"Would it not be ufeful, at the top of each page in the Regifter form, to exprefs the year at full length; as one thoufand eight hundred and twelve? Becaufe, in copies almost daily called for, the laft (or the two laft) of the figures 1812, might easily be altered by ill-defigning perfons." We are at a loss which to commend most the candour and fair. nefs of the Right Hon. Mover of the Bill, in circulating it first, and then noticing and confidering objections; or the acute ob. fervation, found judgment, and temperate manner of the author of this tract, in making his remarks. We wish that bills of extenfive operation were often fo prepared. HISTORY. ART. 24. The Hiftory of Spain, from the earliest Period, to the clafe of the Year 1809. In Two Volumes, by John Bigland, Author of Letters on the study of Ancient and Modern Hiftory. 8vo. 11. 4s. Longman. 1810. We entertain a very high opinion of Mr. Bigland's former publications, and would readily give a more extended account of the prefent," but for that prodigious multiplication of printed paper which is the vice of our age." It must have been an arduous undertaking to give a comprehenfive furvey of fo great an empire as Spain, within the moderate compafs of two octavo volumes. But by omitting, or flightly dwelling upon lefs important particulars, and expatiating at greater length, on more memorable incidents and events, the author has well and effectually accomplished his purpofe. The reader will here find all the principal events in the hiftory of this great kingdom, from its earliest origin to the prefent period of its awful, but we hope only temporary degradation, delineated with great force, perfpicuity, and we doubt not with adequate accuracy. Mr. Bigland has cited all the authorities from which he has derived his information, and fubjoined a lift of them at the end of his preface. It is juftly remarked by this writer, that after perufing the most voluminous hiftories, the more illuftrious characters, and the most extraordinary events alone are remembered, None of these have, in the prefent publication been omitted, and Mr. Bigland appears to have produced a very important and ufeful work, which, under all the circumstances of the prefent period, cannot fail to be generally received into circulation. Indeed it is the only book on the fubject of Spain, that we can recommend to the attention of those who are anxious, at no material coft of time or money, to be familiarly acquainted with one of the moft interefting nations of Europe, or indeed of the world. ART. MEDICAL. ART. 25. Obfervations on the Hydrargyria; or that vehicular Difeafe, arifing from the Exhibition of Mercury. By George Alley, M. D. &c. 4to. pp. 103. 145. Longman and Co. 1810. The difeafe which forms the fubject of the prefent treatife, is not very frequent; and has confequently attracted the notice of few practitioners. It has been obferved, and particularly de-. fcribed by Dr. Whitley Stokes and Dr. Moriarty, under the title of Mercurial Lepra; by Dr. Spens with the appellation of Erythema Mercuriale, and Mr. John Pearfon, who has given a very accurate description of it, calls it Eczema Mercuriale, or rafh from the use of mercury. Dr. M'Mullin wrote a thefis upon it, and feveral cafes, by different writers, have been inferted in fome of the medical periodical publications. The ancients alfo feem to have been acquainted with it; but we believe the prefent author, who published upon it fome years ago, has been the first who has given a complete hiftory of the complaint, and his former obfer. vations preceded thofe of the gentlemen whofe names we have inferted. "The hydrargyria (obferves Dr. Alley) is characterized by an eruption, which is very variable in its appearance. In fome inftances, there is merely a light rofe-coloured efflorescence; in others, the skin prefents an almoft uniformly dark red tint, approaching, in a few cafes, to purple: but, for the most part, the eruption appears in femi-diftinct fpots of a dufky reddish hue, which, diffufing themselves over the entire furface, leave but few interstices of the natural colour." "Thefe varieties in the appearance of the eruption, are ufu. ally accompanied with correfponding fymptoms indicative of the mildness or severity of the disease, and juftify the divifion of it into I. Hydrargyria mitis, vel fine febre: II. Hydrargyria fimplex febrilis: III. Hydrargyria maligna.' The author's defcription of thefe forms of the difeafe, is aided by three engravings, coloured from nature. We entirely agree with Dr.Alley in his opinion, that the complaint is to be attributed to idiofyncrafy. In fome perfons a very Imall quantity of mercury will produce it; in others, and by far, the largest proportion, the complaint never occurs with any quantity of mercury. DIVINITY. ART. 26. Sermons on feveral Subjects, from the Old Teftament, by John Hampfon, M, A. Rector of Sunderland, and Curate of St. We reviewed his former tract on this subject, in our 24th vol. p. 684. This is a much enlarged edition. Y 3 Jahn's, John's Chapel. 8vo. 415 pp. 95. Sunderland, printed; Longman, London. 1809. To clear off fome of our arrears in this branch of learning, we are obliged to fpeak of folid volumes in this part of our journal. But this must only be where we find ourselves able to commend. Objections and cenfures must be verified by proofs, but a general commendation we may leave our readers to verify by purchafing the book. Mr. Hampfon defcribes himself as likely to be foon difabled by age from preaching to his congregations; he therefore writes, for their benefit, and he writes with piety and good fenfe. His firft fermon is on the goodnefs of God, and the duties refulting from it; the three next on the history of Job. The fifth on Humility. The fixth to the 13th inclufive, are again on Job. The 14th on the comparison between the Ungodly and the Righteous. 15. On Standing in Awe. 16. On Meditation. 17. On Righteoufnefs. 18. On God, 19, Falfe Confidence. 20. Trust in God. 21. Beholding the Face of God. 22. (In two parts) on the Law of God. 23. On correcting our errors. The characteristic of thefe difcourfes is rather plain fenfe, than any brilliancy of thought or power of eloquence. ART. 27. Thefe difcourfes well deferve to be recommended as of the moft found and ufeful kind. The learned and venerable author, whom we have often had occafion to praife before, confines himself, in this volume to the two great and fundamental points, the nature of our Redeemer, and of our Redemption; objects of particular utility, and indeed neceffity, at this time, when the very nature of the atonement, is, by fome denied, and the person of the Saviour degraded, by an active fect, who, ftrangely enough, ftill reckon themfelves CHRISTIANS, and, if we would believe them, the only Chriftians! The excellence of this knowledge is duly explained. by Mr. Jeffe in his preface, who, nevertheless, duly afferts his regard to the great truths which, though fecondary to this, are of abundant value to every Chriftian. "It is not to be fuppofed," fays he, "that the person who is writing this, has any defign to reprefent the fubordinate truths as obfolete, or of no ufe at this time. It furely is of importance to us to be made deeply fenfible of that great defect in our nature, as deftitute of the fpirit of holiness, and prone in all its tendencies to earthly things;-It is of importance to know our utter infuf *See Brit. Crit. vol. ii, p. 210. xvii, 289, and xxxi. p. 31. ficiency, Aciency, without the grace of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, to will and to do any thing which is fpiritually good;-It is of importance to be affured that every fincere penitent, whether Jew or Gentile, who believes in our Saviour, according to the truth of his perfonal character and office, is juftified, pardoned, and accepted of God, as righteous in his fight;It is of importance to know that the mere profeffion of christianity, however exact that profeffion be, will avail nothing to the eternal falvation of any one, who is not fanctified unto obedience; and confequently, that they only who are really confirmed in principle and practice, to this most gracious and merciful difpenfation are the elect people of God, and predeftinated to the eternal life." P. xii, But thefe truths, the author maintains, are virtually comprised in those which are primary and fundamental. "If these are the subjects of the fubordinate truths, as the author believes them to be, they are all implied in the effential doctrines; or they may be called "the essential do&rines applied to particular cafes and citcumftances of things in the visible church." If they are not viewed and ftudied in this relation, it is not poffible that any one should be delivered from the prejudices, mifconceptions, and errors which abound in the partial interpretations of controverfialifts and it may have been the fault of many learned men, and the cause of failure in their attempts, to correct the errors of the various fects in the interpretation of the fubordinate truths, that they have not paid that regard which is due to the effential doctrines, and have relied altogether upon their own critical skill, and the ftrength of argument to correct those errors. When any one knows, and rightly apprehends the Redeemer's perfonal character and office, let him judge the inter pretation of any of the fubordinate truths by this ftandard. A wrong interpretation will never agree with it; a true interpretation of any one of the fubordinate truths, cannot disagree.” P. xiii. With this fpecimen of the ftyle and judgment of this able and exemplary divine before him, no reader can want a further re commendation or exemplification of the fermons themfelves. To the volume therefore we fend him, with a certain promise of edification. ART. 28. Practical and familiar Sermons, defigned for Parochial and Domestic Inftruction. By the Rev. Edward Cooper, Rector of Hamftall Ridware, and of Yoxall in the County of Stafford, and late Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford. Vol. II. 12mo. PP. 321. 58. Cadell and Davies. 1811. We have often had occafion to characterize Mr. Cooper's Sermons. They are generally clear, practical and ufeful. In the manner of ftating one or two doctrines, he approaches fo near to Y 4 the the Methodifts, that they buy up his volumes, and caufe a repetition of the editions; and he has fometimes been cenfured, as be longing to them, but, in our opinion he does not. Nor can we by any means approve of the too common propenfity to give invidious names, and to feek for causes of feparation, rather than of union. The fermon on Converfion in this volune, (p. 96.) may give fome of these hafty readers an alarm. But what does it all imply? only that if a perfon once convinced of his evil ways, does not alfo for fake them, he is in a worfe danger than if he had never been made to fee his faults: and does not every chriftian fay the fame ? the word converfion has been mifufed, and therefore excites alarm; but here it is not mifufed *. The fermons in truth are good. That on Ifaac and Rebecca is particularly good; as is also that on the duties of Ministers and People. But they are all fuch, in our opinion, as must tend to amend the hearts and to correct the conduct of thofe who read them without prejudice. ART. 29. Jefus Chrift, as Man, an inimitable Pattern of religious Virtue. 8vo. 22 PP. 6d. Rivingtons and Hatchard. 1809. This fmall tract, the dedication of which is fubfcribed by the venerable Dr. Samuel Glaffe, gives us fome feeling of fhame for having fo long delayed to notice it. But the name is not in the title-page, which occafioned, and may in fome degree excuse the overfight. The tract is plain, fimple, and practical; and the author fe lects for the particular notice of his readers the following remarkable particulars of our Lord's human character. 1. His early piety, 2. his obedience to his parents, 3. his unwearied dili. gence in doing good, 4. his humility, 5. his unblameable conduct, 6, his felf-denial, 7. his contentment under low circumftances, 8. his frequency in private prayer, 9. his affec tionate thankfulness, 10. his compaffion to the miferable, 11. his holy and edifying difcourfe, 12. his free converfation, 13. his patience, 14. his readinefs to forgive injuries, 15. his forrow for the fins of others, 16. his zeal for God's worship, 17, his glorifying his heavenly father, 18. his impartiality in re proof, 19, his universal obedience, 20. his love and practice of holiness. Having briefly, but clearly, expatiated on these topics, the good doctor adds this very neceflary caution. "Take heed that you do not fo confider Chrift for your pattern, as to disown him for your Saviour and Redeemer. God preferve us," he fays, " from this growing error, which ftabs the heart of the Chriftian reli * The 18th fermon (alfo on converfion) is not quite fo unexceptionable. The author feems there to quote from enthusiasts. (p. 283.). The ftyle at least resembles their's. |