By the Rev. F. Randolph, D. D. Prebendary of Briftel, Chaplain to his Royal Highness the Duke of York. 8vo. 29 pp. 1s. Hatchard, London.

Another, and of a higher order, but ftill a declamation. Perhaps our expectations, on this occafion, were beyond a reafonable pitch. Yet we cannot forbear to think, that the more diftinguished and illuftrious is the fubject of an oration, the more dignified and exalted fhould be the oratory difplayed. Judging by this rule, we raised our expectations high indeed; for never, furely, were a nation's thanks to heaven more due for any temporal bleffing, than for the victory of Trafalgar!

ART. 36. A Sermon, preached at the Parish Church of St. Mary, Stratford, Bow, Middlefex, on Thursday, the 5th of December, 1805; the Day appointed by his Majesty's Proclamation, for e General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the late fignal and important Victory obtained by his Majefty's Ships of War, under the Command of the late Vice- Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson, over the combined Fleets of France and Spain. By Samuel Herfball, M. A. Redor. Late Fellow of Brazen- Nofe College, Oxon; Author of Specimens and Parts of the Hiftory of South Britain, &c. &c. 4to. 8 pp. IS. All Bookfellers. 1805.

Surely, our editors have fent all the declamations, pronounced on this memorable occafion, to one unfortunate (for indeed he is not an ill-tempered) reviewer.

ART. 37. A Difcourfe, delivered at Weft Walton, in the County of Norfolk, on Thursday, December 5, 1805; being the Day appointed for a General Thanksgiving. By George Burges, A. B. 8vo. 30 PP. IS. White, Wifbech: Jacob, Peterborough: Rivingtons, London. 1806.

At last we have met with an animated and vigorous oration; fome fpecimens of which will doubtlefs be acceptable to our readers.

"We live at an important era and in the midst of impreffive events. The prefent ftate of fociety is affuredly an awful state. She is cafing herfelf in armour, and unfolding all her latent powers, to meet the alarming changes that feem to be preparing for her. Terrified by the fhock of fuccefsful defpotifm, and trembling to their very foundations, the kingdoms of the world are contending for nothing lefs than their political exiftence. A formidable enemy, wielding all the physical strength of a great nation, is let loofe to ravage the earth and to overthrow the thrones of princes. Unawed by the checks of confcience, or the pleadings of humanity, and alike regardlefs of the moft flagrant violations of truth, and of the accustomed ties by which the general welfare of communities hath been hitherto upheld, he

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is rushing forward from conqueft to conqueft, with a rapidity to which the annals of hiftory afford no parallel, and, with flaughter and devaftation in his rear, is laying every nation under tribute, binding their kings with chains and their nobles with links of iron." P. II.

"But if we advert to the probable confequences of this victory as it regards, more especially, our own fituation, we fhall find its benefits to be incalculable. We have an adverfary to contend with, who is confefledly difpofed to make peace with every hoftile ftate but ourfeives, and who feeks therefore, not merely our fubjugation, but our deftruction. Nothing lefs will fatiate his implacable refentment, than to blot out our name, and utterly to annihilate us among the kingdoms of the earth. Whatever malevolent paffions are at reft, his enmity against us never fleeps. In the filence of retirement and the din of war; in every enterprize of ambition and every intrigue of perfidy, England is ftill his grand object-England who has fruftrated his machinations, defpifed his vauntings, and chastised his infolence-England whom as a commercial nation he envies, as a maritime nation he dreads, and as a free nation he abhors. Judge then what facrifices he would not joyfully make to enfure our deftruction. The law of nations is already become a dead letter with him. Like the brutal leader of his barbarian ancestors, he acknowledges no law but the law of arms; and to be able to reduce us to his deteftable bondage, all principles of honor, all compacts of fociety, and all yearnings of humanity would be fcornfully trodden under foot." P. 13.

The lamentation on Nelfon (in page 23 and 24) is eloquent, but we with the author had avoided the very objectionable expreffion, for a fermon," adored fhade." It might pass in poetry, but not in preaching.

The application of this difcourfe is truly inftructive; and we with that the profits arifing from the fale of the discourse, may form a confiderable addition to the Patriotic Fund, to which they are destined.

MISCELLANIES.

ART. 38. A Differtation on the best Means of civilizing the Subjeds of the British Empire in India, and of diffufing the Light of the Chriftian Religion throughout the Eastern World. By the Rev. Francis Wrangham, M. A. F. R. S. of Trinity College, Cambridge. 4to. 39 pp. 3s. Mawman.

1805.

We are here, it feems, to take our leave of this affiduous publifher of unfuccefsful compofitions written for prizes. Nor can we much regret it. Except in thofe very rare cafes, in which an appeal against injuftice is required, the denial of the reward ought

to be followed by modeft acquiefcence, and the field of publi. cation left open to thofe whofe merits have prevailed.

We fhall give a fhort abftract of Mr. W.'s prefent production. He begins by taking a view of India, as divided between Mahomedans and Hindoos, and of the ties which now particularly connect us with that country. He confiders us as especially called upon to make some amends for the evils India has fuffered from us. With refpect to the Hindoos, he regards the prefent moment as particularly favourable to an attempt to enlighten their minds. They have lefs jealoufy of us than they had, and they have thrown open their facred literature to us." They throng round our Miffionaries," he fays, "with acknowledgments of their ignorance, and with entreaties for instruction; they admit the contradictions of their own scriptures, and folicit copies of ours." P. 5. But is this true? We much fear that it wants confirmation. Still, however, it is allowed that there are difficulties. Among other things it is faid, that we must not inftruct them too fuddenly. Without previous preparation, to throw the full blaze of Chriftianity on the feeble vifion of India, plunged as fhe has been for centuries in the depths of a fuperftition, crowded like her own Elephanta, with horrid objects of worship, would realize the fublime defcription of the poet, &c." This, in fact, is a mere flourish, to introduce, from oftentation only, a very inappofite quotation from Homer. What preparation the author would make for the truth, but that of howing the falfchood of their prefent fuperftitions, it is not eafy to guefs. Like the rural gunner, he would let the cannon off gently, and catch the ball in his hat.

It is next enquired whether civilization and conversion should advance together; and fecondly, with rather more utility, whether it would be better to diffuse our instructions at firft, or to concentrate them in one fpot. It is concluded that it is beft to begin where we can, namely, in British India, and leave Tibet, China, and Japan, which we cannot reach, to future opportunities. We come then to particular methods. “ T. communicate the leading and indifputable truths of Christianity seems to be the first great object." P. 8. Certainly; but is not this throwing the blaze on the feeble vifion? or what can be fo called? We are then inftructed in the methods propofed by Sir W. Jones. The difficulties arifing from the Hindoo Cafts are next stated, as well as the obitacles oppofed by the influence of the Brahmins; and a very falutary caution against precipitance in baptizing converts is properly introduced. We must not either, it is faid, be too fanguine in our hopes of rapidly im proving the civil condition of India. The method of eftablishing a Chriftian tribe, or caft, is strongly recommended, (p. 16) but is it practicable? Literary focieties, and feminaries for inftruction, are recommended; and fome doubts are fuggefted respecting

the

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the policy of a chartered company. Of thefe, however, the author fpeaks with fuch modefty in his fhort preface, that nothing can be faid against them. When the author's plans have proceeded to a certain point, he then fuppofes the agriculture of India improved, and the rights of property established. In the conclufion he reverts more particularly to the great object of converfion, confeffing that, if the fulness of the time be not yet come, "the purposes of Heaven will baffle the efforts of our premature diligence."

The author has evidently beftowed much thought on a fubject, which he does not appear to have been eminently qualified to dif cufs. The ambitious ornaments of his ftyle are almost every where offenfive; inftances of which, even to ridicule, might eafily be accumulated; but we forbear, and close our account.

ART. 39. Third Edition, confiderably enlarged. Royalty Theatre. A Solemn Protest against the Revival of Scenic Exhibitions and Interludes, at the Royalty Theatre; containing Remarks on Pizarro, the Stranger, and John Bull; with a Poffcript. To which is prefixed, a Review of the Conduct of the Stage in general, and the Expediency and Lawfulness of Dramatic Extertainments. By the Rev. Thomas Thirlwall, M. A. Chaplain to Bancroft's Hospital, and Lecturer of St. Dunstan, Stepney. 8vo. 29 PP. Is. Rivingtons, &c. 1805.

This writer goes the whole length of condemning theatrical entertainments altogether, as finful and unchriftian. Though we by no means agree with him in this pofition, in which there always appears to us to lurk the fallacy of arguing from the abuse against the ufe; yet we are most thoroughly perfuaded that, in his ftrenuous oppofition to the licencing of the Royalty Theatre, he is perfectly right. The arguments urged to that purpose from the mercantile occupations, and other circumstances of that neighbourhood, and from the evils conftantly experienced, when fuch a licence has been renewed, feem to us invincible: and moft earnestly do we hope, that the author's remonftrances may produce the effect he wishes.

That no measures have been ever devifed to enforce more decency both before and behind the curtain, in established the.. atres, is much to be lamented. Restrictions might furely be formed, to prevent the very grofs ab fes which now fo glaringly prevail. But that the caufe of morality and religion in general was at all benefited in thofe gloomy times, when the theatrical Mufes were compelled to be filent, we have never feen the fmalleft reafon to believe, and therefore never wish to fee the experiment repeated.

The remarks of Mr. Thirlwall on the German School of the Drama, and the English pieces formed on the fame model, are in

our opinion excellent. "Where," fays he, "by the moft fubtle and malicious contrivance, vice is decked out with the air of virtue, and the deluded youth is feduced to the road of ruin, while he believes that he indulges in the nobleft feelings of his nature; where a cafual act of generofity is applauded, whilft ob. vious and commanded duties are trampled on, and a fit of charity is made the fpunge of every in, and the fubftitute of every virtue." P. 19.

MONTHLY LIST OF PUBLICATIONS.

DIVINITY.

A Letter to Lord Porchefter, on the prefent degraded State of the English Clergy. Is. 6d.

The Condition and Duties of a Tolerated Church, a Sermon preached in Bishop Strachan's Chapel Dundee, on Sunday Feb. 9, 1806, at the Confecration of the Right Rev. Daniel Sandford, D.D. to the Office of a Bifhop, in the Scotch Epifcopal Church. By the Rev. James Walker, A. M. late of St. John's College, Cambridge. 15. 6d.

A Serious Call to the Chriftian World, to confider the prefent State of the Jews, with fome Thoughts on the Prophecies of Daniel and St. Paul. 1S.

An Addrefs to the Lower Clafs of his Parishioners, on the Subject of Methodifm, from the Minifter of their Parish. By the Author of a Letter to a Country Gentleman, on the fame Subject. 6d.

TRAVELS.

The Belgian Travellers: or a Tour through Holland, France, and Switzerland, during the Years 1804 and 1805. In a Series of Letters from a Nobieman to a Minifter of State. Edited by the Author of the Revolutionary Plutarch. Recollections of Paris, in the Years 1802, 3, 4, and 5. By J. Pinkerton. 2 vols. 8vo. 11. 1s.

4 vols.

12mo. il.

Excurfions in North America, defcribed in Letters from a Gentleman and his young Companion, to their Friends in England. By Prifcilla Wakefield.

55.

A Trip to Margate, with a defcription of its Environs, written in the Year 1805. By William Robinfon, Efq. 2s. 6d. A Picturefque Tour through Spain. By H. Swinburne, Efq. Fol. 31. 13s. 6d.

A Voyage to Cochin-China, in the Years 1792 and 1793. By John Barrow, Efq. F. R. S. 4to. 31. 13s. 6d.

MEDICAL.

Obfervations upon the Means of improving the Shape and Carriage