not be unferviceable. The best that I have met with are found in a little ufeful treatife, entitled, Tractatus de Vifitatione Infirmorum, &c. Authors Joanne Stearne, S. T. D. This author appears to have ftu died the fubject in a particular manner, and to have had a masterly infight into the infirmities of humanity; he having mentioned almoft all the cafes and fpiritual indifpofitions that fick persons are liable to, and directed suitable applications for the cure and removal of

them.'

The Author himself tells us, that his fole end in this publication is to lay down fuch rules as may be of ufe to the clergy and ministers of the gospel, and which in particular may afford fome help to the younger and lefs experienced part of them; and relying, he adds, apon God's bleffing I do not defpair of attaining my end. After these accounts taken from the book itself, we need only farther observe, that it seems on the whole very well adapted for the end propofed, and is, we believe, carefully tranflated. How much would it contribute to render the clergy refpected, did they in general pay but part of that attention to the duty of their office which is here recommended! How much more honourable would it prove to their own character, as well as beneficial to fociety, than many of those avocations and purfuits, by which difgrace is fometimes reflected on their order, and religion itself is greatly injured. Art. 21. An Expofition of the Catechism of the Church of England by Question and Anjwer; defigned chiefly for the Use of Schools. By Thomas Vivian, Vicar of Cornwood, Devon, and formerly of Exeter College, Oxford. 12mo. 28. Dilly.

In the dedication of this work to the Bishop of Exeter, the Author fpeaks of the care and attention his lordship has paid to the business of confirmation, and expreffes his hope that, under his lordship's patronage, this Expofition may be ferviceable to promote that reli gious knowledge expected in them who came to be confirmed.

The Church Catechifm is here firft given, with feveral marginal queftions to be put to the children, in order to lead them, as it were of themfelves, into fome notion of the meaning of what they repeat. To this is added, and what is the chief part of the book, a much larger catechism, founded on the fame plan, which treats of the various heads of religion and duty, all of them attended with fome texts of fcripture. The Author appears defirous of doing good; and it is honourable to a clergyman ftrenuously to labour for conveying religious inftruction, especially among the younger members of fociety.

Art, 22. Myftery unmasked, addreffed to People of any Religion, and fe of none. Being a Treatife tending to reconcile the most abftrufe Branches of Chriffianity to Reason: As, the Trinity; Original Sin Free Will; the Eucharift; Chrift's Defcent into Hell; the Rejurrection To which is added, Sentiments concerning extempore Harangues; a Form of private Prayer; and two Pfalms in English Verse: One more particularly adapted to the Jews; the other fuitable both to Jew and Gentile. By Aurelius Clement of Pembrokeshire, B. A. late a 2-5. fewed. Scholar of St. John's College, Cambridge. Sve.

Whiston.

Rav. June 1770.

This odd medley difcovers rather the good intention of the Author than his learning or judgment the ftrange title he has chofen will raife no high expectations, and might at first milead us; but he tells us, Tis fo far from being his defign to make any attack upon religion, that his fole intention is to promote it, by endeavouring to reduce our pious tenets to the fquare of reafon, and by removing the lees of popery and prieftcraft which efcaped the general reformation, and still, in fome meafure, adheres to it, to render our devotion perfectly catholic, and univerfally followed.'

He is a zealous advocate for the established church, and speaks rather contemptuously of the Diffenters, with whom he indeed appears to be but little acquainted, though he is charitably difpofed to unite all Chriftians. But while he pleads for epifcopacy, he does not fail to lash fome of those who appear under this character, as particularly when he has occafion to mention fome predictions, as he fuppofes, unfulfilled, which foretel times of great peace, virtue, and concord. Doth the wolf, fays he, dwell with the lamb?— Doth confidence and honour fuperfede the use of the laws?-Doth not avarice and ambition haunt the cottage, cloifter, and the court? -Even the lordly bishop fcarce through fhame condescends to visit his flock; life, the world engrofs him wholly: his diocefe is as dreadful exile as Ovid's banishment into the North.'

Our Author's way of reconciling mystery with reafon is by labouring to remove what he thinks to be mistakes about them, and then afferting that we are to believe only the fimple propofition, without enquiring into the mode, and fubject, which we know nothing about. This, if we understand him, is what he designs in the article of the Trinity, though his account of the matter appears to be what is termed Sabellianifm, which he nevertheless in words rejects. While he is talking upon this fubject he runs into a long digreffion upon the restoration of the Jews, the divifion of the land of Canaan, the dimenfions of the temple, &c. according to Ezekiel's account, which can have little connection with his fubject: for farther particulars we refer the Reader who defires them to the book itself.

Art. 23, A Letter to the Rev: Mr. John Wesley, relative to his pretended Abridgment of Zanchius on Predeftination. By Auguftus Toplady, A.B. Vicar of Broad Hembury, Devon, and Chaplain to the Right Hon. Lord Holland. 8vo. 6d. Gurney.

Mr. Toplady complains, that whereas he published in November lat a two hilling pamphlet, entitled, The Doctrine of abfolute Predeftination ftated and afferted, &c. translated in great measure from the Latin of Jerom Zanchius*: in the month of March 1770, to ufe his own words, out fneaks a printed paper, confifting of one freet, folded into twelve pages, price one penny, and entitled, The Doctrine of abfolute Predeftination ftated and afferted, by the Reverend Mr. AT?

This he afcribes to Mr. Welley, and tells us that in this paper he pretends to give an abridgment of the pamphlet before referred to. To this gentleman, therefore, the Author addreffes thefe questions,

* See Review for March 1770.

Why

Why did you not make your abridgment truly public? Why did you not abridge me faithfully and fairly?" Mr. Wefley we fuppofe had intimated that the prefent Writer was but a young tranflator, it is here replied, Better, however, to be a young tranflator than an old plagiary'

Mr. Wefley is farther complimented with having all the fophiftry of a Jefuit, the dictatorial authority of a pope, and with being a reftlefs Arminian, who has eagerly endeavoured to diftinguish himfelf as the bell-wether of his deluded thousands.' But a farther ac count of this battle will not, we apprehend, afford much entertainment, at least not much edification to our Readers. Mr. Toplady is angry; he is no doubt a very well meaning man, and feems to have fome reafon to complain; but we cannot perceive in this performance much of the meeknefs of Christianity."

POLITICAL.

Art. 24. The Ufage of holding Parliaments, and of preparing and paffing Bills of Supply, in Ireland, ftated from Record. Published by Authority. Dublin, printed by Boulter Grierson, Printer to his Majefly. M,DCC,LXX. To which is added, Annotations, together with an Addrefs to bis Excellency George Lord Townshend, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. By C. Lucas, M. D. one of the Reprefentatives of the City of Dublin in Parliament. Dublin printed, London reprinted. 8vo. I s. Robinfon and Roberts.

It is a melancholy profpect to fee difcontents prevailing in every part of the British empire. The time has been when the nation groaned under the tyranny of imperious baron's; the regal power acquired ftrength from the decay of the feudal fyftem, and then we fmarted by the concentration of thefe petty jurifdictions in the perfons of defpotic kings. Thofe times are happily paffed, and yet complaints of arbitrary measures are as frequent as ever: and fhould fovereign power be again branched out into an ariftocratic form, and a junto venture on fchemes injurious to the conflitution, under the thelter of the crown, the people may fuffer more under a mild prince, than under the fingle tyranny of a Tudor. Whether the prefent flate of affairs may correfpond with this defcription or not, thus much is certain, that though fome late meafures of government are every where complained of, none of them are hitherto attributed to the prince, though the people look to him for redrefs.

The conduct of the Irifh parliament having operated in a way quite the reverfe to that of the British parliament, in offending the miniftry instead of the people, it has fuffered an unexpected proro gation; and the above pamphlet, Dr. Lucas informs us, was advertifed, as the title exprefies, by authority; but, after a partial fale, was fuddenly flopped by an order from the caftle of Dublin: becaufe, as the Doctor conjectures, it was found, on mature perufal, rather to favour the arguments of the oppofition than fupport thofe of administration. As the publication therefore was fuppreffed, the patriotic Doctor having by chance procured one, has republished it with his annotations; profeffing that one way or other it must bring light out of darknefs, and promote the knowledge and the cause of truth.'

As the pamphlet itself confifts chiefly of extracts from old par liamentary records, it is not eafy to give more than a general idea of the tendency of it; and this being done to our hand by Dr. Lucas, in his dedication to the Lord Lieutenant, we shall quote the paffage in his own words:

• Ŏur national constitution, with parlements, inftitated upon the model of thofe of England, and established by the most facred authority of living records, we are taught by your excellency's authorifed pamphlet, to be but ideal or abfolute nullities: according to this new doctrine, nothing is to be moved in either house of parlement, but fuch as is judged fit to be dictated by the prerogative, through the king's vicegerent and privy council. By this, it is afferted, that, though in England, the power of moving for and framing laws, is veiled in both houses of parlement; in Ireland, that power is vested in the prerogative alone; or to use the author's, which I may now call, your excellency's, words; " In Great Britain the parlement are the formers or promoters of the law; in Ireland, the king, by his chief governor and council; in Great Britain, the final decifion, by affirmation or negation, reits in the king; in Ireland, it refts in the parlement."-If this doctrine be inforced, as this pamphlet was published by authority, how vane and chimerical are the received notions of our government, though established for fe veral centuries among us, by the most facred authority, upon the plan and principles of the government of England?

But, though this innovation may be thought humiliating enough to a parlement, formerly derived, but now to be perverted, from the fame falutary fource of the British legislature, being thus to be levelled with the pitiful remanes of the parlements of France, yet fubfifting by the tyrant's permiffion, for registering his arbitrary edicts; this pamphlet, published by order, and under the fanction of your excellency's authority, no doubt, for new modelling this government, adds another body to the legiflature: for, not content with the fhare the privy council now affumes in the legislature, which is no less than that of a fourth estate; by the doctrine of this pamphlet, thus authorised by your excellency; they are not onely to afaft the chief governor in preparing fuch bills and other matters, as are to be moved by their permiflion, in parlement, but they ate to have feats, with deliberative voices, in the house of peers.'

There is a tartnefs throughout Dr. Lucas's address to his excel lency, which will be better relished by Irish than by English patriots, who have enough of that kind of entertainment at home prepared on

their own account.

Art. 25. The Political Detection; or, the Treachery and Tyranny of Administration, both at home and abroad. Difplayed in a Series of Letters figned Junius Americanus. 8vo. 13. Oliver. 1770. Although there is fomething illiberal in the manner, and malig nant in the spirit of this American Junias, yet there are in his letters many animadverfions on the conduct of adminiftration, particularly with respect to the colonies, which are worthy of public attention and enquiry. These letters were originally, like those of the British Junius, printed in the news-papers. This collection of them com

mences

mences at July 9, 1769, and ends with March 3, 1770.--To be continued. Art. 26. The American Gazette: Being a Collection of all the authentic Addreffes, Memorials, Petitions, and other Papers, which have been published from the Date of the circular Letters, fent from the Affembly of Maffachufet's Bay in February 1768, to the prefent Time. Including a Journal of American Tranfactions, and the interefting Correfpondence between Governor Bernard, General Gage, and the Miniftry, &c. &c. The Whole calculated to exhibit an impartial Review of the prefent unhappy Difputes between Great Britain and her Colonies. No VI. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Kearsley, &c.

The above concludes this collection; the first number was announced to our Readers in the 39th volume of the Review, p. 326. A General Index, and a Table of Contents, to the volume, are given with this number.

Art. 27. An Oration, delivered by the Rev. Mr. Horne, at a numerous Meeting of the Freeholders of Middlefex, at Mile-end Affembly Room, March 30, 1770, to confider of an Addrefs, Romonftrance, and Petition, to his Majesty. Containing a minute - and circumstantial Detail of all the Grievances and unconstitutional Steps which have been taken, from the Seizure of Mr. Wilkes's Papers to the prefent Time. With many Spirited Remarks, and feveral Pieces of fecret Intelligence of a very interefting Nature, not known to the Public before. 8vo. 6d. No Publifher's Name. Advertised for Wheble.

This circumftantial title-page fufficiently fpeaks the import and contents of Mr. Horne's very popular harangue; of which, from its conformity with the accounts given in the public papers, of what paffed at the famous Mile-end affembly of March 30, this feems to be a pretty faithful echo.

Art: 28. A Letter to the Rev. Dr. Wilfon, Prebendary of Westmin fer, and the Rev. Mr. Horne, Minifter of New Brentford, on their political Conduct; with an original Picture of modern Patriotifm." evo. I s. Brough.

A brotherly Remonstrance against the political conduct of the twogentlemen above-mentioned. The Author, who figns himfelfOne who is less than the least of all Curates,' counfels his reverend brethren to let their zeal for patriotifm be tempered with prudence' -to prove themselves dutiful and peaceable fubjects'—to confider feriously the ordination-office, together with bishop's Burnet's Paftoral Care, and not to hunger fo much after the thin and meagre diet of the Popularis Aura, as that molt folid and fubftantial MAT, which endureth unto everlasting life."This is good advice; but the Author writes, for the most part, in fuch a peculiar ftrain, that it is not always an eafy matter to distinguish between his ferious and his Judicrous intentions.