and proceeds to examine fome other religious fubjects. The principal tracts are in answer to fome of Mr. Ludlam's Theological Effays, concerning the influence of the Holy Spirit.

To engage in difcuffions in defence of, or in oppolition to, Methodifm (we mean not to use the term offenfively), is certainly out of our track. Since the days of Dr. Clarke, the opinions of the church of England have greatly changed; and the former articles have been often doubted of, and not unfrequently oppofed, in the pulpit and in feparate publications, by clergymen of the first character and abilities. Were we to engage with each of thefe authors, and reply to their arguments, our Review would not contain the theological works only. It is enough to obferve and to diftinguish their feveral merits in general; and we can now add, that Mr. Milner ftill perfeveres in his former principles, but reafons with more coolnefs and, we think, with more accuracy than before. Yet his arguments are fill far from being conclufive.

Scripture Characters; or, a practical Improvement of the principal Hiftories in the Old Teftament, from Adam to Joshua inclu five. By T. Robinson, M. A. 12mo. 35. 6d. Boards. Dilly! in this little practical volume Mr. Robinfon delineates the different characters of the patriarchs and fome other diftinguithed perfons of the Old Testament. He purpofed to examine, in the fame manner, the characters of thofe who are mentioned in other parts of the Old Testament, and in the New; but the undertaking is too extentive to be accomplished at prefent. Under each character, he takes occafion to recommend every trait of virtue and religion, and to diffuade his hearers, for those Characters were firft delivered from the pulpit, from following the examples of immorality and impiety, which are occafionally found in the facred history.

Parochialia; or, Inftructions to the Clergy in the Discharge of their Parochial Duty, By the late right rev. Thomas Wilfon. 12mo. 25. Dilly.

Maxims of Piety and of Chriftianity. By the late right rev. Thomas Wiljon, D. D. I2mo. 2s. 6d. Dilly.

These excellent little works of the late venerable bishop of Sodor and Man cannot be too often published, or brought too eafily within the reach of every purfe. We must confequently approve of republications of this kind,

The Chriftian Officer's Panoply: containing Arguments in favour 12m0. 25. 6d. of a Divine Revelation, By a Marine Officer. Jewed. Matthews.

The author's piety will cover a multitude of fins; and this We refamiliar Socratic dialogue my be effentially useful. commend, therefore, this Panoply,' not only to the author's brethren of the marines, but to the army and navy in general. A Revicius

A Review of the Debate now in Agitation among ft the Baptifs in the West of England; on the Subject of Unfcriptural Prayers and Doxologies. 8vo. 3d. Johnton.

This is rather a history than a review; for we cannot call that reviewer a brother, who is manifestly of one party, and who defcends from the office of an hiftorian, to enter the lifts as a combatant. But we ought to add, that he does not appear to be deficient in candour and abilities.

A Letter to the Rev. Mr. Ca eb Evans, M. A. By William Huntington, S. S. 8vo. 15. 6d. Terry.

It is not eafy to give an account of a continued commentary on an unpublifhed work: befides Mr. Huntington (what can S. S. after his name mean?) is one of the elect; and thefe gentlemen fometimes rife above the conceptions of common underftandings. The original ground of difpute feems to have been fome expreffious of Mr. Evans' refpecting our author, when he once preached at Bristol.

Obfervations on fome of Mr. Thomas's Remarks on Mr. Bradford's Reflections upon the Baptist Circular Letter, dated at Auleefer, in June, 1706. By J. Tomkies. 12mo. 9d. fewed. Robinfons.

Mr. Bradford's Reflections on the Baptift Circular Letter called for fome remarks from Mr. Thomas, and Mr. Tomkies has replied. The merits of each party we cannot easily afcertain: it seems to be a local difpute, carried on without any great difplay of abilities or learning on either fide.

A Vindication of a Printed Letter addreffed to the Calvinifiic Baptifts of the Wefern Affociation, on the Subject of Doxologies; from the Remarks of a Member of the Western Affociation. By a Baptift. 8vo. 3d. Johnton.

This Vindication refers to one of those polemical difputes in a remote corner, from which literature, and we fear religion, can derive little benefit. We have already glanced at the fubject; but a glance only convinced us that our readers will obtain little advantage by our purfuing it.

MEDICAL.

Obfervations on the Nature and Properties of Fixible Air, and on the falutary Effects of the Aqua Salubris, in prejerving Health, and preventing Difeafes. By John Melvill, M. D. 8vo. Newbery.

256

Dr. Melvill employed the mephitic water, which he calls aqua falubris, in his own complaint, a troublesome chronic rheumatifm, with fuccefs. This led him to farther enquiries and more extensive trials. He thinks the rheumatifm, gout, gravel, ftone, fcurvy, and many other chronic com

plaints

plaints, as well as fome acute ones, are owing to a deficiency of fixable air in the fyftem;' and that elementary fixable air is the preferving invigorating principle of health and strength in every living creature.' This opinion differs, in many ref pects, from thofe ufually entertained, particularly fo far as it refpects the gout; but facts must at last determine, and to thefe we must o fer. Our author has received benefit from the mephitic water, and he has benevolently recommended it. We muft confefs that we fhould have paid more attention to his opinions, if he had not advertised it tor fale,

Medical Eays. I. An Efay on the Principles and Manners of the Medical Profeffion. II. An Enquiry into the Merits of Solvents for the Stone. With Additions. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Boards. Dodfley. We have examined thefe Effays in our LVth volume, p. 239. and in our LIft, p. 393. respectively. Some additions are, it is faid, made to each; but the author's fentiments, fo far as we recollect, are not materially altered: indeed the title only appears to be new. They are written by Mr. Newman of the Corporation of Surgeons.

An Efay on the Prefervation of the Health of Perfons employed in Agriculture, and on the Cure of Dileafes incident to that Way of Life. By W. Falconer, M. D. F. RS. 8vo. 15. 6d. Dilly. In our LXVIth volume, p. 456. we fhortly mentioned this Effay as it appeared in the fourth volume of the Letters and Papers of the Bath Society. We are glad to fee that so useful a work is republished in this commodious form.

NOVEL S.

The Triumphs of Fortitude, a Novel, in a Series of Letters. In 2 Vols. 55. Richardfon.

Some very young lady feems to have dipped her fingers' in ink for the first time Her production contains much romantic love, little probability, and lefs intereft.-Fye, mifs! indeed these pretty fingers may be better employed.

The Man of Benevolence. I 2mo. 25. 6d. Hughes and Walsh.

The exertion of Benevolence precures the hero a rich and amiable wife-The reader will not want the application of the fable; Go, and do thou likewife,' In other refpects this novel fcarcely rifes above mediocrity.

Darnley Vale; or, Emilia Fitzroy, a Novel, by Mrs. Bonhote, Author of the Parental Moniter, &c. 3 Vols. 12mo. 9s. Lane. This is a very interefting and pleafing novel; it may be placed in the first rank, and probably might be arranged at an equal distance from the first and the laft of that rank. The author, particularly towards the conclufion, fteps too nearly in the fteps of Cecilia. The whole, we have faid, is pleafing and interefting; and we may add alfo, that the story is well conducted, ftrictly moral, and unfolded with kill, Harriet

Harriet and Sophia; or, the Tef of Love: including feveral entertaining and feeling Narratives, never before made public. Written by a Lady of Diftinction. 2 Vols. 12mo. 55. Állen. We remember the fubftance of thefe narratives, which, inftead of being included in one story, are independent of each other. We do no. know what kind of diftinction' the lady who wrote, or more properly transcribed them, deferves; but in the republic of letters it is not a very honourable one. The Modern Husband, a Novel, in a Series of Letters, by the Author of Lucinda Ofborn. 2 Vols. 12mo. 5s. Bateman. If an author has written a novel, be it good or bad, praised or blamed, it is now the fashion to characterife herself, for, as in this inftance, most of the novel writers are females, by her former production. The young lady, who wrote Lucinda Osborne, is now, we fufpect, married; and, from an innocent girl, feems to have become a good and experienced wife (Critical Review, vol. LXIII. p. 226.) But we would advife her to practife the virtues of Mrs. Bouverie, rather than defcribe them, and emulate the pleafing chearfulness and difcrect taciturnity of Mrs. Wentworth, initead of framing adventures to bring these qualities forward to public notice. In the former line, the may become estimable; in the latter, she never will be famous. Rofenberg, a Legendary Tale, by a Lady. 2 Vols. 12mo. 6s.

Lane.

From the title of this tale, profeffedly legendary, we were led 10 expect that the imagination and the fancy would be more attended to than the judgment, and that the wonderful would be more predominant than the probable. We were not greatly deceived; yet the imagination is ftrongly and forcibly interested, particularly in the tale of the Haunted Caitle. Perhaps the cold hand is too nearly allied to a fimilar incident, in the Fragment of Sir Bertram, and the murderer's neglect of the valuable furniture of the houfe not very fatisfactorily accounted for. But, notwithstanding these, and a few fimilar errors, the young lady's tale is interefling and amufing: the wilder horrors aftonifi; and the more familiar fcenes entertain us.

The Teft of Honour. By a Young Lady. 2 Vols. 12mo. 5S

Abraham.

This little flory is related in an artless flyle; but we cannot compliment the young lady on what appears to be her first attempt. There is little to commend in the conduct of the plot, or in the delineation of characters. The whole is generally trifling, and frequently improbable.

The Countess of Hennebon, an hiftorical Novel, in 3 Vols. By the Author of the Priory of St. Bernard. 12mo. 75. 6d. Lane. We have ftretched our recollection of the fituation of different parts of France to the utmost bent, without being able to fix on one spot where Hennebon can be fituated, confiftently

with the events of the flory. We have owned our predilection for hittorical novels, chiefly becaufe the idle readers of theie works might, in this way, have fome remote chance of information. But, where history and geography are to repeatedly violated; where probability can icarcely be found; where names and titles are conftantly mutilated and disfigured, the whole must be pronounced contemptible.

MISCELLANEOUS.

A Review of the Life, Character, and writings of the Rev. John Biddle, M. A. who was banifhed to the ile of Scilly, in the Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell. By Joshua Toulmin, A. M. 25. in Boards. Johnton.

12mo.

Mr. Biddle was the father of the Unitarians in this kingdom; and Mr. Toulmin, who wrote the Life of Socinus, has become his biographer, on the fame principles, probably, which led him to his former biographical work, and to fonie other Socinian difcuffions. He is cager to tell us that M. Biddle declared his fentiments to have been derived from the Bible, without having been taken from any Socinian work. We have no doubt that tenets of every kind may be derived from the Bible, for the pureft fountain may be changed by the channel through which it paffes; and, if the purity of Socinianism be boafted, we must confefs, that to us the New Tellament holds our a very different doctrine. Mr. Biddle was perfecuted by the ecclefiaftical powers of that period; and thefe were Prefbyterians: for this fect, when in power, was not very tolerant.

In the course of the conteft, the Prefbyterians, for a few years, gained the fuperiority. All thofe meafures were then right, which before they felt to be unjust and oppreffive; becaufe now they were ufed in the caufe of God and truth. Power blinded and corrupted them, as it had done before the Epifco palians. An ecclefiaftical hierarchy, in every nation, in every age, under all civil revolutions, has been inimica! to truth, and a bar to reformation.'

— It is an honour to the English Proteftant Diffenters of this day, and a ground of devout thankfulness, that Prefbyterianifm hath no existence among them. They who, very improperly, are called Prefbyterians, as confiftent Protestants, and as genuine advocates for liberty, have no rivals, and but few equals.'

There is undoubtedly a difference in the tenets between the Prefbyterians of that period, who were generally Calvinists, and the Diffenters of this day; but it remains to be proved, whe ther there is any change in their difpofition; and probably the poffeffion of power will not bring this change to the test.

On the whole, this Life of Mr. Biddle is a very respectable work: Mr. Toulmin gives a fhort abstract of his fufferings and his writings. He was evidently able, zealous, and difinterest

ed;