of fix lines, murders the literary reputation of Mrs. Cowley, Mrs. Piozzi, and Mrs. Robinfon.Talk of the feverity of Reviewers! Compared with this, their cruelty is tender mercy. Moo-y. ART. XVI. A Collection of Papers on Naval Architecture, originally communicated through the Channel of the European Magazine, &c. Part II. 8vo. 35. fewed. Sewell. 1792. IN N our review of the first part of this valuable collection of papers on the highly-interefting fubject of fhip-building and navigation, we bestowed due applaufe on the institution and proceedings of the refpectable Society, which has been formed for the patriotic purpofe of improving our commercial advantages, and for bringing to greater perfection the best and furest means of defending our country against every hoftile attempt of a jealous, envious, or perfidious neighbour: -fuch attempts have been frequently made, and fuch we may again experience. To the account which we have already given of the publicfpirited views of this laudable affociation, little remains for us now to add on the fubject, farther than a brief notice refpecting the materials of which this part of the collection, refulting from their very proper inquiries, is compofed; and of which it is fufficient to obferve, that they are not inferior to the contents of the former number, in refpect either of their variety, or of their importance.-Our readers muft, however, be apprized, that the particular object of these publications is merely to explore and to point out the fources of information relative to the improvement of naval architecture, as well as that of the art of navigation in general; fo that, by thus collecting various opinions into one view, the SOCIETY as well as the PUBLIC may, perhaps, be enabled to form a judgment of what should claim their future attention and purfuit.' Prelim. Advert. p. 2. Among the great variety of papers, of which this fecond part of the Collection confifts, we obferve an APPENDIX, containing feveral ufeful hints: but we were particularly ftruck with a paffage in No. Iv. of thefe naval communications, in which is introduced an unjuft reflection (as we conceive,) on the character and conduct of a truly great man,-who, being no longer an inhabitant of a world to which he was a diftinguished bene factor, cannot, therefore, vindicate himself. Thus circumftanced, it becomes the duty of every generous friend to Truth (difdaining all party confiderations,) to itand forth in the defence of injured merit. The paffage to which we allude is this: . *See Review, New Series, vol. vi. p. 191. Speaking Speaking of a Monf. de Landais, a French fea-officer, who had made naval architecture his chief study, and who had served in the late American war, it is faid, that, incidentally mentioning, in converfation, the conftitution of the United States of America, he greatly cenfured Dr. Franklin, as greedy of popular applaufe, for which he facrificed much, and even betrayed his truft;' adding, that he was a defaulter, in respect to money entrusted to him from the United States, and had evaded giving any account.' On this bold accufation, we are enabled to offer a few remarks, by the affiftance of a gentleman, on whofe competency to the queftion we can with fafety rely: Whether Dr. Franklin was, or was not, greedy of popular applaufe, is a question which may beft be anfwered by thofe who knew him beft, and were moft acquainted with the tranfactions of his life; of which number Capt. Landais certainly was not one:-but that he facrificed much, and even betrayed his truft,' to obtain it, will not be believed, nor ought it to have been afferted, without fome inftance, and proof, of fuch facrifice and treachery; of which, hitherto, there is no appearance of probability. "Concerning the allegation that Dr. Franklin was a defaulter in refpect to money entrusted to him from the United States, and had evaded giving any account,' it certainly is a moft groundless calumny; fuch, indeed, as ought not to have been published against one of his long-established character, on the poor authority of Capt. Landais, who was notoriously actuated by unprovoked malevolence; and who, by being tried, and difmiffed the fervice of the United States, for a fmall part of his misconduct, efcaped the confequences of a much more ferious charge. "To repel this and all fimilar calumnies against Dr. Franklin, it will be fufficient to mention what is generally known, viz. that before he quitted Europe and the character with which he had been invefted at the court of France, he fully fettled and balanced all his public accounts, with Mr. Barclay, who was then Conful General of the United States in that kingdom, and was, by a particular commiffion from Congress, appointed and authorized to audit and fettle the accounts of all thofe who had been entrusted with the difpofal of money in Europe, for or on account of the faid States; that, after Dr. Franklin's return to America, he was unanimously chosen to the highest office of the ftate in which he refided; that he was re-elected to that office, for the greatest number of times which the conftitution allowed; and that, at his death, befide feveral important legacies of a public nature, he left a conREV. MAY 1792. H fiderable fiderable eftate within the jurifdiction, and fubject to the claims, of the United States; and as they have never made any claims on his property, that circumftance will, doubtless, place Capt. Landais's calumny in its true light." Candor will oblige us to fuppofe, and we take it for granted, that the editors of this collection were not aware of the falfehood of a charge here brought against a perfon fo highly efteemed as Dr. Franklin juftly was; and that the calumny of Monf. Landais was inadvertently inserted, in a collection relating to matters of a very different kind.-Should this, not unfriendly, notice of a paffage, fo foreign to the nature and defign of the present publication, induce the gentlemen concerned in it to make due inquiry into the truth of the heavy charges to which they have thus given circulation, we make no doubt that they will fay what is proper on the occafion in the next number of their useful work:-bearing in mind the moral poet's remark, that, "When Truth, or Virtue, an affront endures, The affront is mine, my friend, and should be your's." POPE. MONTHLY CATALOGUE For MAY, 1792. MR. HASTINGS'S IMPEACHMENT. Art. 17. The Speech of Warren Haftings, Esquire, in the High Court of Juftice in Westminster Hall, on Thursday, June 2, 1791. 8vo. pp. 126. 3s. Debrett. THE fame ability that diftinguished Mr. Haftings's adminiftration in India, is manifefted in his defence of it, through a trial that will render him and his profecutors confpicuous characters in future hiftories; where thefe tranfactions will appear divefted of the bold colouring of party, and where parties will themselves be represented with equal freedom. To this fpeech, are added fome pointed obfervations on the impeachment, by Mr. H.'s fteady friend; which, as they ftand on the broad foundation of public records and incontrovertible vouchers, will excite the astonishment of future generations, to think how such events could poffibly take place! BIOGRAPHY. N. Art. 18. Prepoffeffion; or, Memoirs of Count Toulouffin. Written by himself. 12mo. 2 Vols. 55. fewed. Forbes. 1792. This narrative, (which appears, at least with refpect to the leading incidents, to be founded on fact,) affords a lively picture of that polite gallantry, for which France has been fo famous. The hero of the tale, whofe perfonal and elegant accomplishments, if we are to credit his own account, have obtained him high diftinction in the beau monde, appears through the whole ftory in the light of a generous G. generous protector of injured innocence. The object of his kind attention, Mrs. Lunel, was the unfortunate wife of a tyrannical and unfeeling man, who perfecuted her with a long courfe of dreadful and injurious treatment; from which, however, he is refcued by the perfevering exertions of her friend, whofe kindness, after the death of her husband, the gratefully repays with her hand. The itory, though not written with much elegance, is amufing and interefting. E. GEOGRAPHY. Art. 19. An Hiftorical Journal of the Expeditions by Sea and Land, This was a Spanish MS. prefented to the ingenious and indefatigable Mr. Dalrymple, by Dr. Robertfon; Mr. Dalrymple got it tranflated by the above-named gentleman, and has enriched it with other correfponding materials, and two maps of this hitherto imperfectly known coaft. The account is very curious and interefting. COSMOGRAPHY. N. Art. 20. A Collection of Plans of the most capital Cities of every Empire, Kingdom, Republic, and Electorate, in Europe; and fome remarkable Cities in the other three Parts of the World. With a Defcription of their moft remarkable Buildings, Trade, Situation, Extent, &c. Selected from the best Authorities, from actual Surveys. 4to. pp. 140. with 42 folding coloured Plans. 21. 2s. Half-bound. Stockdale. This collection of plans of the most confiderable cities of the known world, with general defcriptions, is both ufeful and amusing; and fuch a collection, if we mistake not, was made by the French geographers several years ago. It is but natural to give the English undertaker credit for any improvement that the plan would admit: but it is not in our power at prefent to make the comparison. The work is nameless, and comes to us without any prefatory introduction: but we obferve the name of Andrews at the bottom of most of the plates. MILITARY. N. Art. 21. The Soldier's Friend; or, Confiderations on the late pretended Augmentation of the Subfiftence of the Private Soldiers. 8vo. pp. 22. 6d. Ridgway. 1792. If the author intended, fimply, to inform our foldiers that they have [as be afferts,] been very ill treated, for many years past, in regard to their legal pay, a confiderable part of which, he avers, has been cruelly and fraudulently withheld from them, he might have been fuppofed to have addreffed the public on this occafion, with merely a benevolent view: but he treats the fubject in fuch a style of invective and aggravation, as gives his pamphlet quite the air of a virulent effufion of party-fpirit; whence many fober and candid readers may be led to fupect that irritation, rather than a redress of H z 2 the the grievance here fet forth, is in reality the object of thefe Com fiderations. The tract, however, is well written; and does not appear to be the production of a vulgar pen. Art. 22. Curfory Remarks on the Army in general, and the Footguards in particular. In a Letter to the King. By Henry Sinclair, late Captain Lieutenant in the 57th Regiment. 4to. pp. 21. 2s. 6d. Jordan. 1791. The author of thefe remarks informs the public, that this letter was folely intended for the private eye of the king,' but that he found every avenue to his fovereign fhut up, except through the medium of the prefs.' This is an old complaint; and those who immediately furround a prince, well know the importance of keeping the fountain of all their enjoyments and hopes as much as poffible to themfelves; and in the prefent ftate of things, it is not clear how these matters can be altered: for were a fovereign to have a letter box, and keep the key himself, in fuch a nation of politicians as this is, it would be totally impoffible for him even to read one-half of the deluge of petitions, complaints, remonftrances, and advice, that would continually pour in from the injured, the difcontented, the wife, the otherwife, and the crazy. Were he to appoint an officer or two for the purpose of examination and felection; even this would be confidered as an exclufion from immediate intercourfe, and would in time be justly fo. The inference is, that the prefs, as it is the only poffible channel, is the only proper channel, for the communication of fentiments that affect the public intereft; it excludes clandeftine mifreprenfation, and indirect fchemes. We fhall now attend to the fubject of this letter. The fuperior rank of the three regiments of foot guards, conftantly ftationed at London, attached to the court, always excites ill will in the marching regiments, and produces comparifon between the fuperior advantages enjoyed by the guards, and their own consciousness of fuperiority in military knowlege. The officer before us reprefents the Guards as deficient in all knowlege beyond that of parading in St. James's Park; and the officers, who are generally men of fortune or family, as effeminate, often ignorant of the very men whom they command, feeking only the amusements of the metropolis, and promotion ;-and that thus, young men, unacquainted with fervice, ftep over the heads of experienced veterans, and refign whenever their country calls them into action. He adds, and we believe with great juftice, I hardly ever knew an officer who was a man of large fortune, pay a ftrict attention to his duty. No, no; the duty of the army is done by gentlemen's fons of circumfcribed fortunes, which will not afford diffipation, and other exceffes incompatible with the duty of a foldier.' The hints, which this gentleman offers as needful for reformation, are fuch as every fenfible man will fubfcribe, but he has fmall chance of their meeting with attention. They are hoftile to the fyftem of which he complains, and which is too firmly established to be abolished by private remonftrances. Reforms are feldom adopted, until evils fwell to a magnitude beyond all fufferance. N |