tween the parties. He likewise, by his doubts and sophistry, de- no This is one of those compositions which, though they require uncommon exertions of genius and learning, are yet entitled to respect for the comprehensive usefulness of their design: they "teach the young idea how to shoot," The plan of the present work is as follows. The author (who is of the female sex, as we conjecture, from internal evidence) introduces the reader to a family, at the head of which presides a widow lady with two daughters and a son; who are passing the Easter holidays with their mother :-the son brings home with him a schoolfellow, a lad of sense and good disposition. The various incidents which occur to this little party amid their domestic amusements, pursuits, and visits, give rise to a number of miscellaneous stories and observations, by which a young mind cannot fail of being instructed and amused; Mrs. Melmoth is a very sensible, discreet and mild-tempered woman; and, with much knowlege of the world, great judgment, and gentleness of heart, she regulates the disputes, comments on the conduct, and explains the various motives of the actions which, from day to day, are exhibited to the notice of these young philosophers. During the fortnight's holidays, a nephew of Mrs. Melmoth arrives, somewhat older than her son and his friend; and who affords an example to the rest, of the disgustful character of a pert, frivolous, ostentatious, and profligate young man which is well contrasted with the discretion of his juniors in age, young Melmoth and his manly school-fellow, and the well informed and amiable daughters of the good widow. The fourteen days' narrative are respectively marked by those events which, in a more especial manner, characterize the divisions, viz. Monday, the arrival; Tuesday, the ride; &c. Smyth The volume being divided into days and particular occurrences, the tedium attending a continued narration is happily avoided.— Many useful lessons on humanity to animals, on generosity and kindness to our fellow-creatures, on the profaneness of swearing, on the inconveniences and disgrace of incurring debts, on the ridiculous use of cant terms, &c. are insinuated into the minds of young persons in a lively and pleasing manner. The letter of Mrs. Arundel (the friend of Mrs. Melmoth) to her son-in-law, just leaving school, (inserted at the close of the volume) is excellently written. The fable of the Warning,' as it inculcates a very useful lesson, we shall lay before our readers: • The And on the puppy feast their eyes; How fine its coat, each limb, each feature! The doctor's man declares its merit, His cushion's plac'd before the fire; "A dog, who's willing to be taught, "Since not one talent he'll produce; Had Had Rover own'd the pow'r of speech RELIGIOUS and POLEMICAL. Art. 29. Thoughts on the Novelty, the Excellence, and Evidence of the Is. The peculiar nature of the Christian religion, as well as the evidences adduced in its behalf, should be well considered by those who deny, or are even inclined to doubt, its divine origin. It has features of singularity for which it is difficult to account on the supposition of its being a human fiction. Jesus Christ, as a mere Jew, without education, and in low circumstances, was certainly incompetent to form and execute the new and sublime idea of an universal religion. All religious systems, before that exhibited in the New Testament, were mere localities. This stands on a new and broader basis. It is fitted alike for all countries; it is simple, and unincumbered with ceremonies; and it addresses its doctrines, without respect of persons, to all classes and descriptions of men. From the carpenter of Nazareth and the fisherman of Galilee, such a system could not, in the natural course of human events, have proceeded. The novelty of Christianity, then, is one of the evidences of its truth, and as such it is properly held by Mr. Simpson in the pamphlet before us. Though, however, we subscribe to the principle, and allow Mr. S. to be a judicious and praise-worthy advocate for Christianity, we do not hesitate to give it as our opinion that he has carried the idea of its novelty too far, and has weakened his cause (as advocates at the bar and in the pulpit are extremely apt to do) by attempting to make out too strong a case. He asserts (p. 12) that the language concerning the Deity, which is used by Christ and his Apostles, when they style him the father, that is the father of all men, is entirely new, considered as an habitual language. It is certain that the term father is oftener employed when speaking of God in the New than in the Old Testament, but the idea of parent is inseparable from the doctrine of his being the Universal Creator and Preserver, which the Old Testament uniformly and sublimely inculcates; Mr. Simpson's novelty, therefore, will consist only in the use of a particular word :-but even this trifling novelty cannot be conceded to him; for, in our Saviour's time, the Jews were in the habit of addressing the Deity as their Father in Heaven, and, of course, as the Father of all, (for they could not suppose that a different God made the heathen,) as the reader may see by turning to Lightfoot's Hora Hebraice on Matth. vi. 9. Christ, by teaching his disciples to address God as their Father and the Father of all, only employed expressions of familiar use. It is true that he endea voured Smyth. voured (as Mr. S. observes) to impress the sentiment which this epithet conveys, on the minds of men ;-a sentiment to which they never sufficiently attended before ;-and to make it a basis of their conduct towards God and their fellow-creatures, and of their future happiness.' This may be denominated a peculiarity in his preaching. Mr. S. contends, Ist, That the religion of Jesus is novel and transcendent in its principle. 2d, That the Christian religion and morals are new in the degree of their extent, in their purity and simplicity, and in the manner in which they were taught by their great author. 3d, It is new as it contains, in the character of its author, an exemplification of its complete system, as far as he had an opportunity of exhibiting it. 4th, The motives which it urges to obedience are singularly cogent and persuasive. 5th, It is new both in the kind and in the degres of its evidence. 6th, The means employed in its publication were new, and its speedy and extensive progress, under such circumstances, was unparalleled; and, 7th, That the effects which it produced on the religion and manners of mankind were singular and astonishing. 6 After having commented on these positions, and offered to the reader some valuable remarks on what he terms the several novelties of the Christian religion, he thus sums up the whole. We have shewn that each of them is a characteristic excellence, and that every excellence is of such a nature and degree as to afford a separate argument for the divine authority of Jesus. If the union of more than human wisdom, power, and goodness, in every mineral, plant, and animal, proclaims their Creator to be the Most High, are we not compelled to deduce the same conclusion from the same transcendent attributes displayed in the gospel?' The pamphlet concludes with an excellent quotation from Bishop Butler, making a suitable finale to Mr. S.'s thoughts, which we would recommend to the perusal of reflecting unbelievers. Much, both in quantity and quality, is here offered at a low price, Mr. S. being a gentleman of independent fortune. AMERICA. Art. 30. Speech of R. Goodloe Harper, Esq. on the Foreign Inter course Bill, delivered in the House of Representatives of the United States, March 2, 1798. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Wright. cerns. The public have lately become very conversant in American politics; and the disputes of that country with France seem to be thought, by some, as interesting to us as our own immediate conIf our readers be of that opinion, they will probably peruse this speech of Mr. Harper; which, though it relates principally to a point exclusively concerning America, namely the uncontrollable right of the President to appoint foreign ministers,' yet, by taking in a variety of other topics, conveys a good general idea of the politics. of what may be called the English, or the Government party in that country. We have not found less pleasure in the perusal of this speech than we derived from Mr. Harper's former publication, his "Observations," &c. As a composition, it has merit, and is indeed a very fair specimen of American eloquence. Moo-y. Wall..e. POETRY, POETRY, DRAMATIC, &c. Art. 31. He's much to Blame; a Comedy, performed at the Theatre Royal, Covent-Garden. 8vo. 25. Robinsons. 1798. This play, in our judgment, approaches nearer to the character of true comedy, than almost any composition that has appeared on either stage for some years past. The business of the piece is complex, and, indeed, intricate: but it is carried on by a variety of incidents, well connected, and growing out of one another, in a train of probable circumstances. This is one grand rule in all dramatic composi tions. The principal objection that occurs to us is, that our attention is rather more turned to the occurrences than to character; whereas the first and essential beauty of comedy is the true delineation of character. Let character be permanent, and, in subordination to that, let a fable be constructed with all the poet's art; because the humours, the foibles, the oddities, and the peculiarities of men are to shew themselves in a course of action. Lord Vibrate is a man of irresolution, but the weather-cock in his mind shifts with too much alacrity. Doctor Gosterman, in the closet, is too full of repetition : but the abilities of the actor, Mr. Murray, may be able to give it many agreeable touches, which are wholly confined to the theatre. The various events are, in general, brought about with skill; and the man whose conduct has been contrary to all the rules of honour is, in a very interesting scene, convinced that He is much to Blame. Mury. Art. 32. Secrets Worth Knowing; a Comedy, in Five Acts; as performed at the Theatre Royal, Covent-Garden. By Thomas Morton, Esq. 8vo. 2s. Longman. 1798. . This piece was produced in the course of the last winter with considerable success, at Covent-Garden Theatre:-but success on the stage and in the critic's study are very different things. Both ought to concur: but the laurels of the modern dramatists generally wither in the closet. Stage-effect is this writer's sole object; and for this purpose his whole plan is formed. In order to surprise, unexpected incidents, without due preparation, and of course without probability, form the plot of a modern comedy. The business is like nothing that passes in the transactions of life; the decorum and consistency of character are wholly neglected; and, amid all these crudities, a few phrases, borrowed from St. Giles's, are occasionally thrown in to give spirit, wit, and humour to the piece. Thus when a favourite actor says, "Push on,' sort," with more of that kind of jargon, the play concludes with We are sorry to say that these general remarks apply very strongly to the play before us. Character and incidents are warped and twisted to carry on the plot. Undermine is an attorney, but was such an attorney ever seen in real life? He is in possession of a will in his own favour, and of a subsequent will revoking the former in behalf of the -testator's son. He gives the last to his servant Nicholas, with direc tions to burn it, for a reward of a thousand pounds. Nicholas resolves not to do this till he has received the money; and, therefore, he 8 keeps |