when the turfs were planted in the garden. Mr. Swayne sufpects, with great reafon, that the alopecurus pratenfis was the grafs moft predominant. Our author next classes the grafies as they may be with most advantage fown together, on the fuppofition that they are in the most perfect ftate about the time of flowering, and gives two arrangements, according as three or five crops are wanted, 'The annual meadow, vernal, fmooth-ftalked meadow, smaller fefcue, dog's tail, yellow oat, and fine-bent are, he tells us, beft for fheep; the reft for the larger kind of cattle. The foft brome, fmoothftalked meadow, fmaller fefcue, and yellow oat, are partial to dry foils; the vernal, fox-tail, rough-ftalked meadow, quakegrafs, meadow fefcue, foft grafs, meadow barley, cat's-tail, and marfh-bent, flourish moft in moist foils. Soils of an intermediate quality will beft fuit the remainder.'

Moral and Philofophical Suggeftions on various Subjects, relative to Human Perfection and Happiness. Didactic Lec-. tures. 4 Vols. 8vo. 16s. boards. White and Son. 1790. THIS work may be confidered as a continuation of the

four volumes of 'Moral and Philofophical Eftimates' noticed in our £XIXth volume, p. 51. and it is distinguished by the fame good fenfe, the fame manly and rational piety; reafoning equally judicious and perfuafive. We find that, in reality, the eight volumes are a translation from the Sermons of Profeffor Soltikow, firft published in the German language.

As we cannot examine the contents of these miscellaneous volumes particularly, for it would fwell our article to an improper extent; and as the reasoning and obfervations of our author keep an even tenor, we fhall felect from each volume fome fubject, which appears to us particularly interefting, or in which the profeffor's fuccefs is peculiarly confpicuous.. The contents of the first volume are,Of the Evils that are in the World.-Juftification of Divine Providence, in regard to the terreftrial Welfare of the impious and the pious.-The principal Sources of Unbelief.-Strictures on fome Prejudices against Christianity-Strictures on fome Prejudices against the Chriftian Morality.-Directions for learning to pray from the Heart.

Of these effays, that on natural and moral evil feems parti cularly valuable. The cheerful piety of the author leads him to reconcile the difcontented complainer to the circumstances which neceffarily attend this life, and which he confiders as evils. He endeavours to fhow, that what are commonly called evils are fometimes the neceffary limitations of our na

ture and powers. As men, we have diftinct properties and capacities, nor ought we to confider it as evil, that we have not the eye of the eagle, or the unlimited views of a fuperior being. Sometimes the reputed evils are warnings againft greater misfortunes. Thus pain leads us to avoid an object which fo feelingly threatens injury; the laffitude fubfequent to irregularity warns us of its injury to health.

So alfo is it with the difagreeable, the painful confequences, by which wrath, voluptuoufnefs, every inordinate, violent paffion is attended in our body. They are warnings of ftill greater evils. They are powerful incentives to become better and happier. What indifpofition, what ravages, would not fuch paffions occafion, not only in the man who is addicted to them, but likewife in other perfons with whom he is connected, if the man himself did not fuffer under them; if their impetuofity were not tempered by painful sensations; if we were not impelled by them to beware of their first attack! Long, long ago would all focial pleasures have been deftroyed, and fociety itself have fallen to the ground, had we been destitute of fuch forcible suggestions and restraints,

• Does pain then come upon thee, O man! Haft thou the unpleafant idea of undermining decay in thy body; yet murmur not againft the Moft High; doubt not of his goodness, at the very time he is giving thee fresh indications of it. Much rather confefs, in this very pain, the voice of thy father, warning his wandering child, who merely inflicts thefe difagreeable fenfations, not for the fake of making him fuffer, but, because this is the beft, the only way of averting from him fufferings till more fevere, and even of fecuring him from these lighter forrows, if he will but hearken to this warning voice, and follow it with conftaut obedience.'

• What is true of bodily pain, or fuch as arises from the state of the body, holds good likewife of mental pain, or fuch as is founded merely in the images of the mind. Difguft, trouble, vexation, grief, fhame, difappointed hope, is mental pain. They are certainly unpleafant, painful fenfations, that arife when a man fees that he has mistaken the truth, and has plunged into error, that he has entered upon foolish and hurtful affairs, or had executed good undertakings badly. They are unpleasant, painful fenfations that arife when a man, by or without his own fault, fails in his defigns, muft forego his purposes, errs in his fuppofitions and his expectations; when a man has allowed himfelf to be over-reached by the cheat, blinded by the flatterer, deceived by the falfe friend; when he loses the outward diftinctions and goods in which he made the whole of his happinefs to confift, or reckoned as an effen al part of it; when a man renders his own character contemptible by 03 eafily

afily avoidable follies and weakneffes. All these, and a hundred other things of the fame kind, to a man of a feeling heart, may be as painful, and still more fo, than the indifpofitions and diftempers that arife in his body. But even this pain, how deeply foever St may wound us, is not abfolutely bad in itfelf. Even this pain is an admonition to beware of greater evils. Its tendency is, to make us careful in the investigation of truth; confiderate in our conclufions and undertakings; circumfpect in the choice of our friends and familiars, in the profecution of our defigns, in the ap plication of the means thereto; attentive to the whole of our conduct, and even to the least of our actions; modeft in our judg ments and expectations; moderate and temperate in the enjoyment of our fortunes. Were it not for these painful fenfations, we should be ever adding error to error, failing to failing, be deceived by every femblance, become the prey and the fport of every impoftor, be conftantly judging and acting with greater rafhnefs and folly, ever be flattered by idle hopes, and never become prudent and wife.

Many things alfo, our author remarks, which appear to be evils, are the means of advantages, that greatly compenfate these evils. If man, for inftance, is not as impenetrable as iron, he poffeffes fenfibility, which would be incompatible with iron. Other things, that we reckon evils, are incentives to the developement and exertions of our powers. Our naked fenfible bodies lead us to exert our talents in providing cloaths; the weeds of the fields fharpen the industry of man; and the inundation of rivers lead him to confine them with banks. Our moral improvement, and our progrefs in virtue, are af fifted by the fame means: thus difficulties and oppofition, teach us meekness, patience, and firmness; injuries fofter a greatnefs of mind, placability, and forgivenefs; lofs of fortune may lead us to refignation, moderation, and temperance. Moral evils are improved to our advantage by a fimilar course of reafoning; and our author, with admirable temper, and cool judgment, thus improves every part of the furrounding fcene, to the advantage of our mind, to our progrefs in religion, and a dependence on the love of God.

Another fubject of the first volume, which we thought in the perufal particularly interefting, was the strictures on fome prejudices against Christianity. The prejudices which pro feffor Soltikow particularly notices, are those which arise from fome incidental circumftances, rather than an enlarged and comprehenfive view of the whole fubject. Our author con fiders five different prejudices of this kind; 1. the imaginary or actual difficulties in the New Teftament; 2. the narrow limits aligned to Christianity on the face of the earth; 3. the nume

rous

rous fects into which Chriftians are divided; 4. the wars and perfecutions which Christianity has occafioned, or Christians been fubject to 5. the inconfiderable influence it has had on the lives and difpofitions of its profeffors.-The answers to these prejudices are just and fatisfactory. Our author contends, with great propriety, that while the objects conftantly before us are unintelligible; while their various functions are inexplicable, it is not furprising that we should not be able to give an account of the whole council of God, or find his ways plain, fimple, and obvious. The progress of Christianity for fome wife reafons is flow; gradually extending over one whole continent, it seems ftationary almost in that in which it was first promulgated. Circumftances, that we cannot underftand, or explain, have hitherto prevented the fubjection of the crefcent to the crofs; and, from what we can fee, we ought to believe, that this delay is a measure equally wife and benevolent, when furveyed in the most extensive scale, and calculated for the happiness of the whole.

Neither are the various fects of Christians of real injury to the cause of Chrift. The extravagant and erring fpirit will often wander beyond its confines, in inveftigating caufes, tracing relations, explaining connections, and endeavouring to bring the ways of Omnipotence within mortal ken,

All chriftians, whatever distinctive name they bear, in prin' ciples agree with each other, They all receive the facred writings as a divine revelation, and demonstrate their truth, their validity, their heavenly origin, by the very fame arguments. They all revere the Divine Providence, which preferves and governs all, which is continually attentive to mankind, which punishes and rewards them. They all acknowledge Jefus Chrift for a divine teacher, for a heavenly meffenger, for the greatest benefactor to mankind, for our Lord and King. They all believe that he came into the world at a stated time; that he led a life of confummate virtue,that he taught a holy and excellent doctrine; that he fuffered inno cently and voluntarily, that he died, and rofe again from the dead; that after his refurrection he was exalted to fupreme glory and might; and that he imparted his fpirit; by the operation of which the apostles were enabled powerfully to combat fuperftition, idolatry, and vice, and to diffeminate truth and virtue in the world. They ail acknowledge themselves to be bound and obligated to follow the example of their Lord and Mafter, and to live foberly, righteously, and godlily. In fine, they all believe, that Chrift will come again hereafter, and judge the world; that he will reward every one according to his works; that the obftinate finner has the heaviest punishment to dread, and the pious to expect an exceeding and eternal weight of glory. But if we cannot deny, that these

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are the effential axioms of religion and chriftianity; and if it be Certain, that they are adopted and maintained of all who bear the name of Chriftians; then the diverfity in their other opinions is fa far from juftifying us, either in doubt or unbelief, that it rather gives a new degree of credibility to thofe axioms; fince it is plain from thence,that they must be founded on the strongest and most convincing demonstration, as it would not else be poffible for so many perfons, of fuch oppofite difpofitions and ways of thinking to be in perfect confent together in fuch a number of important articles.'

The want of a Christian spirit, rather than of Christianity, it is remarked, has been the caufe of the various divifions, and the rancor, with which controverfy has been carried on. Wars and perfecutions have a fimilar origin; and the best establishments are often fubject to abuse from the errors of thofe by whom they are conducted. In reality, however, religion has been introduced as a fpecious auxiliary, as a colour to worfe motives; and in general had very little concern withthose scenes which Christianity would blush to own. The faults of its profeffors can caft no stain on that religion, unless it can be shown to be connected with their tenets. Does the Chriftian doctrine encourage one vice? Does it not rather inculcate every virtue; virtues which uninfpired man could never feel, and which the pureft philofophy fcarcely hinted at? Whatever may therefore be the faults of Chriftians, or even the minifters of Chrift, they ought not to fully his doctrines.

Other objections are equally falfe and futile. Some contend, that, at bottom, it is only the morality of reafon; that its doctrines are auftere, and its precepts impracticable; that it depreffes the heart of man, and renders him unfit for focial and active employment. Thefe objections our author anfwers at fome length; but an anfwer was needlefs: it is enough to deny, that they are founded either in the letter or the fpirit of the gofpel; they originate from partial views, the mifreprefentations of the enemies of the doctrines of Christ, and a very incomplete knowledge of the fyftems of the ancient philofophers.

The fecond volume contains effays on-Some of the prin cipal and moft ufual Faults in Education.-Of forming the Minds of Children.-Of forming the Hearts of Children.Of training up Children to the primary Virtues in particular. -Of training up Children to Religion and to Chriftianity.-. General Obfervations on Education, and Rules to be obferved therein. Of the Detriment and Danger of too close a Purfuit of Diffipation and Diverfions.-Thoughts on public Diverfions. The Importance of one Year. Of public Diverfons..

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