PRACTICAL DUTIES. LAW. A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, adapted to the state and condition of all orders of Christians, by the Rev. E. Law, 8vo. 8s. 12mo. 4s. Dr. Johnson says, When at Oxford, I took up Law's Serious Call, expecting to find it a dull book, and perhaps to laugh at it, but I found Law quite an overmatch for me, and this was the first occasion of my thinking seriously of Religion. Life by Boswell. Dr. Johnson considered Law's Serious Call the finest piece of hortatory theology in any language. GISBORNE. The Duties of the Female Sex, 8vo. 8s. 24mo. 4s. VENN. The Duties of Men, 2 vols. 8vo. 18s. The Complete Duty of Man, or a System of Doctrinal and Practical Christianity, by the Rev. H. Venn, 8vo. 8s. 12mo. bd. 4s. 6d. MELMOTH. Great Importance of a Religious Life, by the Rev. W. Melmoth, 18mo. bound, Is. 6d. In eighteen years, forty-two thousand copies were sold of this book. FORDYCE. Addresses to Young Men, by Dr. G. Fordyce, 2 vols. 12mo. 8s. Young Women, 2 vols. 12mo. 7s. BUCK. The Young Christian's Guide, by the Rev. C. Buck, 12mo. 3s. Serious Inquiries, 3s. Religious Experience, 5s. BEVERIDGE. Private Thoughts on Religion, by Bishop Beveridge, 8vo. 7s. 12mo. 5s. STEELE. The Christian Hero, small 8vo. 1802, 2s. 6d. BELFRAGE. Practical Discourses for the Young, by Dr. Belfrage, 12mo, 4s. 6d. Private Thoughts on Religion and other Subjects connected with it. A Recommendation of Family Religion, 1811. An Address to the Heads of Families, on the Neglect of Family Religion. BAXTER. The Saint's Everlasting Rest, by Richard Baxter, with an Essay by Erskine, 12mo. 5s. SERMONS. Sir John Pringle expressed a wish that Boswell would ask Dr. Johnson's opinion what were the best English Sermons for style. Boswell says, 1 took an opportunity of mentioning several to him.-Atterbury? Johnson-Yes, sir, one of the best. Tillotson? Johnson.-Why not now; I should not advise a preacher at this day to imitate Tillotson: though I don't know—I should be cautious of objecting to what has been applauded by so many suffrages. South is one of the best, if you except his peculiarities and his violence, and sometimes coarseness of language. Seed has a very fine style; but he is not very theological. Jortin's Sermons are very elegant. Sherlock's style, too, is very elegant, though he has not made it his principal study. And you may add Smallridge; all the latter, perhaps, have a good style. I should recommend Dr. Clarke's Sermons, were he orthodox ; however, it is very well known, where he was not orthodox, which was upon the doctrine of the Trinity, as to which he is a condemned heretic, so one is aware of it. Boswell.-I like Ogden's Sermons on Prayer very much, both for neatness of style and subtility of reasoning Johnson.-I should like to read all that Ogden has written Boswell.-What I wish to know is, what Sermons afford the best specimen of English pulpit eloquence? Johnson.-We have no Sermons addressed to the passions that are good for any thing; if you mean that kind of eloquence. A Clergyman.-Were not Dodd's Sermons addressed to the passions? Johnson. They were nothing, sir, be they addressed to what they may. Life by Boswell, An interesting little volume might be compiled of the peculiarities of pulpit eloquence in various countries; the following, from Capt. Smyth's Memoir of Sicily, may serve as a specimen.-The language (says the author) of the most popular preachers, is chiefly Sicilian, interspersed with frequent Latin quotations from the Scriptures. I witnessed one of the favourite pastors, who, with a black cross suspended round his neck and stuck in his girdle, was extremely vehement, both in gesture and tone, frequently breaking out into affectionate apostrophes to a large crucifix in the side of the pulpit, until by degrees his congregation began to sob Select Sermons. violently. He represented our Saviour as an anxious shepherd, who, on missing one lamb out of a hundred, scrambled over rocks, ran down precipices, leaped over ravines, and left nothing untried to recover it; being at last successful, he desired the angels to rejoice, è perché? Why? enquired the Sacred Choir. Because, replied the Redeemer again, truvatu la mia cara pecuredda! I have recovered my dear lamb ! The perusal of Sermons will be found to merit considerable attention, as by their assistance the student enlarges his stock of Theological Knowledge. They supply excellent loci communes, to assist the clergyman; here you may have displayed the rich eloquence of Barrow-the energy of Tillotson-the solid sense of Sharpe-the animated descriptions of Sherlock-the perspicuity and close argument of Clarke and Powel-the brevity of Ogden-the precision of Secker, and the beautiful imagery of Seed and Tottie. As the enumeration of each author separately, with 'the date of the edition and price, would occupy a considerable space, it is sufficient to observe, that the following compose a valuable body of Divinity, excellent in point of argument, illustration, method, and language. Such are the Sermons of South, Barrow,* Taylor,+ Tillotson, Barrow was the favourite author of the great Earl of Chatham; on his style he had formed his masculine and solid eloquence, and had read his great master so constantly as to be able to repeat his elaborate Sermons from memory. Sismondi, in his Litterature du Midi de l'Europe, gives a curious specimen of a sermon writer. Le hasard m'a fait rencontrer en voyage un barbier Italien qui faisait commerce de sermons avec des moines trop ignorans pour en composer eux mêmes, il avoit l'oreille sensible à une certaine harmonie musicale, et il reussissait à construire des periodes assez nombreuses, auxquels, il ne manquait plus que le sens ; il entendoit un peu de Français, et il avoit la curiosité de fouiller dans tous les vieux livres. Pour composer les sermons qu'il vendoit, il ajoutoit ensemble des lambeaux d'orateurs chrétiens qu'il avoit decouverts dans une vieille bibliothéque, cependant, pour qu'il ne fût pas facile de reconnaître le plagiat, c'etait toujours par le milieu d'une phrase qu'il entrait dans ces fragmens étrangers, et il les quittoit aussi au milieu d'une phrase. Il me consulta sur un de ces sermons mais sans me dire d'abord son secret. Je ne fus pas peu étonné de ces periodes pompeuses dont la fin ne repondait jamais au commencement, et dont les membres divers n'avoient jamais été fait pour aller ensemble. + Jeremy Taylor, Bishop of Down and Connor, was the son of a barber Select Sermons. S. Clarke, Jortin,* Seed, Ogden, Butler, Blackall, Atterbury, War at Cambridge. It is said that the Liberty of Prophesying was the first book written in the English language in favour of liberty of conscience. The genius and the industry, the private virtues and the public spirit of Jeremy Taylor were equally admirable, and it is much to the honour of the Church of England, that a man of such sentiments and disposition rose by his merit to her principal dignities. He has been deservedly styled the Shakespeare of Divines. The sermons of Jortin were sensible, argumentative, and to the purpose; but delivered in so negligent a manner, and with so little emphasis, as to make little impression on the audience. In some works he printed, he had half the profits. In his Life of Erasmus, he sold the privilege of an impression, but kept the copyright himself. Dr. Jortin was some time assistant preacher at Lincoln's Inn Chapel, for Bishop Warburton. He had no recommendation to Archbishop Herring but his merit. His Grace told him, most unexpectedly, at a dinner of the sons of the clergy, that the living of St. Dunstan's was at his service, which so surprised him that he ran instantly out of the hall, and left his hat behind him. On the subject of sermons the following anecdote may not be unacceptable, especially as it may serve as a clue to some of our modern aspirants for fame by sermon-writing, whereby to estimate the result of publishing their productions. A poor vicar, in a remote diocese, had, on some popular occasion, preached a sermon so acceptable to his parishioners, that they entreated him to print it, and he undertook a journey to London for that purpose. On his arrival in town he was recommended to the late Mr. Rivington, to whom he triumphantly related the object of his journey. The printer agreed to his proposals, and required to know how many copies he would choose to have struck off. Why, sir, I have calculated that there are in the kingdom ten thousand parishes, and that each parish will at least take one, and others more; so that I think we may venture to print about 35 or 36,000 copies. The bookseller remonstrated, the author insisted, and the matter was settled. The reverend author departed in high spirits to his home. With much difficulty and great self-denial, a period of about two months was suffered to pass over, when his golden visions so tormented his imagination that he could endure it no longer, and accordingly wrote to Rivington, desiring him to send the debtor and creditor account, most liberally permitting the remittances to be forwarded at Mr. R.'s convenience. Judge of the astonishment, tribulation, and anguish, excited by the receipt of the following account. } Select Sermons. burton, Horsley, Powell, B. Wilson, Burder, Balguy, Secker, Horne, Porteus, Paley, Mant, Huntingford, Gilpin, Maltby, Bowdler, Hugh M'Neile, Hewlett, Rennell, Milner, Blake, Kirwan, Cunningham, Warner. The Brampton Lectures, 2 vols. 8vo. more particularly those by Bandinel, White, Barrow, Nares, Laurence, Van Mildert, Spry, Miller, and Conybeare, deserve notice. The Lectures of Dr. Collyer, on Scripture Facts, Doctrine, Prophecy, Parables, Miracles, display considerable reading and research, ALISON. Sermons, by the Rev. Archibald Alison, 2 vols. 17 4s. BLAIR. Sermons by the Rev. Hugh Blair, 5 vols. 8vo. 17 10s. 3 vols. 18s. 1 vol. common, 10s. Dr. Blair transmitted the manuscript of his first volume of Sermons to Mr. Strahan, the king's printer, who, after keeping it for some time, wrote a letter to him, discouraging the publication; such at first was the unpropitious reception of one of the most successful theological books that has ever appeared. Mr. Strahan, however, had sent one of the sermons to Dr. Johnson for his opinion, and after his unfavourable letter to Dr.Blair had been sent off, he received from Dr. Johnson, on Christmas Eve, a note, in which was the following paragraph :---" I have read over Dr.Blair's first sermon with more than approbation; to say it is good is to say too little." Mr. Strahan had very soon after this time a conversation with Dr. Johnson concerning them, and then he very candidly wrote again to Dr.Blair, enclosing Johnson's note, and agreeing to purchase the volume, for which he and Mr. Cadell gave one hundred pounds. The sale was so rapid and extensive, and the approbation of the public so high, that the proprietors made Dr. Blair a present The Reverend Dr. to C. Rivington. Cr. By the sale of seventeen copies said sermons £785 5 6 Balance due to C. Rivington 784 0 0 The bookseller, however, in a day or two, sent a letter to the following purport. Reverend Sir,---I beg pardon for innocently amusing myself at your expence, but you need not give yourself any uneasiness. I know better than you could do the extent of the sale of single sermons, and accordingly printed but one hundred copies, to the expence of which you are heartily welcome. Sermons make a considerable branch of English literature; a library must be very imperfect that has not a numerous collection of sermons. Dr. Johnson. |