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and difgufted with a fophiftical apology, where we ought to have been informed by a fimple narrative. But it is become a fashion to give to history the dress of philofophy. It is not confined to facts, it ranges for motives. And when the hero of the tale is the favourite of the author, motives will be created for him that he little thought of; and excufes will be formed for what he never meant to ask an indulgence, or to make an apology for.

From this digreffion we return with peculiar pleasure to our ingenious Author; and, for the entertainment of our Readers, we will present them with an extract from his fecond lecture. " on Wisdom :"-not the wisdom which begins and ends in fciences, but that " wisdom which cometh down from above,” and which ends, not in empty and ufelefs theories of fcientific fpeculation, but in moral practice; and like the wifdom of the apostle, is "full of good fruits-without partiality, and without hypocrify."

It is in confequence of employing our thoughts on the wifdom and goodness which are every where to be found in the works of God, that we acquire moral principles. Morality, the proper science of man, may therefore be truly faid to be wisdom, even in the eftimation of the Deity. The sciences, commonly fo called, natural and experimental philofophy, mathematics, logics, and aftronomy, are fteps to the great and univerfal fcience of morals; which furnishes the only permanent principles of focial and civil inftitutions; and produces all the happiness that the world can enjoy. It is in confequence of drawing these channels from their proper and useful directions that the words of the apoftle [the wifdom of this world is foolishness with God] became applicable to the wisdom of this world. For even fciences which might be extremely useful and worthy of purfuit, become foolishness when directed to no end; or when the perfons who are engaged in them, have no object but the fame which may arife from industry and succefs in their purfuits: or the fpurious, unnatural recompence, which is called fcientific pleasure. This however is the just reproach of modern knowledge; and the wisdom of this world may be truly faid to be foolishness with God.

In the more enlightened periods of antiquity, the most respectable of all denominations, that of the philofopher, was never applied but to men who loved real wifdom; it was not prostituted to those mutilated monfters in the fcientific world, whofe minds have but one faculty, that of memory, and who employ that faculty on the minutiae of nature; and when they are gorged with facts from earth, and fea, and air, are hardly of any ufe in all thofe defigns for which a reasonable man mult

have been fent into the world. You will obferve I do not speak against all difcoveries of facts, and all the ufe of memory; but against the improper application of the words, philofophy and wisdom, to purfuits which are only the elements of science, and which are refpectable and useful only, when they contribute fomething to the improvement of that great and univerfal fcience, Morality, which alone can make men happy.'

Speaking of the ftate and progrefs of fcientific knowledge among the ancients, in his third lecture (which is a continuaation of the former on the nature and effects of true wisdom), Mr. Williams obferves, that it is very probable to a man who can trace events to their neceffary caufis, that in the time of Socrates, the feveral fciences were purfued in the manner they now are, as separate and diftinct objects, and not as means leading to one univerfal and beneficial end. The flight and fcanty informations of history would confirm fuch an hypothefis. Thales had fpeculated and made experiments on water. He and his difciples drew it from all fubftances, and probably gave it feveral philofophic names, as it petrified into ftones, vegetated into herbs, and flowers, and trees, affumed the form and fubftance of animals, fublimated into a human foul, and by undergoing infinite proceffes conftituted the nature and fupreme intelligence of the gods, and blessed and ruled that univerfe, confitting only of various modifications of water. Thefe form the first order of fpeculative philofophers: and modern fabricators of worlds, and aflayers of elements, muft ever look up to them with aftonishment and defpair.

The fpeculations and experiments of Anaximenes were upon air. He extracted it from every thing. He changed, and modified, and purified it, till he became fo enamoured, that he pronounced it to be God, immenfe, infinite, almighty, the foul of the universe, and the principle of all intelligence and all happiness. The difciples and followers of this philofopher were numerous, and continued in credit for fome ages.'

From air and water doftors, our Author proceeds to the third clafs, the philofophers of fire.

The general effect of philofophic fpeculation was the opinion, that the clement which was anciently called ether, and which we now call the electric fire, was the univerfal principle. It was probably feen to pervade all parts of nature, and appeared like the immediate cause of all motion and life. It was beneficent in the fun it was fometimes mifchievous in lightning. All the good and evil in the world was allotted by it. It was therefore pronounced to be God-called Jupiter, and adored by all the world. We accordingly find fire to have been the univerfal emblem of the Deity; and the fuccefs of the very ancient

Magi, or perhaps much more experimental philofophers, on fire to be much greater in railing their element to be a deity, than that of thofe who applied themfelves to air and water.'

Our Author, after having remarked, that Philofophers of all defcriptions, who are not engaged in purfuits which will terminate in the moral benefit of the world, are only Monks and Friars, whofe fupport is a charge on the industry of the public,' obferves, very properly, that the fciences when they have diverged from a certain line, and their votaries are become diftinct claffes of beings, they gradually refine, till each terminates in fome fpecies of fophiftry, quackery, and mifchievous imposture. Thus mathematics degenerate into ænigmas: chymistry becomes alchymy; aftronomy, aftrology; and theology, mystery; and thus all fcientific means of improvement, convenience, and happiness, are the inftruments of mean imposture to corrupt and injure the people. It was to this kind of impofture that Socrates oppofed himself; and by the artifices of it he fell.'

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Mr. Williams confiders the death of Chrift in the fame light with that of Socrates: He views it as a mere natural event, produced by fimilar caufes, and producing a moral effect by the operation of fimilar circumstances. In both these very remarkable cafes,' (fays he) the benefit to the public was derived from the death of the fufferer. If Socrates had been allowed to live the few years he had to remain, the effect of his converfation and inftructions would have been inconfiderable; and we fhould hardly have had his name tranfmitted to us. But being called up with injuftice and cruelty to fuffer and to die; and fubmitting to his fate with the fpirit and temper of a man; employing the folemn interval between his fentence and his death, in recapitulating the great principles of his favourite fcience, and the reasons of his ferenity, peace, and hope, every word he uttered was engraven upon the hearts of his friends: every one of whom became another Socrates; and by a fervid zeal, and enthufiaftic eloquence, spread his philofophy through the world. So in the cafe of Chrift, the fuccefs of his doctrine, the enthusiasm of his difciples, and the prevalence of Chriftianity, was owing to his death; and fo fenfible were the early Chriftians of this, that by a strong figure, they faid, the world was washed in his blood, and faved by his cross.'

We cannot avoid remarking, that this pofition is exceedingly injurious to Chriftianity. It degrades it to a level with the inftitutions of human wisdom: and cannot be reconciled with the exprefs defign of the death of Chrift, in thofe books which record it, notwithstanding our Author hath peremptorily afferted, in his ufual, unqualified ftyle, that no man who reads the Evangelifts as he would the writings of Plato and Xenophon,

will ever imagine that the defign of Chrift was any other than to oppose morality to the cabalistic learning and fuperftition of the Jews.'-But if we read the Evangelifts according to the prefcription of Mr. Williams, we cannot but imagine, the Chrift had a farther defign than barely to inculcate the precepts of morality. Morality to its utmost extent, and in its highest perfection, was doubtlefs one neceffary part of our Saviour's plan. But it was only a part of a fyftem that terminated in the great doctrine of "immortality, which was brought to light by the Gofpel." This doctrine appears to be the ultimate object of the death of Chrift. For he died to rife again; and by his refurrection, he afforded, what could not have been gained by the deepest researches of human fagacity; and that was,-an undeniable conviction of our having been made for a future state, and that he who raised up Chrift from the dead will alfo quicken our mortal bodies." This is the uniform language of the New Teftament: and this doctrine appears to be the ruling principle of Chriftianity. Mr. Williams may conteft the truth of the doctrine: but then he must not talk of reading the books of the Evangelifts as we do thofe of Plato and Xenophon.' They, at least, are directly, and literally, at variance with his affertion and were we inclined to adopt his pofitive and dogmatical mode of fpeech, we might with more juftness affirm, that no man, who reads the facred writings as he would those of profane Authors, can ferioufly adopt a pofition fo contrary to the obvious fenfe and letter of the Gospel.'

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[To be concluded in our next.]

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ART. II. The Plays of William Shakspeare *, in Ten Volumes, with the Corrections and Illuftrations of various Commentators: to which are added Notes by Samuel Johnfon and Geo. Steevens. The Second Edition revifed and augmented. 8vo. 1Ο Vols. 31. 10s.. Bound. Bathurst, &c.

WE

E are here prefented with an improved and truly valuable edition of the Works of a poet who hath long been claffed among the moft aftonishing phænomena of human genius. Panegyric hath been exhaufted in his praise; and the invention of a Shakspeare only, could furnish fresh topics of encomium.

The first characters for ingenuity and erudition have not difdained, what Mr. Pope in one of his proud and fplenetic moments, called the dull Duty of Editors, in order to illuftrate the productions of this immortal Bard. But dull as that duty might

This mode of fpelling the name of Shakspeare is adopted out of respect to an autograph of the poet affixed to his will preferved in the court of Canterbury. A fac fimile of his hand-writing is given in this edition.

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appear to a man of genius, Mr. Pope himfelf fubmitted to the talk. Nothing but the fuperior dignity of the name, and the unrivalled excellence of the Works of Shakspeare, could have tempted fo illuftrious a poet to become an editor;-a poet, whofe own admired writings had been diftinguifhed by the notes and conjectures of various critics, and were at laft to receive the higheft mark of honour from the Annotations and Commenta-. ries of a WARBURTON.

Among the names that have rescued the editorial office from contempt, we may, with ftrict impartiality, place Dr. Johnfon's in the first rank. In spite of the envy of fome malignant critics, and their ignorant abettors, who were content to echo their detractions-in spite even of all that a Churchill himself could write to depreciate Dr. Johnson's claim to fame, yet he ftill commands the admiration of his country, and bears his blushing honours thick about him,' even in the very winter of his days. Nor will pofterity cenfure the prefent age for having been too prodigal in its applaufe of this great man. His moral and critical writings will remain a perpetual monument of genius, induftry, and learning.

Mr. Steevens's name feems to be the only one that deserved to be united with Dr. Johnson's in an edition of Shakspeare. To that acuteness of understanding, and elegance of taste, fo neceffary to form a true critic, he hath added that perfeverance of investigation and accuracy of refearch, which were effential to a clear and minute illuftration of a variety of paffages in Shakfpeare; which owe all their force and beauty to fome local and temporary circumftances. Of these circumstances former commentators were ignorant, in a very great degree, through a want of those resources of which Mr. Steevens hath availed himself equally to the gratification of the Reader, and the credit of his own fagacity and diligence.

Of the former edition of this very curious and elaborate work we gave some account in our Review for December, 1773. As that article may poffibly be deemed too brief and general for a work of fuch extent, our account of the present edition will be more extended, and more particular.

The feveral prefaces, which had been prefixed to Shakspeare by his various editors, are here reprinted, as in the former edition, together with Mr. Steevens's original advertisement to the Reader, enlarged by a curious extract from a fatirical pamphlet, written by Decker, in the year 1609; and entitled The Gul's Horn-Book.' The extract is given with a view to afford the Reader a more complete idea of the customs peculiar to our ancient theatres than is generally entertained. The chapter from whence this extract is taken, is entitled How a Gallant should behave himself in a Play-Houfe. A vein of great humour and irony

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