DIVINITY. In this branch, two important works which were briefly mentioned in our last Preface, demand, also to be noticed here. These are, Dr. Macknight's Tranflation of the Apoftolic Epiftles*, and the compilation entitled the Scholar armedt. Our critical account of thefe has now been concluded, and of the former, we are enabled to fay, that it is a work of theological labour not often paralleled, and an ample ftore-house of obfervations to exercife not only the ftudent, but the adept in divinity. If we do not always implicitly coincide with the author in opinion (which, in fuch various matter, cannot reasonably be expected), we can always praise his diligence, his learning, and his piety; qualities which confer no trifling rank on any fcriptural interpreter, or commentator. The Scholar armed contains fome tracts, which, as long as true Christianity fhall fubfift, must be held in high esteem, and to which we truft the account we have laid before our readers will attra&t the public attention. From a Bishop of acknowledged learning and abilities, the hoftile attack of Paine upon Chriftianity, has called forth a moft judicious and conclufive Apology; in the excellence of which we almoft lofe our regret at the coarse obloquy and ridicule with which the demagogue had endeavoured to overwhelm the object of his fear and hatred. After this, we have no apprehenfion but for those who are incapable of diftinguifhing obloquy and ridicule from argument; but thefe unfortunately compofe a very numerous clafs, always prepared to be the prey of any Paine, or any pretender, in religion or in politics. Among controverfial divinity, a confpicuous place is due to the volumes of Dr. Jamiefon on the Deity of Chrift§; in No. I. p. 46. + No. I. p. 170. Bishop Watfon's Apology for the Bible, No. VI. p. 648. No. IV. p. 376. which the author very powerfully combats and exposes the mifreprefentations of Dr. Priestley in his Hiftory of Early Opinions. Mr. Wefton's Conjectures and Comments on the New and Old Teftament*, are the memorandums of a polite and intelligent fcholar, and though they are not all important enough to demand publication, there are few among them that can fairly be faid not to deserve it. The Introduction to the Principles of natural and revealed Religiont, which Mr. Plumptre has compofed chiefly from the learned work of Dr. Jenkin, is, like his former publication on the Hiftory of religious Knowledget, a moft inftructive and pleafing manual, for fuch readers as require initiation in theological studies: and we truft that the fame zeal and intelligence which have incited and enabled him to make thefe prefents to the Chriftian world, will give birth to other effays of a like beneficial nature. Such a friend to Chriftianity, when its enemies are fo numerous and active, cannot be too much encouraged or employed. Of a fimilar kind, but rather too fimilar to be attributed to the fame author, is an Effay on the Neceffity of revealed Religions, which, in a still narrower compals, conveys the fame fpecies of information as may be found in the books of Jenkin and Plumptre. A particular doctrine, which has been, among others, the object of attack from Dr. Priestley, the doctrine of Atonement, is ably expounded and defended in the volume of Bampton Lectures, which Mr. Veyfie publifhed, in compliance with the rules of that inftitution. Three volumes of mifcellaneous Sermons, the pofthumous work of Dr. Carr¶, rector of St. Andrew Undershaft, form a valuable acceffion to that extenfive clafs of theological productions; nor can the fingle volume, publifhed by the Warden of Winchester**, fail to be received in a manner fuitable to the well-known talents of the author. P. 76. * No. V. p. 531. + No. I. p. 9. See Brit. Crit. Vol. V. Na V. p. 492. Il No. IV. P. 394. ** Dr. Huntingford, No. III. p. 293. P. 124. No. II. Of fingle fermons there are always more than we can conveniently notice or recapitulate, but among thefe we think it juft to point out to obfervation Dr. Layard's preached at St. Paul's*; Dean Berkeley's on Epifcopacy; that of the Bishop of Chefter, on the eternal Generation; Dr. Croft's on Methodists; and Mr. Jones's on Imagination. Bifhop Skinner's two Difcourfes, on the prefence of Chrift in places of Chriftian worship, do honour to a fociety long loft in unjuft obfcurity, the Epifcopal Church of Scot'land and with this concife enumeration, we shall allow ourfelves to conclude this part of our account. METAPHYSICS. So neceffary are found Metaphyfics to the accom-plishment of the able divine, and fo feldom does the metaphyfician abftain entirely from the province of the fpeculative theologian, that we fhall fubjoin this clafs to that with which we have commenced our furvey. That hardy veteran in this field, Lord Monboddo, continues his great work, full of learning, ingenuity, and paradoxes, entitled Ancient Metaphyfics** The fourth volume fell under our notice, and others are promised, the appearance of which, confidering the age and infirmities of the author, may with too much reafon be doubted. In a work entitled Intellectual Phyficstt, we found an able, though anonymous writer, but one profeffedly retired from an active life to meditation and study, endeavouring to clear up the difficult queftions of the nature of Being, the fentient principle, and its connection with material objects, felf-activity, locality, &c. on all of which he certainly diffufes fome light; evincing a mind poffeffed at once of acuteness and ftrength. The Pofthumous Effays of the celebrated Dr. Adam Smith*, though imperfect, and having apparent reference to fome fyftem not completed by the author, are elegantly written, and, in moft refpects, worthy of his reputation. The memoirs alfo by which they are accompanied, though they by no means exhauft the fubject, are acceptable, of course, till others more complete can be fupplied. We have reafon to believe that a perfon very high in office in this country, could have contributed materially to the perfection of this part of the work. HISTORY. The first volume of Mr. Maurice's laborious and very important ancient History of Hindostan having lately been delivered to his fubfcribers, we gave to it, in two numbers †, a full and careful confideration. We fee with pleafure that the fpirit of the author does not flag under the extraordinary difficulties to which he is expofed by the want of proper funds for carrying on a work of fuch extent, which demands the illustration of plates; and, though this age, whatever else it may be called, is certainly not the age of patrons, we truft that Providence will in fome way beftow the means of completing a defign in which religion is fo nearly concerned. The great difcovery and the proof, that the remote periods of Indian chronology, which infidels have been fo eager to oppose to the Mofaic hiftory, are merely fabulous, and a fable which may be traced to its origin and defign, cannot, we are willing to hope, even in this age, be fuffered to remain imperfect, from want of liberality in those who fhould be the fupporters both of letters and religion. The work is written with elegance and vigour, and the ingenious author draws his proofs from all the ftores of oriental learning. No. VI. p. 665. + No. IV. p. 367. and VI, p. 618. Of Mr. Wraxall's Hiftory of France, our account was begun fome time ago, and would ere now have been completed, in a third article upon the fubject, but for the fevere illness of the perfon principally employed in drawing it up. We have found reafon to commend it, but fhall referve our final opinion to our next preface. A brief Hiftory of Poland, the production of an anonymous author, fell under our notice in May laft †, and deferved fome praise for the execution. Such accounts, drawn up for temporary purposes, whenever a particular country becomes an object of public attention, feldom are fo fit to take their place upon the shelves of hiftory. The Selection from the Semmers Collection of Tracts, will be found a book of utility and amufement to the ftudent of English hiftory; whofe tafte will, at leaft, be gratified by orderly arrangement, if his appetite fhould be only stimulated by poffeffing fo fmall a portion of the whole. M. Peltier.continues to give us the events of Paris, as they arise, well selected from the original publications. Another foreigner has fucceeded in arranging the events of ancient hiftory, in chronological order, by a method of his own and the Chart of the Abbé Bertin, will probably be a conftant auxiliary to the ftudies of the rifing generation, BIOGRAPHY. In this clafs of more detailed hiftory we have, at prefent, more articles than ufual to enumerate; and, without weighing the comparative importance of the lives, or fuccefs of the writers, we fhall take them as they occur in the order of our numbers. To the feveral accounts of our great Johnfon, Dr. Anderfon¶, on the occafion of publishing the English poets col * No. IV. p. 341. No. V. P. 531. + No. IV. p. 399• . No. IV. p. 450. le&tively, |