from baronies to counties, till at length the greater part of the province was engaged. The many-headed monfter being now roufed, did not know where to ftop, but began a general redrefs of grievances, whether real or imaginary. Their firft object was the overfeers of roads; the fecond the clergy, whom they refolved to curtail of their perfonal and mixed tithes; the third was the landlords, the price of whofe lands, particularly of turf bogs, they fet about regulating. They had feveral inferior objects, all which only discovered the frenzy of infurrection. In the mean time, the army was collected from the other provinces; for till then, the province of Ulfter was deemed fo peaceful, that fcarcely any troops were quartered in it. The rabble fled as foon as fired upon; and thus was this tumult quelled for the time, in five or fix weeks after its commencement, with the lofs of only two or three lives. In the next feffion, parliament took the matter into confideration, and very wifely repealed the old Road Act, and provided for the future repair of the roads by levying an equal tax off the lands of both poor and rich. The cause of difcontent being thus happily removed, peace and quiet have returned to their old chan nels.' The infurrection of the Steel-boys was temporary likewife, and as fpeedily fuppreffed as the former, though by different means. The occafion of it was this: 'An abfentee nobleman, who enjoys one of the largest estates in this kingdom, instead of letting it, when out of leafe,-which it happened to be altogether about five or fix years ago,-for the higheft rent, which is the ufual way in Ireland, adopted a new mode, of taking large fines and small rents. It is afferted, that those fines amounted to fuch fum, that the want of the ufual circulating cash, carried away to England, feverely affected the linen markets of that country. But, be this as it may, the occupier of the ground, though willing to give the highest rent, was unable to pay the fines, and therefore difpoffeffed by the wealthy undertaker; who, not contented with moderate intereft for his money, racked the rents to a pitch above the reach of the old tenant. · Upon this, the people rofe against the foreftallers, deftroying their houfes, and maiming their cattle which now occupied their quondam farms. When thus driven to acts of defperation, they knew not how to confine themselves to their original object, but became, like the Hearts of Oak, general reformers. The army however eafily difperfed them, and two or three, who were made prifoners, having fuffered by the hands of the executioner, the country was foon restored to its priftine tranquility. Both thefe infurrections being in the North, the moft opulent, populous, and civilized part of the kingdom, we may obferve they have no fimilitude to that of the White-boys, in the South, either in their caufes or effects, except in the general idea of oppreffion. The Caufe which generated the one being removed, and the cause of the other being only temporary, the duration of neither was long. The rife and fall of each was like that of a mountain river, which, fwelled by by a broken cloud, at once overwhelms all around, and then shrinks down as fuddenly into its accustomed bed.' C · But in the South, the Author obferves, White-boyifm will still probably remain, in defiance of all legislative feverities, how ftrictly foever executed; as the caufe is permanent, and the fufferers fee no appearance of redrefs.- Deprived of their right of commonage, driven from the good grounds, obliged to pay five or fix guineas for an acre to fet their potatoes in, and having no refources from manufactures, as in the North, they become conftant enemies to the ftate; the ftate not being their • friend, nor the ftate's law.'-It has been urged indeed that fanaticifm in the North, and fuperftition in the South, were the original fources of thefe evils: but if, the Author obferves, the majority of the infurgents in the North were prefbyterians, and of those who rofe in the South were papifts, it is, because the body of the poor in these places are of those perfuafions. In fome of the fubfequent letters, the Author difcuffes a fubject of ftill greater magnitude; and endeavours to fhew that an union, or a compleat incorporation of Great Britain and Ireland, with a perfect community of privileges, would be in the highest degree advantageous to both countries.-But we muft here take leave of our intelligent traveller, and refer our readers to the work itself; where they will meet with much curious informa'tion, on a variety of fubjects. ART. V. A Treatise on the Situation, Manners, and Inhabitants of Germany: and the Life of Agricola. By C. Cornelius Tacitus; tranflated into English, by John Aikin: with copious Notes, and a Map of Antient Germany. Warrington, printed for Johnfon, London. 8vo. 4s. bound. 1778. H AVING formerly expreffed our idea of Mr. Aikin's merit as a tranflator, it is now neceffary to affure our readers, that we find our opinion of his ability, in this fpecies of writing, confirmed, both by his judicious corrections of his former piece (which is here reprinted without the original) and by the correct verfion which he has given of the book De moribus Germanorum. Perfectly agreeing with him in thinking that it is the first duty of a tranflator to reflect his author's meaning with clearness and precifion, we judge his work entitled to great commendation, for the closeness and accuracy with which it has followed the expreffion as well as the ideas of the original, without the least approach towards inelegance. The great value and authority of the original treatise, are fufficiently manifeft by the ufe which fome of the most eminent modern writers, particularly Montefquieu, have made of it. It has indeed always been reckoned one of the most precious relics of the political or historical writings of antiquity; and (as the tranflator tranflator juftly remarks) has been rendered more important to modern times than was probably expected by its Author, who could scarcely foresee that the government, policy, and manners of the moft civilized parts of the globe, were to originate from the woods and deserts of Germany. Valuable however as the work is, the concife manner in which it is written, gives it in many parts a degree of obfcurity, which renders a faithful tranflation of this piece with judicious notes, particularly defirable: And both thefe, we can with confidence affure our Readers, they may find in the prefent publication. The following extract will, we apprehend, juftify this encomium. In the election of kings they have regard to birth; in that of military commanders*, to valour. Their kings have not an abfolute or unlimited power +; and their generals command less through the force of authority, than of example. If they are daring, adventurous, and confpicuous in action, they procure obedience from the admiration they infpire. None, however, but the priests are permitted to chaftize delinquents, to inflict bonds or ftripes; that it may appear not as a punishment, or in confequence of the general's order, but as the inftigation of the god whom they fuppofe prefent with warriors. They also carry with them to battle, images and ftandards taken from the facred groves §. It is a principal incentive to their courage, that their *Vertot (Mem. de l'Acad. des Infcrip.) fuppofes that the French Maires du Palais had their origin from thefe German military leaders. If the kings were equally confpicuous for valour as for birth, they united the regal with the military command. Generally, however, feveral kings and generals were affembled in their wars. In this cafe the most eminent commanded, and obtained a common jurisdiction in war, which did not fubfift in time of peace. Thus Cæfar (Bell. Gall. VI.) fays, "In peace they have no common magiftracy.' neral was elected by placing him on a fhield, and lifting him on the fhoulders of the by-ftanders. The fame ceremonial was observed in the election of kings. A ge + Hence Ambiorix, king of the Eburones, declared that "the nature of his authority was fuch, that the people had no less power over him, than he over the people." Cæfar Bell. Gall. V. The authority of the North American Chiefs is almost exactly fimilar. The power of life and death, however, was in the hands of magiftrates. Thus Cæfar; " When a ftate engages either in an offenfive or defenfive war, magiftrates are chofen to prefide over it, and exercife power of life and death." Bell. Gall. VI. The infliction of punishments was committed to the priests, in order to give them more folemnity, and render them lefs invidious. § This was in order further to enforce the same idea of a divine prefence. The images were of wild beafts, the types and enfigns of their national religion (fee Tacitus's Hift. IV. 22.): the standards were fuch as had been taken from the enemy, and were hung up in their groves to the deity of the place. fquadrons fquadrons and battalions are not formed by men fortuitously col lected, but by the affemblage of families and clans. Near them are ranged the deareft pledges of their affection; fo that they have within hearing the yells of their women, and the cries of their children. Thefe, too, are the moft refpected witneffes, the most liberal applauders, of the conduct of each. To their mothers and wives they bring their wounds; and these are not fhocked at counting, and even requiring * them. They also carry food and encouragement + to those who are engaged. Tradition relates, that armies beginning to give way have been brought again to the charge by the women, through the earnestness of their entreaties, the oppofition of their bodies 1, and the pictures they have drawn of imminent flavery §; a calamity which these people bear with more impatience on their women's account than their own; fo that thofe ftates who have been obliged to give among their hoftages the daughters of noble families, are the most effectually engaged to fidelity ¶ They even suppose somewhat of fanctity and prefcience to be inherent in the female fex; and therefore neither defpife their counfels ||, 66 • Inftead of the Latin word answering to this, exigere, fome read exfugere, to fuck the wounds." This, however, is an unauthorized reading, and lefs in the manner of the author. The word " requir ing" ftrongly expreffes the favage fortitude of the German women, who would even receive their husbands and children with reproaches, if they left the field unwounded. + Cibos & hortamina: "Food and encouragement"-one of the points, frequently to be met with in Tacitus, like the "mountains and mutual dread" in the firft fentence of this treatise. Some annotators, not entering into this mark of character in the hiftorian's ftyle, have interpreted hortamina "refreshments"; and as food was before related, have fuppofed it to mean wine or ale. J. A. They not only interpofed to prevent the flight of their husbands and fons; but, in defperate emergencies, themselves engaged in battle. This happened on Marius's defeat of the Cimbri (hereafter to be mentioned); and Dio relates, that when Marcus Aurelius overthrew the Marcomanni, Quadi, and other German allies, the bodies of women in armour were found among the flain. § Thus, in the army of Arioviftus, the women, with their hair disheveled, and weeping, befought the foldiers not to deliver them captives to the Romans. Cæfar Bell. Gall. I. Relative to this, perhaps, is a circumftance mentioned by Suetonius in his life of Auguftus. "From fome nations he attempted to exact a new kind of hoftages, women; because he observed that those of the male fex were difregarded." Aug. XXI. See the fame obfervation with regard to the Celtic women, in Plutarch on the virtues of women. The North Americans pay a fimilar regard to their females. 4 nor nor difregard their responses. We have beheld, in the reign of Vefpafian, Veleda + long reverenced by many as a deity. They formerly alfo venerated Aurinia, and feveral others; but without adulation, or as if they intended to make them goddeffes +.' Mr. Aikin acknowledges himself indebted to M. Brotier for the notes on both treatises, except those to which his own fignature is annexed. Thefe notes are selected with judgment and tafte, and make a large and valuable part of the work. 19 * A remarkable inftance of this is given by Cæfar. "When he inquired of the captives the reason why Arioviftus did not engage, he learned, that it was because the matrons, who among the Germans are accustomed to pronounce, from their divinations, whether or no a battle will be favourable, had declared that they would not prove victorious, if they should fight before the new moon.' Bell. Gall. I. The cruel manner in which the Cimbrian women performed their divinations, is thus related by Strabo. "The women who follow the Cimbri to war, are accompanied by grey-haired propheteffes, in white veftments, with canvafs mantles faftened by clafps, a brazen girdle, and naked feet. Thefe go with drawn fwords through the camp, and ftriking down thofe of the prifoners they meet, drag them to a brazen kettle, holding about twenty amphora. This has a kind of stage above it, afcending on which, the priestess cuts the throat of the victim, and from the manner in which the blood flows into the veffel, judges of the future event. Others tear open the bodies of the captives thus butchered, and from infpection of the entrails, prefage victory to their own party." Lib. VII. + She was afterwards taken prifoner by Rutilius Gallicus. Statius in his Sylva, I. 4. refers to this event. Tacitus has more concerning her in his Hiftory, IV. 61. Because at that period, the fuperftition which made deities of them, did not prevail. Thus Tacitus in his account of Veleda"according to the antient custom of the Germans, which attributed a prophetic character to many of their women, and, as fuperftition advanced, regarded them as divinities." Hift. IV. 61. They were afterwards fo immoderately addicted to this opinion, that, among the monuments of German antiquity, altars and inscriptions occur, to the matrons of the Suevi, Treveri, Aufani, &c. ART. VI. Defcriptions of some of the Utenfils in Hufbandry, Rolling- TH HIS is what the French would call a catalogue raifonée of the implements of husbandry made by Mr. Sharp. It may in English be called a Defcriptive Catalogue; but it dif 'fers from all other catalogues we have feen, by giving prints of the machines it defcribes. All that falls to our province is to exhibit a lift of the utenfils, in the order of the plates; for it is REV. Jan. 1779. с difficult |
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