ART. XXV. An Effay on the moft Rational Means of Preferving Health, and of attaining to an advanced Age. To which are added Anecdotes of Longevity. 12mo. Pp. 112, Price 2s. Wallis. London. 1799.

NO one will be difpofed to combat the leading pofition of the. author, that " of all human bleffings, health is one of the most important; and the methods by which health may be beft preferyed, are interesting to all men." He has certainly difplayed great induftry in the felection of his materials, (for to originality he prefers no claim,) and he appears to have confulted moft of the numerous authors, ancient and modern, who have written on the subject. Exercife and temperance are the principal means of preferving health; thefe of courfe are recommended; and air, fleep, and diet, form feparate topics of difcuffion. A collection of the opinions of different writers of eminence, on any fubject, is neceffarily interefting; and where the fubject itfelf is fo peculiarly important as the preservation of health unquestionably is to all mankind, we cannot but think that the man whose labours are directed to facilitate the means of acquiring a competent knowledge of it, is entitled to great commendation. With a view, no doubt, to enforce precept by example, many extraordinary inftances of longevity are recorded, in the latter part of the book, extracted from the works of different writers.

ART. XXVI. A Country Parfon's Addrefs to bis Flock, to caution them against being milled by the Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, or receiving Jacobin Teachers of Sedition, who intrude themfelves under the fpecious Pretence of inftructing Youth and preacting Christianity." By Francis Wollafton, Rector of Chiflehurst in Kent. Svo. Pp. 43. Wilkie. London.. 1799.

IT were much to be wifhed that every minifter of the established church would difplay the fame portion of ze 1 and vigilance in the fuperintendance of the flock entrusted to his care, as has been difplayed by the pious paftor, whofe addrefs is before us. To keep intruders out of their folds, in whatever form they may appear; to check the progrefs of fchifm, whatever fhape it may affume, we conceive to be a duty impofed on all Clergymen, and a duty which cannot be difpenfed with by them, without incurring the feveral cenfures of their fpiritual fuperiors, and without fubjecting theinfelves to the more ferious danger of incurring bis difpleafure, to whom they muft hereafter deliver a faithful account of their conduct. At no period, fince the æra of the reformation, has fo ftrong and fo urgent a neceffity exifted for the exertion of uncommon vigilance, circumspection, and energy, on the part of our Clergy, as at this moment, when wolves are, indeed, prowling about in theep's clothing; and the most infidious manoeuvres are employed, even by thofe who pro

fess to be members of the established church, (with a view to impofe on the credulity, and to quiet the confciences of many of their moft fcrupulous auditors,) for fubverting the establishment. Under fuch circumftances we cannot too ftrongly impress, on the minds of the parochial clergy, a fenfe of the immenfe advantages that muft accrue from refidence in their respective parishes.

Though we give the fulleft credit to the worthy characters who originally inftituted, and encouraged the extenfion of SUNDAY SCHOOLS, yet we ever entertained very strong doubts, arifing partly from permanent, partly from temporary, caufes, of the policy, the expediency, and the utility of fuch inftitutions. The confideration of this fubject, however, would lead us into á vast field of enquiry, into which we feel no difpofition to enter, until our duty shall require us fo to do. Meanwhile, we recommend the ferious investigation of the queftion to those who have more leifure than ourselves; it fhould be viewed in all its bearings and tendencies; in refpect of its religious, its moral, and its political effects on fociety. Thofe who have been accustomed to regard it as a point easy of decifion, have moft egregiously deceived themselves; for the formation of an accurate judgement, the deepest reflection, the moft mature deliberation are neceflary.

Our doubts have not been generated by the abufe of the inftitu tion; we are neither fo weak nor fo unjust as to argue ex abufu ad ufum;-but where any novel inftitution is fubject to multiplied abufes, it becomes a fit fubject for enquiry, whether thefe do not counterbalance its advantages. At all events, fuch abuses, where their tendency is pernicious to fociety, should be timely and effectually checked.

The motives which influenced the publication of this address are thus explained by the author: —

"On Sunday morning, April 7, 1799, the author heard of there being two Sermons intended to be preached on that day in his parish. Well aware of the infidious plans of the enemies to our peace, he loft no time in making inquiry concerning this; and, having obtained one of the following hand bills, declared moft decidedly his difapprobation of the thing, together with his reafons for fo doing, both in the church porch before divine fervice, and in a vestry after it. The hand bill was in thefe words:

April 5, 1799.-On Sunday the 7th inftant, a SUNDAY SCHOOL will be opened at Chiflehurft, at a houfe nearly oppofite to Mr. Mace's Academy, By the union fociety of Greenwich; where children will be taught reading and spelling, to reverence God and to obey their parents. Books neceffary for their inftruction will be found by the fociety. Hours of attendance from paft 9 to paft 11 in the morning, and from 2 to 4 in the afternoon. Two fermons will alfo be preached at the fame place, fervice to begin in the morning at paft 11, and in the evening at 6 o' clock.'

"This has given occafion for the following addrefs; which, though defigned for his own flock, he thinks may have its ufe, in cautioning others against a prac tice of the Jacobin Societies, of which few are fufficiently aware. It were to be wifhed, that the law gave to the minifter of the parish the power of proceeding, in a fummary way, against fuch as intrude unaiked into the fold committed to his care." Pp. 3, 4.

The occafion was certainly fuch as juftified the addrefs; and the addrefs is as certainly appropriate to the occafion. It contains a

brief expofition of the origin and principles of Jacobinifm; its diffuhion and effects on the continent of Europe; and the efforts of its votaries in this country. The language is eafy and fimple, particu larly adapted to the comprehenfion of those for whose use the book is principally defigned; the fentiments are fuch as might naturally be expected from a fenfible and pious clergyman, deeply impreffed with a proper fenfe of his duty; and the admonition administered is good and falutary.

We knew perfectly well that Sunday Schools had, in many inftances, been rendered channels for the diffufion of bad principles, religious and political; and therefore it was with fome degree of afto nithment that we lately heard it afferted, in an anniversary fermon preached at one of our most valuable charitable inftitutions, that hone but Jacobins had objected to the establishment of Sunday Schools-that none but Jacobins dreaded their influence or effect.* We can affure the preacher, whofe zeal and whofe talents are equally entitled to commendation, and refpect, that we have heard -frequent objections ftarted to them, and, invariably, by ftrenuous Anti-Jacobins. And, though it would be madnefs to deny, that they have been, and ftill are, encouraged by as good and as loyal men as any the country can boaft, yet have they, nevertheless, been viewed with a favourable eye by the Jacobins themfelves. The teftimony of Mr. WOLLASTON to this point will not be deemed equivocal. After tracing the mifchiefs produced by feditious clubs, debating focieties, and itinerant lecturers, he adverts to the ufe made of Sunday Schools, in the following paffage, with which we fhall clofe our account of this useful publication.

"It only turned the foul stream into a different channel. The poifon has still continued to be conveyed, and is fpreading through a medium perhaps more dan gerous; as it deceives the unwary and well-meaning heart, under a more fpecious form; and catches the attention of those who never would have thought of attending lectures upon politics. Schools have been opened by members from fome of thefe focieties, intruding themselves unasked into different parishes under the plaufible name of Sunday Schools for inftructing the children gratis, and Sunday difcourfes for the young and the old too; wherein, after a little footing has been gained in a neighbourhood, often too ready to catch at any thing that is novel, thefe itinerant preachers begin to unfold principles of a feditious tendency, and to difperfe books of the fame infidious caft. Of this there have been many, very many instances, ever fince the fuppreffion of the public lectures. And therefore it was, that hearing one Sunday morning, a fortnight fince, of a Sunday School,

The efforts of the preacher to imprefs this idea on the minds of his congrega tion, evidently arofe from a glaring misconception, that Sunday Schools, and fuch charitable inftitutions as that for which he is fo able an advocate, stand, in refpect of this point, precifely on the fame ground. Whereas, in fact, no kind of analogy exifts between them. In the former the inftruction imparted is confined to a fmall portion of the Sabbath day, fo that, for every hour devoted to the purpofe of acquiring information, there is at least a day left open for temptation and perverfion to operate. But in the latter, every day, every hour is paffed under the fame beneficial influence; and conftant opportunity is afforded of regulating practice by precept; and of watching the feeds of inftruction, until they arrive at maturity and take deep root in the mind. Reviewer,

and two fermons having been announced for that day in my parish, without any previous communication with me upon the subject, I took the alarm; and confidered it as a duty I owed to you, immediately to declare my difapprobation of it. "You and I have lived together now bordering upon thirty years: and you all know that, notwithstanding the duty of this parish is small in comparison with many others, you have had, befide myself, a curate conftantly refident among you the whole time: and I am confident you cannot fay that any part of our office has been omitted or carelessly performed. You all know that in relation to your children, befide a fmall fubfcription school we have in this place, I myfelf pay for the daily instruction of all the rest whom you are willing to fend for inftruction. They all are taught from the time they are capable of inftruction, in reading, till it is proper they should begin to turn to fome method of earning a fubfiftence for themfelves; and books are diftributed among you, to all who are willing to profit by them. So that in this parish, whatever might be the cafe in another, neither a Sunday School nor itinerant preachers can be wanted.

"Conscious of thefe truths it was that I so pointedly fet my face against the plan, the inftant the whisper of it came to my ears. You know that I intrude not into the fold of another; nor ever have forbidden any of my flock from going, if they chose, to attend the doctrines preached to any neighbouring congregations: but I am always jealous of others intruding upon mine. There are various undefinable fects, differing effentially from each other, yet paffing in these days under the general denomination of methodists, againft the introduction of whom into this place I frequently have cautioned you. Not that I would reprobate them all; far from it. Many of them are pious and indefatigable chriftians. Though they differ from me in the interpretation of fome paffages in the holy fcriptures, it is no more than I do from them: and, as they would not choose that I fhould intrude into their fold, to mislead, as it would appear to them, their flock; fo neither can they on cool reflection wonder, that I should wish them not to encroach upon mine.

"But among thote called methodists, there are many of a very different caft : whom the fober methodifts themselves would no more countenance than I should: wandering enthufiafts they are, who know nothing of the principles of chriftianity, nor even of found reasoning upon any of its doctrines; but perverting the words of fcripture, catch the ear with declamatory rant, and are often, very often, feen to overpower the pious heart, and drive their beft difpofed attendants to madnefs. Against them I have always thought it my duty to caution you. Yet is it out of an eagerness to follow thefe, because they pafs under the general denomination of methodifts, that fo many are found ready in every place to liften to every intruder.

"But it is not against the methodift, the true and confcientious methodist, or those ignorant pretenders to that name, that I now caution you: it is not against the prefbyterian, the independent, the baptift, or any fectary diffenting from our church; but against the falfe Jacobin; against receiving or in any way giving en couragement to thofe emiffaries from feditious focieties; or of fuffering your chil dren, or fuffering yourselves, to attend their lectures, under whatever fpecious name they may affume; or permitting them to circulate their books among you; or to inftil into you or your children thofe principles of difobedience, which the Jaco"bins of France, and all thofe offsprings from them, the Jacobin Societies in England, have been and are so zealous to diffeminate among the people, and plant in every corner of this happy land; hoping by fuch arts to reduce us to the fame fhameful level with themfelves." Pp. 26-30,

THE

THE REVIEWERS REVIEWED.

ART. I. Elements of Geography, and of Natural and Civil Hiftory. By John Walker. 2d Edition. 8vo. Pp. 616. Price 8s. Darton and Harvey, Gracechurch Street, London.

ΤΗ
THIS

HIS compilation appears to have been printed in 1795, long before the commencement of our literary labours, and, on that account, would have escaped our animadverfions, had not our attention been called to it by a correfpondent, who reprefented it as containing fentiments directly hoftile to the happiness of the rifing generation. Efteeming it our bounden duty to expofe to public reprehenfion every opinion which we hold dangerous to the religion, the law, and the morality of this country, or which feems at all to further the dark defigns of Jacobinifm in any of its multifarious ramifications, we could not hesitate a moment to comply with the requifition of our friend. It would have afforded us infinite fatisfaction to have found, that he had mistaken this compofition, and that his apprehenfion of danger from the vicious philofophy it contained, had, in this inftance, fuperfeded his judgement. Whether he was wrong or not, we will leave to our readers to pronounce, from the examples we shall place before them for that purpose.

This production is dedicated " to the female fex," and even this very outfet of the work contains in it fentiments of the moft abfurd defcription; we are unwilling to use a stronger term, for we cannot conceive it poffible that any human being, poffeffing an atom of understanding, fhould be perverted by fuch ftupid, fuch" fhallow-pated," reveries.

"To you," he fays, "belong the tending of the first wants, and the meeting of the earlieft wishes of the helpless babe; to you the giving of the firft impreffions of education to the dawning mind."

All this is very well, but let us proceed :

"While the principal business of men is to break down matter, or to combine particles of it into new forms, and carry it about from place to place," [is this metaphor?] "yet to thefe belong, according to the prefent depraved fyftem of things, the privilege of addreffing you on the moft tender affection wherewith human life is diverfified, while ye, however impassioned, may wait in filence, and fee your years pafs away in unavailing patience. If either fex