and thefe men fo impreft or engaged were muftered by the King's commiffioners. When feamen were wanted, the King iffued a commiffion for impreffing feamen for the navy, that is for engaging them by prestmoney to enter into the fervice. By virtue of this commiflion the Lord High Admiral issued warrants, to the Vice-admirals of the feveral counties, &c. directing them to raise a certain number of men for his Majesty's fleet. The form of these ancient warrants, for raifing volunteer feamen fubfifts in part to this day in the modern prefs-warrant, which directs that preft-money (and ftill more in the warrants iffued fo lately as in Charles the Second's reign which direct that conduct-money too) fhall be given to the men impreffed. If we understand impress, prefs, and prefs or preft money in the original fignification of the words, and as they are understood at this day in the Exchequer, warrants for preffing are warrants for raifing volunteers, and not by compulfion: and the fhilling preft-money in the prefent warrants, and the conduct-money in thofe of the Duke of York, directed to be given to men impreffed plainly imply this, and are abfurd, if they are understood to be warrants for forcing men into the service. These words in the warrants, were never meant to authorize the violence now practifed by their authority; but that violence being established by the abuse of the warrants altered the common acceptation of the words. Preft-money, wherever it occurs in our old ftatutes, in the old Exchequer accounts, and even in all Lord Coke's writings, invariably means earneft-money given to failors, or foldiers, or contractors for the King's service, after fubfidies were granted in the ftead of knight-fervice, and our Kings with the money used a new method of forming their armies, and manning their fleets, by raifing volunteers retained by preft or earneftmoney to ferve.' The Author goes on to obferve,' How it came to pass that the King's commiflioners for preffing, that is, retaining men by preftmoney should abuse their warrants fo far as to force men into the fervice, can only be conjectured. In the reign of Henry VIII. a fevere law was paffed against warrants. By the 39 Eliz. c. 17. it appears that the most troublefome vagrants at that time of day were dif banded foldiers, and feamen out of fervice, wandering abroad. It is therefore not unlikely that after the law against vagrants in the reign of Henry the Eighth took place, whenever a commiffion for railing feamen or foldiers was iffued, thofe to whom the warrants were directed, wherever they found a wandering failor or foldier,' either laid hold on him of their authority, which was connived at, as removing a nuisance, or received him from the magistrates as a vagrant; the man himself perhaps choofing rather to enlift againft his inclination than to fuffer the law; as we now fee men confent to ferve the India Company rather than abide the confequence of ar indictment. Thus is it poffible that the oppreffion of bad men, by perverfion of law, may have established a precedent, which, at this day, is put in force against some of the most useful and best of the King's fubjects. We may be well justified in conjecturing that prefling by force was first introduced against men obnoxious to the law, law, fince it is certain that this violence was used against men, who, This Writer difplays a warm zeal for humanity and natural juftice, but his views are vifionary and romantic. His idea is, that nations of different complexions might be brought to unite; and that many advantages would refult from the connexion and the intermarriages of blacks with whites. Art. 14. Britannia Libera; or, a Defence of the free State of St. st. The fpirit of liberty which this publication displays, deferves the highest commendation; but its Author appears to have more learning than judgment. He has well ftored his memory with facts and obfervations; but we are mistaken if he is not yet to learn how to employ them with the greatest advantage. 6t. Art. 15. The Tyranny of the Magiftrates of Ferfey, and the Enflavement of the People, as they, at this Time, exift in that Ifland, demonftrated from the Records of their Court. 8vo. I s. 6 d. Hooper. 1772. In our Review for February laft, p. 112, we gave some account of Dr. Shebbeare's public fpirited Narrative of the Oppreffions of the Iflanders of Ferfey; to which book the prefent tract is a proper fup. plement. We alfo, in the Review for March, p. 258, mentioned an Addrefs to the Privy Council, on the Affairs of that Ifland. These tracts all concur to evince the reality of thofe oppreflions under which the Jerfey-men labour, and which will, furely, meet with redrefs from the wisdom and equity of a British government. EAST INDIA AFFAIRS. Art. 16. Letters to and from the Eaft-India Company's Servants, at Bengal, Fort St. George, and Bombay; relative to Treaties and Grants from the Country Powers, from 1756 to 1766, both inclufive: Also a Letter from the Nabob of Arcot to the Company, and the Company's Answer: With an Appendix, confifting of four Papers relative to the Company's late Bargain with Government, 4to. 3 s. Almon, &c. 1772. These authentic papers are a proper fupplement to Mr. Bolts's very material publication, of which an account was given in our Review for March; and (being printed in the fame fize) may be bound up with it. Ff z Art. Art. 17. A Letter to the Right Hon. Lord North, on the Eaft India Bill now depending in Parliament. 8vo. I s. Almon. 1772. There are ftrictures and remarks in this performance, which deferve the confideration of the noble perfon to whom they are addressed. The inftitution, in particular, of a refident miniiter at Calcutta, here fuggefted, feems a very neceffary addition to the regulations propofed for the re-establishment of order and grandeur in Bengal, and its provinces. St. MATHEMATICS, GEOGRAPHY, &c. Art. 18. A Synopfis of practical Mathematics; containing plain Trigonometry, Menfuration of Heights, Distances, Surfaces, and Solids; Surveying of Land, Gauging,. Navigation, and Gunnery. With Tables of the Logarithms of Numbers, and of Sines and Tangents. By Alexander Ewing. 1:mo. 4s bound. Edinburgh printed, and fold in London by Cadell. A judicious collection of rules and examples belonging to the fubjects specified in the title page, and ufeful to those who need the practice, but who have not time or inclination to acquaint them felves with the theory, of mathematics. R-s Art. 19. The Atlantic Pilot. 8s. Printed for the Author. Sold by Leacroft. 1772. This little treatife, with the three charts which accompany it, is very properly intitled the Atlantic Pilot, and cannot fail to be of use to thofe who traverfe the Western Ocean; that part of it efpecially which lies towards the New Bahama Channel, and the mouth of the Gulph of Mexico, oppofite the ifland of Cuba, on the Martiere rocky reefs and fand-banks,' where the navigation is particularly dangerous. The Author (Mr. Gerard de Brahm, his Majefly's Surveyor-general of the fouthern diftrict of North America) received orders, in 1764, for making difcoveries with regard to thofe feas, and for carrying on a regular furvey of the countries to which they fet bounds; and he feems to have executed his commiffion with great fidelity, accuracy, and diligence. The Atlantic Pilot is particularly calculated for the fafer conduct of fhips in their navigation from the Gulph of Mexico along Cuba and the Marticres, through the New Lahama Channel to the northern part of his Majelly's dominions upon the continent of North America, and from thence to Europe.' It contains feveral furveys and obfervations, not altogether uninterefting to the natural hiftorian, but peculiarly important to the feaman, with refpect to thofe coafts and tracts of country, which were the immediate objects of the Author's commiffion. One of these charts is of the ancient Tegefta, now called the promontory of Eaft Florida. There is another chart of the South-end of Eaft Florida and Martiers. The third is an hydrographical map of the Atlantic Ocean, extending from the fouthermoft part of North America to Europe; fhewing the different variations of the compass, the fetting and changes of the currents in the Ocean, &c. The Author has annexed to this fmall treatife a table of loxodromy and obfèrvations, from which the last of thefe maps is laid down; together with another table, thewing the feveral variations of the compas from 1 H from 81° W. long. from London, and 26° 50′ N. lat. to 12o 30' POETICA L. Art. 20. Alonzo; or, the youthful Solitaire. A Tale. 4to. 1 s. 6d. Robfon, &c. 1772. An indifferent verfification of an unaffecting story, taken from Gil Blas; with fome variations. Simplicity is become the bon ton in poetry; and here we have Simplicity Simplified. Art. 21. Two Odes; to Fortitude, and an Eafy Chair. 4to. 1s. Folingby. One or two pieces having, within a few years paft, appeared in praite of Indifference, the Author of thefe Odes, in disdain of fo inert and useless a principle, has attacked it both feriouly and ludicroufly, and not without fuccefs, as a member of fuciety, and as a fon of the Mafes. In his ode to Fortitude he demands, 6 She brings, untaught the friendly woe. INDIFFERENCE, cool, and neutral fill No real boon; but does no ill, And hopes to perith in the grave! Curs'd be the thought!-to nobler views To covet gifts divine! to choose, And frive to gain, the richest prize!' His ode to an Eafy Chair, he ftyles' a contraft to the foregoing. It has humour, and is a good burlefque of the Prayer for Indifference. Art. 22. Original Poems on various Subjects. By a young Lady of eighteen Years of Age. 4to. 5 s. fewed. Calell, &c. In the first of thefe little mifcellaneous poems, which feems to ftand as introductory to the reft, this Authorefs of eighteen makes the following declaration; viz. if thefe trifles fhould inspire The wife reproof, or critic's ire; Than if I could all Nature paint.' These trifles may, indeed, deferve the reproof of Wisdom;' but, with every allowance for the juvenility, and all our partiality for the fex, of the Writer, we cannot think them of importance enough to merit the critic's ire.' We hope, therefore, that the young Lady Ff3 will will prove her good fenfe by taking the friendly hint, and adhering to her declared refolution. Art. 23. Conjugal Love: An Elegy. 4to. 6d. Cambridge printed, and fold by Davies, &c. in London. 177.2. Conjugal felicity is a fubject that will naturally prepoffefs the mind of every fober and virtuous Reader in favour of whatever is written in its praife. Hence, were there, in this little encomium on domestic happiness, lefs merit than it really contains, we might fill, perhaps, find ourselves biafed in its favour, from the opinion we conceive of the Writer's worthy and amiable difpofition.-Abstractedly, however, from this confideration, our respect to TRUTH obliges us to allow that there is a stiffness in thefe verfes, and a want of originality in point of fentiment, which will not permit us to rank them with the works of our best poets. It is not equal to Gilbert Cooper's Winifreda, which the Author feems to have had in view, and from which he appears to have borrowed the pretty thought expreffed in the following ftanza, which turns on the pleasure we receive in age, from the reflection that our youth will be renewed in our growing posterity: Then, in my boys, fome lovely maid, I'll woo, Some honeft youth, whose bofom throbs like mine.' Cooper has more happily expreffed the fame pleafing idea, in fewer words: "And when with envy Time transported, Shall think to rob us of our joys; And I'll go wooing in my boys." Several other ftanzas are also built on Mr. Cooper's foundation. Art. 24. The Senators; or, a candid Examination into the Merits of the principal Performers of St. Stephen's Chapel. 4to. 2 s. 6 d. Kearly. 1772. Virulent abuse, in wretched rhymes, poured out upon fome of the moft diftinguished perfons in the prefent Houfe of C—s; with exceptions in favour of a few leading men in the oppofition. Art. 25. Elays on Song-writing: With a Collection of fuch English Songs as are most eminent for poetical Merit. To which are added, fome original Pieces. 8vo. 3 s. 6d. fewed. Johnson. 1772. We have perufed thefe Effays with fingular pleasure. The Author has treated the fubject of fong-writing like a true critic, and a man of tafte: he thinks juftly, and he writes elegantly. This appearance of stiffness, which, indeed, feems rather to affect the eye than the ear, may poffibly arise, in fome measure, from the fuperabundance of commas, of which the Author feems to be extremely fond. The too frequent ufe of this pun&um ferves only to interrupt the natural flow of the numbers; and is a fault which may be called fammering on paper. He |