And, while I gaze, thy mild and placid light
Sheds a foft calm upon my troubled breast.;
And oft 1 think, fair planet of the night,

That in thy orb the wretched may have reft:
The fufferers of the earth perhaps may go,
Releas'd by death, to thy benignant fphere,
And the fad children of defpair and woe

Forget, in thee, their cup of forrow here.
O! that I foon may reach thy world ferene,
Poor wretched pilgrim-in this toiling scene!'

Almoft all thefe pieces are of the plaintive kind, and evidently the genuine effufions of the heart. Every reader of fenfibility must be concerned to find, that the amiable writer has had any reafon to fhed a tear.

The Sick Queen and Phyficians, 2s. 6d. Stockdale.

A Hudibraftic tale, alluding to the ftate of this country from the acceffion of his prefent majefty, to the laft change in the administration. In politics, the author is no friend to the coalition-party; and with refpect to poetical merit, he is far from being deficient either in humour or fentiment.

N OVE L S.

Damon and Delia: a Tale. 12mo. 35. Hookham.

This is an amufing little ftory, without any very confiderable pretenfions to novelty or elegance. There is however fome reason to think it is the production of no common author; for we fometimes meet fentiments, which are not the ufual ornaments of a novel, and a ftrength of language fitted for higher purfuits. It is, on the whole, fuperior to thofe tales which commonly fall in our way.

Dangerous Connections; or, Letters collected in a Society and publifhed for the Inftruction of other Societies. By M. C**** De L*** 12mo. 12s. Hookham.

The danger of injudicious connections is well known; but there are more pernicious ones than are to be found in fociety. An improper ftory, or the infinuations of a depraved heart, infufe a flow and fecret poifon, whofe effects are more fatal as the approach is more delufive and fecret. The present work is a connection of this kind, which we earnestly remonftrate against innocence and virtue are the fnares of defigning villany and infernal artifice.-The author may allege, that the work which reveals thefe artifices, is the most effential inftructor; but we fear, and indeed have much reafon for our fears, that where one is guarded from the villany, ten will more completely learn the mysteries of feduction. The whole is delufive and dangerous in a great degree; nor is the poetical

justice

justice a fufficient antidote. The novel itself is written too well the translation is sometimes exceptionable from French idioms; but thefe féem the errors of hafte rather than of ig norance. We have little doubt of the abilities of the tranflator, and wish him a more honourable and beneficial employ

.ment.

The Hiftory of Chriftina Princess of Swabia, and of Eloifa de Leverot. Tranflated from the French of Madame Riccoboni. 2 Vols. 12me. 6. Stockdale.

This is a very pleafing and interefting novel. It is undoubtedly a tranflation, for the idiom of the language every where obtrudes, and probably it is the production of the ingenious author mentioned in the title. Its moral tendency is unquestionable; yet we fear it may arm the enthufiafm of youth with a fresh weapon, and contribute to conquer the tender heart already prepared to yield. We were preparing to moralize, expecting perhaps that the fire and eagerness of youth would yield to the faws of age and experience; but we shall quit fo hopeless a purfuit. The converfation between Chriftina and her lover Sigefroid is beautiful: we fufpect the author had in view Prior's Henry and Emma; yet it must be allowed, that the objections come with more force and delicacy from the lady...

The fecond part, for thefe two volumes contain two diftin&t hiftories, is of a fimilar kind, though rather of inferior merit; yet it inculcates a very important and useful lesson, since it teaches the unexperienced not to truft to the early impreffions either of love or diflike. It is the mind which forms the character: the boy may be rafh, giddy, and impetuous, though the man be fedate, tender, and difcreet: again, the one may be foft and amiable, while the other is indolent and infenfible, Perhaps the female tafte may not remain entirely unchanged; and the trifling companion who can join in the amusements of youth, may be a very improper affociate when the mind is eager For information, and looks up to the inftructor. This is the chief moral of the present story; but there are many other arguments against forming, at too early a period, fuch connec tions as may prove unfortunate in the progrefs of life,

A Sermon, preached before the Univerfity of Oxford, on Saturday, May 29, 1784, at St. Mary's Church. By Edward Tatham, B. D. 8vo. 15. Rivington,

In the former part of this difcourse the author estimates the feveral powers vefted in the three eftates of this realm, the king, the lords, and the commons; and fhews, that the balance is fo nicely poifed, that a grain of weight taken out of one scale, and given to another,' will destroy that equilibrium,

on

on which the good order, or even the very existence, of our political constitution depends.

From the middle eftate, he obferves, we may hope every good, without ever apprehending much evil. The danger lies between the two extremes. Civil liberty refults from an equipoise between prerogative and privilege, the two cardinal hinges on which the conftitution turns. In a conteft between the first and third eftates pushed to an extremity, the first will naturally give way, and, by its fall, involve both the others in common ruin, However great the perfonal dignity and refpećt of the prince, he is but one, and his perfonal fupport and influence must be of courfe confined, The third estate is a large compound body, formed of the reprefentatives of the whole nation, whofe influence and fupport muft in fome measure keep pace with their extent. Befides, the exclufive privilege of the latter to ftop the fupplies, is an over-match for that branch of the prerogative which commands the army, and which cannot, indeed, be exercifed but by commiffioning many of the members of the lower houfe, and putting the immediate direction of the forces into their hands.'

In the latter part of his difcourfe, the preacher takes a view of the times, preceding the restoration of Charles the Second and endeavours to trace the causes of that confufion and distress in which this nation was involved, before that happy event took place. That period, as he justly observes, furnishes & falutary instruction for both prince and people. It fhews the former how dangerous, in a limited government, it is to affumę more power than what the laws have given him; and it may convince the latter of the " calamities" that "arife" from the madness of the people, misled and heated by the arts of popular and ambitious leaders, whofe views, under the femblance of a jealoufy for their liberties, are more inimical to their peace, and more fubverfive of their rights, than the rod of the greatest tyrant.?

Thefe are important inftructions, and demonftrate the utility of ftill commemorating the thirtieth of January, and the twenty-ninth of May. The danger however, which may arise from popular phrenfy, is more to be dreaded in this nation, than regal tyranny, For, if ever the conftitution fhould be fubverted, it will be by affociations, and infurrections excited by fome factious and ambitious demagogue called the man of the people,'

This difcourfe contains many juft obfervations, and is properly adapted to the circumftances of the prefent time. An Afize Sermon, preached at the Cathedral Church of Chefter, by the Rev, George Vanbrugh, LL.B. 4to. 6d. The author explains and illuftrates this celebrated rule of equity, All things, whatsoever ye would that men fhould do to you,' &c. Mat. vii, 12. For this purpose he con

fiders the meaning of the precept; fecondly the restrictions under which it is fometimes to be limited; and, laftly, the ex cellence and ufefulness of it.

This is a plain, practical difcourfe, without any appearance of that labour, pomp, and affectation, which we frequently meet with in the productions of our young divines.

A Short View of the Nature and Neceffity of Infant Baptifm, God-" fathers and Godmothers, Confirmation, and the Lord's Supper. Svo. 15. Rivington.

The author of this tract, before he proceeds to the more particular confideration of baptifm, remarks, that fome have been led into, or confirmed in, the error of denying the use and neceflity of baptifm, by not rightly understanding a phrafe in the Hebrew tongue, which has been introduced into the Greek of the New Teftament, namely, ex-ahha. This expreffion, he obferves, is elliptical, and fignifies not only-but also,' being understood. The paffage chiefly alluded to is this. The like figure whereunto, even baptifm doth now fave us; not [only] the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but [alfo] the anfwer, or ftipulation, of a good confcience towards God? that is, baptifm, to make it falutary, requires both outward and inward washing, or purification.' Pet. iii. 21. I See Rom. ii. 28, 29; and the fame expreffion in Exod. xvi. 8. Jer. vii. 22. Joh. xii. 44. Acts v. 4, &c.

The author's fubfequent obfervations on infant baptifm, godfathers and godmothers, confirmation, and the Lord's fupper, are calculated to vindicate the doctrines commonly received in the church of England, and are propofed with a spirit of benevolence and candour.

Biographia Evangelica; or, an Hiftorical Account of the Lives and Deaths of the most eminent evangelical Authors or Preachers, both British and Foreign, in the feveral Denominations of Protefiants, from the Beginning of the Reformation, to the prefent Time By the Rev. Erafmus Middleton. Vol. III. 8vo. 6s, fewed. Hogg.

This volume contains the lives of Abbot, Bolton, Hilderfham, Downe, T. Taylor, Ames, Herbert, Sibbes, Mede, Whateley, Bedell, Davenant, Burr, Potter, Lewis De Dieu, Alting, wiffe, Featly, J. Dod, Palmer, Prideaux, Rivet, Smith, W. Gouge, J. Whitaker, Gataker, Ufher, Hall, Janeway, Du Moulin, Harris, Winter, Wilkins, Hale, Reynolds, Manton, Poole, Charnock, T. Gouge, Hamel, Owen, Leighton, Claude.

The arrangement of thefe Lives is neither alphabetical nor chronological. The latter would have been, in fome refpects, more useful than the prefent promifcuous arrangement; but, it is evident, it could not be obferved, unless the author had de termined from the first, what Lives were to be admitted.

The intelligent reader will perceive, that this work is rather intended for the use of pious Chriftians than for men of the world, when he is told, that the memoirs of thefe evangelical authors and preachers exhibit the unity of their faith and experience; and illuftrate the power of DIVINE GRACE in their holy living and dying.'

This volume is adorned with thirteen elegant prints.

MEDICAL.

Rules for preferving Health, particularly with Regard to Studious Perfons. In Three Treatifes. Tranflated from the Spanish of the Rev. Father Feyjoo. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Faulder.

Both in ancient and modern times, the uncertainty of the medical science, and the contradictory tenets of its profeffors, have been the object of much ridicule to men of wit and humour. The attacks of thofe affailants, however, were generally oblique, defultory, and occafional, calculated to afford entertainment, rather than convince the understanding: but the reverend friar, now under confideration, has profecuted the fubject with fuch refolute steadinefs, and in a manner fo argumentative, that the fatyrift feems almoft abforbed in the deliberate enquirer. He endeavours to evince the uncertainty of all medical obfervations, from the writings of phyficians themselves; and if many partial acknowledgments, or complaints, of this nature might be confidered as decifive, he has not been unfuccefsful. But, notwithstanding the appearance of candid enquiry, we by no means think him entitled to the character of a fair and well informed, much lefs an unprejudiced antagonist. As an ecclefiaftic, father Feyjoo discovers a confiderable acquaintance with the writings of feveral phyficians; but they are for the most part fuch as lived before the art of medicine was reduced to a rational fcience; and their defects cannot justly reflect any unfavourable imputation on the prefent ftate of medical knowlege. The fact seems to be, that the learned friar, who was a man of a ftudious difpo'fition, had read the works of the ancient phyficians fo much as to perceive the deficiency in their attainments; but appears. to have been wholly unacquainted with the writings of the moderns, in which the fcience has now reached fo high a degree of cultivation. He obferves, and with juftice, that the art of healing never can be brought to a state of abfolute perfection; but this remark reflects no difparagement on the nature or utility of a fcience, the confummation of which, like that of many other branches of knowlege, must be prevented by the limited faculties of the human understanding.

Judging with regard to the opportunities of information which father Feyjoo has had relative to medical science, his obfervations are pertinent and fenfible; and, in his Rules for preferving Health, he has very prudently been guided by experience. Were the Spaniards actuated by the fame freedom

of