tivating constantly and with the utmost effort a conclusive mode of reasoning, and of committing oneself irretrieveably, after the judgment is really decided, by doing something which shall compel us to do more, which shall necessitate us to do all. The essay thus concludes: "I am sorry, and I attribute it to defect of memory, that a greater proportion of the illustrations which I have introduced are not as conspicuous for goodness as for power. It is melancholy to contemplate beings capable (at least appearing capable as beheld through the medium of an amazed imagination) of the grandest utility, ca ness and gentleness of Christ." Sufficient care has not been taken in Mr. Foster's essay to guard against this latter evil. On the contrary, we fear, that the general effect of it would be rather to produce and aggravate it. We think, also, that much more should have been said as to the objects respecting which determination of character ought to be principally exercised. To be decided and persevering in a bad pursuit, or in a trifling one, is no very enviable distinction of characternor does Mr. Foster encourage any such idea. But neither does he clear " pable of vindicating each good cause which ly and forcibly point out the imhas languished in a world adverse to all portance of pursuing the best and goodness, and capable of intimidating the greatest objects of a moral and recollective vices of a nation or an age-be-ligious nature, and of being zeacoming themselves the very centres and lously affected" towards them. We volcanoes of those vices; and it is melan- further think, that this essay is decholy to follow them in serious thought from ficient in not laying more, or indeed, this region, of which not all the powers and the chief stress upon the means of difficulties and inhabitants together could forming a just judgment respecting have subdued their adamantine resolution, the action to be performed before to the supreme Tribunal where that resothe season for acting arrives; and in not distinguishing between actions which admit of delay, and those that require dispatch. These are material defects in this, otherwise highly interesting and important essay, and which, notwithstanding these, we have no scruple in saying is calculated to be very eminently useful. Intion must tremble and melt away." (p. 209, 210.) We have but little to add respecting the preceding essay to the sentiments which we have already expressed, without anticipating some concluding remarks on Mr. Foster's publication. The view which he has given of the important subject of decision of character is sufficiently accurate, and his illustrations of it, are in many instances, very just and striking. What we principally object to is, that in delineating and recommending this bold quality, he has sometimes been led to attribute to it, an almost unlimited and uncontroulable force and authority; and has occasionally appeared to lose sight of Christian principles and temper. Decision of character is, undoubtedly, indispensable to the attainment of any thing great or good, but it is not altogether so independent of all persons, events, and circumstances, as Mr. Foster represents it; and it is moreover apt to degenerate into harshness, obstinacy, and pride, if it be not thoroughly tempered by "the meek (To be continued.) An Address to Methodists, and to all other honest Christians, who conscientiously secede from the Church of England. By the Rev. W. COCKBURN, M. A. Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, and Christian Advocate in the University. Cambridge, Deighton; London, Hatchard, 8vo. pp. 24. 1805, price 1s. 6d. WE should hail with pleasure an address of this nature proceeding from one, who to a candid and enlightened mind, should unite a thorough knowledge of his subject. We do not complain, indeed, that Mr. C. is deficient in candour and liberality; but we must complain of of the different denominations of Christians, though certainly a flimsy and superficial performance, would still have pointed out to him the leading particulars wherein the va The confession on which we have commented, prepared us for expecting in this address much that was beside the mark: nor have we been disappointed. The first objection which Mr. Cockburn puts into the mouths of Methodists and Dissenters is thus stated. "Episcopal jurisdiction is universally objected to by our opponents." (p. 7.) By some of them it certainly is objected to; but not by all. The Methodists, to whom Mr. C. principally addresses himself, profess themselves for the most part to be Episcopalians, and they have Bishops over their American churches. Their separation from the Church of England, he ought to have known, has not proceeded, in any degree, from their dislike to episcopacy; but on the alleged ground that that spiritual edification which they deem requisite for their grow th in grace, is not to be obtained, in general, by attendance on the ministers of the church of England. And by many of the Dissenters the same plea, and not the form of our ecclesiastical government, is ostensibly urged as the ground of their dissent. his having injured a good cause, by undertaking its defence, before he had made himself acquainted with its merits. His pamphlet is intended as an antidote to Methodism and Dissent. It opens, how-rious classes of Dissenters differ from ever, somewhat unfortunately, with the Methodists and from each other, an awkward confession of his hav- and thus have preserved him from ing been" unable to ascertain with gross mistakes. accuracy, in what respects they" (that is the various classes of Dissenters and Methodists) "differ from each other, or what precisely constitutes a Methodist." Now what would Mr. C. have thought of a man, who should begin a treatise on the different kinds of fevers, and the modes of their prevention and cure, with a confession that he had not yet made himself acquainted with the symptoms which distinguish them:-or who should propose remedies for the inconveniences attending our system of jurisprudence, without knowing the nature and the principles of legal proceedings? And what must Methodists and Dissenters think of a man, who proposes to cure the evils of Methodism and Dissent, without knowing accurately wherein those evils consist? Surely Mr. Cockburn would have done well, had he taken some pains to procure information on this subject before he wrote upon it, particularly as the means of information are so abundant, and so easy of access, as to make it inexcusable in any divine, and especially in one who is the official advocate of Christianity, to be unacquainted with them. Did not Mr. Cockburn know that the works of Mr. Wesley the Father of Methodism, as well as those of Mr. Whitfield, amounting together to upwards of forty volumes, would have amply gratified his curiosity as to what constitutes a Methodist:-or, if indisposed to wade through so many volumes, that three compendious lives have been published of Mr. Wesley, from either of which he might have obtained the requisite information. Nay even the little duodecimo work published by Mr. Evans, and containing Sketches "You secondly object," Mr. Cockburn goes on to remark, "that we use set forms of prayer in our churches, read appointed chapters from the Scriptures, and written discourses; all in the room of extemporaneous effusions." (p. 12.) Now none of these objections are preferred universally by the dissidents from our church, and the second, we believe, by none of them, The Methodists are so far from having anobjection to set forms of prayer, or to the reading of the Scriptures in their congregations, that they even have a liturgy, taken, with only occasional omissions, from that of the Church of England. The Socinian Dissenters have also a liturgy. Almost all the other classes of Dissenters (Scotch Presbyterians perhaps, only excepted, and many of these regret the omission,) have the Scriptures regularly read as a part of divine service. There are not a few of the Dissenters also, who either read or professedly recite from memory, discourses which they have previously written. duce a work which shall only furnish a triumph to his opponents. THE CRITICAL REVIEW AND CHRISTIAN OBSERVER. IN the concluding page of the Cri- say "We have seen the remarks on our re view of the Candid Examination of Mr. Daubeny's Vindicia Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ, which are contained in two recent numbers of the Christian Observer. These remarks, we presume, are from the pen of the Candid Examiner himself. On this presump. regarded as our reply. "The remarks in every part of them, are so full of the grossest, and most shame The main argument which Mr. Cockburn employs against preaching without written assistance is this. The major part of every congregation consider the power of preaching without any written assistance, to be an especial gift of God,"-" and a plain proof of God's spirit residing in you and speaking from your mouth." (p. 15.) This argument, generally speaking, we believe to be unfounded in fact. The common people it is true, usually regard that man as better qualified for the ministry, and perhaps as a more spiritual man, who tion, we request that the following may be appears so well acquainted with spiritual subjects, as to be able, without premeditation, to express himself clearly and intelligibly in treating of them. Such a notion is doubtless in many cases very erroneous; but it is an error of a very different kind from that of viewing extemporaneous preaching as evidence of inspiration; an error which we believe to owe its exist ence chiefly to misinformation. But if those who deliver themselves extempore, as it is called, from the pulpit, are so much to be blamed, and we do not now undertake their vindication, he must be liable to at least equal censure who pours forth his effusions on religious subjects from the press, without study or premeditation. Before Mr. C. again ventures to appear before the public as the advocate of our excellent establishment, let us strongly recommend it to him so to study his subject, and so to prepare his arguments, that he may not, as he has now done, pro an less misrepresentations of our words and our sentiments, and abound so greatly in all the marks of a disingenuous spirit, that we cannot feel any wish at all to enter into a minute and public refutation of them. All that we desire is, that our own article may be read along with the Candid Examiner's comment upon it; and when this shall indignation will be awakened against that be done, we doubt not but that a degree of gentleman, much more than adequate to gratify any disposition of revenge which we feel against him. "If we had been inclined to take any further notice of these remarks, it should have been done by a private communication to the Candid Examiner. For besides his public obligations to our Review, that gentleman is already our debtor for some pains exerted in private for his information and correction, on the subjects on which he has thought himself competent to instruct the public. But till the Candid Examiner shall publicly disavow these remarks in the Christian Observer, or shall publicly own that he has done us great wrong, both in the manner and matter of them, we must Before we proceed to make an observation or two on this very extraordinary communication, we think it right to declare that the review of the Critical Review,which appeared in our numbers for September and October last, was properly and exclusixely our own work, and that whatever be its misrepresentations, its disingenuousness, and injustice, we, and we alone are responsible for it. With all due deference, however, to the Critical Reviewer, we are of opinion, that neither in the manner nor the matter of our review have we done him any wrong: nor do we believe, that that gentleman will be able to substantiate his charge in any one instance. If he should, we pledge ourselves frankly to acknowledge, and readily to repair our unconscious error, as he knows we have already done in the case of the Bishop's Bible. After this declaration, he can have no excuse for withholding his proofs. The Editor of the Critical Review has certainly adopted a very easy and compendious mode of replying to our strictures. "The grossest and most shameful misrepresentations," "disingenuous spirit," "indignation awakened," &c. &c. (to say nothing of the pleasant menace, on the part of an anonymous journalist, of renouncing all farther intercourse with the anonymous author of a paper in another journal) are words which it requires no stretch of ingenuity, and no labour of research to employ. But we need not tell that gentleman, that they would scarcely pass current as arguments in the schools to which he has been accustomed. Indeed, we are too well acquainted with his logical skill to believe, that he would have employed such weapons of defence, had he been furnished with any other. The Critical Reviewer demands, in a very categorical style, that the writer of the remarks in question, should, under pain of his heavy dis pleasure, publicly acknowledge the wrong which he has done. Now we really think that the Critical Reviewer might have condescended to specify the points which were to be recanted, and at the same time have stated his reasons for so ungracious a requisition. Let him do this, and we engage, that if his reasons are satisfactory, we will most gladly comply with his wishes. Our object, we can assure him, is not contention but truth. If he has any good ground for the strong language which he has employed, he can have no objection to produce it. If he has none, it is very easy to say that his word is passed-he has renounced all farther intercourse with us. The Critical Reviewer invites his readers to compare his review of the Candid Examination, &c. with our strictures upon it. We very sincerely wish that they may accept his invitation. In what he says of private communication, information, and correction, we suppose that he alludes to a letter which was shewn to us, and which we were told had been written by a very respectable gentleman, with whom however, we ourselves are unacquainted. The use which we understood we were to make of the communication, (for which we really feel indebted to the writer, whoever he be) was to correct what had been erroneously stated in our review of Mr. Daubeny's Vindicia respecting the Bishop's Bible. This we took the earliest opportunity of doing; nor were we aware, that we had incurred any farther obligation by looking into that letter. If we have, we are wholly unconscious of it. We are unwilling to close this article, without paying a merited compliment to the Critical Reviewer for his review of three volumes of Essays by Mr. Robinson of Leices ter. Did he always write thus on theological subjects, we should hail him as an ally in the best of causes, the cause of religious and moral truth. LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL INTELLIGENCE, &c. &c. GREAT BRITAIN. IN the Press :-A Chemical Catechism, drawn up purposely for the use of schools, and of persons unacquainted with the science; by Mr. PARKES:-A Life of MICHAEL ANGELO BUONAROTTI; Com prising his character as a poet, painter, sculptor, and architect; by Mr. DUPPA: A Tour through France; in 2 vols. 4to. ; with about 80 plates; by Col. THORNTON: -The Navy Surgeon, explaining the duties of that office in every situation and climate; by Mr. TURNBULL :-An Account of the State of France and its Government during the last Three Years; in 1 vol. small Bvo.; hy the Rev. ISRAEL WORSLEY, who lately escaped from that country:-A new edition of WOODVILLE's Medical Botany, to be published in 55 numbers, 8vo.: A new edition of HARMER's Observations on Scripture:-Treatises on Religious and Moral Subjects; by the late Rev. Dr. HOLMES, Dean of Winchester, in 1 vol. 8vo::-A Second Part of the Natural History of British Insects; with coloured figures; in monthly numbers, price 2s. 6d. each; by E. DONOVAN, F. L. S. :-A Treatise on Practical Navigation and Seamanship, with directions for the management of a ship in all situations; by the late WM. NICHELSON, Esq. Master Attendant of Chatham Yard:-The Christian Child's Spelling Book; comprising, in a Series of easy Reading Lessons, ornamented with suitable Cuts, the Life and Doctrines of our Blessed Saviour in the several Stages of his Infancy, Childhood, and Ministry :-A Treatise on Trigonometry by Mr. BONNYCASTLE. The Rev. Dr. CLAUDIUS BUCHANAN, Vice Provost of the College at Fort William in Bengal, has proposed a Prize of Five Hundred Pounds to Bachelors at Law, Masters of Arts, and Persons of superior degree, of the University of Oxford, for the best Work in English Prose, embracing the following Subjects:-1. The probable design of Divine Providence, in subjecting so large a portion of Asia to the British Dominion. 2. The duty, the means, and the consequences of translating the Scriptures into the Oriental Tongues, and of promoting Christian Knowledge in Asia. 3. A Brief Historic View of the Progress of the Gospel in different Na tions, since its first Promulgation; illustrated by Maps, shewing its luminous Tract throughout the World; with chronological Notices of its Duration in parti cular places: the Regions of Mahomedanism to be marked with Red, and those of Paganism with Dark Colour.-The Uni versity declined the prizes before offered by Dr. B., but have accepted the present proposal; and have announced that Candidates must deliver their Compositions under a sealed Cover to the Registrar of the University, on or before the 25th day of March, 1807. The author is required to conceal his Name, and to distinguish his Composition by what Motto he pleases; sending at the same time his Name sealed up under another Cover, with the Motto inscribed upon it. The same proposal has been made to the University of Cambridge, and has been accepted. The University of Oxford have undertaken to complete the Edition of the Septungint begun by the late Dr. HOLMES, the Collations having been some time since finished. The subjects appointed by the Vicechancellor of the University of Cambridge for Sir W. Brown's Prize Medals for the present year, are, for the Odes, Mors Nelsoni, and for the Epigram Mev ayav→ and for the Hulsean Prize, The propagation of Christianity was not indebted to any secondary causes. The new East India College at Hertford is now ready for the reception of Students. The terms are 100 guineas per annum, with extra charges for French, drawing, and fencing masters. The candidates for admission must be well grounded in arithmetic; and qualified to undergo an examination in Cæsar and Virgil, the Greek Testament and Xenophon. None will be admitted under the age of fifteen. On the 8th of December a Comet was 'discovered, in the Constellation Aquarius, by Mr. FIRMINGER, of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich; and, about the same time by Dr. HERSCHEL, at Slongh. Its appearance to the naked eye was similar to that of a star of the first magnitude, when covered by a cloud, through which it may be faintly seen; or rather like what Jupiter would appear under similar circumstances: but when viewed through |