This reafoning will help us to another example, urged with great vehemence by the objector, though, in truth, it differs not much from the preceding: This inftance is, that many profligate Chriftians amongst the Catholics have re• courfe in danger to images and relics, and have fuperftitioufly placed a confidence in their aid, when all human meafures have failed; from whence it is inferred, that they have a belief in thefe, and of confequence in Christianity alfo.-Indeed, their belief in both is the fame; and while they flatter their pride, promise them fupport, or bring no interruption to their pleafures, they act as if their belief in them was real: but when they crofs their intereft, curb their appetites, and thwart their inclinations, the cafe is altogether changed; and it is well if the relics once fo much honoured are not treated at laft with the fame contempt as that impotent god in the fable, which fell a facrifice to the fury of its importunate folicitor, for not being able to hear and affift him.

I could, if it was neceflary, confirm this reafoning by a great variety of parallel inftances; but it may be more pro⚫ per to confirm it by the best fupport in all difputable cafes, and that is, by real experience and fact; by the examples of those great and illuftrious forerunners in the Chriftian courfe already mentioned, who having firft believed their religion in the purity it was taught, proceeded of confequence to practise it with the steadiness it was believed.

And here, and here only, fince the foundation of Chriftianity, is to be feen the mighty power and efficacy of faith in the happy production of every grace, and every virtue; in gentleness, in meeknefs, in forbearance, and humility; in forgiveness, in charity, in fincerity and truth; in temperance, in patience, in fortitude and conftancy; in neglect of riches, in fubmiffion to injuries, in contempt of death, and confidence in God.

The time would fail me, fooner than it did the Apostle in his illuftrious catalogue of the Old Teftament-worthies, were I to infift on all the eminent gifts and virtues of the New: let it fuffice, that they both together make up that • Gloud of Witnesses, whofe ftrength of evidence no arguments can refift, no arts elude, and no gloffes explain away: who through faith, and faith only, in the emphatical language of the Apostle, fubdued kingdoms, wrought righteoutnefs, obtained promises, ftopped the mouths of lions; were ftoned, were fawn afunder, were tempted, were flain with L REV. Aug. 1759.

• the

the fword; wandered about in sheep skins, and goat skins, being deftitute, afflicted, and tormented.

And now what will the boldeft objector be able to say to thefe things to deny their exiftence, is to contradict the ftream of all history hold facred and profane ;-to impute them to any thing but faith, will never admit of any probable folution ;-to fay that this faith was vifionary and romantic, and not warranted by the genius of the Gospel, is to betray the profoundeft ignorance in the doctrines of Chrift: To fay that faith might not be able to produce fuch ef fects in one age as it did in another, is denying the conftancy of the fame caufes, without affigning any reafon for their variation:-To give fome fhew of reafon for this from the prevalency of example, is lofing even that fhew before example did begin :-To-come nearer yet to the real ftate of things, and fay, that in the various degrees of faith, the primitive Chriftians poffeffed the higheft, and the present the loweft, is not true in their fenfe; because the lowest degree of faith is supposed to be a full perfuafion of the divinity of the Gospel; and the higheft can be no more:-To confefs then at last, that the firft ages had uniformly this perfuafion, and thefe latter ages fall fhort of it, is in effect the whole of what we are contending for; and is, in effect, the only refuge the objectors themfelves can find.

For what does this confeffion mean; that this faith is ir• refolute and feeble? that it fluctuates and wavers ? that it wants the force and fteadiness of conviction? that it rifes and finks by fits? that it is influenced by outward causes? that it is diffipated by pleafure, and fhrinks before pain? that it differs with times and seasons? is a faith of Sabbaths and new moons, and fhines out, or is overcaft by the correfponding brightnefs or gloom of the fun; that the little life which animates it is often utterly extinct? that it has fantastic fucceffions of living and dying; and like the fabled foul of the philofopher, goes out, and returns at random? In a word, that it is deficient in fome part, and comes not up to its true and genuine ftandard ?-Here then, at laft, is difcovered that fpring of bitterness, that certain fource from whence have flowed all thofe numerous evils, which fo long have deluged the Chriftian world.

So that the refult of the above-mentioned reafoning at length centers here, that the first Chriftians, who lived fuitably to their profeffion, had a steadfast and entire conviction of the truths of the Gofpel; and we, who live unfuitably,

fuitably, have not: i. e. they had faith, and we have doubt; and close by the fide of doubt fits utter infidelity; and ⚫ round infidelity is scattered confufion, and every evil work.'

The two laft chapters of our author's work are very short, and are intended to anfwer fome objections to his principal defign, together with an application of the whole.

As to the merit of the performance, after the account we have given, little needs be faid. There are, undoubtedly, many just observations to be met with in it and on fuch general topics it would be ftrange if there were not; but what is advanced on the fubject of ridicule, is liable to many juft objections. The ftile and manner are affected throughout; and there is little precision or accuracy in the author's reasonings; in a word, were we to fay that his work is A POMPOUS TRIFFLE, there are few readers, we apprehend, whofe judgment is worth regarding, that would think fuch a character of it too severe. It is, at beft, but an imitation of Dr. Brown's juftly exploded Estimate.

A practical Treatife of Husbandry: Wherein are contained many ufeful and valuable Experiments and Obfervations in the New Hufbandry, collected during a Series of Years, by the celebrated M. Duhamel Du Monceau, Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, Fellow of the Royal Society, London, &c. Alfo the most approved Practice of the best English Farmers, in the old Method of Hufbandry. With Copper-Plates of feveral new and useful Inftruments. 4to. 16s. Whifton, &c.

M.

Duhamel, and his correfpondents, (as we are told in the preface to this work) have fet the world an example which has long been wanted, and greatly defired by all who have the good of their country at heart, and are in the leaft fenfible of the importance of agriculture. They have given us a series of experiments in this most useful art, continued for several years together, with accuracy and judgment, and related in a clear, diftinct manner: which feems, indeed, to be the only method of arriving at perfection in a science, wherein theory alone can avail but little.

M. Duhamel's work, in the original, confifts of five volumes, published at different times; fo that we are not to expect a tranflation of the whole in the work before us: on the tontrary, we are told by the writer of it, [Mr. JOHN MILLS]

L 2

that

that he has tranflated only fuch experiments as feemed to him most instructive to his countrymen. And to render this treatife ftill more ufeful, he has alfo given, from the most approved English writers, what appeared to him beft in the modern practice of farming, either according to the old or new method. The plainnefs wherewith the whole is written, Mr. Mills hopes, will fhew, that his intention was to make it of as general ufe as poffible.

The editor proceeds, in the preface, to take notice of the various reafons, that have hitherto contributed to obftruct the fuccefs of the most generous attempts of individuals, in this particular branch of knowledge: and then adds

But we promise ourselves, that it will be the happiness of the prefent age to fee every obftacle removed, which might retard a general improvement in husbandry, the ge"nuine and original fource of the wealth and power of this ifland, as well as of its ornament and fecurity.

The Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, have taken THIS under THEIR peculiar care and what may we not expect from a fociety, the members whereof are fo well qualified to direct and • improve the most useful inquiries; and who generoufly diftribute their private bounties, to reward the labour, and indemnify the charge, of fuch experiments, as tend to promote any useful knowledge, or national advantage!'

To the right honorable the prefident, and other members of the above-mentioned laudable fociety, Mr. Mills has infcribed his work: which is divided into four parts.-The first contains the general principles of Agriculture, together with the moft approved practice in the old Hufbandry; the effential differences between which and the new, are pointed out in this part.-The fecond, is confined to the culture of Wheat, according to the principles of the new husbandry, the fuperior advantage of which, is proved by a series of many experiments.-In the third part, the new husbandry is applied to the culture of other plants useful to the farmer.The defcriptions of the feveral inftruments ufed in the new husbandry, are given in the fourth part, together with the plates [fix in number] whereon thofe inftruments are reprefented.

Part I. Chap. 1. Of Roots. As the culture bestowed upon the productions of the earth, acts principally upon the roots, and relates more immediately to them, than to any other part of plants, they are made the subject of the first chapter; and

are

are divided in general into two forts, viz. carr.t, or tap-roots, and creeping, or fibrous-roots.

Chap. 2. Of Leaves. The neceffity of leaves to plants is proved to be fuch, that few can fubfift without them: infomuch that experience fhews, that if they are stripped of all their leaves, they generally die. From hence is inferred, the prejudice that arifes to many trees from lopping off their branches and alfo, for the fame reafon, it is alleged that fain-foin, luferne, clover, &c. are greatly hurt when fed too close by cattle, especially when young. On this account too the practice of farmers, who turn in their flocks to feed on their wheat when too rank *, is difapproved.-The fine fhort grafs which covers the lawns of England, is (afferted to be) the only plant that can bear frequent clofe mowing or eating: for though this grows the more beautiful for it; yet most others are damaged by the fame fort of treatment.

In the 5th Chap. which treats of the diftribution of the food of plants within the earth, we are told that, of whatsoever nature this food may be, it is difperfed throughout every part of the earth; but would lie ufelefs there, if plants could not get at it. To increase the fertility of land, therefore, we are given to underftand, that there is not fo much occafion to provide it with the fubftance which is to nourish plants (that being fuppofed to be there already), as to difpofe it in fuch manner that the plants may, by their roots, collect and draw in thofe juices which almoft all foils are abundantly ftored with. To this end, the particles of the earth must be fo divided, as to leave an infinite number of fmall chasms between them, into which the roots may glide, and fo draw the nutritive juices from them. This divifion of the earth, we are told, may be effected, either by fermentation, raifed by mixing dung, or other manures, with the earth; or by breaking its parts mechanically, by tillage, with any of the different inftruments invented to ftir the earth. But, as our author is a great friend to, what is called, the new husbandry, he prefers the latter method, and accordingly treats of Tillage, in the 6th Chapter.

It is much more profitable, he fays, to increafe the fruitful nefs of land by tillage, than by dung. 1. Because only a certain quantity of dung can be had, the produce of twenty

We have heard of farmers turning in their fheep to feed on their wheat, when too thin, upon a prefumption that when one blade is cropped, two or three will fpring from the fame root; and are of opinion there may be fome reafon for the presumption.