it, ma'amfelle: we have left all the doors open: fee how the air waves the lamp, too-It is only the wind."

She had scarcely uttered these words, when the pall was more via lently agitated than before; but Emily, fomewhat ashamed of her terrors, stepped back to the bed, willing to be convinced that the wind only had occafioned her alarm; when, as fhe gazed within the curtains, the pali moved again, and, in the next moment, the apparition of a human countenance rofe above it." Vol. IV. p. 51.

Our limits will not admit of any more extracts, nor indeed can they be neceifary to imprefs the reader with a due fenfe of the author's merit, or to prove our general approbation of the performance. All that remains for us, is, to make a few exoftentatious ceptions, by which we do not mean to exhibit difplay of critical fagacity, but to thow our good will to the writer, and to munate our with that her future productions of this kind may be yet more exempt from every 1hade of error and imperfection.

any

The veríes which are interfperfed are announced in the titlepage, and are fequently intended to be pointed out to particular notice. We have had occafion to obferve that the introduction of verses in publications like the prefent is becoming a fathion, but we confefs that they appear to us to be mifplaced. However fond the reader may be of poetry, and however excellent the verses themselves, we will venture to affert that few will choose to peruse them whilft eagerly and anxioufly pursuing the thread of the tale, a plain proof that, in fuch a fiuation, at least they are impertinent. Having faid this, we are ready to confefs that Mrs. Radcliffe's poetical abilities are of the fuperior kind, and we fhall be glad to fee her compofitions feparately published. The lady's talent for description leads her to excess. We have fomewhat too much of evening and morning; of woods, and hills, and vales, and streams. We are fometimes fo fatigued at the conclufion of one representation of this kind, that the languor is not altogether removed at the commencement of that which follows. The language, in the beginning, is too poetical a profe; and there are inconfiftencies in the manners with the fuppofed time of the action. In vol. I, at the conclufion, the dialogue at Madame Clairval's is tirefome, and the parting fcene betwixt Emily and Valancourt is lefs The beginning of interefting from its being fo protracted, the fecond volume is too much crowded with verfes; and at Rage 102, the idea of making Emily write what he did not intend, is very trite indeed, and to be found in almost every modern comedy and romance. At page 171 an expreffion occurs which is to be found with little variation in the three first volumes.

St. Aubert, impreffed by the romantic character of the place, almoft expected to fee Banditti ftart from behind fome projecting rock."

Vol. II. 171. The extent and darknefs of thefe tall woods awakened terrific images in her mind, and the almost expected to fee Banditti Itart up from under the trees."

Vol III. 170. "To Emily it appeared a fpot exactly fuited-. for the retreat of Banditti, and, in her imagination, fhealready faw them lurking under the brow of fome projecting rock."

In the fecond volume, the duel between Montoni and Morani in the caftle of Udolpho, is very improbable.

The beginning of volume the third is confufed. Emily's journey from Udolpho is too tedious, and the appearance of Valancourt not well managed. In volume the fourth, the watching of Ludovico, is too much like the watching of the hero in the Old Englith Baron. The Provençal is awkwardly introduced, and the ftory of Sifter Agnes is, in fome refpects, extravagant. To conclude, the Mysteries of Udolpho have too much of the terrific: the fenfibility is fometimes jaded, and curiofity in a manner worn out. The endeavour to explain fupernatural appearances and incidents, by plain and fimple facts, is not always happy; and in particular the ftrange removal of Lodovico from the chateau of the Count de Villefort, and his being found after a long interval among Banditti in the Pyrenees is improbable in the extreme. The epifode of the Count's adventure among thefe Banditti offends from its prolixity and its tritenefs. With refpect to the ftyle, we have little further to remark, or to cenfure, it is uniformly animated, and, in general, fufficiently correct.We have read the whole with fatisfaction, and entertain no doubt of its being well received by the public.

ART. III. An Expofition of the New Teftament, intended as as an Introduction to the Study of the Scriptures, by pointing out the leading Senfe and Connexion of the Sacred Writers. Second Edition. By William Gilpin, A. M. Prebendary of Salisbury, and Vicar of Boldre, in New Forest, near Lymington. 2 vols. 8vo. 128. Blamire, 1793.

THIS republication, of a fenfible and useful Expofition of the New Testament, exhibits the teftimony of public approbation in favour of the work. As there is little that is new in this edition, except a valuable difcourfe annexed to the fe

cond

cond volume on the gradual increase of Divine Knowledge like a grain of mustard-feed (Matth. xiii. 31.) from the fall to the end of the world, we fhould not have thought ourselves bound to notice it, did we not confider it as a duty to contribute, all that may be in our power, to the circulation of such works as tend to facilitate the knowledge of the Scriptures, and add attractions to the ftudy of them. The plan of the author is to give the whole fubftance of the New Testament, verfe by verfe, in such a kind of paraphrase as may make the historical parts run on in a pleafing style of narrative; and convey the doctrinal parts, with fuch connexion of the argument, and illustration of the sense, as may induce even the idle to read the whole with pleafure. Sentences are occafionally thrown in for the fake of explanation, but of this and every deviation from the apparent literal sense of the context, due notice is given in the notes; which are numerous, learned, and fatisfactory. We have not feen any plan more likely to attract all kinds of readers to this beft of ftudies, and we are happy to bear teftimony that the plan is executed with good fenfe, and without affectation. The manner of the author may be better feen by a specimen than by any description that can be given. We fhall, therefore, felect fuch as may exhibit to our readers both the Gofpels and the Epiftles in the form in which this commentator prefents them. The first specimen fhall be taken from the account of our Saviour in St. Matthew's Gospel, chap. iv.

1. "One thing more remained, before Jefus made his public appearance in the world. It pleafed God to fhew, that that Saviour, who was to die for fin was himself free from fin: and that he who was to fuccour his faithful fervants in temptation, both knew what temptation was; and was himself beyond its power

* Hebr. ii. 18.

Hebr. iv. 15.

" With

1. The wildernefs here mentioned, is fuppofed to be that wild defert country, of which Mr. Maundrel, (p. 79.) whofe account I abridge, gives the following defcription" From this place we proceeded in an intricate way, among hills and vallies, all of a very barren afpect at prefent; though difcovering evident figns of culture in ancient times. In a few hours we arrived at that mountainous desert, in which our Saviour was tempted. It is a miferable, dry, barren fcene, confifting of high rocky mountains, fo torn and difordered, as if the earth had fuffered fome great convulfion. As we looked down a valley on the left, we faw fome ruins of cottages, which we were told, were formerly the habitations of hermits. From thefe high grounds we had a delightful profpect over the plains of JeOn defcending richo, the Dead Sea, and the Mountains of Arabia.

into

2. " With this view Jefus retired, underthe guidance of the spirit, into a defert place; where undergoing a long faft, as the great Prophets of the Law, Mofes and Elijah, had formerly done, he began to faint.

3- At that critical moment, the tempter appearing before him, made his first application to the neceffities of his nature. 4. . If you be the Son of God," faid he, "command thele ftones to be made bread." Jefus gave his answer a spiritual turn, implying, that mere earthly food was not fo neceffary to man as the heavenly food of religion and truth; and that man ought always to depend, in his exigences on the divine providence of God. 5. On this anfwer, the Devil framed his fecond temptation. Having raised the appearance of

the

into the plain, we foon came to the foot of Mount Quarantania, which we were informed, is the mountain from whence the Devil tempted our Saviour with the vifionary fcene of all the kingdoms of this world. It is, as St. Matthew calls, an exceeding high mountain, and in its afcent difficult and dangerous. On the top of it stands a small chapel, and half way up the afcent, another on the prominent ledge of a rock. On the fide of the mountain also, are several caves, in which hermits used formerly to keep their Lent. In these caves we found fmall bodies of Arabs quartered, with fire-arms; who demanded 200 dollars for permitting us to climb the mountain; which was a greater fum than we chose to give."

3. Some commentators have refolved this whole account of our Saviour's temptation into an allegory or vision; but I know not on what grounds, except its being accompanied with fome difficulties which we cannot eafily folve: and this would be as good a reafon for turning any part of fcripture which we happen to miflike, into an allegory. The figurative flyle of Scripture is a different thing. Common fenfe tells us, that when our Saviour speaks of cutting off a right hand, or plucking out a right eye, he could only mean renouncing our bad defires. But when the account of a tranfaction is given in a plain historical manner, we are not certainly to apply the fame rule to fact, which we may allowedly apply to ftyle. This paffage of Scripture, no doubt, hath its difficulties. I have prefaced the account of it with a few conjectures at the defign and intention of it, which yet feem to be founded on Scriptural authority. It may poffibly have reference to the great original fource of fin. The firft Adam was tempted by the Devil and foiled: the fecond Adam was tempted, and overcame.

4. In this anfwer Jefus alluded to Deut. viii. 3.

5. Though it appears hardy criticifm to confider the temptation of Chrift as an allegory, yet I am much inclined to fuppofe the wildernefs to be the only fcene of the whole transaction. The idea of fuppofing the devil to carry our Saviour to Jerufalem, appears to me much harsher than to fuppofe him capable of raifing an illufive fcene, like Jerufalem. The Evangelifts are never exact in trivial circumftances; but keep the main point in view; and it is, in fact, of no confequence, with regard to the temptation, whether the scene were real or illufive. St. Luke's expreffion, he fhewed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, rather leads to the fuppofition of an ideal

Scone,

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the Temple of Jerufalem, he placed Jefus on one of its battlements. and wifhed him, if he thus trufted in the mercies and providence of God, to make a trial. 6. Throw yourself down, faid he, from this height, and fee whether that God, in whom you truft, will fend his angels, as it is written, to fuftain you from harm." 7. Jefus answered in a paffage from Mofes, intimating that we ought not to try any unneceflary experiments of God's power in our prefervation: but that it was enough to rely on him in all unavoidable difficulties. 8.9. The Devil being thus foiled in his first attempts on Jefus, endeavoured next to find out, whether there were in him any latent fparks of ambition, or love of pleafure, and placing him ou a high mountain, "Look round,” faid he, from this lofty stand; fee all the kingdoms of the earth fpread before you all their wealth-all their glory-and all their pleafures

all is mine, and fhall be yours, if you will only give up your truft in God, and place it in me." 10. 11. This was too great an indignity for Jefus to bear. He rebuked the Devil with authority, and fent him away, on which angels came and miniftered unto him." P. 9.

Our reader is defired to compare the paffages we give, with the correfponding parts in the New Testament. Our fecond Specimen fhall be from the 9th Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, a part which requires illuftration, and certainly has received it, in a judicious manner, from the hands of this Commentator.

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1. 2. 3. But, however glorious an event the calling of the Gentiles may be; the rejection of the Jews is certainly a very melancholy one. It oppreffes me with forrow; and I fhould chearfully devote myfelf

fcene. Moft interpreters underftand by macas ras facileias ons oneEVOS, only the country of Judea. The word axepen alone, no doubt, fometimes has that interpretation: but, in conjunction, as it ftands, with the other words of the fentence, I think, it is a fronger expreffion than fuch an interpretation warrants; and the words, in a moment of time, gives it still more the air of an illufive fcene. If then we admit one reprefentation to be illufive, we may fuppofe the other to have been fo likewife: nor is it more improbable, that the Devil fhould raise a scene like the holy city, and the temple, than like all the kingdoms of the earth. What the Devil's power was before Chriftia nity we know not; but we are led, froin the confideration of oracles and poffeffions to believe it greater, at least more oftenfible than it has been fince. Perhaps when our Saviour fays, He faw Satan, as lightning, fall from Heaven, he fpeaks of this abridgment of his

power.

3. The words of the original ευχομεν γαρ αυτος εγω αναθεμα είναι Toe Xps. are varioufly interpreted. Some fuppofe an exclution is neant only from the visible Church of Chrift. Others, among whom is the learned Dr. Whitby, take the words literally, as if the apostle really wifhed himself accurfed; folving the harfhnefs of the fuppofition, at the fame time, by faying the word your fignifies, I could