Every reader of tafte will eafily perceive, from these extracts, how much the new translation exceeds the former, in correctnefs and elegance of expreffion, and in harmony of conftruction; and it will require but a fall fhare of learning, to fee that while Littlebury, under the appearance of a close version, fometimes gives a falfe, and often an imperfect representation of the original, Mr. Beloe, with a confiderable degree of latitude in interpretation, adheres, with great fidelity, to the general fenfe and spirit of his author. The rule, which he profeffedly follows, is certainly juft: A tranflator, inftead of fervilely rendering his author phrafe by phrase, and word by word, will endeavour to write as he [the original author] would have written, had he written in the fame language.'

[To be continued.]

ART. II. Sermons on the great Doctrines and Duties of Chriftianity'; proving, from the earliest Ages, the conftant and uniform Interference of Divine Providence to bring them to perfection, the Concurrence of prophane Hiftorians and Poets in Support of their Prediction, their Influence on the human Mind, and beautiful Efficacy in focial and private Life. By George Laughton, D. D. Vicar of Wilton, Northamptonshire. 8vo. pp. 508. 6s. Boards. Law. 1790.

IF

the reader be encouraged, from the title prefixed to these difcourfes, to expect any new arguments in fupport of religion, or any improvement in the exhibition or arrangement of thofe which have been already fo frequently and ably stated, he will find himself difappointed. This preacher's method of treating his fubject is rather declamatory than argumentative;

relations of the deceased, till the body was buried, ufed neither the baths, wine, delicate food, nor fine cloaths.

In the Philofophical Tranfactions for 1764, a particular account is given of the examination of a mummy.

• Diodorus Siculus défcribes three methods of embalming, with the first of which our author does not appear to have been acquainted. The form and appearance of the whole body was fo well preserved, that the deceased might be known by their features.

The Romans had the art of embalming as well as the Ægyptians; and if what is related of them be true, this art had arrived to greater perfection in Rome than in Egypt.-See Montfaucon. A modern author remarks, that the numberleis mummies which still endure, after fo long a courfe of ages, ought to ascertain to the Egyptians the glory of having carried chymistry to a degree of perfection attained but by few. Some moderns have attempted by certain preparations to preferve dead bodies entire, but to no purpole.-T.

rather

rather defultory than methodical; and is more adapted to imprefs the zealous imagination, than to communicate new light to the understanding.

In the difcourfes on Natural Religion, the questions concerning a particular providence, the divine influence on the human mind, the freedom of volition, the divine prefcience, &c. are treated in a manner, which will afford little fatiffaction to those who are accustomed to accuracy of investiga tion. In reprefenting the proofs of the truth of divine revelation, Dr. Laughton is not, in our judgement, more fuccessful. On the fubject of Prophecy, he connects, with his quotations from Ifaiah, a reference to Tobit's inftructions to his fon, without informing his reader that the book of Tobit is apocryphal. Without attempting to produce any proof, he afferts (p. 153.) that the Jews, who dwelled in Afia Minor, and the Greek iflands, had promulgated the expectation of the Meffiah in Sibylline, or prophetic verfes,-which, being bought by Tarquin 509 years before Chrift, became known to the Romans, who, ignorant of the author, and according to the dictates of Paganism, attributed them to a Sibyl, who fang the will of the fates. Dr. L. is of opinion, that the Pollio of Virgil was formed from thefe Sibylline verfes, and from prophetic ideas collected from the Jews who refided in Rome. On miracles, comparing thofe of our Saviour with pretended miracles of later times, he writes thus:

In later ages, in the Christian church, there are those, who, to confirm the idea of a fuperior interpofition of the Deity in their fa. vour, affert that he has demonstrated it in conveying, by angels, the house where our Saviour was born from Palestine to Italy;→ who teach the doctrine of tranfubftantiation, the liquefaction of a faint's blood, as ftanding miracles and tenets of their religion.

In reply to thefe feveral pretended miracles, we must obferve, that thofe of ancient days are so far from having a divine characteriftic as to fhock the civilized heart, and, at best, were calculated to promote private lucre or political views: thofe of more modera ructure cannot, indeed, be charged with barbarity; but they are inconfiftent with reafon and nature, which a rational creature may certainly be allowed to think fufficient to hinder his giving credence to them. It is fcarcely neceffary to obferve, that the ftory of a houfe being tranfported from Paleftine to Italy is incredible, futile, ufelefs, nay, difgraceful, to the Chriftian religion, founded on the bafis of fpirit and truth.

With respect to the faint's blood, it is neceffary to be more particular, because the operation is annually performed in the fight of numbers: reafon and nature fhew us, that blood is compofed of two parts, which, as foon as they are drawn off from the regular courfe of circulation, feparate, one becoming fluid, the other coagulated, which likewise, in a short time, becoming fluid, can ne

ver be restored to its former ftate; for, being animal fubftance, it muft putrify, lofe its effence, and fink into annihilation; that this privation fhould annually be reftored is contrary to reafon and nature; and that divine interpofition fhould maintain its original parts found and uncorrupted, to celebrate the death of one good man, would be conferring a diftinction upon good nefs, which the Gospel tells us is only paid in heaven, and imply an inferiority in the piety and virtue of all thofe glorious men, who facrificed every thing this world holds dear in founding Chriftianity, and building up the kingdom of God on earth, who have no fuch external teftimony of their excellence, which a knowledge of the wisdom and juftice of God will not permit us to believe. But an acquaintance with natural caufes tells us, that there are confiftencies that will liquefy by the heat of the hand and the warmth the air receives from a multitude crouded together in a church, and has fatisfied the difcerning world of the quality of the fuppofed blood of the faint.'

If the philofopher fhould be furprized to hear of a substance lofing its effence, and finking into annihilation, the critic cannot but be ftruck with the want of precifion and elegance in the phrafes,fhock the civilized heart,' founded on the bafis of fpirit,' confiftencies that will liquefy,' &c.-Farther examples of inelegance will be perceived in the following paffage on the weakness of human reafon; which we give as a fpecimen of the kind of writing that the reader may expect in the parts of this volume which treat on practical fubjects:

Prefumptive mortals! Where is that grand bulwark, reafon, of which you vainly boast, when the most enlarged geniuffes continually display corruption and folly? whilft the lowly cottager, un ftained by the refined subtleties of vice, views, with humble deference, the works of God, and, proftrating his foul in adoration, unfolds the fruits of divine power in all the dignity of placid refignation and love :-and, whilft this mortal, defpicable in the fcale of human pride, walks in the path, practifes the manners, and entertains the fentiments, which philofophers of old allowed to the best accomplishments and endowments of philofophy, the mo dern philofopher follows the force of his genius, until he finks into conjecture, doubt and incredulity, dread and apprehenfion; becomes alienated from God, contemptible to men of religion, worth, and excellence; for, having made fome fuperficial difcoveries of the operations of nature, the properties and effects of bodies, he deduces, that there is an inherent force in them, excludes. the firft fpring of action, and places the Deity, with refpect to his works, in the fleeping ftate of Baal: thus, valuing himself on dif covering a property of an element, mineral, or plant, he feeds his pride, and admires himfelf as a being of fuperior wifdom; and thews the reality of it, by attaching himfelf to flies, infects, and reptiles, entirely neglecting the vaft fcene of wonder and glory that furrounds the Imperial throne of God. Are thefe the happy effects of trusting to mental endowments? Have ftoics and epicureans,

magicians,

magicians, diviners, aftrologers, fpeculatifts, and experimentalifts, failed in their various rational, conjectural, and imaginary, plans of happiness, and, amidst their schemes of wisdom and purity, fhewn themselves deceivers, fenfual, and brutal? Where then is the beauty of independent reafon? It is not found in man, the finite child of creation.’

Dr. L. appears to be well acquainted with the Greek and Roman claffics :-it is to be regretted that he has not more ftudiously formed his style on these excellent models.

ART. III. A New Chronological Abridgment of the History of England, from the earliest Times to the Acceffion of the House of Hanover. To each Reign is added a Lift of the cotemporary Princes of Europe. Written upon the Plan of the President Henault's Hiftory of France. By Charles Home, Efq. 8vo. pp. 443. 6s. Boards. Dodsley. 1791.

F the two leading claffes of hiftorical writing, the philofophical and the chronological, it may not perhaps be eafy to determine the comparative value. Each has its peculiar merit and ufe; the former to affift the reader's reflections, and to direct his judgment; the latter to furnish his memory with a regular detail of facts. Differtations on history, fuch as are at prefent in vogue, are certainly works of great fplendor: but they ought not to eclipfe, as they cannot fuperfede, the humble but useful labours of the chronologift, who compreffes much matter within a narrow compafs, and leaves the reader at liberty to draw his own conclufions.

The chronological abridgment of the hiftory of France by Henault has been generally read and admired. It is on the plan of this valuable work, that Mr. Home has formed this abridgment of the history of England; and we have no hesitation in giving it as our opinion, that this publication is equally judicious and useful with its model. The facts which the author has felected, are thofe which ought firft to imprefs the memory of the young scholar: they appear to be ftated with much fairnefs and impartiality; the arrangement is clear and regular; and the expreffion is accurate and perfpicuous: dates are annexed to the great events of each reign; and at the close of each is given, in a diftinct column, a lift of the wives and children of the king, with the time of his death, and a lift of contemporary princes. We fhall copy the fhort but interesting reign of Alfred:

ALFRED THE GREAT, 6th KING.

• Acceffion 872.

• Alfred was no fooner feated on the throne, than he was obliged to march with his army against the Danes, who worsted him

at

at Wilton; but they were fo roughly handled in the action, that he was enabled to make a treaty with them, by which they were not to enter Weffex, provided he did not interfere with them in any other part of England.

• 875.

Halveden, with another body of Danes, landed in England, took, Wareham castle, in Dorsetshire, and then proceeded with their depredations as far as Exeter.

Rollo the famous Norman, ancestor of William the Conqueror, likewife came to England; but finding too many of his countrymen there, he proceeded with his followers to France, in hopes of a better eftablishment.

Haftings, another famous Danish chief, arrived with a large body, and took up his quarters about Appledore, on the Rother, in Kent; but Alfred, by perfeverance and good conduct, at last fo diftreffed them, as to oblige Haftings to go to France with the remains of his followers.

• 895:

Alfred built a large fleet, by which means he beat the enemy on their own element, and fecured his own coats.

The Danes, affifted by their countrymen in England, and the reftlefs Northumbrians collected from all parts under the command of Hubba, entered Weffex, took Chippenham (a very strong place) and overpowered the English fo effectually, that they fled either into Wales or beyond the fea. Alfred, finding his affairs in fo hopeless a ftate, was obliged to conceal himself at a neat-herd's in the little ifland of Athelney, where hearing that Oddune earl of Devon had not only defended Kenwith caftle, but had totally defeated the Danes, flain their leader Hubba, and taken their enchanted Reafen or standard, he aquainted his friends where he was, who collected an army with great privacy at Brixton, near Sellwood foreft. Alfred, having gone into the enemy's army for fome days as a minstrel, attacked them, and gained fo compleat a victory over Guthrum, that he was not afraid of placing thofe that chofe to be baptized in East Anglia and Northumberland, the others he fent back to Denmark.

Alfred, being now pretty free from the incurfions of the Danes, turned his thoughts to the good of his fubjects. He divided the kingdom into fhires, tythings, and hundreds, formed a regular militia for the defence of the nation, and compiled fuch a code of laws as occafioned juftice to be diftributed quickly, and more regularly than had ever been known before, fo that England, in comparison of former times, was become a civilized nation.

This conduct very defervedly acquired Alfred the name of Great.

Alfred, about the year 884, founded the univerfity of Oxford.