surround those mud-walls, they will be (nearly at least) on a level with each other, if they are not on a level with the souls of cats and dogs. Lest Mr. Toplady's admirers should think, that prejudice makes me place his mistakes in too strong a light, I shall close these arguments by the judgment of the Monthly Reviewers.-In their Review for 1775, they give us the following abridged account of Mr. Toplady's Scheme of Necessity: "The old controversy concerning liberty and necessity has lately been renewed: Mr. Toplady avows himself a strenuous and very positive champion on the side of necessity, and revives those arguments which were long since urged by Spinoza, Hobbes, &c. [two noted infidels, or rather atheistical materialists.] It is somewhat singular in the history of this dispute, that those, who profess themselves the friends of Revelation, should so earnestly conteud for a system, which unbelievers have very generally adopted and maintained.— This appears the more strange, when we consider, that the present assertors of necessity manifest a very visible tendency to materialism. Fate and universal mechanism seem to be so nearly allied, that they have been usually defended on the same ground, and by the same advocates. Mr. Toplady indeed admits, that the two component principles of man, body and soul, are not only distinct but essentially different from each other.' But it appears, in the sequel of his reasoning, that he has no high opinion of the nature and powers of the latter, [the soul.] An idea,' he observes, is that image, form, or conception of any thing, which the soul is impressed with from without;' and he expressly denies, that the soul has any power of framing new ideas, different from, or superior to those which are forced upon it by the bodily senses. The soul,' he affirms, 'is, in a very extensive degree, passive as matter itself.' On his scheme, the limitation, with which he guards this assertion, is needless and futile." ་ While this Monthly Review is before me, I cannot help transcribing from it two other remarkable pas. sages. The one occurs four pages after the preceding quotation. The correspondents of the Reviewers give them an account of an absurd and mischievous book, written by some wild atheistical philosopher abroad, who thinks that all matter is alive, that the earth is a huge animal, and that we feed upon it, as some diminutive insects do upon the back of an ass. "His moral doctrine," say the Reviewers, "is of a piece with the rest: The result of his reasoning on this subject, is, in his own words, Man, in every instant of his duration, is a passive instrument in the hands of necessity.' Then let us drink and drive care away, drink and be merry, as the old song says; which is the practical application."-I would not be understood to charge this application upon Mr. Toplady; I only mention it, after the Reviewers, as a natural consequence of his system of necessity. * 6 The other passage is taken from the Review of Dr. Hartley's Theory of the Human Mind, published by Dr. Priestley, who pleads as strongly for necessity as Mr. Toplady himself. "Materialism," say the Reviewers," has been, from early ages, considered as one of the chief bulwarks of Atheism. Accordingly, while Epicurus, and Hobbes, and their disciples, have endeavoured to defend it, Theists and Christians have pointed their batteries against it. But we learn from Dr. Priestley, that perception, and all the mental powers of man, are the result of such an organical structure as that of the brain. -How would Epicurus, how would Collins have triumphed, had they lived to see this point [that the mental powers of man result from such au organical structure as that of the brain] given up to them, even by a Christian divine !—Another discovery, very consonant to the first, is, that the whole man becomes extinct at death. For this concession Atheists will likewise thank him, as it has been one of the chief * Mr. Toplady, p. 148, intimates to his readers, that Dr. Hartley has written an "eminent defence of Necessity," and promises himself "a feast of pleasure and instruction" in reading his book. articles of their creed, from the beginning of the world. -Let us suppose, with Dr Priestley, that all the mental powers of Julius Cæsar result from the organical structure of his brain. This organical structure is dissolved, and the whole man, Julius Cæsar, becomes extinct; the matter of this brain, however, remains, but it is not Julius Cæsar; for he (ex hypothesi) is wholly extinct." Having produced a variety of arguments, which, I trust, will altogether have weight enough to sink Mr. Toplady's Scheme of Necessity to the bottom of the sea of error, where a vain philosophy begat it on a monstrous body of corrupted divinity; I shall conclude this section by setting my seal to the truths which border most upon Mr. Toplady's error, and by which he is deceived, according to the old saying, Decipimur specie recti," We embrace falsehood under the deceitful appearance of some truth." Mr. Toplady is certainly in the right, when he asserts, that there is a close connexion between our soul and body; and that each has a reciprocal influence on the other. We readily grant, that a cheerful mind is conducive to bodily health, and that Corpus onustum Hesternis vitiis animum quoque prægravat una, HOR. "The soul, which dwells in a body oppressed with last night's excess, is clogged by the load which disorders the body." Nor do we deny, that, in a thousand cases, our bodies and our circumstances may prevent the full exertion of our spiritual powers, as the lameness of a horse, or its natural sluggishness, added to the badness of the road, may prevent the speed which a good rider could make, if he had a better horse and a better road. But to carry this consideration as far as Mr. Toplady does, is as absurd as to suppose, that the skill and expedition of a rider depend entirely on his beast, and on the goodness of the road. We likewise allow, that sometimes the soul may be as much overpowered by a disordered, dying body, as a rider, who is sages. The one occurs four pages after the prec quotation. The correspondents of the Reviewers them an account of an absurd and mischievous written by some wild atheistical philosopher ab who thinks that all matter is alive, that the earth huge animal, and that we feed upon it, as some d nutive insects do upon the back of an ass. "His ral doctrine," say the Reviewers, "is of a piece the rest: The result of his reasoning on this sub is, in his own words, Man, in every instant o duration, is a passive instrument in the hands of ne sity.' Then let us drink and drive care away, d and be merry, as the old song says; which is the p tical application."-I would not be understood charge this application upon Mr. Toplady; I only m tion it, after the Reviewers, as a natural conseque of his system of necessity. The other passage is taken from the Review of Hartley's Theory of the Human Mind, published Dr. Priestley, who pleads as strongly for necessity Mr. Toplady himself. "Materialism," say the Reviewers, " has been, fr early ages, considered as one of the chief bulwarks Atheism. Accordingly, while Epicurus, and Hobb and their disciples, have endeavoured to defend Theists and Christians have pointed their batteri against it. But we learn from Dr. Priestley, that pe ception, and all the mental powers of man, are t result of such an organical structure as that of the bra -How would Epicurus, how would Collins ha triumphed, had they lived to see this point [that mental powers of man result from such an organ structure as that of the brain] gi by a Christian divine !-Anothe sonant to the first, is, that the w extinct at death. For this concessi likewise thank him, as it has been o Mr. Toplady, p. 148, intimates to his readers, itten an "eminent defence of Necessity," and st of pleasure and instruction" in reading his b 33 -Let us suppose, with it Priestes, dut all the ywers of Julius Caesar rese structure of his brain. This s sured, and the whole extinct; the matter of dis yet it is not Jullies Car; for be "ny extinct." Haring produced a rare. I trust, will altogether have weight. Toplady's Scheme of Necessity to the bes of error, where a vain philosophy bega strons body of corrupted dirisity; I stall section by setting my seal to the truths which border Dost upon Mr. Toplady's erur, and by which is deceived, according to the old saying, Der er recti, “We embrace falsehood under the densifiul ap pearance of some truth." Mr. Toplady is certainly in the right, when her serts, that there is a close connexion between soul and body; and that each has a reciprocal infiment on the other. We readily grant, that a cheerial mind is conducive to bodily health, and that Besterni ritis animum quoque pragrant und que effigit humo divine particulam cure. BOR The soul, which dwells in a body oppressed with last sight's excess, is clogged by the load which disrders the body." Nor do we deny, that, in a thousand 26, our bodies and our circumstances may prevent the full exertion of our ness of a horse, or its natur the badness of the road a good rider could ma better road. But to carry this cou Mir. Toplady does, is as absurd as to s kill and expedition of a rider depend entire beast, and on the goodness of the road. Wel allow, that sometimes the soul may be as much ov powered by a disordered, dying body, as a rider, who |