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The fame fanatical writer afterwards represents the Diffenters as the holy remnant, ' who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Such weakness merits pity or contempt more than refentment. Bishop Hoadly's Refutation of Bishop Sherlock's Arguments against a Repeal of the Teft and Corporation Acts. 8vo. 1s. 6d. Diily.

Bishop Sherlock's arguments against a repeal of the teft and corporation acts having lately been re-printed, in oppofition to the cafe of the Proteftant Diffenters, it has been thought proper to reprint bishop Hoadly's arguments for a repeal of those acts. Great as is the respect we entertain for bishop Sherlock's talents, as a divine and philofopher, we must acknowledge that in this difpute we think that the most important arguments which he has adduced, are clearly and fully refuted by his acute and learned opponent. But while we make this acknowlegement, we mean not to infinuate any opinion with regard to the expediency or inexpediency of the teft and corporation acts. The fubject involves the confideration of fome religious and civil queftions, in the decifion of which it would be diffi cult to avoid the imputation of prejudice.

The Right of Proteftant Diffenters to a Complete Toleration asserted.: 8vo. 35. 6d. Sewed. Johnfon.

This effay contains a historical review of the fituation of the Diffenters under the laws impofing the facramental teft on perfons admitted to offices. The author contends that the impofition of the teft is not only inexpedient, but unjust with refpect to the Proteftant Diffenters of England, and the natives of North Britain; and that relieving them from the test laws could have no tendency to endanger the church. He states and anfwers the objection from the Union with Scotland, which has been urged as an argument that these acts cannot be repealed; and he maintains that the prefent is the proper time for the Diffenters to apply for relief. In a Poftfcript to this Effay are fomee remarks, in reply to the arguments of bishop Sherlock, on the subject of the teft laws lately re-published.

A Letter to the Deputies of Proteftant Diffenting Congregations, in and about the Cities of London and Westminster: on their intended Application to Parliament, for the Repeal of the Corporation and Teft Acts. Small 8vo. Is. Buckland.

The author of this Letter writes in the character of a Diffen, ter, but profeffes to entertain a very different opinion, in ref pect of an application to parliament, from those who have lately advifed or promoted that meafure; and he charges them with impropriety of conduct, in affuming to themselves, who are only a fmall part of the Diffenters, the right of judging: and acting for the whole conftituent body of this clafs of Proteftant fubjects. He reminds them of the caufe between the city of London and the Diffenters in the name of Allen Evans,

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efq. and the decifion of the houfe of lords upon it in the year 1767; obferving the Diffenters then availed themselves of their ineligibility to civil offices, as a defirable privilege, though the promoters of the late application complain of this exclufion as a hardship. He afterwards expoftulates with them on the confequences of the repeal, were it obtained; but with respect to these, the subject has been placed in a much more clear and forcible light by others, than by the prefent difputant, whofe ftrongest argument is the previous concurrence, which ought to be obtained, of the body of Diffenters in an application for the repeal of the obnoxious acts.

A Letter to the Right Hon. W. Pitt, occafioned by his Speech on the
28th of March, 1787, on the Subjects of Toleration and Church
Eftablishments. By Jofeph Priestley, LL. D. 8vo.
Johnson.

15. 6d.

This hafty ill-digefted Letter feems to have been dictated by petulance, excited by difappointment. We perceive the fame fanguine difpofition, the fame fondnefs for his own doctrines, the fame confidence of their generally prevailing, to the utter deftruction of hierarchy, which are fo confpicuous in this author's other works. In thefe vifionary moments, Dr. Priestley fpeaks of the neceffity of a change in the prefent laws, on the principle which occafioned the introduction of Chriftianity, and afterwards of the Reformation. We are difgufted with the frequent repetition of thefe idle fancies, thefe ægri fomnia.'

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In answer to the objection, that the ecclefiaftical establishment might be endangered by acceding to the requifition of the Diffenters, he strenuoufly contends that no fuch danger would enfue; or that, if any danger fhould arife, it could not be fo fudden, but that there might be time enough to prevent the mifchief from proving fatal. He confirms this remark by the example of the toleration in Ireland, where the Diffenters are numerous, and where, notwithstanding this, the test act has been repealed, without any injury to the established church. He defcribes as equally chimerical the apprehenfions of danger to the articles of the union between England and Scotland, from any alterations in the ecclefiaftical conftitution of this country which the members of it fhould be difpofed to make. It has been faid, that if the Diffenters gain this point, they will aim at fomething more. This Dr. Priestley ingenuously acknowledges to be true; and he proceeds to mention fome particulars, which render his theological principles fufficiently evident.-It is his defire that the legiflature fhould repeal the act of king William, which makes it blafphemy to impugn the doctrine of the Trinity. It is likewife an object of his wishes that all the other penal laws, in matters of religion, fhould be abrogated; and that Diffenters be allowed the privilege to be married by their own ministers; on which subject it is infinuated that an application will certainly be made to parliament 'fome time or other'.-In fhort, the toleration demanded by

this free-thinking author is circumfcribed by no bounds, and would involve the total extinction of every ecclefiaftical establishment. To Dr. Priestley, who avowedly glories in these fentiments, they may afford fubject of pleafing fpeculation, unknown to the multitude, whofe minds are impreffed with the venerable doctrines of religion; but if he imagines that the acknowlegement of fuch principles can in any degree favour the application of the Diffenters, we think he is mistaken.

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In the fecond edition the author tells us, what we could not have doubted, fince we know there are men of moderation and judgment in that clafs, that this Letter was written without the concurrence of the body of Diffenters, or the committee who conducted the late application to parliament.' Though they are not anfwerable for his mistakes and imprudence,' their caufe may fuffer by his impetuofity-Of the propriety of the late decifion, it does not become us to fpeak: but it may be deemed unjust, that the interefts of a refpectable body of men fhould be affected by the too forward zeal of one of its members.

An Addrefs to the Proteftant Diffenters who have lately petitioned for a Repeal of the Corporation and Teft Acts. By the Rev. Jofeph Berington. 8vo. IS. Robinsons.

Mr. Berington, the author of this Addrefs, is a Roman Catholic, and expoftulates in a fenfible and fpirited manner with the Diffenters, relative to fome parts of their printed Cafe, which he confiders as injurious to the principles and conduct of thofe of his own religion. The author cordially fubfcribes to the maxim afferted by the Diffenters, that every man has an undoubted right to judge for himfelf in matters of religion. But he obferves, that to admit this principle in theory, and to restrict it in practice, is, in a rational mind, the bafeft logic. It may well be fuppofed, that in a difpute between Diffenters and Roman Catholics there is much room for cafuiftry. With this accomplishment the author now before us is evidently well endowed; and he feems at the fame time to be actuated by a fympathetic difpofition, which has feldom accompanied the exercife of religious controverfy. He fays it was once his with, that the Diffenters, the Roman Catholics, and every British fubject, who, for confcience-fake felt themfelves aggrieved, fhould have united in a common petition to parliament. Such a coalition of interefts would, he thinks, have done them honour; and had no other good refulted from it, the meafure at leaft might have removed prejudices, and have made them better friends. We fufpect, however, that the removal of prejudices must be a previous event, and not the subsequent effect of fuch a coalition of interefts.

COR

CORRESPONDENCE.

WE have received two Letters from the gentleman who chose for his fignature No Critic,' but we muft obferve, that we find him a very intelligent one. His approbation flatters us, and his other opinions are very acceptable. We have not the original of the second volume of Bergman's Opufcula; but the English and French tranflations do not mention any other Ellays. We have reason to believe, that the author collected all his Effays, except one, in the three volumes which he published at Upfal. We fhall, however, be obliged to our correfpondent for any particular information on this subject.

DR. DARWIN's very polite Letter, with the Coloured Drawings, demands our most grateful acknowledgments. Our eyes once feverely fuffered from fimilar experiments; and they have been lately fo much weakened by fome microscopical observations, that we are fearful of again engaging them in other trials till they have acquired fome ftrength. For the prefent, therefore, Dr. Darwin will be fo good as to accept our general remarks on his paper, which were written before the receipt of his Letter. If it be in our power, we fhall avail ourselves of his favour, and take fome opportunity of communicating our more particular obfervations.

IN a late Review, we obferved that we had received a very fatisfactory explanation, though the author modeftly called it a conjectural one, of the caufe of Births increafing in a greater ratio than marriages, in fome country villages. The inftance of Donnington, in Shropshire, is not a folitary one. We find the fame occurrences in many parishes in Gloucestershire, from the collections of Mr. Bigland. It is remarked, with great juftness, that, previous to the marriage-act, many people, for the fake of fecrecy, folemnized their nuptials in a country village; fo that the proportion of marriages to births, fince that period, has been diminished in country parishes, and increased in thofe of towns. In Donnington, we have jeen, the increase of births is as 1 to 2, but of marriages only as 1 to; while in the town of Newport the marriages have increased in the ratio of more than 1 to 2, but the births only of about 7 to 10*. In the kingdom at large, the refults are nearly the fame the towns have increased their baptifms nearly in the proportion of 16 to 26, but their marriages as 18 to 38; whereas the country parishes have the augmentation of births, from about 100 to 156; of marriages, from 14 to 22. The greater proportional increase of marriages to births, on the whole, is accounted for by the greater exactness of the registers; but perhaps fomewhat may be attributed to the prefent modes, which debilitate the conftitution; somewhat to the dearnefs of provisions, which often prevents marriage, till a period of life that does not admit of a numerous offspring.

One-fixth part of the marriages of Northumberland, and nearly half of thofe of Berwick upon Tweed, are faid to be folemnized in Scotland. During twenty years, from 1760 to 1780, the increase of births was nearly as 100 to 121, of marriages only as 100 to 111, both in town and country, with fcarely any perceptible difference.

In the neighbourhood of cathedrals, from fome obfervations which we have made, this difference was partly counterbalanced, by marriages being folemnized there more unfufpectedly than even in the country.

THE

CRITICAL REVIEW.

For M A Y, 1787.

Philofophical Tranfactions of the Royal Society of London. Vol. LXXVI. For the Year 1786. Part II. 4to. 75. 6d. L. Davis.

THE

HE publication of this part of the annual volume has been delayed too long; but it is fo very interefting and important, that we receive it with pleasure: we are forry that it is not in our power to be minute in the account of the articles in proportion to their confequence.-The first in this new part is

Article XIV. New Experiments upon Heat. By Col. Sir Benj. Thompson, Knt. F.R.S.-Col. Thompson has attempted an arduous task, but he has completed little: he has led us to think, but he has not decided. We, however, owe him much on account of the attempt. His object was to ascertain what power a vacuum had in conducting heat, and he chose the most perfect vacuum, that of Torricelli, made by the affistance of mercury, entirely cleared from air by boiling in the tube. His contrivances were ingenious; but this objection attends almoft every one, that the tube which was exhaufted, touched in fome point the tube of the thermometer, or the communication was made by a medium, whose conducting power was greater than that of glass. It appeared, however, that the vacuum, even with this imperfection, was a worse conductor than air; fo that, a fortiori, if it were poffible entirely to infulate the thermometer, it would probably appear to conduct heat more imperfectly. But fome other circumftances may influence the experiment; for rarified air is little inferior, in this power, to common air. Moift air is a powerful conductor of heat and our author argues a little too rapidly in explaining, from it, the cold we feel in damp weather. There are times when it does not feem to have any power of this kind, for we fometimes feel fultry fogs, though not fo often as cold ones; and he should confider that they may conduct the fun's heat to us, as well as carry off the animal heat. In fact their power, in Voi. LXIII. May, 1787.

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