Art. 18. The Book of the Wars of Weftminster, &c. Cornwell. 2s. 6d. 1784. The most contemptible imitation of the Scripture stile ever publifhed. Art. 19. Hiftorical Remarks and Anecdotes of the Cafile of the Bafile. Tranflated from the French, published in 1774. The fecond Edition. 8vo. Cadell. 6s. 1784. These remarks ought to endear England to its inhabitants; with all our misfortunes, there exifts not in this country, a difgrace fo fhocking to human nature as the Caftle of the Baftille. This account of it, the original of which is prohibited in France, for obvious reafons, ought to encrease the attachment and reverence of Englishmen to the genuine principles of their excellent conflitution. Art. 20. Eden Vale. A Novel. In two Volumes. Dedicated, by Permiffion, to Lady Shelburne. By Mrs. Catherine Parry. Stockdale. s. 1784. Although the fentiments which the author of this novel means to inculcate are juft, there is nothing in the writing of the characters, or the conftruction of the fable that can fave the work from oblivion. The ufual extravagant furniture of novels is employed to deck a feduction, duel, deaths from grief, &c. with many improbabilities and trite fentiments. However, if we except lofs of time and tears, young ladies will experience no other inconvenience from the perufal of Eden Vale, which being the production of a female pen, contains nothing that can fhock female delicacy. The main intention is to exhibit" The unwarrantable indulgence of the violent and "unrestrained paffions of love, hatred, and revenge in one-the want "of refolution to fly from a fnare fo obvious, and a too prefumptuous reliance on human ftrength, (which, alas! will generally "fail) in the other, has brought to an untimely grave two perfons, "whofe lives might have been happy to themselves, and ufeful to fociety!"-Does not almost every novel of the tragic kind teach the 66 fame? Art. 21. The Rival Brother. A Novel. In a Series of Letters, founded on Facts. By a Lady. 2 vols. 6s. Symonds. 1784. This difmal tale is related in a more natural manner than usual. The work, however, does more credit to the heart than the head of the fair author, who does not appear to be mistress of stile. There are many grofs vulgarifms, as, "he hoped the fame good fenfe "would direct her in the choice of a perfon to whom he might be "united, as would love her with the fame difinterefted paffion, &c." as is here ufed instead of who. And again, "She fhould defire it as a particular favour, not for him to call again." By thefe and other fimilar errors, it appears, that the author has not been used to writing the declares, that the " : publishes thefe volumes with no other view but to warn young perfous who may be alike circumstanced, from fuffering their affections to be too eafily engaged, or of living beyond a limited income." And we can with juftice add, that few female readers will remain unaffected in perufing the tale of forrow, as the diftrefs is natural and the incidents within probability. In the character of Sir William D. there is accurate prefervation and correctness. Art. Art. 22. Verfes to the Right Honourable William Pitt. 4to. IS. Debrett. 1784. Our young minifter, if report fays true, does not find his honours fit perfectly eafy upon him, nor the elevation to which he has been raifed a bed of rofes. He cannot however complain, that he is at a lofs for compofing draughts. Never fure was poor minifter fo berhymed. But let us hear his panegyrift. A glorious Henry bleft a Sully's name; Whate'er the patriot wrought, ftill more he plann'd, And now what think you, gentle reader, these bulwarks were? Were they the victories of Quebec and Minden? or the naval honours of Hawke and Boicawen? Oh, thou thickfcull! Why, they were no other, be fure, than John, earl of Chatham, and the firit lord of the treasury. His well earn'd honours this, with grace to wear; But that an Atlas! British heavens to bear.' The poor man, it feems, was a ftatefman to the back-bone, and repaired to the marriage-bed, with as lofty defigns as ever entered into the head of Walter Shandy himfelf. What kind of commendation is this, which the poet has put into the mouth of Virtue? • Him have I deign'd with every power to blefs, That can deter my foes, my friends carefs.' But we must beware; for it feems, So fhall Britannia tunc her Hero's praise, In far more golden than his father's days!' Art. 23. The Libertine. A Poem. IS. Johnfon. 1784. A collection of rhapfodical verfes, in the manner (but without the genius) of Young, in which fome confiderable freedoms are taken with an illuftrious young perfonage, and with the leading members of the late adminiftration. One might expect better things from the title and preface of the poem. DIVINITY. Art. 24. A Differtation on the Prophecies relating to the final Refloration of the Jews. By the Rev. E. W. Whitaker, Rector of St. John's, Clerkenwell, and the united Parishes of St. Mildred and All Saints, Canterbury. Svo. 18. 6d. Rivington. 1784. Mr. Whitaker obferves, that concerning the final Reftoration of the People of Ifrael, three different opinions have been entertained. The first of these is, that the predictions of this event are to be interpreted in a fpiritual fenfe, and expected to be fulfilled only in a heavenly country. The fecond, that they are to be received, indeed, literally, yet cannot be accomplished on the prefent earth, but will be fo on a new one, which shall furnifh an ample theatre for the promifed fcene of happiness. The third opinion, and that which our author maintains, is, that the Scriptures do contain affurances of a final and literal restoration of the pofterity of Ifrael to the country given by God to Abraham, and which their ancestors have heretofore inhabited: That when the vengeance first threatened to be taken on the enemies of God, is paffed, there will be a manifefta tion tion of an age of peace and happinefs on earth, to interrupt which an attempt will be made at the end of a thousand years by many nations, led on by a distant and powerful one. But the impious purpofes of thefe being overthrown by the Divine interpofition, and the day of judgment being come, the destruction of death and the grave fhall be effected by the general refurrection. Then, the image of the Creator being fully renewed in the redeemed part of the race of Adam, the creature fhall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, and tranflated into the glorious liberty of the children of God. In fupport of this opinion, which is by no means original, or peculiar to Mr. Whitaker, he reviews the predictions which relate fimply to the final restoration of the Ifraelites, and the circumstances attendant on the promised restoration. He then takes a view of those prophecies which mention circumstances fubfequent to the final return of Ifrael. He is of opinion that the event which forms the fubject of his treatife is at no great distance. Mr. Whitaker is not an eloquent, but a judicious and candid writer. He clearly marks the completion of many fcriptural prophecies; and justly infers, that the other prophecies will infallibly be accomplished. He renders the opinion he efpoufes very probable, Art. 25 The Paffion Sermon, preached at Paul's Croffe, on Good-Friday, April 14, 1609. By Jofeph Hall, D. D. formerly Bishop of Norwich; now publifhed, with a Preface, by the Rev. John Riland, M. A. Chaplain of St. Mary's, Birmingham. Small 8vo. Baldwin. 6d. 1784. Bishop Hall, the author of this fermon, was one of the race, fo long extinct among us, of old Calviniftic divines, fucceffors of the first reformers. He was deputed, with five others, by king James the first, to reprefent this country at that fynod of Dort, in which Gomarus and his brethren obtained fo fignal a victory over the followers of Arminius, which imprifoned Grotius, and cut off the head of the venerable Barnevelt. For many years he filled a confpicuous itation in the church, and left the world a legacy of his works in three volumes folio. To many of our readers however he may probably be better known, as that divine, who is fo ludicrously quoted by Sterne, in the fifth volume of his Triftram Shandy. We know of nothing that diftinguithes Hall from his other contemporaries, Carleton, Davenant, and Andrews, whofe works are equally to be found in the libraries of the curious. They were many of them diftinguished by the manlinefs of their conduct, and the ftrength of their understanding. They will not yield in literary induftry, in copiousness of ideas and fubtlety of argumentation to any of the divines, that came after them. But unhappily they had drank deep of that turbid ftream, which characterifed our eloquence in the days of the English Solomon. They are conftantly addreifing themselves to the understanding, never to the heart. Their writings are full of puns, unnatural antithefes, diftorted conceptions, and an uncouth jingle of words. It is the remark of the celebrated Hume, that in the origin of letters among the Greeks, their compofitions, which were all drawn from the native fource of their own minds, were univerfally characterised by an amiable fimplicity: but that in the revival of learning, when an acquaintance with books was was the great object of purfuit, and the judgment of the public wasyet raw and unformed, the tinfel eloquence of the worst writers caught the eye, and left no room for the durable beauties of genuine nature and lively paffion. Now therefore that this error has been corrected, a Hall and an Andrews must look for their fame from ecclefiaftical history, where they will always be mentioned with refpect for their noble defences against the ufurpation of popery. He is not a real friend to their memory who endeavours to revive their works, which but for the ill-judged industry of such men as Mr. Riland, might quietly fall down the stream of time, and never rife in judg ment against them. Since however the fubject is before us, we will present the reader with a fpecimen. The matter is a curious one, and the divines of the reign of king James the first are not in every body's hands. Our Saviour is the Phyfitian: The whole need not the Phyfician, but the fick: wherein ? He healeth all our infirmities: he healeth them after a miraculous manner; not by giving us receits, but by taking our receits for us. A wonderfull Phyfitian; a wonderfull courfe of cure One while he will cure us by abftinence; our fuperfluity, `by his forty days emptineffe, according to that old rule; Hunger cures the difeafes of gluttony: Another while, by exercife: He went up and down from City to City, and in the day was preaching in the Temple; in the night praying in the Mount. Then, by dyet; Take eate, this is my body and Let this cup passe. After that yet, by fweat, fuch a fweat as never was, a bloody one yet more, by incifion; they pierced his hands, feet, fide and yet again by potion; a bitter potion of vinegar and gall. And laftly, which is both the strangest and strongest receit of all, by dying: Which dyed for us, that whether we wake or fleep, we should live together with him. We need no more, we can go no further; there can be no more phyfick of this kinde there are cordials after thefe, of his Refurrection and Afcenfion; no more penal receits.' : We will detain the reader no longer than to acquaint him, that the preface of Mr. Riland is to the full as uncouth as the declamation of bishop Hall. Art. 26. A Difcourfe fhewing the beneficial Effects of virtuous Principles and Industry. Svo. 6d. T. Evans. 1784. There is nothing remarkably ftriking in this difcourfe: but it is replete with truth, and that truth is very important. The conclufion to which it leads is indeed fo obvious and certain, that no great ingenuity or eloquence is neceffary to eftablish it. We are informed that it was preached (we fuppofe at NORWICH, where it was printed, a city celebrated for Charity) towards the fupport of a charitable inftitution for the improvement of youth in virtue and industry. Art. 27. The Nature and Circumftances of the Demoniacks in the Gospels, ftated and methodized, and confidered in the feveral Particulars. By Thomas Barker. Svo. IS. White. 1783. The method oblerved by Mr. Barker, in treating this fubject, is fimilar to that in his treatife on the Meffiah, and refembles the beautiful arrangements of writers in Natural Hiftory. He begins with the general expreffions relating to the Demoniacks, and proceeds to the feveral particulars in their order. He fpeaks first of those defects and circumstances which might arife from natural causes; and goes goes on to thofe opinions and actions, which for the reafons there given, cannot be accounted for but by fome fupernatural power. On this fubject Mr. Barker difcourfes with great fobriety and foundness of judgment, diftinguifhing thofe demoniac, or mad actions and fymptoms, that may have arifen from natural diforders, from those which must have been the effect of fpiritual agents. Mr. Baker, in his conduct, very properly oppofes a general humour to explain away both the doctrines of the church and miracles of the gospel. Art. 28. A Key to the Three First Chapters of Genefis, opening to the most common Understanding, the Production of the World, the Creation, Formation, and Fall of Man; and the Origin of Evil. 8vo. IS. T. Wilkie. 1784. This is, almoft without exception, the most childish, contemptible, and abfurd publication, that was ever made on fuch ferious fubjects as thofe it profeiles to treat. If there were any thing in it like wit, vivacity, or humour, we fhould imagine that the intention of it was to turn the Bible into ridicule. But as none of these is difcernible, it appears to us that the author is fincerely ftupid. POLITICAL. Art. 29. A Letter to her Grace the Duchess of Devonshire. 4to. IS. Sewell. 1784. If the phrafes "Madam-your Grace-a Duchefs of Devonshire, &c." were expunged from this performance; the Chriftian appe!lations of "my dearly beloved brethren" substituted in their rooin; and fome appofite text prefixed from the Sacred Scriptures, it might pafs for a well-meaning but very dull fermon. Art. 30. A Letter to her Grace the Duchess of Devonshire. A new Edition. 4to. 15. Sewell. 1784. Art. 31. An Answer to a Letter lately addreffed to the Duchefs of Devonshire. 4to. Is. Crowder. 1784. These two performances are fo equal in merit, that it would require a much more difcriminating eye than ours to decide upon their literary pretenfions. Indeed, for any thing that appears, they may both be the production of the fame ingenious author. If any thing deferves to be noticed in them, it is this affertion in the latter. "The "people at large (for the purpofe of retaining the neceffary diftinc"tion and good order of fociety) fhould be taught to look up to Nobility with ADMIRATION and respect." We may add the remark of the letter-writer, that his pen, "far from being dipt in "the gall of morofe feverity, was moistened with that falutary balm, "which the purest friendship could fuggeft," in order to addrefs a few wholefome admonitions and good-natured whifpers to her grace -from the press. Already we have had occafion to express our opinion, that this amiable woman, far from fullying, gave new luftre to her character, by her interference upon a late occafion: and we are forry the has no better a panegyrift. For the prefent volunteer, we beg leave, to whisper him, Non tali auxiliis, nec defenforibus iftis * See our last number, p. 393. Such |