The difference between these two estimates is so inconfider able, that either of them will answer our purpose, and shew, if not exactly, yet very nearly, the weight of the old Saxon pound. But of the two I should prefer the last, because it was fo much nearer the Saxon times; and estimating the weight of the feveral pounds, was not an incidental point, as in the former cafe, but the very business of the writer; and because (which Mr. Folkes did not seem to suspect) the Troy pound had been established in our mints; and the old Tower pound quite difused, fome years before that estimate of Henry the Eighth was taken. Bat both bo these computations are near each other, that ey were certainly taken from the same pound, and have in proportion a much greater agreement, than the coins which were ftruck out of it.' fo It is no wonder indeed, that the Saxons were very far from Being exact in the weight of their coins, when the Romans themselves, in much more elegant and polite ages, were almoft as careless in this particular. The inaccuracy of the Romans, the Saxons, and even of the English moneyers in later times, with regard to this matter, is fully displayed by our Author; which shews, says he, how precarious those conclufions must be, which determine the weight of the pound from the weight of any particular coin. How many different Saxon pounds would be produced from such calculations? How ridiculous would it be to expect an exact agreement in the weight of their money, when their Anglo-Norman successors, and even the Romans themselves, were so careless in this respect. The business of making exact calculations, was a point very little practised or understood in those ages. We fee this in our most public acts; where the wisdom and justice of the nation were concerned, they did not give themselves the trouble of carrying the rules of proportion to any critical exaciness. In the famous Statute of 51, Henry III. made to regulate the the affize of bread, where an exact proportion between the price of wheat and the weight of bread was most probably intended; it is, however, very feldom observed. The Statute days, That when a quarter of wheat is fold for a iii shillings and vi pence, then a wastel bread of a farthing shall weigh two part thereof, 450 like grains. The weight of the Rochel, or English ounce, as taken from the marc above mentioned, will be found 451: 76 Troy grains, if the corresponding marc of Troyes is supposed exactly to coincide with the English Troy weight: and the present weight of the Colonia ounce, as stated by John Gafp. Eifenschmid, from his own experiments, in his tract De Ponderibus et Menfuris is 550 Patis grains and a quarter, which wake, when reduced, 451: 38 Troy grains.' Folkes's Table of English Silver Coins, p. 4, 5. pounds : pounds two shillings.' But, according to the proportion which the statute sets out with, the weight of this bread ought to have been one pound, eighteen shillings and ten pence. We meet with several mistakes of this fort in that statute, which is the first public act now remaining, that was made after the cities and boroughs were represented in parliament. These new members shewed a proper regard to the interests of their constituents by this new law. For it was highly requifite, that in such large and populous districts, as many of them represented, the weight of bread should be adjusted by law. [To be continued.] K MONTHLY CATALOGUE, I For JANUARY, 1768. Art. 12. The School: being a Series of Letters between a young Lady * Vid. Art. 15. of the Catalogue. Art. 13. Thoughts, Effays, and Maxims, chiefly religious and political. By Charles Howard Efq; of Greystock in Cumberland. 8vo. 2 s. 6d. Lewis. The Author informs us, in the prefatory advertisement, that these Essays, &c. were never intended for the press; that they were only the amusement of his leisure hours, during his refidence at Paris; and that they are published at the defire of his friends. -People may sometimes be faid to act most unadvisedly when they follow the advice of others: and we are fincerely of opinion that those to whom the public may be indebted for these superficial scraps of literature, were not friends to the Author's reputation. The world is by no means in want of literary trifles. The Booksellers shops and the stalls of Moorfields abound with them; and we much fear that Mr. Howard's Miscellanies will only ferve to add to their number, instead of proving of any service or instruction to mankind *:" for though we apprehend he has sufficiently manifested a good heart, and an improved manner of thinking, in the • His words are, if they prove of any service or inftruction to mankind, the Author will be fatished,' &c. The critical reader, however, will not be fatisfied with fuch English as 'prove of instruction:'-In short this performance of Mr. H. (who seems to be a man of fashion) may serve as a proper companion to the Travels of Lord Baltimore. See Review for October laft, p. 312. observations 2 observations here offered to the world, yet, in our judgment, he is not fufficiently qualified for a public writer. He who is capable of faying that the Duke of Shresbury did not trim, or stand shilly-shally; and that by a cool examination of the Duke of Berwick's actions which are Stubborn things; it will appear that this behaviour was sensible,' &c. may with good reason fit down to improve himself, at his leisure hours,' but ought by no means to fet up, as a master, for the improvement of others. w Art. 14. A True and Genuine Narrative of Mr. and Mrs. Tenducci. In a Letter to a Friend at Bath; giving a full Account, from their Marriage in Ireland, to the present Time. 8vo. Is. 6d. Pridden. We always understood Signior Tenducci, the celebrated Italian operafinger, to be an eunuch; yet here is an authentic account of his being married, in 1766, to a lady who had fallen in love with him for his fine finging and agreeable behaviour: and, what may seem yet more strange, it appears that her affection for so peculiar a husband hath not fuffered any diminution, from her better acquaintance with him, after more than a year's cohabitation.-Mrs. Tenducci herself is the writer of this narrative; in which she gives a circumstantial detail of the severe persecution which she and her husband have met with from her enraged parents, &c. who have done every thing in their power, both by legal ánd arbitrary means, to dissolve an union which they could not, indeed, be supposed to behold with any degree of complacency. Her story, however, is an affecting one; the personal hardships she herself has undergone, through the resentment of her family, are shocking to humanity; and poor Tenducci, also, on the whole, appears to have gained nothing but trouble and distress, by this his most unaccountable connection. Art. 15. An exact Copy of an epistolary Correspondence between the 8vo. 6d. Pearch. The Rev. Mr. S. Brewer having been repeatedly called upon to give his teftimony, with respect to what he knew of the proceedings between Mr. Madan and Mr. Haweis, on the one part, and the patron on the other, relating to the living of Aldwincle; the present pamphlet now makes its appearance, for the gratification of the public: whether it will also prove to the fatisfaction of Meff. M. and H. and their friends, is much to be doubted. Time, however, will shew, when their advertised Defence shall come forth, how far their characters will or will not be affected by the weight that Mr. Brewer has thrown into the scale of poor Kimpton.. Art. 16. A Supplement; or the Second Part of an Epiftolary Correfpondence relative to the Living of Aldwincle. Containing feveral important Letters, now forced to be made public to vindicate injured Characters, and to undeceive the Friends of Religion. 8vo. 1 s. Wilkie. We have here a series of letters which passed between Mr. Madan and Mr. Y. and Mr. Haweis and Mr. Y, the latter acting as attorney for Mr. Kimpton. Mr. Y.'s letters feem to bear very hard upon the reverend reverend gentlemen; but not so hard as do the Editor's arch, ironical comments on the letters of both parties. There is also a copy of Mr. Fuller's expoftulatory letter to Mr. H. dated Mar. 20, 1766; and of a very affecting letter from the unhappy Kimpton to a friend in London, dated Dec. 15, 1767; in which he relates the extreme distress to which he and his family were then reduced; and which he justly pleads in excuse for the delay of his answer to Mrs. Monk's pamphlet: fee Review for last November, p. 390. Art. 17. Strictures upon Modern Simony, and the Crime of Simon Magus; or, an Enquiry into Mr. Madan's Account of Simony, in his late Answer to the Faithful Narrative, &ι. &c. 8vo. I S. Vernor and Chater. There was little occasion for this pamphlet; Mr. Madan having been fufficiently corrected, with regard to his explication of our eccle fiaftical laws concerning fimony, by the ingenious author of ' Aldwincle, or a Candid Examination *, &c. This, indeed, the prefent Writer acknowledges; apologizing, at the fame time, for the publication of his remarks: part of which, he says, were in the press, when Aldawincle came out otherwise they would not have appeared at all. He takes the fame fide of the argument with the candid examiner ; and very sensibly endeavours 'to shew the fallacy of Mr. Madan's reafoning upon the ecclefiaftical laws, and the error of his confcience concerning the fantity of ecclefiaftical preferments; but we think he has deviated too far from the subject immediately before him, in his numerous obfervations on the kingdom of the clergy, comparing it with the kingdom of Chrift:'-in the course of which he shews too much of the narrow fpirit of a rigid dissenter from the established church, which he treats with a feverity that even borders on indecency. See Review for laft month, p. 465. Art. 18. The Dramatic Time-piece: or perpetual Monitor. Being a Calculation of the Length of Time every Act takes in the performing, in all the Acting-plays at the Theatres Royal, as minuted from repeated Obfervations, during the Course of many Years Practice. As also the Time of Night when Half-price will be taken, and the certain Period when any Play will be over. By J. Brownsmith, Prompter to the Theatre-Royal in the Haymarket. 8vo. I S. Almon, &c. Mr. Brownfmith is of opinion that the utility of this piece is mani fold.' Recourse, says he, being had to this book, any gentleman, &c. who may have carriages or fervants in waiting, or appointments to attend at any particular hour, may, at all times, (within a few minutes) be affured of the time, as punctually as if minuted by their watches, only by allowing for incidental entertainments, between the acts, fuch as fongs, dances, &c.' He also obferves, that by duly attending to this book, gentlemen may prevent their cattle from getting cold, by waiting too long at the doors of playhouses, in bad weather, and that it will likewise be a means of their fervants staying at home, till within a very little time of their attendance, instead of affembling in public houses, or houses of ill fame, to the deftruction of their morals, properties, and constitutions. And, farther, that it may be of fervice to those whom business may prevent from attending a play till after the third act, 8 act, or what is called the latter account.-Thus, we fee, that a com pilement which, from a cursory perufal of the title, might feem of no consequence to any body, may prove useful to many perfons, inhabitants of the great city, and its environs; to whom the play-houses are objects of no small importance. Art. 19. The Complete English Brewer, or the whole Art and Myftery of Brewing, in all its various Branches. By George Watkins, who has practised brewing in all its Branches, upwards of Thirty Years. 12mo. 3s. Cooke. We have no taith in this Mr. Watkins, because he fets out with a bouncing fib, in his very title-page. He says he has pratifed brewing, in all its branches, upwards of thirty years. Now, is not the portermanufactory a branch of the brewery? Mr. Watkins will not deny this, for he profeffes to teach the art of porter-bewing; on which he has three distinct chapters: but, unfortunately for his reputation in point of veracity, in one of these three chapters, he confefses himself indebted for the information he has communicated to his readers, concerning the ingredients used in porter-brewing, to his having had some talk with a gentleman once concerned in this trade, but who now, adds he, having left it off with a fair fortune, is above deceiving me, &c.' This is, indeed, an unlucky flip of Mr. Watkins's pen;-but we shall bestow no farther animadverfion on a man who, as we much suspect, carries forgery and fiction in his very name. Art. 20. A Short Examination of the Laws lately made for the Amendment and Preservation of the public Highways and TurnpikeRoads; clearly showing that the various Restraints and Penalties laid upon the Farmer's refpecting their Carriages, must ever enbance the Neceffaries of Life, without having the least tendency to amend and preserve the public Rouds of this Kingdom. 8vo. Is. White. This Examination contains many shrewd and apparently valid objections to the present reformation of our highway laws; and shews that in the infiances quoted, they must prove really oppreffive to that most useful class of people, the finall farmers; whose importance to the nation, in comparison with the opulent renters of large farms, is here placed in a striking view. One undoubtedly good object in view of the legiflature, was, as is expressed in the late Ratute, to reduce into one alt, the several highway laws; nevertheless, fome parliamentary alteratións have already taken place with respect to this act; and it is to be apprehended, that it will foon be branched out by explanations and amendments, so as to defeat the clearness and brevity aimed at by the late reduction. Ν. Art. 21. A concise Account of the most remarkable Antiquity of Great Britain, vulgarly called Stonehenge, and the Barrows round it, fituate upon Salisbury Plain: with Views, Plan, and Elevation of the whole Structure, both as it appears now, and when in its original State, according to Inigo Jones, Dr. Stukely, &c. with their Opinions concerning it. Compiled for the Uje of those whofe Curiofity may lead them to fee this famous Monument of Antiquity, REV. Jan. 1768. F 1 |