ligent, and upright magiftrate, and a fincere, diligent, and exemplary parish Prieft. It could not be fuppofed that fuch a man would deliver a difcourfe, on a public and folemn occafion, which did not unite a zealous and well-informed patriotifm, with a pure and manly piety, Such are in fact the characteristics by which the present Sermon is marked, which could not certainly be heard, for it cannot even be read,' without awakening a generous and juft enthusiasm. After fpeaking in a judicious manner of the directing Providence of God, with refpect to nations, and touching with equal propriety on the general ufe and effect of military banners, the author introduces this animated encomium on the constitution, in defence of which our countrymen have affociated.

1.** Thefe Banners, and the motives which induce us thus to affemble, may be contemplated in another point of view. They are to be confi dered as an emblem of that inviolable regard, which, as Englishmen, we feel for the conftitution of our country; that constitution which has endured for ages, the pride of civilized life, and the envy of the world: which the ambitious and the profligate have affailed in vain : which the fubtle fpeculations of modern times have vainly endeavoured to undermine; and by which true Liberty has its beft fanction, in preferving the equipoife among the different ranks of fociety; defending with equal vigilance the rights of the great and the humble, the rich and the poor." The text, which in itself is impressive and fublime, is foon after introduced with great effect. "In this great and folemn work" of defending cur focial bleffings, "let us, my brethren, with carnest devotion implore the Divine Favour: Let us exclaim, one to another (in the words of the text) and let the found reach unto distant. nationsAll ye inhabitants of the World, and dwellers on the Earth, fee when lifteth up an Enfign on the mountains, and when blowerk a trumpet, hear ye. Some excellent obfervations follow, explaining that nothing fuperftitious is intended by the prefent mode of confecrating colours, nor any extraordinary qualities pretended to be communi cated to them. On the patriotifm and piety of those who bear them, their efficacy depends; and thefe are warmly excited by the conclufion of the difcourfe. We obferve that the Sermon bears not the usual marks of being printed for fale, but we think it ought to be published; and we hope the Boston ftationer will be fatigued with applications for it,

ART. 31. A Sermon, preached at the Parish Church of St. Mary, in Truro, before the Governors of the Cornwall General Infirmary, on its being opened for the Reception of Patients, Monday, August 12, 1799, By Cornelius Cardew, D. D. Mafter of the Grammar School in Truro, and One of the Chaplains in Ordinary to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. 1s. 6d, Wallis, Paternofter-Row. 1799.

The preacher of this Sermon, which is published at the requeft of the Governors, and for the benefit of the Infirmary, has drawn from us a juft tribute of praife before, for a Sermon preached at the Affizes, On fuch an occafion, the range of matter and the fcope of oratory, are naturally more expanded, than either of them can be upon the prefent, To the honour of our religion, the motives to charity have been exS

plained

plained fo clearly, have been preffed fo warmly, have indeed been pressed and explained fo repeatedly, that little remains of reafoning or of the toric, for a preacher upon the fubject at prefent, Yet Dr. Cardew has contrived to throw fome air of novelty over an old topic, to fet fome of its old points in a new light, and to combine all into a good whole.

"Shall we fuffer ourfelves then," afks the Doctor, concerning Charity, "to be remifs in the practice of a virtue, of which we are hourly reminded by the common wants, and common weaknesses of our nature, and to which we are ftimulated equally by motives of duty, of intereft, and of happiness? Shall we be fo infenfible as to neglect the cultivation of this amiable grace, which has the peculiarly happy qua lity, of bleffing alike both him that gives and him that receives? Can we imagine, that, in the various and unequal diftribution of the divine bounty, God ever intended, that wealth and eminence of station should be fubfervient merely to the eafe and luxury of the poffeffors? Can it be meant, that any should live in pampered idleness, without ever turning his attention to thofe that are beneath him, and whose uninter mitted toil and labour adminifter to his gratifications? For, however the thoughtleffnefs of affluence may overlook the circumstance, a little reflection may fuffice to convince us, that to the poor we are indebted for all the elegancies, all the accommodations, which improved and po lished life affords us. It is in the fervice of the more opulent, that they hafte to rise up early, and fo late take reft, and earn and eat, in the fweat of their brows, the hard and fcanty bread of carefulness. For our convenience, for the furtherance of our pleafures, they collect the produce of the most remote countries, and penetrate into the deep receffes of the earth; for us they are chilled by damps, and fuffocated by noxious fteams; for us they are expofed to the peftilential air of unwholesome climates, "where nature fickens, and where each gale is death."

Urging the inftability of all worldly poffeffions, as another argument to charity, the preacher proceeds thus: "This confideration, trong as it is in itfelf, feems to acquire additional strength, from the peculiar circumftances of the times in which we live. "Fallen" as we are" on evil days," when the whole fyftem of political fociety feems to be con vulfed, we have before our eyes, in confequence of the fudden revolutions that have of late agitated feveral nations, and threatened alfo our own, the alarming fpectacle, not only of many perfons once poffeffed of an eafy competence, but even of others of the highest rank and greateft affluence, now reduced by a fad reverfe of circumftances, to extreme diftrefs and penury. While then the uncertainty of the tenure, by which all our poffeffions are held, evidently points out to us a liberal ufe of them at all times, the prefent juncture feems, more immediately, to call for extraordinary exertions of kindnefs and beneficence."

The author then comes to his own object of charity, the Infirmary. "A moderate acquaintance with history will inform us," he remarks, "how wretched and humiliating the ftate of the lower orders of the people was, even among the most polifhed of the Heathen nations, and how much their condition has been meliorated, wherever Christianity has been introduced. Of which, among many others, one proof is the erection

erection of houfes of mercy of various kinds, which were perfectly un known during the prevalence of Paganifm."

"When we confider," he adds with a still closer view to his object, the extent, the populoufnefs, the opulence, and general respectability of the County of Cornwall, it may appear fomewhat extraordinary, that nothing of this kind had ever been before projected; etpecially as a great part of this district of the kingdom feems, in a more appro priated manner, to demand fuch a provifion, from the many diforders and cafualties to which the labourers, employed in our mines, are peculiarly expofed."

But it is not without fome hesitation," he subjoins, " that I prevail on myself even to allude to the objections, that are faid to have been made to this benevolent object. Hard indeed mult be that heart, and cold that charity, which can fuffer its ardour to be damped by any narrow prejudice or difcriminating circumftances; which on an occa fion like this, and in a scheme that must indifputably be attended with fome, and that no inconfiderable, degree of good, can ftop to balance with nice exactness local conveniences and inconveniences, and can meafure with geographical accuracy, the limits of its beneficence." Language very happy and pointed!" And efpecially very, very ill will be merit the kindness of Providence, if it can be fuppofed that any fuch may be found among us, who having been advanced to cafe, to independence, to opulence, by the labours of his poor neighbours, without any exertion either bodily or mental of his own, can grudge to contribute, I will not say a small, but even a liberal hare of his profits, for the fupport of a charity, peculiarly calculated to relieve the diftreffes of thofe, who in his fervice have incurred bruifes and wounds, and have contracted difeafes, which without fpeedy and effectual remedies, would deprive the public of many valuable members, and their hapless families of their chief fubfiftence."

To the Sermon is added a lift of fubfcribers, of whom we note, with high fatisfaction, Lord de Dunftanville and Baffet, as in his example, and in his influence, the benevolent, the beneficent father of the inftitution; yet among them we look in vain for names, that in our perfonal knowledge of the county we think ought to have been there.

ART. 32. Chriftian Inftitutes: defigned for Families, Students, and Others. By a Clergyman of the Church of England. 8vo. 2s. Rivingtons. 1799.

To give illuftrations of the moft general parts of the church fervice, which may render them more intelligible to the understandings of the community at large, is an office incumbent upon the teachers of Chrif tianity; and there certainly are pafages in many parts of our fervice, which, where they are not underfood, are fometimes repeated without zeal and fervour, and heard without attention or refpect. The folution of thefe difficulties, and the expounding these myfteries, was the frequent employment of fome of our oldeft divines; but the language, and the terms in which they conveyed their information, are fo different from thofe of the prefent day, that to many the perufal of their labours would be only throwing before them additional impediments where

the

they looked for information, and difficulties where they expected folution. This author has, therefore, confulted and availed himself of their industry; and has offered an easy and perfpicuous, or, as he ftyles it, a popular illuftration of the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, with the Sacraments of Baptifm, and the Lord's Supper. We fhall only add, that it is a useful work, but not without its defects; in particular, we do not approve of the latitude which he allows to the obfervance of the fourth commandment. The prefent general profaners of the fabbath, will not be difpleafed to hear from a clergyman, that when a due attendance has been given to its morning and evening fervice," the lawfulness or unlawfulness of this or that recreation afterwards, must depend upon human law, which varies ac cording to the various exigencies of times and places." We are fure that he does beft who does the moft upon this day; who keeps it as the Lord's day, not as his own; and devotes it entirely to the exercises of religious duties.

ART. 33. Tax upon Income. A Difcourfe delivered in the Parifb Church of Sheffield (pursuant to the Will of the late Dr. Waterhouse) on the 30th of January, 1799, being the Anniversary of the Martyrdom of King Charles I. To which are annexed, fome foort Obfervations on the Word « Loyalty," in Anfewer to Mr. Urban's Reviewer. By George Smith, A. M. Curate of the faid Church, and late of Trinity College, Cambridge. 8vo. 24 pp. 6d. Montgomery, Sheffield.

1799.

"Tax upon Income," is a whimfical title for a fermon, especially for one preached on the 30th of January. But the difcourfe is whim fical throughout; and fo we take our leave of it.

POLITICS.

ART. 34. Obfervations on the Speech of the Right Honourable John Fofter, Speaker of the House of Commons of Ireland, delivered there, April 11, 1799. By a Gentleman at the Bar. 8vo. 63 pp. 25.

Downes. 1799..

This writer is very fevere (and perhaps in fome points with juftice) upon the gentleman on whofe Speech he animadverts. He maintains, with Lord Caftlereagh, that the prefent evils of Ireland have arifen out of the fettlement of 1782; but he goes further, and afferts that fettle ment to have been "a mere delegation of power for the purpose of experiment." Neither this, nor the fubfequent opinion, that "the means ufed to obtain that fettlement would juftify the adoption of fimilar means to break it," will, we think, be adopted by any calm and impartial obferver. The fettlement of 1782 was, we conceive, a folemn renunciation by the British Parliament, as fuch, of their right to legiflate for Ireland, or it was nothing; and whatever opinion we may entertain of the conduct which produced that renunciation, it would ill become the characteristic good faith of Britain to take advantage of fubfe

quent

quent circumstances, in order to refume the power thus relinquished efpecially when a more juft and fatisfactory remedy for all the inconveniences and dangers which have arifen, is prefented to them. On the other hand, Mr. Fofter himself hardly goes the length of afferting, that no evils which might have flowed from that fettlement, no advantages which may be expected from a change, will justify the Parliaments of both kingdoms in forming a new arrangement, and voluntarily incorporating the two kingdoms for the benefit of both.

The writer before us properly reprobates the paltry quibble in Mr. F.'s Speech, which accufes the Minifter of faying, that "what puts an end to a thing is not final." The meaning of Mr. Pitt, in his Speech on that fubject, could not, we think, have been eafily mifconceived, and certainly ought not to have been mifreprefented. On the conftruction put on his Majefty's Meffage to the Commons of Ireland, there are fome juft obfervations; and a very pertinent queftion is asked by this writer:What," fays he, "would Mr. F. have thought in 1782, if his Majefty, inftead of acting as he did, had faid that the government of Ireland was already finally fixed, or that it was fo at the Re volution, and that he could not thererefore interfere?" The writer proceeds to fome fevere remarks on the conduct of Ireland at that period, which we think (confidering the temper which all parties fhould bring to the difcuffion of fuch a meafure as an Union) might as well have been spared. The arguments, which follow, derived from the ftate of Ireland, and the occurrences there fince 1782, are both more candid, and more applicable to the queftion. Some of the fubfequent affertions (refpecting the power of the King and Parliament of Great Britain over Ireland) are too ftrong, and evidently unneceffary, because the author himfelf does not recommend their being adopted in practice; for he very properly declares it to be his with and advice, that an Union should be effected with the free consent of Ireland.

The author then argues, and on parts of the fubject ingeniously, that there is nothing in the declarations of Parliament, or of individuals, eited by Mr. Fofter, that precludes a further conftitutional fettlement. He objects alfo (properly, we think) to Mr. Fofter's affertion, that two independent legislatures may exift on commerce being fettled;" as if commerce could be fettled on a permanent footing by two legislatures independent of each other.

A variety of remarks follow on the other parts of Mr. Fofter's Speech; and paflages are pointed out, in which the Right Hon. Speaker contradicts himfelf; but the fpecimens we have given, will how that this tract, though well intended, and in fome refpects inges nious, is not, upon the whole, written with judgment. It is too bold in its affertions, and (occafionally) too petulant in its language...

ART. 35. The Speech of Sir John Sinclair, Bart. M. P. &c. on the

Bill for impofing a Tax upon Income, in the Debate on that Bill, on Friday, the 14th of December, 1798. 8vo. 19 pp. 6d. Debrett.

$799.

The Hon. Baronet, in whofe name this Speech is published, is well known for his attention to matters of finance. Unfortunately however

for