Our danger, however, it must be observed, is of a somewhat different kind; it arises from the great increase of profligacy, which we are taught by experience to expect, as well in the vicinity of encampments, as among those who enter into the army. We anxiously wish, therefore, that measures may be devised both by government and by those individuals, to whose care the regulation of our military system is committed, to counteract this unhappy tendency; and that embarked as we undoubtedly are in a just cause, we may be careful not to forfeit the divine favour and protection by the immorality and licentiousness of our conduct.

After having endeavoured, from a view of the calamities of war, to raise in his readers feelings of gratitude to God for the return of peace, the author reminds them of the additional obligations they are under to God; obligations which lose no part of their force by the change which has taken place in our circumstances; for preserving to us "our excellent constitution," and enabling us "at a period, when the spirit of giddiness and revolt has been so prevalent, to prefer the blessings of order to a phantom of liberty." But above all," continues he, let us cherish the spirit of religion." To enforce this exhortation, which we apprehend is no less seasonable now than when Mr. Hall wrote his sermon, he adverts to the state of France a few years before the revolution, and traces her miseries to the impiety which prevailed amidst all her refinements.

"Our only security," he adds, "against similar calamities is a steady adherence to religion; not the religion of mere form and profession, but that which has its seat in

the heart; not as it is mutilated and debased by the refinements of a false philosophy, but as it exists in all its simplicity and extent in the sacred scriptures; consisting in sorrow for sin, in the love of God, and in faith in a crucified Redeemer. If this religion revives and flourishes amongst us, we may still surmount all our difficulties, and no weapon formed against us will prosper: if we despise or neglect i, no human power can afford us protection." (p. 29.)

With regard to the style of this sermon, we need only say, that it bears the marks of the same able hand which penned “Modern Infidelity Considered :" a composition by which Mr. Hall is already well known

to the public. We should be glad to see his vigorous mind employed at the present crisis, in rousing the people of this country to union, firmness, and activity, in defence of their property, persons, laws, liberty, and religion, which are menaced by the rapacious and insatiable ambition of the Corsican Usurper.

CV. A Discourse (addressed chiefly, to Parents) on the Duty and Advan tages of inoculating Children with the Cow-pock: preached in the Chapel of St. Edmund in Dudley. By LUKE BOOKER, LL. D. Minister of the said Chapel. pp. 20. 4to. Hatchard. 1802.

THE zeal which the author discovers in this sermon, both for the spiritual and temporal welfare of his flock, does him credit as a Christian pastor. The latter is the principal object of this discourse; yet Dr. Booker has not failed to remind his hearers, that the narrative from which he has chosen his text (John iv. 49.) affords, "an argument of faith in him who came to redeem us to God by his blood."

The benefits likely to flow from the vaccine inoculation, in preventing the ravages of the small pox, are such as call for our fervent gratitude to divine providence for its discovery. As much of those benefits, however, may be lost through ignorance and prejudice, we wish that the discourse before us, which points out the advantages and enforces the duty of prac tising this mode of prevention, may have an extensive circulation.

After quoting the assertion of Dr. Jenner, "that whoever has been affected" [with the cow-pock] "is for ever after secure from the infection of the small-pox;" our author proceeds to produce a number of satisfactory corroborative testimonies from every part of our own country, and from many countries abroad, which, in our opinion, establish the beneficial nature of the new discovery beyond the reach of any reasonable doubt. After these statements, Dr. Booker gives a very satisfactory answer to the objections of those who doubt the lawfulness of preventing one disease by introducing another; as well as of those who fear that, by means of the vaccine inoculation, some other disease may be communicated.

But the most specious objection is, that the long established method of inoculating for the small-pox is sufficiently safe; and that the vaccine inoculation is therefore unnecessary: We intreat those who adhere to this objection, to attend to the following observations:

"I allow that the former mode assuages the violence of the disease; but this repels and counteracts its rage. The former inethod relieves apprehension; the latter removes it. Many instances of mortality have been known to follow the one; none the other; no, nor danger of mortality, it not being attended with indisposition to create alarm in the breast of the most timid parent. But there are objections of another nature against inoculating with the smallpox.-1. There are times when every neighbourhood is free from the contagion of that disorder; yet some parent, anxious for the safety of his offspring, causes it to be introduced, by having them inoculated. We will suppose that his aim is accomplished, and that his children recover. But from his house infection flies around. His neighbours' children, from association or communication, take the casual smallpox, and are hurried by it to the grave; other children derive from them the infection, and share a similar fate. Thus a single person, from a natural solicitude for the welfare of one child, may occasion

the deaths of thousands. Nothing of this nature is to be apprehended by an introduction of the cow-pock, infection being communicable only by inoculation. Anosmall-pox, is the necessary medicinal ther disadvantage attending inoculated treatment of a patient both before and

after it. The difficulty of it with a young

infant must be manifest to every one: the impracticability of it among the poor equally so; consequently, many children of the latter description, after inoculated small-pox, perish whereas, with the cowpock neither before nor after its reception, is any inedicine whatever necessary" (p. 11-13.)

To such of our readers as have not maturely considered the subject, we hope, that what we have said will operate as an inducement to acquaint themselves more fully with the important and beneficial discovery of which this sermon treats; and we strongly recommend, for this purpose, Dr. Jenner's Enquiry.

On particular expressions, or even on the general style of a work like the present, we mean not to exercise the severity of criticism, particularly as the arguments it contains are sound, and its tendency is essentially to serve the cause of humanity.

MANY expressions in the following letter are so flattering to us, that we greatly doubted the propriety of its insertion. As its main purpose, however, is to blame us, we feared lest our rejection of it might seem to have arisen from motives of which we are not conscious; we mean an unwillingness to receive reproof, and to acknowledge our errors. We have determined on giving it a place, trusting to the candour of our readers for exemption from the charge of vanity.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. I AM one of, I doubt not, great numbers, who admire the Christian candour and moderation with which your miscellany is conducted. You appear to me to unite a steady adherence to the established Church, with a becoming regard for all Dissenters, who give evidence of loving the Lord Jesus

Christ in sincerity; and an inflexible zeal for the essentials of our holy religion, with much moderation, though not with an indiscriminating indifference, with respect to those points in doctrine and discipline, which, however important they may be, are yet non-essentials.

Though I greatly approved of your prescribing to yourselves, at the commencement of your work, a line of conduct so consonant to the spirit of the Gospel, and so likely to have no inconsiderable effect in counteracting the heats, which are so frequently the bigotry, the extravagances, and seen among the different descriptions of Christians, yet I confess I had my fears, that you would not adhere to it so steadily as you have. I knew how vigorously you would be assailed by the violent of all parties, and I was apprehensive that you would not be able to bear sharp and repeated at

tacks of every kind, without losing at times a good deal of the equanimity, patience, and universal charity, which the execution of your plan demands. It would be absurd to expect, that your conduct should be faultless; and perhaps your annotations on the letter of Sectarius Pacificus might be adduced as an instance, in which the unreasonableness and petulance of an opponent betrayed you into a reply, somewhat less mild and dignified than might be wished. But while candour, and the friendly interest I take in the success of your publication, oblige me not to pass over those annotations without the foregoing hint, I consider you as fully intitled to the general praise I have given you.

Though a very great proportion of your readers are, I hope, sensible of the merits both of your plan and of its execution, few, perhaps, have been in situations which enable them duly to appreciate the sacrifices you make, and the difficulties you encounter, in adhering to it. Writers who espouse the cause of one party in the religious world to the exclusion of all others, will be surrounded by zealous defenders and warm panegyrists. Their most unqualified and questionable opinions will carry with them an air of decision, frankness, and spirit. They will consult the taste of their party, and rather endeavour to raise its character and consequence than to remedy its faults. Their works, therefore, will be warmly patronized by one class of persons: and as they will be little read by any other, so the voice of censure will seldom reach them; and when perchance it does, it will be drowned in the full chorus of applause by which they are surrounded. But what is the case with you, Mr. Editor? I think I see your table spread with a motley assemblage of letters from all quarters, at least one half of which are altogether employed in censuring you; while a great proportion of the remainder, though they give you credit for being a good sort of a man, tell you, that they think there is something in this or that objection which they have heard urged against parts of your miscellany; and none afford you the luxury of unqualified praise. Such is the literary meed of moderation, candour, and impartial discrimination!

Now, Sir, in which of the forego

ing classes of your correspondents you will place me, I know not; nor would I advise you to settle that point till you have read to the end of my letter; for though I am not meditating any attack on you or on your principles, I am about to request you to prevent the mistakes, into which your short explanation of the latter, in one instance, may betray some of your readers.

The passage in your work, to which I allude, is in your twelfth number, pages 802, 803. Sectarius Pacificus there declares, that although you had promised, on the commencement of your miscellany, to avoid every thing tending to lessen "Christian love," and to admit nothing harsh towards any sect of Christians; yet if he had any Christian love, it had been wounded and lessened by your ungenerous remarks on Dissenters; and, he says, he alludes to several of your correspondents, as well as one, whom he mentions. In your annotations on this part of his letter you justly remark, that few things are so calculated to impose on superficial observers, as that undiscriminating cant of charity which characterises the present day; and therefore you proceed to make some observations on the subject. These you commence as follows:

"It will readily be allowed, in the first place, that whenever a bare statement of facts appears harsh, and wears the colour of invective, the narrator ought not to be blamed, even though he should happen to wound the charity of the person who may be implicated in it. It will also be allowed, that self-defence, and all those measures of repelling, pursuing, and disarming an enemy, which self-defence may require, are perfectly consistent with charity. If these general principles are kept in mind, they will obviate much misconception on this subject."

Now, Sir, I am convinced, that partly a wish to compress your annotations on the letter of Sectarius Pacificus into a small compass, and partly an expectation that your general principles would be interpreted by your conduct, and would, therefore, be understood with some qualifica tions and limitations, prevented you from studiously expressing yourself in a way, which might have guarded your positions against abuse. To

abuse, as they now stand, they appear to me extremely liable, especially as your authority must be deservedly high with most of your readers; and, when your opinions are expressed with plainness and decision, many will be disposed to adopt them exactly in the terms you use, and not look about for qualifications and distinctions. This will be particularly the case, in the present instance, with respect to the warm and the sanguine, whose zeal is gratified in defending what is right, and exposing what is wrong; and, aided generally by some secret and undetected mixture of unhallowed violence, pushes them into controversy, as far as their consciences will permit them to embark in it.

Review your own propositions, Mr. Editor, and I am certain you will see, that they are expressed in too general terms. You will be as ready as any one to maintain, that before a Christian gives "a bare statement of facts," or adopts measures of self-defence, which are likely to affect the character of others, or rouse their passions, he is bound to put to himself very seriously the question "cui boYou will also maintain, that he

no.

is bound, not only to take a comprehensive view of the whole subject before him, in order to give a Christian answer to that question, but also that he is bound to answer it in the spirit of one, who knows that he "must not strive, but be gentle towards all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those who oppose themselves;" and of one who is actuated by the spirit of him who said, "but I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also, &c."

I will not, Sir, descend to particulars in affixing limits to your general principles, or take up your time any longer in pressing the necessity of limiting them. The latter is unnecessary, and the former you will do much better than I can. If I procure for your readers a little information from you on this subject, I shall not regret having troubled you with this letter, which is entirely at your disposal to be inserted in your miscellany or not, as you may think best, B. T.

March 10th, 1803. RS-a.

GREAT BRITAIN.

A LETTER has been published, addressed to Lord Pelham by MATTHEW MARTIN, Esq. on the State of Mendicity in the Metropolis, which contains much useful information. Mr. Martin, about seven years ago, commenced an enquiry into the circumstances of beggars in the metropolis; but the undertaking becoming too arduous and expensive, he solicited and obtained pecuniary aid from government. The result of Mr. Martin's enquiry into 2000 cases which came before him, is given in this letter, and is as follows:

CLASS I. PAROCHIAL INDIVIDUALS.

Of parishes within the metropolis and ten miles round, including 1384 children 2231 Of distant parishes, including.......

CLASS II. NON-PARO

CHIAL INDIVIDUALS.

489 ditto

868

In the register kept at the office, an account is entered of every particular which could be collected, as to character, mode of life, &c.

The circumstances which tend to convert so large a mass of the parochial poor into beggars, appear to Mr. Martin to be

first, the prevailing practice of refusing relief to paupers out of the workhouse; and second, the want of a law providing relief for parochial poor not resident within the limits of their legal settlement. Other general causes are, want of employment, voluntary idleness or delinquency, vicious habits, debts, sickness, and the fraud and oppression of others. The whole number of beggars, in and about the metropolis, he calculates to amount to 15,288 persons including children, who cannot be maintained on the lowest estimate at a less charge, on the benevolence of the metropolis, than £.97,126. 10s.

Mr. Martin's proposal for obviating the evils of mendicity is, to institute a board of commissioners to enquire into the cases of beggars in the metropolis, and direct suitable relief; to provide by law, that re

31

lief shall be given to parochial paupers in the parish of their residence, to be refunded by the parish of their legal settlement; to raise a fund from the parishes of the metropolis equal to the average amount of their expence for casual poor for the last ten years, which fund shall be applied, by the commissioners, to the relief of casual poor, and to the support of the institution; to remand all parochial beggars of home parishes to their parishes; to place parochial beggars of distant parishes, as well as casual poor, under the care of the commissioners, who shall find employment for such as are capable of employment, establish schools for the instruction of their children, and supply them with FOOD and FUEL on easy terms. These are merely the outlines of Mr. Martin's plan. We shall rejoice if it meets with the attention which it seems to deserve.

The attention of the legislature continues to be directed to the improvement of our tra le and navigation. The sum of £.20,000. has been voted towards making A NAVIGABLE CANAL through the Highlands of Scotland, from sea to sa, viz. from Lochaber to the Murray Firth. The extent is fifty-nine miles, twenty-nine of which are occupied by lakes of unfathomable depth. The remaining are to be twenty feet deep, and of a proportionate breadth, so that frigates may pass from the Baltic to the British Channel, and avoid all the difficulties of going round about by the Shetland an Orkney Isles, a passage of fourteen days in the clmost weather, and which, in the windy season, is rarely effected in less than three months; while, by the proposed canal, the passage, in the most unfavourable weather, will not occupy more than twelve days, and frequently little more than half that period.

The

The managers of the ROYAL INSTITUTION have determined to appropriate a part of their extensive buildings, to the reception of a LIBRARY upon a very large scale. This library will be open to the public upon proper conditions. About five thousand pounds have been already subscribed for this patriotic purpose. metropolis may, by this measure, ultimately possess a convenience, the want of which has long been felt-a library of great extent and of easy access. Our readers will perceive from the following catalogue of the classes of books, into which it is proposed that this collection shall be divided, that the plan is very comprehensive, viz.

1. British History, Biography, Antiquities, and Topography.-2. Parliamentary History, Debates, and Reports.-3. Political Economy and Finance.-4. Military and Naval Affairs.-5. Modern Universal History.-6. Ancient Universal History. 7. Geography, Chronology, Voyages, and Travels.-8. Canon, Civil, Statute, and Common Law.-9. Arts, Manufactures,

and Trade.-10. Natural History, Agricul ture, Gardening, and Botany-11. Physic, Surgery, and Midwifery-12 Chemistry. -13 Mathematics, Astronomy, and other Sciences.-14. Architecture, Sculpture, Painting, and Music.-15. Natural Philosophy -16. Theology and Ecclesiastical History.-17. Greek and Roman Classics.

18. English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, and other modern Classics.-19. Dictionaries, Grammars, Criticism, and Bibliography.-20. Miscellaneous.

Announced for publication, by Mr. J. BYERLEY, A Topographical Delinatron of the Seven United Provinces, interspersed with anecdotes and obs rvations, historical and descriptive; comprising a Tour through the Provinces, made in the Spring and Summer of 1802, embellished with engravings.

A new edition of Dr. WATKINS's Biographical Dictionary is preparing for the press, the additions to which, particularly in foreign articles of modern date, will be very numerous.

in the press, Memoirs of the Life and Writings of the late Dr. Darwin, by ANNA SEWARD; in one volume, 8vo.-Sacred Hurs; or, Extracts from Private Devo tion; intended as a compendium of divine authority for prayer and thanksgiving, and as a companion for the hour of solitude and retirement; in one volume foolscap 8vo.The posthumous Works of HENRY HUNTER, D. D. late Minister of the Scots Church, London- wall; consisting of Sermons, Lectures, &c. never before published; with a Life of the Author, and some account of his writings; in three volumes 8vo.-4 general System of Medical Ethics, with notes and illustrations, by Dr. PERCIVAL, of Manchester.-A Tour in the Highlands of Scotland, in the year 1801, by Mr. BRISTED, of the Inner Temple.-And new editions of Mr. ASTLE'S Origin of Writing, and of the first volume of the Archaeologin.

Preparing for the press, by WILLIAM GELL, Esq. B. A. F. A. S. late Fellow of Emanuel College, Cambridge, an Account of his Travels in the Levant, Sicity, Greece, Turkey, &c. Having spent a considerable time at Athens, this gentleman proceeded to Constantinople, visited the Troad with Homer in his hand, and filled his port-folio with numerous views and plans of that celebrated spot. The publication of these drawings will, it is supposed, decide the controversy, respecting the existence of Troy, against Mr. Bryant, who has strenuously contended that it never existed but in the poet's fancy.

The late Mr. MACPHERSON, it appears, committed the original Celtic, from which he is said to have translated or compiled his English Ossian, to John Mackenzie, Esq. of the Temple, for publication. The work was actually in the press, but the progress of it has been, for the present,