£88 
tries, of which, according to Shakefpear’s 
conceit, 
the very fhores look pale 
With envy of each other’s happinefs. 
Many reflexions rufhed into my mind on 
the combined view of the hoitile neigh- 
bours, which at prefent divide the fea and 
land between them, and hold in balance 
the fates of the moft civilized portion of 
mankind. Lord Keith’s fleet lying under 
the South Foreland greatly added to the 
intereft of the fpeétacle—it was the ad- 
vanced guard of England, looking with 
feorn and menace to the adverfe fhores, 
and, to my conviction, affording full fe- 
curity to its own: for, without the anni- 
hilation of this force, I cannot for a mo- 
ment coneeive the poffibility of French 
gun-boats, though numerous enough to 
-eover the whole intermediate channel, 
daring to attempt a paflage, when they 
now think it a great effort of courage to 
creep along from port to port under co- 
ver of their batteries. But left I thould 
be tempted to launch out into a fubjec& 
on which I am conicious of very defec- 
‘tive knowledge, I conclude, Sir, 
‘ Your’s, &c. 
A RAMBLER. 
To the Editor of ihe Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
AVING had no other view, in my 
late remarks on Mr. Méalthus’s 
Effay on Population, than to vindicate the 
charater of Dr. Price, from an atiack as 
ungrateful as it was ill-founded, I with 
not to walte my time any further, in com- 
bating the principles, or in noticing the 
fupporters of that publication. I have 
quoted Dr. Price’s own words, in oppofi- 
tion to Mr. Malthus’s affertion; and there- 
fore it would be better, inftead of adding 
‘abufe to injury, that the partifans of that 
writer fhould adopt fome more honourable 
. means of exculpating him from the mifre- 
prefentations with which he is charged. 
To thofe who can approve either the bene- 
volence or the wifdom of his fyftem, I 
have only to obferve, that while I envy 
them neither their feelings nor their under- 
ftanding, I entertain but little dread of 
its prevalence; efpecially if it is to derlve 
#ts {upport from fuch advocates as have 
hitherto written in its defence. 
In reading the account which is given 
of Dr. Price, in the letter figned W. D. 
in the laft number of the Monthly Maga- 
zine, itis impoffible that any perfon in the 
leat acquainted either with him or his 
Reply of M. N.—A mis-tranflatian of Gibban’s. 
[Nov. te 
writings fhould not fimile at the ignorancé 
and folly of it; particularly when he is 
accufed of having ftolen his ‘information 
from Sir James Steuart. Amidft all the. 
abufe which has been accumulated upon 
him, I never remember his having been 
charged before with being a thief. But 
the accufation ceafes to excite my aftonifh- 
ment, when I recolleét that the great Sir 
Ifaac Newton was charged by the W.D’s 
of his day, with having ftolen his philo- 
fophy from Jacob Boehmen, a German 
Cobler ! : M, N. 
- London, 15th Oober, 1804. 
—_ 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
N reperufing Gibbon’s Hiftory, f 
met with a falle tranflation from the 
Greek, which, as it has no theological re- 
ference, has probably efcaped the notice — 
of his fharp-fighted critics. It is in the 
66th chapter, where he give extracts from 
Chalcondy!es’s Account of the weftern 
countries of Europe, which he vifited 
about the year 1400; in the time of the 
Greek Emperor Manuel. Speaking of 
England, Gibbon quotes him as faying, 
«< In populoufnefs and power, in riches 
and luxury, London, the metropolis of the 
ifle, may claim a pre-eminence over all 
the cities of the Weft.” The original. 
paflage runs thus: Aovdwy.... de te worse 
DuvaeeL TE TPIyHCA TOV EV TH WNTw TaUTH 
Wacw’ Workewy, oARw TE xat TH AAA Evdateeovee 
ademsag Tay spog Ermepay Agvmomern: *© Lon- 
don.... a city in power furpaffing all 
the other cities in that ifland, and not ex- 
ceeded in wealth and other advantages by 
any in the Weft.°” The difference be- 
tween thefe two ftatements is very fenfie 
ble ; and even the latter more moderate 
reprefentation of the confequence of Lon- 
don at that period, making it egual in 
opulence and profperity to eny other town 
in the weftern regions, may be fufpeéted 
of exaggeration; fince we know that, long 
after, the trading cities of Italy and the 
Low-countries, and the Hanfe-towns, 
were the only feats of great pecuniary. 
negcciations. It was not till the reign of: 
Elizabeth, when the Spanifh war prevent- 
-ed the ufual loans for the crown of Eng- 
land from’ being raifed at Antwerp, that 
Sir Thomas Grefham procured a {mall 
joan from the merchants of London. As 
Gibbon cannot in general be charged with 
the {pirit of nationality, it is probable 
that the exaggeration in his verfion of this 
paflage arofe from mere inattention, 
Your's, &c,: 
