We are forry to differ from fo refpectable a writer as Mr. Bryant, but we cannot admit either his premises or his deductions from them. We find nothing in the writings of Philo, refpecting the fecond perfon of the Holy Trinity, that might not be derived from the Old Teftament, the language of his favourite philofopher Plato, the books of the rabbis, and the traditions of the elders. Befides, it does not appear that Philo has promulgated, or even hinted at, the peculiar doctrines of Christianity, with refpect to its Divine Author; which are, that the Word fhould be made flesh"- "that he fhould fuffer in the flesh, and be crucified for the fins of men."

All, therefore, that can be fairly deduced from the pages of Philo on the prefent fubject, is, that his opinions and language betray a mixture of Platonifm and Judaifm. He mangled and diftorted the fimplicity of the Old Teftament, that he might indulge in the myftical reveries and fanciful allegories of Plato; and he fometimes dignified, but more frequently confufed, the tenets of the philofopher, by blending them with the doctrines of divine truth.

We give the author credit for confiderable learning and diligence, and applaud his endeavours for counteracting the dangerous poifon of Socinianifm and infidelity. But his performance is prolix and tedious, and the fubftance of it might eafily have been condensed into one-third of its prefent bulk.

Reports of the late Mr. John Smeaton, F. R. S. made on va rious Occafions in the Courfe of his Employment of an En gineer. Vol. I. 4to. 18s. Boards. Faden. 1797.

THIS is a very important work; and it is prefented to the public by one of the most useful but least known focieties in this kingdom the fociety of civil engineers.

a

Civil-Engineers are a felf created fet of men, whofe profeffion owes its origin, not to power or influence; but, to the best of all protection, the encouragement of a great and powerful nation; nation become fo, from the industry and steadiness of its manufacturing workmen, and their fuperior knowledge in practical chemistry, mechanics, natural philofophy, and other ufeful accomplish

ments. P. V.

The fociety owes its origin to Mr. Smeaton, though its prefent form was not fettled till after his death. The first meeting was holden on the 15th of April, 1793, on which day

• The conftitution was agreed on, and afterwards acceded to by

all; -That there fhould be three claffes in the fociety: the first class, as ordinary members, to confift of real engineers, actually employed as fuch, in public or in private fervice. The fecond clafs, as honorary members, to confift of men of science and gentlemen of rank and fortune, who had applied their minds to subjects of civil-engineering, and who might, for talents and knowledge, have been real engineers, if it had not been their good fortune to have it in their power to employ others in this profeffion; and also of those, who are employed in other public fervice, where such and fimilar kinds of knowledge is neceffary. And, the third clafs, as honorary members, alfo to confist of various artists, whose professions and employments, are neceffary and ufeful to, as well as connected with, civil engineering.' P. viii.

Thus an union is formed between perfons capable, by their talents or fortune, of promoting the great ends of the inftitution; and, while their first clafs fhall continue to be as well filled as it is at prefent, or till they admit into it members whofe place ought to be in one of the two other claffes, we have no doubt that the fociety will gradually rife both in confequence and utility.

The report are preceded by a fhort account of the life and writings of Mr. Smeaton; and a remarkable anecdote is recorded, which we felect for the honour of Mr. Sineaton, and as a juft leffon to the rich or noble, who with to maintain a friendly intercourfe with men of fcience or of letters.

Early in life he attracted the notice of the late duke and duchess of Queensbury, from a ftrong resemblance to their favourite Gay, the poet. The commencement of this acquaintance was fingular, but the continuance of their esteem and partiality lasted through life. Their first meeting was at Ranelagh, where, walking with Mrs. Smeaton, he obferved an elderly lady and gentleman fix an evident and marked attention on him. After fome turns they at last stopped him, and the duchefs (of eccentric memory) faid, "Sir, I don't know who you are, or what you are, but so strongly do you refemble my poor dear Gay, we must be acquainted; you fhall go home and fup with us; and if the minds of the two men accord, as do the countenance, you will find two cheerful old folks, who can love you well; and I think, (or you are an hypocrite,) you can as well deferve it.' The invitation was accepted, and as long as the duke and duchefs lived, the friendship was as cordial as uninterrupted; indeed, their fociety had so much of the play which genuine wit and goodness know how to combine, it proved to be, among the most agreeable relaxations of his life. A fort of amicable and pleasant hoftility was renewed, whenever they met, of talent and good humour; in the courfe of which, he effected the

abolition of that inconfiderate indifcriminate play, amongst people of fuperior rank or fortune, which compels every one to join, and at their own stake too. My father detefted cards, and, his attention never following the game, played like a boy. The game was Pope Joan, the general run of it was high, and the stake in "Pope” had accidentally accumulated to a fum more than ferious. It was my father's turn by the deal, to double it, when, regardless of his cards, he bufily made minutes on a scrap of paper, and put it on the board. The duchefs eagerly asked him what it was? and he as coolly replied; "Your grace will recollect the field in which my houfe ftands may be about 5 acres, 3 roods, and 7 perches, which, at thirty years purchase, will be just my stake, and if your gracewill make a duke of me, I prefume the winner will not dislike my mortgage."-The joke and the leffon had alike their weight; they never after played but for the mereft trifle. P. xxviii.

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The reports confist of a variety of questions to, and answers from, Mr. Smeaton, on the fubjects of canals, mills, dams, locks, harbours, light-houses, fire-engines, &c. To the engineer the anfwers of fo eminent a man to fuch a variety of queries are highly valuable; and there is hardly a point in his profeffion, concerning which he may not from this work derive ufeful information. We with, however, that the com'mittee, which arranged and published thefe reports, had one step farther, and had pointed out the general effect of the works performed according to the opinion of the reporter→→ how far they fucceeded and, if in fome cafes they did not entirely anfwer the expectations of the projector, to what circumftances the ill fuccefs might be attributed. This hint, we are confident, will not be loft; and, if the time of the committee fhould be too much occupied to allow the performance of this task by its members, they will doubtlefs be able to put it into the hands of the candidates for admiffion into their firft clafs, whofe proficiency in fcience may be cftimated by their comments on the works of their great mafter. We We may add, that, without fuch comments, fome of thefe reports may be prejudicial; for the authority of the writer may weigh with the engineer, and he will purfue the fteps of his mafter, where experience migh have pointed out to him a better path. But we ought rather to be thankful for what has been done, than be difpofed to regret the omiffion of what might have been done; and, under a full fenfe of our obligation to the fociety of civil engineers, we wish them fuccefs in their future labours.

MONTHLY CATALOGUE.

POLITIC s.

O'Connor's Letters to Earl Camden. As published in the Courier of Monday, Jan. 29, 1798. 12mo. 6d. Johnfon.

THESE letters relate to the apprehenfion of Mr. Roger O'Connor in the fummer of last year, on an information taken by his own brother Mr. Robert Longfield O'Connor. The circumstances are given in the indignant ftyle that may be expected. Such conduct on the part of a brother will, we truft, meet with few advocates; but, as fubfequent events have made fome alteration in the complexion of the cafe, we may difmifs it without farther notice.

Some Obfervations on a late Addrefs to the Citizens of Dublin ; with Thoughts on the prefent Crifis. By Charles Francis Sheridan, Efq. To which is [are] added, Vindicator's Remarks on Sarsfield's Letters, which appeared in the Dublin Evening Poft. 8vo. Is. 6d. Debrett. 1797.

Thefe obfervations are intended as an answer to Mr. Grattan's addrefs to his conftituents; and, although we cannot join the author in all his pofitions, we allow that he is an able vindicator of the measures of government in Ireland. In temper and eloquence he has the advantage both of Mr. Grattan and of the writer whose fignature was Sarsfield. It is evident, however, that the politics of Ireland effentially differ from thofe of Great-Britain, and that, whether the late convulfions are to be attributed to oppreffion on the part of the court, or delufion on the part of the people, fome change of fyftem will be neceffary to restore the confidence of the latter. Mr. Sheridan reafons well on abftract points, on forms, and ancient laws; but, from whatever caufe new modes of thinking have arifen, a wife government will fee its intereft in attending to them. Deluded as the peafantry of Ireland may have been, who will fay that their fituation does not render them more liable to delufion than thofe of Great-Britain-that it is not more wretched, more helpless?

The Caufes of the Rebellion in Ireland difclofed, in an Addrefs to the People of England. In which it is proved by incontrovertible Facts, that the Syftem for fome Years purfued in that Country, has driven it into its prefent dreadful Situation. By an Irish Emigrant. Svo. Is. 6d. Jordan. 1798.

There appear to be only two opinions concerning the rebellion

See our XXIId Vol. New Arr. p. 337

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in Ireland-one is, that it was caused by the propagation of French
principles-the other, that it originated in a series of minifterial
oppreffions. In the former cafe, the people are faid to be in rebel-
lion against the government: in the latter, the government is faid
to be in rebellion against the people. The prefent writer is one of
those who attribute the commotions to the measures of the court;
and he endeavours to prove his affertions by incontrovertible facts,
allowing, however, that it is peculiarly difficult at the prefent mc-
ment to be the advocate of the people of Ireland, because there
are among them, men who have taken the power of redrefs into
their own hands, and committed acts of outrage and rebellion which
no fufferings could juftify, and which can only tend to aggravate
ten-fold the other calamities of their country.' After this fair con-
ceffion, he reviews the hiftory of the Irish government for some
years paft. He states, as one ground of difcontent, the fimple re-
peal of the act of the fixth year of Geo. III, which was fuppofed not
to amount to an explicit renunciation of the principle of that fta-
tute. The people were taught to be diffatisfied with this partial
acknowledgement by Meffrs. Flood and Burgh, and other diftin-
guished perfons. This was their first crime in the eyes of the mi-
niftry; the fecond with which they are charged, is their zeal for
parliamentary reform. Of the efforts made for procuring that re-
form, the author gives a detailed account, and clofes it with the
treatment of the catholics in 1795, the convention bill, and
other measures adopted upon a prefumption that treasonable con-
fpiracies were in agitation-measures which, in the opinion of this au-
thor, produced those clandeftine meetings, fince known by the name
of the United Irishmen, and put the Irish people and the Irish ad-
ministration fairly at iffue. Such are the facts advanced to prove
that the adminiftration has been to blame: how far they are incon-
trovertible is not for us to determine.

An interefting Letter from Earl Moira, to Colonel M'Mahon, on a
Change of his Majesty's Minifters; with Mr. Fox's Letter to the
Colonel. Svo. 6d. Jordan. 1798.

This letter, not improperly termed interesting, relates to the fcheme formed by fome of the members of the house of commons, in the last year, for a new miniftry, from which our present rulers were to be excepted, and the most obnoxious men of the oppofition among the latter Mr. Fox was ranked. They wished to have lord Moira for their leader; and the fentiments of that nobleman on the subject prove his high sense of honour and propriety. Who the members are that were convinced of the incapacity of the prefent minifters, and yet continue to fupport them, we know not; but it is obvious that their notions of independence are confused, and that their feelings for the good of the nation are not very acute. Mr. Fox's letter is merely a note to colonel M'Mahon, thanking him for the communication of lord Moira's letter, and approving the earl's honourable and judicious conduct.'