ought to have been bestowed on a mere phantom: the preacher's notions of liberty are limited, not only within the theory of the British conftitution, but within the practice of the present British adminiftration; and he holds up reformers to public odium, as men whose purpose it is to inflame the paffions of the populace, to overthrow civil government, and to extirpate the Chriftian religion. Several of thefe difcourfes were, probably, written under the immediate impulfe of that alarm which fome time ago fpred a general ferment through the nation; and this may account, and perhaps furnish fome apology, for the vehemence with which the author fometimes expreffes himself. The manner in which the fermons are drawn up reflects no difcredit on the writer's talents. MISCELLANEO U S. Art. 51. A Word in Seafon; or a Call to the Inhabitants of Great Britain to stand prepared for the Confequences of the prefent War. Written on the Faft-day, Feb. 25, 1795. By J. Bicheno, Author of the Signs of the Times. 8vo. PP. 54. Is. 6d. Parfons. 1795. Though we cannot find room for a particular statement of the explanation which Mr. Bicheno has here given of Chrift's prophetic difcourfe to his difciples, preferved in Luke xxi. and Matthew xxiv. we must do him the juftice to fay that we have never met with any comment on this interefting part of the gospel history more ingenious and fatisfactory. The refult of his criticifm is, that thefe predictions do not refer alone to the defolation of Jerufalem, and the deftruction of the Jewish polity, but also foretel thofe calamities which were to afflict the church of Chrift, and the nations, in diftant ages, and particularly thofe which are to prepare the way for his fecond coming. To this criticism are subjoined, a long and ferious exhortation to national reform, a full declaration of the author's fentiments on the injustice and impolicy of the prefent war, and a folemn warning to Great Britain to prepare for thofe dreadful events which the author, by the light of prophecy, fees, or apprehends that he fees, approaching. Mr. B. entertains gloomy expectations, but he writes like a good man, and a true friend to civil and religious freedom. Art. 52. Paffages felected by diftinguished Perfonages, on the great Li terary Trial of Vortigern and Rowena, a Comi-tragedy: "Whether it be, or be not, from the immortal Pen of Shakipeare." 12mo. pp. 101. 2s. 6d. fewed. Ridgway. 1795: Some fatirical wag has taken advantage of the curiofity excited by the alleged difcovery of a hitherto unknown tragedy from the pen of Shakspeare, to convey characteristic fketches of well-known perfonages, through the medium of paffages fuppofed to be selected from that drama, This he has endeavoured to perform in the manner and language of our great bard; and his attempt has been by no means deftitute of fuccefs. Of the juftice either of his fatire or his praife, we Jay nothing but of the ability of his imitation the following paffages, we think, will afford fome proof: Vol. 1. • LII. Mifs LII.-Mifs H-TH-M. "Nay, nay, flout me as you please, I'll keepe my spinster's humour! what care I, if I am doom'd to dance an ape in t'other worlde! is it not better far, than being chained to one in this?-Tell me, have I not a warme husbande in my bags of golde, in value of which the fneakinge fellowes would faine make me a wife?- For this coine of mine, which I knowe how to take care of myfelfe, all men are my most devoted!-fweare I have more perfonal attractions than the feaborn Goddeffe, and that my circuitous waifte is more delicatelie fhaped than even Dian's girdle-admirable conceits! But I have laughed at the humour of these poor knaves fo long, 'tis no marvel I have grown FAT!" • LXXXIV. Mr. M-DLET-N. "What art thou, memorie, but a rash obtruder ?-nay fell defpoiler of man's fortune! The little fhare of thy retentive facultie I do poffeffe, I will use as warie men do a dark lanthorne, making it visible only to illumine their owne pathe!- For my parte, I'll put a remembrance on no one's wordes-not even on my owne, if it be not my good pleafure. Why fhould I weare a memorie, like a tablet on a markette-croffe, to make inquifitive knaves as wife as myfelfe?—I am well travelled i' th' manners of the Eaft; fo that, would men derive information from me, it must be as from the radiant dial, which anfwers interrogatorie none, unleffe you make the fun to shine right fmilinglie upon it." • XCII.-Mrs. GR-Y. "This wedded fparke of mine would make a husbande far more conjugal, if he were a ftatefman lefs confequential! At times, when I do fondlie interpret the language of a looke, to the gaze of admiration on the perfon he did fweare to love for better and for worsehe dothe my verie foule bechill with some exclamation of—" the GENTLEMAN in his eye! !"-Now quicklie turning rounde, threatens to "divide the houfe"-with which in wedlocke he endowed me!-Anon he whispers in mine ear fomewhat of a motion he would make ;"-but foone, alack, cries out, "I've loft it by the previous question!"— Heaven defende his fweete wittes, and direct them to one faire point of love or politiques, for, in their divided state, I fear he'll mar them bothe!" Should this ingenious writer continue his jeux d'efprit, we would advise him not to follow his great prototype, too clofely, in puns and indelicate allufions; of the latter of which, particularly, he is too liberal in the present volume.` Art. 53. A fecond Addrefs to the Right Reverend the Prelates of England and Wales, on the Subject of the Slave-trade. 8vo. 15. Johnfon. 1795. It is with great propriety that the Bench of Bishops are called to exert themselves in the caufe of humanity; and the author of this pamphlet preffes the fubject, with the fame happy union of earnestnefs and urbanity which marked his firft Addrefs. See Rev. N. S. vol. viii. P. 102. A very strong paffage is quoted on the fabject from a fermon of of the Dean of Peterborough; and many just observations are fuggefted, both on the enormities of the flave-trade and the horrors of war. Art. 54. Reflections on French Atheism and English Chriftianity. By William Richards, Member of the Penfylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery. 8vo. 15. Jordan. 1795 The general purport of these Reflections is to remove the disgrace of having produced atheifm in France from the authors of the revolution, by fhewing that it existed in that country long before, and that atheistical notions are a natural confequence of the corrupt ftate of religion in Roman Catholic countries. Several direct atteftations from different quarters are adduced, to prove that these notions were many years ago prevalent among the literati, not excepting even the clergy, in France. The ultimate caufe, to which this fingular phenomenon in opinion is traced, is the old civil and ecclefiaftical conftitution of that kingdom; the genius of which is faid to have been favourable to atheism, by rendering the very idea of religion contemptible and hateful. In fupport of this opinion, the writer dilates on the enormous violations of humanity and juftice, committed under a conftitution faid to be derived from God; and he maintains that this corrupt fyftem tended to produce, among the unthinking, vifionaries and bigots; and among the thinking, infidels and atheifts. The pamphlet is written without referve, and with more force of argument than delicacy of expreffion. We heartily concur with Mr. R. in his leading fentiment, that nothing can exceed the abfurdity of attempting to crush atheism, and promote Chriftianity, by the fword; yet we cannot approve of the vehemence with which he fometimes gives utterance to his feelings. Art. 55. The Comforts of Arabella, the Daughter of Amanda. 12mo. Is. Johnfon. 1795. This fmall publication is a literary curiofity-a Socinian novel. The author makes ufe of the vehicle of fiction to convey to young perfons, in an eafy and interefting way, rational notions of religion, particularly refpecting the unity and goodnefs of the Supreme Being and the defign of Christianity. As a ftory, the piece has little merit; as a theological pamphlet, it is not ill written. Art. 56. The Wandering Patentee; or the Hiftory of the Yorkshire Theatre, from 1770 to the prefent Time: interfperfed with Anecdotes reípecting most of the Performers in the three Kingdoms, from 1765 to 1795 t. By Tate Wilkinson. 12mo. 4 Vols.. 145. fewed. Egerton, &c. The Wanderings refer to Mr. Wilkinson's annual circuits. + By way of appendix, Mr. W. has given the fecond act of " Di. verfions of the Morning," and "Foote's Trial for a Libel on Peter Paragraph;" both written by Mr. FooтE; and never before published.' We have alfo " a Medley," written by GARRICK, and first fung at Ranelagh, 1762, by Mr. Beard, for his benefit, after he became Patentee of the York and Hull Theatres. In our Review (N. S.) vol. vi. p. 172, we gave an account of Mr. Wilkinson's Memoirs, and, on that occafion, we paffed a degree of commendation on the lively talents of the writer. The work was light fimmer-reading; and if we were not much inftructed, nor deeply intereted, in the perufal of it, we do not remember that we yawned above three or four times in going through the four volumes. The prefent publication, which is to be confidered as a fequel to Mr. Manager Wilkinson's Memoirs, feems to share the common fate of fecond parts; for the Wanderings are certainly inferior to the Memoirs. In what relates to the author himself, we are often more or lefs interested; and his prattle-box manner of talking over the viciffitudes of his affairs is generally, in fome degree, entertaining but his anecdotes of the inferior adventurers on the boards, who, from time to time, enlifted under his theatrical banners, and which are perpetually obtruded on the reader's patience, are, in our opinion, a confiderable drawback on the merit of a work calculated merely for diverfion. To the ladies and gentlemen,' indeed, of the Theatres Royal of Drury Lane, Covent Garden, Bath, Norwich, Dublin, Edinburgh, &c. with the more extenfive range of every company performing in Great Britain and Ireland, the Patentee's details may appear to be matter of more importance: but what are they, (though fufficiently numerous,) to the rest of the world! Poffibly, indeed, Mr.W. thinks that all the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely -players;"-if fo, we must beg his pardon for the ftricture which we have juft made. As our author gives us to understand, at the clofe of his 4th volume, that he here takes leave of the public in his biographical capacity, we are willing to part with him in perfect good Aumour; and fo, heartily wishing him a long continuance of his vivacity, that he may pafs the remainder of his days as chearfully as the times and the pockets of the public will let him,' we here kindly bid adieu to a genius who has, for fo many years, contributed to the entertainment of many a well-pleafed audience. 66 SINGLE SERMONS. Art. 57. On the Death of Samuel Stennett, D. D. By Dan. Taylor. 8vo. 6d. Button, &c. 1795. In allufion to the text (1 Tim. iv. 6.) this difcourfe has for its title, A good minifter of Jefus Chrift.' Such a character belonged, we doubt not, to Dr. Stennett. The fermon has no particular claim to distinction, but it bears the marks, as do others of this writer's publications of upright, pious, and benevolent intentions. It is orthodox, but, we are perfuaded, breathes a truly candid and charitable 1pirit: alike friendly to liberty and to virtue. It is perhaps more diffufe and lefs accurately compofed than the event feems to have required: but it pays that tribute of respect to Dr. Stennett's memory in which all who knew or heard of him are, we apprehend, prepared to concur. Dr. Stennett died in his fixty-eighth year. See particularly, M. R. (New Series) vol. vi. p. 108. Art. Art. 58. Preached in the Church of Croxton-Kyriel, Leicestershire, 410. Implicit acquiefcence in the measures of adminiftration, and steady perfeverance in vigorous exertions against the ancient and impla cable enemies of our religious and civil liberties,' are the topics of this difcourfe. It is not marked either by peculiar elegance of ftyle, or by great originality of fentiment, but it is not ill fuited to the general fpirit and temper of the times. Art. 59. Preached at Aughton, near Ormskirk, in the County of IS. Robinfons. 1795. From the awkwardnets and incorrectnefs which we obferve in the compofition of this fermon, and from the long quotation from Dr. Halifax's fermon before the House of Lords with which it is eked out, we conclude that the writer is not much in the habit of fermonizing. In the fentiments, we find little either to admire or to cenfure. The author deprecates the calamities of war, admires the British conftitution, and recommends truft in God and obedience to his laws, as the best national fecurity and defence. Art. 60. Preached at the Meeting-house in the Old Jewry, June 28, 1795, on Occafion of the Death of the Rev. Roger Flexman, D.D. who departed this Life on the 14th Day of the fame Month, in the 88th Year of his Age. By Abraham Rees, D. D. F.R. S. 8vo. IS. Robinfons. In a funeral fermon, on the common topic of the value of Chriftianity in fortifying the human mind against the fear of death, much novelty of thought is not to be expected. It will be a fufficient recommendation of the prefent difcourfe, to say that it is written with a degree of fimplicity, gravity, and dignity, fuited to the fubject and occafion. The account of Dr. Flexman is highly encomiaftic of his perfonal and minifterial character; and it will be chiefly interesting to Dr. F. was emthe public as far as refpects his literary labours. ployed on various occafions as an editor, and prefixed, respectively, to their works, an account of the writings of Bp. Burnet, of the life and writings of the Rev. Sam. Bourn of Birmingham, and of the writings of Dr. Chandler and Dr. Amory. His original productions were, feveral occafional fermons; a defence of the diffenting plan of divine worship; and a critical, hiftorical, and political mifcellany, He was appointed one of containing remarks on various authors. the compilers of the General Index to the Journals of the Houfe of Art. 61. Preached at the French Proteftant Chapel, in St. John's 5 This |