Twelve Sermons on the Prophecies concerning the Chriftian Church and in particular concerning the Church of Papal Rome. Preached in Lincoln's-Inn Chapel, at the Lecture of the Right Rev. William Warburton, Lord Bishop of Gloucefler. By Samuel Hallifax, D. D. Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majefiy, 8vo. 5s. fewed. Cadell. Dr. Hurd's introductory fermons, at this lecture, having been publifhed before the commencement of the London Review, it may not be amifs to give our readers a fhort account of its infitution. About ten years ago, the Bishop of Gloucester tranfferred the fum of 500l. Four per Cent. Bank Annuities confolidated, to Lord Mansfield, Judge Wilmot, and others, on truft, for the purpofe of founding a lecture in the form of a fermon; in the manner of Mr. Boyle's Lecture, inftituted many years fince. The intent of the prefent lecture, is, to prove the truth of revealed religion, in general, and of the Chriftian in particular, from the completion of the prophecies in the Old and New Teftament, which relate to the Chriftian Church, especially to the apoftacy of Papal Rome.-Three fuch fermons are to be preached annually, on the firft Sunday after Michaelinas term, and the Sundays next before and after Hillary term; by a lecturer, who is to be continued for four years only, and is to print and publish all the fermons fo preached by him. Dr. Hallifax is the fecond preacher on this lecture; on the fubject of which, although he has advanced nothing very new, he has acquitted himself with great credit, as a divine, who hath made himself mafter of as difficult a fubject as any within the line of his profeffion. In his firft difcourfe he treats of the truth of revealed religion, as proved by prophecy.-The 2d, 3d, and 4th, respect the prophecies of Daniel-The fifth, St. Paul's prophecy concerning the Man of Sin, whom the preacher confiders as the Pope of Kome.--In the fixth fermon is confidered the apoftacy of the latter times-The 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th, treat of the Apocalypfe; in explication of which, he follows the learned Jofeph Mede-The 11th fermon contains an hiftorical view of the corruptions of popery; and the twelfth a vindication of the proteftant reformation. On fo nice and delicate a fubject we fhall forbear making any remarks; concluding, however, with Dr. Hallifax's own prophecy, with which he feems to have been infpired by the principal object of an inftitution; an inftitution, fays he, more than any other, calculated to fupport the caufe of reformed religion; and which deferves, and will have, the grateful acknowledgements of Proteftants, of every community in the prefent and in fucceeding ages. *** A Libe 1 A Liberal and Minute Inspection of the Holy Gofpel: affording an occafional Paraphrafe, with Notes and Emendations on the Four Gofbels and the Acts of the Apofiles; and a regular Expofition of all the Epiftles, except the Revelation. Svo. Is. Lewis. We are glad this liberal and minute infpector made a stop at the Revelations; as we conceive, in the prefent ftate of his intellects, a minute infpection into the apocalypfe would have totally overfet him. In the prefent pamphlet he comes off pretty well; having only given us a paraphrafe on the Epiftle to the Ephefians.-We would have him be cautious, however, how he proceeds in his notes and emendations on the Gospels and the Acts of the Apoftles, as we do not apprehend he will be able to mend them much: unless indeed he be favoured with a' ftronger flatus of the divine fpirit, which he conceives to have aided the conception of the Fatus, as he tiles it, of his meditation, the prefent performance. If we are not mistaken, it is this writer who advertifes that he hath not purchased a character of any of the Reviewers.This may be true; but it is no proof that he did not attempt to chaffer and cheapen one. This is fo frequently done, that, if the Reviewers were not proof againft bribery and corruption, they would have opportunities enough to indulge themselves in the prevailing vice of the age.-But perhaps our liberal infpector did not come up to their price and yet they must be unconscionable critics, indeed, to infift upon much. The best character, they could poffibly give fuch a performance as this, could not be worth more than that of a common fervant at a Register-office. ** History of the Colonization of the Free States of Antiquity, applied to the prefent Contest between Great Britain and her American Colonies. With Reflections concerning the future Settlement of thefe Colonies. 4to. 5s fewed. Cadell. Of this writer's motives and defign he gives the following account. "At a feafon when the rebellion of the British Colonies in America, one of the greatest events of modern times, engages deeply the attention of the nation, when the re-establishment of peace will probably foon become the fubject of parliamentary difcuffion, an author, unknown to the leaders of public meafures, prompted by no view of emolument, animated only with a love of truth, and with zeal for the prefervation of a conftitution the most perfect the world ever beheld, offers to his countrymen an history of colonization, as practifed chiefly by the Carthaginians, Greeks, and Romans. His great object has been, to investigate 518 Hiftory of the Colonization of the Free States of Antiquity, &c. investigate the nature of the connection which fubfifted between these nations and their colonies; to determine the extent of the jurisdiction the former affumed over the latter; but, particularly, to afcertain the practice of antiquity with regard to the much-controverted article of taxation. Two reafons induced him to undertake this tafk: firft, because he had obferved, in the course of the controverfy concerning the propriety and justice of the prefent war, the practice of antiquity frequently appealed to, and commonly mifreprefented; but, chiefly, becaufe he wished to prepare the nation for the parliamentary fettlement which may take place on the fubmiffion of the colonies, both by fuggefting to the legiflature itself all the information which can be derived from the purest and most fatisfactory precedents of ancient history, and by attempting to reconcile the minds of the people in general to that fettlement, when they fhall find it, perhaps, fupported by the policy of those ages which enjoyed the most perfect civil liberty." The very great difference, between the circumftances of ancient and modern times, will always render the application of the practices of the former very difficult and precarious with refpect to the latter. As far, however, as fpeculation goes, this writer has carried his reflections with a great deal of goodfenfe and plaufibility; and if precedent have any weight, in regard to the prefent difpute between Great Britain and her American Colonies, he feems to give it entirely in favour of the mother-country. The Americans, he obferves, have behaved in fimilar circumftances exactly like the rebellious colonies of antiquity; in demanding immunities and exemptions as foon as ever they had acquired ftrength to infift on them. But neither the Carthaginians, Greeks, nor Romans, ever gave up their right to tax their colonies. On the whole, the work before us is a feafonable, well-written production; doing equal honour to the hiftorian, the politician, and the patriot. Witenham-Hall; a Defcriptive Poem. By T. P. A.M. 4to. 2s. 6d. Blyth. This poem is fufficiently defcriptive, were it equally poetical and characteristic. In the prefent improved ftate of English verfification, it wants, however, that propriety and elegance, which is neceffary to pleafe a critical reader. This production is, nevertheless, not deftitute of poetical merit; although, in comparison with Denham's famous Cooper's-hill, not Box-hill, Heath-hill, or even Witenham hill, make a better figure than doth a citizen's garden-mount at Mufwell-hill or Hornícy, compared with the Wrekin or Skiddow. Hagley Hagley; a Defcriptive Poem. 4to. 2s. 6d. Dodley. The production evidently of a young writer, from whose improveable genius better poetry may be expected. It is not enough to be fufceptible of the beauties of nature or art, without poffeffing the talent of expreffing that fufceptibility. As an actor may feel too much to exprefs his feelings with propriety, fo may a poet. The Old Serpent's Reply to the Electrical Eel. 4to, 2s. Smith. Our account of the Electrical Eel in the London Review for March, page 239, renders it unneceffary to fay any thing more of this pamphlet, than that it is worthy of its predeceffor; the authors of both which richly merit a month's flagellation in Bridewell. An Heroic Epiftle from Donna Teresa Pinna Y Ruiz of Murcia to Richard Twifs, Efq; F. R. S. With Notes. 4to. is. 6d. Kearfly. Reprinted from the Dublin Third Edition. A fevere retaliation on Mr. Twifs for the freedom he took with the Irish ladies. It is written in the manner of the famous Heroic Epiftle to Sir Wm. Chambers, and resembles it not a little in wit, humour, and forcible verfification. ** An Heroic Answer from Richard Twifs, Efq; to Donna Teresa Pinna Y Ruiz. 4to. Kearfly. Reprinted from the Dublin Third Edition. The fecond part of the fame tune; in which Mr. Twifs is again finely tuned, indeed; and probably by the fame unmerciful tuner. Imitations and Tranflations, from the Latin of Mr. Gray's Lyric Odes. 4to. Is. 6d. Dodfley. "Imitatores! Servum pecus This imitator would be fafer in writing Latin than English poetry; at leaft till he has learnt to rhime. * The The Country Justice; a Poem. By one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County of Somerfet. Part III. 4to. 15. Becket. The intent of this poem (the two former parts of which appeared fucceffively fome time ago) being profeffedly" to cultivate humanity in the provincial adminiftration of justice," we cannot fail of commending fo laudable a defign; at the fame time that we express our concern that the provincial adminif tration of justice fhould ftand fo much in need of the dictates of humanity. Nor is the poetical execution of the piece unworthy the morality of its defign. Indeed we do not know any other of his Majefty's juftices of the peace throughout the kingdom, who could give us fo agreeable a caft of his office. The writer, it is true, is not one of the first-rate poets: and yet he feems to have taken out his dedimus from the court of Apollo. But non omnia poffumus omnes; if two men ride on a horse, one of them, as Dogberry obferves, muft ride behind; or as Lloyd has it, "Who cannot reach Charles Churchill's skill Poemata Latine partim fcripta, partim reddita: quibus accedunt quædam in Q. Horatium Flaccum, Obfervationes Critica. A Gilberto Wakefield, A. B. et Coll. Jefu apud Cantab. Socio. 4to. 3s. 6d. White. Of these cento writers little more is to be faid than that they fhew a laudable application to the turning over the Claffics. As to Mr. Wakefield's critical obfervations on Horace, they will never entitle him to rank with a Sanadon, a Dacier, or a Bentley. Anti-Diabo-lady-Calculated to expofe the Malevolence of the Au thor of Diabolady. 4to. 1s. 6d. Parker. Ne'er a barrel the better herring! Catch-pennies both! and calculated only to expofe the knavery of the writer, and the folly of the purchafer. 3 The |