time of the world, though Master Angis has often advised me, saying if I would try them bridges, I would find it much easier than going down one hill and climbing another. "However, our countrymen do not approve all the changes,for throwing the dirty water out of the windows, was, sure enough, a great convenience; and as to putting up wells every where, and bringing water-pipes to every house, I don't see how that can be defended, seeing it has taken away the bread of the poor Highland watermen with their barrels, which puts in my mind Echan Mackneen Phaddrick which has lost his wife, but gave her decent interment, as well he might, being in the watermen's box. We were all very merry and well to live, four-and-twenty countrymen of us, besides women and childer, which, I hope, was no harm, seeing the woman had lived to a good auld age, and had a namely funeral for a commoner; twenty rounds before I lost count, and cheese and bread in abundance. My lord enjoys but bad health in the main, being much troubled with the gout, which, however, he bears like a Christian and a nobleman, seeing it has always been in the family. He rides Fingal every day, who looks well upon it, though that is more than I can say for poor Luath-having come off with the worst in a battle with the low country dogs, which was scarcely civil in them too, seeing Luath was a stranger. So no more at this present writing, but remains, dear Morag, your faithful fellow-servant till death, DONALD MACALLAN. "P. S. The whisky of the low country is no more to be compared to our own than ditch water. Mr. Angis advises me to make it into punch, to see if I would like it better; but not agreeing with it any way but plain, I hope you will make some of the tenants give the big greybeard a cast the length of Inverness. 'Care of Donald Fletcher, skipper of the good ship the Caledonia,' who will bring it to this. DONALD MACALLAN.” MISCELLANIES. ART. XV. Rules of Life, with Reflections on the Manners and Dispositions of Mankind, 12m1o. 8s. pp. 256. Longman. 1814. One thousand and one rules and reflections on the manner and dispositions of mankind, one apiece for each Arabian Night, to which they might serve as apposite mottoes. The maxims with which this little volume abounds, are however, the work of no common hand; they are the production of a keen observation and warm heart; and though they animadvert with some severity upon the vice and follies of mankind, there is still a benevolence which occasionally refreshes us. Many a man may be the better, no man can be the worse for their perusal at times there is a cousiderable vein of originality which intermixes itself with observations more trite, but not on that account the less useful. Being detached and unconnected in its parts the book may ever be resorted to as an amusing and an instructive companion for the shortest interval.-We will give our readers an extract at random. "628. Raillery is no longer agreeable than while the whole. company is pleased with it, and more especially the person rallied. 629. The celebrity of many inventions and discoveries depends more on the pomp with which they have been announced, or the secrecy with which they have been preserved, than on any intrinsic value in themselves, "630. If a gentleman pretends an attachment to a lady, and at the same time endeavours to shake her religious principles, be assured he is either a fool, or has designs which he dares not avow. "631. The desire which every man feels of being remembered and lamented, must often be mortified when he perceives how little concern is caused by the death even of those who have passed their lives with public honours, and been distinguished by the most extraordinary performances. "632. The measure of justice prescribed to us in our transactions with others is short, but remarkably clear and comprehensive: Whatever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye unto them." P. 158, If we try even chance again we shall find the same mixture of material; there is more acuteness perhaps in the following observations, than those which we have first extracted. 191. Those who are themselves incapable of great crimes, are not ready to suspect others of them. 192. Flattery is a sort of base coin, which knavery is always ready to give and vanity willing to accept; to ascertain its value try to return it in the way it came, 193. When our friends deceive us, though we have a right to be indifferent to their professions of friendship, we ought always to retain a sensibility for their misfortunes. However we may think we can justify ourselves for acting otherwise, yet if we do the world will never forgive us, 194. Marrying a man you dislike, in hopes of loving him afterwards, is like putting to sea in a storm in the hopes of fair weather, 195. He who believes he can do without the world, deceives himself much; but he who fancies the world cannot do without him, is still more mistaken. 196. It is with our professions as with other clothes; a man feels equally uncomfortable, and appears equally ridiculous, whether he be too big or too little for his office. Clothes, however, can can be made for us; but professions being ready made, we should choose such as fit us best. "197. Some people are so perpetually disguised to others, that they at last forget they have a real character. "198. It is not enough to have great abilities, we must also know how to make use of them; men are often possessed of powers sufficient to have raised them to the highest rank, had they not, through precipitation or self-conceit, quitted the usual track. "199. To hear patiently, and answer precisely, are the great perfections of conversation." P. 48. From the specimens which we have given of this little volume, there is much in its contents by which courtesy may be increased, aukwardness relieved, and affectation repressed. ART. XVI. The Principle of the English Poor Laws illustrated from the Evidence given by the Scottish Proprietors before the Corn Committee. By J. Weyland. 8vo. 3s. 6d. Hatchard. 1814. 84 pp. The important subject of the Poor Laws has been studied with much industry and perseverance by Mr. Weyland, and the result of his observations do much credit both to his ingenuity and to his feelings. The comparative state of the labouring poor, and of the laws which regulate their support, both in England and Scotland, is well drawn. The following extract will be the best recommendation of the whole of this pamphlet to our various readers. "I cannot help considering this result to be as fair in theory as it is inevitable in practical operation in a free country: and it appears to be no less tyrannical than impolitic in the government, or the proprietors of a country, either to attempt to counteract its effects, by depressing the real wages of labour by positive enactment-or to avail themselves of the increased wants of the labourer in unfavourable times, by obliging him to labour for their supply beyond the fair degree which his bodily strength will bear without ultimate injury; or for a smaller sum than is sufficient to supply his reasonable wants, as they have been just estimated. A machine overstrained will the sooner wear out and be cast aside. But a man worn out is not so easily disposed of, at least in a free and Christian country; for he must be supported by the rest of the community without any further profitable return from himself. "It is, therefore, with some indignation at the want of feeling, and some contempt for the want of policy exhibited, that I have noticed the approbation bestowed upon the economical effects of the low and fluctuating wages which are stated in the evidence to ob. tain in Scotland, where rents it is well known, are extraordinarily high. It appears to meet with the singular approbation of some political œconomists, that in dear years a Scottish workman, finding himself deprived of his usual enjoyments, is naturally excited to greater industry, and is desirous of working extra hours for the purpose of obtaining those comforts to which he has been accustomed; because this disposition,' it is said, must naturally increase, the supply of labour in the market.' But have these gentlemen considered the ultimate sacrifice by which this additional supply is obtained? That it is, 1st, by forcing exertion from one part of the labouring poor at that period when the human frame is least capable of affording it, viz. when the mind and body are equally lowered by personal distress, and the penury of a dependent family; and, 2dly, by aggravating the misery of the remainder by depriving them of employment just when they most want it? But let us refer to the evidence itself. One of the witnesses, the Earl of Mansfield, being questioned concerning the relative prices of work done by the piece in Scotland, when grain has been dear and when it has been cheap, answers, In the year 1813 I contracted with a man to build some rods of masonry-work, and the workman informed me, that, in consequence of the hardness of the times, he executed that work at a lower rate than he would have executed it in years when the price of grain was lower.' "Another witness, Patrick Milne, Esq. M. P. states, 1st. I have always considered, that when grain and other provisions rose, both manufacturing and agricultural labour fell. On the contrary, when provisions and grain fell, manufacturing and agricultural labour rose. The reason is obvious. Supposing there are in any one parish 100 labourers, who are able to do the work of that parish; if provisions rise, those labourers will do double work: of course, there being only a certain demand for labour, the labour falls.' "2dly. Being further questioned, the same witness states, that, under these circumstances, the labourer very often does too much work, and works beyond his strength when grain is very high. At other times he is idle when grain is low.' 3dly. The witness further states, that in a dear year his bailiff requested permission to have some particular work executed then, rather than at any other time; because he could do it so much cheaper, a great many labourers being idle from having little work in consequence of those who were employed doing double work. I desired him,' says the witness, to go on with that labour likewise; and he actually contracted for very large ditches at SIXPENCE AN ELL, which I do not think I could now do under from a SHILLING to EIGHTEEN PENCE, in consequence of the fall of provisions.' 4thly. Being asked, Did you ever know an instance in Scotland where, wages remaining low, and the price of bread rising, relief in that case was given to labourers who were capable of working? The witness answers, No! I never did' "Being "Being again asked, Do you recollect an instance in Scotland of general parochial relief being ever given to the poor in consequence of the high price of provisions? he answers, No, I do not. In the towns, in times of scarcity, we have soup kitchens, which have been maintained by private subscription." Now, in the first of these answers, we have the fact stated, that when the labourer is least capable of extra work, he is ground down by a forced exertion of double work. "In the second, we have one extremely natural consequence, that he does too much work, or works beyond his strength. "In the third place, we have another result equally natural, and almost equally humane and profitable to society, viz. that this double work and exhaustion of one portion of the labourers by excessive exertion, tends to exhaust the other portion by actual want of food, in consequence of their having little work to do, at a time when a very great deal of work is absolutely necessary (under the system detailed), even to enable them to provide a scanty supply of necessaries for their families; for, "4th, and lastly, We find that relief is never given to labourers who are capable of working, however incapable they may be of finding work, however low the rate of wages, however scanty the means of employment, and however high the price of provisions." P. 39. ART. XVII. New Mathematical Tables. By Peter Barlow, of the Royal Military Academy. 8vo. pp. 336. 18s. Ro binson. 1814. This is a work of infinite labour, and is executed in such a manner as to be invaluable to those who are employed in any sort of calculation. After some very good remarks upon the construction, application and use of the several tables, we come to the first, which gives the factor Square, Cube Square Root, Cube Root, and reciprocals of every number from 1 to 1000, arranged in one point of view in the following manner. Reciprocal Cube Square Root | Cube Root The second table contains the first ten powers of all numbers from 1 to 100. The third contains the 4th and 5th powers of all numbers from 100 to 1000. The fourth table is calculated for the solution of the irreducible case in Cubic Equations, and contains the value of the expression y-y, for every value of y from 1 to 1.1549. The fifth table contains all the prime numbers from I to 100103. The sixth gives the hyperbolic Logarithms of all numbers from 1 to 10,000. In the seventh we find the reduction |