ART. 32. The Chriftian Preacher; or, Difcourfes on Preaching, by feveral eminent Divines, English and foreign; revifed and abridged. with an Appendix on the Chaice of Books. By Edward Williams, D. D. 12mo. 4s. 6d. Button, 1800. This is the performance of a diffenting clergyman, but bears evident marks of a candid and liberal mind. The most important and valuable part of the volume is the feventh difcourfe, on the compofition of a fermon, tranflated from the French of M. Claude by the late Mr. Robinfon 'of Cambridge, with an appendix, directing the proper choice of books for a Christian preacher's library. He must, however, be both a diligent and wealthy man, who can either find, or purchase, the large catalogue fpecified. Some books indeed, though defirable by every enlightened reader, feem not immediately effential to a preacher's library; as, for example, Johnson's Poets, 75 vols; Gibbon's Hiftory; and Henry's Hiftory of Great Britain: and, above all, Blackstone's Commentaries, with Townsend's Guide to Health. ART. 33. The Power of Religion on the Mind in Retirement, Affliction. and at the Approach of Death, exemplified in the Teftimonies and Experience of Perfons diftinguished by their Greatness, Learning, and Virtue. By Lindley Murray. The Tenth Edition, corre&ed and greatly enlarged. 3s. 6d. Longman and Rees. 1801. We have had frequent occafion to fpeak of the diligence, good fenfe, and good intentions, of Mr. Murray; and we congratulate him fincerely on the fuccefs of this particular work. We announce this edition because the alterations and additions are fo confiderable, that it is rendered almost a new work, the nature of which alterations is explained in the Advertisement placed before the Table of Contents. Twenty-two characters have been added to the work, and much new biographical information is introduced. We do not remember any addition to the English Reader," mentioned by Mr. Murray; but that work received, as it deferved, our commendation. " ART. 34. The Mercy of God efpecially confidered with reference to our prefent Situation. A Sermou, preached at St. Julian's, Shrewsbury, on Sunday, Sept. 14, 1800. By Samuel Butler, M. A. Head-Mafer of Shrewsbury-School, and late Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. Eddowes, &c. Shrewsbury; Longman and 8vo. 1800. We fufpect that this difcourfe was prior in publication to one, by the fame author, which we noticed fome months ago. (vol. xvii. p. 2079Such an inverfion of order is not according to our wifh; but it will occafionally happen. The prefent writer we well know to deferve attention, and are therefore peculiarly defirous that it fhould be paid. Having explained, in part, why ingratitude to God is more common, and lefs marked with infamy, than any other fpecies of ingrati tude, Mr, B. confiders the peculiar mercies of Providence towards this nation through the prefent war. In this part, much is very happily compreffed into a very narrow fpace. "To me I confefs it appears," fays this divine, "that fince this country has been engaged in the conteft with anarchy and atheism, the hand of Providence has been manifefted more fingularly in our prefervation, than in any period of equal duration, fince the foundation of the British empire. Our diftinguithed naval victories have been gained at periods when the very exiflence of the country depended on our fuccefs. The machinations of our inteftine foes have been brought to light at the moft critical periods, when a few more days would have given them ftrength and energy, which the most vigorous efforts could with difficulty have refifted. The enemy has been repulfed from our fhores, and the life of our beloved fovereign has more than once been preserved from the hand of the affaffin: and our weakness has been turned into ftrength, by a union with our fifter kingdom, at the very time when our enemies had hoped, by long-fomented difcord, to feparate us for ever." P. 11. Reflections on the late vifitations of fcarcity follow, with the moft judicious rules for conduct on the fubject. The whole is replete with found fenfe and active pièty. LAW. ART. 35. The Spirit of Marine Law; or, Compendium of the Statutes relating to the Admiralty: being a concife, but perfpicuous Abridgment of all the Arts relative to Navigation; alphabetically arranged, and the Subflance and References to the feveral Claufes placed in the Margin. By John Irving Maxwell, of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, and late of the Royal Navy. 8vo. 562 pp. 125. T. C. Chapman, &c. The title of this book, though rather fantaftical, fufficiently explains its object, and the plan upon which it is compofed. It is ftated in the Preface, that the firft idea of this work originated with Mr. M'Arthur, author of a Treatife upon the fubject of Naval Courts Martial. It was brought down by him to the end of the year 1792, and is continued by Mr. M. to the prefent period. Such a book may be of confiderable utility to naval perfons, though to compose it requires little more than to pay proper attention to the abridgments and indexes of our ftatutes. Mr. M. feems to have inferted most of the ftatutes relating to his fubject; but he has not included all. Thus, under the title Wandering Mariners or Soldiers, he cites, after 39 Eliz. c. 17, the 17th Geo. II. c. 5. f. 3, by which it was enacted, that foldiers or mariners travelling with a pafs, are not to be deemed vagrants while they continue on their direct way, and during the limited time, But he omits to notice 32 Geo. III. c. 44, by which the power of granting fuch paffes is taken away, and every foldier or mariner wan dering about and begging, is to be deemed a rogue and vagabond. Such an omiffion would cause rather unfortunate confequences to any individual who might be misled by Mr. M,'s information. POLITICS, POLITICS. ART. 36. Confiderations on the prefent State of Europe with respect to Peace, or a further Projecution of the War. 8vo. 80 pp. 35. Debrett. 1801. So variable are the political circumftances of the prefent period, that a writer who fpeculates upon them, will probably find important changes occur between the commencement and the conclufion of his work, and fhould he, in compliance with fuch changes, model it anew, some fresh alteration may render his fentiments obfolete before he has published, or at least before we can review them. In the Introduction to this tract, on the state of Europe, fome important events are mentioned which have occurred fince it was drawn up, particularly the peace between France and the Emperor, and the Northern Coalition against Great Britain. Thefe, the author ob ferves, do not much affect his reafonings, as they were foreseen. But fo fpeedy a termination of the northern con eft, and the ftrong appearance of renewed warfare among the great continental powers, could not have been anticipated with fo much confidence. The former renders the author's reafonings on that fubject no longer interelling, and the latter might perhaps have varied the conditions of peace which he takes upon himself to delineate; at least it may render the enemy more complying. This author's general principle, that "Great Bri tain, to keep her footing with France, muft, as France extends her dominions, increase her colonial poffeffions, and foreign fettlements," appears to us to be juft; how far we should agree with him in the detail, it is needlefs to mention, as the decifion is in the hands of those who alone are responsible to their country. ART. 37. An Argument agairt Extermination, occafioned by Dr. Duigenan's Reprefentation of the prefent political State of Ireland. By a Friend to the United Kingdom. 8vo. 85 pp. 2s. 6d. Debrett. 1801. We have more than once had occafion to cenfure the expreffion of Catholic Emancipation, fo often used by speakers and writers on the affairs of Ireland, as implying that the people of that perfuafion are in a state of flavery. A fimilar objection applies to the title of the treatise before us; fince an argument against extermination implies that fome perfon had argued for it; but, though intemperate expreffions may have fometimes been ufed, no argument of fuch a tendency, to our recollection, appears in the writings of Dr. Duigenan, or indeed of any other author; and furely, without being deerned advocates for extermination, we may be permitted to doubt whether it be prudent to render Catholics eligible to the first offices of the itate. Objectionable, however, as the title of this tract appears to us, its contents fhow it to be the work or a man, neither deficient in candour nor abilities; and, though fome of the facts alledged by him feem quef. queftionable, his reafonings appear fometimes to merit confideration. He is very fevere on Dr. Duigenan, whofe coarseness of invective we have ourselves occafionally cenfured; but he profeffes to be wellaffected to the Conftitution, both in church and state; though he deems a compliance with the claims of the Catholics would be a meafure of expedience as well as juftice. One of the most fuccefsful of this writer's arguments against Dr. D. is the argumentum ad hominum. He shows from the Doctor's "Letter to Mr. Grattan," that he did not always entertain the fentiments, upon this question, avowed in his "State of Ireland." Poffibly, however, fubfequent events may have afforded a good ground for this change of opinion. Various other paffages in the laft-mentioned work are strongly reprobated by this writer, and particularly that which afferts, that the Catholics refufe to take the oath of fupremacy; whereas, he affures us, they object only to "two words." But if these two words (ecclefiaftical or fpiritual) form a very material part of the oath, we thould conceive the affertion, that "they refufe to take it" perfectly juft, although they do not object to every claufe. The meaning of Dr. D. is, if we mittake not, fufficiently obvious and clear. Much is faid in the treatife before us, to fhow the improbability that any danger would arife to the eftablished Church from admitting the Catholics to the privileges claimed by them; the opinions of Sir J. Davies, and others, refpecting Ireland, are quoted, and an hiftorical detail of the infurrections in that kingdom is given, in order to prove that they did not originate in religious differences alone. Although we do not adopt all the conclufions of this writer, we think this work deferves a place among the respectable tracts on this important queftion. ART. 38. The Crimes of Cabinets; or, a Review of their Plans and Aggreffions for the Annihilation of the Liberties of France, and the Dif memberment of her Territories; with illuftrative Anecdotes, military and political. By Lewis Goldfmith. 8vo. 315 pp. Printed for the Author. 1801. It was, we think, obferved by Dr. Johnson, that he had often heard of honours or rewards being allotted to men diftinguifhed for the love of their country, but that he had not yet heard of any rewards being appointed for thofe," who, with equal zeal, hated their country." When fuch remunerations fhall be eftablifhed, fcarcely any man, we will venture to fay, will be entitled to fo large a fhare as the writer before us. Throughout the prefent conteft with France, numerous have been the mifreprefentations, exaggerations, and falfehoods employed by the emiffaries of Jacobinifm to blacken the conduct of Great Britain. They are here collected and retailed in language, compared to which the ravings of a Hebert and a Marat may almoft be deemed mild and gentle. As a fpecimen of this writer's regard to Particularly the affertions, that "not above a dozen Catholic priefts were engaged in the late rebellion," and that there were lawyers concerned in it than priefts." P. 33. more truth, truth, the exploded treaty of Pavia (the authenticity of which not one Speaker or writer, on the fide of Oppofition, of the leaft character, now ventures to fupport) is the foundation of his arguments, the corner-ftone of his work. Nay, he has the audacity to affert, that Great Britain acceded to it in March, 1792; and a copy of this fpurious treaty (the forgery of which is evident on the face of it) forms the firft article in his Appendix. All the other mifrepresentations, by which the advocates of France have endeavoured to fupport her caufe, are here repeated, with the addition of fome affertions itill more dar ing, and feasoned with a due proportion of fcurrilous and vulgar invective. Affaffins, in the eyes of this writer, are heroes; and every fovereign, every political character, who has, in any degree, opposed the views of France, is loaded with imputations of the moft odious nature, and without the flighteft proof. On the other hand, every unprovoked aggreffion of the Gallic leaders is ftudioufly kept out of view; and thofe exceffes of the people in other countries, which the French agents are well known to have provoked, are uniformly imputed to the respective governments. Of course, the correspondence between Lord Grenville and M. Chauvelin is reprefented with the fame candour and regard to truth; and it is among other things roundly afferted, that the French" offered to relinquifh all ideas of opening the Scheldt." From what part of the correfpondence the writer derived this information, we are at a lofs to guefs. It is, we apprehend, equally true with the subsequent affertion, that they fent, by M. Maret, propofals to "cede the greatest part of Belgium which they had conquered, and their poffeffions in St. Domingo, and to repeal the decree of the 19th of November, 1792." But we are fick of a farrago, so fhamefully antipatriotic and unfair. It is fome credit to the prudence, at least, of the book fellers, that not one of them could be found who would publish it. ART. 39. State of the French Republic at the End of the Year 8. Tranflated from the French of Citizen Hauterive, Chef de Relations Exterieures. By Lewis Goldfmith, Author of The Crimes of Cabinets." 8vo. 312 pp. 55. Jordan. 1801. Faithful to the caufe of France, or rather to the prefent ruler of that nation, the author of "The Crimes of Cabinets," now appears as the tranflator of a work, which may be confidered as the manifefto of the Chief Conful, or, more properly fpeaking, as the brief from which bis fupporters, in every country, may derive topics in his favour. This fcheme of tranflation, we think far more judicious in Mr. Goldsmith, than that of appearing as an original author. "The Crimes of Cabinets" is a work, in every point of view, in the lowest clafs of Jacobin compofitions. But Citizen Hauterive, or whoever is the author of the work before us, is a writer of address and skill, if not in his style and language (upon which, not having feen the original, we cannot pronounce) at least in the choice of his topics, the See the preceding article. arrange |