tion of the plan, fo long as the prefent mode of levying rates for the poor fhall continue to fubfift. For is it not evident, that one parish would be induced, when application was made to it for the relief of a pauper's family, to throw the burden upon fome other parish, perhaps lefs able to bear it, which might very eafily be done, by giving the applicants money enough (and fomething more) to pay their expences to fuch parish? Would it not also have a ftrong tendency to difcourage the eftablishment of manufactories, fince in many a poor parish where manufactories are established, and many hundred hands employed; if the proprietors were to fail, and the workmen to become chargeable to the parifh in which they live, it might prove the ruin of every other inhabitant of the parish? Various other objections of a fimilar defcription fuggeft themfelves to our minds, but these will fuffice to fhow the nature of our apprehenfions on the fubject. All these objections, however, might be removed by one plain and fimple alteration, and we are rather furprized, that it did not occur to the worthy author; the abolition of the prefent mode of levying poorrates, and the substitution of a general pound-rate, throughout the kingdom; in other words the converfion of the parochial tax into a national tax. There may, poffibly, be ferious objections to this plan; but, we confefs, they do not at present occur to our minds; it certainly would be attended with the eminent advantage of fimplifying the whole fyftem, and of deftroying many abuses which, no doubt, exist at present.

To the following propofitions of the author, no folid objection can, we think, be urged.

"But if it fhould not be thought expedient at prefent to make any alteration in the law of fettlements, I should then fubmit to confideration the propriety of making the following regulations: FIRST, that all orders of removal fhould be figned by one magiftrate only; this would prevent the delay and difficulty which now attends the getting two magiftrates to hold a petty feffions, without which no removal can legally take place: SECONDLY, that a copy of fuch order, and the pauper's examination, properly certified, fhould be fent to the parish to which the pauper is ordered to be removed; and, if fuch parish admit the fettlement, then to allow and pay fuch fum towards his maintenance as was usual in the parish where he then refided; but if this should be refused, then to be at the expence of removing him to his own parish and, THIRDLY, that, if the fettlement fhould be difputed, the reafons for appealing against the order of removal should be given in writing at the time of delivering notice of appeal, and a copy of fuch reafons left with the clerk of the peace; and, upon the hearing of the appeal, the court to order, if they fee the proper, keeping and removing the pauper.

of

expence

"The

"The adoption of this mode would not only fave the expence of removal, but would also, in a great measure, prevent frivolous and vexatious appeals."

The author remarks that, in former times, one-third of the tithes of the church were devoted to the fupport of the poor; and feems to infinuate that recourse ought to be had to a fimilar means of fupporting them at prefent. He obferves that thofe titles have long fince been diverted to ecclefiaftical purposes." But furely he cannot have forgotten how very confiderable a portion of these tithes were diverted from " ecclefiaftical purpofes" at the time of the reformation, and are now in the hands of lay-impropriators; and how very inadequate a fupport the remaining part of them now afford to the clergy of the eftablifhed Church.

On fuch a fubject as the Poor-rates, great difference of opinion has exifted, and, in all probability will continue to exift, among the most able and beft intentioned men. But on one

point, we conceive, there can be no difference, viz. that the enormous fums which have, of late years, been raised for the fupport of the poor are not only a national grievance but a national difgrace. Formerly the indigent man difdained to apply for parochial relief until compelled by abfolute neceffity; and even then the fhame and diftrefs, evident in his countenance, ftrongly marked the reluctance with which he made his application. But now the young, the healthy, and the strong, particularly in the metropolis and its vicinity, do not blush to demand, with a tone of affurance and importunity, admission to the Poor-houfe, there to fubfift in idleness, on the labours of the industrious. This is a ferious evil to which an efficacious remedy ought to be immediately applied; it betrays a bafe, degenerate, fpirit; an abfence of all manly feeling; and a total want of that mental independence which gives a stimulus to useful labour and virtuous industry. To trace the fources of this degeneracy would be an important task; it would, we fear, be found to originate in a widely prevailing fpirit of immorality and irreligion. We fhall conclude our prefent obfervations on this interefting fubject by propofing one queftion for the confideration of reflecting minds;-Whether the vast increase of charitable contributions (fo honourable to the nation, in more points of view than one) has not had a direct tendency to produce a multiplication of their objects ?

Difcourfes, &c. on feveral Subjects. By the late Rev. Chriftopher Wells, B. D. formerly Fellow of Jefus College, Oxford;

THE

;

Oxford; and afterwards Rector of Remenham, Berks; 2 Vols. 8vo. PP. 994. 14s. in Boards. Leigh and Sotheby, and F. and C. Rivington. London. 1800. THERE is a peculiar delicacy due to the character of writers, whofe inedited compofitions fall into the hands of furviving friends. Incompetent, perhaps, to appreciate their merits, certainly partial to whatever dropped from the pens of those whom they admired and loved, while they travelled together on the journey of life, and of whom, when deprived of their pleafing and inftructive fociety, they often think with fresh regret; they may poffibly leffen the reputation, which they were folicitous to exalt: viewing, with the eye of affection, what will be feen with other eyes, when examined by the critic, they may differve the caufe which they wifhed to promote. Hence has it fometimes happened, that the literary fame of authors, of no mean note, has been confiderably diminished by injudicious editors; who, not difcriminating between what was left revifed and prepared for the prefs, and that which was never intended for the public eye, have done no honour to the memory of their departed friends. On the other hand, it ought not to be forgotten, that many useful and excellent works, calculated to advance the cause of religion, virtue, and learning, may be configned to unmerited oblivion, through an excess of modefty and diffidence, often as infeparable from genuine worth and extraordinary talents, as is arrogance or felf-conceit from ignorance or fuperficial learning. They, therefore, deferve well of mankind, who will take the pains to felect and prepare for pofthumous publication fuch valuable writings. In this latter clafs may these two volumes of Difcourfes and Letters be justly ranked.

Mr. WELLS, as is ftated in a fhort, but interefting, account of his life, prefixed to the firft volume, was a man

"Of an uncommonly great understanding, cultivated, with the utmost care, by deep study; having, from his earliest youth, read and confidered the best books, in the Greek language particularly ; in which he was allowed to be a most accurate scholar; which was an advantage in what he ftudied beyond all other things, the fcriptures, daily and hourly almoft; and, from his truly Chriftian temper, and difpofition, added to thofe other qualifications, he was peculiarly fitted for the tudy of divine things. He died in the year 1765, about 65 years of age.

His manufcripts, after his decease, fell into the hands of a

"If we miftake not, the late Rev. PHILIP Cocks, A. M, Rector of Acton, Middlesex."

NO. XXXI. VOL. VIII.

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very

very worthy divine, not long fince dead; to one of whofe brothers Mr. WELLS had proved himself a most valuable tutor and fincere friend; having received his young pupil, at the most critical period of his life, from the hands of a worthlefs and unprincipled profligate, who had abufed the confidence repofed in him by a moft refpectable family; "being unwearied in his endeavours to pervert his pupil's judgment, and corrupt his mind." To one, who had fnatched a tenderly -beloved brother from impending ruin," and inculcated into his mind the principles of true religion and virtue," every token of grateful refpect was due; and to one, entertaining no finall portion of veneration for the memory of fo truly amiable a character as Mr. W. appears to have been; having the Tame view of things, the fame fimplicity of character, the fame fuavity and calmnefs of temper, the fame great learning and reverence for the holy Scriptures, and being fo peculiarly qualified for the tafk; it would have proved a welcome office to revife and correct, for the prefs, fome of Mr. WELLS'S papers. This the excellent perfon, into whofe hands Mr, WELLS's writings fell, determined upon doing: but ill health foon difcouraged, and, at laft, difabled him, even from making a beginning. It now devolved to a furviving fifter, at an advanced period of life, to make the intended felection; and, with the affiftance of a clerical friend, who took upon himself the whole bufinefs of felecting, arranging and preparing the manufcripts for the prefs, and carrying them through it, two volumes of Sermons, with fome few Letters fubjoined, are now first published.

Having perused the Difcourfes with a confiderable degree of 'attention, we hefitate not to pronounce, that they poffefs the merit of being plain and practical fermons, written on Chrif tian principles, and defigned, with few exceptions, for the public inftruction of the inhabitants of a country parifh, of which Mr. Wells, for fome years before his death, was the incumbent. They are printed, as a fhort and affecting dedication of them to a female friend informs us, as they were written by the pious author, without any alteration or correction; and they exhibit a fpecimen of unadorned compofition, fuited to the comprehenfion of a country congregation. Though plain and fimple, they contain nothing in the ftyle or fentiment, beneath the dignity of the pulpit; and to readers, who take into their hands books on religious topics, rather for folid edification, than mere amufement, they will afford much fatisfaction. To us they present the venerable character of the pious parifh priest, inculcating, by line upon line, and precept upon precept," the fundamental doc

trines and great duties of Christianity; more attentive to things than words; more ftudious to edify his hearers, than to excite an admiration of himself by an oftentatious display of talents.

From these remarks the reader will not be led to expect either the elaborate difcuffion of abftrufe points in theology, or the lime labor, in the conftruction of the fentences: but he will not be disappointed, if he look for better things; for the pious inftruction of " a fcribe well inftructed unto the kingdom of God, who bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old." Having premifed thus much, we need only lay before our readers the Subjects of the feveral difcourfes contained in the two volumes, and make fome few extracts, which will enable them, in fome measure, to form their opinion of Mr. Wells's merit, both as a writer and a divine.

The first volume contains 30 Difcourfes on the following topics; viz. I. The firft and fecond Advent of Christ, 2 Theff. i. 1o. II. Chrift the Saviour of Sinners, Matt. i, 21. III. Prophetical Representations of Chrift's Salvation, Matt. i. 21. IV. Chrift the Dayspring from on high, Luke i. 78, 79. V. The Nativity of Chrift, Luke ii. 10, 1. VI. The Death of Chrift, 2 Cor. v. 20, 21. VII. The Refurrection of Chrift, 1 Cor. xv. 14. VIII. The Afcenfion of Christ, Acts. i. 9. IX. The Gift of Tongues, Acts. ii. 16, 17, X. The Divinity of Chrift, John i. 18. XI. The Rite of Confirmation, Mark x. 14, 15. XII. The Excellency of the Law of the Jews, (preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the Univerfity, Nov. 10, 1754) Pfalm xix. 9, 10, 11, XIII. The firft and great Commandment, Matt. xxii. 37, 38. XIV. The Witness of God in fruitful Seasons, Acts xiii. 17. XV. The Knowledge of God, a Call to honour and obey him in our lives, Rom. i. 20, 21. XVI. The Goodness of God, Pfalm cxlv. 9. XVII. The divine Mercy the proper Motive to Charity, Ephef. iv. 31, 32. XVIII. The Meature and Rewards of Beneficence, Luke vi. 36, 37, 38. XIX. The Creation of Man in the Image of God, Genefis i. 26, 27. XX. Religious Gratitude and Admiration of the Works of God, Pfalm viii. 6, 7, 8, 9. XXI. Love of Friends and Country, Luke vii. 4, 5, 6. XXII. Dependence on God's Providence, Matt. vi. ii. XXIII. The Marriage Feaft, Matt. xxii. 2. XXIV. The unjuft Steward, Luke xvi. 10, 11, 12. XXV. The Pearl of great Price, Matt. xiii. 45, 46. XXVI. The Gofpel a Light and Joy to the World, Ephef. v. 14. XXVII. Confeffion of Sins to God, Matt. i. 6. XXVIII. Godly Sorrow, 2 Cor. viis 10. XXIX. The Penitent reftored, Pfalm li. 12. XXX. God the Chrif tian's Supreme Good, Pfalm cxix. 57.

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