quest, the whole north coast of the island, with the entire eastern extremity, to the Province of Malang, downwards. Towards the middle of the 18th century, the weakness of the native power, and both the weakness and notorious inability of the mercantile government of the Dutch, brought on a destructive warfare of many years' continuance, which ended in the schism of the native sovereignty, which has established, nearly as it now stands, the political condition of the island. In 1811 the firm councils, aided by the personal presence of the late lamented Earl of Minto, placed Java under the protection of the British nation, after no contemptible struggle. In 1816 it was restored to the Dutch. This is probably as much of the history of Java, as can interest the popular or general reader. The subject of Revenue next occupies our attention. The whole revenue of Java appears to be a million sterling and upwards; a prodigious sum, if we consider the uncivilized and unimproved state of the bulk of the population. But it will appear still greater, if we take into view the small expense at which, from its peculiar situation, the island might have been maintained as a British possession:-No frontier to guard against an enemy; -on the southern coast, an inaccessible iron-bound shore;-on the north, a triumphant navy;-and within, tranquillity and content,―a garrison of 3000 men was then more than adequate, The principal branch of this revenue is a land rent, as in other countries of the East; but in Java, the condition of society was not sufficiently improved to suggest the advantage of commut ing payments in kind, and other irregular contributions, into an uniform money rent, until the vigorous period of the British administration, when this change was happily effected. The sovereign's right to the property of the soil, is fully established in Java. The whole island is like a great Russian or Polish estate, of which the sovereign is the lord or proprietor,--the people the serfs, and the nobles or officers of government the overseers and collectors. The island is parcelled out into petty farms of an acre or two, to the pennyless peasant; and the rents fall into the improvident hands of the government, instead of those of a proprietor,-not a farthing of it going to the improvement of the land. One half of the estimated produce of the best lands, and one third of that of the worst, is exacted by the sovereign as his share. We may be quite sure that countries only of the most singular fertility, could withstand so exorbitant, and in Europe so unheard of a demand; and we may be also certain, that whenever such a plan is systematically perseyered in, the country is doomed to inevitable and irretrievable poverty. We regret to say, that, following the pernicious example of the revenue system-mongers of Madras, the British government of Java adepted this principle of taxation in its utmost rigour; and in the revenue instructions' issued by them to their officers, we accordingly discover, that the most ordinary rate of their demands is one half the estimated crop, at a value of the collector's choosing, and that a fourth is the lowest demand. This destructive system must be abandoned; and a private right of property in the soil gradually introduced. There is no country in which it is easier, if indeed it be easy anywhere, to surrender power illegally claimed and established. In the list of taxes, there are several that deserve to be noticed, for their singularity. The revenue on salt is censurable, because it is a monopoly. The salt is retailed from the public warehouses, at about ten times its actual value. Other taxes there are upon the necessaries of life, in the pernicious form of licenses, as on butchers' meat, &c. &c. There still exist excise duties on articles that should not be exciscable,-in short, upon almost all articles, in the form of market duties and transit duties, &c. But the vilest source of revenue of all, is the commercial and agricultural monopoly of coffee. The philanthropy, and public spirit of our author, when he administered the affairs of Java, effected wonders in the reformation of these abuses; and his liberal views would have been completed, had the colony remained a few years longer in our possession. The most singular article of revenue is the birds' nests. We find a regufar revenue, of above three hundred thousand rupees, carried yearly to account for a few swallows' nests, collected at little or no expense. It is, in short, like levying a tax to this amount on the Chinese, the consumers of this very ridiculous luxury. The last subject of revenue which we shall notice, is opium. Seventy thousand pounds weight of this drug are annually smoked in Java, as innocently, perhaps, and we think more so, than spirituous liquors are consumed in this country. A chest of opium (133 lib.), which is manufactured for 400 rupees, is sold in Bengal for 2000, for the benefit of the local government; and, being made again the subject of taxation, is ultimately retailed to the Javanese at four times the last sum. The last subject we have to treat is Colonization, on which we shall be very brief. Making due allowance for the fertility of Java, and its capacity to support a numerous population, we do not consider that it is at present peopled to more than onefourth of what it appears capable of maintaining, or twenty millions of people. There is abundant room, therefore, for emigrants from other countries; and, from whatever climate they be, they may find a genial residence. By the account of Sir Stamford Raffles, not more than one-seventh part of the area of the Island is occupied. Whatever objections to colonization may exist in the case of continental India, and, even there, we believe them to originate in no better motives than the dread of encroachment upon patronage, and the poor envy which power always feels towards freedom and fair competition, Java appears to us not to afford the shadow of one. The native population haveno abhorrence of European, or other foreign manners; no gloomy unsociableness of disposition; but the very reverse. The diver sity of religion, manners, and laws, appears at first view an obstacle, but is really none. It is edifying to trace the effects of that very diversity, in the universal forbearance and liberality which it induces. We discover, in the Asiatic group of isles, the only great theatre where the varied population of Asia and Europe, even of Africa and America, meet none of the bigotry and intolerance which belong to most of them in their own country. A striking example may be quoted of its effects. There is a temple in the town of Batavia, the joint property of the Chinese and Mahomedans, where the worship of the god of Mahomet, and the deity of the Bonzes, is alternately performed. Nay, the Christians are tolerant to each other; and divine worship is performed in more than one of the churches of Java to both Catholics and Protestants. Were an entire freedom of colonization permitted, a right of private property in the soil established, justice respectably administered, an entire freedom of commerce being of course supposed,-we do not hesitate to pronounce that Java, from its fertile soil and fortunate situation, would, in a very moderate period of time, become the first colony in the world. Until those principles be acted upon, we despair of seeing Java, or any other Indian settlement, any thing than a burden to the mother country, and an object of patronage to the party in power. We have no opportunity of estimating, from experience, the advantages which an industrious race of colonists would produce, except in the instance of the Chinese; and here it is quite undeniable. The labour, skill, and enterprize of 34,000 of that indefatigable people, produce incalculable advantages to Java, which are to be traced in every department of industry. We may, from this instructive fact, form some estimate of what the superior genius and intelligence of European colonists could effect. But we must now hasten to a conclusion; and shall only add a few remarks on the general character of the work itself.The book is hastily written, and not very well arranged. It is a great deal too bulky, and too expensive, to be popular; and has, consequently, not been nearly so much read as its intrinsic merits entitle it to be. The style is fluent, but diffuse, and fre quently careless. We should guess that Sir Stamford Raffles composes with too much facility, and blots too little. The sixth and seventh chapters, which describe the character, habits, manners, customs, and amusements of the people, are the best of the whole work, and indeed excellent. The ninth, tenth, and eleventh, which give an account of the Religion and History, are by far the worst. In determining the Chronology, great errors have been committed. There is a propensity to magnify the importance of the early story of the Javanese; and, in calculating and adapting the Native, to Christian time, the principle has been wholly mistaken, and an error of seve ral years throughout the whole is the consequence. The map is the best ever compiled; and the plates equally correct and beautiful, such as might be expected from the long established reputation of Mr Daniel. ART. IX. 1. Report of the Select Committee on Contagious Fever in London: Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed, 20th May 1818.. pp. 52. Folio. 2. A Bill to establish Fever Hospitals, and to make other Regulations for the Relief of the Suffering Poor, and for Preventing the Increase of the Infectious Fever in Ireland: Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed, 19th May 1818. pp. 12. Folio. 3. Reports of the Practice in the Clinical Wards of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, during the Months of November and December 1817, and January 1818, and May, June, and July 1818. By ANDREW DUNCAN, junior, M. D. F. R. S. E. Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Professor of Medical Police, and of Medical Jurisprudence in the University of Edinburgh, and one of the Physicians to the Royal Public Dispensary and Lunatic Asylum. Edinburgh, 1818. 8vo. Constable & Co. 4. A Succinct Account of the Contagious Fever of this Country, exemplified in the Epidemic now prevailing in London; with the appropriate Method of Treatment as practised in the House of Recovery: To which are added, Observations on the Nature and Properties of Contagion, tending to correct the Popular Notions on this Subject, and pointing out the Means of Preven tion. By THOMAS BATEMAN, M. D. F. L. S. &c. Physician to the Public Dispensary, and Consulting Physician to the Fever Institution in London. 8vo. pp. 177. London, 1818. Longman & Co. 5. Medical Report of the House of Recovery and Fever Hospital in Cork-Street, Dublin. By F. BARKER M. D. Honorary Fellow of the King's and Queen's College of Physicians; Professor of Chemistry in Trinity College, Dublin: and Senior Physician to the Hospital. 8vo. pp. 80. Dublin, 1818. Graisherry & Campbell. 6. Observations on Contagion. By WHITLEY STOKES M. D. Honorary Fellow of the College of Physicians; Lecturer on Natural History to the University of Dublin; late Senior Fellow of Trinity College; and late Professor of the Practice of Medicine. 8vo. Dublin, 1818. 7. Statements relative to the present Prevalence of Epidemic Fever among the Poorer Classes of Glasgow. With some Sugges tions for affording more adequate Assistance to the Sick, and for Checking the further Progress of the Contagion: in a Letter addressed to the Honourable the Lord Provost of Glasgow. By RICHARD MILLAR M. D. Lecturer on Materia Medica in the University, one of the Physicians to the Infirmary, and to the Glasgow Lock Hospital. 8vo. Constable & Co. 1818. 8. Practical Observations on Continued Fever, especially Form at present existing as an Epidemic; with some Larks on the most efficient Plan for its Suppression. By ROBERT GRAHAM M. D. Regius Professor of Botany in the University of Glasgow; President of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons; and one of the Physicians to the Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, Constable & Co. 1818. Svo. IT may be questioned whether, in the present state of society, the epidemical visitations of a contagious disease are not productive of more misery than war itself-fertile, as it unquestionably is, in every species of calamity. The actual victims of war are not only numerically fewer, but, for the most part, belong exclusively to a class openly and almost voluntarily devoted to War horrors :-while epidemical sickness is an evil that |