more contracted than that of her all-commanding influence. On a field of battle equally remote from the two mothercountries, Britain possesses far superior means of transporting rapidly her arms and her defenders.

The ancient Romans drenched the fields and towns of Europe, Asia, and Africa, in blood. Brandishing a torch with one hand, and a sabre with the other, nothing could sto them in their career by land; but, when they had com. pleted their military arrangements, had achieved their feats of wide extended ruin and desolation, when numberless devoted countries had experienced the triumphs of their arms and intrigues, how were their means of defence efficaciously adapted to the extent of their conquests? It required 800 years for the malignaut genius of Rome to destroy the liberties of mankind; at length, their armies, scattered over an immense frontier, deprived of the means of mutual communication, unable to provide and facilitate resources, prompt for the purposes of transport and concentration, sunk in the conflict, after an unavailing resistance to barbarians altogether ignorant in the art of war. The British empire has within itself a principle of resistance in a commercial force, in the peculiar nature, dispositions, and manners, local situation and circumstances, of the people, which must ever be taken into consideration in estimating the value of forms of government comparatively.

Sages of every age and country, however they may think differently, study the power of nations in their political system, as a naturalist would study any remarkable phenomenon of the earth and atmosphere, or a geometrician mathematical truths, to know their principles and discover their consequences.

As far as our knowledge of history extends, its materials exist in a greater degree than usual in a nation where the greatest corporeal and mental vigour, the most extensive knowledge, the most liberal sentiments, with intrepid courage and skill in war, are the most eminently conjoined. Our own times have seen, in Great Britain, the compatibility of all these with a very great attention to commerce. Britain has afforded a very striking instance of the power of commerce, as a source of defence, extending her protection also to other parts of the world against aggression, supported by unparalleled power and directed by extraordinary ingenuity. Philip of Macedon found a much greater difficulty in

reducing one detached commercial city than in humiliating Greece and conquering Thrace.

Travellers ought to be guided by a philosophical spirit, if they would give to their recitals the authority of history. We must enregister history among the sciences of observation, if we would recall it to its noble origin, and render it what it was in the times of Herodotus and Xenophon, Polybius and Tacitus; the knowledge of things and places expanded and illustrated by the pregnant sense which uniformly pervades the minute attention of personal inspection.*

A question here arises, by what means, by what labours, on what primitive bases, or by what adopted innovations, has this heteroclite species of the social fabric been successively raised, so as to be placed at present under the double protection of authority and reason? Would the like labours, would analogous means, where there is a difference of endowments, dispositions, talents, knowledge, inclination, and condition. throughout the different classes of their society, exalt other states to the same degree of power? This is a question of national policy which it imports all truly enlightened persons in other countries to know.

I will venture to assert that, as Trenchmen, it would be for the honour and interest of our country;-as friends of humanity, sentiments of justice and generosity should make us take an interest in the dignity, peace, independence, and happiness,of all nations, in whatever part of the globe nature may have placed the domicil of their natale solum.

Successes obtained in the government of the arts are similar to what are obtained in the government of men. Acquisitions may be gained by surprise, by fraud, by violence; but, to uphold and secure them, recourse must be bad to opposite measures. Courage, intelligerce, and activity, are indispensably requisite, but this is not all; it is by wisdom, experience, regular economy, extended views of improvement, and, above all, by probity, that a country will maintain its superiority in the productions of its industry and commerce. As far as my observation and experience

Advisenda loca, et mores hominum traveller, in the spirit of an historian, should cognoscendos, peragrare, historici est. "A pursue analogies, compare the respective laws and economy of states, observe and note their manners, habits, and local circumstances." Plutarch.

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Some advantage may be derived from further observing and penetrating into the genius of a state which, while in others it has remained torpid and inactive, or has been exerted in but few pursuits, has been here aspiring to eminence by several roads. Britain's sous are neither statesmen, nor soldiers, nor sailors, nor mechanics, exclusively. Her exertions are divided, but are not therefore the less successful. With the disadvantage of a small population; a greater proportion of her subjects are engaged in active employments than those of any other nation. With physical means so small, and with pursuits so various and complex, there is but little room for idlers. Her resources are the riches of all nations, which she knows how to appreciate and turn to her own account. The hopes of lucre only must give a tinge of meanness to the mind and manpers, but in England the incitements to commerce operate assisted by nobler motives. One main spring of action is a portion of public spirit generated by the excellence of public order, and by the inviolable protection of the laws.

In individuals we observe an irresistible ardour, an insatiable excitement to outstrip every rival, and especially to beat down foreign competition, personal and national. A Steady, methodical, and even frigid, activity; a well concertéd audacity, which, in the speculator, at tempts whatever a provident calculation (I had almost said divination) of chances, can offer for success, and to meet reverses. To these moral causes, may be added, rules of political and domestic œconomy, operating favourably for all interests, and as a stimulys and encou-. ragement for industry and talents of every description.

With respect to material causes, we may rank, in the first place, that of ready communications by means of public ways, and the requisite establishments and depois to facilitate the transport of articles, as well in the interior as in the vicinity of the coasts. In this very business of transportation, and in that of the exchanges effected by it; MONTHLY MAG. No. 3×6.

there is no small art employed. The subject-matter of these exchanges are the productions that industry creates. carried on between the commerce of England and that of other nations. Of these, one shall rise to distinction, by premeditated schemes of prudence and economy, another by the delicatesse and good taste of its productions, another by its audacity and activity. But they are separately overmatched by not possessing and exercising the influence of these strong means in combination.

It is in the labours of the interior that the example of England should be, primarily, copied by France. In the beginning of the 17th century, England had but few practicable roads, and no canals; and, in the ports, art bad addod nothing to the bounties of nature; queen Elizabeth, however, had already established an India company, and in her time the globe had been circumnavigated by Drake

one of those illustrious voyagers who ronted the Spanish Armada. This was the education of commerce; but what foresight could have predicted the lionours and the advantages since resulting from and attributable to it?

Under the ministry of Lord Chatham, in the course of the seven-years' war, the first stimulus was given to a few experiments, by which commercial business was so advanced, as to give rise to a brilliant assemblage of judicious and beautiful works, public and private, the execution and character of which every foreigner must now look at with as much interest as admiration. Under that splendid ministry commerce and internal industry flourished more during a most momentous period of war than in any other preceding period of peace to which they could be traced.

An individual of no obscure character, the Duke of Bridgewater, enters heartily into, the spirit of the general impulsion given to the stock of national activity, by forming the subject of an undertaking, then thought romantic, but since illustrated as of gréat éclebrity, and so conspicuous as to be distinguished in the page of history. This was by excavating a canal by which the produce of his mines might be conveyed to Manchester. It forms a complete and attractive view of art triumphing over nature.

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Soon after was projected a highly respectable performance in every point of view, a work eminently calculated to promote the purposes of navigation, by X.

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establishing a water-carriage communication between the Irish Sea, from Liverpool to the German Ocean. Taking these works for their bases, a superstracture of useful adjuncts has been built to complete their general accommodation, including the substance of different labours exceedingly expensive and diflicult. The design of uniting the Thames and the Severn was comprehensive, and the excention judicious. The enlightened spirit of modern times has also drawn a line of communication between the Trent and the port of London, with multifarious branches, and in a scientific order of arrangement. It must be confessed, that in the short space of half a century the patience and industry of a few united individuals have undertaken and accomplished what seems a compact entire mass of reciprocal intercourse, discriminated into different kinds, and with an attention ably directed to every particular consideration of utility, in its various relations and in, the most minute points. A conjunction has been effected between opposite seas, between the basins of opulent ports, between industrious towns, fertile countries, and inexhaustible mines, by a double system of canals for navigation, great and small, over an extent of a thousand leagues, on a portion of territory not equal to a fourth part of France.

To distribute water sufficient for the use of the inhabitants, as also the gas which produces a pure and brilliant light, so ornamental to cities, canals and conduits, ramified through an extent of 400 leagues, have been excavated under the streets of London.

The communications above ground are no less an object of prime solicitude. Improvements are daily making in the high roads, entirely new routes are concerted, the sum total of which, in point of length, would exceed 46,000 leagues in England alone.

While these labours are carrying on by laud, ports, basins, docks, are in a progressive course of construction. For the security of anchorage and landing, moles, jetties, pharoses, have been raised, of late, over more than 600 leagues of coast. Owing to these labours, merchant vessels, to the number of 22,300,, manned by 60,000 sailors, and of two millions of tons in capacity, hardly suffice to transport, from one coast to another, the superflux of interior circulation, including also the importation and exportation of foreign and national commodities.

Thus it is that England has been flourishing internally, while her enormous expenditure abroad had an ominous appearance, and augured, by divination, portentous signs of ruin. Confident of outstripping all her rivals in nautical exertion, she has relaxed, for three years successively, the restrictions of her navigation acts, leaving the maritime arena open to foreigners of every country.

What has the British administration done to form, with a kind of magic, these stupendous works? comparatively speaking, nothing. It is to the commercial spirit that we must refer all these operations and dispositions of human art. We need only to look at most of them to be convinced, that a native power of combination, in individuals, merchants, manufacturers, land-owners, by a consideration of their mutual wants, has conceived and planned undertakings, so as to secure their success, comprehensive and original in design, judicious and sound in arrangement, and masterly in execution.

Labours of this description have willin themselves, the means of most effeetually improving the aggregate of personal estates in all the various relations of business. Nature bas set liurits to territorial possessions, but those of industry are interminable. Thus, in the short interval of 60 years, property, to the amount of 500 millions, has been established in the firmest manner, and raised upon the general, foundations of roads and tarnpikes; a milliard, or a thousand millions, on rivers and canals; and another milliard on havens and points of the sea-coast. Citizens that have made these new acquisitions are held and linked together, as members of the same great society, by ties of interest as strong as those which influence the proprietors of immoveable property.

In England, many of the great families have descended into the ranks of personal industry, and the immense property of some individuals, by loans on undertakings that require considerable advances and long sacrifices, bas contributed to the fund of common utility. We might instance in a Duke of Portland, who has created an iron railway to a distance of ten miles, conveying the products of a mine, together with passen gers, to an artificial harbour, with basins, moles, and buildings, on the sea-coast.

In the cities of Great Britain, atevery step we are met by public monuments, raised by the munificence of a few opalent and generous individuals. A

wealthy

wealthy merchant built the Royal Exchange of London. The great aqueduct of the New River was constructed at the charges of a private citizen. The families of Cavendish and Russel have erected, on their own lands, in the finest quarters of the metropolis, squares as extensive as that of Louis XV., streets as regular as that of Castiglione, and more spacious than the Rue de la Paix, When a foreigner visits the hotels and

mansions of these patricians and rich plebeians, he is struck with the contrast of the expectations he had entertained, compared with the ingenuous negligence which he beholds in their houses and furniture, taking both in a collective view. The general picture may be justly considered and concluded as much the same with that of commón English gentlemen who dwell nearly upon the same spot.

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HE property of the Morning Chro nicle has been transferred within the month to Mr. Clement, for the unparalleled price of 40,000l. The amount sounds high; but it is the honestest and best-conducted paper in London; and, preserving its integrity, yields, as it deserves, from 7 to 8,000. per annum. Twenty-fourth shares in the Courier fetch nearly 2,000l.; and the Times yields about 20,000l. per an num from advertisements only. The increase of readers has rendered all standard literary property of higher certain value, and must tend to improve literature by heightening the recompense of successful exertion. We have recently experienced this in our Own concerns; having within the month obtained 20,000/. for a third of the interest in the books connected with the Interrogative System of Education. We therefore consider Mr. Clement as having made a prudent bargain, while his liberal views entitle him to special praise, from their tendency to exalt the value of literary property. Of the Morning Chronicle we can assert, of our own knowledge, that it is a paper sought for and found in all reading-rooms on the Continent, where its unvarying integrity and much-admired principles do more credit to the English nation than any other production of our press. At the same time, although it lost its parent in the late Mr. Perry, yet he had trained operative persons, by whom it was long conducted before his death, and by whom its reputation still continues to be upheld. The sale is second only to one of the London journals; and, as a paper read every where, by every body, and universally esteemed, we think most favourably of Mr. Clement's spirited purchase; and, from his liberal character, we

anticipate the improved fortune of this favourite journal.

Considerable interest has been exefted in the metropolis, and in all great and noisy towns, by the evidence of Mr. M'ADAM, before a Committee of Parliament; in which he asserts the practicability of making streets on the principle of his fine roads. The dis tracting and overwhelming noise of strects paved with stones renders any proposal worth trying, and would entithe HIM to the highest social rewards who contrived any means of getting rid of so intolerable a nuisance. In several miles of street in London, during many hours every day, no person can converse audibly at the distance of two yards; and often the rolling of heavy carriages is as distracting as the fire of artillery during an engagement on-board of ship. Hitherto there seemed no remedy, and, if Mr. M‘Adam has found one, he will rank among the greatest benefactors of society. The experiment is to be made in St. James's-square and on Westminsterbridge; and we hope it will soon be extended to Fleet-street, and Bridgestreet, Blackfriars. The saving of wear and tear in carriages aud horses, and the facility of enjoying equestrian exercise, would counterbalance all expense of watering in dry weather, and any increase of unlayed dust in windy weather.

CAPPER'S Topographical Dictionary of the United Kingdom, which has been delayed in being put to press by the non-completion of the populationreturns for Ireland, will now be reprinted with all the speed consistent with accuracy. It will include the last population returns of the three kingdoms, drawn from sources not yet before the public, accompanied by every variety of authentic and usefu! inform:

information relative to every district, town, and place, having a name, so as to justify the great public demand for a new edition. It may be expected to appear about January next, in large octavo, as before.

The continuation of Mr. BooтH's excellent Analytical Dictionary of the English Language is in the press, and the several parts will be published succéssively, at short intervals. The printing of the Second Part was no cessarily delayed for the purpose of calculating the number of copies that would be required.

The Governors of the Middlesex Hospital, having long seen with much concern the numerous applicants that are every week refused admission into the Hospital for want of room, unani, mously resolved, on the 7th of August, to open another of, the wards which have been hitherto unoccupied for want of funds. Countenanced by the munificent and almost unparalleled donation of 1000l. from Lord Robert Seymour for this express purpose, the governors have ventured with greater confidence to appeal to the liberality of the public, and solicit their contributions for forming a permanent fund for its maintenance: the annual expense of which will not be less than 5001. Books are therefore opened for donations; and, as this Hospital is one of the most efficient in the metropolis, there can be little doubt but the object will be speedily achieved.

Mr. H. V. SMITH is preparing for publication, a History of the English Stage, from the Reformation to the present time; containing a particular account of all the theatres that have been erected at different periods in the metropolis, and interspersed with various amusing anecdotes, &c.

Sir RICHARD PHILLIPS having completed the series of Elementary Books, in accordance with his Interrogative System of Education, and some other useful publications, upon which be has been commercially and mentally engaged for the last twenty-five years, has transferred the future sales to the public and the bookselling-trade to the respectable wholesale house of Messrs, WHITAKER; but he purposes to continue his long-established intercourse with the public through the Monthly Magazine, as long as his health and intellectual vigor permit.

Hora Momenta Cravenæ, or the Craven Dialect excmplified in Two

1°

Dialogues, between Farmer Giles and his neighbour Bridget, is nearly ready for publication; to which is annexed a copious Glossary of the dialect of Craven, in the West Riding.

An Asiatic Society of London is just formed, upon a very extensive scale, and is to comprise subjects not merely connected with Asia, (though this is the chief design;) but with all our possessions castward of the Cape of Good Hope.

The dishonest conduct of the speculations called Reviews has ofter demanded our animadversions; and in twenty-seven years we have so opened the eyes of the public in regard to anonymous criticism, as almost enfirely to have destroyed its craft. Te increase the effect, we commenced an article under the head of “PHILosoPHY OF CONTEMPORARY CRITICISM," in which we re-reviewed the epinions of those reviews, which had acquired an imposing influence on the public. Messieurs, the Critics, took alarm at this interference with their authority; and we have, in consequence, beca often bespattered with their abase. The parties who have evinced the greatest soreness, have been the conductors of the Edinburgh Review, who seem to ascribe their constantly diminishing sale, and influence, to our animadversions, instead of referring these effects to the progressive deterioration of their own work. We never approved of the arrogant tone of their compositions; but in their early volumes there was a degree of spirit and original thinking wlńch forced attention. At first the work was produced by young men of genius, now better employed; but latterly, as is notorious, the chief part of the articles have been the production of writers in London, paid by the sheet. The principles, too, have been as equivocal as the merit of the compositions; and hence a work of professedly worse principles, but decided in its course, has risen in circulation; while the other, which sought to please every party, has lost the confidence of all. We have regretted the fact, but done even less than we might to accelerate the result; because, of two exils we preferred the least. We have nevertheless experienced several instances of rancorous hostility from these parties; and, some time since, we received an indiscreet letter from one of the partners of Mr. Constable, (then

absent,)