dity of the arguments which may be adduced in fupport of the contrary practice. These arguments he claffes under five heads, viz. the prevention of ufury; the prevention of prodigality; the protection of indigence againft extortion; the repreffion of the temerity of projectors; and the protection of fimplicity againft impofition. On each of thefe grounds he fhews, clearly and fatisfactorily, that no juft and rational argument can be alledged in favour of the anti-ufurious laws. With equal force of reafoning does he point out the evils and mifchicfs which they have a tendency to produce. In the following part of the work, he ably defends the clafs of men called projectors, to whom this Country owes fo much for the improvement of her arts and manufactures, from the animadverfions which are thrown out against them by Dr. Adam Smith, in his celebrated work on the Wealth of Nations. The fubject of this treatife is exceedingly interesting and im portant, in a national view. And the argument and spirit with which the author attacks the principle of Our reftraining laws, will, probably, engage other ingenious writers in the ferious and public difcuffion of it. From fuch a difcuffion we may ultimately expect the most important and beneficial confequences. With respect to the language of this work, it is, in general, correct and perfpicuous; and though occafionally defective in elegance, it is by no means fo in pointedness and energy.

In the Elements relating to the Law of Infurances, by John Millar, jun. efq. Advocate," we have a valuable addition to the treatifes which have already been published on this fubject. The first part of this work relates to the circumftances requifite to produce a valid infur

ance; which are the form of the contract; and the accidental or defigned effects of fraud and error, in its form, from either of the parties concerned. To this part is fub. joined an enquiry, how far the par ties have a right to recede from their engagements. The second part is on the nature of an infurance-contract, and the obligations arifing from it; together with the fubject of average, which is clearly exa mined and explained. The third part is employed on the circumftances peculiar to infurance, which extinguish the obligation of the parties, and vacate the policy: to which is added, a chapter on the premium, and the return of the premium when the policy is vacated. In every part of this work Mr. Millar gives evidence of great profeffional industry and just reflection. His doctrines and opinions are fup. ported by authentic decifions; and the whole may be pronounced a ju dicious and perfpective guide to an acquaintance with this kind of jurifprudence. In the author's introduction we meet with many fenfible and useful obfervations on the contract of infurance; its nature, utility, hiftory, and fubjects.

Dr. Ruth of Philadelphia, in his "Enquiry into the Effects of Public Punishments upon Criminals, and upon Society," argues very fenfibly on the inefficacy of fuch punishments to produce reformation; as they are always connected with infamy, and destroy that fenfe of fhame in the mind, which is one of the ftrongest prefervatives of vir tue; as they are generally of fuch fhort duration, as to produce none of thofe changes in body or mind, which are abfolutely neceffary to re form obftinate habits of vice; and, as experience teaches us, that they rather tend to increase propensities

already been publifhed. Two of the fubjects on which he treats, will be particularly interefting at this time; thofe of reforms of office, and the crown lands.

Mr. Ruffel, folicitor to the board of commiffioners for the affairs of In dia, hath done a very acceptable fer vice to the Eaft-India company, and to those who are concerned in the affairs of that commercial body, by publishing "A Collection of Statutes concerning their Incorporation, Trade, and Commerce, and the Go vernment of the British Poffeffions in India, &c." This compilation, be fide poffeffing the merit which is due to patient and tedious enquiry, is recommended by a copious and ac curate Index, in which the matter is arranged alphabetically; and lays open to the public, for the first time, the bylaws, conftitutions, rules and orders, for the good government of the company, and an abridgment of the charter of incorporation, and other important grants.

Williams's "Compendious Digeft of the Statute Law, &c. from Magna Charta, to 27 George III." will recommend itself to gentlemen of the law, by the judgment and ac curacy which the author has difco vered, in compiling a copious explanatory Index to every act of par liament; and by the clear view which it affords of the progrefs of the legislature on the different fub jects which they have investigated.. "The Attorney's Vade-Mecum, and Client's Inftructor, &c. by John Morgan, efq. Barrister at Law, in Two Volumes," is defigned to facilitate practitioners in the law in an acquaintance with the method of profecuting and defending of actions. In the execution of this work, the author has chiefly adopted the plan of Comyns's Digest; while he has not neglected to avail himself

of Bacon's Abridgment; the lates reporters; and other works of ac knowledged merit and utility. He has, likewife, introduced many valuable obfervations, refulting from his own experience. As this work is drawn up in a plain and perfpicu ous manner, and all Latin terms are avoided, as much as poffible, it appears well calculated for general ufc.

Dogherty's "Crown Circuit Af fiftant: being a Collection of In dictments, Informations, Convictions before Juftices, Inquifitions, Pleas and other entries in Criminal and Penal Proceedings," is recommended as a ferviceable collection of prece dents, in the branch of special pleading to which it belongs. To this work is added, a Table, in which the different crimes are alphabetically arranged, and the ftatutes to which they relate, are accurately pointed out.

"The Marriage Law of Scotland ftated, by John Martin of Lincoln's Inn," is published with a view to afcertain with precifion, the law on a fubject of fuch great importance; which appears from fome late trials not to have been generally and ac curately known. In this work the author endeavours to fhew, from the authority of statutes, that no confent of parties, followed by mutual acknowledgment that no intercourfe of the fexes in confequence of a promife of marriage, is fuffcient to conflitute a legal matrimonial contract; but that its legality must be determined by actual folemnization, according to the rites of the church. It is a fact, however, that the decisions of the court of Scotland, have for a long period past, fupported, the oppofite doc trine: which decifions have been almost univerfally confirmed by the houfe of peers in England.

In pure Mathematics, we do not, recollect any publication during the prefent year, which hath a claim on, our attention. Among the produc tions of a mathematical nature, it would be unjust to overlook the "Tables of Intereft, from One Pound to Five Hundred Millions for One Day; by which the Intereft of any Sum of Money within thofe Limits, may be found with more Expedition than by any Tables hihitherto published. By Thomas Hurry." Thefe tables of intereft, as far as we have examined them, appear to be accurate and corre&; and to deferve the character claimed for them in the title page. To thefe fucceed other tables, fhewing the value of the parts of an hundred weight, beginning at one pound, at different prices, from 25 to 24. 45. per hundred weight; the value of one hundred weight, and one tun, at different prices per pound, the decimal parts of a foot, with its ufe in computing the tonnage of hips, &c. which are equally deferv. ing of recommendation.

Imifon's "Compendium of Arith metic; to which is added, the Art of Numbering by Numbering Rods, called Napier's Bones," is alio a perfpicuous and useful guide to an acquaintance with that art.

As Mr. Young's "Examination of the 3d and 4th Definitions of the First, Book of Sir Ifaac Newton's Principia," appears to have been enter ed into, from a total misapprehenfion of fir Ifaac's meaning where he fpeaks of the Vis Inertia of matter, a particular account of it, if it could be intelligibly given, is unneceffary.

With refpect to the "Elements of Tactics, and Introduction to Military Evolutions for the Infantry, tranflated from the original German, by J. Landmann, Profeffor of For

tification and Artillery to the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich," we know not where we can with fo much propriety introduce the meution of them, as in this department of our Regifter. Thefe Elements were originally written by a Pruffan general, whom the tranflator calls the Euclid of Tacticians. He begins his work with inftructions for teaching a recruit; after which, he proceeds to detail the evolutions of a battalion; and, in the next place, thofe of a whole corps. Many of his rules and obfervations will be found clear and fimple, and deferving of the attention of those officers who are defirous of more than a meer practical knowledge of their profeffion. These elements, and the leffons which they contain, are illuftrated by plates, which are accurately and neatly engraved.

[When we turn our views on the publications of Philofophy of the year, we perceive, with pleasure, the objects of enquiry more numerous, and the effays more important. Another collection must be now added to our Domeftic Literature, if the events of war will permit us to confider the fecond volume of the American Tranfactions lately published by that title. Yet we cannot forget out former connections; that the name of Franklin was once our own, and we wifh to retain it. We may also add, that as it is published in English, we cannot with propriety look on it as a foreign work: we muft, however, begin with our own collection.

Mr. Herschell, for Aftronomy muft begin with him, has enriched his favourite fcience with fome new and important difeoveries. The Geor gium Sidus, remote, and scarcely perceived by the unaffifted eye, he has found to be fimilar to the other planets, at a diftance from the fun,

in requiring the aid of fatellites: two have been found attending him in his orbit; and we may fuppofe from analogy, that more may be discovered. But when we confider the distance of the planet, and the difficulty of procuring fufficient light in the inftrument, it will be more furprifing that two are difcovered than that the rest fliould remain concealed. In our own fatellite, he has made an important difcovery, that there is a fource of light independent of the fun. He calls the Luminous fpots volcanos, with great reafon, and if a quibble can arife, it must be to the name. His filler fweeps the heavens," and in one of these housewifely employments, the difcovered a comet, which the deferibes. Her brother, fo far as obfervations will permit, traces its path; and Mr. Woolafton has applied his new fyftem of wires in obferving it in Auguft and September of 1786. Though it be not in the Tranfactions of our Royal Society, we may mention in this place, Mr. Hancock's "Aftronomy of Comets," published in this year, which gives a general account, and a fufficiently exact one, for popular enquiry, of thefe excentric planets.

On the fubject of Aftronomy, we ought to mention Mr. Bigge's very accurate Determination of the He liocentric Longitude of the defcending Node of Saturn," Kohler's " Obfer vations on the Tranfit of Mercury, obferved May 4th, 1786,"at Drefden; and the obfervations of the fame occurrence, at Petersburgh, by M. Rumoufki. Mr. Smeaton has alfo, in this annual volume of the Tranfactions, given an "Obfervation of the right Afcenfion and Declination of Mercury, out of the Meridian, near its greatest Elongation "; and Mr. Vince, by a method equally fimple and exact, has calculated the

"Preceffion of the Equinoxes."

Aftronomy owes fomewhat alfo to the American philofophers. In their Tranfactions, we are indebted to Mr. Rittenhouse for fome aftronomical obfervations, as well as for fome obfervations on a comet. The rev. S. Williams has given an "Account of the Tranfit of Venus over the Sun, as it was obferved at Newbery in the Maffachufett's;" and Mr. Patterfon has defcribed an "Eafy and accurate Method of finding the true Meridian, aud thence the Variation of the Compafs." To Mr. Rittenhouse we also owe fome calculations on a meteor, which Mr. Page had des fcribed; and to Mr. Belknap, an accurate defcription of an Aurora borealis. The correfpondents of the American Philofophical Society deferve alfo our attention. Mayer has inferted fome Aftronomical Obier. vations," in Latin, in this volume; and M. de Grauchain fome obfer vations on a folar and lunar eclipse, in French.

In the Philofophical Tranfactions we receive an account of the method followed, in determining the relative fituations of the Royal Obfervatories at Greenwich and Paris, a work of the greatest importance to aftronomy and ather fciences, and conducted in a manner which confers the higheft honour on the abilities and attention of major-general Roy; no mea furement of a fimilar kind, has hitherto, we believe, been carried on with fo much accuracy: and the difficulties which have occurred, will point out the best methods of avoiding fimilar ones, in other works of the fame kind, and add fomething to philofophical knowlege. M. Caffint de Thury afferted, without fufficient reafon, that the longitude of the Royal Obfervatory at Greenwich, was not determined with accuracy; but this affertion has drawn from the Aftronomer