CONTROVERSIAL.

Remarks on a Letter to a Baptift Minister, containing fome Stric tures on his late Conduct in the Baptization of certain Adults at Sh-fb-ry. 8vo. 6d. Robinson.

6

The author of thefe Remarks does not attempt to fupport the controversy by arguments or quotations from the New Teftament; but only expoftulates with the Letter-writer, and infifts in general terms, that there is not one text of Scripture on the fide of infant baptifm.' Writers, who adopt this opinion, do not fufficiently confider, that, in the age of our Saviour, when the world was to be converted to Christianity, the apostles, whatever were their fentiments, might, with the greatest propriety content themselves with adminiftering this rite to thofe, and those only, who were capable of believing the gofpel; that the circumftances of that time and of the prefent, are extremely different; that a proportionable latitude in every ordinance of religion must therefore be admitted; and that it is abfurd to fuppofe, there can be any impropriety in parents dedicating their children to the Chriftian religion, in their infancy.

This writer, in the height of his imaginary triumph, makes the following remark. Indeed, fir, it is in my power to fay (and behold, before God I lie not!) that Jefus Chrift himself was a baptift minifter.' It happens a little unfortunately for the author, that Jefus himself did not baptife any one (John iv. 2.) and therefore it does not appear, that he was a baptit mi

nifter.

On this fact feveral commentators, and among the rest Macknight, make the following remark: Jefus did not baptife perhaps, because it was not proper to baptize in his own name; and because it was of more importance to preach the gospel, than to baptife, 1 Cor. i. 17. Befides, it might have given those who were baptifed by him, occafion to value themselves above others; as happened in the church of Corinth, where the brethren valued themselves upon the character of the perfons, who had baptifed them. The baptifm, properly his, was that of the Holy Ghoft.' Harm. § 22.

A Reply to Parmenas. 8vo. 6d. Robinfon.

Parmenas is the fignature affumed either by the baptift minif ter, or one of his friends, in fome publication, which has lately appeared at Shrewsbury, in defence of anabaptifm. It has not yet come to our hands; and if we may be allowed to form a judgment of it by this Reply, the lofs is of no confequence.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Life of Pope Clement XIV. (Ganganelli) tranflated from the French of M. Caraccioli. 8vo. 55. Johnfon.

In modern times, the life of a pope can afford but few materials of much importance to hiftory. That of Clement XIV. however, is particularly diftinguished for the abolition of the

order

order of St. Ignatius. This pope, whofe original name was Ganganelli, was the fon of a physician, and born in the little town of St. Arcangelo, near Rimini. He appears to have been a man of virtue, learning, and abilities, and to have done honour to the papal chair, which had been so often prostituted to those who were void of every great or amiable endowment. Thefe biographical memoirs are written in an eafy familiar ftyle, and with evident marks of fidelity. An Appendix is added, containing further particulars of the pope's life, and fome of his epiftolary correfpondence.

Remarks on the late Earl of Chesterfield's Letters to his Son. By William Crawford, M. A. Small 8vo. 25.

Cadell.

Thefe Remarks are difplayed in a feries of eight dialogues between a preceptor and his pupil, who are diftinguished by the names of Conftantius and Eugenius. The merit and demerit of Lord Chesterfield's Letters, with refpect to morals, appear to be fairly, and impartially estimated by the author of this production. While the pupil, as an advocate for his lordship, exhibits the many excellent fentiments and advices contained in that epiftolary collection, the preceptor, on other hand, evinces by an appeal to various paffages, that those specious fentiments and advices are entirely contradicted in other parts of the work. He fhews, by a variety of juft and ingenious arguments, the error of lord Chesterfield's opinion respecting religion and virtue; and likewife in regard to diffimulation, the fair-fex, and duelling. On the whole, thefe Remarks are fenfible, temperate, and candid, unfullied either with the humour of a fplenetic moralift, or the indulgence of frivolous animadverfion.

CORRESPONDENCE.

WE acknowledge the favour of a letter from PHILALETHES concerning our review of Mr. BECKET's Ufe of the Hydrostatic Ba lance; which being of too great length, we can only mention the purport and refult of his computations. There is a fmall difference between the specific gravity of the prefent coinage as mentioned by this gentleman, and that found by Mr. Becket by his hydroftatical balance, the former making it 17,84, but the latter 17,78, or 17,79. Philalethes alfo, with his own number as above, brings out the rate of the quantity of alloy to the gold nearly as by the appointment; or as required by the act, if, indeed, there is one for the purpose. He farther computes, that the specific gravity of the current coin ought to be 17,87. In a matter of this kind, however, where fo much depends on the accuracy of the hydroftatic balance itself, as well as on that of the perfon who ufes it, it feems to be impoffible to pronounce with certainty concerning the specific gravity of coin as determined in this way, and, perhaps, by any other. But we hope the affaying of it is properly attended to in order to prevent impofitions. It is, however, remarkable, that Mr. Cotes, and other the best writers on hydrostatics, make this specific gravity of standard gold to be 18.888. ...

[81]

THE

CRITICAL REVIEW.

For the Month of August, 1776.

Antiquities of England and Wales: being a Collection of Views of the most remarkable Ruins and antient Buildings, accurately drawn on the Spot. To each View is added an historical Account of its Situation, when and by whom built, with every interesting Circumflance relating thereto. Collected from the beft Authorities. By Francis Grofe, Efq. F. A. S. Vol. IV. 410. 17. 185. 6d. boards. Hooper.

IN

Na Preface to this volume Mr. Grofe acknowledges the helps he has received from different gentlemen in executing the work; and, in compliance with the defire of many of his readers, he recommends a very proper method of arranging the fubjects; which is, by placing the counties in alphabetical order, and afterwards putting each ruin alphabetically likewise in its proper county. He then prefents us with Addenda, containing fuch material informations as have occurred fince the publication, together with a lift of the errors and neceffary corrections.

The first article of the volume is the frontispiece, giving a view of the bridge over the river Wye, part of the town-walls, with the cathedral and bishop's palace at Hereford. At what time the bridge was built is uncertain, but from its appearance, we may conclude it to be the work of different times. The date of the town walls is not better afcertained, but Mr. Grofe in-fers, from what Leland fays in his Itinerary, that they were in all probability built at the fame time as the caftle, that is, after the Conqueft.

Twizell

Twizell Castle and Bridge, Northumberland. These buildings stand almost at the northermoft extremity of the county, and near the junction of the rivers Till and Tweed. According to the most ancient account of this caftle, it appears to have been the feat of Sir William Ridell, in the fourth of Edward III.

Lambeth Palace, Surry. A third plate, representing the north-fide of the palace, as it appears from the bowling-green. Mr. Grofe has fubjoined a curfory account of the various apartments.

Whitton Castle, Durham. Stands on the fouth fide of the river Wear, at its conflux with the Lynburn. Built about the year 1410, and was the baronial caftle of the lords de Euers, a family of ancient note and eminence in the county, defcended from the lords of Clavering and Warkworth; and by the family line from the Vefcies and Attons.

St. Patrick's Church and Armoury in Peele Castle, in the Ifle of Man. This view exhibits evident marks of antiquity. Mr. Grofe informs us, that in the cellar of a wine-merchant in the town of Peele, there were, in 1774, several very ancient guns, their bore measuring a foot in diameter. They were formed by a number of bars laid close together, and hooped with thick iron rings.

The Abbey of Bermondsey, Surry. The foundation of the religious house at this place was projected and begun by Alwin Child, citizen of London, in the 16th of William the Conqueror, A. D. 1082. It was a priory of Benedictine monks of the Cluniac order, and stocked at firft from the priory of La Charité sur la Loire, to which it accordingly became a fubordinate cell.

Prudhow Cafile, Northumberland. Pleasantly fituated on the brow of a hill on the fouth fide of, and near the river Tyne, eight miles weft of Newcastle. It was the baronial caftle of the ancient family of the Umfranvilles, and afterwards for many ages one of the caftles of the Percies.

Brough Cattle, Weftmoreland. Stands near the north-east part of the county, and on the western bank of the river Eden. It is by fome writers deemed a Roman building. Mr. Grofe obferves, that poffibly a Roman fortrefs might have ftood here before the Conqueft; but that the prefent edifice has inconteftible marks of Norman origin.

Wenflaw, or Wenfley Church and Bridge, Yorkshire. The date of the church is not mentioned; but the antiquity of the bridge may be nearly afcertained from the following paffage in Leland's Itinerary. The fayre bridge of 3 or 4 acres, that is on Ure, at Wencelaw, a mile or more above Midleham,

was

was made 200 yer ago and more, by one callyd Alwine, parfon of Wincelaw.'

Carlisle Caftle, Cumberland. Stands on the north-west fide of the city of Carlisle, which is faid to have existed before the invafion of the Romans. The prefent caftle was the work of William Rufus, built about the year 1093, two hundred years after the city had been deftroyed by the Danes.

Raby Castle, Durham. Built by John de Neville, foon af ter the year 1378.

Croydon Church, Surry. Situated near the fpring head of the river Wondel, and fuppofed to have been begun in the time of archbishop Courtney. It is conjectured by fome antiquarians, that hereabouts was the Noviomagus, mentioned in Antoninus's Itinerary; and Dr. Stukely, who once fuppofed it to have been near Crayford in Kent, afterwards altered his opinion, and subscribed to that of its being at or near Croy

don.

Rufhen Abbey, at Ballafalley, in the Isle of Man. Said to have been founded in the year 1098, by one Mac Marus, elected to the government of the island on account of his many virtues.

Tintern Abbey, Monmouthshire. A fecond plate.

The Castle in the Ifle of Lundy. By whom or at what time this castle was built, is unknown; but it ftands on the fouth east corner of the island, which is fituated in the mouth of the Severn. This ifland, Mr. Grofe obferves, is celebrated by Drayton in his Poly-Olbion.

Abergavenny Castle, Monmouthshire. Stands on an emi nence on the fouth-fide of the town, and about an hundred yards north of the river Ufk, which hereabouts meets the Gavenni, from whence the place takes its name. The chief part remaining appears to have been a kind of gate-way, having a demy-tower on the fouth-fide of it, with fome detached fragments of walls. A little diftance to the east of thefe, near the fite of the outer walls, is a small artificial mount. From fome arches of windows, which are pointed, the part remaining appears to have been built fince the reign of Henry II. when, according to Leland's Collectanea, it was taken by the Welch.

St. Briavel's Caftle, Gloucefter fhire. This caftle, which was ftrong, and of large extent, was built by Miles, earl of Hereford, in the reign of Henry I.

The Bishop's Caftle at Landaff, Glamorganfhire. Suppofed to be built about the year 1120, by Urbanus the 30th bishop, who at the fame time erected the church now standing a small distance north of it.