are more in this ftate than the aborigines of hot climates; yet the colour of their skin is only dark brown, and does not affect the growth of their hair, which is long, ftraight, and black.

Sir John Pringle, in his experiments on blood, found that the craffamentum after allowed to become putrid, being mixed with water, gave it, as he himself expreffes it, a tawny hue. This is in favour of our opinion relative to the colour of Indians.

These people, both in the torrid and frigid zones, as well as the favages of the temperate latitudes, appear the same with the inhabitants of the middle climates, and only changed by the caufes we have mentioned; and it is probable, that a removal to the middle latitudes would, in a few generations, bring them to a better colour, form, and understanding.'

Dr. Wilfon next fhews the effect of clearing woody damp countries, and concludes with fome remarks on the aptitude of temperate regions for the enjoyment of freedom. He obferves, that in fuch climates, the body is always in a lefs putrefcent state, and confequently more active and vigorous; and that the mind, from the fame caufe, becomes more quick to comprehend, and more bold to execute. Slavery, therefore, he infers, is not only unneceffary in the temperate climates, to force exertions, but the very idea is generally held in abhorrence; and although from revolutions a temporary flavery may take place in any country, yet its duration cannot be long where climate does not concur to foften and ftupify the intellectual powers.

Through the whole of this treatife, Dr. Wilfon has inveftigated the subject in a rational and fcientific manner; and he has endeavoured to afcertain, with a great degree of plaufibility, the influence of natural caufes on the human conftitution and character in different climates. The obfervations, in general, are well felected, and the author eftablishes his conclufions by arguments equally ingenious and juft.

Lectures on the Universal Principles and Duties of Religion and Morality. By the Rev. David Williams, 2 Vols. 40. 17. 15. fered. Dodfley.

IN our Review for October 1776, we gave our readers a full account of the liturgy ufed by Mr. Williams, in his chapel in Margaret-street, and our fentiments of his plan; it will therefore be unneceffary to make any obfervations on these points in the prefent article.

In the Introduction the author gives the following detail of the reasons and circumftances which induced him to engage in this extraordinary fcheme.

I quitted the customary offices of the profeffion to which I was educated, for reafons which have been already affigned*. But, either because religion is effential to the human mind; or becaufe the habits of a profeffion are, like all others, very difficult to be fufpended-I could not reft fatisfied out of my employment, On intimating my fituation, I had hopes given me of the moft flattering encouragement. But, on feeing my plan extended beyond the limits of the Chriftian church, they were withdrawn, and my papers were put up; for I had none of the views of reformers and apoftles: and it was my intention not to engage, until it appeared to be for the fervice and pleasure of others, as well as my own.

In converfation with a man of the first rank in the present age, as a philofopher and politician, this subject was introduced; and his fentiments and wishes agreeing with mine, fome perfons of our acquaintance were applied to, who were found fo well difpofed, that feveral meetings were appointed; and the liturgy, which I had drawn up, underwent four or five impreffions, for the purposes of being corrected and accommodated to their judgment and taste.

Thefe circumstances are mentioned, to obviate the charge of prefumption; and to testify, that, in a great and important undertaking, every step in my power was taken, to fhew, I refpected that public, whofe prepoffeffions I might affect; and did not ruh before it, with the hafty and infolent impetuofity of an infatuated enthusiast.

I am fenfible that the plan may be injuriously degraded, by appearing to be the unadvised project of any individual, for his own emolument and advantage; a circumftance, which could not fail of claffing it with the defigns of fanatics to reform churches, or of miffionaries to gain dominion by new opinions.

This bufinefs has not any thing in common with fuch defign. The Liturgy, on the universal principles of religion and morality, was first intended as a gratification and pleasure, to a fmall number of perfons, who could worship on no other; to be publicly used, on the fuppofition, that it would afford the fame gratification and pleasure, to great numbers in the fame circumftances, and bring me fome recompence for my trouble in uling it.

When the defign was made public, the expectations entertained by fome, and the apprehenfions of others, were equally ill-founded and extravagant. Nay, the opinions formed on the fteps which have been hitherto taken, are not the moft judicious. Experiments may be to the public as fallacious as fables; they

fhip.

Vide Appendix to the fecond edition of Effays on Public Wor

often

often occafion as many errors, and are always expected to prove too much. If the inftitution in Margaret-ftreet were only to prove, that a liturgy may be drawn up, on principles which all mankind acknowledge, and may be used without offence given to fectaries and bigots, it would deferve confideration and refpect. A bishop, quitting his diocefe, and attended by both houfes of parliament, in the fame experiment, might have given it more eclat, but not more certainty. In the prefent cafe, it is a difcovery made by a private man, at fome rifque, and at fome expence. It holds up to the world a fact, which has at all times been deemed incredible; the importance of which to morals, and policy, may be understood, when men raife their thoughts from the elementary to the intellectual world; and the benefits of which may be enjoyed in future, by perfons, who might not have undergone the apprehenfions, anxieties, and inconveniencies, by which it has been afcertained.

That good men of all nations and all religions; that believers in Mofes, Chrift, and Mahomet, freethinkers, deifts, and atheists who acknowledge beneficent principles in nature, may unite in a form of public worship, on all the great and most important truths of piety and morality-can no more be a question;

for it is demonftrated; not by the arts of logic, or the declamations of oratory in books; but by a stated public fervice, to which any man may have recourse for fatisfaction."

Here the author fpeaks of atheifts uniting in a form of prayer.' But furely this clafs of men can have no motive, no inclination, to join in religious worship. For, on a fuppofition that there is no God, there can be no object of adoration; and confequently prayer and thanksgiving would be acts of folly and infanity.

These difcourfes are faid to be part of a methodical feries of lectures on these principles and duties, which are acknowledged by all mankind.' We must again except the atheist, who does not acknowledge any duty which depends on the existence of a deity.

The first volume confifts of Lectures on Public Worship, Wisdom, the Knowledge of the Deity, the Creation, the Merit of Believing, the Fear of God, Univerfal Religion, Univerfal Toleration, the Nature and Effect of Prayer, the Origin and Nature of Piety, the Nature of Virtue, Virtuous Satisfaction, the Origin and Nature of Truth, and the Principle of Confcience.

The author's profeffed defign in thefe Lectures, is to explode thofe doctrines which have been generated by fuperftition, and to enforce those duties and opinions which are founded in reason and experience. With this view he advances many rational fentiments, intermixed with reflections (not, indeed, equally juft) on all other fyftems of religion.

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The Greek fables and traditions had obfcured the first principles of religion which were probably deduced from nature. Superftition and idolatry had been erected on the truths of philofophy; and wicked princes and heroes bad affumed the attributes of gods. These things could not be unobserved by fo enlightened a people as the Athenians. It is probable also, that fome fpeculative men took advantage of the fate of their religion, to difpute the being of a God. The friends of nature and true religion could not have obviated the arguments deduced from the prevailing idolatries, and levelled against the gods which were worshipped. They therefore wifely left them to those priests, whofe intereft it was to fupport them: and deduced from nature the evidence of the exiftence of that being, whom they called the unknown God. I could wish to draw the attention of my hearers on the fame fubject. Let them confider the feveral forms of religion which divide and distract instead of uniting and bleffing mankind, Let them examine the attributes of thofe feveral gods which each fect hath fet up at the head of its fuperftition. Let them apply the objections of atheism to them; and observe how they are demolished and destroyed. Let them open the facred volume of God's works, confider the obvious fitnefs of every caufe to produce its effect; the proof which this affords of intention and defign; the harmony and order which prevails wherever we have clear and perfect views; and the invariable certainty with which virtue and happiness arise to individuals and nations from the laws of this order, Let them go one step; and one step only into the region of analogy and imagination; let them fuppofe thefe great qualities-these intentions, this defign, this goodness-not to be scattered through the univerfe; but to belong to one being who actuates it; and they will know all that can poffibly be known of God- -Beware of trusting your imagination one moment longer. She has foared her utmoft height; and every effort fhe makes will be towards earth; and will generate error and abfurdity. You are to glance only, by the utmost exertion of your abilities at that Being, who is incomprehenfible; and you are to be fatisfied with few and general ideas on fo great a fubject. You will then be impregnably fortified against all the attempts of infidelity; and if its votaries reproach you with the abfurdity, ill character, and villainy of the gods, which have led enthufiafts and idolaters of all religions, to deluge the world with blood, and to plague and torment mankind, fhew them in all nature an altar to the unknown God; invite them to hear the univerfal voice acknow. ledging him; and you will pity the reafons which may prevent their joining you in a rational and fublime adoration.'

In this paffage the author afferts, that nature will discover all that can podibly be known of God.' It must, however, be obferved, that Christianity exactly coincides with the dictates of nature, and clears our doubts in many important points,

points, relative to the divine attributes, with that precision, which could only be derived from fupernatural light.

In treating on the merit of believing, he fays,

The art of believing what is above our comprehenfion and reafon, and not contrary to it, is a fophifm, with the advantage of a jingle upon words, invented for the fame purposes. There is just as much good fenfe and truth, and poffibility in believing what is above our understanding, as in feeing what is beyond our fight, hearing what is out of hearing, or feeling what is totally out of reach. Pious and well-meaning men have been impofed upon in this matter, by the alarming danger of giving up the first principles of their religion. They have not been taught the reafons for believing in God; why virtue is preferable to vice; or why they have adopted one religion and not another. Having taken these things on truft, and finding them to be effential to their happiness here and hereafter, they are extremely apprehenfive of a principle that feems to destroy their religion at the very foundation. "We believe there is a God," they fay," but his being is above our comprehenfion : we believe in Jefus Chrift; but we do not understand the nature of his be ing, nor the evidence of his miffion." These are formidable arguments to minds unaccustomed to distinguish and reafon. They are childish and contemptible to a man accustomed to take principles to pieces, and to examine the parts that make them up. "I believe there is a wife and powerful and good Being, who made and governs the univerfe. Because, on confidering as much of the universe as lies before me, I fee one defign, pursued by the wifeft means, and to answer the moft excellent and most benevolent purposes. Is there any thing in this above my underftanding? It is as clear and indifputable as that I see an object which is before me." If I proceed, and form to myself fancies concerning his being, abode, and manner of acting, I may think I believe them, because they are my fancies; another man may pretend to believe, out of deference to my abilities; but neither the one nor the other can, in truth, be faid to believe further than he understands.

As to the belief of Chriftianity, the cafe is exactly the fame. If I have read attentively the hiftory of the remarkable period, when Chrift was faid to be miraculously born; to have had the fpirit of God given at his baptifm; to have preached a new religion, which he confirmed by miracles; to have died as a facrifice to expiate fins; to have rifen from the dead, and af cended into heaven-If, on maturely confidering these events, I fee reason to think, that they actually came to pass as they have been related; that no arts have been ufed, by those who had an intereft in them, to impose a series of delufions on the world; that they stand on the fame ground of evidence as the actions of an Alexander, or a Cæfar, which I believe on the teftimony of historians who had no intereft to deceive; and because the things related of them were poffible, and even probable :-if this be

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