Vou. lV, ] Retrofpect of Domeftic Literature.—-Genealogy & Antiquities. 507 
Ely Bates, tells us, that government can do 
litle towards human happinefs, and that, 
therefore, we fhould be happy with the 
adminiftration of it! If the former part 
of this prpo fition be true, the rankeft 
Jacobin could not have offered a better 
reafon for the fubverfion of the Britith, 
and every other, ‘conftituffon! A Jaco-. 
bin, however, would have,drawn another 
inference than this writer has done, and a 
more logical one too: is it a fubjeét of 
fatisfaétion to the people, hé would argue, 
that government. can do little towards 
human happine({s? Rather, furely, of dif- 
content, that they are obliged to pay fo 
much for fuch an’ uneguivalent return! 
Mr. Norgate has republifhed, with the 
addition of * notes and hiftorical eluci- 
dations,” the celebrated * Dialogue be- 
tween a Gentleman and a Farmer, onthe 
Principles of Government,” by the late 
and much-lamented Sir William Jones. 
A very fenfible and found “ Addrefs to 
the County of Kent, on their Petition to 
the King” for removing Minifters, has 
been written by an eccentric character, 
Lord Rokeby: the noble author advifes 
an immediate peace with the Republic of 
France, prognofticates an evil train of 
conlequences from continuing the prefent 
nefarious war, and combats the» various 
objections which have been urged againft 
the conclufion of a peace, in a powerful 
and impreflive’ manner, His lordthip 
enters on the fubject of Parliamentary 
Reform, and balances the merits, and a 
variety of plans, which have been brought 
forward for that purpofe, with a {teady 
and impartial hand: without objeéting to 
univerial fuffrage, he thinks it advifeable 
not to adopt it (av prefent, alas, the advice 
is moft unieceffary!) froma refpect which 
he thinks fhould be paid to ancient forms 
and opinions. ‘ Vindiciz Regie; or, a 
Defence of the Kingly Offie,-in Two 
Letters to Earl Stanhope,”’ is the produc- 
tion of a clergyman, who zx/fnuates the 
divine right of kings, at the fame time 
that he attacks Lord Stanhope for having 
infinuated a divine profcription of them; 
this pamphlet, notwithftanding a little 
old-fathioned do€irine, is evidently writ- 
ten by a gentleman of learning and 
ability. Several of the“ Suggeftions on 
the Slave-Trade,” which are offered by 
Sir Jerom Fitzpatrick for the confi- 
deration of the Britifh legiflacure, are 
humane and important: his plan for the 
abolition of the trade is to. operate gradu- 
ally, very gradually, indeed! fince he 
Mentions, as a matter of courfe, the covti- 
in Africa! 
nuance of importation, and propofes fome 
regulations for the: purchafe of freth flaves 
“ Difguife thyfelf as thou 
wilt—itill flavery—ftill thou art a bitter 
draught! And though thoufands in all 
ages have been made to drink of thee, 
thou art no lefs bitter on that account !”’ 
Had Sir Jerom Fitzpatrick enjoyed 
one-half of Yorick’s fenfibility, he would 
never have propofed fuch a cold-biooded 
plan for emancipation, as that we have 
juft perufed: but he is entitled to thanks 
even for this crawling fcheme! “ A Gen- 
tleman, independent of Party,” as he calls 
himfeif, has fuggefted “ [he Political 
Salvation of Great Britain, by means 
entirely new:’’ perfeétly fo, indeed! A 
reform in the reprefentation of the Houfe 
of Commons, he propotes, fhould be effeét- 
ed folely by the interpofition of—the 
Houfe of Lords! It gives us fome plea~ 
fure that the author of this plan cannot 
qwrigede himfelf into either party. Ina 
pamphlet of Mr. Yorke’s, ‘*On the 
Means of faving the Country,” we are 
happy te obferve, that his violent demo-~ 
cratic effervefcence has fubfided: in cool 
moments, we difcoverin Mr. Yorke, much 
good fenfe, patriotifm, and a talent for 
reafoning, ‘The writer of a ‘* Letter to 
the Seceders” from attendance of the 
Houfe of Commons, confiders them as 
having abandoned their pofts, at a time 
when, by their own account, the countr 
is in great danger: a formal juftification 
of the feceders, would require more room 
than we can allot to the fubject; it ap- 
pears to us, however, that the Oppofition 
had beaten the air with an idle and impo- 
tent fury, quite long enough! nor are 
minifters, it feems, a little galled ar the 
feceifion. Mr. ['ox’s very animated 
“Speech, delivered at the Crown and 
Anchor, on the anniverfary of his elec- 
tion,” contains an ample juftification of 
the conduét he has purfued; and, confe- 
quently, of fuch members as have pur- 
{ved the fame. A few other political 
pamphlets have been publifhed within the 
laft fix months; but we fhould lengthen 
this portion of our retrofpeét moft tedi- 
oufly, were we to enumcrate every {quib. 
that is thrown out: we proceed, there- 
fore, to the fubjeéts of 
GENEALOGY AND ANTIQUITIES. 
The family of Ruffel is traced up to a 
Norman, of the name of Hugh de Roffel, 
who accompanied William the Conqueror 
in his {uccefsful expedition into England, 
in ** Anecdotes of the Houfe of Bedford.” 
Much curious matter is related of the 
yabi numerous 
