from Egypt. But with refpect to the other danger," the bare at tempt will only excite your virtuous abhorrence and indignant fcorn. This manly conduct as it has diftinguifhed, will continue, I truft, to diftinguish you as foldiers and fubjects of your Sovereign." He then reminds them of the heavenly Sovereign, to whom allo they owe allegiance, and expatiating forcibly on that fubject, concludes with a wifh for plenty and peace. An excellent and pious Prayer is fubjoined.

We have praised Dr. Booker on former occafions, and fometimes as a poet, but the commendation of a difcourse so judicious as this, is ftill of higher import.

ART. 31. An Introduction to the Study of the Bible: being the Fourth Edition of the First Volume of the Elements of Chriftian Theology; containing Proofs of the Authenticity and Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures; A Summary of the Hiftory of the Jews; an Account of the Jewish Selts; and, a brief Statement of the Contents of the several Books of the Old and New Teftaments. By George Pretyman, D. D. F. R. S. Lord Bishop of Lincoln. 12mo. 58. Cadell and Davies. 1801. We have already borne teftimony to the merits and excellence of this publication, and that the public have done the fame, fatisfactorily appears from this extract of the very learned and exemplary prelate's two larger volumes having gone through four editions, before a copy came into our hands. For an account of the Elements of Chriftian Theology at large, the reader is defired to confult our 14th volume, pp. 465, 610. The work altogether was intended for the ufe of the younger ftudents in divinity; this republication of the first volume of Elements is calculated for univerfal ufe; and it will hardly be denied, that a more judicious, convenient, and acceptable account of the contents of the Books of the Old and New Teftament never before appeared.

ART. 32.

Sermons on various Subjects and Occafions. By Alexander Grant, D. D. Minister of the English Chapel at Dundee. In Two Volumes. 8vo. 125. Hatchard. 1800.

Thefe are plain, fenfible, and manly difcourfes, written with an energy which shows the author to have a becoming zeal in his profeffion, untinctured by enthufiafm. There are in all thirty-fix Sermons; but we do not fee why they might not have been comprized in one volume. They are published by fubfcription, and dedicated to the Countefs of Aboyne. We have read the chief part of these Sermons with great fatisfaction, and very confcientiously recommend them to general perufal.

ART. 33. Sermons. By the late Rev. William Elifba Faulkner, Minifter of Ely Chapel, Lecturer of St. Giles's in the Fields, and One of the Evening Lecturers of St. Antholin's, Watling-Street. 8vo. 10s. 6d. Rivingtons. 1799.

This volume, which has accidentally been miflaid, appears to have been published with the view of foftening the affliction of the widow.

The

The very idea difarms criticifm. The Sermons are twelve in number, and the doctrines they inculcate are fuch, as an honeft Chriftian minifter feels it his indifpenfable duty to imprefs again and again upon his hearers, unawed by the contagion of vicious examples, and of a corrupted world. The difcourfes are plain, fimple, fcriptural, and prove the author to have been well and intimately acquainted with the writings which it was his duty to explain and enforce.

ART. 34. The Folly, Guilt, and Punishment of refifting laroful Government. A Sermon, on the 25th of October, being the Fortieth Anniversary of his Majefty's Acceffion to the Throne. By Alexander Cleeve, A. B. Vicar of Wooler, Northumberland, Chaplain to bis Grace the Duke of Portland, and Author of Devotional Exercifes and Contemplations, extracted from the Pfalms in the Liturgy. 4to. 11 pp. IS. Rivingtons, &c. 1800.

Difcourfing on Romans xiii, 1, 2, the preacher firft fets before his hearers," fome of the delufive, injurious, and highly criminal pre-tences, for refiftance to lawful authority; in order to juftify the extreme feverity of the punishment here denounced against it; and, fecondly, demonftrates, that our countrymen, having reafons of the moft powerful nature to honour and obey the King, and all who are put in authority under him, may rather be induced to unite their efforts for the general fafety; and by joining in one indivisible, permanent, and national intereft, afford a great and inftructive example to other governments, lefs favoured than our own." P. 2. This difcourfe is diftinguished rather by its plain good fenfe, than by elegance and refinement.

ART. 35

LAW.

Remarks on the Poor-Laws, and the Maintenance of the Poor. By William Bleamire, Efq. Barrifler at Law, and One of the Police Magiftrates. 8vo. Is. 6d. Butterworth.

This pamphlet, by an upright and excellent magiftrate, contains fome jadicions obfervations. Mr. B. is of opinion, that the prefent laws relating to fettlements should be abolished, and that all perfons should be confidered as fettled in the parish or place where they may happen to want relief. We think there is great occafion for amendment in the poor-laws; but the merits of the plan here recommended can only be afcertained by long experience,

SCARCITY.

SCARCITY.

ART. 36. A Letter to the Right Hon. Lord Somerville, one of the Lords of his Majefty's Bedchamber, and late Prefident of the Board of Agriculture; with a View to show the Inutility of the Plans and Refearches of that Inftitution, and how it might be employed in others more benefi cial. With Remarks on the recent Communications of the Board; and a Review of the Pamphlets of Arthur Young and William Brooke, Efqrs. upon the prefent high Price of Provifions. By a Society of Practical Farmers. 8vo. 141 pp. 3s. Cawthorne. 1800.

This is a fharp remonftrance against the proceedings of the Board of Agriculture, and particularly against the productions of its Secretary, as having been generally ufelefs and nugatory. At pp. 6,7, are stated, and afterwards enlarged upon, fome of the public fervices expected from the Board, but not performed by it. Though by no means pleafed with fome of its proceedings, we think these charges unreafonable. The Board could not be expected to do every thing in a few years; and its misfortune feems rather to be, that it has attempted too much, and has therefore done fo little well. Its grand introductory fcheme, for obtaining an accurate knowledge of the ftare of hufbandry, and of a thoufand other particulars in each county, has ended in the production of a vaft number of agricultural romances, called General Views; to correct which (the works, as we fufpect, of fome among these very "practical farmers") the Secretary was fent in perfon into a few diftricts; and he entertained the public, at his return, with accounts little lefs romantic than thofe which his miffion had been intended to correct.

A note, at p. 42, ftates as a fact an incident which may divert our readers: "This gentleman, at a certain time, conceived that the best mode of feeding hogs would be upon boiled potatoes; he accordingly provided a large copper for the purpofe, and determined perfonally to attend the first part of the experiment. The fwine were fummoned to the cauldron; and as Mr. conceived they would thrive beft from taking their food in the hotteft ftate, it was fo delivered to them; but mistaking the wrigling of their tails, then a fymptom of extreme pain, for that of pleafure, fupplied them plentifully with fresh and hot potatoes, till he killed them all."

The belief of thefe farmers, "that the high price of corn (in 1800) did not proceed principally from a failure in the last year's crop, but from a too far extended paper-currency," (p. 47) is contrary to the plaineft and moft inconteftable fats. In 1795 and 1796, wheat was as high as 160s. per quarter. Place this enormous advance to the account of paper-currency. But, in 1797 and 1798, it was as low as 40s. What was then become of all that paper? There was juft as much abroad as before. In 1800 and 1801, the price has exceeded 120s. yet it would be hard to prove, that there is much more paper abroad than in 1798; and the fact, if proved, would be little to the purpofe.

The

has

The hoftility of thefe farmers against a plan, now generally approved, for enabling fober and induftrious cottagers to keep a cow, our hearty reprobation. They urge every argument against it, and not one in its favour, with a fpirit too common (we are forry to fay) among farmers; that of keeping their labourers abjectly dependent upon themfelves, while they are afpiring to be independent of their landlords.

The remarks of these authors, on the recent communications of the Board, and on the pamphlets of Mr. Young and Mr. Brooke, coucerning the high price of provifions," are generally acute and useful; and, at pp. 72, 73, concerning the diftance of the banks from the channels of great drains, are very important.

Upon the whole, there are doubtlefs many things in this tract which demonftrate a practical and intimate acquaintance with agriculture, and the fubjects connected with it; but there are alfo fuch evident tokens of ill-will and fpleen, against the Secretary of the Board in · particular, that the book must be read with wearinefs and distrust.

POLITICS.

ART. 37. The Cafe of Confcience folved, or Catholic Emancipation proved to be compatible with the Coronation Oath. In a Letter from a Cafuift in the Country to his Friend in Town. Dedicated to the Right Hon. W. Windham, M. P. &c. With a Supplement, in Anfower 19 Confiderations on the faid Oath, by John Reeves, Efq. 8vo. 89 pp. 3s. Faulder. 1801.

Although our own opinion upon the important fubje&t here difcuffed, has been formed on mature confideration, and effentially differs from that which is maintained in this tract, we deem it but fair to place the fentiments of a well-informed, ingenious, and candid writer, like the prefent, in the fulleft and faireft light.

After a few prefatory remarks, in which the author commends that strictness of principle from which the fcruples in question are faid to have arifen, but laments the confequences it has produced, he proceeds to give the hiftory of the coronation oath, from the earlieft periods to which it can be traced. The object is to fhow that, although an oath in substance fimilar to the present has been taken, during many ages, by the fovereigns of this kingdom, that circumftance has not prevented their making, or acceding to, feveral important changes in the established religion. As it is not our intention to go into a full difcuffion of the question, we fhall only observe on this mode of reafoning, that, in cafes of mere toleration (and fuch are most of the inftances produced) it proves too little; in the other inftances, too much. Who would defire that the confcience of any other fovereign should be guided by that of a capricious and profligate tyrant, like Henry the Eighth? Who will affert that, because in former times a great reformation took place in our ecclefiaftical concerns, the love of change is never to be at reit?

Q 9

ERIT. CRIT. VOL. XVII, MAY, 1801.

1

But

But the author chiefly relies on the opinion of Jurifts refpecting the nature and interpretation of oaths; and, ftating (rightly) that the oath in queftion is promiffory, he points out the cafes in which fuch oaths are confidered as having loft their force. Thefe are," when a material change of circumstances has rendered the object to be attained no longer defirable;"-" when the oath itself is remitted, or commuted by the perfon in whofe favour it was made;" or, "when it is abrogated by perfons who have proper authority for that purpose." Thefe rules are ingenioufly applied to the cafe in difpute. We fhall not, on the prefent occafion at leaft, examine the validity of the doctrines relied on (though it has always appeared to us, that, carried to their utmost extent, fome of them would afford a pretext for violating almoft any oath or promife) but we muft obferve, that the application of them to the prefent cafe muft ultimately depend on the queftion, "whether all the privileges claimed for the Catholics (molt improperly and infidiously called emancipation) can be granted, confiftently with the future quiet and complete fafety of the Proteftant Establishment?" On this point but little is faid by the author of the tract before us; and yet, till the affirmative fhall be proved, every argument against the objection prefented by the coronation oath, is a begging of this important queftion. We could fay much on this interefting (we had almost faid this awful) subject; but as it seems at prefent likely to fleep, at least for a time, we fhall not attempt to anticipate difcuffions which may perhaps be remote. It cannot, however, be improper to exprefs our firm and confident truft, that no delufive hopes of reconciling to our church establishment those who have been invariably and inveterately its enemies, no fpecious profeffions of candour towards all religions (which are too often a mask for indifference towards all) will induce our legiflators to throw down the fences which have hitherto conftituted our fecurity, without fubftituting others equally effectual; that prefent fafety will not alone be regarded, but that their views will be extended to the probable events of future pe riods; that those whofe principles admit a foreign jurifdiction in ecclefiaftical affairs, yet complain they are deprived of political power, will fix the limits where ecclefiaftical jurifdiction ends, and civil authority begins. But until we are convinced, that a blind devotion to their own church, the love of spiritual power, and the zeal for making profelytes, which have hitherto diftinguished, no longer animate the Catholics, we fhall be much alarmed to fee them rendered eligible to offices of extenfive influence in the concerns of the church as well as the ita e.

A very long Supplement is added, in which the writer goes into an elaborate, and certainly an ingenious Reply, to the arguments of Mr. Reeves. That gentleman is fully competent to the detence of his own opinions: and, after all, the whole queftion upon the coronation oath depends, in our conception, on the more general confiderations which we have ftated.. :

ART.