fhoulders in the drawing-room and at the ball, and, which muft on horseback be both troublesome and ridiculous in the highest degree. That it was firft confined by perfons in a military capacity appears by the names which full wigs tied back with a ribbon ftill retain; a full wig tied back in one curl is a Major, in two curls is a Brigadier; and plaited into a cue below the ribbon is a Rammelie; it was natural for different characters to procure convenience in a different mode, and thus the phyfician and the lawyer became poffeffed of the Tye.

We shall now difmifs this work, of which it is but justice to fay, that, though it is chiefly intended for connoiffeurs of a particular clafs, we fcarce know any that affords more general entertainment.

MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For SEPTEMBER, 1769.

RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERSIAL.

Art. 11. Two Letters on Infant Baptifm. Letter I. The Connection between Baptifm and the Kingdom of Heaven, confidered. Letter II. Some Remarks on Ten Letters to Mr. John Glass, By John Huddlefton. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Chater.

T appears by this pamphlet that fome perfons of the baptift denomination at Whitehaven have been convinced of their mistake, and induced, particularly by a treatife published by Mr. Glafs, to embrace the doctrine of the baptifm of infants. Mr. Huddlefton here gives an account of those reasons which prevailed with them to alter their fentiments: they are in general the fame with the arguments commonly used in fupport of this practice; and several of them are here fet in a ftriking light: but there is a peculiarity running through the whole, which feems to declare the Author a follower of the noted Mr. Sandiman whofe manner, with his warm and intolerant fpirit, plainly appear in this performance.

Art. 12. An Addrefs to the Moft Reverend the Archbishops, the Right Reverend the Bishops, and the rest of the dignified and fuperior Clergy: on the prefent State of the annual Charity for the Sons of the Clergy. By the Reverend William Scott, M. A. 4to. Price, in the Halftitle, One hilling only, in the Fitle-page, One Shilling and Sixpence. Wilkie.

Mr. Scott endeavours to fhew, that the collections made for the charity in queftion, for the last fifty years, have been rather inconfiderable, (efpecially when compared with other charities) for fo ufeful and extenfive a charity as this. He offers fome hints concerning the method of admittance both on the rehearsal and feaft-day, which, he thinks, if attended to, might improve the collection at thofe times. A proceffion of the bishops, with the dignified and fuperior clergy, he imagines, would be a truly pleafing and glorious fight,, might be a

happy

happy means of exciting our nobility and gentry to join the train, and prefent, he fays, fuch an appearance from Charing-crofs to St. Paul's, as would fill the heart of every spectator, who is a friend to religion and the clergy, with emotions of devout joy, much easier conceived than defcribed !

We are further told, that this Author has been preparing for the prefs, during the best part of ten years paft, an edition of the New Teftament, on a plan never executed throughout before, viz. a correction of our tranflation, according to the original,' from the beginning of St. Matthew to the end of the Revelations. A work, it is added, which, though particularly useful to the learned and critical Græcian, will be no lefs ufeful to the unlearned reader. Having confulted the printer, he fays, he is told that it will make two volumes in quarto, at the price of only one guinea fubfcription for both, and, as near as can be conjectured, the expence of printing five hundred copies will not exceed two hundred and fifty guineas. He therefore petitions the bishops and clergy to fubfcribe only for the five hundred copies, or whatever number further they pleafe, it being his exprefs intention and defire, that the remaining two hundred and fifty guineas (or more, how great foever it is) be applied to the fole ufe and benefit of this most important charity.' The pamphlet concludes, by way of appendix, with the preface to the proposed publication.

Art. 13. Difcourfes on the Truth of Revealed Religion, and other important Subjects. By Hugh Knox, Minifter of the Gospel in the Ifland of Saba, in the Weft Indies. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6s. Cadell. 1768.

This Author gives us, in the preface, the following account of his work: The firft feven difcourfes are an attempt to bring the chief arguments in favour of Chriftianity into as narrow a compafs as is well confiftent with perfpicuity, and to answer fome of the chief objections which the deifts have offered against a written revelation. I dare not venture to fay, that they contain any thing truly original, and I am deeply fenfible that they have many defects. They are fo far from being a full and complete defence of Chriftianity, that many excellent arguments are but flightly, if at all touched upon, particularly that of prophecy. In thefe difcourfes I have ftudiously avoided the pomp of larding the margin with references, because I apprehended that to the learned fuch references would be unneceffary, and to others ufelefs.-in a word, the chief defign of these difcourfes, is not fo much to beget and perfect a full conviction of the truth of Chriftianity, and to anfwer very cavilling objection which a fubtile fophift might urge againft revealed religion, as to confirm believers in their most holy faith, to guard youth against the fnares and temptations of infidelity, and, if poffible, fo far to awaken perfons of loose and sceptical principles, as they might be engaged seriously to attend to the nature and confequences of their opinions, and candidly to study the argument, as it is handled more largely and circumftantially by other writers.-As the contempt of the Chriftian clergy may be confidered in different refpects, both as a cause and an effect of infidelity, I have endeavoured to make it appear, in the eighth discourse,

that

that the preachers of Christianity are not that defpicable and ufelefs order of men which fome of the deifts reprefent them; but that, on the contrary, fo far as they act agreeable to their facred office, they are friends to mankind, valuable and ufeful members of fociety, and are therefore entitled to a fuitable degree of refpect and esteem for their work's fake: and as the neglect of public worthip, or a forfaking of the affembling ourselves together, may be confidered much in the fame light with the contempt of the Chriftian clergy, I have taken fome pains, in the ninth difcourfe, to fhew the advantages of public worship, and the obligations we lie under to frequent it. The three following difcourfes on family religion are plain and practical. They attempt the elucidation and enforcement of one of the greatest and most important duties of a Chriftian parent, or mafter of a family. And as the timely and proper religious education of youth, and a conftant courfe of ferious exemplary devotion maintained in families, tend greatly to preferve the rifing generation from libertinifm and infidelity, and as the neglect of thefe cannot but have a pernicious influence on the interests of religion and morality in the world; fo far thefe difcourfes may be reasonably prefumed to fubterve the caufe of Chriflianity, and promote its interests in the world. Towards the conclufion of the fecond of thefe difcourfes I have infilled pretty largely, upon a duty exceedingly neglected among thefe iflands, namely, hearty and diligent endeavours to inftruct and christianize our heathen flaves. The fubftance of this difcourfe was delivered to the people of my charge, fhortly after my arrival in the Weft Indies, and the experience and obfervation of near nine years, elapfed fince that time, confirm me in the fame fentiments, and make this humane and charitable duty, equally obligatory, equally practicable, and equally useful and important at this day, as it did then. I am daily more and more convinced, that that remarkable corruption of manners which prevails in thefe iflands, has its fource among our heathen flaves, who vitiate the tafte, debauch the principles, and corrupt the manners of our youth of both fexes, from their very infancy, and that a general reformation of manners must begin by throwing the falt of Christian knowledge and principles into this polluted fountain: tho' I am deeply fenfible at the fame time, that this is never likely to be done without a greater degree of zeal for the interefts of religion and morality in the mafters and owners of flaves, than appears any where among us at prefent, and that, all things confidered, fuch a general reformation is a thing rather to be defired than expected.'

This laft remark, concerning the great influence of heathen flaves in caufing and promoting a corruption of manners, deferves particular notice. Mr. Knox has had the best opportunities for making obfervations upon the subject, and therefore we cannot difpute the fact: but we should fuppofe that the inconfiftence, too often obfervable between the behaviour of Chriftian mafters, and their avowed principles, may do much to render the conduct of thefe unhappy flaves worse than it would otherwife be: whereas humanity and good example might greatly conduce toward civilizing their manners, and would make it more eafy to inftruct them in the principles of truth and religion. And very commendable it is in thofe of the clergy who are fituated in thefe places, warmly to infift, in all proper ways, upon a fubject

a fubject in which the honour of our religion and the good of mankind feem fo much concerned.

It is added concerning thefe volumes, as for the few plain difcourses which follow, I can give little other reason for adding them to the prefent collection, than that they appeared to me to be on fubjects of fome importance, and that, being chiefly of a plain and practical nature, they might fuit the tafte, understanding, and circumftances of a certain clafs of readers, and might prove fome compenfation to them for the toil of perufing the foregoing fpeculative difcourfes, which are, perhaps, not very level to their capacities.'

We fuppofe thefe fermons, in general, level to the capacities of thofe who are likely to read them: that they are plain and practical is indeed their chief recommendation. They are, on the whole, well adapted to promote piety and virtue.

Art. 14. Difcourfes on various Subjects. By the late Reverend John Leland, D. D. With a Preface, giving fome account of the Life, Character, and Writings of the Author. 8vo. 4 Vols. 11. 4s. Johnston, &c. 1769.

Thefe pofthumous difcourfes were printed by fubfcription, under the care of the Author's friend, the Rev. Dr. Ifaac Weld; whofe judicious account of the life and writings of the learned and worthy Author, are a valuable addition to the work. As to the merit of the fermons here given to the public, it is unnecffary for us to fay more than that the productions of Dr. Leland's pen are too well known to the world, to require any recommendation from us; and that these Difcourfes will not injure the reputation fo juftly acquired by the Author, from his many excellent and pious writings published in his lifetime.

Art. 15. A Review of Abraham's Cafe with regard to the offering up his Son Ifaac, whom he loved. By James Favell, D. D. 4to. 25. Cambridge printed, and fold by johnfon and Co. in London.

There does not appear to have been any very confiderable reafon for offering this pamphlet to the public. Part of it is employed upon fome objections which have been raifed against this portion of fcripture-history but the answers to thofe objections have already been given by feveral writers with at leaft as much ftrength and folidity as by the prefent Author. His peculiar view feems to be to controvert Dr. Warburton's account of this fubject; and therefore (at the back of the title-page) we find the Reader defired, before he peruses this tract, to fee with the eye of attention, what hath been faid between the 81ft and 96th pages, and between the 591ft and 620th of the 2d vol. in two parts, of the Divine 1 egation of Mofes demonftrated. Edit. 1741.' It is indeed neceffary to confult the work here referred to, in order to have fome good understanding of Dr. Favell's meaning; for his manner of writing is not the most clear; and his fentences frequently feem imperfect and unconnected. He fuppofes, if we understand him right, that the whole of this tranfaction of Abraham's might pafs only in prophetic vifion; that it was intended to fhew the patriarch, as in a fcene, and in him fucceeding generations, the manner of mankind's

redemption

redemption by Chrift; and further to exhibit a moft exemplary inftance of obedience to the divine will and command as a pattern for all future times.' He writes much concerning vifions and emblema tical reprefentations, and has feveral Latin quotations, from Maimonides and other Authors, which he has gathered in his reading; but whether he or the bishop have the best of the argument, in those particulars in which they differ on this fubject, we leave every Reader to determine for himself.

Art. 16. A Letter to the Right Hon. Horatio Walpole, Efq; written Jan. 9, 1750-1. By the Right Rev. Thomas Secker, L L. D. Bishop of Oxford: concerning Bishops in America. 8vo. 6d. Rivington. An advertisement prefixed, informs us, that this Letter was found among the papers of the late Archbishop Secker; that it was written in confequence of a letter dated, May 9, 1750, from the late Lord Walpole, to the late Dr. Sherlock, bishop of London, which was communicated by the latter to Bishop Secker, Jan. 2, 1750-1. It is now printed, we are further affured, in obedience to an order left with it under his grace's own hand, dated May, 2, 1759, a copy of which order is alfo added. We obferve fome difference in the account which is given by the Editors, and afterwards by the Archbifhop, of the manner in which his grace was first made acquainted with Lord Walpole's letter. The former tells us that it was communicated to him by the Bishop of London; the latter returns thanks to Mr. Walpole for having himself favoured him with a fight of his letter to the Bishop. The circumftance is not of any great importance, but fhould have been attended to before the publication. Dr. Secker's reply, now before us, is written in an eafy, agreeable, and artful manner, and with great appearance of moderation and candour. Had the letter to which this is defigned as an answer been published with it, the public would probably have had a yet more fatisfactory view of the fubject, upon which his lordship appears to have been of a different mind from his grace. The arguments here mentioned in favour of American bishops are the fame with those we hear commonly ufed that which has the greatest weight is drawn from the principles of religious liberty, which, it is faid, the members of the church of England in our colonies do not enjoy ;' this, with other confiderations, the Archbishop urges upon his readers, and endeavours also to remove the objections which are raised against his propofal fome part of what he here fays is as follows. Allowing the establishment of bifhops in America to be reasonable in itself, the fecond queftion is, Whether the danger of increafing church power by means of fuch an eftablishment be not a fufficient objection against it? Now, against things evidently right and useful, no dangers ought to be pleaded, but fuch as are both very probable and great; and from confirming and ordaining, no danger of this kind, I prefume, is apprehended. Yet thefe are the only new powers that will be exercifed. No other jurifdiction is defired for the propofed bishops, than the preceding commiffaries have enjoyed, and even that, on this occafion, may be afcertained and limited more accurately, if it be requifite. But here it is asked, how any perfons can undertake to promife, that no additional powers fhall hereafter be propofed and preffed on the colonies,

when