Esau. The third, from Philip. ii. 12, 13. On divine grace and human agency. A very fair discourse on a subject which has been rendered difficult by idle controversy and ignorant presumption. The fourth, from Rev. xxi. 3-5. On the happiness of Heaven. The fifth, from Matt. xi. 7-15. On the office and preaching of John the Baptist. The sixth, from James iv. 14. On the nature and end of life. The seventh, from Matt. v. 20. On the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees. Good and practical. The eighth, from Heb. xii. 22-24. On the Jewish and Christian dispensations. The ninth, from Jolm xiv. 6. On the way of acceptance with God. The tenth, from Gen. xlix. 4. On instability in religion. The eleventh, from 1 John iii. 4. The knowledge of sin necessary to repentance. The twelfth, from John v. 40. The reasons why men do not come to Christ. The thirteenth, from 2 Peter iii. 12. On the proper effects of the hope of Heaven. The fourteenth, from 1 Tim. iv. 8. Godliness profitable to all things. The fifteenth, from Col. i. 12. Wherein consists meetness for Heaven. The sixteenth, from Gal. v. 16. Walking in the spirit, the preservative from the lusts of the flesh. The seventeenth, from Gen. xxxix. 9. Regard to God, the great preservative from sin. The eighteenth, from Luke iv. 18, 19. The work of Christ. The nineteenth, from 1 Cor. x. 31. Duty of glorifying God. The twentieth, from Isa. liii. 3-6. Proofs and reasons of the sufferings of the Son of God. The twenty-first, from Isa. xxvi. 3. On the peace arising from trust in God. The twenty-second, from Luke xiv. 27. On bearing the Cross and following Christ. The twenty-third, from 1 Cor. vii. 29-31. How to use the world so as not to abuse it.

In dismissing these volumes from our consideration, we very sincerely wish them their due proportion of success. We are strongly convinced of the great worth of the author. These sermons, we doubt not, were heard, and, we are persuaded, they may now be read with pleasure and profit. We have remarked a decided leaning to that party which claims the distinction of Evangelical, to which, in the present instance, we have the less objection, as the doctrine is more than ordinarily moderated by a respect for practice. Some evil, however, seems inseparable from the system. It enhances much beyond the truth what is after all mere human preaching. It excites unjust suspicion, and sanctions unjust reproach against those who, from the most serious principle, reject the Shibboleth Evangelism of the day, while they yet preach the Gospel with the most perfect sincerity. It has occasioned, and it continues, the grossest schisms, and the most painful breaches of unity; a contempt of Church discipline, and a neglect of Church ordinances. Neither pray I for these alone,

alone, (said the Redeemer in the awful anticipation of his final sacrifice) but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. St John xvii. 20, 21. The word of these first messengers is the word of God. It is embodied for our use and the Church, 1 Tim. iii. 15, which is the pillar and ground of the truth, has thrown it into a practical form, for our daily instruction. It is no slight error to despise or renounce her arrangements for the mere casual efforts of individuals, even when these efforts are most correct. It has a strong tendency to affect and to invalidate, among careless men, one essential ground of the evidence, on which the world is required to believe the merciful mission of the Son of God.

In these volumes there are forty-five sermons; of most of these we think well on the whole. They afford a fair and respectable specimen of what their author did and was able to do. But amidst much repetition and a strong effort to bring some prominent features of the Gospel constantly forward, much, very much is wanting to fill up the system, to make the doctrine. complete and the practice plain. We complain not of this. It is what will occur in all similar selections. But the circumstance shews how very vain is their opinion who rely on sermons as the sole source of religious instruction, and how much they are to blame, who because they do not find in the occasional or published sermons of others, the particular subjects in which they delight, rashly conclude that their authors preach not the Gospel. There is a sufficient field in this subject, immense in its extent and in its interest, for every variety of view and of talent, and we are bound to believe that the ground work is always respected, unless we have positive proof to the contrary., The doctrine in all its parts is essential; but the practice, both positive and moral, is equally obligatory. Both are effectually enforced and inculcated in our Church, and if we respect, as we are required, her arrangements, we cannot detach the one from the other; though if we despise them, such a separation is neither unlikely nor uncommon.

ART, IV. Culloden Papers: comprising an extensive and interesting Correspondence from the Year 1625 to 1748, &c. &c. to which is prefixed an Introduction, containing Memoirs of the Right Honourable Duncan Forbes, many Years

Lord

Lord President of the Court of Session in Scotland. 4tos pp. xliv. and 479. Cadell and Davies. 1815.

WE are informed in the preface to this very important col lection, that

"In exploring some dark and unfrequented recesses of the House of Culloden, for purposes of a very different nature, in the year 1812, two large chests and three sacks were found, contain ing the materials, a careful selection from which forms the contents of the present volume; mingled, without the least order, or indication of previous inspection, with the lumber of local and uninteresting documents, of useless accounts, trivial memoranda, and Law papers, of all dates within the last 200 years. From this chaotic mass of manuscripts, a selection of what was considered as best calculated to subserve the purpose of history was made, and put to the press in chronological succession. The Editor, however, had frequent occasions to regret, that many of the papers were either letters requiring answers, to which no answer could be found; or answers to letters that seemed to have no existence; or, again, letters referring to others which could not be traced. When the printing had been far advanced, this circumstance, so much to be regretted, induced a more eager search, and a hamper of similar papers was brought to light. It was impossible, however, now to interfere with the chronological order that had been adopted; and it was deemed expedient to form a second part of the collection, under the name of ADDENDA; to commence, like the former, according to their dates; which would furnish an easy clew to the reader, for connecting and associating papers, on similar subjects, that had been printed in the former part of the volume. Of these last papers, not a few may, perhaps, be found even more interesting than those which had been previously inscrted."

The papers thus accidentally discovered are really of great interest and of considerable importance. There is much reason to regret, however, that they have been published with so slight a share of editorial arrangement and research. It was yet, we are persuaded, not only possible but easy to find materials. sufficient to furnish such notices of the various writers, or of most of them, as to enable the reader, by a knowledge of their situation and circumstances, fully to appreciate their sentiments and conduct. The discovery of a second collection, after the printing of the first was far advanced, supplies but a poor excuse for the clumsy mode adopted. It adds to our regret, that so valuable a deposit should have fallen into the hands of persons, if not ignorant, at least so careless. In a few years, all traces of local information, calculated to elucidate the character

and

and circumstances of the various correspondents in this collec tion, will be totally and for ever lost. As a monument erected to the fame, talents and integrity of Duncan Forbes of Culloden, it is very valuable, and altogether unsuspicious; as a source of history and authentic reference, it is highly important; and with very little additional research, and with common care and ar rangement, it might have been rendered much more so,

The introduction contains some account, accurate we presume, though not very interesting, of the family of Forbes of Culloden, and of the life of the Lord President.

"He was the second son of Duncan Forbes and Mary Innes, daughter of the laird of Innes, a family long established in the county of Moray, with the dignity of a baronet ; and which, through the female line, has lately succeeded to the Dukedom of Roxburgh." He was born on "the 10th of November, 1685; and after being some time at the school of Inverness, was sent at an early age to Edinburgh, where he prosecuted his studies at the different seminaries of that capital, and gave very early indications of that genius and application for which he was afterwards distinguished."

It is said that his inclination led him to the army. It is certain, however, that he commeuced the study of law, under Professor Spottiswood, in 1704. In that year he lost his father, who was succeeded in all his landed property by his eldest son John, who mitigated his brother's loss of a parent by every mark of kindness and affection. In 1705, Mr. D. Forbes went to Leyden to prosecute his legal studies. He returned to Scotland in 1707, and was admitted advocate on the 26th of July, 1709. He was soon after, through the influence of the familyof Argyle, appointed sheriff of Mid Lothian, The Duke afterwards committed his estates to Mr. Forbes's care, an honourable mark of confidence from such a man, and honourably requited, for though he has been mentioned as the Duke's factor, be declined a salary, He therefore depended for his subsistence entirely on his profession; for though his brother was rich, generous, and affectionate, his feelings of independence would not allow him to be burdensome even to him. His talents and eloquence soon raised him to notice, and he was extensively employed both before the Court of Session and before the House of Lords. He married early a daughter of Hugh Rose of Kilravock, who died young, leaving him one son John. He remained a widower till his death. Mr. Forbes and his family were strongly attached to the principles of the Revolution, and gave good proofs of their zeal in the ill-concerted plan of 1715, to restore the house of Stuart. It was probably partly in con

sequence

sequence of this, that Mr. Forbes was appointed on the 12th of March, 1716, one of the depute advocates, by Sir David Dalrymple, then Lord Advocate. His high notions of independence and justice appeared at this period, in the plainness with which he condemned the system pursued with the unfortunate rebels. His decided opposition to their treason never could be doubted. The sending them to Carlisle for trial he considered as highly illegal. He reprobated the spirit of violence with which they were treated, and be used all his influence with his friends to obtain money for their use and comfort. Believing them guilty, he felt and recommended compassionate treatment, and maintained that they were entitled to be considered as innocent, till they were found legally guilty. In 1722, Mr. Forbes was returned to Parliament for Inverness, &c. long represented by his brother; and he continued to represent the same district ull he was raised to the rank of President. In 1795, he was made Lord Advocate; the office of Secretary of State for Scotland was abolished at the same time, in consequence of which the correspondence regarding the civil improvements of that country was carried on by Mr. Forbes in a manner highly creditable to his understanding, talents and patriotism.

During his parliamentary visits to Loudon, the Lord Advocate secured the esteem and friendship of all that was great and distinguished in that day, and when his duty removed him from that great resort of commerce, politics, and pleasure, he preserved the affectionate regard which he had inspired, and left to the friends whom he had secured, the sincerest regret at the interruption, occasioned by his promotion, of that personal intercourse, which it appears from the best evidence that they so highly valued.

Mr. Forbes lost his brother in the year 1734, to whose property, somewhat incumbered with debt, he succeeded. Captain Porteous, of the town guard in Edinburgh, was tried and condemned to death, for having commanded his men to fire on a riotous mob, some of whom were killed. That the poor man did no more than his duty, and was really innocent, there is every reason to believe. At all events, the Queen Regent (the King being at Hanover) respited the sentence, and probably meant to pardon the prisoner, In the night of the 7th of September, 1736, the unfortunate man was taken from the prison and hanged at the common place of execution, and so far as was possible, with all the usual forms, by a mob of persons, who secured the gates of the town, and made their arrangements so effectually, that they not only accomplished their object, but not one of them was ever discovered or brought to justice. Thi transaction, which, if the unhappy man had been really guilty,

was