PRINTED FOR F. C. AND J. RIVINGTON,
No. 62, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD;

By Law and Gilbert, St. John's Square, Clerkenwell,

PREFACE.

THA

HAT the openings of our Prefaces have often taken their colour from the complexion of paffing events; that they have been lively or gloomy according to the prevailing tints of the political horizon, is a fact which we are neither intere!ted nor inclined to deny. In patriotic feelings our undertaking originated. and by them we truft it will always be guided. Here then, to be confiftent, we muft plant a laurel for the noble Wellington; and exprefs our joy at the fuccefs of efforts, which have the common caufe of public liberty in Europe for their motive. To the bravery of this country, directed by the genius of Marlborough, the furrounding nations once owed their deliverance from the ambitious projects of a Louis; nor is it now too much to hope that fimilar refults may be produced by the talents of Wellington, against the much more formidable tyranny and ufurpation of Napoleon. If the fucceffes in Spain influence, as they ought, the counfels or the movements on the Elbe, we may yet fee the liberties of Europe re-established, and France confined to reasonable limits, and terms confiftent with equity. The connection of fuch

hopes with the interefts and profperity of literature is neither remote nor obfcure, and confequently no apology can be required for expreffing them in this place. The commerce of letters will perhaps be more amply benefited by the re-eftablishment of public peace and independence in Europe, than by any other branch of human induftry. For this, therefore, our afpirations are ftrong and fervent.

DIVINITY.

The name of Horsley continues to adorn this clafs of our Preface, and it is a name which we shall always bring forward with fatisfaction. The third volume of Bishop Horley's Sermons *, which stands firft in these pages, is in fome refpects fuperior even to the two which had preceded, and highly worthy of the author. Even they who cannot fully adopt his ideas, muft always feel that he deferves their admiration and regard. The republication of his Tracts in controverfy with Dr. Priestley t, puts the theological ftudent again in poffeffion of a work, which it had become very difficult to procure. The additions made by Mr. Horsley, the fon of the Bishop, are fuch as ftill add to its value.

As in a theatre, the eyes of men,

After fome well-graced actor quits the ftage,
Are idly bent on him that follows next,

So muft it be with almoft any author whom we can mention after Bifhop Horsley. Dr. F. Laurence was a man of abilities, but unfortunately he has left us only fragments of divinity: his Remarks, however, honourably prove, that his mind was not engroffed by those worldly bufineffes by which his time was,

of neceffity, fo largely occupied. For practical utility, combined with elegance of compofition, we have feldom, if ever, feen a finall work comparable to Mr. Granville Penn's Biofcope*. It is a truly Chriftian manual, teaching practically, and at the fame time, most attractively, the great art of conftantly comparing our prefent fpan of life, in every ftage of its progreffion, with that eternity to which it leads. Of Dr. Buchanan's Chriftian Ref-arches in Asia, we began to speak in our preceding volume †, and, in confideration of the curious and interefting nature of the contents, we have continued to treat of them in two numbers of the prefent volume ‡: not agreeing in all things with the author, but thinking the fubjects which he handles well worthy of our confideration and difcuffion. The momentous question of a British Church Eftablishment in India is intimately connected with these Researches.

We have not lately found occafion to notice many volumes of fermons, but, among those which we have examined, we give the preference to the pofthumous difcourfes of Dr. Gabriel Stokes §. They are full of found Divinity, clear, well written, and inftructive. An edition of the Common Prayer, with notes on the Epiftles, Gofpels, and Pfalms, appeared anonymoufly, and even under that difadvantage obtained commendation wherever it was seen. We may now fay, because it appears to be no longer a fecret, that the meritorious author is an eminent lawyer, Mr. Juftice Bayley. As the author was unknown to us when we praised the publication, our commendations were unbiaffed; and it affords another ftriking proof, that the moft active profeffional purfuits by no means preclude the ftudies important to every Christian.

* No. IV. p. 374.

No. III. p. 271. and IV. p. 361.
No. III. p. 308.

A 3

+ Vo'. xl. p. 598. § No. V. p. 512.

Mr.