propofer may form his judgement: but hitherto, as judges, they have not had occafion to declare themselves. But, laftly, I think there is no doubt to be made, that the whole truth, fo far as could be discovered after fixteen or feventeen years, is clearly on the one fide or the other of this caufe; and that the judges will have no difficulty in determining it; although it is natural to think, that those whole bufinefs does not lead them to investigate intricate truths, may find a great deal. I am, &c. SIR, B. C. London, Feb. 1767. IT must be matter of concern to all true lovers of found philofophy, to hear, that the unhappy quarrel between David Hume, Efq; and Mr Rouffeau, is never likely to be made up, as the latter hath actually commenced a fuit against the former in one of our courts of juftice. Very fortunately, by an acquaintance with a clerk of the court, I have it in my power to oblige the reader with the heads of the indictment laid by the author of Emilius against our celebrated hiftorian. I am allured by my friend, whofe veracity I never yet found any reafon to doubt, that the following is a copia vera. Heads of an indictment laid by F. F. R. Philofopher, against D. H. Éfq; [xxviii. 695.] I. That the faid D. H. to the great fcandal of philofophy, not having fitnefs of things before his eyes, did concert a plan with Meff. Tronchin, Voltaire, and d'Alembert, to ruin the faid J. J. R. for ever, by bringing him over to England, and there fettling him to his heart's con tent. II. That the faid D. H. did, with a malicious and traitorous intent, procure, or cause to be procured, by him felf, or fome body elfe, one penfion of the yearly value of 100l. or thereabouts, to be paid to the faid J. J. R. on account of his being a philofopher, either privately or publicly, as to him the faid J. J. R. fhould feem meet. III. That the faid D. H. did, one night, after he left Paris, put the faid J. J. R. in bodily fear, by talking in his fleep; although the faid J. J. R. doth not know whether the faid D. H. were really afleep, or whether he fhammed Abraham, or what he meant. IV. That, at another time, as they, the faid D. H, and the faid J. J. R. were fitting oppofite each other by the firein London, he the said D. H. did look him the faid J. J. R. in a manner which it is difficult to give any ide That he the faid J. J. R. to get rid of embarraffment he was under, endeavo ed to look full at him the faid D. H. return, to try if he could not ftare I out of countenance; but in fixing his e against his the faid D. H. be felt most inexpreffible terror, and was o ged to turn them away; infomuch t he the faid J. J. R. doth in his h think and believe, as much as he beli any thing, that be the faid D. H. certain compofition of a white-witch rattle-fnake. a V. That the faid D. H. on the fam vening, after politely returning the braces of him the faid J. J. R. and ge ly tapping him on the back, did re feveral times, in a good-natured tone, the words, -Why, what, my Sir! Nay, my dear Sir! Oh! my Sir! From whence the faid J. J. doth conclude, as he thinks upon and sufficient grounds, that he the D. H. is a traitor; albeit he the J. J. R. doth acknowledge, that phyfiognomy of the good David is the an honeft man, all but those ter eyes of his, which he must have born ed; but he the faid J. J. R. vow. God he cannot conceive from who what. VI. That the faid D. H. hath i inquifitiveness about him than becom a philofopher; and did never let fi opportunity of being alone with the vernante of him the faid J. J. R. VII. That the faid D. H. did mo trociously and flagitiously put him the John James Rouffeau, Philofopher, a paffion; as knowing, that the would be guilty of a number of ab ties. VIII. That the faid D. H. must published Mr Walpole's letter in news-papers, because, at that time, was neither man, woman, nor chil the island of Great Britain, but the D. H. the faid J. J. R. and the pri of the feveral news papers aforefaid. IX. That fome body in a certain gazine, and fome body elfe in a ce news-paper, faid fomething again the faid J. J. R. which he the J. J. R. is perfuaded, for the real bove mentioned, could be no boð the faid D. H. X. I X. That the faid J. J. R. knows, that be the faid D. H. did open and perufe the letters of him the faid J. J. R. because he one day faw the faid D. H. go out of the room after his own fervant, who had at that time a letter of the faid J. J. R.'s in his hands; which must be in order to take it from the fervant, open it, and read the contents. XI. That he the said D. H. did, at the inftigation of the devil, in a most wick ed and unnatural manner, fend, or caufe to be fent, to the lodgings of him the laid J. J. R. one difh of beef-steaks; thereby meaning to infinuate, that he the faid J. J. R. was a beggar, and came over to England to afk alms; whereas, be it known to all men by these presents, that he the faid J. J. R. brought with bin the means of fubfiftence, and did not come with an empty purse; as he doubts not but he can live upon his la bours, with the affistance of his friends; and in fhort can do better without the faid D. H. than with him. XII. That, befides all these facts put gether, the faid J. J. R. did not like certain appearance of things, on the whole. In what light others may view this afSir, I know not. For my own part, I uit confefs, it fills me with a deep meancholy, when I reflect how much relipon faffers from these diffenfions amongst ablest advocates, and brightest orna Dents. The orthodoxy of Mr Hume can be talled in question by no perfon of can cr, who hath read the panegyric which Je bath done the church of England the nour to bestow upon her, in his hiftory hap. 40.), as a church that, in the bufies of reformation, proceeded with the moftreafon and moderation," and eferved religion in that happy me, which wife men have always ht, and which the people have fel been able to maintain." Mr Rooffeau is "really edifying" in e declaration of his religious fentiments, elled to his paftor, Mr Profeffor atmollin, for the fatisfaction of the ftory at Neufchattel, when he was eived to the facrament in 1762. "To true and holy reformed religion," he, "I profefs myself fincerely to attached, and fhall continue fo to the tell hour of my life. I defire therefore be externally united to the church, as I am internally from the very bottom of my heart. And this I proteft I defire, not only on account of the confolation which I promise myself from a participaon in the communion of the faithful; but even as much with a view to the public edification, as my own private advantage. For it is by no means proper, that a fincere and ingenuous reafoner fhould not be openly a member of the church of Chrift." [xxviii. 90.]. One fhall hardly ever fee piety and humility more agreeably blended together! It is with pleasure I had the fuffrage of Mr Voltaire, who, though a modeft peaceable man, hath likewife had the milfortune to be embroiled with Mr Roufseau :- "Beyond all contradiction, it is a great unhappiness not to believe the Christian religion, which is the only true one, among a thoufand others that pretend to be fo." How goodly and pleafant a fight is it, to fee three men of genius thus holding the faith in unity of fpirit!" Yet Rouffeau, it feems, fays, Voltaire does not believe in God; and Voltaire affirms Rouffeau to be undermining Christianity. Voltaire calls Rouffeau an Infidel, and Rouffeau infifts upon it that Voltaire is an Atheist. And then, for poor Mr Hume, what Voltaire thinks of him, or he of Voltaire, we know not at present: but Rousseau declares him to be "worse than an Infidel;" and he tells us, Rouffeau is run mad with pride. For hame, most amiable philofophers! Why will you give the common enemy this advantage? Thofe "blockheads" the Chriftians will be tittering. Mr Wesley himself, fomewhere tells us, there are feafons in which a man cannot help laughing; and this feems to be one of them. I am, &c. [St Fa. Chr.] NATHANIEL FREEBODY. Reflections on the BEAUTIES of STYLE. IT is with no fmall concern I have ob ferved, that in the prefent age the beauties of ftyle feem to be confidered as below the attention both of an author and reader. There was a time however, (and it was a period of the trueft refinement), when an excellence of this kind was esteemed in the number of the politest accomplishments; as it was the ambition of fome of the greatest names of antiquity, to diftinguish themselves in the improvements of their native tongue. Julius Cæfar, who was not only the greatest N 2 greateft hero, but the finest gentleman, that ever, perhaps, appeared in the world, was defirous of adding this talent to his other moft fhining endowments: and we are told, he studied the language of his country with much application; as we are fure he poffefied it in its highest elegance. What a lofs is it to the literary world, that the treatife which he wrote upon this fubject is perill d, with many other valuable works of that age! But though we are deprived of the benefit of his obfervations, we are happily not without an instance of their effects: and his own memoirs will ever remain as the best and brighteft exemplar, not only of true generalihip, but of fine writing. He published them, indeed, only as materials for the use of those who fhould be difpofed to enlarge upon that remarkable period of the Roman ftory; yet the purity and gracefulness of his ftyle were fuch, that no judicious writer durft attempt to touch the subject after him. Having produced fo illuftrious an inftance in favour of an art which I profeis fo warmly to admire, it would be impertinent to add a fecond, were I to cite a lefs authority than that of the immortal Tully. This noble author, in his dialogue concerning the celebrated Roman orators, frequently mentions it as a very high encomium, that they pofleffed the elegance of their native language; and introduces Brutus as declaring, that he fhould prefer the honour of being eiteemed the great master and improver of Roman eloquence, even to the glory of many triumphs. But to add reason to precedent, and to view this art in its ufe as well as its dig. nity, will it not be allowed of fome importance, when it is confidered, that eloquence is one of the most confiderable auxiliaries of truth? Nothing indeed contributes more to fubdue the mind to the force of reason, than her being fupported by the powerful affiftance of maf culine and vigorous oratory: as, on the contrary, the moft legitimate arguments may be disappointed of that fuccefs they deferve, by being attended with a fpiritlefs and enfeebled expreflion. According ly, that most elegant of writers, the inimitable Mr Addifon, obferves in one of his effays, that "there is as much difference between comprehending a thought cloathed in Cicero's language, and in that of an ordinary writer, as between feeing noljeft by the light of a taper, or the light of the fun," It is furely then a very strange co ceit of the celebrated Malbranche, wł seems to think the pleasure which aril from perufing a well-written piece, is the criminal kind, and has its fource the weakness and effeminacy of the h man heart. A man must have a very u common feverity of temper indeed, w can find any thing to condemn in addi charms to truth, and gaining the hea by captivating the ear; in uniting ro with the thorns of science, and joini pleasure with inftruction. The truth is, the mind is delight with a fine ftyle, upon the fame princ that it prefers regularity to confufic and beauty to deformity. A tafte this fort is indeed fo far from being mark of any depravity of our nature, ti I fhould rather confider it as an eviden in fome degree, of the moral rectitude its conftitution; as it is a proof of its r taining fome relifh at least of harmo and order. One might be apt indeed to suspe that certain writers among us had co fidered all beauties of this fort, in t fame gloomy view with Malbranche; at least that they avoided every refin ment in ftyle, as unworthy a lover truth and philofophy. Their fentimen are funk by the lowest exprethons, at feem condemned to the first curie, "creeping upon the ground all the da of their life." Others, on the contrar mistake pomp for dignity; and, in ord to raise their expreffions above vulgar la guage, lift them up beyond common appr henfions, efteeming it (one thould imagin a mark of their genius, that it requit fome ingenuity to penetrate their meanir The POWER of DRINKING, Exemplifies a ftory of Sir Thomas Moore, when be a ambajador from K. Henry VIII. to the Emper The for Vumper of fack, dra HE morning he was to have an audien it, and asked for another. The ferv. would have diffuaded him from it, but wards a third. He then infifted for a four could not. He drank that off, and aft but being over-perfuaded by his fervant, let it alone. When he returned from audience, "You rogue," faid he, to spoke fo well to the Emperor, on the man, "what mischief have you done fpiration of the three glaffes I had drai that he told me I was fit to govern three pa of the world: now, you fcoundrel, has drank the fourth glafs, I had been fit to vern all the world.” I こ 89 A catalogue of NEW BOOKS, with remarks and extracts, continued. [43]. LONDON. Religion, Morality, Controversy, &c. Heathen teftimonies to the truth of the ChriBan religion, with notes and obfervations. el 4 [and laft]. Containing the teftimoes of Heathen writers of the fourth, fifth, and fixth centuries. To which is added the te of Gentilifm under Christian emperors. Nathaniel Lardner, D. D. 10 s. 6 d. This long and laborious work, author fays, has been in hand almoft half century. It is, however, a complete permance in its kind. Every Heathen writer lived between the commencement of ridianity and the year 550, and has left amemorial of Christian affairs, is faithfully ed. His own words are generally produThere is, perhaps, hardly a fentence, ative to the fubject, to be collected from fwrecks of time, which our indefatigable or has omitted. But, which is the chief mendation, this work is executed with accuracy and judgement. The paffawhich bear the marks of forgery and inpulation are critically examined; and the dary tales in favour of Chriftianity, ch have been recorded by weak and creus authors, are treated in the manner they erve. C. A differtation on the nature, effects, and neymen, and other workmen. By a gentleman of the Inner Temple. 3 s. Owen. Peat. A review of the prefent ftate of the nation, its maladies, and means of relief. 1 s. 6 d. The late patriot, it feems, is one of the worst ministers that ever an unfortunate people were curfed with. M. - If A free appeal to the people of G. Britain, fince the 30th of July 1766. on the conduct of the prefent administration, I S. Almon. Contains bitter invectives against the prefent adminiftration, and is writen in favour of that which preceded the laft. C. this is not the moft clegant, or the most corA letter to G. G. 2 s. Williams. rect, of our late political difquifitions, it is, however, one of the most solid and most induce of no vulgar pen, no ill-inftructed hand. telligent. The tract is evidently the proof abufe upon the Rt Hon. perfon to whom A contemptible, infipid collection it is addreffed. C. M. houfe of Commons in Ireland. A very fhrewd fenfible letter. The writer, who has not treated the Rt Hon. perfon to whom he addreffes it with much politenefs, lays hold of a report, that the prefent Lord Lieutenant [the Earl of Bristol] lively, and, we are afraid, a very true picis to refide in Ireland; and gives us a very ture of the evils refulting from the momentaquences of the blafphemy against the y defultory refidence of former Lieutenants. Ghoft To which is added, a review have been refolved on, for the advantage of The particular measures here faid to the reafonings in Monf. Bayle, on the ence of fin and mifery into the world; and adminiftration, are, a grant of their longthe good people of Ireland, under the new the method prescribed by him for coning this difpute with a Manichean. To- liaments, the Habeas corpus act, a place-bill, wished favourite bill for the limitation of parher with remarks on an anonymous book, ed, A free inquiry into the nature and origin len trade, more able judges, more respectable a qualification-bill, a militia-bill, a free woolBy S. Martin, M. A. 3 s. 6 d. bishops, a reformation in the army, ditto in introduction to the reading of the Ho- all public offices, ditto of the black penfion-lift; in fine, the author expects that "the whole realm will be purified from every vice, from every corruption, as much as human abilities are able to do in fuch a work." . We are a fraid, however, that many of the fine things wishes than expects to fee carried into execuhere talked of, are rather what the author tion. Nevertheless, he has hit upon a decent method of putting the great men in mind of what ought to be done. M. I S. Main. A little abftra&t pure-history, drawn up for the use of harity-schools in Ireland. M. Hifery, Law, Politics, dc. che hiftory of England from the acceffion James L. to the elevation of the house of over. By Catharine Macaulay. Vol. 3. Cadell. ew and accurate history and furvey of da, Westminster, and Southwark, and adjacent; containing whatever is most hy of notice in their ancient and prefent .. By the Rev. John Entick, vols. II. 45. Dilly. relating to mafters and fervants, viz. to attornies and folicitors; apprentices al; menial fervants, labourers, jour. poor, and our polity refpecting the common An inquiry into the management of the people; with reafons why they have not hitherto been attended with fuccefs, and fuch alterations offered to the confideration of the general fpirit of industry and order, and legiflature, as may probably introduce a more greatly leffen the public expence. I s. 6 d. White. Some Some obfervations on the farmer's three letters to a member of parliament: and his propofal for preventing future fcarcity. In which a real inftance is given of the improve ment of land; and the unreasonableness of abolishing tithe in kind is fully confidered. By a country gentleman. 6 d. Almon. Uniting and monopolizing farms, plainly proved disadvantageous to the land-owners, and highly prejudicial to the public. By a gentleman in the country. 6 d. Smith. Important hints towards an amendment of the royal dock-yards: being confiderations on a late pamphlet on the oak-timber. Wherein fome paffages in that book are farther explained and illuftrated, with fuitable remarks thereon. By a man of Kent. Wilkie. · Contains reprefentations on the great waste of time employed in gathering and carrying away chips, with a propofal for making a faving of many thousand pounds per ann. by a proper increase of the workmens wages, in lieu of this deftructive perquifite. It is aftonishing to think that an abufe of this kind thould have been fo long fuffered to fubfift. M. I s. A fhort and modeft reply to a book intitled, The Dutch difplayed. 15. Richardfon Urquhart. Dutch modefty expofed to English view; or, A ferious anfwer to a pamphlet intitled, A short and modeft reply to a book intitled, The Dutch displayed. In vindication of the latter treatise, from the objections thereto made by the Dutch. 6d. Williams. A letter to the Rt Hon. the Lord Colvill, Rear Admiral of the White, late commander in chief of his Majefty's fquadron in North America. Wrote by Robert Dugdale, late commander of his Majefty's armed fchooner, the Magdalen. 1 s. 6 d. The author. A letter from a gentleman to his friend, concerning the cuftom of giving and taking vales. 6 d. Dodfley. - Nothing is more common than for mankind, while they are murmuring at the taxes which are laid upon them for the common benefit of the ftate, to lay unreasonable taxes upon themselves, to corrupt the morals, and destroy the decorum of life. The money given to fervants is certainly a tax of this kind; it was at firft a gratuity, it is now confidered as a debt. The giving vales is a practice fo reproachful to fociety, and fo abfurd in itself, that it feems ridiculous to bring arguments against it. What reafon can there be why three fhillings fhould be paid for every pack of cards that are ufed at a private table, when they are bought at the fhop for eighteen pence? Do the fervants find wax candles or lemonade? If fo, why does the master of a family fubmit to let his guests buy their enter tainment of his fervants, and find cards candles for his fconces and table! 1 does this in his turn, he difgraces his f in return for his friend's having difg him; and this is the reciprocation that, fingular reproach of our country, has place of that mutual hofpitality which once our characteristic and honour. To prevent this practice feems, inde be by no means unworthy of the legisla for in a trading and commercial count is certainly injudicious in the highest de to fuffer the revenue of livery-fervants more than a manufacturer can earn trade which he has ferved feven yea learn. The author of this pamphlet propo render this evil, if it cannot be total moved, more tolerable, by the follo expedients. 1. Let the gentleman or lady of the h instead of suffering their fervants to re their vifitors money for their repaft, fi price of the ordinary, and let the pr fixed be hung up in the most conspicuous of the dining parlour, or hall, as is do Buxton, Matlock, and other places the people pay for what they have; t each gueft may always know how muc reckoning will come to, without fu trouble: and perfons of small fortune w this means be better able to judge how they can afford to accept an invitation to with a friend. Then, as foon as din over, let the good lady of the houfe o plate to be fet in the middle of the table to which let each franger put half a c for the butler, and a fhilling or two, a ding to the price fixed, for each of the in livery; which, in effect, is the very thing, and will answer the very fame (viz. in helping to pay the fervants w as if it was given at the door, wh would not be at all more inconfiftent decorum, and would be attended with lefs trouble, than the prefent practice of ing the fervants one by one. 2. If this scheme should be disappro large box might be put up in the banqu room, of the nature of those we may feen for Christmas boxes in coffeehouf which every perfon who comes to the may put whatfoever he thinks proper which means, as it will not be feen each contributes, a worthy friend in lo cumftances may come off at a much ch rate than he poffibly can, according prefent custom. Befides, here would peculiar convenience refulting to the la the houfe, who, by this means, whe came to unlock the box, would know ly what her fervants places were worth might the more easily keep the vale-n in her own hands, and regulate the fer |