have justly ranked him among the first astronomers of the present age. His observations, as yet, to the great detriment of science, unpublished, will, whenever they fhall be brought forward, afford farther proofs of his skill and accuracy.'

In the year 1750, some very valuable additions were made to the instruments at the Observatory; a new mural brass quadrant of eight feet radius, a transit instrument of eight feet length; and a moveable quadrant of 40 inches radius, by Bird; an astronomical clock, by Shelton; a Newtonian reflecting telescope of six feet, focal length, by Short, &c. Dr. Bradley died on the 13th of July 1762, at the house of his wife's brother, Samuel Peach, Esq. at Chalford, in Gloucestershire, and was buried in the churchyard of Minchinhampton in that county. His immediate successor at Greenwich was Nathaniel Bliss, M. A. who died in 1764; when he was succeeded by the present Astronomer Royal, Nevil Maskelyne, D. D. who fills that situation with great ability. Since his appointment, the Observatory has been furnished with an excellent achromatic telescope of 46 inches focal length, with a treble object-glass, together with a divided achromatic object-glass micrometer, by Dollond; and the whole apparatus has been much improved by Dollond, Nairne, and Arnold‡. In 1767, his Majesty iffued an order that the observations made by the Astronomer Royal at Greenwich should be published annually, under the inspection of the Royal Society . The Observatory undergoes a visitation also once a year from the Society.'

We should with pleasure copy the curious view of the former and present state of the market-gardens round London, at the end of the parochial accounts in this volume, were we not apprehensive of protracting the article to an undue length.

The summary of population of the whole district of 12 miles round London gives 70,405 houses; which, partly by enumeration, and partly by calculation, are stated to contain 395,924 inhabitants. It is, however, to be observed that a large portion of these are comprised in parishes actually making part of the metropolis, by contiguity of building.

The volume closes with a general appendix of additions and corrections; and we may confidently pronounce of the whole work, that the author has executed his plan in a manner highly creditable to his accuracy of inquiry, and to his literary

abilities.

* Our readers will recollect the full account of this lamentable suppression of important scientific information, which was given in the Review for April 1796, (vol. xix.) p. 437.

6

<

Preface to Maskelyne's Observations, (1777,) p. 2.

Ibid.

They are published on the Society's anniversary, the 30th of November.'

ART.

ART. IV. The Life of the Rev. John Wesley, M. A. some Time Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford. Collected from his private Papers and printed Works; and written at the Request of his Executors. To which is prefixed some Account of his Ancestors and Relations: With the Life of the Rev. Charles Wesley, A. M. collected from his private Journal, and never before published. The whole forming a History of Methodism, in which the Prin ciples and Economy of Methodism are unfolded. By John Whitehead, M. D. Vol. II. 8vo. pp. 507. 58. 6d. Boards. Matthews, &c. 1796.

ME

ETHODISM, and the life of its celebrated founder and apostle, were never exhibited to more advantage than by Dr. Whitehead. In noticing the first volume of this work (see Rev. New Series, vol. xv. p. 159.) we expressed our approbation of him as a biographer; and our perusal of that before us induces us rather to heighten than to retract our former encomium. Dr. W. seems to have been uncommonly diligent in collecting materials for the life of John Wesley, and to have stated the circumstances of it with great fairness; and though he writes con amore, and with a high admiration of the character of his hero, he does not disgust us with fulsome and unqualified praise, but censures as freely as he commends him *. As a methodist, he often adopts the methodistic language, and is an advocate for the methodistic doctrine and discipline; particularly the plan of itinerancy; yet his style, on the whole, is neat, and such as evinces a scholar-like attention.

This volume commences with an account of Mr. Wesley's voyage to America, and regularly details the history of this indefatigable man, to the period at which death terminated his long life and labours +. The author has also subjoined a copy of Mr. Wesley's will, a display of his character, an account of his writings, and a view of the increase of the Methodists for the last thirty years; with observations on the general tendency of Methodism.

Some will probably think that Dr. W. has been too minute, and has spun out the work to too great a length: but he complains that he found the materials so abundant, that he was obliged to curtail many things. When it is considered, also, that his object was to give a history of Methodism, and to exhibit to as much advantage as possible the principles and original economy of the Methodists, the size of the work is no matter of wonder; and to those who wish to render them

*He particularly animadverts on John Wesley's assumption of the Episcopal character and office.

He died March 2, 1791, in the 88th

REV. JUNE, 1797.

year of his

age.

selves

selves acquainted with the tenets, discipline, and present government, of a sect which is said to be greatly increasing, it will be very acceptable.

6

From the review of Mr. John Wesley's character, we will abstract a few particulars. In the body of the work, Dr. W. calls him a national blessing;' here he observes that, whatever failings as a man he might have, he had a degree of excellence in his character to which few men have attained.-His apprehenfion was clear, his penetration quick, and his judgment discriminative and sound.-As a scholar he held a conspicuous rank. He was a critic in the Latin and Greek classics: but he never entered far into the abstruse branches of the mathematics, and doubted the truth of the calculations of the planetary distances -As a writer, he possessed talents both from nature and education. The distinguishing characters of his style are brevity and perspicuity. As a preacher, his attitude was graceful and easy, his action calm and natural, yet pleasing and expressive; his voice not loud but clear and manly, his language admirably adapted to the capacity of his hearers, and his sermons were always short.-As an itinerant preacher, he is without precedent; having travelled, by computation, two hundred and twenty-five thousand miles, and preached forty thousand five hundred and sixty sermons.-He had most exquisite talents to make himself agreeable in company, and the rules of good breeding were familiar to him.He was placid, had a great facility in forgiving injuries, and was without jealousy or suspicion. He was a great economist of time.-His temperance was extraordinary, especially in the article of sleep; rising constantly at four in the morning. He was singularly charitable; having, it is supposed, given away in the course of his life between twenty and thirty thousand pounds.-He kept his temper in controversy.-His power over the societies was absolute, but he used it with moderation. He was not without faults, nor above mistakes, but they were lost in the multitude of his excellencies and vir

tues.

To these sketches of his character, we shall add the description of his person and dress :

The figure of Mr. Wesley was remarkable. His stature was low; his habit of body in every period of life the reverse of corpulent, and expressive of strict temperance, and continual exercise: and notwith standing his small size, his step was firm, and his appearance, till within a few years of his death, vigorous and muscular. His face, for an old man, was one of the finest we have seen. A clear, smooth forehead, an aquiline nose, an eye the brightest and most piercing that can be conceived, and a freshness of complexion scarcely ever to be found at his years, and impressive of the most perfect health,

conspired

conspired to render him a venerable and interesting figure. Few have seen him without being struck with his appearance: and many, who had been greatly prejudiced against him, have been known to change their opinion, the moment they were introduced into his presence. In his countenance and demeanour, there was a cheerfulness mingled with gravity; a sprightliness, which was the natural result of an unusual flow of spirits, and yet was accompanied with every mark of the most serene tranquillity. His aspect, particularly in profile, had a strong character of acuteness and penetration.

.. In dress, he was a pattern of neatness and fimplicity. A narrow plaited stock, a coat with a small upright collar, no buckles at his knees, no silk or velvet in any part of his apparel, and a head as white as snow, gave an idea of something primitive and apostolic: while an air of neatness and cleanliness was diffused over his whole person.'

The section which concludes the work exhibits a table, shewing the rapid increase of Methodism; by which it appears that in the year 1767 the number of itinerant preachers was not more than 92, and of the people in the societies 25,911: but that in 1795 the number of preachers was 357, and that of the people of the societies 83,368.

In the composition of this work, Dr. W. has delivered his. sentiments on the change introduced into the Methodistic system, by which it became a distinct sect or church, with great boldness, and has introduced many just strictures and excellent observations. We believe him deceived in supposing that Methodism has meliorated the spirit of controversy; we ra ther think that it has tended to diffuse it among the common people, who certainly are not the most likely to carry it on with urbanity: but be this as it may, he has certainly endeavoured to give a faithful narrative; and his work will probably be considered as the most authentic, as well as the best writ ten, life of the extraordinary man whom it celebrates.

ART. V. On the Composition and Properties of Water: with an Explanation of the Manner in which it acts, or is acted upon in va rious Chemical Operations: particularly when assisted by Fire, by Acids, and by Inflammable Substances. To which is prefixed, A Review of Mrs. Fulhame's Essay on Combustion; and Remarks on the Opinions delivered by the different Reviewers on the Author's preceding Tract, intitled, "The Antiphlogistic Doctrine of M. Lavoisier critically examined and demonstratively con. futed." By E. Peart, M. D. &c. 8vo. pp. 150. 45. Boards. Miller. 1796.

IN

N reviewing this publication, we shall follow the mode which the author has chosen to adopt, by noticing-as far as notice from us seems necessary-the matter which he makes introductory

L 2

introductory to his work, before we consider the remarks or Water which constitute the work itself.

In his observations on Mrs. Fulhame's Essay, he justly objects to that lady's explanation of her own beautiful experiments. We also have already expressed our doubts on the same point of chemical theory *; and we still conceive that water favours the action of the bodies concerned in Mrs. Fulhame's reductions without being decomposed.

Having broken a lance with the ingenious amazon in science, our author proceeds to encounter, according to his own expression, the whole squad of reviewers.' In that portion of the controversial moiety of his slender tract which he dedicates to the Monthly Review, and to which alone we can attend, we perceive only vain reiterations of unproved assertions, and abortive attempts at wit and ridicule. That he might have the better chance of being witty, he scruples not to impute to us sentiments which we never avowed. To shew, by one decisive example, his want of fairness in controversy, we shall place under the reader's eye a paragraph from our Number for February 1796, with the Doctor's comment on it:

"There is not, we believe, any one literary edifice with a frontispiece in this style that has approved itself to the judgment of mankind: nor need we limit this remark to our own country nor to our own age. We hardly remember ever to have transcribed a title with so many faults as are to be found in that which we have just copied; so redundant and so deficient ; so transgressing against elegance, and so repugnant to good taste. The diction of the whole work is indeed too loose and verbose to pass without It affords no presumption in favour of the precision of the author's thoughts, and is likely to create a prejudice, perhaps unjust, against his system.

censure.

On these expressions, Dr. Peart remarks:

The writer of that account comes forward in the new character of a kind of literary physiognomist, assuring his readers, that from the very frontispiece of my tract alone he knows that the theory it maintains must be all a farce; that there cannot be a single word of truth in it!'

Exulting in his powers of ridicule, he returns to the charge at the interval of 23 pages, and thus winds up his courteous

retort:

Ferhaps my Reviewer will say that abbreviations are the fashions of the day, and that temp. is merely a literary Spencerism; for as a spencer is to a great coat, so is temp. to temperature.—If that be the case, and fashions are thus to be generalised in all arts and sciences, I congratulate his employers in thus possessing this trinity in unity, this wonderful man, who at once is critic, literary physiognomist, and habit-maker, to the Monthly Review!

*See Rev. vol. xx. p. 301.

"And