tween the people and government, he weakly and arrogantly affumed abfolute rule in their ftead.

Such is the character here given of Lord Bute; how far it is juft, thofe only who are perfonally acquainted with his lordship, can with certainty judge. It may, however, ferve as a fpecimen of this Writer's talents, temper, and party. This laft word we have ventured to use, although our Author disclaims all party-connection. On this fubject, he has a right to be heard in his own defence; and let the public judge between us. Speaking of his effays, at the conclufion of his introductory difcourfe; he declares, that the utmost of his ambition is to have them deemed the product of an honest patriotic Englishman, unconnected with party, and zealous to fupport the rights of the crown. If he has been fo happy, in the rage of party, when law was disregarded-in treating of thefe important fubjects, to have attended to the conftitution, he fhall reckon his papers, however deficient in other merit, worthy of British patronage, and as fuch fubmits them to their candour.'

Did the preceding miniftry, then, rule abfolutely?

Art. 13. An Honeft Man's Reafons for declining to take any Part in the new Administration, in a Letter to the Marquis of 8vo. 6d. Wilkie.

This honeft man affumes the air and rank of a perfon of consequence. What his rank or importance in the world may be, we know not; but, certainly, he is no ordinary Writer. He talks of great things with great freedom, and expreffes himself with eafe, if not elegance. There is a tone of refentment, however, obfervable in his manner; and it is very obvious, that he is a particular friend of Mr. Grenville's; for he feems to, be not a little piqued at that gentleman's prefent retirement from public bufinefs. That refentment is, perhaps, the main spring of all that he has here faid against the new administration :-of whom he speaks with the utmoft contempt. I will not enquire, fays he, whether the ft vourite whom they pretend to abjure, is not the great magician, who gives even the appearance of folidity to this phantom of an adminiftration; whether they did not receive from his hand the deputed wands of which they are fo vain; whether they do not owe their introduction to his restless ambition; and whether he did not therefore introduce them because he thinks them unable to acquire that ground of public confidence, which, incapable of procuring himself, his envy and intrigue will never fuffer any public man to enjoy? I will not therefore enquire whether this is a merit peculiar to thefe gentlemen. I have ever been perfuaded that the late minifter acted without concert or dependence on the Earl of Bute, and that upon that condition he accepted the treafury; the public too muft now be perfuaded of it, and convinced that he is removed only because he difdained to hold his employment by any other tenure than that of public fervice; and because he had the spirit to infilt upon the taking down that Scotch banner which had hitherto been fo triumphantly flying over fo great part of the united kingdoms.

But be it as they pretend, and fuppofe them to be attempting in earnest the deftruction of the Scotch favourite's power and followers: what is to be the gain to the public? Is this any thing more than a fquabble about

places,

places, or is a Scotch favourite the only one to be feared? The very lift of appointments proves only that the favourites of others are to fucceed to the vacant Places: but if neither abilities nor experience are the recommendations, for my own part I feel lefs indignation at being governed by the favourite of the prince, than by the dependants on any fubject: ftill lefs reafon furely has the public to rejoice; ftill lefs have I to give any affiftance, if, what I am convinced of, fhall appear to be the truth, that we are now to be under the dominion of double favouritifm, and that the creatures of the dukes of share the graces of the crown, with those for whom Lord Bute has gratefully ftipulated a protection.'

and

are to

He lays great ftrefs, and we think with fufficient reason, on Mr. Pitt's declining to take any part in the prefent political manœuvres. • But thefe young gentlemen, who have never appeared on any flage before, in order to conciliate to themselves the good opinion of the public, have been industrious to inform us, that they undertake the representation of this political drama at the particular defire of the popular ftatefman. They have circulated, with uncommon affiduity, and afferted with great authority, that Mr. Pitt heartily approved of the new system, that he would give to it himself, and folicit for it from his friends, a cordial fupport. As I have no commerce with that gentleman, I can only judge of the part which he will take, from what I think his temper, his opinions, and his character would lead him to. The plan was not even formed when they pretended to have received his approbation. The leading voice of the houfe of commons, that from which every friend of government, is to take its tone, was not even named, when it was afferted, that this gentleman had engaged to eccho its fentiments.-Did he really approve the fyftem, to which for the fake of procuring more numerous fubfcriptions, they have prefixed his name in fuch capital letters, I am perfuaded he would have taken fome official department; that he would have nominated men, to whofe interefts he was attached, and on whofe principles and plans he could have depended; and that being fecure of answering his own purpofes, by accepting the forts of government, he would not have fuffered them to have dropped into the hands of a miniftry compofed of the extravagancies of youth, and of the infirmities of age.'

He has fome very particular glances, at the D. of C: whofe refpectable name, fays he, is held out as the fhield of Ajax, under which thefe military ftatefmen are to march to conqueft;' but for what he adds concerning his R. H. we refer to the pamphlet.

Towards the end of his letter, the Writer undertakes to evince that there can be no permanency for any office, under the new administration. In the first place he is very fure that their Support will either fail or betray them. To explain this, he proceeds: Either the Earl of Bute privately engages to fupport this administration with his influence; or he takes no part in it: and I state this as the question on which their fuccefs must depend, as feparate from, and more effential to, their continuance than that of their parliamentary ftrength, because it is the grounds on which they themselves principally rely. It is equally impoffible for them to expect an adequate fupport from a minority which was reduced last winter fo low as thirty-fix. And however forcible the power of the crown may feem prefling upon the neceffities or vanity of individuals, and how much foever the veterans of this corps may pique

themfelves

themselves on their adroitness and former fuccefs in applying to thefe neceffities, I do not estimate the honefty of the times fo low as to ima gine that even the very dependants of government will at once abruptly, and without hesitation, contradict and repeal every measure with which they have, for these two laft years, concurred. But were the expectations of the new miniftry ever fo well grounded, were they even fecure of a parliamentary fupport, the difmiffion of that minifter on whfe fall they rife, is a proof that the most extenfive confidence, both within doors and without, acquired and Supported by rectitude of meofures and ability of adminiftration, is no fecurity against a fecret but more powerful influence.'

After fome farther arguments, to fhew what the prefent adminiftration have to expect, when the day comes, in which Lord Bute will res quire a return for the temporary facrifices in which he may have acquiefced; he proceeds to take the other branch of the alternative. If, fays our honeft man, the enmity, which the new miniftry profeffes to Lord Bute is fincere, they will be repaid in kind, and their ruin then is at the distance of a few months only; for it is not probable that the man who has repeatedly broken his word of neutrality with thofe to whom he had been fo confiderably indebted fhould keep it to thofe who declare open war with him. They cannot themselves be blind to this, but muft expect that he who removed a well-grounded and successful minifter to revenge the difmiffion of his brother, will not fit tamely by and fee the rest of his friends profcribed by a fet of men, who have neither popularity nor abilities to delay their deftruction.'

Our Author fays, he knows the answer with which the creatures of his Lp have even foreftalled thefe objections, they publicly declare that he had no concern in the late removal.' But this the Writer treats as a piece of court artifice; and illuftrates his arguments by fhewing, that if B moves K, K moves C, and C removes G. B is as much the remover of G, as if he did not act by the intervention of K. and C. Confidering the favourite, therefore, as having mifreported and mifreprefented a minifter; alienated the mind of his

, and corrupted that confidence which is fo neceffary to the immediate fervant of the ; and then, after having administered. the poison, retiring to a fafe diftance to watch its effects ;-he makes fome reflections on the daflardlinefs of fuch procedure in itself; the cruelty of fuch behaviour to his patron; and the infult offered to the public, by endeavouring to conceal, under that name which is too refpectable to be even mentioned, the dictates of his own enmity and ambition. -On the whole, therefore, this honeft man thus concludes, For myfelf, I cannot loop for a moment to lend any affiftance to fuch duplicity and ill intention.- It is moft grating to me, to fee thofe high offices, to which I had ever connected the ideas of ability and refpect, debafed by being offered to any acceptant. The ill confequence to the public from this fluctuation of affairs must be great, and whatever administration fhall be now established, will feverely feel the pernicious effects of the late total diffolution of all government. The public will feel too the fad refults of that rapacity for office and emolument, which having been fteadily withftood and repreffed for two years, is now by. this change awakened and increased.'

Here our Author cafts another glance at a great military perfonage, which we do not chufe to tranfcribe; but shall difmifs the article with

his last reflections on the favourite: that profound statesman who be trays his friends upon principle, and contrives political confufion upon fyftem, the utmoft of whofe policy reaches only to the promoting, by low arts, diffentions in every private family, who flatters himself that he fhall be forever mafter of the fates and fortunes of the firft nobility, and who will deprive the greatest and best of them of every degree of influence which his apprehenfions represent to him as an object of his jea loufy, and who still dares to think that the peace and happiness of three kingdoms were given him to fport with. On the contrary, I will purfue this man, who has facrificed the honour of the crown, the interefts of the public, and the reputation of Great Britain, both at home and abroad, with a warm and honeft indignation.It cannot be long before thofe who think, will have an opportunity of acting with me in contempt both of his promifes and power, and in vindication of those measures which we have approved and fupported. Securely as he may, during the recefs of parliament, make and unmake minifters, he may find at its meeting, that no fubject is beyond its reach. A cordial union of the well intentioned and well-informed reprefentatives of the kingdom, will burst this cobweb administration, behind which he is concealed, and leave him exposed to public juftice and contempt. To this union all. honeft men are invited let them but for a few months withstand the importunities and corrupt arts of thofe who would enfnare them, they will find their intereft united with their fidelity; and will have the moft folid fatisfaction which an English mind is capable of feeling, that of having contributed to the safety of our country.'

MISCELLANEOUS.

Art. 14. An Efay on Modern Luxury: Or, an Attempt to delineate its Nature, Caufes, and Effects. By S. Fawconer, M. A. 8vo. Is. Fletcher.

The Writer of this Effay, determined, no doubt, to go to the bottom of things, fets out with obferving, that man is made up of two distinct parts, a foul and a body: each of which had its refpective functions affigned it from the beginning of their formation; that is, we prefume, before they were actually formed; but how the Author knows this, we know not. It is from this early fituation of things, nevertheless, that he deduces the fource of modern luxury. In this deduction, it is true, he advances little more than hath been often repeated, in the va rious tracts which have appeared on this trite and thread-bare fubject. It is notwithstanding, a fenfible well-penned remonftrance against the prevailing effects of luxury, and that inordinate love of pleafure; which, however favourable they may be to public fhew and the external appearance of political happiness, are extremely prejudicial to the private and perfonal happiness of individuals. Not that we think his reflections are always jult. There was a time, fays he, when the people of this country were the dread and envy of the nations around; but how are we degenerated from our forefathers!' How indeed! it does by no means appear from this reflection. Degenerated as we may be from our forefathers, other nations are at leaft as much degenerated from theirs; for never did this nation ftand higher in the estimation of foreigners,

than

than it hath done of late. There is a better foundation for the following reflections; • We please ourselves with the fond conceit of being a free-born people: but, with all our boafted privileges, what have we remaining but the shadow of freedom? A liberty to fell ourselves, and to entrust our rights and properties with fuch, as are unable to maintain their own." It is certain, that our boafts of fuperior freedom over fome other nations, have excited them to throw off their chains, while we have tamely fubmitted to thofe which corruption and venality have imposed on us. K-n-k

Art. 15. An hiftorical Narrative of a most extraordinary Event, which happened at the Village of Bergemoletto, in Italy: where three Women were faved out of the Ruins of a Stable, in which they had been buried thirty-feven Days by a heavy Fall of Snow. With curious Remarks. By Ignazio Somis, Phyfician to the King of Sardinia. Tranflated from the Italian. 2s. 6d.

Ofborne.

12mo.

We have here a very circumstantial, not to fay tedious, narrative of a terrible accident, which many of our Readers will doubtless remember to have feen recorded in the news papers and magazines of the year 1755, when it happened. We fhall not repeat the ftory, therefore, from Dr. Somis, especially as we find fo little to admire either in his manner of narration, or even in the curious remarks with which it is interlarded. As an historian, to be fure, he hath all the merit of circumftantiality; having attended to the minuteft particulars of the affair; fo particularly indeed, as to be able to affure us that the cloaths of the poor women were almost entirely rotted with the fnow-water; Mary Anne's fhift being little better than lint, and fo very dirty that four washings in boiling lie, were hardly fufficient to make it clean again.

Our narrative writer affures us alfo, that Mary Anne Roccia appeared in a dream to her relation Anthony Bruno, and gave him notice of her diftrefs. Now had these facts been recorded by an hiftorian who was no philofopher, they might have paffed off well enough, with the hear fays of a Livy, a Carte, or a *; but when a profeffed philofopher writes hiftory, we must look for fomething like the fagacity and precifion of a Tacitus, a Machiavel or a Hume. We would ask Dr.. Somis, whether he had the first of the above-cited facts authenticated by Mary Anne's washerwoman? and if fo, how it came about that a fhift little better than lint, impregnated (as he fays) with dirt, could ftand four washings in boiling lie?-As to the dreaming Anthony Bruno, the Brunos are well-known to be a dreaming family; and fo we fhall take the ghoft's word. We must have better authority, however, for feveral of the ftrange ftories occafionally introduced, before we can give any farther credit to them, than to recommend them to a place in the Wenderful Magazine. As to the Author's philofophical remarks and experiments, they are for the most part, common-place, puerile and inconelufive.

But more particularly in the Philofophical Tranfions, Vol. 49, Part II. published in 1757.

K-n-k.

Art. 16.