the expectation of the public. Befides, though folly might be fafely left to perifh by its own inanity, literary poison will frequently demand an antidote; and there are many questions, against which a confcientious Critic could not fatisfy himfelf with giving a mere filent vote. Our monthly Criticisms will therefore continue to flow, like thofe of our predeceffors, and our rivals, through all the wilds of literature; but of our prefaces, as we ourfelves first opened the fprings, we fhall continue to conduct the course through laughing meads, and between gay banks of violets, flealing and giving odours. DIVINITY. We cannot open this part of our account, fo properly with the mention of any work, as of Archdeacon Paley's evidences of Chriftianity. The appearance of fo clear, fo able, fo conclufive a book on this most important subject, is a great event. Hofts of powerful writers were not wanting, it is true, in defence of the chriftian faith, and they who were disposed to enquire could not eaûly be at a lofs, to find the proofs by which it is eftablished. But every age has its peculiar mode of reasoning; objections and arguments thought ftrong at one time, at another are defpifed, while new difficulties are farted, and new replies demanded. Paley aims his force against the fceptics of the present hour, and with fuch fuccefs, that were their oracles of the French and English school now living, we might defy their utmoft fubtlety to write a refutation. takes advantage of all that has been done, of late years, to elucidate the evidences of our faith; and digefts the labours of voluminous writers into a convenient yet efficacious form. From the ftores of his own acute obfervation he brings forward fome new arguments, and prefents the whole in fuch a manner, No. V. p. 487. Mr. He that that while it fatisfies the profound, it cannot fatigue even the fuperficial reader. At fuch a period as the prefent, when, from dire example, impiety has rifen to more than common infolence; and the danger left those who hefitate fhould be hurried into unbelief, is increased beyond example, we cannot fufficiently congratulate the public on the publication of this excellent work. It is addreffed, in its ftyle, exactly to the clafs of people who are likely to be affected by the objections of Gibbon, Hume, &c. that is, to perfons moderately well educated; but if this clafs be kept firm to their duty, their influence, efforts, and example, will always fpread inftruction to the lower orders. Very far below this for general utility, though not without its merit, to those who have fkill to felect the valuable ore from inferior metals, is Mr. Wakefield's volume with a fimilar title; not firft published now, but enlarged and improvedt. To divines we may fafely recommend it, not to ordinary readers. With learning and ingenuity' worthy of himself, the celebrated Mr. Bryant has written on the Plagues of Egypt. Yet has not even he entirely efcaped the common fate of difcoverers in theology, that of treading on a ground in part pre-occupied, unknown to himself, by a former writer. What Dr. Owen, however, had but flightly, though learnedly and ably, fketched, Mr. Bryant has completed in a mafterly manner, and his publication will always be efteemed by those who are capable of appreciating the refearches of fo profound a fcholar. Mr. Travis's much augmented third edition of his Letters to Gibbon, is alfo a work which addreffes itself only to the learned, and indeed, to a ftill fmaller clafs, the controverfialists. Of these undoubtedly none will think it unimportant to read and weigh with attention, what further arguments, an acute and active disputart has been able to adduce in favour of a contested verfe of (cripture. He will wait alfo with fome eagerne's of + No. I. p. 27. No. I. p. 33. § No. IV. p. 396. a 2 curiosity curiofity to know what rejoinder fimilar acuteness and energy, can bring forward on the other fide. While thefe heroes of theological literature contend, the troops on either part remain in mute fufpence. Happily the object of conteft is not the citadel of faith, but only a fingle out-work; and we, though not entirely of neutral feelings, fhall readily proclaim victory to either party, according to the real merits of the iffue. Still keeping in the track of learned publications, the Corrections of various passages,* &c. by the late Dr. Roberts of Eton, juftly claim the attention of the public. Candour, modefty, and ingenuity, will be found in them adorning learning, as might be expected from the name of the author. Nor has the period lately paffed been undistinguished by theological works of a more popular nature. Among thofe which we have had an opportunity of noticing, Dr. Blair's fourth volume of Sermons,t appears with honour as the production of an admired teacher, and as a proof that he is ftill able to fupport, and to extend, the fame he has acquired. A volume of Sermons, ‡ by Mr. Nares puts in a contrary claim. They are the first fpecimen of his publication in that fpecies of writing, and muft form the bafis of future expectation. This at leaft is true of them, that they have been commended by critics unconnected with the author. Marb's Tranflation of Michaelis on the New Teftament, we difmiffed in our laft Preface, as having concluded our remarks upon it. Our opinion in its favour was then given; but, having extended our obfervations further than we at that time defigned, we muft now mention that two articles upon it will be found in this volume: A new edition of Mr. Gilpin's valuable Expofition of the New Teftament, ||| drew our attention to it, not fo much by any con fiderable additions it contained, as by the intrinsic merit of the book. An excellent fermon fubjoined No. VI. p. 648. No. V. p. 534. No. VI. p. 611 No. I, p. 47. II, p. 170. 1 No. II. p. 121. was its only plea of novelty, to attract our notice. We again recommend it to public esteem. Among fmaller works in divinity, two anfwers to Paine's book of impiety, appeared to us to have peculiar merit. The one as an answer adapted to the tafte and ufe of perfons well educated, and the other as formed with fingular skill, to act as an antidote wherever the poifon fhould happen to have spread among the common people. The former of thefe was entitled, The Age of Infidelity, the latter, a Country Carpenter's Confeffion of faith. Among productions of the nature of fermons, the Bishop of Lincoln's Charge, ftands honourably forward; nor can we forbear, though without any intention to flight many that we omit, to mention Dr. Valpy's Affize Sermons, Mr. Hurdis's Affize Sermon on Equality, and that of Mr. Owen, on Subordination I. Of the high and peculiar excellence of thofe by Dr. Valpy, we have already spoken ftrongly, and we could not speak too ftrongly. The others are also above the ordinary class. On the whole we may certainly congratulate our readers, on obtaining intelligence of no fmall acceffion of valuable divinity, in this volume of our periodical labours. A Public, happily as yet attentive to good productions of this nature, will not defpife or negle&t the information. METAPHYSICS. To those who ftudy Locke, the chief of English Metaphyficians, we recommend to take with them the Annotations of the late Dr. Morell, upon his famous Essay on Human Understanding.** They will at leaft lead the ftudent to think with a more extenfive range than otherwise he might allow himfelf; and not to place a reliance too implicit on a name which at this day might have fufficient authority to overawe him. * No. V. p. 551. Ibid. No, VI. p. 655. § No. III. P. 307. No. VI. p. 676. No. VI. p. 677. No. 1. p. 54. ¶ 2 To To turn fuch queftions on every fide is the exercise the mind with full advantage. HISTORY. way to A confpicuous part in our account of the laft fix months is occupied by Hiftory, and hiftorical difquifitions. Among the productions of this nature, for the importance of its topic, none certainly can contend with the Hiftory of the American War *; and the hiftorian, Mr. Stedman, appears to have executed the tafk with diligence and ability. A well written and well digefted hiftory of that period, drawn up with as much impartiality as the recentnefs of the tranfactions would allow was furely much to be defired; and Mr. Stedman's feems to anfwer that defcription. Next to this, in point of dignity, we may place Mr. Andrews's Hiftory of Great Britain †, a work rather of chronology and anecdote than ftrictly a hiftory, but replete with utility and entertainment. They whofe curiofity is on the fearch refpecting our late war in India, and extends itfelf alfo to the knowledge of places and cuftoms in that country, will be much gratified with a book by Lieut. Edward Moor, entitled A Narrative of the Operations of Capt. Little's Detachment, and the Mahratta Army under Purferam Bhow. It is written with spirit and intelligence, and conveys much novel information. The Hiftory of the Reign of George III. by an anonymous writer, may be mentioned among works of merit. Only the third volume of it fell under our notice, and to that we gave a character, mixed indeed, but wherein the good predominated. We fhould be glad to fay no worfe of any books, or men. French Hiftory, of the prefent period, will make a formidable and difgufting volume whenever it fhall be completed: among the materials for it, M. Peltier's late Pilure of Paris |, will fupply fome of the No. VI. p. 581. + No. IV. p. 417. P. 221. IV. p. 381. § No. II. p. 179. V. p. 514. ‡ No. III. moft |