Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

might have continued there, for they afford no evidence of what they are brought to prove. One obfervation, which the Editor of thefe Memoirs hath produced from his register, may indeed go very far, with a certain clafs of faints, to prove the Doctor's piety but we are perfuaded that it will reflect no honour on his taste or understanding, in the judgment of men of fenfe. It is this" I had rather, faid Dr. Watts, be the author of Mr. Baxter's Call, &c. than the author of Milton's Paradife Loft." Some will think that this was spoken (if spoken at all) rather from envy than from conviction.

The Editor hath also been careful to pick up fome occafional fpeeches which Dr. Watts gathered from others.' "Young man, faid Sir Edmund King to him in early life, I hear that you make verfes. Let me advife you never to do it but when you can't help it." Now, in our opinion, there is nothing in this piece of advice, which Dr. Gibbons, hath thought worthy of recording. It is equivocal and a vain fcribbler, fmit with the love of poofy and prate, would ever avail himself of the licence of the latter part of the admonition, to turn a deaf ear to the caution of the former. Why did Dr. Gibbons write his Juvenilia, and permit this reproach of his youth ftill to ftand forward in the front of his poetic follies? He could not help it! Why did he write Three Epifties to Philander on the duty of a minifter, and call that poetry which is barely profe? He could not help it! Why did Dr. Gibbons, ftung with the luft of metaphor, compare this Philander's head to a hive, and the thoughts of that head, when laid on its pillow, after a hard day's ftudy, to a fwarm of bees, humming around it? Alas! he could not help it! We fuppofe Dr. Gibbons's old friend, Sir Richard Blackmore, and the other worthy gentlemen of the Dunciad (of equal fame and congenial fpirit with himfelf), were all difpofed to take fanctuary in this plea. But though, to ease themselves of poctic throes, it be neceffary that their teeming Mufe fhould drop her burden in writing, yet where is the neceffity that it fhould be expofed in print to the public eye?

The fixth chapter is an attempt to illuftrate the merits of Dr. Watts's writings in profe; the feventh, his writings in verfe; and the eighth, his improvements on the writings of others. Thefe chapters are alfo defigned to exhibit ftriking evidences of Dr. Gibbons's critical fagacity! The various figures of rhetoric, Apostrophes, Periphrafes, Climaxes, Polyfyndetons and Perfonifications, are here mot pompously difplayed, firft by Dr. Gibbons's definitions, and fecondly by Dr. Watts's examples. But our Author, inftead of proving himself the manly and judicious critic, is only the fond admirer. One fpecimen is fufficient: Is a Periphrafis, when made ufe of to keep from immediate view what would give pain or difguft in an open representation, a

beautiful

beautiful figure of speech? May we not obferve a very pleafing example of this kind in the following stanza, in which neither death, nor any of his glooms or diftreffes are fo much as mentioned, but it is only faid,

How fhould we fcorn thefe clothes of flesh,

Thefe fetters and this load;

And long for ev'ning to undrefs,

That we may reft with God!'

The ninth chapter relates to Dr. Watts's friendly connections, and the honourable notice taken of him when living.' The tenth contains an account of his decline and death.” The twelfth confifts of felect letters of his correfpondents." Many of these letters are egregioufly trifling, and ridiculous. We apprehend the Editor will receive no thanks from several illuftrious families, for publishing fome letters which bear the fignature of great and diftinguished names.

The firft letter in this collection was written as early as the year 1711, by Dr. Thomas Secker, the late Archbishop of Canterbury it is curious, as it contains fome account of the regulations and ftudies of the Diffenting Academy established by' the learned Mr. Samuel Jones at Tewksbury in Gloucestershire, where that excellent and venerable prelate received fome part of his education, together with that most illuftrious ornament of the church, Dr. Butler, the late Bishop of Durham; and Dr. S. Chandler, whom the Diffenters may juftly boaft of, as fecond,. in learning, to none.

[ocr errors]

Dr. Watts's abilities, and moft amiable character, procured him the esteem and friendship of fome great divines of the eftablifhed church. He was indeed an excellent man, a moft valuable minifter, and a very ufeful writer. We truly revere his memory, and honour his name, and think it merited a tribute far better than these Memoirs,' in which the Author so often steps afide to facrifice (as the Scripture fays) to his own Net, and to burn incenfe to his own DRAG!

ART. V. THELYPHTHORA; or, a Treatife on Female Ruin, in its Caufes, Effects, Confequences, Prevention, and Remedy; confidered on the Bafis of the Divine Law, under the following Heads, viz. Marriage, Whoredom and Fornication, Adultery, Polygamy, Divorce; with many other incidental Matters; particularly including an Examination of the Principles and Tendency of Stat. 26 Geo. II. c. 33, commonly called The Marriage Act. 2 Vols. 8vo. 10s. in Boards. Dodiley. 1780.

A

Sa defence of the Bible hath often been profeffed, when nothing less than its overthrow hath been intended, we were at firft led to fufpect, that an attempt to justify the DIVINE RITE of Polygamy had been fome new manœuvre of infidelity REV. Oct. 1780.

T

to expofe the authority with which it would lodge the appeal. We have not forgotten the covert attacks of Tindal and Toland; and above all, we have caufe to remember the disguised effort of the infidious Dodwel; to fay nothing of the tricks of fome later apoftates-new-minted in Morgan's mould! One chief part of their fkill and adroitness was to give the colour of fincerity to the forms of profeffion; and, by speaking peace with their lips, difguife the mifchief that lurked in their hearts.

We would not be fo uncharitable as to impute to the Author of this treatife any base and treacherous intention to overthrow the credit of Scripture: nor would we indulge a fufpicion that would bring the chastity of his morals in queftion. He seems to be much in earneft! and were he an Author of any weight or confequence in the church, the infidel might think he had a precious opportunity afforded him to vilify the Bible under the fanction of his name; and the libertine might dexterously avail himself of the authority of the Rev. Mr. Madan, to give the colour of religion to his love of variety; and quote the Scriptures to fanctify lewdness.

The Author indeed appears to be confcious how much his fyftem is liable to abuse. But he recurs to the common fubterfuge, of which every fetter up of firange gods, and every CONSCIENTIOUS troubler of the public peace, have artfully availed themselves, to filence the clamour of expoftulation. "TRUTH! TRUTH!" is their general cry: and with this hopeful pretence, prudence and humility, and every amiable and useful virtue, are left behind, while CONSCIENCE (canfcience) blindly rushes forward to oppofe order, infult authority, and overturn the customs of ages.

It is written (fays this Author) concerning the Scriptures themselves, that to fome they are a favour of life unto life, and unto others a favour of death unto death; and that the unlearned and unftable wrefted the Epiftles of St. Paul, and also the other Scriptures, to their own deftruction. As therefore there is nothing in this book which is not to be found in thefe Scriptures, as to the points hinted at (viz. on marriage, polygamy, &c.), the Author ventures it forth, confiding in the promise of him who hath faid, As the rain cometh down, &c. Vid. If. lv. 10, 11.'

On the footing of this moft confident prefumption, the Rev. Author thinks himself at full liberty to difcard the writings of the primitive fathers, the whole rabble of fchoolmen, together with the decrees of councils, churches, and fynods; and to establish, what he thinks, the pure law of God, without any dread of the confequences that may arife from the misconception or perversion of any part of it.

The Preface to this Work contains fome fpecious pleas for the freedom of inquiry, and the obligation incumbent on every Chriftian,

[ocr errors]

Chriftian, to speak what he thinks to be the truth, however inconfiftent it may be with generally received opinions, or establifhed forms of practice. But is it not the business of a good Chriftian, and a good citizen, to confult difcretion and public utility, in the ufe he makes of his liberty? What may be lawful may not be expedient: and notwithstanding all the splendid apologies that have been made for free-thinking by its zealous partifans, perhaps a little regard is ftill due to the opinion of the venerable and pious Bishop Hall, that "fome quiet errors are better than fome unruly truths."

The first chapter treats of marriage as a divine institution.' From the original command given to our firft parents, our Author infers, that marriage fimply and wholly confifts in the act of perfonal union [Aus coitûs]. This pofition he attempts to fupport by many ingenious and plaufible arguments, founded on the declarations of Scripture, and illuftrated by the practice of ancient Rome, Scotland, and Holland, by the laws refpecting poft-legitimation, as well as by the proceedings of our ecclefiaftical courts, and the decifions of our ableft canonifts.

The fecond chapter treats of the fin and danger of 'whoredom and fornication;' or the promifcuous intercourse of fingle perfons, who, for fenfual gratification, or for the fake of gain, confent to a temporary union, and diffolve it at pleasure. In this view he reprobates the practice of keeping mistreffes; and treats of the difference between them and the concubines which the Jews were allowed to keep. The latter were a lower class of wives; and a connection with them was deemed both facred and indiffoluble: whereas the former confider themselves as bound by no law, either of God or man, to preserve their union with their keepers any longer than it may fuit their intereft, or their inclination.

The third chapter treats of the nature of adultery;' its heinousness in a moral and religious, and its pernicious tendency in a civil and domeftic view.

Adultery, Mr. Madan obferves, is never ufed in the facred writings but to denote the defilement of a betrothed or married woman; except in a figurative fenfe with refpect to idolatry, where the fame idea is exactly preferved.' The Author laments, that the ancient law of God, which made this crime CAPITAL, fhould be fuperfeded in Christian countries. An action, by the law of England, may be brought against the delinquent for private damages: but it inflicts no punishment on him as a public offender by any one statute throughout our whole code of laws. How far (fays our Author) this is feen to be for the comfort of fociety, and the honour of a Chriftian nation, let others determine. I can only fay, that if the law of God (which by the way is as clear and pofitive a law as can be conceived) took

T 2

place,

place, we should hardly hear of fuch daily offences against it as now difgrace, difhonour, and defile the land.'

The Author reftrains adultery to the defilement of a betrothed or married woman. A married man, in his idea, is no adulterer, if his commerce with the fex be confined to fingle women, who are under no obligations by efpoufal or marriage to other men. It was neceflary to establish this pofition for the fake of vindicating the honour and purity of polygamous contracts. If a married man was bound to one woman, by the fame ties by which a woman is bound to her husband, the confequence would be, that the polygamist must be an adulterer. Mr. Madan argues this point with much fhrewdness and ingenuity in his fourth chapter, which treats largely of polygamy'-the Author's favourite fubject, and for the vindication and establishment of which the whole treatife appears to have been chiefly

written.

The Writer limits the privilege of polygamy to the man; and fhews the hideous confequences that would refult from an extenfion of it to the woman. He enlarges on the polygamous connections of the patriarchs and faints of the Old Teftament

and infers the lawfulness of their practice from the bleffings which attended it, and the laws which were inftituted to regulate and fuperintend it.

He contends for the lawfulness of a Chriftian's having, like the ancient Jews, more wives than one; and labours much to reconcile the genius of the evangelical difpenfation to an arrangement of this fort. He afferts, that there is not one text in the New Teftament that even hints at the criminality of a polygamous connection; and would infer from St. Paul's direction, that Bishops and Deacons should have but one wife, that it was lawful for laymen to have more. This conceffion is doubtless very liberal and difinterested; for as our Author is an ecclefiaftic, he cannot avail himself of the privilege for which he is fo zealous an advocate. Sic vos, non vobis, melificatis apes!·

Mr. Madan not only thinks polygamy lawful in a religious, but advantageous in a civil light, and highly politic in a domeftic view. It is to be feared (fays he) that there are not a few females who (like other monopolifts) take the advantage of the poor husband's fituation to ufe him as they pleafe: and this for pretty much the fame reafon why the afs in the fable infulted and kicked the poor old lion-because it is not in their power to refent it as they ought. The advice which King Ahasuerus received from his wife men, the feven princes of Media and Perfia, upon Queen Vafhti's difobedience, would have an excellent effect, could it be followed. Many a high-fpirited female would have too cogent a reafon against the indulgence of a refractory difpofition not to fupprefs it. Her pride, which is now her

hufband's

« AnteriorContinua »