and the naval power of England. Other political improvements: were hinted in both houtes of parliament; to which the minifter always liftened with attention and refpect. Among thefe, encouragement to the fifheries on the coaft of Scotland holds the v very firft place. It was, by means of their fisheries, that the Seven United Provinces obtained a rank among the nations: and the fisheries are, at this day, almoft the only remaining nerve of the republic. In the cities and towns the Dutch manufacturers are converted into shop keepers; and the fhop-keepers aim at general trade, particularly that· with India. The old manners have deferted the United Provinces by land, but are ftill found, in their original fimplicity and vigour, among thofe numerous bands of men who are engaged in their fifler ies. Here we still find their antient parlimony and labour. The ocean is, as it were, the eftate of the Dutch, which they have culti vated, and may continue to all eternity to cultivate without lacking a fubject for induftry and improvement. Other nations participate largely in the carrying trade. The Dutch, in the proteffon of the carriers of Europe, begin to want employment; but, as fishermen, they will never want it. The fifheries, which gave ftrength, may alfo give stability to the Dutch republic. If it is not here, it is no where formidable. If the genius of Holland is ever again to raifehis head among the nations, he must fpring, as at firit, from the

ocean.

The example of Holland is a powerful incentive to the British le giflature to apply with zeal to the improvement of what nature has fo liberally beftowed, and which tempts the hand of cultivation. Itish the fea that forms the great inheritance of Scotland, as well as of the United Provinces. The experience of fucceffive years has proved how little the climate and foil of the northern fhores and islands of Scotland are adapted to the growth of grain. A miferable famine . has punished the poor inhabitants of Caithnefs, Shetland and Ork ney for their neglect of thofe treafures, which heave their friths and crowd upon their fhores. The legiflature was obliged to fend mos ney to them, to keep them from ftarving. But, if fuch fums could be afforded annually for that purpose, out of the public money, or raised by a fimple volition in his Majefty's breaft; yet ftill it wore better, that the hardy fons of the north fhould be taught and even compelled to work out their falvation by labour rather than to receive it as a gift from the hand of charity. When the Redeemer of the World was called upon by legal authority to pay tribute, although he could have converted the ftones of the earth into gold or filver by the word of his mouth, he yet chofe to make use, on that occa fion, of natural means. "Go", faid he to Peter, "to the fea, and

caft an hook, and take up the fifh that firft cometh up; and when "thou haft opened his mouth, thou fhalt find a piece of money; that "take, and give unto them for me and thee." In imitation of this. example the British legislature, instead of remitting money from time to tune to the Scotch iflanders, fhould fay to them, "Go to "the fea, and caft an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; "and when thou haft opened his mouth thou fhalt find a piece of money."

It has long been the argument of indolence, that, as the Dutch

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can live on hard fare, and work for less hire than the English, all competition with them in the fisheries, even on our own coafts, would be vain. But the common fare of a Dutchman, compared with that. of a Shetlander, or in general with that of an inhabitant of the fish-' ing coafts of Scotland, is luxury. The Scotchman can live upon lefs, work for as little, and endure as great fatigue as the hardiest Hollander. The hardinefs and parfimony of North Britain, with the rich capitals and commercial enterprize of England, and the advantage of an extenfive fea-coaft fwarming with fishes of different kinds, and abounding with deep, fafe and commodious harbours, under the management of a wife legislature, might doubtless produce the most inestimable benefits to the British government and nation.

In order to promote the fisheries, it was judged neceffary that an inquiry fhould be fet on foot into the caufes by which they have hitherto been obftructed, and the means by which these may be re- ́* moved. A committee of the Houfe of Commons met, by regular adjournments, for this purpofe. And a patriotic member has devoted the recefs of parliament to inquiries into that important fubject. It appeared that the advantages which tempt the enterprize of the fishermen on the northern coafts of this ifland are immenfe; that befides all kinds of fill in common ufe, there is a fpecies in those parts which, as if provided by Providence against the inhofpitality of the climate, and the fterility of the foil, is fitted to yield full and falutary fuften ance without the mixture of any thing farinaceous.

It appeared further that thofe advantages were overborn and rendered of no-effect by the obftinate remains of feudality which make the tenant little better than the flave of his laird: the latter prescribes his talk, takes his rent in kind, and fcarcely leaves to the pining fishermen what may fuffice for the prefervation of life. Every landlord on the fea coaft is, in reality, the only fifherman on his own eftate! If proper tracts were allotted to companies, with capitals and the command of expert fishermen, independent of the land-holder on the payment of quit-rents, a new fpring might be given to excite. that fpecies of industry which nature requires and invites. Perhaps colonies of Danes or Dutch might be invited, by proper encourage-? ment, to fettle in thofe parts. It is example, which governs the world! A few examples would operate on the fisheries more powerfully than the most liberal bounties.

SCOTLAND.

As we are thus led to Scotland, we fhall briefly defcribe the afpect of affairs in that kingdom for the year under review; and this the rather that we may do fo in continuation of the fubject of improve.. ments begun or intended.

A few virtuous citizens, joined by fome zealous republicans among the gentry, have met, by regular adjournments, for the purpose of concerting the means of obtaining an equal reprefentation in parliament. Their publications are plaufible and animated: their scheme of forming an union of wills, by pouring light and conviction on the understanding, was worthy of an enlightened and thoughtful,

people.

people. No attempts towards riots! No wifh to excite infurrection! They aim at moving the energy of the paffions through the judgment. But the great body of the Scotch nation are very indifferent, and rather averfe to political innovation; neither are they much moved by the projected fisheries. Scotland, compared with England, is yet in a torpid ftate. Yet there is no period in the hif tory of Scotland fince the union, when fo many circumstances concurred to ftimulate the genius and industry of that nation, as at prefent. The antient drefs of the highlanders was restored. The forfeited eftates were given back to the natural heirs. Large fums of money. were voted for the construction of the most useful and magnificent works. The clergy were encouraged by a decifion of the House of Peers to claim an augmentation of ftipend; and a committee, as has been already obferved, was appointed by the Houfe of Commons for the improvement of the fifheries. The military genius of Scotland. was proved and exercised in the late war, and thence an alacrity and ardour nourished in many breafts, which may be transferred from war to the arts of peace. The officers who have returned from America, from Afia, and from different ftations in England, will carry home with them many obfervations, which they may turn to advantage on their own eftates or farms rented from their relations and friends. And on the whole, if a new face of affairs does not arife in the northern parts of Great Britain, in confequence of the prefent favourable juncture; the remains of flavery, with its wretched companion poverty, may reign in that remote corner for a thousand years,

3

TAXES.

The popularity of the young minifter was put to a fevere teft, when it became his duty to impofe on the public the heaviest taxes. Here we have an opportunity of contemplating the patriotifm and the honour of English gentlemen. There was not a single member in either house who did not acknowledge the neceffity of raifing fupplies. Concerning the taxes to be impofed, there was not the fame unanimity. The commutation tax, or an additional duty on windows, instead of the duties taken off of tea, was a fimplification of the mode of collection, and a fure and productive fund of additional revenue. It was opposed, nevertheleís, on the ground of its being a facrifice of a certain for an uncertain income; of its refembling in its nature the gebelles or falt-tax of France; and of reducing people to the neceffity of excluding the falubrious comforts of light and air. Time has furnished a more folid objection to this tax than any of thefe, The duty on windows has been prodigiously augmented; and the price of teas not greatly diminished. The price of teas, however, muft needs be reduced in time. It is impoffible for any combination long to refift the influx of tea at a lowered price; the vigorous exertions of government for the deftruction of fmuggling veffels, and the generous policy of Captain Preston and other gentlemen who have opened ware-houses for the fale of that article on terms that make a reasonable allowance for the reduction of the duty-On this fubject we may further obferve, that in this period of extended commerce, most nations are interested even in the internal regulations of each other. The settling of the taxes in England encourages one of the principal exports of China.

Th

IRELAND.

The affairs of Ireland, which had for fome time threatened infor rection and rebellion, in the course of 1784 began to affume a peaceable afpect, and to fettle, if not into pertect order, yet into a mode ration and coolnefs, with regard to the objects of affociation, which promise to terminate in an indifference, which fhall fully re-establish The authority of regular government. The Irish parliament withflood the demands and clamours and menacing parade of military affociation, with a firmness worthy of their rank, and their political wifdom. They even dared to curb the licentioufnefs of the prefs. It was in this manner, though on lets juftifiable grounds, that the long parliament of England, having defeated the royal power, proceeded alfo, by infringing the liberty of the prefs, to fubvert the rights and claims of the people. Although these two cafes, in refpe&t of right or wrong, are indeed different, yet they both illuftrate the progrefs of power and ambition. In both cafes, the conduct of the paffions was the fame. On this fubject it may also be recollected, that the parliament in the reign of Charles I. having begun their encroachments on the executive power, voted their own power and privileges perpetual. It was in the fame manner, that the late Houfe of Commons in England, having attempted to feize the executive government of India, endeavoured, by a repetition of remonstrances, to intimidate the crown from diffolving the parliament. There is nothing more amufing or inftructive in history, or in reviewing the actual ftate of the world, than to trace the uniform progress and tranfitions of the human paffions, as they appear in the conduct, not of an individual, the minute peculiarity of whofe circumftances it is not often poffible to trace, but in that of great bodies of men, where the torrent of paffion repels, and carries along with it the brooks which here and there fall into its channel. The firmnefs of the Irifh parliament, the intrepidity of the viceroy the Duke of Rutland, the plainnefs, the opennefs, the jovialty of his manners, and his indifference to the boaftings of the volunteers: thefe qualities, brought opportunely into exertion, were the beft adapted that could be imagined for the government of Ireland in its prefent fituation. The volunteers, and In general the Irish nation, fhewed themselves the more intractable the more they were tampered with. The viceroy fees them at defiance, merely by taking no notice of them. A pragmatical and refining fpirit would only have blown up the coals, and have perpe tuated and increafed the flame of difcord.

AMERICA.

In the course of the year 1784 the world was favoured with the Faws of the American congrefs, and alfo thofe of the different Ame rican provinces. Never was any state founded in fuch enlightened times, or on fuch enlarged principles. The collected wifdom of the old world; the examples of hiftory; the improved maxims of politicks; the prefent ftate of the world; the nature and conduct of the paffions: all thefe have been confulted by the American legiflators, and lent their aid to the formation of the moft liberal fyftem of government that has yet been established in any country. It is evident, that many of the American laws have been borrowed from the

ftatutes

Statutes of the famous affociation of fmall republics in Greece, which formed the Achæan league. It is with nations as with trading and manufacturing corporations! The most antient are the narrowest in their principles. The most recent are the most liberal, and embrace the wideft interefts. Congrefs. have not yet been able to extend and establish their authority over the different fiates. Length of time is as neceflary to establish the authority of ftates as it is to bestow refpectability on particular families. The ftates-general of the united provinces, on their emancipation from the Auftrians, ftruggled for years before they were able to govern their particular ftates and towns. Their conftant efforts prevailed at laft. Hence it is reasonable to conélude that, unless fome fudden rupture intervene, the authority of congrefs will be established over the thirteen provinces of America. The animofity of the Americans against individuals of Great Britain, this year began to fubfide. The common civilities of facial and commercial intercourfe were revived. And an extreme want of money from one end of North America to the other led the Americans to doubt concerning the advantages of the war, and to be convinced that, in order to carry on extenfive commerce, a capital, and credit are as neceffary, as raw materials.

CNTINENT of Europe.

The emperor of Germany gave early proofs of his ambition. From the moment he afcended the throne of his anceltors, he devoted his life to the purfuit of glory; and manifefted a refolution to promote the profperity of his fubjects, and to reclaim the territorics that had been antiently vented in his family. Whatever might promote induftry of every kind throughout his deminions, became The object of his attention. He fhewed himself a determined foe to indolence and fuperftition, by feizing on many convents: while from thefe facred poils, and the returns of a growing commerce in plentiful and populous countries, he kept on foot one of the beft difciplined, and in every refpect the finest armies in Europe. The revolution in America having embroiled his nearest neighbours, the French and the Dutch, in a war with the Englifli, the most powerful guarantees of the barrier treaty, this prince faw and improved a juncture to fas vourable to his ambition. The chain of forts which feparated the Auftrian from the Seven United Provinces at his requeft was remova ed. The barrier towns were dismantled. A road was opened into the heart of the United Provinces. The demand of a free navigation of a river, flowing through dominions which had devolved to the emperor by the inoft undisputed title of fucceffion, with a fmall terntory neceflary for the protection of that navigation, and which had alio been wrefted from his ancestors, was juft., This navigation would be an acquifition, not only to the emperor, but to the other pinces and Itates of Germany, whofe dominions must neceflatily feel new incitements to induftry, by a new influx of commerce. On amore enlarged fcale, the opening of the Schelde would be, for the fame realons, for the advantage of the world. The emperor, allured of the affiftance, it is reafonable to prefume, of powerful allies, and, confiding in the good withes of thofe ftates on whom the object he had