ranks of life, upon which the happiness and the virtue of the community greatly depend." p. 266, 267. Section VI. Hints respecting the prevention of infectious fevers, and the establishment of houses of recovery; with an engraving of John Haygarth, M.D. As this section chiefly refers to the construction and management of hospitals for the reception of fever patients, we only observe that cleanliness and air are recommended as the best means to expedite the cure. As purifying infected places has been recommended by medical practitioners, the Doctor inserts that recommended by Dr. Carmichael Smyth; and as it may be useful for private families, we insert it for the benefit of our readers. "Put half an ounce of vitriolic acid into a crucible, or into a glass, or china cup, or deep saucer; warm this over a lamp, or in heated sand, adding to it, from time to time, some nitre. These vessels should be placed at twenty or thirty feet distance from each other, according to the height of the ceiling, or virulence of the contagion, and should be stirred with glass spatulas. In hospitals or prisons the lamps or vessels containing heated sand may be placed on the floor; on board of ships it will be better to hang them to the ceiling by waxed silk cords." p. 339, 340. In this section is introduced some very distressing cases of extreme misery witnessed by J. Neild in his philanthrophic researches into the state of our prisons; his accounts are truly affecting. Accompanying this section are engraved sketches of a fever hospital, and a plan of a cot-bedstead constructed of iron. The advantages arising from the establishment of houses of recovery to keep fever patients separate from other patients, and in the different stages of the complaint to remove them into distinct rooms, appears from the following statement. "The comparative number of contagious fevers at Manchester, for three years previous to the establishment of the house of recovery in 1796, and in one year succeeding its establishment, appears to have been as follows: From Sept. 1793 to May 1796. .1256. From May 1796 to May 1797.....26." Dr. Haygarth says, in a letter to Dr. Percival: "Fresh air and cleanliness were the only means which I employed to prevent infection." (To be concluded in our next.) CXVIII. AN ESSAY on the Method of illustrating Scripture from the Relation of Modern Travellers in Palestine and the Neighbouring Countries. Published, in pursuance of the Will of the late Mr. Norris, as having gained the Annual Prize instituted by him in the University of Cambridge. By JOHN FOSTER, A. B. Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge. TH HE principles of this essay are laid down in the following observations. "I. By the researches of Sir William Jones and Mr. Maurice, and by the relations of modern travellers in the East, there appears to be a striking analogy between several oriental traditions, and the Mosaic account of the formation of the world by the Spirit of God, the order of creation, the consecration of the seventh day to rest, the original perfection of man, his fall, the precise method of it, a consequent change in the earth, the longevity of the human species, their accumulated impiety, the deluge, its universality, the prediction of the exact number of days before this awful event was to commence, the period of its continuance, the number of persons saved in the ark, the story of the raven and the dove, the appearance of the rain-bow with the reasons of it, the building of Babel, and the dispersion of mankind; but, above all, a confused idea of a Mediator seems alway to have prevailed currently among the nations of the East. "II. It is of moment also to observe. that there has been little, if any intercourse, and certainly none sufficiently early, between the Jews and Hindoos to produce that universal and surprising conformity, which exists in the respective traditions of these nations. From this consideration consequences will result of the first importance to mankind. "III. It also appears, that many of these oriental traditions obtained earlier than the time of Moses, mutilated, indeed, by different sects, and ་ diversified, as it might naturally be expected, by the inventive genius of man. The Mosaic narration, then, of these facts, must either have been a compilation from such oriental traditions, or the effect of an imme. diate revelation from the Deity. But the former opinion is highly impro. bable, because, as we have already observed, there has been no adequate communication between the Hindoos and the descendants of Israet. And the probability of the latter opinion may be established by contrasting the perfections of the Mosaic narrative with the imperfections of these oriental traditions; the connexion, purity, simplicity, congruity of the one, with the incoherence, impurity, want of simplicity, incongruity of the other: its probability, however, has been especially established by demonstrating the exact conformity of some of the principal events ́ recorded in the book of Genesis with the course and constitution of nature. The same reasons, consequently, which render the former opinion improbable, will always render the latter probable." p.3-5. These principles are illustrated by a variety of observations from which we extract the following, observing by the way, that "Burder's Oriental Customs," of which we lately gave an account, is a work formed exactly on the principles here recommended. "XXX. Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment, and a bab'bler is no better.' They are like *the deaf adder, that stoppeth her ear, which will not hearken to the voice of the charmer, charming ever so wisely.'-Who will pity a 'charmer, that is bitten with a serpent?' It is an established fact, that serpents may be charmed, and rendered perfectly harmless by musical sounds. But our two last quotations seem to allude to certain persons, who made a profession of charming serpents, not by music particularly, but by words. The charmers of serpents,' says Mr. Browne, seem worthy of remark, their powers ap'pearing extraordinary. The serpent most common at Kabira is of the viper class, and undoubtedly poisonous. If one of them enters a house, they send for a charmer, who CXIX. A PLEA for Religion and the Sacred Writings: addressed to the Disciples of Thomas Paine, and wavering Christians of every Persuasion. With an Appendix, contains ing the Author's Determination to have relinquished his Charge in the Established Church, and the Reasons on which that Determination was founded. By the Rev. DAVID SIMPSON, M.A. 8vo. T appears by an advertisement completely finished, and on the point of being published by the author, when death prevented him, in March 1799. His executors, from motives not generally interesting, hesitated on the propriety of making the work public. His son, Mr. D. Simpson, being now of age, and the edition and copy-right belonging to him, he thinks it his duty to perform the intentions of his father. "In the preface it is observed, that though dristical principles may buoy up the minds of persons influenced by them, while health and prosperity smile, they will generally fail us in seasons of adversity, and especially in the views of approaching dissolution." This is exemplified in the eases of some of the mutineers, the late Lord P--, and particularly in the death of William Pope, of Bolton in Lancashire, who in the view of death called for damnation, and instead of being thankful to those who would have endeavoured to administer comfort to him, manifested the greatest enmity against them. The speech of Mr. Erskine, and Lord Kenyon's address to the jury on the trial of Williams, for publish. ing Paine's Age of Reason, follow, and an address to the reader, in which Bishop Watson's Apology for the Bible, and his Apology for Christia nity, are warmly recommended. In a second advertisement the au thor having given the outlines of the work, says, If he is thought severe upon the episcopal and clerical orders of men, let it be remarked, that he esteems them all very highly in love for their office sake, because he is persuaded it is of divine appointment; and that, if at any time he has given way to his indignation, and expressed himself in strong terms against these orders, it is never intended to affect any but the culpable part of them; and that both the prophets under the Old Testament dispensation, and CHRIST with his apostles under the New, have done the same. We can not follow better examples. But in a Plea for Religion and the Sacred Writings, where is the propriety of exposing the imperfections of the church, with her bishops and clergy? 46 Because the undiscerning world in general, and our deistical fellow creatures in particular, constantly unite them together, and wound the pure and immortal religion of JESUS CHRIST and the Holy Scriptures through their sides: whereas they are things essentially different. What has the character and gospel of CHRIST to do with the preaching of JUDAS, the cowardice of PETER, the ambition of JAMES and JOHN, the lukewarmness and worldly spirit of our bishops and clergy, or with the superstitious and secular appendages of the Church of Rome, the Church of England, or any other human establishment under heaven? They are things perfectly distinct. And if we mean to defend the Gospel to any purpose, it must be the Gospel alone, independent of every human mixture and addition. Corrupt churches and bad men cannot be defended." p. xx, xxi. 66 The author expresses his desire to speak the plain honest truth, as it appears to him, without courting any man's favour, or fearing any man's displeasure to this expression the following note is subjoined, King GEORGE II. who was fond of the late Mr. WHISTON, happened to be walking with him one day, during the heat of his persecution, in Hampton Court gardens. As they were talking upon this subject, his Majesty observed, that however right he might be in his opinions, it would be better if he kept them to 'himself.'- Is your Majesty really VOL. I. . serious in your advice answered the old man, I really am,' replied the King. Why then,' said WHISTON, had MARTIN LUTHER been of this way of thinking, where would your Majesty have been at this time'?" p. xxiv. The author commences his work, by shewing the tendency of the principles and practice of religion to be happiness; and mentions some well known characters eminent in their stations in life, and no less eminent for piety, and then proceeds to give a number of examples illustrative of his design under the following descriptions.-DYING INFIDELS.- -PENITENT and RECOVERED INFIDELS. DYING CHRISTIANS, who have lived too much in the spirit of the world, and CHRISTIANS dying, either with great composure of mind, or, IN THE FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH. From the first class, containing twelve examples, passing by Mr. HOBBES and young SERVIN, we select the account of "the Honourable FRANCIS NEWPORT, who died in the year 1692. He was favoured both with a liberal and religious education. After spending five years in the university he was entered in one of the inns of court. Here he fell into the hands of infidels, lost all his religious impressions, commenced infidel himself, and became a most abandoned character, uniting himself to a club of wretches who met together constantly to encourage each other in being critically wicked. In this manDer he conducted himself for several years, till at length his intemperate courses brought on an illness, which revived all his former religious impressions, accompanied with an horror of mind inexpressible. The violence of his torments was such, that he sweat in the most prodigious manner that, was ever seen. In nine days he was reduced from a robust state of health to perfect weakness, during all which time his language was the most dreadful that imagination can conceive. At one time, looking toward the fire, he said, Oh! that I was to lie and broil upon that fire for a hundred thousand years, to pur'chase the. favour of God, and be reconciled to him again! But it is a fruitless vain wish; millions of millions of years will bring me no nearer the end of my tortures than one poor hour. O eternity! eter 6 6 3 P upon ' ever!' nity! who can properly paraphrase thor then proceeds to notice another, the words for ever and and says, "Others again take of fence at the absurd doctrines of the several religious Establishments in Christendom. They discover in them certain peculiarities which they conceive to be irrational. They confound the doctrines of these human institutions (which were formed in the very dawn of the Reformation, while men's eyes were yet scarcely open enough to discover truth) with genuine Christianity. Not being at the pains to examine matters to the bottom, and distinguish accurately, they suppose them to be alike, and hence contract a rooted indifference, if not an unconquerable aversion, to all religion. "In this kind of strain he went on, till his strength was exhausted, and his dissolution approached; when recovering a little breath, with a groan so dreadful and lond as if it had not been human, he cried out, Oh! the insufferable pains of hell and dam 'nation" and so died; death settling the visage of his face in such a form as if the body, though dead, was sensible of the extremity of torments." p. 1 1. The miserable death of Voltaire is related at some length, and the death of Altamont, in Young's Centaur, is inserted, and after some others, the character and some circumstances in the life of Rousseau, with his presumptuous death, close this class. The examples of the following classes bear a uniform testimony to the unhappiness arising from indifference to the Scriptures, and the felicity which accompanies the attentive study of, and serious regard to their contents. Contrasting the peculiar advantages of religion in the happiness it produces, particularly at the close of life, the author makes a serious appeal to the infidel, and names some illustrious characters who have warmly contended for religion, and then introduces the objections raised against Christianity. Before we notice them, we think our readers will be gratified with the following anecdote. When Dr. Halley was throwing out, upon a time, some indecent reflections upon Christianity, his friend, Sir ISAAC NEWTON, stopt him short, and addressed him in these, or the like words, which imply that this great astronomer had employed his life in studying only the book of nature:- Dr. HALLEY, I am always glad to hear you when you speak about astronomy, or other parts of the mathematics, because that is a subject you have studied, and well understand; but you should 'not talk of Christianity, for you have not studied it: I have, and am certain you know nothing of the matter'." p. 72. The objections are then stated and answered. The first, which argues the hypocrisy of many great pretenders to religion, is soon dismissed, and so is the second, viz. the weakness, folly, and enthusiasm, the noise and nonsense of the zealots. The au "Some there are again, who, seeing the pomp and pride of many of our bishops and dignified clergy, how they, in direct opposition to the holy spirit of the Gospel, the example of primitive clerks, as well as their own holy profession, scramble for emolument, and heap together from two to half a score lucrative pieces of preferment, while several thousands of their brethren are destitute of the ordinary comforts of life; witheat further examination, naturally suppose that religion is all priest-craft and self-interest, honour and con. science having nothing to do in the business.-It may be of use to state this more at large. "It is well known then, that there are about 18,000 clergymen in England and Wales, of the established religion, and near 10.000 parishes. The rectories are 5,098; the vicaroges 3,687; the livings of other descriptions 2,970; in all 11,755. Twenty or thirty of those livings may be a thousand a year and upwards; four or five hundred of them 500 pounds a year and upwards; two thousand of them 200 pounds a year and upwards; five thousand of them under 100 pounds a year. The average value of livings is about 140 pounds a year, reckoning them at 10,000. As these things are not very generally understood, we will be a little more particular. 66 "In the year 1714, when QUEEN ANNE's bounty began to be distributed. there were, "In all 5,697 livings not more than 50 pounds a year a piece. This bounty is about 13,000 pounds a year, clear of deductions, and is therefore equal to 65 augmentations, annually, ai 200 pounds a piece. 46 The whole income of the church, and two universities, is about 1,500,000 pounds a year. There are 26 bishops, whose annual income is 72,000, or according to another account 92,000 pounds. Each bishop, therefore, has on an average 2.770 or 3,538 pounds a year, supposing he had no other preferment. There are 28 deaneries and chapters, whose income is about 5000 pounds a year each, making together about 140,000 pounds -The income of the two universities is together about 180,000 pounds a year. The 10,000 clergy have together about 1,108.000 pounds a year among them, which is little more than 100 pounds a piece. The whole body of the clergy, and their families, make near 100,000 souls, that is, an eightieth part of the nation. And reckoning the population of England and Wales at eight millions of people, every clergyman would have a congregation of 414 persons to attend to, in the same way of calculation. "There are, moreover, 28 ca hedvals, 26 deans, 60 archdeacons, and 544 prebinds, canons, &c.- besides these, there are in all about 300 in orders belonging to the different cathedrals, and about 800 lav officers, such as singing men, organists, &c. who are all paid from the cathedral emoluments; so that there are about 1700 persons attached to the several cathedrals, who divide among them 140,000 pounds a year, making upon an average near 83 pounds a year a piece. The whole income of the Kirk of Scotland was, in 1755, about 68,500 pounds a year. This was divided among 944 ministers, and on an average inade 72 pounds a piece per common necessaries of life? And then it is curious enough that these church dignitaries, who are in possession of several thousands a year per man, have made laws directly contrary to the practice of St. PAUL, that the inferior clergy, who are destitute of all the elegancies, and many of the comforts of life, shall not be permitted to follow any other calling, whereby to improve their condition, and get bread for their families! Would there be any thing inconsistent with the character of a minister of the Gospel of CHRIST, if the poor rectors, vicars, and curates of the country should make a common cause, and associate together in one body against their unfeeling oppressors? Could there be any impropriety in their conduct, if they should peaceably and respectfully address the king, who is temporal head of the church, or the legislature of the land, to take their circumstances into serious consideration? One man, not a doit better than his brethren, shall enjoy 20,000 pounds a year-another 15,000-another 10,000-another 5,000-another 3,000--another 2,000—and another 1,000. One shall heap bring upon living, preferment upon preferment-to a vast amount--merely because he has got accesstoo often by mean compliances-to some great man, while his more worthy brother is almost in want of bread for his children. The late Dr. LAW, Bishop of Carlisle, if my memory does not fail me, was possessed at the time of his decease of ten or more different preferments. He was bishopHead of a college-Prebend-RectorLibrarian, &c. &c. &c. and all this bestowed upon him--not because he was more holy, useful, and laborious than ordinary; though a man of merit and talents; but because he wriggled himself into favour with certain great persons, who had influence with men in power. Instances of this kind are not uncommon; they are, however, unjust, impolitical, unchristian. No wise legislature ought to permit such abuses, religion out of the question." This appears to be a favourite topic with our author, who, after expatiating more at large, returns to his subject in the following manner: "All these circumstances," says the author, with others of a similar kind, are the causes why so many |