It is fcarcely worth while to record all the ravings of poor hypochondriac fanatics. Thefe, indeed, ferve to illuftrate both pneumatology and phyfiology; and with fuch illustrations all church history abounds. But if this fall within the province of church hiftory, why ftop at Anna Leefe? Why not go on to Mrs. Buchan, who, fome years ago, at the head of a number of difciples, or adherents, or whatever they may be called, had set out, and was proceeding, on her journey to welcome the fecond advent of Chrift at Jerufalem, until cold and want, and a feafonable interference of the civil magiftracy, on occafion of fome irregularities and indecencies, fent them back to their several habitations, in the county of Air, in Scotland.Though Dr, Gregory, with the mafs of theologians, traces pagan rites and ceremonies, and the narnes of princes and gods, and other par ticulars, to patriarchal history, than which nothing can be more chimerical, he is a man of found fenfe, and, on the whole, writes in a rational, as well as a liberal, candid, and charitable manner. Though we cannot join our reverend author in his ftrictures on the learned, judicious, and really ingenious and profound MOSHEIM, any more than thofe on many of the French divines, we readily admit that, for those who have not leifure to perufe and pry into larger works, this is the best his tory, as far as we know, that has been yet published in any language. Indeed, it is as copious and circumstantial as moft readers can wish. In his account of the fects, i. e. the endless vagaries of the human imagination, he has been rather too particular. ART. IX. Efay on the Public Merits of Mr. Pitt. By Thomas Beddoes, M.D. pp. 202. 8vo. 35. 6d. Johnson. London, 1796. TH HE character and conduct of the prefent prime minifter seem to have made a deep impreffion on the mind of Dr. Beddoes, and to occupy a good deal of his time and attention. He published, about the beginning of the prefent year, an ironical letter to Mr. Pitt, on the means of relieving the present fcarcity, and preventing the diseases that arife from meagre food; for an account of which see our Number for March laft. * It was evidently from MOSHEIM's introduction to his Ecclefaftical History that the hiftorian, Dr. Robertson, borrowed the idea and fentiments of his celebrated fermon on the propagation of Chriftianity, which first brought him into notice, and encouraged the ambition of an author. In this, as in that publication, we perceive an attempt at wit and ridicule. But this is not, in our opinion, the Doctor's fort; though here and there we meet with a happy touch, as in the comparifon between Mr. Pitt and his admirers with the cunning woman of Llanbamlog and the poor Welch, who afcribed to her enchantments the difperfion and ruin of the Spanish armada, p. 96: What renders our author a formidable aflailant, is, indefatigable, vigilance and diligence in watching every movement of the minifter; acute difcernment of inconfiftences and inconfequences; a vigour of conception, and correfpondent vigour of expreffion, and clearness of arrange ment and expofition, The CONTENTS of the prefent little volume are these • Penn'd be each pig within his proper ftye, Nor into flate concerns let doctors pry.' " CHAP. II. Of the Period before that at which the Hero of this Effay emerged into Notice. CHAP. III. Manifestation of a Patriot.-How is the Sense of a Nation to be known?-An Invective, fucceeded by a Panegyric. CHAP. IV. The Patriot, or Reformer. CHAP. V. Ideas of Economy.-Moral Calculation.-Hif tory of a Clerkship.-Confirmation in Popularity. CHAP. VI. Mr. Pitt a Peace Minifter. CHAP. VII. Omiffions. CHAP. VIII. A Dialogue. CHAP. IX. There is no yielding flesh in this man's heart; It does not feel for man.' CHAP. X. Of Mr. Pitt's Supporters.-The original-the fecondary Set.-Manner of coalefcing with thefe.-Their Influence. CHAP. XI. Attempt to folve the Problem. To the second chapter is prefixed the motto, • War's desperate game fecure the great can play, Motto of CHAP. III. It is true his opinions against the American war were decifive; but that queftion he found ready prepared to his hands.'-Earl Fitxavilliam, Feb. 4, 1784. Motto Motto of CHAP. IV. • If parliament do not reform itself from within, it will be re formed with a vengeance from without.'-Earl of Chatham. I plainly fee, that nothing but diftress can bring about a refor. mation-nothing but diftrefs of the utmost horror can open the eyes of the people.'Sir George Saville, May 7, 1782. Motto of CHap. V. I was fo fhabby as to think there was no occafion for him to tower above his noble predeceffors in office, and to afpire at higher acts of difinterestedness and public fpirit. But Mr. Pitt, with notions of purity not only very uncommon in thefe degenerate days, but fcarcely paralleled in the pureft times of Greece and Rome, has nobly preferred the public to the consideration of his own interest.'Lord Thurlow, Feb. 4, 1784. Motto of CHAP. VI. * Sume fuperbiam. Quæfitam meritis." • Look up and bid the Cicerone fun Shine forth and fhew the wonders thou haft done.” Motto of CHAP. VII. • He has left undone thofe things which he ought to have done.' Common Prayer. Motto of CHAP. VIII. • All talkee, talkee.'-Negro. Motto of CHAP. IX. • Dorus and angilar." How bleft the land whose fons are fed Motto of CHAP. X. • Misfortune makes a man acquainted with strange companions." Motto of CHAP. XI. He has faults, but they are faults that have nothing in them to extinguish the fire of great virtues. In thofe faults there is no mixture of deceit, of hypocrify, of pride, of complexional defpotifm, or want of feeling for the diftreffes of mankind.'-Mr. Burke, defcribing Mr. Fox by negation of a competitor's qualities. The spirit and tendency of this publication may, in fome meafure, be conceived from the contents and mottos. But we shall add a few extracts. Dr. Beddoes, apologizing for the interference of a phyfician in maters of politics, fays, It is evident that medical knowledge comprifes the powers that produce good or evil. For what are temporal good and evil but the fum of painful and pleasurable fenfations felt during life? Political knowledge is no other than the knowledge of inftitutions productive of good and evil. Nor is it poffible to promote the welfare of those. collections of individuals which we denominate nations, without un-. derstanding what things affect man painfully and what pleasurably.' Thus the phyfician, as well as the lawyer, the divine, and the philofopher, can find pretexts for bringing all human affairs within the circle of his own art and science. The origin, progrefs, and termination, of the American war ought to have been A perpetual warning against fits of hafty fondness for public men. The engine which fo lately moved the grofs body of the people, was the confidence they were taught to repofe in the minifter; for, behold! as foon as that confidence is withdrawn, the termination of the war appears in profpect; and, had it never been entertained, the commencement of the war had been impoffible. In that tate of fentiment, which will be univerfal a few years hence, it will be curious to look back upon the motives and ftrength of an infatuation, which, if the furviving part of this generation care not to own it, they may afcribe to their fathers. As a statesman, a financier, and a parliamentary performer, Lord North will be described as having obtained unbounded admiration. In reply, which was esteemed the most difficult department of oratory, he ftood unrivalled. An air of franknefs pervaded his speeches, and exempted him from the fufpicion of a double tongue. The indolence of his carriage, and his occafional exertions, prefented the imagination with an amufing contraft. He feemed one of those animals of an enormous ftrength and gentle difpofition, which trample down armies in their wrath, but, in their ordinary mood, fuffer themfelves to be conducted by a child. He was free from thofe irregularities by which men of keener feelings have unjustly forfeited the esteem of fociety; and the fluggifhnefs of his nature gave him the full advantage of fyftematical hypocrify. His domeftic conduct, in a middle ftation, would have conferred no diftinction; but to a minister, the eldest fon of a peer, a life free from private fcandal, was imputed as fuperlatively me ritorious. Of the ceremonies of the church he was observant, and a zealot for its privileges. Hence the trumpet-tongues of clergymen and fentimental ladies inceffantly proclaimed him as the pattern of pious perfection, and what concerned none beyond the man himself and his household, was impofed upon the credulous as indifputable proof of his minifterial abilities. After this fatal confufion of ideas, it was in vain that the tomahawks of favages difpenfed the tender mercies of his adminiflration. The minifter is mild, affectionate, humane; how then can his measures be other than a neceffary process of ENG. REV. VOL. XXV111. OCT, 1796. national B b • national juftice?' It was in vain that every enterprise failed, and every expectation was baulked. efigns the best concerted are liable to temporary mifcarriages; but can a ftatefman, fo eloquent in debate, fo expert in bufinefs, fo full of refources in finance. fo ⚫ wife in council, profecute a fyftem that muft finally fail?' Nothing lefs than the accumulated difgraces of his political life were fufficient to difabuse the people. and had not the famous Mr. Burke's affertion, that Lord North and his affociates, in fpite of the public diftreffes, would perfift in the American war to the end of the century, unless they could make fuch a peace as would leave them a chance of continuing in office, might at this day have been regarded as the effufion of frantic malignity. The knowledge, however, of Mr. Pitt's competency as a peace minister, is what now concerns the public. It is fcarce in poffibility for any belligerent power to carry on the conteft beyond one or two campaigns more. We have therefore to determine, from a review of his conduct, how far Mr. Pitt bids the people from that abyss of calamity air to extricate the mafs of into which they have been plunged. The tree thou shalt know by its fruits-the man by his works. I have fought in vain for any work achieved by our premier, to which humanity would adjudge a civic wreath. His advocates have laboured to perfuade the public that we are indebted to him for our profperity in trade. Praife has alfo been bestowed upon him on account of the naval victory of the first of June. But our failors and our admirals, our artisans and merchants, were formed without him. Their skill, induftry, and valour, would equally have produced their effects, if no fuch perfon as Mr. William Pitt, junior, had exifted. These effects may, with as much truth, be afcribed to poor old Shah Allum, the blind Mogul Emperor, because he was in being at the fame period. If, indeed, the poffibilities of national happiness increase with the value of cargoes exported, then is the inventory of commercial wealth a monument of reproach to the minifter; for every fpecies of evidence confpires to prove, that in him the only class which needs help found no helper.' Concerning the juftness or unjuftnefs of our author's fentiments of Mr. Pitt, it is not our business to decide. In the character of literary reviewers, we repeat our opinion, that the Doctor is more diftinguished by ftrength of mind, than by delicacy of humour, or poignancy of wit. In his declared opinions he is fincere and ardent; being not more zealous to expose public abuses and errors, than to promote and propagate useful discoveries. ART. |