and others have faid, that wit and judgment are of fuch oppofite natures, that no individual can excel in both. It is, however, moft evident that both the wit and argumentative powers of thofe gentlemen are in equal proportions. And the fame degree of regard is alfo paid to their affertions; for their beft attefted cafes are as inuch credited by the judicious, as thofe which are promulgated on old walls by the bill-ftickers.

It is an ancient religious maxim, that nothing was made in ain. Yet many are at a lofs to conceive what good can refult from the works of the last named authors. They, perhaps, flatter themselves, and others fear that they do much mischief; whereas we are ftrongly perfuaded, that on the whole they have been useful; for by their unceafing barking at vaccination, they have corrected the negligence of carelefs practitioners. And they have in fome degree roufed and kept awake the droufy public, which otherways might have flept on, without feizing the bleffed difcovery prefented to them.

We therefore not only commend Mr. Ring for his humane efforts and praife-worthy zeal; but we wish likewife to encourage Dr. Mofeley and Mr. Birch, who we hear are much dejected; and we urge them all to perfevere in fnarling and worrying each other.

ART. 29. A Letter on Vaccination, or the Propriety of inoculating Infants for Cow-por confidered, addreffed to those whofe Example may influence the inferior Orders. By T. W. Wadley, Surgeon. 8vo. 37 pp. 1s. 6d. Calne, printed; Murray, &c. Lon

don. 1808.

This is a fenfible letter from a country furgeon recommending vaccination, and deprecating fmall-pox inoculation. Such pub. lications from refpectable men, diffused through their neighbour. hood, we believe, will conduce much to remove the prejudices of the country people against a new practice.

ART. 30. A comparative Sketch of the Effects of Variolous and Vaccine Inoculation, being an Enumeration of Facts not generally known or confidered, but which will enable the Public to form its own Judgment on the probable Importance of the Jennerian Dif covery. By Thomas Pruen. 8vo. 108 PP. 2s. 6d. Phil.

lips, &c. 1807.

Mr. Pruen is an extenfive reader, which qualifies him fully for writing. He proves from the beft authorities that the fmall pox is the most deftructive malady to which mankind are subject; and that inoculation inftead of decreafing, augmented the mortality. He next confiders the confequences of vaccination. Not trufting merely to his own obfervations, he has collected thofe of the molt diftinguished writers of every country: and proves by unequivo cal teftimonies the ineftimable benefit of vaccination.

Mr. Pruen's work is one of the moft convincing we have read. CLASSICAL.

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CLASSICAL.

ART. 31. Archeologia Græca, or the Antiquities of Greece; being an Account of the Manners and Cuftoms of the Greeks; relating to their Government, Magiftracy, Laws, Judicial Proceedings, Re ligion, Games, Military and Naval Affairs, Dress, Exercifes, Baths, Marriages, Divorces, Funerals, Domeftic Employments, Entertainments, Food, Mufic, Painting, Public Buildings, Harbours, Weights and Meafures, &c. &c. Chiefly defigned to il luftrate the Greek Classics, by explaining Words and Phrases according to the Rites and Customs to which they refer. To which are prefixed a Brief Hiftory of the Grecian States, and Biographi cal Sketches of the principal Greek Writers. By the Rev. John Robinfan of Chrift's College, Cambridge, Mafter of the Free Grammar School at Ravenftonedale in Weftmoreland. Phillips. 8vo. 12s. 1807.

This is a truly ufeful and excellent publication, and one that has long been wanted. The work of L. Bos of the fame kind was too concife, that of Potter too full of quotations. But we are not aware of any objection that can reasonably be made to this before us. We have confulted it in various parts, and uniformly found all we wanted, the references pertinent and correct. The auther confines himself to the two original nations of Greece, the Athenians and Lacedæmonians. Perhaps at fome future period of greater leifure he may extend his labours to the other ftates of Greece. One valuable part of his work is original, namely, the biographical sketches of the principal Greek authors, with fhort comments on their writings. We are much mistaken if the work altogether will not be found deferving of a place among the ftandard books of the kind, recommended and employed by those who fuperintend the claffical education of youth; a diftinct, coloured map of ancient Greece is prefixed, which will be found very convenient and useful.

DIVINITY.

ART. 32. A Sermon, preached before the Lords, Spiritual and Temporal, in the Abbey Church, Westminster, on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 1807. Being the Day appointed for a general Faft. By John, Lord Bishop of Exeter. 4to. 19 PP. 1s. 6d. Beckett. 1807.

The dependence of man upon God is the fubject of this dif courfe, and it is in a very able manner illuftrated. The first tranfgreffion was occafioned by inordinate defire of independence and fome of the laft will probably fpring from the fame fource. In modern Europe there has been a daring effort to throw off all Z z dependence BRIT. CRIT, VOL. XXXI, JUNE, 1808.

dependence upon the divine will, and the punishments of Europe have apparently been confequent upon that effort.

"Certainly," fays the Bishop, "the first inftitutors of this baleful school had their origin in France. The levity of manners, the flippant fophiftry, and refined corruption of morals, which are the diftinguishing features of that people, were peculiarly adapted to fcoff and blafphemy. But we are much miftaken, if we fuppofe that the mischief had confined itself within the boundaries of that country; the rest of Europe had been willing difciples of the fame fyftem, and with a defperate emulation, incorporated the fame rancorous poifon into their literature, their politics, and their focial habits. Chriftianity was not only rejected-but re. jected with fcorn; and an acceptance of it univerfally ascribed to a debilitated and degraded intellect. These were the leffons inculcated in foreign feminaries and universities: and it is remarkable that fome of the most notorious receptacles and depofitaries of thefe principles, have been among the fharpeft fufferers in the late incurfion of the French into Germany." P. 7.

This is further illuftrated in a note.

The univerfities of Jena and Halle, two of the principal nurferies of infidelity, have experienced all the calamities of war. In the neighbourhood of the former was fought the dreadful battle which caused the immediate downfall of the Pruffian monarchy."

The Bishop then earneftly warns this country against the danger of incurring the fame evils, by participating in the fame guilt.

ART. 33. A Sermon preached in the Chapel of the Magdalen Hofpital, before the Prefident, Vice Presidents and Governors of that Charity, at their Anniversary Meeting, on Thursday, April 23, 1807. By Thomas Lewis O'Beirne, D. D. Lord Bishop of Meath. 8vo. 39 PP. IS. Hatchard. 1807.

After noticing generally the laudable and truly Christian nature of the inftitution for which he was then to preach, the Bishop of Meath proceeds to argue on the great neceffity of a religious education; to the want of which, probably, the objects there received had originally fallen victims. Few parents, the Bishop obferves, are inattentive to the immediate wants of their chil dren;

"But to rear and build up the fpiritual man; to protect and refcue him from the fatal effects of that corruption of nature, which we have entailed on our children with their very being; to train the difciple of CHRIST in the way he fhould walk; to form and fashion him to piety and religion, and to fach virtuous habits and difpofitions as are requifite to make provifion for his eternal ftate; alas! what place is, generally, affigned to thefe important cares, amidst all the fuggeftions and pursuits of parental

folicitude

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folicitude; and with what remiffnefs, indifference, and negligence are they attended to, even by thofe [fome] who are fuppofed to be moft deeply impreffed with a fenfe of parental duty ? P. 5.

The Bishop confiders Education under the heads of Inftruction and Example: and the inftruction which he requires is such as is Luited to the higher wants of "a child of God, endowed with an immortal Soul; and the redeemed of Chrift, deftined for eternal happiness." Of this education he then points out the principal elements; and contrafts with them the prefumptuous Leffons of thofe who would defer religious inftruction to an age of maturity. Against thefe, he appeals to the experience of all who have tried and feen," how delightful as well as eafy has been the tafk of bringing young children to CHRIST, as he himself commanded; of training the infant mind to the knowledge of God, and of all that in his Holy Writ he has revealed to us, as neceffary to falvation."

The Bishop of Meath here takes occafion to allude to the plan of" feparating the national education from the national religion," as propofed by Mr. Whitbread, and animadverted upon by Mr. Bowles: paying, at the fame time, a due tribute of applaufe to DR. BELL and his plans of inftruction. With the true principles of the Gospel, the learned Bifhop contrafts all false refinements of modern Philofophy, and the immorality of Romances and the Drama.

Example being the next topic, it is obvious to point out what patterns ought to be fet and what too frequently are difplayed. On all thefe fubjects the Right Rev. Preacher is ftrongly eloquent, and cenfures the abufes of the time with an energetic ftyle. The fatisfaction of good parents, in the contemplation of a well educated family, is alfo powerfully ftated; and the whole concludes with a warm appeal on the fubject of the reclaimed finners, who are the objects of the Charity.

ART. 34. On the Propriety of preaching the Calvinistic Doctrines, and the Authorities for that Practice. A Sermon, preached at Leicester, May 20, 1807; at the Vifitation of the Rev. Archdeacon Burnaby. By the Hon. and Rev. H. Ryder, A. M. Reftor of Lutterworth. 8vo. 38 PP. 1s. 6d. Payne.

1808.

A fecond time this author takes up the argument against the Calviniftic teachers †, and handles it with fingular ability.

He begins by diftinguishing between fuch articles of faith as a public confeffion ought, and fuch as it ought not explicitly to impofe. In the former clafs are thofe that are fundamental and

* See Brit. Crit. for May. P. 499.

See Brit. Crit. vol. xxxi. p. 201.

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of

of prime importance: in the latter, fuch as though lefs effential, are yet abftrufe* and mysterious: and this he contends to have been the proceeding of our Church, with refpect to the doctrine of predeftination.

He then enquires, what is properly understood by the term preaching the gospel, which all fects are fo ready to claim for their own plan of inftruction. He finds not the model of it in our Saviour's divine fermon on the mount, because the entire fubject of our faith had not then been proposed; our blessed Lord was ftill to die for our redemption," &c. He finds it not for us in the first apoftolical difcourfes and epiftles, because they were addreffed to perfons differently circumftanced; but he finds it in the epiftles of St. Paul to Timothy and Titus, and particularly in his text, from the latter; (Titus ii. 11, 12, and 13.) in which point of view he clearly and juftly expatiates upon it. "To make this rule, therefore, the fubject of our exhortations, appears to be, according to St. Paul, true gospel preaching.” Nor would the preacher, furely, be deficient in that duty, "if he omitted in his preaching the vain attempt to fathom the depths of the divine decrees, to dwell upon those things which, St. Peter fays, are hard to be understood, and have been wrested to the deftruction of fouls."

Mr. Ryder then confiders the, example of fome of those teachers who followed the apoftles: particularly Clement, bishop of Rome," the fellow labourer of St. Paul." He finds in his epistle to the Corinthians no mention of the doctrine of election, as relating to eternal falvation: nor in the distinguished writings of Cyprian and Chryfoftom. He finds it firft in the homilies of Auguftin, and fufficiently accounts for its introduc tion in thofe difcourfes. He comes then to the founders of our own Church, and finds them, in their public HOMILIES, abftaining from fuch teaching, and on the contrary, encouraging every penitent, "by hope in the universal redemption of Chrift Jefus,' "while they warn" even the chofen vineyard of God to beware, left they finally fall away.”

Such is the general view of a difcourfe, which fuccefsfully warns the preacher of the gospel against thofe dangerous topics, on which fome teachers almost exclufively enlarge; topics into which we may venture to say, that nothing but the presumption of man ever ventured to dive, the hidden motives of the decrees of God. The reader who thinks the fubject highly important, will not be contented with our abstract, but will have recourse to the difcourfe itself.

The author fays, "more abftrufe." Perhaps the former word is too ftrong.

ART.