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is related with an air of fincerity and truth. If it really be, as he fuppofes, and we cannot fay that it is not, a fair fample of diffenters in general, it fets the feveral anecdotes which he has recorded, of the mean and unworthy behaviour of fome church men toward drm, in a still more odious light; and they are odious enough of themselves, independently of every other confideration. In fome places, however, he appears to be too partial to his diffenting friends, and too much prepoffeffed against the members of the eftablishment; efpecially, in page 50, where he tells us, that the church is not materially altered in four hundred years.' We believe that both the church, and the diffenters, are very different in their spirit from what they were, even a century ago. The former has loft as much, perhaps, of her narrow and antichriftian intolerance, as the latter have of their four and bigoted fanaticifm; and we hope, for the credit of both parties, that each will daily get rid of more and more of its old leaven.

THEOLOGY and POLEMICS.

Pear.

Art. 50. The Influence of Confcience, and the Credibility of a Future State of Retribution, confidered; the Subftance of two Difcourfes, delivered in the Cathedral Church of Winchefter, at the Lent and Summer Affize of the Year 1790. By L. M. Stretch, A. M. Vicar of Twyford and Owilebury, and Chaplain to the Sheriff of the County. 4to. pp. 37. 2s. Cadell.

These two difcourfes, now formed into one, are published at the request of the High Sheriff of the county, the Members for the county, and the Grand Jury. The preacher felected a text very fuitable to the folemn occafion on which he officiated; it is Ecclefiaft. ix. 9. For all these things God will bring thee into judgment. The dedication informs us, that it was the delign of the first difcourfe to evince the utility and beneficial operation of confcience in a political as well as in a religious view; and the intention of the fecond, to fhew the happy influence of a fincere and permanent perfuafion of future rewards and punishments. Thefe fubjects are purfued and illuftrated in a rational and fcriptural manner; and their practical influence is recommended with energy and fervour. We most readily grant, and firmly believe, with this worthy preacher, that piety and virtue have a natural tendency to promote the peace and happiness of mankind, and are likely to contribute to the welfare of communities, together with that of individuals: but when he proceeds to infer, hence, what he terms the alliance of church and ftate, there may be fomewhat defective and delufive in his arguments; concerning which, however, we fhall not at prefent inquire: it is a fubject that has been often difcuffed, and poffibly may be again.Should any flight objection of this kind appear, the difcourfe, nevertheless, meets with our hearty approbation, as being not merely well written, but alfo, which is of far higher importance, calculated to advance the great ends of repentance, reformation, and moral virtue.

We cannot difmifs this pamphlet without noticing a remarkable mistake in the following paffage: What private perfon, what

family,

family, what nation were ever happy, profperous and refpe&table, who were amerced in vice, profaneness, and irreligion;' (p. 133;) immerfed, no doubt, the author intended; how the other word, bearing fo different and unfuitable a meaning, fhould have been introduced, is rather strange! Hi...s.

Art. 51. Sermons on practical Subje@s. By A. B. Rudd, M. A. Vicar of Diddlebury, and Reader at Ludlow, in the County of Salop. Second Edition, with Additions. 8vo. 2 Vols. pp. 300 in each. 12s. Boards. Robinfons.

The first edition of Mr. Rudd's difcourfes appeared in 1786, and formed one octavo volume, containing fifteen fermons. To these, which have been already particularized, are now added cleven others; the fubjects of which are as follow: Miffion and Doctrine of John the Baptift. Charity-fchools. The Refurrection. Liberty without Licentioufnefs. Union of Mercy and Truth in the gracious Act of our Redemption. The Comforter. Jacob's Prayer. Treafure in Heaven. Death. The Chriftian contest. The Last Day.

The language of Mr. Rudd, we have already obferved, is correct; his obfervations alfo are pertinent and useful; yet attentive perfons must furely find fome reafon occafionally to object. To pafs over his reflection concerning the widow of Sarepta, when he fays, the prophet knew he was a woman, and therefore did not expect to find her a cool reafoner, &c.' which we leave the author to fettle with his fair readers as well as he can, we proceed to add, that we remarked a fenfible difference in the ftyle of fome of thefe difcourfes, for which we could not account, until we met with a note, attached to the twenty-third fermon, informing us that the preacher had availed himself very much of the admirable matter of Dr. Donne.-This author is known to have been refpectable in the reign of James the Firft; and fome of his compofitions, as a poet, are fill in a degree of eftimation: but he was infected by the quirks and conceits which marked that period, and which are now justly exploded.

The next difcourfe is alfo introduced by a note, in which Mr. Rudd acquaints us, that he has been abundantly affifted by a work of Mr. Bolton, published in the year 1635. The fermons bear the marks of the aid which has been attained by fuch means; and poffibly a like account might be extended to other parts of the volume; of which fome proof might be adduced from the twenty-first fermon, where we find odd expreffions intermingled with observations of a practical and ufeful kind.

One fermon in the collection was preached at a vifitation; the writer appears to have taken too large a compafs, when he propofed to furvey the origin of different opinions in the Chriftian church; fo that when he arrives at what he had, perhaps, principally in his view, the rife of Arianifm and Socinianifm, he does little more than mention the names: the omiffion, we believe, is not very material. Perhaps he may have more eagerness than prudence

* See M. Review for Feb. 1787. vol. lxxvi. p. 179.
↑ Vol. ii. p. 46.

on

on fubjects of this nature. In our review of the former edition, we obferved the very unbecoming terms in which he spoke of a learned writer, whose ideas and opinions do not accord with his own. The moft offenfive phrafe is now expunged, yet the paffage remains juftly objectionable he writes with an afperity, which would, in fome cafes, be imputed to unworthy caules: impious men, is his language concerning thofe who diffent from him on the point in question: whereas it is well known, that one philofopher, to whom he may be fuppofed to allude, is a firm friend to piety, revelation, and the doctrine of a future life. Hi...s.

Art. 52. An Enquiry into the Origin, Divine Authority, and Expediency of Civil Establishments of Religion in general, and of Chriftianity in particular. 8vo. pp. 56. 1s. 6d. Johnfon. 1791. After a brief history of the civil establishments of religion in the Pagan world, and among Chriftians, this author endeavours to prove, that they are deftructive of the right of private judgment and religious liberty; that they have a natural tendency to injuftice and oppreffion; that they are favourable to worldly views, but unfriendly to thofe of truth, piety, and virtue; and that they neither agree with the juft rights, nor conduce to the best interests, of mankind. The writer delivers his fentiments with great clearness, modefty, and candour. He does not expect that they should be generally received: but they are fuch as deferve the attention of those who wish to understand the merits of the question relative to establishments. Art. 53. Sermons. By John Dun, V. D. M. To each Volume is added a Mifcellaneous Appendix. 8vo. 2 Vols. About 280 pages in each. 8s. Boards. Printed at Kilmarnock, and fold

in London, by Dilly. 1790.

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The very familiar, not to fay vulgar, talk of this orthodox fon of the Scottish Kirk, will not, probably, find many admirers on this fide of the Tweed. Notwithstanding all the pains which the author has taken to give, as he says, old, but precious and golden wares a new brush,' we cannot promife him a very ready fale for his goods in the English market. The volumes contain, befide the popular rmons, two Latin difcourfes, on the perfon of Chrift, and on the fatisfaction of Chrift, with appendices confifting of a strange medley of low and trifling chat. After giving a brief fpecimen of this writer's liberality, and another of his wit, we believe we fhall, without much difficulty, obtain our reader's permiffion to clofe this article.

The Trinity is a myftery not intended for explanation. There is nothing in man's view to compare it unto, and we can have no idea of unfeen things but by comparifon. Dean Swift has the beft Sermon on the Trinity that is extant-he was no enthufiaft. To "deny any of the perfons of the holy Trinity" is death by law. Hear a clergyman licensed or ordained and you will see his crime in attacking this doctrine.'

Would not this fage Prefbyter have been an excellent inquifitor? Let us turn over to the appendix of the first volume, (p. 231.) and we fhall fee im under a more pleasant afpect:

REV. JUNE 1791.

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Moo-y.

In "the days when he was young," and before toll roads were known in Scotland, the author had a most delightful jaunt along the river Efk,-in company,-almoft alone,-convoying a coufin in her way from her education at Edinburgh to her father's houfe. A witch fhe was-I had formerly felt her power, as had fifty others. She did not, as witches do, wound us with pins, but with darts. She was a witch indeed; for the wounded us quite through the heart."

66

Has not the old gentleman, we may ask, been a wag, in his ounger days?

Read on, and we fhall fee.

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What formalift ever gained the heart of either man or woman? "But when the's attack'd by a youth full of charms,

"Whofe courtship proclaims him a man,

"When lock'd in his bofom, and clafp'd in his arms,
"Let her then fay no if the can, can, can:
"Let her then fay no if she can."

O fye! good Mr. Dun: furely this is not quite the thing from a V. D. M.!

MISCELLANEOUS.

E.

Art. 54. Extracts of Letters from Arthur Phillip, Esq. Governor of New South Wales, to Lord Sydney; to which is annexed a Defcription of Norfolk Island, by Philip Gidley King, Efq, and an Account of Expences incurred in tranfporting Convicts to New South Wales. 4to. pp. 26. 28. Debrett. 1791.

Thefe difpatches, we believe, have all been circulated in the public papers; and however this remote colony of defperate outcafts may eventually profper, it has hitherto proved a very chargeable experiment; and now, by the Governor's computation, all perfons who go out to fettle there, muft, befide an allowance of convict labourers, be fupported from the public ftores for two years, before they will be able to maintain themselves. The establifhment has, nevertheless, made confiderable progress; it has, we hope, weathered out the greatest hazard, and has no unfavourable profpect to difcourage future efforts.

N.

Art. 55. The wonderful Flights of Edmund the Rhapsodift, into the fublime and beautiful Regions of Fancy, Fiction, Extravagance, and Abfurdity, expofed, and laughed at. By a Defcendant of Momus. 8vo. PP. 71. 2s 6d. Symonds. 1791.

In this pamphlet, we fee the Faulcon, towering in his pride of place, hawk'd at by a moufing owl!-Much of this writer's wit and wifdom is put into the mouth of a horfe. It might, perhaps, have been bestowed with rather more propriety, if it had been put

into that of an afs.

Whether this would-be wag thinks his frontifpiece, or his dialogue, intitles him to charge half a crown for his horfe-laugh, we know not: but we know that it is much more like the production of a defcendant of Autolicus to pick pockets, than like a descendant of Momus.

Pear. Art.

Art. 56. Secret Memoirs of Robert, Coune de Parades, written by
235
himself, on coming out of the Baftile.
important Facts for the Hiftory of the late War; and containing
Serving to fupply fome
an Account of his fuccefsful Tranfactions, as a Spy in England,
with the real Caufes of the Failure of the ever memorable Expe-
dition against Plymouth, in 1779. 8vo.

pp. 155. 2s. 6d.

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Baldwin. 1791. The French editors of this publication fay, that they have made no alteration in the ftyle of these memoirs. the public, just as they were prefented to the King' and the English We lay them before tranflator urges feveral reafons for believing that they are authentic. Allowing this to be the cafe, the pamphlet contains particulars that may be very interefting to the English reader; and which fhould ferve as additional motives to our Government to be extremely careful in trufting their fervants with fuch important knowlege as appears to have been fo treacherously given to M. de Paradès. By a perufal of this pamphlet, minillers would perceive the departments in which they have been betrayed: they would fee that they were thofe in which fecrecy and fidelity were abfolutely effential to the welfare of this kingdom; and they might be induced to exercise falutary caution in them for the future, by the knowlege of the caufes of the mifchief that fo nearly happened to us a few years ago: G.z.

rt. 57. An Account of the Efcate of Monfieur Delatude, a French Officer of Engineers, from the Battile, in the Year 1756. Written by himself, and published at Paris in 1789. Tranflated from the French. 8vo. pp. 46. Memoirs of this writer's wonderful efcape from the Baftile, and 1s. 6d. Cadell. 1791. alfo (twice) from the Dungeon of Vincennes, were printed, about four years ago, and foon after announced in our Review *. Those memoirs M. de la Tude disclaims: his advertisement prefixed to the pamphlet before us, is as follows: Monfieur Veftier, painter of the Royal Academy, having exhibited my portrait in the faloon, to which he has added the principal inftruments which facilitated my efcape from the Baftile; I cannot but believe, that the public feels fome curiofity, to learn from myself the means by which I obtained my liberty. The following relation is doubtless more worthy of belief, than that which was published, without my knowlege, in 1787.' The prefent pamphlet regards only his efcape, the preparations for which employed his unremitting diligence, with that of his companion in adverfity, for eighteen months. marvellous account! M. de la Tude appears fertile in invention, in It is indeed a which, his knowlege as an engineer, no doubt, yielded him afliftHis relation, he obferves, affords a convincing proof that there is fcarcely any end, to which patience, courage, and a knowlege of mathematics, are not capable of attaining.'

ance.

This publication, although very interefting, and containing what Walmoft exceeds belief, is fo far incomplete, as it exhibits no information concerning the caufe of his confinement, the length of it,

* See Review for March 1788, vol. lxxviii. p. 232.

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