IT REFLECTIONS ON FREE THINKING, is a very wonderful thing, that a being fuch as man, placed on a little globe of arth, in a little corner of the univerfe; cut off from all communication with the other fyftems which are dispersed through the immenfity of space; imprifoned, as it were, on the fpot where he happens to be born; almost utterly ignorant of the variety of fpiritual existencies; and circumfcribed in his know. ledge of material things, by their remoteness, magnitude, or minutenefs; a stranger to the very nature of the pebbles on which he treads; unacquainted, or but very obfcurely informed by his natural faculties of his condition after death; it is wonderful that a being fuch as this, should reluctantly receive, or faftidiously reject the instruction of the Eternal God! Or, if this be saying too much, that he should haftily, and negligently, and triumphantly conclude, that the Supreme Being never had condescended to instruct the race of man. It might properly have been expected, that a rational being, fo circumftanced, would have feduloudly inquired into a fubject of fuch valt importance; that he would not have fuffered himself to be divert ed from the investigation, by the purfuits of wealth, or honour, or any temporal concern; Inuch lefs by notions taken up without attention, arguments admitted without examinanation, or prejudices imbibed in early youth, from the profane ridicule, or impious jettings, of fenfual and immoral men. It is from the influence of fuch prejudices that I would guard the rifing part of the generation committed to our care, by recommending a ferious perufal of the tracts which are here prefented to them. Let them not refufe to follow this advice, because it is given by a churchman. He can have no poffible interest in giving it, except what may refult from the confciousness of endeavouring to discharge his duty, and the hope of being serviceable to them in this world and the next. They need not queftion his veracity, when he speaks of Religion as being ferviceable to them in this world; for it is a trite objection, and grounded on a misapprehenfion of the design of Chriftianity, which would reprefent it an intolerable yoke, fo oppofite to the propenfities, as to be utterly destructive of the felicity of the human mind. It is, in truth, quite the reverse. There is not a fingle precept in the Gofpel, without excepting either that which ordains the forgivenets of injuries, or that which commands every one ifto poffefs his veffel in fanctification and honour," which is not calculated to promote our happiness. ChrifFanity regulates, but does not extinguish our affections, and in the due regulation of our affections coufifts our happiness as reasonabl beings. If there is one condition in this liß happier than another, it is, furely, that of him who founds all his hopes of futurity on the promises of the Gofpel; who carefully en deavours to conform his actions to its pre cepts; Jooking upon the great God Almighty as his Protector here, his Rewarder here after, and his everlafting Preferver. This i a frame of mind fo perfective of our nature that if Chriftianity, from a belief of which only it can be derived, were as certainly falfe as it is certainly true, one could not help wishing that it were univerfally received in the world. Unbelievers attempt to make profelytes to infidelity, by prefling on the minds of the unlearned in fcripture knowledge, the authorities of Bolingbroke, Vol taire, Helvetius, Hume, and other Deistical writers. It is proper that young men should be furnished with a ready answer to argue ments in favour of infidelity, which are taken from the high literary character of those who profefs it; let them remember then that Bacon, Boyle, Newton, Grotius, Locke, Euler, that Addifon, Hartley, Haller, Weft, Jenyns,—that Lords Nottingham, King, Barrington, Lyttelton, with an hundred other laymen, who were furely as eminent for their literary attainments in every kind of fcience as either Bolingbroke or Voltaire, were profeffed believers of Chriftianity. I am quite aware that the truth of Christianity cannot be established by authorities; but neither can its falfehood be fo established. Arguments ad uerecundiam have little weight with thofe who know how to use any other; but they have weight with the lazy and the ignorant on both fides of the question. But though I have here fuggefted to young men a ready answer to fuch of their profligate acquaintance as may wish to work upon their preju dices in favour of infidelity; yet I hope they will not content themselves with being prejudiced even in favour of Chriftianity. They will find, in this Collection, fuch solid arguments in fupport of its truth, as cannot fail to confirm them, on the most rational grounds, in the belief of the Gofpel difpenfation. They may wonder, perhaps, if religion be so useful a thing as is here reprefented, that their parents fhould feldom or never have converfed with them on the fubject. If this fhould be the fact, I can only fay, that it is a neglect of all others the most to be regretted, And indeed our mode of education, as to religious knowledge, is very defective. The child is inftructed in its catechifm before it is able to comprehend its meaning; and that is ufually all the domestic inftruction which if ever receives. But whatever be the negligence of pareats in teaching their children Chriftiani ty, or how forcibly foever the maxims and customs of the world may confpire in confirming men in infidelity, it is the duty of thofe, to whom the education of youth is intrufted, Dot to defpair. Their diligence will have its ufe; it will prevent a bad matter from becoming worfe; and if this "foolishness of preaching," into which I have been betrayed on this occafion, has but the effect of making even one young man of fortune examine into the truth of the Chriftian religion, who would not otherwife have done it, I fhall not repent the having been "inftant out of feafon." Difcite, O miferi, et caufas cognofcite rerum Quid fumus, et quidnam victuri gignimur: ordo Quis datus ;Jurit. quem te Deus effe Thefe were queftions which even the Heathen moralifts thought it a shame for a man never to have confidered. How much more cenfurable are thofe among ourselves who wate their days in folly or vice, without ever reflecting upon the providential difpenfation under which they live; without having any fublimer piety, any purer morality, any better hopes of futurity than the Heathens had. **** The freedom of enquiry which has fubfifted in this country, during the prefent century, has eventually been of great fervice to the cause of Christianity. It must be acknowledged, that the works of our deistical writers have made fome few converts to infidelity at home; and that they have furnished the Elprits Forts of France, and the Frey Geifters of Germany with every material objection to our religion, which they have of late years difplayed with much affectation of originality; but at the fame time we must needs allow, that these works have ftimulated fome diftinguished characters among the laity, and many among the clergy, to exert their talents in removing fuch difficulties in the Chriftian system, as would otherwise be likely to perplex the unlearned, to fhipwreck the faith of the unstable, and to induce a reluctant fcepticism into the minds of the most serious and beft-intentioued. Some difficulties ftill remain; and it would be a miracle greater than any we are inftructed to believe, if there remained none; if a being with but five fcanty inlets of knowledge, feparated but yefterday from his mother Earth, and to-day finking again into her bofom, could fathom the depths of the wifdom and knowledge of "Him, which is, which was, and which is to come-the Lord God Almighty, to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever." For the EUROPEAN MAGAZINE. ORIGINAL LETTER from THOMAS COOKE, TRANSLATOR of HESIOD, &c. to Mr. BAKER. GIVE IVE me leave to affure you that I am much ashamed of giving you so much trouble as I have done of late; but I fhall henceforward, now the Parliament fits, free you from expence when I take the like freedom. In an English work which I am now publishing, I have frequent occafion to afe Gabriel Faernus's name; and I am at a lofs to know what name to call him by in Enth. Faern is no Italian termination, and if his name was Farnefe, I should think the Latin would have been Farnefius. If you will be fo good as to inform me what name you would call him by in English, I shall be much obliged to you, which he poffeffed many years, and fold for fix hundred pounds, about the year 1720. The late Earl of Pembroke was continually fending him prefents for nine or ten years past. He fent him, about eight years ago, thirty guineas at one time by Sir Andrew Fountaine, fince which time he has fent him feveral times in a year, five and two guineas. at a time by me. About two years ago he received an hundred pounds by the hands of Mr. Morrice, juft as he came from vifiting his father-in-law Dr. Atterbury in France. Mr. Morrice fayed he was ordered not to tell from whom it came, nor did Mr. Dennis ever know; though he has fayed he believed from Dr. Atterbury; "but that's uncertain; the circumstances 1 fuppofe made him guess him," and 'tis not certain that Dr. Atterbury did not fend it. Sir Robert Walpole to my knowledge has allowed him not less than twenty pounds a-year for feveral years till he died, on no other confideration but his age and infirmities, and his having made a figure in the republic of letters. A few weeks before he died he had a benefit given him by one of our Theatres, by which he got above a hundred pounds. Thefe are facts Till I had the favour of your last, I was under a mistake about Mr. Dennis's age and college. The Papers fayed he was in great want before he died; if so, poor gentleman, it was partly owing to his own extravagance, for what I now tell you, you may depend on, as on your own existence. After having fpent his own fortune, which was left him by his uncle, who was an Alderman of London, whether his father's or mother's brother I cannot tell, the late Duke of Mariborough gave him a King's waiter's place * At the Haymarket; on which occafion Mr. Pope wrote a prologue, which was spo by Mr. Cibber junior. See Pope's Works, vol. VI. N 2 which which I relate with certainty: befides all Your commands will reach me at Mr. London, Jan. 24, 1734. To the Reverend Mr. Baker, of St. John's College, Cambridge. Johannes Dennis, Francifci filius ephippiarii, Londini natus, literifq; Gram. inftitutus per an. fub Magiftro Ellys, deinde apud Harrowe fub Magiftro Horne per quinquennium, admiffus eft Jan. 13, 1675, Penf. Min. in Comm, Scholar. an. natus 18, fub tutelâ Magiftri Ellys. Joh. Dennis, Coll. Caii, Art. Bac. 1679. Regr. Joh. Dennis died an. 1733-4, buried at St. Martin's church, London, Jan. 19, 1733-4. 1 CHARACTERS, ANECDOTES, and OBSERVATIONS, by the e Dr. SAMUEL JOHNSON. [From Mr. BOSWELL'S "TOUR to the HEBRIDES," lately published.] * This nobleman, when Earl of Itay, began a fpeech in the Houfe of Peers with, "My Lords, I am a Prefbyterian, &c." we !" we!" a peculiar exclamation of his when he in 1667, was ftill very well toned. She rjoices. propter vitam vivendi perdere caufas. He repeated the lines with great force and dignity; then added, "And, after this, comes Johnny Home, with his earth gaping and his deftruction crying :-Pooh !" Music. Mifs M'Lean gave us feveral tunes on a Spinnet, which, though made fo long ago as N° fung along with it. Dr. Johnfon feemed pleafed with the mufic, though he owns he peither likes it, nor has hardly any perception of it. At Mr. Macpherson's in Slate, he told us, that “He knew a drum frøm a trumpet, and a bagpipe from a guittar, which was about the extent of his knowledge of mufic." To-night he said, that," If he had learnt mufic, he fhould have been afraid he would have done nothing else than play. It was a method of employing the mind, without the labour of thinking at all, and with some applaufe from a man's felf." We had the mufic of the bagpipe every day at Armidale, Dunvegan, and Col. Dr. Johnson appeared fond of it, and used often to ftand for fome time with his ear clofe to the great drone. Mr. HARRIS. At Lord Monboddo's, after the conversation upon the decrease of learning in England, his Lordship mentioned Hermes by Mr. Harris of Salisbury, as the work of a living author for whom he had a great respect. Dr. Johnson faid nothing at the time; but when we were in our poft-chaife, told me, he thought Harris "a coxcomb." This he faid of him, not as a man, but as an author; and I give his opinions of men and books, faithfully, whether they agree with my own or not. I do admit, that there always appeared to me fomething of affectation in Mr. Harris's manner of writing; fomething of a habit of clo- . thing plain thoughts in analytick and categorical formality. But all his writings are imbued with learning; and all breathe that philanthropy and amiable difpofition which distin guished him as a man †. O part of the practice of medicine is of greater importance, or merits more the attention of the phyfician, as many lives are loft, and numbers ruin their healths, by cold bathing, and an imprudent use of the mineral waters. On fome future occafion I may probably refume this fubject, as I know not any work that contains a fufficient num BATHING, ber of practical observations to regulate the patient's conduct in the use of these active and important medicines. Without a proper difcrimination with regard to the disease and the conftitution of the patient, the most powerful medicine is more likely to do harm than good. Every one knows that the fame physician who, by cold "This Gentleman, though devoted to the study of grammar and dialecticks, was notffo abforbed in it as to be without a sense of pleasantry, or to be offended at his favourite topicks being treated lightly. I one day met him in the street, as I was haftening to the House of Lords, and told him, I was forry I could not stop, being rather too late to attend an appeal of the Duke of Hamilton against Douglas. "I thought (faid he) their contest had been over long ago." I answered, "The conteft concerning Douglas's filiation was over long ago; but the conteft now is, who shall have the eftate." Then affuming the air of "an ancient fage Philofopher," I proceeded thus: "Were I to predicate concerning him, I should say, the conteft formerly was, What is he? The conteft now is, What has he?"-" Right, (replied Mr. Harris, fmiling,) you have done with quality, and have got into quantity." be more effentially answered by the applica tion of falt water. This ought not only to be preferred on account of its fuperior gravity, but likewife for its greater power of stimulating the skin, which promotes the perfpiration, and prevents the patient from catching cold. bathing, cured Auguftus, by an imprudent ufe of the fame medicine killed his heir. This induced the Roman fenate to make laws for regulating the baths, and preventing the numerous evils which arofe from an imprudent and promifcuous ufe of thofe elegant and fashionable pieces of luxury. But as no fuch laws exift in this country, every one does. It is neceffary, however, to observe, that that which is right in his own eyes, and of cold bathing is more likely to prevent, than courfe many must do wrong. to remove obstructions of the glandular or lymphatic fyftem. Indeed, when these have arrived at a certain pitch, they are not to be removed by any means. In this cafe the cold bath will only aggravate the symptoms, and hurry the unhappy patient into an untimely grave. It is therefore of the utmost importance, previous to the patient's entering upon the use of the cold bath, to determine whe ther or not he labours under any obftinate obftructions of the lungs, or other viscera; and where this is the cafe, cold bathing ought strictly to be prohibited. A nervous asthma, or an atrophy, may be mistaken for a pulmonary confumption; yet, in the two former, the cold bath proves often beneficial, though I never knew it fo in the latter. Indeed, all the phthifical patients I ever faw, who had tried the cold bath, were evidently the worfe for it. People are apt to imagine that the fimple element of water can do no hurt, and that they may plunge into it at any time with impunity. In this, however, they are much mistaken. I have known palfies and apoplexies occafioned by going into the cold bath, fevers excited by staying too long in it, and other maladies fo much aggravated by its continued ufe, that they could never be wholly eradicated. Nor are examples wanting, either in ancient or modern times, of the baneful confequences which have arifen alfo from an injudicious application of the warm bath; but as warm baths are not fo common in this country, and are feldom ufed but under the direction of a physician, I fhall not enlarge on that part of the subject. Immersion in cold water is a custom which Jays claim to the most remote antiquity: indead it must have been coeval with man himself. The neceflity of water for the purpofes of cleanliness, and the pleasure arifing from its application to the body in hot countries, muft very early have recommended it to the human species. Even the example of other animals was fufficient to give the hint. By inftinct many of them are led to apply cold water in this manner; and fome, when deprived of its ufe, have been known to languith, and even to die. But whether the practice of cold bathing arofe from neceffity, reafoning, or imitation, is an inquiry of no importance; our bufinefs is to point out the advantages which may be derived from it, and to guard people against an improper use of it. The cold bath recommends itself in a variety of cafes; and is peculiarly beneficial to the inhabitants of populous cities, who in dulge in idleness, and lead fedentary lives. In perfons of this defcription the action of the folids is always too weak, winch induces a languid circulation, a crude indigested mass of humours, and obstructions in the capillary veffels and glandular fyftem. Cold water, from its gravity as well as its tonic power, is well calculated either to obviate or remove thefe fymptoms. It accelerates the motion of the blood, promotes the different fecretions, and gives permanent vigour to the folids. But all these important purposes will In what is called a plethoric state, or too great a fulness of the body, it is likewife dangerous to use the cold bath, without due preparation. In this cafe there is great danger of burtting a blood-veffel, or occafioming an inflammation of the brain, or fome of the vifcera. This precaution is the more neceffary to citizens, as most of them live full, and are of a grofs habit. Yet, what is very remarkable, these people refort in crowds every season to the fea-fide, and plunge into the water without the leaft confideration. No doubt they often escape with impunity, but does that give a fanétion to the practice? Perions of this defcription ought by no means to bathe, unless the body has been previously prepared by bleeding, purging, and a spare diet. Another clafs of patients who ftand peculiarly in need of the bracing qualities of cold water, is the nervous. This includes a great number of the male, and almost all the female inhabitants of great cities. Yet even those persons ought to be cautious in ufing the cold bath. Nervous people have often weak bowels, and may, as well as others, be fubject to congestions and obstructions of the vifcera; and in this cafe they will not be able to bear the effects of the cold water. For them, therefore, and indeed for all delicate people, the best plan would be to accuftorn themselves to by the most pleasing and gen |