524] 
England : but he ‘does not allow, 
_ with modérn reformers, ‘ that every 
‘one should “have a-jright to -kill 
game wherever he can find: it.’ 
After all, Mr. M. recommends a 
material ‘alteration “in the whole 
system ofigame laws, and thinks it 
would:be! better for the public that 
game should be made private: pro- 
perty.. gin 
From game the author ‘proceeds 
to the consideration of ‘the tithe 
tuws. He pronounces the opinion 
to be ill-founded, which states 
tithes to be a heavy burthen 
on the farmer; whose’ situation 
would, according to him, be pre- 
cisely rthe same, whether a tenth, 
a fifth, or 2 twenticth of ‘the pros 
duce of the land were levied for the 
support of the clergy. He cone 
tends that this tax falls solely’on 
the landlord, who is obliged to let 
his land proportionably lower. on 
account of the tithes.—He, howw- 
ever, admits the tax to. be impoli- 
tie, for this plain reason, that it is 
a continually varying one, on the 
produce of skill and jabour, and 
on the uncertain bounty of nature ; 
and consequently that it is always 
galling and vexatious, 
Chapter J. of Book II. opens 
with the important questions, whe- 
ther there ought to be ailowed, ina 
state, a distinétion of orders among 
its citizens ; and which form of go- 
vernment iy preferable, a monar- 
chical or a republican. For his 
arguments on these topies we must 
refer to the chapter itself, which 
contains much sound sense: and 
able reasoning. We shall content 
ourselves with stating, that he ts 
decidediy for the existence of -a 
body of nobility ; without which, 
he maintains, there would be an 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1706. 
infinitely greater distance than with 
it, between the rich and the poor ; 
he insists that population is increased 
by an institution which contributes 
to render marriages more frequent 
in the higher classes of society, be- 
cause, wherever birth, without 
any other. recommendation, is a 
passport into society, celibacy will 
be-less frequent; that it checks the 
rage of appearance, the vanity of 
shew, arid removes one great tempt- 
ation to expence, the chief cause 
of venality ; that it brings forwards 
to public life that description of 
men by whom the nation has the 
best chance of being served ; that 
it renders manners more amiable 
and sociable ; and finally, that al. 
mdst all the objections which are 
urged against the institution of nos 
bility, may be equally if not more 
justly urged against wealth; the 
abolition of which would convulse 
and destroy secicty. 
The discussion of this subjeét, 
together with that of the form of 
government, is carried on through 
the first five chapters of the second 
book, and branches out imto’a very 
Jony, interesting, and ingenious 
dissertation. respecting a standing 
army ; for which Mr. M. is a stre- 
nuous advocate. He does not ar- 
gue for a standing army as a mere 
machine of goverament, calculated 
to enable the crown to enforce 
measures dangerous to or incom. 
patible with a free constitution, — 
but, for a standing atmy modelled 
on principles that would make it a 
guirdian and. firm support of the 
constitutional liberty of the subject; 
a body ‘so organized and officered 
as that, though the crown might 
at al] times look for its co-opera- 
tion in all constitutional pursuits, 
it 
