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than that of fhowing that it ran thus into blank verfe; which we thought, and probably our readers felt, to be the mol effectual condemnation. We cannot but regret, therefore, that fo found a critic as Dr. Drake fhould have overlooked this fault, in the paffage thus cited from Shaftelbury, and produced it as a fpecimen of fine writing. Good examples might perhaps have been found, but this, unfortunately, is not one. In his cenfure of the faults of the fame author, he is perfectly correct.

In the Effay, on the Critical Abilities and Tafte of Addifon, (p. 117). Dr. D. introduces an hiftorical view of critical works previously exifting in our language, which is pleafing and fatisfactory. The Eflay" on the Humour and Comic Painting of Addifon," (p. 168) evinces a moft complete familiarity with his writings, and is happily illustrated by the introduction of the papers in the Freeholder, in which the character of the Tory Fox-hunter is drawn with fuch inimitable skill and pleafantry. The fifth Effey" on the Fable, Imagery, and Allegory of Addifon," (p. 219) is particularly rich in elegant illuftrations, and contains a view of oriental poetry, which, on the authority of Profeffor Carlyle and others, happily refcues it from the much too general imputation of turgidity; and fhows that, in the best ages of Arabian compofition, both their profe and verse were diftinguished by true tafle and elegant fimplicity.

"So early," fays he, "6 the as commencement of the 7th cen. tury, the Arabian poetry and language had obtained confiderable excellence; and from the age of Lebid, a poet contemporary with Mahommed, to the extinction of the Khalifat by the Tartars, the compofitions of the Arabians ceafed not to do honour to their country and their genius.

"During this illuftrious period, and efpecially during the first five centuries of the Hegira, the elegant literature of the Arabians, both in profe and verfe, was remarkable for its fimplicity, energy, and beauty of ftyle; and whether a poem or a tale were produced, true tafte was feldom violated by the introduction of glaring metaphor, or pompous language." P. 222.

On this ground he juftly contrafts to their ancient productions, thofe of a modern date, fuch as the Tales of Inatulla; and adds with great truth

"It is to be regretted, that, either from ignorance or falfe tafte, the imitators of oriental fable have, in general, rather chofen to copy the tumid Ayle, which, for fome centuries, has prevailed among the profe writers of Perfia, than the pure and correct manner of what may be termed the claffical authors of

Arabia,

Arabia. Hence we have been deluged with fuch a quantity of bloated compofition, under the title of oriental tales. A moft ftriking exception, however, to this erroneous tafte, we poflefs in the writings of Addison, whofe eaftern tales and apologues are written in language of the greatest fimpi.ity and purity." P. 226.

In the third volume, Dr. Drake had, perhaps, the most arduous part of his talk to perform. He was there to give fhort accounts of forty-fix different authors; and yet to avoid both trite remark, and famenefs of compofition. In this, we think, he has very fully fucceeded. He has touched his fubject, where common, fo as to adorn it; and has brought forward a few notices of authors, whose memorial has feldom before been traced. To give fpecimens of thefe memoirs, would render us much too diffufe in our account, but we particularly recommend to the notice of the reader the fynoptical tables of the writers in the Tatler, Spectator, and Guardian, which are inferted in pages 376-379 of vol. iii.

As the first Effay in this work defcribes the ftate of English fociety, when thefe periodical papers were taken up, fo the laft, with propriety, examines into their permanent effect on morals and behaviour. The conclufion is fo important, and fo juft, that we eannot deny ourfelves the pleasure of tranfcribing it entire.

"The refult," he fays, "of the publication of the Tatler, Spectator, and Guardian, has been of the first national importance. The diffufion of private virtue and wisdom must neceffarily tend to purify and enlighten the general mafs; and experience in every age has proved, that the ftrength, the weight, and profperity of a nation, are better founded on knowledge, morality, and found literature, than on the unftable effects of conqueft or commerce, Rational liberty, indeed, can only be fupported by integrity and ability; and it is of little confequence to the man who feels for the honour of his fpecies, and who knows properly to value the character of a freeman, that his country bas ftretched her arms over half the globe, if, at the fame time, fhe be immersed in vice, in luxury, and fenfuality, and fubjected to the debafing caprices. and controul of tyranny.

"It is but juft, therefore, to infer, that the periodical writings of Addifon and Steele have contributed more effentially to the national good, to the political influence even, and stability of the British empire, than all the efforts of her warriors, how ever great or glorious. By expanding the intellect, and improv. ing the morals of the people; by promoting liberal education and free enquiry, they have enabled the public to understand, and to appreciate

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appreciate duly, the principles of genuine liberty; and confe quently to value highly, and defend ftrenuously the conftitution under which they live. They have, by diverting and invigorating the energies of fociety, given a manly tone to the national character; an effect which can never be elicited, beneath the clouds of ignorance and immorality; and which depends not on the fleeting confequences of military prowefs, but upon the majo. rity of the people thinking and acting juftly for themselves, from that knowledge of political good, and that rational love of their country, from thofe pure principles, and virtuous motives, which could only have been diffeminated through the medium of writers, who, like the authors of the Spectator, have permanently and extenfively exerted their moral and intellectual influence over the general mind.

"In fhort, if we compare the ftate of fociety, private and public, as it appeared previous and fubfequent to the appearance of Addison and Steele, we fhall not for a moment hefitate to affert, not only that Great Britain is indebted to thefe illuftrious writers, for a moft falutary revolution, in the realms of litera ture and tafte, for a mode of compofition, which, in a mere lite'rary view has been of great and progreffive utility; but that a "very large portion of the moral and political good, which the now enjoys, is to be afcribed to their exertions-to efforts which entitle them to the glorious appellations of genuine patrons and univerfal benefactors." P. 400.

Such is the conclufion of a work, which, in every point of view, does credit to the writer. The external appearance of it is alfo neat and elegant, and, throughout the volumes of the republifhed effays, doubtless deferves the encomium with which Dr. D. has ventured to conclude his preface, He praifes the editor, and the editor has certainly abundant 'reafon to be fatisfied with his author. It is in contemplation to prepare fimilar Effays for the later periodical works, and we have every reafon to augur well of their execution, from the fpecimen which we have now contemplated,

ART. V. Sermons by Sir Henry Moncreiff Wellwood, Bart. · D. D. and F. P. S. Edinburgh; One of the Minifters of St. Cuthbert's, Edinburgh, and Chaplain in ordinary to His R. Highrejs the Prince of Wales. 8vo. 480 pp. 8s. 6d. Whyte, &c. Edinburgh; Longman and Co. London.

1805.

IN the preface to thefe difcourfes, the learned author difclaims all pretenfions to novelty of argument or illuftra

tion; but yet gives an admirable reafon for making them public.

"Though," fays he," the fubjects to which the writers of fermons folicit the attention of the public cannot be new, and at this late period of the Chriftian Church, even novelty of illuf tration is fcarcely to be expected;" yet "the fubjects which they profefs to difcufs are of perpetual importance to markird, and involve their most permanent interests: and though the truths of religion are always the fame, the manners of the world and the characters of men, to which they ought to be applied, are fubject to perpetual variations. Though the fame doctrines and duties. are inculcated in the prefent age, which were preached in the age of the apoftles; and though nothing can be added either to their fubftance or to their authority; it is of the laft importance to direct them to the confciences of men in every age, and to their living manners to combat the circumftances which rife in fucceffion to obftruct their influence, and to take advantage of the variety of facts and events, which occur in the progrefs of human affairs, by which they can be enforced and illuftrated." P. ix.

Though this is a fair reason to give for the publication of any fermons fo good as thofe of the worthy Baronet, yet he ftill profeffes to addrefs them chiefly to the congregation for whom they were originally prepared; among whom, it seems, out of the thirty-four years that he has been a minifter, he has officiated thirty.

Much as the learned author difclaims all pretenfions to novelty, yet there is certainly no small degree of originality difcernible in most of these difcourfes. They are not common fermons, by any means, and whatever the truths may be that they inculcate, the style and manner in which they are difcuffed and recommended are for the most part new. The text and title of the fecond fermon ftruck us as fomething fingular; "Jesus faid to his difciples, gather up the frag ments that remain that nothing be loft;" and the title runs, "on the minute improvement of the bleflings of Providence," of which the learned author treats under the following heads, "the fragments," of the provifion made for our temporal neceffities; "the fragments," of our time; "the fragments," of our private comfort or of our perfonal advantages; "the fragments," of our health or of our vigo r." This, we doubt not, will feem new to many of our readers, but the discourse itself is an admirable one, and it our lis would allow of it, and we had it not in view to select fore paffages as fpecimens of the work from other parts of the volume, we hould gladly infert fome extracts from this par

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ticular

ticular fermon; the title however leads us to observe that the author feems fond of the term "minute," which he fre quently uses, and not unfrequently in a way to which our fouthern ears are unaccustomed, as "the minute practice of religion,' any other minute examples," "the minute progrefs of religion," &c. From the 17th fermon preached on the faft-day 1801, we cannot refrain tranfcribing the following too juft picture of modern lovers of pleasure.

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"The apoftle fays of "the perilous times," that men shall then be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.”

"Thofe who are accustomed to observe and to estimate living manners, cannot but perceive, how high the encreafing luxury and wealth of our country have raifed "the love of pleasure;" how it has grown and fpread from the first to the last orders of the people; how almost every intereft and purfuit gives way to it among the higher ranks; and how much even the middle orders of men facrifice to it, of their health, of their precious time, of their money, of their labour, of their private comfort, of their domeftic habits, of their ferious hours, and of their beft duties.

"One clafs of men pursue it as their chief bufinefs; and another clafs, who profefs to cultivate more fobriety of mind, find themselves unable cither to reftrain or to refift the torrent of fashionable manners, notwithstanding the preffure both of war and of famine, and the cries of poverty around them. They admit, that we are receiving the moft ftriking admonitions of Providence; they do not profefs to difregard them; and yet at this moment the fucceffion of their feftivities is fcarcely kept from encroaching on the folemnities of religion. The love of pleasure is the predominating paffion of the prefent times; which gathers fuel and ftrength from all our profperity, and which receives fcarcely any check from our heaviest and most humbling calamities.

"Can it be seriously denied, that men of the present time "are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God?" What species or form of pleafures do they deliberately and permanently facrifice to their fenfe of God; to the warnings he has given them; to the prefent afpect of Providence around them; or to the general confiderations of duty or religion? They affume "the form of godlinefs," and are forward in expreffing their zeal for maintaining it. But in their perfonal conduct, do they relinquish either their pleasures or their bufinefs, that "they may fanctify the Lord's day, or keep it holy;" or do they give their time, or

"The fcarcity and exorbitant price of provifions were at this time moft feverely felt."

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