MONTHLY CATALOGUE.

RELIGION.

Family Sermons. By the Rev. E. W. Whitaker. Vol. III. Svo. 6s. Boards. Rivingtons.

THESE are plain moral difcourfes; but the preacher unfortunately introduces the mention of the events that have lately taken place in France, and thus frequently weakens thofe arguments which, fanctioned by examples from the fcripture, would have made a forcible impreffion on every mind. The controversy on the future punishment of the wicked meets with little quarter; and the grounds of this controverfy feem to have been very little studied by this preacher, who hazards an obfervation that must not pass unnoticed.

To avoid the force of this laft text, and others of like meaning, we are sometimes boldly affured, that the word rendered everlafting, should not be fo understood. Yet is the fame term used to express the never-failing existence of God himself, as in the fixteenth chapter of the Epiftle to the Romans," according to the commandment of the everlasting God." And this very evasion feems to be guarded against in the fcriptures, not only by the circumlocutions employed on this head, when the place of torment is defcribed, as that where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched: but by its having been fpecifically declared, that the bodies of the dead shall be raised incorruptible; and each of the future states shall be unchangeable. In the former of these points, we are inftructed by St. Paul, in the fifteenth chapter of his firft Epiftle to the Corinthians; and the last our Lord hath taught us in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Now furely, if the fubjects of punishment be to exift for ever, and yet, when once placed in the torments to which they are condemned, never change their ftate, it must be something more than folly to deny, that their punishment fhall be everlasting.' P. 212.

The question is, whether the ftate is unchangeable? The fire not quenching, or the worm not dying, may not imply that the perfons fhould remain fubject to an endlefs torment of fire, or the eternal gnawings of the worm. To attribute fomething more than folly to those who deny the punishments of the wicked to be endless, is an unjustifiable fentiment, fince many pious and learned men have entertained the opinion which this writer wifhes to confute; and he

has by no means brought convincing arguments in favour of hist own pofition. He attempts alfo to increase the horror of the future ftate of the wicked by exhorting us to picture to ourselves a vast abyss, whofe utter darkness will be interrupted, not relieved, by the blue glare of fulphureous flames; whofe unmeasured concave will refound with ceafelefs cries of mifery, cries not of a nature to excite compaffion, but to raise horror.' But furely this is a vain attempt. The joys of the future life are not to be defcribed to human conceptions, even by the teftimony and language of an apostle; and to paint the woes of the condemned without fufficient grounds from fcripture, is more likely to excite a fmile at the painter, than true feelings of the mifery of vice. The writer does not often offend in this manner. He is, in general, plain, rational, pious. He does not aim at any elegance of ftyle, or beauty of compofition. We obferve in his difcourfes no grandeur of expreffion, no novelty of fentiment. Our views of fcripture are not enlarged, nor are any difficulties in the interpretation of it folved. Yet to those who are fond of moral effays, and plain defcriptions of nature, when they are animated by a few fcriptural obfervations, thefe fermons may afford both entertainment and improvement.

A Difputation in Logic, arguing the moral and religious Ufes of a Devil. Book the Firft. By George Hanmer Leycefter, A. M. δυο. 15. 6d. Egerton.

On the political and moral Ufes of an Evil Spirit. By George Hanmer Leycefter, A. M. Svo. 1s. 6d. Egerton.

When the schoolmen were in fashion, and no one was esteemed a fcholar who was not perfectly acquainted with all the barbarous terms of their logic, this work would have afforded great amusement to the younger difputants. But times are altered; and pompous words are no longer confidered as proofs of learning, wit, or feafe. The greater part of our readers will not understand what is meaned by the following paffage; and such as understand it will be satisfied with such a specimen of the work, and leave the writer to his own conceits.

Now, reader, if you have any thing to object to this, pluck out the spiggot of taciturnity from thy foffet dialectical, to speak with the orators, and into my veffel auricular tun me thine opinion through the funnel of fermocination.' Book ii. P. 62.

In this ftyle the whole work is written. It abounds with proofs of the author's reading and learning in the groves of Academus: it may excite occafional laughter, aud may be thought excellent by fome logica! ftudents; but the writer must content himself with the admiration of the felect few, and the pleafure which he enjoyed in this mode of compofition.

Sermons, for the Ufe of Schools and Families. By John Napleton, D. D. &c. 8vo. 6s. Boards. Sael and Co. 1800.

These are plain difcourfes, fuited to the end which the writer had in view. The subjects are taken from the creed, the commandments, the Lord's prayer, the facraments; and fome difcourfes on detached topics are added. The families which follow the good old cuftom of reading a fermon every Sunday evening may derive from this work an useful fund for meditation and inftruction.

A brief View of the Neceffity and Truth of the Chriftian Revelation. By Thomas Hartwell Horne. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Boards.

Sael and Co. 1800.

This is, as the title intimates, a brief view of Chriftianity; but its brevity is a recommendation; and it may be made very useful in the hands of a judicious perfon to counteract the effects on young minds of the feeble and fuperficial arguments of modern infidels. We were forry to fee the work injured by a reference to the fuppofed miracles performed after the apoftolical ages; particularly, the cafting out of dæmons or evil fpirits by Chriftians.' The reality of these miracles being much questioned, it was unneceffary to of fer this opportunity of cavil to the unbeliever, as the truth of the gofpel does not ftand in need of fuch fragile fupporters.

L A W.

Thefaurus Juridicus: containing the Decifions of the feveral Courts of Equity, upon the Suits therein adjudged, and of the High Court of Parliament upon Petitions and Appeals: to which are added, the Refolutions of the Barons of the Exchequer in Matters touching the Revenues of the Crown: from the Period of the Revolution to the End of Eafter Term 1798; fyftematically digefted. By Richard Whalley Bridgman, Efq. Vol. I. 15s. Boards. Brooke and Rider.

The author of this work begins his preface with remarks on the utility of fuch compilations, and fupports his opinion by citing the authority of fome learned lawyers. There can be no doubt of the abstract truth of the propofition; but, fince the times of Hale and Jenkins, the deficiency of which they complained has, in a great meafure, been fupplied by Viner's elaborate Abridgement, the Digest of lord chief baron Comyns, the Abridgement of Bacon, the fubfequent additions to thofe voluminous repertories, and the accurate labours of various modern reporters, and editors of reports. Mr. Bridgman, however, has fuppofed that his work will be acceptable to the members of the profeffion; and we shall nerefore extract the outline of his plan, as given in some paffages of the preface.

The compiler has opened the reporters at the period of our great and glorious revolution; and confining himself in the first instance to the decifions in equity, he has abftracted the feveral cafes, and CRIT. REV. VOL, XXX. October, 1800.

placed them under such heads or titles as a profeffor would most na turally confult for information, and to which they particularly belong, fo as to form a general and copious index, exhibiting at one view the fubftance of the feveral cafes, and the judgments of the courts thereon, omitting only the argumentative parts; for this compilation is not intended as a copy of the several books of reports, but as a key or guide to thofe authors to whom we are indebted for handing down to us this portion of useful knowledge, and from whofe writings fuller information may be obtained, whenever the fubject of inquiry is fufficiently interefting to invite a more profound research into the reasoning of the matter.

Having digefted the feveral cafes, and placed them under their refpective titles, the compiler's attention was in the next place paid to the order of time by which the progrefs of the courts in the gradual administration of justice moft regularly appears.

6

The compiler is aware, that by preferving the order of time all the cafes upon the fame points do not always immediately follow each other, yet as they are all comprehended under the fame title, are so shortly stated, and for the most part are connected by references, the reader's attention (it is prefumed) will not be fo materially diverted from his object by the intervening cafes, as to ren der it effential to interfere with the progreffive order of the adjudications.

The fyftem of arrangement pursued in this compilation is that which was recommended and adopted by the great English philofopher Mr. Locke, which regards the initial letter of each title as the first object, and the vowel immediately following as the conductor to the point in question, (ex gr.) to fearch for Abatement fee A-a, for Bond fee B-o, for Charity fee C-a, &c. &c. &c. In the margins are placed the names of the principal cafes, with those of the authors by whom they are reported, (printed in italics by way of distinction,) the periods of adjudication; the fynonimous cafes, and fuch as are referred to, not in argument but for the most part in the determinations only; and efpecial care has been taken to notice particularly in their places all fuch cafes as have been questioned, doubted, denied, or controverted; but inafmuch as fome determina tions among the multitude (though not abfolutely denied) may appear not confonant with the living law, the compiler has pointed out the diftinétions drawn by the moft judicious and intelligent editors

in their annotations.

• The appendix is so disposed as to be not only an index to the following feets, but a general repertorium. The cafes are arranged in double order, both by the name of the plaintiff and defendant, uniefs where the king or his attorney-general is plaintiff; and in fuch cafes the defendant's name only is used. The appendix will point out the names of all the authors by whom each cafe is reported, the period of adjudication, and the title, fection, and placitum under which it fands in this compilation.

To moft of the principal cafes the compiler has annexed (in the margin) the names of all the authors by whom they are respectively reported, for the convenience of thofe gentlemen who may have only a partial collection of books, and may live at a distance from any public library; but as in fome inftances (among the references) he may have omitted to notice by whom cafes are reported, he begs leave to refer the reader to the appendix, where he will find the information defired, if the cafes fought for have been reported at any time fince the revolution.' P. iii.

• The arrangement of this particular department of the Thefaurus Juridicus (in which the latest editions of the feveral reporters have been confulted, including the abridgment of cafes in equity fince the revolution) comprehends the determinations as well in the high court of parliament upon petitions and appeals, before the king in council, in the court of delegates, and in the duchy chamber, as in chancery and exchequer; fuch cafes as have been adjudged in parfiament, and in the exchequer chamber upon writs of error, are referved for the department of the common law.

It was not the compiler's original intention to have introduced into the equity divifion of this work such cases as have been determined in the court of exchequer touching the revenues of the crown, but to have reserved them alfo for the common law divifion. Thofe cafes however are fo intermixed by the exchequer reporters with the decifions on the equity fide of the fame court, that he was induced to open a head of revenue, for the reception of the feveral resolutions on that fubject, with a hope at the fame time materially to ease the common law department, which will unavoidably become very co pious from the abundance of matter which it must neceffarily embrace.' P. V.

To the compiler's plan we perceive no objection; and where the tak is so mechanical, there feems no impediment to its being correctly performed; but Mr. Bridgman and his publifher ought to have confidered how far, even under these circumstances, the prefent is calculated for competition with the prefcriptive authority of the other compilations to which we have alluded.

MEDICINE.

On Madness. By J. Johnstone, M. D. 80. is. Johnfon.

Our author has collected a valuable and useful 'compendium of the doctrines of infanity,' or perhaps, in more strict language, has ably described the fymptoms of the diforder, particularly as it is connected with jurifprudence and the criminal actions which madness may fuggett. We have read his little work with great pleasure, and can recommend it as containing, in a plain, judicious, unobtrusive form, much useful information.