The National Register.
London, England, 1818-12-07 00:00:00

MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1818.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE.

THE PAMPHLETEER.

The Twenty-Fifth Number of the Pamphleteer
having appeared, we shall, as usual, lay before our
readers.a briefanalysis of its content :
The first talkie is a Letter frot3 Mr. Brougham to
the late lamented Sir Samuel l'anniiv, upon the Abuse
of Charities ; the merits of which, it having already
gone through nine rditioosa. it. is, ociallcss fur us to
dwell upon, though we rejoice to see it given to the
Public in every possibledshupe, before the important
subject on which it treats is again submitted to the
consideration of Parliament. To this letter may be
added, as illustrative of the same subject, a letter to
Henry Brougham, Esq. which is the last article in the
present number, from a Muster of Arts, of Queen's
College, Oxfitrd, upon the best method of restoring
Decayed Grammar Schools. This is an original pro-
auction, now for the first time made public, though
the information which it contains was collected bethre
the publication of' Mr. Brougham's letter to Sir Samuel
Ilmnilly, ia consequence of the laudable exertions made
by the Author himself, towards restoring the rights of
an ancient f;rainticar School. in the South of England.
Among other excellent remarks which are brought for-
ward, we particularly admire the author's anxiety to •
do away the attempt which has been made to construe
the receipt of parochial relief into an incapacitation
from receiving gratuitous education. Most justly dots
he obserte, that it would indeed "be impolitic to deny
to a degraded population, the means of rescuing a next
generation from the same lot."
The next subject of importance in this number is a
pamphlet on the Affairs of SontrArnurica; by a Mr.
Buckeriage, son of the late American Judge of that
name, and Secretary to the Commission recently ap•
pointed by the American Government, to South Ame-
rica. The writer is a warm advocate for the emanci-
pation of the Patriots, and when it is considered what
great advantages the commerce of England may derive
front their fixing heir independence on a sure basis, we
presume much less eloquence and force of reasoning
than he has displayed would suffice to bring the bulk
of our readers aver to his opinions.
Connected in a great measure with the same subject,
possessing equal claim an our sympathy and respect, are
the " Political Remarks' of the Baron de Vastey, Pre-
ceptor to the Prinea Royal of Hayti, " on some French
Works and Newspapers, concerning that Kingdom,"
which have been translated exclusively fur the Pamph-
leteer, and will be found calculated to awaken a lively
interest our the people whose cause they advocate with
equal energy of feel.ng and strength of argument .
" Romau Catholic Principles in reference to God and
the King, by the Rev. John Kirk," is another article in
this number, well deserving of commendation, as cal-
culated to do away the unjust reproaches which are
more disgraceful to the parties who make them, than
to those against whom they are levelled. It is a re-
publication front the original edition of I 680, and is
one of the nomerons instances of judicious selection by
which the work bethre us i:; distinguished.
To this article succeeds otte 0111 very different com-
plexion, entitled, " Modern a:a'adies, and Present
State of .(!slicine. Being the Anniversary Oration,
deli.ered March 44. 1918, before the Medical Society of
London. I;v 1). Uwin,, M. I).'' Dr. ['wins is very
facetious upon " the ills that flesh is heir to," and so
long as we contiaue free from any of them ourselves,
We IllaV be ready to grant that he is very witty also—
and to hope that he may find among his patients those
who arc cl the s cite opinion with one of Mulierc's char
meters.
Voila un Malecin qui tie plait !
Jewnse reii.sira. cavil eat hcattan."

nomy.

To the Doctor's Oration succeeds some very valuable
Observations on the Inipolicy, Abuses, and False
Interpretation of• the Poor Laws. and on the Reports of
the f wo Houses of Parliament, by Joint Earl of Shef-
field."
This Nobleman has, with the most praise-worthy
a..civity, devoted :he time .vhich he wus prevented, ty
from Aioilig; to his Parliamentary duties,
the lei M SC:4.. toll, to drawing up an account, ty,a
niy 1,1 the• i:l•uts lie has devised f'or the ICS.lening of Our
Poor linter, mad improving our national e:l;:rActer,
which ha, so gr•eutly deteriorated tinder their ialtiendc;
but also of the ;Tactical effects which he has witnessed,
cluing the exp-•rteucc of forty-tight yours as a asagis-

duri

PR icr. 94d.

hate, of the wise and salutary regulations which he has
made in the Parish of immediately under Ins
own eye. Not only his time, %tat his money also, has
been expended in the real service of the poor—not
mere idle alms-giving, but in solid works for their ad,
vantage, and we think no one will rise from the peril-
sal of Lis " Observatiew," without feeling that :a a
politician and a hem:tie:tor he it; equally entitled to the
gratitude of all ranks of people.
Another veteran. in the cause of Public Good, is the
Right Hue. Sir Julin-Jiimeinir, trite herlases
number at Collection of Papers on different sebteets, via.
`• Hints regarding the Policy of establishing a Colony
on a great scale at the Cape of Good Hope,• and the
advantages to be derived therefrom." " Hints regard-
ing the renewal of the Charter of the East India Com-
pany." A Letter "To the Committee of Merchants
interested in the Warehousing or Banding System," and
another " Lo the Proprielors of the Public Funds in
general, and ofNßank Stock in particular."
The only article that remains to be mentioned in this
number is Mr. Cooke's " Thoughts on the Expediencyi
of Repealing the Usury Laws ;" a subject which has ot
late greatly engaged the attention of the public, and
to which it is much to be hoped the consideration of the
Legislature will be seriously turned, as it is o .e of the

greatest importance to our commercial interests—it is
well handlut! by Mr. Cooke, who takes the same view

of it which been given by Mr. Bentham, and some
other of our bust writers on Matters of Political Em.

The Barbadoes papers inform us, that some strong
legislative provisions have been made throterhout our
islands, against the practice of that species of negro
witchcraft which is familiarly termed " putting► Obi
upon its victims." •The superstition in question is
fraught with the most serious evils; it is the,, anamon
link of every foul conspiacy, and has been usadi Out
instrument of the most atrocious and dreadful crimes.
The penalty of death has, therefiro, been enacted
against those who professand prnrti•;e theOhordi system,
QS the only means of checking it•; enormities, until
the slow progress of education and religion shall su-
persede, in the yet untaught minds of the negroes, the
now salutary terrors of legal punishment.
The advices in these Papers from Ceylon are to the
28th of June. Though tranquillity had not been re.
stored at that period, the insurgents arc stated to have
met with several cheeks. General Brownrigg had so
far recovered from an illness of four months' continua.
tion, as to be able to go out in his palanquin. Captain
Prater and four privates were drowned in the river,
near Candy, on the 11th of Juno. Accounts arc said to
have reached Calcutta front China, of a partial failure
of the tea corn.

A Washington Paper, of the 26th of October, says
The Convention of the State of Illinois, in form.
ing their Constitution, have declared that I no persoo
shall be imprisoned for debt, unless upon the refusal yi
deliver up his estate fim the benefit of his creditors, in
such manner as shall be prescribed by law, or in c.e.es
where there is strong presumption of fraud.' Thus the
youngest sister of the flintily has attempted what 0t1,./.%
have recoiled from, in respect to their relations of deb•
tor and creditor; ms the next youngest (Mississipp')
has done in . :.gattt to usury. If these experiments
Mal, it is to he hoped that the nations of the Conti-rt.t.
ration will not be too proud to follow the examples
thus sot."
Acumnts have reached Lloyd's, that four Spanish
vessels, richly laden, coining out of La Guira, bud
been taken by the Insurgents, and catried into Mar-
garetta
A tumour has been circulated, that an Anicriesu
vc.isel has been in Davis's "triits and Ilaffiti's-bay, nitaec
our discovery ships ; that :.br entered Sir James L 3,1.
caster's Sound ; kind upwards of 100 fiithoms
the water warmer, and was proceeding wish a strong
hope of' finding a passage through the Suomi to I3•:hr.
ing's Strait:.
The Dulo of Wellington arrievd on the 20th 1:!r: at
Pari::. His Grace was exp.:

days for I.onilon ; and mom
nmors, Le is, nut likely to viyii

time. •
Fritlay, n Cint,t of I)lrocter%
India-1)011w, when Capt•iin A.
into the c.,tittniiii oldie ship
Heleas, 130'4'1)11y, stud China.

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