which he pronounced on the abovementioned occafion. Mr. M. feems, as far as we can judge, barely from a perusal of this pamphlet, to have fufficient caufe of complaint. His Letter is very well written.

Art. 38. A View of Univerfal Modern Hiftory, from the Fall of the Roman Empire. Tranflated from the laft Edition of the celebrated Chevalier Mehegan. By 'H. Fox. Evo. 3 Vols. 18 s.

Robinson.

1779.

We gave an account of the original of this work, as a foreign article, in the Appendix to our Review vol. xxxvi. We commended the performance, and gave fome fpecimens of the Writer's animated and agreeable style.

RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERSIAL. Art. 39. Difcourses on various Subjects. By Jacob Duché, A. M. Rector of Christ Church and St. Peter's in Philadelphia †; and formerly of Clare Hall, Cambridge. 8vo. 2 Vols. 10 s. 6 d. Boards. Cadell, &c. 1779.

The number of fermons in thefe volumes is forty-eight: the fubjects of them as follows: The Character of Wifdom's Children; evangelical Righteoufnefs; the Religion of Jefus the only Source of Happinefs; true Religion a coftly and continual Sacrifice; Truth the only Friend of Man; the Strength and Victory of Faith; the flourishing State of the righteous; the Caufe and Cure of the Disorders of human Nature; the Riches, Privileges, and Honours of the Chriftian; Chrift, known or unknown, the univerfal Saviour; human Life, a Pilgrimage; the true Knowledge of God; the Nativity of Chrift; Poverty of Spirit; the Improvement of Times and Seafons; the univerfal Shepherd; the Characters of the regenerate and unregenerate States; Hope in God, the only Refuge in Diftrefs; a nominal, or partial Belief in the Gospel, unprofitable; the Life and Death of the righteous; Jefus fleeping in the Ship; Regeneration; St. Peter's Denial of Chrift; the Sufferings of Chrift; the first or fpiritual Refurrection; a future Refurrection; the Ground and Nature of private and public Worship, &c.

Concerning thefe Difcourfes we have to obferve, that they are pious and affectionate; rather declamatory; yet fenfible,-though the, Writer, in fome inftances, delivers plain and important truths with a kind of mystical air; orthodox in fome refpects; but not Calviniical as to predeftination. They have spirit and warmth, and at times are fomewhat in the strain of the old divines: perhaps there are paffages which may be deemed enthufiaftic, and tinctured with Quakerifm; yet, on the whole, they are practical and useful.

Mr. Duché fpeaks of them himself in thefe terms: The Reader will find in them no display of genius or of erudition. To the for

+ Mr. Duché is faid to be a native of Philadelphia, and to have received his education in the college there. We are farther informed that he was Chaplain to the CONGRESS; and that his removal into England was the confequence of his political converfion. For a farther account of this Gentleman and his writings, fee Review, vol. lviii. p. 165.

mer

mer the Author hath no claim: of the latter he contents himself with as much as is competent to the difcharge of his paftoral dary. His divinity, he trufls, is that of the Bible; to no other fandard of truth can he venture to appeal. Senfible however of his own fallibility, he wishes not to obirude his peculiar fentiments, nor to have them received any farther, than they carry with them that only fair title to reception, a conviction of their truth and usefulness. From his own heart he hath written to the hearts of others; and if any of his Readers find not there, the ground of his doctrines, they are, furely, at liberty to pass them by, if they do it with Chriftian can dour, and to leave it to time and their own reflections to difcover that ground.'

Some of the phrafes in this collection intimate that this gentleman has been, or is, a difciple of Jacob Behmen or Count Swedenburg; however, if he has any of their reveries, it must be acknowledged they are here applied to a folid and practical ufe.

An uncommon circumftance of embellishment attends this religious publication, viz. a very elegant emblematical print, prefixed to each volume, by way of frontifpiece.

Art. 40. Biographia Evangelica: or, An Hiftorical Account of the Lives and Deaths of the most eminent and evangelical Authors or Preachers, both British and Foreign, in the feveral Denominations of Proteftants, from the Beginning of the Reformation to the prefent Time; wherein are collected from authentic Hiftorians, their most remarkable Actions, Sufferings, and Writings, exhibiting the Unity of their Faith and Experience in their feveral Ages, Countries, and Profeffions; and illuftrating the Power of Divine Grace in their holy living and dying. By the Rev. Erafmus Middleton, Lecturer of St. Bennett's, Gracechurch-street; and of St. Helen's, Bishopfgate-freet. Vol. I. 6s. Hog. 1779. This Writer's plan is very extenfive; though fome may think it narrowed by the word Evangelical. There have been many excelJent men, chriftians, proteftants,-men who were eminent for learning, and exemplary for piety and virtue, whom, nevertheless, fome perfons might hardly deem to be evangelical. Mr. Middleton, however, entirely difclaims a bigotted partiality to fects and denominations, and profeffes to give his whole attention to great and good, or as he terms them gracious characters, of all perfuafions; but here he feems to limit himself again, when he adds, who hold the diftinguishing principles of the gofpel.'

The lives contained in this volume are as follow; Wickliffe; Hufs; Jerom of Prague; John de Wefalia; Hamilton; Gelden haur; Ecolampadius; Zuinglius; Bilney; Frith; Tindale; Lambert; Regius; Capito; Simon Gryneus; Leo Judæ; Brulius; Luther; Wilhart; F. Myconius; Diazius; Cruciger; Fagius; Bucer; Munfter; Hedio; George, Prince of Anhalt; Rogers; Saunders; Hooper; Taylor; Ferrar; Bradford; Jonas; Latimer; Ridley; Philpot; Cranmer; Ponet; Melanahon; John à Lafco; P. Martyr; Thomas Grynæus; Vergerio. Thirteen engravings of the portraits of fome of the principal of the above named perfons, are faid to be the performance of a young artist, and feem by no means to be ill cxecuted.

The

The profeffed defign of this work is, to check the progrefs of ir religion, infidelity, and popery, by a review of the lives of the most eminent perfons in the protestant churches, from the beginning of the reformation to the prefent day. It may be fafely faid,' this compiler obferves, that nothing has contributed fo much to the reception of impious and fuperftitious tenets among us, as the fpiritual darkness of our prefent enlightened age, which indeed has made great improvements in the knowledge of every thing but one-and that is, the one thing needful. Our youth are trained up according to the fashion, in the ignorance and contempt of every thing facred; and no man is allowed either fenfe or difcretion, unless he is quite at eafe with refpect to religion, and indifferent to the great concerns of eternity.

Should the features in the above picture be thought too ftrong, it muft ftill be acknowledged, that it bears but too friking a refemblance of the original. Fox's As and Monuments is one principal fource from whence the materials of this work are collected. This book of Fox's, it is obferved, was formerly ordered, by authority, to be placed in every church, that the people of the feveral parishes in the kingdom might be led to a thorough deteftation of the principles and practices of the Papists. Mr. Middleton regrets, that this order, like many others, is become obfolete; but he hopes that his compilation may, in fome degree, contribute to fupply that neglect. He wishes it to be confidered as a family book, to be put into the hands of youth for their information and profit. This firft volume confifts of 520 pages, and the print is not large; fo that the price of the work may be reckoned fmall, in proportion to the quantity, and to the number of the engravings,-which are confiderable ornaments to it.

Art. 41. Effays Moral and Religious; or, God manifeft in his Works. 12mo. IS. Goldney. 1779.

Notwithstanding what may be due to that politeness and goodnature,' which the Author of thefe Effays calls upon us to exercife towards a female writer; there are other claims which oblige us to. declare, that, however well intended, they are in fentiment too trite, and in language too incorrect, to merit any confiderable degree of

commendation.

Art. 42. The Catechism of the Church of England. With Notes explanatory; for the Ufe of young People. By A. Crocker, Schoolmaster at Ilminster. 12mo. 3 d. or 2s. 6d. per dozen.

Robinson.

Thefe notes feem to be well calculated for the purpofe which they were written to anfwer; they are concife, plain, and orthodox. Art. 43. An humble Attempt for the Inftruction of Youth in the Grounds, Principles, and Duties of Religion. By way of Queftion" and Answer. 12mo. 6 d. Johnfon, &c 1774.

Attempts for the inftruction and affittance of youth are truly laudable. Humanity, piery, and public fpirit, ever plead in their favour. The little performance before us is founded on the Scriptures. Numbers will, perhaps, deem it not fufficiently evangelical; but, as far as it goes, it will probably be approved. By what accident our notice of it has been fo long delayed, we cannot readily fay; perhaps it was

never advertised. The copy now before us, was fent by an unknown hand.

SERM ON S, &c.

1. Prayer for thofe in Civil and Military Offices recommended. Before the Election of the Magiftrates of Edinburgh, Oct. 5, 1779. By John Erskine, D. D. one of the Ministers of Edinburgh. 8vo. 6 d. Edinburgh printed.

Whether this is the Dr. Erfkine who has diftinguished himself by his public difapprobation of the American war, we cannot with certainty fay. The fermon before us, from Joshua i. 17, is plain, pious, and practical. It leads us to an over-ruling Providence influencing and governing all human affairs; we find in it alfo fome fenfible obfervations on the prefent ftate of our country. It feriously and warmly recommends fervent prayer and reformation.

II. Preached before the University of Oxford, Nov. 7, 1779. By George Bellas, D. D. Rector of Yattendon, and Vicar of Bafilden, Berkshire. 4to. I S. Blyth, &c.

The immediate fubject of this difcourfe is, 2 Samuel xxiv. 11, 12, 13, the meffage which was fent by the prophet Gad to David. Dr. Bellas offers a just and sensible account of David's crime, and diftinguishes rationally and properly between the very peculiar circumftances of the Jewish ftate, and that of every other country on earth. At the fame time, he enquires when any other nation may be chargeable with a crime at all fimilar to that to which the text alLudes, viz. when it becomes generally impious, prefumptuous, and diffolute. In the application, he recommends repentance and refor mation to the inhabitants of this country.

III. Preached in the Parish Church of Whitby, before the Friendly Society, at their Anniversary Meeting, on Whit-Monday, 1779.. and published at their Requeft. By the Rev. Jofeph Robertion, Curate of the faid Church. 4to. 1 s. York, printed; London, fold by Baldwin, &c.

Every member of the Friendly Society, we are told in a note, by contributing eight-pence per month, is allowed five fhillings a week, out of the joint ftock, when rendered incapable of working by fickness, lameness, or blindness. On the decease of any member, his widow receives five pounds for defraying his funeral expences; and when any member's wife dies, he is allowed forty fhillings for the fame purpofe.' We conclude alfo, though we are not directly informed, that a collection is made at the time of the fermon for fupporting this defign. Mr. Robertson, in this difcourfe, urges the exercife of charity by convincing arguments, and pathetic reprefen

zations.

IV. The Watchfulness incumbent on Minifters, confidered, in a Charge, delivered at the Ordination of the Rev. Ifaac Smith, at Sidmouth, Devon, June 24, 1778. By Joshua Toulmin, A. M. 8vo. 6d. Taunton, printed; London, fold by Johnson.

This Charge, which now appears in a fecond edition, was publifhed together with the fermon, &c. delivered on the fame occafion, in 1778. All of them have been noticed in our Review, and the

Vide Review for September 1778, p. 239.

account

account which was then given of them in their united ftate, is applicable to the piece now feparately printed; viz. that it is pious, rational, and practical. Such difcourfes cannot fail of doing honour to the Protestant Diffenters. It may be proper to add, that this second edition of the Charge is owing to the earnest folicitation of Sir Harry Trelawney. Some fmall parts of the difcourfe, which, for want of time, were furpreffed in its first delivery, are here in

ferted.

I

CORRESPONDENCE.

T has ever been our custom to pay due regard to the decent remonftrances of refpectable writers, who think their works, in any degree, mifreprefented in our Review. On this principle, we pub lifh the following letter from Mr. Hey, of Leeds, relative to our late account of his Obfervations on the Blood: fee Review for November laft, Art. VII. Our ftrictures on that performance appeared, to us, to be just, at the time when we printed them; and we do not apprehend that he will attribute them to any perfonal difrefpect. To enter into a controverfy on the subject, is not only unsuitable to the nature of our plan, but incompatible with our other engagements. What we have already faid, is submitted to the judgment of our Readers; and to the fame refpectable court we now convey the plea of Mr. Hey, in his own behalf.

To the MONTHLY REVIEWERS.

GENTLEMEN,

Confidering the great variety of fubjects which come daily under your notice, it cannot be deemed a want of candour to suppose, that fometimes the meaning of an author may be so far mistaken, as to occafion a criticism, which, upon fecond thoughts, you would wish to alter or retract. My partiality, perhaps, may lead me to think, that this remark is applicable to fome parts of your criticism on my Obfervations on the Blood. I fhall beg leave to point out a few paffages in which, I apprehend, you have miftaken my meaning, as well as that of Mr. Hewfon, whofe theory of fizy blood I have animadverted upon.

The firft paffage I shall take notice of is that, in which you reprefent me as allowing the fundamental principle of Mr. Hewfon's theory, and miftaking the meaning of his terms: "This" (Mr. Hewfon's) "doctrine is, that inflammation, instead of increafing, leffens the difpofition of blood to coagulate, and inftead of thickening, thins it, at least its coagulable part. And Mr. Hey, instead of controverting this fundamental principle, admits as a fact, that the surface of blood which is about to form a cruft of fize, remains much longer fluid, than that of blood in different circumstances. So far, then, they agree; but Mr. Hewfon fuppofes, that what floats on the furface of fuch blood is coagulable lymph, attenuated by the increased action of the blood veffels: whereas Mr. Hey contends, that it is coagulable lymph diluted with ferum. We must own, that the fet of experiments which Mr. Hey produces here, to prove (what nobody would doubt) that the izy cruft of blood really contains a wa tery or ferous part, does not feem to us at all conclufive against the opinion of Mr. Hewfon, who, by ufing the term attenuated, certainly