poke to them of the innumerable calamities and crimes tha were dispersed over this excellent world. The boldeft of th two, who was a German, and my countryman, told me, tha all this was a mere trifle.

• Heaven was peculiarly propitious to man, when Tarquin violated Lucretia, and she stabbed herself, because the tyrants were thereupon driven out, and rapes, fuicides, and war laid the foundation of a republic which conferred happiness upon those they vanquished. I had fome difficulty in agreeing to this happiness, I did not immediately conceive the felicity of the Gauls and Spaniards, of whom it is faid, Cæfar put three millions to the fword. Devaftation and rapine appeared to me things fomewhat difagreeable; but the defender of optimifin did not quit his hold; he perfevered in telling me, like Don Carlos's jailer," Peace, peace, it is for your good." Having, however, at length, run him pretty hard, he faid, that we hould not confider this mere globule, where every thing is jarring; but that in the ftar Sirius, in Orion, the Ox's-Eye, and elsewhere, every thing is perfect. Let us, then, go thither, faid I.

A little theologist then took me by the arm; he told me, in confidence, that those folks were very dreamers; that it was not in the leaft neceffary that there fhould be any evil upon earth; that it was exprefly formed that there never fhould be any thing but good; and in order to prove this, you must know that things went on in this manner formerly for ten or twelve days. Alas! I replied to him, it is a great pity, reverend father, that things did not continue fo.'

This certainly is Voltaire's farcaftic ftrain, at leaft, well imitated; and the sceptical doubts, which are very numerous in this production, are no less tin&ured with this author's stile and manner.

What this writer fays in favour of toleration in religious matters, muft certainly be agreeable to every good Christian, not infected with the rage of fanaticifm, fuperftition, or bigotry. The religious mummeries and ridiculous ceremonies ftill preferved in many Romish countries, he very juftly ridicules. Amongst others the annual proceffion at Touloufe, during the fecular games, is fo picturesque, that we think it will convey a very strong idea of this enthufiaftic folly to the reader.

At first, the coblers, in ceremonial habits, carry the head of the firft bishop of Toulouse, and prince of Peloponnefus, who incontestably held the fee of Toulouse before the death of Jefus Chrift. Then come the tylers, loaden with the bones of all the children that Herod put to death one thousand fix hundred and fixty-fix years ago; and though these children were · buried

buried at Ephefus, like the eleven thoufand virgins at Cologn, as all the world can testify, they are nevertheless interred at Toulouse.

The dealers in old cloaths difplay a bit of the virgin's gown, which they take great care of, and which they purchafed of a female Jew-dealer at the fair of Beaumaire.

The relics of St. Peter and St. Paul are carried by the fraternity of taylors. Thefe probably were the dreffes made for them by the habit-maker Dorcas; for as to their bodies, it is certain they are at Rome with their keys.

Thirty dead bodies next pass in review. If these mum meries only were confidered, they would be ridiculous and difgufting. Piety deceived is nevertheless piety. The foolish people may, at all events, fulfil their duty (especially when the Police is exact) though they carry in proceffion the bones of four thousand children put to death by the wife command of Herod in Bethlehem. But fo many dead bodies, which upon this occafion serve only to create a remembrance of four hundred citizens who were put to death in 1562, can make but a very fhocking impreffion upon the minds of the living. Add to this the black and white penitents, who march in this pro ceffion, with a cloth mask over their faces, resembling ghofts, and greatly increase the horror of this doleful festival. people retire with their heads full of phantoms, their hearts seized with the spirit of fanaticism, and filled with gall against their brethren, who are infulted by this proceflion. In this manner, people formerly came from the Chamber of Meditations amongst the Jefuits: the imagination is inflamed at these objects, and the foul becomes atrocious and implacable.'

The

As to the merit of the tranflator, we think he has entered into the spirit and true manner of his author; though there are fome few errors which we are willing to impute to the prefs.

V. The Hiftory of the Rife and Progrefs of the Charitable Foundations at Church-Langton: Together with the Different Deeds of Truft of that Eftablishment. By the Rev. Mr. Hanbury. 8vo. Pr. 6s. Dodfley.

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ENEROUS difinterested charity is fo uncommon, that we cannot even cenfure those who fufpect it to be a species of infanity. Mr. Hanbury's charity, the subject of the prefent performance, was originally of a very particular conftruction; because, though it tended to make the receiver rich, it was not to make the donor poor; and was defigned to

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answer all the ends of benevolence, without any of the inconveniences attending, what we may call, mad good-nature. Mr. Hanbury, when only twenty-fix years of age, in 1751, followed the natural bent of his inclination in forming what seems to be a moft amazing feminary of good works; for he planted an incredible number of trees of different forts, and perfevered under the most difcouraging circumftances, in completing his plan upon the following very charitable propofals:

I. That the gentlemen who will favour me with being trustees, meet at Church-Langton the 26th day of September, 1759, and continue this meeting annually.

II. That a fale be published in all the public papers, and a catalogue printed of all the various trees, fhrubs, and plants, to be difpofed of, with the prices annexed.

• III. That if the money arifing, from the fale amounts to 1.500/ the interest of that fum fhall be annually employed in decorating the church of Langton, by building an organ, and doing other things which may make it proper for the reception of fo honourable a fociety: a sketch of the intended decorations will be prefented to each trustee for his inspection.-And as the intereft of that fum will not only maintain an organist, but a fchoolmaster; let a fchool be built at Langton, under fuch regulations as will be prefented to the fociety, and fuch others as they fhall think expedient.

IV. That if the 26th of September happens to be Saturday or Sunday, the trustees meet on the Monday or Tuesday following; that they keep up the number of trustees, which number I defire may be twenty-four; and which society I wish may be continued in that number to the end of the world.― Twenty-three of those trustees to be gentlemen of probity and worth, and the rector of Church-Langton to be the twentyfourth, as a co operator with them, and a member of the fo ciety. At this grand meeting let every thing be enquired into, whether their officers have done their duty; if not, to be reproved or turned out by the fociety.-Let a decent, not extravagant, dinner be provided for the truftees, and a fermon preached by some minifter whom they shall appoint, either in praife of church-mufic, the duty of decorating religious houses, charity in general, or the wonders of the creation.

V. That on the day of their meeting, not only a fermon be preached, but, that God in all things may be glorified, Handel's or Purcel's Te Deum be performed. This will give fpirit to the congregation, and excite an holy emulation in all Christian duties; fince there is no fort of devotion which tends more towards depreffing the man, and elevating the Chriftian, no kind of worship fo forcible to provoke unto love and unto good

good works. Let, therefore, a collection be made at the church-door, as at the feaft for the Sons of the Clergy. This will be a foundation for the faid charity, and all well-difpofed perfons may have an opportunity of fhewing their readiness to favour the defign.

VI. That, as we have the greatest reason to believe the charity will amount to more than 1500 l. if it fhould arise to 4000/. then an hofpital be founded at Church-Langton, for the maintenance of poor people, and relief of the really dif treffed.

VII. That, when the charity amounts to 10,000! which by accumulating unexpended intereft, and an annual fale of trees, it may rationally be fuppofed to do, the fociety found schools in other parishes, where they are wanted, decorate churches where they fee occafion, and purchase advowsons of livings, to be in the gift of the fociety; by which means they will be further enabled to give encouragement to virtue, by presenting unprovided-for clergymen of uprightness and integuity, men that are true to every juft and honeft caufe; in Aort, fuch men as act up to every principle of Christian obedience.

VIII. That, as I have been at a confiderable expence, when the charity gets beyond 2000 /. I shall be reimbursed my principal, or part of it at leaft, out of the principal of the charity. I don't defire to load the charity with my expences, until it is ftrong enough to bear it; nor do I defire the leaft fee or reward for my trouble, except the pleasure which will naturally refult to me from being connected with gentlemen of worth and integrity, in a scheme for the public good, and the reflection that even my private innocent amusements have that laudable end in view.

IX. That two of the trustees be annually chosen treasurers for this charity, to continue in, or quit that office at the end of the year, at their own pleasure, or the request of the fociety.

• X. That when the principal of the charity amounts to 2500 a fecretary be appointed, whofe bufinefs fhall be to receive and execute all orders, for fuch will be paffing and repaffing at all times of the year, as well as at the meetings; to keep all accounts, receive money, and pay it immediately in to one of the treasurers; go all requifite journies; and, in short, be always in the way, and ever at the command of the fociety. And, that this perfon may be less expensive to the fociety, I propose, that he may be a clergyman, perhaps a neighbouring curate; and that the fociety may raise his curacy to 60 l. or upwards, per ann. fo as to make a decent provifion for himself, and, which will be requifite in this cafe, his

horse. That if he be deficient in any one branch of his duty, he shall immediately be discharged ;-and I humbly request the fociety, that, as he muft neceffarily pafs fo much of his time with me, I have the nomination of him. I will take care to choose one whofe character and abilities will ftand the test of the stricteft examination'

It may, perhaps, be unneceffary to inform the reader, that this charitable inftitution, fimple and natural as it appears upon paper, was attended with confiderable expence and trouble, through the many disappointments Mr. Hanbury met with in the execution of his generous project, which at last proved fuccefsful.

VI. Clio: or, a Difcourfe on Tafte. Addreffed to a young Lady Small 8vo. Pr. Is. 6d. Davies.

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COUNG fmatterers in poetry and the vertu, have generally a paffion to exercise their talents on the subject of TASTE; and, we are forry to fay, it is commonly with no better fuccefs than just to prove themselves deftitute of what they take fo much pains to describe.

The antients knew of no fuch term. Horace fpeaks of the mens divinior atque os, magna fonaturum ; and gives us feveral noble indications that he poffeffed true ideas of the fublime and beautiful, as do many of the most celebrated writers of antiquity; but we remember no encomiums they pass upon tafle, which of all the human fenfes is the most variable, and sometimes the moft groveling and unnatural. The term was first catched by the modern French from the Italians; from them it was tranfplanted into England, where it has been cultivated with fo much fuccefs, that it has made more fops in literature than perhaps any other word in the English language. It has been applied even to genius as well as to poetry, to Shakespear and Milton as well as to Rowe and Addison, without making any diftinction between writings which are felt, and those that are relished:

The publication before us is far from being the worst of the kind we have seen. It contains all the common-place reflections on its fubject; and confequently the reader muft, expect that Rollin and other French writers, who never afpire to the conception of any thing above mere poetry, the works of a Corneille or a Racine, are leading authorities in this difcourfe. The writer endeavours to prove there is fuch a thing as a standard of tafte.

• The