And, as their hofpitable branches fpread, G-r Art. 36. Oppreffion displayed; or the Baronet and Miller. ATale. in four Cantos. By a true-born Englishman. 4to. 1s. Wilkie. A dull tale, tedioufly told, in a fort of heavy, Daniel de Foe-ftraini of which the following will ferve as a fufficient fpecimen: : But foon their doubts were hufh'd, their fears were quell'd, Who, eager to redress their grievous wrongs, With hafte to'th midit 'ath crowded fembly throngs What beautiful contractions!-But the Author is no lefs happy in his fentiments than in his expreffion. For inflance, when Will, the Miller, harangues the Baronet, he makes the Fellow talk as familiarly of Demofthenes, Cato, and Tully, as if he had been a Miller-fcientific indeed! tho' he had previously reprefented Will only as an artful country-fellow, cunning in his business, and a special huntsman, The scene of the story is laid in Shropshire; and the incidents it recites, are, briefly, the profligate behaviour of a Country-Gentleman, who is ruined by his exceffes, notwithstanding the cunning of his Steward, who in vain racks the tenants, and ruins the eftate to fupply his Master's extravagancies; while Will the Miller, in imitation of his landlord, cheats his neighbours, in order to be revenged of the Baronet, by contributing to hatten the destruction of his tenants:In fine, there seems to be very little either of fenfe or moral in the whole performance -Perhaps, however, a Shropshire Reader may difcern fome merit in the piece, which may have efcaped the obfervation of a Reviewer, who is not let into ali the mystery the poem may contain; for it may be all very true, for ought we know of the matter, tho' not very excellent: and with fome Readers, a dull truth may be more acceptable than a well devifed fable, or even the finest fruit of the richeft imagination. Thus we have known an old Gazette preferred to the Iliad; and have heard of your matter of factmen, who would prefer Ned Ward's rhyming hiftory of the grand Rebellion, to all the exquifite fictions of Chaucer, Prior, and Swift. Oh! had I Cato's wifdom, Tully's art, Art: 37. Weft-Country Thoughts on Eaft-Country Folly. Occafioned by the late very extraordinary Rejoicings on a very lately remarkable Day. By a private Gentleman of Cornwall. Folio. 6d. Scott. This Cornish Bard feems to be a near relation to the Shropshire Poet above mentioned. Tho' one of them pretends to be true born, they appear to be both bastard fons of the fame Grub-ftreet Drab, mifcalled the Mufe,-by her own blind and partial offspring. Our Gentleman of Cornwall is seriously angry at the public rejoi cings in honour of the German Hero, and the unbounded praises which all ranks among us fo chearfully and zealously offer, whenever FREDERIC, OF PRUSSIA is mentioned. He thinks GEORGE and DETTINGEN, WILLIAM and CULLODEN, would not only found as well, but become us better; and we heartily concur with him, as to his loyalty, tho' we cannot commend his poetry: of which the following specimens are impartially selected. Thro' Berlin's ftreets who blew the trump of Fame, Yet, now this Hero all neglected lies; Praise only thrives beneath Germanic skies! He elsewhere, however, to fhew his candid regard for his Pruffian Majefty, has this notable couplet: 1 Here, Britains, think not rancour guides my pen, None more than I efteem the Pruffian. He allows the Hero all his virtues, his wifdom, valour, clemency; but thinks these excellencies are alfo to be found among ourselves; and directs Britannia to ftretch forth her fupplicating hand, But ah, a confcious fting prevents her there, Here our Western Mufe being got into a little hobble, the confequence, perhaps, of taking a cup too much of her Cornish Heliconian, we shall leave her to cool and compofe herself at her own leifure. RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERSIAL. Art. 38. Serious Reflections on the prefent State of Things in thefe Nations. Being the Conclufion of Dr. Leland's View of the Deiftical Writers. Now published feparately, on occafion of the General Faft, appointed to be obferved on the 17th of February, 1758. To which is prefixed, a Preface, by the fame Hand. 8vo. 6d. Dod. Thefe Reflections having made their first appearance about two years ago, our opinion of them may be feen in the Review, vol. XIV. page 477. But as they were then connected with a work of fuch a fize and price as would neceffarily preven: their circulating into fo many hands hands as might be wished; the worthy and learned Author has now thought fit to lay them before the public in the prefent form, with the addition of a new Preface, wherein he apologizes for the reprefentation he thought himself obliged to give of our national faults and vices, in the following fenfible manner. But • Some perfons may, perhaps, be apt to think, that the complaints of the national faults and vices are here too much exaggerated.I am fenfible, that it hath been usual in all nations and ages to complain of the corruption and degeneracy of the times. And it is probable, that fuch complaints have fometimes proceeded rather from a discontented temper, and a peevishness of spirit, ever prone to find fault, and give the worst turn to things, than from a pious and generous concern for the honour of God, and the interefts of religion and virtue. It is not a wife thing to be always extolling former times, and always defpifing or condemning our own. yet it cannot be denied by any one that is acquainted with the history of mankind, that in different nations, and in different ages and pe⚫riods of the fame nation, there is often a great difference obfervable as to the prevalency of religion and virtue, of good order, and true public fpirit: and that there are times in which there is a more ge⚫neral defection from all these, and more of an abandoned diffolutenefs, luxury, and effeminacy, than in others: and where it is apprehended, that this is really the cafe, or that there is great danger of its being fo, no man can be blamed, who, from an earnest delire to awaken men to a juft and lively fenfe of the evil of their ways, and to promote, as far as in him lieth, a national repentance and ⚫ reformation, endeavoureth not in the bitterness of a fatyrical spirit, but with a ferious and deep concern of mind, to represent the nati⚫onal vices and corruptions.' Having fhewn that the great events of war are, in an especial manner, under the direction of Divine Providence, he applies the obfervation both to our own disappointments, and the late furprizing turn of affairs in favour of our brave ally the King of Pruffia, at a time when he was, by many, almoft given up as loft. Upon this happy event, he very properly remarks. The man muft be void of reflection, that doth not observe in it the fignatures of a divine hand. It is, indeed, but just that we 'fhould admire the wifdom, magnanimity, and heroic qualities of *this great Prince, and the difcipline and intrepidity of his troops. But we must not make these things our confidence. Instead of indulging a vain fecurity, or making flesh our arm, what hath now ⚫ happened fhould turn our thoughts to a religious adoration of that * fovereign Providence which ruleth in the kingdom of men, which taketh the wife in their own craftinefs, and overthroweth the mighty. How careful fhould we be to fecure an intereft in his favour, ⚫ who, if we do not make a right improvement of his mercies, can, with equal facility, fruftrate our most fanguine hopes, as in this in⚫ftance he hath exceeded our highest expectations!" Upon the whole, we would beg leave, moft heartily, to recom mend mend this little piece to the serious perufal of every one, who pro feffes a due regard for the welfare and happiness of his country. P. Art. 39. The true Nature of Fafting, which alone is acceptable unto the Lord. Humbly recommended to the ferious Confideration of the King and both Houses of Parliament. 8vo. 6d. Kinnerfly. The Author of this piece, John Littell, one of the people called Quakers, appears to have been upwards of twelve years a prifoner, upon a writ de Excommunicato capiendo. The original profecution was begun against him for Tithe ;-and neglecting to anfwer to a citation iffued out of the Ecclefiaftical Court, he incurred the fentence of excommunication, for a contempt; and was afterwards imprisoned as above. The main of what he fays upon the true nature of falling, (tho' the profeffed fubject of his pamphlet) is contained in the followmg text,Is not this the Faft that I have chofen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the OPPRESSED GO FREE, and that ye break every yoke? Ifa. Iviii. 6-This he applies to his own cafe, and from thence infers, that the releafing him from his long imprisonment, would be the most proper way of fanctifying the late Fall-to accomplish which, he has fubjoined a petition to the King, and both Houses of Parliament, ftating his unhappy cafe, and praying relief. -See more of this affair, Review, vol. X. P-423, P Art. 40. Remarks on the Reverend Mr. John Wesley's Sufficient Anfwer to the Author of the Letters on Theron and Aspafio, &c. By J. D. 8vo. 3d. Lewis. Mr. Welley's fufficient Answer is, it feems, comprehended in a penny book, fold at the Foundery; but Mr. J. D. not thinking fuch narrow limits fufficient for him, has fwelled his Answer to three pence; a difproportion which reminds us of the Dutchman who is faid to have wrote a Commentary on the word SHIBBOLETH; which not fatisfying a brother Commentator, ftill more voluminous than himself, out comes an Anfwer in five folios; fome fay there was a Reply in fifteen. If fo, how happy were the REVIEWERS of those days!But to our Remarker. Of whom, however, we have little to fay; nor might it, perhaps, be fafe for us to fay much: for he seems to be a most furious mortal. He works Mr. Wefley at a terrible rate; intimates, that he (Mr. W.) has crowded more scandal, infolence, self-sufficiency, hatred, malevolence, rancour, bitterness, and uncharitableness into his penny performance, than the Author [of the Letters on Theron, &c.] has into his five fhilling book, with only this difference, that his is farcattical, lively, volatile, and pungent as the æther, your's denfe and dull as lead;'-Mr. D. however, has rather over-shot himself, in allowing any feandal, malevolence, &c. to be found in the Author whom he has taken upon him to defend. For, tho' he feems fatisfied that Mr. Wefley poffeffes thefe lovely, Chriflian virtues in a more eminent degree, yet we apprehend the ingenious Letter-Writer will not be be very ambitious of claiming even the reasonable share of them allotted him by his Defender. Art. 41. A Letter to the Rev. Mr. Potter, in Anfwer to his Sermon preached at Reymerfton in Norfolk, against the People called Methodists. By Cornelius Cayley, Junior. 8vo. 6d. Lewis. As we have given no account of Mr. Potter's discourse, here referred to, we shall not trouble our Readers with any particulars from this Anfwer; but as fome judgment may be formed of Mr. Cayley himself, from an Advertisement which he has printed at the end of his pamphlet, we shall give an extract of the said Advertisement. It is entitled, Proposals for printing by Subscription, the Riches of God's free Grace, difplayed in the Converfion of Cornelius Cayley, Junior, late Clerk in the Princefs Dowager of Wales's Treasury, to the faith of CHRIST, not in word only, but in power. Being a particular account of the Lord's remarkable dealings with him, from seven years of age; for feveral years. As alfo his experience with relation to his miniflerial Call to preach the Gospel of Jefus • Chrift; and what he hath met with particular in the exercise thereof, in many parts of England and Wales.'-Such of our Readers as are inclined to promote this fubfcription, are to pay one fhilling down, and another at the delivery of the book; for which faid fam of two fhillings, the purchafer will receive about three hundred pages of Crumbs of Comfort for Chickens of the Covenant. Art. 42. A Letter from a Gentleman, refiding in foreign Parts, to his Godfon in England; explaining to him, and enforcing, the Obligations of his Baptifmal Covenant. 8vo. 4d. Owen. Tho' the nature and obligations of the Baptifmal Covenant are here clearly explained, and earnestly enforced, yet we cannot help thinking, that fome few particulars might as well have been omitted: and whoever reads the extraordinary paragraph at page 7, wherein the Writer feems ready to involve his Godfon in a political difquifition. concerning the titles of Kings to their Crown, will probably be of Qur opinion. P. Art. 43. A Letter to the Author of a free Enquiry into the Nature and Origin of Evil; containing Remarks on the four first Letters of that Enquiry. 8vo. 6d. 8vo. 6d. Woodfall. The Writer of this Letter acknowleges, that the Enquiry, which occafioned it, abounds with fprightly fallies of imagination, and elegance of expreffion, in recommendation of a moft unaccountable fyftem; the principles of which, he here endeavours to fhew, are not only inconfiftent with one another, but even with themselves. And we must confefs, that he feems to have proved the charge of various contradictions, inconfiftencies, and falfe conclufions, upon the Author of the Enquiry; tho' without offering any opinion of his own, in matters of fo nice and difficult a nature, as the Origin of Evil.-[For our account of the Enquiry itself, fee Review, vol. XVI, page 302.] P. Art. |