amination, as the etymology and derivation fufficiently indicate, and confequently must be mifunderstood (as it frequently is) when applied to general and received opinions, which are ufually founded on mature judgment and deliberate attention. The author of this epiftle has, amongst many others, adopted this mifconception of the term, as our readers will be convinced of, when we inform them that the prejudices which this gentleman means to guard his friend against, are nothing lefs than the immortality of the foul, and the certainty of a future ftate; prejudices which our author, in the metre of Sternhold and Hopkins, endeavours most warmly, though not very poetically, to extirpate. That his arguments are neither very new nor very cogent, will appear from the following lines. "T' anatomife the foul is vain; Vain too all human art, To trace it reasoning with the brain, "Had it an effence of its own, Why do the pangs that wound the one, • What is it then? 'tis action, thought, With us alike to reafon brought, It with us finks to death.' Such is our author's religion? let us hear his philofophy. Matter remains the fame : 'Tis the fame animating feed, The fame prolific fire, Gives dogs their inftinct, horfes speed, Or warms Achilles' ire.' Such religion and fuch philofophy naturally take shelter in the Epicurean fystem. Dona præfentis cape lætus hora. Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. A refolution to which his political Pylades, to whom it is addreffed, will probably have no objection. We are not therefore furprised that the poem fhould thus conclude. The prefent's thine-fate rules the rest No future terrors fear; Enjoy the fleeting hour; be bleft And make thy heaven here,' We We cannot but be of opinion that the measure made use of in this little piece is ill adapted to a fubject fo ferious and important, and the poetry too indifferent to do any mifchief; from fuch antagonists, therefore, religion has little to fear; Christianity may fay in the words of Terence: Utinam fic fient, male qui mihi volunt! Poems by Ab. Portal. 8vo 55. Sewed. Kearfly. The poetical character of this writer is fufficiently known to the generality of our readers by his former publications, Olindo and Sophronia, a tragedy; War, an ode; Innocence, a poetical effay; and four Nuptial Elegies. These, and about twenty other pieces on various fubjects, compofe the prefent collection. Among thofe that might be mentioned with applaufe, is an elegy, entitled Cynthia, the production of an ingenious lady, whofe name, we are told, is Mrs. H-lt - n. The author has dedicated his Poems to R. B. Sheridan, efq. in fome complimentary verses, which have a confiderable share of the poetic spirit. An Enquiry into the Authenticity of the Poems afcribed to Offian, By W. Shaw. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Murray. Soon after those poems were first published, doubts of their authenticity were entertained by feveral perfons, particularly by Dr. Johnson; who, in his Tour into the Hebrides, has endeavoured to fupport his opinion with a variety of arguments. Since that time, the authenticity of thofe poems has been no lefs zealoufly afferted by Mr. Smith and Mr. M' Nicol; the latter of whom even affirmed, that the original, written in the Galic language and character, might be seen by any person who should apply to John Mackenzie, efq. of the Temple, Secretary to the Highland Society. The author of this Enquiry labours to con firm the opinion entertained by Dr. Johnson; in fupport of which he specifies a number of circumstances, relative to the internal and external evidence of the authenticity of the poems. He informs us, that in fpring 1778, he fet out for the Highlands and Hebrides, to collect vocables for a Galic Dictionary; refolved alfo to make enquiry, in this excurfion, concerning the Poems, of Offian that, after the most induftrious fearch, he could not obtain from the inhabitants any oral fpecimen of Offian's Poems; nor had he greater fuccefs in all his enquiries after manufcripts: that fuch as he had heard of the former, or feen of the latter, were only the compofitions of the fifteenth century. He adds, that, on his return to London, he waited on Mr. Mackenzie in the Temple; when looking over the volumes in manufcript, which, he fays, are written in the Irifh dialect and character, on the subject of Irish and Highland genealogy, he could find in them no compofitions of Ofhan. Such Such is the evidence produced by this writer again! the authenticity of Offian's Poems. His arguments are drawn up with a confiderable degree of plaufibility: but, in refpect to facts, he has given us no other teftimony than his own unfupported affertion. This circumftance merits the greater regard, as one ancedote which he mentions relative to Dr. Ferguson, has been pofitively contradicted by that gentleman, in the public papers. NOVE L. S. The Hifiory of the Hon. Mrs. Rofemont, and Sir Henry Cardigan. 2 vols. Small 8vo. 5s. fewed. Hookham. Though this novel be founded on fome improbable circumftances, and the narrative be, in feveral places, deftitute of natural connection, it discovers many traces of a lively fancy; the characters are not only well fupported, but happily contrafted with each other; and the whole, if we except fome grammatical inaccuracies, is written in an easy and agreeable manner. Mafquerades; or What you will. 4 vols. Small 8vo. 125. Bew. This novel, the production of the author of Eliza Warwick, may justly lay claim to entertainment, which is, however fometimes precluded by an unpleafing prolixity. But its principal blemishes are a levity of fentiment that occafionally breaks forth in oppofition to moral restraint.. Diftressed Virtue, or the Hiftory of Mifs Harriet Nelfon. 3 vols. I 2mo. 95. Noble. Virtue in diftrefs in an interefting object; but its effects are totally frustrated by the incapacity of this writer. DIVINIT Y. Sermons preached before the Univerfity of Cambridge. By Peter Stephen Goddard, D. D. 8vo. 45. boards. Rivington. In an academical pulpit, it is expected that a preacher should rather difplay his ingenuity than his picty. When we there fore fee a volume of fermons, lately preached before one of our univerfities, we are led to expect, not a collection of merely practical difcourfes, arguments in fupport of felf-evident propofitions, and inftructions adapted to the capacities of old women; but fome learned and judicious illuftrations of fcripture, fome important doctrines of Chriftianity rationally explained and defended, fome new enquiries, fome curious difquifitions, or, if the fubjects fhould be trite and exhaufted, fome fpecimens of genuine, oratory. Dr. Goddard has given us fourteen fermons on the following fubjects: A true and zealous Chriftian the greatest and best of Characters; Eternal Life clearly and fully revealed by the Gofpel only; only; Ridicule the Teft of Truth; the Freedom of Man's Will confiftent with the Grace of God; our Lord's Treatment of the Woman of Canaan explained and juftified; Needlefs Curiofity; a Day of Grace and a Day of Wrath; Sins of Infirmity and Sins of Prefumption; Covetoufnefs Idolatry; Criminal Compliances with prevailing Customs; Hezekiah's Behaviour on receiving the Meffage from God by Ifaiah; Duty of Prayer; Duty of the Preacher and his Hearers; Adoratio Dei, Concio ad Clerum. In thefe difcourfes the learned and fpeculative reader will find but a moderate entertainment. The author's manner of writing is plain, fimple, and unaffected. But the generality of his obfervations are trite and obvious; and his ftyle not always correct. The following are fome of thofe verbal inaccuracies, which we have obferved in this volume: The belt rules, though never [ever] fo well applied,' ́p. 242.—' Our hearts defire is that our people might [may] be faved,' p. 243.- What is spoke [spoken] to them,' p. 236. The advantages he lays under' [lies under] p. 248. It may 'be faid, that these are small and inconfiderable defects; but we fee no reason, why ungrammatical expreffions should be lefs exceptionable in the English language than in Latin or Greek. Th Neceffity of Religion to National Profperity. A Sermon preached at the Affizes, bolden at Hertford, on Monday, 30th of July, 1781. By the Rev. Ludlow Holt, LL.D. 4tc. Rivington. IS The author of this difcourfe, with great propriety and energy, reprefents the neceffity of religion to national profperity. A new Translation with a Paraphrafe of fome Parts of Ecclefiaftes. 8vo. id. Lowndes. Whether this is only a fpecimen, or all the tranflator means to publish, we are not informed. The tranflation differs very confiderably from the common verfion; but the author enters into no critical enquiries. His performance appears to difadvantage in its prefent form, which is, with refpect to paper and type, no better than the History of Robin Hood, or Tom Thumb. Hymns in Profe for Children. I 2mo. IS. Johnson. Two small volumes were published in 1778; the first intitled, Leffons for Children from two to three years old; the second, Leffons for Children of three years old. In 1779, two other volumes were published on the fame plan; viz. Leffons for Chil dren of three years old, part II. Leffons for Children from three to four years old *. Two fimilar productions were published about the beginning of the prefent year, by other hands. See Crit. Rev. Jan, 1781. This This volume is a continuation of the former, and is intended to give the young reader a proper idea of the Creator and his works. It is the production of Mrs. Barbauld, and is written with that delicacy of style and fentiment which appears in all the compofitions of that ingenious lady. CONTROVERSIAL. The General Doctrine of Toleration applied to the particular Cafe of Free Communion. By Robert Robinson. 8vo. 15. Buckland. The purport of this tract is to fhew, that it is juft and right, and agreeable to the revealed will of Chrift, that baptist churches fhould admit into their fellowship fuch perfons as defire admiffion on profeffion of faith and repentance; though they refuse to be baptized by immerfion, because they fincerely believe they have been rightly baptized by fprinkling in their infancy. We should confider this writer as a rational advocate for religious toleration, did not his invectives against infant baptism, by fprinkling, induce us to believe, that he is tinctured with a little of the old leaven; and not entirely free from a fuperftitious attachment to the mere forms and ceremonies of religion. Remarks on Mr. Lindfey's Differtation upon praying to Chrift. Alfo a Second Letter to the rev. Mr. Jebb, (now Dr. Jebb.} Svo. 25. Crowder. up In the Differtation, which has given occafion to these Remarks, Mr. Lindsey endeavours to fhew the unlawfulness of all religious addreffes to Jefus Chrift. He therefore afferts, that Christ never taught men to worship or pray to himfelf. The author of this tract allows the truth of this affertion; but contends, that our Saviour has declared, there would be honour due to him by his Father's grant, in fuch language, as may comprehend fupplication to him, as well as any other inftance of respect.'—Mr. Lindfey maintains, that the religious worship of Chrift, in the offering of prayer to him, is not deducible from his character, office, or any divine power afcribed to him. This writer, on the other hand, alleges, that it is deducible from what the fcripture fays of his exaltation as a prince and a faviour, to give repentance and remiffion of fins, of his being the head over all things to the church, of his having the keys of hades, &c.-Mr. Lindley ob ferves, that Chrift has entirely precluded the offering of religious worship to himself, or any other perfon whatever, by always praying to his heavenly Father, and uniformly directing others to pray to him alone. Our author infists, that it is false reasoning to fay, because Chrift gave his difciples a model for their fupplications to the Father, that he himself is never to be invoked; that he has given his approbation to this divine precept, fhalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only fhalt thou ferve;' and yet he fays to his difciples, Joh. xii. 26. If any man ferve Thou me |