in correcnefs as he has done within the compafs of thefe laft eight years, we may venture to predict that in a very fhort time he will have no fuperior.-This volume contains fermons on the following important fubjects-Chrift the only foundation of his church-zeal-remorfe-baptifm-the Lord's fupperprayer-purity-the cross of Chrift-Jacob and Efau-Lot's wife-the unfpeakable gift-religious deception-the fin unto death-faith-obedience-hope joy-death-judgment-hell, and hea ven. As a fpecimen of the author's ftyle, and that our readers may judge for themfelves and not truft to our opinion, we fubmit to their criticifm the following extract from the first fermon": "Deeply concerned, as we are, for the honour of thefe doctrines (the doctrines of Chrift), we dread not the fcrutiny of the moft penetrating talents, nor the quickfighted eye of the most accomplished philofopher. Ignorance, prejudice, and depraved difpofitions, only alarm us. These are the poifoned arrows which corrupt the purity of our religion, and wound the vitals of our faith. We doubt not that the doctrines of Jefus, fairly interpreted, will ever meet with the fulleft approbation of cultivated reafon, and lead candour and science to offer incence at their shrine. Hence our fears arife, not from the abilities and learning, but from the vanity or guilt of our opposers. "The conceited infidel, prefuming that every truth is difcoverable by the researches of human reafon, may deny the expediency of divine revelation. The audacious villain, throwing off the restraints of modefty and virtue, may affect to fneer at a religion which forbids his crimes, and threatens his impenitence with everlasting deftruction. The crafty hypocrite, anxious to conceal his real character under the mask of artificial forms, may be afraid of thofe doctrines which condemn his hypocrify. And the flaming enthufiaft, giddy with the tranfports of a warm imagination, may defpife the cool and fready instructions of truth and foberness. But the existence of God, the fupremacy of providence, the redemption of the world, the neceflity of virtue, and the immortality of man, are doctrines equally fuperior to the fpecious cavils of fcepticism, the artful fophiftry of vice, the fhallow artifices of hypocrify, and the flattering delufious of enthusiasm." From this paffage, not felected with care, but taken at random, few of our readers can be at a lofs to fay upon what model Dr. Lamont has formed his ftyle; and if their opinion agree with ours, they will readily acknowledge that he has chofen the best model for pulpit elo quence, and that he has done no difhe nour to his great mafter, who, though no clergyman, wrote many fermons, and many effays fuperior to fermons. We cannot difmifs this article without taking notice of a very fingular opi nion, which our author has endeavoured to fupport by arguments equally fingular. "Baptifm," fays he, "in its original "intention, feems to be a family ordi "nance. This 1 think is probable from "the inftances of Cornelius, Lydia, Stephenes, the Jailer, &c. where bap"tifin was privately difperfed to their "refpective houfholds: and I think it "ftill farther probable from this circum"ftance, that in the whole Bible I find 66 not one inftance of baptifm being dif"penfed to any perfon in any mixed af"fembly of Chriftians met for the pur"poses of public worship."-By fuch reafoning as this our author fhould infer that the Lord's fupper is likewife a family ordinance, and indeed that it is no duty incumbent on Chriftians to meet in large affemblies for the public worfhip of God; for in the whole Bible we find not one inftance of a parish church or of a diffenting meeting boufe erected for the accommodation of the Apostles and their converts, who were glad to "break bread from houfe to houfe," and for fear of the Jews to worship God in an upper room, which we have no reafon to fuppofe capable of containing a "very mixed affembly of Chriftians "It is therefore with great weakness and great impertinence thaf our author fubmits to the confideration of the candid, "whether the modern practice of baptif"ing children publicly in the church is "not a deviation from the domestic na. "ture of this inftitution." He might with juft the fame propriety fubmit to the confideration of the candid, whether it be not a deviation from the original state of the preachers of the Golpel, for a clergyman to be protected, in the dif charge of the duties of his function, by the civil magiftrate; or to defign himfelf, on the title-page of a book, one of the chaplains to b.s Royal Highness the Prince of Wales! St. Paul preached before Felix, but he has no where defigned himself one of the governor's chaplains. 54. An Essay on the malignant ulcerated Sore Throat; containing Reflections on its Caufes and fatal Efferis in 1787. Wub a remark able Cafe, accompanied with large Purple Spots all over the Body, a Morigitation of Review of New Publications, the Leg, &c. &c. By William Rowley, M.D. Member of the University of Oxford, Royal College of Phyficians, &c. To which are added, Animadverfions on the present Defects in treating the Disorder, improved and fuccessful Methods of Cure, and an Account of a new Species of temporary Mad Bess, &c. AS putrid diseases have lately proved fatal, and scarcely even now ceafed their influence, it is a duty we owe the pub. lick to give the earliest intelligence of this Effay, which commences with fome general obfervations on the ftate of the atmospheric air at the latter end of the year 1787, in which the previous heavy and continued fummer rains are confifidered as producing putrid malignant difeafes, by contaminating the air with putrefactive particles. The infection is fuppofed to continue from the communication of the putrid particles of the malignant fore throat, iffuing in refpiration, &c. to the bed-cloaths, or from one perfon to another, long after the original caufes in the air have diffipated. Thus has the diforder fpread rapidly, and extended its baneful effects through different parts of England. The cafe, which is called remarkable, was of a patient labouring under the malignant ulcerated fore throat, ac companied with purple fpots all over the body, and a partial mortification of the leg. The author proceeds very methodically; delineates the fymptoms; accounts for their causes and effects; and reprefents the treatment which cured the patient in a very confpicuous view. The intentions are, to inculcate the neceffity of deeply reafoning on caufes, effects, and remedies, and never to defert a difeafe, however defperate. But the limits of this publication do not permit us to follow the writer through the whole of his reafonings; we muit, therefore, refer the reader to the publication itself. The Ild part comprehends a fhort view of the authors who have written on the malignant ulcerated fore throat; in which the writer afferts, that, contrary to the opinion of Dr. Fothergill, the difeafe was well known, though not well treated, by the ancients. After animadverting with great free dom, though with candour and reafoniag, on the writings of Fothergill, Hux. bam, Pringle, and a great many others, me of whom are now living, the criPitms are reduced to fourteen propo 245 fitions, which the Doctor confiders exceptionable practices, and one or other the cause of the disorder proving fatal. Bleeding, vomiting, bliftering, fweating with James's powder, &c. diluting liquors, infignificant remedies, checking purgings by opium, waiting fome days before giving the bark, the not cleaning the throat, or admitting fresh air, its purification, &c. are all cenfured, with great appearance of found reafoning and experience. In purfuing his remarks, he reasons on each propofition separately; and con cludes with attempting to prove, that the fatality of the diforder has been ow ing to the non-admiffion of the bark early, to the injudicious adminiftration of faline remedies, antimonial diaphoretics, volatiles, &c.; or a much worfe practice of trusting to what has been nominated Nature. Here the Doctor arms himself with fhield and buckler, marches forth fword in hand, fpirits up his battalions, and combats Nature with fo much energy and fpirit as to exclude her government from all the regions of medicine. After introducing Nature, as acting very abfurdly on moft occafions, either as a directrefs of human affairs, or medicine in particular, he concludes, "from long obfervation, from reiterated "and cool reflection on thefe fubjects, "it is affirmed, that difeafes can never "be worfe managed than when left "chiefly to Nature; nor can there be greater reafon for a fuccesful expec"tation in their events than if fkilfully "and judiciously treated by Art from "their commencement." In this examination of what Nature directs, the author proves, amongst other things, that Nature prompts drunkards to call clamorously for more liquor; infants to drink gin or fpirits, favage nations to eat one another. And he concludes, in one part, "the word "Nature, in medicine, feems an apo"logy for every thing inexplicable, and " contains as much meaning as the oc"cult qualities of Ariftotle, the Ar"chæus of Van Helmont, or the vis • confervatrix et medicatrix Nature of "Stahl and many modern phyficians." The drift of thefe obfervations is, to inculcate the neceflity of proceeding decidedly in the cure of acute difeafes, by trufting very little to Nature, who, the author endeavours to prove, is neither capable of alarming patients of danger, pointing out the medical indications, nor nor difcovering the beft remedies. But the word has been used as a cloak for ignorance, and ought to be excluded by every fcientific or reasoning phyfician. We must confefs, there is much reafon in what the Doctor advances; but perhaps he has been too fharp upon an old phrafe, which, to ufe his own words, "has ever been used as a fub"ftitute for real knowledge." The author makes a diftinction bebetween Reafon and Nature, to countenance his attack. "Nature and Reafon "muft not be confounded; the former is an internal ftimulator of man, in"clining him to various dangers and "misfortunes; the latter is a practical "fyftem, founded on the experience and reflection of the most ingenious "and ftudious men, for ages, the pro"tector and preferver, as far as human induftry extends, of either health, cafe, or happiness." The whole of this IId part is replete with deep phyfiological and medical reafoning; in which, we muft obferve, the Doctor difplays a very intimate acquaintance with all the neweft difcoveries in the art he profeffes; and every where endeavours to affign mutives for his different methods of practice. In the Introduction likewife, the author intimates he practifed phyfic, in various branches, for above thirty years; has travelled into moft countries, and view ed all the hofpitals in Europe: on which opportunities for obtaining knowledge he founds his pretentions to ani madvert freely on feveral medical prejudices; but with what fuccefs he requefts the profesional judges to detcrmine. The author, in this part, af fis, that camphorated oil is a certain preventive of venereal infection. The Id part fhews the most improved manner of fuccesfully treating the ulcerated fore throat. The specific fymptoms, caufes, effetis, remedies, and the methods of prevention, are briefly explained. Towards the conclufion is a recapitulation of all the exceptionable practices formerly adopted by many ingenious physicians, arranged under different claffes; the neceilary remedies of the improved cure follow in their regular order. This arrangement must greatly contribute to public benefit: at one view is feen what is injurious or falubrious; the utility of both must appear bvious; the bark and vitriolic acid are given, from the first appearance of the difeafe, according to the author, with conftant fucce (s. A fhort view of a new fpecies of madnefs, and its remedies, concludes the Effay, which may perhaps, in fome meafure, account for fome late inftances of fuicide. Camphor and bark are recommended, &c. In every part of this performance there appear many original remarks. Medicine is feemingly speaking a new language, founded, according to the author, not in chimerical hypotheses, but in anatomical and phyfical refearches and experiments, joined with much practical knowledge, on the force and power of difeafes, and the most adequate and rational remedies for their removal. On reviewing the whole, we perceive the work to be well arranged; its reafonings are acute and fcientific; the language frequently nervous and ani. mated; but perhaps, in fome instances, rather too fevere on the doctrines of other medical writers. There runs, through the Essay, a spirit of philan thropy, which does honour to the au thor's heart. If the pamphlet be read with attention, it will, according to our opinion, convey subjects of importance to every impartial medical judge: there may appear fome blemishes; but these are amply compenfated by many new doctrines, that are likely to prove beneficial to fociety in general. 55 A Sermon by Mr. Watson, of Middleton Tyas, Yorkshire. FROM this Sermon, which was preached in 1763, a correfpondent has felected the following extracts, as peculiarly applicable to the prefent interefting fubject of converfation, the Slave Trade. "It has been remarked that the Chriftian "religion, in fpite of the extent of the empire "and influence of the climate, has hindered "defpotic power from being established in "Ethiopia, and has carried into the heart "of Africa the laws and manners of Europe *." What bleffed fruits then may not we expect from it, when tranfplated into America from an ifland, where it is profeffed in greater purity than in any other part of the world? For the planting it as a public religion, has always and invariably been at 66 tended with many great and fubftantial bleffings, even of the temporal kind; in Proteftant countries, with an increase of public li * L'Efprit des Loix, 1. 24. c. 26 berty, Review and Catalogue of New Publications. herty, liberal science, and generous and free fentiments of the common privileges of our fellow creatures; and in Popish countries, with a civility of manners, the cultivation of the useful arts, and the extenfion of foreign commerce. "Shall we meanly think these bleffings are appropriated to ourselves, exclufive of any other people who are made of one blood with us? Or fhall we be afraid to open their eyes, that they may fee, from the benevolent principles of the Gofpel, that they and we are the children of one common Father, whose providence is employed equally to difpenfe his bleffings, both in this world, and the world to come, to all the families of the earth? “A suspicion of this fort would certainly fall upon us, should such numbers, to whom we have the faireft opportunities of difpenfing thefe bleffings, remain in a state of ignorance, and flavery. Nor can we ever give a reafon, why the heathens were wrong in buying and felling flaves in a market, and the Chrif tians right, except we can derive fome apology from the means that are used under the dictates of Chriftianity, to better their condition both in a temporal and spiritual fenfe. "The state of flavery," as an excellent political writer hath faid, "is in its own nature bad: it is neither useful to the mafter nor ❝to the flave; not to the flave, because he * can do nothing through a motive of virtue; "not to the mafter, because, by having an "unlimited authority over his flaves, he in"fenfibly accustoms himself to the want of "all moral virtues, and from thence grows "fierce, hafty, fevere, voluptuous, and * cruel *." 247 confidered as men, but as a species of beings of a middle nature between men and brutes, to whom we do no injury, though we treat them as beasts of burden. And the proofs of it ufually pointed out are taken from the features, complexions, and manners, of the negroes, and inhabitants of the Cape; and from some still more distinguishing marks on the Savages in the North. "But as no instances have been produced of a want of capacity in these poor creatures, to acquire fuch arts as make them ufeful to thofe who, as it were without the feelings of men, can reconcile themselves to this unchriftian traffick, have we not good grounds to believe, they might alfo be taught fuch principles, as would make them equally ufe ful to the state ;-and under proper inftructions be taught industry and fidelity upon rea fon and principle, in the very fame labours, and without thofe shocking feverities, which, while they are treated as abject flaves, bring fo great mifery upon themselves, and fo great and just a fcandal upon their proprietors? But perhaps we are unwilling to fuppofe "these creatures to be men, left," as the fame writer obferves, " allowing them to be "men, a fufpicion may arife, that we our "felves are not Chriftians" "Whether this is not a subject worthy the attention of the legiflature of a nation, equally diftinguished for its humanity and its arms, may perhaps at fome time be thought to deferve a more ferious and circumstantial enquiry, than has hitherto been bestowed upon it. And what hopes we might reasonably form of the fuccefs of fuch an enquiry, let the prefent undertaking † fpeak, which is calcu lated to civilize a people, not much their fuperiors in manners and understanding, however different in features and complexion." L' Efprit des Loix, 1. 15. c. 5. L'Efprit des Loix, I. 15. c. 1. + Brief for American Colleges. Coke on Littleton, Thorpe, St. John's Nomenclature, &'c. Sc. in our next. "We shall be told perhaps that fuch is the original difference amongst mankind, that there are fome of them who can hardly be POLITICAL. Letter to the Premier, with a Review of his CATALOGUE OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. Elliot Calonne's Anf. to Neckar 10s 64 Spilbury sܟ c. zl& HISTORY, &c. Clark's Survey of the Lakes in Cumberland, 128 Dalrymple's Memoirs of Gr. Britain vol. II. Crawford on Animal Heat, 8vo 7s Johnson A Letter to Mr. Francis is Ditto Tranfl. of Nomenclat. de Chemie 6s Kearsley Wilmer, on Hernia is 6d A COUNTRY RECTOR will readily perceive, by reading the line aloud, that the blunder he speaks of might eai'y happen by dictating to an amanuenfis. It actually did happen by a fomewhat fimilar procets of the prefs, as our Printer will perfonally explain to him if this be not fufficiently fatisfactory. To the fame channel of information we refer PHILOMUSos for a reason why the latter part of his letter is omitted. P. H. may be affured that there are weighty reafons for not doing what he withes. A CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHER'S query would cer ainly give much offence to many. The letter, in p. 84, of "the learned and ingenious author of the Preface," will fatisfy P. S. who had ingenioutly conjectured the initials to fignify miestie ergo atque officii. SCENT thall be communicated as directed. E. F. afks" if there be any way of making red-ink with more body them the common, and yet to write with eafe. And if any one can furnish an account of Thomas Innes, M. A. who wrote the Critical Effay on Ancient Scotifh History,' London, 1729, 2 vols. 8vo, the best work yet published on that fubject X. Y. Z. fays, "R. R. E. (LVII. 1049) propofes an equal land-tax. As Dr. Burn, towards the beginning of his History of Westmoreland,' has given some reasons why he thinks an equal land-tax would be a very unjust thing; it might not, perhaps, be im proper for R. R. E. to examine those reasons, in order to fhew they are of no force, or to confefs he has not before been fully informed upon the fubject." Some Cambro-British correfpondents have long expected the "British Archæology,” propofed fome time fince to be published by the Rev. Mr. Jeffreys of Walfall. They hope the author is not dead. As British literature wants a champion, the loss would be great. A NEW COS RESPONDENT afks for an explanation of 1 Pet. iii. 19, 20. M. O. N.-K. H.-B. S.... cl.-R. C.W. O—S. J.-T. C.-P. T. on Marine Shells-ALKMOND-LENIS ET ACER BRADWARDIN-AMICUGLOTIANUS AMERUS-CANDIDE, in our next, if poffible. Mr. |
