The Anniversary Sermon of the Royal Humane Society, preached at Grosvenor Chapel, 4th April, 1802, &c. &c. By R. Valpy, D. D. F. A. S. Rector of Stradishall, Suffolk, and Master of Reading School. 4th Ed. To which is added a Preface, containing some Observations on a Criticism. Rivington, &c. London. 1804. WE briefly noticed this very eloquent and pathetic discourse in a former number. In the present edition, which is the fourth, the reverend author has replied to, and fully confuted, a few objections made by a periodical critic to that part of the sermon wherein the preacher asserts, "that human or secondary means were employed by the prophets Elijah and Elisha, subservient to the great interposition of Almighty Power, which was visibly exerted in the miracles wrought by them." This he has done with a temperance and candour worthy of his character; and while he has completely established his position, he has thrown considerable light upon a subject certainly of very deep importance. The leading idea of the introductory part of the sermon is, that "while the power of God was manifestly and confessedly displayed in raising the dead, his goodness was employed in pointing out to future ages the means of restoring to perfect life those who were apparently dead." This idea, which is perfectly scriptural, is supported by a variety of irrefragable arguments and authorities. We cannot let the present opportunity escape without extracting the following affecting appeal to the sensibilities of mothers, in behalf of the excellent charity which it was the object of the discourse to promote. "O you, whose pleasures spring from your affections, whose affections centre in the cradle of an infant child,-a child perhaps deprived of a father's protection ;-you, whose future hopes are fixed on the endearing comforts, which you expect from filial tenderness; O think what a distracting scene to see him struggling in convulsive agonies !-What must be your anguish, when, in the heart-breaking embrace, which would fondly shield him from the shaft of death, you see the last expiring pang leave the darling of your soul a cold and bloodless corpse !-I fear I am now speaking to some mothers, who have felt this extremity of distress. From my own sad experience* I have learnt to pity them: but I will not embitter their recollection by dwelling on the melancholy subject. Even in this gloomy scene a ray of light appears. The records of the Humane Society bid you not cast away the anchor of Hope. By prayer, and by thẹ * Two of the author's children were apparently dead in consequence of convulsions. One of them experienced the happy effects of the resuscitative process, and was present at the delivery of this discourse at Southampton and in Jersey. The other, de prived of the same applications, leaves to her parents the consoling hope, that she is now an angel in heaven; for of such is the kingdom of God! means prescribed, your sorrow may be turned into joy. The Lord will hear a mother's voice; the soul of the child will come into him again; HE WILL REVIVE! If this consideration has power to expand your sensibilities, let them be exerted in procuring us the means of enlarging the scale of our endeavours ; as sured that every accession of resources to the Society will improve the plan, facilitate the process, and diffuse the benefits of resuscitation. Thus the bread; which you cast on the waters of affliction, may, after many days, return to you again in genial blessings, of life to your children, and of comfort to your selves." The notes contain many valuable observations, moral, philos sophical, and religious; particularly those respecting the divine. origin of the resuscitative process; the connexion between the mind and the body; and the causes of suicide. The note upon the latter subject is particularly entitled to at tention. "Infidelity," says Dr. Valpy, " operating as a general principle of action, or exercising a temporary sway over a disordered mind, is the most frequent cause of suicide. "Of infidelity, terminating in absolute Atheism, the most striking and melancholy instance is that of the celebrated MESLIER. He was represented as a man of moral purity, of exquisite sensibility, and of an irritable disposition. He had not only read and studied the Bible, but had written three copies of it with his own hand. That sacred book, and the works of the ancient Fathers, had, in the early part of his clerical life, engrossed his attention, and formed his delight. "An inflexible love of justice induced him to oppose the Seigneur of his village, whose influence procured a severe remonstrance from his Diocesan, the Archbishop of Rheims. History affords many examples of men, who have revenged the injuries, which they had received from individuals, upon the profession of their adversaries. From this uncandid motive arose the lamentable change in MESLIER'S principles. The seeds of the Gospel had been sown in barren ground. The student in theology became the coryphæus of atheism. The Lord had no sooner put forth his hand, and touched his worldly character, than MESLIER cursed him to his face. He employed the bitterest acrimony against religion, and his Testament exhibits the most shocking invectives against the history and the doctrines of the Gospel, and against the attributes and existence of the Deity. "Of such an apostacy it is natural to imagine the consequence. The rejection of faith deprived him of hope. He became impatient of life. He DE STROYED HIMSELF. "The daring spirit of the French Regicides in the wildest libertinism of irreligion has, no doubt, struck horror into the heart of humanity. Yet these feelings have been but slightly excited, if they are compared with those, which must be roused into the most burning indignation at the sight of the blasphemies, for which language cannot convey an adequate epithet,---contained in the Philosophie Ancienne et Moderne of the ENCYCLOPEDIE METHODIQUE. DIDEROT, DALEMBERT, BOULANGER, VOLTAIRE, &c. were restrained, by social considerations, by the public opinion respected under the old government of France, within certain limits. But NAIGEON, having broken, by the events of the revolution, every link in the chain of decency and order, that formed the connexion of society, has defied all the humanities of religious civilization. Like the infernal Fiend, who left the burning lake, under the auspices of Sin and Death, to revenge the fairest part of the creation, and wreak his vengeance on the Almighty,---he indulges his savage disposition in the malignant delight of crushing every hope of man, and of precipitating him from the prospect of Heaven into the deepest gloom of despair and perdition. "The mind of an Englishman, who loves the religion of his fathers, is naturally alarmed at the danger of a close connexion with a government, which, possessing and exercising an absolute despotism over the press, can tolerate, countenancé and encourage a work, whose avowed object is to blot the sun out of the moral world, and to dethrone the King of heaven 15 A Sermon, preached in the Parish Church of Allhallows Barking, for the National Institution of the Royal Humane Society, on Sunday Morning, Nov. 13, 1803. By the Rev. Edward Barry, M. D. Rivingtons. London. 1804. 800. It seems that, beyond the annual subscription, the increasing demands on the society require the aid of collections at the different churches; in recommendation of which this discourse was preached. It was thought so excellent in the delivery, that Dr. Barry was solicited to exhibit it from the press-a medium through which the occasional sermons preached for this charitable institution, do not, like the Anniversary Discourses, necessarily pass, and consequently the publication bears with it an honourable testimony from the governors in its favour. The discourse is from Psalm viii. v. 4. "What is man?" and Dr. B. considers the question as it regards a state of nature and of grace; and then, as it applies to intellectual improvements; and especially, to the institution of the Humane Society, by means 'whereof man has been made the honoured instrument of restoring his fellow creatures" from the foul attacks of the suicide; from suffocation by deleterious vapours; from suspended existence through the blasts of lightning, or the destructive effects of intense cold; but above all, and in a most marvellous degree, from the triumph of the headstrong wave!" We trust that the funds of this society are increasing in proportion to the beneficial effects of which it is found to be productive. Of this we are sure, that no institution is more honourable to the national character, nor more serviceable to the human race. L L-VOL, XVII. DRAMATIC. The Theatric Tourist; being a genuine Collection of correct Views, with brief and authentic Historical Accounts of all the principal Provincial Theatres in the United Kingdom. By a Theatrical Amateur. Published in Numbers. Price 3s. 6d. each. Lindsell. ONLY two numbers of this work have yet been published. The plan of it is quite new, and is entitled, as well from its principle, as its execution, to the encouragement of the theatrical public. It is introduced to their notice under the following circum stances. "The proprietor having for a series of years cultivated an early genius for the pencil, amused himself in his summer excursions through the various watering places, towns, &c. of the kingdom, with making accurate drawings of such theatres as were ever rendered at all conspicuous by contributing to the rational gratification of a generous and discerning public, and with collecting such established facts concerning them, as were curious, useful, and entertaining. As they were occasionally submitted to the inspection of his friends, it was suggested that a work of such a nature, conducted on a liberal and extensive scale, would speedily form too valuable a treasure to lie buried in the narrow precincts of a port-folio or a drawing-book. It is to this flattering opinion that the Theatric Tourist stands indebted for its promised existence; the proprietor resolving to extend his labours and his influence to secure the production every possible success." Each number is to contain three plates, in coloured aqua-tint, and the specimens already given reflect great credit on the taste and skill of the artist. The Counterfeit a Farce, in Two Acts, as performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. By Andrew Franklin, Author of the Egyptian Festival, &c. 2s. Robinson. 1804. USING the words of Falstaff, we may affirm that this is " no COUNTERFEIT, but the true and perfect image of life,” a little caricatured occasionally indeed, but not more than becomes the character and design of farce. Of its power over the risible faculties, in acting, it is needless for us here to speak; not only because we have spoken elsewhere of its merits on the stage, but because the whole town has sat in judgment on it, the event of which has been most deservedly flattering to Mr. Franklin. In the closet, half an hour may certainly be better spent, but seldom more agreeably, than in perusing this whimsical production of a truly eccentric mind. The scene between Addle and Dizzy (p. 4.) is irresistibly droll, and, like many other parts, shews great knowledge of stage effect, with no small portion of dramatic genius. THE BRITISH STAGE. The Imitation of Life---The Mirror of Manners---The Representation of Truth. THE DRAMATIC ESSAYIST. No. IX. ON TRAGEDY. BY DR. BLAIR. THE FRENCH AND ITALIAN STAGES. In the compositions of some of the French dramatic writers, particularly Corneille, Racine, and Voltaire, tragedy has appeared with much lustre and dignity. They must be allowed to have improved upon the ancients, in introducing more incidents, a greater variety of passions, a fuller display of characters, and in rendering the subjects thereby more interesting. They have studied to imitate the ancient models in regularity of conduct. They are attentive to all the unities, and to all the decorums of sentiment and morality; and their style is, generally, very poetical and elegant. What an English taste is most apt to censure, in them, is the want of fervour, strength, and the natural language of passion. There is often too much conversation in their pieces, instead of action. They are too declamatory, as was before observed, when they should be passionate; too refined, when they should be simple. Voltaire freely acknowledges these defects of the French theatre. He admits, that their best tragedies do not make a sufficient impression on the heart; that the gallantry which reigns in them, and the long fine-spun dialogue with which they over-abound, frequently spread a languor over them; that the authors seemed to be afraid of being too tragic; and very candidly gives it as his judgment, that an union of the vehemence and the action, which characterise the English theatre, with the correctness and decorum of the French theatre, would be necessary to form a perfect tragedy. Corneille, who is properly the father of French tragedy, is distinguished by the majesty and grandeur of his sentiments, and the fruitfulness of his imagination. His genius was unquestionably very rich, but seemed more turned towards the epic than the tragic vein; for, in general, he is magnificent and splendid, rather than tender and touching. He is the most declamatory of all the French tragedians. He united the copiousness of Dryden with the fire of Lucan, and he resembles them also in their faults; in their extravagance and impetuosity. He has composed a great number of tragedies, |