one by the parish, one by the incumbent, and the third to be agreed on by the other two.-The valuation to be procured with the utmost precision, by actual admeasurement where necessary, and otherwise. The security of the actual tithes to remain, as it is, to the proprietor; which he may resort to, and enter upon, whenever the payment of the composition shall be in arrear, in the same manner as in the case of any other freehold on lease.' On the other subject of his pamphlet, Mr. P. observes that a Register of Residence, with consequent penalty of Non-Residence, should be kept in all parishes, similarly to the practice in cathedrals; with the exceptions of what are denominated Legitimate Impediments, as ill health, &c. Acting as a conscientious clergyman, Mr. Poulter does not separate the interests of his order from those of religion and the public but, while he would secure the revenues of the clergy, he would also enforce the regular discharge of their duty. He ingenuously remarks that all the laws securing to the clergy their dues, are clear, easy, practicable, in constant and full force; while all those requiring their duties, are confused, difficult, invidious, and almost obsolete.' This evil Mr. P. wishes to remedy; and the intrinsic merit of his hints, together with the manner in which they are exhibited, ought to produce an effect on all liberal minds. Art. 28. A Letter to an Antipadobaptist. By Joseph Priestley, In the controversy to which this letter relates, it is almost impossible to suggest any new observation: but Dr. Priestley has given a neat and concise view of the subject, at least on his side of the question. Conceiving the late Mr. Robinson of Cambridge to have been either wilfully or inadvertently guilty of some misrepresentations in his History of Baptism, Dr. P. applics himself to refute them; and for this purpose he liberally avails himself of Wall's History of Infant Baptism. He divides his letter into five sections; in which are stated first the presumptive evidence in favour of the antiquity of infant baptism, and then arguments of a more direct nature:-he next discusses the objections to his reasoning, points out the origin of Antipædobaptism, and concludes with some remarks on dipping or sprinkling, and on the obligation of the rite of Baptism itself. It is admitted by Dr. P. that the N. T. furnishes no clear example of the baptism of any infant; yet he produces proofs of the existence of the practice not long posterior to the times of the Apostles, Though, however, he strenuously contends for the high antiquity of infant baptism, and considers it as a valuable and expressive rite, he resists every superstitious application of it. He grants that all the real uses of Christianity may be obtained without any such ordinance, and does not condemn the Quakers for their rejection both of Baptism and the Lord's Supper: but he regards both the emblem and the opportunity of baptism as matters of importance in the instrumental department of religion; and he pleads equally for the continuance of this site, and for its being extended to the case of infants. Art Mo-y. Do Art. 29. The Book of Common Prayer reformed. The 2d Edition. Together with the Book of Psalms, and a Collection of Hymns for Public Worship. Revised and corrected. 8vo. sewed. John son. 1802. As we gave a full account of the first edition of this Reformed Liturgy, in our 14th Vol. N. S. p. 267. it is unnecessary for us now to comment on its distinguishing features. The name of Dr. Disney, subjoined to the preface, is a sufficient indication of its being a form of prayer strictly Unitarian, constructed on the plain and simple statement that there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus." With this edition, is given a new version of the Psalms; in the execution of which the editor confesses himself to have been indebted to his very learned and discerning friend, the late Dr. Geddes, who permitted him to have access to a part of his translation of the Psalms.' Among other improvements of the Book of Common Prayer, a new version of the Psalms is much wanted. Such expressions as "suffering the runagates to continue in scarceness," Ps. Ixviii. 6. are both low and unintelligible, and are here well exchanged for the rebellious he leaveth to inhabit a barren land.'-The choice of the psalm being, in this Liturgy, left to the discretion and appointment of the minister, Dr. Disney has expunged from the collection of Psalms, those which least accord with the mild and forgiving spirit of the gospel. The subjoined collection of Hymns is taken from several authors, but almost every composition has undergone some alteration. They are well adapted to public worship, and in point of doctrine are unexceptionable but we wish that Dr. D. had excluded those offensive and lazy stanzas, in which the third line does not rhime to the first, even though they proceeded from the pen of the accomplished Mrs. Barbauld. Among this collection of hymns, we recommend the insertion of the Lord's Prayer, paraphrased by Mr. Merrick, which is inserted in the 1st Vol. of the Supplement to Dodsley's Collection, p. 174 Moy Art. 30. Remarks on the Revelation of St. John; illustrating the present State of Christianity. By a Christian. 8vo. PP. 42. 1s. Chapman. Also, a separate Appendix, Price 6d. In the title-page, we find the following description of this pamphlet; Wherein the prophesies pertaining to religion during the apostacy of the church of Rome are relieved from the ambiguity in which they are involved, by their arrangement; and the nature of the great events which have lately astonished the Christian world fully illustrated, by their application: the falling of the tenth part of the city is explained, and considered in relation to the death and resurrection of the Witnesses; and the concerns of religion and the empire are both traced to the event of that great day of God Almighty, when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and all people, nations, and languages shall serve him.'This is promising much, indeed, on such a subject: how far it is accomplished, different readers will perhaps differently decide. We have perused the tract with attention, and perceive that it is not a mere fanciful, illiterate, or hasty performance; and though the writer appears to be persuaded of the justice of his remarks, he does not assume superior or confidential airs. The principal objects of his attention are the 14th, 15th, and 16th chapters of this emblematical and mysterious book; in which he is assisted by the observations of Mr. Mede and Bishop Newton, whom he mentions with the highest regard, and from whom, when he dissents, he dissents with modesty. His account of the fourth and fifth vials may perhaps attract some notice. The sun, on which the fourth is said to have been poured, Mr. Mede has interpreted to signify the German empire; it is here applied to France, and considered as clearly fulfilled and illustrated by the confusions and revolutions, which of late years have been there experienced; and not less clearly, it is apprehended, is the pouring forth of the fifth vial on the seat of the beast to be explained by those events which have been witnessed in Italy. We are rather surprized that no notice is taken of Mr. Fleming's explication, so modestly delivered, of the fourth vial and its object; which excited the curiosity and attention of many people, and parti cularly in the metropolis, but a few years ag It seems now to be very much forgotten:-but it is notwithstanding very remarkable, that a writer, almost at the beginning of the last century, should not only have pointed out the spot in which the predicted vial might probably receive its accomplishment, but nearly fix on that period of time in which occurrences have arisen which the whole world has witnessed with astonishment. Hi. Art. 31. An Apology for the People called Methodists; containing a concise Account of their Origin and Progress, Doctrine, Discipline, and Designs; humbly submitted to the Consideration of the Friends of Christianity. By Joseph Benson. 12mo. pp. 406. 4s. Boards. Whitfield. This volume relates, principally at least, to those Methodists who rank under the name of Wesley; which, perhaps, may be the largest number. Mr. J. Wesley was certainly a most extraordinary man, possessed of great ability, and actuated (as it appears) by benevolent and laudable motives. The alterations effected by his direction and exertions in Great Britain and Ireland, the West Indies, and America, are truly surprising; for it must be acknowleged as a fact that, by his means, great numbers of people were civilized at, lest, and converted to a regular, sober, and inoffensive deportment. His high church principles and prejudices appear from this account to have been warm and obstinate: but they were gradually moderated, till, (we are told) when he was at Edinburgh in the year 1753, finding it was the time of celebrating the Lord's Supper, he laid aside his last portion of bigotry, and partook of this holy ordinance at the West-Kirk.'-It was, we learn from this volume, about the year 1741, that a disunion commenced between Mr. Wesley and Mr. Whitheld, occasioned by a sermon which the former had published against Predestination : but their good opinion of each other's integrity and usefulness, founded on long and intimate acquaintance, could could not be destroyed by such a difference of sentiment; and their mutual affection was only obscured by a cloud for a season.' This publication is apparently written with much candour; and it affords, notwithstanding the mysticism which there may be among them, and which may appear in this book, a very favourable view of the designs and desires of those people whose cause it intends to plead. Our end (they say) is, not to form a sect, or to bring people to this or the other speculative opinion, mode of worship, or form of church government; but simply to make them Christians ;-Christians in heart and life, in temper, word, and work,-such as lived in the early days of Christianity, and such as, we conceive, may live still.' The volume concludes with a warm appeal to the public; a great part of which we apprehend to be in the language of Mr. Wesley himself. On the whole, the work is well worthy of perusal; as giving that account of this body of Methodists which is said to have been a desideratum in the nation :-yet we do not learn from it, whether their numbers at present increase or diminish. POETRY, &c. Art. 32. The Peasant's Fate: A Rural Poem. With Miscellaneous 1802. This author is one of those who profess to illuminate as well as to delight the public by their poetical productions; and who think that questions of statistical and political economy can be advantageously discussed in a series of descriptive couplets. The drift of this little attempt, (he tells us in the preface,) is principally designed, (without adverting to political argument,) to shadow forth the evils arising to the peasantry of this country, from the system of engrossing small farms, and driving the hereditary occupiers to the necessity of embracing a maritime or military life for support, or being reduced to the most abject state of dependence, and submitting to the galling hardship of becoming servants on the spot where they once had been masters.' In pursuance of this design, the poem contains a long and exaggerated account of the pleasures and comforts enjoyed by the hus bandmen of antient days, and of the evils which they are now made to suffer. The style is flat and cold, and the versification drawling and feeble-but the following passage has every pretension to poetry that mere fiction can bestow.-In former times, says Mr. H.. the farmer sent his waggon to market, To bear his groaning gran'ry's choicest store,- The contrasted degeneracy of later days inflames him to a still sublimer strain. REV. JAN. 1803. H For, Hi. For, lo! a venal band On Nature's bounty lay the griping hand, Have you no bowels,-you, who claim the name These passages are in the author's loftiest style: but he is not less a master of the simple and affecting ; for instance: Oft has my Grandam begg'd me to refrain And oft, affectingly, would she recite The tale of SIMON and the Fiery Sprite!' Since the publication of Goldsmith's delightful poem, the depopulation of villages has been a common theme for poets in their apprenticeship; and the sufferings of the poor in the late scarcity have again given a temporary interest to this subject.-There are some striking images in Mr. Holloway's performance, for there are several that are copied very accurately from “ the Deserted Village;" but the passages which we have already quoted will probably be suf ficient to satisfy our readers that, when he writes from his own stores, his poetical and his argumentative powers are nearly on a level. Of the Miscellaneous Pieces,' it is most charitable to say nothing. Jeff. Art. 33. Thoughts on Happiness; a Poem, in Four Books. 8vo. 38. Kivingtons, &c. If there be nothing very new nor very striking in the sentiments of this poem, they are at least devout and perspicuous. The author has evidently taken the Essay on Man as his moral both in point of versification and style of reasoning, and he is very far from being a despicable imitator. There is a degree of feebleness, however, united with a cegree of harshness in his composition, that occasionally disappoints us. The whole piece is so equally laboured, that we may take any passage as a specimen : ، Each living thing to which the World gives birth, Was made, and still continues to be good. If sins the Wolf when o'er the fold she flies, Each |