Miscellaneous Items. LUCAS DE PENNA'S PRAISE OF BOOKS. Herinnis armata. Kaos calumniarum. Mendacium monftruofum. LIBER eft lumen cordis, fpeculum corporis, virtutum magifter, vitiorum depulfor, corona prudentum, diadema fapientium, gloria honorum, decus eruditiorum, comes itineris, domefticus amicus, collocutor et congerro tacentis, collega et confiliarus præfidentis, vas plenum fapientiæ, myrothecium eloquentiæ, hortus plenus fructibus, pratum floribus diftinctum, principium intelligentiæ, memoriæ penus, mors oblivionis, vita recordationis, vocatus properat, juffus festinat, femper præfto eft, nunquam morigerus; rogatus confeftim refpondet; fincerus confultor, non affentatur, non loquitur ad gratiam, nemini parcens, quia neminem timet; Meffrs. PHILES & Co. have ready for the nihil mentitur, quia nihil pafcit; te nun- prefs, and are now taking fubfcriptions for, quam faftidit, etiamfi tu illum faftidio ha- a reprint of The Paradife of Duyntie Debeas; arcana revelat, obfcura illuftrat, am- vifes. The text of this edition is taken bigua certiorat, perplexa refolvit, contra from the reprint of 1810, edited by Sir Edadverfam fortunam defenfor, fecundæ mod- gerton Brydges. The biographical notes erator, opes adauget, jacturam propulfat; have been prepared exprefly for this ediputeus inexhauftus, thefaurus immenfus, tion, ufing Brydges' as a bafis, but incorærarium inconfumptile, paradifus, unde eji- porating much information that has been was iffued. ci non potes, nifi cum volueris; amoenitas brought to light fince his edition frugifera, quâ frui paffis, quamdiu velis; This edition will be printed in small quarto, doctor gratuitus, faciens in the best style of art, upon India fi tegnarum, reperit ignarum. (See MORHOHOF's Polyhiftor. and is limited to 500 copies, as follows: Literarius, vol. i. lib. i. cap. iii. pp. 25, 26.) ALPHABET OF THE WICKEDNESS AND BY S. OLIVIER. 1623. AVIDISSIMUM animal. Garrulum guttur. paper, 400 on small paper, at $2.00 each. At these prices, copies will be furnished to fubfcribers only; and as foon as they are fupplied, the prices will be raised to $2.50 for the fmall-paper copies, and $5.00 for the large-paper copies. Meffrs. Philes & Co. propofe to make this reprint of The Paradife of Dayntie Devifes the first volume of a series of reprints of scarce collections of old English poetry. The next volume in the feries will be "ENGLAND'S HELICON." Contents of Number XII. Religio Bibliopola. In Imitation of Number 12. who in 1704 enlarged and published it with the following title: Religio Bibliopola; the New Practice of Piety, writ in imitation of Dr. Browne's RELIGIO MEDICI; or the DR. BROWNS Chriftian Virtuofo, difcovering the Right THE Only account we have been able to find of Mr. Benjamin Brigwater, Gent," the reputed author of this whimfical little treatife, has been preferved by the eccentric John Dunton, in his Life and Errors, page 177. He was," fays Dunton, "of Trinity College, Cambridge, and M. A. His genius was very rich, and ran much upon poetry, 'in' which he excelled. He was in part author of Religio Bibliopola. But alas! wine and love were the ruin of this ingenious gentleman." Such is Dunton's very brief notice of the "ingenious" Benjamin Bridgewater. The work has also been attributed to Dunton, Way to Heaven between all Extreams, etc. 12mo, pp. 70. Another edition appeared in 1705 (1zmo), with a portrait of Dunton prefixed. Other editions were published in 1728 and 1750 (8vo). Although the authorship of this rhapsodical little treatise is commonly attributed to the united labors of Bridgewater and Dunton, it would not be a very difficult undertaking to fhow, if the book were worth the trouble, that neither is entitled to much credit for his refpective fhare in its compofition. Several long paffages are taken from Jofeph Glanvill's exceedingly curious work, entitled, Lux Orientalis, or an Enquiry into the Opinion of the Eastern Sages concerning the Pre-existence of Souls, etc., first published in 1662, 8vo. John Norris, of Bemerton, and Robert Boyle, may alfo be confidered plaintiffs in the cafe. The peculiar literary merit of the work is fufficiently exhibited in the following abridg ment of the entire volume: "Though Trades (as well as Nations) have Scandals faftn'd upon them in the Lump, yet there are fome in all Profeffions to whom the abufive Character is not due. BOOKSELLERS in the Grofs are taken for no critical Convert, were I to be Dragoon❜d into Religion by the Domineering Arguments of Booted Apostles. I do not value any mans Religion by his starch'd looks or fupercilious gravity. I hate to put on an unsociable Face, or fcrew my felf into an ill-humoured Riddle; I do not angle for the Character of a Saint, by magifterially declaiming against the innocent Divertisements of Humane Life, and ranking things indifferent among the greateft crimes. Above all I cannot approve of thofe who are prone to faften Gods Judgments on particular Occafions, as if they alone cou'd unlock the Secrets of the Almighty, and were the Privy-Counfellors of Heaven. I have no ambition to become an Eagle în Divinity, neither do I emulate the towring Flights of fuch as pretend to extraordinary Revelations. I had rather walk under the Piazzas of Gods Church, than on the Battlements of the Devils Chappel, left my head fhould grow giddy with Enthufiafms, and I be blown off from thofe Heighths and Pinnacles with fome wind of vain Doctrine. I look on, all things to be govern'd by a fix'd Law and Eternal Deftiny and therefore cou'd qui"I am not fond of the Names which etly fit down with George Withers, and diftinguish one Party from another in the fay, Nec habeo, nec careo, nec curo. Church. I efteem not a man the better "I have no Pannick Fears of Death upon for being regimented in this Communion, me, neither am I folicitous, how or when I rather than in that. And for ought (fic) fhall make my Exit from the Stage of this I know in the Camp of God, a Reformade Life. Much lefs do I trouble my felf about may be as acceptable, as in, thofe of men. the manner of my Burial, or to which of "However a Mutineer in either is odi, the Elements I fhall commit my Carkass. ous, and to raife Factions about Religion, I can be contented to undergo the tedious is to adore Mars instead of Christ, and to Converfation of Worms and Serpents, thofe commence a War for the fake of Peace. I greedy Tenants of the Grave, who will cannot approve of their bitter Zeal, who; never be fatisfied till they have eat up the if they cannot call down Fire from Heaven, Ground-Landlord. I dare not with fome will kindle it on the Earth against all that of the Jewish Rabbins say that all shall not think not as they do. He is an ill Difpu- rife at the great Day; much less will I pretant for Christianity, who uses no other fume with others to particularize fo far as Topicks than Gun-powder and Steel. The to exclude all thofe who perish'd in Noah's Logick of Mahomet becomes not a Difciple Flood; or with a third fort to confine the of Jefus; and I should make but an Hypo- Refurrection to the Children of Israel, as if I 1 |