knowledge Mr. Pitt acquired under the care of a private tutor at Burton Pynsent, the seat of his father; and the Earl took pleasure in teaching him, while still a youth, to argue with logical precision, and to speak with elegance and force. He accustomed him to the practice of making accurate enquiries respecting every subject that caught his attention, and taught him not to remain satisfied with a superficial observation of appearances. These lessons brought him into an early practice of cool and patient investigation, rarely, if ever, acquired by those who prefer the trappings of eloquence, and the showy ornaments of language, to plain sober diction, and pertinent matter of fact. Under such an able paternal guide, an acute mind could not fail to imbibe a store of sound practical knowledge. The Earl saw in his son, a future Statesman, and, in all probability, a future minister of his country also. It was a laudable ambition, and to gratify it he spared no exertions; directing his whole attention to the great object of rendering his son accomplished in all things requisite to form a publick character, and to preserve the lustre already attached to the name of William Pitt. He, himself, frequently entered into disputations with him, and encouraged him to converse with others, upon subjects far above what could be expected from his years. In the management of these arguments, his father would never cease to press him with difficulties: nor would he permit him to stop, till the subject of contention was completely exhausted. being inured to this method, the son By acquired that quality which is of the first consequence in publick life....a sufficient degree of firmness and presence of mind, as well as a ready delivery, in which he was wonderfully sided both by nature and education. That he might enjoy all the benefits of instruction which this country could give him, and at the same time, by a rapid progress in the preliminary studes, qualify himself early for the senate, he was, at between fourteen and fifteen years of age, taken from under the private tuition of the Rev. Mr. Wil , and entered at Pembroke hall, Cambridge, where he was placed under the tuition of Dr. Turner, now dean of Norwich, and Dr. Pretyman, the prescat bishop of Lincoln; who, in the dedVol. IV. No. 2. ication of his excellent elementary work on Christian Theology, has, in terms of honorable testimony, not only to the very affectionate regard, borne the most promising abilities, but to the private virtues and amiable dispositions of his wards entered a student of Lincoln's illustrious pupil. Mr. Pitt was afterInn, and made so rapid a progress in his legal studies, as to be soon called to the bar, with every prospect of success. He once or twice went upon the counsel in several causes. western circuit, and appeared as junior On the dis1780, Mr. Pitt was returned for a borsolution of Parliament in September, ough, at the age of 22. From this era of his political we lose sight of Mr. Pitt (at least birth until the year of his death, in the pages of the annalist) and behold only the politician and the premier. It is not our wish to detain the reader, or swell our review with giving extracts from extracts; but we will content ourselves with referring him to the newspapers of the last eighteen years for specimens of the matter and style of the remainder of the volume. As we have however quoted the first page, we will also lieve we have given all, which has quote the last, and, in so doing, beany claim to originality During the early part of the year, the greatest efforts had been used by the British government to awaken the continental powers to a just sense of their own honour and of the dangers that awaited them from the enormous power of France, and to induce the three great princes to make common cause with this country. Bonaparte in the meanwhile was increasing his. preparations for invasion, and they were so nearly matured, that the attempt when the French troops were suddenly was expected to be made every day, marched from Bologne to Germany. A coalition had indeed been formed, and upon a scale of such magnitude, that ministers, with reason, hoped a tancy and fatal errors of the Austrians The precipiare known, and the consequent defeat most successful issue. of the coalesced monarchs by the disgraceful capitulation of Ulm, and the victory of Austerlitz, which enabled Bonaparte to dictate peace to the emperor of Germany, to compel the emperor of Russia to march his army back to his own dominions, and to new-model the territories and governments of the German princes. The depression which events so calamitous, and so entirely beyond the ordinary occurrences of war, produced in England, was great and general. The nation could scarcely be roused by the glorious battle of Trafalgar. Mr. Pitt, whose health had long been declining under the fatigues of never-ceasing attention to the affairs of his country, sunk beneath the c:lamity. He had been to Bath for the benefit of the waters, and had returned to London for the purpose of attending the meeting of parliament, when his disorder increased to an alarming de gree. It was an hereditary gout, attended with extreme weakness brought on by a too anxious attention to busi ness. His nervous system was so shattered as to deprive him for weeks together of sleep. Water in the chest, and extraordinary debility of the stomach, supervened. On Tuesday, the 21st of January, 1806, his disorder was so aggravated, that all expectation was at an end. It became necesary for his physicians, to declare an opinion, and that Mr. Pitt himself should be made acquainted with his imminent danger. The bishop of Lincoln, his tutor and friend, who had constantly attended him, fulfilled the painful office with firmness. Mr. Pitt was hardly sensible this dreaded shock had scarcely power to dissipate his lethargy; but after a few moments he waved his hand, and was left alone with the bishop. He had desired that some papers should be brought to him, to which his signature was necessary; and after he had settled all worldly concerns, he desired to receive the sacrament from ⚫his venerable friend, and it was accordingly administered. Some time passed in the solemn duties of religion. His will was made in a calm interval between this time and the following day. He had signified a desire to write a few lines, but his exhausted condition deprived him of the power. The phy sicians now thought proper to discontinue medicine. During the morning of Wednesday repeated inquiries were : made after him, and a statement of his danger was transmitted to his majesty, to his relations, and most of his friends; lady Hester Stanhope, his neice, and Mr. James Stanhope had an interview with him on Wednesday morning, and received his last adieu; his brother, the earl of Chatham, took his last farewel in the afternoon. The bishop of Lincoln continued with him all night. The mortal symptoms were now ap proaching to a crisis. His extremities were already cold, and his senses began to fail. As a last and desperate effort to protract life, blisters were applied to the soals of his feet; they restored him to something of sensation and recollection, but they could arrest nothing of the progress of death. It is said that he continued clear and composed till a short time before his dissolution, which took place without a struggle, at half past four on the Thurs day morning, and the last words that trembled on his lips were “OH MY COUNTRY.” We feel unwilling to dismiss this volume, without bestowing on it some signal marks of our unqualified censure. We would wish, with censorial justice, to gibbet it, in terrour to those writers, "who make books, as apothecaries make medicines, by pouring from one vessel into another." But its subject has saved it: the medal intrinsically is worthless, but the image and superscription are divine; nor could we, without scruple, assign, to the cook or the trunkmaker, those pages which are sanctified by the magnum et venerabile nomen of William Pitt. ART. 9. Letters on the existence and character of the Deity, and on the moral state of man. By Thomas Dobson, Philadelphia, printed by the author. 2 vols. 12mo. IN the preface the author laments the general want of scriptural knowledge among young 1807.] Dobson's Letters an the Deity. men, and informs us that these letters "were designed as materials or hints for thinking, and are published with an earnest desire of drawing the attention of young persons to the study of those subjects which are universally important." We were ready to give every degree of credit, and make every allowance that might possibly be required, to a writer who proceeded on such worthy motives; and were much pleased with the perspicuity of his style, and the clearness with which he evinces the general truths of christianity, in the first part of his work; but hope and confidence were soon displaced by surprise and disappointment, when we found the sole aim, and scope of the whole work, was to revive exploded heresies, to propagate erroneous opinions,and give to wild unfounded conjectures the semblance of established truth. Such is the tendency of these letters, which exhibit their author as a Pythagorean, a Universalist, and an Anabaptist. 107 of the Greek words and œiavit, is not authorized by the best lexicographers and commentators.The adjective, in its primary sense, signifies a real and proper eternity. It is an universal rule, in all languages, that words must be taken in their original acceptation, unless there be some concomitant circumstance, exprest or implied, to give them a figurative sense. "The words everlasting, eternal, forever, and the like, (says bishop Newton) are sometimes used in a limited sense, or do not always signify an endless duration. But whenever these words do not signify an endless duration, it is because they are applied to things, which are only of temporary duration, and manifestly and confessedly known to be such. The sense is limited and restrained by the nature of the thing. But when the nature of the thing does not limit and restrain it, the words should certainly be taken in their proper and genuine signification." Newton's Works, vol. 6, p. 353. Unless Mr. D. can prove, that he understands Greek better than the ablest divines, who have written on this subject, we shall not feel inclined to adopt his translations. When an author again intrudes upon the publick, topicks which were once in controversy, but upon which the greatest number of most learned and eminent divines have clearly decided; there is reason to fear that he can have no other object in view than to in That we should combat the fanciful notion of a metempsichosis, or the doctrines of universal redemption, and the impropriety of baptising infants, is perfectly unnecessary. Orthodox christians, who have been at any pains to ex-amine their faith, and know upon what foundation it stands, are satisfied that these points have been amply discussed by able men, have been long settled, and the rubbish thrown aside by all straight-headed persons, who wish not to be interrupted in the right path, and pre-crease the perplexity of those who sume not to be wise above what is written. With respect to the uninformed, they can be directed to better sources, from whence to derive more satisfaction than either our time or talents can furnish for them. We will, however, observe that Mr. Dobson, in his translation still doubt, and mislead the weak and wavering, who are easily "blown about by every wind of doctrine;" for what effect can he expect to produce on men of ability, who, with upright intentions, have examined for themselves? But, perhaps, he flatters himself that he has gone deeper into the subject than his predecessors in heterodoxy, and has brought forward arguments not only new, but of more force and efficacy than any others; if such are his notions, we must take the liberty to undeceive him, and assure him we have seen the very same subjects attempted to be supported by the very same and many other arguments, in which we have found more ingenuity and plausibility than is in our power to compliment him with. CATALOGUE OF NEW PUBLICATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES. For FEBRUARY, 1807. Sunt bona, sunt quædam mediocria, sunt mala plura.—MART. NEW WORKS. An Experimental Inquiry into the Chemical and Medical Properties of the Statice Limonium of Linnæus. By Valentine Mott, citizen of the state of New-York, and president of the American Esculapian Society. New-York, T. & J. Swords. A Catalogue of Plants contained in the Botanick Garden at Elgin, in the vicinity of New-York,-established in 1801, by David Hosack, M.D. professor of Botany and Materia Medica in Columbia College, and Fellow of the Linnæan Society in London. New-York, T. & J. Swords. The Mental Flower Garden: or, an instructive and entertaining Companion for the Fair Sex. In two parts. To which are added, interesting sketches of Female Biography, ornamented with appropriate copperplates. By a Friend to the Fair Sex. 12mo. $1 bound. New-York. Love: A Poem, delivered before the E. E. branch of the Non Descript Club. By the H. C. Newburyport. Feb. 1807. E. W. Allen. The Christian Monitor, No. IV, a religious periodical work, by a Society for promoting christian knowledge, &c. containing Nine Discourses on Relative Duties, and Reasons for believing the truth of Divine Revelation. 12mo. pp. 192. wove paper. 30 cents, boards. Boston, Munroe & Francis. A full Statement of the Trial and Acquittal of Aaron Burr, Esq. containing all the proceedings and debates that took place before the federal court at Frankfort, Kentucky, November 25th, 1806. 8vo. 25 cts. New-York, Cottom and Stewart. The Catechism of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. To which is annexed, a Catechism, designed as an explanation and enlargement of the Church Catechism; recommended by the Bishop and Clergy of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the State of New-York. edition. New-York, T. & J. Swords. 3d The Domestick Chaplain : being fifty-two short Lectures, with appropriate Hymns, on the most interesting subjects, for every Lord's day in the year. Designed for the improvement of families of every christian denomination. By John Stanford, M.A. NewYork, T. & J. Swords. Oration, delivered before the Officers and Members of Merrimack Lodge, Haverhill, on the Festival of St. John the Evangelist, December 27th, 1806. By M'Gregore Burnside, A. B. preceptor of Franklin academy, Andover, Mass. 8vo. Haverhill, F.Gould, The duty and character of a gospel bishop illustrated. A sermon preached Oct. 30, 1803, at the ordination of the Rev. William B. Wesson to the pastoral office over the church and society in Hardwich. By Joseph Lee, A. M. pastor of the church in Royalston. Wright, Northampton. Observations upon Baptism, delivered at Ipswich, south parish, June 12,1806. By Joseph Dana, D. D. pastor of the church in that place; with a view of introductory circumstances and proceedings in the said church. pp. 24. Blunt, Newburyport. A Sermon preached at the ordination of Rev. Nathan Waldo, at Williamstown, Vt. Feb. 26, 1806. By Elijah Parish, pastor of the church in Byfield, Mass. Davis, Hanover, N. H. A Letter to the inhabitants of the city and state of New York: on the subject of the commerce of the western waters. By Agricola. New York, S. Gouid. pp. 40. 12mo. A Collection of Hymns for youth. The Free-Mason's Vocal Assistant, (both in French and English) and Register of the Lodges of Masons in South Carolina and Georgia. Charleston,S.C. J. J. Negrim. 109 geons of the Consular Guards, &c.— Translated from the French, by Adam Member of the Royal College of SurNeale, of the University of Edinburgh, geons of that city, and late surgeon of which is added, a Letter concerning the the Shropshire regiment of militia. To Indies. By George Pinckard, M.D.— Seasoning, or Yellow Fever of the WestNew-York, T. & J. Swords. losopher the greatest cheat. In twenThe World Unmasked, or the PhiFrench. $1. Philadelphia, Thomas ty-four Dialogues-Translated from the Dobson. preliminary controversy between Thos. A correct statement of the whole O. Selfridge, Esq. and Benj. Austin; in State-Street, on the 4th of August, also a brief account of the catastrophe 1806 : with some remarks. By Thos. O. Selfridge. He takes my life, when he NEW EDITIONS OF WORKS. doth take the means whereby I live. The Life of the late Right Honourable Charles James Fox: exhibiting a faithful account of the most remarkable events of his political career, and a delineation of his character as a statesman, senator, and man of fashion. Comprehending numerous anecdotes of his publick and private life; and an accurate description of the ceremonies which took place at his funeral in Westminster abbey, on the 10 October,1806. By B. C. Walpole, Esq. To which is added, the character of Mr. Fox, by R.B. Sheridan, Esq. $1 boards. New York, Ezra Sargeant. Number I. of the second Boston edition of Shakespeare's Plays. Containing Rowe's life of Shakespeare, Dr. Johnson's preface, the Tempest, Two Gentlemen of Verona, with notes by Johnson, &c. 12mo. price 42 cts. Boston, Munroe & Francis. 12mo. The Life of Malesherbes. 874 cts. bound. New-York, Brisban & Brannan. The Wanderer in Switzerland, and other Poems. By James Montgomery. 12mo. New York, S. Stansbury. Observations on the disease called the Plague, on the Dysentery, the Ophthalmy of Egypt, and on the means of prevention. With some remarks on the Yellow Fever of Cadiz, and the description and plan of an Hospital for the reception of patients affected with epidemick and contagious diseases. P. Assalini, M.D. one of the chief surBy Second edition. 8vo. Charlestown. The Christian Institutes; or, the and impartial account of the whole faith sincere word of God. Being a plain and duty of a christian. Collected out Testament: digested under proper of the writings of the Old and New heads, and delivered in the words of scripture. By the Right Rev. Father in God, Francis, late bishop of Chester. The 1st American, from the 12th London edition. 12mo. pp. 330. NewYork. T. & J. Swords. The Grave, a poem, by Robert Blair. Memoirs of Captain Roger Clap, one Introduction to the English Reader, or a selection of pieces in prose and poetry,calculated to improve the young. imbue their minds with the love of er class of learners in reading; and to assisting children to read with proprievirtue; with rules and observations for ty. By Lindley Murray, author of the English Grammar, &c. Improved edi tion. New-York, Collins & Perkins. Genuine Religion the best Friend of gospel, when known, believed and exthe People; or, the influence of the perienced upon the manners and happiness of the people. By Archibald Bo |
