literally, and without a figure," to make the weak things confound the ftrong, and things that are not to bring to nought things that are." So much for our Author's learning; and we have laid a tax on his gratitude, for having expofed what might otherwise have been undifcovered by the eyes of any-but critics by profeffion, "whofe fenfes have been long exercised" by the minutest of all poffible enquiries. We cannot do this writer ample juftice (a matter we are always fcrupulous in discharging!) without expofing some good. qualities of his heart, as well as of his head, in order to exhibit the tout enfemble of his character. .n, As a fpecimen of his decency, take the following very modeft conceffion: Could reafon fubferve these beneficial and important ends, in which is comprised every thing that relates to our felicity here, and the confummation of it hereafter, then we might court, yea deify her as our all. But then too (horrefco referens) we might inftantly confign our Bibles to the flames; throw by the lamp of revelation as a fuperfluous and unneceffary guide; take a Bolingbroke, a Hume, or a Priestley, for our oracle; join in the profane cry with a W against the influences of the Holy Ghoft; think and fpeak as degradingly of the Son of God, as the execrable and abandoned author of an Effay on Woman; hail a restoration of the halcyon days of Gentilifm and infidelity, and unite in a folemn apotheofis of dame Reason.' [N. B. The fingular modefty of this delectable paragraph is chiefly obvious, in not printing Dr. Warburton's name at full length! We are the more particular in noting it, left the decency of Alumnus fhould, like his learning, pass unobferved.] For the Author's moft unaccountable and fuperlative difinterestedness, we need go no farther than his own declaration. Reader, you may eafily perceive what the world's reafon, prudence, and virtue are, by their effects on our modern rationalifts and prudentialifts. They are three idols which spring from that accurfed, many-headed hydra, felf. They are three phantoms which delude their fafcinated votaries into the inextricable mazes of pride and enthuftafm; and for any thing they can do in a way of enlightening, fanctifying, and faving, a finner, they are in fact three nothings. And yet, when placed upon the head of felf, they form a kind of triple crown.'-To be fure, our Author, like other faints, is befide himself! His humility and candour will ferve to bring up the rear of his other virtues. I am (fays this meek fervant of the truth, who hath renounced felf) bold to declare, and am ready to demonftate, that no life was ever begun well, fpent well, or concluded well, where the governing principles of the heart were REV. Mar. 1780. thofe thofe of Mr. Young.' 'Tis time for Mr. Young to look to himself, to intruft his cargo' (as Alumnus moft elegantly expreffes himself) in a safe bottom, confidering what multitudes have foundered in their voyage; have been ingalphed in the dreadful charybdis of felf-righteoufnefs, or totally fhipwrecked against the rocks of ignorance, pride, and unbelief.' See, Oh! fee, the end of the ravings and contradictions of the fanatic followers of Arius and Socinus !' We shall conclude our account of this tract with a wellknown ftory, and we with that all "the babes and fucklings” (the Alumni) of the true, old fanatic nurfe would make a proper use and improvement of it, before they ranfack dictionaries, and rack their poor brains, in order to turn language out of its original channel, and apply to others, what the venerable fanction of time, and all the authorities of wit and wifdom, reason and revelation, have appropriated to them as their exclufive right and property. The story is a fhort one; and it is fimply this. A gentleman walking through the wards of Bethlem Hofpital, was accofted by a poor Maniac, who complained of his hard and unmerited fortune, and bewailed the cafe of his fellow-fufferers, and then obferved, that "the people without the walls of Bedlam, and not thofe within, were, in reality, mad; and availing themfelves of their fuperiority in point of number, had confined the few that were in their fenfes, only. for having more understanding than themselves." -- Now this, Alumnus, was as fhrewd an attempt as thine, at turning the world upfide down;-or, as thou thyfelf calleft it,turning the tables. Each was conceived with equal wisdom; and we trust that each will be attended with equal fuccefs. -Mutato nomine, de te Fabula narratur. ART. IV. Political, Miscellaneous, and Philofophical Pieces, &c. Written by Benjamin Franklin, LL. D. and F. R. S. Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, &c. &c. Now first colleaed, with Explanatory Plates, Notes, and an Index to the whole, 8vo. 6s. in Boards; or in 4to to match the Author's Philofophical Papers, 10 s. 6d. in Boards. Johnfon. 1779. THO HOUGH thefe cannot properly be called the pofthumous prout works, yet-when we reflect on the Author's prefent fituation, and that he has entered on his 75th year, we cannot help confidering, and lamenting over them, as the relics of the great philofopher, politician, and prophet, as the event has turned out, whofe name is prefixed to them; and who, notwithstanding the prefent hoftile character that he bears to this country, appears, from many papers contained in this collection, to have taken fincere pains, before the American difpute arrived at at its present formidable magnitude, to preferve the unity of the British empire:-or, to ufe his own appofite allufion*, who ⚫ long endeavoured with unfeigned and unwearied zeal, to preferve from breaking that fine and noble china vafe-the British empire:'-well knowing, that being once broken, the feparate parts could not retain even their share of the ftrength and value that existed in the whole; and that a perfect re-union of those parts could fcarce ever be hoped for.'-Dead to us, however, as we have juft now reprefented him, we fhall ftill indulge the expectation, that his great talents may yet be employed in arranging and cementing the parts of this fhattered vale; and of giving to the whole all the folidity of which it is now capable. The anonymous Editor, who has taken pains thus to collect, and preferve-their own intrinfic merit will perpetuate-the fcattered productions of the American patriot and philofopher, appears to be a zealous friend of Dr. Franklin; but at the fame time, a friend who will not disgrace him. Tam Marti quam Mercurio, he appears well qualified to attend him both in his political and his philofophical capacity. In the former, by annotations fubjoined to each piece, he gives the reader all the information which he has been able to procure, with respect to the occafion on which it was written, and other circumstances relating to it. In the latter, the philofophical Editor appears likewife a fit companion for his Author; and in the last piece particularly, on the Aurora Borealis, adds many pertinent obfervations or conjectures, in the form of notes. The opinions and feelings of the Editor, with refpect to his Author, may be beft collected from his own warm expreffions in the preface to this volume, The times appear not ripe enough for the Editor to give expreffion to the affection, gratitude, and veneration, he bears to a writer he has fo intimately ftudied: nor is it wanting to the Author; as hiftory lies in wait for him, and the judgment of mankind balances already in his favour. The Editor wishes only that other readers may reap that improvement from his production, which he conceives they have rendered to himself. -Yet perhaps he may be excused for ftating one opinion: he conceives that no man ever made larger or bolder gueffes than Dr. Frank lin from like materials in politics and philofophy, which, after the fcrutiny of events and of fact, have been more completely verified. Can Englishmen read these things, and not figh at recollecting that the country which could produce their Author, was once without controverfy their own!-Yet he who praifes Dr. Franklin for mere ability, praifes him for that quality of his mind, which ftands lowest in his own esteem. Reader, • In a letter to Lord Howe, published in this collection. O 2 whoever whoever you are, and how much foever you think you hate him, know that this great man loves you enough to wish to do 'you good: His country's friend, but more of human kind.' The papers contained in this collection are difpofed under five divifions. Under the first of thefe, the Editor has collected and arranged fuch pieces of the Author, as naturally fall under the head of General Politics. In the fecond, are contained papers upon American subjects, written before the prefent troubles : particularly, plans of union for the colonies, propofed in 1754; letters concerning taxation and representation; papers relative to Canada; regulations of Indian affairs, and other matters previous to the last peace. The third divifion contains various papers relative to America, written during the troubles; comprehending, among other matters, a prophetic letter of the Author, as we may now justly term it, on the causes of the American difcontents before 1768,' and their probable effects; -his equally prophetic answers to the questions proposed to him, during his examination before the British House of Commons, relative to the repeal of the Stamp Act, in 1766:—his answers to certain pertinent queries relative to the American discontents, and the means of removing them, proposed to him by his friend, Mr. Strahan, in 1769:his examination, and part of the proceedings before the Privy Council, relative to the difmiffion of Governor Hutchinfon :-his memorable answer to a letter of Lord Howe's, notifying his commiffion for compofing the American troubles :-rules for reducing a great empire to a fmall one; together with fome other letters and papers. In the fourth divifion are contained various papers relative to provincial politics only; particularly thofe of the province of Penfylvania: and in the fifth and laft, the Editor has collected all the mifcellaneous and philofophical pieces of Dr. Franklin that have come into his hands, and which are not elsewhere extant in print. From a work of fo mifcellaneous a nature, and which contains feveral papers that have been before feparately published, we find it difficult to make a proper felection. Some specimens however will be expected from us; nor can any, from fuch a pen, be unacceptable to our readers. Under the firft divifion, we meet with the following excellent parable against perfecution; the perufal of which we are forry to have occafion, at this time. of day, to recommend to the members of the prefent Proteftant Allocation. The Author of this parable, as the Editor has been informed, has often impofed it upon his friends and acquaintance, as a part of a chapter of Genefis. A Parable against Perfecution.' 1. And it came to pafs after these things, that Abraham fat in the door of his tent, about the going down of the fun. 2. And behold a man bowed with age, coming from the way of the wilderness leaning on a staff. 3. And Abraham arofe, and met him, and faid unto him, Turn in, I pray thee, and wash thy feet, and tarry all night; and thou fhalt arife early in the morning, and go on thy way. 4. And the man faid, Nay; for I will abide under this tree. But Abraham preffed him greatly fo he turned and they went into the tent; and Abraham baked unleavened bread, and they did eat. 6. And when Abraham faw that the man bleffed not God, he faid unto him, Wherefore doft thou not worship the moft high God, Creator of heaven and earth? 7. And the man answered and faid, I do not worship thy God, neither do I call upon his name; for I have made to myfelf a god, which abideth always in my houfe, and provideth me with all things. 8. And Abraham's zeal was kindled againft the man, and he arofe, and fell upon him, and drave him forth with blows into the wilderness. 9. And at midnight God called unto Abraham, faying, Abraham, where is the ftranger? 10. And Abraham answered and faid, Lord, he would not worship thee, neither would he call upon thy name; therefore have I driven him out from before my face into the wilderness. 11. And God faid, have I borne with him thefe hundred ninety and eight years, and nourished him, and clothed him, notwithstanding his rebellion against me; and couldft not thou, who art thyself a finner, bear with him one night? 12. And Abraham faid, let not the anger of my Lord wax hot against his fervant: lo, I have finned, forgive me I pray thee. 13. And Abraham arofe, and went forth into the wildernefs, and fought diligently for the man, and found him; and returned with him to the tent; and when he had entreated him kindly, he sent him away on the morrow with gifts. 14. And God spake again unto Abraham, faying, for this thy fin fhall thy feed be afflicted four hundred years in a strange land: 15. But for thy repentance will I deliver them, and they fhall come forth with power, and with gladnefs of heart, and with much fubftance.' As another fpecimen of this divifion of the work, we fhall felect fome parts of a popular and useful production of the Author; which, we are told, his countrymen read with much avidity and profit; intitled, The Way to Wealth, as clearly fhewn in the preface of an old Penfylvanian Almanack, intitled, Poor Richard 0 3 |