DIVINITY. In this enumeration, the first place feems to be due to the learning and ingenuity of Mr. George Bingbam, whofe Effays*, published by his Son, have, notwithstanding a few peculiar opinions, much to recommend them to notice. Differing from him, and many other found divines, in his general view of the compofition of Solomon's Song, Mr. Goodt, has produced both a metrical, and a profaic Verfion, with many illuftrations, at once elegant and ufeful. His idea, that it confifts of detached Idylls, rather than any dramatic Unity, is, in our opinion, happy. By the care of Mr. Kingdon, the valuable German work of Profeffor Lefs, on the New Teftnment, has been made our own; and is indeed, by means of divifions introduced by the tranflator, made more clear and ufeful than in its original form. Volumes of Sermons continue to be multiplied with fuccefs, τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἡ δεχόμεσθα κόρον, Mr. Gilpin's third and fourth § volumes, the laft effufions of his mind, are a valuable legacy to the public, which had fo often benefited by his earlier. labours. It is pleafing to fee an old man fink into the grave, ftill doing to the laft, thofe good works to which his life had been dedicated. Who fhall perfuade us, that fuch an end of life is preparatory, only to complete extinction? The Dean of Bristol H, had, to all appearance, a much longer fpace of life. to fill; yet his volume alfo is pofthumous, though not the whole of its contents. But to Dr. Munkhoufe, No. III. p. + No. V. p. 489. * No. I. p. 60. 279. § No. V. p. 551. Præfenti Præfenti-maturos largimur honores, his encouragement has been ample *, and he will doubtlefs go on to deferve it.. A book by Dr. Mant, on the Vifitation of the Sick †, though small, is worthy of notice; as are the two republifhed tracts, which form the continuation of The Churchman's Remembrancer ‡. These are "Waterland on Juftification," and "Barlow's Subftance of the Conference." The progrefs of a work fo judiciously planned, commands our best wishes. In the clafs of Charges, and feparate Sermons, there are a few which cannot with any juftice be paffed in filence and of thefe first and primarily, the Charge of the Bishop of Oxford §; the fecond which he has delivered to his Clergy. The topics. handled in it are important, and the mode in which they are treated, is highly worthy of the private character, and public ftation of the fpeaker. The Archdeacon of Sarum, Mr. Daubeny, in his primary Charge, gives an earneft of what may be expected from him, in a fituation fo well fuited to his talents while Mr. Pott, by his Charge at St. Alban's ¶, enforces a new claim to that approbation, which his confcientious difcharge of his duty has long enfured. Among fingle Sermons, it would be unpardonable not to diftinguish that of Dr. Hall, on the Faft, preached before the Houfe of Commons: the Dean of Worcefter's, delivered at his own Vifitation, as Archdeacon of Berks tt; that of Mr. Symonds, on the Duties of a Soldier and that of Mr. Le Grice, addreffed to the Governors of the Royal Hofpitals in London §§. Whoever, on our fuggeftion, fhall procure any or all of thefe compofitions, will, if there be not fome wrong bias No. VI. p. 648. No. II. p. 204. ** No. III. p. 325. 45 No. VI. p. 680. in the mind, feel grateful to us for the recommendation. MORALITY. The morality of a real Chriftian cannot be feparated from his Religion; and, it is this clofe affinity, operating upon a mind deeply imbued with the truths of Revelation, which has introduced fo much of religious fentiment and precept, into Mrs. More's excellent book, 'entitled Hints towards forming the Character of a young Princess*. So much knowledge of human nature, fo much practical wisdom, fo extenfive an acquaintance, not merely with historical facts, but with their caufes, tendencies, and effects fuch true and found principles, fentiments and feelings in religious matters, united in one work, the production of a woman, fhould put to fhame all those who affect to defpife, what they have neither talents nor candour to appreciate, the female character. Mr. Fofter's Effays t, exhibit alfo the connection of morality with religion, and are deferving of attention, from their style and general fentiments. HISTORY. The most elaborate and extensive History, and the leaft hacknied in point of fubject, of any that have Lately come before us, is Mr. Turner's Hiftory of the Anglo Saxons. Three volumes, published at different periods, deduce our ancestors the Saxons, from their original fettlements, in the North of Europe, to the downfal of their dynafty in England. The fourth volume presents a picture of their manners, literature, religion, &c. digefted under proper heads. Mr. Turner's ftyle has improved in his progrefs, ‡ No. II. p. No. III. p. 244 179, and IV. p. 379. + No. IV. p. 454; through through thefe volumes. The matter is interefting, but might, perhaps, without injury, have been more compreffed. At a period of fo much naval triumph, it is not to be wondered, that naval Hiftories fhould abound. Accident has brought two together in this volume, both of confiderable merit. The Naval Chronology, compiled by Captain Schomberg, of the Royal Navy, in five volumes octavo; and Dr. Beatfon's Naval and Military Memoirs †, originally in three, but now extended to fix volumes. The mixture of military, in the latter work, includes only fuch military operations, as were effentially connected with naval fervices. Mr. Card, has made the progrefs of the Papal Power, the fubject of a distinct tra, entitled Hiftorical outlines. But the book, though useful, was partly temporary, and has the form and caft of a pamphlet, rather than of an historical work. The History of St. Domingo, like the Life of the young Rofcius, lies within a narrow compass; but fome of the parts there acted, have been fufficiently remarkable, to excite a curiofity which Capt. Rainsford's book, with little aid from the art of writing, or that of engraving, may however ferve to gratify. We have no better fource at prefent, to which we can direct our readers. BIOGRAPHY. Nothing can be more nearly related to general Hiftory, than general Biography, which touches in turn upon the Hiftory of every country. The partiality for this fcience, which an extended love of knowledge has produced, is rapidly increasing, and improving the works which minifter to that curiofity, and may give us hope to fee in time, fuch a biographical dictionary as may fatisfy all reasonable + No. I. p. 57. * No. V. p. 510. § No. IV. p. 405• No. VI. p. 606. * expectation. That confiderable fteps in this progrefs, have been made by Dr. Aikin, the 5th volume of whofe Dictionary we have lately noticed, we are by no means inclined to deny. Our objections, in which the Doctor's coadjutors have much more concern than himself, are not likely to be obviated in that work; and we look forward to the next edition of the general octavo Dictionary †, as to fomething far fuperior to any prior work of the kind. Within a narrower circle of enquiry, Pilkington's Dictionary of Painters had always merit, but has now received, at least, a ten-fold acceffion of value, from the very original and enlightened remarks of Mr. Fufeli §. Mr. Grefwell's collection of lives, of fome eminent reftorers of learning, have been judiciously augmented, not only by new facts, but by an additional Life of Picus of Mirandola, who well deferved a place in fuch a clafs of worthies. With many fimilar and diffimilar claims to celebration, Sir Walter Ralegh ftill wanted an accurate biographer, till he found him in Mr. Arthur Cayley¶, who has afcertained facts with care, and characters with judgment. G. Wakefield's Life of himself, continued and republifhed, by thofe who were ftill more partial to him than himfelf**, might ferve to instruct the wife, by many curious facts, if it were not ftudiously written, with a defign to mislead the foolish. The Lives of Benwell and Butt tt, apparently not formed to ftand together, have been united in a book dedicated to the honour of a particular fchool. Having * No. II. p. 130. + Committed, happily, to the care of a gentleman, who, with the best talents, and the knowledge moft adapted to the work, has every good difpofition that can enfure at once, the foundnefs of its principles, and the juftice, as well as moderation, of its fentiments. Not excepting the French Dictionnaire Hiftorique, which has much merit; improvements, in many fucceffive editions. No. V. p. 540. No. II. p. 165. ++ No. IV. p. 409. and has received No. VI. p. 635. No. VI. p. 627. men |