As if our Prophet from above, Thefis with founder argument. We look for't in a higher sphere, While grace is faid, who but a fool The Author of this humorous piece takes notice of Mr. Madan's worthy forerunners in the glorious caufe of polygamy, among the people called Chriftians. 66 Your light is not quite new, Hall and Ochinus faw it too. Of the latter we gave fome account in our Review for November 1780. The former, though not fo learned in the theory, was deeper in the practice of polygamy than the apoftate Capuchin. He realized his own lyttem, and gave the credit of example to the fubtilty of argument. This Mr. Wesley Hall was originally a clergyman, but having married a fifter of Mr. John Wesley (after a moft shameful breach of faith to another fifter) he connected himself with the Methodists, and became a faint of the first order! In Bishop Lavington's tract, entitled, "The Moravians compared and detected," we have the following account of this famous gentle man: "Mr. Wesley Hall preached publicly at Salifbury in defence "of a plurality of women, under the name of wives, and afterwards A printed and published his infamous juftification of bigamy: dif "perfing it about with his own hands:-a treatise, not putting in any decent plea for having a multiplicity of women, but audacioufly condemning the defenders of the matrimonial contract between "one and one, as weak and wicked men; traitors to God; guilty "of folly, falsehood, and a religious madness: and he calls it the "moft horrible delufion that the Devil and his emiffaries can propa gate," This is fo much in concord with Mr. Madan's fentiments and language, that one would be apt to imagine that these two modern he. roes of polygamy had conferred on the fubject, and communicated to each other their reciprocal ardor of affection for this Lady of the Koran. There is however a certain anecdote preserved refpecting Mr. Madan which fhews, that his paffion was of a much later date; and that Mr. Hall had the glory of entering the lifts in behalf of the Lady, long before Mr. Madan could reconcile himself to any good opinion of her or her champion. The anecdote comes to us well authenticated by one of Lady Hunfingdon's Chaplains, and we will prefent it to our Readers in his own words: "Som!. . "Some years ago, a clergyman, Mr. Wy H-ll, happening " occafionally to officiate as a Reader, where our Author, Mr. Ma"dan, was the Preacher, and having been famous, or rather infa68 mous, in respect of Polygamy, the latter appeared to be out of all "patience, and enquired how that abandoned fellow could be em"ployed who had done fo much mischief in the religious world by "his principles and his practice? Mr. Madan was not then so much "enlightened as to this doctrine, and having been lately reminded, as I have heard, by one that knew this anecdote, his answer was, "My Jentiments are altered now: or words to that effect." It is but juftice to Mr. Wesley, and the Methodists, to remark, that this Mr. Hall and his principles were equally the objects of their abhorrence and contempt. Mr. Charles Welley, in particular, refented his treachery to his fifter; and lashed it with the most poignant severity, in an Epistle, addreffed, in the year 1735, to Mifs Martha Wesley (who was afterwards Hall's wife) in which are the following very ftriking lines, which we have transcribed from an original MS. of the late Mr. Samuel Welley, of Tiverton school: "I fee thy fiery trial near, Mr. Samuel Wesley, who hated Hall, and ever suspected him, even in the very zenith of his faintfhip, for an arrant hypocrite, predicted, in a letter to his brother Charles, that "the marriage could not come to good." Nor did it. The curfe of Heaven followed it: for the woman who shared in betraying her filter, was punished by the PoLYGAMY of her husband! BR Art. 10. A Poetical Epifle to the Rev. Dr. Robertfon, occa fioned by his History of America. 4to. I S. Richardfon and Urquhart. The nature of this Epistle may be learned from the Author's The Author of the following verfes ftates a comparison between the elegant Hiftorian to whom they are addreffed and Livy. Both writers are diftinguished by the mufic of their periods, and their skill in pathetic defcription. The Roman hiftorian is also eminent for his attachment to the cause of liberty. Nor is there any reason to apprehend, from the writings of the English hiftorian, that his principles are oppofite. Yet the hiftory he has promised of British America, is, in this refpect, become exceedingly critical. Therefore the Author of the following Epiftle, anxious for the fame of a Writer whom he refpects, and for a cause which he thinks equitable, hopes he has not tranfgreffed against propriety, in hazarding what has the appearance of an admonition. The verfes were written fome time ago, and are now offered to the Public with the greatest deference.' The verses are liberal, elegant, and ingenious. ct Art. Art. 11. Parnaffian Weeds. 4to. 2s. 6d. Wilkie, &c. This benevolent Writer affures the Public, that the produce of this pamphlet, after the expences of publication are paid, will be devoted to the affistance of the fufferers in the West India Islands. In this cafe, he hopes, the Critics will let him pafs with impunity, and the Public at large, no less partial to the cause, suffer their charity to fupercede their judgment, and let humanity approve where fenfe would condemn.' We feel no difpofition to cenfure what is published from fuch a laudable motive; it was unneceffary, therefore, to wish that, as Critics, we would let him pafs with impunity. He would, indeed, have been intitled, to the indulgence he pleads for, had his motives of publication been different. His Parnaffian Weeds, as he has modeftly called them, were produced, if our information be right, at eighteen. Time and cultivation may exalt them into flowers. 3 ct Art. 12. Poems by George Keate, Efq. 2 Vols. 12mo. · The principal poems in this collection have been already printed, and are too well known to be here enumerated. The pieces that are added bear the fame marks of a cultivated tafte and an amiable mind that uniformly diftinguish the productions of this Writer's pen: its fole object being,' as he himself juftly boafts, either to spread to the imagination, the beauties of nature, or of art; or to bring forth, in an amiable point of view, thofe excellencies which he hath found in private characters, with whom it has been his happiness in life to have been connected ;-ever aiming in all his compofitions to deduce from them fuch moral fentiments as might naturally arise out of the subject before him." ct Art. 13. Xfmwhdribunaulxy: or, the Sauce-pan. 8vo. 2s. 6d. What various arts do Authors make use of to excite curiofity, and force themselves into notice! Would any one suspect from the filly title of this piece that its principal contents are, an imitation of Juvenal, and another poem of general fatire? The Addrefs, Introduction, Preface, Advertisement, and Explanation, are unmeaning and nonfenfical imitations, as we fuppofe, of Sterne: there is, at leaft, the frivality of that fantastic and original writer, without any of his wit. If this Author would fubmit to be himself, his productions might, poffibly, be not unworthy of notice. ct Art. 14. The Temple of Fashion: a Poem. In Five Parts. By " A fuperficial and apparently hafty performance. The fentiments are trite, and the versification is of that equivocal caft, that fluctuates at mediocrity; at one time finking into meanness, at another endeavouring to fwell into dignity. To excel in moral fatire, qualities are required that are dispensed but to the few: the present Writer is one of the many. Art. 15. A Pindaric Ode, infcribed to the Right Honourable Lord North. 4to. 6 d. Rivington. ct This Ode is confeffedly written on the plan of Horace's Quem virum aut Heroa, &c, the heroes that are here celebrated are, as may be fup pofed, pofed, taken from the English hiftory. The piece concludes with a panegyric on Lord North. Neither the compliment, nor the lines in which it is conveyed, are inelegant. Art. 16. An Heroic Epifle from Monfieur Veftris, Sen. in Eng land, to Mademoiselle Heinel, in France: with Notes. 410. I s. 6 d. Faulder. et ct An attempt at wit; too dull to divert, and too feeble to offend. Art. 17. Tabby in Elysium, a mock Poem, from the German of F. W. Zachariae, by R. E. Rafpe. 4to. 1s. 6d. Cadell. 1781. Of humour there are two kinds, the one general and univerfal the other local and particular. Not attending to this diftinction, writers are too frequently mortified in finding that, what affords exquifite pleasure to a limited circle, is received by the Public with coldness and indifference. With refpect to the performance before us, with whatever delight it may be read in the original by thofe who are intimately acquainted with the manners it defcribes, and in a country where, perhaps, humour of this kind may be in its infancy, it feems not much calculated for the meridian of England, where humour in all its varieties has been cultivated with peculiar fuccefs. As a Tranflator, Mr. Rafpe has acquitted himself with credit. feems to have acquired a knowledge of our language, and its idiomatical peculiarities, which foreigners feldom arrive at. Art. 18. Superftition, Fanaticism, and Faction; a Poem. By William Burton. 4to. is. Flexney. 1781. He ct The Oppofition are a fet of fuperftitious, fanatical, and factious knaves to whom William Burton will give no quarter, and of whom he records, that In the Channel they are pleas'd to fee England renounce the empire of the sea, } Had this honeft gentleman no friend to interpole between him and the prefs? cţ MISCELLANEOUS. Art. 19. Journal of Capt. Cook's last Voyage to the Pacifick Ocean, on Difcovery. Performed in the Years 1776, 1777, 1778, 1779. Illuftrated with Cats, and a Chart, fhewing the Tracts of the Ships employed in this expedition. Faithfully narrated from the original Manufcript. 8vo. 6s. Boards. Newberry. 1781. This account has the appearance of being fabricated from the Journal of fome petty officer, or other inferior perfon, whofe fcanty records afforded the book-maker little more than the common nautical obfervations of an ordinary feaman. Some embellishments there are; but these feem rather to excite the reader's fufpicions concerning the authenticity of the whole. Those who have made the veyage, affirm that the journalist, or the compiler, has (befide many other mifreprefentations) grofsly traduced the chara&er of poor Omais who, as we are affured, conducted himself with fo much propriety, from the time of his leaving England, to his arrival at his own country, that he gained the good-will of every person on board, from from the highest to the lowest, and particularly of the worthy Capt. Art. 20. An Effay on the Seduction of Women. Written by ct Art. 21. A Letter to the Authors of the Monthly Review; oc- As the point in difpute between this Letter-writer and ourfelves Profeffedly taken from the newspapers, where, being published as N. Art. 23. Confiderations on the Principles of Naval Difcipline, N. Art. 24. Obfervations from a Gentleman in Town to his Friend in B ̧k |
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