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incomprehenfible doctrine, no dogma, fuperior to or unfathom able by reafon, is inculcated under this term in the Gospel of Christ. We fully agree with him as far as regards the more ef fential truths of the Gofpel, and its moral doctrines; but we think that we perceive, in the New Teftament, doctrines which reafon cannot comprehend, or human ingenuity explain,

Aris flain, and Socinus mortally wounded; by fcripturally proving a Plurality of Perfons in the Godhead, &c. &c. Addreffed to J. Priestley, LL. D. F. R. Ș. By an Old Seaman. 8vo. Jordan, 1792.

The Old Seaman is a zealous Calvinift; perhaps, but we speak it not contemptuously, one of the feet of Methodists. His arguments, though feldom new, are fometimes urged with peculiar force, and his whole tract is written with fhrewdness and SeamanLike humour. The principal defect is, that he has collected with, out much difcernment, and has introduced arguments, fatisfacto rily confuted, and obfervations which have been justly opposed. The Affembly's Catechism abridged, for the Use of Children, particularly in the Sunday Schools. 12mo. 4d. Parfons. 1791.

The Affembly's Catechifm is on the Calvinistic plan, and in many refpects too abftrufe for children. In the prefent form, it is more familiar; but what idea can a child have of the following anfwer, which he is to give to the question, What is fan&tification ?'

Sanctification is the work of God's Spirit, whereby we are renewed after the image of God unto righteoufnefs and good works.' The Condemnation pronounced against all mere Pretences of Religion. A Sermon, preached at the Annual Vifitation of the Right Rev. the Bishop of Winchester, at Basingstoke, Sept. 14, 1789. By John Duncan, D. D. Second Edition. 8.v0. 15. Cadell. 1791. Though it is not common to notice the fecond edition of fermons, the numerous additions to this calm, rational, and feafonable addrefs, demand not only our notice, but our unreserved commendation.

A Syllabus of Chriftian Doctrines and Duties, in the Catechetical Form. By S. Newton. 8vo. 15. Dilly. 1791.

Mr. Newton, to whom, we fufpect, we were indebted for the New Theory of Redemption, has reduced the Chriftian doctrines 10 a familiar form. The doctrines are fimilar 19 those of the new theory, which we cannot approve of in their whole extent, and they are in many refpects too abftrufe for the younger enquirers. This our author feems to have fufpeeled, from the caution preinifed in his Addrefs.

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A particular Attention to the Inftruction of the Young recommended, in a Difcourfe delivered at the Gravel-Pit Meeting in Hackney, Dec. 4, 1791, on entering on the Office of Paftor to the Congregation of Proteftant Diffenters. By Jof. Priestley, LL.D. 8vo. 15. Johnfon. 1791.

This introductory Sermon, which Dr. Priestley delivered to his congregation, might have been very properly the fubject of a private converfation. It relates to the plan which he followed in inftructing the young men at Birmingham, and which he purpofes to continue at Hackney. The plan is judicious and proper it may indeed be fuppofed, as he obferves, that he fhall inculcate his own peculiar doctrines; but this can be no objection to a congregation that has chosen him for their pastor, and who may be fuppofed to approve of tenets to which they cannot poffibly be ftrangers.

Sermons for Sunday Schools. By a Layman. 12mo. IS. Wal

ter. 1791.

The language of these short moral leffons is clear and perfpi cuous: the fubftance judicious and falutary. The Layman deferves the thanks of every friend of morality and religion. An Effay on Ecclefiaftical Eftablishments on Religion, &c. &c. 8vo.:

1791.

Mr. Chriftie is averfe to ecclefiaftical establishments of every kind, and thinks them inconfiftent with reason, and with the principles of true Chriftianity. Thefe opinions he pursues with fome able, though violent, argument, and hiftorical enquiries.

The difcourfes are expofitions on the 14th chapter of the Revelations. Among other discoveries, we find, that it was the wine of the wrath of Babylon that deftroyed Dr. Priestley's houfe, library, and apparatus. We trust that churchmen will be no

longer blamed.

The Duty of Forgiveness of Injuries: a Difcourfe intended to be de-.. livered foon after the Riots at Birmingham. By J. Priefiley, LL.D. F. R. S. 800. Is. Johnfon. 1791.

The most eager friend of Dr. Priestley cannot difapprove of or lament the late riots at Birmingham more than we do, But we cannot avoid remarking, that, if forgiveness of injuries is a Chrif tian duty, Dr. Priestley is, in the prefent inftance, deficient in that du ty. Forgiveness is in his mouth, but fome publications lie before us, in which we find the most unqualified accufatious of churchmen for exciting the riots, and continuing the perfecuting fpirit: he more tha infinuates that his life was decidedly and purpofely aimed at. These accufations are not in the fpirit of his text, Father forgive them, &c.': they are not countenanced by the example of

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his blessed mafter; by common candour, or impartial justice. We allow the injuries Dr. Priestley has received to be immenfe and irreparable: his complaints we should have heard with pity, and an earnest wish that the injuries might, where it was poffible, have been compensated by pecuniary renumeration, his diftreffes we would have foothed with commiferation and condolence; but when, under the cloak of Chriftian charity, feelings, of a different kind, betray themselves, our own opinions can no longer remain the fame. We may refume this fubject on another occafion, and probably give our opinions more explicitly.

A genuine Letter, as written in the English Language, by a Native of Indoftan, belonging to the Tribe, or Caft, of Malabar. Ad dreffed to a Proteftant Miffionary refident at Cuddalore. 8vo. IS. Ridgway. 1791*

The authenticity of this Letter is fufpicious from the title: it is no longer equivocal from the contents. The whole is the cramba recocta of the flimfy criticisms of Voltaire, and his difciples, on the Old and New Teftament, feasoned with their fneers at religion in general.

POETICAL.

The Feftival of Beauty: a Poem, in Two Cantos. And, the Enthufiafm of Genius; an Ode. 410. 2s. 6d. Robinsons. 1791. The poems before us are almoft purely defcriptive; and, from the warmth of our author's language, the fire of his images, fuch as youthful poets fancy when they love,' we fufpect these to be juvenile performances. In early youth we too have indulged

The flow of our impaffion'd fong.'

A faftidious critic might discover minuter errors, where the fire of genius, or the more lambent flame of luxuriant defcription, has hurried the poet too far from the fober bounds of reafon. In the following lines there is much merit, but we have marked with Italics two little errors.

In robe of varying tints array'd,

While Morning, dewy-treffed maid,
Begins her airy track to ftrow
With rofes of ethereal glow;

Along the incenfe breathing meads,
Shaking their myrtle-wreathed heads,
In all the pomp of beauty move
The rofy-bofom'd Choir of Love.
Darting the foul-enchanting wiles
Of roguish eye and dimpling fmiles,
With bloom celestial fweetly glow'd
The features of their charming God:

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A golden quiver grac'd his fide,
With plumes of orient hues fupplied;
And from his winged fhoulder hung
A bow, in careless pride, unftrung.
As on he roves, the flowers affume
A fresher green, a brighter bloom:
Or, fwelling from the leafy ftems,
Spontaneous burft luxuriant gems:
Flaming with azure, green, and gold,
The warblers of the fhade unfold
Their robes of gloffy varying light,
And to connubial joys invite

Their flutt'ring mates; while from the bowers
Their foul-diffolving rapture pours

Enchanting melody, the Dove

With melting paffion fills each grove,
And in his nook of foliage green
The vernal Cuckow coos unfeen:

Warm on young Beauty's confcious check
Brighter the living blufhes break;

Her lips confefs a deeper hue,

Like rofes bath'd in morning dew;

With fofter radiance Extacy
Smiles in her paffion-beaming eye;
New joys her virgin-bofom move,
"And all her yielding foul is love."

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The fong of the cuckoo, which is far from pleafing, and borrows the whole of its attraction from affociation, feems to have taken an early and deep root in our author's mind. He mentions again, in an Ode on the Return of Spring, written in early life,' the cuckoo's vernal lay.' There are many paffages, fuperior in poetic fire and elegance to that which we have tranfcribed, but we preferred it because it gave a more adequate idea of the merits and defects of the poem, than any other paffage of equal length.

The Enthufiafm of Genius, an ode, was a title which led us to recollect the waxen wings of Icarus, in Horace's description of the imitators of Pindar. Our author, indeed, foars aloft, and the wings feem fometimes to melt, but, on the whole, he alights in tolerable fafety. We fhall conclude with an extract from the Ode.

Spectres avaunt!-Where deep'ning fighs
Sink in the victor's fhriller cries,

And blood-emblazed banners fly;

Terrific in his fcythed car,

See, fee the radiant Lord of war,

With flaming spear and ftern indignant eye,

Trampling

Trampling the Victor on the vanquish'd Foe,
Thro' yon deep cloud of gore in thund'ring triumph go!

Now awful filence reigns around:
With crimson carnage ftreams the ground:
Of madding eye a Nymph appears
Wild wand'ring o'er the hills of Death
To kifs her Lover's wounds, and bathe
His mangled relics in a tide of tears.
Piteous her mien; and o'er her bofom bare,
Throbbing with anguish, waves her black difhevell'd hair."
Monody written at Matlock, O. 1791. By the Rev. W. L. Bowles.
410. 15. 6d. Dilly.

This poem is written in irregular ftanzas, and is fhaded by a tender melancholly, fuggefted, feemingly, by the deepening hues of autumn. The bard

his penfive theme

Pours fad yet pleasing

We shall felect a fhort fpecimen of the imagery, and Mr. Bowles" defcriptive talents:

When firft young Hope, a golden-treffed boy,
Moft mufical his early madrigal

Sings to the whispering waters as they fall,
Breathing fresh airs of fragrance and of joy-
The wild woods gently wave-the morning fheds
Her rifing radiance on the mountain-heads-
Strew'd with green ifles appears old Ocean's reign,
And feen at diftance rays of refting light

Silver the fartheft promontory's height:

Then hufh'd is the long murmur of the main,
Whilft filent o'er the flowly-crifping tides,

Bound to fome beaming-fpot, the bark of pleasure rides.

Yet yonder cliffs on high,

Around whofe lofty craggs, with ceaseless coil,
And fill returning flight, the ravens toil,
Heed not the winged feafons as they fly,
Nor Spring nor Autumn: but their hoary brow
Lift high, and ages paft, as in this Now,
The fame deep trenches unfubdued have worn,
The fame majestic look that feems to scorn
The beating Winters, and the hand of Time,

Whofe with'ring touch fearce frets their front fublime." To this Monody is added a fhort eclogue, ftyled the African; the fpeech of the fable flaves to their countryman, just dying, filled with a pleafing defcription of the pleasures he will meet with on

his

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