E

that run in a north-west direction, dipping in various inclinations, to the fouth, and contain at a certain depth a limestone refembling marble; which is split into numerous fiffures and filled with petrifactions of marine bodies; fuch as the entrochi the cornua ammonis and other kinds of animals and plants ufually found at great depths in the fea. Mr. Rafpe concludes hence that the sea muft have heretofore covered this part of the country, and that to a confiderable depth.-For the fiffures and different inclinations of the ftrata he accounts, by fuppofing them the effects of earthquakes.

For the accumulation of mountains over the calcareous ftrata, thus fuppofed to have been formerly at the bottom of the fea, he accounts by farther supposing that they have been the effect of fubterraneous eruptions. This fuppofition he maintains by arguments plaufible enough to prove fatisfactory to fuch, as, being curious after hypothefes, are willing to take up with the moft probable, the fubjects affords. It is fact, he obferves,

"That fubterraneous fire, and its many fucceffive eruptions, have raised or heaped together the ftill burning Mount Etna and Vefuvius. on the limeflone ftrata in Sicily and Italy, accumulating both these mountains to an elevation, and to an extent, which even surpass that of the Habichwald. It ftill continues to work in the volcanos in Iceland; and there is no good reafon to deny the poffibility of other European volcanos, fituated between Iceland and Etna, and burning in former times, There have been found of late many diftinct volcanos in Italy, ftampt with vifible marks of ancient burning, though never fpoken of in hiftory. Why fhould not Germany then, as well as Italy, fays he, afford phænomena of the fame nature? The sea, which covered these parts, and many others in the continent, will not, I hope, be alledged againft this fuppofition, and thrown upon it to quench the German volcanos; fince the ftill-burning volcanos are generally fituated in the midft of the fea, in islands, or near the fea coaft, and even seem to want sea-water to raise, and to support their very flames. It would be unfair to conclude, or to cavil any thing againft their former existence, from the filence of hiftory; because ten thousand things may really happen every day, and pafs unnoticed; and German hiftory, in refpect to the long feries of former forgotten ages, begins but from yesterday-from Cæfar, Drufus, and Germanicus, our generous conquerors, or from S. Bonifacius and Charles ths Great, our ungenerous apoftles. In this light I certainly am allowed to venture that hypothefis, which not only is a poffible, but even feems to be a neceffary fuppofition, fince, befides the above mentioned infufficient natural caufes of fuperincumbent mountains. There have been to this time no others known at all."

The filence of history is certainly no reasonable objection to the truth of a fact, that took place in all probability long before the records of any hiftory extant. Indeed we regard the utility of

these

thefe enquiries, fo far as they are merely hypothetical, to be very doubtful, whatever practical ufe they may be of to miners, builders or others, who may thence deduce materials for the improvement of their respective arts.

S.

The Diarian Mifcellany: confifting of all the useful and entertaining Parts, both on Mathematical and Poetical, extracted from. the Ladies Diary, from the beginning of that Work in the year 1704, down to the year 1773; with many additional Solutions and Improvements, by Charles Hutton, F. R. S. Profeffor of Mathematics in the Royal Military Academy. 6 vois. 12mo, 11. gs. bound. Robinion,

This work is advertised to be fold either whole, or in parts; that is, the Diarian Mathematics, as it is called, in 3 vols. 155. -The Diarian Poetry, in 2 vols. 9s.-And the Mathematical Miscellany, in one volume, 5s. A more particular account of its nature and plan is given in the preface, as follows:

"In the first three volumes are included all the mathematics, both questions, folutions, tracts, and eclipfes. And here folutions have been carefully fupplied where they were wanted, the erroneous ones corrected, and the obfcure ones explained and elucidated: alfo to the annual calculations of eclipfes are added accounts of the obfervations made of the fame eclipfes, collected from various publications, which it was thought might be of ufe in fhewing the degree of nearness in the tables from which the calculations had been made, when the computers were fuch as might be depended on; all which additions are printed in a fmaller type by way of notes, at the bottoms of the pages; fo that the text or work itself is regularly difpoled without any interruption from them. All the parts are printed after the order of their dates; by which difpofition it very readily appears what each year's original Diary confifted of, and from which it might again be eafily recompofed and thrown into its original form. The running-titles at the tops of the pages, are fo contrived as to fhew both the particular fubject there treated on, and the year's Diary to which it belongs, the number of years it is from the beginning of the work, and the author or compiler of the work for that year. From these titles it appears that the feventy years include a fucceffion of five different authors, viz. Mr. John Tipper, the original projector and beginner of the work, from the year 1704 to 1713, inclufive: Mr. Henry Beighton, from 1714 to 1744; Captain Robert Heath, from 1745 to 1753; Mr. Thomas Simpson, from 1754 to 1760; and laftly, Mr. Edward Rollinfon, from 1761 till his death in 1773. These are all the nominal authors that have conducted the work during the different years of its existence but befides them, there were fome other perfons who have been, at different times, partly concerned with them in its management; so it is faid, that for fome years before the death of Mr.

:

Beighton,

Beighton, the mathematical parts were compofed by his friend Mr. Ant. Thacker, as being a better mathematician; and that for fome time before and after his death, the enigmatical parts were managed by his amiable wife."

The 4th and 5th volumes contain the poetry of the Diary; at the end of which is added a lift of the fubjects of all the enigmas in chronological order. The critical reader will probably agree with us, in looking upon these volumes as the least valuable part of this re-publication.

The fixth volume is a new work of the fame nature as the original Diary. To this is added also, a lift of all the mathematical writers in that publication: to which is added an appendix, containing improved folutions to fome of the questions. On the republication of a work fo well known as the Ladies Diary, it would be fuperfluous in the Reviewers to make farther obfervation.

S.

An Effay on the Origin, Progrefs and Establishment of National Society; in which the Principles of Government, the Definitions of phyfical, moral, civil, and religious Liberty, contained in Dr. Price's Obfervations, &c are fairly examined and fully refuted; together with a Juftification of the Legislature, in reducing America to Obedience by Force. To which is added an Appendix on the excellent and admirable in Mr. Burke's fecond printed Speech of the 22d of March, 1775. 8vo. 3s. Bew.

A closely-printed differtation, confifting of two hundred and twelve pages, in answer to Dr. Price's celebrated pamphlet on Civil Liberty. If the difpute were not feriously fatal in its confequences, it would be really pleafant, to obferve the dexterity, with which the writers on both fides the question, handle the political argument refpecting the Americans.-To ufe the language of play, in fpeaking of fuch fad work, it affords indeed fine sport to see how the doctor of phyfic prescribes for the doctor of divinity. We hope the operation of fo draftic a purge on the body will have a good effect on the fpirit, or we should be in pain for the whole of his little reverence's perfonage. Such a meek man of God, as the whiggish Dr. Price, could not have fallen into worse hands than those of that violent devil of a tory, Dr. Shebbeare. And yet we think the latter muft, as the phrase is, be well fet to work to think the petty pamphlet of the former worthy of fo voluminous a comment.

As this writer, however, is always fpirited and entertaining, perhaps more fo when he is got on the wrong fide of the argument, we should be unjust to our readers not to give them leave to judge for themselves whether, at prefent, that be the cafe or

not.

VOL. III.

Eee

Dr .

Dr. Price, having thought proper to proceed ab initio and deduces his principles of civil from phyfical liberty, Dr. Shebbeare has, with much propriety, recurred back just as far, to take him up on his own original ground.

The colonists in America, fays he, and their confederates in Great Britain, being fairly driven from the ground which they firft affumed fortheir vindication of rebellion; and confcious that the crown cannot conflitutionally poffefs a right, by charter, to establish communities of Briti fabjects, independent of the national legislature, to which the king himfelf is fubject, do, neverthelefs, pertinaciously perfil in their unnatural oppofition to that fupreme authority. Dr. Price, therefore, fteady to the good old caufe of his prefbyterian ancestors, revived and foffered by the fanatics in New England, fteps forth, the ayowed and ftrenuous champion of their rebellion.

6

6

"In fpeaking of the present war, between this kingdom and her colonies, p. 32, he begs that it may be attended to, that he has chofen to try this queftion by the general principles of civil liberty, and not by the practice of former times, or by the charters granted to the colonies. But he wishes to have the queflion brought to a higher teft and furer iffue. The queflion, with all liberal enquirers, ought to be, not what jurifdiction over them precedents, ftatutes, and charters give; but reafon and equity, and the rights of humanity give. This is, in truth, a queftion which no kingdom has ever be fore had occafion to agitate. The cafe of a free country branching itfelf out in the manner Britain has done, and fending to a diftant world colonies, which have there from fmall beginnings, and under free conflitutions, of their own, increased and formed a body of powerful ftates, likely foon to become fuperior to the parent ftate. This is a cafe which is new in the hiftory of mankind, and it is extremely improper to judge of it by the rules of narrow and partial policy, or to coufider it on any other ground than the general one of reafon and juftice.'

"On this ground I propofe to meet Dr. Price. The question fhall again be brought to this higher teft: when, from a comparison between his fentiments and mine, a ftill furer iffue may refult, whether reafon and equity and the rights of humanity can fupport his principles of civil liberty, or whether they give to the fupreme legiflature of this nation a right of refifting it by arms.

As Dr. Price affects to deduce his arguments from those principles which alone, in his opinion, can form the true foundation of all juft government, and from thence to eftablish a plenary juftification of the American revolt, he says, p. 2. In order to obtain a more distinct and accurate view of liberty, as fuch, it will be useful to confider it under the four following general divisions. First physical liberty.Secondly moral liberty. Thirdly religious liberty-and fourthly chil ' liberty. Thefe heads comprehend under them all the different kinds of liberty, and he has placed civil liberty laft, because he means to apply to it all he shall say to the other kinds of liberty.'

.

** Suck

66

Such being the Doctor's divifions of liberty, he proceeds to give a definition of each of them. As I mean not fuperficially to treat the fubject contained in his obfervations, and as he, profeffedly, intends to apply to civil liberty all he fhall fay of the other kinds," it becomes expedient that these definitions be not inattentively examined. And, if the refult of this difquifition fhall prove them to be erroneous, impracticable and fubverfive of the ends of national fociety, as they, confeffedly, include the principles on which he grounds his juftification of the American refiftance, there can exift but little reafon peace-meal. to demolish that edifice which he has thereon erected. The foundation being fapped, the whole fabric neceffarily tumbles into ruin. To effect that end fhall be the endeavour of this enquiry.

6

By phyfical liberty," p. 3. he means that principle of Spontaneity or felf-determination, which conflitutes us agents, or which gives us a command over our actions, rendering them properly our own, and not the effects of the operation of any foreign caufe: and, P. 4. ⚫ in all these cafes' (the four divifions of liberty) there is a force, which ftands in opposition to the agent's own will, which as far as it operates, produces fervitude in the firft cafe' (phyfical liberty). This force is incompatible with the very idea of voluntary motion, and the fubject of it is a mere inftrument, which never acts, ⚫ but is always acted upon.'

"In order to determine the juftnefs and precision of this definition, fo peremptorily laid down, Dr. Price fhould have previously explained the ends of man's exiftence: the fituation in which he is placed, not only respecting those of his own fpecies, but of all other beings, whether they be animal or vegetable, and the earth itself. At the fame time, ought he not to have delineated the faculties, both mental and corporeal, of that being who enjoys this phyfical liberty? On the contrary, he has confidered his definitions as felf-evident axioms, and thereon, as indifputable truths, erected his obfervations and doctrine of the antecedent liberties. The truth of thefe definitions, and the existence of fuch liberties, fo defcribed, I fhall prefume to examine. To that intent, it becomes requifite to analyse the human mind into its more diftinctive faculties, and to enquire into the motives and modes of their operations. For, without the previous knowledge of the human powers, by what means can the phyfical liberty of man be defined or determined. And without knowing the fituation in which he ftands, respecting the objects abovementioned, in what manner can his rights be afcertained?

I will, therefore, firft, confider him in that which is generally fuppofed to be his primaeval ftate, before the earth, and all that it produces and fuftains, were divided, and became the specific property of individuals and of nations, as an ifolate being; totally unaffociated with all others of his race; and abfolutely dependant on the exertion of his own peculiar faculties, for the acquiring of all fuch objects, as are, by nature, made indifpenfibly requifite to the ends and exiftence of fuch a creature. In proceeding from this primordial ftate, I fhall