found by experience too, that the moft fuccefsful teachers of Chriftianity among rude nations, are the enthufiaftic and popular. The oratory which is calculated to make an impreffion upon them, is inconfiftent with taste and fcience; nor are their minds fufficiently stayed and fedate for the cool regularity of eftablished worship.'

The fecond Effay is on the Influence of Phyfical and MoFal Causes on the human Mind.' The opinion of Montesquieu on this fubject is now nearly exploded: the effect is flight or tranfitory, and may be easily counteracted. Mr. Gregory's arguments are juft; but not fufficiently remarkable to induce us to felect them.

Remarks on the Hiftory of Superftition' follow; but this is too extenfive a fubject for an Effay, The moft remarkable circumstances, infifted on by our author, are polytheism, idolatry, divination and ordeal trials, facrifices, and the fabulous tales of miraculous and terrific appearances.-The au thor's account of thefe fubjects is generally correct and fatisfac tory; but he does not feem aware, that in more than one inftance he has followed the lively and excentric Voltaire. The following account is to be recommended for its judgment and exactness. It is not new, but an old acquaintance in an attractive and elegant attire.

Another, perhaps better, folution of the difficulty may be fought for on principles already noted in thefe Elays. It has been remarked, that the principle of barbarian juftice is revenge. It is therefore probable, that, figuring the Deity like themfelves, a facrifice might be meant to appeafe his anger, as he could not be fatisfied without fome retribution. The Egyp tians imprecated the fins of the people upon the head of the facrificed beaft; which indicates that they originally meant him to fuffer as a fubftitute for themfelves. They alfo beat and mortified themfelves during the facrifice, which has little appearance of a joyous ceremony in gratitude to Providence, or a Convivial entertainment defigned for the Gods.

Probably, on the idea of atonement, human facrifices preceded every other. The nations which were extirpated by the Ifraelites used them, and we do not know that they ufed any other. This circumftance feems alluded to by one of the Jewish prophets, who, fpeaking in the character of a fuperftitious perfon, exclaims, "Shall I give my firft-born for my tranfgreffions? the fruit of my body for the fin of my foul?" The notion of vifiting the fins of the fathers upon the children feems intimately connected with this idea; and that fuch a notion was univerfal in the remote periods of antiquity, we have every reason to believe.

It has been already remarked, that human facrifices have been common, at one time or other, in every Pagan nation up

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on earth, The Magi who accompanied Xerxes, at a place called The Nine Ways, facrificed nine youths, and as many vir gins, after the Perfian manner, burying them alive. Ameftris, the wife of Xerxes, arriving at an advanced age, facrificed in the fame manner fourteen noble children to that God, who they fay is beneath the earth, The circumstances attending the performance of this horrid rite, in most nations, afford additional proof, that the original intent of facrifice was to appease a malignant deity. We are well affured, that the occafion was, in general, when fome public calamity befel the nation; and one perfon was felected to bear the fins or the misfortunes of the multitude. In Otaheite, on certain folemn days, the priest enters the morai, or temple, and, after ftaying fome time, returns and informs the people, that the deity demands a human facrifice; he then indicates the perfon, who is immediately feized, and beaten till he is dead. This dangerous power, we may well fuppofe, is much abufed by the priests; and, to confirm it, the fuperftitious people are perfuaded, that if the pries invoke the evil genius, he will kill, by fudden death, him whom they chufe to mark out as a victim. We may readily imagine in what manner, and by what means, the intentions of his infernal majefty are fulfilled.

The firft relaxation of this rigid branch of fuperftition is, when the exercise of it is confined to captives, or very inferior perfons: beasts are afterwards substituted; and at laft the gods are fuppofed to content themselves with an offering of the simple fruits of the earth.

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The confecration of particular perfons to the Deity, feems to be only a refinement upon the practice of offering human facrifices. I before had occafion to thew, that the purest and moft innocent perfons were originally fingled out as victims to the gods. The fame refinement takes place in the confecration of living offerings, if I may be allowed the expreffion. As foon as the idea of pollution came to be annexed to the intercourfe of the fexes, it became a leading principle to dedicate to the gods the chafte and unpolluted.'

The next Effay is on certain moral Prejudices: it is connected with the former, fince they are both mental errors, though on different fubjects. Mr. Gregory fufpects a poli. tical motive to have been the original fource of many of thefe, particularly facrificing the immediate attendants of a king, on his death; or even the voluntary burning of the widow, which the neceffity of cuftom, fome time fince, had rendered indispenfable.

The fifth Effay contains, Obfervations on the Effects of Civilifation, and the Character of the prefent Times.' In this Effay, the author does not in general appear either a bigotted enthufiaft, or a splenetic fatirift. He examines with caution, and appreciates with juftice. It is a melancholy re

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mark, but it is well founded, that no branches of learning have fuffered fo much neglect as thofe which concern human nature molt; those which respect the mind of man, and the principles of moral conduct.' Science too undoubtedly declines, but not fo much as our author fufpects, and many fuperficial inquirers have afferted. It is fo generally diffused, that the progreffive voice is almost loft in the number of claimants: these too, in each branch, are fo numerous, that a man whofe ftudies had been a few years intermitted, would searcely recognise the objects around him. In this examination our author is a little too national. The flippancy and the tinsel of France are often mentioned; and French is almost excluded from his courfe of education. This is a material error; and we should fufpect that it arifes from the most illiberal fource; for not one French book is quoted, fo far as we obferve, in the whole volume; and the author afferts, what a perfon acquainted with French would have known to have been unjuft, that every book of value is tranflated. In fact, every popular work is tranflated; but books of value are not always popular. The tinfel of Sterne too is oppofed to the claffic gold of Addifon; Sterne deferves a better character; not for his flippancy and ribaldry, but for his tenderness, his pathos, and his benevolence. Read his works again, fir, without prejudice, if poffible; let the heart, rather than the scrutinifing eye of criticism be open, and we hope the genial fuffufion from the moistened cheek will blot this harsh fentence, that it may be feen no more.

The Invention of Language is the next object of his attention; and the remarks on it are frequently curious, and generally fatisfactory. We with our limits would allow us to examine them at greater length.

Alphabetical Writing' must have fucceeded Language, and it follows the former Effay; but,, in this, we perceive little added to the former ftock.

• Mifcellaneous Obfervations on the Female Sex' are more valuable. They are diftinguished as well for their candour and delicacy as for their judgment. Women, in our author's opinion, are not inferior in mental powers to men; but this decifion fhould be received with fome limitation. We mean not to reject the pretenfions of the ladies, but the mental excellencies of each fex cannot be properly compared. The one certainly excels in fancy, fpirit, and elegance; the other in ftrength, judgment, and application. Single inftances cannot affect general rules; and the inftances are fo few, as rather to render the generality more ftriking. After examining the ftate of the female fex, in different periods, the author,

with great reafon, refers the common opinion respecting female chastity, to the right of property; for while the woman was confidered as a flave, chastity was in her a duty, which her lord required, while he ranged at liberty. This was undoubtedly the fource of the opinion; but it would have probably been loft in future ages, if it had not been fupported by better arguments.

In the present ftate, fays our author, of fociety, I fee no means by which the fair fex may reasonably hope to escape the evils of domeftic tyranny, but by extreme caution and forethought, in what hands they entrust the future happiness of their lives. Without prefuming to lay down a fyftem for their conduct, in a matter of fo much importance to themselves, a little knowledge of character has fuggefted a few hints, which may be serviceable in preventing improper connexions, and which, on that account, a fenfe of duty will not allow me to fupprefs.

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If on any occafion the morals, as well the temper of the party, with whom a connexion is to be formed, ought to be regarded, it is when the whole of temporal enjoyment and fatisfaction is at ftake. No vulgar maxim has proved more detrimental to female happiness, than, that a reformed rake makes the best of husbands." In every instance that has fallen within my obfervation, the direct contrary has happened. For, in the first place, if the maxim were true, it is far from certain that matrimony will produce a reform. The vanity of an enamoured female may flatter her, that her amiable qualities will effect a reformation; but experience tells us, that the reformation must go deeper than that which is only the momentary effect of an impetuous paffion; it muft extend to the moral principle, to the whole mode of thinking. A rake is but another term for a fenfualift, which in itfelf implies the quality selfish; he has been accustomed to facrifice the best interest of others to his perfonal gratification; and there are more ways than one of trifling with the happiness of a fellow creature. Further, the libertine has acquired a defpicable opinion of the fex, from converfing only with the depraved part of it: and we know that matrimonial tyranny ufually originates from a contemptible opinion of the female fex. Laftly, in marrying a rake, there are many chances to one, that a woman marries a drunkard; and drunkenness is perhaps the only vice, that is never to be reformed. I might add, that without fome notion of religion, morality has but an uncertain bafis-and what rake would be thought to entertain any refpect for religion!

'I would not have the ladies fall into the oppofite extreme, and to avoid a profligate take up with a bigot. Religious enthusiasm has a natural tendency to four the temper: and the fanatic deriyes his morality not from the mild and equitable precepts of

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the gofpel, but from the rigid and tyrannical institutions of the Jews.

• Some caution will be requifite alfo, in engaging with a man, whofe fituation obliges him to be much converfant with the vicious or uncultivated part of mankind; or whofe profeffion inures him to high notions of difcipline and implicit obedience.'

The Theory of Government, the Advantages and Inconveniencies of a Republican Form, compared with Monarchy,' are examined with candour; and we strongly recommend them to the warm patriots of the present day, eager for reformation.

The author next proceeds to the Principles of Morals, the Atheistical System and Morals of the Ancients, and Religious Establishments.' In thefe Effays he ftrongly endeavours to connect morality with religion, and to found wifdom on virtue. His arguments are generally ftrong; they are well felected, but feldom new,

The fourteenth Effay is on Education. We have anticipated our author's opinion on the French language, and little remains but to commend. Mr. Gregory is an advocate for fchools large enough for the purpose of emulation, but fo limited as not to prevent every boy from being under the mafter's eye: he recommends the interval alfo of a year or two, under the care of a private tutor, before the pupil goes to the univerfity. The author, we believe, is well founded in this opinion; but the arguments on the oppofite fide are plaufible: we regret, that we cannot at prefent examine the fubject, under the guidance of fo judicious a preceptor, as the author before us.

The following Effays on Penetration and Forefight, and on the Unreafonablenefs of Suicide,' are greatly inferior to the others. They are not incorrect; but they fkim over the furface, as a fwallow fkims over a river, who scarcely penetrates fo far as to wet her wing.

The feventeenth Effay is on the Juftice, Humanity, and policy of the Slave Trade.' Thefe are written with great ftrength of argument and warm fenfibility. Every one must be convinced of the injuftice and inhumanity of this trade, though intereft may, for a moment, cover it with a veil. May they foon be perfuaded alfo that it is impolitic; for it is highly probable that in the end it will be found fo!

The laft Effay is on 'the Causes which may fubvert British Liberty; and we are glad to find, that the apprehenfions of modern patriots are ill founded. We have often given this opinion, and we are pleased to see it fupported fo ably in the Effay before us.

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