from facere, feems to be any bold and daring action, whether good or bad; but it appears, that by the cuftom of the language, it had come to fignily, when ufed by itfelf, an immoral action, either because the boldness of vice was more frequent, or because it attracted greater notice among the Romans than the boldness of virtue." Were it not for this mistake, the aṛticle would be a good one, and fome parts of it eminently fo. It is indeed too long, though among the fhorteft of his articles; and nefas is unaccountably omitted: but the different fhades of meaning which diftinguith facinus, fcelus, and flagitium, are clearly pointed out, and judiciously illuftrated. Let us now fee how the fame words are explained and diftinguifhed by the author, whofe work is under our review. "Facinus; Flagitium; Scelus; Nefas. "FACINUS (from facere) is a bold action: when there is no epithet to determine its fenfe, it is taken in a bad one. Homines ad vim, ad facinus, cædemque delecti. Cic.-It is taken in a good fenfe when joined to an honourable epithet. Aliquo negotio intentus præclari facinoris. SALL.-FLAGITIUM (from flagitare) is used by Plautus in the fenfe of a preffing and fatiguing request. Flagitio cum majore poft reddes tamen. PLAUT.—It is faid of all base and fcandalous crimes. Quod facinus à manibus unquam tuis, quod flagitium à toto corpore abfuit? Crc.--Flagitiis atque facinoribus coopertus. SALL.-Cicero has ujed flagitium for error, in speaking of the atoms of Democritus. Tantam-ne fuiffe oblivionem in fcripto præfertim, ut ne legens quidem fenferit quantum flagitii admififfet. Horace ufes it for cowardice. Damno flagitium additis. HOR.SCELUS, villainy, an act of cruelty and impiety. Etfi quâ culpâ tenemur erroris humani, à fcelere certè liberati fumus. Crc.-Cùm omnes in omni genere et fcelerum et flagitiorum volutentur. Id.-Pygmalion fcelere ante alios immanior omnes. VIRG.Pofteà quod fcelus, quod facinus parricida non edidit ? Crc.-NEFAS, an action forbidden by divine laws. Dirum nefas. VIRG.-Grande nefas et morte piandum. HoR.-Is cui nihil up- quàm nefas fuit nec in facinore nec in libidine. Cic.-Audentis eft quodcunque FACINUS, FLAGITIUM, corruptoris, aut ignavi et timidi; SCELUS, atrocis et jamdudum perverfi; NEFAS, impii et facrilegi." P. 283. With fome hefitation indeed, we prefer M. Dumefnil's explanation of the above fynonyms, to that which is given by Dr. Hill; but of the Frenchman's fuperiority in the following article, there can be no doubt. « Curvare, Flettere, Plicare, Agree," fays Dr. Hill, in denoting the act of altering the form form of fome fubftance, but differ, in respect either to the force requifite for that purpose, or to the natural elasticity of the fubflance by which it recovers its original fhape. The fiift is generic, in having a reference to every alteration of shapet, whether effected with eale or with difficulty, and to every fubftance, whether elaftie or not. "Arbor curvata eft pondere ferpentis.", OVID. Met. 3. 93: "Here the alteration of fhape is easily effected, and the tree retains a difpofition.to recover its original fhape. "The fhape of what is formed by the hand of nature, is alfo expreffed by this verb. "Ora Bofphori utrinque ex Afia atque Europa curvatur in Mæotim." PLIN. 6. 6. "FLECTERE differs from "curvare," in fuppofing that a con fiderable exertion is always requifite to change the form of the fubftance bent; and that the fubftance has a tendency to return to its original fhape. Omne animal, membra quo vult fail et contorquet. Cic. pro Cal.-Both verbs imply exertion, though the oppofite force be for a while overcome. may "FLECTITUR obfequio "curvatus" ab arbore ramus." OVID. Art. Am. 2. 179. "Here the means, though gentle, are fteady, and the bough is understood to retain its elafticity. Upon the refifting force, im plied in the literal meaning of flectere, is founded that figurative one, to "prevail upon," in fpite of the action of oppofité mo tives. "Flectere fi fuperos nequeo f, Acheronta movebo." Virg. Æn. 7.312.-" Flectere alfo denotes the winding path obferved by a body in motion, though no veftige or tra (track) remains. Claufo tranfitu fluminis, ad oeeanum flexit." LIV. 28. 16.— "Leucatem fle&ore, moleftum videbatur." "PLICARE differs from the other verbs, in fuppofing that the fubftance affumes any form with cafe, and, retains that given it In this refpect addere, frangere, demere, urere, cremare, &c. agree with them; for a fubftance cannot be increased; broken in pieces, leened, or burnt, without having its form, as that word was underflood among the Romans, altered; but would any man confider frangere, rere, and cremare, &c. as fynonymous with curvare, flettere, plicare, &c.? Rev. + This is a palpable miftake. A piftol bullet beaten into the form of a fhilling, would furely be altered in fhape; but would any man, who had seen it under both fhapes, call it, under the fe. cond, plumbum curvatum? Rev. + Is there any great refifting force to a man flectenti genua? Rev. verfe. For nequeo fuperos; a ftrange miftake, as it deftroys the Rev. L 2 without without refiftance. "Ut ora lori, quod plicabatur, coirent." Aul. Gell. 17, 9. Tibi charta plicetur." MART. 4, 82. VIRG. Æn. 5, 279 How infinitely fuperior to this pompous inanity about fubfance, and force, and claflicity, and refiflance, and track, &c. &c. is the following fimple, and therefore perfpicuous, explanation of these fynonyms, by Dumefnil? "Fledere, Plicare, Curvare. "FLECTERE, to bend, to incline. Arcus flexos incurvans. VIRG.-Flexum genu fubmittere. OVID.-Figuratively: Flec tere promontorium. Ctc.-To turn a cape or promontory. Ut eam Rectas viam te rogo. Id.-I beg you would avoid that road.PLICARE, (from whina) to form plaits or folds. Charta plicetur. MART.-Serpens fefe in fua membra plicans. VIRG.-Curvare, (from curvus) to crook, to bow. Curvata cufpis. OVID.-Flec4. titur obfequio curvatus ab arbore ramus. Id.-Flectimus genua ; plicamus chartam, telam; arcum curvamus." P. 299. FLECTERE, when it has that figurative meaning which Dr. Hill derives from the refifting force implied, as he ima gines, in the literal fenfe of the verb, is thus explained by the French author. "Fledere, Movere, Afficere. "FLECTERE, fynonymous with the others, fignifies, to prevail with one, to perfuade him by fubmitting and bumbling one's felf. Precibus fi flecteris ullis. VIRG.-Flectere animos. Cic.-MoYWERE, in its proper fenfe, to move, to flir. Movere lapides. TER. Figuratively to affect, to incite, to influence. Moveri auétoritate alicujus. C. NEP.-Rifum movere. Cic.-Movere animos, Id. To move the hearts. Flectere animos is to gain the good will, to win the heart.-AFFICERE, (facere ad) to make an impreffion, is faid of both body and mind. Afficiunt corpora fames et fitis. Liv Affecta res. Id.—Bad and ruinous circumstances. Affectus animus virtutibus. Cic.-A mind inclined to virtue. Ut qui audirent tic afficerentur, ut eos affici vellet orator." P. 300. We might have extracted a much greater number of articles from this valuable work, and fome of them more inte refting than thofe which we have laid before our readers; but we thought it of importance to compare Dumefnil's work with that of Dr. Hill, and were under the neceffity of felecting, not the befl, but the shorteft of his articles. What we have done is fufficient to enable our readers to judge for themfelves of the comparative merits of the two works; and if that judgment fhould be, as we think it ought to be, in favour 2. to us of the Frenchman, we beg leave to affure them, that there are, however, in Dr. Hill's work fome articles fo greatly superior to those on the fame words by Dumefnil, that we are fur prifed at M. Goffet's having neglected to avail himself of them for the improvement of the correfponding articles in the work which he was tranflating. As an inftance, the fy nonyms DECET, OPORTET, NECESSE EST, appear much better explained and diftinguifhed by Dr. Hill, than by our author; though Dumefnil's article OPORTET, OPUS EST, NECESSE EST, is likewife a good one. In Dr. Hill's Synonyms, AURA, FLATUS, VENTUS, PROCELLA, TURBO, certainly conftitute a more valuable article than the other author's Aura, Ventus, Flatus, Flamen, Flabrum, Fla bellum; and there are many others entitled to the fame pre ference. Still we must acknowledge, however reluctantly, that Dumefnil's is, on the whole, the more valuable work of the two, and will prove the fafer guide to the student of the Latin language. On this account we think that M. Golfer has rendered a very effential service to the British youth, by tranflating into English, a work, which, notwithstanding its value, long known to every scholar, could never have been generally introduced into our schools, had it remained in the original language. ART. VI. The Doctrines of Predeftination and Affurance examined, with a fhort View of the Pelagian Controverfy, in a Sermon preached before the Lord Bishop of Lincoln; at his Vifitation, held at Newport Pagnell, in the County of Bucks, on Tuesday, May the 23d, 1809. By the Rev. Thomas Le Mefurier, M.A. Rector of Newnton Longville, in that County; with large Notes. 8vo. Pp. 67. 2s. 6d. Rivingtons. 1809. THIS is one of the most valuable Vifitation fermons that of have ever come under our review; and we beg pardon of our readers for having delayed fo long to make our report it. The occafion of the delay is a matter of no importance to the public, who will be glad, even at this late period, to be informed of its object, and affured that if found reasoning and fober criticism could attain that object, it would in our opinion be attained by Mr. Le Mefurier. It is well known that the Doctrines of Predejtination and Affurance, as they are taught among the Methodists, are among the moft powerful engines by which the illiterate are drawn afide from the com L 3 munion munion of the Church; and.it is the object of this learnedPreacher to prove that fuch doctrines are taught neither in the Scriptures of truth, nor in our Articles, Homilies, or Li-, turgy, for which fome claffes of Methodists profefs the profoundeft refpect. Mr. Le Mefurier having chofen for his text the reply made by our bleffed Lorto the Jew, who asked him what good thing he fhould do that he might have eternal life, (St. Matthew xix. 17.) enters on the fubject of his difcuffion, with obferving, that in nothing is the weakness of the human anind more confpicuous, than in its propenfity to abuse and pervert the best gifts of the Almighty, particularly our reafon. Of this propenfity he gives. fome ftriking infances in the controverfies on predeftinction and grace, which have so long difturbed the Church of Christ, and are now agitated among the most illiterate vulgar, who understand not even the meaning of the words and phrafes which are fo often in their own mouths, and with whichtheir felf-commiffioned teachers embellish the ftyle of their fermons. He then proves.completely. that fuch controverfies have been deprecated by our Church at every period. fince the Reformation; and regrets that the Clergy are now compelled to difcufs them-fometimes even in the pulpit-in order to defend themfelves from the accufa tions brought againft them by falfe brethren as well as by field-preachers. He fhows, that with refpect to predeftination, the difficulty of the queftion is admitted by Calvin htmfelf, and many of his mofl refpectable followers; and hence infers, that it is a quellion which ought not to be agitated as effential to a religion, which by its Divine auther and his immediate difciples, was preached fo peculiarly to the poor. He truly obferves, that from his text alone it appears indifputable, that Chriffianity was intended to be moft emphatically a practical religion; and having corroborated that interpretation of our Lord'sheply to the Jew, by many other texts, and an appeal to the general fcope of fcripture, he very feaíonably adds, that It may here be proper to guard against any mifunderstanding. Let it be obferved, therefore, that an ong the commandments of God are to be included, even according to this reafoning, matters" of faith as well as of practice: if indeed, properly fpeaking, the one can be feparated from the other. The first great Command. ment, which is alfo the firft in the decalogue, is, that we shall -ferve God, or, as it is expreffed, that we fhall love him with all our heart, and with all our foul, and with all our strength; but it is impoffible that, we can love him or ferve him, without putting our faith in him. He that cometh to God, fays the Apostle to the |