rally taken from the reft. This author has indeed entirely abolished the reft, fubftituting in its place the recover, as he could fee no reason why any deftinction fhould be made between them. The German centries receive every officer with rested arms; but in England it is a compliment due only to thofe of a fuperior rank. Though this alteration may fhorten the manual exercife a little, we are of opinion that the recover will not be generally thought fo graceful a pofition as the reft, it being very certain, that the foldier does not appear so easy in this attitude. The author, in defence of his new method of refting, alledges there being many more effential parts of the exercife which are fufficient to employ the whole attention of an officer, and that therefore, every thing that renders the lefs important parts more complicated and difficult must be wrong. This reasoning may be juft in general; but if gracefulness may be attended to in any particular, it fhould certainly be confidered in the reft.

The author has alfo, in imitation of the Pruffians, retrenched the refting on the arms; fince, fays he, The ordering anfwers the purpose full as well, and is a more graceful attitude; the foldier prefenting his whole body better, and ftanding more upright; his fhoulders being neceffarily drawn back, by the pofition he ftands in.'

The next alteration we find, is in the grounding and taking up the firelock, in which the firft and fourth motions, in the exercife of the army, are left out. To this deviation we can have no objection, as the motions which are omitted are unellential.

.

We come now to the author's manner of clubbing the firelock, which is likewife begun from the fhoulder, and performed in three motions, by feizing the piece with the right hand on the infide, at the height of your chin, turning the thumb downwards, and the back of the hand towards < you, raifing it perpendicular from your fhoulder; fecond, turn the piece brifkly with your right hand, bringing the butt uppermoft, and the lock outward, &c.'

It must be confeffed, that this method of clubbing, is fhorter than that practifed by the army, provided they were both begun from the fhoulder; but in coming from the order, as in the manual exercife, it will be found to confist of one motion more. Befides, in propofing this alteration, the author feems not to have confidered, that throughout the whole fervice, the men are never ordered to tlub, but on being relieved

from

from a guard, and that this word of command immediately fucceeds the reft; from which the new guard Jhoulders, and the old clubs. For this reafon, it is indifpenfibly neceffary that the club fhould proceed from the reft, rather than from the boulder. In a note upon this motion, we find the following words: As the pofition of being fhouldered, though eafy and graceful, becomes tirefome if long continued; when the men are to march to a confiderable diftance, or ⚫ are difmiffed, they are ordered to club: they then are fup-• pofed free from conftraint, and may carry their arms in the manner they find moft convenient; carrying a piece clubbed, being one of the eafieft manners of doing it. We think, that the ease and fhortness of our method of clubbing, from the fhoulder, which may be done marching, mult Arike every body with the difference between it, and "the manner in which the regular troops perform it.'-Whe ther it may strike every body, we know not; but, whoever attempts it on a march, will in all probability Strike his neighbour with the butt of his firelock. Befides, thofe who chufe to make the experiment, will find that it requires more. ftrength, than the generality of our center-rank are poffeffed of. If the author had been accuftomed to march with a body of troops, he would have known that the men are never ordered to club in a regular manner upon the march; but that having paffed through a town, and entered upon the road, they have a fignal from the drum, not to club, but to carry their firelocks as they please. There can, therefore, be no use in teaching them to club upon the march. They are never ordered to club, but on being relieved from a guard, and in the manual exercife, and in both these the words, club your firelocks, naturally follow the rest.

We are entirely of the author's opinion, with regard to his method of fecuring from the fhoulder. Thefe are his directions for performing it: Seize your firelock with your ⚫ right hand below the lock, raifing it about a hand's breadth 'from the fhoulder, not turning it, but keeping the barrel outwards. Second, Throw up your left hand, and feize the firelock at the fwell below the tail-pipe, keeping your left thumb up, and your arm close along the outfide of the firelock. Third, Throw down your left hand briskly along with the firelock, bringing the lock under your left arm, &c.'

This is much fhorter than the method practifed by the army. The ufe of fecuring being to cover the lock in rainy weather, it is very obvious that it fhould proceed from the

fhoulder,

Shoulder, and that there is an advantage in performing it in a regular manner, without halting.

In this exercise the fixing of the bayonets is reduced to three motions, whereas in the exercife of the army, no less than ten are required, beginning from the fhoulder: but the invention of this method is not due to our Author; it is of German extraction, and now generally practifed in the army, when the ranks are closed.

Carrying the firelock on the right arm, instead of the left, is likewife taken from the Pruffians. We cannot entirely approve of this alteration, as it is much more fatiguing to the men, if they are obliged to continue it for any time.

The Author's method of charging the bayonet is much preferable to that in the exercise established by authority. It is copied from the Pruffians, and now generally practifed by our regular troops.

We find no other material difference, except, that in opening the ranks, the center and rear ftep off both together, the firft counting five, and the other ten paces: they halt with their feet proper, and come to the right about.

We muft obferve, that throughout this whole exercise the men never come to the left, but always to the right about. This general rule, without any exception, renders the exercife easier to be remembered, and will certainly prevent miftakes in that particular.

To the manual exercife fucceeds that of the Officers, and the manner of faluting. The Author has thought fit to arm them with fufees, rather than efpontoons: for tho' he allows the latter to be an excellent weapon in a pitched battle, yet it must be confidered,' fays he, that in all probability, if at any time the Militia fhould be called out into actual fervice, the greatest part of their duty would confift in escorts, detachments, parties for difcovery, or to harrafs the enemy, and fuch kind of fervice, which would render the fufee a weapon much more eligible for the officers than the 'efpontoon.' They are to carry their fufce on their right arms, in the fame manner as the grenadier officers of the army when they march with clofe ranks. His falute differs from theirs, chiefly in the fecond motion, in which, instead of finking the bayonet to the ground with the piece held in the right hand only, he fupports it with the left, as in the common falute with the efpontoon.-To this fucceeds the

halbert

halbert exercise, which differs in nothing from that of the army.

The second part of this work confifts of directions to the officers about the method of teaching the exercife; rules and directions for marching; rules and directions for wheeling; directions for marching and wheeling by platoons, or divifions; and directions for the days of exercise by fingle companies. All these several directions are illuftrated by references to proper plates at the end of the book. Every atti tude in the manual exercife, is alfo perfectly well reprefented by forty-four sketches done from the life, which have been defigned by a skilful hand.

Tho' the Author of this military performance was not bred a foldier, his genius and application have evidently rendered him perfectly well acquainted with his fubject. His introduction fhews him to have ftudied the best authors both ancient and modern, and the work itself convinces us, he has affiduously practifed what he recommends to others.-The third part, (not yet published) will contain the exercise and difcipline of a battalion.

MONTHLY

CATALOGUE.

For OCTOBER, 1759. .

POLITICAL,

Art. 1. The Lamentations of the People of France; found under the King's Cover at Verfailles. Tranflated into English, by a Gentleman juft arrived from France. 8vo. 6d. Rivington and Fletcher.

IT

T does not appear upon what authority the original of this piece is faid to have been found under the cover of his moft Chriftian Majefty we rather apprehend it to be a pamphlet, conceived and brought forth, juft as the generality of our own pamphlets are, -for the accommodation of their Authors.-This is a Remonftrance to the King, in the name of the people; fetting forth the errors of his government, and the diftreffes of the kingdom; and interlarded with many anecdotes relating to his Majefty's Miftrefs and Ministers: to render the piece the more entertaining and palatable to its Readers. From the defects of the printing, and the badnefs of the letter, we infer it to have iffued from fome obfcure country-prefs, where no Corrector is employed and fome of the faults, indeed, are fo grofs, that we can only account for them, by fuppofing the Gentle

man

man just arrived from France to be himself a foreigner, litle acquainted with the English language.

Art. 2. Secret Reasons why the Invafion on England was projected, but not accomplished: Being the Subftance of fame Conferences lately held at Verfailles. 8vo. Is. Simpfon.

The Author, or Editor, pretends that this pamplet is a Tranflation of an original published at Bruffels. If this be true, it proves that they can publish as miferable catch-penny things abroad, as our Grubs porduce here.

Art. 3. Faction detected by the Evidence of Facts, &c. 8vo. 6d. Leage.

As this unhappy Detector acknowleges himself difordered, we shall not aggravate his diftrefs, by entering into the merits of what he has here found means to get into print. He has borrowed his titlepage from a celebrated political pamphlet published about fixteen years ago.

.

Art. 4. Farther Obfervations concerning the Foundling Hofpital, pointing out the ill Effects which fuch an Hofpital is likely to have ироп the Religion, Liberty, and domeftic Happiness of the People of Great Britain. Written for the Information of those refpectable Perfons, whofe humane and charitable Difpofitions have led them to fupport that Hofpital; and intended to fhew all Fathers and Mothers what a Hydra they are nurfing to Pofterity. To which are prefixed, Former Obfervations concerning the faid Hofpital. Most humbly fubmitted to the Confideration of Parliament. By J. Maffie. 4to. 6d. Payne, &c.

The zeal of this very indefatigable Writer feems to have tranfported him beyond the bounds of fober fenfe, and this performance is the Quinteffence of Political Methodism. In a former work, he had offered fome obfervations on the Foundling Hofpital, which, in many refpects, were worthy attention; but in this, he indulges himfelf in rhapofodical Queries, and unintelligible Dogmas. Among other extravagancies, he earnestly recommends, what he phrafes, the feemingly fimple cuftom, practifed by the venerable Patriots of old, of training up English children in a belief, that the POPE, the DEVIL, and the FRENCH KING, were alike terrible enemies to them. For our parts, however, the Devil may be interested in the encouragement of the Foundling Hofpital, yet we cannot conceive that it has any thing to do with the Pope and the French King, or they with it.

Art. 5. A Letter from Marshal Saxe in Elyfium, to the French King, Lewis le Petit, on his withered Laurels. Tranflated from the French. 8vo. Is. Woodfall.

We