dition, who, being perfecuted by a cruel and tyrannical hufband, feized the first opportunity of breaking her chains, and fled for refuge into the only country of Europe where perfonal liberty is refpected, and its enjoyment fecured to every individual, by the protection of the Laws. If we may judge by the language, this performance appears indeed to have been written by a native of France, whofe genius, whatever it may be, feems not to have been cultivated by a very liberal education; but we have too much refpect for the fair fex to fuppofe it poffible, that The Confiderations' fhould come from one of their number, especially as the publication is attended with a meanness, we had almost said fraud, which is extremely difgraceful. The pamphlet contains twenty-fix pages of miferable paper and print; its utmoft value úxpence. There is no price mentioned in the title-page or the advertisement, but the work is fold for balf a-crown. Art. 40. Love and Madness. A Story too true. In a Series of Letters between Parties, whofe Names would perhaps be mentioned, were they lefs known or less lamented. 8vo. 3s. 6d. fewed. Kearfly. 1780. Thefe Letters are given as the correfpondence of the late unfortunate Mr. Hackman, with Mifs Ray. Of their authenticity we can fay but little; for though we profefs ourselves critics, we pretend not to be conjurors. The Letters are well written, and, fuppofing them genuine, they must be extremely interefting to every Reader. They are enlivened with a variety of anecdotes, chiefly of a literary kind. Among other mifcellaneous matters, the ftory of that extraordinary genius, Thomas Chatterton, is introduced at great length, with critical obfervations on his writings; an account of his publication of poems faid to have been written by one Rowley, a Monk, about three hundred years ago; of his other schemes of authorship; and finally, of his unhappy exit, in the eighteenth year of his age.-This, if we mistake not, is the most valuable part of the book. Mr. Hackman figures as the hiftorian of Chatterton.-If this be all "borrowed perfonage," as Mr. Walpole expreffes it, it is fo ingenious a fiction, that the Author will be praised, perhaps, for his abilities, even by thofe who may find themselves inclined to impeach his honesty. RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERSIAL. Art. 41. A Letter to the Rev. Mr. Archdeacon Law, on his Defence of Popery, as delivered in his Charge to the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Rochester. 4to. 15. Davies.. The weapons of irony are here very aukwardly, illiberally, and unfuccessfully employed, in oppofition to the folid fenfe and manly arguments by which Mr. Archdeacon Law fupports the principles of Catholicifm and univerfal toleration. Art. 42. A Letter from the Rev. Sir Harry Trelawny, Bart. A. B. to the Rev. Thomas Alcock, A. M. Vicar of Runcorn and of St. Budeaux, Devon. 8vo. 6d. Buckland. 1780. G.H-S. F. From the verfatility of this gentleman's difpofition, it was conjectured that he would by this time have completed his fchifmatical circuit, and become ftationary in the good old eafy chair of his own, and his father's, and grandfather's church. But the gay prophets, who laughed at his eccentricity, and the grave ones, who wept wept over his apoftacy, have been equally mistaken in their calcula- B...k. These fermons are not to be ranked with the elegant and learned; they are somewhat in what may be called the old ftamp of preaching; but they are pious, ferious, and affectionate;-in the calvinistical ftrain. Though we may not entirely concur in fentiment with this • Vide Review, laft vol. p. 291. Y 4 Writer Writer, we read with fome pleasure, the account he gives of the harmony which fubfifts not merely in his own immediate flock, but in the town of Hull; and which,' he fays, I trust, is more than the fhadow of ceremony, or the found of report.' SCHOOL-Book. H. 2 s. 6 d. We recollect to have heard it repeatedly afferted by a Master Reviewer (not our own), that he " never met with a mathematician who knew any thing of fine language." To the fame purport, though not in fuch direct terms, we recollect an expreffion of the famous John James Rouleau: his words, as near as we can remember, are, "nope but blockheads and geometricians write without epithets," To convince the latter, if he had fortunately been living to be convinced, that there are mathematicians (for all geometers are mathematicians) who do not write without epithets; and to strike the former gentleman dumb for ever (on this fubje&t), we bring forward into public view Mr. William Hedley, of Cambo, mathematician; who, in the preface to this COMPLETE Syftem of Practical Arithmetic, thus writeth; Apologies for fwelling the number of fuch publications are peculiar to the generality of authors, both ancient and modern; and con, formable to the prevalence of cultom, it will be natural from fo imbibed a fashion, to expect, and even be deemed neceffary, that this .... treatife fhould be ushered into the world in the fame backney'd ferpentine alleys of its predeceffors. But from what fource arifeth apologizing inevitable, when confcious the undertaking refts upon the basis of public weal, unprejudiced by principle or pecuniary expectations? Such is the motive of my inducement; yet notwithstanding the juftnefs of the perfuafion, I am well aware that it will fink far be neath the fummit of perfection (an elevated precipice the most ambitious cannot attain) in the eyes of the judicious; but particularly fo to thofe whofe misfortune it is to be the poffeffors of a lens incapable of difplaying the objects of their fellow-labourers in any other light but deformity.' If, after reading this extract, there remain any Reviewers (mafters or men, no matter which) who yet doubt that mathematicians ufe epithets, and can, when occafions require it, write fine language, may they be obliged to read not only Mr. Hedley's preface, but alfo his Complete Syftem of Practical Arithmetic, and Three Forms of Book-keeping, Wafte Book, Journal, &c. quite through, even to the laft page of his Ledger by Double Entry; where they will find Balance D' to Spontaneous Farm for value remaining 1800 l.' The Complete Syftem of Practical Arithmetic is chiefly made up of the fhreds and clippings" of other complete fyftems which have been formerly ushered in, in the fame hackney'd ferpentine alleys' with itfelf. We fpeak not this out of any difrefpect to the modern method of making books with fciffars and pafte, instead of pens and Ink: very good books may have been made by this method; and fo, perhaps, might a very good book of arithmetic, provided the clippings were done with skill, and the fhreds collected with judgment: but we are forry to add, Mr. Hedley must neither clip nor felect for us. As to his three forms of book-keeping, it will be fufficient to obferve, that fometime ago the author of a book of arithmetic, for the ufe of fchools, wanting a pretence for adding fix-pence to the price of his book, bethought him of putting a form of book-keeping at the end of it; foon after another author adds two to his publication: and Mr. Hedley, that he might exceed all who have gone before him, has added three. SERMONS on the late GENERAL FAST, Feb. 4, 1780. I. Preached before the Univerfity of Cambridge. By Richard Watson, D. D. F. R. S. Regius Profeffor of Divinity in that Univerity. 4to. 18. Rivington, &c. We give the precedence to this difcourfe, because, from the peculiar excellence of the Author's fentiments, and the force and elegance of his language, we think it intitled to this diftinction.-We here behold the manly freedom and refolution of the honest Briton, fo admirably blended with the moderation and piety of the good Chrif tian, that while we are animated by the fpirit of the one, we are improved by the principles of the other. The learned and ingenious Profeffor dea's not in that ftrain of loofe and empty declamation, fo common on such occafions. He does not facrifice fenfe to found; nor fupply the want of argument by the abundance of metaphor. He delivers his opinion with a decency which does credit to his manners, and with a firmnefs which is confiftent with integrity. An ancient Roman would have applauded his zeal; and a primitive Chriftian would have acknowledged the juftnefs of it. He hath not funk religion into politics: he hath founded politics on religion. In a word, for dignity and liberality of fentiment-for energy and perfpicuity of language-and for an unaffected fpirit of honefty and plain-heartedness, which infpires the whole, we, without hesitation, rank this difcourfe in the first class of pulpit productions. We think the following quotations will please all but the flaves of a corrupt ftate, who, under the pretence of national glory, will facrifice every duty of common juftice and general benevolence;though, indeed, national good is only the pretence, the real motive is private intereft. The councils of princes are ufually governed, either by the princes themselves, or by a few individuals of their own appointment, who being in moft countries free from human animadverfion, and the fear of punishment, too frequently fuppofe themfelves fuperior to all controul. Men of this ftamp, if they do not look upon religion as a human contrivance, invented by ftatefmen to keep the ignorant in awe, are apt to confider its influence as limited by the concerns of private life. The profperity of the state, or, which is with them, the fame thing, the gratification of their ambition, or any other paffion, they think, may be profecuted by all poffible means. In public tranfactions they acknowledge no juftice but what prings from utility, and is regulated thereby. The fanctity of treaties treaties is defpifed: guaranties are broken as foon as made: and they confider him as a forry politician indeed, who expects that any nation will adhere to its engagements longer than while it is their intereft not to break them. I here can be no doubt, that individuals profefling principles fuch as thefe are not Chriftians. They may be potent princes; experienced statesmen; able generals:-but they are not Christians. Chriftianity, in its regards, fteps beyond the narrow bounds of national advantage in queit of univerfal good. It doth not encourage particular patriotifm in oppofition to general benignity; or prompt us to love our country at the expence of our integrity; or allow us to indulge our paffions to the detriment, of thoufands. It looks upon all the human race as children of the fame father, and es them equal bleffings:-in ordering us to do good; to love as brethren; to forgive injuries; and to ftudy peace. It quite annihilates the difpofition for martial glory, and utterly debafes the pomp of war. It is not here infinuated, that a nation of Chriftians is bound to give way to the depredations of an unjust invader. That would not be doing good, but harm. It would be encouraging the wicked to oppress the innocent. But though the right of just defence be certainly allowed us, upon the principles of Chriftianity, yet woe be to that man who puts us to the neceffity of ufing it!-who, from motives of pride, ambition, intereft, or refentment, commences, or carries on an unjust war! He may chance to meet with the favour of his prince; be extolled by his fellow-citizens; admired by furrounding nations; yet muft he answer for his conduct at a tribunal, where princes cannot protect him, nor the praises of the people follow him; nor reafons and neceffities of ftate, much less prejudices and paffions be urged in his defence. Divefted of the pride of office, and the infolence of power, he must there ftand a defolated, unprotected individual. The tears of the widow and the orphan will be produced against him, and the blood of thousands will cry aloud for venge ance. • There is scarcely a court or council in Europe, in which private intereft has not made fhipwreck of men's confciences. This is a fore evil every where, beyond the example of former times. It is faid to be a national evil amongst ourselves: and on a day, fuch as this, when we confefs a nation's fins, want of political principles should not be overlooked. I mean not to offend any party: but if truth can be offensive, I fear not in fpeaking truth to offend them all. He, who from apprehenfion or expectation, from gratitude or refentment, or from any other worldly motive, fpeaks or acts contrary to his decided judgment, in fupporting or oppofing any particular fyftem of politics, is guilty of a great fin, the confequences of which no worldly intereft can compenfate.'- Probity is a uniform principle: it cannot be put on in our private clofet, and put off in the councilchamber, or the fenate. And it is no inconfiderable part of probity to fpeak, as occafion offers, with boldness, and to act with firmness, according to the dictates of confcience. Did all men do this, which it is unquestionably each man's efpecial duty to do, and which, but for fome dirty profpect of intereft, every man would do, the world would be much better than it is. He who acts contrary to convic |