mafonry; which, in fact, made them perfectly disgusting to all readers of found understanding. "The works on this fubject," he says, "which have already been given to the world, are of fuch a repulfive nature, as to deter the molt inquifitive from their perufal. They contain nothing more than a meagre account of public buildings; and by referring the origin of their order to the creation of the world, and ranking amongst the lifts of free mafons, the most celebrated monarchs of the Eaft, without any authority from authentic hiftory, their authors have difcredited an inftitution which they meant to have honoured. It fhall be the object,” he adds, "of the following work to diveft the history of free mafonry of that jargon and mystery in which it hath hitherto been enveloped; and to attempt fomething like a claffical view of this ancient and refpectable inftitution." P. viii. Nevertheless the chief part of the prefent hiftory, though more rational, is ftill conjectural; the author talks of the mafons of Egypt, Greece, and Rome; as if he knew of their affociations. He treats of the Eleufinian and Dionyfian myfteries, as it connected with free mafonry: though after all it comes to nothing but " a coincidence of .their external forms." He compares alfo at large the Jewish Effenes, and with much learning, as alfo the Pythagoreans; but all is, in our opinion, perfectly groundlefs, as to any thing beyond general fimilarities, till he comes to the " focieties of operative masons," who actually constructed the fine religious edifices of the middle ages. Thefe we have always believed to be the real authors of free mafonry; (fee p. 88.) and from thofe architects who built the abbey of Kilwinning, in Scotland, it may almost be traced hiftorically in that country; and foon after in England. The perfecutions of free masonry are afterwards well related; and the infidious attempts of Weishaupt, to gain credit to his own fchemes by becoming a free mafon. More than half of the book is occupied by "the history of the Grand Lodge of Scotland," founded in 1736, which is detailed with great minuteness. But the conclusion of the first part, contains the molt animated encomium of the fraternity. "I fee their lodges," he fays, "frequented by men of unaffected piety, and undaunted parriotifm. Tell us no more, that our brethren of the order are lefs holy and virtaous than the uninitiated vulgar. I fee them in the church, and in the fenate, defending, by their talents, the doctrines of our religion, and exemplifying, in their conduct, the precepts it enjoins, kind to their friends, forgiving to their enemies, and benevolent to all. Tell us no more that they are traitors, or indifferent to the welfare of their country. I fee them in the hour of danger rallying around the throne of our king, and proffering for his fafety their hearts and their arms.--[ fee them in the form of heroes, at the head of our fleets and our armies ; and the day will arrive, when a free mafon fhall fway the fceptre of thefe kingdoms, and fill, with honour and with dignity, the British throne." P. 145. RT. 39. An Account of the Life of Dr. Samuel Johnson, from bi lips. 1805. 55. Phil Every ferap of Dr. Johnfon is confidered as worthy of preservation, and this, though a mere fcrap, has fomething curious in it. In the first place, it is undoubtedly genuine, as internal evidence proves, in the MS. at least, and the testimony of the widow of Francis Barber, from whom it was published. Dr. Johnfon is perhaps one of very few authors who have ever attempted regular annals of their own life, from the year of their birth. Unfortunately the larger part of thefe annals are gone, thirty-two pages having been torn out and destroyed by the author a few days before his death. It is evident, by the marks on the remaining blank leaves of the book, that Dr. Johnson intended to have continued his annals. The following paffage is remarkable, as occurring in the third year of the author's life. "I fuppofe that in this year I was first informed of a future ftate. I remember, that being in bed with my mother one morning, I was told by her of two places, to which the inhabitants of this world were received after death; one a fine place, filled with happiness, called Heaven; the other a fad place, called Hell. That this account much affected my imagination I do not remember. When I was rifen, my mother bade me repeat what he had told me to Thomas Jackfon. When I told this afterwards to my mother, she feemed to wonder that the fhould begin fuch talk fo late, as that the first time could be remembered." P. 19. Mifs Hill Boothby's Letters, here alfo printed, confirm the good opinion entertained of her by her illuftrious correfpondent. The criginals, both of the annals and of the letters, are to be seen in the very interesting mufeum of Mr. Wright at Lichfield, which every traveller ought to vifit. ART. 40. An Essay on the Conftruction, Hanging, and Fastening of Gates, exemplified in Six Quarto Plates. Second Edition, improved and enlarged. By Thomas N. Parker, Efq. M.A. 8vo. Lackington. 1804. 116 pp. 6s. From a two fhilling pamphlet, which this was when we first noticed it, the author has exalted it to the dignity of a fix fhilling bock, illuftrated by very handfome plates. This change, he thinks, authorizes it to be confidered almoft as a new work. The principles of the author are good, because they are mathematical; but the application Brit. Crit. vol. xx. p. 451. of of them, in defcribing the plates, is, to us at least, not always clear. Thus, his fig. 1. does not appear to resemble what it is faid to be, "the outline of a gate, nine feet two inches long". The author, however, appears profoundly to have ftudied his fubject, and his tract will, no doubt, be found highly useful to thofe who wish to realize his plans in practice. "The fubject of thefe pages may appear, at first fight", fays the author, "of a frivolous nature; but it actually involves confequences of confiderable moment. The perfeverance and fuccefs with which horned cattle and horfes affail the hinges and latches of gates must readily be admitted", and the beft mode of obviating this evil, will certainly be efteemed an interefting enquiry by the friends of rural economy. We therefore recommend Mr. Parker to the study of the practical farmer. ART. 41. Memoirs of the Campaigns of General Bonaparte, in Egypt and Syria, and the Operations of General Defaix in Upper Egypt. By Berthier, General de Divifion and Chef de Etat Major General of the Army of the Eaft, c. Translated from the French, by Thomas Evanfon White. 8vo. 4s. Jordan. 1805. This narrative of military events is drawn up with more plainnefs, lefs oftentation and felf-fufficiency, than could have been expected. It is very entertaining, and particularly fo the defcription of the fiege of Acre. Of courfe the failure of the French in their attempt on that place is foftened, and their retreat explained and juftified on the score of political expediency; but enough is faid to mark the valour and indefatigable exertions of our countrymen. The ftyle is plain and fimple, and the work is important to fill up the feries of what has been published on the fubject of the Egyptian campaign. It is, perhaps, hardly neceffary to advertise the reader, that Berthier is the intimate and confidential friend of Bonaparte, and confulted by him on all cafes of difficulty and importance. The tranflation is very well done. ART. 42. The Hiftory of the Hon. Artillery Company of the City of London, from its earliest Annals to the Peace of 1802. By Anthony Highmore, Solicitor, Member of the South Eaft Divifion of the Company. 8vo. 600 pp. 12s. 6d. White. 1804. Mr. Highmore does not strictly confine himself to the history of the Company, but prefixes two chapters containing the hiftory of the ufe of arms of all kinds, and armour. In chap. 3, the author deduces the history of the Company from the conqueft; but he does not very clear. ly prove its existence either under the first or fecond William. So many perfons will feel interested in the fubject of this compilation, that the labour of the author will doubtless find both approbation and reward. ART. ART. 43. The Report of a Committee of the Horticultural Society of London, drawn up at their Request; by T. A. Knight, Efq. and or dered to be immediately published by the Council. 4to. 1805. The object of this Society is to point out fome important improvements in the cultivation of fruits; and they propofe to give fome ho. norary premiums to thofe who fhall produce valuable varieties of fruit which have been raised from feeds. To a design so useful to the public, fo elegant in its nature, and involving fo many improvements in The fociety alfo its exercife, it is impoffible not to with every good. is compofed of names fo diftinguifhed for their talents, and of fuch elevated character in life, that much advantage muft neceffarily arife from its exertions. ART. 44. The Speech of Mr. Deputy Birch in the Court of Common Council, at the Guildhall of the City of London, on Tuesday, April 30, 19c5, against the Roman Catholic Petition, now before both Houfes of Parliament. 8vo. 18. Rivingtons. 1805. This Speech delighted the hearers by the honeft animation with which it was delivered, and will appear on the perufal to be replete with found fenfe and ftrong argument. It need not fhrink from comparifon with fpeeches delivered on the fame fubject elsewhere, even by characters the most popular; as the following extract will warrant our affirming: "The extreme caution with which their petition is clothed, the arguments they bring forward why this barrier of feparation should be pulled down, may, to the difciple of modern philofophy and fceptical indifference, at firft fight, appear reasonable, and attended with no danger. But it is a fingular fact, that the fame plaufible mode of argument, the fame affumed mildness of intention, the fame fpecious reafons adduced in a commercial point of view, are to be found in the memorable declaration of James the Second to his last parliament, wherein he propofes the fame thing in the fame way, and actually enforced it, that Papifts were to fill offices of truft in every department, without taking the oath of fupremacy. Tyrant as he was, he could be gentle in this application, to ferve his purpose; but that very parliament, fervile to him in every other inftance, evinced that one fpark of public virtue was left unextinguished among them. They refifted it, and fhortly afterwards James abdicated his throne, on this very ground. Should this their Petition be acceded to, the legislature will then be doing the very act which loft James his crown, called our im mortal deliverer, WILLIAM OF ORANGE, to the throne of these king doms, and in due fucceffion the HOUSE OF BRUNSWICK, which now fills it; emphatically called the Proteftant fucceffion. "The oaths of fupremacy and allegiance are an, integral part of the BILL OF RIGHTS, not to be lightly confidered as a decorative and ufclefs part of the fabric, wanting modern improvement, but the very corner-flone itself of the conflitution. It is plain then, that they with, as I before stated, to separate their fpiritual trom their political creed, but this they cannot do I * Can "Can confcience be separated ?-Give me the advowson of a man's confcience, and I will make him do more than the civil magiftrate can do. He that refigns his confcience to the keeping of his priest (and this all muft do who profefs the Roman Catholic religion, and for fuch their Petition is expressly framed) he that has his confcience at the ultimate direction of a foreign priest, cannot, I aver, anfwer pofitively for his own future acts, much less for the rest of his brethren, wherein his religion is at all concerned." P. 13. ART. 45. An Authentic Narrative of the Loss of the Earl of Abergavenny Eaft Indiaman, Capt. John Wordsworth, off l'ortland, on the Night of the 5th of February 1805, drawn from Official Documents and Communications from various refpe&able Survivors. By a Gentle man in the Eafl-India Houfe. 8vo. 54 PP. IS. Lane. 1805. With the fate of the Halferwell we are still but too familiar, the details of that calamitous event are alive to every recollection; and we have fcarcely ceafed to commiferate the one, before our feelings are again agitated by a fimilar misfortune, and that appears to have been attended with circumftances of aggravated horror and mifery. We will fpare our readers the melancholy particulars; but as fo many are at a lofs to what caufe the deftruction of the Earl of Abergavenny may be attributed, we infert the author's own words. "In the general opinion of thofe who think they best can tell," the lofs of the Earl of Abergavenny may be attributed to the ignorance of the pilot. The reft of the fleet, in going from the westward, had gained the east end of Portland, and were brought up in the road before the flood-tide had finifhed; but the Earl of Abergavenny, from having waited for a pilot to the weftward, and from other caufes of delay, poffibly from not failing quite fo faft, was rather aftern; and ere fhe could round the island, the ftrong current of ebb tide forced her on the fpot which produced the fatal difafter." The particulars of this melancholy Narrative are ably drawn up from the only poffible fource of accurate information-from those few who providentially furvived the dreadful fate of their fellow paffengers. ART. 46. Stead's Natural Hiftory and Defcription of Four Hundred Animals, viz. Beafts, Birds, Fibes, Reptiles, and Infects, alphabeti cally arranged under their proper Claffes, and preceded by a General Hiftory of each Class refpectively. Illuftrated with Engravings on Wood, by the Author. Jerfey. 12mo. 168 pp. Ackerman. 1805. So many publications have already appeared on this fubject, that the author feels himself called upon to ftate his reafons for adding this to the number. They are briefly as follows: "This work is much cheaper than any previous publication, and is well adapted to the ufe of fchools; and the author flatters himself that in many of them it will be introduced, as the subject has a tendency to raife in youthful minds a high veneration towards the wife and omnipotent Creator of all things. It is therefore refpectfully fubmitted to the confideration of teachers of all denominations, and to parents in general." The |