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DIVINITY.

In this branch, two important works which were briefly mentioned in our last Preface, demand alfo to be noticed here. Thefe are, Dr. Macknight's Tranflation of the Apoflolic Epifiles*, and the compilation entitled the Scholar armedt. Our critical account of thefe has now been concluded, and of the former, we are enabled to fay, that it is a work of theological labour not often paralleled, and an ample ftore-houfe of obfervations to exercife not only the ftudent, but the adept in divinity. If we do not always implicitly coincide with the author in opinion (which, in fuch various matter, cannot reafonably be expected), we can always praife his diligence, his learning, and his piety; qualities which confer no trifling rank on any fcriptural interpreter, or commentator. The Scholar armed contains fome tracts, which, as long as true Chriftianity fhall fubfift, must be held in high efteem, and to which we truft the account we have laid before our readers will attract the public attention. From a Bishop of acknowledged learning and abilities, the hoftile attack of Paine upon Chriftianity, has called forth a moft judicious and conclufive Apology; in the excellence of which we almoft lofe our regret at the coarfe obloquy and ridicule with which the demagogue had endeavoured to overwhelm the object of his fear and hatred. After this, we have no apprehenfion but for those who are incapable of distinguifhing obloquy and ridicule from argument; but thefe unfortunately compofe a very numerous clafs, always prepared to be the prey of any Paine, or any pretender, in religion or in politics. Among contro verfial divinity, a confpicuous place is due to the volumes of Dr. Jamiefon on the Deity of Chrift; in

* No. I.

P. 46.

+ No. I. p. 170.

Bishop Watfn's Apology for the Bible, No. VI. p. 648. No. IV. p. 376.

which

which the author very powerfully combats and expofes the mifreprefentations of Dr. Prieftley in his Hiftory of Early Opinions. Mr. Wefton's Conje&ures and Comments on the New and Old Teftament*, are the memorandums of a polite and intelligent scholar, and though they are not all important enough to demand publication, there are few among them that can fairly be faid not to deferve it. The Introduction to the Principles of natural and revealed Religion, which Mr. Plumptre has compofed chiefly from the learned work of Dr. Jenkin, is, like his former publication on the Hiftory of religious Knowledge, a moft inftructive and pleafing manual, for fuch readers as require initiation in theological ftudies: and we truft that the fame zeal and intelligence which have incited and enabled him to make these prefents to the Christian world, will give birth to other effays of a like beneficial nature. Such a friend to Chriftianity, when its enemies are fo numerous and active, cannot be too much encouraged or employed. Of a fimilar kind, but rather too fimilar to be attributed to the fame author, is an Effay on the Neceffity of revealed Religions, which, in a ftill narrower compals, conveys the fame fpecies of information as may be found in the books of Jenkin and Plumptre. A particular doctrine, which has been, among others, the object of attack from Dr. Priestley, the doctrine of Atonement, is ably expound.ed and defended in the volume of Bampton Lectures, which Mr. Veyfie|| publifhed, in compliance with the rules of that inftitution. Three volumes of mifcellaneous Sermons, the pofthumous work of Dr. Curr, rector of St. Andrew Underfhaft, form a valuable acceffion to that extenfive clafs of theological productions; nor can the fingle volume, publifhedh the Warden of Winchefter**, fail to be received in a manner fuitable to the well-known talents of the author.

P. 76.

No. V. p. 531. + No. I. p. 9.

P. 124.

No. II.

See Brit. Crit. Vol. V. § Na V. p. 492. No. IV. p. 394. **Dr. Huntingford, No. Ill. p. 293.

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Of single fermons there are always more than we can conveniently notice or recapitulate, but among these we think it just to point out to observation Dr. Layard's preached at St. Paul's*; Dean Berkeley's on Epifcopacy+; that of the Bishop of Chefter, on the eternal Generation; Dr. Croft's on Methodists; and Mr. Jones's on Imagination. Bifhop Skinner's two Difcourfes, on the prefence of Chrift in places of Chriftian worship, do honour to a fociety long loft in unjuft obfcurity, the Epifcopal Church of Scotland and with this concife enumeration, we fhall allow ourselves to conclude this part of our account.

METAPHYSICS.

So neceffary are found Metaphyfics to the accomplifhment of the able divine, and fo feldom does the metaphyfician abftain entirely from the province of the fpeculative theologian, that we fhall fubjoin this clafs to that with which we have commenced our furvey. That hardy veteran in this field, Lord Monboddo, continues his great work, full of learning, ingenuity, and paradoxes, entitled Ancient Metaphyfics**. The fourth volume fell under our notice, and others are promifed, the appearance of which, confidering the age and infirmities of the author, may with too much reafon be doubted.

In a work entitled Intellectual Phyficstt, we found an able, though anonymous writer, but one profeffedly retired from an active life to meditation and study, endeavouring to clear up the difficult queftions of the nature of Being, the fentient principle, and its connection with material objects, felf-activity, loca lity, &c. on all of which he certainly diffufes fome light; evincing a mind poffeffed at once of acuteness

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and strength. The Pofthumous Effays of the celebrated. Dr. Adam Smith*, though imperfect, and having apparent reference to fome fyftem not completed by the author, are elegantly written, and, in moft refpects, worthy of his reputation. The memoirs allo by which they are accompanied, though they by no means exhaust the subject, are acceptable, of courfe, till others more complete can be fupplied. We have reason to believe that a perfon very high in office in this country, could have contributed materiaily to the perfection of this part of the work.

HISTORY.

The first volume of Mr. Maurice's laborious and very important ancient Hiftory of Hindoftan having lately been delivered to his fubfcribers, we gave to it, in two numbers †, a full and careful confideration. We fee with pleasure that the fpirit of the author does not flag under the extraordinary difficulties to which he is expofed by the want of proper funds for carrying on a work of fuch extent, which demands the illuftration of plates; and, though this age, whatever else it may be called, is certainly not the age of patrons, we truft that Providence will in fome way bestow the means of competing a defign in which religion is fo nearly concerned. The great difcovery and the proof, that the remote periods of Indian chronology, which infidels have been fo eager to oppose to the Mofaic hiftory, are merely fabulous, and a fable which may be traced to its origin and defign, cannot, we are illing to hope, even in this age, be fuffered to remain imperfect, from want of liberality in thofe who fhould be the fupporters both of letters and religion. The work is written with elegance and vigour, and the ingenious author draws his proofs from all the ftores of oriental learning. No. IV. p. 367. and VI. p. 618.

*No. VI. p. 665.

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Of Mr. Wrazall's Hiftory of France, our account was begun fome time ago, and would ere now have been completed, in a third article upon the subject, but for the fevere illness of the perfon principally employed in drawing it up. We have found reafon to commend it, but fhall referve our final opinion to our next preface. A brief Hiftory of Poland, the production of an anonymous author, fell under our notice in May laft †, and deferved fome praife for the execution. Such accounts, drawn up for temporary purpoles, whenever a particular country becomes an object of public attention, feldom are fo fit to take their place upon the fhelves of hiftory. The Selection from the Semmers Collection of Tracts, will be found a book of utility and amufement to the ftudent of English hiftory; whofe tafte will, at leaft, be gratified by orderly arrangement, if his appetite fhould be only flimulated by poffeffing fo fimali a portion of the whole. M. Feltier continues to give us the events of Paris, as they arife, well felected from the original publications. Another foreigner has fucceeded in arranging the events of ancient hiftory, in chronological order, by a method of his own and the Chart of the Abbé Bertin, will probably be a conftant auxiliary to the fludies of the rifing generation.

BIOGRAPHY.

In this clafs of more detailed hiftory we have, at prefent, more articles than ufual to enumerate; and, without weighing the comparative importance of the lives, or fuccefs of the writers, we fhall take them as they occur in the order of our numbers. To the feveral accounts of our great Johnfen, Dr. Anderfon, on the occafion of publifhing the English poets col

P. 531.

§ No. I. p. 93.

*No. IV. p. 341. No. V.
No. I. p. 326.
No. 1. p. 24.

+ No. IV. p. 399. No. IV. p. 450.

lectively,

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