inappetency, and whim among women, can scarcely happen in a country where education, and elegance of thinking, never found place; where the air is so soft, the fun fo powerful, the fhade fo voluptuous, and the food, however fimple, of fo rich and ftimulating a nature that wars are infinitely lefs bloody in Africa than in Europe-that polygamy is univerfally allowed, and contributes greatly to the populousness of the country.

In the fecond Effay Mr. Hippefley endeavours to fhew-that forts are abfolutely neceffary upon the coaft of Guinea, to preserve and increase the trade of the fhipping-that the forts will be of no ufe, if the chiefs of them are not permitted to tradethat the falaries and other emoluments of the chiefs, being barely fufficient for a livelihood, cannot enable them to outtrade the shipping-that the flaves being fent off by the chiefs own veffels, these chiefs are at equal charges with other owners-that being fent by the veffels of others, the flaves are even dearer to them than going by their own, as there is a profit in the freight, which profit is paid by the freighter-that if the chiefs buy to fell again on the coaft, they not only are not rivals to the Mafters of ships, but are really their factors, and that too for very moderate commiffions-that to prohibit them fending flaves on freight, is tantamount to an abfolute prohibition of all trade whatever at the forts; and that fuch a prohibition must fing a vaft trade into the hands of foreigners, diftrefs the English, render the forts not only ufelefs but contemptible, lengthen thé voyages, and, in every refpect, leffen the profits of the hipping.

In the third Effay our Author fhews the neceffity of erecting a fort at Cape Apollonia, and points out the advantages that would arife from it. Though he advances fome things, which the impartial Reader will not, think fatisfactory, yet there are many judicious and pertinent hints in his Effays, which deferve attention.

SERMONS; by the Editor of Letters between Theodofius and Conftantia. 2 Vols. fmall 8vo. 5s. fewed. Becket.

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HESE Sermons are fo extremely fhort, that we shall present our Readers with one of them entire, as a fpecimen, from which they will be enabled to form a jufter notion of their merit, than by any general character we can give them. Moral fubjects, indeed, being in a great meafure exhaufted, the principal difference between one Sermon and another, muft

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confift in the Author's style and manner; and in regard to thefe, the cleareft idea is conveyed by the Author himfelf.

The Sermon we have made choice of, is that Upon the Advantages of religious Meditation from Genefis xxiv. 63.-Ifaac went out to meditate in the Field at the Eventide.

In the days of early innocence, and patriarchal fimplicity, nature had a kind of dominion in the heart of man, which the feems now, in a great measure, to have loft. While he was attentive only to the gratification of real wants, and found them fupplied by her common bounty, he could not fail to love for kind a benefactress. But through the refining arts of fociety, this fimple attachment to nature has been destroyed. When artificial wants were discovered, which the alone was no longer able to gratify, man withdrew his affection from her, and art and avarice took place of love and fimplicity.-This change is not only to be lamented as productive of miferies which man was not made to fuffer, but as deftructive of that pure and reafouable devotion, which the love of nature was intended to infpire. Was it not intended, that this love fhould lead us to the adoration of God? Why then are his works fo formed for admiration and delight? Why then fuch order, fuch beauty, fuch proportion in every part of the creation? Why is the eye delighted with variety of colouring; and why are light and fhade fo admirably mingled to produce that variety? Why are our fenfes affected by fragrance or beauty, by fymmetry or magnificence? Why do we rejoice to behold the glories of a rifing or a fetting fun? and why do we feel an awful kind of pleafure when we behold the expanse of heaven covered with innumerable ftars?-The reafon is obvious: the God of Nature formed our fenfes to be affected by thefe objects, that, under the influence of love and admiration, we might learn to adore the wifdom that created them.

Since then the contemplation of the vifible works of Providence feems to have been intended as a motive to rational devotion, we fhould do well to allot fome time for exercifes of this nature, and accompany the Patriarch at eventide to meditate in the field. To indulge this contemplative difpofition must be more immediately neceffary for those whofe lives roll in the circle of fashionable diffipation; who feem to think, that the only end of their being is amufement; and have not the leaft idea of thofe indifpenfible duties, by which they are bound either as fociable or as dependent creatures.-Did they fometimes meditate on the works of eternal Wifdom, and foberly confider the end of their exiftence, would they conclude it to be the proper employment of a rational creature, to divide its life between drefs

and

and dancing, between fleep and play-to fly from one amusement to another, while art has any new expedient to flatter luxury, and while the invention of poverty can administer to the wants of wealth?-Did they ever contemplate the wisdom of that Being who gave them life, could they suppose that life to be given in vain? Could they conclude that a foul which can conceive the perfections of its Creator, and which bears a fhadow of thofe perfections in itself, should be created for no nobler purpose than an infect-to flutter awhile in the sunshine of feftivity, and be no more?-Did they fufpend the pursuit of pleasure to confider the focial duties of man, would they fuppofe that the world was furnished only for their particular entertainment; and that they had no other connections with, or engagements to their fellow creatures, than as they were necessary to their ease or amusement; to contribute to their luxury, or gratify their pride? Would they not foon be convinced, that thofe who have the greateft fhare of this world's goods, are but more diftinguished fervants of the community; and the greater the power that has been committed to them, the more laborious must be their service, and the more extensive their charge? Did they reflect on the duties of a dependent creature, would they not perceive the ftrong obligations which muft bind a created being to the Author of its exiftence? Would they not conclude, that if acts of worship are the only offerings we are capable of making our fupreme Creator, it is at least our duty not to neglect these?-But when they were informed, that the particular acts of obedience which God expected from them, in return for their creation and prefervation, were, to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with respect to him-would they not, in those precepts, be ftruck with a general idea of their duty, both religious and focial, and be convinced, that the latter was founded on the former ?

Such reflections as these are certainly proper for Beings that are born to be accountable for the life that is lent them: but how feldom do we yield admiffion to such reflections as these !— The world, the infinuating world has the art of engroffing our attention-Its objects still prevail, however infignificant; nor is it fufficient that we have been once deceived: the cheat is ftill practifed upon us; we are again difappointed, yet we embrace it again. It is therefore convenient, that we should sometimes retire from a scene of danger and diffipation-retire with Ifaac into the field, and meditate.-Man, indeed, was not made for perpetual folitude-His powers, his dependencies, all declare against it; but occafionally to leave the bufinefs and the tumult of fociety-to retire into himself, and to commune with his own Hh 3 heart,

heart, whether, with the Prophet in his chamber, or with the Patriarch in the field, is not only expedient, but even neceffary.

• There is scarce any task fo unwelcome to us, as the review of our own minds; and hence it is, that we are, in general, fo little acquainted with the ftate of them. Our inclinations change infenfibly, and the heart takes a different bias by imperceptible degrees; infomuch that when we come to compare our prefent conduct with what was our manner of life a few years ago, we are furprized to obferve the difference, because we attended not to the progreffive change of our fentiments and difpofitions. For this reafon we ought, by frequent meditation, to examine the ftate of our minds, to enquire how we stand af-fected to the great branches of our duty, by placing them refpectively in view; but more particularly to make it our question, whether we are fenfible of that pious gratitude to our Creator, which is the first and beft foundation of religious duty. -Enquiries these are that demand the hour of privacy and recollection, when the paffions are all obedient to the understanding, and even felf-intereft and felf-love fubmit to the search of truth. Then let us fummons our hearts to their trial, when their pecious advocates are at a distance; when they can derive no confidence from the flattering prefence of worldly objects, and are no longer hardened by the deceitfulness of fin.-For this, let me once more obferve, that retirement is the proper fcene. The world is an enemy that is not to be subdued but by frequent retreats; we muft contend with it as the Parthians of old did with their adverfaries, and fly, while we maintain the fight.

But in all our religious meditations, there is one circum, ftance which we ought never to forget, and that is the deceitfulnefs of the heart. However clofely or impartially we examine it, we fhall hardly bring it to an open or ingenuous confeffion. It has ftill fome evafion, fome apology, fome palliating circumftance for every charge that is brought against it. If we place its deformities before it, it has the art of thifting the scene, and of difplaying its fuppofed perfections in their ftead. If we charge it with fome particular vice, or foible, it derives encouragement from comparifon, and inftead of acknowleging and amending its own faults, it fets itself at eafe, by confidering the imperfections of others.-For this evil there is no better remedy than that which the Pfalmift has recourfe to, when he implores the affiftance of that Being, who is properly called the Searcher of hearts. The righteous God, fays he, proveth the heart

His eyelids try the children of men-Examine me, O Lord, and prove me: try my reins, and my heart. Who can tell how oft he Fendeth cleanfe thou me from my fecret faults.-The Author

of

of these petitions was, exclufive of his infpired knowlege, by no means a ftranger to the human heart. He had experienced its treachery: he knew its propenfity to error, to folly, and to vice. He knew that an enemy concealed under the mask of friendship, was, of all others, the most dangerous; and he confidered his own heart as fuch. He was fenfible that in this respect too he was liable to be betrayed by his own familiar friend, with whom he had likewife taken fweet counfel.-It is from the strongest convictions, therefore, that he applies to a fuperior power, and prays for deliverance from an enemy fo infidious, and fo near. Such, under the fame circumftances, fhould be the conduct of every Christian. If our hearts condemn us not, yet let us pray for a more perfect knowlege of, and command over them, to that Being who is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things.

This will not only be the moft effectual, but the fafest method of felf-examination; for when, with all becoming humility, we implore the affiftance of God in that duty, we have nothing further to fear from the event of it, because we have done whatever was in our own power towards it.-Thefe are reflections which naturally arofe upon the subject of religious meditation.-Let us now turn our eyes a moment on the contemplative Patriarch. He went out, we are told, to meditate in the field at the eventide. This was at the moft critical juncture of his life; for he was now in expectation that the divine promife would foon be fulfilled in a circumftance of no less confequence than that of giving him a wife, in whofe offspring all -With fuch the generations of the earth were to be bleffed. glorious and exalted views, it was natural for him to retire, and indulge his thoughts in private. Great joys, like great forrows, love to be alone, and a franger doth not intermeddle with them. It is, therefore, with the greateft propriety that the Hiftorian represents Ifaac upon this occafion, as retiring into the field for meditation.-The probable fubject of his meditation was nothing less than the accomplishment of the divine promife-a fubject, in every refpect, the nobleft, and the moft delightful that the human mind is capable of contemplating. To the Patriarch it must have been particularly fo upon this occafion, for while he was yet meditating on those promifes, he beheld them accomplished." He lift up his eyes and faw, and behold, the camels were coming. And Rebekah lift up her eyes, and when she faw Ifaac, fhe lighted off the camel.For fhe had faid unto the fervant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the fervant had faid, It is my Mafter."

As it will not be a far-fetched, fo I hope it will not altoge

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