3 fpe&tacle of an affembly of law-givers deliberating on the means of destroying all religion, the peculiar animofity of the Convention against the English, and the probability of their exciting disturbances and difcontent against our Government, were a peace concluded with them." Mr. V. enters upon the refources for continuing the war; but for thefe calculations, as well as those of the refources of the allied powers, and of France, we must refer to the pamphlet, P. 114-129. He concludes with ob ferving, "Thus have I fhewn that the war, far from being caufed by the ambi tion and refentment of the English Cabinet, is folely to be ascribed to the reftlefs machinations and violent aggreffons of the French. Forgetful of antient animofity, all parties here concurred in the fincerity of their wishes for the liberty and happiness of their rival nation, however they might differ in their judge. ment of particular characters and meafures. Amidst the weakness and distractions of the French the name of England was never heard but as the refuge of Mifery, the compaffionate protectress of Affliction and Diftrefs. I have thewn, that the evils frequently attributed to the war have either no real existence, or are derived from other caufes; and that none are to be apprehended capable of materially affecting the public profpe derable before the war, will not, perhaps, be equally permanent with the exporta tion of our manufactures; because the French, after the return of peace, will long have fcarcely any commodities to fend to any foreign market, except the rude produce of their country. The exportation of metals, and fome other articles, will, however, be a durable continuance" (p. 94-96). The Weft India trade, whether the islands become ours, or remain to France, muft occafion a very great increase in the demand for the produce of our own islands, which, being infufficient to fupply fo large a confumption, will be fold at an extraor dinary price. The Newfoundland fishery of the French will be totally poffeffed by our merchants during the war; and, in all likelihood, their hare of the whale fishery, and all others not carried on immediately on the coafts of France. During the war, the Eaft India trade of France will be transferred into our hands; and it is not probable that, as the commercial capital of the French will be almoft deftroyed, they will, after the reforation of peace, find it their intereft to attempt fuch enterprizes, The French eftablishments on the continent of India muft fall before our troops without a fruggle; and, if cur Government think the conqueft of the ifles of Bourbon and Mauritius worth undertaking, the forces in India will probably require no affift-rity, which, in times of real danger, has ance to accomplish it. The French fhare of the flave-trade will probably be added to our own large portion of that commerce. "This view of the probable increase of our commerce, notwithfland ing the war, ought not to appear chime rical and vifionary, as it is juftified by the experience of the only former war (1756), in which, like the prefent, we were completely matters of the fea; and it is the more fatisfactory, as there is nothing in it incompatible with our recovering, after the rettoration of peace, as Jarec a fhare of the French trade as can be fafe or profitable, or as the exhaufted ftate of that country can afford" (pp. 98, 99). Thus our author fhews, that the war had no confiderable share in producing the evils which have affected our trade, and that it affords commercial advantages fuperior to any detriment it can bave occafioned. The arguments for continuing the war are nearly the fame as former ones; the infincerity of the French, the inflability of their government, "their rulers having firft difplayed to the attonifhed world the dreadful rifen fuperior to fo many calamities. I have thewn that the present conteft is likely to be short, and that the nation may look forward with confidence to a fituation ftill more flourishing. But it must never be forgotten, that the bafis of all our welfare is a Conftitution which enfures public tranquillity, and preferves rights of property and perfonal liberty inviolable. If this is injured by the wild attempts of innovation, that profperity may be destroyed, which has neither aecayed by the lapfe of ages, nor been fhaken by the forms of war. The fpirit of our laws, diffufing equal protection over all, has animated industry with elaftic vigour, and fanned the bright flames of genius. This venerable depofit, guarded by the wildom and patri otifm of our ancestors, is now committed to our care; and we are to determise, for ourselves and our pofterity, whether it is more glorious to remain the genuine countrymen of Alfred, of Newton, and * See the various debates on national instruction. of of Locke, or to how, in the French pantheon, to the worshipers of Rousseau and Voltaire," 279. The Reasonableness of National Humilia sion; a Sermon, addreljed to a Congregation of Proteftant Diffenters at Hammersmith, on the General Fafi, April 19, 1793. By Robert Winter. MR. W's obfervance of the late faft is very different from that of fome of his brethren. He defends the propriety of its appointment by Government as a civil act, to which it becomes the Diffenters to be fubject; and he quotes a paffage from Dr. Stennet's difcourfes on domeftic duties to the fame purpose. Mr. W. is a reasonable and refpectable member of fociety, and fees that the Nation has fins of its own to bewail and lament, and that they are not all to be laid on its Government. 180. A Letter to Dr. Priestley, in answer to the Appendix (N° XIX. p. 197) of his late Publication, intituled, "An Appeal to the Publick on the Subject of the Riots at Birmingham, Part II." To which is added, A Sermon, by Robert Foley, M. A. of Oriel College, Oxford, and Rector of Old Swinford, in Worcestershire. MR. F. has completely refuted the weak charges brought against him. The Doctor had accufed the feoffees of the free-school at Stourbridge, founded by Richard Foley, ancestor of the prefent Lord F. and a Diffenter, of not complying with his will, in admitting Diffenting Children, for whom alone it was fuppofed intended. Mr. F. fhews, that the founder, "a fober, religious Prefbyterian, who aimed at ftemming the torrent of impiety and protanenefs that deluged the court and age of the gay and profligate Charles II.;" appointed the then rector of Old Swinford, and three or four neighbouring clergymen of the Church of England, his original feoffees; and ordained that the children thould conftantly attend divine fervice in the parish-church, where a gallery is provided for them and the mafter and fervants of the hofpital. He limited the number of boys to 60, of which 14 are nominated by the head of the Foley family, as reprefentative of the founder, the remaining 46 by particular parishes. in certain specified proportions. After fuch children as are of the proper age are placed out, which, on an aver ge, exceed 10 in each year, the Of which fee an account in Dr. Nash's Werceflerfbire, II. 210. fchool-mafter acquaints Lord Foley with the vacancies, (pecifying the parishes whence each had been admitted, and the choice boys, or those nominated by his Lordship. His Lordship then iffues a precept to the minifter, churchwardens, and overfeers, or any four of them, of the parishes wherein the vacancies arife, to nominate two boys, if there be a fingle vacancy, qualified as therein expreffed, and to bring them to the hofpi tal on a certain day, that the feoffees may elect one of them into the school. he never witneffed a fingle inftance of Mr. F. has always attended, and affirms, improper bias or partiality; and, if Dif fenters have not been admitted, it is be tioufly, fuffer their followers to folicit cause their teachers could not, conscienadmiffion for their children into a charity where their principles would run fo much hazard of their being corrupted, by imbibing the pernicious orthodoxy of the Church (pp. 11, 12). The charge of dealing with a Diffenting Tradefman, who turns out to be a cheesemonger and grocer, only while he would give them credit and no longer, is clearly obviated from the accounts of the hofpital. The other charges, of a gentleman, long fince dead, idolizing a fuppofed buit of the Pretender, not in the family during bis life-time, the management of the Sunday-fchools, &c. are to completely done away, that nothing remains for us but to refer to the pamphlet itfelf, to fhew their frivolity, and the fhameful duplicity of thole who could bring them forward.The fermon fubjoined was preached “in the parith-church of Old Swinford, oa behalf of the Sunday-fchools eftablished in that parish, August 14, 1791, by the rector," and is a very fenfible account of the defign of fuch fchools, for the improvement of the poor, in an increafing ftate of population. 281. A Sermon, preached before the Honourable Doctor takes occafion to exprets the ex- duvious. dubious. The facrifice of the truths, must be followed by that of the duties, of religion.—It may, however, be thought that there is not equal caufe for apprehenfion in adventuring on fpeculations in regard to civil government. If they are fuch as tend to undermine the duties of fubjection to thofe whom God has fet over us, or, by a philofophic refort to fir principles, falfe in theory, and inpollible in practice, to diffolve the various and neceifary combinations of fociety, we know what their end muft be; we have feen, and fill continue to fee, them elsewhere realized and ripened into action. They have been propofed to us; but the honefly and good fente of this nation, loudly and unanimously declared, has rejected the treacherous offer" (p. 11-13). The Doctor goes on to examine the motives for propofing reforma tion in the Conftitution, and wifely recommends due confideration and progreflion. "Difdaining the reftraints which may fetter and reftrain the honeft exercife of tree inquiry, it is our duty to guard, with a moft fufpicious caution, against the contrary extreme, that we do not deviate from a liberty which is allowed into a degenerate and unjuftifiable liecntioulnels" (p. 16). 282. The Antiquaries' Mufcum. By the late Jacob Schnebbetie. N° LY CONSISTS of a view in Ampthillpark, Lord Offory's, with the cros erected by the Earl of Olfory, 1773. in memory of the refidence of Queen Ca❤ tharine, the divorced wife of Henry VIII. in the old manfion here, now puiled down. A pane of painted glafs, reprefenting the appearance of St. Bartholomew to his votaries; and four more rondeaux of the hiftory of Guthiac, 283. A Differtation on Ancedores. By the Author of "Cur.gfities of Literature.” THE author of this differtation appears to us to have written in defence of anecdotes till he has bewildered himfelf among them. His attempts, "inter fylvas Academi (the British Mufcum) quævere verum,” mislead him to a strange mode of iliuftrating the charge against Burnet and Vanilias, of writing has, or, more property, title-tatile (lee pp. 43, 44. H.). Aucedore is the mall-talk of Hiftory; ane, when it becomes a tathion to empty the common places of collectors ico the public lap, it yields a mals of gotlip, iczudal, and improbability, which a grave and fenfible hiftorian would be ashamed of, and which is the amount of the var rious ANA, and other hodgepodges of hiftorical literature. A Thucydides, a Xenophon, a Livy, a Tacitus, a Clarendon, a Davila, a Mezerai, a Thuanus, would have defpifed fuch materials for hiftory, which are but like the smaller pieces of wood or ftone which every hodcarrier contrilates to the magnificent and beautiful fructure, and which the modern compilers of the general hiftery of nations, for 10 or 12 centuries, rummage out of mufty parchments and private archives, and then fancy they are develop ing the characters of their heroes. This they call the philofophy of hiftory, but it is really the wire-drawing of hiftery, and ekeing out old eftablished facts with filly ftories, the fruit of temporary paffion, or fudden circumstances. Hence we have fo many original letters, which require an index or analysis to make them readable or intelligible. Hence the detail of fo many common-place infrances of envy in this differtation (pp. 40, 41). Hence all the little facts and gleanings of private hiftory, which amused the pedants of the laft and preceding ages on the Continent, and form the Lounger's Common-place Book of the prefent day, the light fummer reading of fuperficial readers, the amufement and edification of country book-focieties; a defultory mode of writing history, that may fuit the briliant failies or flippant ftyle of an hittorical petit-maitre, but no more concord with the standard of hiftoric compofition than the Athes and flowers which gliften in fome orators of the bar or pulpit can pass for true eloquence. If we fay of Horv, or of Eloquence, what is it? the aniwer is eafy, that it is not Anecdote, but a judicious detail of facts, which the writer endeavours to authenticate with his beft ability, with the ftri&ett adherence to impartiality and candour, both which are too frequently violated by the ftrict and curious re fearch into the fecrets of private biogra phy, which may furnith excellent refource to party and oppofition and difappointed writers, or hireling feribblers and book-weavers, but are left far be hind by the genuine profeffor of hiftoric compofition; or, if occafionally uted, will be thrown into notes, with fuitable onservations. ~~~We fee too, from the inHances of Mrs. Macaulay and of the Harician MS. 7379, related p. 70, how carefully the collectors of anecdotes fhould be watched, that they do not deltroy defroy their authorities. Our author contends more warmly for the proper application of Anecdotes to Biography, which, after all, is but a fecondary or inferior kind of Hiftory, and finds itfelf obliged to fupport its minute details by borrowing from every help: And, as fome biographers of the prefent age overwhelm their hero, if a literary man, with characters of his works from periodical cenfors; if a military or political perfonage, with extracts from gazettes and news-papers, or from every letter or billet of every correfpondent; it is a talk or drudgery which the induftry of an author impofes on his own application, and a feverer trial on the talte or good fenfe, not to say the pockets, of his readers, to fpin out his compilations like a fpider's web. Here Anecdote - gives a fancied importance to many an infignificant fellow, who has no other merit than what he derives from the panegyrick of a parafitical fcribbler. Such biographical performances are not indeed meagre compofitions; but they are blown up like fome meat, to give it an appearance of folidity and fubftance, but, in reality, tend to fink it fooner into difgufting decay. If we apply these reflections to the fecond volume of the Curiofities of Literature," jult publifhed, let us not be thought cenforious if we cannot applaud the compofition of them. Of what importance, in fuch a collection, are literary controverfies and literary blunders, literary wives (among whom Madame Dacier is omitted), critical fagacity and happy conjecture, manufcripts and books, and the remarks of Fuller, in his Worthies, on Spenfer, Jonfon, and Shakspeare, the flory of Magliabeche and his immenfe library, or the reception of the Queen of Sweden at the French Academy ? When the collector tranflates French paffages, he fhould not talk of finding a compofition beautiful, or another difagreeable, or a portfolio laying, or a cabier, a paper book, but rather a sheet of a book; cum multis aliis. We recommend to him to read a great deal more before he compiles, to felect with more judgement, and to make himself mafter of the languages of thofe works which he means to render into English. *Those who frequent that valuable national repofitory will perhaps agree, with us, that it cannot be too well watched. GENT. MAG, December, 1793. 8 284. Strictures on Religious Opinions, and the beft human Means of afcertaining the genuine Doctrine of Chriftianity; defigned as an Antidote against the Theological Writings of Dr. Priestley, and other Heterodox Teachers. By the Ret. David Simpson, M. A. Mac clesfield. the rectitude of his defign; but we are WE will give Mr. S. full credit for free to confefs that we cannot read his A frictures through. We do not mean hereby to diffuade others who have more leifure; and we heartily with him fuc. cefs in his good intention, which is founded on numerous quotations from Scripture and modern Divines, fet against others from Dr. Priestley. story about one of the French prophets lulling another to a three days fleep by opium, which, inftead of being fucceeded by a refurrection, as expected by the gaping multitude, ended in a coroner's inqueft, is taken from Hurd's View of all Religions. Though the work, however, is but a compilation from Dr. Priefley and his anfwerers, it may be confidered as a fair statement of the opinions on both fides. A good index is fubjoined, which, to fuch a compilation, is very neceffary; and a lift of the author's various publications, which are numerous and chiefly compilations, among them, A Difcourfe on Dreams and Night-visions, with numerous Examples antient and modern; and he announces as ready for the prefs a work intituled The Primitive Faith vindicated; or, a full and chronological Account of the Doctrine concerning the Perfon of Chrif, the Holy Spirit, and the Bleffed Trinity, deduced from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Fourth Century. 285. Charge delivered to the Grand Jury of the City and County of Norwich, on Friday, wich. A SENSIBLE and animated address meetings, which, it fhould feem, want on the fubject of libels and feditious checking in the faid city and county. 286. Intimations and Evidences of a future State, By the Rev. T. Watfon. THE best judgement to be formed of this work, whofe author we believe to defended his relation, a former Bishop of be the correfpondent who fo properly St. David's, in our vol. LX. pp. 405, 616, and printed a fermon reviewed in vol. vol. LIX. p. 1025, is from a view of its Contents. Part I. contains evidences from reafon and natural religion. Chapter 1. the nature and degree of evidence to be expeded for a future Rate; 2. from the general confent of mankind; 3 the defire of futurity; 4. the reflefs nature and noble powers of man; 5. the fear of death, and precarious nature and uncertainty of life; 6. the imperfection of the human faculties; 7. man formed for re ligion; 8. his high rank and ftation in the world; 9. the connexion of the earth with the rest of the univerfe, and our knowledge thereof; 10. the nature and properties of the thinking power within us 11, God's moral perfections and his moral government here incomplete; 12. the confti-ution of the world luch as we must expect on the fuppofition of another life. Part II. Evidences from Revelation; the inftant and perfect manifefta. tion of divine knowledge on the appear ance of Jefus Chrift; his general and particular character; the teftimony from the history of the Apoftles. Conclufion. Infidelity unreafonable. The doctrine of a future ftate reconciles us to many of the appearances of this world. The best foundation of morals confers true dignity on man, and is the beft fupport un-1 der afflictions and the lofs of friends, and the approach of death. The reader is warned not to expect any deep refearches or metaphyfical fubtleties, nor any thing about the immateriality of the foul, because the difcuffion involves in it a thousand niceties concerning effences and fubftances, and matter aud fpirit. Materialism is a difficult and not a chearful fyftem. 287, Principles of French Republicanism effen tially founded on Violence and Blood-guiltinefs. A Sermon, preached on Sunday the 26th of October, 1793, in the Cathedral Church of Winchester. Occafioned by the Murder of ber Moft Chrijlian Majefty. By Thomas Rennell, M. A, Prebendary of Winchester, and Rector of St. Magnus, in the City of London. TIONS remain in any form of Government, is furely to refift the ordinance of that God who never INTENDED to bestow ABSOLUTE PERFECTION on any systems of laws here below. So many circumstances muft concur and confpire to render a substantial change falutary and beneficial to a community AT LARGE, that a wise man will befitate, and a GOOD man tremble, in taking any part in the fubverfion of the Government under which the Providence of Almighty God has placed him. A man who really fears God, and who esteems himself accountable to him, will, if he ever confents to measures of the flightest innovation, take good bred to his ways. Not only his actions, but even his WORDS will be guarded. He will confider, that for every ftep he takes, not only originating in paffion and fraud, but even in precipitation and inadvertency, he stands accountable for every confequence which may refuit from them, His prayer to God will be, early and late, public and private, "Deliver me from Blood. Guiltinefs, Lord!" "Nor will this caution and tenderness of confcience be exercifed with regard to HIMSELF only, but likewife to ALL thofe with whom he communicates his actions and de figns. He will moft diligently watch, that neither Mendicancy, Malevolence, or Grafp of Power, conftitute any part of THEIR motives, any more than his own. He will be little inclined to think, that the profligacy, profaneness, fyftematic libertinifm, abjec impudence, and debased habits of abandoned Gamefters, CAN work out political purity and reformation. He will recollect, that Rebellion is as the fin of Witchcraft-that it comes in its first origin in very plausible diforder, blood, and defpair. He will never fhapes, but that its progrefs is marked in Jofe fight of this important truth, that the BEGINNERS of these specious measures of reform and renovation are aufwerable for all thofe atrocities to which the worst men, wha have intrenched themselves under their au thority, character, and influence, may, in the ufual and natural progrefs of fuch events, afterwards proceed." He paints the horrid fcenes acting in France (p. 15—19); and concludes with a pathetic warning to his audience to profit by the fame example. The text is Ezek. xxiv. 6, 7. "To disclaim, with ftadied fcorn, all reverence for the fuperintending Providence of Almighty God to reject with mockery every apprehenfion of a judgement to come to harden the murderer, in telling him, by public authority, that after death h's crimes and confcience will be buried in etern peepall this has not been the ACCIDENTAL CONSEQUENCE, but the BASIS and EssexTTAL PRINCIPLE, of (what the POVERTY of language obliges me to call) the political fyftem of those wretched regicides, who are alternately |