Christianity*; a felection made with judgment, and particularly deferving of circulation. Of fmaller tracts and fingle fermons, we fhall mention only a few, but thofe of confpicuous merit. In this felect number the Confecration Sermon, preached by Dr. Haggitt †, is diftinguifhed; being, both for ftyle and matter, among the best that we have ever feen. Dr. R. Gray's Jubilee Sermon ‡, is alfo prominent in its own clafs; and worthy of the author. of one of the most valuable among Chriftian books of reference. The known acutenefs and learning of Dr. Laurence appear to advantage in his Vifitation Sermon, on the Metaphorical Character of the Apoftolical Style," which he confirms and illuftratés in a very masterly way. Of Mr. Moore's tract, on the celebrated prophecy of Ifaiah," Behold a Virgin fhall conceive," [ch. vii. 14, &c.] we can fay without referve, that it proceeds on juft principles of interpretation, both as to the words and the fenfe; and is probably right, as to its moft material points. We are promised more of fcriptural criticism from the pen of the fame author. HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES. We have often paid to hiftory the compliment of placing it next after Divinity. The hiftory of Man is indeed, in one point of view, the narrative of the difpenfations of Providence in this world: would it were not fo often marked by the offences and perverfions of human nature! The Annals of Great-Britain **, from the begin ning, of the present reign, and to the period of the No. VI. p. 644. No. V. p. 532. No. V. p. 530. +. No. IV. p. 419. ** No. III. p. 249. IV. 335. peace peace of Amiens, form a work, not indeed impartially written, but with no fmall degree of ability; and, by candour in fome important points, redeems in part the prejudices, which in fome other refpects are seen to operate. This is of the more confequence, as much poifon has been industriously diffeminated in hiftories of nearly the fame period. A more particular history, but one of diftinguished value, appears in the Narrative of General Moore's Campaign †, that campaign in which much glory was purchased with much fuffering; and, as in other memorable inftances, with the lofs of the hero who atchieved the victory. Hiftorical in its form is Mr. Hazlitt's Eloquence of the British Senate ‡, being a compilation of fpeeches, which begins from the reign of Charles I. and is continued to the prefent day. Though not entirely fatisfied with the execution of the work, we think it worthy of a tranfient reference in this place. The Siege of Genoa, an event of fome intereft in the prefent extraordinary war, has been given to us in English by Mr. Maunde, from the French Original of Thiebaut; it exhibits, what may be confidered at this moment as a favourable omen, a fuccessful effort of Lord Wellington, against his present opponent Maffena. Concerning Antiquities we have little on this occafion to fay; Herculanenfia, indeed, the elaborate production of Mr. Walpole and Sir William Drummond $, forms a memorable exception, being full of curious enquiries, by no means within the reach of common refearch. Mr. Dibdin's republication of Ames and Herbert, on Typographical Antiquities ¶, is however of more general attraction. It has been begun with tafte and fpirit, and we truft it will be concluded in good time, to the fatisfaction of the public, and the advantage, as well as credit, of the meritorious compiler. They who poffefs Mr. Coates's Hiftory of Reading may be glad to be told of the Supplement *; we cannot to others ftrongly recommend it, as either curious or important. BIOGRAPHY. We have not for a long time had any thing fo important in this clafs as Dr. Wordsworth's Ecclefiaflical Biography t, which, though principally a republication of old materials, comprifes a moft important collection of lives, chiefly of the founders and ornaments of our church, from Wickliffe to Archbishop Tillotfon. The knowledge and judgment of the compiler are every where confpicuous; and his accefs to the treafures of Lambeth and other libraries has given rife to fome valuable improvements. Dr. Drake's Effays on the authors of the Rambler, Adventurer, &c. very happily unite criticifm with biography, and will be welcomed by the numerous admirers both of the works examined, and of the effayift himself. Dr. Drake has thus completed his view of our periodical writings, from their origin to the prefent day. As a judicious fupplement to Walpole's Anecdotes of Painting, the work of the late Mr. Edwards §, himself an Artift, is extremely acceptable: and the author, whofe judgment was in general good, was as free as any artift can be from the cabals and partialities of his profeffion. The life of Dr. Adam, the compiler of Roman and Greek Antiquities, on an excellent plan, has its merits and its blemishes; but the latter are chiefly occafioned by that partiality No. IV. p. 398. + No. V. p. 475. See Br. Cr. Vol. xxviii, p. 147. No. V. P. 452. No. VI. p. 577. No. IV. p. 324. to the fubject of the Memoirs, which in very recent biography is not often avoided. The Life of Gregory King, the Calculator, by Mr. G. Chalmers*, we shall briefly mention here, though the tract to which it is annexed will be noticed in another clafs. It is an interesting though brief account, of a man of real merit. A fmall Dictionary of painters and other arsiftst may close this branch of our enumeration, TOPOGRAPHY. In this divifion, the completeft work of its kind, is Mr. Carlifle's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland‡. It is accidentally even more complete than his Dictionary of England |, of which it is a continuation. The parts belonging to Wales and Scotland are ftill to be expected. When completed, upon this plan, this Dictionary will approach very nearly to a perfect work of its kind. Minor works may include even more information, of trivial kinds, but this will be the standard work for men of business, and for libraries. Dr. Mavor's Account of Berks §, though called Agricultural, comprifes many other objects, and is in fact a very good topography of the country. We only wish that fuch Surveys had always been made by men of equal intelligence. The Zetland or Shetland Iles have found a very excellent hiftorian and topographer in Dr. Edmonstone, whofe two octavo volumes fill up a chafm long vacant, in that branch of knowledge. Of the Isle of Man a defcriptive and hiftorical account, of fmail fize, has appeared, without the writer's name **; we understand, however, that he is gone where fame reaches not; which makes his name of the lefs importance. To come within a narrower circle of description, Amfinck's Tunbridge Wells* is a work of beauty and expence; not that the plates are all that they might have been, but fill they have their merit, and the descriptions are in general fatisfactory. The Hiftory of Shaftesbury t, as it is called, is a small and flight book, yet in defect of larger works it may answer a temporary purpose. For the ufe chiefly of young perfons, Mrs. Wakefield drew up her Perambulations in London and its Environs ‡, and while it ferves for their use, there feems to be nothing in it which maturer readers need defpife. TRAVELS. The Travels of Mirza Abu Taleb, actually written in Perfian, and tranflated by Major Stewart §, have a ftrong and peculiar claim to attention. For Eropeans to defcribe the Eaftern world is common, but for a native of the eaft to write his opinions and obfervations on Europe and Afia, is perfectly new and extraordinary. Such things have been feigned, but they have been very feldom realized, and the perfectly genuine travels of Abu Taleb cannot but excite an active curiofity. We remember to have seen the author when in London. Of countries which, from the peculiarity of their productions, more particularly deferved to be defcribed, few are more remarkable than Surinam, and the account of Baron Sack tranflated from the original German, will be found, in many points, to correct the reports of Stedman, and other travellers. Lambert's Travels through * No. III. p. 246. No. IV. p. 424. No. V. p. 480. + No. II. p. 199. No. III. p. 270.. Canada, |