to examine each, apprentice, when put Let the furgeon be called the infpector of thefe poor children; and to make it worth his while, let him take the adjacent places or parishes in the town which he refides. The above plan, if properly attended to, would be of great fervice to thefe poor deftitute orphans; it would hinder fome of their mafters from keeping them working all night, fo detrimental to their health. The furgeon would report it to the overfeers if he faw any ill ufage; and it would be the duty of the overfeers to call the mafter to account by laying an action against him for the ill treatment of his apprentice. The number of poor people, who have fuffered during the late fearcity, have fallen with their young offspring upon the parishes they belong to. Does not every feeling heart think with horror of the fufferings which have been undergone by fome poor parih apprentices? Does it not require that there should be a regulation adopted, which might be of utility to them? Humanity aufwers me: yes; it is highly neceffary. I have juft witneffed a fcene where the mailer has ftruck a town apprentice fo as, almoft to divide the ear from the head. If fuch fcenes as thefe do not call for regulation, we live in a fad A CONSTANT READER. .:age. the fake of all the parties concerned, would hope you are imposed, upon by the current but ill-founded ftory of the day. I have known inftances where bribes have been offered under the mafk of charity, when, the party foli citing a favour offers to pay a fum of money in the name of the beftower to fome public clarity, and has been nobly refufed. But in the present cafe no concealment is attempted: one party demands, another gives the bribe, and a third knowingly fufiers the fum to be numbered among their benefac tions at least I hope and truft they do fo, and that they do not difguife their difgrace under fome myfterious name, I fhall look with impatience for the next annual lift of fubferibers and be nefactors to the Philanthropic Society. A Philanthropist in his own Way. Mr. URBAN, March 3. APPLICATION having been made to parliament for erecting a bridge over the Mengi, for facilitating the palfage into Ireland, your readers may not be difpleafed with the following account of that famous firait. It divides the island of Anglefea from the main land of North Wales, and is, at the ferry from Caernarvon to Tal y Voel in the illand, 2 miles broad, and about 14 miles long; 10 from Bang glas near Beaumaris to Caernarvon, and 4 from thence to its entrance at Abermenai, the very narrow paffage into the port of Caernarvon, rendered dangerous by fands within, and with out. At Craigy Ddinas, in Anglesea, it forms a noble curvature; not far from which is a furious current called the Sweily, or Pull Keris, where, by oppofition of rocks and violent whirlpools during the time when the flood or ebb makes ftrong, are great overfalls and violent whirlpools. At lowwater the channel for a confiderable face appears pointed with rocks, black and horrible. At high-water all is fecure. This is a great obftacle to the navigation of large velfels, which muft confult the critical feafon and a good pilot. The reft of this firait is fecure. The above particulars are collected from Mr. Pennant, who is the only Welsh tourist that does more than name this ftrait. TOPOGRAPHUS. yery extraordinary affertions there made have much furprised me. These are confined to three: 1t, That the perfon cited for proof of the Abbot's attorney's having fuitable credentials, was the Hundredarius of St. Alban's, as if that was any concern of mine to enquire into. 2d, That I had cited a Rowician fiction for a record; whereas, the paflages I have quoted have no relation to any fuch thing, but to authentic documents; as letters of inftitution, an archiepifcopal vifitation, and things of a kind with which Chatterton could have no concern. 3d, That I had but half quoted my authors; whereas I have made it a rule always to give my author once at full length at leaft, and fometimes more. Your Reviewer too has obferved, with fome airs, I have given the Benedictine order the preference. I prefume, I am at liberty to fay, upon a fubject I have particularly ftudied, that I am a much better judge what order is entitled to a preference than he is able to inform T. D. FOSBROOKE. me. HINTS FOR IMPROVING THE ENERGY ἵνα παρρησίαν ἔχωμεν. i John, chap. iv. 17. W HILE the moft difcerning in the Church and State do not attempt to conceal their apprehenfions of a fresh tide of diffipation, from the renewal of our intercourfe with France; a fubject not unworthy the attention of Meflrs. Wilberforce and Windham only, but of the Legiflature at large; every attempt to ftrengthen the hands of the Friends of Religion ought to be cherifhed as a degree of national fpirit exeried for its beft and most permanent interett. Such exertions are alfo calculated to repair the dilapidations of time, and reitore that foundness and vigour in the body politic, the decay of which has been the fubject of fo much regret, ever fince the great increase of our riches and commerce have been the principal means of diminishing our virtues and our efteem for religion.. As an acquaintance of twenty years duration with nearly all forts and couditions of religious perfuafions, the alternate experience of the worth and alfo of the want of religion, and fome efforts in its favour, crowned with the approbation of dignified fuperiors, muft be allowed to confer fome claim to a competent knowledge of the fubject, I proceed to obferve, that it is evident the minds of niany of the best friends of the Church, and the country at large, Have been fome time labouring to improve the addrefs of the pulpit. This is manifeft from the variety of reflections and propofals which have iffued from the prefs upon the fubject, and particularly in the Efay on the Eloquence of the Pulpit in England, prefixed to Select Sermons and Funeral Orations, from the French of M. Boffet." But though in another place, and in another character, it has been acknowledged "that this work at the prefent time is of the highest importance: that the author writes like a mafter of his fubject, and feems to have felt all the force of the inftructions he has recommended to others;" I have now but too much reafon to apprehend that the fpecies of eloquence to which he gives the preference will never reach the lower orders, nor fufficiently imprefs the great bulk of the people. However, the anthor's attempt is deferving of all the commendation it has met with, for the celebrity it has given to the neglected eloquence of the pulpit; and calling forth other exertions, though inferior in file and execution. It is evident that this ingenious writer pays more regard to an impaffioned manner of delivery, than to the matter of pulpit difcourfes. He feems to fuppole "a latent energy of foul," and even innate ideas where they may not exift. With him and Cudworth, wa may grant that "knowledge is not to be poured into the foul like liquor, but rather to be invited and gently drawn forth from it.; nor the mind fo much to be filled therewith from without, like a vefiel, as to be kindled and awakened, &c." But ftill all this fuppofes fome previous infufion of know ledge, energy, and capacity, which the author of the effay has not defined. He may, in fome fenfe, juftly lament that, when Shakspeare was born, Na ture deftroyed the mould in which his great mind was formed;" and add his wifhes," that fome fuperior genius would break the general mould in which religious difcourfes are caft;" but this alfo favours more of the fpirit of poetry than piety, and feems alfo to imply that fome external mode of preaching being introduced would ftand inftead of individual acquifition; that this "new mould" would answer the pur pofes tion; not, as he obferves, to find perfect models of moral exhortation, but a vein of pure doctrine running through the coarfe ore and rugged tendencies to literary excellence, which may ftimulate his more refined tafte. Yet, to the general application of this refined. tafte, as being a deftructive alloy to the acknowledged vein of pure doctrine, I moft ftrongly demur. this gentleman's Shakspearian or MilWhere was tonic tatte, when he degraded the reading of thefe old unfashionable divines in comparing it to a tour to the caves! What! is the Grecian temple better calculated to infpire devotion in a Chriftian than in a Gothick cathedral? Is the long extended lawn, or the fmooth and elegant parterre, to be preferred to the ruder diverfity of hill and dale, of light and fhade? But in caves, to which he compares the writings of thefe unfashionable divines, there are no "elevated points from which his clerical student may take his affifted flight." No; thefe unfashionable divines are "not among the dead; they are rifen." poses of the perfonal poffeffion of divines," commencing with the wriτὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύters who were in repute at the Revolu où; after which all these things are added unto us! See Matt. vi. 33. But it may not have been the author's intention to render his effay, didactic, beyond the line of externals; and, therefore, in his promifed "obfervations on the fermons that have appeared in the course of the last ten years, it is to be wifhed he may be more fuccefsful in his attempt to fhew that they are devoid of that evangelic and paftoral unction which the pulpit demands," yet, unless it be admitted that the matter which is to fuggeft or exprefs this unction is fomewhat different from the examples he has given us from Boffuet and others, however polite audiences may be fatisfied with fuch improvements, I repeat it, “ they will never reach the lower orders, nur fufficiently impress the great bulk of the people." But, however partial the Effayift and others may be to the manner rather than to the matter, to the drapery rather than the body of the difcourfe, he feems without defign to have fketched out the most prominent traits in the character I am now attempting to develope. "La Bruyere," fays he, p. 94, who wrote during the reign of the beft French preachers" (equal, at least, to the prefent ftate of preach ing among ourfelves) acknowledges that there is ftill fomething wanting in their compofitions; from whence he concludes that, until fome perfon fhall appear, who with a bofom warm and enriched with the treasures of the Gofpel fhall utter the language of fimplicity and affection, the temple orators will be followed. This fomething, the treasures of the Gospel, and which, I prefume, are but very partially exhibited in the fpecimens of elocution which the Effayift has advanced, are, indeed, "the apples of gold," for which the experienced will ever contend. But it is morally impoffible that any eloquence formed after the pattern of the French tinfel fhould ever fuit the more ftable and judicious tafie of this nation. To prefcribe this as a Catholicon, would be as prepofterous as to adminifter to the head when the virus of the difeafe rages in the vacuum of the heart. The author of the effay, ftill wedded to externals, does, it must be admitted, recommend to the clerical、 ftudent "the works of our old unfashionable Inficad then of ftretching human tafte to make it reach the purposes of Divinity, it is a question whether the more homely manner of preaching in the fixteenth century fhould ever have been given up! Dr. Johnson, we are told by Bofwell, predicted, that when the Scotch clergy fhould give up that manner, religion would foon decay in that country. As an illuftration of this conjecture of our English Oracle, a late writer affures us, that fuch of the clergy of Scotland as have participated leat in the literary progrefs of the country, and whofe manner of preach, ing has more of the lak age than the prefent, retain the greateft popularity, and (amidft an unprecedented number of feceders) have fuffered leaft by the defertion of their hearers." And it is alfo an inflexible truth, of which we may find many examples nearer home, that though no preacher fhould ever defcend to the difgufting cant and coarfenefs of language, which have often deformed the pages of our predeceffors, yet the pureft doctrines of the by art, or divefted of their more fimple Gofpel, being too highly embellished phrafeology, are not received by common capacities as Evangelical truths or the oracles of God. This being a point beyond all controverfy, as I have obferved in another place, it fhould naturally lead us to fix upon a medium between the extremes of refinement and vulgarity in public preaching; between the language of rant and that of reafon; warm piety and wild enthusiafm; a medium which will be much aflifted by the impreffive manner of delivering the plaineft difcourfes. And the more thefe partake of Scriptural phrafes, rightly divided or judiciously connected, the lefs they will ftand in need of meretricious ornaments, and the embellishments of ftyle. Nothing but the doctrines of the Gofpel, the particula and individual application of them, will ever fatisfy; and nothing fhort of them ever meet the ideas of those who feel their need of religion, its inftructions, and its confolations. A ftyle approaching nearest to that of the facred writings, the fathers and primitive reformers, can never be feparated from the ideas entertained by the generality of Chriftians, of powerful and evangelical preaching. Collateral, if not direct evidence of the validity of this opinion, I think, may be derived from fome of the firft literary characters. It is an opinion which, I prefume, the immortal Addifon has fupported with a decifive authority; becaufe every affertion he has made relative to the Hebraisins introduced into our language, moil properly apply to matters of devotion, and therefore they ought to determine the queftion, whether the doctrines and precepts of the Gofpel can derive more advantage from the art of the orator, than their original grandeur and native fimplicity. Mr. Addifon obferves, There is a certain coldness and indifference in the phrafes of our European languages, when they are compared with the Oriental forms of fpeech; and that the Hebrew idioms run into the English tongue with a peculiar grace and beauty; that the infufion of poetic Hebraifins derived to it from the poetical paffages in Holy Writ give force and energy to our expreffion, and convey our thoughts in inore ardent and intenfe phrafes than any that are to be met with in our own tongue; as there is fomething fo pathe tic in this kind of diction that often fets the mind in a flame, and makes our hearts burn within us." 66 The inference from the whole is eafy; for, admitting the full claim of eminent natural abilities in the author BY vance upon all kinds of paper, and the confequent high price of books, many a poor parfon, like myself, has been neceffarily obliged to relinquish the private purchase of feveral periodical publications, from which he had heretofore been accustomed to derive a variety of amufement and informa tion; and, instead of perufing them, as before, in his own parlour, by his own fnug and comfortable fire-fide, has been involuntarily compelled to put up with a tranfient glance of them, as it were, in a circulating library, or (what is ftill worse) in a public readingroom. This is a fad pafs, Mr. Urban, to which many of our profeffion, and, I believe, many of every other profeffion and calling, are unfortunately reduced! But fill your publication, fir, "The Gentleman's Magazine," will, notwithstanding (however others may fuffer by the prefent unwelcome, 1 had almoft faid, ruinous tax upon paper), I am very well perfuaded, never be thrown afide by any of us, fo long as we have any cash in our cafkets to pay for it; whilst it is conducted with that truly laudable fpirit and patriotic temper, by which it has been uniformly diftinguifhed from its happy commencement down to the prefent hour. No: as long as we have any true tafte for polite and general literature remaining, to long fhall we continue to be your conftant readers and admirers at home. But as, for the reafon above affigned, we have fome of us been forced, for our pockets fake, to get a fight of the Reviews, &c. only in the way above mentioned, or elfe, now and then forfooth, at the houfe of fome wealthy neighbour or other (inftead of taking them in ourselves, and reading them at our own leifure, as wanted to do of old). You will not, I hope, fir, deem it impertinent in me, if I prefume to fuggeft to you a mode of com pletely redreffing our grievance in this refpett, refpect, by means of your very valuable and inftructive Magazine. The remedy I wish to propote is, an enlargement of your monthly Review of New Publications;" which, I am convinced, would foon put an end to our prefent eagerness for the perufal of all other books of this kind, and render our taking leave of them lefs burdenfome to our minds. The only objection to the enlargement of the work, which occurs to me at prefent, is, the neceflary enlargement of the price of it. And whether this would create any difference in its fale, it remains for you, Sir, alone to determine. Should you think that it would, even in the fmalleft degree, the best way of courfe will be, according to the old adage (which you want not to be reminded of), to "let well alone," on no account to disturb the old and venerable foundations which have fo firmly fupported your admirable work, and with it fo nobly preferved your own private reputation fpotlets and unfullied for upwards of the laft 70 years; and which will doubtlefs continue, for ages yet to come, folid and immoveable; unless attempted to be repaired, and thereby rendered pervious to defolation by the too officious and unfkilful hand of Modern Innovation. CLERICUS WELLENSIS. We are much obliged by feveral hints, which we have taken the liberty to fupprefs, in this correfpondent's letter; and fhould gladly enlarge the limits of our Review: but do not think it adviseable to increase our price, though we fuffer much from the high price of paper. Nor could we conveniently curtail either our Obituary, or the Mifcellaneous department of our publication. EDIT. Mr. URBAN, March 5, artifts to engrave. Mr. Chamberlain returned no anfwer to repeated applica tions for this purpofe. Anthony, the fecond vifcount, had one fon, and the title went on in regular fucceftion till the death of the laft and 8th viscount, 1783. A fuppofed claimant of it died in obfcurity at Boreham, near Chelmsford, a few years ago. Poflibly Fielding's beauty might be Catharine Boyle, daughter of Richard, earl of Cork, and lady of Arthur, fecond viscount Ranelagh. She was born 1614; but the time of her death does not appear. Sir Conyers Jocelyn, of Hide hall, died May 23, 1778, and the title of Viscount Jocelyn was conferred on a defcendant from the firft baronet's fifth fon, Thomas. P. 147, a. 42, for ftones r. ftories. Sir John Peafhall was a name and title affumed by John Pearfall, who. died Nov. 9, 1778. P. 133. The correction of the Oxford graduates, 10, is a wrong reference for 16. Is this noticed in the Errata for laft line but one infiead of 1.9? The correction, p. 31, is made in the Errata; but inftead of John is. Richard. By the way, the Errata are printed on the back of p. 547, the first page of matriculations, which are thus divided; whereas they fhould have been on a page to be numbered 450. Sheet 4 A ought, for the credit of the Clarendon prefs, to be cancelled, and reprinted correctly. The conduct of the character whofe apology is written by Laocoon, p. 125, is a furiking proof how much the violations of decorum may be fcreened by every other good characteriftick; and reminds one of the defence fet up for another eminent character, totally foreign to the charge brought IF your correfpondent CP. H. W. against him (LX. 1994.) p. 112, by Mary, countefs of Pembroke and Montgomery, relict of earl Henry, means Mary, daughter of Sir Philip Sidney, his third wife, I do not find that the bad a fecond husband. Anthony Brown, firft Vifcount Montagu, left three fons: Anthony, his fucceffor; John, married Anne Gifford, and had iffue Staniflaus, George, and three daughters; William, died without iffue. Thefe three fons were painted at full-length in one beautiful little picture, which fortunately efcaped the fire at Cowdray, and which I have hitherto in vain folicited fome of our Mr. URBAN, A B. PORTA, March 6. CORRESPONDENT offers the following explanation of the words Pie Nic, uled to characterize the intended fuppers at the new theatrical inftitution. As to the first syllable of the word Pic, it comes from pickle, which Dr. Johnfon, in his Dictionary, informs us, means not only to falt li quor to preferve flesh, or any thing fo preferved, but alfo "a pickle rogue, confummately villainous, feafoned and imbued highly with every thing bad." Again, as to the meaning of the word |