scarcely a remove from protestantism. Every thing conspires, at present, to encourage the government in making the trial; and, when all civil distinctions founded on religious sentiments are removed, the variety of opinions in this island, greater than in any other part of the world of the same extent, will only tend to keep the mind in a proper and innocent degree of activity, and promote the discovery of truth. A fatal blow was given to popery, by the establishment of catholic seminaries at home; for the youth educated in England, and who intermix with protestant boys, will inevitably imbibe protestant sentiments; and, when no more inquiry is made, whether a man go to mass, to church, to a synagogue, or to a meeting-house, than to what club he belongs in a country-town, the true spirit of Christian charity will be embraced by all, and the faith of each will be improved. That no danger can result from ameliorating the condition of the catholics, is here demonstratively proved; and the address, with which the work is concluded, deserves the serious attention of all parties.

I could wish to impress on the minds of both catholics and protestants, that religious dissensions were the primary causes of that national poverty, that comparative barbarism, that political impotence and internal misery, which have long distinguished their country; con、 fessedly one of the fairest portions of the habitable globe, and designated by nature to be the centre of wealth and the seat of happiness. I could wish to recal to their minds the striking contrast, in every particular, exhibited by the year 1784, when religious harmony prevailed, and the year 1798, when religious discord had almost reached its utmost height. I could wish to impress deeply on their minds that neither sect can, in the nature of things, exterminate the other; that they are destined to dwell together in the same island; to have one common national interest; and to exercise amongst each other the different relative duties of social life; and that consequently almost every individual must, in a greater or less degree, experience either the happy effects of religious harmony, or the sad ones of religious discord. That if liberal sentiments be cultivated, mutual intercourse and association will gradually wear down the asperities of each sect, and finally extinguish their respective prejudices, antipathies, and misconceptions. I could wish to impress on their minds, that as human opinions evidently result from accidental combinations of circum stances, and accidental associations of ideas, a diversity of opinions, on all subjects of a disputable nature, must necessarily prevail amongst mankind: that truth is produced by the collision of adverse opinions; and that had it not been for such collision, which may be ascribed directly to the will of the Deity, the human race would have continued strangers to true learning and civilization. That the belief of a man is perfectly involuntary on his part; and evidently uncontrollable by others. That it is not more unreasonable to hate a man on account of his pursuits, his inclinations, his tastes, or even his complexion, than on account of his belief. That in no case is compulsion so thorough, ly unwarrantable as in the case of religion. Religionis non est," says Tertullian," cogere religionem, quæ sponte suscipi debet, non vi." That the speculative articles of religion have no connexion wrat soever with the affairs of social life. That they are not calculated to

"

make a man either a better or worse kinsman, friend, landlord, tenant, citizen, or subject. That practical maxims of a hostile nature have arisen from the luckless conjunction of religion and politics, and are no part of Christianity, as the actions and precepts of our blessed Redeemer most amply evince. That there is a much greater affinity between the rival sects, than the majority of the individuals of either suppose. That they both adore, and rely on the mediation of the same divine Author of peace and charity. And that they are equally required to follow his glorious example.

These are truths which every genuine Christian and true patriot will sedulously endeavour to inculcate; as on their universal reception, the happiness of private life, and the prosperity of Ireland, do, beyond all contradiction, depend. And I confess I entertain the consolatory persuasion, that many of them have already begun to take deep root in the minds of Irishmen: that the long night of delusion is drawing to a close: that my countrymen are beginning to open their eyes to their true interests: and that Ireland will henceforth, instead of exhausting, infuse resistless vigor into that truly great nation with which it is now indissolubly united.' P. 39.

ART. 16.-Essays on the Population of Ireland, and the Characters of the Irish. By a Member of the last Irish Parliament. 8vo. 25. C. and R. Baldwin.

1803.

The population of Ireland is shown to have been and to be increasing in a much greater ratio than is supposed in this part of the united kingdom; and, if our fellow-subjects in the western island have been conspicuous for some vices and propensities, they are proved to be capable of great virtues, and to possess great excellence of character. Their evil qualities have originated from an evil government, and may therefore fairly be presumed to die away with the present generation; while the next, educated in the enjoyment of all the rights of Englishmen, will learn to appreciate better their place in civil society, and quit the slavish character with which their fathers had been stigmatised. The lower class

are certainly, for the most part, thievish, lawless, dishonest and destitute of a sense of equity. They are almost uniformly quarrelsome when drunk but neither irritable nor phlegmatic when sober. They are very bigotted; but, I think, not more superstitious than other people of the same rank. They are restless and licentious; but destitute of a true spirit of liberty, except in some of the northern counties: rebellious; but, with the same exception, regardless about the nature of their government.' r. 48.

Already the middle class has corrected many of its vices.

Unbecoming pride, consummate effrontery, captiousness, ferocity, tyranny, sensuality, vulgar boisterous mirth, and inconsiderate prodigality pregnant with dishonesty, though not yet perfectly obliterated, can, however, be no longer deemed the predominant qualities of its character.' P. 51.

The middle and lower classes must be benefited by the union: with

respect to the higher, in some points, less indeed is to be expected; for

the chief faults of this class, which, however, are certainly very far from being so universal as the amiable qualities I have just mentioned, seem to be, an almost total want of public spirit and disinterestedness; a high degree of venality; supineness and partiality in the exercise of all public functions, especially those of the magistracy; and an unbecoming and imprudent propensity to intolerance on the score of religion, unaccompanied by a due veneration for the religion they profess: faults to which many are disposed to ascribe several of the bad qualities discoverable in the characters of the lowest class of the Irish. p. 55.

England seems to be but an indifferent place to correct the class here referred to, as to a spirit of venality; yet it may learn, from the respect paid to our country-gentlemen in the exercise of the office of magistrates, to exert the same powers with cheerfulness in its own country, and thus increase its own happiness and that of its neighbours. Bad as the picture is in several places, the hopes held out of future improvement are encouraging; and we recommend the perusal of the work to the Irish part of our legislators..

ART. 17.-The Possession of Louisiana by the French, considered, as it affects the Interests of those Nations more im mediately considered, viz. Great Britain, America, Spain, and Portugal. By George Orr, Esq. 8vo. 1s. Ginger.

1803.

Most dreadful effects were apprehended, by our author, during the prospect that the French were about to take possession of Louisianano less, indeed, than the total subjugation of America. It is fortunate that the author's fears are now set at rest, as the French have ceded this territory to the American states; but, blinded by his apprehensions, he is as little able to look into futurity as to judge of the past, when he asserts that the situation of a people is worse, instead of being better,' because the articles of life have become dearer. Strange, that he could not look around him, and mark the improvement of his own country, notwithstanding the advance in the price of every article of consumption.

ART. 18.-Considerations on the Necessity and Expediency of supporting the Dignity of the Crown and Royal Family in the same Degree of Splendour as heretofore; on the due Proportion of Income between the Possessor and Heir Apparent of the Crown; on the Claim of Right in the Heir Apparent to such Rents and Proceeds of the Estates vested in him at his Birth, as were collected during the Minority of his Royal Highness, and stand yet unaccounted for. 8vo. 2s. 2s. Debrett. 1802.

The supposed right of the prince of Wales to certain arrears from the duchy of Cornwall is maintained with great vehemence and much asperity against the wicked ministers,' who advised the king to retain them for one-and-twenty years together, and to refuse ac

counting for them for twenty years more.' The nation has heard too much of these unfounded pretensions. The right of the prince of Wales to the revenues of the duchy cannot be doubted; but these revenues were set apart for his maintenance; and the simple question is, whether his maintenance did not cost more than the amount of these revenues? The writer makes-two statements, by one of which there is due to the prince 1,470,058., by the other 1,195,230l. In the latter statement, the expense of maintenance is deducted at the rate of 10007. a-year for the first six years, 2000l. a-year for the next six years, 4000l. for the next three years, 5000 for the three years ensuing; after which, all the revenues, he calculates, were applied to bis maintenance. We apprehend, that, if a real bill of debtor and creditor were detailed, instead of being entitled to arrears, the prince is now indebted to his royal father for much of his maintenance during his minority.

RELIGION.

ART. 19.-Remarks on a Pamphlet by Thomas Kipling, D.D. &c., entitled The Articles of the Church of England proved not to be Calvinistic. By Academicus. 8vo. 1s. Mawinan.

1802.

The virulence of Dr. Kipling's pamphlet was calculated to injure, rather than support, the cause which he undertook to defend; and it has excited an antagonist of better temper and greater powers of reasoning. The contest, indeed, is of too insignificant a nature to en gage the attention of the public; and to reconcile or contrast the Thir ty-nine Articles with the writings of Calvin, is a task for which few people of the present day will find either inclination or leisure. The simple and plain question is, can the Articles, or can they not, be maintained on the foundation of the Holy Scriptures?-the support of, or opposition to, them, by such an abusive bigot as Calvin, being in itself of no importance. Academicus has indicated several points, in which his adversary, by opposing Calvin, has opposed the Scripture; and he is advised, in case of another address to the public, to attend to the following necessary particulars :

That to charge opponents with holding opinions which they expressly disavow, is a violation of the established rules of literary con troversy; that to revile their characters has no tendency either to convince or to conciliate them;-that to attribute their sentiments or actions to mental derangement is not consistent with humanity or com mon decency;--and that it is the extreme of rashness to stigmatize their doctrines as blasphemous, without first enquiring whether they are not expressly affirmed in the word of God.' P. 32.

ART. 20.-A Sermon on the Superintendence of Providence dis cernible in the calamitous Events of the late War: preached in the Chapel of the British Factory, St. Petersburgh, Thursday, 3 (15) July, 1802, on Occasion of the Peace. By the Rev. L. K. Pitt, A. M., &c. 8vo. 1s. Cadell and Da

vies.

1802.

Providence, it seems, has interfered in checking the gigantic strides of

innovation; in proving, that, without an acknowledged dependence on the Almighty, no check can exist on the ambition of rulers, or the turbulence of factious spirits; in weakening the influence of popery; so that the deference to the priest being diminished, religion will be supported by reason, and conviction will take place of doubt and superstition. Very great compliments are paid to the reigning sovereigns of Britain and Russia; and mutual integrity, mutual benevolence, and mutual piety-the brightest ornament of man, the highest excellence of Christianity-are said to regulate the lives and direct each action of the sovereigns, to whom the preacher and his audience owe allegiance and submission.

ART. 21.-A Sermon on the Depravity of the Human Heart; exemplified generally in the Conduct of the Jews, and particularly in that of Lieut. Colonel Despard, previous to his Execution. Preached at St. George's, Hanover-Square, February 27, 1803, by the Rev. William Leigh, LL.B., &c. 800. 1s. Hatchard.

6

The history of this depravity is traced from Adam to colonel Despard, who is termed one bold apostate, traitor to his God as well as to his king, to his religion as well as to his country.'

ART. 22.—Hints on the Ordinance of a Gospel Ministry, &c. By a Friend to Order in the Church. 12mo. 1s. Ogle. A system of what is called lay-preaching is much encouraged in Scotland. It arises from the principles of late inculcated, of a deficiency in the legal establishment; and the author, who is a friend to what is termed evangelical preaching, wishes to keep it within some bounds, and to make it subordinate to regularity and discipline. ART. 23.-A Sermon; preached at the Chapel in St. Saviourgate, York, on Sunday, December 26, 1802, on Occasion of the much lamented Death of Robert Cappe, M. D. With an Appendix, containing brief Memoirs of his Life. By Charles Wellbeloved. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Johnson. 1803.

A just tribute of respect to the worthy son of a worthy father. Dr. Cappe died on board a vessel in his way to Italy, for the recovery of his health. His two sisters accompanied him; and his father's congregation, as well as every one in his profession, were highly interested in his recovery. In treating such a subject, the preacher has naturally expatiated, with great success, on the mysterious ways of providence, and advanced arguments of support, which the death of a beloved friend both needs and excites.

ART.24.-A Sermon, in behalf of those useful and benevolent Institutions, called Friendly Societies; preached at Navestock, Esser, August, 1802. By John Filkes, B. D., &c. 800. Is. Rivingtons. 1802.

A judicious recommendation, from the pulpit, of friendly societies; which cannot be too much encouraged by landholders, who regard