Star.
London, England, 1801-10-28 00:00:00

REVIEW OF THE PRELIMINARIES.

&a—Paling by the door of my friend Mr. Thomas Becket,
buostriter, 111 Pail Mall, a few dap. ago, I picked up a paper
which fame carelefs fervant had dropt, and which, upon in-
fpertion, appeared to be a fbeet, or part of a elect, of one of
the Reviews, and from in being near Mr. Becket's door, molt
probably of the MONTULY Review, which that Gentleman
publifhea. I know not that I am ading a fair part in fending
this choke smoretali to you, but as it Is already printed, and mutt
therefore appear in the next Monthly Review, I am perhaps
only giving to the public a few days limner what they ne-
ectirdly Ave at the beginning of next month. &fides, If
mow greatly miftaken, the publication of • septa frofer,
arse be juftified by very exalted precedent. Without farther
preamble, therefore, I haft= to Mat:fruit a copy of this article
for your Paper, referving to myfelf the original, left I (tumid
be called upon to produce It.
THE PEAL! artii IEA OF PEACE, finprrial Folio,
price 250 Millions. Cade% Rivingtons, &c. &c.
tElot. •
This work, fo long expelted by thi Public, has
at length made its appearance. Of the author we
are ignorant ; he has chofen to keep his name a
fecret, and it is not the bufinefs of Reviewers to
unfold the myfteries of authorihip. Perhaps, like
the author of the Purfuits of Literature, he may
think that the merit of a work may be heightened
by public curiofity. Report (peaks loudly of this
being the produltion, not of one perfon, but of a
junto, who have long favoured the world with
publications of a very different kind.and fo much
art has vifibly been ufed in the compoftion of it,
that perhaps no one perfon can either acknow-
ledge or deny his being a principal (barer. Abun-
dance of curious information has been fent to us
in anonymous letters, and although it is not our
euftom to pay attention to fuch, we may, as mere
matter of curiofity, and perhaps as data for fu-
ture invefligators, inform our readers, that the
work was printed from the manufcript of a young
nobleman, who fills a high office in the State, that
part of it was correlted in a French band, and that
there were Come intellineations and erafures which
it is difficult to affign to any particular perfon—
One of our correfpondents, indeed, who fubfcribes
hirnfelf, a Priater's Devil, lays that part of the
MS. was written on the back of a letter with the
I.iverpod pgft.mark, bat ells may not be conclu-
five. Mr. PITT, we arr told, read the proofs,
and form think gave advice to the compofitors as
tp the proper typi, which contrary to the sufual
euftom in works of this kind, was not to be thee
•11 Eitz46, but a this, au egre and almoft etiorn-osit
Lono-lial ga.-.-Other eminent %writers are Paid
to have fumithed. their fupport, but as internal
evidence from their fanner. compofitions, is againft
this, we [hall not hazard conjegures that have lit-
tle foundation.
Of the work itfelf we know not how to (peak in
adequate terms. It certainly bids fair to be po-
pular, but not, we humbly prefume, becaufe It is
the bell of its kind : Since the eftablillament of our
Review we have Peen many better—but becaufe
there was an uncommon demand for fomething of
the kind, and becaufe in the prefent Rate of lite.
Nature, it is the heft we are likely to have. The
language has at leaft the merit of perfpicuity, a
very clear proof that Mr. PITT had not a princi-
pal )land in rt. It is indeed throughout eafily in-
aclligible, and teems to confirm the Paying of Dr.
Jorinsos, that no man will write well who does
not write from intyfriy. The ret atervia dowel is
frequently too apparent, and if it is not to that
alone we owe this work, it certainly quickened
the author's imagination, and made him dafh away
surresie edema
That the work is not entirely original, may be
*flirted without impugning the author's genius.
He who writes on a topic that has been handled
before, cannot eafily avoid beaten ground. Yet
if our author has borrowed, he has at leaf[ borrow.
ed from fources that are not generally known. He
appears to halm Itudied the doarine of pare with
great attention : he has cleared ambition from all
Its unreafonable propenfities ; and, if we are not
greatly miflaken, has dipped once or twice in a
work net generally known, entitled, JiREMY
Wm rr I's Refloration of all Thirip." His fentiments
accordingly are uncommonly liberal; he has no
referve in his manner, unlefs in one or two intlances
of little confequence, and -where convinced he is
in the wrong, he gives up the point with the air
of a man who cannot, or knows not how, to re-
tain it. It was expeeted that la: would have pro-
fited by the labours of a brother author, who pub-
lifhed, a few years ago, fome P.lfays at Paris and
Lille, but thofe publications he has either not Peen,
or wholly difregarded. The prefent fy gem is
therefore Juftly entitled to be conlidered as novel
in this country; and we fhould fuppore, will meet
with few opponents. Where an author has done
his heft, it would be unjufl to expelt more from
him. If there are others who think they can do
better, the prefe is open, and truth will not fuller
by difcuftion.
There is one circumfiance, however, to which
we mull advert, although prima facie it may not
teem to be within our province. Yet, as guardi•
ans of the book•buying world, we know not that
we thould be juftified in yielding to mere civility
any point in which they are concerned. We al-
lude to the price of this work, which is certainly
enormous, and out of all proportion. It may in-
deed be exciifed by the general rife in the materi-
als ; the author in a few lines of preface hints
fomewliat to this pus pore. Allowing all this, we
Rill may all, What is there in it that might have
prevented its being puhlifhed two, three, four, or
even five years ago, before that vall rift took place
on every article ? Did the author really think it
neceffary to taLe the poet's advice, and keep his
work nine yari in his clofet ? If authors, from pride,
or caprice, or an afTcaed modefty, or any other
caufe, will keep back their works, and publifli at
a dear tame, it is not very reafonable in them to
espat that the world will pay them for outftand-
ing intereft of money. ilaving offered thcfe ob.
jettions, in which we are convinced we only anti-
cipate the public voice, v.e ink it but fair to fub-
join the following extras from the prif a e. le..v-
ing it to our Readers to admit the apo:ozy, or
not, as they pleafe :
6. Pref. p. ilea.—That this work &mild have ap.

peett:d mile! cannot-be denied. Yet the delay is
o .1,1(11) imputable to the author. The fait was,
war the PRINTIR had, fume time ago, a let of
:rim who flruel for fume trifling reafon or other,
and refitted to compote a tingle line of the work.
In this dilemma, he was tinder the neceflity ofem-
ploying his 'prentiees on it, who, though they were
mid of them raw lads, ju ft come from fchool, and
had done little but carry proofs to authors, &c.
got up the work with tolerable correftnefs, and
indeed in a manner wholly unexpeiled."
Excufes like this which arife from finer neceffi-
ty, candour mutt admit ; and it is but jullice to
aid that the lilt of errata is not very copious, al•
though tome of the articles are of fuch importance
that we flatter onrfelves we (hall perform an accep-
table fervice by pointing them out—p. to 6, fcr
Grand Monarque read Chef Confid—a little lower
down, for indemnity read cegion—p. to, for ancien
regime read Colon, and for Bourbon read Trinidad—
for Social Order read French Rtpulfic--Lerrors of lets
import, as all lies for Allies, readily will occur to the
reader, and need not be pointed out.
The paper and print of this work are much in-
ferior to that of Mr. Small Pybits'•beatttiful Poem,
The Soviet IGN. Indeed there k nothing in this
which reminds us of the Swereign. With there
objections, however, which in critical propriety,
we could not have • with-held, this work bids fair
to be popular, particularly on the Continent.

Prom tie LONDON GAZETTE, Ofider 27.

MILITARY PROMOTIONS.

WAR-OFFICE, OCTOBER 27.
toth Regiment of Light Dragoons--(leorge &Act:vie, Cent.
to be Cornet, without purchafe,vice Souter, promote&
t 7th Ditto—Cornet James Annefley to be Lieutenant, without
' purchafe, vice Long, who retires.
35th Regiment of Foot—Major William Howe Campbell to
be Lkutenant-Colonel, by purchafc, vice M'Alifter, who
retires; Captain Chriftopber Clargea to beMajor, by pur-
chafe, vice Campbell
37th Ditto—Richard Walton, Gent. to be Enfign, by parade,

vice Hazlevenoil, Promoted.
60tis Ditto—Lieutenast Hugh Montgomery, from the tyth
Light Dragoans, to be Captain, by purchafe, vice Auftin.

promoted. _
87th Ditto- George Wathen, Gent. to b: Enfign, by parchafe,

_ •
vice Davis, who retires.
suit Ditto—Dugald Campbell, Gent. (late a Lieutenant in the
AroWhite Fencibles) to be Entign, without purchak, vice

i Colln*, promoted,
Loyal Garrifon Battalion--Enfign Chiles Atkinfon, from the
Half pay of the late Royal Garrifon Battalion, to be Enfign,
vice Wetherhead, promoted ; W. A. J. Crawley, Gent. to be

Enfign, vke Salter, acceded.
Captain Nugent's Third Levy—Richard Farrell, Gent. to be
Enllgn, with Rank in the Army, to long only as he &all be
employed in the (aid Levy.
BREVET.

Colonel Thomas PiEloti3Of the 56th Foot, to be Brigadier-
General in the Mind of Trinidad only.
STAFF. . _

Captain Chutes Irvine, of the 6zd Foot, to be Deputy Adju-
tantaGeneral to the Forces Rational in the Ifland of jamaita,
wish the rook of Major in the Army, vice Noble, dectstfcd.
William Potts, Efq. late Major of the Sth Foot, to be Paymalter
of aßecrulting DiArid, vice Mathew., appointed Major of

Cheirea HorpiaL
-
tR Devonfhire Regiment of Gentlemen and Yeo-
manry Cavalry.
John Sander,, Gent. to be Cornet, vice Chave, who ragas.
Benjamin Hodge, Gest. to be Surgeon.
Liverpool Light Horfe Volunteers.
George Mather, Gent. to be Surgeon, vice Brown, decoded.
Royal Mid-Lothian and Edinburgh Volunteer
Cavalry.

Cornet Henry Jamiefon to be Captain of a Troop, vice Pan-
das, promattd.
Cornet William Rama), to be Lieutenant, vice Trotter, who

ragas.
George Ramfay, Gent. to be Comet, vice Ramfay.
Eaa Regiment of Somerfetthire Gentlemen and
Yeomanry Cavalry.—Martock Troop.
Lieutenant Wiwam BaD to be Captain, vice Bain, who reflgns.
John Rice Wood, (lent. to be Lieutenant, Vitt Ball.
Henry Cary, Gent. to be Cornet.
Beaford Company of Volunteers.
Francis Handford, Gent. to be Hilt Lieutenant.
WiLum Webber, Gent. to be Second Lieutenant.

Royal Cheviot Legion.
Major Henry Homage St. Paul to be Liemenant-Colonel
Cuptzin George Hughes to be Major, vice St. PauL
To be Captains--Lieutenants '1 homas Bell, vice Hughes
Robert Cuthbert.; Ralph Compton; William Nate ; Ralph

Sanderfon; and William Barber. .
To be Lieutenants—Enfign Thomas Selby, vice Bell; Edward
Werge, Gent. vice Cuthbert; 'rhomas l.iddle, Gent. vice
Compton; Jac-ph Darling, Gent. vice Nelfon ; Henry Bar-
ber, Gent. vice Sanderfon ; Richard Lcadbitter, Gent. vice

Bather.
To To be Enfigna--Anthooy Headley, Gent. Thomas Sanderfoo,
Gent. John Ernblcton, Bent. William Hogg, Gent. vice
Jobfon, fuperf-iled.
North Devon Volunteers.

William Carter, Gent. to be Second Lkatettatn, vice Hatherly,
pron.cced.
sd Regiment of the Royal Earl India Volunteers.
Francis Gray, Gent. to be imfign, vice Gras, promoted in
the Company of Artillery.
Edinburgh Royal Highland Volunteers.
Andrew Sivewright,Gent. to be imllyn, vire Brown, promoted.