*172] 
Mr. Ward commences his labours 
by endeavouring to settle the exact 
import ofthe expression, the law of 
agtions, and by pointing out the 
real foundation of that law. The 
author admits that the law of na- 
ture forms a part of it ; but, observ- 
ing (to use his own expressions ) 
‘how. discordant the opinions of 
many are, upon-the ramifications of 
the law of nature, he concluded it 
to be necessary, that the foundations 
ef the law of nations should be 
something more fixed and definite ; 
and therefore in addition to the law 
of nature, not with a view to reject 
it, he holds revealed religion, and 
the moral system engrafted upon it 
to be the surest foundation.’ 
The author then treats of the law 
of nations, as it is observed by the 
Christian world. This is the subject 
of the first three chapters. In the 
fourth, be endeavours to shew that 
the law of nations is not to be con- 
sidered as the law of the world, but 
only as the law of particular classes 
of nations, united together by simi- 
lar religious and moral institutions. 
In the fifth chapter, which closes 
this part of his publication, he shews 
how different classes of nations may 
. be distinguished ;_ this chapter is, in 
our opinion, aie most important of 
this part of the work: for, though 
we think that the author has dis- 
covered great ingenuity and ability, 
in his inquiry into the foundation of 
the law of nations, yet the princi- 
ples both of the Jaw of nature and 
of the law of nations are necessarily 
so broad, that it is extremely diffi- 
cult, and sometimes impossible, to 
express thein in such a manner as 
te give perfectly distinct and exact 
notions of the ideas which they are’ 
designed to convey; and in this re- 
speet, Writers on municipal jay 
iu 
‘ ~ 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1795. 
have greatly the advantage. On 
thisimperfection of the law of na 
tions, Mr. Ward has the following 
pertinent remark : 
‘ As the principles of all civil and 
municipal laws must be founded in 
natural reason, but derive the form 
and manner in which they are 
brought into use from positive insti- 
tutions ; so also the law of nations 
must put in force the dictates of _ 
nature, in some known mode agreed 
upon by all who conform to them. 
The only difference is, that in the 
one case, it 1s individuals who are | 
called upon to settle the mode; in 
the other, it is whole nations 
acting through the organs of their 
government ; thatin the one, almost 
every thing that can exercise the 
judgment of an individual in his 
various relations, is settled for him 
by written law, or by precedent; 
while among states, (from their 
comparatively little intercourse and 
the want ofa common sovereign,) 
much is left without precedent, 
wavering, as accident, or whim—or 
the varying ideas of natural justice, 
may direct.” 
He. then proceeds to give a 
chronological account of the law of 
nations as it has been observed in 
Europe: of the strange ideas that 
were formerly entertained of it ;. of 
the gradual changes which took 
place in those ideas, and the causes 
of those changes ; together with the 
improvements which were given to 
them, So as to elevate the law into 
the rank of the sciences. He bee 
gins with the history of the law of 
nations in Europe as, observed by 
the Greeks and Romans, After 
having remarked, in general terms, 
the high eminence which they at- 
tained in, arts and arms, he thus 
continues ; 
‘One 
