e 
“truth. 
y 
57° 
this lady may, as a fatellite of Dr. John- 
fon, have formerly acquired will, we ap- 
prehend, be compleatiy deftroyed by her 
publication of the prefent work. A more 
difgufting affectation of profound learning, 
with fo compleat an abfence of common 
information—fuch a firing of miftakes for 
which a {chool-boy or a fchool-girl fhould 
be correted—fuch unmeaning, infipid, 
and tedious garrul.ty—we never met with 
before. : 
The laf{ work which has come before 
us in this department of literature, is a 
tranfiation from the Freich of M. 
PeTit’s ‘‘ Marengo; cr, the Campaign 
of Italy, by the Army of Referve under 
the command of the Chief Conful, Bona- 
parte, witha Map of the North-wef Part 
of Italy, fhewing the Route cf the Army>; 
to which are added, a Biographical No- 
tice of the Life and Military A€tions of 
General Defaix.” ‘This work from the pen 
of an enemy, a horfe grenadier in the 
Confular-guard, may not, perhaps, gene- 
rally receive that fuil implicit credit for 
the truth of its narrative, wltich can alone 
render it really interefting. The author, 
who attended the Chief Conful in the 
cainpaign, is certainly qualified to com- 
municate every information concerning it; 
the queftion is, how far his prejudice 
might lead him to deviate from hiftorical 
It muft be acknowledged, how- 
ever, that there is every appearance of 
impartiality in this writer, for, notwith- 
fianding many idle gafconades, ample 
juftice is paid to the intrepid and obfti- 
nate bravery of the Auftrians, who are 
acknowledged to have had the beft of the 
battle during twelve hours, and on whofe 
fide vi€tory would certainly have decided 
but for the arrival of General-Defaix and 
his troops, which foon turned the fortune 
of theday. The details of the battle of 
Marengo, in which the Chief Conful was 
very near being killed or taken prifoner, 
are dreadful beyond all defcription, and 
beyond all imagination. The French ar- 
my when the aétion begun, is ftated to 
have been from forty to forty-five thou- 
fand men, and the Auftrians, from fitty- 
five to fixty thoufand. However exag- 
gerated this latter number may be, as it 
very probably is, there can be no doubt 
ef the parity in part of-ftrength, difci- 
pline, and valour, between theie formida- 
ble forces, and that from this parity re- 
fulted that horrible flaughter which en- 
fued. M. Petit eftimates the whole lofs 
of the enemy in the courfe of the cam- 
p2ign at fixty-five thoufand men, and con- 
ecals the lofs of the French by fimply 
Retrofpect of Domeftic Literature.—Political Economy, 
w s 
ftating, that the victory of Marengo cof 
the Republic dear. Altheugh the battle 
of Marengo is a prominent part of the 
narrative of M. Petit, his defcription of 
the difficulties which the French army fur- 
mounted, and the perils to which they 
were expofed in the paflage of the Alps, 
is highly interefting, and excites our ut- 
moit aftonifhment without, in any degrees 
fhocking our belief. 
POLITICAL ECONOMY. 
Mr. GirpDLER has publifhed fome 
“* Obfervations on the pernicious Confe- 
quences of Foreftalling, Regrating, and 
Angrofling, &c. &c.’’ This gentleman, _ 
fympathifing, we doubt not, with the fuf- 
ferings of a large majority of the people 
of this country, in confequence of the 
enormous price attached to every necefla- 
ry of life, has taken much pains to make 
himfelf acquainted with the caufes of that 
calamity, which every difinterefled man 
muft have deplored. Mr. Girdler, how- 
ever, is not a man whofe judgment is 
fufficiently cool for fuch a laborious and 
intricate inveftigation: his inferences are 
too general for his premifes ; his affertions 
therefore are frequently unfupported by 
arguments or faéts. Becaufe Mr. Gird- 
ler has been up and down the river 
Thames, and other large towns befides 
the capital, and has difcovered granaries 
and uninhabited houfes filled with flour, 
wheat, and cther grains, he decides in a 
peremptory tone that the {carcity was ar- 
tificial, and deals out thunder without 
mercy againft an ideal herd of mono- ~ 
polifts, foreftallers, regraters, &c. &c. &c. 
Mr. Girdler ftates not, therefore we pre- 
fume he knows not, the quantity of hoard- 
ed grain, nor does he feem aware of the 
immenfe depofits of corn which are ne- 
ceflary tor the confumption of the king- 
dom. Mr. Girdler afierts, in centradic- 
tion we believe to the refult of every in- 
veftigation- which has been made on the 
fubject, *‘that this kingdom has for a 
feries of years paft, upon aa average, pro- 
duced, and does vet produce more than 
a fufiicient quantity of grain to fupply all — 
its inhabitants, without any afliftance 
from foreign parts.” An~ unfupported 
affertion of this fort induces us to be fcep- 
tical as to the truth of politions of a lefs 
quefticnable nature. Mr. Girdler, inthe 
pamphlet before us, has thrown a great 
many good hints ona variety of fubjects 
connected with the political economy of 
the kingdom, but we think he is much 
and feverely to be cenfured for endeavour- 
ing to excite a popular odium which may 
be attended, in all probability, with atta 
of 
