when we bring forward the "stolen goods," identify them in open court, and adduce proofs of the robbery to the satisfaction of both judge and jury? One out of many instances will be sufficient to make the reader ask himself if Buonaparte, or any other highwayman, ever discovered such barefaced audacity as the following extract exhibits.

"The Prado is admirable in "The prado (on the contrary) is all its parts, being a broad walk, admirable in all its parts, being a adorned with handsome foun-broad walk,adorned with handsome tains, and divided into avenues fountains, and divided into avenues by rows of trees; it bounds the by rows of trees; it bounds the whole of one side of the town, be-whole of one side of the town, being terminated at each end by one ing terminated at each end by one of the gates of the city. The of the gates of the city. The streets leading down to it are the streets leading down to it are the broadest and finest in Madrid, and broadest and finest in Madrid, and on the opposite side, are the gar- on the opposite side are the gardens, pleasure-grounds, and pa-dens, pleasure-grounds, and palace of the Retiro, worthy of the lace of the Retiro, worthy of the residence of a prince, although at residence of a prince, although at present only used by the king as a present only used by the King as a shooting ground during his stay at shooting ground during his stay at Madrid. The fountains of the Madrid. The fountains of the Prado are in general formed after prado are in general formed after antique models, and the water of antique models, and the water of one of them is the purest in the one of them is the purest in the whole city, and the only kind of whole city, and the only kind of which the present king drinks, wa-which the present King drinks, water being his sole beverage. One ter being his sole beverage. One very broad walk adorned with very broad walk adorned with these fountains, is thronged every these fountains, is thronged every fine evening with the best com-fine evening with the best company, and on Sundays, the king, pany, and on Sundays, the King, queen, and royal family, ride up Queen, and royal family, ride up and down the carriage road, and and down the carriage road, and salute the people constantly assalute the people constantly as they pass. It is on the Prado that they pass. It is on the prado that the stranger may study with ad-the stranger may study with advantage the dress, the air, and the vantage the dress, the air, and the gait of the Spaniards; for then all gait of the Spaniards; for then alt pass in review before him, from pass in review before him, from the prince to the beggar. The no-the prince to the beggar. The nobleman alights from his carriage, bleman alights from his carriage, and saunters among the throng, and saunters among the throng, emingly careless about his fine seemingly careless about his fine dress, and the ornaments at his dress, and the ornaments at his button-hole, although nobody/button-hole, although nobody

PHILLIPS. SEMPLE. glances at them so often as him-glances at them so often as himself; the citizen dresses in the self; the citizen dresses in the mode general throughout Europe mode general throughout Europe thirty years ago; whilst the lower thirty years ago; whilst the lower classes that venture on the Prado, classes that venture on the prado, still wear their clothes thrown over still wear their cloaths thrown over the shoulder, and thus preserve the shoulder, and thus preserve the last reliques of the ancient to- the last reliques of the ancient toga. All the men wear large cock-ga. All the men wear large cocked hats, and all smoke cigars; fored hats, and all smoke cigars; for this latter purpose boys run up this latter purpose boys run up and down the Prado with a kind and down the prado with a kind of slow torch, which burns with- of slow torch, which burns with out flaming, and serves to light the out flaming, and serves to light the cigars. In opposition to them, cigars. In opposition to them, water carriers, with their porous water carriers, with their porous, earthen vases and goblets, vend earthen vases and goblets vend the cool water of the neigh-the cool water of the neighbouring fountains; and the vari-bouring fountains; and the vari ous cries of fire, fire, and fresh ous cries of fire, fire, and fresh water, water, are heard above the water, water, are heard above the buzz of the mingled crowd. But buzz of the mingled crowd. But the women principally attract the the women principally attract the eyes of the stranger. Their sim-eyes of the stranger. Their sim ple and elegant dress, their veils, ple and elegant dress, their veils, which serve any purpose but that which serve any purpose but that of concealing their faces, the free-of concealing their faces, the freedom of their walk, and their looks dom of their walk, and their looks attractive, but not immodest, tend attractive, but not immodest, tend to make an Englishman forget for to make an Englishman forget for a moment that they are greatly in a moment that they are greatly inferior in point of real beauty, to ferior in point of real beauty to the women of his own country. the women of his own country. "There is one custom which There is one custom which pleased me much, and which no pleased me much, and which no where produces so striking an ef where produces so striking an effect as on the Prado. Exactly at fect as on the prado. Exactly at sunset the bells of the churches sunset the bells of the churches and convents give the signal for and convents give the signal for repeating the evening prayer to repeating the evening prayer to the Virgin. In an instant the busy the Virgin. In an instant the busy multitude is hushed and arrested, multitude is hushed and arrested, as if by magic. The carriages as if by magic. The carriages stop, the women veil their faces stop, the women veil their faces with their fans; the men take off with their fans; the men take off their hats, and all breathe out, or their hats, and all breathe out, or are supposed to breathe, a short are supposed to breathe, a short

PHILLIPS.

SEMPLE. prayer to the protecting power prayer to the protecting Power which has brought them to the which has brought them to the close of another day. After a close of another day. After a short, a solemn, and not unplea-short, a solemn, and not an unpleassant, pause, the men bow and puting pause, the men bow and put on their hats, the women uncover on their hats, the women uncover their faces, the carriages drive on, their faces, the carriages drive on, and the whole crowd is again in and the whole crowd is again in motion as before. This is one of motion as before. This is one of the few Catholic customs which the few Catholic customs which appears to partake of piety with-appears to partake of piety with out superstition, and divested of out superstition, and divested of altars, candlesticks, tapers, and altars, candlesticks, tapers and images. I felt no reluctance to images. I felt no reluctance to uncover my head among the uncover my head among the erowd under so noble a canopy as crowd under so noble a canopy as the vault of heaven, where some the vault of Heaven, where some of the stars already begin to ap-of the stars already begin to appear. Those around me mutter apear. Those around me mutter a petition or a thanksgiving to their petition or a thanksgiving to their favourite saint, or to the mother favourite saint, or to the Mother of God; but I have only a here-of God; but I have only a heretic though heartfelt prayer to of-tic though heartfelt prayer to offer for those far distant from me, fer for those far distant from me, a parent, a brother, a sister, or ala parent, a brother, a sister, or a friend."-Travels through Spain triend."-OBSERVATIONS ON A and Part of Portugal, &c. Vol. II, JOURNEY THROUGH SPAIN AND p. 25-29. Phillips, July 2, 1808. ITALY TO CONSTANTINOPLE, by Robt. Semple, vol. I, p. 59 to 63, dated London, March 25, 1807.

The records of literary profligacy perhaps do not present such another barefaced act of plagiary and audacious imposition on the public, as the above quotations evince. To take four whole pages of a work published about sixteen months before, and attempt to pass them on the public as original writing, surely required no small portion of abandoned impudence; they have, however, the merit of exactness, as only one word and one comma are altered in the whole, except that the plunderer, always true to that spirit which levels every thing only to raise itself upon the ruins, has not only robbed the words King and Queen of their characteristic capitals, but Heaven itself! From pages 45 to 69 of vol. I, we find an account of the "Prince of the Peace," which, although we believe the most authentic of any extant, we have seen in the Monthly Magazine above three years ago. This, however, is only simple trespass on the public, as the Magazine is the

property of Sir Richard, but not the Travels of Mr. Semple, from which the account of the principal promenade in Madrid has been feloniously purloined, without any acknowledgment whatever. No authority, indeed, is asknowledged for any part of these delusive volumes, except the preface, which is confessed to be translated from the prospectus to A. Laborde's Picturesque Travels in Spain. There is, however, scarcely a page of these half-guinea books which we could not trace to one writer or another; and this compiler's ignorance of Spanish is such, that he even gives "Mistica Condad DI Dios," for the title of a Castilian book! Fairburn, who is certainly one of the "first" publishers in London, has also favoured the public with a geographical account of Spain, but he has had the old-fashioned honesty to mention his authorities, and only charge the public 3s. 6d. for their information.

After such an exposition, we cannot dwell on these pretended travels: we have stated facts, summed up the evidence, heard the verdict of an independent and impartial jury, and deliberately pronounce their just decision--guilty, and finally call upon the Sheriff of London to execute our sentence on the infamous delinquent! We also admonish the culprit to make every effort in his power to atone to society for his manifold sins and transgressions, and to implore the mercy of that God whose name he has blasphemed, and whose works he has abused by the use of deceptions and calumnies. To be serious, if Sir Richard Phillips does not produce the author (or authors, even should they be twenty, as stated) of this scandalous imposition, he must pardon the public for forming their own opinions of his integrity, and us for guessing at the cause of his antipathy to critics.

DIVINITY.

A Sermon preached in the Parish Church of St. Paul, Bedford, before the Reverend Dr. Shepherd, Archdeacon, at the annual Visitation of the Clergy, held on Thursday, the 12th of May, 1808. By the Rev. JOSHUA MORTON, Vicar of Risely, in the County of Bedford, and Chaplain to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, 4to. p. 14. Rivingtons, 1808,

Mr. MORTON tells us, in his dedication, that " the Clergy of Bedfordshire have been publicly attacked as being deficient in orthodoxy," Where and by whom this attack has been made we know not; but, most assuredly, the author of the Sermon before us has com pletely proved the injustice of its application to himself. He has

taken his text from the second verse of the fourth chapter of the first epistle of Peter, from whence he has deduced the divine origin of the clergy, and the importance and urgency of their duties, which he enforces with considerable strength and ability. On the first of these subjects, he observes, at the beginning of his discourse:

"Under the Old Testament dispensation, none were admitted to the office of the priesthood, but under the immediate sanction of Jehovah, called of God as was Aaron; and when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of the Son of God, the ministers of Christ derived from the apostles and apostolic men the spiritual authority, delegated immediately from the supreme Head of the church, and finally sanctioned and authorized by the powers that are ordained of God. And it is worth the serious consideration of all men, that those who resist this power, resist the ordinance of God. No man, says the apostle, taketh this honour unto himself. The work of the ministry should be assumed with awe; it should attract the attention by the clear leadings of Providence, or, as our church has it more expressly, be called to take upon them this of fice, being thereunto moved by the Holy Ghost; and not only so, but be regularly admitted thereto by the constituted authorities, who have power in the church to examine, to judge, and to ordain."

It would be happy for this country if these serious truths were strongly impressed on the minds of all its inhabitants. It would not then be overrun as it is by a swarm of self-ordained teachers, who corrupt the ignorant, mislead the unwary, and disgrace the religion which they profess. On the subject of heathen morality, Mr. Morton's notions are strictly just.

"In the most brilliant efforts of unenlightened reason, we discover a retrograde path from the fountain of light. In the boasted galaxy of Heathen philosophers, and Heathen moralists, there remains an impenetrable gloom, in relation to the Deity and a future world. Their gods were capricious and sensual, subject to be agitated by those passions which can only originate in human infirmity, and human imperfection. Their Elysium and their shades, their ambrosia and the pains of Tartarus, all go to demonstrate that their fa th was fiction, their ethics [were] baseless and visionary, and that the world by wisdom knew not God."

The preacher's concluding observations on the signs of the times, and the profligacy of the age, shew that he is no inattentive observer of passing events, and that he is not one of those faithless shepherds who sleep in the fold, while their flocks are exposed to the ravening wolf.

"Finally, my reverend brethren, let us remember that the signs of the times require our serious and solemn consideration: they require our vigilance and all our energies. We have been the calm and undisturbed spectators of events which lead to this conclusion, that God is visiting the earth. We have lived to view the whole continent of Europe subjected to the military domination of an ob scure but successful usurper. We see the liberties of mankind pros