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them both speak and think as they ought, or, as the profound author
of the Rambler would express it, to inure their organs to the orthotony
of elocution, and to conftruct their morals on the plan of rectitude.
In this epilogue Mifs More thus liberally compliments her Sifter-
Authors:

• When moral Carter breathes the ftrain divine,
And Aikin's life flows faultless as her line;
When all-accomplish'd Montague can spread
Fresh-gathered laurels round her Shakespeare's head;
When wit and worth in polifh'd Brooks unite,
And fair Macaulay claims a Livy's right.

Braviffimo! Encore! Encore!

L.

Art. 25. The Four Seafons, a Poem; by John Huddlestone
Wynne, Gent. 4to. 2s. 6d. Riley, &c. 1773.

This is a wretched fricaffee in rhyme of fome paffages in Thomfon's charming work on that fubject. The bad verfes are fo numerous, and the whole so infipid, that it merits not the least attention.

Again,

SPRIN G.

• From courts and cities that the great ones love.'

*

And teems with thousand ever-valued charms.'

Nor lefs, Society, thy power I own,
By which the universe subsists alone.”
Nor e'er did Liffy's limpid ftream
Reflect a fairer bull.

SUMMER.

the glorious God of Light

His former abfence with new beams difplays,
And fires the mountains with his welcome rays.'

Truly Hibernian! But this Author has one degree of merit for which
he ought to have credit, that he never has the impertinence to take
the liberty of naming those principal authors from whom he borrows,
or on whom his imitations are a burlefque, as his archetypes. For
this they are indebted to him.
L.
Art. 26. An Epistle to Junius*. 4to. 2s. 6d. Richardfon
and Co. 1774.

1

Half a crown for fuch-But we forbear! the Author may want it.

DRAMATIC.

Art. 27. The Note of Hand; or, Trip to New-Market. As it is acted at the Theatre in Drury-Lane. 8vo. 1 s. Becket. 1774. We have, in this little two-act piece, fome lively, laughable, and juft fatire on the turf and table gamblers. The fecond feene prefents a rich exhibition of this fort; but the rest of the piece is much inferior, in point of humour and fpirit.-It hath been faid, that a perfon of rank, who hath figured in a public character, is glanced at in that of Revel, who is both statesman and jockey. If it be fo, the Author hath, however, wrapped up the allufion fo

By Benjamin Hughes: fays the advertisement.

neatly,

neatly, as neither to offend the laws of the land or of the stage. This farce is generally given to the Author of the West Indian. Art. 28. Airs and Choruffes in the Entertainment of the Sylphs; or, Harlequin's Gambols,at the Theatre-Royal in Covent-Gar den. The Mufic entirely new, compofed by Mr. Fisher. 8vo. 6 d. Becket.

The chief merit of this minikin performance confifts in the sprightWinefs of fome of the airs, and the beauty of fome of the fcenes. For the reft, it is well known that Monf. Harlequin is a privileged perfon, and amenable to no court of criticism in the universe.

POLITICa L.

Art. 29. The Letters of Governor Hutchinfon and Lieutenant Governor Oliver, &c. Printed at Bofton; and Remarks thereon. With the Affembly's Addrefs, and the Proceedings of the Lords Committee of Council. Together with the Subftance of Mr. Wedder• burn's Speech relating to thofe Letters. 8vo. 2 S. Wilkie.

1774.

The nature and purport of the Letters here published, are already we prefume, well known to our Readers, in general. They have been retailed in moft of the news-papers; together with fuch occafional remarks, letters, invectives, and altercations, as an affair fo very interesting to this country and the colonies, could not fail of producing and much do we fear that Mr. Wedderburn's rude attack on a character which has long, and justly, been deemed an honour to the prefent age, will not be the worst confequence of an event which every lover of liberty, of science, and of virtue, may have reason to be sorry for.

MISCELLANEOUS. Art. 30. A Letter to Sir Fletcher Norton, Knt. Speaker of the Houfe of Commons, on the Petition of Thomas De Grey, Efq; and others, as inferted in the Public Advertiser, on the 11th of February; for which the Printer was ordered to attend the House on the 14th. 8vo. 6d. Wheble. 1774

The fubject of this pamphlet hath fo much occupied the newspapers of the month, that there is little left for us to add. Nor, indeed, can any one judge of the fact, to which it alludes, who was not prefent in the House of Commons when Mr. De Grey's petition was prefented, and thereby enabled to fee and hear every thing that paffed on the part of the Speaker, whofe behaviour was fo grossly impeached by the fpirited Author of the Letter: who that Author is, the Public are, now, at no lofs to infer.

Art. 31. The Journal of a Voyage undertaken by Order of his prefent Majefly, for making Discoveries toward the North Pole, by the Hon. Commodore Phipps, and Captain Lutwidge, in his Majesty's Sloops Racehorse and Carkafe. To which is prefixed, an Account of the feveral Voyages undertaken for the Discovery of a North-East Paffage to China and Japan. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Newbery. 1774. This appears to be the real Journal of fome perfon on board one of the fhips above-mentioned, and it contains many curious particulars; one of which, however, is incredible, viz. That about lat. 80 deg. 47 min. N. and long. 21 deg. 10 min. Eaft from London, they met with bears on the ice, larger than the largest oxen!' Per

× published by Mauduit.

haps

haps the magnitude of thefe animals was in proportion to the im preflions they made on the Journalist, when they paffed in review before him.-Capt. Phipps's own account of this voyage is expected; and we are informed that the Public will foon be gratified with it. Art. 32. Memoire pour Moi, par Moi, Louis De Brancas, Comté de Lauraguais.-Count Lauraguais's Memorial, &c, 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Elmfley 1773.

The focial and decent fentiments of hofpitality and refpect due to a foreign nobleman, who has honoured this country with a particular attachment, would preclude us from every indulgence of the rifible vein, were there any fources for fuch indulgence in his pamphlet.

The particulars of a private quarrel can hardly be confidered as an object of public criticifm; and we have nothing more to add, than to express our very natural wishes, that the palladium of Liberty, which, in this nobleman's idea, does us fo much honour, may not be in worfe repair than he at prefent fuppofes it,

L.

RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERSIAL. Art. 33. A Practical Difcourfe on the moral Ufes and Obligations of Baptifm, defigned to affift a serious and judicious Obedience to it. 12mo. 6d. Johnson: 1773.

This little tract appears to be written by a pious man, whofe intention is, as he expreffes it, to promote the practical uses of chriftian baptifm by explaining them, and by infifting on the obligation to obferve it.' He is an advocate for adult baptifm, and it is queftionable whether he would allow that of infants to be called by the name; and though he profeffes to wave every thing of a controverfial' nature, he cannot avoid fometimes propofing a few questions on the point this, however, appears to be done with moderation and candour. In urging the obfervance of this rite, he fuppofes that fome perfons may neglect it through a fenfe of fhame; and here we have the following paffage, which we infert without thinking it neceffary to add any remark concerning it: The only reafon we can alledge for our fhame must be this; that it wants the fanction of the generality and the great. By this the best caufe frequently fuffers: to this it is owing that the cause of liberty daily lofes its fupport among the Proteftant Diffenters in general; when the wealthy, when perfons of distinguished rank, and who make a figure in the polite world, when fuch forfake any caufe, they draw numbers after them, who are afhamed to appear on that fide which the great, the noble and the fashionable have deferted. Hence it is, that a rite, reasonable, useful, and divine, is neglected by thofe that fecretly avow its facred authority. Though the generality blufh not, in compliance with eftablished forms, and the practice of the many and the great, abfurdly to promife what an infant fhall believe and practise, even men of fenfe and judgment are not ashamed to use and join in the office of infant baptifm, as retained in the Church of England, though so much weakness, abfurdity, and nonfenfe, (I fpeak with regret) run through it. But the inftitution of baptifm, as it lies in the New Teftament, is not liable to any fuch charge.'

Though numbers of chriftians will not entirely agree with this Author, in his account of the nature of baptifm, and of its fubjects, yet every pious perfon will approve of his practical obfervations and

advice,

advice, which require the very careful attention of those who are arrived at years of maturity without having been baptized. Hi. ART. 34. An Account of the Occafion and Defign of the pofitive Inftitutions of Chriflianity. Extracted from the Scriptures only. By Richard Amner. 8vo. 2 s. Buckland. 1774.

From the acknowledged dependence of Chriflianity on the Jewish religion, this Writer fuppofes that the pofitive Inftitutions of the chriftian scheme may be illuftrated by viewing them in connection with thofe of the Mofaic difpenfation, which they most resemble: ala lufions of this kind have fometimes been carried to fanciful and extravagant lengths; but Mr. Amner confiders his fubject in a more ra tional and intelligent manner. He writes with caution and modefty, and appears very folicitous to advance nothing for which he has not a fufficient foundation. The Lord's Supper is naturally contrasted with the ordinance of the paffover; the Lord's Day with the Jewish fabbath; and here we obferve, that he lays no ftrefs on the inftitution of the fabbath immediately after the creation. His reafon for this is given in the following lines :- Suppofing the books of the Pentateuch to have been reduced and difpofed into that form in which we now have them, by either Samuel, or any other and later Prophet, to whom the fabbath was not unknown, (fee Sir Ifaac Newton's obfervations on Daniel, ch. i.) would it not be reasonable to believe that fuch an account of the creation was purposely prefixed, as was conformable to it, and would tend to enforce the observation of it? And the argument will be much the fame even though Mofes were allowed to be the writer of them.'

But this Author chiefly enlarges on the fubject of christian baptifm, which he fuppofes to have fucceeded the baptifm of Profelytes among the Jews. He illuftrates feveral paffages of Scripture in the courfe of his argument, and offers fome pertinent confiderations, to fatisfy the mind of the Reader in refpect to the practice of infant baptifm. This pamphlet is, on the whole, to be regarded as a fenfible and ufeful performance. Hi. Art. 35. A farewell Addrefs to the Parishioners of Catterick. By Theophilus Lindfey, M. A. 8vo. 6 d. Johnfon. 1774. This small tract, the Author informs us, in his prefixed advertisement, was drawn up folely for the ufe of a country parish, and never intended to go beyond it; but that the kind reception it met with there, from an affectionate and grateful people, and their entering fo intirely into the caufe and fubject of it,-added to the fuggeftion of serious friends, that it might be of some general use,has been an inducement to make it more public.

We have already fpoken fo largely concerning Mr. Lindfey's Apology, that it will be fufficient to add, with regard to the prefent difcourfe, that it is plain, fenfible, and pathetic; and that the pious Author writes with fuch an apoftolic fimplicity, humility, and affection, that we cannot wonder at his parishioners having been greatly moved with this farewell Address of their confcientious and excellent paftor.

• In the Reviews for the laft and prefent month.

к.

SERMON S.

SERMONS.

Revelation the most effectual Means of civilizing and reforming Mankind.-Preached before the Society in Scotland for propagating Christian Knowledge, at their Anniverfary Meeting, Jan. 5, 1773. By Robert Henry, D. D. 8vo. 6d. Printed at Edinburgh, and fold by Cadell, London.

The importance and usefulness of divine revelation are here judiciously ftated, enforced, and fhewn to be the most effectual means of enlightening men in the knowledge of religion, and at the fame time convincing them of its truth, and perfuading them to the prac tice of it.

R-s.

II. A Charge and Sermon delivered at the Ordination of the Rev.
Mr. John David, O&. 7, 1773, at Frome, Somerfetfhire; the
Charge by Daniel Turner, M. A. the Sermon by Caleb Evans,
M. A. 6d. Cadell.

III. Compaffion to poor Children, recommended, from the Example of Pha
raoh's Daughter.-At the Meeting-Houfe in St. Thomas's, South-
wark, for the Benefit of the Charity-Children in that Place, Jan.
1, 1774. By Samuel Palmer. 6 d. Buckland.

IV. The encouraging Profpect that religious Liberty will be enlarged: confidered and applied to the Cafe of the Proteftant Diffenters; in a Sermon preached at Kidderminster, Nov. 5, 1773. By Benjamin Fawcet, M. A. 6d. Buckland,

The encouraging profpect exhibited to the view of Mr. Fawcett's audience at Kidderminster, is that of the late happy progress of religious freedom throughout the Chriftian world in general, and in our own country in particular. The candid and liberal fpirit of the prefent age is juftly praised by this Preacher. He hath taken occafion to introduce an account of the Diffenters late application to parliament; and he seems to entertain ftrong hopes of future fuccefs, fhould his brethren unite in the renewal of their constitutional endeavours to free themfelves from thofe legal reftraints which they deem incompatible with their Chriftian liberty. There is a becoming moderation in this difcourfe; which will be read with fatisfaction by those confiftent Diffenters who are well-wishers to the caufe; and it can give no offence, we fuppofe, to the unprejudiced members of our established church.

V. Preached in the Parish Church of Newbury, Berks, Jan. 14, 1774, at the Funeral of the Rev. John Geree, LL.B. Fellow of Winchefter. By the Rev. Thomas Penrofe, Curate of Newbury 4to. Walter.

This brief oration (for the difcourfe is not a long one) merits fome diftinction from the common run of funeral fermons, on account of its fuperior eloquence. It is rationally pious, and foberly pathetic; and while the Author has fufficiently attended to the propriety of compofition, he has not loft fight of that plainnefs which ever ought to bring down pulpit-difcourfes to the level of common capacities:thofe in which the preacher foars above vulgar apprehenfion, are. feldom found to be extenfively ufeful; and are generally to be regarded as little better than "founding brafs, or a tinkling cymbal."

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