They have a sort of something, somehow got,
Have so much suffer'd from tifey know not what,
That they must haste to catch the sea side air,
Just when and where such invalids repair.
There Pleasure waits, their doctor and their nurse,
To fill their time up, and to drain their purse.
Now all alert, most rapidly they mend,

Ere mirth grows stale-while money lasts to spend.'

Mr Touch'em seems to be perfectly satisfied with himself, or otherwise he could not have encouraged his rhyming diarrhoea. He modestly indeed prays, in the motto, to be saved "on the brink of writing ill" but we are sorry to inform him that he has completely tumbled in, head over heels.

Art. 28. Three Lyrie Odes, on late celebrated Occasions. By the
Rev. William Clubbe, Vicar of Brandeston. 4to. 28. 6d.
Printed at Ipswich.

The first of these odes is devoted to the Victory of the Nile in 1798, the second to the Battle of Trafalgar, and the third is intitled Harmony,' addressed to Britannia.' So much has been written by various bards on the subjects of the first two of these short odes, that Mr. Clubbe cannot be supposed to have furnished any new idea: but the following stanza on the death of Nelson is well expressed; Who but must see with delug'd eye

The matchless Victor of the Main
Upon his native shore again

Of his own victory the victim lie!

Of Heaven perhaps too much we crave

To grant us conquest and our conquerors save.'

the

In the last ode, the poet, invoking Harmony, calls her choicest gift the Gods bestow: but, however classical polytheism may be, we cannot allow it to be orthodox in a christian divine to avail himself, even in the character of a poet, of the assistance of the Gods. He reminds his countrymen of the success of a few united Greeks against the vast host of the Persian monarch; and, conceiving that the abilities of Britons, both in the Senate and in the Field, are not inferior to those of the sons of antient Greece, he pronounces that pothing is wanting except Unanimity to insure our triumph:

· And doth not Albion boast on land

The valour of the Spartan band?
Doth she not count upon her seas
The equals of Themistocles?
In wisdom do her Statesmen yield
To Grecian Senators the field?
For patriot spirit, is her name.
Eclips'd by aught of ancient fame?
Whate'er was valiant, wise or great
In Greece, adorns the British State.

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Blest

And lonely wand'ring on the shore
His ruin'd armaments deplore.'

Britannia must hold her head high on this representation of the poet; and, after such a comparison, can her sons despair?

Art. 29. Poetry, Odes, Prologues, and Epilogues spoken on Public Occasions at Reading School: to which is added some Account of the Lives of the Rev. Mr. Benwell, and the Rev. Dr. Butt. 8vo. pp. 264. 7s. Boards. Richardson.

This Collection,' as the preface states, consists of Poems spoken at Reading School, since the accession of the present Master in 1781, and is published at the desire of the speakers, who cast a pleasing recollection on those exhibitions which have formed a part of their amusement and insruction.' The writers of the principal part of these poems were the late Mr. Benwell, and the late Dr. Butt; the others named are Mr. Bolland, the late Mr. Seward, and Mr. Pye. The compositions, several of which are in Latin, have various merit, some of them evincing the juvenile age of the writers, while others would do credit to more matured authors. Dr. Valpy seems to have taken great pains with his pupils, and the publication must add to the repute of his seminary.

The life of Mr. Benwell is composed by the Rev. Mr. Kett, and that of Dr. Butt by the editor (Dr. Valpy): to the friends and acquaintance of those amiable and accomplished characters, this part of the work will prove peculiarly interesting, and even the indifferent reader will find himself improved in the perusal of it: the accounts are ably written.

Art. 30. Hymns by the late Rev. Joseph Grigg. 12mo. 6d. Ri

vingtons, &c.

We knew the merit and the abilities of Mr. Grigg: but they consisted not in the powers of versification. The appearance of these Hymns will prove this fact in a way which the friends of Mr. G. will not bail with satisfaction; and had they been worth publishing, the meanness of their present garb would have equally displeased them.

NOVEL.

Art. 31. Memoirs of Bryan Perdue. By Thomas Holcroft. 12mo. 3 Vols. 158. Boards. Longman and Co.

It is stated by Mr. Holcroft, in the preface to these volumes, that his object in writing novels has always been to advance some moral purpose that his Anna St. Ives was designed to teach fortitude to females, his Hugh Trevor to induce youth to inquire into the morality of a profession before they adopted it for their course in life, and that of the present work to inculcate on legislators and others a consideration of the value of human life, and the moral tendency of our penal laws. For this purpose he depicts a young man of considerable

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siderable intellectual endowments, but of unrestrained passions; whe occasionally commits both good and evil actions; who is finally guilty of a crime that puts his life in danger, but is rescued on a point of law; and who subsequently reforms, and makes amends to mankind for his past misconduct.

Mr. Holcroft's strong manner of writing, in compositions of this nature, and the peculiarity of some of his opinions respecting errors or crimes and punishments, are well known to the public. The tale before us displays both these characteristics of his pen; and we think that it will interest generally, please in many parts, and offend in some; against the vice of gambling in particular, it furnishes many striking admonitions. With regard to the general theory respecting Punishments, none will dispute that the primary intention of punishment should be reformation, and that no reformation in this world can take place in that man who is sent out of it by the hands of the execu tioner: but for the prevention of the higher crimes, the most serious forfeiture, that of life, has been decreed by the institutions of society in terrorem. The difficulty consists in laying the line of discrimination: a difficulty which perhaps involves the impossibility of guarding against instances of lamentable severity, any otherwise than by the prerogative of mercy which the sovereign possesses. It is easy to imagine such cases as Mr. Holcroft has delineated, though the crime may be more readily exemplified than the amendment; and in all such, his termination is much more pleasing and more beneficial than that of the hang man: but general laws are not to be founded on particular facts.

POLITICAL.

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Art. 37. Observations addressed to the Public, in particular to the Grand Furies, of these Dominions. 8vo. pp. 73. 2s. 6d. Rivingtons. 1806.

This writer is of opinion that, in the course of the last fifteen years, a great moral degeneracy has prevailed among the middle and lower orders of the community; and mourning over the lamentable change in appropriate strains, he warmly exhorts all persons of weight and influence to stem the growing torrent. His counsels are well intended, and in general shew his good sense not less than his regard for religion and virtue: but we are sorry to find him discouraging Sun. à Schools, and countenancing the vulgar cry against unshackled

trade.

Art. 33. Advantages of Russia in the present Contest with France. With a short Description of the Cozacks. Svo.. 2s. 6d. Jordan and Co. 1807.

The gigantic power of France is now in close contact with the gigantic power of Russia, and Europe is looking with anxious expect. ation to the result of the sanguinary conflict. In opposition to the opinion of many, and to the fears of more, this writer contends for the superior advantages of Russia, and would induce ns to hope that the exorbitant domination of France will be curbed by the present warfare in Poland. Much, however, as we wish to see the strides of Bonaparte to universal empire effectually checked, we cannot build

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our persuasion of the certainty of this event on any of the statements of this pamphlet. Declamations on the abilities of Suwarow, or on the result of the battle of Austerlitz, (here called not a victory, but "a handsome present from the Cabinet of Austria to the Emperor of the French,') are little suited to the present purpose. We expected to find calculations of the physical strength of the two contending empires; instead of which, we are presented with a display of the loyalty, incorruptibility, and individual superiority of the Russian soldier, and with accounts of the value of Calmuck and Cozack tribes as irregular troops. It is hinted, indeed, that Russia is inferior to her adversary in point of revenue; which intimation will no doubt incline the liberal John Bull to accede to a handsome subsidy.

Towards the conclusion, the writer seems to fear, notwithstanding the display of advantages on the part of Russia, that France will succeed in the contest: but, if this should be the case, it must arise, he says, from its being the will of Heaven that Bonaparte should be the scourge of mankind. Thus, if Alexander triumphs, the author will plume himself on his discernment; if Napoleon, he will shelter himself under the decrees of Providence.

RELIGIOUS.

Art. 34. A View of Religions, in three Parts; Part I. Containing an Alphabetical Compendium of the Denominations among Christians. Part II. Containing a brief Account of Paganism, Mahomedism, Judaism, and Deism. Part III. Containing a View of the Religions of the different Nations of the World. By Hannah Adams. A new Edition, with Corrections and Additions. To which is prefixed, An Essay on Truth, by Andrew Fuller. 12mo. pp. 500. 63. Boards. Button. 1805.

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It is very natural for a man who has conscientiously devoted himself to the examination of the Scriptures, to suppose that his view of religious truth must be correct; yet, if he reflected that others, who differ from him, may be equally conscientious, and are equally interested with himself in the discovery of truth, he would see reason for abating his self-confidence, and for contemplating his own belief (if we may so express ourselves,) with a kind of scepticism. An Essay on Truth, prefixed to a dictionary of Religions, or rather to the long catalogue of the sects which have prevailed in the Christian world, may be well meant, but, by its very position, it seems to proclaim it. self a hopeless attempt. Mr. Fuller ventures to reply to the difficult question, What is Truth? and we have no doubt of his having given an honest opinion: but how far he has actually succeeded, his readers must be left to determine. We purpose not to controvert his decisions, yet we beg to suggest to him the propriety of weighing the exact meaning of words, in deciding on the doctrines of Revelation. We must ask whether the phrase Christ died for us is precisely equivalent to he died as our substitute? For more frequently expresses in behalf of, than in the room of the sense affixed to for will materially change the view of the subject; and a modest man, after having stated his particular notions of the benefits derived by sinners from the sufferings and death of Christ, would have been e

strained from adding. If this doctrine be received, Christianity is received if not, the record which God hath given us of his Son is rejected.'

Mr. F. enumerates three grand sources of error: 1. Unconverted Ministers. 2. Nominal Chistians. 3. Unsanctified Wisdom found in godly Men--but such an account will afford little satisfaction to philosophical inquirers. In stating the reasons why God permits error, Mr. F. is evidently unequal to the task. Who will regard the difficulty as solved by being told that false doctrine is permitted, that it may sweep away hypocritical characters?'-This Essay is indeed calculated only for one particular meridian.

The Dictionary appears to be compiled with much fairness; and it contains a long article on the Friends or Quakers, on which pecu. liar care has been bestowed. To such as are desirous of becoming acquainted with the credenda of this church, the particulars here inserted will be interesting, especially as they are exhibited for the purpose of obviating the representation given by Mr. Evans in his Sketch of Denominations," of the similarity of their principles to Socinianism. The evidence of Barclay is quoted, to prove that the Quakers, while they admit the Scriptures to be of divine authority, do not esteem them" the principal ground of truth, nor the primary rule of faith, but only a secondary rule, subordinate to the spirit. How the members of that community can subscribe to this tenet, and maintain some of their late proceedings, we confess ourselves to be at a loss to determine. If they hold the Scriptures to be subordinate to the Spirit, how can they justify the excommunication or downment of those who conscientiously plead the authority of the inward tary of the Spirit, in support of their conduct and doctrine? We intreat them duly to weigh the difficulty by which they are here embarrassed. The interests of truth and charity equally demand it of this very respectable body, to whose virtues we have often paid the sincerest tribute, and whose liberality we were reluctant to impeach.

In the 2d and 3d parts of this work the reader will meet with curious and amusing accounts of the different religions that now prevail in the several quarters and subdivisions of the globe; and which concludes with stating that the extent of the Christian religion, compared with the parts overspred with Paganism and Mahometanism, is as tive to twenty-five. We recommend this fact to the serious attention of Mr. Faber; and we request him to consider whether it be in the smallest degree probable that Christianity, which has occupied eighteen hundred years in propagating itself over a fifth part of the globe, should require only sixty years for the conversion of the remain. ing four fifths? Why the Christian religion is still confined to so small a part of the earth, it is difficult to conceive; since it possesses the characters of truth, nations, as they become enlightened, must embrace it: but, looking at the ordinary march of Providence, we have no reason for supposing that a few years only are to elapse before" the earth will be filled with the knowlege of the Lord." Art. 35. Index to the Bible in which the various Subjects which occur in the Scriptures are alphabetically arranged: with accu

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