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charging itself, particularly if opposed by wind, causes a shot of most tremendous appearance; there are six different eddy tides, and it flows considerably longer than it does at the back of the island.

This island is now in the form of a triangle, about two miles long, and one in its extreme breadth in the centre: there formerly was a wall run across it; but its traces, and for what purpose, are not known antiently it was called Ptolemeus Lymen; and on it were two chapels, but now no vestige of them is to be seen : one was dedicated to Saint David; and the other, named Ynis Devanog, dedicated to a saint of that name, who, with Faganus, was sent by Bishop Elutherius to preach the word of life to the Britons, in the year 186 after the ascension of our Saviour Jesus Christ. The lastmentioned chapel, with great part of the island, has been swallowed up by the sea, as far as the rocky excrescences to the westward of it. The island, it is said, was formerly inhabited by saints; and that no less than 20,000 have been buried there: it keeps many cattle, sheep, and rabbits; but the latter are nearly extirpated by the rats, that periodically swim across the Sound during the summer. Great part of the soil is fertile, and yields good grain: but this host of vermin convert it to their own use, denying the benefit of the cultivation to its occupiers.

To this island, and the rocks adjoining, yearly resort such an immense number of migrating sea birds, of several sorts, as none but those who have been eye-witnesses thereof can be prevailed upon to believe, the cliffs being nearly covered by them; they chiefly consist of the Elyug, the Razor-bill, which is the Merc of Cornwall; the Puffin, which is the arctic duck of Clusius, and a variety of gulls. Here they all come to deposit their eggs, and rear their young; in places so high and rugged, as to make it almost inaccessible to the foot of plunder or haud of violence: their visits and returns are very precipitate; for, after the breeding season, they depart in the night: in the previous evening the rocks are covered, and the next morning not a bird is to be seen: in like manner, on their return in the even ing, not a bird will be seen, and the next morning the rocks will be full of them. They also visit commonly for a week about Christmas, and then finally take their departure until the following breeding The Eligug and Razor-bill lay but one egg each, on the bare rock; never leaving it until it is hatched, and their offspring able to follow them; either from instinctive fondness, or for fear of the gulls, their greatest enemies. The Puffin much resembles the Parrot, with an arched red beak: they breed in holes vacated by the rabbits. The vast number of eggs laid on these rocks are, when in season, the principal subsistence of the poorer sort of inhabitants about Saint David's: the eggs are about the size of a duck's, beautifully spotted and variegated with many colours; all vary much, and they say there are not two alike.

season.

From this island, it is said, was formerly the direct place of embarkation to Ireland; but those who are conversant with the tides do not give the tradition that evidence which it merits: the high rocks upon it were famed for breeding the most celebrated falcons for hawking, but there has not been any seen for some centuries past.

These

These falcons were preferred to all others by King Henry the Second, and are of that sort which were called by sporstmen Peregrines, and which Augustus Thuanus, of Esmer, in his excellent piece on Fal conry, termed Hieracosophion.

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Depressus capitis vertex, oblongaque toto
Corpore pennarum series, pallentia aura,

Et graciles digiti ac sparsi, naresque rotundæ.
Low is the crest, the body oblong rows

Of plumage grace, pale colour'd legs, whose toes
Are thin and wide, round beak

• North-west of this island are six rocks, supposed to have beca formerly part of the same; they are called the Bishop and Clerks, well known and dreaded by all seamen who pass St. George's Channel: they are thus spoken of by an author, about the time of the Spanish invasion in 1588:-" They are stout sturdy fellows, and will not budge a foot; are able to resist the King of Spain's great navy, and put her Majesty to no charge at all." One of them, most to the southward, is called Carreg Escob, or the Bishop's Rock; the sccond, Carreg-yr-Rossan; the third, Gwen Carreg, or White Rock; the fourth, Deveck; the fifth, Carreg Hawloe; the sixth, Emscar. These rocks are watchfully looked after by all passing this sea, as this bishop and his clerks preach such deadly doctrine to their winter audience.

Saint David's Head is a rock, visible a great distance at sea, and has a very bluff shore of an immense depth. Tradition reports, that one Adam Samson, a notorious pirate in King Henry the Seventh's time, was taken in Saint George's Channel, after having done much mischief; the ship, which had him on board, was driven this way, when Samson took the opportunity of persuading the master to keep close to the rock to avoid shoals, when he leaped upon it and made his escape. On the top of the rock, above the Head, are the remains of an old Roman fortification, formed by a barrier of piled stones running across the peninsula of the Head, celebrated for the sequestered and venerable situation of the Druids. At the foot of this rampart is the foundation of a square building of considerable size, not improbable to have been the residence of that fraternity, who lived a collegiate or monastic life; it requiring many of them to perform the sacred rites of their religion, as well as other duties: near it are the remains of seven monuments of antiquity, said to be Druidical temples; five of them are circular, about six yards diameter; another of the same form, though much smaller; and one elliptical, ten yards by six.

Various have been the opinions of their intention; some say they are temples erected for the exercise of their religious functions: they are formed by stones set perpendicularly; as it appears by an article in their religious creed, that it was unlawful to worship under roofs.— Others have supposed them Orsedde or Orsedde-fianira, Druidical judgment-seats; where they heard causes, and pronounced judg ment. Their courts of justice were in the open air, seated on a con

spicuous

spicuous eminence, in an unfrequented and retired situation: the sanctity and austerity of their manners induced veneration for, and acquiescence in, their decrees. Nor was their dignity or power in the least abridged, until a regular code of laws was formed by Howel Dha, or the Good: till then their laws consisted of a few oral, traditional precepts, not reduced to writing, but committed to memory. Thus the breast of the Druid was the repository of the laws. — Others have imagined they were for astronomical studies; the situation answering every purpose of a fine observatory and as they were chiefly devoted to that science, all affairs of the greatest importance were influenced by the revolutions of the great fountains of light; but scrupulously avoided while the moon was in the wane. Others say they were erected to the honour of the Deity, or receptacles of the dead.

for

A little lower than where these are seen, is a deep recess in the rock, called the Goat's Cave; it seems as if formed by art, about twenty yards by six in width: it now is very low, owing to a vast quantity of soil being left by the sheep, sheltering from the fury of the elements.

The Druids always had, near their venerable residences, a spot in a most secret situation; where they performed such incantations as related to their secret doctrines, concealing them from all the world but their own society: they usually chose a cave for that purpose, as they observed the most impenetrable secrecy in delivering their opinions, and the greatest caution that they might not be known to others: they made an inviolable rule never to communicate any of their secrets to a woman.

About the Head are found the Saint David's diamonds, or pellucid crystals; some are procured from the interstices of the rock, while others are found encompassed with a dark earth, their points appearing upward: they have a beautiful effect when well set; are very hard, and, when first found, resemble the amethyst.'

The plates add greatly to the interest of this volume.

Jo. G.2.

ART. IX. Illustrations of the Truth of the Christian Religion. By Edward Maltby, B. D. Domestic Chaplain to the Lord Bishop of Lincoln. 8vo. pp. 448. 5s. 6d. Boards. Rivingtons, &c.

1802.

TH

HE title of this volume must not induce the reader to expect an ample statement of the chief evidences of the truth of Revealed Religion, but an examination of what may be called its collateral and auxiliary testimonies. Of these aids, the Christian champion has a full right to avail himself; for, since revelation is addressed to us through the medium of human testimony, its origin must, in course, be continually receding from us; and from this very circumstance, its history and antiquities, if not repeatedly illustrated, will become a source of perplexity and misapprehension. Hence, then, will result

the necessity of various inquiries into its merits: which, when conducted by learned and able men, will have a tendency to counteract the operations of time; and to produce, if not an absolute multiplication or progression of evidence, at least such a minuteness of discussion as must bring the whole forwards into a strong light, and enable distant ages to judge of the credibility of Revelation. In this respect, the efforts of Infidelity have aided the cause of truth; since they have stimulated the Christian scholar to exertions which otherwise might not have been made, however important to the interests of religion. Every age will witness defences of Christianity adapted to its particular character and circumstances; and each succeeding advocate can for the most part only work up and newly arrange old materials: but, if he performs this task with skill, he is intitled to considerable praise. Mr. Maltby has manifested a laudable zeal in undertaking an illustration of the truth of Christianity, and his design is executed with ability and success.

In eight chapters, the author discusses the internal Evidence of the Genuineness and Authenticity of the Books of the N. T.-the Proofs arising from the Prejudices of the Jewsthe Conduct of the Disciples of Christ-the Miracles wrought by the Disciples during the Life of our Lord-the Gospel Scheme-the Character of Jesus-Mr. Godwin's Misrepresentation of this Character, in his Enquirer;-and, lastly, the Defects of the Evidence in favour of the Mahometan Religion.

On the subject of the first chapter, it will not be expected, after what has been so frequently and ably advanced by others, that much new light should now be diffused. The merit, therefore, here consists principally in the use and arrangement of matter already furnished to the author's hand; and this commendation Mr. M. will deservedly obtain from his readers.-The following quotation will give them an idea of his talents as a Christian Apologist:

The grand exemplification of the preceding remarks is to be noticed in the character of our Lord himself, which is at once so peculiar, that it could scarcely be copied, yet so natural, that it could not be feigned. In the very minute delineation of his actions and sentiments, we cannot fail to trace one and the same dignified, and virtuous, and benevolent Being. In the various, and seemingly opposite, excellencies which are pourtrayed, of dignity and of humility, of just resentment and of submissive patience, of fortitude and meekness, not once do we discover any marks of inconsistency, not one action or one word do we remark, that does not seem appropriate to the new and sublime pretensions of the Son of God. In

2

those

those of the disciples, who come more particularly forward to observation, each individual is distinguished by some peculiarity of manner, yet that manner is invariably and exactly preserved. The characters of St. Paul and St. Peter are both marked by a warmth and eagerness of disposition, yet they are so represented, as to appear each possessed of his own discriminating qualities. In both we observe indelible traces of a peculiar conformation of temper and of habits; yet the actions of the one are not liable to be mistaken for those of the other. In St. Paul we see an ardent inflexible zeal; knowing no fear, and defying every danger, when pursuing what his conviction pronounced to be truth. In him too we discover intellectual powers of a more than ordinary size,-fervid, full, and comprehensive. In St. Peter's conduct, plain traces of a ready impetuous zeal are discernible; but it is a zeal mixed with a degree of timorous selfishness, and more easily bent from it's purpose, than that of his fellow apostle. A difference also is very observable in the cast of his understanding, which is neither so quick nor so vigorous, as that of St. Paul. As in the former, we distinguish the same individual impelled by similar motives, though placed in very different situations; equally bold and impatient, whether persecuting Christianity, or preaching in it's support: so in the Apostle, who temporized at Antioch, we recognize at once an identity with him, who had denied his Master.'~

From the style and contents of these volumes, we have the strongest reasons for concluding, that the authors of them were Jews, in an humble way of life, unacquainted with the arts of composition. Now it seems inconceivable, that any writers of this description should gain such an accurate and complete knowledge of human nature, and be so thoroughly acquainted with the characters and transactions of the times, as to introduce so many distinguished actors, in a variety of feigned situations, and yet betray no symptoms of inconsistency, nor, by any lapse of memory or judgement, shock our belief of the reality of the incidents, or the identity of the charac ters. The difficulty is greatly increased, when we consider, that it is not a single writer, whose veracity is called in question; but that a variety of writers, upon the supposition of a fraud, must have agreed to relate different particulars of the same imaginary transactions, and to introduce the same character in different fictitious situations. For, if a story be really untrue, the chance of discovering it's Fallacy must be increased in exact proportion to the minuteness of the detail, and the number of persons who relate it separately. Where such a story is told very circumstantially, and by a variety of witnesses, the probability of some palpable contradiction is so great, that it seems scarcely possible to escape detection. Yet surely it will be owned by every careful enquirer, that the difference observable in the accounts of the sacred historians, whether we regard character, or incident, is no other than what might naturally be expected, when writers, of different parts and dispositions, give an account of the same transactions: nor is it such, as would be thought to impeach the credibility of any other historian, in any other subject..

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