the admiffion therefore of the foregoing conclufions relative to the preexistence of the human foul cannot be deemed improper, as they tend to elucidate many apparent contradictions in it, and renders that blind impricit faith, which has been fo much the fubject of contention, un neceflary."

We conceive, we underftand what this writer means by a blind implicit faith. But, if the Chriftian faith be fuch as is defcribed and recommended in Scripture, it may, and that in no degrading fenfe, be called both blind and implicit. "Thou feeft and doft believe; bleffed are they that believe, tho' they have not seen.”—This writer, indeed, may call this "the affertion of an enthufiaft," for," without fome rational foundation, Faith cannot be meritorious, or worthy of beings capable of reflection and difcrimination."-But where did he learn, that the merit of faith lies in believing what is confiftent with reafon ? and where, that the objects of the Chriftian's faith are objects of rational reflection and difcrimination? We are very certain the Scripture repeatedly tells us otherwife. Nothing is more frequently or forcibly inculcated in fcripture than the effential difference between the wifdom of this world and that which makes us wife unto falvation. It was, "the preaching of foolishness," fuch in the opinion of the worldly wife, that was chofen as the means of firft propogating Chriftianity. Whence have our modern rationalifts found out that the whole economy of the gofpel is fince altered, and that the wisdom of this world and that of the next are now become. fo perfectly harmonised and reconciled?—It is really with a very bad grace that fuch pretenders to Chriftianity infinuate a doubt of Dr. K's fincerity, founded merely on a ftrict adherence to the letter and fpirit of Scripture. They will have it, that the doctrines of divine Revelation are perfectly confonant to, and confiftent with human Reason; nay, that fuch Reason is the only teft of what is actually revealed. The Obferver on Mr. Jenyns's tract declares otherwife, and appeals to the Scripture for proof: conforming in this particular entirely to our difqui fitor's injunction, viz. to rely on no authority but what is divine, and on no reason but what is clear and distinct. difference between him and his opponents is, that he diftinguishes between the myfteries of divine Revelation, and those of human reafon; relying juft as little on authority in matters of philofophy as he does on reafon in matters of Divinity.

The

Having expatiated fo fully in felf-defence, we thall detain our readers but a moment longer on the conciliatory measure,

Not the foolishnefs of Preaching.-See Bishop Pearce's Commentary on that text.

prope fell

propofed by the prefent difquifitor. This is the adoption of Dr. Cheyne's fcheme of the pre-existent lapse of human fouls; a fcheme, he fays, which, properly purfued, will not only throw many new lights on the prefent inexplicable parts of nature and religion, but particularly reconcile the different doctrines of the difputants he addreffes; of whom, with his fubject, he thus candidly takes his leave.

"I am fenfible that any apparent innovation in religion will call forth the cenfures and anathemas of bigots and enthusiasts; I therefore again repeat that I wish the difcuffions herein contained, no farther attended to, or propagated, than as they ferve to promote genuine and vital Chriftianity. The refpectability of that fentible and worthy man, whose opinions they originally were, and who, after the deepeft researches and moft ferious reflection, found no reason to disclaim them, may poffibly fhield me in fome measure from their calumny; if not, fatisfied of my intentions, I wait with compofure their attacks. If they contribute in the leaft towards a clearer explanation of the Doctrines of Revealed Religion, than arifes from the rational and forcible arguments contained in "The View of its internal Evidences," I shall be happy. And I fhall greatly rejoice, if at the fame time they ferve to abate the violence of the learned Writer of the " Obfervations," against any attempts to bring the Myfteries of Religion to the teft of rational investigation."

S.

Mifcellaneous Obfervations on planting and training Timbertrees; particularly calculated for the Climate of Scotland. In a Series of Letters. By Agricola. 8vo. 3s. Elliot, Edin. burg.-Cadell, London.

"While the great men, who furround the throne of our most gracious Sovereign, are wrangling about places and penfions, and trying who can prevail in the conteft for riches and honours; while Junius is ftudying how he can beft annoy the men in power, and North is putting on his armour for defence; while Camden is turning over the mufty records of antiquity, for precedents of law to confound his antagonist, and Mansfield is preparing himself to meet this doughty champion; while Chatham is publishing his oracular fpeeches, to convince the world that he alone is able to penetrate the defigns, and fruftrate the attempts of all our enemies; while Rockingham calls forth his myrmidons, and Burke and Barre found the dread alarm of war, of bloodshed, and of total defolation; let us, who live at a distance from these tumultous scenes, look up with indifference on all thefe tumultous fcenes,

* I mean only of the general fyftem here given, many particular parts of it having long been propagated by others. Bifhop Burnet, fpeaking of Sir Henry Vane, a perfon of eminence, who was beheaded foon after the restoration, fays, He leaned to Origen's notion of an univerfal falvation of all, both of Devils and the Damned, and the Doctrine of Pre-existence.

3

look

took up with indifference on all these feveral contests, little folicitous about the fuccefs of either party, being convinced that difputes of this fort must ever be the neceffary attendant, and perhaps the fureft guard of public liberty; and, while we laugh at the fpecious pretext which they employ to impofe on each other, let us, without peevishness, allow them to enjoy, as well as they can, their fhort-lived glory, and plume themfelves upon their fancied fuperiority, while we, with diligence and affiduity, endeavour, each of us, faithfully to perform that talk which providence has allotted us, and, in our more humble sphere, contribute what is our power for the public good, by encouraging every useful art, and carrying on, with a chearful alacrity, every improvement that can benefit the nation, while at the fame time, it promotes the happiness of individuals."

Much would it contribute, we conceive, both to public and private happiness, if many of thofe, who affect to intereft themfelves in national concerns, were to fhew the good-fenfe of Agricola, and thus apply themfelves to their own particular affairs. We fhould then fee fewer of our factious artizans and fhopkeepers bustling about Elections, and abfconding from their proper poft behind the counter, to crowd the lobby, or thruft their noses into the gallery of the Houfe of Commons. We fhould have fewer fpeechifyers at the London-Tavern, and the Half-Moon; nor would the public bufinefs of the nation fuffer a whit, for their private bufinefs being better minded at home.-The Author of thefe obfervations appears to have fet a good example, as well in applying himself to the experimental part of planting, as in publishing the refult of his experience; which he appears to have done with great ingenuousnefs and accuracy.

The Double Delufion; or, Faction the Caufe of all the Confufion. A Joco-Serious Review of our American Embroilment. éd. E. Johnfon.

One would think the talk of a Reviewer as enviable as it is invidious, from feeing fo many writers, on fo many occafions, fet up for Reviewers! But, alas! we may fay from dearbought experience, "painful pre-eminence they little know how dearly we abide a tafk fo vain."-As to the present Reviewer, indeed, he feems quite to have miftaken his fort. As a chronic difeate gives room to exercife patience, a little. jocularity may fometimes relieve the patient; but acute difeafes will bear no joking with; and fuch we think our American embroilment. If it were a mere few, indeed,-but

it

it is an abfolute fry, a roaft, a barbecue !-For Heaven's fake, therefore, let us be downright in earnest. That Faction is the caufe of all the confufion, we admit; but to make a joke of it, is to realife" Confufion worfe confounded."

Beauties of Natural Hiftory; or, Elements of Zoography. Being a fhort and pleafing Introduction to an Acquaintance with the Nature and Qualities of the Animal World: Divested of all Fabulous Abfurdities.-Selected from the most celebrated Naturalifts, and arranged under the General Heads of Quadrupeds, Fowls, Fishes, Lizards, Infects, &c. Defcribing all the capital Characteristics of the most diftinguished Individuals, in every feparate Clafs; their difcriminating Habits of Life; their focial, favage, active, or indolent Difpofitions; the regular Economy and Government of fome, the fingular Sagacity of others, and the wonderful Inflinct of all. With a prelimina ry Elay, on the Pleasure and Advantage of this Science. The Whole illuftrated by a great Variety of Copper-Plates, engraved from Nature. 12mo. 3s. 6d. Richardfon and Urquhart.

To fay that the information and entertainment, fo fully fet forth in the title page of this book, is in reality to be found in the book itself, is faying a great deal, of a modern publication. -In juftice, however, to the Editor, we muft declare it to be on the whole the moft copious and beft-executed compendium of the kind extant in our language.

A practical Treatife on Chimneys. Containing full Directions for preventing or removing Smoke in Houses. Illuftrated with Copper plates. 8vo. 3s. Elliot, Edinburg.-Cadell,

'London.

The directions, given in this treatife for the purposes of preventing and curing that very difagreeable domeftic inconvenience, a finokey Chimney, appear not only confiftent with philofophical theory, but mechanical experiment; and therefore worthy the attention of the publick.

An

An Anfwer to the Letter of Edmund Burke, Efquire, one of the Reprefentatives of the City of Brifiol, to the Sheriffs of that City. 8vo 1s. 6d. Cadell.

This anfwerer appears, from certain fingularities in his lan guage, to be the fame writer, who answered the famous declaration of the American Congrefs. The Letter, which is the object of his prefent reply, appears, he fays, to be made a vehicle for all the ill language, which has ever been uttered about the American war; confifting of a ftale collection of daily arguments and weekly affertions, which have been every week refuted and every day proved falfe. In a word, he characterizes it by calling it the commoneft of all common-place political declamation. It is a little furprizing that fuch a ftale piece of bufinefs fhould be deemed worth fo much animadverfion. The exceptionable parts of the letter, indeed, are fo obvious, that we ourselves anticipated moft of the present writer's remarks in our review of laft month, in which it came under confideration. We fhall quote from the present pamphlet, therefore, only the concluding addrefs.

Sir, there are not many hours, as you will fee by the date of this, fince I heard all that the eloquence even of a Chatham could fay on the fide of what you affect to call, liberty. And if his hand could not even decorate the question, Mr. Burke can expect little compliment; though, merely as a man of abilities, Mr. Burke need not blush to have failed in the fame honourable caufe with him. On that day, Sir, nay on this day for it is yet but the evening of it-I did not fee you in the crowd of the audience of that noble orator. Had I, you would have seen, how even that audience fmiled at his offer, to gather America to the arms of England with his crutch; and at the old man's prophecy of ruin to this country, if the reconciliation, which his motion proposed, should not take place within fix weeks and how they almost laughed at that motion for unconditional reconciliation, to which if the kingdom had that moment agreed; and if his own fonin-law could have fet fail from behind the throne, the next moment, with the joyful terms of it in his patriotic pocket, and with the fullest breath of what would then no more be faction to diftend his fails; the campaign would have been commenced, the war, perhaps, been over, before even he could have arrived. But I have not yet fufficiently ftudied Mr. Burke's compofitions, to give a loose to my pen against every man, who differs from me in opinion, whether King or fubject; and, if I pity Chatham, I-give me a word; tho' neither is pity ftrong enough-I worship Pitt.

Sir, the perfect concurrence of King, Lords, and Commons-the converfation of almost every company-the language of almost every print, do prove that mankind begin to open their eyes to their happinefs and welfare. Even the letter before ne is nothing more than the faint barking of expiring party. "I fpeak with the freedom of

VOL. V.

"history,