Tuckett, Esq. for Conspiracy, Assault, and false Imprisonment. At the Summer Assizes for the County of Dorset, July 25. 1818. Before Mr. Justice Park and a Special Jury. Taken from the Short-hand Notes of Mr. Richardson. 8vo. pp. 136. 3s. 6d. Baldwin and Co.

Though the editor of this pamphlet may be considered as friendly to the cause of Miss Glenn in this extraordinary transaction, he has evidently given a most impartial report of the proceedings; on the merits of which we shall make no comment, since we observe that the whole affair is again to fall under the cognizance of a court of justice. We understand that it is become quite a party-question in the county of Dorset, and that it is the determination of the friends of the defendants to persist in their endeavours to overturn the verdict. On which-ever side the right is, we say "Fiat justitia."

SINGLE SERMON S.

Art. 28. Preached on the Fourth of June, 1818, in the Parish Church of Holsworthy, in the County of Devon, at the First Anniversary of "The District Committee Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge," established in the Deanery of Holsworthy; published at the Request of the Society. By the Rev. William Holland Coham, A. M. 4to. Is. 6d. Exeter, Trewman and Co.

We entirely coincide with the judicious author of this sermon that, as the taking away of the cause of crime is preferable to its punishment, so the averting of poverty is infinitely more wise and benevolent than its relief.' Mr. Coham appears to think that this great object will be best effected by the founding and supporting of proper schools and seminaries for the destitute orphan, and for the children of such parents as have neither the means nor the ability of affording them useful instruction themselves.' The poor-laws, which minister relief to the corporeal wants and infirmities of mankind, have certainly been powerfully operative in relaxing industry, in diminishing foresight, and thus multiplying indigence. It is therefore time to try whether we cannot more effectually counteract the growth and lessen the extent of pauperism by intellectual expedients, or by the salutary influence of early education. This education must be such as will raise the tone of moral sentiment, impress a horror of mendicity, and excite a zealous desire of honourable independence: thus indefinitely augmenting the public stock of virtue and happiness.

Art. 29. The Benefits of Clerical Unanimity to the Establishment; preached at the Visitation of the Reverend Henry Bathurst, LL.B. Archdeacon of Norwich, at Blofield, Norfolk, by the Reverend Joseph L'Oste, LL.B. 8vo. IS. Baldwin and Co. 1819.

Mr. L'Oste strenuously eulogizes the excellence of our ecclesiastical establishment, and particularly expatiates on the benefits of relinquishing that practice of moral preaching which commenced with the Restoration. We are by no means equally

certain

certain that this mode of clerical teaching has been abandoned with any benefit to the public instruction of the people. It would be difficult to prove that the preaching of Christ was of that species which is, at this period, denominated Evangelical; and it appears rather to have deserved the name of Moral. The great use of preaching, indeed, is to improve the morals of the people; and how this effect is to be produced by principally directing the attention to what Mr. L'Oste calls the most august mysteries' of the Gospel, we must leave to that gentleman to demonstrate. Art. 30. The Christianity of the New Testament impregnable and imperishable: an Address occasioned by the Trial of Mr. Richard Carlile, for the Re-publication of Paine's Age of Reason, and delivered October 24th, 1819, in Behalf of a Sunday-School, containing nearly One hundred Children of both Sexes, at Worship-Street Chapel, Finsbury-Square. By John Evans, LL.D. Author of the "Sketch of the Denominations of the Christian World," &c. &c. 8vo. IS. Sherwood and Co.

The author of this address, who disapproves of prosecution in matters of religion,' has very laudably attempted to counteract the impression that has been recently made on the public mind by the extensive circulation of certain deistical writings. In this little tract the worthy author has adduced arguments in favour of the truth of Christianity, which will be found adapted to the most ordinary capacity; and we heartily wish him success in so praiseworthy an undertaking. Christianity, when in the hands of proper advocates, will be found capable of supporting itself by its own inherent strength, and of recommending itself by its own native excellence.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Why did Momus tantalize us in so extraordinary and cruel a manner? True to his designation, indeed, he has made us laugh in concert with him: but he has excited the strongest desire for farther gratification, and we trust that he will not with-hold it.

A Post-Captain does us justice in concluding, from the several articles to which he alludes, that we are always anxious to pay attention to works which bring forwards the rights or narrate the high deeds of our Navy; and we believe that he will never find us deficient in this part of our duty, or failing to perform it with that superiority of interest and of information, which we believe we may claim, if our pages be compared with those of other periodical publications.

Upsilon will find the object of his search in the place in question.

The APPENDIX to Vol. XC. of the M. R. is published with this Number, and contains many interesting Foreign Articles, with the Title, Index, &c. for the Volume.

THE

MONTHLY REVIEW,

For FEBRUARY, 1820.

ART. I. Memoirs illustrative of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, Esq. F. R. S., Author of the "Sylva," &c. &c.; comprizing his Diary from the Year 1641 to 1705-6, and a Selection of his familiar Letters. To which is subjoined, the private Correspondence between King Charles I. and his Secretary of State, Sir Edward Nicholas, whilst his Majesty was in Scotland, 1641, and at other Times, during the Čivil War: also between Sir Edward Hyde, afterwards Earl of Clarendon, and Sir Richard Browne, Ambassador to the Court of France, in the Time of King Charles I. and the Usurpation. The whole now first published, from the original MSS. Edited by William Bray, Esq. Fellow and Treasurer of the Society of Antiquaries of London. 4to. Two Vols. pp. 680. in each. 51. 15s. 6d. Boards, Colburn. Colburn. 1819.

THE

HE works of John Evelyn form one of those old wells of English literature, into which we moderns are very glad to dip our thirsty buckets; for the waters which we draw from them, if not sparkling to the sight, are grateful to the palate; pure, undefiled, and refreshing. To scarcely any of our readers can the name of Evelyn be unknown, since his life is to be found in every biographical dictionary; and few of them, probably, are altogether unacquainted with his writings, some of which have obtained a permanent circulation and celebrity. It will not be necessary for us, on the present occasion, therefore, to engage in a formal narrative of the one, or a formal criticism on the other; and, as we shall have other interesting matter to detain us, incidental allusions to either of them will be all that we shall deem necessary: particularly as we can refer to some of the earlier volumes of our Review, where several of his publications are noticed: his Sculptura in O. S. vol. xii. p. 390.; his Sylva, (edited by Dr. Hunter, in quarto,) in vol. lvii. p. 428. and N. S. vol. lxxiv. p. 436.; and his Terra in O. S. vol. lx. p. 471.

The journal, which constitutes the bulk of the volumes before us, was written by the author in a very small close hand: it commences in 1641, and is carried on till within three weeks of his death, which happened February 27. 1705-6, in his REV. FEB. 1820. eighty

I

eighty-sixth year. This MS., with numberless other papers in his hand-writing, is in the valuable library at Wotton, which was chiefly collected by him. Mr. Evelyn was born October 31. 1620, at Wotton, in Surrey; received the elements of his education at the free school at Lewes, in Sussex; was entered of the Middle Temple, while yet at school, where he says he had been extremely remiss in his studies till the last year; and was admitted a fellow-commoner at Baliol College, Oxford, in 1637. In 1641, when this diary began, the distant thunder was first distinctly heard which portended that storm in which Charles I. was struck by the lightning of parliament. The Commons had already obtained a prodigious increase of authority, and the Earl of Strafford was in this year executed. I beheld,' says Evelyn, on Tower-Hill, the fatal stroke which severed the wisest head in England from the shoulders of the Earl of Strafford.' The King had not courage to save him. In this year, also, the High Commission and Star Chamber were abolished, and in the reduction of these hateful courts was annihilated the most dangerous of the royal prerogatives. The bishops were also impeached by parliament; and, in a few days afterward, the King, in a moment of exasperation, fatal to himself, accused Lord Kimbolton and five commoners of high treason, and sent a serjeantat-arms to seize the members in the House. Thus the diary of Mr. Evelyn, embracing a period of more than sixty years, includes one of the most interesting and eventful epochs of English history. He was born in the reign of James I., and lived in the busy and tumultuous times of Charles I., Charles II., James II., and William, Prince of Orange.

Two circumstances may be noticed which speak volumes as to Mr. Evelyn's character, manners, habits, and pursuits.

The first is, that he exercised so much discretion as to retain personal friends in the court of Cromwell, at the very time that he was corresponding with his father-inlaw, Sir Richard Browne, the ambassador of Charles II. at Paris; and, even while he paid his court to the King, he maintained his intimacy with a disgraced minister, Lord Clarendon. He was known to, and had much personal intercourse with, Charles II. and James II., and was likewise in habits of great intimacy with many of the ministers of those monarchs, as well as most of the eminent men of his day. With a fixed predilection for monarchy, says his editor, and with a personal attachment to these two kings, formed when they resided at Paris, he still was utterly averse to their arbitrary measures; and, strongly and steadily attached to the doctrine and practice of the Church of England, he felt the

most

most liberal sentiments for those who differed from him in opinion. He lived in intimacy with men of all persuasions, and spoke with great moderation of the Catholics in general, against whom he thought that some of the laws were too severe; while of the Jesuits he seems to have entertained the very worst opinion, and to have considered them as a most dangerous society.

Mr. Evelyn, however, to use a homely and expressive phrase, was no go-between: he sought not favour either with the round-heads or with the cavaliers; and he never compromised his opinions for the sake of his company. As his line

of politics was decided and well known, so also his great ambition was to be useful. Beneficence was the leading principle of his mind; and he pursued science with indefatigable labour, not as the idle object of gratification and amusement, but as it might lead him into the recesses of Nature, and unfold her mysterious operations for the benefit of mankind. Horace Walpole, in his Catalogue of Engravers, truly says of him that his life was a course of enquiry, study, curiosity, instruction, and benevolence. The works of the Creator, and the mimic labours of the creature, were all objects of his pursuit. He unfolded the perfection of the one, and assisted the imperfection of the other. He adored from examination; was a courtier that flattered only by informing his prince, and by pointing out what was worthy for him to countenance; and was really the neighbour of the Gospel; for there was no man that might not really have been the better for him." All the honours and preferments which he enjoyed were conferred on him without the least solicitation, and they were employed for the advantage of the public, not for himself. His father, indeed, had set before him an example of indifference to mere titular distinctions and courtly honours, which was not forgotten by the son. The following is a curious entry: "Rd. the 29. Oct. 1630, of Rich. Evlinge of Wottone, in the countye of Surr', Esq. by waie of composic'one to the use of his Matie. being appointed by his Matie. Collector for the same, for his fine for not appearinge at the time and place appoynted for receaving order of kthood, the somme of fivetey pound; I say receaved, Thos. Crymes." In like manner, we find John Evelyn frequently refusing from both Charles I. and Charles II. the offer of knighthood, and once of being created a knight of the Bath.

A remarkable evidence of his attachment to the royal cause, and of his confidence in a very leading person in the parliamentary interest, is thus noticed in his Diary, under the date, December 10. 1659:

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