and colloquial phrafes; but thefe are fuch as will scarcely be obferved by any but critical judges of compofition.

Our readers will form a proper notion of his manner of writing and reafoning, from the following extract.

That Jefus fhould melt into tears for his dead friend at the time when he was immediately about to bring him to life again, is fuch an abfurdity in the opinion of those who improperly call themselves free-thinkers, as deftroys the credit of the whole ftory. But it is the misfortune of fceptics, in general, to look no further than the face of things; to judge according to their first appearance. Of fuch there are fmall hopes. To others who are not quite fo fuperficial, but are willing to fearch a little deeper into the matter, it may be proper and possible to give fome fatisfaction, at least if their doubts are fincere and confcientious.

Now the objection before-mentioned, where it is real, and comes from the heart, proceeds from not attending duly to human nature, but confounding reafon and conftitution together; or giving the former fuch a power and authority over the latter, as the hath no right to, neither doth claim. The office of reafon is not to root out, but to regulate the paffions, and affections--not to destroy their being, but to restrain their excess; and to direct and govern them, both as to the object and the degree. Sorrow and fympathy are as natural to the human mind as cold and hunger to the body; and to prevent them, belongs neither to the province nor power of reason. In this refpect the mind is merely paffive, and no other than what wax is to the impreffion fampt upon it. This internal fenfe is a thing quite diftinct from reafon, and hath no connection with it; depends not upon arguments or choice, but is derived from nature, and acts, and is acted upon by neceffity. We fee it in many inftances; we obferve men furprisingly affected by the fight of a picture, or the combination of founds, before they have examined, or even without being able to examine them by the rules of painting or mufic, or without the leat skill in the laws of fymmetry and harmony. Juft fo it is with spectacles of diftrets. We are ftricken at the first view. We do not afk reafon whether, or no, we fhall be moved, but readily obey the great and alarming fummens. In theatrical performances, does not the thrilling tear burft from the eyes of an audience upon imaginary fcenes of horror and diftrefs, though at the fame time they are well aware that fuch fcenes are merely fictitious, the effect of art and fancy, and often void of truth, or even probability itself? Do they confult their reason, and inquire into the grounds of their forrow? or rather do they not weep, as it were, againit reafon? Nature pleads and the tears flow.

The queftion fhould be, therefore, whether Jefus's weeping over Lazarus was natural; whether he did more than would be

ex.

expected from any other perfon, of a kind and compafionate temper, in the like circumstances? And if (as we have juft now obferved) nature claims it as a debt to imaginary fcenes, how much rather to real fufferings? For fuch were thofe which now moved our Saviour's concern, and bade the filent tear be witness of it.

It is true he was fenfible that thofe fufferings would be fhort; that he had the cure along with him; that he was come on purpose to apply it; that the dead man fhould be immediately raised, and all their forrows fubfide-but what then? Was not the object which he then beheld, were not the lamentations which he then heard, affecting? If fo that was enough.

When Pharaoh's daughter opened the ark of balrushes, and faw the child Mofes, who had been therein expofed to the rude mercy of the winds and waves, we read, the babe wept. It is not faid, but it would be an injuftice to her character not to fuppofe, that he wept alfo, provoked by fo piteous a fight. And though he knew that it was in her power to fave and protect the poor, helpless, devoted infant; yea though fhe refolved to take him under her royal protection, and to adopt him for her fon, yet it is not likely that fuch her humane refolution at once ftopped the flow of her tears, or reftrained her tenderness, but fo long at least as the fame moving object continued in her fight, the fame emotions of pity worked in her breast, notwithftanding the happy change defigned for him. In like manner our Saviour beheld things as they then appeared, viewed them in their prefent fituation-Lazarus entombed beneath his feeta weeping crowd before his eyes-a fcene furely very proper to move the human heart, and call forth the fympathetic tear. And therefore, fince our blessed Lord in all things became like unto us, fin only excepted, can we wonder to find him warmed with thofe kind and generous affections which are justly esteemed the most amiable part of our nature? Or muft we not have wondered if he had not been fufceptible of thofe impreffions which the beft of men feel the most fenfibly; and which are one true criterion of their excellency ?

The following are the principal fubjects, which the author has explained and illuftrated in thefe two volumes. The weeping of Jefus at the Tomb of Lazarus, the Righteoufnefs which exalteth a nation, the real and pretended Chriftians Pride, Envy, Slander, the whole Duty of Man, true Zeal, the Sacrament, Jephtha's Vow, Church Mufic, worldly and religious Pursuits, the Punishment of Haman, Contentment, the proper Ufe of temporal Bleffings, Faith without Works, Christ's Victory over the World, a good Name, Repentance, and the Care of the Soul.

In the fermon on Jephtha's Vow, Mr. Downes tranflates the Hebrew particle, Jud. xi. 31, or; and fuppofes that Jephtha's daughter was not facrificed. This opinion is now

ge

generally adopted; but the beft interpretation is propofed by a late writer *, who tranflates the latter part of the verse in this manner: And I will offer to him a burnt offering;' which entirely acquits the father from any obligation to perform the cruel and unwarrantable act of facrificing his daughter.

MONTHLY CATALOGUE.

NOVEL

S.

Modern Times, or the Adventures of Gabriel Outcaft; fuppofed to be written by himself. In Imitation of Gil Blas. 3 Vals 12mo. 9s. Walter.

THERE is an agreeable pleasantry in Gil Blas, which renders his adventures in the palace of Philip, or the tower of Segovia, equally interefting. We feldom approve of his conduct, yet his fuccefs pleafes, and his misfortunes diftrefs us. To each state alfo his manners and his converfa. tion are fo nicely adapted, that he seems fitted only for it; and the changes in his fituation are produced by causes apparently fo natural, that the mind with ease paffes from the robbers' cavern to all the elegancies of the hotel garni. On these accounts, Le Sage's hero pleases readers of every de fcription, and each joins in the applaufe, frequently without a moment's enquiry into its foundation. We think that our author has acted injudiciously, in obtruding this excellent work on our notice; and, by that means, faggefting a com parifon very unfavourable to his own. Several of the fituations are indeed fervilely copied from Gil Blas. Our hero is connected with robbers of a lefs atrocious kind! and, while he fails in villainy, exceeds his prototype in dignity, for Gabriel is actually prime minifter: he is also a fervant, a ftage-player, and, to finish the climax, a doctor, and a reviewer; befides many fubordinate characters, and fome more. exalted ones, already mentioned.

As our experience is by no means equally extenfive, we cannot judge of all his representations: but his portraits are often diftorted likeneffes; and, though we perceive fome ori ginal traits, the colouring frequently difguifes the refemblance. He feems to have obferved, and copied the picture in the worst light; and to have deferibed the characters of profeflions from the loweft of its profeffors. Of the conduct of Reviewers, and of their ufual proceedings, he is entirely

* See Crit. Rev. vol. xiii. p. 63.

VoL. LIX. Jan. 1784.

igno

ignorant; indeed it often amufes, rather than difpleafes us, to fee fuch different defcriptions of our characters and connexions, while all are diftant from the truth :-but Let the gulled jade wince, our withers are unwrung.'

In the change of fituations, probability is not very often preferved; and fome of the adventures border too much on the marvellous. But, before we can trike the balance, we must furvey the oppofite fide. Many of the characters introduced into thefe volumes are drawn with fpirit, and preferved with confiftency; though, when we catch a living likeness, we think the picture, as ufual, is overcharged. The different fituations are defcribed with pleafantry, and we are led through the train of adventures without languor or liftlefsnefs. The author is generally in good humour himfelf, except where he fpeaks of bookfellers or reviewers; and his ftrokes of ridicule are fometimes fo poignant, and generally fo tranfitory, that we forget our own lathes, to contemplate the punishment of our neighbours, who seldom fare better. The anecdotes, as our author allows, are fometimes copied indeed a little examination might detect his plagiarifms more frequently; but, as he obferves, a well-timed story may often be introduced into company with propriety, though fome of them have already heard it. This is, in our opinion, an impartial review of he merits and faults of these volumes, which the Literary Society have thought worthy their protection, and dignified with the advantages of the Logogrophic Press. But, whatever advantages may refult from this mode of printing, we think, even from the fpecimen before us, they are compenfated at least by equal inconveniences. As to the great object of the fociety, viz. to publish works of merit, which bookfellers will not undertake, we fhall make few obfervations, till we find that important publications are refused by the latter, and in danger of oblivion, unlefs fupported by the former. The Myrtle; or, the Effects of Love. A Novel. In a Series of Letters, by a Lady. 3 Vols. 12mo. 95. Lane.

We perufe fo many trifling performances of this kind, that we want a variety of language to characterife them; but, in future, when we meet with any thing unufually trifling, we may fay, that it is as trite as infignificant, and as uninterelting as the Myrtle.

The Cafket; or, Double Difiovery. A Novel. In Two Volumes. 12m10. 6s. Lowndes.

We meet with the hackneyed adventures, and the ufual caraftrophes, of novels in thefe volumes, without an uncommon incident, a peculiar character, or new language. The work is one of thofe equivocal beings, without the spirit and dignity

of

of man; yet not fo far debafed by trifling effeminacy, as to belong to the other fex. It is a milk and water production; and we shall leave it to the babes and fucklings, for whofe weak organs it is peculiarly adapted.- Peace to its manes.' The Young Widow; or, the History of Mrs. Ledwich. Written by berfelf. In a Series of Letters to James Lewis, Efq. 2 Vols. 12mo. 65. Noble.

The editor wishes for the character of a moralift, at least indirectly, for he endeavours to show, that beauty and fortune are not able to procure happiness, when they are not accompanied by virtue.' In pursuit of this plan, he has given vice no feductive colouring, nor decorated her with allurements, which will continue long after the moral is forgotten. But, on the other hand, the tale is trite, uninteresting, and infipid: the young widow's virtues and frailties, her pleasures and remorse, are buried in a country retirement: we wish not to disturb her repose, nor to roufe her from the oblivion in which she will foon be involved.

POETRY.

Poems. By the Rev. William Lipfcomb, A. M. 4to. 35. 6d. Walter.

In this publication we have the following original poems: 1. Ode to Midnight. 2. Beneficial Effects of Inoculation. 3. Elegy on the Death of Lord Lyttelton. 4. The Powers of Sympathy. 5. Ode to the Genius of Bath-Eafton. 6. Verfes on Lord North's public Reception at Oxford. 7. To a Sifter, on her Birth-Day. 8. To a Young Lady. Thefe compofitions feldom rife beyond mediocrity, and to do juftice to the author, lefs frequently fink beneath it: though we are rather furprifed how fuch a line as

Th' Almighty's fovereign Deity,'

crept into a performance in general correct, and free from glar ing improprieties. We with the fixth poem had been omitted, when we are told that the honourable lord there introduced under the name of Britain's Genius,'

'-chac'd to climes remote the blood-stain'd foe,'that he was

Born both to grace. his country and defend

-Britannia's guardian and the Mufe's friend.'

Do not fuch encomiums too forcibly recall Pope's well-known line?

Praife undeferv'd is cenfure in difguife."

All that we can allege in the author's favour is, that as the poem was written in 1773, the American war was not at that time commenced, nor Mr. Warton probably known to the noble lord he has fo injudiciously celebrated. The performance which pleafes us moft is that on inoculation, and which we are told, obtained one of the chancellor's prizes at the university