with the general approbation of his brethren of the clergy. It abounds in good fenfe; and fpeaks, in every part of it, the language of piety and benevolence. In an Appendix to his difcourfe, Mr. Moore offers various arguments in defence of the eftablifliments for which he conrends, and answers, very fuccefsfully, the principal objections which have been urged against them. For our part, we approve highly of the practice of establishing Sunday fchools in different parts of the kingdom, and think it deferving of applaufe and warm encouragement. We rejoice in the accounts we have heard of its numerous fupporters; and that it hath, already, introduced order and decency of manners, and ufeful knowledge, into many populous parts, where the numerous children of the poor would, otherwife, have remained in rude ignorance and barbariim. A happy omen of the benefits to be derived, in future, from fuch inftitutions, to the interefts of virtue, and of our country!

Of the other fingle Sermons of the year, as nothing extraordinary occurs either in the fubjects or occafions of them, we muit decline giving any account. Many of them would have an equal claim on our attention, from their ferious and ufeful tendency, could we enter into a particular confideration of their merits; but the plan we are obliged to adopt will not admit of it.

In giving our opinion of the Metaphyfical publications which the year hath produced, the first place is properly affigned to "An Attempt to prove the Exiftence and abfolute Perfection of the fupreme unoriginated Being, in a demonftrative Manner," by Dr. Hamilton, dean of Armagh. In this valuable

1

and important tract, Dr. Hamilton hath revived the fynthetic method of reafoning, which, fince the times of Wollafton and Clarke, hath been but feldom ufed; and he hath purfued it in a manner that is, to us, convincing and fatisfactory. In an introduction to this attempt, the author confiders, likewife, the nature of the analytic method, and fhews what little weight there is in the objections which have been made to it. He then gives an account of the arguments which have been made ufe of by fome of our principal writers, who have cultivated that method of reafoning which he himfelf adopts. After meeting with fome just reflections on the arguments ufed by these authors, and corrections of fome mistakes into which they had fallen, we are prefented with a fimple principle or axiom, on which the doctor's rea foning is chiefly built. "Whatever," fays he, "is contingent, or might poffibly have been otherwise than it is, had fome efficient cause which determined it to be what it is. Or, in other words, if two different or contrary things were equally poffible, whichever of them took place, or came to pass, it must have done fo in confequence of fome efficient caufe, which deter mined that it, and not the other, fhould take place." To this fucceed nine propofitions, with their demonftrations and corollaries, which are all founded on the above axiom, or on the proof of preceding propofitions. Of this treatife, we cannot but exprefs the highest approbation. The author reafons with concifenefs, perfpicuity, and elegance. And it is no fmall recommendation of his performance, that though the fubject of it is abftrufe, he hath avoided all kind of difquifition that

could

could ferve only to a difplay of ability, or be intelligible but to the learned few; and hath expreffed himfelf in plain terms, level to the capacities of all attentive readers. Works like the prefent, executed 'with fo much ingenuity and precifion, are of the utmost importance to human fociety, and deferve the careful perufal of all young perfons, who would have their minds fortified against the infidious attacks of fcepticism and infidelity.

Dr. William Watfon hath employed much labour and ingenuity in drawing up a metaphyfical "Treatife upon Time." After explaining the elementary terms which he means to adopt, in which he difcovers great acutenefs and accuracy, he goes on to treat of time. This he divides into time perceptible, which he calls a notion we acquire individually by the obfervation of the flux of our inftantaneous perceptions; into univerfal time, which is a notion derived folely from the other, and denotes an uniform and inceffant flux of inftantaneous perceptions; and into imperceptible time, which is a notion acquired by confidering any portion of univerfal time, as divifible into an unlimited number of parts, that reprefent a quicker flow of perceptions than any we ever experience. Time, as a genus, he defines to be "the flux of inftants." The conclufion which he draws from his reafonings on these heads is, that time, whether perceptible, univerfal, or imperceptible, is nothing more than notions or creations of our own brain, and cannot be faid to have any existence when not conceived. And he adds, that to say that time exifts independent of any percipient being, is to affert, that an obfervation can be made without any obferver, and a notion be con

ceived without a perfon to conceive it. Our author is a ftrenuous fupporter of Mr. Locke's theory of perceptions; and heappears to have an intimate acquaintance with the writings of the ableft metaphyficians. His definitions, however, will be warmly controverted by the difciples of our northern fchools, who will contend that he confiders time under too ftrict limitations. Perfons who are fond of this species of writing, may promise themselves much entertainment from this work, and from the accounts which are given in it of fome curious experiments made by Mr. Herfchel, on our vifible fenfations, and the velocity of our audible fenfations.

With much refpect do we wish to take notice of "Effays on the intellectual Powers of Man," by Dr. Reid, profeffor of moral philofophy in the univerfity of Glafgow. The character of our ingenious author hath long been established for learning, candour, and goodnefs. His Enquiry into the Human Mind, on the Principles of Common Sense, which he prefented to the public fome years fince, gave him, alfo, a refpectable rank among authors of the metaphyfical clafs. The work before us, is intended to illuftrate and eftablifh, more perfectly, the fame theory, and is drawn up with great precifion and perfpicuity. Even thofe who deem his fyftem abfurd, will readily own, that in the defence of it, he hath always conducted himself as a fenfible, acute, and temperate writer. It is not poffible for us to analyze, in a short compafs, a work of fuch claffical importance to those who delight in metaphyfical fpeculations. The fubftance, however, of his philofophy is, that there is nothing external, to which any thing in the mind bears the least resemblance,

but

but that, nevertheless, the mind has a power of perceiving, judging, and knowing their existence; the evidence of which existence is as clear, ftrong, and certain, as that of our perceptions and fenfations, and alfo preciicly of the fame kind. With out deciding either in favour of Dr. Reid's doctrine, or against it, we think his eflays entitled to a deliberate and di paffionate inveftigation. He appears to be a fincere friend to truth; and the enquiries to which his publications give rife, if purfued with judgment and temper, will enlarge the mind, and prepare it for the reception of that blefling.

We fhall, in the next place, introduce to our reader's notice a work, belonging partly to the clafs of ethical publications, and partly to thofe of which mention will be made under the heads of Government and Law. Mr. Paley, archdeacon of Carlifle, in his volume on "The Principles of moral and political Philofophy," directs our attention to fubjects of the utmost importance to us, in our perfonal and domeftic relations, and in our connection with fociety. And it is but juftice to fay, that he hath treated them with liberality and good fenfe; and that many of his obfervations are very valuable and ufeful. Under the first part of his defign, what he fays on moral obligation, and on determinate and indeterminate relative duties, is peculiarly deferving of attention. His reafonings, alfo, on the reverence due to the Deity, are rendered intereiting, and worthy of a careful perufal, from the ferioufnefs and force with which they are compofed. In the fcond part of his defign, Mr. Paley delivers the elements of his political philofophy. The origin of government, he defines to be "patriarchal or military;" and re

66

prefents the idea of its being found ed on compact direct or implied, as leading to conclufions unfavour able to the improvement and peace of human fociety." The only ground of the fubjects' obligation, he refolves into "the will of God, collected from its expediency." The language in which this work is writ ten is, in general, clear and expreffive, and, fometimes, very forcible and energetic. Much good, we doubt not, may arise to the cause of virtue, from its publication. And, though we do not thoroughly adopt the political principles of our author, and are difpofed to controvert fome of his pofitions which militate againft our ideas of perfect religious liberty and equality, we recommend his labours as deferving of great praife, from the benevolent intention of them, and the many evidences they afford us of a well informed and comprehensive mind.

The author of "An Effay on the Polity of England; with a View to difcover the true Principles of the Government," &c. feems to have compofed his work with the best of intentions, and to be governed by motives of public virtue. The ob ject which he propofes is, distinctly to afcertain the refpective claims of the legislative and executive branches of the English constitution; the rights of prerogative, and the people's privileges. In purfuing his defign, he hath taken a very extenfive view of the polity of England, in which he frequently fupports his own reafonings by an appeal to fome of our most celebrated writers on that fubject. Many of the obfervations which he hath collected from thefe fources, as well as his own remarks, are interefting and intructive. We do not, however, approve of the great prejudice which

he

DOMESTIC

IN

N our account of the Theological Publications of the year 1784, we omitted taking notice of a work in two volumes, octavo, en titled, "A View of our blefied Saviour's Ministry, and the Proofs of his divine Miffion arifing from thence. Together with a Charge, Differtations, Sermons, and Theological Lectures. By the late Thomas Randolph, D. D. Archdeacon of Oxford, Prefident of Corpus Chrifti College, and Margaret Pro. feffor of Divinity in the Univerfity of Oxford." The estimation in which Dr. Randolph was held as a theological difputant is well known. We have had occafion, in fpeaking of the domestic literature of a former year, to pay our tribute of refpect to the accuracy and diligence which have marked his critical labours. Several of the pieces in the present volumes have been published before. The principal part of the first volume is taken up by a view of our bleffed Saviour's miniftry, and the proofs of his divine million arifing from thence. The other new pieces confift of two ingenious differtations on different Pfalms, and Prælectiones Theologica. In the latter, our author engages in the controverfy relating to the divinity of Chrift, and difcovers the fame attachment, as on former occafions, to the creed which is commonly deemed orthodox. This fubject, however, hath

been fo frequently difcuffed by polemics, that the reader will not expect any thing new on it from the pen of Dr. Randolph; or that it fhould add much to the reputation of his critical abilities.

The catalogue of the prefent year's productions prefents to us, as deferving of peculiar attention, “A Collection of Theological. Tracts, in fix volumes, octavo, by Dr. Watfon, bishop of Landaff, and Regius Profeffor of Divinity in the university of Cambridge." The excellent prelate, who is the editor of this very useful publication, is well known and admired for his li berality and manliness of sentiment, as well as for his difinterestedness and integrity. We are both charmed and edified by the elegance and energy with which he pleads the caufe of piety and benevolence, in the preface to thefe volumes. This preface confifts of very candid and fenfible reflections on the prefent ftate of Christianity, and the proper methods for its improvement; together with excellent reafons for that moderation, to which the fpirit of the times is fo favourable. We cannot give a better idea of his lordship's defign in forming this fetection than his own words will convey. "In publishing this Collection of Theological Tracts, fays he, I have had no other end in view but to afford young perfons of