tion. But, perhaps, this had before been done, and the letter writer was defirous that other ladies in the like predicament might equally profit by it.-In this cafe the public may be ul timately obliged to him; though we cannot approve of this method of attacking individuals on the fubject of their perfonal character and private foibles. It is at beft officious, if not impertinent; and feldom ferves to work a reformation in the perfon piqued by it, whatever effect it may have on others.

Mifplaced Confidence; or Friendship betrayed containing a genuine Narrative of real Misfortunes; interspersed with firiking Anecdotes of fome of the most illuftrious Characters of the present Age, as well as of antient Hiftory. 3 Vol. 12mo. 7s. 6d. Fielding and Walker.

An expoftulation with, or rather a libel on, Sir John Huffey Delaval, Bart. whom the writer upbraids, for breach of promife in not providing for him; as a grateful return for his vote at the time of Sir John's ftanding candidate for the borough of Berwick upon Tweed.

That it ill becomes a gentleman to make promifes, he does not mean to keep, is most certain. The obligation, however, of fuch equivocal promifes, as are ufually made by candidates at borough elections, are held to be fo little binding that they come almost under the proverb of rafh vows, made only to be broke.-Burthenfome, indeed, would it be to electioneering adventurers, and even to country gentlemen of large property, if they were bound to provide for the wives and families of all their idle conftituents. The truth is, that fuch conftituents as give their votes from any other motive, than a confcientious discharge of their duty to their country, deferve the disappointment they may meet with, in the fubfequent neglect of the candidate of whofe want of principle they complain with a very ill grace, because he does not reward their having dif played a want of principle in themfelves. That this narrative may be genuine, and the writer's misfortunes real, we can readily believe: calamities naturally await thofe, who depend on the promises of others inftead of exerting their own induftry. Our author was bred, it feems, a furgeon and apothecary, and yet idly looked up to a lieutenancy in a marching regiment as a provifion for a wife and family! Is it a wonder that fuch abfurdity fhould be wedded to misfortune !

The

Chriftian Memoirs; or, a Review of the prefent State of Religion in England; in the Form of a new Pilgrimage to the Heavenly Jerufalem containing, by Way of Allegorical Narrative, a great Variety of Dialogues on the most interesting Subjects, and Adventures of eminently religious Perfons. By IV. Shrubsole. 8vo. 3s. 6d. fewed. Fisher, Rochefter-Matthews, Lon

don.

John Bunyan's Pilgrim's progrefs modernized; accommodated with much ingenuity to recent circumftances and improvements in letters, without deviating from the antient line of genuine orthodoxy.

"It is, undoubtedly," fays this writer, in his preface," with great concern, that every friend to religion and his country must take notice, of the prevailing paffion among us for novels, romances, and fentimental folly and obfcenity; which has almoft generally feduced the youth of both fexes into fuch a giddy and trifling behaviour, as is unworthy of rational beings. Nor are thofe which are called the best novels wholly to be excepted from this cenfure: for even they not only prefent fuch delufive and inflammatory fcenes to the mind, as tend to divest young ladies of that modeity and fenfibility which are both their honour and fafety; but they alfo furnish our wealthy and titled felons, thofe murderers of beauty, honour, innocence, and peace, with many execrable methods of feduction, which might never have occurred to their minds; and have proved a terrible retribution on the ladies, for that paffionate and criminal fondness with which they inceffantly read thofe enfoaring compofitions.

"Far lefs pernicious was antient Gothic romance, which was remarkable for frictly keeping within the bounds of decency, and every hero was an enthusiast in defence of the honour of the fair fex. Their Genii, Fairies, Talismans, and Enchanted Cafties, though chiefly the works of imagination; were yet more fuitably adapted to the elevated expectations and powers of the foul; and much better calculated to ferve the interefts of morality; than are the vicious, groveling, fceptical and foppifh fcenes, of the greater part of the entertaining books of this day."

In the prefent performance, continues he, "the public are prefented with a work entirely free from fuch poifon, yet I hope both inftructive and entertaining; and not the lefs fo for appearing in a religious character!"We could wish to encourage this hope, but we fear it is too flattering, at leaft in refpect to fuch readers as perufe books chiefly for the sake of entertainment. The work is divided into chapters, and contains a mixture of narrative and dialogue; a diverfity that renders it particularly pleafing. The following extract, from a dialogue between Clericus and Experience, may ferve as a ipecimen both of the matter and manner of the whole.

"Cler. Pray, what is your name, and what fign do you keep? Exper. My name is Experience, and I keep the Returned Proaigal. VOL. V.

Cc c

Cler

Gler. Ah! the darkness deceived me. I took it for the WeatherCock, that is kept by the famous and facetious Mr. Shandy.

Exper. You are egregiously mistaken, indeed, Sir. That Inn is fome miles from hence, on the left fide of the road, near the City of Vanity, to which it belongs. If you had gone thither, he is now fo full of company, that you could hardly have got a bed.

Cler. But I fhould have had fome good merry companions, no doubt.

Exper. The noife of mirth is there; but fome of those who have been at the houfe, when they were moft gay and jovial, afterwards owned, their hearts were forrowful at that very feafon. Indeed, Sir, that house is no credit to thofe who use it; and least of all, thofe of your profeffion. The mafter is a fcandal to all clergymen, yet he is permitted to hold his preferments in the City of Eftablishment. He keeps that Inn, which was ever a house of ill-fame; but fince his being there, his wit and learning have been prostituted as panders for debauchery. The manners of our day are fo depraved, that many perfons of rank and fortune, of both fexes, are not ashamed to put up there, and keep company with Mr. Shandy; though he has proclaimed his principles by many licentious advertisements of his opinions: and even on his fign-poft, there are stars, dafhes, and certain impure hieroglyphics, which, in a well-regulated city, would have subjected the author to fevere fines, if not to corporal punishment.

Cler. Landlord, you are very bold, thus to cenfure the prevailing tafte of this enlightened age. Why, Sir, Mr. Shandy's advertisements contain a luxury of fentiment; and are greedily fwallowed by fashionable people, both of the clergy and laity. I have heard that one of our prelates always carried them in his pockets. And another, in a private letter to the author, encouraged him in his licentioufnefs.

Exper. Such behaviour in prelates, when your city was in its purity, would have endangered their lawn fleeves, and justly too-I hope I never shall fear, in a prudent manner, to cenfure public vice. But when the pest appears in the habit of a clergyman, with the high claims of tafie, fentiment, fine feelings, and other delufive blandifhments, fo as to deceive many; it is time to espouse the cause of injured virtue and religion, at any hazard.

Cler. You are one of the precife ones, I find, as your name and fign intimate. I am a clergyman of the City of Establishment, but have no good opinion of fuch very fingular people, as are ever finding fault with others.

Exper. Sir, I believe you are a clergyman; and am forry for what you fay,

Cler. Sorry for what? That I am a clergyman; or, that I have no opinion of you?

Exper. Both, Sir. I have a great regard for your city, would have all its clergy of the belt fort; and I am certain, that there are not better men in the world, than fome of them.

Cler. But you feem to have no good opinion of me.

Prov. xiv. 13.

↑ Words much in ufe by Mr. Shandy, and his disciples.

7

Exper

*

Exper. As a pilgrim, or clergyman, Sir, I cannot fay I have. For, no man ought to defert the King's highway to please himself, and much less should a clergyman.

of

Cler. I tell you, landlord, the times are altered. This is an age improvements. You must not think to palm the puritanical opinions and practice of the last century, upon the enlightened and free-thinking fpirits of the prefent æra.

Exper. I am too fenfible that the times are altered, but it is for the worle. Arts and foiences may be improving; but I fear, that religion is lofing the ground, which it had lately gained among us.

Cler. Your very name and fign would drive half my brethren from your house; but I love novelties, fo chose to have a little contabulation with you.

Exper. Had you not loved novelties, you would have kept in the good old way. My name and fighi, Sir, are venerable among true pilgrims, and to fuch only I endeavour to recommend myself.

Cler. fuppofe, by your name, that you have much to fay of inward motions, impulfes, and revelations. You, and your brethren, who go through the vallies your own way; dream of goblins, demons, and voices, which I confider as only the workings of your over-heated imaginations. Come, hoft, let me have a pipe, and a bottle of your beft. I like to talk with you, because you are cool: though by your own account, l-shall eat and drink for nothing.

1

Exper. Sir, you fhall have any thing my houfe will afford; for, if I lofe money by you, here are four true pilgrims, arrived this day, who will amply repay me any lofs I may fuftain by you

Cler. O ho! have I happened upon a knot of you?. Well, I hope you will not look on me as a reprobate; for I declare, that I have no ill will to any of you.-I think, Mr. Experience, you was born in our city?

Exper. Yes, Sir, I am the fon of Job Orthodox, a native of that city.'

Cler. Yes, yes, he has been dead fome time, and his family is gone to decay.

Exper. That is too true. They were once the principal people in the city...

Cler. They were fo. But, I imagine, that the corporation will be better managed by the Armini; which is a learned, rifing, and flourifhing family.

Exper. Are not you, Sir, of that house?

Cler. I have that honour,, Sir; and my friends and relations fill the principal offices of the city.

Exper. There never was a good harmony between our families. However, I do not fee why we should quarrel about things which on King only can reconcile.

Cler. How do you mean, landlord?

Exper. Why, Sir, it is my opinion, that no man will unite cordially with our family, until Jehovah inclines his heart thereunto.

Cler. That, Sir, is faying great things in your own favour.

Exper. It is fpeaking according to the fcriptures *.

Cler. I think not; and how are we to determine in fuch cases? In fhort, hoft, there is fo much to be faid, pro and con, on these things, that I think it beft not to be pofitive or dogmatical in any matter. Exper. If I understand your meaning, it is this. There are fome differences among religious people: therefore it is best to be indifferent about religion." But you would not fo act in worldly matters. You are probably a man of real property; suppose the title to your eftate were difputable, would you be eafy and indifferent about it?

Cler. That is a cafe in which we can obtain a clear decision.

Exper. Not more fo than in the affair of religion. The difference lies not in the obfcurity and uncertainty of religion; but in our indifpofition to fet about feeking it. Prefent things ftrike our carnal minds; but future things, of a religious nature, make little impreffion on

thein.

Cler. Really, hoft, that is a home thruft; I find it too true. But you must acknowledge, that fo many various opinions do hurt the caufe of religion.

Exper. They are no other than might have been expected from the vaft importance of the fubject, and the just right which every man hath, in fuch matters, to think for himself. There cannot be a more ferious inquiry, nor are our intellects ever more properly employed, than in the bufinefs of religion."

The prefervation of the allegory fometimes leads the writer into too low a fpecies of flippancy and pun, to accord well with the fhrewdnefs and propriety of his fentiments; as may be seen in the following paffages.

"Juft as Mr. Standff had finished his ftory, they heard a great noife in the street; and looking out to fee what it could be, they faw it was occafioned by a large body of men, drefied in black. In the midst of them were four men in party-coloured clothes, bearing on their shoulders a chair, in which fat a man dreffed like a clergyman of the City of Eftablishment. Around this perfon, the men in black, and a number of the citizens, kept huzzaing in a very loud and extravagant manner. When this black and tumultuous rabble came before the Pilgrim Inn, they became ftill more frantic; and, as they paffed, they all roared out, as with one voice, Right reafon and liberty for 4ever. Away with the enthufiafts!"

66

Cler. What can all this mean? for I perceive that maft of thefe men, as well as the perfon in the chair, are clergymen of the City of Eftablishment.

Standf. They are, Sir, of that honourable order. The name of him in the chair is Lindley Woolfy. The four men who bear him are called Monthly and Critical Reviewers. They are the common Criers of this City of Vanity and Falfebood; and are hired thus to carry about the ftreets, this fingular ecclefiattic. You, doubtleís, have heard of him: he feems to be honest, but is very weak, and extremely ignorant of what is his duty as a clergyman. He has lately given up his benefice