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beyond the power of nature, or which needs a divine interpofition. For it is a very common thing, according to the laws of nature, for long droughts in the fummer feason to be followed with plentiful fhowers of rain, joyned with terrifying thunder and lightening. Nor ought it to be efteemed miraculous, that the lightening fell upon fome of the enemies, and put their army to flight. Forafmuch as all the people of Germany fuppofed, that lightenings came from God, and they would form their judgement accordingly."

So writes Mr. Mofheim: and as feems to me, judiciously and plaufibly. I have tranfcribed him here, as fumming up my argument, and making alfo fome valuable additions to it.

I fhall take this opportunity to correct a mistake, common among learned foreigners: that Mr. King, who had a debate with Mr. Moyle about the thundering legion, was Sir Peter King, afterwards Baron of Ockham, and Lord High Chancellor of England. So thought Mr. Mofheim who tranflated these letters into Latin, and in the main embraced Mr. Moyle's fentiments. But I am affured by those who are likely to know the truth," that Mr. King, who difputed with Mr. Moyle, was a clergyman, and minifter of Topfham, near Exeter: which laft, was the place of his nativity, as well as Sir Peter's. He is the fame King, to whom Mr. Locke wrote fome letters, which are in the pofthumous collection of his letters, published by Mr. Collings. He is there ftiled the Reverend Mr. King."

It is pity, that the perfon, who correfponded with Mr. Moyle upon fo curious a fubject, fhould be fo little known. Mr. King and Mr. Moyle must have been intimate friends. For Mr. Moyle's Differtation upon the age of the Philopatris was sent to the fame perion in feveral letters.

Since writing what is above I have received an authentic account from a gentleman, perfonally acquainted with Mr. Moyle. It is in thefe words: "Mr. Moyle's correfpondent in the affair of the thundering legion, was Mr. Richard King, Vicar of Topfham. Mr. Moyle died in 1721. Mr. King furvived him many years."

The eighth chapter contains an account of the hiftory, time, and works of Apuleius, of Madaura, in Africa; the ninth, of the early adverfaries of the Chriftians, who wrote against them, viz. Celfus, Porphyry, Hierocles, Julian, Fronto, and some others; the tenth, which is a very long one, and well deserves an attentive perusal, contains a full and distinct account of Celfus's work against the Chriftians, with three fummaries of the fragments of it, preferved in Origen, made by Dr. Doddridge, Dr. Leland, and the ingenious Author of the evidence of the refurrection cleared up.

The

The four laft chapters of that part of our learned Author's valuable collection which is now before us, are fhort ones, and contain an account of Lucian of Samofata, Ariftides the Sophift, Dion Chryfoftom, and Galen, together with fome anecdotes concerning diverfe Heathen governours of provinces, who perfecuted the Chriftians, or were favourable to them; and remarks concerning the number of ancient heathen Writers; who have mentioned the Chriftians.

The Council in the Morn.

THE

R.

4to. Is. Cambridge printed. Sold

in London by Wilson and Fell.

HE Author of this humourous and fpirited Pamphlet chufes, hike Gallus in Virgil, to fhoot Cretan arrows out of a Parthian bow. The feene and drama he defcribes are transferred from a learned Univerfity, to the Moon, where he introduces a convocation difputing very gravely whether they fhould eat checfe with their bread? By this he alludes either to a real or a fuppofed debate whether Fellows of Colleges fhould be permitted to marry? The characters of the Anticheefians in the Moon, that is, of the Antimatrimonians in the Univerfity, are humourously drawn, and probably have their Archetypes beneath the Moon. Some of their different characteriftics and speeches will not be unentertaining to our Readersa

The gentleman, who spoke next, was Mr. Chriftopher Crab, a man not deftitute of wit and humour. He was efteem ed a great critic, because there was nothing he would not find fault with. He was a man of unlimited conjecture; which often led him to fhew his invention at the expence of his judgment. He did not want knowlege, efpecially that of mankind; but he was not always happy in his application of it. It was 100 common with him, to form general conclufions and establish maxims upon cafes merely poilible. He had fome fluency of words, but more vivacity than elegance. Hear him

"Gentlemen! I am of opinion, that under no restrictions whatsoever, ought this new fcheme to be admitted. I fhall chiefly draw my arguments from the nature of cheese in general, and fome particular confequences that are found to arife from eating it. In the first place then, cheese is abfolutely prejudicial to many conftitutions: there are many people (likely. enough to be met with among the more reclufe lunatics) who bear fuch an antipathy to cheefe, that they avoid being in the fame room with it. Then cheefe, though confeffedly effica

tious in digefting other things, does not eafily digeft itself, and will often lie fo long at a man's ftomach, as to give him infinite plague and vexation. Befides cheese is generally too hard, or too faft, too tough, or too pliant, too strong, or quite infipid. Then there's your maggoty cheefe, your rotten cheefe, your cheefe that every body has tafted, and your Slip-coat cheese. A very dangerous fort of cheese this laft for being apt to run beyond its prefcribed limits, it is often impoffible for the proprietor, though he loves it ever fo well, to fecure it entirely to his own ufe. In fhort, gentlemen! I cannot help concluding, from the courfe of my obfervations, that there is no fuch thing as a good cheese in the world; and therefore, I think it would argue the highest degree of infanity to apply to the legislature, for removing an obitacle, that happily prevents our coming at it.'

An ingenuous young man, who fat near Mr. Crab, fo highly refented the acrimony of his fpeech, that he rose up; and, bowing to the chief magiftrate, faid, That though he apprehended his defign in calling the prefent council, was rather to hear what objections could be produced to the scheme, than for any other purpose, yet, as he was convinced Mr. Crab had gone very unwarrantable lengths in fome of his obfervations and conclufions, he could not help afking permiffion to offer a remonftrance or two. Which being granted him, he defired the orator to recollect, "That there was fuch a thing as Sage cheese and that being green cheefe (a circumftance that would prejudice many men in its favour) and confequently of the fame kind that forms the materials of which the Moon was made, he thought it very unworthy a man in the Moon, to fuppose that fpecies was not to be found there in great abundance." He next obferved," that toasted cheese was held in high estimation by men of the best taste. And indeed when cheese has paffed unhurt and unfullied through that fiery trial, it is impoffible to fay too much in its commendation." He added, "that always having profeffed himself a great admirer of cheese in general, he had paid fo much attention to that useful commodity, that he could with confidence affert, that there was much more good cheese, than bad, in the world:" and concluded with faying,

he could not help fufpecting, that Mr. Crab, in spite of all Reftraints, might have made fome experiments in his time that had proved unfortunate.'

I think I have hitherto given no intimation to my Readers, that this republic was established principally for the cultivation of the understanding. But there are fome people in it, who do not cultivate their understandings, and others, who have no understandings to cultivate. Of this laft clafs was Simon Shaltow, who next feized the ears of this refpectable audience with

a fpeech. Simon never doubted the truth of any ftory he had heard in his life. He had no clear ideas of any thing in the world. He would fwallow you half a dozen impoffibilities in a breath, without making a face. He could not be faid to think, in any true fenfe of that word, and feemed to have no property in his own ideas. He voided them just as he received them, as children do cherry-ftones. He lifped in his speech, and fputtered like a roafting pippin. But with all these difadvantages, he was not profcribed the pale of common-fenfe, according to the definition fome people give of it; for Simon had a good deal to fay for himself. What he faid upon this occafion, I will now lay before you.

"Gentlemen! I have been told that there is nothing in nature more pernicious than cheese. And I can produce fuch inftances of its ill effects, as will leave no reason to doubt the truth of this affertion. I remember having heard from my nurfe, who thought the had heard it from my grandmother, that cheese would give a man the rheumatism and the ear-ach: and a very fenfible country apothecary, a cousin of mine, fays, that he can attribute a fore throat, or a fever on the spirits, to nothing but cheese. For my own part, I never fee a cheese, but it puts me in mind of the dropfy, yellow jaundice, and king's evil; and I am certain, were the new scheme admitted, we should all be afflicted with thofe diforders. Nay, fuch a terrible notion have I of this baneful commodity, that I should not at all wonder to hear a man had got a leprofy, a wry neck, or a fit of the gout, by eating it: Dixi."

Though the liberty of Fellows of Colleges to marry, or rather the oppofition made to that liberty is here the fubject of humour and raillery, it is by no means unworthy of a ferious confideration. The reftriction of it is certainly one of the pernicious remains of Popery. It may not be fo convenient as it is easy to fay what moral and political evils it produces; but it is obvious to every liberal and unbiassed understanding, that it must be equally prejudicial to the community, as it is the cause of diffatisfaction to many of the individuals who are obliged to labour under it.

A celebrated French Writer has obferved what we hope will in time come to pafs. "Peut-être aujourd'hui que l'efprit philo fophique a fait tant de progrès, un concile ferait des loix plus favarables à l'humanite que le concile de Trente."

น.

A Defence of Mr. Kenrick's Review of Dr. Johnson's Shakespeare ; containing a Number of curious and ludicrous Anecdotes of Literary Biography. By a Friend. 8vo. 1 s. Bladon.

THOSE

HOSE who are the most ready to give offence, by too un

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guarded a freedom of behaviour, are ever the most impatient of rebuke; and therefore we are not at all furprized to find Mr. K. or his fanguine friend Mr. R. R. (whoever may be the real Author of this pamphlet) warmly resenting our mild. reprehenfion of Mr. K's rough attack on the editor of Shakefpeare. But it were not wonderful if he should appear to be nettled; for he has been ftung by a whole neft of literary hornets. He has been attacked, in his turn, by an army of fcribblers'; and he may, poffibly, have enough to do, to rout them all, notwithstanding his boafted prowess, and his avowed contempt for a miriad of cockle-fhell + critics':-i. e. Reviewers, Magaziners, Chroniclers,-versemen & profemen,all armed and ranged under the standard of General Johnson. The general, indeed, hath not yet vouchfafed to ftir out of his camp; but feems content, for the prefent, at leaft, with detaching his light. § troops' to harass the enemy.

The contents of this pamphlet are divided into 9 fections; in which the fpirited Author affigns reasons for the Reviewer's (Mr. Kenrick's) having a lefs exalted opinion of Dr. Johnson's abilities than has hitherto been entertained by the public in general; queftions are offered to Dr. J's friends, respecting fome curious anecdotes of the life and literary conduct of that gen-. tleman ;-whether Dr. J. deferves better treatment than he has received, and how far Mr. K. is excufable in having so treated him? Specimens are given of the literary abilities, candour, and urbanity of the hypercritics on Mr. K. Together with an entire fection on the Modefty of men of letters; and another on literary knowlege; with fome remarks on IGNORANCE and INATTENTION. To all which is added, a Poffcript, addreffed to the Monthly Reviewers.

In his fecond fection, the Author enters into a detail of the grounds of Mr. K's first diffent from the general public opinion of Mr. Johnfon's literary abilities; viz. the numerous defects.

See Kenrick's Review; or the paffage here referred to as tranfcribed in our laft, p. 467.

+ If, by a cockle-fhell critic, Mr. K. only means, a critic in cockle Shells, there is nothing extraordinary in his defying whole armies of them but what have these fubmarine animals to do with the contests about Shakespeare?

Among thefe, however, the Monthly Reviewers are not to be included; they being perfectly neuter; and chufing to act only as a corps of obfervation.

Kenrick's Review.

He has employed a particular fection, in animadverting on the ingenuoufnefs, impartiality, and urbanity of Sylvanus Urban, Gent. regarding the writings of Mr. K.'

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