graphy is not wanting in it. The author appears to confider his hero as a model of wifdom and virtue, though with refpect to fome of his peculiar opinions, he leaves it doubtful whether he fully adopts the fentiments he records or not. Dr. Priestley was born, according to this account, within eight miles of Leeds, in March, 1733, and he died, February 6, 1804, not having quite completed his feventy-first year. The last ten years of his life had been paffed in America. On the general fubject of his character we prefer the fentiments of a friend, whom Mr. C. quotes, to his own. They are these. "I fhall be glad to, fee a life of Dr. Priestley. Your object is to do good, by giving the public a fair account of the life of a great and ufeful inan. As a philofopher, I highly elteem him, and confider him an honour to his country. I have often regrested that he ever meddled with politics, which were foreign to his calling, as an experimental philofopher and chymift; and still more fo that he ever meddled with experimental divinity, which I am certain he never properly understood. "Many of the religious world imagine the Doctor to have been a bad man, because he had a bad creed. But the one is by no means a neceffary confequence of the other. I have known very bad men who had a found creed, and I have certainly known good and useful men, who held, what I thought, a very bad creed. Dr. Priestley, as far as I ever had an opportunity of knowing, was a ftrictly honelt upright man: and when his outfide was fo fair, and his life fo useful, it would be a most infamous ufurpation of the prerogative of God, to judge his heart, or even fufpect his motives." P. 87. This is making the best of the matter, that can be done with fairness; though it feems not to us very poffible to juftify the violence of his politics, nor that turbulence of his difpofition which made it a real happiness to his country to have him removed to a vaft diftance, during the uneafy periods which followed the explosion of democratic fanaticism and wickednefs in France. ART. 31. Evening Amusements; or, the Beauty of the Heavens displayed. In which feveral striking Appearances to be abjerved on various Even ings in the Heavens, during the Year 1805, are defcribed, and several Means are pointed out, by which the Time of Young Perfons may be innocently, agreeably, and profitably employed within Doors. Intended to be continued Annually. By William Frend, Efq. M. A. and Fellow of Jefus College, Cambridge. 12mo. 210 pp. 3s. Mawman. 1805. The defign of this work, to encourage the taste for aftronomical ftudies, and facilitate the approaches to the fcience, is fo truly laudable, that we fee the continuation of it with peculiar pleafure; rejoicing alfo to find the author fo very ufefully employed. The first volume appeared in 1804 (fee Brit. Crit. xxiv. 337) and began to open the fubject to young obfervers; the prefent fuppofes that foundation laid, and proceeds in a fimilar manner to announce the phænomena of the prefent year. It may be confidered, in fome refpects, as an aftronomical almanac, proceeding regularly through the months of the year, and not only pointing out the appearances of the heavenly bodies, fixed and planetary, but giving practical directions, by which the inexperienced rienced obferver may be led to ascertain them for himself. Directions are alfo given for dividing circles, and performing fuch of the more eafy operations of mathematics, as may be useful in these pursuits. We have no doubt that any perfon, by daily following the directions of this calendar, may obtain a competent knowledge of the heavenly bodies, and confequently a fource of very rational amufement throughout life. A few plates are given, representing the principal ftars of a few constellations. ART. 32. A Defcription of the Prince of Wales's Ifland, in the Streights of Malacca; with its real and probable Advantages and Sources to recommend it as a Marine Eftablishment. By Sir Home Popham, Knight of the Sovereign Order of Jerufalem, Captain in the Royal Navy, and Fellow of the Royal Society. 8vo. Stockdale. 2s. 6d. 1805. Sir Home Popham, who took great pains to examine the Prince of Wales's Inland, is of opinion, that it poffeffes geographical, military, commercial, and political advantages over every other fituation in India. He is alfo inclined to believe, that nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves, would grow there if properly cultivated. This, in cafe of reftitution of the Eastern Islands to the Dutch, at any future period, will effectually counteract the monopoly of that people, and reduce the value of their islands. The experiment is about to be made, and with every probability of success. As the island has not yet been fully explored, many trees may grow there which have not yet been fully defcribed; perhaps the Teak Tree, which must be of great im portance to England. ` Sir H. P.'s pamphlet contains many fagacious obfervations. ART. 33. Thoughts on the Conduct and Coronation of Bonaparte. 8vo. Symonds. 13. 1805. The author of this pamphlet gives a sketch of the life, character, and coronation of Bonaparte, which is written with confiderable fpirit, and concludes with an animated with for the restoration of the royal family of France. ART. 34. Pepin, Ufurper of the French Sceptre, crowned in France in the Year 754, by the Pope. In French, from Velly's Hiftory of France, with an English Tranflation. 12mo. 16s. Kirby. 1805. The editor, conceiving the fituation of Pepin and Bonaparte in many refpects to resemble each other, has given this extract from Velly's History of France. The reasons why the Pope was in both inftances called in to affift, are certainly much the fame. If the crown of France fhall be made hereditary in Bonaparte's family, his will become the fourth royal race of France. Pepin was the first who became King of France, otherwife than by right of birth. ART. ART. 35. Picture of Worthing; to which is added, an Account of Arundel and Skareham, with other Parts of the furrounding Country. By John Evans, A.M. 12mo. 2s. 6d. Arch. 1805. This is an entertaining little book, and will be useful alfo to those who may have occafion or curiofity to vifit the places defcribed. It would have been more fatisfactory if the author had given fome idea of the expences of incidental refidence at any of thefe places, on different fcales, fuch as the price of lodgings, what fupplies may be relied on for fish, butchers' meat, &c. ART. 36. The Manchester Guide, a brief historical Defcription of the Towns of Manchester and Salford, the public Buildings, and the Charitable and Literary Inftitutions; illuftrated by a Map, exhibiting the Improvements and Additions made fince the Year 1770. 8vo. 5s. Bickerftaff. 1804. Manchester is every day increafing fo much in populoufuefs and commercial importance, that a Manchefter Guide, which is at all accurate or perfpicuous, muft be very delirable to its occafional vifitors. This feems, in every refpect, to answer the purpose, and may be recommended to thofe who may not be able to purchase Dr. Aikin's more elaborate publication. ART. 37. An Addrefs to Lord Teignmouth, Prefident of the British and Foreign Bible Society, occafioned by his Addrefs to the Clergy of the Church of England. By a Country Clergyman. 8vo. I S. Hatchard, 1805. The pure and fimple principle of extending the confolations of religion, by a liberal diffemination of the Sacred Scriptures, is fo laud. able in itself, and fo falutary in its effects, that it is difficult to conceive how it fhould be made liable to cavil or exception from any description of perfons. The writer of this Addrefs, however, founds very ftrong objections to the Bible Society, on the fuppofition that this principle may be grofsly abufed, and that fectarists of various denominations may avail themfelves of the opportunity thus offered, to diffeminate, under the form of various readings, expofitions, and comments, their own particular prejudices and opinions. But furely he might have waited a little, to fee whether any fuch abufes did actually fpring up, or were likely to operate to the difadvantage of true religion. He might have prefumed that the friends of the established church, who are members of that Society, are both too numerous and too vigilant not to difcern, in the firft inftances, and not immediately to check the very beginnings of fuch abuse. With refpect to the writer's argument, that there is a ftanding majority in the committee against the Church of England, if we are rightly informed, it is a rule of the Society that the Prefident, VicePrefidents, and Treasurer, to the number of ten, are always to be confidered ex officio as members of the Committee; which leaves a I i BRIT. CRIT. VOL. XXV. APRIL, 1805. clear clear majority in favour of the church. This rule, we understand, is in full force, though it has not yet been printed in the papers of the Society. When, therefore, we fee among the Vice-Presidents, &c. four of the moft venerable bench of bishops, and in the Society at large fome of the most honourable and moft ftrenuous friends of our own church, we readily difmifs from our minds the apprehenfions which the perufal of this Addrefs has fo ftrong a tendency to excite. We are inclined indeed to fmile at the ideal terrors which haunt the imagination and agitate the nerves of this rural clergyman; who, under the plain and unexceptionable propofal of diffeminating the Scriptures, in the authorized editions, in this and foreign countries, difcovers plots, ftratagems, confpiracies, and trains of gunpowder, by which he declares himself to be horribly afraid of having the national eftabliment blown up, clergy and all, into the air. P. 9. ART. 38. The Works of Diogenes. Volume I. 8vo. 195 PP. Egerton. 1804. Mr. Diogenes feems to have a fluent pen. To what extent he means to continue the volumes of which he here offers the first, we do not pretend to guefs. Unlefs he fhould meet with fome difcouragement in the reluctance of the public to purchafe, we conceive that his effufions would be voluminous. The chief part of the prefent is occupied by a comedy, entitled, "Every Day Characters," which is not exactly defcriptive of it: for fuch characters as Sir Charles Freeman, and his fon Albert, certainly do not often occur. The Irish fervant, Lochlin, is Foote's Air-Cattle in low life. The fpeeches in the play are clearly not every-day fpeeches, for they are frequently of a length which few days would be long enough to admit in any great number. This comedy is decorated with the previous accompani ments of "An Addrefs to my Countrymen," an addrefs" to the Dramatic Writers," another "to the Reviewers." A Prologue in Profe, to be fpoken by any performer that has courage to deliver it:" and, at the end, by " a farewell Addrefs to my Readers." Notwithstanding all thefe efforts, Mr. Diogenes will probably experience the difficulty of attracting the public attention to an anonymous or pfeudonymous author, which is equivalent: and when he shall undertake to write under his own name, he will find that useful check upon his pen, which will doubtlefs increafe his merit with his care. ART. 39. The new Military Finance; containing the Hiftory, Pay, and Allowances of the British Army. By Nathaniel Hood, Lieutenant in the Army. 12o. 188 pp. 45. 6d. Longman and Co. 1804. However exact this author may be in his view of military finance, he fects to have paid but little attention to military economy, when he fixed the price of this very fmall book at 4s. 6d. The curious reader will, however, find in it the pay and half-pay of every person attached to the army, and many other particulars which it may be ufeful or defireable to know. ART. ART. 40. A Father's Gift to his Children: confifling of originl Effays, Tales, Fables, Reflections, &c. By William Mavor, LL.D Vicar of Hurley, Berks, and Chaplain to the Earl of Moira. Two Volumes. 12mo. Ios. 6d. Phillips. 1804. Our General Index prefents a long lift of works written or compiled by Dr. Mavor, but among them not this, though it appears by the preface to have been published before. How it efcaped our notice it is now ufelefs to enquire: the prefent edition appears, if we miftake not, with augmentations and improvements. Utility has been invariably the leading object of this author's productions, and it has been purfued with zeal and judgment. The prefent book was written for the improvement of his own children, and is well calculated to perform the fame fervice in other families. It confifts of fhort Effavs, fo formed as to excite, and in fome degree to gratify, a tafte for liberal knowledge. We particularly admire thofe effays which are intended. to form a familiar introduction to the Linnæan Syftem of Nature. Thefe are, the 32d on Botany; the 50th of the first volume. In the fecond, Efay 5, on Natural History; 10, Quadrupeds; 15, Birds; 20, Amphibia; 29, Fishes; 38, Infects; 44, Worms; 45, 50, 51, on other branches of philofophy; and, 60, termed the Botanical Walk. Many other of the Effays are alfo pleafing, as well as inftructive, and fome poetical. They comprife indeed all the variety that is fo attractive in periodical effays, but calculated in general to instruct and open the youthful mind. The volumes are neatly printed, and contain a vast variety of articles. ART. 41. Converfations, introducing Poetry, chiefly on Subjects of Natural Hiftory, for the Ufe of Children and young Perfons. 2 Volumes. 12mo. 75. Johnfon. 1805. The youth of the prefent day are indebted to fome of the most refpectable talents of their country, frequently and fuccefsfully exercifed for their inftruction and amufement. A valuable library for young perfons may now be formed from the works, exprefsly written for this excellent and amiable purpose, of Dr. Aikin, Mrs. Barbauld, Mrs. Trimmer, Mrs. Welt, Mrs. Pr. Wakefield, and laftly Mrs. Smith, not to enumerate many others. To this before us, of Mrs. Smith, we have one objection to make, and that not wholly unimportant; and we are very forry that it diftinguishes all the productions of this otherwife accomplished writer. Why fhould Mrs. Smith characterize individuals of rank and fashion, with the most distorted features of vice and folly? That they have their fhare of both nobody will prefume to deny, but it is very unfair and extremely mischievous to infinuate that they are deftitute alfo of the virtues which adorn humanity. The nobleft qualities of the heart are found, and often found, in the most exalted characters, and the moft unwearied difpofition to affist poverty, and reward the humbleft merit. With this exception, we do not hesitate to recommend Mrs. Smith's work. By directing the attention of young perfons to the ftudy of natural hiftory, liz the |