tafte in ridicule would ever improve, though he were to hear them by hundreds and thoufands every day." Among the various caufes of modern refinement in ludicrous writing, Dr. Beattie reckons not only the modern point of ho nour, monarchial government and gallantry, but even Chriftianity; all which, he conceives, have combined to the refinement of our tafte for humour and pleafantry. In expatiating on the effect of religion in this particular, he fpeaks with juft indignation of the fyftem of politenefs lately broached in the celebrated letters of Lord Chefterfield. "Will it be faid, that delicacy of fpeech and behaviour may be communicated and acquired by the means recommended in fome late Letters, namely, by external applications, and by the use of certain mechanical phrafes, looks, and geftures? As well may the painting of the cheeks and eye-brows be prefcribed as a prefervative from the rheumatifim, and perfumed fnuff as an antidote against hunger and thirit. He has learned little of the true interests of human fociety, and nothing at all of the human mind, who does not know, that without fincerity there could not be either happinefs or comfort upon earth; that permanent propriety of conduct has its fource in the heart; and that, if all men believed one another to be knaves and hypocrites, po litenefs of language and attitude, instead of being graceful, would appear as ridiculous, as the chatter of a parrot, or the grin of a monkey. Who, that has the spirit of a man, could take pleasure in profeflions of good will, which he knew to be infincere? Who, that is not confcious of fome bafenefs in himself, could ferioufly imagine, that mankind in general might be rendered fufceptible of fuch pleafure? I fpeak not now of the immorality of that new fyftem; which, if I were inclined to fay of it what I think, would give deeper, as well as louder, tones to my language: I fpeak only of its abfurdity and folly. And abfurd, and foolish, in the extreme, as well as wicked, muft every fyitem be, that aims to disjoin delicacy from virtue, or virtue from religion.' But we muft here take leave of this work for the present. The Sublime and Beautiful of Scripture: Being Elays on Select Paffages of Sacred Compofition. By Courtney Meimoth. 2 Volumnes. Price 5s. fewed. Murray. Had not the name of the author been prefixed to these volumes, we fhould have been led to fufpe&t them, in an age which difcovers fuch an avidity for pofthumous wrings, to be a genuine continuation of the celebrated Yorick's fermons. A fufpicion, which, both the manner and matter would have fufficiently juftified; fince we find, in both, the fame kill of directing a pathetic narrative to the heart; the fame happy knack of skimming, with the fofteft touches of genius, over the furface N 2 furface of complacent fubjects; and the fame power of giving the brighteft colours to popular defcriptions. We cannot give our readers a more concife and complete notion of the agreeable performance now before us, than by offering a few paffages from the Introduction, exhibiting at once the author's, defign, and his apology for making it pub lick. were writ "Thefe mifcellaneous remarks," fays Mr. Melmoth, " ten in the animated moments of feeling, when their author was defined to holy orders, and while the impreffion made by each paffage was yet glowing upon the imagination and the heart. They have now been in his poffeffion, or in that of his literary friends, fome years: in the courfe of which, they have been handed about, with the moft flattering attention, from one perfon to another, equally eminent for the juftice of their criticifms, and the delicacy of their taste.. In the last winter, they were delivered, publickly, at Edinburgh, before feveral of the most diftinguifhed literary characters, not only of Scotland, but of Europe. Amongst thefe, might be named a Hume, a Kaims, a Robertfon, a Ferguson, and a Blair. "Thefe honours, however, are none of them mentioned in the triumph of oftentation; but by way of apology to those who may deem an apology neceffary. What hath been fo warmly received by fo refpectable an auditory, may reasonably expect the approbation of the world in general: and what was at first written prof fionally, and to dif play the most excellent matter, in the newest manner, cannot, furely, at any time, come abroad unfeasonably, or be thought out of cha racter." Our author appears to have imagined thefe leading paffages neceffary, as an excufe, we prefume, for running with fuch feeming rapidity into different walks of literature. And, indeed, we cannot but take notice of the verfatility of this multifarious young writer's turn of genius for very oppofite fubjects having, in lefs than three winters, prefented us with a fpecimen of his humour, in fix volumes; of his fkill in the pathetic, in two; of his critical judgement in one; and of his attention to the beauties of facred literature, in two more; "with intent, as he tells us, of continuing the illuftration of the fatter. So far, however, are we from condemning his ferti lity of genius, or his facility of bringing its offspring into birth, that we congratulate every young writer on fuch circumstances, when, as in the prefent cafe, his productions improve upon us : for, in point of correctness of language, this work confiderably furpaffes Mr. Melmoth's former pieces. "It will be feen," fays our author, " that the paffages felected, are chiefly fuch as have been flightly, or not at all regarded, by the Liberal Opinions; or, The Hiftory of Benignus. Pupil of Pleasure. Obfervations on Dr. Young's Night Thoughts. more more elaborate commentators; or fuch as, appealing to the paffions, and fenfibilities, demanded more lively and more tender elucidations, than ale ufually admitted into ordinary comments. "In a word, the Scriptures are, in the prefent performance, confidered varioufly-as facred, religious fyftems-as admirable, and exquifite compofitions-as fabricks of Faith-and as pieces of unparal leled writing." In purfuance of this pleafing plan (which is not a little favoured by its novelty, and thofe enchantments which are derived from the colourings of a juvenile imagination), our ingenious author begins, as might be expected, with the fubjects of Chaos and Creation; he then paffes on, in a defultory manner, to fuch paffages as he thinks moft propitious to the display of what he efteems the Sublime and Beautiful of Scripture. Sometimes we find him indulging himself in moral reflections adduced from contemplating the text, and fometimes in delineating characters, with a truth and spirit peculiar to this writer, though now and then with too many amplifications, or elfe in developing circumftances which, affifted by the embellishments of fancy, arife out of the epifode or story, The number of Effays is 28, upon the following Subjects.1. Chaos and Creation-2. Origin of Drets-3. Longevity4. Origin of Shipping-5. The Dove-6. The Seafons→→→ 7. Supremacy of Man-8. Story of Abraham and Lot9. Mercy-10. Story of Abraham and Ifaac-11. Death of Abraham-12. Story of Jacob and Rachel, including that of Ifaac and Rebekah-13. Keconciliation of Jacob and Efau14. Story of Dinah-15. On Death-16. Story of Jofeph-17. Death of Jacob-18. Generofity, and Death of Jacob concluded-19. Birth and Bravery of Mofes-20. The Miracles21. Inftitutes of Mofes-22. Story of Balaam and his Afs 23. Death of Mofes-24. Story of Caleb and Othnicl-25. Story of Naomi and Ruth-26. Story of David and Goliah27. The Widow of Zaraphath-28. Character and Writings of Solomon. All these are illuftrative of fome well-known paffages; in the choice of which, as well as in the way of comment, our author hath been fingularly happy. As a fpecimen of the moral and fentimental part of this elegant little work, we offer the following. "Eflay VI. The Seafons. Paffage. While the earth remaineth, feed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and fummer and winter, and day and night, fhall not cease. Among the great bleffings and wonders of the creation, may be claffed, the regularities of times and feafons. Immediately after the - flood, the facred promife was made to man, that feed-time and harvelt, cold and heat, fummer and winter, day and night, should continue to the the very end of all things: accordingly, in obedience to that promife; the rotation is conftantly prefenting as with fome ufeful and agreeable alteration; and all the pleafing novelty of life arifes from thefe natural changes; nor are we lefs indebted to them for all its folid comforts. It has been frequently the tafk of the moralift and poet, to mark, in polished periods, the particular charms and conveniencies of every change; and, indeed, fuch difcriminate obfervation upon natural va riety cannot be undelightful; fince the bleffing, which every month brings along with it, is a fresh initance of the wifdom and bounty of that Providence which regulates the glories of the year. We glow as we contemplate, we adore whilft we enjoy. In the time of feedfowing, it is the feafon of confidence; the grain which the hufbandman trufts to the bofom of the earth fhall, haply, yield its feven-fold rewards: fpring prefents us with a fcene of lively expeciation; that which was before fown begins now to difcover figns of fuccefsful vegetation: the labourer obferves the change, and anticipates the harvcit: he watches the progrefs of nature, and fimiles at her influence; while the man of contemplation walks forth with the evening, amidit the fra grance of flowers, and promifes of plenty, nor returns to his cottage till darkness clofes the fcene upon his eye. Then cometh the harvest, when the large with is fatisfied, and the granaries of nature are loaded with the means of life, even to a luxury of abundance: The powers of language are unequal to the defcription of this joyous feafon: it is the carnival of nature fun and fhade, coolness and quietude, mirth and mulic, love and labour, unite to render every fcene of fummer enchanting. And the divifion of light and darknefs is one of the kindeft efforts of omnipotent fagacity. Day and night yield us contrary blefings, and, at the fame time, affift each other, by giving fresh luftre to the delights of both. Amidst the glare of day and buftle of life, how shall we fleep? amidit the gloom of darknets, how fhall we labour? "How wife, how benignant, how like a Deity then, is the proper divifion! The hours of light are adapted to activity, and those of darknels to reft. Ere the day is paffed, exercite and nature prepare us for the pillow; and by the time that the morning returns, we are again able to meet it with a file. Thus, every feafon hath a charm, peculiar to itself, and every moment affords fome interefting innovation Of the defcriptive and florid, we have a very agreeable fample in a comment upon the article of Noah and his Dove. "Effay V. The Dove. Paffage. He fent forth a dove from him, to fee if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground. "There is a peculiar beauty, not only in the fentiment and language of thefe verfes, but in the thing ittelf. "The tranfactions and friendly intercourfe of Noah and his dove have a tenderness and ceremony in them, truly delightful. The eye melts at the fimplicity, and the heart warms at the fentiment. Poetry, in her happiest flight, could imagine nothing more interelling to the fancy. "Hail, gentleft of birds!-Hail, meffenger of fecurity! Through thy thy means was the dry ground difcovered, and the gratitude of man "He fent forth the dove to fee if the waters were abated. What an "And after feven days more, he fent her forth again, and the re- * How often is the invoked by the poets? One inftance out of many --Pity is due to the dove, For it over attendeth the bold, We |