SUPPLEMENTARY NUMBER 
TWO, TALE 
MONTHLY. MAGAZINE. 

No. XLVII. 
JULY 20, 1799. 
Vou. VII. 


For the Monthly Magazine. 
HALF-YEARLY RETROSPECT OF 
DomeEsTic LITERATURE. 
T will be recolleéted, that fix months 
ago we gave our readers a general invi- 
tation to repeat their vifit of infpetion to 
the National Library: we are now at lei- 
fure to conduct them into the feveral apart- 
ments; and fhall be happy to point out 
the acquifition which each has, of late, re- 
ceived. 
HisTory. 
Dr. SOMERVILLE is already known 
and refpeéted as an hiftorian of Charles II, 
James II. and William III. The repu- 
tation which his former work very juftly 
obtained him for accuracy and impactia- 
lity, will not be impaired by his recent la- 
bours in the Hiffory of Great Britain during 
the Reign of Queen Anne. Dr. Somer- 
ville, by the laudable liberality of friends, 
has been fupplied with abundant new ma- 
terials; among his many fources of infor- 
mation, are to be diftinguifhed, as particu- 
larly valuable, feveral volumes of original 
manufcripts colleéted by the duke of 
Shrewfbury ; various official records ; co- 
pies of letters from Lord Godolphin, and 
other perfons of eminence, preferved in 
the library of the earl of Hardwicke; un- 
publifhed obfervations of Sir John Clerk, 
&c. &c. &c. A feleétion of the moft im- 
portant of thefe papersgie was originally 
the intention of our author to have pub- 
Fithed in a feparate volume, but, alas! 
While mailed Mars doth on his altar fit, 
Steep’d to the ears in blood, 
literature is almoft of necefflity negle&ted ; 
the warrior tyrant robs her of the power 
to confer an adequate remuneration for 
the cfferings which her votaries would 
prefent. 
obliged to give up the plans which he had 
in contemplation to purfue, from the un- 
favourable d*{pofition to patronize literary 
produéions, which the times too evidently 
difplay. He has contented himfelf, there- 
fore, with publifhing a few vouchers in the 
form of an appendix to his volume. 
MONTHLY Mac. XLYUI. 
Dr. Somerville was abfolutely 
The pen of Mr. WrLt1aM BELSHAM 
is not idle; he has lately publifhed Twa 
Fiiflorical Differtations, 1. On the Caufes of 
the Minifterial Seceffion, A. D. 1717. 
II. Ox the Treaty of Hanover, concluded 
Auth. welt isthe objet iat. the 
foft of thefe differtations to prove; that, 
among the motives which ir.iuenced Sir 
Robert Walpole’s conduct, were many 
which had no relation to public affairs. In 
the /econd, Mr. Belfham proves, clearly 
proves, in contradiction to Mr. Coxe, 
who afferts, that the interefts of Hanover 
were facrificed to thofe of England, that 
the reverfe took place—that the eleétor 
king was no fooner feated on his throne, 
‘““ than he began to confider in what mode 
the power and riches of England might 
be made fubfervient to his:views of exal- 
tation, and agerandifement as a prince of 
the empire; that his object was to add 
Bremen and Verden to his German domi- 
nions, and, in fhort, that the interefts of 
England were completely facrificed to 
Hanoverian politics. To thefe claborate 
differtations are prefixed fome remarks, in 
reply to the animadverfions 6 Mr. Coxe 
in his Memoirs of Sir Robert Walpole. 
The difgrace which Mr. Coxe laboured 
with fo much folicitude to throw on Mr. 
Belfham feems to havé recoiled on him- 
felf; Mr. Coxe, with more precipitance 
than judgment, accufed the hiftorian of 
the Brun{wie family of having committed 
many errors of great magnitude: thefe 
errors, it now appears, are moft of them 
his own: fome few and trivial miftakes 
he has deteéted, which Mr. Belfham 
frankly acknowledges, and leaves his an- 
tagonift in full poicflion of the triumph 
he may ¢hoofe to arrogate *. 
Mir. 
* It might be confidered as a tacit and cow. 
ardly acknowledgement of error, did we omig 
this opportunity of noticing Mr. Belfham’s vin- 
dication of two paffages in his works, (fee p, 
182 of this vol.) on which we animadverted in 
our laft Retrofpeé in fuch a manner asto have 
excited his refentment. Mr. B. probably has 
not adveited to the circumiétance, that our Re- 
3 U trofpeét 

