think no vices will grow upon me; for in this I have been ever fincere, to make myself as good as I was able, and to live for no other end.' The man who could fpeak thus, concerning am perfuaded,' fays his lordship, to himself, is entitled to the beft applause, CHARACTER OF JOSEPHUS. 1 From Dr Campbell's Lectures on Ecclefiaftical History. THAT Jofephus was a man, who to a confiderable degree of eminence in the Jewish erudition of those days, added a tolerable share of Greek and Roman literature, is a character which, in my opinion, cannot juftly be refused him. As a compiler of hiftory, it must be admitted, that in every inftance, in which his account, on a fair examination, is found to contradict the account given in holy writ, he is entitled to no faith at all. In cafes wherein he may be faid not to contradict fcripture, but to differ confiderably from it, by the detail of additional circumftances, it will be proper to diftinguish between the earlier ages of his history and the latter ages: with regard to the first, we are fure that he had no other authentic records to draw his information from, than those we have at this day in our hands. Thefe are Mofes, and thofe prophets, who came nearest to the time of that law.giver; with regard to the laft, though within the æra of the Old Teftament hiftory, we are not fo certain that he might not have had the affiftance of credible annals extant in his time, though now loft. There are two things, how. ever, in his character, that affect his manner of writing, and require a particular attention: one is, too close an affectation of the manner of the Greek hiftorians. This appears, as in the general tenor of his ftyle, fo efpecially in the endeavours he ufes to embellish his narration with long fpeeches, which he puts in the mouths of the perfons introduced, a filly de vice for difplaying the talents and eloquence of the writers rather than of the historical characters. I cannot help taking notice of one inftance, in which, through an ill judged attempt to improve and adorn, he hath fpoiled one of the finest speeches in all the hiftory. The fpeech I mean, is that of Judah to his brother Jofeph, then governor of Egypt, offering to ranfom his brother Benjamin, by the facrifice of his own liberty. It is impoffible for any one, whofe tafte can relifh genuine fimple nature, not to be deeply affected with that fpeech as it is in the Pentateuch. On reading it, we are perfectly prepared for the effect which it produced on his unknown brother. We fee, we feel, that it was impoffible for humanity, for natural affection, to hold out longer. In Jofephus, it is a very different kind of performance: fomething fo cold, fo far-fetched, fo artificial, both in fentiments and in language, that it favours more of one who had been educated in the schools of the Greek fophifts, than of those plain, artlefs, patriarchal hepherds. The other thing that deferves our notice in this author, is the exceffive fear he had of expofing himself to the ridicule of his Greek and Roman readers, whofe favour he very affiduously courts. This hath made him exprefs himself on fome points with fuch apparent fcepticism, as hath induced many to think, that he was not a firm believer in his own religion. But this, on a clofer examination, will be found entirely without founda foundation on the contrary, he piques himself, not a little, on the diftinction of his nation from all others, by the knowledge and worship of the true God. But he did not write his history to make profelytes, and therefore chofe to put on those parts of his work which he thought would expose him moft to the fneer of the infidel, fuch a glofs as would make it pafs more easily with gentile, and even with philofophical readers (for he had an eye to both) among whom he knew the Jews were branded with credulity, even to a proverb. It may be thought, indeed, that with regard to the more ancient part of his hif tory, as nothing in point of fact can be got from it, which is not to be learned from the Bible, that part, at leaft, can be of little or no fervice to Chriftians. But even this conclufion would not be juft. As the hiftorian himself was a pharifee, a contempor ary of the apostles, and one who lived till after the deftruction of the Jewish temple and polity by Titus Vefpafian, we may reap inftruction even from his errors. They will ferve to fhew, what were the tenets of the fect at that time, what were their notions both concerning historical events, and facred inftitutions, and what were fome of their principal traditions. All this to the chriftian divine is a matter of no little confequence for the elucidation of feveral paffages in the New Teftament, which allude to fuch erroneous fentiments, and vain traditions. From the time of the rebuilding of the temple under Ezra, to its final demolition, and the total extinction of the Jewish government by the Romans, Flavius Jofephus alone affords almost all the light we have. FRA CHARACTER OF FRA PAOLO SARPI. [From the fame] RA PAOLO SARPI, the celebrated that as no man was more fenfible of hiftorian of the council of Trent, the corruptions and ufurpations of was one, who, in my judgment, un- that church, no man could, with derstood more of the liberal fpirit of greater plainnefs exprefs his fentithe gofpel, and the genuine charac- ments concerning them. In this he ter of the chriftian inftitution, than acted very differently from thofe who, any writer of his age. Why he chofe from worldly motives, are led to proto continue in that communion (the fefs what they do not believe. Such, Roman catholic) as I judge no man, the more effectually to difguife their I do not take upon me to fay. As hypocrify, are commonly the loudest little do I pretend to vindicate it. in expreffing their admiration of a The bishop of Meaux calls him a pro- fyftem which they fecretly defpife. teftant and a calvinift under a friar's This was not the manner of Fra frock. That he was no calvinist, is Paolo. The freedoms, indeed, which evident from feveral parts of his writ- he ufed, would have brought him ings. I think it is alfo fairly deduci- early to feel the weight of the ble from thefe, that there was no church's refentment, had he not been proteftant fect then in exiftence with protected by the state of Venice, of whofe doctrine his principles would which he was a most useful citizen. have entirely coincided. A fenfe of At last, however, he fell a facrifice this, as much as any thing, contri- to the enemies which his inviolable buted, in my opinion, to make him regard to truth, in his converfation remain in the communion to which and writings, had procured him. He he originally belonged. Certain it is, was privately affaffinated by a friar, an an emiffary of the holy fee. He wrote, in Italian, his native language; but his works are tranflated into Latin, and into feveral European tongues. His History of the Council of Trent, and his treatise on Ecclefiaftical Benefices, are both capital performan ces. One knows not, in reading thefe, whether to admire most the erudition and the penetration, or the noble freedom of fpirit every where difplayed in thofe works. All these qualities have, befides, the advantage of coming recommended to the reader, by the greatest accuracy of compofition and perfpicuity of diction. This tribute I could not avoid paying to the memory of an author, to whom the republic of letters is fo much indebted, and for whom I have the highest respect. A LITERARY IMPOSTURE. IN N the year 1794, Dr Hager, whofe treatife on the affinity of the Hungarians and Laplanders had rendered him well known to the learned world, was directed by the king of Naples to examine the two manufcripts from which had been tranflated the Codice Diplomatico della Sicilia fotto il Governo degli Arabi,' in fix volumes, quarto; and Libro del Configlio d'Egitto,' in one volume, folio. Finding that the whole was a literary forgery, the doctor did not hesitate to declare his opinion, however mortifying to the court of Naples, which had defrayed the chief expences of the publication. The Arabic manufcript which the abbé Vella had afferted to be the original of his Codice Diplomatico,' was found by the doctor to contain the Sacred Traditions, or accounts of all that Mohammed faid or did from his birth till his death. This manufcript was fo disfigured by the wilful infertion of ufelefs letters and redundant points, as to be rendered nearly unintelligible. The other work, faid to be tranflated from a manufcript of the library at Fez, was proved to be a mere creature of the abbè Vella's fertile imagination.. 6 In his Reife von Warfchaw nach des Hauptftade von Sicilien,' (duod. Wien. 1795) Dr Hager gives an account of the Arabic manufcripts, containing part of the loft books of Livy, which the abbé Vella boasted that he poffeffed; and mentions, that lady Spencer, with a liberality that does honour to the British nation, when vifiting Italy in 1794, offered to bear the expence of publication, rather than fuffer fuch precious remains of antiquity to be longer buried in oblivion: but it appears, that Vella had only fabricated fome paffages from the Latin Epitome of Florus, into Arabic, of one of which Dr Hager, in the little volume above quoted, gives an engraved fpecimen. with every mark of affection and efteem which they conceived were due to the man, whom the whole continent looked up to for fafety and freedom." To detail the events of War is the province of history, we shall therefore only obferve, that during the viciffitudes of fortune, General Washington's conduct will bear every teft. He was equally valiant and circumfpect. His management in compelling the British troops in the first campaign to abandon Boston by a bloodless victory, is entitled to every praise. The next two years, 1776 and 1777, he had to encounter the prowess of Great Britain with very inadequate force, and foiled every attempt to fubdue him. Shortly after this period a cabal sprang up, the only one that ever exifted during his public life, except the contemptible invectives of that wretched man Thomas Paine, to rob him of his reputation and command; but it proved as impotent in effect, as audacious in defign. In the three fucceeding years the afpect of affairs in America was much altered; fome of the European Powers perfidiously united themselves with the revolted Colonies, which in 1781 brought the War to a conclufion, and established the independence of the now Unit, ed States. Negociations for peace foon after took place, which ended in 1783 in the accomplishment of the object for which the Americans took up arms. On this event General Washington refigned his commiffion to Congrefs, and again became a private citizen. He was elected a member of the Convention which framed in Philadelphia, in the fummer of 1787, the present Conftitution of the United States. Of this Convention he was chofen Prefident, and with his name he has fanctioned the Constitution of his Country's choice. When this Conftitution was to be organized and put in activity by the election of proper officers, the Unit ed States with one voice called Mr Washington to the Chair of Government. On the 30th April 1789 he was inaugurated Prefident of the United States, in the city of New York, amidst the acclamations of thoulands of fpectators. In the autumn after his induction he visited the Eastern States. Twice elected by the unanimous voice of his country to the prefiden tial Chair, when the period for a third election arrived in September 1796, the ftate of the country was then fuch that he confidered it no longer neceffary for him to facrifice his inclination to his duty, he therefore announced to his fellow citizens his determination to retire, and requested them not to confider him as a can didate for their future fuffrages. Having spent forty-five years of his life in the fervice of his country, he confoled himself with the hope that he was now quitting for "the houndless field of public action, inceffant trouble, and high responsibi lity," in which he had fo long acted a principal part; but this fond hope was not realized. From March 1797 to July 1798 he lived in peace at his beloved retreat. At the latter period, "when every thing we hold dear was feriously threatened," he was again called to his country's aid, and on the 14th of December 1799 closed a life, venerable from age, refpectable from fervices, and estimable from thẹ practice of the focial and relative duties. ever His laft fickness was fhort and painful. On Thurfday the 12th of December he was abroad on one of his plantations. The day was rainy and he took cold, which on Friday produced a violent inflammation in the throat. The following night his disease became very alarming, and he was urged to fend to Alexandria for his phyfician. His humanity for his fervants prevented it till the next inorning. At eleven o'clock on Saturday his phyfician arrived. It was too late. The hand of death was already upon him. Though his diftref was extreme, he was calm and refigned. "He informed his attendants, that his affairs were in good order; that be had made his will; and that his public bufinefs was but two days behind hand." A very fhort time before he died, he faid to his phyfician, "Door, What is the clock?How long am I to remain in this fituation?"-The Doctor replied, "Not long, Sir!" He rejoined with the firmest countenance, 66 I have no fear, Doctor, to die." His breathing foon grew fhorter, and prefently after he expired without a figh or a groan. He was buried the 18th at Mount Vernon with great funeral pomp. In a sketch of his life, by Dr Jedidiah Morse, it is faid, "that in his perfon he was tall, upright, and well made; in his manners, eafy and un affected. His eyes were of a blueish caft, not prominent, indicative of deep thoughtfulness, and when in action, on great occafions, remarkably lively. His features ftrong, manly, and commanding; his temper referved and ferious; his countenance grave, compofed, and fenfible. There was in his whole appearance an unusual dignity and gracefulness, which at once fecured him profound refpect and cordial esteem. He feemed born to command his fellow-men. In his official capacity he received applicants for favours, and anfwered their requests, with fo much ease, condefcenfion, and kindness, as that each retired, believing himself a favourite of his Chief. He had an excellent and well-cultivated understanding; a corre&t, difcerning, and comprehenfive mind; a memory remarkably retentive; energetic paffions under perfect controul; a judgment fober, deliberate, and found. U He was a man of the strictest honour and honefty; fair and honourable in his dealings, and punctual in his engagements. His difpofition was mild, kind, and generous. Candour, fincerity, moderation, and fimplicity, were, in common, prominent features in his character; but when an occafion called, he was capable of dif playing the most determined bravery, firmness, and independance. He was an affectionate husband, a faithful friend, a humane mafter, and a father to the poor. He lived in the unvarying habits of regularity, temperance, and induftry. He steadily rofe at the dawn of day, and retired to reft ufually at nine o'clock in the evening. The intermediate hours had all their proper business affigned them. In his allotments for the revolving hours, religion was not forgotten. Feeling what he fo often publicly acknowledged, his entire dependance on GoD, he daily, at ftated feafons, retired to his closet, to worship at his footstool, and to afk his divine bleffing. He was remarkable for his ftrict obfervation of the fabbath, and exemplary in his attendance on public worship. "Of his faith in the truth and excellence of the Holy Scriptures, he gave evidence not only by his moft excellent and most exemplary life, but in his writings; efpecially when he afcribes the meliorated condition of mankind, and the increased bleffings of fociety, "above all, to the PURE and benign light of REVELATION;" and when he offers to God his earnest prayer, "that he would most graciously be pleafed to dif pofe us all to do juftice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind, which were the characteristics of the DIVINE AUTHOR OF OUR BLESSED RELIGION; without an humble imitation of whofe ample in thefe things, we can never hope to be a happy nau 2 tion." ex. |