which Monfieur Liguier employs in anfwering the question proposed by the Academy of Marfeilles-"What has been at all times the influence of commerce on the genius and manners of men?"-Nothing can be more hackneyed than this fubject, taken in the connection just mentioned; and yet Mr. L. not fatisfied with retailing the triteft obfervations, embellished with all the tinfel of declamation, ventures to tell us, that no body has yet taken pains to inquire into it' (which, though it be not the only new pofition in his effay, we could with were the only erroneous one) and that this great and important question was referved for the academy of a commercial city, famous through twenty ages for its glory and exiftence, the rival of Carthage, and the ally of Rome.'

6

The whole of this differtation affords an ample specimen of that kind of reafoning, which logicians have marked and condemned, as concluding ex abufu ad ufum, and is much of a piece with his curious affertion concerning the Quinquina, or Peruvian Bark, which he fays, has certainly been productive of more mischief than good to mankind, on account of its adulteration.' We fhall not detain our readers with examining the fallacies of a writer who is fonder of paradox than of truth; and who fubftitutes the language of declamation for the fpirit of philofophy.

The Tranflator of this piece has introduced it with a preface of eleven pages. Though we differ very widely from this Gentleman, in our idea of the utility of Liguier's work, we fhall not fupprefs his fentiments:

At a time when the fpirit of emigration has arisen in this country to the height of enthufiafm; the European nations, ftill thirsting for the dangerous acquifition of territory, or the falfe glory of conqueft, are plowing the vaft bofom of the extenfive ocean, in fearch of new regions; when the difaffection between our parent country and the American colonies has beat the alarm, from the banks of the Ohio to the banks of the Ganges: I flatter myself this fhort but fenfible differtation, will not be unacceptable to the candid enquirer, and meet with the approbation of the difinterested and difcerning philofopher. Though it militates with the common opinion, it breathes fuch a fpirit of liberality and truth, and abounds in fuch pertinent and judicious remarks, as cannot fail to fecure to it the commendation of every impartial reader.'

After this fplendid eulogium on his Author, he proceeds to a pathetic display of the caufes that contributed to the downfal of Rome; and he breathes a claffic figh over the departed virtue, liberty, and grandeur of the Roman people. But as he attributes their ruin to a thirst for conqueft, what he here says, has nothing to do with commerce, and might ferve as an introduction.

to

to any other effay as well as this, and to almoft any other subject as well as commerce. He next makes a tranfition to the prefent State of Spain, afcribing its decline to the difcovery and conquest of South America; and he concludes with a fevere centure on the diffolute manners and corruptions of our own countrymen, which he pronounces to be the baneful confequences of overgrown fortunes, haftily accumulated by foreign commerce:' and particularly, of the immense wealth amaffed in the Eaft Indies. 6 Hence bribery and corruption have crept into the Senate-house, and bafely counterfeit the femblance of that Jiberty which they help to deftroy.'-The Tranflator emulates his original in pomp of diction, they are certainly every way worthy of each other. • Cantare pares.'

Art. X. A Defence of the Reverend Theophilus Lindsey from the Attack of illiam Burgh, Efq; interfperfed with Remarks on Church Authority, on Reafon as the Judge, and Self-Denial as the Teft, of religious Truth, in Oppofition to him. Addreffed to the Bishops. By a Phyfician. 8vo. 6s. Boards. Johnfon. 1778.

TH

THIS work, as we are informed in the preface, was publifhed three years ago in Ireland, where the Author at that time refided. It was then incorporated with other theological matters. But as Mr. Burgh has fince thought proper to publish another volume on the fame fubject with his first, and to continue his ftrain of abuse against Mr. Lindsey, and in his endeavours to depreciate reafon as the judge of truth, it has been deemed neceffary to feparate it from the reft, and reprint it in its prefent detached form. It contains a number of fenfible and fpirited remarks on the fubjects fpecified in the title, expreffed in very ftrong and forcible language. Thefe the Author has applied with great propriety and effect to the doctrine of the Trinity, the conduct of Mr. Lindfey, and the manner in which Mr. Burgh has attempted to undervalue the merit, and to confute the opinions of that Writer. The whole is addreffed to the Bishops of England, in a dedication replete with farcaftic refl ctions, and bitter invectives against their Lordships, on account both of their ecclefiaftical and of their political conduct.

The Author appears to have read and reflected upon the subjects he profeffes to difcufs: his fentiments are in general rational and manly; and he has given feveral juft rebukes to Mr. Burgh for the temerity with which he has engaged in fuch a controverfy, the peremptorinefs of his decifions on a fubject he fo lately began to confider, and the virulence of his invectives against all who prefume to differ from him in opinion. But being a man of a lively and luxuriant imagination, rather than of ferious thought and judgment, his compofition is loose and defultory, his ideas are fometimes indiftin&t, and his language

is not always correct. We are forry to add that, in our opinion, he has leffened the merit and usefulness of his work by the low and indecent images and allufions under which he exposes the abfurdities of the Athanafian doctrine, and by a continued ftrain of harsh invective against ecclefiaftics, and public teachers of all fects and denominations. It is to be regretted that, writing in defence of Mr. Lindsey, he had not caught more of Mr. Lindley's meek and charitable fpirit. In fact, he has defended that writer too much in the fpirit and manner of Mr. Burgh. The best apology that can be made for our Physician is, that his temper has been heated, and his paffions raised by perfecution. In his Preface he fays, I have already experienced a large portion of enraged orthodoxy, in a fifter kingdom.' To this fentence there is fubjoined the following note: In where the Writer practifed feveral years. But there, unfortunately for him, Orthodoxy and Bigotry had pitched their tents. He happened to take a decided part in a theological dispute carried on by two neighbouring clergymen. As it may be fuppofed, he took the fide of liberal enquiry, and generous principles. In confequence thereof, he raised enemies to himfelf of all defcriptions; thofe called High Church, and those called Old-light Prefbyterians; the fame fort of Christians both, though differently named, and both Papifts in the strictest fenfe, only that they never kifled the Pope's toe.-The pulpit teemed with invective against him, while the established clergy, almost to a man, left no stone unturned to injure him, not only in his private character, but his public profeffion. The whole exhibited a genuine picture of clerical perfecution, which will never ceafe till the priesthood, as a common enemy to fociety, to peace, and good neighbourhood, fhall be deftroyed. It ended, however, as matters of this fort, by an happy change in politi cal science, now generally end, in blufter and impotence, on the clergy's fide. Rome's bulls have loft their horns.-On the above occafion, he was kept in countenance, next to the goodness of his caufe, and the integrity of his intentions, by the steady and affectionate attachment of all those who were efteemed of the beft understanding and private virtue in the place. His opponents were chiefly people who never read beyond the trash of Wesley or Romaine; and who make it a point of confcience never to think, because their grandfathers and grandmothers, their godfathers and godmothers, thought for them.'

Thus may all clerical perfecution end! And may this in future be a juft defcription and divifion of those who countenance and thofe who decry the ufe of reafon and freedom of enquiry in matters of religion! But we would caution all who suffer by the intemperate zeal of others, to guard against a like spirit in themselves;

themselves; and we would advise our Author, in particular, to take it into serious confideration, whether the manner in which he writes hath not a tendency to exasperate rather than to convince those who differ from him; and whether, as we obferved refpecting Mr. Burgh, it can please any but the more violent and bigotted of those who agree with him in his general fentiments.

ART. XI. An hiftorical Account of the Rife and Progress of the Colonies of South Carolina and Georgia. 2 Vols. 8vo. Ios. Boards.

Donaldson.

1779.

N the prefent fituation of affairs in the Weftern world, every publication which cafts any new light on its hiftory, or communicates any valuable information concerning its natural, political, or commercial ftate, is particularly interefting. It is the intention of this work to defcribe a part of that vaft continent, of which no regular account has hitherto been written. Firft attempts of this kind are unavoidably attended with diffieulties. The best materials to which the hiftorian can have accefs, are often confufed and imperfect: many of the facts which the thread of his narrative obliges him to relate, are minute and uninterefting. The Author of this History is aware of these difficulties, and pleads them in excufe for the defects of his work. At the fame time he acknowledges, that with refpect to ftyle and compofition, he ought rather to fupplicate indulgence, than claim applaufe. He refts his chief merit on the diligence with which he has collected, and the care and fidelity with which he has employed, the original materials, which a refidence of feveral years at Charles Town enabled him to command. And on this ground we think he has fome title to the public attention. Though the work is extremely deficient in the graces of hiftorical compofition, and though in the detail of facts it is often tedious, it will probably be preferved as a valuable collection of materials, from whence future writers of fuperior abilities may derive affiftance in forming a general Hiftory of the Colonies.

Among other curious particulars contained in this hiftorical Account of South Carolina, the following inftance of the power of fanaticifm is worthy of being preferved:

The family of Dutartres, confifting of four fons and four daughters, were defcendants of French refugees, who came into Carolina after the revocation of the edict of Nantz. They lived in Orange-quarter, and, though in low circumftances, always maintained an honeft character, and were efteemed by their neighbours perfons of blameless and irreproachable lives. But at this time a ftrolling Moravian preacher happening to come to that quarter where they lived, infinuated himself into

their family, and partly by converfation, and partly by the writings of Jacob Behmen, which he put into their hands, filled their heads with wild and fantastic ideas. Unhappily for the poor family, thofe ftrange notions gained ground on them, infomuch that in one year they began to withdraw themselves from the ordinances of public worship, and all converfation with the world around them, and ftrongly to imagine they were the only family upon earth who had the knowledge of the true God, and whom he vouchsafed to inftruct, either by the immediate impulfes of his Spirit, or by figns and tokens from heaven. At length it came to open vifions and revelations. God raised up a prophet among them, like unto Mofes, to whom he taught them to hearken. This prophet was Peter Rombert, who had married the eldest daughter of the family when a widow. To this man the Author and Governor of the world deigned to revcal, in the plaineft manner, that the wickedness of man was again fo great in the world, that as in the days of Noah he was determined to deftroy all men from off the face of it, except one family whom he would fave for raising up a godly feed upon earth. This revelation Peter Rombert was fure of, and felt it as plain as the wind blowing on his body, and the reft of the family, with equal confidence and prefumption, firmly believed it.

A few days after this, God was pleased to reveal himself a fecond time to the prophet, faying, Put away the woman whom thou haft for thy wife, and when I have deftroyed this wicked generation, I will raife up her firft husband from the dead, and they fhall be man and wife as before, and go thou and take to wife her youngeft fifter, who is a virgin, fo fhall the chofen family be restored entire, and the holy feed preferved pure and undefiled in it. At first the father, when he heard of this revelation, was ftaggered at fo extraordinary a command from heaven; but the prophet affured him that God would give him a fign, which accordingly happened; upon which the old man took his youngest daughter by the hand, and gave her to the wife prophet immediately for his wife, who, without further ceremony, took the damfel and deflowered her. Thus, for fome time, they continued in acts of inceft and adultery, until that period which made the fatal discovery, and introduced the bloody fcene of blind fanaticifm and madness.

• Those deluded wretches were so far poffeffed with the falfe conceit of their own righteoufnefs and holinefs, and of the horrid wickednefs of all others, that they refused obedience to the civil magiftrate, and all laws and ordinances of men. Upon pretence that God commanded them to bear no arms, they not only refufed to comply with the militia law, but also the law for repairing the highways.. After long forbearance, Mr. Sim

mons,