Art. 87. The former and prefent State of the principal Public Offices in this Kingdom; including the Offices of his Majesty's Treasury, Exchequer, Poftmaster General, Secretaries of State, Admiralty, Army and Navy Pay Offices, and all the fubordinate Naval Departments; with Tables of the established Fees received in moft of the faid Offices, and in fundry other Departments. Compiled from the Reports of the Commiffioners of Accounts and Enquiry, appointed in 1780 and 1785, from various Statutes, Orders in Council, Warrants, and Documents refpecting the faid Offices, and from other authentic Sources of Information. 8vo. pp. 150. 3s. 6d. Boards. Rivingtons. 1794.

The information contained in this work appears to us to be accurate, and we think that the publication will prove useful.

Art. 88. Letters to a Wife, by the Author of Cardiphonia. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6s. fewed. Johnson. 1793.

The repetition of the fame fentiments through two volumes, even though they be fentiments of love and piety, without some extraordinary exertions of genius, muft become tiresome. We have no doubt that thefe letters, when they were written, afforded great delight to both parties: but a course of what will be ufually termed methodistical love letters from a husband to his wife will not, we apprehend, be very interesting to the public. Though a great part of them were written during three voyages to Africa, the writer scarcely ever fteps out of his way to communicate any information which is either amufing or inftructive.-When the reader has perused these volumes, he will perhaps recollect little more than that the author was for 35 years a fond husband, whofe love to his wife was fuch that, as he expreffes it, the rest of the sex were no more to him than the tulips in a garden; and that, though they were a very pious and a very happy couple, they fancied they had vile hearts, and were continually diftreffing themselves with an apprehenfion that they idolized one another too much. From many internal proofs, we conclude that these letters are to be confidered as a fupplement to the life of the Rev. Mr. Newton, formerly rector of Olney, now rector of St. Mary, Woolnoth, London.

Art. 89. The Patriot's Callendar, for 1794. Containing the ufual English Almanack, the Decree of the French National Convention for the Alteration of the Style; the interefting Report of Fabre d'Eglantine, on that Subject, tranflated at length; the French Calendar, reprinted from the Paris Edition, with an accurate Tranflation of the fame; the Declaration of the Rights of Man; the Mufic and Words of the four French National Airs; the Marfeilles Hymn, Ça-ira, the Chant civique, and the Carmagnole; with a Collection of the best Odes and Fugitive Pieces written in favour of Liberty; and a Chronological Table of the principal Events of the French Revolution. 12mo, 2s. 6d. fewed. Bew.

The title-page of this little manual fufficiently informs the reader of its nature; and it is fcarcely necessary for us to say that it is an ufeful

3

ufeful and amufing pocket companion. Some of the pieces of poetry are very beautiful. A neat little map of France, according to its new feparation into 23 military divifions and 83 departments, is prefixed.

Art. 9o. Characters of eminent Men in the Reigns of Charles I. and II. including the Rebellion, from the Works of Lord Chancellor Clarendon. 8vo. pp. 201. 35. 6d. Faulder. 1794.

It is eafy to perceive, from the well-known political connections and character of Lord Clarendon, with what particular view thefe extracts from his history are published at the present time. The defign (to copy the editor's own words,) is to afford an instructive leffon to the prefent age in disclosing the ambitious views of the principal actors, at a time when this country was involved in all the horrors of a civil war. Apart, however, from the temporary purpose of this publication, it must be allowed to be a valuable felection from an important work; for, with some allowance for the bias of party under which these characters were drawn, the observation of an elegant biographer (Granger) may perhaps ftill be admitted, that Lord Clarendon is in this particular as unrivalled among the moderns, as Tacitus is among the antients; they both faw thofe nice diftinctions, and those specific differences, in human nature, which are visible only to the fagacious.

Art. 91. Inftructions for collecting and preferving various Subjects of Natural Hiftory; as Animals, Birds, Reptiles, Shells, Corals, Plants, &c. with a Treatife on the Management of Infects in their feveral States; felected from the beft Authorities. By E. Donovan, Author of the Natural History of British Birds and Infects. 8vo. 4s. 6d. Rivingtons. 1794.

As this work will admit neither of abridgment nor extract, it is enough for us to announce it to fuch of our readers as are interested in the fubject.

FAST SERMONS, Feb. 28.

Art. 92. Preached at Gainsborough. By D.H. Urquhart, M. A. Vicar of Gainsborough, and Prebendary of Lincoln. 4to. Cadell.

15.

Mr. Urquhart paffes many deferved eulogiums on the British conftitution, and juftly laments that any perfons fhould be found among us, who are so infenfible of the bleffings which they enjoy as to use their liberty as a cloak of maliciousness. Text, 1 Pet. ii. 16. Against fuch people he cautions his countrymen; bidding them recollect that, in all emergencies, Unity is ftrength;" and that, in times like thefe, loyalty and liberty are one.'

Art. 93. Preached by J. Brand, Cl. M. A. 4to. IS. Clarke. In this elaborate difcourfe on Luke xix. 41, 42. the author defigns a parallel between the political principles and licentiousness of the Jews, (which brought on the deftruction of Jerufalem,) and those of the modern French; and he afferts that it was against this fanatical perverfion of the principles of freedom, leading the way to the greatest

atrocities,

atrocities, that Chrift pointed the words of the text. To this new comment, notwithstanding it is fupported with all the abilities of the preacher, we cannot affent. The common interpretation, that Chrift intends to reprove the Jews for their religious infidelity in rejecting him, rather than for political fanaticifin, appears to us more probable. Subjects of politics he never difcuffed, but always avoided; and to find out a reference to them in his lamentation over Jerufalem is as ingenious as fome of Bishop Warburton's fcriptural difcoveries in his Divine Legation, and as little fatisfactory. The paffage fcarcely requires a comment, except to obfcure or to pervert it. Our Saviour weeps over his countrymen because they did not know in this their day, that is then, the things that belonged to their peace. Now this muft refer rather to what was paffed, viz. their rejection of him, than to any subsequent guilt or folly; fo that the political madness which preceded and accompanied the deftruction of their city, and which is here fo fully detailed, must be confidered as part of the judgments denounced on them, not as the primary cause of thofe judgments.

When Mr. B. leaves his text and becomes a political preacher, we cannot perfectly agree with him. We would do justice to his abilities, but we cannot pronounce him always correct and candid in his ftatements, nor juit in his conclufions. We do not, however, controvert his argument to prove the tendency of virtue to meliorate our civil state; yet we think it unneceffarily prolix.

SINGLE SERMONS.

Art. 94. The Order, Qualifications, and Duty of a Chriftian Minifter; preached at the Vifitation of the Archdeacon of Surrey, September 20, 1791, at the Church of St. Saviour's, Southwark. By David Gilfon, M. A. Curate of St. Saviour's, Southwark, and St. Magnus, London Bridge. Published at the Requeft of the Clergy prefent. 8vo. 15. Rivingtons.

The author of this fermon profeffes himself an advocate for human learning, and makes it one leading head of his defcription of the character of a chriftian minifter that he should be a good scholar: yet he takes efpecial care that his learning fhall not be mifapplied, by adding that he must be a found divine. What must the good scholar do, if his scholarship should happen to prevent his becoming a found divine? He is admonished not to wafte his time in making himself acquainted with the tenets of thofe mistaken or ill-intentioned fectaries, who build uncommanded fynagogues in every fireet.' As to the laity, he refers them, if they must be judging! to the articles of our church-but previously warns them against indulging this evil propenfity, left they bring on them the divine judgment, which he apprehends to be fat approaching, nay to be already arrived, in a judicial blindness to all the ways of God. Whatever credit this preacher may obtain as a pillar of that edifice of which he fays that, with all the breaches made in it by open foes, and all the underminings wrought by dangerous friends, it yet remains a goodly fabric; he will not, we apprehend, find it eafy to obtain a place of distinction among that enlightened and illuftrious band of labourers, who are employed in erecting the temple of fcience.

Art.

Art. 95. Obedience to the established Laws and Refpect to the Perfon of the Adminiftrator, the joint Support of Civil Society. Preached in the Chapel of Eton College, October the 27th, 1793. By the Rev. W. Langford, D.D. Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majefty; Canon of Windfor, and Under Mafter of Eton School. 4to. pp. 13. IS. Payne.

It is doubtless perfectly right, and very neceffary, that the princi ples of fubordination, and of religious obedience, fhould be inculcated on the rifing generation; and, in this view, a difcourfe on these topics was properly enough addreffed to the Eton scholars, and printed for their ufe: but it furely was not neceffary, in order to imprefs on youth fentiments of piety and loyalty, to affert what we believe has never yet been proved, that the rulers of the French nation have profeffed their disbelief in a God. Much lefs could it be neceffary to prepare them for acting the part of tyrants and perfecutors, by telling them that, if, in this country, mischief should ever unhappily arise, and evils unforeseen accompany intemperate zeal for modern reformation, the firft authors muft not lament, if the millftone should recoil upon their own heads, and in the language of fcripture, should grind them to powder.'

Art. 96. Preached at the Triennial Vifitation of the Lord Bishop of Hereford, holden at Church Stretton, Salop, July 5, 1792. By Jofeph Plymley, M. A. Archdeacon of Salop, in the Diocese of Hereford. 4to. 1s. 6d. Longman.

What degree of religious knowlege was poffeffed by that part of the antient world, which was not immediately bleffed with divine revelation, and how far that knowlege was the mere refult of the natural exercise of reafon, or was derived from traditionary communications, ultimately to be traced back to the facred fountain,-are difficult inquiries, which demand a much more elaborate and minute hiftorical investigation than can poffibly be brought within the limits of a fermon. Mr. Plymley, however, has here undertaken to discuss and to decide on thefe fubjects. His prefent review of antient philofophy must of course be flight, and not free from inaccuracy. We apprehend that his affertion concerning Socrates and his followers, that they defined no fyftem of religion, the parts of which, if taken feparately, are not refutable by themfelves; or which, if taken in a body, do not refute each other; is contradicted by the account that Xenophon, in his Memorabilia, gives of the method in which Socrates inferred the existence and perfections of a Supreme Being from the works of nature. We own, too, that we do not find the creed of the Stoic philofophy either fo indefinite in itself, or fo ftrangely affociated, as Mr. P. repre fents; and we are of opinion that there are many facts, in the hiftory of philofophy, which refute the notion that the Grecian philofophers could not advance fo far towards God, as to have any diftinct ideas con cerning his attributes.' We do not mean to depreciate the value of revelation, but merely to intimate that the mode of defending it, which annihilates natural religion, appears to us injudicious; and that we do not think the oddly expreffed pofition of this author admiffible,

that

that the bible is the fact through which we are to know God. We, however, think with him that practical piety and morality have been effentially benefited by Christianity.-The fermon bears strong marks of intelligence and ingenuity.

Art. 97. The general Religious Inftruction of the Poor, the fureft Means of promoting univerfal National Happiness. Preached 30th Sept. 1792, at Hemel-Hempstead, Herts, for the Benefit of the Sundayfchools. By John Liddon. 8vo. 6d. Dilly.

A fenfible and ufeful difcourfe from Ifaiah, xi. 6, 7, 8, 9. It earneftly recommends Sunday-fchools, offers the most cogent arguments in their favour, and fhews the purposes to which they fhould be directed. If, instead of party diftinctions, these inftitutions fhould be thus guided to advance real Chriftian knowlege and virtue, they are likely to prove great bleflings indeed!

*

CORRESPONDENCE.

An Enemy to Impofition' is received: but, as it contains no argument nor fact on the fubject, we cannot afford room for the infertion of it. We have already given both fides of the question.

+++ The letter of J. L. fhall receive due attention; yet we must not lofe fight of the maxim, Fiat juftitia, &c.

Itt We are forry that our correfpondent Candour profeffes himself unconvinced: but we have too much employment for our pages and our time to devote the former to the publication of extenfive letters, or the latter to the prolongation of arguments, for the gratification of individual anonymous writers.-The fame answer must be given to

Candide.

Amicus fhall be gratified as early as other engagements permit.

tilt S. L., Woodbridge, will find the pamphlet, concerning which he writes, noticed in this Review.

* Our recollection does not at prefent enable us to answer the queries of N. Y.

** We fhall pay all proper attention to the well-written letter of Mr. Roberts; of whofe work we propofe to give an account in our next number.

+*+ Other letters remain for confideration.

In the last Appendix, p. 516. 1.15. read KLAPROTH. In the Index, article Grafton, dele is.-Review for September, p.8. 1.3. for • appotency,' r. appetency. 96. parag. 2. 1. 4. put a comma after ‹ is,' and take it away from confers.'