NOVELS.

ART. 24. Sadafki, or the Wandering Penitent. By Thomas Bellamy, Author of Mifcellanies in Profe and Verfe, Sc. &c. &c. In Two Vo lumes. 8vo. 75. Symonds, &c. 1798.

They who delight in oriental fictions and wonders, may turn over thefe pages with amufement, and even with fome degree of inftruction. The innocence and happiness of Sadafki and Elmira in their firft humble abode, and the miferies, which foon flowed from their ambition; the great trials of Sadafki's virtue, and his unfhaken conftancy under them; the horrid deaths of the befotted Prince, and of the vicious and furious Kaphira and Selima; and the final triumph and exaltation of the hero and his faithful confort;-all these inci dents afford falutary and inftructive leffons. The ftyle, also, in which they are narrated, is very fuperior to that of molt productions of this fort. In one inftance, the author's fancy outstrips his memory; namely in the re-killing of the infamous Mithranes. At p. 37 of Vol. II. he expires by the dagger of Selima, as fhe herself affures us. And again, at p. 140, (according to another narration) he dies by the bowstring.

ART. 25. Henry Willoughby. A Novel, Two Volumes. 12mo. 6. Kearsley. 1798.

This novel is written with no contemptible skill, or knowledge, of the world. We think the abufes noticed, as exifting on board our men of war, are confiderably overcharged; and this is not the only defect of the kind that deferves cenfure. There are various exaggera cions and mifreprefentations of the conduct of the higher orders of the dommunity, of the minifters of religion, and of religion itself. The hefcriptions of the West Indies are evidently delineated by one who as been an eye-witnefs; and the publication will be read by many with confiderable fatisfaction.

ART. 26. Miliftina, or the Double Intereft. A Novel. In Tava Vek. Svo. 12mo. Is. 6d. Low. 1797.

As a compofition, this is by no means ill written; but it is entitled to no confiderable praise for its invention or contrivances.

ART. 27. The Knights, or Sketches of the Heroic Age. A Romance. Three Volumes. Izmo. 10s. 6d. Ogilvy. 1797.

This is an entertaining performance, and obviously written by a perfon well acquainted with the ftate of literature and manners in the middle centuries. The sketch of the manner of knighthood's being conferred, and the duties of knights, at the conclufion of the third volume, is neat and fatisfactory. Our notice of this agreeable work has been delayed by accident,

MEDICINE.

MEDICINE.

ART. 28. Obfervations on the Conduct of the War, in an Appeal to the People of Great Britain, on the State of Medicine in England, and of military medical Arrangements in the Army and Navy. By John Millar, M. D. 4to. 130 pp. 8s. London. 1798.

A long while fince, this author communicated to his Majefty's Minifters, plans for arrangements in the medical departments of the army and navy, and for the improvement of the practice of medicine; with the arguments or reafons, on which his plans were founded, and the experiments by which the utility of them had been verified and confirmed. But his plans, he fays, were rejected, and no offers made to remunerate him for the immenfe labour and expence he had been at, in bringing them to perfection.

Of the utility of his plans and improvements, the author appears to entertain a very high opinion, even fo far, as to imagine, that the events of the war depended very much on their adoption or rejection. Finding he was not able to route the attention of the government of this country, in the year 1788, that is in the beginning of the revolution, and while this kingdom was in peace and ainity with France, the author communicated his plans to the minifters of that country. At firft, he fays, they were favourably received, but at length by the machinations of Mirabeau and others, the order for tranflating and publifhing them was revoked. Copies however of them, or directions from them, were, it should feem, given to their Generals; as to adopting the regulations contained in them, the author thinks, the advantages, their armies have had over all the rest of the foldiers in Europe, and the extenfive conquefts they have made, are to be principally attributed. To this caufe the author in a particular manner attributes the fuccefs of Buonaparte, whom he dignifies with the title of the modern Alexander. "For France," he fays, p. 1o, "being thus, (that is by the poffeffion of his plans) exclufively poff ffed of the means of preferving the military forces, Italy, proverbially, in all former ages, the grave of the French armies, became, under a better adminiftration, by the skillful conduct of the modern Alexander, the triumphal theatre of her moft fplendid victories." But we have had abundant reafon to fee and lament, that the French are far from trusting for their fuccefs to the power of their arms, they know that much more certain depend ence may be placed in the efficacy of feduction and e rruption. Before they attempt to attack or invade a country, they conftantly endeavour to weaken it, by deftroying the principles of the people, by inttilling into their minds a miftruft or hatred of their rulers, by railing diffenfions, and forming parties in their favour; which done, they become eafy conquefts. In this they have been too fuccessful; and to this, and not to the power of their arms, they are indebted for their triumphs in Italy, and for their conqueft of Switzerland; and on this they depended

for fuccefs in their intended defcents in Ireland, and in this country; which would, it is to be feared, have been too successful, but for the vigilant care of thofe minifters, of whom the author fpeaks with to much afperity and indecency. Of the author's plans we can give no account, as they are not laid before the public. The remainder of the volume is made up of defultory and unconnected political reflections, and ftories of the troubles and perfecutions the author fays he has fuffered, but these are subjects that do not properly come under our notice.

ART. 29. A Treatise on the Disorders of Childhood, and the Manage ment of Infants from the Birth, adapted to Domeftic Ufe. By Michael Underwood, M. D. Licentrate in Midwifery, of the Royal College of Phyficians, Londen, Phyfician to her Royal Highness the Princes of Wales, and Senior Physician to the British Lying in Hofpital. 3 Vol. 12mo. ros. 6d. Matthews, Strand. 1797:

The reception this little work has met with from the public has been fo favourable, as to enable the author, in the space of a few years, to give three editions of it; and to each republica ion he has made confiderable additions and improvements. It now forms three imall volumes, and contains every thing on the fubject that is kno n. The familiar and ealy ftyle in which it is written, and the clear and diftinct account the author has given of the complains of infants, with fuccinct and ufeful directions for the regulation of their diet, dress, exercife, &c. entitle it to the attention of parents, and of all perfons having the care of children; while the number of difeales treated of in it, many of them not of frequent occurrence, and therefore not likely to be well known by perfons not practifing midwifery, give it an equal claim to the regard of the phyfician.

ART. 30. A Juftification of the Right of every well educated Phyfician of fair Character and mature Age, refiding within the Jurijdiction of the College of Physicians of London, to be admitted a Fellow of that Cer poration, if found competent on Examination, in Learning and Skill; together with an Account of the Proceedings of thofe Licentiates, who lately attempted to establish thạt Right; including the Pleadings of the Counsel, and the Opinions of the Judges, as taken in Short-Hand, by Mr. Gurney. By Chriftopher Stanger, M. D. Graham Pryor of Phyfic, and Physician to the Foundling Hospital. 8vo. 499 PP 75. 6d. Johnfon. London. 1798.

Of this laboured work we have little to fay; the most material arti cles contained in it, having been difcuffed by Dr. Ferris, in his accounof the inftitution of the College of Phyficians, of which we gave a very ample and detailed analyfis in the feventh volume of our mifcellany. A large part of the prefent volume, confifts of the pleadings of the counfel, which we have no doubt are faithfully detailed, and the author's occafional comments, which do not feem to throw any new light on the queftion litigated. It feems fufficient to obferve, that the four judges who were on the bench when the caufe was decided, were una

nimoufly

nimously of opinion, that the bye-law of the College, the fubject of complaint, was just and reasonable, and fuch as, by their charter, they were empowered to make. This, we trust, will finally clofe the con test.

We cannot however leave this article without obferving, that the author has put his materials together with confiderable adroitnefs, and exhibited marks of talents which we hope to see exerted on some subject which may prove profitable both to the public and himself.

DIVINITY.

ART. 31. The 109th Ffalm explained and vindicated, in a Sermon preached in the Parish Churches of Bofton and Wigtoft, July 22, 1798. By Samuel Partridge, M. A. Vicar, Chaplain to the Right Hon. Lord Gwydir. 8vo. 24 PP. Is. Kelley, Botton; Rivingtons, London. 1798.

We had occafion, in our fifth volume (p. 157) to examine, and to commend, a fermon by the late Rev. William Keate, on the fubject of this pfalm. Mr. Partridge adheres to the fame interpretation fupported by Mr. Keate, but carries his illuftration further, traces the origin of this expofition to an earlier period, and more diftinctly mentions the Italian commentator, by whom it was first advanced in that country. It was first offered, as now appears, by the Rev. Charles Peters, Rector of St. Mabyn's, Cornwall, in a fermon preached fo long ago as 1748. Mattei, the Italian paraphraft of the Pfalms, took it, as he acknowledges, from a commentator named Marco Marino. By the confpiring efforts of thefe various authors, it feems now fully afcertained that the imprecations in the 109th Pfalm, are only recited by David, as uttered by his enemies against him. Some little difficulties that remained on the fubject, after the laudable efforts of Mr. Keate, are by the prefent writer fuccefsfully removed; and his difcourfe is with great judgment fo drawn up, as to be intelligible to an unlearned audience. Mr. P. with entire candour, gives all due credit to Mr. Keate and others, who have treated the fame fubject before him, and very properly acquits both him and Dr. Sykes of having feen the interpretation of Mr. Peters. The fermon at St. Mabyn's appeared in a volume published in 1776; but the notice of the time when it was first preached was taken from the author's manufcript. We have read Mr. Partridge's difcourfe with great pleasure.

ART. 32. The Beauties of Saurin; being felet and interefting Paffages extracted from the Sermons of that jufly celebrated Divine, with Memoirs of his Life and Writings; and a Sermon on the Difficulties of the Chriftian Religion, never before tranflated. By the Rev. D. Rivers. Second Edition. 2s. 6d. Lee and Hurft. 1798.

We never faw the first edition of this work, but the name of Saurin is fufficiently eminent to obtain a second edition of a judicious felec

'ion from his works, which this feems to be. The head prefixed is of very indifferent execution.

ART. 33. The Lawfulness of defenfive War, upon Chriftian Principles, impartially confidered. By a Clergyman of the Church of England. 12mo. 36 pp. 4d. Darton and Harvey. 1798.

What a variety of mafks can treachery and treafon put on, when it is no longer fafe for them to appear without difguife! Under the femblance of ftrict piety, and univerfal philanthropy, this is a most infidious and mifchievous performance. Its purpofe feems to be, to difcouage all religious perfons from joining the prefent affociations in defence of our country, pp. 26, 27, 30, 34. At p. 15, it is even plainly declared, that to prevent, by armaments, an invafion," is committing a real and certain evil, in order to avoid that which is only supposed and uncertain." At p. 31, this question is put, "Suppofe, that not only a man's life will be in danger, but the life alfo of his wife and children; can religion, can Christianity, forbid him to ftand forth in their defence; and if neceffity requires it, to flay the affailant?" Would any one, except a traitor, or an idiot, hefitate to answer, No!

If this tract be left to recommend itfelf to general notice by the ftrength of its arguments, it will prove very harmless; but if, as it feems probable, it be intended for private diftribution among the de fenders of the country, the cafe may be different.

ART. 34. An Answer to fome Paffages in a Letter from the Bishop of Roebefter to the Clergy (dated May 1, 1798) upon the Lawfulnfs of defenfive War. By a Clergyman of the Church of England. 8vo. 39 PP. 6d. Darton and Harvey. 1798.

We have here the fame fpirit, if not the very fame hand at work, as in the preceding article, and the name of the author is here fubjoined J. Bradley Rhys. Whether it be invidious defign, or whether (as in this tract more strongly appears) the ablurdity of blind fanaticifm, which produces thefe tracts, their tendency is decidedly pernicious. To all fach stuff, it is an irrefragable anfwer, that the folciers are no where in the go pel commanded to quit their profeffion; but on the contrary, are fpecifically directed how to behave in it, which implies a complete permiffion to exercife that profeffion itfelf, as a lawful calling, compatible with religion, as well as with other duties. Obfervation alfo evinces that a good foldier or a good failor, has ufually Atronger fpirit of religion than an ordinary man. The perils in which they are conftantly involved, lead them perpetually to ice the hand of Providence, and to rely on it. Witnefs, as among the first and best of inftances, the conduct of our two gallant Admirals, Duncan and Nelfon, in two of the greatest victories that the world has ever feen. Let declaiming fanatics remember, that the Lord of Hafts, is the God alfo of the Chriftian!

ART,