Moft of the nations of the world, we believe, honour and revere the Proteftant people of England, for their truly Chriftian charity to the thousands of Roman Catholic priests, who lately fled to them from the daggers of their philofophic countrymen. But this author augurs danger to the Proteftant caufe, from the afylum granted to thefe priefts, (p. 47) whom he ftyles droves of lazy monks, driven to foreign countries." P. 44. Alas! that any man, and especially one who undertakes to inftruct others, fhould not rejoice that fo many of his fellow-creatures had escaped from impending deftruction. Perish, we should fay, even the Proteftant caufe, if it cannot maintain itself without the aid of inhumanity! But the author feems to be one of thofe whom philofophy (falfely fo called) has made Stoics in the cafe of other men, and fenfitive-plants in their own concerns. There is much more of politics in this book, than of religion; and little of either that will afford any instruction or entertainment. ART. 29. A Difcourfe occafioned by the Death of Alexander Chriftie, Efq. of Townfield, late Chief Magiftrate of Montrofe; containing fome Obfervations on the Progress of religious Knowledge in Scotland, and on Mr. Paine's "Age of Reafon." By a Layman. 8vo. 50 pp. 19. Glasgow, 1795. It might be expected that a man, difcourfing upon the death of his best friend, the friend of his foul!" p. 11, would, if he had much fenfibility or fincerity, find his heart foftened in an unusual degree, his judgment calm and temperate, his charity increased, and all anger extinguished within him. But the author, Mr. James Wardrop. is a being of a different order; he is far above fuch vulgar feelings; all these matters are exactly reverfed in him. He thinks little of Mr. Chriftie, and as little of Mr. Paine: his heart is filled with zeał against the doctrine of the Trinity. Violent railing, with scarcely a fingle attempt at argument, againft this doctrine, and panegyrics upon Unitarianifm, occupy the greater part of this wild difcourfe; which is as ill adapted to the folemn occafion of it, as we can easily conceive to be poffible. ART. 30. Jacob in Tears. A Sermon preached February 19, 1786. on Occafion of the Death of Mr. Jofeph Treacher, February 7, precoding, in confequence of Wounds he had received from Ruffians, January 7, preceding. By Charles Bulkley. 8vo. 18 pp. 6d. Johnson. 1795. In this difcourfe on Gen, xlii, 36, the preacher confiders: 1. The fituation of Jacob, me ye have bereaved of my children:" zdly. The reflection made upon it, "all these things are againft me:" and, laftly, he makes a fuitable application. The laft head contains an affecting account of the deceafed on his death-bed, and offers fome pious and feasonable advice to parents, to young perfons, and to others in general. There is not much matter in this difcourfe, but there is abundance of good meaning. ART. ART. 31. It will readily be fuppofed that a pamphlet with this title is an irony, in the manner of Swift's " Argument against abolishing Chriftianity," &c. "In confequence," fays the author, of the utmost intention of thought, and the deepeit confideration, I difcovered that the Ten Commandments, which Mofes brought down with him out of the burning mountain fome time fince, are not only of no fort of ufe, but a very great inconvenience to a gentleman in purfuit of his pleasures." Having made this important difcovery, he undertakes to remedy it, by difcufling each commandment feparately, with ironical arguments, which, though they have not the poignancy of Swift's, have the fame good intention, that of making men afhamed of their vices. The author mentions in an advertisement, that he has been informed that Hildrep has treated the fubject before him in a fimilar manner. Hildrop's mifcellaneous works were published about the year 1754; but, as we have them not at command, we cannot make the comparifon. We are, however, perfectly willing to take Mr. Leycefter's word, that the thought and execution are, with refpect to himfelf, original. ART. 32. The Duty and Neceffity of Humiliation, Repentance, and Self-Reform. A Sermon preached at St. Philip's Church, in Birmingbum, on Wedi efday, February 25, 1795, the Day appointed for a general Faft. By the Rev. Spencer Madan, M. A. Rector of St, Philip's. Published by particular Requeft. 8vo. 25 FP. Piercy, Birmingham. 1795. IS. This judicious and inftructive preacher, cautiously warns his hearers against prefuming to expect the favour of Ged, from a suppofition that we are lefs wicked than our enemies. Whatever they may te, it is more proper, he fays, to inquire; " Are not we fufficiently wicked to deferve punishment?" On this ground he urges, very powerfully the neceffity of that true and effectual reform which every man may make within his own befom. The Text is 1 Pet. v. 6. ART. 33, A Sermon for the Foft, appainted on February 25, 1795- That Englishmen, in all ftations of life, are now addicted to political wrangling, beyond the experience of former times, is unqueftionable; and that cautions against the bad confequences of fuch a propenfi y are ufeful, few perfons will difpute. But that this is fo very feafonable and neceflary a fubject for a difcourfe upon a fuft-day, that it may properly exclude all other topics, we can by no means allow. The addref's Both addrefs to diffenters is not calculated to produce good effe&. thefe pieces are flight and declamatory, though not deftiture of fome good obfervations. ART. 34. The pious Mother; or, Evidences for Heaven. Written in the Year 1650. By Mrs. Thomafen Head, for the Benefit of her Children. Published from the original MSS. By James Franks, A. M. and Curate of Halifax. 12mo. 25. Edwards. Mrs. Head, as we learn from the editor, was a confiderable fufferer in the time of the Irish maffacre; and the addrefs to her children, prefixed to this little tract. expreffes in a frain of elevated piety, the fenfe fhe, entertained of the divine prefervation. Of her evidences for Heaven we have only to remark, that they are decifively characteriftic of a pious mind, but partake rather too ftrongly of enthufiafin and fpiritual perfection, to promote the interefts of humble and inge. nuous piety. ART. 35. A Dictionary of the Common Prayer, or the Church of England Man's Companion. Being an eafy, familiar, and inftructive Explanation of more than three hundred and fifty Words or Phrajes, which for the most part occur in the Rubrics and Directions to the Book of Common Praver and Administration of the Sacraments, or in fome other Refpects are connected with it, &c. By the Rev. J. Malham, Author of Sermons on various interefting Subjects, Sc. 8vo. 130 pp. 2s. Bound. Ailen and West, $795. This book fulfils very well all that is promifed in its long title-page, which of neceffity we have abridged; and it will be found ufeful in the way of reference, to the younger minifters, as well as to other members of the Church of England. The style is generally clear and good, with the exception of a few inaccurate expreffions, as at P. 50, 1. 17. p. 65, l. 16, &c. LAW. ART. 36. Commentaries on the Laws of England, in four Books. By Sir William Blackftone, Knt. one of the Justices of his Majesty's Court of Common-Pleas. The twelfth Edition, with the left Corrections of the Author, and with Notes and Additions. By Edward Chriftian, Efq. Barrifter at Law, and Profeffor of the Laws of England in the University of Cambridge. Svo. Vols. il. 123. Cadell. 1793 1795. Mr. Chriftian informs us, that a duty fimilar to that which gave rife to the Commentaries upon the Laws of England, firft fuggefted to him the notion of his prefent edition That his plan was to fubjoin a variety of notes to the text, and a fupplement to each chapter, where the fubject feemed important and unexhausted, and in this manner to extend the whole to five volumes." Owing however to the length of time which it would have required to complete fo extenfive a defign, he was induced to add his notes to the prefent edition," and to re ferve the confideration of such subjects as have not immediate refe rence to any paffage in the Commentaries for a separate fupplemental volume." The notes which have been thus fupplied, contain much useful information. But whether it has arifen from the fuperior ardour which all authors feel at the commencement of an undertaking, or from a peculiar attachment or acquaintance with the subjects, Mr. Chriftian's notes are more numerous upon the chapters in the first volume than upon any other. By the profeffion, more copious annotations upon the text of the fecond and third books may be thought effentially neceffary; but we trust that the editor will fupply this omiffion in his promifed fupplemental volume. The prefent edition has been ambitiously decorated with engravings from the pictures of feveral eminent lawyers. Such trivial ornaments tend rather to give the idea of a catchpenny publication, than of a work compofed with elegance, and replete with ufeful learning. We are happy, however, in remarking, that Mr. Chriftian has anxiously disclaimed, in his preface, the fuggeftion of these embellishments. ART. 37. Reports of Cafes argued and determined in the Court of Exchequer, from Eafter Term 32 Geo. III. to Trinity Term 33 Geo. III. both inclufive. By Alexander Anftruther, Efq. of Lincoln's-Inn, Barrifter at Law. 2 Volumes. Royal Octavo. 18s. W. Clarke and Son. Mr. Anftruther has, in a very well written preface, explained the motives which gave rife to his publication, and described the method which he has adopted in detailing his reports. As fuch a work was much wanted, it feems to have been, until this time, unaccountably neglected by the induftrious part of the profeffion. Mr. Anftruther has performed his undertaking in a manner creditable to his induftry and talents, and will, we doubt not, meet with fuch encouragement as will induce him to continue his reports by an annual publica tion, which, in his preface, he declares to be his intention. In one refpect his method of reporting is highly deferving of commendation; for while it is fufficiently full to enfure perfpicuity, it is not, according to modern example, fpun out into tedious and unneceffary length. POLITICS. ART. 38. Friendly Remarks upon fame Particulars of his Adminiftration, in a Letter to Mr. Pitt, by a near Obferver. 8vo. 44 PP. IS. Payne. 1796. We can fafely pronounce this pamphlet a phanomenon: a public letter, written to a minifter, and equally remote from faction and adulation. It is the advice of a friend, delivered with a freedom which proves the fincerity of the friendship. It is written with ability and fpirit, and, in part, with eloquence. The defign of it is to convince the minifter, not only of the advantage of public integrity in his fituation, but of the neceffity of explaining that integrity in every in ftance, ftance, and making it intelligible to every mind. As the bafis of this advice, the influence of public opinion upon parliamentary conduc is happily explained, and in a manner that has novelty as well as truth to recommend it. "Parliament by degrees will faithfully reflect the opinions, and, to a great degree, the prejudices of the nation at large. Thefe opinions, indeed, and prejudices, come fifted through that medium; they are not fo grofs, but they are in fubftance ftill the fame; they undergo fome modifications by the way; but they pafs at length." P. 7. After urging, very ably, the advantage of ftrict public honesty as the means of gaining or preferving public confidence, this writer explicitly difclaims the intention of infinuating any cenfure under this recommendation, but infifts upon the neceffity of making known in every inffance the principles of political meafures, by clear, full, and open explanations of them, circulated by all means, and in all quarters. This part of conduct he thinks has been too much neglected: and the evil of it is, in the following paffage, ably illuftrated: "Sedition has of late arifen to affect the ftability of your power, and no lefs the fecurity of the happinefs of every individual of the nation, as founded on the well poifed fyftem of temperate government. The popular branch of the legislature is made the object of open attack, as well as the regal office. Corruption, venality, and profufion, are reprefented as pervading the whole. It is attempted to blaft the characters, not of this or of that leader of a party, but of all public men; and to reprefent politics as a game, in which individuals gain, and the people lofe. Every art of mifreprefentation is practifed. Should you bring forward a meafure, upon which the public mind may hefitate; fhould the introduction be fudden, the preliminary explanation defective, the fatisfaction incomplete, the doubts of the Houfe of Commons may yet be reasonably removed by a farther detail of the neceffity of the cafe, and of the expediency and fafety of the provifions, enforced by your eloquence, and proved by your argumentation. But if the explanation be fuffered to ftop there; if no farther industry be used to circulate the reasons that have operated to their perfuafion, how large a field is open to the mifreprefentations of thofe enemies of all focial order, who would unloofe the bands of the Conftitution! Parliament, fay they, is convinced; but not by argument; it is by other lefs conftitutional means. Where are the reafons? what are the arguments? have you heard them? have you seen them? Bribery and corruption are imputed, and the friends of the Conftitution are at a lofs for the answer. Publifh but a careful report of the fame reafons, which you know fo well how to develope, and the fate of the battle is turned; the art of the attack is equalled by the skill of the defence; and the better reason will be every where as triumphant, as in your own prefence." P. 39. Many other paffages in this pamphlet are ftriking in a great degree. For example, the encomium of Guftavus Adolphus in p. 24; the picture of the prefent minifter's first acceffion to power, p. 30-35; and the explanation of the neceffity of engaging literary talents in the defence of ufeful measures. P. 36. A few fentences and expreffions, as well as the exceptionable arrangement of the title page, prove that the Near |