flowers; which may eafily happen, if he does not allow himself We think we have obferved fome marks of ample time for felection. hurry in what has already been done. Art. 54. Addrefs on Readings and Mufic, at Free Mafons' Hall. By Mr. Lacy. 4to. Is. 6d. Becket. 1788. Elocution and music, brought forward on the fame evening, formed, most probably, fuch an union, as rendered the entertainments at Free Mafons' Hall a feaft for Mr. Lacy's audience. We are forry to find that he is now flopt in his career. When we read his firit words, Such a lofs as he has fultained!' we imagined that he meant an allufion to the property which he once poffeffed. We remember him, not many years ago, owner of half the patent of Drury-lane theatre, and, befides his beautiful villa on the banks of the Thames, poffeffed of an eltate in Oxfordshire. That he enjoys this property no longer, we cannot but regret, when we are told, that he fill retains a worthy and amiable character. The lofs which Mr. Lacy fo pathetically laments, is, to a mind like his, of a more tender kind than lands and tenements: his forrow upon the occafion does honour to the affections of a fincere and generous hufband. Under the preffure of grief, he is not able to proceed in that courfe of reading, which, we are told, was highly acceptable to a number of audiences. He, therefore, now propofes to publish, in fucccffive numbers, the pieces which he felected for his lectures, together with the mufic, which gave variety to the entertainment. The prefent publication announces his defign, and invites thofe who are inclined to honour him with their patronage, to fubfcribe five fhillings for the first number. In a country where merit in diftrefs is feldom fuffered to folicit in vain, we have no doubt but Mr. Lacy's propofal will meet with the warm encouragement of a generous public. Why has he not a benefit on that stage, which once was his own? Art. 55. An Addrefs to the Public, by the Hon. Lady Hill; fetting forth the Confequences of the late Sir John Hill's Acquaintance with the Earl of Bute. 4to. 2s. 6d. Bell. 1788. We are truly concerned to find, by this publication, that the late ingenious Dr. Hill died deeply in debt; and, confequently, left his widow [the filter of Lord Ranelagh] in very embarraffed circumftances. She here charges Lord B. with having occafioned the ruin of her husband, by drawing him out of the pleasant and profitable employments in which he was before engaged (viz. the study of botany, and the very fuccefsful compofition of his famous advertised medicines), and prompting him to the immenfe talk of writing the Vegetable Syftem, in twenty fix volumes folio! Lady Hill fays, that Lord B. declared to her husband, that, as the expence of this great work had been confidered, Sir John Hill might reft affured, his circumftances fhould not be injured by the undertaking. But mark the event! She declares that the execution of this prodigious plan, was the deftruction of the indefatigable author; for that what he received from my Lord, for three books, for the King, the Princefs of Wales, and himself, three times a year, which were the periods of its publication, together with all that were fold, Rev. April, 1788. Bb bore bore no proportion to the expence; fo that he became overwhelmed in debt.' Lord B. fhe adds, after repeated inftances, and much preffing, farther engaged Sir John to undertake another volume, after publishing the twenty-fix; for which he actually prepared materials, at the expence of between two and three hundred pounds; but, unfortunately, HE DIED, before this additional volume was completed! And now comes the worst part of the charge against Lord B. who, it is here affirmed, after having promised his endeavour to obtain a penfion for the widow, foon turned his back upon her, grew deaf to complaints and folicitations, and even refufed to indemnify her for the expences which had been incurred by the accumulation of materials for the intended additional volume, above mentioned, of the Vegetable System. Such treatment as Lady H. here complains of, added to the neceffities and urgency of her fituation, made her, at length, fo defperate, that he was induced to threaten Lord B. with law, to compel him to the fulfilment of his honorary engagements: but our readers will readily conclude what must be the event of fuch threats, and what would be the iffue of fo unequal a conteft. In fine, after having, in the warmest language, given vent to her chagrin and resentment, we fee, with an unfeigned commiferation, the unfortunate Lady reduced to addrefs the generous public-fure friends of the unhappy.We fincerely pity her diftreffes; and are equally mortified to behold, in the inftance before us, to what lamentable fituations learning, ability, and even induftry itfelf, may be reduced! Art. 56. A Critique on the Poetical Effays of the Rev. William Atkinfon, M. A. Fellow of Jefus College, Cambridge. To which is added an Appendix, containing Trim's Letters to Mr. Atkinson, accompanied with a Narrative, and illuftrated with Notes and Obfervations. Small Octavo. 25. 6d. Debrett. 1787. Trim, who is certainly an arch wag, gives the author of Poetical Efays a pretty fevere calligation for the inconfiftency between the freedom of his fongs and the fanctity of his preaching, which, it feems, is of the methodistical caft. We are no judges of the perfonal grounds of thefe ftri&tures; but the fatire is written with much ingenuity and fmartnefs, and, at the fame time, breathes a spirit of honeft indignation against inconfiftency of character. But we muft fay, that Trim would, in our opinion, have acted more generously, if he had confronted his own real name against that of the gentleman whom he has thought proper to bring before the bar of the public. We are however given to understand, by a private letter, that the gentleman is not backward to acknowledge his Critique; and that we are indebted for it to the Rev. Mr. Edw. Baldwyn, late Fellow of Jefus College, Oxon. It is dated from Bradford, Yorkshire. Art. 57. An Hiflorical and Defcriptive Guide to Scarborough, and its and familiar ftyle. Sometimes, indeed, it partakes too much of the latter quality: The Writer's witticisms are out of place. Though this work is ufeful, and, on the whole, agreeable, it is yet defective in one particular, as it does not prefent us with any analysis of the waters of the place. For this, however, the Author apologizes in the following words : Chemical experiments, made on thefe waters, with a view to inveftigate the proportion of each mineral, or other falubrious principle they contain, have proved highly favourable to the reputation of Scarborough fpaw, in a comparative view with other medicinal fprings in England. It has, from analyfation, been demonftrated, that they contain a much larger proportion of the fame principles than the juftly celebrated waters of Bath. We fhould have been happy to prefent our readers with an abridged sketch of thefe demonftrations, but a profeffional knowledge, which we have not, is requifite in order to form a judicious felection. Learning also that a regular and accurate hiftory of this place, neighbourhood, and productions, especially including its mineral waters, is in hand, we beg leave to refer the curious, unwilling to fufpend their inquiries until that work appears, to the medical gentlemen of this place.' Our Author's confeflion neceffarily precludes any farther remark which we might make on the work. THEOLOGY, &c. Art. 58. Lectures fapposed to have been delivered by the Author of A View of the Internal Evidence of the Chriftian Religion, to a felect Company of Friends. Dedicated to Edward Gibbon Efq. 12mo. 3 s. fewed. Robinsons. We are here prefented with a fingular phænomenon, the ghost of Soame Jenyns turned Methodist. The peculiarities of this growing fect were perhaps never before exhibited in fo captivating a drefs. The Writer infits largely upon the neceffity of fomething more than a rational conviction of the truth of Chriftianity, and a correfpondent moral conduct, to constitute the character of a Chriftian-that faith, which the initiated have never yet condefcended to explain in terms which the unenlightened could understand. The following paffage feems to approach nearer to an intelligible explanation of methodistical principles, than any thing we have ever before feen. • Ask a real Chriftian, how he came to believe in Chrift: If he have a faculty to exprefs him felf, he will tell you, that neceffity' preffed him to it. He knew that he had finned against the great God, and not merely through the violence of external temptation; but from an evil principle in his nature. He knew that he ought to adore and love that moft perfect Being, who is the Creator of all things; but he found the perfuafions of reafon ineffectual; he could not love God. He ought to acknowledge him in all his ways, and live to him who gave him being; but his heart, will, and affections rebelled against the obligation of perfect fubjection to the di The Author's name, as fubfcribed to the dedications (for two are prefixed) is James Schofield; probably the bookfeller, at Scarborough. Bb 2 vine vine government and glory. He could not imagine it poffible for the holy and righteous God to look on him with favour, to accept and bless him: He conceived that the God of truth must condemn him; that his perfeft juftice would never deal with any creature contrary to the truth of things, or contrary to his merit as a finful creature; and, therefore, if there be an eternity for him, he must be eternally undone. He could not difcover, by any principles of reafon, any foundation for hope, which could give him fatisfaction. But the gospel preaches peace; to finful man, eternal peace. Neceffity, and that the greateft, preffed him to examine into the nature and evidence of the Chriftian religion, He was convinced of its divine origin, and embraced the hope of the gofpel, as life from the dead. This faith changed his profpects; his confcience was relieved; his heart was cleanfed'; his faith did that for him immediately, which the rules of moralifts, and the mortifications of religionists, can neyer effect at all: He was made at once happy and holy. This is the chrittian regeneration. The whole need not a phyfician: And they who have never known what a wounded fpirit means, and, who have never been felf condemned, cannot understand the importance of the gofpel, nor feel that attachment to Jefus, which is implied in believing.' On all this we shall only remark, that to our dark apprehenfion, there is fomething in thefe modern guides to heaven much more obfcure and fanciful, than in the good old Directory, which fays fimply, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Art. 59. A defultory Tract; confifting of a Project for reforming the disorderly, and affitting the induftrious and orderly Poor, &c. Izmo. 4d. Scatchard and Co. What this Writer obferves, with refpect to Sunday fchool teaching, that it will be of little efficacy, till the parents of the children become better,' &c. feems to deferve attention, for the reasons which he affigns: and, therefore, his hints for the reformation of the elder poor may be recommended to the notice of the charitable and the public-fpirited part of our community. Art. 60. A Letter from a Father to his Son at the University, relative to a late Addrefs to young Students. 8vo. 6d. Oxford printed, and fold by Rivington in London. 1788. This letter is rather intended to reconcile young ftudents at the universities to the idea of fubfcription, than to enter into the merits of the Unitarian controverfy. The writer feems himself no great zealot for the doctrine of the Trinity: he confeffes that, when he was young, he was inclined to think freely on thefe fubjects; and fpeaks of the difference in doctrine between the Athanafians and Arians, as a flight diftinction. The articles of the church of England he recommends to the attention of his fon, as having been drawn up by fome of the beft and wifeft men in the chriftian world; and advifes him, as the fenfe of the principal is obvious to the meanest capacity, to fubmit, in thofe points which are lefs clear, to the united judgment of learned men. You are admitted,' fays he, 'into a fociety, where you hope to receive inftruction and improvement. They have embraced the established religion religion of their country, which all good and wife men, in every age, have thought it their duty to comply with; and the university expects the fame from the young people placed under their care, Any religious teft, at their admiffion, might be thought unneceffary; but you only fubfcribe to the articles, as a layman, and as terms of peace and communion. For what confufion must be the confequence, if fo many young people of different religious perfuafions; Papifts and Prefbyterians, Baptifts and Independents, Methodifts and Moravians; if fo many different fectaries, who are generally taught to maintain their peculiar opinions with zeal and obftinacy, were jumbled together in one fociety, and to have feparate places of worfhip; fuch a difcordant multitude, in the heat of youth, would probably not long be confined to cool reafoning, but fupport their opinions by the ftrength of their arms, rather than by that of their arguments; and "fmite each other with the fift of wickedness," as they would reciprocally term the refiftance of their adverfaries.' Perhaps the young man, to whom this letter is addreffed, may be inclined, upon reading this paragraph, to ask his father two or three troublefome queftions; for example: Why fhould we young men, who cannot be fuppofed to have been converfant with controverfial divinity, be called upon to give our voice in matters of which we have no knowledge? If all wife and good men, in every age, have embraced the established religion of their country, what was Martin Luther? what were the first chriftians and the apoftles? What is the difference between fubfcribing as a layman and a prieft? what between fubfcribing articles which one understands and believes, and articles of peace and communion? What inconvenience has attended the difufe of fuch fubfcriptions in moft foreign univerfities? We leave the folution of thefe queftions to the wifdom of this prudent father. Art. 61. A Letter to Jofeph Priestley, LL. D. on the Subject of his late Letters to the R. H. W. Pitt, and to the Dean of Canterbury. To which is added, a Difcourfe on the natural Connection of Civil and Ecclefiaftical Eftablishments. By the Rev. John Walters, Master of Ruthen School. 12mo. zs. Rivingtons. 1787. Mr. W. remonftrates, with great indignation, against Dr. P. for his attacks upon eftablishments, and for attempting to call up the forgotten ghost of Socinianifm; and charges him with inveterate 'malice,' in endeavouring to effect the worst of purposes by the worst of means,' by reviving an hypothefis fo monftrous and incredible, that it could have no admission but in a mind that had gazed almost to blindness, and indulged meditation even to infanity.". What rant! The Difcourfe annexed to this Letter is written in a ftyle of general declamation, which leaves little room either for praife or cenfure. |