retreat in times of danger. The monks of Croyland abbey are faid to have been no lefs famous for their learning than hofpitality. The nobility fent thither their children for inftruction; and to the monks of this place the university of Cambridge was indebted for the revival of learning, if not the first inftitution of public lectures among them. But all the buildings belonging to this once famous monaftery and ancient feminary of learning, except a fmall part of the church, are now fo completely deftroyed, that not a ftone is left by which there is any poffibility of tracing them.

No XXIII. contains the Hiflory and Antiquities of Hawfted, in the County of Suffolk. By the Rev. Sir John Cullum, Bart.-Hawfted lies between three and four miles fouthweft of Bury St. Edmunds, and about feventy north-east of London. The exact age of the church appears not from any records; but from the modern ftyle of the building, and particularly a piece of fculpture in the fteeple, our author concludes it to have been erected in the beginning of the fixteenth century. If we may judge from the minutenefs with which he has treated of this place, and from the frequent occurrence of the name of Cullum in the narrative, we fhould be inclined to think that the reverend baronet has been prompted to the investigation of this fubject by fome local attachment. From repeated experience, we have found that a predilection of this kind is too apt to lead an antiquarian into frivolous details ; but though much of the prefent article will probably be deemed fuperfluous by uninterested readers, we doubt not that the whole may afford pleasure to the inhabitants and neighbourhood of Hawfted.

N° XXIV. contains an Account of the Roman roads, Ikenild-Street, and Bath-Way, with a Differtation on the Coritani. By Mr. Pegge.-In tracing the route of lkenild-ftreet through the country of the Coritani, or the county of Derby, Mr. Pegge remarks, that it has no fooner croffed the easternmost branch of the Dove, and entered Derbyshire, than it appears for a confiderable way together on Eggington Heath, where it points to Derby, or rather Little- Chefter, to which place it came by Little-Qver, acrofs Nun-Green, and fo down Darley-Slade to the river Derwent, where a bridge had stood from very remote time; and the remains of a bridge are yet to be feen at this place, when the water of the river is low. Some antiquaries are of opinion that the Romans built no bridges, and only made ufe of fords; but on this fubject, Mr. Pegge makes a juft obfervation. As we know, fays he, that the Romans did build bridges in other parts, why not in Enge

land;

land; especially when the fudden and high floods of the river feemed greatly to require it, and that we have one station in Richard of Cirencester, which is exprefsly called Ad Pontem ??

After croffing the river, the road paffed eastward by the wall of the ftation of Little Chester; of which wall or vallum, à confiderable fragment, of about five feet thick, was feen by Mr. Pegge in 1759.

- Mr. Pegge fuppofes, that from Little-Chester the road kept on the east-fide of the Derwent, never croffing that river any more. After going a fhort space due east from Little Chester, it enters the open fields, and turns to the northward, the course of it being from its first entrance upon Morley-Moor, N. N. E. No traces of it are now to be feen until you approach MorleyMoor, because, the ground being arable, the agger has been levelled by the plough. But as foon as you have left Bredfal priory on your left hand, fays the author, and begin to rife up to the alms-houfes on Morley-Moor, a large raised fragment appears on your right hand.' It is afterwards juft vifible, as being but little raised, quite across this moor, running N. N. E. to the fence, against which it abutts about a hundred

yards eaft of Brackley gate. At the fence it is very confpicuous, as likewife in the enclosure on the other fide. Its progrefs thence is in a direct line, though there be no veftiges remaining in this part, close by the lodge or house in HorsleyPark, where it plainly appears again, having the lodge on the ..eaft. Mr. Horfley obferves, that this road goes northward from Little-Chester to Horfton-Caftle; but, according to Mr. Pegge's account, this is a mistake. He fays it does not approach that caftle, but leaves it on the left hand. After paffing the lodge or house above mentioned, it begins to appear again in the lane or yard, and farther on, in the enclosure, is very high and broad, and covered with gorze. In those parts, it is altogether compofed of gravel, of which it confifts for many miles. From the last mentioned inclosure it runs up two or three fields until it comes to the road that goes eaft to Nottingham, and weft to Wirksworth, which it croffes about a hundred yards weft of Horfley Woodhouse, being very visible in the fields on the south and north fides of that road. Mr. Pegge traces it thence to a farm belonging to fir Henry Hunloke; beyond which, the country having been long in tillage, no farther veftiges of it remain.

Mr. Pegge, afterwards, with the fame diftinctness, describes the perambulation of the leffer Roman road, called the BathWay, in the county of Derby; which is followed by a differtation on the Coritani. After treating of the etymology and

ortho

orthography of this name, the author proceeds to ascertain the fituation of the Coritani. He obferves, that northward, they bordered on the Brigantes, who lived in the county now called Yorkshire; that on the caft, they were bounded by the German ocean; on the fouth, by the Cennomanni, from whom they were separated by the river Aufona; and on the west, by the Carnabii, who lived in Staffordshire and Cheshire. We then meet with a few remarks on the etymology of the Caledonia wood; on the limits in refpect of the Brigantes and Carnabii; and on the name and extraction of the Iceni, of whom the Coritani were a part. Mr. Pegge endeavours to evince, that the Iceni were not feated in Worcestershire and Staffordshire, as has been imagined by Dr. Plott.

N° XXV. contains a Hiftorical Account of the Textus Roffenfis; and of Mr. Elftob and his Sifter; with Memoirs of Mr. Johnson of Cranbrooke.-The Textus Roffenfis is the name giver to a history of the church of Rochester, and mentioned in Dugdale's Monafticon, under the title of Chronicon Clauftri Roffenfis. This venerable manufcript confifts of two parts; the first containing the laws and conftitutions of the Anglo-Saxon kings, in Latin and Saxon, tranfcribed from ancient copies; and the fecond giving a register or chartulary of the church of Rochefter, from the autographs, with fome other matters relating to that cathedral, written in the times of Ernulf, bishop of Rochefter, in the twelfth century, and fome of his fucceffors; but thefe laft in a later hand. Mr. Elftob, of whom fome memoirs are delivered in this Number, was a worthy and learned clergyman of London, in the beginning of the prefent century, remarkable for his knowledge of the Saxon language, as was his fifter who was likewife well acquainted with the Latin, and several other languages. Con. cerning Mr. Johnson, it is fufficient to obferve, that he lived in the fame period, was alfo of the clerical profeffion, and refpectable for his virtues and learning.

Differtations on the internal Evidences and Excellence of Chriftianity and on the Character of Chrift, compared with that of Some other celebrated Founders of Religion and Philofophy. By Jofbua Toulmin, A. M. 8vo. 45. fered. Johnson.

THE

HE refpectable author of the work before us has entitled thofe effays Differtations, which were probably compofed and preached as fermons. In this refpect, he has acted with policy and judgment; for many, alarmed by the title, would have looked no farther. But, while we approve Mr. Toul

min's

min's conduct, it has subjected us to fome difficulties in our review. The laws, by which these several kinds of writings are to be judged, are fo different, that we might approve, as an useful fermon, what would be, in reality, a fuperficial effay. The audience, on fuch occafions, cannot ufually follow a long connected series of arguments and proofs, nor can it profit by deep investigation, or elaborate refearches.

As fermons, however, these effays deferve attention. The language is eafy and perfpicuous, the arguments clear and decifive. After examining the internal evidence, and demonftrating the innate excellence of Christianity, the author compares our Saviour to the first characters which have appeared, either as legiflators or moral teachers; with Socrates, Confucius, and Mahomet. In this comparison, he finds each de. ficient in the uniform majefty, the fteady meekness, and the undeviating, unqualified morality, which adorned the behaviour and the doctrine of Chrift. This part of the work is rather hiftorical than didactic; and, in it, we are chiefly tempted to arraign the fuperficial manner in which the fubject is treated. The difciples of any of those sages might accufe Mr. Toulmin of injuftice, in not examining their tenets with more profound erudition. His fources are generally common, and fometimes fufpicious; but we have no reason to suppose that, in a more arduous trial, their purity would be more confpicuous.

The importance of this kind of evidence is explained in the following judicious manner.

• Of all the evidences which evince the truth of Chriftianity, the internal may be allowed to poffefs, if not an abfolute fuperiority, yet, in fome refpects, the advantage over the rest; as being attended with fewer difficulties-lying more level to common apprehenfion-and not requiring learned difcuffion and much hiftorical information. Every understanding is capable of perceiving, every heart is capable of feeling the excellence of our religion, as it arifes from the character of its founder, the purity of its morals, and the dignity of its rewards. It is an advantage attending this kind of evidence, that it lies within the books of the New Teftament, and grows stronger upon a candid and attentive perufal of them. It alfo fprings not only from the general contents of the gospel.hif tory, but is furnished by the particular facts it relates, and the particular incidents it records. We may often obferve circumftances in the relation of thefe, which give an air of ve racity to the whole history, and forbid the fuppofition of art or invention. To them may be applied the words of the apoftle Peter, relative to a particular event in the miniftry of Chrift;

"W

"We have not followed cunningly devifed fables:" we have not prefented you with an artful tale, nor deceived you with an ingenious romance; but have plainly spoken real facts. I would fhew the truth of this affertion, by an appeal to fome particular facts related by the evangelifts and the apostles-and to the manner in which they have defcribed the characterthe doctrines-and the miracles of Chrift. In reviewing thefe points we fhall difcern the marks of truth ftamped on them, and shall be naturally led to conclude the divine origin of the religion to which they refer.'

For thefe reafons our author examines the character, the doctrines, and the miracles of Chrift, as detailed in the New Teftament, by witneffes whom Mr. Toulmin endeavours to vindicate, with great fuccefs, from the fufpicion of error and mif. Teprefentation. This is the fubject of the fecond Differtation. From this part of the work we fhall felect a fpecimen.

Another extraordinary fact related by the evangelifts is the afcenfion of Chrift. Of this it may be faid, that the narrative of it has the appearance of being an account of the real fact, not of a feigned tale. We have a full, yet a concife account of it given by Luke xxiv. 50, 51. And “ He, i. e. Christ, led them, i. e. the apoftles, out as far as Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and bleffed them. And it came to pafs while he bleffed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.” From almost every circumftance attending this relation, arifes fome evidence of its truth.

The circumstances attending it are fuch, as do not appear to have been copied from any paft tranfaction. They are original. Jefus Chrift is not defcribed as taken up to heaven in a whirlwind, in, a chariot of fire and with horfes of fire, as was Elias. Nor is it merely faid, that having converfed with them forty days, he was feen no more; but, as it was written of Enoch, "God took him." Nor is he reprefented as first undergoing a change, like that of the transfiguration on the mount. No ideas borrowed from thefe fimilar facts, are blended with the narrative. But invented tales are greatly furnished by memory, and formed from analogies and allufions. Here the circumstances are peculiar to this event: suitable to the calm and rational manner in which the evidences of Christ's afcenfion were offered; agreeable to the mild dignity which he, on all occafions, difplayed, and correfpondent to the benevolence of his temper.

He led them out as far as Bethany, to the Mount of Olives;" that their view of the fcene might be clear, free, and uninterrupted. He lifted up his hands and bleffed

them;"