fupreme incomprehenfible power, which wills that which is beft, and orders all things with the moft perfect reason.'

How shall we escape, if we neglect fo great falvation? are the words which his Lordship has made choice of for the fubject of his fifth fermon, wherein he points out the fanctions of the law of nature, and the law of the gospel. This is a very judicious discourse, and the candid Deift, we hope, will feriously confider what is advanced in it. The following obfervation deserves particular attention,- When a law is promulged with that evidence, which the divine legiflator fees to be fufficient for the conviction of a reasonable man, it is concluding too faft, to fuppofe, that I am innocent in rejecting it, or that I am not bound by it, though I do reject it.'

Sermon VI. is intended to guard us against unreasonable expectations in religion. From St. John, ch. xiv. 8. Shew us the Father, and it fufficeth us, the preacher obferves, that the greater part of the objections, which weak or libertine men have oppofed to the authority of revealed religion, are of the fame fort with the demand in the text. Now, in order to fee how little force there is in this fort of argumentation, he defires it may be confidered, that fuch high demands of evidence for the truth of the Chriftian revelation are impertinent, at the best: that they are, most probably, on the part of the revealer, improper to be complied with: that they must be, on the part of man, prefumptuous and unwarrantable. Those who enquire, with any degree of feriousness into the evidences of Chriftianity, will receive no fmall advantage from an attentive confideration of what is here advanced.

In the feventh fermon, his Lordship fhews whence that hofile fpirit proceeds, which too much prevails, at all times, and under all circumstances, even among Chriftians themselves. From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your lufts that war in your members? He takes occafion to point out the mischiefs arifing from misapplied religion, and the perverfion of civil justice. This fermon was preached in the year 1771, and though the preacher makes no particular application of what he advances, the attentive reader can be at no lofs with refpect to the proper inferences.

The eighth is a very ingenious difcourfe, and may not only inftruct and edify the well difpofed Chriftian, but amufe and entertain the polite scholar, and the man of the world.-From those words the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, &c. the preacher deduces the parentage of Chriftian charity, and fhews that its defcent is truly and properly inveftigated by the apostle.

Sermon IX. was preached in the year 1776, and confequently the preacher could have no view to Lord Chesterfield's

Letters.

Letters. We cannot deny ourselves the pleasure, however, of earnestly recommending what the preacher advances upon the fubject of politeness, to the admirers of that celebrated work.

From-in honour preferring one another, he takes occafion to explain the nature, ground, and right application of this duty. He fhews that our obligation to the practice of it is founded on the clearest reasons, taken both from the nature of man, and the genius of our holy religion. But the whole difficulty, as he obferves, lies in the practice of it.

It is evident enough, fays he, from what has been faid, That the moral and Chriftian duty of preferring one another in honour, refpects only focial peace and charity, and terminates in the good and edification of our Chriftian brother. Its ufe is, to foften the minds of men, and to draw them from that favage rufticity, which engenders many vices, and difcredits the virtues themselves. But when men had experienced the benefit of this complying temper, and further faw the ends, not of charity only, but of SELF-INTEREST, that might be answered by it; they confidered no longer its just purpofe and application, but ftretched it to that officious fedulity, and' extreme fervility of adulation, which we too often obferve and fament in polished life.

Hence, that infinite attention and confideration, which is fo rigidly exacted, and so duly paid, in the commerce of the world; hence, that proftitution of mind, which leaves a man no will, no fentiment, no principle, no character; all which disappear under the uniform exhibition of good-manners: hence, those infidious arts, thofe ftudied difguifes, thofe obfequious flatteries, nay, thofe affected freedoms; in a word, thofe multiplied and nicely-varied forms of infinuation and addrefs; the direct aim of which may be to acquire the fame of politeness and good-breeding, but the certain effect, to corrupt every virtue, to footh every vanity, and to inflame every vice, of the human heart.

Thefe fatal mischiefs introduce themfelves under the pretence' and femblance of that humanity, which the text encourages and enjoins. But the genuine virtue is eafily diftinguished from the counterfeit, and by the following plain figns.

1. TRUE POLITENESS is modeft, unpretending, and generous. It appears as little as may be; and, when it does a courtefy, would willingly conceal it. It chufes filently to forego its own claims, not officiously to withdraw them. It engages a man to prefer his neighbour to himself, because he really esteems him; because he is tender of his reputation; because he thinks it more manly, more Chriftian, to defcend a little himself, than to degrade another.-It refpects, in a word, the credit and eftimation of his neighbour.

The mimic of this amiable virtue, FALSE POLITENESS, is, on the other hand, ambitious, fervile, timorous. It affects popularity; is follicitous to please, and to be taken notice of. The man of this character does not offer, but obtrude, his civilities: because he would merit by this affiduity; becaufe, in defpair of winning regard by any worthier qualities, he would be fare to make the most

of

of this; and, laftly, because of all things he would dread, by the omiffion of any punctilious obfervance, to give offence. In a word, this fort of politeness, refpects, for its immediate object, the favour and confideration of our neighbour.

2. Again: the man, who governs himself by the Spirit of the apostle's precept, expreffes his preference of another in fuch a way as is worthy of himself: in all innocent compliances, in all honest civilities, in all decent and manly condefcentions.

On the contrary, the man of the world, who refts in the letter of this command, is regardless of the means, by which he conducts himfelf. He refpects neither his own dignity, nor that of human nature. Truth, reason, virtue, all are equally betrayed by this fupple impoftor. He affents to the errors, though the most pernicious; he applauds the follies, though the most ridiculous; he fooths the vices, though the most flagitious, of other men. He never con⚫ tradicts, though in the fofteft form of infinuation; he never difapproves, though by refpectful filence; he never condemns, though it be only by a good example. In short, he is folicitous for nothing, but by fome ftudied devices to hide from others, and, if poffible, to palliate to himself, the groffness of his illiberal. adulation.

3. Laftly, we may be fure, that the ultimate ENDS, for which thefe different objects are purfued, and by fo different means, must alfo lie wide of each other.

Accordingly, the truly polite man would, by all proper teflimonies of refpect, promote the credit and eftimation of his neighbour, because he fees, that, by this generous confideration of each other, the peace of the world is in a good degree preferved; because he knows that these mutual attentions prevent animofities, foften the fierceness of mens manners, and dispose them to all the offices of benevolence and charity; because, in a word, the interests of fociety are beft ferved by this conduct; and because he understands it to be his duty, to love his neighbour.

The falfely polite, on the contrary, are anxious, by all means>> whatever, to procure the favour and confideration of those they converfe with, because they regard ultimately nothing more than their private intereft; because they perceive, that their own felfish defigns are best carried on by fuch practices: in a word, because they love themselves.

Thus we fee, the genuine virtue confults the honour of others by worthy means, and for the noblest purpose; the counterfeit, folicits their favour by dishonest compliances, and for the basett end.

By fuch evident marks are these two characters distinguished from each other! and fo impoffible it is, without a wilful perversion of our faculties, to mistake in the application of the apostle's pre

cept;

It follows, you fee, from what has been faid, "that integrity of heart, as Solomon long fince obferved, is the best guide in morals t." We may impole upon others by a fhew of civility; but the deception goes no farther. We cannot help knowing, in our

The integrity of the upright shall guide them. Prov. xi. 3.

own

own cafe, if we be ingenuous, when this virtue retains its nature, and when it degenerates into the vice that ufurps its name. To con clude, an honest man runs no risk in being polite. Let us only reSpect ourselves; and we shall rarely do amifs, when, as the apostle adviles, in honour we prefer one another.'

The tenth fermon fhews the inftruction conveyed in the act of our Saviour's washing the difciples feet. This, he observes, was an emblematic action, and, as fuch, fignificative of more things than one. What he advances upon the fubject is very ingenious; whether it be fatisfactory or not, we fhall not take upon us to determine.

In the eleventh fermon his Lord fhip endeavours to explain one of the most difficult paffages in the four gofpelsfor every qne fhall be falted with fire, &c.-We must refer our Readers to the fermon itself for what is advanced upon the fubject.

The twelfth is a very ufeful difcourfe. His Lordship, from -If a man think himself to be fomething, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself, fhews that, as conceit and vain glory terminate in fhame and disappointment, fo the modefty of unpretending knowledge is entitled to our highest esteem.

Difcourfe XIII. is intended to fhew that the English reformers were not ignorant in matters of religion. We are not a little furprised to fee a very trifling paffage quoted, in this fermon, and in terms of approbation too, from a weak performance, entitled, A Scriptural Confutation of Mr. Lindley's Apology. What could induce his Lordship to make mention of fuch a paltry pamphlet? Whoever has attentively read the Confutation, &c. will readily answer the question.So it is, and ever will be.

The volume now before us concludes with a larger difcourfe, by way of commentary, on that remarkable part of the Gospelhistory in which Jefus is represented, as driving the Buyer's and Sellers out of the Temple.-This famous act, according to his lordship, was no indecent ftart of zeal in our Saviour; it was no violent invasion of the rights of any; it was no act of civil authority, ufurped by him; but a prophetic information, conveyed in a prophetic form, of an event, the most important to mankind, and to the accomplishment of his own office and miniftry-it was an expreffive fign to declare his gracious purpose towards the heathen. His lordship fupports his opinion in a very ingenious manner, and with great ability; but whether his doctrine be well grounded, or not, we fhall not take upon us to pronounce, and shall only fay that the folution he has given appears to us to be attended with confiderable difficulties.

R

ART.

***

ART. V. Travels through Italy, in the Years 1771 and 1772. Defcribed in a Series of Letters to Baran Born, on the Natural History, particularly the Mountains and Volcanos of that Country, by John James Ferber, Profeffor of Natural History at Mietaw in Curland, and Member of feveral Literary Societies. Tranflated from the German; with Explanatory Notes, and a Preface on the prefent State and future Improvement of Mineralogy. By R. E. Rafpe. 8vo. 5 s. Boards. L. Davies. 1776.

N our Review for June laft, p. 477, we obferved, that Mr. Rafpe had formed the defign of introducing to the acquaintance of the English reader, the accounts which have been lately publifhed of the travels of feveral learned foreigners, eminent for their skill in various branches of Natural History; particularly with respect to the internal ftructure and productions of the earth,-fo wonderful,-fo various,-fo rich,-fo beautiful, fo useful,-and fo little known to the generality of mankind. Accordingly, Ferber's Letters to Baron Born, [from the German] on the Natural Hiftory of Italy, here take the lead and we hope to fee them followed, in due time, by the fame "; writer's mineralogical description of Bohemia; the voyages of Alberto Fertis, from the Italian; and Baron BORN's journey into the Bannat, Transylvania, and Hungary, from the German: from all of which, the stock of mineralogical and botanical knowledge, in this country, may gain a very confiderable augmentation.

With refpect to Italy, it is justly remarked, by the learned Tranflator of the letters before us, that, by a claffical education, we are imperceptibly, from our infancy, made acquainted with that country; and that, being favoured by nature, or infpired by fashion, with a taste for Arts and Sciences, it is with pleasure and improvement that we afterwards travel over the Alps, and that we perufe the descriptions of this beautiful divifion of Europe.

Happy,' proceeds Mr. Rafpe, † in its climate, and distinguished by the ingenuity of its inhabitants, it has twice, under the Romans and Popes, with an almoft univerfal fway, prefided over the better part of the world. At two different periods it has nurfed and improved the Arts and Sciences. In former times, it handed them down by the Roman Colonies to diftant barbarous nations. Since the laft Gothic ages, they revived again in the genius of Petrarch, Dante, Boccace, Raphael, and Leo X. who spread their glory, light, and influence, over the whole inhabited world; never, it is hoped, to be loft again. By a just return, every Art and Science, and every civilized nation, have been emulous to embellish Italy, and to give tellimony to its highly deserved celebrity.

* In the Article relating to this Gentleman's Account of fome German Volcanos, and their productions, published last year.

+ Pref. p. 1.

Per