the united merit of copious erudition, candid fimplicity, aceurate judgment, and ftrong good fenfe. It is a work which the fcholar will always read with pleasure, and which the unlearned, with a proper degree of attention, will eafily underftand.In short, it is one of thofe productions, in which the fair and natural form of unadorned truth muft excite conviction in the candid enquirer, and prove an effectual prefervative against the fophiftry of infidelity, which dazzles only to end in darkness. The former part of this work was divided into eight books.— In the firft, from an ample hiftorical view of the ignorance and error in matters of religion, that reigned even among the most civilized nations before the Chriftian æra, and a variety of reflexions which this phenomenon fuggefts, the Author concluded, that human reafon ftood in need of the aid and direction of a divine revelation. In the fecond, he pointed out the diftinctive characters of a true revelation, and the degree of evidence with which it ought to be accompanied. From hence he proceeded, in the fucceeding books, to exhibit the various proofs that ascertain the divine origin of the Jewish and Chriftian revelations. After having established the truth of the former, he entered into an ample detail of all the internal and external evidence that fupports the latter. He difplayed the beauty and excellence of the Chriftian religion, confidered in its doctrines, its moral precepts, and its promifes. He proved the authenticity of the books which contain it; confidered the characters, or, in other words, the morals, talents, rank, lives, and fortunes of its founders; and unfolded, at great length, the arguments deducible from miracles and prophecies, that fo loudly proclaim its celestial origin.

Though the Chriftian religion, confidered in itself and in its connexion, both with the events that were preparatory to, and those that accompanied its publication, furnished our Author with fufficient materials for a full proof of its truth and divinity: yet later times exhibit to our view two events that add new rays of evidence to this proof-and thefe are, the prefent fate of the Jewish nation, and the prefent fate of the Chriftian religion. The first of thefe events was treated by our Author in the concluding chapter of his feventh volume. The fecond is the fubject propofed in the eighth and ninth volumes lately pub lifhed, and now before us.

The extenfive propagation and establishment of the Chriftian religion is a remarkable fact, which we have before our eyes; and it is this which M. VERNET propofes to confider as his laft proof of the truth and divinity of that religion. In the three first chapters of his eighth volume, he gives an hiftorical view of this fact, as a phenomenon which muft be accounted for, and reduced to its true principle. But however surprizing the

fact

fact may be, compared and confidered with the ordinary course of things, it will fill appear more fo, when we confider in what manner, and by what means, it was brought about. This fecond point of view is the principal object in our Author's plan but it is not exhibited in the two volumes now before us. As fome late writers have attempted to invalidate the authority of the fources from whence the materials for this fecond point of view are derived, and to throw an obfcurity of their own making on the early periods of the gospel-history, our learned Author has thought it neceffary to difarm thefe adverfaries before he proceeds farther; and this occafions a digreffion (we may call it), but a very learned and instructive one, which takes up the whole pace of thefe two volumes, except the three first chap

ters.

This digreffion, though perhaps too copious, is far from being either ufelefs or unconnected with the principal fubject: It forms, indeed, an intervening work, which, had it been published alone, would have been received as a very interefting piece of controversy; but still it answers our Author's purpose, by dispelling fome clouds of duft that have been raised about the objects that he propofes to reprefent in their true colours in the courfe of his work. This digreffion contains, firft, an ample refutation of what Voltaire has advanced in his Univerfal Hiftory, to invalidate the authority of the early annals of the Chriftian Church. From hence M. VERNET proceeds to unmask the errors and fophiftry of a book, published under the name of the late learned Freret, and d figned to render the authenticity of the four Gofpels dubious. The difingenuous writer, who skulked under the ufurped name of Freret, was anfwered a few years ago by the Abbes Bergier and Du Voifin, both whofe performances have real merit, though tarnished in feveral places by the narrow and illiberal fpirit of religious party. Our Author has reinforced their arguments with new confiderations. He fhews that the pretended Freret (whofe impofture in the ufurpation of this name he fully proves) was no more than an unfaithful tranfcriber of Dodwell, and that his objections, drawn from the ancient herefies, are replete with abfurdities, exaggerations, and anachronilms. He enters, on this occafion, into a very particular and curious account of the Ebionites and Gnostics, not fo much with an intention to refute the objector under confideration, as to place in a true light the ftate of the primitive Church, and to illustrate many things relative to the ancient fects, which, when properly known, throw new rays of evidence on the truth of the Gospel.

The next object that occupies our Author in this digreffion, is the teftimony of Jewish writers to the truth of the Chriftian history. To diminish the weight of this teftimony, the filence

of

of Philo and Jofephus, and the infidelity of the body of the Jewish nation, have been alleged, as fufficient to counterbalance it. M. VERNET examines, with great judgment and erudition, the character and circumftances of Philo; and proves, we think, in a very fatisfactory manner, that the filence of this learned Jew is rather an argument in favour of Chriftianity than against it. It is certain, that a mute witness is no witnefs at all for or against any fact. If Philo looked upon the miracles and mifion of Chrift as an impofture, his filence is to be accounted for by unbelievers, and is an objection which may be directly retorted upon them. As to Jofephus, our Author maintains that he has not been filent. On this point of literature M. VERNET was formerly undecided; and, in his preceding work, having mentioned the arguments alleged on the different fides of the queftion, he himself remained in fufpence. But having reconfidered the matter, he has come to a full conviction, that Jofephus has really made mention of Jefus Chrift, as well as of John the Baptift, and James, furnamed the Juft, in his Jewish Ant quiquities; and both long and laborious is he upon this fubject: Manufcripts, verfions, citations, difcuffions of moral evidence, comparifon between different writers; nothing is omitted that can illuftrate this knotty point of erudition, and twelve or thirteen chapters are learnedly employed thereupon.-In this detail our Author is more prolix and minute, and dwells more on incidental and trifling objections, than we think the fupport of his caufe required; but here he merits indulgence, becaufe good fenfe and good learning always accompany him: befides, fuch a NESTOR in theology has peculiar privileges.

With respect to the argument againft Chriftianity taken from the infidelity of the Jews, our Auther fhews, amply and learnedly, that even the unbelieving part of that nation bore testimony to the truth of the miracles of Chrift, and that thus we have a teftimony of that whole people in favour of Chriftianity, more forcible than it would have been, had they been all unanimous in the reception of the Gospel.

We must wait for the publication of the following volume or volumes, in order to have our learned and ingenious Author's manner of deducing, from the propagation of Chriftianity, an additional proof of its divine origin. This matter will be treated at great length. After having fhewn, that in the firft ages of the Church, the Chriftian caufe was not only deftitute of all human and visible support, but had the most formidable obftacles to its propagation to encounter, from the prejudices, paffions, vices, and interefts of men, feconded by the force of civil inftitutions, and the fecular arm, he will point out the true reason of its fuccefs amidst all thefe difadvantages. To diminish the veneration and aftonifhment which this fuccefs is fo adapted to

excite, fome unbelievers have attempted to account for it by caufes of an ordinary kind, fuch as are to be found in the paffions and propenfities of the human heart, and in the general circumftances of mankind. The attempts, however, of this fort that were made before the publication of Mr. Gibbon's two famous chapters, were feeble and contemptible beyond expreffion: but thofe of this learned and ingenious writer were carried on with peculiar advantages, as they were furrounded with the luftre, anu feconded by the reputation of a learned, eloquent, and voluminous hiftory, that does honour to English literature. So that all the artillery fired by this affailant against the citadel of Chriftianity, was planted on the temple of fame, and made confequently a loud report, while all the trumpets of the goddess were employed to celebrate the execution it did.-Accordingly, our Author propofes to enter particularly into the lifts with Mr. Gilbon, and when we are made acquainted with his method of defence, we shall lay it before our Readers.

But why attack Mr. Gibbon, whole five caufes of the propagation of the Gospel, whether admisible or not, he only gives as fecondary ones? if you ask him, by what means the Chriftian faith obtained fo remarkable a victory over the established religions of the world hear his reply, " To this enquiry an obvious but "fatisfactory answer may be given; that it was owing to the convincing evidence of the doctrine itself, and to the ruling pro❝vidence of its great Author." If these words convey the fentiments of Mr. Giboon, he must be placed among the friends of Christianity; if they do not, it is to be hoped that the reft of his hiftory has not been compofed with the fame fpirit.

ART. VIII.

Voyage Pittorefque de la Sicile, &c. i. e. Travels through Sicily, Malta, and Lipari, containing an Account of the Antiquities of thefe lands, the principal Natural Phænomena they exhibit, and the particular Cuftoms and Manners of the Inhabitants. Illuftrated with Engravings. Nos. III. IV. V. and VI. Large Folio. Containing each Six Plates, and eight pages of Defcription. Price 12 Livres each Number.

TH

HE two preceding Chapters or Numbers of this elegant work, were noticed in our FOREIGN LITERATURE for February laft: No. III. begins with an account of Mazzara. The inhabitants of this place pretend, that it is the ancient Selinus, though the ruins of this latter city ftill fubfift at the diftance of 24 miles from Mazzara. Nothing is more common in Sicily than to fee modern towns decorated with the names of ancient and famous cities, which either exist no more, or whose ruins exift elsewhere. The only veftiges of the arts vifible at Mazzara, are three ancient tombs, or farcophagi. The first,

which is the fubject of the 1ft Figure of the 13th Plate, repre fents, in baffo-relievo, a hunter attacking a wild boar, probably the ftory of Meleager. The compofition is very indifferent, and it is alfo but feebly executed. The 2d figure contains a funeral urn of much nobler workmanship; and in looking upon the figure, we are not a little furprized, that M. HOUEL is fo fparing in his defcription of it. Two beautiful fphynxes, two very elegant human figures, with other ornaments in a pure taste, and a Latin infcription in the middle, deferved, we think, more attention from our Traveller, than he has thought proper to beftow upon them. There is a circumftance in the engraving of thefe plates, which we think well contrived, and that is the reddish-brown colour employed by the artift, which peculiarly affimulates the reprefentation of antiquities to the original objects, when ruins and fepulchral monuments are delineated.

The 14th plate reprefents the fecond farcophagus, adorned with a fine baffo relievo, whofe fubject is, the rape of Proferpine. Here Ceres is feen pursuing her daughter, in a chariot drawn by two winged ferpents, with a confiderable number of attendants. But the third farcophagus, which is the fubject of the 15th plate, is undoubtedly the most beautiful of the three. It reprefents a battle of the Amazons, and announces, by the defign, compofition, and expreffion, a period in which the arts flourished. The whole of this piece is admirable, and fome of the figures are equal to the beft remains of Grecian art.

From Mazzara our Author proceeded to Cafel Vetrane, a fmall town about eight miles from the fea, where the first thing he was entertained with was a nocturnal proceffion on the feftival of the Holy Sacrament, in which the darkness of the night was illuminated with 400 torches, made of a kind of reeds, which emit a moft glaring fplendour, and which was accompanied with other marks of a pompous devotion, that formed a curious fpectacle. Here he faw the ruins of the real Selinus, and lodged in the watch-tower, which is now called TORRE DEL PULCI, i. e. the tower of Fleas. A ftrange name indeed! but it appears, that in this place there was formerly a temple, dedicated to Caftor and Pollux, which, in Italian, is Polluce. When the temple was demolished, and the latter of thefe gods was forgotten, the people not knowing what was meant by Polluce, took it for the name of a little infect (Pulici or Pulci, a flea), with which they were very well acquainted, and thus prepared matter of invefti gation for the etymologifts.When this tower is illuminated in the night, this is a fign that watchmen have perceived no pirates approaching the coaft. But when the lights are not hung up, a cannon is fired from the tower, and three from Cafel-Vetrano, to alarm the inhabitants, and put them upon their guard.

Selinus,