother for advice. Moft mothers, on fuch an occafion, would have asked for a daughter a situation of high rank and power, with wealth. fufficient. to fupport it; "but Herodias had a paffion to gratify, ftronger perhaps than any other, when it takes. full poffeflion of the heart, and that was revenge. She had been mortally injured, as the conceived, by the Baptift,. who had attempted to diffolve her infamous connexion with Herod ; and the was afraid that his repeated remonftrances might at length prevail: fhe therefore gave way to all the fury of her refentment; and, without the leaft regard to the character, or the delicate fituation of her inexperienced daughter, he immediately ordered her to demand the head of her detested enemy." The bloody fequel is too well known to need recital. The refult, and the details connected with it, are elegantly fet forth, and, as the pious Lecturer justly obferves-" every line of this remarkable tranfaction is replete with the most important inftruction. Several moral leffous are pointed out in the progrefs of the narrative; but there are one or two of a more general import, which will deferve your very. ferious attention."

To do justice to the good Bishop's reflections on them, the Lecture itself must be carefully perufed; and we most carnettly recommend it to all ́ well-difpofed perfons of both fexes; and with that view, we think it incumbent on us to give the heads of thefe two important leffons.

"The first is, that in the condu&t of life there is nothing more to be dreaded and avoided, nothing more dangerous to our peace, to our comfort, to our character, to our welfare

here

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