been inftances of Corruption in all ages, and at all times. But was it ever fo univerfally practifed? Was it ever fo publicly countenanced? Was it ever fo openly avowed, and defended? And have not our Funds, in a great measure, been the inftruments by which it has been propagated.

He has been profufely lavish in his encomiums on the Adminiftration fince the Revolution. The Sovereign,' he fays, fummons the Parliament regularly, according to law. The King and his Parliament meet and part amicably.' True. But is it any merit not to quarrel with people, who grant us all we afk? Befides, our Author feems to mistake the fubject of complaint. No man can accufe the Crown of any flagrant attempts to ftretch the Prerogative. The charge lies against that new kind of tyrant, a Prime Minifter, who has often ruled both King and People, and attempted to do that fecretly, by Fraud and Corruption, which our Kings formerly would have accomplifhed by force: And it is not material to the people, whether they are illegally dragooned out of their property, by Letters from the Throne, as in Charles's time, or whether their Protectors are bribed to vote it away under colour of Law.

It cannot be disputed, but that fince the Revolution there has been a fhameful inattention to public welfare. The chief concern has been, to preferve the power of the ruling Minifter, under the pretence of establishing the Government. We to this hour feel the effects of fuch fatal management; effects which prove that we are not so easy and happy as our Author believes us to be. Our Poor fwarm every where, while our lands are in many parts uncultivated; and though we may be more fecure than before the Revolution, yet it does not follow, that we are as fecure as we may be: Neither fhould the degree of fecurity we enjoy, lull us into an indifference about bettering our condition.

We should endeavour to remove the grievances we ftill undergo, and fhould carefully guard againft any future abuses; for a fupine confidence may be as fatal as a restless diffidence. The prefent Administration affords us a fair profpect of relief, and now it is incumbent upon us to put in our claim. We may hope that the number of Placemen may be reduced; that Corruption may be discountenanced; that Trade may be cafed of its fhackles; and the Load of the National Debt alleviated.

To leffen this incumbrance, our Author propofes a scheme which, we are afraid, more will be difpofed to admire, than to pursue. However, as we think it cannot be too ftrongly recommended, we will give it in his own words.

But leaving it to his Majefty and the Parliament to confider, how fuch falutary fchemes may be best promoted, methinks it would not be difficult for private perfons, with no very great degree of public fpirit, to affift greatly in accomplishing this excellent defign, nay, to accomplish it without any lots to themselves, and without any augmentation, nay, with an • abatement of the taxes. There is no mystery in all this. If the flory be true, the honeft man, who lately fent an hundred pounds to one of the Minifters of State, to help to pay the public Debt, has led the way, and set us a fair example. Nay, ⚫ he has done more than is necessary. For there is no neceflity ⚫ for private perfons to advance their money. It would be fufficient, if the richer fort would voluntarily entruft the Go6 vernment with their plate, and fubmit to the fmall inconveniency of wanting the ufe of it for a feafon. In imitation of the generofity of fuch a worthy citizen, who contributed an hundred pounds for fo good an end, may a public fpirit (pread itfelf among the people, and every one run with his plate to the public treasury, that the public debts may be more speedily paid. What an immenfe quantity of plate is there in this ifland! How many millions of the national debt might be fwept off by it at once! This would be an advantage to the Government, if no interest were demanded for the use of the plate. The benefactors of the public would fuffer no lois, fince their plate is a dead ftock to them at prefent, and they would have parliamentary fecurity for its being repayed wih the full value of the tax upon the plate, and of the original workmanship. Mean time, let thofe taxes, which are underftood to be moft burthenfome, or to bear hardest on our trade, ⚫ be abolished, and only such as are easily borne be continued ⚫ for fome years longer. In this method, in the first place, the reft of what is at prefent the national debt, and bears intereft, or what part of it fhould be thought proper; and next the new debt, might be cleared. Can parting with our plate in this manner be faid to require a very high ftrain of public spirit? How eafily may plate be wanted [fpared] How honourable to want [fpare] it on fuch an occafion! Might not a few grand examples render the want of it fashionable? Might not the whole nation be engaged in fuch a scheme with eagerness, and every man, who had plate, rejoice in having an ⚫ opportunity of contributing to the good of his country?'

Upon the whole, we cannot help admiring the Writer's ingenuity, though we cannot in general fubfcribe to his principles. It must be acknowleged, that he abounds with ufeful precepts, and fagacious obfervations upon trade and government: and that he appears to le no less a friend to virtue, than a well-wisher to

his country. His language is ftrong and copious, and, when he glows with the warmth of panegyric, it is florid and decla

matory.

We cannot fufficiently commend the decency and good manners with which he differs from other Writers. Though he argues with the spirit of a Difputant,, yet he always fupports the candour of a Gentleman. He has, in particular, reprehended the pert, frothy Writer of the Eftimate, with all the lenity of a friend, and all the charity of a Chriftian. His example, we hope, will inftruct that Reverend Author, in a leffon which he ought to have learned from the Scriptures. Charity, fays St. PAUL, envieth not; Charity vaunt"eth not itself; is not puffed up; doth not behave itself unfeem"ly. Though, fays the Apoftle, I fpeak with the tongues of "men and of angels, and have not Charity, I am become as "founding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." Such, indeed, is the Eftimator. Let him learn from St. Paul, to have more charity and refpect for others, and lefs prefumption in himself: and let him remember, that he who knows the moft, will find the leaft reafon to be arrogant,

Rad

FOREIGN Books, continued from page 257.

Hiftoire Naturelle du Sénégal. Coquillages. Avec la relation abrégée d'un voyage fait en ce pays, pendant les annees 1749, 1750, 1751, 1752, 1753. Par M. Adanfon, Correfpondant de l'Académie Royale des Sciences. Volume in 4to, de 561 pag. fans les Planches. A Paris, chez Bauche 1757. Se trouve à Amfterdam, chez Rey. That is,

The Natural Hiftory of Senegal. By Mr. Adanfon, Correfpondent of the Royal Academy of Sciences.

ENEGAL is a country on the weft coaft of Africa, well

SE

enough known in general to the Europeans, and particularly to the French, who carry on a great trade there; but, like the greatest part of that quarter of the globe, far from being scientifically or precifely known, in any respect, to the French, or to any other European nation. Those who vifit countries purely in regard to commerce, and especially countries like this, at fo great a diftance, and in every respect fo unlike any part of Europe, are not either turned for, or much inclined to writing defcriptions; which, notwithstanding, feems to have been the principal object of this Author, who in the work before us,

however,

however, has given only an abridgment of his voyage thither, and remarks made while he remained there, which take up a third of the volume; though he promises a more full and particular account of his paffage, and what happened during his stay, in a diftinct work.

His defcription does no great honour to the climate, fince he affures us, that even the warmest fummers in Europe, would be mistaken for winters in Senegal. The country he reprefents as in a manner overgrown with impaffable woods, (or at least through which the roads are exceedingly difficult) or laid waste with burning fands. Nor are the inconveniences arifing from fuch a foil and climate more distasteful, than these occafioned by an infinity of troublesome infects, and venomous creatures, amongst which may be reckoned, ferpents of a most enormous fize. In refpect to the inhabitants, he enters into a detail of their different colours, their cuftoms, manners, fuperftitions, and whatever elfe the curious Reader can defire to know, in regard to thefe negroes; who are extremely lazy, exceffively poor, and feem, in his opinion, born for that flavery in which they live. There dwell alfo in this country, Moors, who are in a little better, and but a little better condition, than the Negroes. One favourable circumftance he gives us, in refpect to the country and its inhabitants; which is, that though their days are gloomy and fultry, their nights are wonderfully pleafant, in which the stars fhine with fingular vivacity; and though in other respects very illiterate, the natives are well acquainted with the principal conftellations, and are furprizingly inclined towards aftronomy.

The plan which the Author has laid down of his natural hiftory is very extenfive, and is drawn with equal fpirit and perfpicuity. It is to be divided into four parts. The firft will be a phyfical hiftory, in which he is to treat of the geography, the phyfical hiftory ftrictly taken, and also the civil hiftory of this country. The fecond is to contain the hiftory of their minerals. The hiftory of the animals, divided into ten parts, will compofe the third; and the fourth is to regard the hiftory of vegetables, in which five hundred fpecies will be defcribed. It is not easy to conceive, in what space fo great a defign as this may be executed; but the Author propofes, however, to confine himfelf to eight volumes in quarto, in cafe what he at present offers to the public, fhould meet with fo favourable a reception, as to encourage him to execute a work of which he has given this profpectus, in its full extent.

The fpecimen he has chofen to prefent to the view of the Republic of Letters, is the last diftinction in his history of animals; and contains the coquillages, or creatures contained in fhells. He has prefixed to this an ample preface, in which he complains,

that

and

that hitherto there has been much more regard paid to the habitation than to the inhabitant; and that, though the world may be pretty well acquainted with their fhells, yet are they very far from being fo well informed as to the animals to which they belong. • If we examine,' fays he, attentively, this new, 6 almost entirely neglected race; if we confider these creatures particularly, and difcover their actions, motions, and manner of living; we fhall find an infinity of curious and interesting facts, capable of fixing the attention of a ftudious and intelligent beholder. We fhall perceive, in the structure of their bodies, a great number of parts, equally fingular in their forms, and in their ufes; and entering afterwards into the detail, we fhall be fatisfied, that this is a matter which deferves very serious attention, and that the niceties and difficulties which attend it, are not inferior to those that are to be met with in any other branch of natural hiftory.' Our Author then proceeds to affign the reafons, why he rejects the methods that have been hitherto used in treating this fubject, and to explain and establish his own, which he apprehends to be more fimple and intelligible than any before invented. This history,

which is written throughout in a very lively and agreeable manner, is adorned with plates in a new tafte, and without fhades, which, though it in fome measure diminishes their luftre, yet has its conveniences and advantages in other refpects.

When the avidity of knowlege induces a man to undergo greater hardships, and to run through more hazards, than are rifked for the fake of gain, we cannot but applaud the courage, and admire the perfeverance of fuch a perfon: and we naturally feel a pleasure, when it appears, that fuccefs has crowned his enendeavours, and that the harvest of science bears a just proportion to the toil. But yet we cannot avoid being offended with the prefumption, even of fuch a genius; condemning the arrogance that feizes, instead of waiting for, the palm; and wondering, that the fame good fenfe and noble fpirit, which enabled him to conquer fo many difficulties, fhould yet leave him a prey to envy, and a dupe to that vanity, which is commonly, and one would wish it always, the foible of little minds. The love of praife, like the love of money, is inconfiftent with unfophifticated ambition; for true merit, like true virtue, is its own reward.

Dictionaire Hiftorique, ou Memoires critiques et litteraires, concernant la vie et les ouvrages de divers perfonnages diftingués particulierement dans la Republique des Lettres. Par Profper Marchand. Tome premier, a la Haye, chez Pierre de Hondt, 1758, fol, A-1. pp. 330. That is,

An