32. Remarks on the different Opinions relative to the American Co

lonies. 8vo. Is. Kearfly.

The author of these Remarks acknowledges himself to be a juvenile writer; and indeed this appears so obvious from the manner in which he writes, that there is no ground to suspect the truth of his assertion. A folid acquaintance with politics is very rarely, if ever, an endowment of youth; and we would therefore advise this remarker, if he cannot give over scribe ling, to employ his lucubrations on sobjects more fuitable to his years and experience.

33. Confiderations on the American War. 8vo. Is. Becket. We hardly meet with any observation in this pamphlet which has not been repeatedly suggested, with greater advantage, by other writers; or, where the author pursues a less beaten, though obvious track of thought, his sentiments are so much disfigured with grammatical amatical errors, that it is with great difficulty he supports our attention.

34. A Letter from an Officer retired, to bis Son in Parliament. 800. 15. Cadell.

This Letter is written in the character of an honest, sensible veteran, who is filled with just indignation of the American revolt, and is folicitous for the honour of his country in the pro, secution of the war, which he wishes may be conducted with proper vigour.

35. De Tumultibus Americanis deque corum Concitatoribus Medi

tatio Senilis. 8vo. gd. White.

The reader is informed, by an advertisement prefixed to this Meditation, that it was intended as an answer to some invidious remarks made in a certain august assembly, relative to the con, duct of the university of Oxford in presenting to his majesty an address on the American Rebellion. The reason of its being written in Latin is, that by a rule in the university all public discourses are delivered in that language; and the author addresses himfelt only to persons of learning and liberal education. In the character of an old man conversant with the motives of human action, he exposes, in a lively and satirical strain, the self-interested principles of those men who have abetted the revolt of the colonists; confirming his remarks by examples taken from ancient hiftorians, of pretended patriots of former times : and fubjoining many pertinent observations on the procedure of the Americans themselves. The whole Meditation is written in classical Latin, and abounds with just reflections on factious oppofition to government, interspersed with the marks of a man of learning, and the agreeable garrulity of a sensible old ob

fervator.

36. Thoughts on the several Regulations necessary to the Appointment of an Advocate General, for the Purpose of relieving the Clients of Lawyers from unreasonable Expence, and intolerable Oppression. 4to. 25. Bew.

This production is the sequel of two others published by the fame author; the first of which was entitled, "The Neceffity

:

of limiting the Power of the Practitioners in the several Courts
of Justice; and making effectual the Law for taxing the Bills
of Attorneys and Sollicitors;" the other, " Address to the
Public, fetting forth, amongst other Things, a Cafe of unlaw-
ful Imprisonment, &c." The present Essay is divided into two
parts; the first relating to the remedy of those mischiefs which
arise from the neglect, mismanagement, and evil designs of the
practitioners; and the second, to the taxation of their bills.
37. Remarks upon the Resolutions of the House of Commons with re-
Spect to the Poor, Vagrants, and Houses of Correction. 8vo. 6d.
Nicoll.

The proper regulation of the poor, confidered in a national light, is certainly an object of great importance; and every hint which may conduce to that end ought to be received with candour and attention. The author submits his remarks with great deference to the wisdom of the legislature, which, we doubt not, will take them into serious confideration.

POETRY.

38. Variety. A Tale, for Married People. 4to. Is. Dodsley. This tale, which is related in middling verse, presents us with the history of two young lovers, who by leading a rural life totally secluded from society, contracted a mutual disgust, which destroyed their conjugal happiness. In this disposition they determined on removing to London, where they entered into every scene of polite diffipation, and had no correspondence with each other for a considerable time; till at length being tired of the follies of the town, and their constitutions impaired in the purfuit of pleasure, they repented of the different excesses to which they had given way, and refolved to live afterwards in a moderate intercourse with the world, as the only means of fecuring domestic comfort.

39. The Heroic Epistle answered: by the R-H- Lord C 4to. Is. Wilkie.

Another jeu d'esprit, apparently written by the author of the Heroic Epistle to Lord Craven.

40. Speculation, a Poem. 410. Is. 6d. Conant. The subject of this poem is almost as indefinite as the title is general; and we can hardly give any further account of it than that the author's muse takes a devious flight into the regions of satire, on very feeble pinions.

41. The Devoted Legions: a Poem. Addressed to Lord George Germaine, and the Commanders of the Forces against America. 4to. 6d. Kearsly.

This poem, which is not inelegant, is founded on the tranf action of Atteius, the Roman tribane, who after opposing, without effect, the war against the Parthians, under the conduct of Craffus, placed himself, arrayed in solemn vestments, at the gate of the city through which that general was to lead his

A

troops to the expedition; and, as they passed, formally devoted both him and his legions to destruction. The allusion is obvious, from the dedication of the poem to lord George Germaine, and the commanders of the forces against America; and from the following motto.

Littora littoribus contraria, fluctibus undas

Imprecor, arma armis: pugnent ipfique nepotes.

As we have not faith fufficient to ascribe any efficacy to the ceremonial of Atteius, we are under no apprehenfion for the issue of this author's poetical execration; and we hope that the expedition to America will terminate as much more happily than the Parthian of Craffus, as the motive and object of it are more honourable and just.

42. The Whig. A Poem. 4to. Is. 6d. Dixwell. This poetical Whig appears to be a strenuous partizan of the Americans; whose pretenfions, it must be acknowledged, are more fit to be enforced by the declamations of fancy, than by arguments.

43. Ode for the New Year. 4to. 15. Almon. The production likewise of an American advocate, whom we would recommend as well qualified, at least by his zeal and attachment, for the place of poet laureat to the continental congress.

DIVINITY..

44. Reflections on the Life and Character of Christ, by Edmund Lord Bishop of Carlisle; with a Summary Appendix on the Gofpel Morals. 8vo. 15.6d. Cadell.

As a new edition of this tract was recommended by fome judicious persons, who have been long engaged in the education of youth, and are defirous of promoting some knowledge of religion, along with their other sciences, it is accordingly published by itself, in a way best adapted both to the tutor's convenience, and that of his pupils; and in order to reduce it into the smallest compass, such notes are omitted as appeared to be of a more speculative and abstruse nature, or less immediately connected with the subject.

These Reflections, we believe, were originally annexed to the author's Confiderations on the Theory of Religion. The Summary and Appendix are new publications.

We cannot too warmly recommend this excellent treatise to the perusal of every student in divinity; or rather, to every one, who wishes to understand the evangelical history; as it places our Saviour's character and method of teaching, in a very clear, striking, and advantageous light.

45. A Plea for the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. In a Paftoral Letter addressed to a Congregation of Protestant Dissenters at Cambridge. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Crowder.

There are several arguments arguments in this tract, which the author has stated and maintained in- an able manner, particularly the

following: following: If Jesus Christ be not God, the writers of the New Testament have discovered great injudiciousness in the choice of their expressions, and adopted a very incautious and dangerous style, when they ascribe to him those very names, attributes, and works, which the writers of the Old Testament ascribed to the Supreme Being; that if Jesus Christ be not God, we shall be obliged to allow, that Mohammed has written more clearly of his nature, than the apostles; and that the Turks have juster notions of his real character than the Christians, who study the gospel; that if he be a mere man, numberless pafsages of Scripture have no sense, or a very absurd one.'

Speaking of the effects of controverfial rhetoric, he says, Jesus is a metaphorical God, hell is an Eastern allegory, the devil is a prosopopeia, the atonement is a thing called a metonymy, the wicked are annihilated, and the virtuous sleep without dreaming, till the heavens are no more.'

This remark, though of no great importance in itself, is one of those lively strictures, which indicate a writer of genius.

46. Serious Thoughts on the Birth of a Child. Small 8vo. 9d. Buckland.

This writer bewails the vile depravity, which reigns, he says, over all our infant race, and his own among the rest;' he gives us a melancholy detail of the snares, the temptations, the vices, the dangers here and hereafter, to which his child is exposed; and then informs us, what a parent should do for his child.' To these reflections he has added, Prayers designed to assist pious parents in dedicating their little-ones to God."

6

This work is a production of a ferious well-meaning man, • When it first pleased God to place him in the important relation of a parent, his foul, he tells us, was almost overwhelmed with folemnity and awe. Almost every page of this tract is filled with effusions of affection for his beloved offspring, his dear child, his precious infant, his lovely babe; but not a fyllable of the poor mother!

CONTROVERSIAL.

47. The Scheme of Cbriftian and Philofophical Neceffity afferted. In Opposition to Mr. John Wesley's Tract on that Subje&, &c. By Augustus Toplady. 8vo. 35. Vallance and Simmons. There is hardly any point in metaphyfics, which has occasioned more contention, than the question concerning liberty and necessity. Yet a great part of the dispute has been a mere logomachia,

It has been urged, in favour of necessity, that the will is neceffarily determined by the last judgment of the understanding. But this argument amounts only to this, that it is necessary a man should will a thing, when it is supposed he does will it. Just as if one should affirm, that every thing which is, is there

fore necessary to be, because when it is, it cannot but be.

Ne

Necefity is usually diftinguished into physical and moral. By physical neceffity, a stone falls, the fire burns, and the fun gives light. It is something which arises from the absolute nature of the thing itself; so that a cause, which operates by a physical necessity, uniformly produces the fame effect; except in some cafes, where an extrinfic compulsory force is able to reftrain its operation.

By a moral necessity is meant the influence, which the fitness of things has on the minds of moral agents. The last is no necefsity at all in the sense wherein the opposers of liberty under. ftood neceffity. For it is evidently consistent with the most perfect natural liberty. For instance, a man is happy in his fituation, free from every corporeal and intellectual diforder, and abhors the idea of self-murder. He therefore cannot be guilty of suicide; not because he wants a natural or physical power, but because, it is contrary to his reason and inclination. Upon the fame principle, the supreme being cannot possibly do what what is wrong, or contradict his own essential attributes.

The certainty of divine foreknowledge has been urged against the possibility of liberty. But this argument is utterly incon. clusive. For the certainty of foreknowledge does not cause the certainty of things, but is itself founded on the reality of their exiftence. Whatever now is, certainly is; and it was yesterday and from eternity as certainly true, that the thing would be to day, as it is now certain, that it is. Knowledge does not alter the nature of things; but simply views them, as they are in themselves. Now foreknowledge in the Deity is the very fame as knowledge; all things in futurity, being seen by him, as if they were actually present. Consequently, the Divine foreknowledge has no influence on future events. The seeming force of the argument arises entirely from the incomprehensible nature of God's omniscience.

The author of the work before us has undertaken to defend the doctrine of necessity, in opposition to a small pamphlet published by Mr. Wesley. In this performance he treats his opponent with that contemptuous freedom, which the serious reader will be apt to call petulance. He has indeed advanced some specious arguments; but they are only conclufive in favour of a moral neceffity.

Mr. Toplady feems to be collecting all the scholastic rubbish, which was thrown upon facred literature in 1618, at the fynod of Dort.

48 An Efy on Liberty and Neceffity: in Answer to Auguftus Toplady's Tract, (on what he calls) "Christian and Philofo*phical Neceffity afsserted." 12mo. 15. Hawes.

1.

The author of this tract, though he writes in favour of Mr. Wesley, declares, in his preface, that he is no methodist; that he has no personal knowledge of his antagonist, and that he is actuated by no other motive, than a love of truth.

Be