a great number of converts, compliments the age with the title of The Age of REASON."-In oppofition to Mr. Paine, comes the author of the tract before us; and big, as it fhould feem, with fearful apprehenfion that Tom's purpose was in a great measure already anfwered, he at once ftigmatizes the age with the opprobrium of INFIDELITY. Of that performance we gave fome account in the laft vol. of our Review, p. 342.-Having, it is prefumed, been victorious over the sturdy champion of unbelief, and done away the reproach of the times, he now, perhaps, fees things in a new light, and, behold! we neither live in the age of Reafon, nor in the age of Infidelity, but in the age of Credulity!-Whence this fudden change in the character of the exifting generation? Why-a vifionary man [not to repeat the worst things that have been faid relative to him,] one Richard Brothers, pretends to have received the gift of prophecy; and fome few other vifionaries are thought to have really credited his pretenfions. Is this all? Have not all ages, and almost all countries, afforded fimilar inftances? why, then, is the prefent age to be thus libelled by degrading epithets ? This writer confiders R. B. as an artful impoftor; and, accordingly, he expoftulates with Mr. H. for countenancing fuch a character. He alfo takes up, very seriously, the fubjects of TRUE and of Falfe prophecy, in order to affert the credit of the former, and to refute not only the pretenfions of R. Brothers, but to overthrow the interpretations of Mr. Halhed. In this undertaking our author, who is undoubtedly a man of fenfe, could hardly fail of fucceeding. Art. 47. Letters to Nathaniel Braffy Halhed, Efq. M. P. in Answer to his Teftimony to the Authenticity of the Prophecies of Richard Brothers," and his pretended Miffion to recal the Jews. By David Levi, Author of Lingua Sacra, Letters to Dr. Priestley, &c. 8vo. Is. Johnfon, &c. Mr. Levi treats the gentleman, to whom he addreffes thefe letters, with feverity, and with a degree of harfhnefs, mingled with courtesy and the appearance of respect.-Mr. H.'s fcheme of interpretation of Daniel's beafts, &c. is denounced as ænigmatical, fallacious, abfurd, and ridiculous; for all of which, as well as for other parts of his famous pamphlet, he, fometimes feriously, at other times rather ludicroufly, reprehends and admonishes him; and alfo for the fupport which the learned fenator has afforded to the impoftor, Brothers." On the other hand, Mr. L. has here given us his own expofition of Daniel's predictions, and of their accomplishment; with which we confefs that we are much better fatisfied than with the Halhedian explanation. This refpectable writer refers occafionally to his "Differtations on the Prophecies," of which he obferves, in a note, the firft vol. is already published; the fecond, he fays, is now in the prefs; and we are given to understand that more volumes of this work are intended: but the exact number is not specified. He endeavours, indeed, p. 9. to reconcile this feeming contradiction, and to prove that the prefent age feems likely to bear the impreffion of two characters, apparently inconfiflent-credulity and unbelief.' MISCELLANEOUS. Izmo. PP. 294. 35. 62. Art. 48. The Letters of Themistocles. Of these letters it is not neceffary that we fhould fay much; for, though this is the first time of their appearance in the form of a book, they have been long known to the public, having been originally printed in one of the London newspapers. They are now acknowleged by Lord Mountmorres, in a dedication to Lord Orford. They were written on various fubjects, highly interefting in their day, but now of lefs importance to the world; fuch as the regency, the revolution in Auftrian Flanders which preceded that of France; the establishment of the hempen manufacture of Ireland; comments on the 8th article of the treaty of Utrecht, and on the question of our difpute with Spain relative to the fishery of the antipodes at Nootka Sound; the corporate rights of the city of Dublin; the abatement of an impeachment by a diffolution of parliament, &c. &c. By the prefent publication, and others which the noble author has fent into the world, he fhews that he is extremely well calculated for that kind of literary purfuit which requires deep refearch, laborious investigation, an acquaintance with old records and hiftorical events, &c. The flowery paths of fcience his Lordship leaves to others, whofe parts, without perhaps being as folid as his, are more brilliant and fhewy. The noble Lord feems to know his own forte, and therefore undertakes fuch things only as are fuited to his ftrength and capacity; confequently, he very rarely fails in his undertakings. Lord M. thinks that he has caufe for complaint against the minifter; to whom, during the important queftion of the regency, he had rendered no fmall fervice by his conduct both in and out of parliament, and who neverthelefs was fo ungrateful as totally to overlook him in the diftribution of honours and court favours. On this fubject, the noble Lord appears to feel fore; and his concluding expreffion is fevere in the extreme. The minifter, (he fays,) having quitted that country (Ireland) with general diflike, from a fimilar conduct in other matters, the author from peculiar and delicate circumftances, declined all perfonal altercation either in or out of parliament; not thinking it creditable or expedient for a man of honour to tread upon a degraded character.' It will not be expected that we should fuggeft who that minifter was: but we will take the liberty of advising his Lordship to look to other rewards, for the rectitude of his intentions and the zeal of his actions, than the favours of any minifter of ftate;—to the approbation of his own heart and the applaufe of his fellow men. In a preface to this collection, Lord M. more than infinuates that the establishment of the fouthern whale fishery had not so much for its object the acquifition of oil, fpermaceti, and whalebone, as the emancipation of South America from the dominion of Spain; and that the fettlement at Nootka Sound was intended more for political than commercial purposes. The man, from whom he appears to have derived his intelligence on this head, was the celebrated General de Miranda, a native of Curaffoa in Mexico; to whose character the noble author bears a much more honourable teftimony than others who have spoken of this extraordinary man, who, it would feem, had formed a plan for for establishing the independence of South America, and enabling England to participate in the commerce of that immenfe country now monopolized by Spain. This project, (fays Lord M.) it is fuppofed, was communicated to our minifters, and fo far patronized by them as to generate the queftion about the whale fifhery, and the establishment at Nootka Sound.' With due deference, we prefume to think that Lord M. ought to have ftated better authority than fuppofition for fo very important a piece of information: it would appear, indeed, that he had received it from Miranda himself, who felt authorized to complain of our minifters, from whom he conceived he had reason to expect a penfion, but who difappointed him. In the Appendix, our author gives the characters of three perfons eminently distinguished in the political or literary world, namely, Dr. Franklin, Mr. Flood, and Mr. Malone the votary of Shakefpeare. In his delineations he difplays difcrimination, judgment, and powers; and his ftyle is much more remarkable for clearness and fimplicity, than for elegance and ornament. He fometimes ufes words which, though very expreffive in other languages, have not yet becn adopted into ours, and are unintelligible to fuch readers as do not underfland French of this we will quote one inftance in the word Journalier. Lord M. fays, in his character of Mr. Flood, it fhould be remembered, that the abilities of men, like the beauties of women, are often journaliers, uncertain and varying from day to day: as the periphrafis that follows the word journaliers' very well conveys the idea which the French annex to it, there was the lefs occafion for making ufe of a term which is by no means English. Art. 49. A Tour through the Isle of Thanet, and fome other Parts of Eat Kent; including a particular Defcription of the Churches in that extenfive District, and Copies of the Monumental Infcriptions, &c. 4to. pp. 507. 16s. Boards. Nichols. 1793. On the perufal of fuch a volume as this, we could not but exclaim, Cui bono? It may, however, in fome inftances, furnish amusement, perhaps utility; particularly, as the collector fuppofes, to those who have made the drawing out of pedigrees their bufinefs or amufement: but, (he adds,) as the number of fuch is very fall, these sheets will ftand or fink, in proportion as their general readers approve or difapprove of fuch legendary lore.'-Legendary lore is, we think, a phrafe employed commonly to intimate what is unauthenticated, or at least fufpicious but this meaning we fhall not here apply, for we doubt not the veracity of thefe collections, nor the fidelity of the editor in regard to the tranfcripts. Nor need he defpair of indulgence, if in the courfe of his perambulations he has ventured to reliven the tædium of funereal detail, or to fuggeft occafionally a moral reflection.' -We cannot say that we have remarked very much of an enlivening kind in paffing through the work: but the writer's induftry in procuring materials for his compilation is confpicuous; infcriptions and epitaphs are indeed numerous, and the pages of a different kind are comparatively few. - Margate and its environs occupy the largeft fpace: the feat of the late Lord Holland at Kingsgate is remarkable: a lift is 4 given given of the antiques and curiofities which embellished the saloons and which, it feems, are foon to be difperfed.-Two or three coins are mentioned, found at Margate in 1791: among them we are told of a coin, in good prefervation, of Helena, the first wife of Conftantius ;'-it is added, fhe was the Queen of England, and daughter of King Coel:' for which we are referred to Reynolds' Chronicle, 1571.-A writer of more knowlege and lefs confidence would have avoided afferting fo roundly a doubtful fact. Good hiftorians think it neceffary to say that this at beft is only conjecture.'* The journey, and the country about Margate, Canterbury, and other parts of East Kent, are at times defcribed, and fome pleasant views are pointed out: but, as to the chief object of the volume,-mere infcriptions,-they cannot poffibly be interefting to general readers; and it is feldom that epitaphs are worth preferving. Reflections on mortality prefent themselves at all times and places, and may be ufefully purfued:-but a grave-ftone often affords diverfion rather than improvement-who can with-hold a fmile when he reads concerning a man and wife, Both fet down, when angels gather Their guests in heaven, at Boorde with Ifaac's Father.” When this writer takes his leave at the church of Reculver, (fo repeatedly mentioned,) he intimates a defign of extending his labours to all the remaining churches in the diocefe of Canterbury.-The name of this collector is concealed, but it is faid that his youth might plead an excufe for inaccuracies, Art. 50. A Chronological Account and brief Hiftory of the Events of the French Revolution, from the taking of the Baftile, 1789, to the Conqueft of Holland in 1795, including a Period of nearly fix Years. By J.Talma, a Native of Paris, and now a Dentist in Chefter. 8vo. 5s. Boards. Sael. This brief, and we think impartially written, feries of all the remarkable events and principal circumftances attending the public proceedings in France, during the period above mentioned, muft be very acceptable, particularly for occafional reference, to many readers. The industrious compiler may reasonably claim our indulgence for any flight imperfections in his language, on account of his being an alien both to the manners and language of this kingdom.' We have obferved, in perufing a few pages of this neatly printed volume, [it could not be expected that we thould read the whole of a book of this kind,] no material error befides those that are pointed out in the table of errata. As many circumftances are here neceffarily detailed from the public prints, which have been corrected by fubfequent accounts, this compilement muft confequently need a careful revifal, in cafe of a fecond edition. Gibbon afferts that fhe was the daughter of an inn-keeper at Drepanum, a town in the Gulph of Nicomedia: but he defends her from the charge of having been the concubine of Conftantius. FAST FAST SERMONS, Feb. 25, 1795 Art. 51. Preached at Stockton-upon-Tees, by the Rev. Samuel Exhortations to piety, to loyalty, to a repentance of our fins, and a due amendment of our lives, are ufually, and properly, the general heads of fermons compofed for the fervice of public days appointed by government for the observance of what is called a National Faft ;in course, there can be no material difference in the compofitions adapted to thefe folemn occafions, except what must neceffarily arife from the refpective abilities of the feveral compofers.-To say that Mr. Clapham's difcourfe is zealous, plain, pious, and practical, is barely doing justice to its merit: it also breathes the spirit of loyalty with uncommon fervour and zeal. Art. 52. Preached on the 8th of Feb. 1782, a Day of national Humiliation; and again (by the Affistant Minister) Feb. 25, 1795, to a Congregation of Proteftant Diffenters in St. Saviourgate, York. Now published by Newcome Cappe. 8vo. Is. Johnfon, &c. To this publication an advertisement is prefixed, importing that Though the following difcourfe was compofed thirteen years ago, the author has been induced to lay it before the public, apprehending, that if the ftate of this country was at that time alarming, it is not lefs fo now;-and that, fhould it be the means of awakening any to a serious examination of themselves, and of their fituation, he will feel the lefs regret that he has long been disabled, by fevere illness, from continuing his accustomed labours as a minister of the gospel.' York, Mar. 2, 1795.' The divines of the last age had a peculiar name for pulpit difcourfes of a certain defcription: they were called "Awakening Sermons.". Mr. Cappe's performance is one of that kind; and a powerful one too! He muft, indeed, be a flumbering, incorrigible, and heavyladen finner who is not to be rouzed by the found of an alarm bell, fuch as this, which has been twice rung at St. Saviourgate, York. Mr. Cappe is a preacher of peace, as well as of righteousness, in every moral and Chriftian fenfe of the term; and we do not think that he can justly be brought under the cenfure denounced by the author of the preceding difcourfe: " As ambaffadors, (fays Mr. Clapham,) of the gospel of peace, we efteem it not our indifpenfible duty-whatever the tongue of reproach may have uttered against us-to join in. difcriminately in the clamorous cry of peace, peace, dictated, it might feem, by mistaken humanity, narrow policy, factious oppofition, or fordid intereft, &c. &c." The author of the prefent difcourfe, whofe general character is confirmed by the internal evidence of his published compofitions, appears to be a man of a very different ftamp from that which Mr. Clapham has exhibited, of a preacher who clamours for peace. There can, indeed, be no doubt of the " Godly fincerity" of many, we would hope all, of the clergy, of whatever denomination, who, like Mr. Cappe, have with earnestnefs and ardor pleaded for what they unquestionably REV. APRIL, 1795. apprehend K k |