of the characters which are here pourtrayed; but judging of their correctnefs from the portrait which is given of our own army, we are inclined to believe that there is fome inaccuracy with much juft delineation, and a very lucid illuftration of the fubject. We were much difappointed at the very fummary defcription which the author gives of the Pruffian army, of which we expected a history as well as a detailed account of its prefent ftate; for we have always been accustomed ro confider this army (how juftly perhaps may be doubted) as the fource of the modern fyftem of European tactics; we should there fore have been glad to have feen a comparison drawn between the improvements which have been made by the mafter and the fcholars. But after repelling, or rather extenuating, the charge of Jacobinism, which has been made against the Pruffian army, and telling us, "that the Pruffian generals have won every battle which they gave, and never experienced a check, but when they fuffered themfelves to be attacked (an exception is indeed fuggefted by the tranflator, in Champagne, where he infinuates, they retreated by a pont d'or), the author is hurried away into the vortex of French policy, and returns again to the Pruffians, only to affert, "that the fufpicions caft upon the Praffian army were nothing but a calumny invented by the enemies of that monarchy." His obfervations on the tactics of the Auftrian army, and the defects of their field artillery, are well worth the attention of this country. We believe, indeed, the objection here made to their battalion guns, has been in a confiderable degree obviated in our army, by the alterations which have taken place in the mode of harneffing the horfes, and of mounting the drivers. But we are forprised that we find no notice taken of another defect in the military fyftem of the Auftrians, to which the ill fuccefs of their efforts against the French, has been in a confiderable degree attributed. However urgent the neceflity of advancing or retreating may be, however expedient it may be to follow up a victory, or to regain the confequences of a defeat, the Auftrian army never moves until all the accounts of the expences incurred in its former pofition are completely made up and arranged by the different paymasters and officers of the quartermafter-general's ftaff. All who have been converfant in army accounts, know how much this tends to fupport that fyftem of economy, which forms the most prominent feature in the establishment of the Auftrian army; and if the rule was obferved, with proper exceptions, its utility would be very obvious; but in the extent to which it is carried, it has fre quently produced an effect directly oppofite to that which was intended, by protracting the war, and by the deftruction of the troops and the military ftores. The character of Suwarrow appears juftly drawn; of the other armies of Europe, full as much is faid as they deserve. We thall conclude with a fhort fpecimen of the style of the author and his tranflator, taken from the accounts of the French army. "C'est la maxime conftante de toutes les armées Françoises d'avoir une referve compofée des meilleures troupes, et commandée par un gépéral habile. Cette précaution prudente empêche que leur témérité dans bien des occafrons ne leurs devienne fatale. Les François com baltans battans d'après leurs propres difpofitions, ils ont la facilité d'avoir des referves. Ils manqueroient de troupes pour cela s'ils formoient des lignes étendues au lieu de les raffembler comme ils font, fur les point d'attaque auxquels ils reduifent les battailles. "Les troupes légeres commencent le combat. Si elles reuffiffent à déconcerter l'ennemi, elles le pouffent avec une vivacité, et une andace extrêmes. Le courage des individus eft en évidence, l'émulation naturelle, et la vanité nationale éxaltent les courages, et produifent des actions extraordinaries. Les François ont un tact très fin pour juger de la contenance, et difcerner les intentions de l'ennemi. Ils faififfent, avec jufteffe et promptitude, l'occasion de le pouffer, s'ils s'apperçoi vent qu'il chancelle, Plas d'une fois les tirailleurs ont décidé des af faires confiderables. Sont-ils repouflés? le corps de referve les reçoit, Il attaque ou foutient le choc. L'Infanterie, prefque toujours ferrée craint peu le cavalerie. L'artillerie de bataillon ne les inquiete pas beaucoup: l'effet eft peu confiderable fi elle tire a boulet; les artil leurs ennemis ne peuvent tenir contre la moufqueterie a la diftance ou il faut être pour que la mitraille des petites pieces faffe éffet." P. 17. "The French artillery preferves nothing but the name of what it formerly was. Their officers are ignorant, inexpert, and inferior to all others. The French give no field pieces to the battalions. The movements of the infantry, not being fubject to those of the artillery, are fo much the lighter; they repair this fault (if it may be called one) by placing their pieces according to the urgency of the moment, or the nature of the ground; and the want of fufficient numbers is compenfared by the flying artillery. This is compofed of the flower of their foldiers, who expose themselves without measure. According to the avowal of their best generals, this artillery has been one caufe of their fucceffes: it is fuperior to the common artillery, from the choice of the men who compofe it; it makes up for its want of ability and experience, by its boldness and rapidity of movement, and fup. plies the place of that quantity of artillery which generally burdens armies." P. 17. ART. 34. The Field Engineer's Vade-Mecum. By J. Landmann, Profeffor of Fortification and Artillery to the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich. Egerton. 1803. Never did we open a book which correfponded more perfectly with the title-page than this; and we do not fcruple to recommend it as one of the most complete epitomes of practical fcience which we lave ever feen. We do not point it out to the ftudies of the skilful engineer or geometrician, for it contains nothing with which they are not already well acquainted; but to the officer on fervice who has not been educated as an engineer, and to all perfons concerned in the menfuration of diftances, it will be found of the higheft utility. AGRICULTURE. AGRICULTURE. ART. 35. On the Improvement of poor Soils: read in the Holderness Agricultural Society, June 6, 1796; with an Appendix and Notes. By J. Alderfon, M. D. 8vo. 34 PP. 25. Vernor and Hood. 1802. "By decompofition and abforption, earth becomes vegetable; vegetable matter is no fooner decompofed in the ftomach of animals, than it is capable of being converted into animal matter; and, when farther eliminated and purified by the delicate organs of the human fpecies, reaches the utmost perfection of created intelligence." P. 13. Earth, vegetable, animal, immaterial-such is Dr. Alderfon's chemical conjuration! Having read this paffage, we looked back to the title of the effay, fuppofing it must be on the improvement of poor fouls; and having read it at breakfaft, we contemplated moft philofophically the goodly matter of the toast and butter before us; and then pathetically apoftrophized them-how long will it be ere ye are converted into Spirit! "The whole quantity of water that falls from the clouds ought to be employed in agriculture, and not allowed to run on to the ocean." P. 20. Within the prefent century, then, the channels of our rivers will be dry land. Conclufion: It will be poffible, in time, to bring every acre of ground into an almoft equal degree of value." P. 34. The Preface had prepared us to look for, what we have found in these and fimilar paffages, things wonderfully ingenious and new; for it fays, "the following paper was conceived in the moment of mental gratification." ART. 36. An Effay on the Converfion of Soils; Part of which has been fubmitted to the Honourable Board of Agriculture: together with fome Obfervations and Remarks on the Breeding of Sheep and Cattle. By Henry Hoyte, Land-Valuer, Farringdon, Berks. 4to. 44 PP. 23. 6d. Piggot, Farringdon; Kirby, &c. London. 1802. Mr. Hoyte converts foils in a way much lefs fanciful than that in which Dr. Alderson had improved them. "Laying afide all fpeculations, I fhall confine myself to a statement of facts." P. 2. Mr. Hoyte's inftructions are of a nature not very difputable; when he tells us, that "" ftrong clayey foils are always wet in the winter season, in confequence of the furface being of too denfe a quality to admit of the water making its way through." P. 3. And, that " strong foils require heavy cattle, and light foils lighter cattle." P. 40. Thefe, however, are not the best parts of the book, which contains fome ufeful fuggeftions, expreffed in the ftyle of a practical farmer. The moft obvious general remark upon this tract is, that Mr. Hoyte's converfion of foils is a durable improvement of them, but not immediately profitable; therefore agrees well with the intereft of landowners, but would leave tenants at will, or with short leafes, deftitute of present fubfiftence for themselves and their families. Q q BRIT, CRIT, VOL. XXI. MAY, 1803. POLITICS. POLITICS. ART. 37. Obfervations on the prefent relative Situation of Great Bri tain and France, November 16, 1802. 8vo. 16 pp. Liverpool. No Publisher's name. The chief objects which the writer of thefe Obfervations appears to have in view are, to diffuade the nation from entering into a new war, to ftigmatize the party who condemned the peace, and to infpire a general abhorrence of (and perhaps fome legal animadverfion upon) the political writers in our public papers. In the first of these objects we thould cordially agree, provided that peace could have been maintained without a facrifice of the honour and intertits of the countr).As to the fecond, although we thought, and fill think, the treaty of Amiens a juftifiable measure, under the circumstances which exifled at that period, yet we are far from joining in the violent cenfures here applied to thofe who difapproved of that measure, and ftill further from imputing to them a defire of renewing the war without any fresh provocation or aggreffion. With regard to the animadverfions on the conduct of the French Government, which have appeared in our newfpapers, though we are far from juttifying every expreffion that may have been used in thofe publications, we may venture to affert, that none of the animadver fions which we have feen exceed in feveri y the reproaches perpe tually vented during the late war againft States in alliance with us, nay often againft our own. Upon what grounds this writer claims for the Conful of France a privilege not poffeffed by our own Government, that of exemption from cenfure, we are at a lofs to difcern. The Laws and Courts of Juftice were open to a profecution for any part of the abufe complained of; and we hope never to fee any other refraint laid upon the only prefs in Europe which continues free. But the principles and character of this writer may be known from the paffage which afferts, that thofe who predicted the anarchy and earnage which have defo lated France, occafioned them. His performance is indeed Nimfy, declamatory, and partial throughout. ART. 38. Ten Letters, principally upon the Subject of the hate Contefied Election at Nottingham. 8vo. 43 pp. 15. Jordan. The remarks which we made, in our account of Mr. Bowles's Poftfcript, on the daring denials of moft of the facts affered by him refpecting the Nottingham Ele&ion, apply ftrongly to the Letters before us, the chief of which bear the fignature of a Mr. Robert Davifon, brother, as we understand, to the Mayor of that place, whofe conduct is so much reprobated in the Report of the Committee of the House of Commons, and who is alfo, if we miftake not, together with others, under profecution in the Court of King's Bench, for *See Brit. Crit, for April, 1803. milapplying the corporate funds to election purpofes. The reprefentations of Mr. R. Davifon muft, therefore, be confidered as those of a warm partizan; and indeed they breathe throughout the fpirit of what the author calls Whiggim; but what we, with Mr. Bowles, diftinguifh by a fomewhat different appellation. A Mr. Maddock, to whom Mr. Davifon's Letters are addreffed, is fuppofed to have faid, in converfation, that Mr. D. was an enemy to Government.This affertion is vehemently denied, and Mr. M. is, in return, charged with holding principles favourable to tyranny, &c. Those who are fo tender of their own political characters fhould, we think, have a little more delicacy in treating the characters of others. Mr. D. avows, with triumph, the fatisfaction he expreffed on the return of his favourite candidate, Mr. Birch; yet, if he knew, what we conceive must have been notorious, and what has fince been amply proved, that this return was obtained by the most daring and profligate violations of the freedom of election, we should confider his triumph not merely as a proof of hoftility to the exifting Government, but to all legal government whatfoever. The chief object, however, of this vehement gentleman is not fo much to vindicate himself as to deny or palliate all the enormities practifed on that occafion. Many of these have been completely proved before the proper tribunal, and the exiftence of most of the remainder has been reafferted, after a diligent enquiry by Mr. Bowles. But, after the evidence laid before the Committee, after their Report, and the confequent A&t paffed by the Legiflature, what fhall we fay to the man who terms thofe enormities "trifling electionering riots," * and afferts that "* nicknames, fcurrilities, and fome few coats converted into [pencers," + formed the chief violences committed. He boals alfo of the election having terminated with more peace and order than is ufual on fuch occafions. It was certainly highly meritorious in this writer's friends, that, when they had gained their object by the infamous means which have been proved, they abtained from committing further outrages. But this writer, after the most liberal abuse of Mr. Coke, Mr. Bowles, &c. has, in the ftrongeft manner, though perhaps unintentionally, evinced the propriety of the late Act of Parliament, fince he affures us (and mentions fome ftriking facts in order to corroborate his affertion) that the loft election was the most peaceable contefted one ever remembered in Nottingham!!! After this declaration, who will not join this confiftent author in vindicating the immaculate town of Nottingham, fo" grossly and unprovokedly (as he affures us) afpersed by that LIBELLOUS WRITER Mr. Bowles? • Page 15. + As if, in the midst of a crowd and tumult, a man's clothes could be cut from his back without danger. |