their most earnest and anxious desire is the continuance of that dominion over America which has rendered that extensive continent a colony of Cadiz rather than of Spain. Without the means of benefiting by this dominion, without power to enforce submission, and without disposition to conciliate, they still entertain the expectation, that twelve millions of men beyond the Atlantic will yield that obedience to Spain, now Spain is included within this confined nook, which they unwillingly paid when she was in the plenitude of her power.' p. 389.

It was scarcely to have been expected, that those gallant saviours of this city, who, under the conduct of Albuquerque, have preserved it from destruction, should have been the first to feel the effects of the jealousy of the two ruling bodies. They arrived here almost destitute of clothing, and though repeated applications have been made to the Junta to supply them with what their pressing necessities demand, they are still in nearly the same want as when they first arrived; whilst the Junta have seven hundred pieces of cloth adapted for their use, but which are withheld till it is settled whether the Regency or the Junta are to have the controul over the finances; and if they should fall to the disposal of the Regency, the Junta expect to gain a profit by selling the cloth to that body. After this single fact, which may be depended on, no reliance can be placed, no hope can be entertained, that such a heretogeneous mixture of authority yas now exists within this city, will be able to adopt any great. or enlarged system of policy, either with regard to what remains unsubdued of Spain, or what is also of importance, to the different provinces of America. pp. 390, 1.

Our author's last letter is dated on board the Persian sloop of war, Motherbank, March, 1810, and contains, with a slight annonce of the welcomed arrival of the British and Portuguese troops at Cadiz, a few particulars of the voyage home. . Subjoined is a postscript, in which, after expressing his sanguine hopes of the ultimate success of the patriotic cause, he exposes at some length the gross misconduct of the Spanish government, or rather the Cadiz faction, with regard to the American colonies; and an Appendix, containing some official papers; the Itinerary of Antoninus in the South of Spain; and a report of the Spanish population, (including the islands in the Mediterranean,) in 1803, abstracted from Censo de Frutos y Manufacturas de Espana." The volume is embellished with thirteen engravings, the greater part of which represent public. edifices. We are not favoured with the names of either draughtsman or engraver; nor is it specified whether any of the plates are enlarged from little insignificant Spanish pic

tures.

Having followed our author so closely in his excursion, our concluding remarks must be brief. It would be idle to pretend that this work is not chargeable with several faults. There are two very obvious ones,- -an overminuteness in setting down petty incidents, and an unlucky propensity to discuss subjects generaliter The author, in some places, really writes as if he were exploring, for

the first time, some unheard of, and scarcely accessible region, instead of describing a country, with the customs and manners of which most educated Englishmen are familiar. Of the other habit it is unnecessary to say any thing here, as we have more than once had occasion to mourn over it in our preceding strictures. We may, perhaps, be allowed to complain of another thing,-the very unconnected manner, we mean, in which Mr. Jacob's paragraphs succeed each other, one inevitable consequence of which is, that his readers are perpetually at fault for his track,-and sometimes find it a matter of no sinall difficulty to keep their attention from growing weary in the chace. Our author, moreover, has by no means succeeded so well as we could wish, in dovetailing his English interpolations ;-nor can we refrain from just hinting a doubt, whether he has not been seduced to publish his correspondence too ambitiously. At the same time we are very far from intending to undervalue his performance. It contains, as our readers must have already perceived from the foregoing extracts, many instructive and several amusing pasages; and, on the whole, takes a very respectable rank among the class of publications to which it belongs.

Art. IX. The Jews provoked to Jealousy, a Sermon, preached on Wednesday, June 5th, 1811, at the Church of the united Parishes of St. Antholin and John the Baptist, Watling-street. By the Rev. Charles Simeon, M.A. Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, 8vo. pp. 35. Price 1s. 6d. Black and Co. 1811.

Art. X. Apostolic Benevolence towards the Jews, recommended for Imitation, a Sermon, on Wednesday, June 5th, 1811, at the Jews Chapel Church-street, Spitalfields. By Edward Williams, D. D. 8vo. pp. 29. Price 1s. 6d. Black and Co. 1811.

THERE is no plan, for the relief of human misery, or the melioration

of human character, devised by the wisdom or benevolence of good men, which has not appeared liable to considerable obstructions, and to which the indolent or the interested have not been able to give an air of impractibility. It would, indeed, be foolish and absurd not to reckon upon very serious difficulties, where the struggle is to be with the ignorance or corruption of man, with his secular interest, or exorbitant passions. But if the object is the conversion of the soul, and its final happiness, we should be stimulated to strenuous exertion by a little probability of success; a probability which we are to estimate by what zeal and diligence have effected in former times, and the measure of the divine influence we have reason to expect will attend our prayers and exertions, rather than by the difficulties, which the heartless and corrupt may oppose to our schemes. Certainly, where the objects of our benevolence are in the most necessitous and dangerous condition, there it should put forth the best sustained and most vigorous e efforts.

To those who attempt to mend the hearts of men without regard to the divine interference, perhaps the Jews would appear the last persons on

whom it would be worth while to bestow their labour.

is

But all things

being possible with God, and it being so obvious, in Scripture, that there mercy in reserve for that unhappy people, the Society for the Diffusion of Christianity among them, must appear to true Christians a reasonable and a charitable institution, and they must read with profit the able discourses before us in favour of it.

The first, Mr. Simeon founds on the prediction of Moses, Deut. xxxii. 21. In explaining this prediction, which is the first part of the sermon, Mr. Simeon represents the provocation which the Jews gave to God, La consisting in their frequent relapses into idolatry; but especially in their rejection of the Messiah, and the provocation that they received from God in the Babylonish captivity, and more particularly in the substitution of the Gentiles to be his church in their stead. From the fulfilment of this prediction, he says, we may learn-to adore God's mysterious providence, -to be afraid of provoking him,—and to concur with him in his kind intentions toward the Jews.

In the second, by Dr. Williams, the hearty, enlightened, active, disinterested, and persevering benevolence, which Paul discovered for the final salvation of his countrymen; notwithstanding the obstacles it met with -in the prejudices of their education-their zeal and jealousy for their own religion ignorance of the evangelical way of salvation, and aversion to it-religious pride and self-sufficiency-errors respecting the Messiah-supposed incompatibility between the religion of Moses and that of Christ-minds inured to unauthorized modes of seeking the favour of God, and enslaved by the fear of man; is proposed for our imitation. In following this example toward the Jews of the present day, it is incumbent upon us to be tolerant-sympathetic-attentive, especially to their spiritual welfare-devout-and zealous.

Both these sermons are appropriate, earnest, and evangelical. Mr. Simeon's is the more argumentative and eloquent-Dr. Williams's the more practical and benignant. We should add an extract from each of them, but we believe few of our readers will defraud themselves of the pleasure and advantage that the perusal of the whole will afford.

Art XI. Literary Recreations; or moral, historical, and religious essays; by Henry Card, A. M. Longman and Co. 1811.

THE dedication to this flimsy book is dated from Margate; and the sub

sequent contents are just of that weak and vapid quality that a literary lounger at a watering place might be expected to compose when overtaken by the yawning fit. The author is, however, of a very different opinion. He takes it for granted that his judicious and much esteemed friends' have not been able to find more weighty causes for objection' than the original adoption of an inappropriate title. In order, too, the more effectually to accommodate the student who may be anxious to avail himself of the rich stores contained in this standard classic,-this invaluable work of reference, Mr. Card has been at the trouble of compiling a satisfactory index.

We regret our inability to coincide with this gentleman in his high estimate of his book. On the contrary, we really think him much mistaken, if he imagine that there is either difficulty or merit in throwing together a quantity of common place quotations and remarks ;-and in this volume there is little more. We question, indeed, if there be a single

citation that has not been frequently made, or a single observation that has the slightest claim to novelty, unless, perhaps, it be the grave proposal, that none should receive pensions for their diplomatic services, but those whose merits in that department were publicly acknowledged by our enemies.' Truly it would be a new as well as amusing sight, to see a British envoy a candidate for hostile approbation, and at his audience of leave, soliciting from the ministers of a foreign court, a certificate of good behaviour! Although Mr. Card, however, has no chance of escaping the trunk-maker or the pastry-cook by the depth and originality of his researches, he seems at least, determined to make himself conspicuous by his bigotted and persecuting spirit. He is an humble follower of the Barrister in his enmity to" Evangelical dissenters," and he also imitates him, either from criminal ignorance or malignant design, in attributing to the whole the doctrines and discipline, the sentiments and practices, only of a part.

Art. XII. Sketches of Irish History, &c. 8vo. pp. 110. Price 3s. 6d. Murray. 1811.

THIS pamphlet is divided into several compartments. In the first, we are presented with a rapid sketch of that part of the history of those measures which relate to trade. In the second, the author comments with great force on the sentiments of Mr. Newenham; asserting That the evils which exist in this country have been occasioned by the misgovernment and pernicious policy pursued in relation to Ireland, for one hundred years; and which the Union and the system resulting from that Union are daily mitigating-and will ultimately remove.' Á good deal of the same ground is gone over in the criticisms which follow, on Mr. Cobbett; and the pamphlet concludes with an eloquent defence of Catholic Emancipation. Altogether, this publication is written with tolerable fairness, and considerable ability. The style is spirited and eloquent, somewhat contaminated, it may be, by the affectation of fine writing, but clear, strong and rapid.

Art. XIII. Poems. By Elijah Barwell Impey, Esq. 8vo. pp. 300. Longman and Co. 1811.

THE principal merit to which this collection of poems can aspire is that of metrical polish and refinement. The articles of greatest length are"A Dramatic Poem," chiefly taken from Metastasio; and a very foolish "Burletta." The remaining poems are, for the most part, vers de societé -the production, evidently, of an accomplished mind, and well adapted to gratify the circle of the author's friends, but which, from their nature, are but little calculated to interest the general reader. In the " Elegiac Poem," however, there is much feeling and beautiful versification. We extract the following lines.

Hard by with pendent shrubs and rocky steep,

A little island rises o'er the deep;

Romantic Fancy paints in fond review
The busy plots which there my childhood drew;
Whene'er intent the mimic war to wage,

We nimbly strove with counterfeited rage;

of which, furnished with bookcases, contain all the corrrespondence with America (not excepting the original letters of Cortes and Pizarro), from its first discovery to the present time, arranged and neatly docketed;-the Alcazar, a Moorish structure, then ocupied by the Junta ;-and the Royal Cannon Foundery, where 200 men are constantly employed in casting and boring guns of large calibre. Speaking of this last, our author says:

It is, however, the best arranged institution I have hitherto seen in Spain. The principal manager is Senor Vedal, a native of Catalonia, who politely attended us through the building, and explained every part with great minuteness. He is not only a practical man, but understands chemistry and mineralogy; is he also well acquainted with the English, French, and Swedish writers on those subjects, and speaks with rapture of the recent discoveries of our countryman Davy, whose account of the new metals reached him only a short time ago. I expressed some surprise at the great number of brass guns, and remarked that the English used iron for battering cannon, which were equally serviceable, and cost no more than one firth the expence; he admitted the fact, but observed that, as in Spain all the copper mines paid a certain proportion of their produce to the king, that that produce, which thus costs nothing, was used for cannon, and sufficiently supplied the exigencies of the state. How obvious

must it appear, to any one of the least reflection, that, if this copper were sold by the government and iron purchased, a considerable saving would accrue! but, as this might require some little combination and arrangement, it is not likely to be adopted under present circumstances.' p. 77.

Several pages of this part of Mr. Jacob's work are devoted to the subject of religion. He went on Sunday to the Cathedral to see the ceremony of high mass, and was a good deal dazzled, for a moment, with its pomp and splendour, though he says his English ideas were not to be seduced by this imposing spectacle.'

From the climate, it is necessary to exclude the heat, and of course the light; there are consequently but few windows, and those of painted glass, barely sufficient to give light enough to distinguish, on first entering, the various surrounding objects. This produces a solemn effect on the high altar, which is brilliantly illuminated with wax tapers of an enormous size. The decorations of this altar are splendid and sumptuous beyond description; the quantity of gilding on the borders of the different compartments, filled with images and pictures, the massy silver and gold ornaments, and the rails of bronze, tastefully designed, compose a most impressive whole. The priests kneeling before the altar, and in silence offering up their devotions, the clouds of ascending incense, and the pious on their knees, in the most striking attitudes, altogether form a scene that at once captivates the imagination, and suspends the reasoning faculties; it is a scene to be felt but not described! the sensations it produces may be indulged, but cannot long delude a reflecting mind.' p. 85.

We are not able to put any very high value on our author's further speculations on this subject; but as he seems to have