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About two months afterwards, when the lay on her death-bed, fhe ftretched out her arms, clafped her hands, and faid, O now I fhall hear more of that heavenly mufic! and inftantly funk down on her pillow, and died foon after, at twenty-four years of age.'

As we have met with many narratives of this kind in the memoirs of piou's women, we could wish to fee a differtation on the fubject by fome curious naturalift, who might enable us to form fome judgement of this phænomenon, whether it is really occafioned by a band of heavenly minstrels, by a finging in the head, the ringing of an empty brain, or the mufic of the fpheres.

CONTROVERSY.

A Letter to Soamé Jenyns, Efq. occafioned by an Affertion contained in his View of the Internal Evidence of the Chriflian Religion. Small 8vo. Is. 6d.

Davies.

This writer cenfures Mr. Jenyns for acknowledging, that Christianity is now altered, corrupted, and defaced. He confiders this as an injurious conceffion, not founded in truth, and therefore endeavours to prove, from a great number of prophecies, promifes, and declarations, in the Old and New Teftament, that the Holy Spirit will always protect the church, and never fuffer Christianity to fall into errors and corruptions.

Most of those paffages, which the author has produced, efpecially from the Jewish prophets, are mifapplied; and might be alledged to prove the perpetuity of Judaifm, with as much force and propriety, as they are here introduced to demonftrate the incorruptibility of the Chriftian church.

Remarks on the ancient and prefent State of the Congregational Churches of Norfolk and Suffolk. With fome Stridures on the Account given of Churches of this Denomination in general, in the Ecclefiaftical Hiftory of the celebrated Mofheim. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Buckland,

The real plan, on which these churches appear now to proceed, are the heads of agreement, drawn up and affented to in 1691, by the London minifters, who had been diftinguished by the different denominations of Prefbyterian and Congregational; and who were from thenceforward, it fhould feem, to be called the United Brethren. An entire coalition did not however take place. Other matters were foon the occafion of differences among them; and prefbyterian and congregational are now, among many, used to exprefs fome doctrinal differences, which divide diffenting minifters, to which differences those terms, were not originally applied; nor do they properly express them. They only fignify difference of fentiment, with respect to church government.

They who are commonly called prefbyterians in the prefent generation feem, he fays, to be diftinguished from other dif fenters by the term prefbyterian, merely because they are in

general

general the fucceffors of thofe of the middle of the last century, who were for adopting the church government of Scotland. The diftinguishing point, from which the congregationalists receive their denomination, is, that every congregation is to be governed by itfelf, without depending on affemblies of elders, collected from a number of fingle congregations, any otherwife than for counsel and advice.

This writer has printed the above-mentioned heads of agreement at the end of his pamphlet, and pointed out their propriety, as they ftand diftinguished from fome of the arrangements of the old congregationalifts, and from fome modern refine

ments.

The alterations, which have been gradually introduced into the doctrine and difcipline of religious fects, while the original denominations are continued, ought to be particularly noted by ecclefiaftical writers; otherwife their accounts of different parties must be imperfect and erroneous. In this view, the pamphlet

now before us must be useful to those readers, who wish to form a proper notion of the focieties, which are the particular objects of the author's enquiry.

Remarks on Bishop Hurd's Charge, delivered to the Clergy of the Diocese of Lichfield and Coventry, at the Bishop's primary Vifitation in 1775 and 1776. And printed at their Requeft. In a Letter to his Lordship. 8vo. Is. Johnfon.

This letter confifts of remarks on the arguments, which the bishop of Lichfield and Coventry has advanced in his charge to the clergy in his diocefe, in favour of church authority, and human fyftems of religious faith and doctrines.

It is intimated by his lordship, that it is the duty of the clergy to preach Jefus Chrift and his gofpel. This writer replies: What fhall we fay to the preaching of certain dogmata, about which both great and good men are found to differ very widely from each other; about which no two men may be agreed, and on which probably the fcriptures may be defignedly obfcure, or doubtful, or altogether filent?... Shall we hefitate, whether we fhall take up with the figments of human device, in preference to the infallible word of God, or call that gofpel, which is no gofpel?' &c.

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His lordship fays, Schifm is always an evil, and may crime.' The author of the letter anfwers :- A wilful diffent or divifion from extraneous caufes, without conviction, feconded by a zeal, not according to knowledge, is, in a few words, my notion of fchifm, and fuch I believe to be the meaning of the feriptures. Under this definition, fchifm not only may, but must be a crime. But every diffent from any, or all modes of faith, from conviction that they are unferiptural, is furely highly commendable and praife-worthy in chriftians.'

The author proceeds to examine his lordship's notions concerning public utility, the peace of the church, the hardship of fubfcribing, the defects of the liturgy, and other points of this kind.

This

This letter, in ftyle and fentiment, bears a great refemblance to fome of the publications of Dr. Dawfon; but we have not the leaft authority to affirm, that it is the production of that learned writer.

MISCELLANEOUS. Anecdotes of the Emperor Joseph II. during. bis Refidence in France, upon a Vifit to bis Sifter the prejent Queen of France. Tranflated from the French of the Chevalier Coudray. Small 8vo. Is. 6d. Murray.

The tranflator, in an advertisement prefixed to this work, informs us that it was expected with eagerness, and received with pleasure, by people of the first rank in Paris. • What rendered these anecdotes,' fays he, particularly interesting to the inhabitants of that metropolis, was their acquaintance with the character of the great perfonage to whom they relate; nor were they ignorant of the integrity and honour of the Chevalier de Coudray, who undertook to be his hiftorian. He was at the atmoft pains to find out the truth; and there are perhaps few accounts of princes, written during their own life time, as much to be depended upon as that of the prefent emperor.' The truth of thefe obfervations appears from the anecdotes themselves, which are tranflated with spirit, and which exhibit the true character of this humane and beneficent prince - The chevalier de Coudray also takes notice of the compliments paid the emperor, by the French poets, during his refidence among them As a fpecimen of the performance, we shall infert an ode, entitled The Eagle feeking Jupiter.'

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King of birds! whom doest thou feek? King of birds! why art thou uneasy and afflicted? Where goes the faithful minister of Jupiter? Where then does he go? Why, with an uncertain flight, does he float over the kingdom of lilies, where we have never before beheld him? Art thou banished from Olympus, thy 'ordinary abode? I fee no longer in thy talons the sparkling thunderbolt; thy wings which formerly cleaved the clouds, now humbly graze the ground; thy eye which used to fix the dazzling difk of the fun, is now melancholy and dejected. King of birds! whom doeft thou feek? King of birds! why art thou uneafy and afflicted?

Ifeek Jupiter, and Jupiter eludes my fearch; concealing his divinity, he has directed his fteps towards thefe climates, and, under the figure of a mortal, vifits the happy empire of lilies, which a young queen, beauteous as the rofe, embellishes with her charms I feek Jupiter, and Jupiter eludes my fearch.

King of birds! be confoled; I have difcovered thy mafter in fpite of the veil which conceals him. A ftranger has appeared amongst us, without pomp or attendance; his appearance announces nothing more than mortal; his dress is fimple; his chariot is modeft; his table is frugal; he hides himself from the admiration and applaufes of the people, but he has the benefi-` cence and majefty of a god-Yes-He is a god.-King of birds!".

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be confoled, I have discovered thy mafter in spite of the veil which conceals him.

I have feen him view our battalions with attentive eyes, and obferve with pleafure our harmless battles; I believed him to be Mars; I have feen him feated in the midft of our muses, and liftening with delight to their harmonious concerts; I be lieved him to be Apollo.-I was deceived; it is Jupiter himfelf; Mars loves not the mufes; Apollo delights not in battle King of birds! be confoled, in fpite of the veil which conceals him, I have discovered thy master.'

A modern Syftem of Natural Hiftory. Containing accurate Deferiptions, and faithful Hiftories of Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals. Illuftrated with Copper-plates, accurately drawn from Nature. By the rev. Samuel Ward. 12 vols. small 12m0. 14. 4. Newbery, the Corner of St. Paul's Church-yard.

This little work makes its appearance with peculiar propriety, at a time when the ftudy of natural history is so much the object of general attention, and when the pens of feveral diftin-. guished foreigners have been lately employed in enumerating the productions of various countries. Mr. Ward, in the prosecution of his plan has, for the most part, adopted the the learned Mr. Ray; but where later difcoveries have illuftrated arrangement of the labours of that great naturalift, or fhewn his deficiencies, the compiler of the prefent compendium has judiciously followed the methods of Mr. Pennant, and of Monf. Briffon, whofe abilities as a fyftematic writer, though not fufficiently known in this country, have produced him the higheft reputation as a natural hiftorian upon the continent.

The four firft volumes of this laudable attempt to facilitate knowledge of the animal, vegetable, and mineral world, contain a defcription of quadrupedes. In the fifib, fixth, feventh, and eighth volumes is defcribed the ornithology, or hiftory of birds, The account of fishes engroffes the ninth, tenth, and eleventh volumes; and the twelfth contains a concife explanation of the properties of earths, waters, minerals, and vegetables. This compilation, upon the whole, is executed with judgement and induftry. The plates are numerous, and well engraved; and the work is not only calculated for the improvement of younger minds, but may, from its portable fize, and moderate price, be perufed with advantage by fuch readers, as have neither leifure to confult, or ability to purchase, larger or more extensive volumes.

The Hiftory of Edward Prine of Wales, commonly termed the Black Prince. 8vo. 5s. Bew.

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An anonymous production, written rather in the manner of a novel, than of genuine hiftory, and not more confpicuous for the apparent neglect of enquiry, than defective in elegance of ftyle.

The

The Life of Robert Lord Clive, Baron Plaffey. By Charles Carracioli. 4 vols. 8vo. 11. 25. Bell.

An invidious production, calculated to traduce the memory of lord Clive, by allegations inconfiftent with probability, and affertions no lefs unauthenticated, than apparently repugnant to truth.

A brief Defcription of the Cities of London and Westminster, &c. To which are added fome proper Cautions to the Merchants, Tradefmen, &c. By Sir John Fielding. 12mo. 35. Wilkie.

An artifice to introduce to the public a fuppofititious pamphlet under the name of fir John Fielding, by accompanying it with his Cautions.

A Letter to Me Fletcher and Peach, on their Negociation with Dr. Dodd; which has unhappily deprived Society of a valuable Member, and a useful Minister of the Gospel. 4to. Is. Kearsley. The frivolous fentiments of an injudicious, inconfiftent, and puerile apologift, whofe profeffed admiration of the abilities of the unfortunate Dr. Dodd, affords fufficient evidence of the weak nefs at least of his own difcernment.

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An Inquiry into Facts, and Obfervations thereon. Humbly submitted to the Candid Examiner into the Principles of a Bill intended to be offered to Parliament, for the Prefervation of the Great Level of the Fens, and the Navigation through the fame, by a Tax on the Lands, and a Toll on the Navigation. 8vo. Is. Owen, This Inquiry relates to the principles of a bill intended to be brought into parliament, for the prefervation of the great level of the fens, and the navigation through them. The author appears to be well informed with respect to the subject, of which he delivers a clear account.

A Treatife on the Charade. Tranflated from the French. 4to. is. Davies.

The fubject of this Treatife is a frivolous fpecies of writing, lately imported from France, and which we hope, from the general good fenfe of the British nation, will never be established amongst us.

ERRATUM: in the Review for July, p. 68. line 23. for fecundi read fecandi.

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