which we may not afpire, but rather confidential friends of the great hoft, the public, who, having af fifted in the decoration and arrangement of the table, are admitted to a refpectable place among the com pany. In the arrangement of our retrofpe&t we fhall not make any material alteration; for though we pretend not that our first method was fo exact as not to admit of amendment, we see no reason to attempt a scrupulous refinement. In fettling the precedence of the sciences, much might be difputed concerning their refpective dignity; but with little more advantage to the difputants, than where the minutiae of rank are contefted, among idle men, or captious women. We are not for levelling in either cafe, but we can laugh at the frivolous niceties of etiquette, which contends for things indifferent. DIVINITY. We begin this divifion of our subject, as we began it in our laft Preface, by the mention of Bishop Horne. The two volumes of pofthumous fermons there alluded to appeared about that time, and we allowed ourselves to employ three portions of our Review in producing fpecimens of their merit *. We will not deny that in bringing them fo particularly forward, we perhaps fuffered the rigour of criticifm a little to give way to the partiality of esteem. Towards that good prelate every fincere friend to religion felt an attachment proportioned to his zeal for that truth which he illuftrated by his life, at least as ably as he contended for it with his pen; and we fhould be forry not to be capable of enthufiaftic fenfations in behalf of exemplary goodness. We contend not that the Bifhop's writings are in all refpects unrivalled, or his ftyle exempt from imperfections, but we pronounce without hesitation, that his ferinons evince uncommon warmth of piety, and are calculated to produce it: and that the paffages cited No. 1. p. 74. II. p. 185. III. p. 298. from from them by us were fuch as for the general good of fociety, cannot be too widely circulated. In a word, Bishop Horne's fermons are worthy of the goodness and reputation of their author; and by recommending them with warmth, if we have increased the number of purchasers, we have probably contributed to confirm the virtues, and invigorate the piety of many individuals. Another Bifhop, happily not yet removed from his earthly truft, has lately alfo added to the ftores of Englith divinity. This volume, which is the fecond publifhed by the Bishop of London, drew from us commendations which, we doubt not, we shall hear rever berated, even with augmentation, from every quarter. In a cafe where we might poffibly incur even the slightest fufpicion of adulation, we were ftudious not to say too much, but what we did not allow ourselves to fay, the extracts we produced will fufficiently fay There is no doubt that this volume will foon reach the number of editions the firft has attained already. Good fermons, it is well known, and greatly to the honour of this country, do not frequently want purchasers. Nor were the fermons of the late Dr. Cofens, comprised in two pofthumous volumes t unworthy of an honourable notice. The author had been admired as a preacher, and his fermons were, we obferved, more calculated to fupport that reputation from the pulpit, than from the prefs. They contain many paffages happily conceived. and some strong traits of pathetic, but are not eminent for polish of ftyle. A fmall volume of fix practical fermons by Mr. Ed. Whitaker, has alfo contributed very laudably to the means of religious improvement. Several fingle fermons of great merit have alfo appeared, among which it might be injuftice to many, to specify a few particularly. The beft of them we hope to fee preferved hereafter, more effectually, in the volumes of their respective authors. Of large works in divinity nothing more important has for fome time beer. added to our domeftic literature than the introduction to the New Teftament, by the late Profeffor Mi * No. VI. p. 665. † No. VI. p. 570- No. VI. p. 701. a 2 chaelis, chaelis. The tranflation with numerous annotations, is executed by the learned and ingenious Mr. Mark, of St. John's College, Cambridge, and publifhed at the prefs, and with the affistance of that Univerfity, in defraying the expence; an affiftance highly honourable both to the Univerfity and to the editor. This publication contains at prefent only half of the original work of Michaelis: but we earnestly hope to fee the three volumes increased to fix by the addition of the remainder. In its prefent form it is perfect as far as it goes, refpecting matters of general introduction, and affords, perhaps, more topics for important attention and investigation to ftudents in divinity, than any book that has been published for fome time. Yet the remaining part, which contains the particular introduction to each book of the New Teftament, ought by all means to be prefented to the English, as it has to the German public. As the conclufion of our general obfervations on this book appears at the fame time with this preface, we fhall have nothing further to remark upon it. A fmall tract, of Obfervations on a famous paffage in Juftin Martyr, employed by the Romith Church to defend the worship of angels, drew our attention to it, though anonymous: nor was it till we had printed our remarks upon it, very much at length, that we learnt it to be the production of Mr. Bryant. It is worthy of him. "We need fay no more. The important publication of the Beza MS. at Cambridge, under the direction of Dr. Kipling, required much care in the revifion. It is of fo much confequence that manufcripts of fuch antiquity and authority thould be rendered imperishable by fac-fimiles, and of fuch confequence fecondarily, that thofe fac-fimiles fhould be executed in the very best manner, that, without the fmalleft inclina tion to be captious, we allowed ourselves to ftate ex-. actly where we thought it might be improved, and wherein the pofitions of the editor in his preface appeared unfound. At the fame time we bore a willing * No. VI. P. 601. + No. III. p. 269. No. II. p. 139. No. IV. p. 361. testimony * testimony to the uncommon fplendor of the work, and the general care of the Profeffor. A work which Michaelis earnestly defired to fee, but lived not to receive, muft, on its appearance, be welcomed; but it muft alfo be examined. In Dr. Symonds's fecond part of his Obfervations on the expediency of revifing the English verfion of the New Teftament, we faw, as there had been in the firft, too eager a defire to make out a neceffity for alterations, and confequently many very trivial remarks; but yet many things alfo, that whenever a revifion can with propriety be undertaken, will contribute to the perfection of that work. But it is time for us to turn our eyes towards HISTORY. Were we to allow ourselves even a larger scope than we take at prefent, and to refume our re-capitulation only annually or biennially, it would happen fometimes that particular topics would be but flenderly fupplied with matter. The article Hiftory, after our laft short period of four months, appeared refpectable; now, from a larger interval, we have lefs of importance to bring forward. The firft volume of Mr. Polwhele's Hiftorical views of Devonshire †, a work fubfidiary, or fupplementary to his proper hiftory of that county, laid us under the neceffity of controverting fome extraordinary pofitions there advanced, but yet drew from us, and deferved, fuch commendations refpecting the execution of particular parts, as the pen of fuch a writer will always command. Mr. Belfham's Memoirs of the Kings of Great Britain of the Houfe of Brunfwick, gives a recent and important period of our national history, not altogether free from the bias of particular partialities, but with elegance, ability, and, in the main, with fidelity. It is a contribution to the stores of our history which will be confpicuous even in this age of historical compofition. The Inquiry into the • No. III. p. 330. + No. III. p. 241. IV. 400. V. 541. + No. V. p. 501. Life of Alexander the Great, by Sir Richard Clayton, from the French of Baron de St. Croix, is not only a good tranflation of a valuable original, but much enhances the utility of that work, by many judicious notes, and corrections of confiderable errors. We regard the reign of Alexander as one of the most interesting parts of ancient hiftory; which will be feen by the care with which we entered into the defence of Arrian's account of the battle of Iffus + and we fhall always be happy to pay attention to any work from which that period can derive elucidation. The fubject, as we have faid, is far from being exhaufted. Many errors yet remain to be removed, and many points, particularly of geographical knowledge, with refpect to the marches and voyages of that conqueror, to be cleared up. Even a minute fragment of truly authentic hiftory is valuable. For this reafon, a fhort tract on the Confpiracy of the 10th of Auguft, by M. Bigot de Sainte Croix, one of the Minifters to Louis XVI. at the time, and an eye witnefs of all that he relates, engaged our attention more than in proportion to its fize§. It does honour to the writer, and will probably remain as one of the beft documents on the lubject of that dreadful period. The Memoirs of the Agency of Gregorio Panzani || in England, during three years, for the purpose of fettling difputes among the Roman Catholics, are by their editor Mr. Berington, almoft advanced into a hiftory of that fect in England fince the Rerformation. The subject of the book is not attractive, but it is made the most of, BIOGRAPHY. The Lives of the Deans of Canterbury, by Mr. Todd¶, may be mentioned, not as an important, or very + P. 620-629. ufe No. V. p. 510 VI. 620. A different perfon, and indeed a little different in name, from the Baron de St. Croix above-mentioned. No. III. p. 263. IV. p. 425.-The book is fold by Edwards in Bond-ftreet, which was not marked on our copy. No. I. p. 11. .1 No. VI. P, 662. ful,' |