itaque Jaëlem, cum lac daret, animum habuiffe inebriandi Siferæ : nec aliter concipi poffe, qui factum fit ut imperator prælio vićtus, atque in fugam præcipitem conjectus, mox tam profundo fomno Jopiri potuerit. Que viri celeb. fententia uti nobis vehementer placet, ita gaudemus etiam novum nos illi robur conciliare nunc posse auctoritate Tanchumi, Judæi Hierofolymitani," &c. The opinion of thefe able critics will, perhaps, receive additional support from a custom which ftill prevails among the Tartars. They prepare from the milk of their mares a fort of wine which they call Koumifs, and which, we are told, deferves to be celebrated for its healing as well as its intoxicating qualities. See M. Rev. July 1788, p. 35. Pay...S. ART. VI. Sermons preached in the British Ambaffader's Chapel, at Paris, in the Years 1774, 1775, 1776. By the late Rev. Paul Henry Maty, M. A. F. R. S. Under Librarian at the British Mufeum, and fome time Secretary to the Royal Society. 8vo. 10s. 6d. Boards. Cadell, &c. 1788. THE HE author of thefe Sermons was well known in the literary world. His talents and character procured him the office of Chaplain to the British Ambaffador at Paris. His extenfive acquaintance with men of science and learning, and his perfonal attainments, rendered him well qualified for the pofts which he occupied after he became refident in England. In the capacity of a clergyman he appeared with credit and diftinction, and might eafily have arrived at preferment, had he not found it neceffary, from confcientious motives, to separate from the church of England. In the year 1777, he published his reasons for this measure; on which he declared, that he left the Establishment, not because he difapproved of fubfcriptions in general (for they feemed to him both lawful and expedient), but because he was diffatisfied with the Athanafian doctrine concerning the Trinity, and with the doctrines of the Church concerning original fin, predeftination, &c. and because he thought that fome of these doctrines itrike at the root of all religion. After this unequivocal proof of his integrity, Mr. Maty was in a fituation which rendered the conftant exertion of his talents neceffary to his comfortable fubfiftence. Among other useful labours, he undertook, and for fome years fupported *, with con * As his father, Dr. Maty, had done before him, near 40 years ago. The Doctor's work was written in French, and entitled Jour nal Britannique. We forget whether it came out monthly or quarterly. It was carried on for fome years, with general approbation: yet it was at last difcontinued for want of encouragement from the public. fiderable fiderable reputation, though fmall profit, and almoft without affiftance, a Literary Journal. The public will eafily believe that, thus circumftanced, he would have little opportunity of making provifion for his family; and they will not wonder that it has been thought expedient to print a volume of Sermons for their benefit. The work is published under the respectable names of "The Bishop of St. David's, Charles Peter Layard, and Richard Southgate." A volume of Sermons, introduced to the world under thefe circumftances, has, independently of its intrinfic merit, a powerful claim on the attention of the public. But the difcourfes themselves are, by no means, unworthy of publication. They poffefs much originality, and are ftrongly marked with the peculiar character of the author. The fubjects are chiefly practical; they are written with animation; they breathe a liberal spirit; and, though drawn up when the author was young, to borrow the words of the Editors, they contain much which may edify the pious Chriftian.' The following brief extract may ferve to fhew the author's manner. Difcourfing on Luke, ii. 13, 14. he fays: Examine the morality of the Gofpel, and you will find, that a country, in which it fhould become prevalent, would need no other tie to enfure its profperity. It would be a community of brethren who would mutually affift, fupport, protect, and confole each other: it would be a land in which property would be only afcertained, that it might be again more pleafurably communicated: it would be an affociation from the midst of which charity would banish ftrife, and exclude, first cover, and then exclude for ever a multitude of fins: it would be one comprehenfive, one feeling family, in which honour, gratitude, friendship, filial piety, love; all the focial affections would flourish with the fame ftrength, the fame freshness, the fame purity, the fame unalienable conftancy that they had in the infancy of the world: it would be the Jerufalem of our God, the Mount Zion where he would love to dwell; the temple where he would fix his habitation and fecurity; equal fecurity from foreign and domeftic foes, would atteft that his glory rested round it. Who is there, indeed, who is there, independently of the refiftance they would expect from a band of brothers, who is there would venture to attack a city conftituted and defended in fuch a manner? A BROTHER JOURNALIST having declared the 14th, 15th, and 16th Discourses to have been copied from Archbishop Secker, we have, on this occafion, turned to the Archbishop's works, and in his 2d and 3d volumes we found the three Sermons, which had been tranfcribed, with fcarcely the variation of a fingle word.-Had this circumstance been known to the Right Rev. and Rev. Editors, thofe borrowed Sermons, we may be affured, would not have been here given to the world as the compofitions of Mr. Maty:- who might have had reafons for delivering, from the pulpit, fome of Dr. Secker's excellent Difcourfes; but he could never have intended to publish them, as his own.-We are forry that he fuffered his tranfcripts to furvive him. G. Rev. March, 1789. Q Who Who is there would be interested in being their enemies, who fhould neither infult, defpife, envy, or refufe affiftance to any of their fellow creatures? If they had enemies, their ftandard would be the general standard of the good; and the Lord of hofts would lead their armies to the field. Wherefore, alas! then, wherefore is there ftill fo little of reality in this perfpective? And was it, indeed, rather a wish than a prediction, which was uttered by the meflengers of heaven? Did they in truth forefee, that men would make an unworthy ufe of this last prefent, as they had done of all others? Did they anticipate ages ftill more dark than any which had preceded them, and difcover tyranny and fuperftition erecting their joint dominion upon the ruins of freedom, literature, and good-manners? And were there no other profpects unfolded but the melancholy ones of a religion established by maffacres; and the fymbols of a God of love, changed into the fignals of havock and defolation? Far be it from us to fuppofe it. Thank Heaven those days of blood are only to be found in the impartial chronicles, which hold up the crimes of ancestors for the inftruction of their defcendants: and thank Heaven ftill more, there is not a defcendant but what blushes at the recollection of parental ftains, and detefts the uncharitable principles which occafioned them. This we owe to the progrefs of human reafon, and more particularly to the effects of that improvement apparent in the reformation. What was done then, what, though imperceptibly almoft, has been done fince, even the works which our adverfaries have raised to the honour of the living God; the feeds of tolerance, compaflion, and general benevolence which they have scattered amidst the tares, contribute to perfuade us, that the re-establishment of all things will approach in God's due time; and that our happier defcendants, at leaft, will fee the fortunate æra we have been endeavouring to defcribe. Parents of this flattering hope; inhabitants of this favoured ifle; you, whofe fathers took fo active, fo honourable a part in the great work, we perfuade ourfelves that you will prove faithful to the blood from whence you fprung; that you will be the foremost to lay afide prejudices which ftill difgrace Chriftianity; to give examples of forgiveness to brethren who differ from you; to pity, cherith, confole, and enlighten adverfaries who have not had the fame advantages of a religious education as yourselves. So fhall the common Mafter be exalted as he defires; fo fhall" Glory be to God in the higheft." After the account which we have given of this publication, and its object, the generous Public will not be difpleafed at the unufual price of the volume, but will be happy in an opportunity of affifting the widow and children of a worthy man. E. ART. VII. Twelve Difcourfes, delivered chiefly at the Meetinghoufe of the People called Quakers, in the Park, Southwark. By the late Thomas Letchworth. 8vo. 4s. Boards. Richardfon. 1787. THE HE do&rine of univerfal grace, of which a portion is abled to fulfil his duty, is the leading principle of the Quakers: the difcourfes before us chiefly inculcate this doctrine, and at the fame time fhew, that every moral action is wholly dependant on the Spirit which is fole director to every good work. Keeping this fingle point always in view, the preacher is every where confiftent with himfelf, and fometimes fo to fuch a degree, that he repeats the fame things, in different difcourfes, nearly in the fame words: for this however the editor makes an apology, in the Preface. The Difcourfes were taken in fhort hand by a perfon not of the fame religious opinions with the preacher; and when we confider that the Quakers difclaim all previous ftudy in compofing their fermons, we muft admire the energy of the language, although we cannot always affent to the doctrines inculcated. Thomas Letchworth began his minifterial labours at an early period of life: a confumptive habit and an imperfect ftate of health in his youth, probably confpired with a difpofition naturally reflective and ferious, to raise in his mind a strong sense of the vanity of human defires, and the great importance of a religious life. The qualifications for the miniftry not being, according to the tenets of the Quakers, attainable any other way than by regeneration, which is the work of God,-Mr. Letchworth, by ferious meditation, and continual waiting for the Spirit, became, at 20 years of age, an admired and useful preacher. The text to the firft Sermon is, Men and brethren, what shall we do to be faved? It is a good compofition, and had been printed before, in Ireland, where it was attributed to another preacher. We call it a compofition, because it appears to be the production of much study, and not the extemporaneous effu. fion of extravagant enthufiafm. The following fpecimen will fupport our opinion: No perfon, who fincerely believes in the existence of a God, in a future ftate, and in the awful doctrine of rewards and punishments, can be indifferent refpecting what may be his lot, when he fhall be difpoffeffed of this frail tabernacle of clay which he now inhabits, and which is approaching to the period of its diffolution. It cannot be a matter of indifference to him, whether he fhall finally receive the irrevocable fentence of, Go, ye curfed, into regions of unfpeakable mifery; or, Come ye bleed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for the righteous;-enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, and into thy Mafter's reft. This concern has prompted many to enquire what is effentially neceffary for them to believe and practife, in order to render themfelves proper objects of divine complacence, and furnish them with a well-grounded hope of a happy and glorious immortality. The honeft and fincere in every nation under heaven, have formed different ideas of the requifites of falvation; and they have, of course, purfued as different measures to accomplish that defirable and bleffed end. It does not appear to be my prefent bufinefs to particularize any of the various fyftems of faith which are adopted by any party among mankind. It is not to controvert matters, in which fincere men of various denominations moft furely believe, but rather to recommend them to ftand open always to conviction, and to a strict attention to thofe rules of conduct, which, on an impartial examination, appear to them the most agreeable to the will of Heaven. I fhall therefore address myself to thofe, in whatever religious fociety they are found, whofe honeft inquiries have not yet been attended with fufficient coaviction,-have not yet led them clearly to perceive what the terms are on which their future happiness depends, and are, therefore, looking one upon another, whilst this important queftion is found at least in their hearts, if not in their mouths, Men and brethren what shall we do to be faved? What we have here tranfcribed is the introduction to the firft difcourfe, the whole of which is in the fame ftyle. The other difcourfes are fimilar to this in language, and they all proceed on the fame principle. The prefent performance will, doubtlefs, be acceptable to all perfons whofe religious fentiments coincide with thofe of the author; and every confcientious Chriftian will receive inftruction from the perufal of it. The neceffary government of the paffions, and a firm refiftance of the allurements to vice, are often enlarged on; and proper directions are given for obtaining that holy dif pofition of mind which must neceffarily be productive of good works, and influence every moral action. R....... ART. VIII. Obfervations on the Difeafes of the Army in Jamaica, and on the best Means of preferving the Health of Europeans, in that Climate. By John Hunter, M. D. F. R. S. and Phyfician to the Army. 8vo. pp. 328. 5s. Boards. Nicol. 1788. D R. Hunter, who was fuperintendant of the military hofpitals at Jamaica, from the beginning of the year 1781, to May 1783, has, in the prefent volume, given a minute account of the most prevailing difeafes, which he there had an opportunity of obferving. In the introduction to his work, he defcribes the ifland of Jamaica, particularly the face of the country, the climate, the produce, and the ufual ftate of the weather. He next enumerates the difeafes to which Europeans are fubject on their arrival in the ifland; of thefe, the most fatal are fevers and fluxes. They are indeed concomitants with armies in all parts of the world, but in tropical climates they rage with peculiar violence. Dr. Hunter thinks they feem to depend on the fame cause, perhaps differently modified. They are, doubtlefs, intimately connected, for they are frequently combined together, often interchange with each other, and it rarely happens that one is epi |