Summary of Proceedings in the prefent Seffion of Parliament. 319. which were already in their poffeffion; and he complained much of want of fupport. When the learned gentleman undertook the profecution of a celebrated delinquent of an inferior order, he had the advice and affiftance of the ableft and moft learned man in the law; he had the flower of the British fenate on his fide, and was fupported by the minifters of the crown. How different was his fituation! But he thanked God, that he had lived to be the humble inftrument of vindicating and afferting the rights of millions, perifhing under the hard hand of oppreffion. With regard to the miferable ftate of the province of Oude, as he could fay nothing ftronger on the fubject than what had been written by Mr. Haftings himfelf, he begged the Houfe would indulge him while he read his fentiments on that interefting fubject. (Here he read a long extract from Mr. Haftings's Letter from Lucknow ; which fee vol. LV. part 2.) tants; The province of Oude, Mr. Burke faid, was not an inconfiderable spot like an English county. It was a country that contained ten millions of inhabiits revenue was equal to the whole aggregate revenue of Great- Britain; and its extent 5300 fquare miles. Such was the magnitude of the object which was to occupy the attention of the Houfe; and he trufted they would deliberate on it with that attention which its importance demanded. Maj. Scott did not wifh, if the whole records of the India-Houfe were neceffary, to with-hold a line of them. He could not, however, help remarking, that in the report of the Select Committee the evidence of Lieutenant-col. Stewart, which was very material, and which accounted for the ruin of the province of Oude, was entirely omitted. Mr. Haftings had actually been the faviour of the province, and his conduct in that respect had been highly approved by the Directors. With respect to the affair of Benares, and the demand on Cheyt Sing, he would prove to the Houfe that they were equally juft and commendable. Here Major Scott was interrupted by Mr. Wilberforce, who faid, there would be no end to the business if gentlemen were fuffered to wander from the question, and introduce new matter. Major Scott infifted, that he was perfectly in order in taking notice of what had been stated on the former debate, as the prefent was only an adjournment of that debate. Mr. Fox faid, the Hon. Gentleman had totally mistaken the business of Benares; but he would not enter into any argument upon it till the matter was fully before the Houfe. Mr. Francis had always been hoftile to the affair of Benares, for which Mr, Haftings was alone accountable. It was, he faid, a fortunate circumstance that refponfibility was attached to power. During the fhort time that Gen. Clavering, himself, and Col. Monfon, fwayed the councils of Bengal, they were undoubtedly refponfible for every measure of government; but when Col. Monfon died, Mr. Haftings became allpowerful; and from Sept. 1776, till Jan. 1785, he alone was accountable for all the evils which had befallen India. Mr. Pitt thought the whole bufinefs might be contracted within a very narrow compafs by a proper understanding at the outfet. He was forry, he said, there fhould be any difference about the mode of proceeding, fince there feemed to be fo much unanimity about the iffue; it being, as he conceived, equally the defire of all fides of the Houfe that juftice should be obtained, either in clearing the innocent, or condemning the guilty. The papers, therefore, he prefumed, muft have a twofold object; they must relate either to fome fpecific charge made or ftated to the Houfe, and required for the purpofe of fubitantiat ing that charge, or they must relate to fome charge or charges already in pofeffion of the Houfe in the reports of the various committees, which, under their fanction, had already investigated the fubject to a certain extent. ever, therefore, had obtained a place in thofe reports ought to operate as valid evidence, unless the converse of the fact ftated could be fairly proved. The refult, therefore, of what he wished to be understood by the Houfe, in regard to the conduct of this important procefs, was, that where-ever there was a juft ground of fufpicion that abufes exifted in any part of the government of Bengal, while the executive power of that government refted with Mr. Haftings, he was refponfible for thofe abufes, or at leaft obliged to fhew that he employed all the powers of which he was poffeffed in preventing or fup What preffing 320 Summary of Proceedings in the prefent Seffion of Parliament. Mr. Fox found himself fo perfectly fatisfied with what had fallen from the Right Hon. Gent. that he could not help congratulating the Houfe on the appearance of fo much coolness and cordiality which prevailed on all fides of it. He thanked the Right Hon. Gent. for his candour in what he had stated; and trusted he would be followed in fo laudable an example by gentlemen of all parties. Mr. Burke was as anxious, he faid, as any member, to admit of every regulation that would fhorten the bufinefs. And, as it feemed to be the fenfe of the Houfe that he should produce his charges, he had no option but in obeying. The charges to which he demanded fresh documents were, that the country of Oude, from a flourishing and opulent one, had been almoft ruined that the royal family were reduced to a ftate of beggary and want that the revenues, inftead of being applied to the objects of the Company's government, were embezzled and watted that even fnares or traps had been laid for rendering thofe culpable to whom the execution of the meafures of government had been committed-and that the most horrid cruelties had been practifed on the innocent and defencelefs natives, avowedly to facilitate and expedite the groffeft purposes of extortion and rapacity. Thefe were the facts which he pledged himself to prove as chargeable on Warren Haftings, efq. Mr. Grenville urged the neceffity and propriety of confining the call for papers to fuch extracts only as concerned the points in iffue, as there would be no end of collateral matter, and it was cer tainly proper to adopt as much brevity as poffible. Mr. Burke was forry that he could not comply with the requifition of the Right Hon. Gentleman. Major Scott was for producing all the papers demanded, and for printing them. Mr. Dundas did not approve of the idea of printing promifcuously all the papers that were likely to be produced; but that was a point which would afterwards come under confideration. Mr. Burke then proceeded to read the remainder of his motions. Tuesday, February 21. No debate, members being wanting to make up the number 100 to ballot for the Seaford election. Wednesday, February 22. Mr. Bafard rofe to move for a copy of the reports of the Board of Enquiry, inftituted in 1784, to difcufs the propri ety of a fyftem of fortification, that, by comparing their opinions with the deci fion of the prefent Board, the Houfe may be enabled to obtain some additional lights to direct them in this important and intricate bufinefs. Mr. Pitt objected to the production of the papers, as unneceffary and unparliamentary. The decifions of the former Board had been fubmitted to the prefent, and every opinion of that board had been adopted which appearedeligible. Mr. Baftard infifted, that the papers he had moved for were effentially neceffary to the prefent difcuffion. It was of confequence to enquire, whether every matter of utility had been selected, or thofe only chofen which could be made fubfervient to a pre-concerted fyftem. Such, however, was his conviction of their ufe, that, if they were ftill refufed, he would proceed to read, as part of his fpeech, fuch of them as were contained in an official paper from the Admiralty, which he held in his hand. Mr. Pitt oppofed this mode of proceeding as highly diforderly. To read a paper, perhaps not very fairly obtained, and to fubmit the contents by way of information to the House, would be to introduce a mode equally novel and improper. No official papers could be admitted but in confequence of an addrefs to the throne; and, if it were otherwife, the Houfe would be filled with informal communications, and addreffes be wholly fuperfeded. (To be continued.) 36. HA Review of New Publications. 321 maids in the new world; on the reverence paid to the Sisterhood by our Northern ancestors. In this chapter the comparison, which is made in the Letters of Chivalry between the Grecian Demi-God and the Gothic Knight, is reprobated, not without juftice; "for, 36. An Essay on Old Maids. 3 Vols. (Continued from p. 243.) AVING been fo diffuse in our account of the first volume, we shall content ourselves with briefly enumerating the fubjects of the others.-The firft chapter of the fecond volume treats of the existence of the Sisterhood before" (obferves our author,) if the Gothic the deluge; and, after much learned research, our Effayift concludes with fuppofing that there never was fuch a being as an antediluvian Old Maid; but his conjectural conclufion is overturned by the intelligence of a travelling friend, which completely establishes the exiftence of the Sifterhood before the deJuge. Then follows the ftory of the fallen Angels, faid to be tranflated from a fragment of Enoch. Krenara, the daughter of that patriarch, chooses a life of celibacy, and is expofed to the temptations of Pharmarus, an evil angel. He, being unable to fucceed by perfuafion, has recourfe to violence, from which the virgin is preferved by the fudden appearance of Gabriel. The three following chapters treat on the Old Maids, both in facred and profane hiftory, before the Chriftian æra; and the remaining part of the volume celebrates the honourable increase of the Sifterhood after the publication of the Gofpel, the early Chriftian authors, who have written concerning virginity, are named and noticed; extracts are given from the works of many of them, and particularly from The Banquet of Virgins, written by Methodius, bifhop of Olympus. Thefe are followed by an enumeration of the panegyrics of St. Athanafius, Bafil, and Gregory Nazianzen; and of the Latin poets of the dark ages, who have written in praife of virginity and from thefe we find fome elegant poetical tranflations. The third volume continues the fame line of inquiry and information. St. Gregory of Niffa, St. Ambrofe of MiJan, St. Chryfoftom, and St. Jerom, are commemorated as the champions of virginity. Their works on this fubject are enumerated, with frequent quotations from each; and the principal events of their lives are briefly mentioned. The remaining chapters of the first part of this volume treat on the miracles afcribed to monaftic virgins; on the decline and fall of monaftic vir..ginity; on fome monaftic maids diftinguished by literary talents; on fome old GENT. MAG April, 1786. "heroes, Sir Lancelot and Amadis, "could start into life, what punishment "would they think fevere enough for a "critic who has rafhly dared to call "them the exact counterparts of Bac"chus and, Hercules?"-The last part of the volume is mifcellaneous. The Effayift adduces fome paffages from our most celebrated English poets, concerning virginity. Chaucer's Wife of Bath and the Parolles of Shakspeare attack the Sifterhood with arguments equally witty and true; whilft the caufe of virginity is more feebly fuftained by the lines of Spenfer and Milton, in which pure and beautiful description holds the place of reafon and argument. The medical powers, once attributed to the virgin state, are related and examined; and, next, the various devices fuppofed to afcertain it; and, in the conclufion of the chapter, the elucidation of that mysterious proverb, by which the Sifterhood are condemned to lead apes in hell, is fought for without fuccefs.The bufinefs of the next chapter is, to enquire "which is the most eligible for “a wife, a Widow or an Old Maid?” The question is determined in favour of the latter; with what justice we will not venture to determine.-The work concludes with a dream, in which the author finds himself transported into a fumptuous apartment, which feemed like the refectory of a convent. He is foon informed that the fabric had been raifed by the contribution of many elderly virgins, who had there formed themfelves into a friendly community. Death having lately removed the venerable paftor of the Sifterhood, our Effayift is preferred to the vacant office, and being invefted with the robes, and led into the chapel, he preaches to his audience on the advantages of a fingle life. Exhaufted with his oratorical exertions, when he defends from the pulpit, he is feized with a fudden illnefs, and being led to the apartment of the lady-abbets, finds himself in articulo mortis. He expires amidst the lamentations of the filters, who, at his dying 322 Review of New Publications. dying requeft, promife to watch nine days and nights by his corpfe. Whilft two of the community are performing this promife, and converfing together on the good qualities of the deceased, they are induced, by the engagement he exacted at his death, to believe that he may only be in a trance. Tranfported with this idea, they rub his temples with lavender water, and he revives. The fifters beheld his revival with extacy; and one of them squeezed his hand with fuch forcible preffure, that he awoke with mingled fenfations of pain and exultation. Such is the plan of the Effay on Old Maids; and, as the originality of the work, and the learning and ability of the writer, will probably render it an object of general attention, we have endeavoured, with as much briefnefs as was confiftent with perfpicuity, to explain its nature and defign to our readers.Of the general merit and tendency of thefe volumes it will be difficult to fpeak. If we may credit the voice of fame, they proceed from the pen of an eminent living writer. The remembrance, therefore, of his former labours restrains our cenfure, and we hesitate to blame; for refpect and reverence are due to him who has adorned learning, and has defended religion: but, though deeply impreffed with thefe fentiments, a fuperior obligation must not be for otten. We thall therefore endeavour to give our opinion of this work without giving juft caufe of offence to the writer, and without misleading the publick. To the execution of this Effay must be allowed all literary praife. The correctness of the ftyle, and its great and extenfive erudition, muft delight and inform the critic and the fcholar; and the frequent quotations, eluciated by the remarks of the Effayift, prefent to us an interefting picture of ancient manners; but our praife may not, we fear, be extended any farther; for we cannot think that the manner and tendency of thefe volumes are favourable to Morality or Religion. In a work profeffedly written for the purposes of pleafantry and recreation, the introduction of a fermon is without doubt re prehenfible; nor can we, in any work, approve the imitation of the fcripture phrafeology, in which the ftory of the fallen angels is written, In the courte of this Effay there are various paffages which do not well ac- manners. To try the language of the fathers by the prefent rules of refine- . ment, is to judge them by laws they never knew; and, notwithstanding their works abound with paffages offenfive to modern delicacy, we firmly and entirely believe, that they were not only written with the most rigid purity of thought, but read, alfo, without offending delicacy or exciting fhame. We know that fcarcely two centuries have elapfed in our own country when women of the highest rank, of the moft cultivated minds, and the most unfufpected virtue, would publicly liften to language which would now almost cover a courtezan with confufion. We by no means believe, nor would be at all understood to fuggeft, that the defign of this Effay, which the author himself ftyles 'a chequered production,' is, in any degree, to injure morality, or to diminish the reverence due to reli gion; but, by mingling facred fubjects with thofe of a lighter nature, that which may not be intended is imperceptibly and undesignedly done -We take our leave of this work with expreffing our earnest wish, that the learned, ingenious, and amiable author may in future be employed in more profita ble difquifitions. Labour, learning, and genius, can neither merit nor acquire fame, unless their application is directed by judgement. These remarks, which are offered with deference to the author, will, we truft, be received with candour; and we truft too, that his next publication will afford us the more grateful task of recommending it without referve to general attention, not only to the critic and the fcholar, but to readers of every defeription, virginibus, puerifque-and that he will chufe a fubject more capable of receiving those embellifhments, and of conveying that instruction, which he is fo eminently qua lified to give. 37. Az Review of New Publications. 37. An Elegy on the Death of Mifs M- -S, of Berkshire. By a Gentleman of the Inner Temple. 4to. Of all the various effufions of the mind, none perhaps are contemplated with more fatisfaction than those which commemorate the virtues of the dead. They prefent a pleafing idea, and a foothing reflection to mortality; for they prove, that though the ftroke of death may feparate us from our dearest connections of love and friendship, it cannot annihilate them; but that they remain and flourish, with undiminished vigour, though the object of them is gone to the land where all things are forgotten-The lady to whom this elegant tribute is paid, "not fatisfied with the attainment of every female excel "lence and every human virtue, foared on adventurous wing into the regions "of science and philofophy." Of thefe extraordinary qualifications we are told in the preface, in which the author fpeaks of his own performance with that becoming diffidence which is the mark of an ingenuous mind. Of his defcrip tive talents, and of his powers of verfification, the reader will judge from the following extract: "But fay what form majestic now appears, Opprefs'd by forrow, and diffolv'd in tears? Her fighs, her groans, her wild diftracted air, All, all proclaim a wretched mother's care. Now o'er the yawning grave the wildly bends, And now to heaven unnumber'd fighs fhe fends; Whilft both her fons, fad partners of her woe, In filent grief their heartfelt forrow fhew." (For the Epitaph for our Poetical Article.) 38. Eight Sermons on the Prophecies respecting ibe Deftruction of Jerufalem, preached before the University of Oxford, in the Year 1785, at the Letture founded by the late Rev. John Bampton, M. A. Canon of Salifbury. By Ralph Churton, M. A Fellow of Brazen Nofe College, Oxford. 323 predictions minutely correfponded with the events, we learn from the Jewish writers, corroborated often by the cladic authority of the Roman hiftorians. The circumftances that attended the ife and immediate progrefs of Chriftianity offer a most interesting and profitable fubject of contemplation to the philofophic mind, In that great work we fee the Divine wifdom condefcending to ufe not only the zeal of its followers, but the malice and the power of its enemies, making the very obftacles themselves contribute to the completion of its defigns; and that, whilft the truths of Christianity were fpreading like a gentle stream, by the filent but efficacious labours of its Apoftles, a more splendid testimony of its facred origin, and a more powerful exhortation in favour of its truth, buist upon the world, by the wicked devices of the Jewish counfels, and by the vigour of the Roman arms. The enemies of the Chriftian Religion have attempted to difprove the divine miflion of our Saviour by denying the existence of his miracles; but the great miracle of the propagation of the Gospel none of them has denied. Yet, futly, to overturn, in a short period of time, the religious polity of the whole world, by the preaching of a few illiterate fishermen, was not lefs miraculous than to heal the fick, or to give fight to the blind. In each the divine agency is diftinctly visible. To establish this important truth is the object of the prefent lectures. We fhall briefly mention the fubjects of each. The Ift contains an introductory view of the advent of the Meffiah; in which is recapitulated the various evidence of the prophets concerning the perfon of Chrift, and the time of his coming. The method which the author has purfued in inveftigating thefe fubjects are best explained in his own words: "Treading in a beaten track, exploring a region fo often defcribed, and fo well “known, it was the preacher's with that "the reports and obfervations should "nevertheless be his own. He furveyed, "therefore, as it were, the face of the 66 IF the most certain evidence of any fact be the concurrent teftimony of its enemies, we poffefs then the cleareft proof of the truth of Chriftianity, found- country; he collected and confidered ed as it is on the unfufpicious authority "the hiftorical facts before he enquired of the Jews and Romans. The time "how others had applied them. Hence, and place of our Saviour's birth, his "if the account to be offered fhall in defcent and fituation, and the fingular "in fome points differ from, and in circumftances and manner of his death, "others agree with, former writers, as are foretold by the Jewish prophets; as "fuch diverfity will not proceed from a alfo are the great national evils which "fpirit of innovation, fo neither will followed the crucifixion: and that the" the coincidence be the refult of blind "deference |