fay the leaft, unnecessary to fwell the volumes with the addition of five of the tales of Florian, already fo well tranflated by the Editor of the preceding article.

Art. 59. A Letter from Capt. J. S. Smith to the Rev. Mr. Hill, on the State of the Negroe Slaves. To which are added an Introduction and Remarks on Free Negroes, &c. By the Editor. 8vo. 6d. Phillips. 1786.

In our Review for January laft we expreffed our intention of withdrawing our thoughts from the controverfy we were likely to be engaged in, on a fubject which had been, with no fmall degree of rancour between the engaging parties, warmly attacked and defended. We shall adhere to our refolution, and only lay before our Readers the contents of the prefent performance, with the arguments of the Editor in vindication of his former affertions.

In the Introduction, Mr. Ramsay gives an account of the manner in which his adverfaries have attacked him, and of his reply to what he ftyles the vindictive and argumentative answers or objections to his original Effay.'

The letter itself is the refult of a defire, which a friend of Mr. Ramfay's (we fuppofe Mr. Hill) made to Captain Smith, that he would read Mr. Ramfay's Effay, and give his opinion of it impartially.'

The Captain having been an eye-witness to the many fpecies of cruelty exercised on the negroes, confirms what Mr. Ramfay had reprefented, and gives fome additional proofs of the miserable state in which those wretched beings are involved.

The remarks concerning the free negroes are ingeniously and judiciously set forth: as to the truth of the affertions contained in them, we cannot pretend to decide.

Art. 60. The Night Cap. By M. Mercier. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6s.

fewed. 1786.

This writer is one of thofe volatile and eccentric geniufes who dafb at every thing-with thought or without it, just as the whim of the moment transports them. Whether it was folly, madness, or the fond luft of fingularity, that made M. Mercier dash his empty pate against Homer, we will not determine: but as his night-cap was on, it would have been more for the credit of his tafte, learning, and judgment, if he had done what other people do when they put on theirs.

Art. 61. The Progress of Fashion: exhibiting a View of its Influence in all the Departments of Life. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Sewell. An elegant and fenfible effay. It traces the influence of Fashion on religion, politics, morality, literature, and drefs; and the defign of it is to counteract its corrupt and dangerous effects, by expofing its futility and caprice.

The Author difcovers a confiderable share of hiftorical knowledge. His reflections are in general judicious, fometimes lively and acute, and always liberal and candid.

*Rev. Mr. Ramfay,
7

Art.

1s. 6d.

Art. 62. The Earl of Chesterfield and Parfon Goodman. Tranflated from the French of M. Voltaire, by J. Knight. 12mo. Bern. Printed for W. Lavater and Son: fold alfo at the Hague, and at London. Imported by G. Kearsley. 1786.

SCENE. A Reviewer's Apartment in Grubstreet.

FREETHINKER. There is a great deal of wit in this little tract. CHRISTIAN. There is a great deal of wickedness in it.

REVIEWER. It feems very like Voltaire's manner; and, poffibly, is the production of his pen-as the title profeffes.

MR. KNIGHT. I hope I have done tolerable juftice to it in the tranflation.

BYSTANDER. From what you have faid, Gentlemen, I fhall certainly call at Kearfley's, in my way to the Devil [tavern], and buy the book.

Art. 63. Mifcellanies in Profe and Verfe, intended as a Specimen of the Types at the Logographic Printing Office. 12mo. 3s. 6d. Boards. Walter, 1785.

This volume confifts of pieces, which have been fo often collected in other mifcellaneous publications, that it cannot merit attention, except as a fpecimen of a new mode of printing, with entire words instead of fingle letters; the advantages of which, as to correctness or neatnefs, compared with books printed in the ufual manner, are imperceptible to us.

Art. 64. A candid and impartial Sketch of the Life and Government of Pope Clement XIV. Containing many interefting Anecdotes during that Period of Church Hiftory. In a Series of Letters from Rome. Vol. III. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Symonds. 1786.

We noticed the two former volumes, in our Review for May, p. 397, and then obferved, that the expulfion of the Jefuits was, to fay the leaft, fo bold a measure, that it is not furprifing it fhould bring much odium on the Pontiff under whom it was carried into execution.' Indeed, the Writer has no mercy on the memory of Ganganelli; whofe character and government he reprefents in the meanelt and moft contemptible light. The Author wants not intelligence; his letters are well written; and if his veracity remains unimpeached, his book will merit the regard of the Public. We may expect a continuation; as this third volume of the sketch is not given as the last of the feries.

THEOLOGY.

Art. 65. Sermons preached in the Parish Church of St. Alban, Wood-Street, By Samuel Hoole, A. M. 8vo. 55. Boards. Nicol.

1786.

Thefe difcourfes are fenfible, practical, and useful the ftyle is agreeable, and the fentiments are juft. If they are not all equal, their tendency, on the whole, is certainly to advance rational piety and folid virtue. The fubjects are, I. The nature of God. II. III. The worship of God: John, iv. 24. IV. Neceffity of good works: Matth. vii. 21. V. VI. Religious education: Prov. xxii. 6. Gen. xviii. 19. VII. Shortnefs and vanity of life: P/alm xxxix. 5. VIII. Future ftate: Rom. ii. 7, 8. IX. Danger of impenitence: Luke, xix. 41, 42. X. Benevolence: 1 John, iv. 7. XI. Barzillai's reply to

David: 2 Sam. xix. 35. XII. Kingdom of heaven: Luke, xii. 32. XIII. 2 Cor. xiii. 5. XIV. Death of the pious: Rev. xiv. 13. XV. Day of the Lord: Joel, ii. 1.

We are pleased to obferve that the Writer does not always think it neceffary, when paffages from the Pfalms are recited, to produce them from the Book of Common Prayer rather than from the English Bible; an affectation into which many preachers are too apt to fall and certainly they are much mistaken in their general preference of the old verfion though in fome inftances it is not unworthy of regard.

:

Art. 66. An Abridgment of the New Testament, in Question and Anfwer. The Anfwers exactly in the Words of our Lord and his Apostles. Intended to imprint on the Minds of Youth, and revive in the Memories of Chriftians more advanced in Knowledge, the Doctrines and Precepts, and fome of the most memorable Occurrences recorded in that Part of the Sacred Writings. By a Layman. 12mo. 35. 6d. bound. Baldwin, &c. 1785.

That this is a very good book, no one will doubt; but never was a good book made up with lefs fatigue to the Author, or with less profpect of benefit to the Public. Who will read the chapters of the Gofpels and Epistles clipped into fhreds in the way of question and anfwer, when they can be read with fo much more pleasure and advantage in their original connection ?

RELIGIOUS.

Art. 67. A new Concordance and Dictionary of the Holy Scriptures. Being the most comprehenfive and concife of any before published. In which any Word or Paffage of Scripture may be eafily found : The Signification is given of all proper Names of Men, Women, Beafts, Birds, Fishes, Cities, Towns, Rivers, Mountains, precious Stones, and other Things mentioned in Scripture. Together with the different Acceptations of Scripture Words, a Definition of Gospel Doctrines, &c. By John Butterworth, Minifter of the Gofpel. The zd Edition, with confiderable Additions. 8vo. 8s. Boards. Coventry printed, and fold by Robinfon in London. Having given an account of the first edition of this work in our Review, Vol. XXXVIII. p. 410, we have only now to add, that the Author has, in this fecond edition, made confiderable improvements and additions, which have much increafed the fize as well as the price. We recommend this work as ufeful to all families, particularly to those who cannot afford the purchase of Mr. Cruden's large quarto volume, of which this new Concordance and Dictionary is, in a great meafure, an abridgment. In his next edition, we would with Mr. Butterworth to abridge his own preface. We did not want to be told, that the word of God is the believer's museum, fanctuary, hiding-place in a ftormy day, looking-glafs, perfpective-glafs, microscope, &c. &c. which may chance to afford more diverfion than edification, to a reader who poffeffes but a tolerable degree of devotional tafte.'

SERMONS.

I. Preached by the Rev. Thomas Jervis, and a Charge delivered by the Rev. Thomas Belfham, at the Ordination of the Rev. Timothy Kenrick, in the New Meeting, Exon, 28th of July 1785. 8vo. Is. Buckland.

Difcourfes on these occafions are generally conducted on one plan. They are feldom objects of criticifm. It is enough if they give fatiffaction at the time when they are delivered. Very few encrease their fame by attempting to extend it beyond the walls of the Meetinghoufe.

Mr. Jervis's Sermon on Acts, iii. 26. is not deftitute of animation; and Mr. Belsham's Charge contains fome just and fenfible reflections on the nature and obligations of the paftoral office.

II. The Chriftian Paftor's Review of his Life and Labours ;-at a Meeting of Proteftant Diffenting Minifters, at Hadleigh, in Suffolk, July 29, 1783, and elsewhere. By Samuel Palmer. 8vo. 6d. 1785.

Acts, xxvi. 22. Having therefore attained help of God, &c. Vide the preceding Article. III. The Danger of Self-fufficiency in Matters of Religion :—preached in the Parish Church of St. Mary at Hill, on the 4th of May, 1786, and published at the Requeft of the Congregation. By John Free, D. D. Sir John Leman's Lecturer in the faid Church, and Vicar of Eaft Coker in Somerfetfhire. 8vo. 6d. Brown, &c.

In the title-page, we are informed that this Sermon alludes to the evil report, which has been lately propagated against two loud clergymen, commonly called by their followers, GOSPEL PREACHERS, Neighbours, and Fellow-labourers, in the fuburbs of London.' This account is oddly expreffed, and we know not to what it alludes: but we find the difcourfe, fenfible, candid, practical, and ufeful; though in fome inftances, perhaps, the language is not fo entirely clear and correct as might be wished.

CORRESPONDENCE.

*The objections of a Learner' to an Article of our Review for July laft are ingenious; but a more intimate acquaintance with the fubject, and a due attention to the theory, we are convinced, will enable him to answer them himself. If, however, he would wish to fee his obfervations in print, we fhall, with his leave, communicate them to a respectable Magazine, in which they will appear with more propriety than in our Review.

** We are favoured with a copy of M. de Warville's Examen Critique des Voyages de M. le Marquis de Chatellux. The ingenious Writer muft fee the impropriety of our giving an account of the Examen before we have noticed the Voyages, &c. to which it refers. That work we have not been able to procure; but fhall repeat our inquiry after it. The Examen will certainly be reviewed in its turn.

Peter Primrofe's letter is received; but we can make no use of his information.

THE

MONTHLY REVIEW,

For NOVEMBER, 1786.

ART. I. Cyclopædia: or, an Univerfal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences; containing an Explanation of the Terms, and an Account of the feveral Subjects in the liberal and mechanical ARTS, and the SCIENCES human and divine. By E. CHAMBERS, F. R. S. With the Supplement and modern Improvements incorporated in one Alphabet. By ABRAHAM REES, D.D. 4 Vols. Folio. 418 Numbers at 6d. each. Longman, &c. 1786.

EW works in the English language have been more generally, or, in our opinion, more defervedly esteemed, than the Cyclopædia of Mr. Chambers. As a repofitory of univerfal literature and science, it comprehends, within narrow bounds, a great variety of fubjects; and, being in alphabetical order, it is adapted to readers of different defcriptions. A work that facilitates the acquifition of knowledge to the generality of the people, that is fuited to the convenience and occafions of numerous claffes of readers,-that fatisfies the doubts, and refreshes the memories of adepts, muft neceffarily be acceptable to the Public in general. The work before us is calculated to answer all these purposes, and, as far as we have examined (and we have not run haftily through it), it is executed in a manner that cannot fail of giving fatisfaction to every one.

The learned and indefatigable Editor of this much improved body of science, gives the following account of the many alterations that have been made, in the feveral impreffions which it hath undergone:

The fuccefs of the first edition, which appeared in 1728, enlarged the views of the author; and previously to the publication of the fecond edition in 1738, he had formed a defign of publishing a new work on a more extenfive fcale, and had actually prepared a confiderable part of the copy with this view. This defign, however, was fruftrated by a bill agitated in parliament (which paffed the Houfe of Commons, but was rejected by the House of Lords), containing a claufe, that obliged the publishers of all improved editions of books to print the improvements feparately. Accordingly, the fecond edition was published with corrections and additions, and with an apology to the Public for disappointing their expectations of a larger work. This fecond edition was fo favourably received as to require the pubVOL. LXXV. lication

Y