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perhaps, deem it rather too florid. The text is from Pfalm xcvii. 1, 2. For the benefit of those who have not an opportunity of confulting history, and to render the perufal of his performance as profitable as it can be, the author thought himself obliged to fubjoin a few facts and documents relative to certain points advanced in the fermon; which may convey information, and awaken gratitude, or fuggeft a conduct fuitable to the occafion. After having given us, in one of the notes, the character of the two brothers, Charles and James, as drawn by Lord Bolingbroke in a letter to Sir W. Wyndham, the Doctor makes this judicious remark:

Whoever is defirous of having full fatisfaction refpecting the expediency, and indeed the neceffity, of the Revolution, and the Hanover fucceffion, let him carefully perufe the whole of this very ele gant performance. It is the teftimony of an adverfary, and therefore may be trufted. Lord Bolingbroke is well known to have been but a cold friend to the Revolution, and to have done all he could to defeat the fucceffion; and yet this letter, the primary object of which is a vindication of his own conduct to his Jacobite friends, is perhaps the best defence of both that ever was made.'

We shall conclude with the handsome compliment which the Doctor pays to the Hanover family.

To give full effect to the bleffed change which had taken place, and to render the enjoyment of liberty complete, it became neceffary to provide a fecurity against future political evils of the fame nature with that which had been applied as a remedy to the paft. The fecurity propofed and established, was a law, which entirely, and for ever, excluded from all hope to the fucceffion of the crown, the Popish pofterity of the exiled fovereign, and fettled it on the Proteftant family of Hanover, whofe religion being that of the nation, promifed the continuance of this ineftimable bleffing; and whose character for valour, wifdom, virtue, and moderation, infpired the hope of that public felicity, and national greatness, which long experience has happily realized.'

III. Preached at Norwich, Nov. 5, 1788. By William Enfield, LL. D. 4to. Is. Johnfon.

Dr. Enfield has chofen for his text, thefe words, "Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty," Gal. v. 13. Having enumerated the bleffings derived to us from the Revolution, he exhorts his hearers to enjoy them with gratitude.

As members of a free ftate (fays he) you should confider yourfelves as partners with your fellow-citizens in the common stock of liberty; and as fureties to pofterity, that this precious treasure shall be tranfmitted to their hands undiminished, and, if poffible, enlarged. It is unquestionably the duty of Britons to guard with a watchful eye, the structure which it has been the long labour of ages. to rear, that it may neither be demolished by open force, nor undermined by fecret treachery. Such is the felicity of the prefent times, that we are in little danger of being called to any hazardous exertions in defence of our liberties. The mad defign of restoring Popery and Defpotifm, by reviving claims which the law has long fince annihilated, after two unfuccessful rebellions, will certainly never be sefumed. The present internal state of the nation encourages a con

fident.

fident expectation of the long continuance of domeftic tranquillity, In this fituation of public affairs, our first duty, as fubjects of a free government, is to yield a peaceful and ready fubmiflion to lawful authority. While the Regal power is conftitutionally and judiciously exercised, loyalty to the reigning Prince is not only a tribute of justice and gratitude to official merit, but a debt, which every Briton owes to his country: for it is to this effential part of the conftitution that we are indebted, for the dignity, energy, and stability of magiftracy, and for our fecurity from thofe diforders and calamities to which republican governments and elective monarchies are liable. At the fame time, then, that you faithfully employ that portion of political power which you poffefs, in the election of worthy reprefentatives, and heartily concur in every judicious defign for the defence, or the farther extenfion of your liberties, civil or religious, neglect not to honour the King, to obey the laws, and to lead peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honefty.'

We have been much pleased with the hiftorical and political parts of this difcourfe, the animated declamation which glows in others, and the liberal spirit that pervades the whole.

IV. Preached at Broadhead, Briftol, Nov. 5, 1788; being the hundredth Anniversary, &c. By Caleb Evans, M. A. 8vo. 6d. Buckland.

The ingenious author of this difcourfe (whofe text is from Ezekiel, xxi. 27.) introduces it with fome obfervations on the gunpowder plot. He remarks that the confpirators were all Papifts; and that fome of them, even at the place of execution, gloried in what they had done, and only lamented that it had not fucceeded. He adds, very juftly,

We do not, however, wifh to load all the profeffors of Popery with the ignominy of this black tranfaction. It is the part of candour to acknowledge, that there were many of the Romish communion, who, at the time, abhorred the bloody purpofe, and as much rejoiced in the difcovery and difappointment of it, as the moft zealous Proteftant. And in the prefent day, I would willingly prefume, there are none to be met with, of any communion, who are not ready to join in a deteftation of every tranfaction fo inhuman and diabolical.'

Mr. Evans then proceeds to confider the Revolution, and obferves that never furely was any portion of facred Scripture more frikingly verified and illuftrated, than this was in that great event.' He then fhews the abfurdity of applying it to the Restoration of the Stuarts, as fome of their friends have done; and remarks that in the prefent day thefe ignominious principles are fairly worn out.

The very name of a FILMER, the grand advocate for tyranny, though dignified with a titie, is hardly known, while that of the immortal LOCKE, the affertor of liberty, grows daily brighter and brighter; and there is no man fcarcely to be met with, who is not acquainted with his writings on the interefting fubject of Government, by which the very foul of defpotifm in Great Britain, has received its death's wound.'

The preacher, however, takes care to premife, that we cannot, in confcience, refift a good and lawful government: • Nothing

Nothing (fays he) can warrant refillance to any efstablished government, but an attack upon thofe principles of liberty, civil or religious, which, if once deftroyed, mut neceffarily deftroy all liberty, and overturn the very foundations of all free and lawful government. In fuch a cafe, to refift is highly virtuous and praifeworthy, and will most affuredly be crowned with the approbation of God.'

In his conclusion of this fenfible and ufeful difcourfe, Mr. Evans justly remarks,

It is no fmall part of the happinefs of this day to recollect it as one principal blefling of the Revolution we commemorate, that to it we are indebted for the prefent reigning Monarch and his illuftrious family, under whofe aufpicious influence we may fafely fay we have every thing to hope for, and nothing to fear. Our divifions about the late unhappy war, concerning which the beft of men entertained different ideas, are at an end; and, bleffed be God, we are once more (and what good man but muft exult in it?) an united and happy people, with a King fo virtuous and good, laws fo juft and upright, and a conftitution fo free, fo firm, and fo excellent, what remains for us but to provoke one another to love and good works." V. At St. Margaret's Westminster, before a Society of Noblemen and Gentlemen, Friends to the Conftitution, Nov. 5, 1788; being the hundredth Anniversary, &c. By Colin Milne, LL. D. Rector of North Chapel, in Suffex. 4to. 15. 6d. Elmdey. The text is from Pfalm lxxv. 6, 7. The Doctor informs us that the two fignal deliverances which are annually commemorated on this day fuggefted the words of the text, as alerting the doctrine of a Divine fuperintendence of states and nations that this was very remarkable in the occurrences of the Jewish flate; and fill more fo in the propagation of the Gofpel. He then obferves that the doctrine of the text receives farther confirmation from the annals of every nation and people, and of none more than of our own. Here he inftances the Reformation, the deftruction of the invincible Armada, the Popish gun-powder confpiracy, and the glorious Revolution. The reflections which Dr Milne makes on the laft mentioned happy event, are very juft. His notions of civil liberty agree very well with ours; but we cannot entirely acquiefce in his ideas of religious freedom, which, he tells us, is exceedingly different from that innovating temper which would overleap every mound, and deftroying the bulwarks of national eftablishments, leave Scripture open to the wild interpretation of every enthufiaftic vifionary.' We had hopes that nothing which we could queflion, would have occurred in this otherwise fenfible and pertinent difcourfe. But we think it incumbent on us to remark, that, according to the Scriptures, we are not to call any man mafter upon earth (i, e. in matters of confcience and religion) and that we are to judge for ourselves. "No! (fay our SPIRITUAL GUIDES) out of love to your fouls, we will judge for you." This is very kind! But when THEY lay one thing, and REVELATION and REASON fay another; our Readers will eafily determine WHICH it is fafelt for us to follow.-We agree with Doctor M. that the pattern of excellence held forth to us from the throne

is

is tranfcendantly bright; and we heartily pray that the good wishes with which he very properly concludes his fermon may be fully realized.

VI. An Oration delivered at the London Tavern, on the 4th of Nov. 1788, on occafion of the Commemoration of the Revolution, and the Completion of a Century from that great Event. By Jofeph Towers, LL. D. 8vo. Is. Dilly.

This very fenfible addrefs is well calculated to excite a laudable zeal for maintaining the important privileges fecured to us by the happy event here commemorated. Having expreffed his good wishes, that in every age, this country may continue to enjoy the honour and the felicity of public freedom, Doctor Towers adds, in a note,

I alfo fincerely wifh fuccefs to all the efforts of the French nation, for the recovery of their liberties; and I should rejoice to fee them poffeffed of a conftitution fimilar to that of England; and that two nations, fo eminently diftinguished in arms and in literature, inftead of exhaufting themselves in fanguinary wars for no valuable purpose, may unite together in communicating the advantages of freedom, fcience, and the arts, to the most remote regions of the earth.'

In this generous and praife-worthy fentiment, we heartily and cordially join; hoping that, from this time, we fhall hear no more of that illiberal and fenfelefs abufe of our neighbours, whom it has been common for us, in the frenzy of national prejudice, to igmatize, as the NATURAL enemies of our country!

CORRESPONDENCE.

In answer to our Correfpondent, Y. Z. who thinks that in p. 226. of our Review for September, we have mifquoted Matthew Paris, or rather mistaken the meaning of his words, let it be obferved, that the word argentum does not correfpond exactly either to a fhilling, or to a penny. In a matter fo uncertain as the value of ancient coins, and their precife proportion to labour and the neceffaries of life, compared with that of the currency of the present day, antiquaries vary much in opinion. The fenfe in which we explained the paffage is confirmed, or at least corroborated, by the authority of, Mr. Gibbon. See his Roman Hiftory, vol. vi. p. 303.

From the very great press of temporary business, we must poftpone our answers to other correfpondents; they will be found in our Appendix, which will be published with the Review for next month.

Particular Omiffion in our last.

P. 461. Art. 29. in the title, after by W. Withering, M. D.' add, including a new fet of references to figures. By Jonathan Stokes, M. D. Phyfician at Kidderminfier. See alfo the note at p. 544.

APPENDIX

TO THE

SEVENTY-NINTH VOLUME

OF THE

MONTHLY REVIEW.

FOREIGN LITERATURE.
ART. I.

Hiftoire de l'Académie Royale des Sciences, &c. i. e. Hiftory and Memoirs of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, for the Year 1785*. Concluded from our last Appendix, p. 630.

HAV

AVING promifed a farther account of the laft volume of the memoirs of the academy of fciences at Paris, we resume the pleafing task of laying before our readers an account of the labours of this learned body; which has for many years been employed in making new difcoveries in various branches of natural philofopby, and confiderable improvements in the arts depending on it. Philofophers cannot, furely, be better employed, than in rendering their discoveries ufeful to mankind. For this end, an extenfive knowlege of facts is the chief requifite. The aftronomer who merely peeps at the planets through his telescopes for curiofity, or the naturalift who only admires the variegated wings of butterflies and moths, confer little benefit on fociety: but if the former, in confequence of his obfervations, fimplifies the art of navigation, or the latter, by attending to the economy of infects, directs the gardener and the farmer how to counteract or prevent the mischiefs which they occafion; their speculations are of public utility and the more effectually to accomplish this end, no discovery, though its ufe be not immediately apparent, ought to be concealed; for when known, it may ferve as the groundwork for future improvements.

The firft paper which now demands our attention, belongs to the clafs of mathematics.

Imported by Mr. Elmfley.

APP. Rev. Vol. LXXIX.

PP

MATHE

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