Retrofpe? of Domeftic Literature—Finance. 
Univerfal Hiftory.” This valuable work 
is written on the plan of the Englifh 
Univerfal Hiftory, of ‘which it is in ge- 
-neral an abridgment. The Englifh Uni- 
yerfal Hiftory, however, confifting of 
more than fixty volumes, is far too dif- 
-fufe for the generality of readers, and 
too expenfive to be attainable by many 
perfons who may be defirous of fuch a 
compendium as the prefent, which com- 
preffes the moft important matter of that 
work into nine oétayo volumes. M. 
ANQUETIL has continued the modern 
hiftory of the kingdom and ftates of 
Europe to the prefent time ; and, in the 
words of the tranflator, has exhibited a 
faithful though concife view of the mo- 
mentous occurrences of which they have 
lately been the theatre. M. Anquetil 
is a member of the National [nftitute of 
France, and correfpondent of the Aca- 
demy of Science and Belles Lettres; he 
is the author of feveral hiftorical works 
of confiderable refpeétability, and with 
fignal intrepidity wrote and publifhed 
that part of the prefent, which relates 
to the French revolution—an event to 
which he was far from being friendly— 
at a time when the moft fanguinary de- 
fpotifm prevailed, and threatened his de- 
ftruétion. It has juftly been objected 
againft M. Anquetil’s “ Summary,” that 
too much fpace is allotted to ancient hif- 
tory: we do not arrive at the age of Ma- 
homet till we have gone through five 
yolumes, fo that four only remain for 
univerfal hifory fince that period: this 
is clearly injudicious, and can only be 
accounted for on the prefumption that 
the author became tired of his labour, or 
was apprehenfiye that if he proceeded as 
he begun, the work would {well under his 
hands to a fize incompatible with the ob- 
jeét he had in view. The hiftory of the 
French Revolution is fketched with a 
rapid pencil; but the author delivers his 
fentiments with fpirit, and ftates his faéts 
with precifion, and apparently with im- 
partiality. 
FINANCE. 
In a former Retrofpeéct we noticed Mr. 
Rose's Brief Examination into the In- 
ereafe of the Revenue, Commerce, &c. 
ef Great Britain, from 1792 to 17993 
and after ftating the effect which a pa- 
rade of figures, and the femblance of 
deep calculation has upon the public at 
large, we referred our readers to the 
Analytical Review, of Mr. Rofe’s pam- 
phlet, for a refutation of its moft mate- 
595 
rial and moft impudent errors. Since 
that time, ““ A MercHant” has pub- 
lifhed fome ‘‘ Short Striétures,” on Mr, 
Rofe’s Examination, in which he has 
conviéted that gentleman of the moft 
palpable inconfiftencies even in his own 
ftatements. According to Mr. R. the 
fum of the exports and imports in 1788, 
was 36,151,000l. and in 1798, their fum 
amounted to 94,963,000l.: the Mer- 
chant, incredulous of the accuracy of this 
ftatement, on a reference to the cuftoms, 
finds that within thofe years they have 
been augmented not in the proportion of 
36 to 94, but of 37 to39! The detec-. 
tioa of fuch fly and treacherous ftate- 
ments is an act of public benefit, and 
every man has our hearty thanks who 
labours to expofe them. ‘* Obferva- 
tions on the Produce of the Income Tax, 
and on its Proportion to the whole In- 
come of Great Britain. A new and 
correéted Edition, with confiderable Ad- 
ditions, refpeéting the Extent, Com- 
merce, Population, Divifion of Income, 
and Capital of this Kingdom. By the 
Rev. H. Becke, B.D.”’. The author of 
this pamphlet, has relinquithed his ori- 
ginal defign of publifhing a fecond part, 
but has revifed the firft edition of his 
pamphlet, and has incorporated in it 
thofe obfervations which he had intend- 
ed fhould form the body of his conti- 
nuation. Thefe additions are intereft- 
ing andimportant. Mr. Becke ftill con- 
tends, that the income tax cannot pro- 
duce more than 7,000,000l.: he fays, that 
in eftimating the produce of this tax, the 
effeét of the feale of abatement has not 
been fufficiently attended to. Still, how- 
ever, he thinks that the whole income of 
the nation has not been ftated too high ; 
and, in order to keep up our fpirits, he 
has fubjoined in a poft{cript, a fhort flate- 
ment of the prefent value of the capital 
of Great Britain. He confiders the 
amount of private property produclive 
of income to be 1,720,000,000l. and 
that which is uzproductive of income, at 
2$0,000,000l. the two forming a total of 
2,000,000,000l. The total of public pro- 
perty he thus eftimates : The value of 
that part of the permanent income of 
the nation, which is applicable to the 
annual expenditure, about 160,000,0001. ; 
the value of that part which is appro- 
priated to extinguifh the public debt, 
about 90,c00;cool.; value of thipping, 
arfenals, national buildings, &c. &c. as 
churches, ho/pitals, bridges, prifons, &c. 
4G 2 &c, 
