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Art. XV. An Introduction to Reading and Spelling, upon à new Plan; shewing, by Classification of Words, the various Sounds of the Vowels, Consonants, and Dipthongs, with their Exceptions, adapted to the Use of Schools, especially Sunday Schools; to which is prefixed an Address to Teachers. By B. Cave. 12mo. pp. 24. price 3d. Button. 1805. THE rising generation are under unspeakable obligations to those who devote so much time and talent, in endeavours to render their progress in acquiring a knowledge of reading, &c. easy, pleasing, and instructive. The author of this little book, is among the number of teachers, whose labours have been thus usefully directed; and, we trust, it will meet with the encouragement it deserves.

Art. XVI. History of the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb. 8vo. pp. 50. price 2s. 6d. Williams. 1805.

WE are sincerely rejoiced to find, that the history of this invaluable establishment, for the most interesting of objects, is now presented to the world, with such attractions as must secure its suecess, and produce the effect, which nothing but a too general ignorance of the institution and its purposes, could have so long delayed. This history is a plain and sensible appeal to the christian and the man. Nothing short of apathy to the sufferings of our fellow creatures, can stop that current of charity, which is so necessary to keep the wheels of this noble machine in motion, and enlarge its powers and usefulness. Accompanied as it is with the strong appeal of a renowned advocate, whose industry and success in the cause of charity, must render his name and memorial grateful to the present and succeeding ages, it cannot fail to produce such general support as may enable the governors to receive all, instead of a tenth part of, the candidates for adınission, to a share in the common bounties of Providence and means of grace.

Art. XVII. Reflections on Victory; a Sermon preached in Argyle Chapel, Bath, Dec. 5, 1805, &c. &c. By W. Jay. 8vo. pp. 42. price Is. Williams.

TEXT.-2 Sam. xix. 2.

THE reputation of this popular writer, will, doubtless, procure many readers, and probably admirers, of this sermon. The elegance of his style is not more commendable than the seriousness of his manner and the justice of his sentiments.

Art. XVIII. The Destruction of the Combined Fleets of France and Spain; a Sermon preached at Worship-street, Thursday, Dec. 5, 1805. By John Evans, A. M. pp. 32. price 1s. Symonds. 1805.

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THERE is nothing in this serious and respectable discourse which dis. tinguishes it so strongly from its brethren, as its singularly suitable Rev. viii. 9. And the third part of the ships were destroyed!" The author very properly disclaims any idea of adopting this glorious event as a fulfilment of the prophecy. Q4

Art.

Art. XIX. An Ode, written upon the Victory and Death of Lord Viscount Nelson; to which are added, Lines addressed to him after the celebrated Battle of the Nile. By a Lady. 8vo. pp. 16. Price 2s. Boosey...

1805.

THIS tribute to departed heroism, appears before the world in the

richest style of typography, adorned with an engraved title, and vignette likeness of the fallen warrior. We cannot do wrong in quoting the first line, to which we may be allowed to add another, like unto it: further than this, the warring claims of truth and gallantry require us to be silent.

"Fame once more a brilliant trophy rears;"

"And Piety wafted his soul to heaven."

Art. XX. The White Devil; or the Hypocrite exposed, together with a Warning to Professors. By J. White, M. G. pp. 16. price 4d. Mathews. 1806.

THE strange coincidence of the author's name with his title, is the

most singular circumstance in this dear sheet of incoherent raving. Its object is to condemn the sensual and irreligious preacher, and to extol the genuine M. G., or Minister of the Gospel. The author further menaces us with a Comment on the Tool-box, or the Religious Mechanic-with an exquisite morceau of Auto-Biography, intituled, The Sinner's Escape with the Skin of his Teeth! That the author should write a pamphlet, by no means surprises us; but what will the reader say to his keeping an Academy! With equal felicity, the printers assure us, that they execute letter press with accuracy; in confirmation of which,the 6th page, in our copy, is printed on the back of the title page!

Art. XXI. Four Sermons preached in London, at the Eleventh General Meeting of the Missionary Society, on the 8th, 9th, and 10th of May, 1805. By the Rev. E. Williams, D. D. Rotherham; Rev. W. Nichol, London; Rev. James Slatterie, Chatham; Rev. J. Thomason; also, the Report of the Directors, &c. price 2s. 6d. Williams. 1805. THESE Sermons are truly evangelical in their doctrine, strongly

marked with zeal and energy in the cause of Christ, and admirably calculated to promote the object of the Society. We shall not rob the public of the pleasure and profit they are likely to derive from the perusal of them, by making any extracts; but do most heartily wish that they may be read with attention, and obtain numerous additional supporters to a plan so congenial to the true Christian character, which not only wishes, but strives to promote the immortal welfare of mankind. The Society has had real difficulties to surmount, but we trust, that guided by wisdom, as well as animated by zeal, neither their funds, nor their efforts, will ever be exhausted.

Art. XXII. The Churchman's Confession; or an Appeal to the Liturgy; a Sermon preached before the University of Cambridge, Dec. 1, 1805. By the Rev. Charles Simeon, M. A. Fellow of King's College, Cambridge. pp. 30. price 1s. Rivingtons 1805.

THIS is one of the best and most conclusive sermons we have read, in refutation of the unjust calumnies thrown out by bigotry and malice, against serious Clergymen of the Establishment. The arguments are plain and incontrovertible; the spirit of meekness and calm firmness is strongly evidenced; no violence, no railing, no rant, no enthusiasm offends us here; but the cause of truth is maintained with decency and success. No man really entertaining such sentiments, can be considered in any other light than that of a true christian, a sincere protestant, and a strict churchman.

Art. XXIII. RETROSPECT OF FRENCH LITERATURE,

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continued from Vol. i. page 312.

O considerable an interruption has occurred in this Article of our Review, that some recapitulation, as well as some apology, may be requisite to our readers. We beg leave, therefore, to remind them, that, at its commencement, p. 148, we proposed to take a cursory view of the literature of France, from the earliest time to the present, as forming four principal periods; the first, preceding the succession of Louis XIV; the second, comprising his reign; the third, continuing from his decease to the commencement of the late Revolution; and the fourth, from that memorable epoch to the present time. Having rapidly surveyed the former three periods, we expressed our intention of suspending the subject, till we obtained more full and particular intelligence from our correspondents at Paris. This has been amply communicated; but we regret to find, that it is, unavoidably, less interesting than we wished, and hoped, that it might have been. We were unwilling to believe, that moral writings, and the belles-lettres, in France, were actually at so low an ebb, as the periodical works of both countries left us reason to suppose. Some of the most valuable articles, which we have had the pleasure of reviewing, having been unnoticed by other periodical works, both French and English, we flattered ourselves, that the apparent dearth of useful literature in France, was rather accidental than real. We have, however, received the firmest conviction, from different testimonies, on which we can perfectly depend, that truly meritorious publications, at Paris, are extremely rare. The declension of genuine taste has been progressive since the latter days of Louis XIV. In the subsequent regency, immorality triumphed over decency, and licentiousness over restraint. The abilities which various members of the conspiracy, headed by Voltaire, displayed and exerted, instead of retarding, accelerated the corruptions of literature, by infecting the opinions and the morals of the nation, with the mingled poisons of infidelity and profligacy. "The first Philosophical work which appeared," says one of our correspondents, "was intituled Les Moeurs, and was written by Toussaint, who called himself a Jansenist. It preserved some moderation and decorum, but affected to disunite religion and morals. Afterwards, Helvetius, in his

work

work De l'Esprit, vainly laboured to demonstrate the materiality of the mind, the noblest gift of God to man; and he evidently aimed at the subversion of every principle of morality in human conduct. Diderot in his Pensées Philosophiques, avowed pure deism. The Encyclopedie was a receptacle for the whole poison of the Sect; and Scepticism, Materialism, and Atheism, were unblushingly obtruded in it. That voluminous compilation, to the formation of which the most eminent men of every class of society were invited to contribute, was made the rallying point of all, who were inimical, either to religion, or civil government; and what was falsely termed philosophy, thus obtained powerful protectors, in proportion to the number of converts to immoral opinions."

Impiety soon dared to appear in the sanctuary. In the presence of the Sorbonne, (which they affected to denominate, "The permanent council of the Gauls") one Abbé Deprades had the impudence to sustain a thesis, in which the foundations both of Natural and Revealed Religion, were assaulted alternately, by crafty insinuation and shameless incredulity. This direct attack on an object to which even the peace of society should have ensured respect, was succeeded by a deluge of impious publications, profusely dispersed, and lavishly applauded. Such were, La Code de la Nature, attributed to Diderot; Le bon sens; Le Systême de la Nature (the production of a Junto); Amphigouri, a farrago of incomprehensible nonsense, and inconsistency; L'examen des apologistes de la Religion, published with Freret's name, but no more his work than Le Christianisme Devoilé was that of Mirabeau. Boulanger, in his Antiquité Devoilée, pretended to discover in Noah's flood, not only the clue of the whole heathen mythology, but a demonstration of the unsearchable antiquity of the globe. A much better natural philosopher, M. de Luc, on the contrary, found in it, irresistible proofs of the veracity of the Mosaic History and chronology; and not one of our atheistical literati has hazarded a reply to his arguments. It was from the same focus of impiety, that the Essai sur les prejugés,and many works of the same kind, diffused their pestilential influence. They were adapted to subvert all principles of society, and to replace them by those systems of liberty, equality, and community of possessions, which have since desolated France, and endangered Europe.

⚫ 'I. I. Rousseau, and Condorcet, complete the list of those sophists, who laboured incessantly to model mankind, and society, anew. The former so notorious for his paradoxes and inconsistences, maintained, in argument with Diderot, that social order is altogether a violation of the laws of Nature. This pernicious maxim, in addition to a crowd of other sophisms, could have no other effect than to deface the form of society, and to give scope to crimes, of which countless multitudes have been either the witnesses, or the victims. The Emile, and the Contrat social, formed a code of disorganization for France. Much more was deduced from these works, than the author designed. Amidst all his errors, he did not inculcate either atheism or materialism: but his writings have been productive of the most fatal effects.-Condorcet, emulating the example of Voltaire and D'Alembert, aspired to take a leading part in the reyolution. He conducted the public journals, and patronised the innovations that were meditated by the reformers of France; but he could not attract their homage. His multiplied pamphlets against established institutions, his discussions of the rights of man, his labours to illustrate

the

the principles of social happiness, devoted as he was to the revolutionary projects, could not exempt him from persecution. He was obliged to secrete himself; and when the reign of terror pervaded every habitation, after many wanderings, he found no other resource than self-murder. After his death, was published a work, in which he had been employed during his concealment. His "Sketch of a Historical Picture of the Progress of the Human Mind," exhibits the plan of a vast undertaking, distributed under ten epochs. Tracing the course and progress of reason, in the formation of societies, he beholds her enslaved and corrupted by superstition, and loaded by despotism with fear and misery. He observes the French nation extricating itself from this double bondage, resolutely advancing in the pursuit of truth, and triumphantly seizing that liberty, of which barbarism and fanaticism had deprived it. Anticipating the latest stage of mental freedom, he predicts that all nations will derive from the French revolution the attainment of complete equality, and the ultimate perfection of the human mind; that the most savage hordes will arrive at the same state of civilization, with the nations that are "most entirely emancipated from prejudices, such as the French, and the AngloAmericans. Then, says he, shall the sun shine only on free men: then, no master but reason shall be acknowledged; tyrants and slaves, priests, and the stupid or hypocritical instruments of their imposture, will no longer exist, but in history, or the drama: no more will they be remembered, except to pity their dupes and victims; or to crush, under the weight of reason, the germs of superstition and tyranny, should they presume to shoot again.'-Such was Condorcet's last prophecy; and his catastrophe proved a faithful symbol, of the manner, as well as the probability, of its accomplishment."

The interval which has elapsed since the authors of this stupendous project passed under our review, and the light which the preceding extract throws on their sentiments and proceedings, will, we trust, sufficiently apologize to our readers, for having directed their attention once more to that state of literature in France, which preceded and generated the revolution. During its progress, no other theme could obtain the public notice. In pursuance, therefore, of our plan, we propose, in our next Number, to collect into one view the principal writers on the revolution, and to insert brief sketches of their several perfor

mances.

Art. XXIV. SWEDISH LITERATURE.

WE last year noticed the monthly publication of Svensk Botanik, or

Swedish Botany, of which upwards of fifty numbers have successively been welcomed by the Swedish public; we now have to announce another work equally interesting to the students of natural history, viz: Svenska Toglar, or illuminated engravings of all Swedish birds with characteristic descriptions. The well-known Professor SPARMAN, whose ability for the task is a sufficient recommendation to the work, has the care of this Publication, of which the first volume with six plates, in folio, has already appeared; the next is promised to follow as soon as a sufficient number of subscribers is obtained. The price is very moderate, about one shilling a number.

Historisk Geografisk Larobok. The learned Mr. G. A. Silfverstolpe, editor of the Journal for Swedish Literature is about publishing a work combining

His

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