the ground of felf-love. Society hath no farther claims on him, than it may poflibly be for his own intereft to obey. The laws of civil life ought then to be as comprehenfive as the good of fociety will admit: and government acts a wife, as well a benevolent part, when it applies all As members to the best use, and makes even the most diffimilar profeffions admiiter to the general welfare and peace of the community. These maxims of policy were unknown to, or even unheeded bour forefathers. They imagined, that toleration, inftead of leffening, would increafe diffenfions in the ftate; -that good Jabjids and good churchmen meant the fame thing, and could not be difunited without the ruin of both characters. To preferve their alliance, the Act of Uniformity was paffed. A fair trial was made of this project: We know how it fucceeded. As to Mr Williams's project, which be bath now extended, by a fingular act of grace, to the utmoft extreme of infidelity, we do not, on the moft ferious reflection we can form of it, fee its abfolute neceffity, or even its fingular utility, on the broad ground of civil polity. The date hath saved all the trouble; and by mutual indulgence, dependence, and obligation, allowed and ftrengthened by government, all the ends of political life are fufficiently fecured and provided for: now thefe, we apprehend, are Mr Williams's fole objects. the character of Chance? or what effect Religion, that derives its capital motives from the omnifcience of the Deity, and ends not in a momentary glow of admiration, excited by a view of the works of nature, but looks forwards to a future te, can be no part of an inftitution which includes Atheifts in the number of its votaries. 66 "Now this is worshipful fociety,' as Shakespeare, the true "priest of nature," humorously fings;-where folks may adore God, or adore without a God; where they may afcend on Platonic pinions to the * To av — "The first good, first perfect, and first Mr Williams acknowledges, that "it is not material to his purpose, whether the Atheift exclude the word God from his religious dialect, and afcribe all we fe to nature, neceffity, or chance: it is the character only of neceffity, of chance, or of the deified forms of human imagination, which can affect us." Undoubtedly words, in themselves, are of little confequence. It is the ideas they principally to be attended to. Now, we afk, what idea the moft fpeculative and metaphysical Atheist can be fuppofed to affociate with the word tion." CHANCE? or on what ground it can be imagined he thould pay any adoration to excite that are "fair;" or reafon downwards + till they doubt of his goodness and perfection, and then fink devotion into "refpe&tful atten • See Williams's motto. We We have thus, without rafhnefs, and on the grounds of obfervation and experience, given our free fentiments on "the inftitution in Margaret ftreet:" and if we were inclined to appeal to any authority to countenance our freedom, it should be fo Mr Williams himself, who tells us, that all thoughts, wrong as well as right, fhould be freely communicated." -We hope, our freedom hath been tempered with moderation and decency: though if we were inclined to be abufive, we might plead his example to give a fanction to calumny; for he fays, with out fcruple or referve, that preaching keeps up an order of men who are under a neceffity of diffembling their failings and faults, and, confequently, of taint ing their own minds, and thofe of their hearers, with hypocrify; -a vice almoft infeparable from an affembly under the direction of a prieft, whether called religious, moral, or sentimental.' The clergy were firft indebted to the politeness of Mr Hume for this reflection on the character of their order. Mr Williams bears his teftimony to the juftnefs of the reflection. This muft give it double credit; for having been of the order himself-and "ftill not fatisfied (he tells us out of his employment," he must be a competent judge of the vice which naturally taints the mind of a prieft. As we have now done juftice to our impartiality, we proceed to discharge another obligation; and that is, to do juftice to the fingular merit of this lively and moft ingenious Moralift. We do not fay, that the excellencies of thefe Lectures will atone for their errors and defects; but this we must fay, that these excellencies are fo various and ftriking, that they must appear in fpite of every thing that tends to obfcure them. Mr Williams begins his feries of lec. tures with a difcourfe on public worship. It is a defultory, but an ingenious and fpirited effay. He doth not reafon according to the forms of logic; nor doth he declaim according to the rules of the pulpit: but he frequently doth better than the mere man of logic, or the mere man of the pulpit, is capable of doing. -We know we fhall pleafe all readers of taste and candour by the following extract. "The great principle which animated our brave and virtuous ancestors, which tinctured with fublimity the favageness - of their virtues, impelled them to actions of difinterefted patriotifm, and gave wifdom to their legiflation and policy, at which we are aftonished, was religion. Their defcendents, improved in all the arts of life, intelligent in the principles and interefts of fociety, with characters and names which fcience and philofophy will hand down to eternity,—are advanving to a political decrepitude and deftruction,-from a puerile and wretched irreligion.-Religion hath been laid hold of by the State as an expedient to serve its purposes; not generally and nobly countenanced as the means of making men happy, by making them virtuous. A variety of fects have fprung up, who have not only relinquifhed the advantages held out by the State, but have withftood its power. Here genuine and virtuous Free-thinkers might have hoped for fhelter, if they had not fpirit enough to affert their own rights. No. All denominations of Diffenters have founded their claims on the nature of their faith; and no fect hath asserted the indifputable right of man, not only to think for himfelf, but to difturb the facred repose of the public, fo far as to attempt its improvement and advantage. All religious contentions have been on the comparative excellence of theological tenets. An Arian or a Socinian might venture fome inconvenience from a Calvinift or an Arminian: not merely because he felt himfelf intitled to a common right of human nature; but becaufe his faith was more rational, or more fcriptural; more worthy to be the established belief, and to receive the dignities and emoluments of the church. Let any of these denominations be put into power, and we only exchangé tyrants; and have new names and tenets to which we muft facrifice our integrity and liberty. The warfare of religious fects has had one effect, however, in producing what they never intended,— a spirit of universal toleration." Thefe reflections are not unfupported by fact, or at leaft ftrong analogy. We know how the Arians became perfecutors, in their turn, when the power of the State gave them an advantage o ver the Athanafians; and that Soci nus difcovered more a want of power than a want of inclination to crush the fects which tended to weaken his intereft. His conduct toward Francis Davidis hath met with apologifts, who, like the apologifts for Calvin in the the matter of Servetus, have ftretched their ingenuity to foften and colour it [33.647.]. But whatever respect we one to the goodness of their defign, we are not infenfible of the weaknefs of its execution. The great heads of fects always have historians among their difciples, who are ever ready to glofs over what cannot be vindicated. Hence we are teased and disgufted with a fophiftical apology, where we ought to have been informed by a fimple narrative. But it is become a fashion to give to history the drefs of philofophy; it is not confined to facts, it ranges for motives. And when the hero of the tale is the favourite of the author, motives will be created for him that he little thought of; and excufes will be formed for what he never meant to afk an indulgence, or to make an apo logy for. [The Reviewers employ upwards of twenty pages on this book;-and]-conclade by obferving, that the Moral Lectures contain many valuable obfervations; and that, however we difapprove of his theological principles, we cannot help acknowledging the elegance and fpirit of the writer. M. [41.266.] Religion, Metaphyfics, Controverfy, &c. The evidence of reafon in proof of the immortality of the foul, independent on the more abftrufe inquiry into the nature of matter and fpirit. Collected from the manufcripts of Mr Baxter, author of the Inquiry into the nature of the human foul, and of Matho. To which is prefixed, a letter from the editor [Dr Duncan] to the Rev. Dr Prickley. s. Cadell - This performance carries the most convincing intermal evidence of its being the production of the ingenious and worthy author of the Inpay into the nature of the human foul. M. Mr Baxter's letter to Mr Wilkes [15. 170.] is annexed. Obfervations in defence of the liberty of man, as a moral agent; in anfwer to Dr Priestley's Illustrations of philofophical necity. By John Palmer, Minifter of New Broad Street. 3 s. fewed. Johnfon.And A letter to the Rev. Mr John Palmer, in defence of the fluftrations of philofophical Beteffity. By Jofeph Priestley. LL. D. 1 s. 6d. Johnson. The main queftion is ably difcuffed by both the parties; but the caule of liberty is more pertinaciously defended by Mr Palmer, than by Dr Pricftley's former amicable antagonist, Dr Price. For inftance, the latter owns, that he cannot fee how a contingent event can be the object of facknowledge, even to the Deity himself. "It carries," fays he, in his correspondence with Dr Priestley, p. 175. the appearance of a contradiction: it is indeed a difficulty, and I do not pretend to be capable of removing it." Mr Palmer, however, in his zeal for liberty, more boldly gives up, in fact, the divine prefcience; and endeavours to fhew, that the facrifice is not very great; for that, by giving up fuch a notion of prefciof liberty, or agency in man, "we only deence as is directly inconfiftent with the idea ny that to belong to the fupreme mind which is in truth no perfection at all." M. Two differtations. 1. On the preface to St John's Gofpel. 2. On praying to Jefus Chrift. By Theophilus Lindsey, A. M. With a fhort poftfcript by Dr Jebb. 2 s. 6 d. Johnfon.- However different Mr Lindfey's fentiments may be from those of many of his fellow Chriftians, it should be obferved, that that he diligently and modeftly investigates he has a high veneration for the fcriptures, feripture-truth, and appears fincerely defirous to embrace it: A confideration which fhould awaken and increase mutual candour and benevolence. M. America. The detail and conduct of the Americau war, under Gen' Gage, Howe, Burgoyne, and Vice-Adm. Lord Howe: With a very full state of the evidence, as given before the Houfe of Commons; and the celebrated fugitive pieces which are faid to have given rife to that important inquiry. Exhibiting a complete hiftory of the caufes, rife, progrefs, and prefent ftate of the American rebellion. The third edition. 8vo. Richardfon and Co. The author is rather violent in expreffing his resentment against the revolted Americans, the minority at home, and fome of our commanders, particularly the Howes: but we cannot fay, that his zeal is withone knowledge; for he appears to be a very wellinformed writer, as well as a judicious compiler. M. Cool thoughts, on the confequences to G. Britain of American independence, on the expence of G. Britain in the fettlement and defence of the American colonies, and on the value and importance of the American colonies and the Weft Indies to the British empire. I S. Wilkie. The independence of America has been recommended by Dean Tucker as beneficial to G. Britain. To prove that propofition ill founded is the main bufinefs of this performance. The author difcuffes his fubjects in a decent and difpaffiunate, though very earnest and ferious ftrain: in which the Americans are not abufed as rebels, nor is government traduced with accufations of defpotifm. The question indeed, as to the grounds of our quarrel with the colonies, is totally avoided." M. NEW 40 NEW-YEAR's DA Y. Nce more my days their circling race On every hour that flies: Tremendous thought! with holy dread, We fear to mingle with the dead Then to the paths of duty hafte, And what was wrong in seasons past, So fhould the feasons as they fly, More kind and good appear: And ev'ry virtuous foul will cry, "I've feen a happy year." Marshfield, Dec. 31. 1779. The DUELLISTS. is this honour, that impells W. O. VA By the late Earl of BATH. But in the wrinkles of her face, Sweet Cupids, as in ambush, lic. Of num'rous years my blifs destroys; And then to please and eafe me dies. ADVICE TO INDIVIDUAI Whatever station in the world May be affign'd to thee, The duties of that station next First learn to know thy Maker's will, Your task of duty then fulfil With chearfulness and fear. Whats enfanguin'd mind to murderous Fear of offending may affift Which Ign'rance plann'd and Vice has trod, Nor make, till God's appointed day, The laft, the grand appeal to God. A short character of MILTON. From CANDOUR, a poem printed in 1739. The Chritian course to steer. Be guided thus, and all your days SENI On the Academy for teaching Grown Gentle to dance. By the late DAVID GARRICK, Efq; MARSEILLES no more shall boast Which form'd the youth of France, For you inftruct, great Duke and Hart, Grown gentlemen to dance, M'Varnin'debellion, and debase his fong: He only bends the pliant twig; In Heaven, he seems to palliate Satan's pride; And gracious view his tomb approach to theirs. Duelling was unknown in the Southern parts till the incurfion of the Goths and Vandals. + Alluding to the Support which Queen Caroline, when Princess of Wales, generously bestowed on Mrs Clark, a daughter of Milton, who was in neceffitous it cumftantes. You ftrike a bolder (troke! On the death of CAPTAIN COOK. [44.] T Adventuring o'er an unknown main, HE curious fage! who, undifmay'd, Is by the rude Barbarian flain. New wonders open to his eyes; OD rom SAVANNAH's thundering fhores Gallic fquadrons fly! ' on OMOA's topmost towers Power of Victory! es her wings of flaming gold, abes of crimfon bright: safar the years of old, led forth Britain to the fight; and hofts to conqueft led, Heroes thundering at their head: dy's, Poitiers' fatal day, did the din of battle bray! achter's walls, on Minden's plain, groans of foes! what hills of flain! je glorious years, return, return again! III. return: DALRYMPLE's noble fire bie deeds the mighty truth can fhow! MAITLAND Mars himself infpire, our wonder and our woe! im the great, the gallant die, this country's bonds untie ; , the timely aid convey'd ", amed number with the dead! Jitfelf had doom'd to fall Wolfe at Quebec's wall. oth their country's Genius mourns, tan-felt tears-and smiles by turns, other heroes yet can fhine, be the leaft of SCOTTISH line; while they die, and dying raise atry's honour, and eternal praife. IV. ever, and all its dreadful fhew, ania's foul can hate; ly afks the vengeance due, points the ftroke of Fate. and Heaven befriend her caufe, quench Rebellion's flame; back to Liberty and Law›, ewached the reclaim. pears evidently, from all the accounts be received of the repulfe of the French Duch, that this fuccefs was owing, not only ely and brought by Col. Maitland, but to s with which bis prefence infpired the wels: And although bis fervices have wed with fo much coldness by the com-. chief, bis country justly afcribes to him the the Southern army. [41.915 ] 1.XLII. And all are bound in Commerce' golden chain. By Heaven ordain'd to rule the feas, Far as the winds can blow; To waft our trade in every breeze, While Concord now unites our hearts, Till, on a thousand decks, with fails unfurl'd, |