ART. 36. The Cypriots, ar a Miniature of Europe in the Middle of the fifteenth Century. By the Author of the Minstrel. 2 Vol. 75. 290 and 286 pp. Bell, Oxford street. 1795. We have, on a former occafion, bestowed on this writer no cold commendations*. As the prefent work has the fame characteristics, we fhall not endeavour to vary the form of our praifes; but fhall commend The Cypriots, as we did the Minstrel, for elegance of language, nice difcrimination of character, morality of fentiment, and happy management of incidents. Most of the perfonages in this story are introduced to our acquaintance, and many affecting fcenes are defcribed, in the first 50 pages. Calliades, the hero, then leaves his country, Cyprus, on an ho nourable errand, and vifits Florence, Rome, Turin, Switzerland, Paris, Caftile, Portugal, Madrid, and Lifle. This peregrination affords a good opportunity for exhibiting "the miniature of Europe;" that is, an account of the manners, arts, commerce, projects, politics, and wars, of most of the European nations; thofe which were not actually vifited being introduced by their connection with the rest. To this plan, however, it may be objected, that although many inftructive narrations, and entertaining adventures are, by these means, fet before us, yet the principal ftory is too long fufpended, and our intereft in it thereby abated. For though we have the hero of it all the while along with us, yet we have him (for the most part) detached from the main bufinefs of Cyprus, on which our minds are fixed. Ample amends, however, begins to be made to us at his return to Cyprus, vol ii. p. 156. We are charmed with the incidents which now crowd upon us, and become deeply interested in the issue of them. The catastrophe is not precipitated, but is brought about in a gradual, probable, and ftriking manner. We fhall decline foreftalling the plea fure of any readers, by difclofing, or even hinting at it. But (having firft admonished the author, that the phrafe "it fynonyms of a dauntlefs foul," vol. i. p. 64, is unintelligible) we fhallrecommend The Cypriots as a performance which combines useful inftruction with much elegant entertainment. ART. 37. Montford Caftle; or, The Knight of the White Rofe. An biftorical Romance of the eleventh Century. In 2 Vols. 75. Crosby, 1794. This is a very interefting, romantic ftory; and we may recommend it to readers who feek only amufement, provided they take with them a caution which we lately fuggefted; not to be induced to hate christianity in the eighteenth century, for the wickedness of fome corrupt profeffors of it in the eleventh t. That fuch was the object * See British Critic, vol. ii. p. 275. + See an account of" Edward de Courcy an Ancient Fragment." Erit. Crit. Vol. V. p. 424. defigned defigned by this work, we do not affirm; but that fuch is one of its obvious tendencies, feems to us unquestionable. Walter Fitz, Owen and Jaqueline are of no other use in the ftory, than to produce fuch an effect. Vol. I. pp. 76, 77. Nor can the monstrous character of Hubert, which is fo amply and ftudioufly delineated, anfwer any other purpofe in thefe days, but that which was lately intended at Paris, by producing on the stage the Cardinal of Lorraine, when the prefent race of French clergy were to be devoted to public abhor rence, and to destruction. ART. 38. The Evening Walk. A fentimental Tale, interfperfed with poetical Scraps. By a Youth of Seventeen. 12mo. 185 pp. 3s. J. Walker. 1795. In the advertisement which precedes this "fentimental tale,” the author fays, "It was one of my early literary attempts, being pofitively written at feventeen years of age; and I declare to you, before I had ever read any novel whatever. It is fome years fince I have feen it myself, and fifteen fince it was written. It hath amufed me, and perhaps it may you for the fame reafon, because it leads to a comparative view of our talents (quere whofe talents?) and their employment at different ages, and under different impreffions. I have never fince attempted any thing in this way, and my fubfequent labours are fo unlike it, and have been fo flatteringly received, that I shall not hazard the loss of fame, by letting my name appear to this romantic flight of my boyish days." After this handsome tribute of applaufe, fo duly paid by the author to himfelf, any panegyric of our's must be unneceffary; and the following fhort extract will, perhaps, fhow, how little claim he has to the attention of any reader, who is the friend of morality, or of common fenfe. I firmly believe his profeffions, and, in one of those moments when we are not accountable for our actions, furrendered my virtue to the man, to whom, if he had afked it, I fhould have furrendered my life!!!" P. 64. All that we have left to conclude is, that the author was deflitute of moral principle at feventeen, and remains ignorant of his errors at thirty-two. The reft of the book is compoted of" fcraps," indeed, but not of " poetry." DIVINITY, ART. 39. A Defence of the Church of England, in a Series of Dif courfes, preached at Old Sawindford, in Worcesterfoire. On Eph. v. 27. By the Rev. Robert Foley, M. A. of Oriel College, Oxford, and Rector of the faid Parish. 8vo. 136 pp. 6s. Pearfon, Birmingham; Longman, &c. London. 1795. Thefe ufeful difcourfes, ten in number, all on the fame text, are well fuited to the capacities of fuch hearers and readers as have no opportunity of perufing more elaborate treatifes. They indicate a clear conception, and form an addition of fome value to the nume rous rous tracts written in defence of our national church. In the firå fermon the author explains his defign, and enforces its propriety, in fome inftances with more vehemence than we could have wifhed. The fecond traces the corruptions of Popery, which are described in a curfory manner, but in general with fulcient accuracy. The remaining difcourfes give an account of the reformation, and defend the doctrine of the Trinity, the Athanafian Creed, and the articles and Liturgy of the church of England. The local fituation of Mr. Foley, in the neighbourhood of many Diffenters, makes him feel it peculiarly neceflary to expatiate on thefe topics; most of which have been fuccefsfully explained before, but not always in a form fo adapted to general convenience. In fome inftances we are inclined to lament that the author, in his endeavour to be familiar, has admitted expreflions of too coarse a texture. ART. 40. A true State of the Cafe; or, a Vindication of the Ortbe dox Diffenters from the Mifreprefentations of the Rev. Robert Foley, M. A. Sc. In five Letters. By Thomas Beft, Minifter of the Chapel of Cradley, near Stourbridge. 8vo. 15. Pearfon, Birmingham; Longman, &c. London. 1795. One leading defign of this publication, is to convince Mr. Foley that he has been much too general in his invectives against the Diffenters. "It is a notorious fact," fays Mr. Beft in his second letter," that there are thousands of Diffenters in this kingdom, whofe faith is as orthodox as yours, and who exult in the British conftitution," &c. In the fourth letter, confequently, Mr. B., in his own name, and in the name of many of his brethren, unequivocally confeffes the Divinity of Chrift. That there are many fuch Diffenters we well know, and of fuch we much lament that, as they agree with us in the most effential points, they should think it neceffary to separate, on account of things comparatively fmall. In political matters, alfo, we could wish to find the ftatement of this author correct: certain it is, that in many cases, those who are difcontented contrive to make a clamour, which increases the opinion of their numbers; as we have heard, that in a legislative affembly of a neighbouring kingdom, thofe who fay no before a divifion, ufually fpeak twice as loud as they who fay aye. ART. 41. Sermons fur les circonstances préfentes prononcés dans l'églife Française de Londres, en Threadneedle-freet. Par Louis Mercier, l'un des pafteurs de la dite Eglije. 8vo. 209 pp. 35. 6d. Cadell and Davies. 1795. Thefe difcourfes, delivered to a congregation of French Proteftants in London, are plain, fenfible, and inftructive. They are fix in number, on the following fubjects. 1. On the manner in which a Chriftian ought to attend to public events. 2. On the ancient triumphs of the Chriftian church, tending to give encou ragement under the dangers of the prefent moment, 3. On the firit commandment of the law, namely, "I am the Lord thy God, thon thou fhalt have none other Gods but me." 4. On the virtues required for attaining the kingdom of God, in oppofition, to fuperflitions and external obfervances. 5. The confolation of a Chrif tian under public or private calamities, for January 1, 17956. Invitation to reflect on the Divine Vifitations, for the public faft in 1795. ART. 42. A brief Sketch of the feveral Denominations into which the The work is intended for the ufe of young perfons, and of others who stand so much in need of information, as to confound Atheists and Deifts together. P. zz. Creeds and articles of faith are reprobated with much zeal; which seems to be carried beyond due bounds -in the following paffage: "Tritheifts maintain that there are three equal and diftinét Gods. Nearly allied to this clafs are the Athanafians." P. 7. Whatever objections may be thought to fubfift againft the Creed of Athanafius in its prefent form, as a public confeffion of faith for Chriftians in general, yet we apprehend that it ftands very clear from the imputation which is here caft upon it. ART. 43. The Obligations of Chriftians to fupport a Converfation becoming the Gospel. A Sermon preached to a Congregation of Proteftant Diffenters in Hull, February 8, 1795, on Occafion of their forming themselves into a Chriftian Society, under the paftoral Care of the Rev. William Pendered. By Thomas Langdon. 8vo. Is. Rawfon, &c. Hull; Vernor, &c. London. 1795. A very cloquent exhortation of the hearers to a behaviour becoming the Gospel, ft. in their transactions with each other, as a Chriftian fociety; 2dly, towards their fellow-Chriftians of other focieties; 3dly. in their refpective families; and, laftly, in the world at large. It is a juft fubject of regret to the members of the Church of England, when fuch men, as Mr. Langdon appears from this difcourfe to be, think it neceffary to feparate from it. ART. 44. A Letter to Thomas Paine, Author of the Age of Reafon. By George Burges, B. A. Curate of Whittlefea, in the Ifle of Ely, Peterborough. 8vo. 34 PP. IS Evans. 1794. This, though avowedly the production of a young writer, difcovers ftrong marks of a liberal and cultivated inind. The author, declining to enter into a pofitive defence of chriftianity, which he thinks abun dantly fubftantiated by the labours of others, examines alone the expediency of attacking religion and religious inftitutions. Chriftianity, he argues, is either a matter of fraud," a matter of doubt, or a matter of fact, On the two first of these fuppofitions he argues to prove the danger, the cruelty, and the inj ftice of taking from mankind, in a season of general tumult, the only fource of confolation and correction. Having evinced the inexpediency of affailing Chriftianity on thefe obnoxious grounds, the author draws up his argument by clofing upon the matter of fact. But this detriment to fociety; this measure of tranfgreffion will be completely filled up, when we come, in the laft place, to contemplate chriftianity, not as a matter of fraud or of doubt, but as a real and almost demonstrative matter of fact. In this cafe, Sir, you will stand in the awful and terrible predicament of one who has done his utmost to fubvert; not the delusions of prophane and interested men; not the fuperftitious vanities which have engendered a mass of impofition and corruption, and filenced the voice of reafon whenever it was lifted up in the cause of rational devotion; not the ecclefiaftical tyranny, that in the dark ages of ignorance lorded it over the benighted mind, and bound even kings in chains, and nobles with links of iron; but the divine infpirations of Almighty God himfelf; the word of truth, of meeknefs, and righteoufnefs; the pure fount of that stream from whence millions have drank of the waters of comfort; the most ufeful monitor of your fellow-creatures in life, and their only hope and confolation in death!" P. 21. Here the author feems to confider himself as ftanding on higher ground, and indulges in a ftrain of honeft enthufiafm, which does honour to his feelings. See p. 26. In perufing this pamphlet we have been strongly impreffed by the merits of the writer, who appears to poffefs a very honourable portion of piety and good fenfe; and who has claims of no ordinary force upon the indulgence and protec tion of the public. MEDICINE. ART. 45. An Inquiry into the Hiftory, Nature, Caufes, and different Modes of Treatment hitherto pursued in the Cure of Scrafula and Cancer. By William Neftit, M. D. Fellow of the Royal College of Surgons, Edinburgh. 8vo. 263 pp. 45. Chapman, Edinburgh; Kay, London. 1795. "The object of this treatife," the author fays," is to offer a full view of fcrofula and cancer, and to examine, at fome length, what has hitherto been done by phyficians to elucidate their nature, and counteract the morbid effects they produce." The work confists of two diftinet effays, the firft on fcrofula, the fecond on cancer. The author begins by giving a general account of fcrofula, of the age and conftitution, or habits of body, most fubject to its attack. He examines the different theories that have been invented to account for the appearances of thefe difcafes, all of which he thinks defective. Scrofula is divided by him into two fpecies, the external and the internal, He treats firft of fcrofulous affections of the glands near the furface of the body, which is the mildest form of the disease. These often dif appear |