Art. 32. Impartial Advice relative to the Receipt.Tax. 8vo. IS. Cadell. 1784.

The impartial advifer fhews, in a very convincing manner, that it is the intereft of fuch perfons as require receipts, to pay the exact price of the ftamps themfelves, rather than to throw the expence thereof on the tradefman. For this would reduce him to the neceffity of raifing the price of his goods. They will then be ignorant how much they pay on account of this tax; for it may often be ten times the fum impofed by law: it is not in the tradefman's power to raife upon the article which he fells, the precife fum which he fhall have paid for the ftamp. As to those who grant receipts, who are chiefly tradefmen, the author advifes them to charge, at the bottom of their bills, the price of the receipt; or, when they give a receipt without a bill, to charge the expence of the tax.

This writer, like a good citizen, avoids all endeavours to make the tax, which is the subject of his publication, odious to the people, and only endeavours to render it as eafy, as equitable, and even as productive as poffible. Art. 33. Letters to a Member of the prefent Parliament, upon the extraordinary and unprecedented Tranfactions of the late Houfe of Commons. Debrett. Is. 6d.

1784.

Not a fingle argument, fact, or expreffion but what have been echoed in every anti-minifterial pamphlet and news-paper, fince the late political revolution. The author, however, is neither fo warm nor fo malignant as many writers are upon the topics of the present day.

MEDICA L.

Art. 34. A Treatise on Struma, or Scrofula, commonly called The King's Evil: In which the Impropriety of confidering it as an hereditary Difeafe is pointed out; more rational Caufes are atligned, and a fuccefsful Method of Treatment is recommended. By Thomas White, Surgeon to the London Difpenfary. 8vo. 29. Murray.

The author of this treatife has with much candour and argument, oppofed the opinion of Scrophula being an hereditary disease; and taken in the common fenfe of the word, his doctrine will afford much fatisfaction to the difpairing and difconfolate parent, where children may labour under this dreadful distemper. His opportunities appear to have been favourable for obfervation on this fubject, and the unreserved manner in which he has communicated the refult of his experience, ought to fecure him the candour of his profeffion, and the confidence of his patients. He has confidered the disease as feated in the lympathatic fyftem, and has accurately marked it as an internal as well as external affection; his prophylactic plan which particularly recommends an attention to exercife, diet, and what has been called the non-naturals is extremely judicious, and his executive plan confifts chiefly in the moderate ufe of mild mercurials varied and adapted to the age and conftitution of the patient, aided by tonics and fuch other means as his experience has found to be fuccefsful. NATIONAL

TH

NATIONAL

AFFAIRS.

[For JUNE, 1784.]

HE decifion in Parliament concerning the Weftminster Election, is the most firiking proof that has yet been exhibited of the ftrength of the prefent miniftry. If the returning officers have a power of protracting the elections until all their fufpicions fhall be removed concerning the legality or validity of votes, then it might happen that, for a time, and that indefinite, we should not have a parliament. The royal proclamation would be to no purpofe, if fuch an unbounded power were lodged in the officers who prefide at the elections. The authority of the throne would be fuperceded by the veto of a High bailiff for Weftminster.

The ministerial phalanx cannot but perceive, and they are conftrained to acknowledge the abfurdity of fuch a fyftem. A new law, therefore, is to be made, providing for the cafe where a fcrutiny may be den anded, but cannot be made within the time appointed for the retur of a member of parliament. Advantage is taken of this new law by way of anticipation. According to the old law, the candidate ought to have been returned for whom there appeared to be the greatest number of voters. Many falfe votes might appear, but the juftnefs or the falfity of their titles was a matter of fubfequent investigation. Injustice might be done to the real voters, and the moft criminal practices night, for a time, overbear the claims of right and law, and defeat the intentions of our civil conftitution. We fay, for a time, becaufe this evil could only be temporary, being fufceptible of correction by an appeal to the House of Commons. But whether temporary or permanent, the returning officer for Weftminster ought to have yielded obedience to the law that was in exiftence, and left the enaction of a new law to the legislature of his country. But, as if he himself had been the only legiflator, he afTuned the prerogative of pronouncing, not as the prescribed forms directed, but according to what he judged to be the principles of equity a maxim which, were it to become univerfal, would finally quafh all bold appeals to the letter of the law, and extinguish the native fire of Englithmen, by fubjecting them in all cafes to the cafuiftry of judges appointed by their fovereign. The minifterial party, therefore, for we know not by what other appellation to difringuifh them, have, on the occafion to which we allude, exhibited a confpicuous inftance of their power, by justifying what was in reality an invafion of the privileges of parliament.

:

The feverity that has been exercised towards Mr. Fox begins to open the public eye to a truth which, one would imagine, needs but little illuftration. Among the people there are fome who are almost convinced, that there is no magical virtue in the words WILLIAM PITT, and that the refpectable youth who bears that name, is, with all his virtues, a man of like passions with themselves. Different Views of PATRIOTS and MINISTERS of State.

They will be confirmed in this fentiment when they compare the profeffions of Mr. Pitt in the character of a patriotic member of

Parliament,

Parliament, with fome parts of his conduct fince he became first minifter of State. For hence it will appear, that circumftances and fituation have an influence on his mind, juft as they have on the minds of other men.

About two years ago, Mr. Pitt, re-echoing the fentiments of his father, was a ftrenuous advocate for an entire renovation of the conftitution; a fubflantial and thorough reform.-On that fubject he now holds a more moderate, and indeed, a wifer language. He declares himfelf ftill for a reform, but for a moderate, a gentle, a practicable reform. A few zealous citizens of fome burghs in Scotland, who struggled hard to make head against the predominancy of ariftocracy in that country, were over-joyed when they contemplated the rifing greatnefs of Pitt. They fondly folicited his patronage, and wished him to take an active part in that reformation which they were endeavouring to excite. Mr. Pitt anfwered them politely, but made excuses. Again, at the beginning of the last feffion of the laft Parliament, when the King's fpeech, recommending a new order of affairs in India, and an attention to public credit, was taken into confideration, Mr. Pitt conjured the minifter of the day, Mr. Fox, to avoid all lenitives. No palliatives! No half-meafures! "Let us look our misfortunes boldly in the face!" But when a plan is recommended for the gradual extinction of the national debt; why, truly Mr. Pitt thinks very well of the SINKING FUND.

This is by no means abforbed on the contrary, it is ftill increafing; and when illicit trade fhall be cut off by the measures now carrying on for that purpofe, it will be ftill farther improved and extended. We ought not to hold out too gloomy a picture of our affairs to the world." We have farther to obferve, that his al lowing the East India Company, in the prefent fituation of their affairs, to make a dividend of eight per cent, is a dereliction of the public intereft for the purpofe of conciliating the favour of men who have fupported, and fill fupport him. The greater the Company's dividends, the lefs fecurity remains to the public for the fums advanced, and the credit given to the Company. But, here it must be owned, that whether the indulgence in queftion, be not on the whole, the wifeft policy that could be adopted, is at least in the opinion of very candid and refpectable judges, a matter that may bear difpute. Nor do we mean, by any thing we have now advanced, to detract from the merit of Mr. Pitt. His caution and referve with regard to the subject of political reformation, as well as his bill for the prevention of fmuggling, deferve the most perfect approbation. We would only perfuade our countrymen, that no minister is above the neceffity of being watched; we would inftruct them, that Mr. Pitt's conduct has varied, not a little with his fituation; that his errors must be corrected by the public jealousy, as his virtues are encouraged by the public applaufe.

SPIRIT OF ASSOCIATION.

The good fenfe of the prefent miniftry, that is of the two leading minifters MR. PITT and LORD THURLOW, it is to be hoped will point out an active zeal for the public intereft, as the fureit means

of

of prolonging their power. At no period of the English history was it ever fo neceffary for thofe in power to ftudy and to gratify the inclinations of the people, as at the prefent. The progrefs of knowledge, and commercial intercourfe, has opened the readieft avenues of intellectual and focial communication: and all the members of the community may unite and co-operate in one fyftem. A fpirit of affociation has of late years gone forth throughout the British Empire, and indeed, among all nations enjoying any degree of freedom. This fpirit has operated, and will continue to operate the most important effects. It is a REVOLUTION in the British government. It overawes the venal Members of Parliament, and renders them more attentive than heretofore to the voice of their conftituents. This is the true mode of Parliamentary reform. It is a gentle and gradual cure adapted to the conftitution. It is efficient without being dangerous.

CONTINENT OF EUROPE.

The Emperor ftill keeps a fteady eye on the navigation of the Schelde, and the recovery of part of his hereditary dominions. The French King has offered his mediation for peace: but

Timeo panaos et dona ferentes.

We ftill think it probable that there is a collufion between the Courts of Vienna and Verfailles, and that a participation of advantages unites thefe powers in a defign to fubvert the naval greatnefs of Holland. The fame idea occurred to two great monarchs above a century ago. Lewis XIV. of France, and Charles II. of England, had agreed to divide between them the territories of the Dutch, whom they effected to hold in derifion as a race of mer

chants.

Certain commotions in Turkey prove how naturally one lofs be gets another, and that the power of a nation cannot long furvive a loft reputation.

The negotiations for intermarriages between Spain and Portugal, forebode the reduction of the latter kingdom under the power of the former, to which it was before annexed, and which preponderates in that great peninfula of which it forms a part."

The TITLE and INDEX for Vol. III. will be given in our Review for July

Communications for THE ENGLISH REVIEW are requested to be Jent to Mr. MURRAY, No. 32, Fleet-ftreet, London.