⚫ his fermons when the faft is gone and forgotten?-For this very reafon, he publishes, that the fafl, though gone, may not be forgotten. That we may remember the fins we confeffed, and the miferies we deprecated. Remember the vows of God, which are still upon us; ⚫ and the fnares of death which are ftill around us.'

The firft of thefe religio-political fermons is entitled, The Time ⚫ of Danger,' and has for the text, Heb. xi. 28. From the view of the Jewish bondage in Egypt, and the plagues inflicted on the Egyptians, particularly the deftruction of the firtt-born, the Author makes a tranfition to the present fituation of Great Britain. The judgments of the Almighty are pathetically infifted on: have not earthquakes, fays Mr. Hervey, fhaken kingdoms, and rent the foundations of nature? and, is not the fword of flaughter drawn ?-The state of our war with France is laid open, with a fuppofition that Spain may join with it against us; and the probability of a junction between the Auftrians and a third popifh power, which a note gives us to understand means Ruffia, is hinted; not without a fufpicion that Rome may instigate the confederacy, at a time the most favourable for the profecution of their purpose that their own zeal can defire, to crush the proteftant caufe, and extirpate the proteftant name: a plot which in another note Mr. Hervey informs us, was difcovered by the fagacity and activity of the King of Pruffia. He adds, If that hero and his army ⚫fhould fall before their enemies, what can hinder the execution of ⚫ this horrid defign? It may puzzle the acuteft politician to affign any human means fufficient to ftand as a barrier.' The lofs of Minorca, of Ofwego, the death of General Braddock, the overthrow of his army, the defeat of Admiral Byng, his fubfequent execution, with other ravages and loffes, all combine to furnish out the melancholy portrait.

Ob

He next confiders our national fins, fome of which he particularly notices. Vifit,' fays he, a man of war, you will think yourself, not in one uf the bulwarks of our island, but in a little hell. ferve the Gentlemen of the Sword. Concerning the generality of ⚫ them, you will have reason to afk, are these Chriftians? are they not incarnate devils ?-And can we expect, that the infinitely pure ⚫ God will go forth with such hofts? will he not rather become their enemy, and fight against them?'

The fecond Sermon is entitled, The Means of Safety,' and is drawn from the fame text as the former. In this Discourse we are exhorted to come to Chrift, as the means to avoid the evils mentioned before; but this, as if the fubject was not fufficiently ftriking, is made to receive illustration from the rites of the Mofaic law. Our Author appears thoroughly warmed by his argument, which he purfues in a rhapfodical declamatory manner. He is extremely fond of fimilies, and endeavours rather to enforce his exhortations by raifing a panic, and then working upon that foundation, than by convincing his Readers from a rational appeal to their understanding.

A quotation from the third Sermon, entitled, The Way of Holinefs,' preached from Ezekiel xviii. 27. will further illuftrate what has been faid.

If while I am fpeaking the earth should reel to and fro, and be in ftrong convulfions under your feet,; if it fhould open its horrid jaws, and gape frightfully wide to devour you; not one in the affembly but would be greatly alarmed. How then can you be care⚫lefs and unconcerned, when hell from beneath is opening her mouth, to swallow you up in endless perdition?-If this building was rock'ing over your heads, and tottering on every fide; if the beams were 'bursting, and the walls cleaving; you would be ftruck with aftonishment. And how is it, that you are under no apprehenfions, when the indignation of an Almighty God is ready to fall upon you; and worse than ten thousand falling mill-ftones, grind you to powder?-If the French were landed, with an army of defperate Papifts+; if you were furrounded by thofe barbarous enemies of your religion and country; if their fwords reeking with British blood, were now at your throats; you would tremble for your lives. ⚫ And will you not feel fome concern for your fouls, when the fword ⚫ of Omnipotence is fharpned to cut you in pieces; when, for aught 'you know, it may be already unfheathed; may have received a ⚫ commiffion to give the fatal blow; and, before another hour paffes, may actually strike ?-If the late diftemper among the Cattle, fhould turn to a Plague among men; if it fhould (weep away thousands ⚫ and ten thousands to an untimely grave; if you should fee multi⚫tudes of your neighbours fickening, dropping, dying, on every fide; certainly you would be terrified. How then can you remain unimpreffed, when the curfe of God is approaching you? when the 'curfe of God is hovering over you? when the curfe of God is rea'dy to be poured out upon you; and turn all your delights into weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth?'

In this manner are firebrands, arrows, and death hurled about by this pious Preacher: But furely a heart warmed, and convinced of the beauty of holiness, by the powers of reafon, will be a more acceptable facrifice in the fight of the Almighty, than one that is only wrought on by terror, and fubdued by abject fears.

Poffibly with a much quicker, and more feeling fenfation.

+ Of what nation does Mr. Hervey fuppofe the army to be compofed and of what religion are the French, that will land with them?

Art. 10. The Sequel to the Pathetic Difcourfe: or, An Answer to the Objections and Murmurs raised against that Pamphlet at Lisbon. Dedicated to the Portuguese, by the Chevalier d' Olivera, Author of the Difcourfe he defends. Tranflated into English from the original French, by W. H. Smith, Gent. 4to. Is. Vaillant.

In the XIVth volume of our Review, p. 362, we gave an account of the Pathetic Difcourfe, to which the prefent performance is the Sequel. This pamphlet contains a vindication of the former, against the objections of a popish Priest, who published, at Lisbon, a priestly

account

account of the dreadful earthquake there, in 1755; wherein he has advanced many things which our Author controverts, and seems to have refuted in a very fatisfactory manner. The Chevalier has likewife given us a copy of a letter written to him by his brother, a Prieft, alfo, of Lifbon; in which he warmly expoftulates with our Au-thor, for turning Proteftant, here, in England. This letter is followed by the Chevalier's anfwer; which is written in a plain, honest, and fenfible train; and is dated Kentifb-town, April 12, 1757

MEDICA L.

Art. 11. A Letter to a Phyfician, concerning the Gout and Rheumatifm, wherein is proved, from Reafon and Experience, that the former is curable in as ftrict a Senfe as any other Disease. By M. Mooney, M. D. 8vo. 6d. Printed for the Author.. The only proof offered by Dr. Mooney of the fanability of the Gout, is a bold affertion, that he is poffeffed of a Noftrum that will cure it. In fupport of the efficacy of his medicine he recites five cafes; two of which only he himself terms gouty, the others are called Rheumatisms. But as our Author has not thought fit to give the least hint of the nature of this wonder-working remedy, we can not think it neceffary to enter further into the merits of a publication which has, in many respects, rather the air of a quack-bill than a medical difcourfe. Such as are inclined to know more of this Author's phyficial accomplishments, may fee other fpecimens of them in the Review, vol. XIV. p. 586, feq.

The following NEW Books are Imported fince our laft Publication.

H

Iftoire Generale des Guerres depuis le Deluge jufqu'à l' année 1748. Par le Chevalier d' Arcq. 4to.

Nouvelle Traduction de l' Hiftorien Jofeph faite fur le Grec par le P. Gillet 2 vols. 4to.

De la Manoeuvre des Vaiffeaux, ou Traité de Mechanique et de Dynamique. Par M. Bouguer. 4to.

Les Vies des Hommes illuftres comparés les uns avec les autres. Par M. Richer. 2 vols. 12mo.

Vie de Pierre Pithou, avec quelques Memoires fur fon Pere & fes Enfans. 2 vols. 12mo.

Oeconomie Rurale Traduction du Poeme du P. Vaniere. 2 vols.

izmo.

Recueil de differentes chofes. Par M. le Marquis de Laffay. 4 vols.

12mo.

Des Principes des Negociations pour Servir d' Introduction - au Droit public de l' Europe. Par l'Abbé Mably. 12mo.

Pieces qui ont remporté le prix de l' Academie de Chirurgie. Tom. 2d. 4to.

Hiftoire du Bas Empire en commencant à Conftantin le Grand. Par M. le Beau. Tom. 1ft, 12mo.

d'un Peuple Nouveau, 2 parties

Cartes nouvelles des Ifles de Jerfey, Guernsey, & Aurigny, avec Un Memoire. Par M. Belin.

THE

MONTHLY REVIEW,

For OCTOBER, 1757

The MONITOR; or BRITISH FREEHOLDER, &c.

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8vo. 2 vols. 12s. Scott.

VERY Paper-Warrior who brandishes his pen in party quarrels, is, by the courtesy of late days, ftiled a political Writer, though very few, of the prefent age, have fhewn themselves acquainted even with the first rudiments of Polity.

The political Writers of our time, (for fuch we must be content to call them) have taken different methods of difplaying their respective talents. Some have exerted their powers in oppofition to, others in defence of, the Miniftry. But, perhaps, it may not be too hard a cenfure to conclude, that, in general, they ultimately agree in the purfuit of private advantage, however they may difagree by adopting different means of attaining the partial end.

This disagreement is often owing to a contrariety in their difpofitions. Men of a daring turbulent nature, efteem it the furest and shortest way-to form preferment, and force themfelves into places or penfions, by rude attacks on the Adminiftration; others, of a more timid and cautious turn, fue in the form of Panegyrifts, ftudioufly exaggerating minifterial virtues, and fubtlely endeavouring to palliate their defects. But this di verfity in their modes of writing, is not always the effect of their own natural choice, but may fometimes be attributed to VOL. XVII.

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their

their accidental connections. If they chance to be converfant with men of antiminifterial principles, they may be perfuaded to espouse that party, and employ their pens in the fervice of oppofition, contrary to their natural bent: if, on the contrary, their attachments are chiefly among Courtiers, they will commence advocates in the defence of the Adminiftration, and use all their art to juftify measures which their talents are better fitted to oppofe.

It is for these reasons that we can difcover fo little of fyftem in the productions of thefe time-ferving Politicians; for as they are most of them unacquainted with politics, as a fcience, confequently they do not write from any established principles of conviction. But wherever there is an appearance of a fettled intention conftantly to oppose the Miniftry on one fide, and to vindicate them on the other, fuch Writers are to be equally fufpected and difregarded; for we may be affured that they are not actuated by the impulse of their own judgments, but meanly influenced by the paffions and prejudices of their respective patrons.

We will not, however, be fo hardy to affirm, that all are to be included within the limits of these diftinctions: fome, no doubt, may have been nobly directed by the generous patriotifm they have profeffed. But, without regard to their profeffions, they ought all to be read with caution and diftruft; for it is as difficult to judge of the heart of man from his words, as to guefs his name from his complexion.

It is owing to the nature of our conftitution, that, of politi cal Writers, the moft numerous, and beft received, have been fuch as have figured on the fide of oppofition; for as our government inclines, perhaps too, much, to the Democratic form, rude attacks upon men in power never fail of proving agree. able to the popular malignity. The people generally behold their fuperiors with envy, and look upon Minifters, in particular, as their declared enemies. Writers therefore, even of moderate abilities, will find it no difficult task to gain admirers among the common clafs of Readers, by a bold application of their talents for invective; for they are fure to meet with a confiderable majority prepoffelled in their favour, inclined to believe whatever they advance, and prone to applaud feditious Dullness: whereas, they who write on the defenfive fide, being obliged to combat against popular prejudice, their arguments gain little credit, and the Author is often condemned, without entering into the merits of the work. So fenfible are Writers, who court profit more than reputation, of the advantage arifing from an affectation of popularity, that it has lately become a favourite expedi

ent