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in proportion to the ftrength of the effort that is made.. The misfortune, on this fubject, is, that hitherto wit and talents have generally appeared in favour of vice. This may be owing to a common infirmity of human nature; a difpofition to embrace or reject altogether a fet of principles or opinions which: in general it approves or difapproves. Suicide is a crime according to the doctrines and fentiments of all the Chriftian churches. With those who, on whatever principles, have renounced Chriftianity, it has been very much the custom to oppose that system, at all points; and particularly to adopt the opinion that fuicide is allowable, and even in fome cafes a duty. Those who have fet themselves to controvert this opinion, have very abfurdly done it on the principles of the Christian religion, which their antagonists do not acknowledge; and thofe who defend it, defend it on principles which Chriftians affect to defpife. They may thus fight on to eternity; without even coming to blows: a common practice among theological and moral disputants. > The Author before us is a believer; and he argues accord ingly. This would be very proper, if Chriftians held a con trary opinion. But, as this is not the cafe, we apprehend it is fo much labour loft. He however ventures manfully on the enemy's ground; and is not afraid to take up the weapons of philofophy and reafon. We have feen them better wielded ; but we commend him for his courage; he cannot help his want of ftrength. He treats his fubject in the following manner :

After having defined fuicide, he fhews that a man ought not. to difpofe of a life which he has received from GOD, without HIS leave; and that God has not given any fuch leave.-He then confiders the evils which refult from the nature of things, fhews wherein they are useful;, and ftrenuously combats the opinion, that they, in any cafe, imply a permiffion from God, to put an end to our lives. After labouring this point through feveral chapters, he confiders the inftincts of Nature and the judgments of reafon as always leading us to preferve and not to deftroy ourselves. This brings him to the pretensions of those fects of philofophers who countenanced or allowed of fuicide; referving however his main strength for fome modern apologies which are thought to have done credit to this practice. The firft of thefe, is the famous apology for fuicide in the 74th of The Perfian Letters; the fecond is, an apology of the fame kind in The Syftem of Nature; and the laft is an argument advanced in the celebrated Nouvelle Heloife. We fhall give the Reader some part of what the Author has here urged against Mr. Rouffeau.

In the 21ft letter of the third volume of Eloifa, the Author reduces the question concerning fuicide to this fundamental propofition: "To feek good, and to avoid evil, in that which does not injure another, is a right of nature. When life

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is an evil to us, and a good to no other perfon; we may then get rid of it. If there be in the world a maxim evident and certain, I think it is this; and if it is to be overturned, there is no human action, which cannot be made out to be a crime."

Mr. Dumas, admits the principle; but denies the confequence. The principle, fays he, is inconteftable, if by another we understand not any of our fellow-creatures only, but also the Deity. For, though God cannot be offended in the fame manner as man, he is offended in a manner peculiar to himself, when his creatures, whom he has made intelligent and free, dare to encroach on his rights, to disobey his will, to oppofe his views; to do, in defiance of him what is repugnant to nature, to reafon, to confcience; what difhonours themselves, and deftroys in them that union between foul and body which God himfelf has formed. This conduct is offenfive to him; not that it makes him fuffer, or does him any hurt; but as it violates that order of which he is the Source, and, as it were, the Guardian; degrades and defaces in man the work of his hands, of which he is jealous; and of which he alone ought to difpofe; as it is an ingratitude towards him; a contempt of his benefits, a rebellion against the laws of his Providence, and an ufurpation of his Divine authority over his crea

tures.'

In this manner our Author confiders this celebrated letter, by fingle propofitions and arguments. He then gives Lord B's anfwer to the whole; which many of our Readers will think more to the purpose than all our Author's declamation.

On the whole, this book is well intended, and contains many good things; but it is not likely to be much read by the admirers of the Lettres Perfannes, the Syfteme de la Nature, or the Nouvelle Heloife.

ART. XVI.

L'Ami de L'Humanité; ou, Lettre d'un François établi à Londres a un de fes Amis en France.-The Friend of Humanity; or, a Letter from a Frenchman in London to one of his Friends in France. London. De Lorme.

E

1773.

VERY performance that tends to promote a spirit of univerfal benevolence, to remove religious prejudices, to foften the afperity of party zeal, to weaken the influence of bigotry, and to unite mankind in the bonds of focial affection, (how much foever they may differ in their fentiments upon contraverted points) is entitled to the candid acceptance of the Public, although the writer may not have the philofophy of a Bayle, or the eloquence of a Voltaire. The Author of this Letter poffeffes what may prove equally effectual with many

readersy

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readers, the fimplicity and earnestness of an honest, wellmeaning, and intelligent man.

AR T. XVII.

W.

ΑΠΟΛΛΟΝΙΟΥ ΔΕΞΙΚΟΝ. Apollonii Sophifta Lexicon Græcum Iliadis et Odylea. Primus e Codice Manufcripto Sangermanenfi in lucem vindicavit, innumeris repurgavit mendis, allegata Homeri, et aliorum Poetarum, Loca diftinxit, indicavit, notis atque Animadverfionibus perpetuis illuftravit, et verfionem Latinam adjecit, Johannes Baptifta Cafparus D'Anffe De Villoison, Regia Inferiptionum atque Humaniorum Literarum Academia Parifienfis Socius. Cum Prolegomenis, Indicibus Auctorum et Vocum Homericarum, ac novem Tabulis Æneis, in quibus omnes Codices Manufcripti Literarum Formæ et Compendia, atque amplum bujufce Scriptura Specimen, repræfentantur-Accedit, præter multa, hucufque inedita, Philemonis Grammatici Fragmenta, terti Iliadis Libri profaica metaphrafis Græca, e duobus Codicibus Regiis ab eodem nunc primum eruta, cum notulis, et variantibus Lectionibus, Metaphrafifque et tertii Iliadis Libri.-Apollonius's Lexicon Homericum, &c. By J. B. Cafpar, of the Academy of Infcriptions and Belles Lettres. 2 Vols. 4to. Paris. 1773.

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EXICONS exclufively adapted to particular books are of fingular utility in facilitating the business of learning, and expediting the progrefs of the Tyro. But as this is their principal end, it is frequently to be regretted that their bulk is fo enormously and unneceffarily fwelled. The Lexicon Homericum of Apollonius might, in a proper fize, have made a very useful fchool-book; but in its prefent form, we apprefend, it will be of no general ufc. Men of learning wanted no tranflation of the Greek fcholiaft, and thefe volumes are too mighty for school-boys, Their only proper receptacles are the public libraries, to which the learning they contain fufficiently recommends them.

ART. XVIII.

L

Didionnaire raisonnè univerfel de Matiere Médicale, concernant les Végétaux, les Animaux et les Mineraux qui font d'Usage en Médicine; leurs Defcriptions, leurs Analyfes, leurs Vertus, leurs Propriétés, &c. recuellies de Manufcrits originaux, et des meilleurs Auteurs anciens et modernes, tant étrangers que de notre Pays; avec une Table raisonneè de tous les noms que chaque pays a donnés aux mêmes Végétaux, Animaux et Mineraux.-An Univerfal Dictionary, &c. 8vo. 4. Vols. Paris. 1773

TH

AHE title of this work is fufficient to fhew what is contained in it; and, as to its merit, we need only fay, that the medical reader will find it an useful and valuable per formance.

R.

ART.

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AR T. XIX.

s aux Gens de la Campagne; ou Traité des Maladies les plus communes; avec des Obfervations fur les Caufes de Maladies du Peuple, fur l Abus des Remedes et des Alimens dont il fait Ufage, et fur ceux qu'il doit employer pour fe quérir des Maladies aux quelles il eft le plus expofe, quand il n'eft pas à portée d'avoir le fecours d'un Médecin, Ouvrage très-utile aux Pafteurs, Chirurgiens, et Gens de la Cam pagne.-Advice to Country People; or, a Treatife concerning the most common Diftempers; with Obfervations on their Caufes, Remedies, &c. By M. Didelot. 12mo, Paris. 1773.

TH

HE great utility of a work of this kind, by a person of knowledge, judgment, and experience, is fufficiently ob vious. The celebrated M. Tiffot, we are credibly informed, fpeaks of this AVIS in terms of the warmest approbation, which, to fay the leaft, is a very strong prefumption in its favour.

*We are obliged to a friendly Correfpondent for the foregoing -little Article.

ART. XX.

B.

Elémens de Littérature, Extraits de Cours de Belles-Lettres de M. L'Abbè Batteux. Par un Profeffeur.-The Elements of Literature, &c. 12mo. 2 Vols. Paris. 1773

T

HIS is a very clear, diftinét, and judicious abridgment of the Cours de Belles-Lettres by Abbè Batteux. The Abridger has added feveral reflections borrowed from celebrated writers, together with fome obfervations concerning the ftate of litera ture in England, Germany, Italy, &c.

MONTHLY

J

R.

CATALOGUE,

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Art. 21. An Heroic Poffeript to the Public, occafioned by their favourable Reception of a late Heroic Epiftle to Sir William Cham bers, Knt. &c. By the Author of that Epiftle. 4to. I S. ΑΙ.

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HE ingenious Writer exults, with fpirit and humour, on the

Tfuccefs of his Heroic Epißle", Sec. and

Now to the Public tunes his grateful laws,
Warm'd with the fun-fhine of the public praife;
Warm'd too with mem'ry of that golden time,
When Almon gave him reafon for his rhyme.'

Glad are we to learn that this hitherto careless pen,' waits but a proper call to more ferious employment; and that the Writer

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— is, and means to be his country's friend.
'Tis but to try his ftrength that now he sports
With Chinese gardens, and with Chinese courts:

See Review for April laft, p. 314.

But

But if that country claim a graver ftrain,
If real danger threat fair Freedom's reign,
If hireling P*rs, in prostitution bold,
Sell her as cheaply as themfelves they fold;
Or they, who honour'd by the People's choice,
Against that People lift their rebel voice,
And, bafely crouching for their paltry pay,
Vote the best birthright of her fons away,
Permit a nation's in-born wealth to fly
In mean, unkingly prodigality:

Nor, e'er they give, afk how the fums were spent,
So quickly fquander'd, though fo lately lent

If this they dare; the thunder of his song,

Roiling in deep-ton'd energy along,

Shall ftrike, with Truth's dread bolt, each mifcreant's name,
Who, dead to duty, fenfeless e'en to shame

Betray'd his country. Yes, ye faithless crew,
His Mufe's vengeance hall your crimes purfue,
Stretch you on fatire's rack, and bid you lie
Fit garbage for the hell-hound, Infamy.'

Boldly announced! but whether this threatening declaration will
produce any greater effect than the old woman's counter blaft to
the thunder, no one can pronounce, but every body will guess.
Art. 22. Ode to the Right Hon. Spencer Earl of Northampton.
4to. 6 d. Robinson, &c. 1774.

A compliment to the Northampton family; and not inelegant.
Art. 23. Female Artifice; or, Charles F-x outwitted. 4to. I s.
Ridley. 1774.

The ftory of this poetical narrative difclofes the manner in which Mr. F- was duped by the noted Mrs. G, who, it is here faid, found means to perfuade him that he could procure him a young Weft-Indian wife, with a fortune of 160,000l. The Author declare's that every the minuteft circumstance has a foundation in truth; ` that there are no flowers of invention, no embellishments of poetical fancy; but that all the particulars are related with the very fame deJgree of precifion (he withes he could add, with the fame portion of bumour) that Mr. C. F-x relates them himself.' We are inclined to credit the whole of this declaration, because we find that one part of it is ftrictly true, viz. that there are no flowers of invention, no embellishments of poetical fancy,' in this performance.

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The

Admitting, by the way, the truth of this tale, if Authors and Printers will be blabbing fuch anecdotes, where is the wonder that Mr. F. was fo fevere upon them, in certain late debates about a scandalous Letter: vid. Art. 30. of this month's Catalogue. Art. 24. The Search after Happiness; a paftoral Drama. Third Edition. 8vo. I s. 6d. Cadell. 1773. It is with pleasure we fee our opinion of Mifs More's ingenious poem confirmed by the public approbation, in the demand of a third edition: and we attend to it a fecond time on account of a very fpirited epilogue which is now added to it, and which was fpoken when it was performed by a fet of young ladies; an exercife we would by all means recommend, as the piece is entirely calculated to make

them

+ the author Mr Oburn, a clergyman; formerly a Priest in Ireland.

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