Obrazy na stronie
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

BOTANY, by Sir James Edward Smith, President of the Linnean Society. BIBLIOGRAPHY, (Anon.) BREAKWATER, by John Barrow, Esq. one of the Secretaries to the Admiralty.

BREWING, by John Farey, jun. Civil Engineer.

BILLS OF MORTALITY, by Joshua Milne, Esq.

CALEDONIAN CANAL, by Robert Stevenson, Esq. Civil Engineer. BRIDGE, (Anon.)

BLEACHING, by Dr Thomas Thomson. CANADA, CARACCAS, BRAZIL, BUENOS AYRES, by David Buchanan, Esq.

CAUBUL, by II. Murray, Esq.

Historical Account of Discoveries and Travels in Africa; by the late John Leyden, M. D. Enlarged and Completed to the present time, with illustrations of its Geography and Natural History, as well as of the Moral and Social condition of its Inhabitants. By Hugh Murray, Esq. F. R. S. E. With six Maps. 2 vols. 8vo. £.1 7.

Reports of some Recent Dicisions by the Consistorial Court of Scotland, in Actions of Divorce, concluding for Dissolution of Marriages, celebrated under the English law. By James Ferguson, Advocate, one of the Judges. 8vo. 13s.

Contes Choisis pour des Enfants, traduits de l'Anglais de Mademoiselle Edgeworth. 12mo. 5s.

Defence of Usury Laws, and Considerations on the Probable Consequences of their projected repeal. By James Grahame, Esq. Advocate. Second Edition. Svo.

The Edinburgh Review, or Critical Journal, No. LV. 6s.

The Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal, No. LI. 3s.

Catalogue of the Library of the late William Stewart, Esq. of Spontwells, to be sold by auction in the Council Room, Perth, by David Morrison, jun. Bookseller. s. 6d.

[blocks in formation]

A NEW Novel, entitled Rob Roy, is announced from the pen of the Author of Waverley. The exploits of that celebrated freebooter affords a subject so admirably suited to the ge nius of this admirable writer, that this work is expected even to surpass in interest those which he has hitherto produced.

The tale of Old Mortality has been translated into French under the title of "Les Puritains d' Ecosse."

A History of British India is in preparation, by James Mill, Esq. in three volumes 4to. The author, in his Prospectus, states that the British dominion now embraces nearly the whole of that vast region which extends from Cape Comorin to the mountains of Tibet, and from the mouths of the Brahmapootra to the sources of the Indus. To collect, from its nomerous and scattered sources, the information necessary to give clear and accurate ideas of this great empire, and of the transactions through which it has been acquired, is (says he) the object of the present undertaking.

A translation is printing in London, from the Chinese, of the Sacred Edict; containing sixteen maxims of the Emperor Kang Hi, amplified by bis son the Emperor Yoong-Ching; together with a Paraphrase on the whole, by a Mandarin. The translation from the Chinese original is illustrated by Notes, by the Rev. Wm. Milne, protestant missionary at Ma lacca.

Mr Nicholas will publish, in the course of the month, a Journal of a

Voyage to New Zealand, in com- perfine vellum paper, with above a thousand engraved Chinese characters.

pany with the Rev. Samuel Marsden, with an account of the state of that country, and its productions, the character of its inhabitants, their manners, &c.

Dr Spurzheim has printed a volume of Observations on the diseased Manifestations of the Mind, or Insanity. The Rev. Thos. Morell, author of "Studies in History," has in the press an additional volume of that work, which will contain the History of England, from its earliest period to the death of Elizabeth. The concluding volume of the series, in which the history of England will be brought down to the present period, will follow as quickly as possible.

A Picturesque Tour will shortly be published, through France, Switzerland, on the banks of the Rhine, and part of the Netherlands.

The ninth volume of the Poetical Register, containing above three hundred original and fugitive poems, and numerous criticisms on poetic and dramatic works, will appear early next month. The tenth volume is in preparation.

There are at present in the university of Cambridge 1359 members of the senate, and 3275 members on the boards, being the largest number on record; the number in 1804 being but 2122, and in 1748 but 1500.Trinity and St. John's include half the university.

M. Biot (now in Edinburgh) is preparing for publication an abridgment of his excellent Traité de Physique. It is to be comprised in two octavo volumes; and is to contain the narration of facts, principles, and discoveries, separated, as far as may be, from the mathematical investigations contained in the larger work.

Dr Montucci has in the press, an Account of the Rev. Robert Morrison's Chinese Dictionary, and of his own. It will form a quarto volume, containing about 200 pages, on su

The Rev. T. F. Dibdin's Bibliographichal Decameron, which has been delayed by the great increase of matter, is expected to appear in July.

The first volume of the Elgin Marbles, with an historical and topographical account of Athens, illustrated by about forty plates, will soon appear.

A fragment of the Consular Annals was found at Rome, on the 29th of March, in the ruins of the Temple of Castor. It corresponds with the tables that were found some time before, and deposited in the Capitol. They contain the names of eight of the Decemvirs, who were the authors of the law of the twelve tables.

Dr Jackson is preparing for publication, a Sketch of the History and Cure of Febrile Diseases; more particularly the febrile diseases of the West Indies, as they appear among. the soldiers of the British army.

Capt. C. Clarke, of the Royal Ar. tillery, has in the press, a Summary of the State of Spain at the Restoration of Ferdinand VII.

A new edition of the "Queen's Wake," ornamented with engravings, from designs by Scottish artists, has been undertaken by the friends of the author, for the purpose of rendering whatever profit may arise from the publication directly available to his benefit. In the prospectus to this edition, it is well observed " that it is unnecessary to dwell upon the peculiarity of Mr Hogg's situation, occasioned by the misfortunes of his first publisher, which deprived him of the advantages he would have otherwise derived from the merited success of his principal work. Nor is there occasion to state any special reasons why, in the present case, the friends of an author, whose merit has raised him. from the humble situation of a shepberd, to no low rank in British liter

ature,

waste the vigour of his original and gifted mind, in providing for the day that is passing over him? Can it be forgotten, that with foreigners our neglect of Burns is a constant topic of reproach, and that even in parlia ment it has been invidiously remarked, that the infinite talent and invincible independence of the Ayrshire ploughman, could extort no higher re

ature, are desirous to add solid emolument to his barren laurels. The great stain upon our age has been the neglect of one self-elevated genius, whose circumstances were not greatly different from those of Mr Hogg, and such a stigma is sufficient for one generation. The present proposal affords an opportunity of averting it, which, it can scarce be doubted, will meet with a favourable reception."—ward from his ungrateful country, Such is the substance of the modest appeal to the public, which we have ventured to quote, and we will be pardoned for seizing an opportunity which may never again ocour, of calling the public attention to a man, who is beyond all comparison the greatest poetical phenomenon of his day. Compared with Mr Hogg every self-taught author living, sinks into insignificance; and it will truly be a stigma on the present age, if, after the example of Burns, they treat with similar neglect, a man who is destined to fill so large a space in the eye of posterity.

Is it fitting, therefore, that such a a man should be allowed to suffer by the misfortunes of Booksellers, and

than the paltry emoluments of a subordinate officer of excise? Is not every stranger that visits his superk mausoleum forced to heave a sigh for the asperity of his fate, and unite in the universal sentiment of regret, that those honours should have to the last been withheld from the living, which are now so profusely lavished upon the dead? Let us beware then of perpetuating this stain upon our nationlet us add to our other improvements, a willingness to appreciate and reward living merit, and, if we may

SO

express it, establish a Literary Sinking Fund to redeem the immense debt so long due to genius, which every generation seems to have included among the burdens of the next.

[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

Proceedings of Parliament.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

Monday, April 28.

LORD Darnley, in calling the attention of the House to the subject of the Academical Society, said, that no one of their Lordships could have imagined, that a case like that which he was about to notice would have been brought under the provisions of the seditious meetings bill. His Lordship referred to the steps taken by the Magistrates, and the refusal to grant to the Academical Society a licence, which has given rise to the present proceeding, which was to ascertain whether the proper interpretation had been put on that bill; and he thought this subject involved a most important question connected with the rights and privileges of the people of Great Britain. He hoped that he should receive an answer from the Noble Secretary for the Home Department, which would satisfy the House that the Magistrates alluded to had no authority for the conduct they had pursued, and he trusted that such expedients would not be allow ed in future, and that such a construction of the act would not be sustained.

Lord Sidmouth replied, that he was utter. ly ignorant of the circumstances of the case alluded to; but all he could say was, that there was no clause in the act in question which could justify such an interpretation as had been mentioned. It certainly never was the intention of the framers of the bill to put a stop to all political discussion.

Thursday, May 1.

Lord Spencer said, that he held in his hands a Petition from the Academical Society, complaining that a licence had been refused them. A satisfactory explanation having already been given, and as it was not in the power of the House to afford the relief prayed for by the petitioners, he should only move that the petition should be read. (This being done, it was afterwards ordered to be laid on the table.) His Lordship was much gratified by hearing the statement of a Noble Viscount opposite on a former evening that there was nothing in the act which could be construed as these Magistrates had construed it. It was highly necessary, however, that this opinion should be promulgated, to prevent such occurrences in future. June 1817.

Lord Darnley thought some measure should immediately be adopted on this subject, to prevent the act being misconstrued in future.

Friday, May 2.

Lord Egremont brought in a bill, which was read a first time, to allow the landlord to re-enter his premises after the tenant had deserted them six months, instead of twelve months, as the law now stood.

Thursday, May 8.

The Earl of Donoughmore said, he had intended, last session, to have laid on the table the Catholic petitions, at an early period of the present session; and he did not wonder that a Noble Friend of his had expressed his surprise that he had not brought forward this important subject sooner. But he trusted he could satisfy his Noble Friend and the House, that he could not have brought forward this question sooner, as the whole body of the Irish Catholics had been employed, during the winter, in conciliating Parliament by every measure they could adopt; and it was certainly not for him to interfere with them, or to interrupt their schemes. He had, therefore, abstained from going into a premature discussion on the claims of the Catholics, when the parties most concerned were themselves discussing the best means of conciliating Parliament to accede to their claims. The Catholics had shewn that their wish was to conciliate both Houses; for they had endeavoured to meet the objections against them on the point of foreign influence; and he trusted they had gone the full length on that part of the subject required by both Houses of Parliament. To effect that most desirable object, the Catholics had devised an expedient, by making the appointments to their episcopal bench, and the other orders of their clergy, purely and altogether national. That expedient, he trusted, would do away all the objections which Parliament had hitherto entertained against their claims. In doing so, the Catholics had made no compromise of any part of their church discipline. Under these circumstances the question would now come before the House, he trusted, free from all those objections which had formerly been made against it. He was therefore surprised that a Right Honourable Gentleman, in another place,

bad

had stated, that from circumstances, foreign and domestic, the claims of the Catholics were more inadmissible than ever. If they wished for good government in Ireland, they would concede the claims of the Catholics. He instanced (to shew the spirit that prevailed in Ireland) a toast, given at a convivial party in Dublin-" The Pope in the Pillory-the Pillory in Hell, pelted with Priests by the Devil." If these claims were not conceded, there would be no end to these dissensions; and he was sorry, for the sake of his country, that any one was found in it capable of stooping to so monstrous and unchristianlike doctrine. He then presented a petition from the great body of the Catholics of Ireland, and another from the Catholics of the city of Wa terford. He would not fix a day for the discussion of this important question, because it was already fixed for discussion in another House, on a very early day. But if the claims of the Catholics should be thrown out in the other House, he hoped then their Lordships would consent to his fixing a very early day for the discussion of this question.

The petitions were then ordered to lie on the table.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Monday, March 17.

In a committee on the East India trade, Mr Robinson moved, that the same rights of direct or circuitous trade to the East Indies be granted to Gibraltar, Malta, &c. as to the merchants of the United Kingdom, with the exception only of the trade to China.-Agreed to.

Lord A. Hamilion presented a petition from Lanark, praying that all houses, dwelling-places, &c. under a rent of £.5, might be excepted from the window tax.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer must protest against relief being extended to Scotland, while England was called on to pay the same tax. If the tax did not operate fairly, it would become the House to make all possible inquiry, which he did not wish to impede, and he should be prepared to agree to a remedy, if any one could be equi tably provided.

Tuesday, March 18.

Mr Lyttleton brought forward his promi sed motion to call on the House to express its opinions of the pernicious tendency of lotteries, in encouraging gambling, &c. among the poor, observing, that they were the most expensive means of raising supply for the service of the country, £.810,000 being levied on the people to produce £500,000 for the state.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, i there were no lotteries, there would be gambling in worse shapes, such as little goes, &c. and added, that such was the situation of the country, none of the resour ces ought to be given up but on the strongest grounds.

After some remarks from Sir S. Romilly, Lord Castlereagh, &c. the noble Lord moved the previous question, which was car ried by a majority of 72 to 26.

Wednesday, March 19.

Lord Binning, in moving to bring in a bill for the Lunatic Asylums in Scotland, stated, as the motive for it, that at present a great many persons who laboured under this melancholy infirmity were wandering about the country, without any home, scoffed and laughed at by the ignorant and profane. In Glasgow and Aberdeen there were two very excellent asylums of this na ture. In the county of Mid-Lothian there were about 24 mad-houses, some of which contained only one patient; and one had as many as 27. He proposed that the terri tory should be divided into six districts, with a certain number of asylums in each, which should be placed under the superintendence of district surveyors. There were at present in Scotland 1550 lunatics in confinement, and about 2000 at large. He ac knowledged that the supply of money for carrying on such an important work was a delicate question; but he trusted that the expence would be small, compared with the advantages of it. He thought the most convenient method would be to levy a rate, so to be applied, upon the valued rental, the half to be defrayed by the proprietor, and the other half by the occupier.-Leave was given to bring in the bill.

Thursday, March 20.

SCOTCH COMMISSION OF INQUIRY.

Sir John Newport said, there was a statement in the report of the commissioners appointed to examine the state of the offices connected with the Court of Session in Scotland, which was a question that affected the privileges of that House. The Lords of Session had thought proper to refer to the parliamentary commission, directing them to examine into the state of certain offices, and to report to them, and not to parliament, the state in which they found them. This was an infringement on the privileges of the crown; but the commissioners had pursued a course much to their honour, and had submitted to the crown whether they should or should not comply with such an order. He must say that it was great presumption on the part of the Lords of Session thus to interfere.

The

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]
« PoprzedniaDalej »