MEDICINE.

ART. 22. Thefaurus Medicaminum; a new Collection of medical Prefcriptions, diftributed into Tavelve Claffes, and accompanied with phar maceutical and practical Remarks, exhibiting a View of the prefent State of the Materia Medica and Practice of Phyfic, in this and other Countries. Third Editim. By a Member of the London College of Phyficians. 8vo. 342 pp. 8s. Baldwin. 1804.

66

This work, for a character of which we refer our readers to the fixth volume of the British Critic, has undergone confiderable improvements in this third edition. It exhibits a view of the Chemical Nomenclature of the new Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia, as well as of the London Pharmacopoeia; what the author terms the preparative part of the formule, which part in the former editions was published in English, is now given in Latin, not only for the purpose of limit ing the circulation of the book to the members of the medical profeffion (for whofe ufe alone it is defigned); but alfo in order to avoid the ambiguity which attaches to the English names of plan's, and further, to accommodate foreigners; it being prefumed that a work of this kind may be useful in other countries as well as our own"; lally, defini tions of the Claffes, and tabular views of the principal articles belonging to each of them, are added. We obferve that feveral new articles are introduced, refpecting the adminiftration of which, the neceffary cautions and admonitions are fubjoined.

ART. 23. A Confpe&us of the London and Edinburgh Pharmacopœias; wherein the Virtues, Ufes, and Dafes of the feveral Articles and Preparations contained in thofe Works are ftated; their Pronunciation, as to Quantity, marked Sc. Sc. for the Use of junior Practitioners, By Robert Graves, M.-D. Third Edition. 12100. 112 pp. 38. 6d. Murray and Highley, 1804.

Of the former edition of this Confpectus we gave a favourable ac count, in the eighth volume of the British Critic. The prefent edition comprizes the alterations made in the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia, publifhed last year; a circumitance which adds to the utility of this little manual.

DIVINITY.

ART. 24. A Sermon, preached at the Anniversary of the Royal Humane Society, in St. James's Church, Westminster, on Sunday, April 24, 1803. By the Right Rev. George Ifaac Hunting ford, D. D. Bishop of Gloucefter. To which is added, an Appendix of Miscellaneous Obfervations on Refufcitation. By the Society. 8vo. 48 pp. 15. Rivingtons, &c. 1803.

The plan of the prefent difcourfe is this: obferving how clofely philofophy and religion are united when the works of Creation are

confidered

confidered as illuftrating the divine attributes, the Bishop of Gloucefter adverts, in the first place, to the provifions made in the economy of nature for the fupport of animal life; 1. by a refined mechanifm; 2. by a due diftribution of genial heat; 3. by the properties and diffufion of the atmosphere; 4. by the contrivances for continuing refpiration. He proceeds next to the internal difpofitions tending to the fame end; as, i. the general love of exiftence; 2. the capacity of the human mind for art and fcience, and our attachment to them. Under this head, he particularly notices that application of them which enables the Humane Society to perform its fervices to fociety. The preacher then touches upon the motives for these benevolent exertions; first, focial; fecondly, religious; and expatiates on these topics with propriety and force. The following paffage is well calculated to illuftrate the merits of the Humane Society.

"When, by a defroying influence, vitality is altogether extinct, then that myfterious and inexplicable bond, which connects body and foul, and which the Scriptures fignificantly and beautifully term" the filver cord of life", is broken irreparably to all human means, and God only can command its reunion. But on frequent occafions there is but an incipient tendency towards utter inanimation; and there intervenes a confiderable fpace of time between the first and ultimate operation of that tendency. It is in this anxious and awful period of suspension, that in its humanity, and eminently Chriftian charity, with humble dependence on the will of God! the Society here affembled would proffer its aid. Confidering itfelf to be merely an inftrument in the hands of the Almighty, it exerts the faculties, and applies the powers, with which, for purpofes beneficial, it is providentially endowed; induced by the hope, that however inanimate may be the form, however ghaftly may be the appearance, ftill the hour of death may not yet be come. That which is inert may by affiftance become active; that which is refrigerated may become warm; that which is obftructed may become free from impediment. For thefe ends it devifes fuitable means, and with what fuccefs we need not other proof; behold numer. ous witneffes prefent in view." P. 18.

ART. 25. A Sermon, preached in the Parish Church of St. Mary's, Stafford, at the Vifitation held by the Archdeacon, August 8, 1804. By the Rev. Edward Whitby, Vicar of Seighford. Published at the Requeft of the Archdeacon. 8vo. 32 pp. 15. Longman and Co. 1804.

The fubject of this difcourfe is one of the first moment both to clergy and people, namely, the terms of our falvation; and it is handled with a degree of clearness and ability very unusual.

The text is Ephef. i. 8, 9. By grace ye are faved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, left any man should boaft." The method taken by the preacher to illuftrate this topic, fo much agitated in modern times, is admirably calculated to remove all erroneous conceptions of it. He begins by howing, moft diftinctly, that it is impoffible for a created being to have any claim of merit from his works, even fuppofing his obedience perfect; fuppofing it imperfect, the proof comes out with much more

strength,

ftrength, as is here urged. Turn the fubject", fays the preacher, "which way you will, the falvation of a finner, by any works of his own, is nothing fhort of an impoffibility: whether he feek it by facrifice, by repentance, by reformation, by works of charity, by any og all of thefe put together, he firs not, he cannot ftir, one fingle ftep from the place whence he is to fet out; he ftill depends, and muft depend, on the mercy of God, to accept both his fervices and his perfon: it ftill remains with God to fay, whether he will pardon tranf greffion, or no: as alfo, on what terms, and to what extent." P. 12.

The terms on which God actually confents to pardon are then dif tinctly explained, and it is foundly concluded that more a finner cannot do for the pardon of his fins, than accept it when offered to him", on the terms which are appointed; and it is fhown that it is most natural at the hour of death to truft in the promised mercies of God, rather than in any balancing of our own good and evil deeds within ourselves.

The due caution, however, is not forgotten; and it is fhown with no lefs care and clearn fs, that our juftification by faith, and falvation by grace, do not give any opening to fin, nor excufe us (how fhould they?) from obeying alfo the pofitive commands of Chrift, which enjoin works of righteoufnels, mercy and benevolence, and the abftaining from all evil. To a difcourfe fo clearly argumentative as this of Mr. Whitby, it is impoffible to do juftice by an abftracted account; but whoever takes up the Sermon itfelf must be ftruck at once with the clearness of the reafoning, and the force and propriety of the language. The conclufion, briefly but ftrongly adverting to the prefent ftate of the world, is highly impreffive; and the whole compofition is fuch as at once does high honour to the writer, and promites much utility in the circulation.

ART. 26. A Sermon, preached at the Vifitation of the Venerable the Archdeacon of Norwich, bolden at Walfingham, May 3, 1804; and printed at the Defire of the Clergy prefent. By Matthew Skinner, M.A. F. A. S. Rector of Wood Norton with Swanton Novers, and Chaplain to the Right Honourable the Earl of Onflow. 8vo. 24 pp. 15. Rivingtons. 1804.

A very excellent practical difcourfe, on 2 Tim. ii. 24, abounding with falutary advice to the clergy, concerning the duties of a Chriftian minifter. A fingle fpecimen will recommend this Sermon (we think) to the attention of our readers.

"As long as the mind is free, as long as our prefent bleffed liberties remain, opinions will be freely uttered. The Church of England (truly apoftolic as it is) will be liable to attack in form and doctrines; and even Christianity itself, and the very foundations of all religion, not without danger of opponents. Things will be faid, and works put forth; where anfwers are deemed neceffary (for it feems little neceffary to anfwer all), moderation and gentleness fhould be the leading features of our reply; vehemence, clamour, or perfonal abuse, will at once difgrace our performances, and give advantage to our enemy. who, by dexterously laying hold of fuch parts, may do more harm to

our caufe than by all his arguments; at leaft, no good can poffibly arife to it: none will be brought over, by fuch means, to think with us; but even those perhaps difgufted who might with us well. But to enter publicly into the lifts of controverfy is the lot only of a few; all of us, however, are liable to have opponents at home; to have bu finefs of a fimilar nature to do within our own circle: it is not improbable, that we may find fome perfons of loofe principles and conduct, who think little of public worship, or of the facraments and difcipline of the church; and who, in general, opp fe themselves to facred things. Be our conduct towards them fuch as the text prefcribes:—let violence and anger find no part in it; but let us, with plain and perfuafive argument, instruct them in all meeknefs; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." P. 13. The reft of the difcourfe is equally found, and practically ufeful.

ART. 27. The Duty of Volunteers. A Sermon, preached before the Birftall and Batley Volunteers, on their Appearance at Church in Uniform, April 22, 1804. By Hammond Roberfon, M. A. Chaplain to the Corps, late Fellow of Magdalen College, Cambridge. Publifbed by Request. 8vo. 40 pp. Brook, Huddersfield; Oftell, &c. London. 1804.

"The Duty of Volunteers" is indeed a subject of “ national importance; for, if they be continued upon the prefent fyftem, the conduct of these bodies will have a confiderable effect upon the public character". Their duty is, in this difcourfe (on 2 Tim. ii. 3) set forth in a very forcible and excellent manner; particularly, with refpe& to bearing hardships, as a leading quality in the character of a foldier. We strongly recommend this difcourfe to the attention of Volunteers. Officers, as well as Privates, will find in it very falutary admonition. In a note at p. 23, the author difapproves of Sunday-drilling. We never defended it, but upon the imperious plea of neceffity, arifing chiefly from the fuddennefs and great urgency of the occafion; and we readily admit, that this necefity does not now exift in its original force. The Volunteers have (in most ca'es) made fo laudable a proficiency in the ufe of arms; that the neceflity for attending to thefe matters on a Sunday has, in a great degree, abated; and we wish that the practice may abate in full proportion.

ART. 28. Dedicated, by Permiffion, to his Majfty. A Sermon, preacked in the Parish Church of St. Mary, Newington, Surrey, on Sunday, the 16th of October, 1803, before Lieutenant Colonel Gaitskell, of the First R gment of Surrey Volunteers, and before Major Thomas Burne. Efq. and the other Gentlemen of the Committee and Corps of the Newington Di vifion. By Robert Dickenfen, Curate. Published at their Request.

410.

1803.

20 PP. IS. Potts, Newington; Rivingtons, &c. London.

Another excellent addrefs to our brave Volunteers; to which are prefixed, a very proper Dedication to the King, and a feasonable Prayer. We perfectly agree with the Committee, who requested the printing of this Sermon, that" fentiments fo truly pious, and precepts fo patriotic, cannot be too generally diffufed."

ART. 29. A Sermon, preached in the Church of Louth, at the Anniverfary Grand Provincial Meeting of Free and Accepted Mafins, Auguft 13, 1804. By the Rev. Thomas Orme, D. D. F. S. A. R. W. M. 510, and P. G. C. for the County of Lincoln. 8vo. 19 pp. Sheardown, Louth; Rivingtons, London. 1804.

IS.

The exordium of this difcourfe (on 1 Peter ii. 17) is important, and shall be placed at length before our readers.

"There is no affembly of Chriftians, there is no clafs of civilized men, to whom these concife, but plain and forcible, preceps may not. be properly and ufefully addreffed. But they are peculiarly pertinent. when they are applied to my prefent audience, in connection with the fingular circumstances of the times. As members of the ancient and refpectable fociety of Free Mafons, we, my brethren, attract the eyes of the public in a special character, and, of courfe, profess some diftinFrom the earliest guifhing modes of thinking and rules of conduct.

period of our existence, many an illuftrious prince and potentate, many an eminent name both in Church and State, has been conficuous in the list of our brotherhood; long has our general body maistained a fair and unfpotted reputation. Rarely (if ever) till the prefent momentous æra, has the breath of flander prefamed to fix on any of our members the fufpicion of a crime as a natural confequence of his mafonic principles. Founded as our affociation originally was, on the bafis of pure religion and found loyalty, we cannot be faithlefs, either to our God or our Ki g, without renouncing at once the effential characteristics of our profeffion, and abjuring an appellation which, in that cafe, we should prove to the world that we had falfely and unworthily borne. Amidft the violent fermentation of political opi nion and philofophic infidelity, which for more than the last ten years has unhappily agitated all Europe, it would be folly to hope that But fure I every brother has entirely efcaped the extensive mischief. am, that the general body is pure and untainted; and that religion and loyalty till infufe life and vigour into all its leading organs: nor, I trit, will it be deemed an arrogant boat, that of every British Lodge we may boldly affert, in the words of the Roman Poet,

domus hac nec purior ulla eft,

Nec magis his aliena malis." P. 5.

This is very acceptable information; and it comes from fo refpectable authority, that we are inclined to give full credit to it, as far as British Lodges are concerned. The preacher then aflerts, that the figni ficant figns and tokens, known only to Mafons, are merely the bonds of an union which has no other tendency, than to elevate their character, and to make them more ufeful in the world. He now proceeds to a difcuffion of the text; and fhows, that each of the precepts contained in it," honour all men", &c. is faithfully obeyed by British Majons. Concerning the members of foreign lodges, Dr. Orme (prudently, as we apprehend) fays little; and that is contained in the extract above made by us. An Appendix furnishes answers to "General Objections against Free-Mafonry". Here we are glad to find, that "no

political