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Mr. W. proceeds to animadvert on the delay of juftice, in the practice of our law courts; which he confiders as a still more ferious caufe of complaint: but for his remarks on this head we must refer to his book, as well as for what he obferves with refpect to other fimilar topics. With regard to his own,-well-known,-attachment to the great caufe of REFORM, he obferves that he is ftill willing to hope that this caufe is at this moment, as it has been for feveral years, progreffive; because, as he conceives, the interest and honour of England, as a nation, are deeply concerned in its accomplishment.'——— Should this, (he adds,) be attended with fuccefs, even in the laft period of my life, I fhall look with fatisfaction on the injuries which have been attempted against my perfon, my family, and my property, confidering, that the failure of those attempts may have had fome share in promoting the general benefit. But were it poffible that, at the approach of the nineteenth century, the people of England should have totally abandoned their national character, and, conveying the poifon of corruption to their own lips, should fit down tamely under an eftablished defpotifm, thofe few who have endeavoured to prevent fo deadly a calamity, will, at least, have the confolation" that as men employ the talents God has given them here, they shall accordingly receive their reward at the close of the day, when their fun fhall fet, and when night fhall put an end to their labours."

With refpect to the general contents of this large pamphlet, (of 161 pages,) they confift, collectively, of refolutions, declarations, advertisements, letters, addrefles, &c. &c. of various political focieties and clubs relative to the fubject of parliamentary reform; and to the Manchester riots, which appear to equal, if not to exceed the atrocities of the ever memorable Birmingham mobs.- On the whole, it is a curious collection of narratives, vouchers, and other authentic materials, relative to a very important and highly interefting subject. Art. 60. Literary and Critical Remarks, on fundry eminent Divines and Philofophers of the laft and prefent Age. Particularly Raleigh, Cudworth, Hobbes, Locke, Newton, Bolingbreke, Shaftsbury, Bishop Butler, Dr. Blair, Dr. Gregory, Bithop Porteus, Dr. Johnfon, Bishop Hurd, Mrs. M. Graham, Dr. Piielley, &c. Combining Obfervations on Religion and Government, the French Revolution, &c. with an Appendix, containing a Short Differtation on the Exiftence, Nature, and Extent of the Prophetic Powers of the Human Mind, with Examples of feveral eminent Prophecies, of what is now acting, and foon to be fulfilled upon the great Theatre of Europe. Particularly thofe of Bishop Newton, Baron Swedenbourg, Daniel Defoe, Drs. Prieftley, Goldimith, Smollet, &c. 8vo. pp. 489. 65. Boards. Crosby. 1795.

There are certain fundamental qualifications, which the public has an unquestionable right to expect in every writer who affumes the character of a critic. He, for example, who takes upon him to cenfure or to commend the opinions of others, ought to have fome clear and fettled opinions of his own; he who prefumes to páfs his judgment on doctrines and fyftems fhould before-hand take care to underftand them; he who fets himself up as a judge of flyle fhould at least be able to write correctly. Without fear of incurring the charge of arro. gance, or of vanity, we readily acknowlege the reafonableness of thefe expectations

expectations with refpect to us, as Reviewers; and we deem ourselves obliged, in duty, to make them our rule of judging, whenever our office calls us to speak of the critical talents of others. We must therefore honestly and plainly declare, with regard to the prefent work, that the author appears to us to be in all respects unequal to the task which he has undertaken.

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In the courfe of his lucubrations, this critic touches on a great variety of fubjects, theological, metaphyfical, political, and philological: but fo thick a mist of obfcurity hangs over his ipeculations, and fo deftitute are they of harmony and abnsistency, that we cannot fuppofe him to have attentively ftudied the various fubjects on which he treats. one time, be declaims against mystery and the Athanafian creed; at another, he seems to admit a Trinity in the divine Nature, and even refers the Platonic Triad to divine revelation. He inveighs bitterly against materialism, and Dr. Priefley; yet he fpeaks of the fub. flance of the Divine Nature as fyftematically one, but infinitely divifible. In politics, he declaims against defpotifm, aristocracy, and Mr. Burke; yet he prefumes to affert that liberty has often brought England to the brink of deftruction, and to ask whether English men are happier than the fubjects of arbitrary governments ?

With respect to this writer's fyftem of philofophy, fome conjecture may be formed from his notion concerning dreams, fairies, and ap paritions. He accounts for dreams by fuppofing them the immediate effect of fpiritual agency; and he declares, on his foul, that he, who is unable to compofe a good tune, has heard or feemed to hear in his fleep much fine mufic, of higher mood' than he has ever heard when awake. As to the opinions, (fays he,) of other kinds of invisible Beings, by whatever name denominated, I have, in a field of my own, feen, and thewn to others, various rings on the grafs, as true as if drawn with the compass.' As to ghofts that perambulate churchyards at the dead of night, in defiance of the ridicule of felf-fufficient fciolifts, he believes that fuch things are; he even avers that he lately heard a young ⚫ gentleman folemnly declare that he twice faw, at the foot of his bed, for five minutes each time, the apparition of a horfe which he had abufed, and heard it groan thrice.

If Dr.

We must add a few ipecimens of this literary and critical remarker's powers of criticism and tafte in philology;-and, firft, a few of his bold trokes of general character. Locke is not a great favourite with me, and Lord Shaftesbury is not entirely to my tafte.'- Locke, a plaufible diffeminator of all metaphyfical abominations.' Priestley is not out of his mind, his mind is doubtlefs out of him.'-' Dr. King wrote a book to account for the origin of evil whilst he denied its existence! King of fools!' Mrs. Macaulay Graham is unable, poor gentlewoman, to write a quarter of a page without contradiction or ambiguity:'- but few expect in a woman any deeper waters than a trout Itream.'.

Next, for a curious example, or two, of concife criticism.-Dr. Blair's Sermons, vol.i. ferm. 14. is an excellent one, if it did not verge fomewhat to Mandevilianifm and predeftination.' Bishop Por teus's Sermons, No. viii. I fall fet down the text only, Titus, ii. 6. Young men likewife exhort to be fober minded.' This style of criticifm reminds us of the Spectator's very laconic correfpondent Bob Short.

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Sometimes the author takes a rather larger compafs. For example: On Dr. Blair's, obfervation, that the very words which will be pronounced in the day of judgment are recited,- Come ye bleffed, &c. his remark is: This I cannot but confider as abfurd, unless our author had informed us of the language in which it will be fpoken,'

We will now difplay fome of the author's curious phraseology ;- to expunge knaves and fools from the face of eternity:'-' an intermediate condition of things, between contingency and human freedom on one fide, and prefcience and neceffity on the other: Sterne's production is fo defultory and precarious, as well as affected, that the reader is continually eluded and difappointed.' Dr. Blair's third volume engages with a natural fimplieity of elevation, combined with an amplitude of conception and with eloquence; is enamelled with choice of words, elegance of tafle in the compofition, and felection and application of texts, and concludes with an apex of folemnity.'

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Laftly, we fhall exhibit a few inftances of falfe grammar; temporary refidence feem to have been required:' p. 67.- happiness or mifery depend; p. 69 the reconcilement of even the moderate opinions of men to the doctrines of christianity are nice and difficult;were the active affection in men of genius, whether the fervants of God or not, to reflect that precious endowment back to the fountain whence it was derived, doubtless they cannot offer a more grateful tribute.'

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After having produced thefe vouchers of the author's critical abilities, it is fcarcely worth while to inform our readers, that the fermons of Bishop Butler, Dr. Gregory, Mr. Taylor (or Dr. Johnfon), and Dr. Blair, Bishop Hurd's Dialogues, Mrs. Macaulay Graham's Letters on Education, and Dr. Priestley's Difquifitions, are the principal works here described. The reft of the divines and philofophers, mentioned in the title, are curforily noticed. The appendix contains a collection of prophecies, the fulfilment of many of which may be expected, by the credulous, to happen even in the time of perfons now living. Among other materials of this fort, we find a re markable paper, faid to have been written by the late Dr. Smoliet, not long before his death, in a private letter to a friend.-Concerning the authenticity of this paper, our opinion has been afked by a correfpondent, who figns his letter, "An old and conftant Reader." It is impoffible for us to give any judgment as to the genuineness of the article in queflion. There is little in it unworthy of the ingenious Doctor's literary character: but he cannot be faid to have given his opinions on the figns of the times then revolving before him, as prophecies. Any man, io capable as Dr. Smollet of fhrewd obfervation, might have predicted, as he did, from natural caufes, the revolutions that have fince taken place in America and France.

Art. 61. Obfervations on the Emigration of Dr. Jofeph Priefley, and on the feveral Addreffes delivered to him on his Arrival at New York. 8vo. pp. 63. s. 6d. Reprinted for Stockdale, London. 1794. Frequently as we have differed in opinion from Dr. Priestley, we fhould think it an act of injuftice to his merit not to fay that the numerous and important fervices which he has rendered to science, and the unequivocal proofs which he has given of at least honeft intentions towards the caufe of religion and christianity, ought to have protected

him from fuch grofs infults as are poured on him in this pamphlet.-Of the author's literary talents, we fhall fay but little the phrafes fetting down to count the coft; the rights of man the greatest bore in nature; and the appellation of rigmarole ramble given to a correct fentence of Dr. Priestley, which the author attempts to criticize; may ferve as fpecimens of his language. The pitiful attempt at wit, in his vulgar fable of the pitcher haranguing the pans and jordans, will gain him little credit as a writer, with readers of elegant tafte. No cenfure,' however, can be too fevere for a writer who fuffers the rancour of party spirit to carry him fo far beyond the bounds of justice, truth, and decency, as to fpeak of Dr. Priestley as a man who is an admirer of the maffacres of France, and who would have wished to fee the town of Birmingham, like that of Lyons, razed, and all its industrious and loyal inhabitants butchered: as a man whofe conduct proves that he' has either an understanding little fuperior to that of an ideot, or the heart of a Marat: in fhort, as a man who fled into banishment covered with the universal deteftation of his countrymen. The spirit, which could dictate fuch outrageous abuse, muft difgrace any individual and any party.

We have no doubt that London has the honour of being the native place of this production; although it is pretended, at the bottom of the title-page, that it was originally printed at Philadelphia.

Art. 62. La Souriciere. The Mouse Trap. A facetious and fentimental Excurfion through Part of Auftrian Flanders and France.. By Timothy Touchit, Etq. Izmo. 2 Vols. 6s. Boards. Parfons. 1794.

Very flimfy and very licentious; incapable of doing good, and calculated to do evil.

SINGLE SERMONS.

Art. 63. A Faft Sermon, preached Feb. 28, 1794. By Richard Weaver, Author of an Expofition of the Church Catechism, Curate of Draycot-Cerne, Wilts, and Mafter of the Academy at Chippenham. 8vo. IS. Baldwin.

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The great object of many faft-fermons, which were published during the last year, was to animate us to use our belt exertions in a vigorous profecution of the war; and this is likewife the main purport of the prefent difcourfe. Be unanimous,' fays the preacher, in the concluding fentence, and refolate in the fupport of our gracious Sovereign; and by defpifing the wicked infinuations of those who would promote infurrection for the fake of plunder, fuffer no internal commotions or divifions to weaken your efforts against a common and most inveterate enemy.

Certainly we ought to do our utmost, and strain every nerve, in the defence of our country against every enemy, foreign or domestic: but we trust that there were none, among Mr. W.'s hearers, in the loyal county of Wilts, who could poffibly be fo depraved as to lend a favourable ear to wretches who would promote infurrection for the fake of plunder. Such atrocity could only be imagined of a London mob, compofed of pick pockets, foot-pads, and houfe-breakers. So good a writer as Mr. W. might have been deemed fuperior to fuch unreArained fallies.

Art.

Art. 64. Religious Fear of God, and faithful Allegiance to our King, recommended, from the Precepts and Examples of our Saviour and his Apoftles. Preached at feveral Places in July 1794. By the Rev. Richard Weaver, Mafter of Chippenham Academy. 8vo. 15. Brooke and Macklin, Cheapfide.

From the precepts Fear God; honour the king,' taken in connection, the author of this fermon inculcates loyalty as a religious duty; not, however, on the antient high notion of the divine right of kings, but merely on the ground that God permits kings to reign, and magiftrates to bear authority under them, for preferving that order and fubordination without which fociety could not exist. With refpect to prefent politics, the author falls into the common error of mistaking diffatisfaction with the proceedings of adminiftration, for difaffection toward the British conflitution and government; and he charges thofe, who wish for a change of meafures, &c. as promoters of fedition, who conceal a dagger in their bofoms for the deftruction of their country. Idle fufpicions and illiberal reflections of this kind, which have of late been too frequent, by exciting and fpreading faile alarms and groundless jealoufies, are exceedingly injurious to the community, as well as to individuals.

CORRESPONDENCE.

We must terminate our correfpondence with Mr. Heffe: he may reft affured that we had no other motive than a love of truth for pointing out five or fix of the errors in his book. We are very ready to inform our readers that he declares the grammatical blunder, noticed by us in page 5 of his introduction, to have been an error of the prefs; and that he has fhewn the correction of page 117 to be proper. As to the other particulars, we retain our opinion; and we think that he has abundant reafon to be fatisfied with our having faid that his vocabulary is a convenient felection, and that his phrafes are adapted to their object."

+++ C.P. lays too much ftrefs, in the inftance, to which he adverts, on the difference between author and editor. The title of the work in question fufficiently prevents any mistake or delusion.

1st We are obliged to A. Z. for his remarks, to which we shall attend.

XII

+ The letter of our friendly grammarian J. B. J. dated 23 1794 was duly received: The notice to J. B. was for another correfpondent; and though we have not had, and particularly have not new, leisure to anfwer J. B.J.'s communications at length, they are before us, and are not neglected. We are convinced, however, that it will be impoffible for us always to attend to the orthographical niceties which he difcufles. The variety and temporary nature of our labours are infuperable bars in this respect.

St§ Letters from O. P. Clericus, &c. &c. remain for confideration.

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