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But none of those writers has illustrated the principles of Mr. Hume so happily as himself. They may be said indeed, only to have written commentaries on his illustrations. One example will justify this remark. The subject is unity of action, about which all critics, after Aristotle, had talked so much, and to so little pur. pose, while they directed not their taste or sentiment by the accuracy of philosophy, "It appears," says he, "that in "all productions, as well as the epic and tragic, there is "a certain UNITY required, if we would produce a work "which will give any lasting entertainment to mankind. "An annalist or historian, who should undertake to "write the HISTORY OF EUROPE, during any century, "would be influenced by the connection of contiguity in "time and place. All events, which happen in that por"tion of space, and period of time, are comprehended "in his design, though in other respects different and "unconnected. They have still a species of unity amid "all their diversity. But the most usual species of "connection, among the different events which enter into "any narrative composition, is that of cause and effect; "while the historian traces the series of actions according "to their natural order, remounts to their secret springs " and principles, and delineates their most remote conse 66 quences."

If Mr. Hume was happy in illustrating his metaphysical system, he was yet more successful in exempli, fying it. His moral, political, and literary essayз, are perfect models of philosophical investigation. He is altogether logical, without the logical forms: he unites the plain perspicuity of Locke to the synthetic precision of Wollaston and the analytical accuracy of Harris. But this great man, who has carried human reasoning to the utmost point of perfection, has endeavoured, by sceptical doubts, to destroy the certainty of all reasoning, and to undermine the foundation of both natural and revealed religion. His attack upon the latter leads to a very curious and important inquiry; "the State of Christianity “in England during the Present Century." I shall endea

vour to trace the outlines of this subject, by way of termination to this view of the progress of society.

That general toleration, which was the immediate consequence of the revolution, gave birth to the great freedom of discussion relative to religious matters. The crowd of sectaries, no longer held together by the common bond of persecution, or restrained by fear from unveiling the supposed errors of the church, entered into a bold investigation of the sublime mysteries of christianity. And the apostles of each sect keenly censured the tenets of all who presumed to differ from them on any particular point. Numberless disputes were hotly agitated about doctrines of no importance to the rational christian.

But this pious warfare was not sufficient to keep alive the fervour of zeal, either in the church or among the dissenters, in a state of unlimited liberty of conscience. A general moderation began to prevail, and the more enlightened sectaries seemed ready to join the hierarchy; when certain fiery spirits, filled with indignation of such lukewarmness, and panting for the crown of martyrdom, gave birth to new sects of a warmer complexion, and obliged the heads of the old to enforce their particular tenets, in order to prevent the utter desertion of their followers. Whitfield and Wesley in England, and the two Erskines in Scotland, rekindled in all its ardour the flame of enthusiasm, which raged, for a time, with dazzling brightness, in spite of the utmost efforts of reason and ridicule. But the fuel of persecution, the stake and the faggot being happily withheld, it has now in a great measure spent its force. Nor have the methodists yet been able to number one martyr among the

multitude of their saints.

The spirit of infidelity (as it always will, in an enlightened age) kept pace with that of enthusiasm. As many of the wilder sectaries laid claim to divine illuminations, and in their ravings pretented to prophesy, some men of sceptical principles endeavoured to bring into suspicion, and even to destroy the credibility of all prophe

cy;

cy; while others called in question the authenticity of the sacred books, both historical and prophetical. At the head of those sceptical writers, and the most dangerous because the most agreeable, may be placed Shaftesbury and Bolingbroke.

Tindal, in his Christianity as old as the Creation, denied the necessity of the Gospel; as it promulgated, he affirmed, no principle or precept with which mankind were not formerly acquainted. Hume, in his Essay on Miracles, struck directly at its foundation, by attempting to show that no human testimony is sufficient to establish the reality of a miracle. And an author, no less able or learned than either, has written an historical deduction, to prove christianity to be of human origin.

But these rude attacks have only served more firmly to establish true religion, while they have given a severe check to enthusiasm. They have led divines to examine minutely into the proofs of revelation, and made them sensible of the propriety of explaining more rationally the mysteries in the christian system; especially that of the trinity, the incarnation of the word, and the miraculous influence of grace upon the human soul. The consequence has been, that all men of sound minds and good morals, conform outwardly to the religion of their country, and most of them sincerely believe it to be of divine origin. The debasing doctrine of materialism has been exploded, as alike unfriendly to all that is liberal in the human character, or endearing in the human condition; for he who considers this earthly spot as the only theatre of his existence, and its grave, instead of his first stage in progressive being, can never view nature with a cheerful, or man with a benevolent eye.

16. An attempt has lately been made, by a learned divine, to give to this doctrine a new complexion; but his opinions are too whimsical ever to be generally received.

THE END.

SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES.

ADLUM John

Adams Francis
Ainger Edward
Alburtis John
Allen William O.

Allen James

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Bayly Josiah
Bankhead John

Bankhead James
Ball George
Ball William
Baker Samuel
Barton William
Batson Ken.
Baron Alexander
Eaker Thomas
Baker John
Balmain Alexander
Baldwin Cornelius
Beanes William
Beanes William B.
Beanes Colmore
Berry Jeremiah
Belt Robert B.
Belsches James
Berkeley Carter B.

Alexander William
Allston John
Ambler John
Andrews Robert
Anderson William
Anderson James

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Beale Norborne B.
Beverley Carter
Bee Thomas
Bee John Simmons
Berg C.

Bines Maxwell

Biscoe George

Blakistone Thomas

Blake James H.
Blake Benjamin

Blackburn Thomas
Blackwell Joseph
Blackwell John, jun.
Blackwell John
Blundell James
Bowie John F.
Bowie Robert
Bowie Thomas Contee
Botts Benjamin
Bordley W. H.
Bootes P.
Boyd Elisha
Boys William
Brent Jacob
Brent William
Brookes John Smith
Brookes Clement
Brashears Richard W.
Brogdon William

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Annely William
Ashton Lawrence
Ashe John
Auston Edward
Auld Isaac.

Bruce William
Brockenbrough W.
Bracken John
Brooke M. W.

Brown William

Brown William

Brown John
Brown John
Brooke Francis

Brooke E.

Brent Thomas
Bryan Samuel
Bradley Stephen
Brush J. C.
Broome James
Brandt John W.
Brotherton J. jun.
Bramham James W.
Butler W. M.

Buchanan Thomas

Burke Thomas

Burns Charles

Bullitt T. J.

Burneston William

Bulkley Stephen

Bucher Jacob
Bush Henry.

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