When we say that Dr, Randolph is as able an advocate for fubfcription as those who have gone before him upon the fame fubject, we pay no compliment to the cause in which he is engaged; for we think him equally unfuccefsful. He has alleged no arguments bat what have been urged again and again, and which, in our opinion, have been unanswerably refuted. On this account, we are forry that the Dr.'s charge met with fo united an approbation from the clergy of the diocese of Oxford, among whom, we know, are many very refpectable characters; but it may naturally enough be supposed, that they have not given a minute and critical attention to the argu. ments which have been used on both fides in this controversy. Dr. Randolph contends that the thirty-nine Articles ought to be subfcribed in the fenfe of the impofers. This notion will accord very well with his extreme zeal for the Athanafian doctrines, but it does not coincide with the latitude which he feems willing to allow in other refpects. It is, indeed, with concern, and almost with furprize, that we perceive fuch numbers of the Arminian clergy to be eager for a continuance of fubfcription to the prefent Articles, though thefe Articles muft eternally expofe them to infuperable difficulties, and afford great occafion of triumph to the Methodists. Art. 14. A Letter to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, on the Subject of the intended Petition to Parliament, for Relief in the Matter of Subfcription to the Thirty-nine Articles, and the Liturgy, of the Church of England. By a Clergyman of the Church of England. 8vo. 6 d. Johnfon.

This letter is written in favour of the petitioning clergy, and hath fuggefted feveral confiderations to the Archbishop of Canterbury, which, from the well-known candeur of his Grace, and the moderation of his principles, will, it is to be hoped, meet with due regard.

Art. 15. A fummary View of the Laws relating to Subfcriptions, &c. with Remarks, humbly offered to the Confideration of the British Parliament. 8vo. 6d. Wilkie. 1772.

As Subfcriptions are, at prefent, an object of public attention, a fummary view of the laws relating to them is very feasonable and ufeful; and the Author hath added a number of judicious remarks, all of them calculated to promote the defirable scheme of the Petitioning Clergy.

Art. 16. Queries, recommended to the Confideration of the Public, with regard to the Thirty nine Articles. vo. I S. Johnfon. 1772.

The abfurd and falfe doctrines contained in feveral of the 39 Articles, cannot be better expofed than in this little tract, which, by a feries of perfpicuous and well-digefted questions, is fitted to trike conviction on every ingenuous and rational mind. The Author fays, that he cannot think an apology neceffary for fo free a dif cuffion of Articles of human invention, and bringing them to the teft of a ftrict comparison with the word of God; which Articles, upon the most serious confideration, he has been determined, many years ago, never again to fubfcribe, and he heartily laments his fubfcription to them, though an act done in his younger days, at a time when he juged it not unlawful.

The

The writer hath fubjoined a collection of texts, taken out of the Old and New Teftament, which it may be proper for clergymen to read publicly, and to declare their refolution of adhering to them, when they affume the charge of a Chriftian congregation. To this he thinks may be added, a folemn protest against the grofs currup tions of popery, and all impofitions upon confcience, not warranted by the express declarations of Chrift and his apoftles.

Art. 17. Letters to the Reverend Doctor Benjamin Dawson, occafioned by a late Publication of his, intitled, Free Thoughts on the Subjects of a farther Reformation of the Church of England, with Remarks. To which is prefixed, An Addrefs to both Houses of Parliament. By Philalethes. Svo. I S. Bladon.

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Dr. Prieftly, fpeaking of Dr. Balguy, faid, I have fo good an opinion of Dr. Balguy's good fenfe, as to think it a thousand to one, but he himself is an unbeliever in many of the 39 Articles ;' and he has, likewife, thrown out the following queftion, Who among the clergy, that read and think at all, are fuppofed to believe one third of the 39 Articles?'

Thefe two paffages gave great offence to Dr. Dawson, and drew from him fome fevere ftrictures, in a late publication; which ftrictures have provoked the wrath of the prefent writer, who is a warm and fpirited advocate for Dr. Priefly. The Author appears to us to have fucceeded in proving, that the fuggeftions complained of by Dr. Dawson are actually to be met with in the Free Thoughts, and even in the Dr.'s own writings, though expreffed in different language. In other refpects, Philalethes hath hewn himself a notable Controverfialist; but we can by no means compliment him upon his candour, or his knowledge of human nature. What are we to think of his acquaintance with the world, when he calls upon the houses of parliament to down with all human establishments?' His obfervations, in his 33d page, concerning the fact related of a prelate and a clergyman, are uamanly, and illiberal. In fort, he is one of thofe zealous, we had almoft faid, furicus Diffenters, who may poffibly pleafe the perfons who are already as warmly devoted to the fentiment embraced by him as he is himself; but, we are perfuaded, his method of writing will never gain him a fingle profelyte.

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The Petitioning Clergy are engaged in fo good a caufe, that we fhould be forry to have them interrupted in the course of their undertaking. As, on this account, we would not have them go out of their way to attack the Diffenters, fo, on the other hand, we could with the Diffenters to avoid reproaching them for having fubfcribed 30 Articles, and to confider them in the true light wherein they appear, which is, that of generous advocates for religious Eber). We are old enough to remember the time when Clarke, Hoadley, Sykes, and other eminent men, in the established church, who, at the beginning of the prefent century, flood up in the caufe of truth, poken of in the highett terms of respect, by the diffenting clergy. The fame regard is due to the gentlemen who now exert themfelves for the rights of confcience; and the fame regard will, we doubt not, be paid them, by the candid and liberal part of the

Dienters.

Art. 18. A fhort Account of the wonderful Converfion to Chriflianity of Solomon Duitfch, lately a learned Rabbin and Teacher of feveral Synagogues. Extracted from the Original published in the Dutch Language by himself, and improved with a Preface and Remarks, by the Rev. Mr. Burgmann, Minifter of the Proteftant Lutheran Chapel in the Savoy. Now first tranflated into English. 12mo. 2 s. 6s. Wilkie.

Mr. Rabbin Duitfch's converfion is rightly styled Wonderful, as it proceeded, originally, not from reafon and argument, but from cer. tain agonies and diftreffes both of mind and body, which, indeed, with fome enthufiafts, are denominated Convictions: They are alfo called workings of the Spirit, (till more prefumptuously) God's dealings, &c. On the whole, it may be queftioned whether Mr. Burgmann will gain much reputation by introducing into this country, a tranflation of a vifionary performance; which can only be acceptable among certain of our Sectaries, who may think it fomewhat in their

own way.

Art. 19. The Preacher's Directory; or a Series, of Subjects proper for public Difcourfes, with texts under each Head: To which is added a Supplement, containing felect Paffages from the Apocrypha. 4to. Os. Johnfon. 1771.

Though no author's name appears in the title-page of this work, we find the preface fubfcribed by that of William Enfield, who is already known to the world by fome ingenious and ufeful publications. We must clafs the prefent compilement under the fame denomination; as it may prove peculiarly ferviceable to perfons in the minifterial office: though others may find benefit from it in converfing with the fubjects of fcripture. There may poffibly be a small objection or two raised against the writer's method: fome may think that, as his work is folely confined to the declarations of holy writ, a fufficient regard is hardly paid, in his plan, to thofe, not merely distinguishing, but effential and important peculiarities to which its other parts bear an immediate regard. Thus, when our Author introduces virtue in the general, they may wish that it fhould not have appeared as if it was feparated from its true foundation in piety, or from the proper character to be given by us, as believers in the New Teftament, of every good difpofition and action, as Christian virtues. He does, however, pay a particular attention, as indeed he ought, to the Chritian (cheme; and notwithstanding any fuch objection as that mentioned above, the performance is, upon the whole, executed with care and judgment, and will, we doubt not, be very acceptable to thofe for whom it was defigned.

We fhall extend this article no farther than by inferting the paffage with which the Author concludes his preface.

To thew (fays he) how far preaching is capable of an agreeable and ufeful variety, and to afford thofe who compofe fermons fome aftance in the choice of fubjects and texts, is the defign of the following work. If it be executed with any degree of accuracy, I

*Whether there was any degree of mental derangement in the case, feems to be a matter of fome doubt.

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claim

claim to myfelf no other merit, than that of one who prefents the public with a ufeful map of a country much frequented by travellers. I pretend not to be myself particularly acquainted with the whole of the country which I have defcribed, much lefs to be mafter of any part of it. I am fenfible that I may poffibly have omitted many paths which are well known to others, and that the plan is capable of being much farther enlarged and improved. But the principal lines are, I hope, right, and may ferve to fhew those who are entering upon this journey, what a vast extent of country lies before them, and to affist them in chufing fuch paths as fhall afford them the greatest pleasure and advantage.

MATHEMATICAL.

Art. 20. The Ready Obfervator. By N. D. Falck. 4to. 3 s. Welles and Grofvenor, Sationers. 1771.

This treatife is intended to affift the feaman in determining his latitude by any altitudes of the fun at any time of the day, independently of a meridional altitude. The object is undoubtedly of importance; and the inftructions and tables here given for that purpole will be generally acceptable. The Author difclaims the merit of invention, and candidly confeffes, that the method here propofed was first fuggefted by Mr. Douwes, a mathematician of Amfterdam; and that it was published in England by Mr. R. Harrison of Whitebaven under the title of Harrison's Solar Tables. This pamphlet, though eagerly purchafed at its first publication, was not fo ufeful as it might have been, because it wanted feveral tables which were neceffary to facilitate the computation. Thefe tables are here fupplied; their ufe in determining the latitude from given obfervations, and the general rule for this purpose are stated and explained by feveral examples. The tables are, logarithmic folar tables of half-elapfed time, middle time, and rifing, for fix hours, to every minute and half-minute; a table of the fun's declination; a table of natural fines and fecants lefs radius, and a table of common logarithras. The Author has likewife given, in his introduction, a table of refraction, and another of the distances of the vifibie horizon carresponding to altitudes above the furface from 1 to 50 feet. The general rule is as follows:

Adjust your quadrant, take precife (or as near as you can) to a minute on your watch, the altitude; which correct from refraction, dip, and the fun's femidiameter, and call it the true altitude. Subtract the hours, minutes and feconds of time when each altitude was taken, from each other; and half the remainder is half-elapfed time. Subtract the natural fines of both altitudes from each other; and the difference call the remainder. To the fecant lefs radius of the latitude by account or fuppofed latitude, add the fecant lefs radius of the fun's declination (whether they are of one denomination or in oppofition ;) and that fum is the logarithm ratio. Add the logarithm ratio, the common logarithm of the remainder, and logarithm of half-elapfed time into one fum, which gives the logarithm of middle time. The hours, minutes and feconds, anfwering to the logarithm of middle time, fubtract from half elapsed time; the remainder is that time which the fun had to rife or afcend to the meridian, when the greatest altitude was taken;

F 3

and

and is called Rifing. Compare the hours and minutes of rifing with the apparent time by the watch, and the difference will fhew whether the watch is too faft or too flow. From the logarithm of rifing fubtract logarithm ratio, the remainder is a common logarithm. The number of this laft logarithm is a natural fine, whose degrees and minutes is that space which was wanting of the fun's meridian altitude, when the greatest altitude was taken. To the natural fine last found, add the natural fine of the fun's greatest altitude taken : and their fum is the natural fine of the fun's meridional altitude that day, and at the place where the greatest altitude was taken.'

The problem is an approximation; and a meridian obfervation, when opportunity offers, will prove the truth of the method beft of any thing.'

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This work, our Author tells us, is only an introduction to a more confiderable publication; and if he meets with encouragement in any degree like that with which the generous public has already honoured him in his first attempt, we apprehend it will not long be delayed. We feldom hear of 1150 copies fubfcribed for in 3 days application, and without a fingle advertisement.' This is, indeed, an inftance of generofity, as well as of approbation,' fcarce conceivable. We are duly fenfible of the liberality and candour of the public, and are ready to join with Mr. F. in acknowledging, that Great Britain is jultly famed for encouraging every laudable undertaking. And yet we have had occafion to obferve, that publications, as laudable in their defign, and as faithful in their execution,' as that now before us, have, with all the aid of connection, correfpondence, and advertifement, circulated much more flowly.

The rule for refolving the problem, which occafioned this publication, together with the neceffary tables for that purpose, may be found in the Nautical Almanack for 1771, and the Tables requifite to be used with the Ephemeris.

Art. 21. Every Man bis own Gauger. By J. Illenden.

I s. 6d.

Canterbury. Printed for the Author, and fold by Baldwin, &c. London.

This fmall treatife contains five tables with their explications, together with fome previous inftructions, that may be useful to those who wish to be able to eftimate the capacity and contents of divers kinds of vellels. The tables are calculated on the fuppofition that all veffels are of a cylindric figure, whofe diameters are always regular; but the Author has premifed rules for practice, in order to find a mean diameter of other veffels, whofe diameters are irregular; and he has a oided every thing that might prevent his book from being of general ufe to the public. The it table contains the fuperficial contents of diameters, from 1 inch with their tenths, to 12 inches diameter; from thence, luches and quarters, to 40 inches di

ameter.

Table 2, is the inches contained in wine and beer gallons, with their half gillons, qua.ts, pints, and half-pints; alfo in the Wincacter bufhel, half badiel, peck, gallon, quart and pint.

Table, fhews the contents, in inches, of the feveral diameters, from 1 inch to 41 inches with their tenths; and from 1 inch to 10 inches deep.

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