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of fentiments to its oppofite, be juftly reprefented without fome notice of intermediate ftages. The language is fuch as might be expected from the author, elegant and correct, except that he has by an overfight admitted the phrafe" you was," which is not only not correct or elegant, but is actually ungrammatical.

NOVELS.

ART. 17. Love's Pilgrimage; a Story founded on Facts. Compiled from the Journal of a deceafed Friend. In three Volumes.

9s. Longman. 1796.

12mo.

A most interesting and well-told story. The language polished and eafy; the morality pure and clear. We could expatiate on its merits, we could felect many ftriking parts, but we truft that a ftrong commendation will be as useful as a prolix one. If objection be made, as indeed it must be made, to the morality of the leading incident, it must be allowed also, that all poffible care is taken to folve and reconcile it, by the nobleness of mind, purity, and conftancy of the perfons concerned, and the delicate manner in which their adventure is developed, and their happiness fecured. It is with real pleasure that we perufe and recommend a novel of this ftamp; but it happens, like other good things, very rarely,

Victims of Frailty. A Novel. 12mo, 6s. Lane. 1795.

ART. 18. Audley Fortefcue; or, The In two Volumes. By Mr. Robinson. Mr. Robinfon has already acquired a degree of credit by his novels, (fee Brit. Crit. Vol. V. p. 174) which we do not think will be impaired by the prefent. He ftill adheres to his favourite cataftrophe of fuicide; and he delights rather in painting the horrid confequences of guilt, than the delights and advantages of virtue. The moral is couched in these few words of the guilty, and dying heroine; "it may fhew the world what flender fecurity virtue has, if the paffions are not timely controuled." This warning is just and awful; may it produce its proper effect!

ART. 19. The Fate of Sedley. A Novel. By the Author of the OffSpring of Ruffel. In two Volumes. 12mo. 6s. Lane. 1795.

Another novel ending in fuicide: here, however, it is palliated, by being the act of declared infanity. We cannot delight in these dismal delineations; and after all, the moral is no other than, "that parents fhould not facrifice their daughters to interefted views:" which has been inculcated before in about fifty thoufand novels, an hundred thoufand plays, and as many farces, befides harlequin entertainments, dances, &c. Yet parents continue as incorrigible as ever! The Offspring of Ruffel" was reviewed by us in our fifth volume, p. 540. It, probably, obtained rather more approbation than we promifed to it, as it is made the standard to diftinguish the author in his fecond adventure.

66

ART.

ART. 20. Princess Coquedauf and Prince Bonbon, a Hiftory as ancient as it is authentic. Tranflated from the Neuftrian Tongue into French, by M. Degbacobub; and, from the French into English, by R. C. F. R. S. "A. S. S. ACAD. PAR. VIND. PETROP. HOLM. LUGD. GOT. COMPL. EEUR. DUBL. ABERD. MEDIOL. PATAV. BURD. FLOR. SION. ROTHOM. GRUBST. SOCIUS PASTOR ARCADE, &c. &c. &c. 8vo. 164 pp. 35. Elmifly. 1796.

This rodomontade is faid to be the fport of an author who has written on ferious fubjects with great fuccefs, particularly travels. Extravagant tales of this nature, like thofe of Rabelais, Swift, &c. generally contain fome covert meaning, which gives a point and direction to their humour. If there be any fuch defign in this, it is fo well concealed, that we have not been able to detect it. That it is altogether devoid of humour we will not affert, but humour, terminating in mere extravagance, cannot give much delight. Merluche was paflionately fond of hunting" humbugs, whim-whams, and boglebs" Croquignolet was fill more attached to his dear diverfion of hunting quizzes." That our readers may know what to expect if they look into this book, we will tranfcribe part of the public entry of Prince Bonbon.

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"He was mounted on a noble wild jackolanthern, whiter than the driven fnow; its faddle was of gingerbread, the ftirrups of orangepeel, and the bridle of barley-fugar; the charming rider was covered with a breaft-plate of fugar-candy, over which was thrown a mantle of preferved citron, elegantly tucked up with a knot of dried flowers. Sixty koights followed him, dreft in the fame brilliant ftyle, bearing rich baskets," &c. &c. This is enough for us, and will, probably, be fo for many others. Bonbec, the confidant of the princefs, is a female Sancho, only the utters nothing but proverbs. We have carefully preferved the mock titles, in what may truly be called the titlepage, becaufe they contain an important proportion of the humour of

the book.

ART. 21. The Dagger. Tranflated from the German of Groffe. 12mo. 183 pp. 2s. 6d.

It is a fubject of reafonable doubt, whether the wild compofition, called romance, has ever been fully apprehended or executed by readers and writers in the English language. For fo much, however, we may venture to vouch, that this fpecies of compofition, as it is current among the Germans, has never been conveyed with any toleable accuracy, into the volumes which have appeared in an English drefs. The energy and copioufnefs of the German language affords a range for the imagination, which is particularly favorable to the fructure of tales, generally abhorrent from natural incidents, and diverted by all the caprices of a vigorous invention. On the prefent ron ance, in its original defign, we cannot pronounce any particular culogium. A diffolute bacon, intriguing to the annoyance of his confort's peace, and purfued by all the fiends and phantoms of ro.

mantic

mantic fiction, however reduced to a virtuous clofe, affords no very interesting, nor, in our judgment, inftructive picture of real life. Dagger and poifon are inftruments which every amateur of the horrid is difpofed to require, and every reader prepared to find, in the procefs of romantic fables. With what propriety the first of these has obtained, in this publication, fo forward a place, we are wholly unable to conjecture; as the ufe which is made of it, in the fervice of aflaffination and fuicide, is by no means greater than is generally found in the hiftories of intriguing barons and exafperated wives.

ART. 22. Jemima, a Novel. In Two Volumes. By the Author of Zoraida, or Village Annals, &c. 8vo. 6s. Lane. 1795Many writers are now very earnestly at work to render the nobility and clergy of this country odious to the people. Such appears to be the chief aim of this paltry novel; in which a profligate peer, and a monstrous villain, in holy orders, are among the molt active and confpicuous characters. We cannot doubt that fuch is the purpose of this work, after reading pp. 25, 26 of vol. ii. where two other “equally amiable clerical characters" are introduced, merely for the fake of intimating that fuch characters are very common; for thefe two men bear no part, nor are even mentioned again in the ftory.

It was once

Among many other blunders, there is one at p. 216, which it may be useful to correct. It is faid, that a man (the monstrous villain aforesaid; on whom the coroners [coroner's jury] had brought in a verdict of wilful murder, (meaning felf-murder) was "entitled to Christian burial." We prefume the author means lawfully entitled. Now this is a groís and pernicious piece of ignorance. ftrongly contended, that even lunatics were not fo entitled. But Dr. Burn, in his Ecclefiattical Law (Tit. Burial) affigns good reafons for a different opinion; and alfo makes the jury the only proper judges concerning the question of lunacy. But no author, we believe, except the notable writer now before us, ever maintained fuch a title in behalf of adjudged felf murderers.

ART. 23. Cicely, or the Rofe of Raby, an hiftorical Novel, in four Volumes. 12mo. 125. Lane. 1795.

We do not much approve of blending the facts of history with the wild inventions of a luxuriant fancy: it is an indirect violation of the dignity of truth, and may have a mifchievous operation. The perfonages introduced in thefe volumes are principal actors in the civil wars between the houfes of York and Lancafter, confequently the tale is that of forrow, war, and bloodshed.

DIVINITY.

A Sermon

ART. 24. Benevolence exclufively an evangelical Virtue. preached before the Governors of Addenbroke's Hofpital, at St. Mary's Church, in the University of Cambridge, on Thursday, July 7, 1795. By Thomas Rennel, D. D. late Fellow of King's College. 410. 27 PP. 1s. Payne, &c. 1796.

Were we to place this difcourfe according to its merits, it would ftand high among our principal fubjects of consideration,-i quis.

Yet

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Yet an extended view of it is not neceffary. To fay that it is truly chriftian and truly eloquent, is to do a juftice to it in few words, which would not be more effectually performed were we to mutilate it by numerous extracts. Of a well connected whole, the parts fhould be viewed in their place, with reference to all that precedes and all that follows. We itand in no awe of the cenfure which may attend fo antiquated a fentiment, when we declare that we confider a well compofed fermon as one of the nobleft fpecimens of eloquence: and, among fermons in our own language, we have not feen very many that we fhould deem fuperior to this. The author takes a fubje& by no means new. The exclufive claim of the Gofpel to the doctrine of benevolence. But, by his mode of treating it he makes it new; and there is a glow of animation throughout, which demonftrates that he truly felt his fubject. What, in fact, and upon trial, is the pretended benevolence of modern philofophy? A flourish of words: a philanthropic phrafeology, meaning nothing. A canting oftentation of pity for one fet of men, ferving only as a pretext to indulge the rage of envy and the violence of cruelty against another; which is injured a thousand times more than the former is relieved. Dr. Rennel, who appears very deeply to have confidered the fubject, fhows moft clearly that neither in the principles of the ancient fects, nor in the practice of the modern, is the leaft trace of christian benevolence to be perceived. He vindicates, however, the real wifdom of ancient philofophy, againft the pert ignorance of modern fuperficiality and promifes, what we are very glad to fee promised by him, an invefligation of the province, limits, and defects of natural religion." We will offer no other fpecimens of this difcourfe than the two following, from the preacher's able conclufion.

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"We afk your affittance for the poor village peafantry (of which the objects of this inftitution principally confift) the most deferving and leaft corrupted of any defcription of men in this age of wickednefs and apoftacy; by whofe honeft natures every artful incitement to the principles of revolt, plunder, and violence, aided by a temporary fcarcity, have been refifted and rejected, in a manner that must for ever endear them to every friend to his king and country. We are perfuaded that, by this moft judicious exercife of your charity, you will continue to demonftrate to them that it is not from the atrocious codes of anarchy, which are so induftriously recommended, that they can hope for relief under the preffures of calamity, but from the energy and efficacy of that Gofpel, which it is the unvaried tendency of fuch lefions to vilify and eradicate. I am perfuaded that they are, and ever will be, convinced, that every attempt to tear up the foundations of property and focial order, is to deftroy their own belt refources in the time of their utmoft need." P. 25." I trust that, in these days of calamitous defection, all who wear the badge, and hear the reproach, of Chrift, will fhew themfelves his difciples by that fign of mutual love, by which alone his church and his difciples are, according to his own exprefs declaration, known and diftinguished; and without which all other marks of apoftolical miffion in the miniftry, and of chriftian profeflion in the laity, are "but as founding brass or tinkling cymbals." P. 26.

ART.

ART. 25. A good Minifter of Jefus Chrift. A Sermon. Occafioned by the Death of the Rev. Samuel Stennett, D. D. By Dan Taylor. 8vo. 40 pp. 6d. Button, &c. 1795.

A tribute of respect, honourable to the memory of Dr. Stennett, and creditable to the author. Plainnefs and usefulness diftinguish this fermon. A few of Mr. Taylor's opinions do not meet with our affent; but, in general, his admonitions are found and unexceptionable. In this indolent age (for, perhaps, indolence is its chief characteristic) advice like the following cannot be too earnestly inculcated: "A man that would acquit himself as a good minifter of Jefus Chrift, must be avaricious of time; and must take the utmost care that he be not robbed of it, by unneceffary fleep, unprofitable converfation, improper recreations, too long or too many visits to others, or vifitors of himself, unufeful books, or any thing elfe whatsoever."

P. 21.

ART. 26. The Love of the Brethren, proceeding from a Perception of the Love of God. A Sermon, occafioned by the Death of the Rev. Samuel Stennett, D. D. By Jofeph Jenkins, D. D. Together with the Address at the Interment. By Abraham Boath. 8vo. 64 PP. Cadell, &c. 1795.

Two fermons, on the fame occafion, could hardly be more unlike, than this and the preceding. Dr. Jenkins is an orator; but, we think, not a fortunate one. His eloquence is verbofe and defultory in a remarkable degree; and, in many inftances, below the dignity of the pulpit. For example: "What motive could a being fo abfolutely independent have to this floop of himself?" P. 10, "Not only did earth vent its rage against him, but heaven feemed to join in the confpiracy" P. 14. "How will ye ftand, if Dr. Stennett appear a witness against you, in the great day of account?" P. 46.

At p. 32. We read, "But this honour did not elevate his mind, above what he was before. No. He was ftill the fame humble chriftian." Without undervaluing any honours whatever, we may fay, that the terms here employed are fomewhat ftronger than the occafion required. The honour thus fpoken of, is the degree of D. D. from the King's College and Univerfity of Aberdeen."

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Mr. Booth's addrefs is trite in its thoughts, and feeble in its expreffions.

ART. 27. Letters from the late Rev. William Romaine, M. A. &c. to a Friend, on the most important Subjects, during a Correspondence of twenty Years. Published from the original Manufcripts, by Thomas Wills, A. B. Minister of Silver-Street Chapel, and formerly of Magdalen Hall, Oxford. 8vo. 227 pp. 25. Murgatroyd, &c. 1795. They who refolve the whole of religion into a matter of feeling, rapture, and extacy, will be highly gratified by the perufal of these letters. Enthufiafm is not only the chief characteristic, but is the only feature, of any prominence, in this work. It is, doubtlefs, a very fincere enthufiafm, Mr, Romaine was not a man likely to aff.& any

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