"In a more advanced part of this work, it shall be shewn, that the several occasions on which the psalm is recorded by the sacred writers to have been sung, were in every respect similar; and the contents of the psalm always the same, from the time of Judith upward, to the most early period upon record."

Dr. H. then applies the same hypothesis to the prophets, and pretends to "demonstrate," that from the time of Malachi to Elijah, and from Elijah up to the times of Abraham" the season of Psalm and Prophecy was never altered; and that there are but few occasions on which the prophet is not a regular messenger of God, who returns with the word at a certain period of the year."

Thus far I think we cannot misunderstand our Author, that the GRAND OBJECT of prophecy was the RAINY SEASON, and the CHIEF OFFICE of the PROPHET and the PSALMIST to foretel or celebrate it; and if this be true, I appeal to you and to my Readers, whether it does not sink the prophets to the rank of stargazers and prognosticators of the weather, and reduce the Old Testament to the value of an old Hebrew almanack.

But even this, shocking as it may appear, seems to me much less so than the perversion of Scripture and sacred criticism employed to give it the colour of plausibility.

The learned Professor begins by asserting, "that the season of the promulgation of prophecy, and of singing the psalm, was at a great public feast, common to the Hebrews, with every other nation of the east; which feast was regulated by the return of the periodical rains of autumn." He then remarks, page 5, "With the Hebrews we read of a former and a latter rain, which fell at particular periods, and without which they were liable to scarcity and famine. The former rain seems to have sometimes descended in the eighth, and sometimes in the ninth month of the Hebrew year, not many weeks after the feast of tabernacles, which took place in the seventh month." The latter rain refers to "the end of the showery season,' (a period of some weeks calm and dry weather intervening." P.55.)

Having fairly stated the Author's

hypothesis, I proceed to shew the extravagant manner in which he ap plies the language of the sacred writers in its favour. It has been remarked of the learned Dr. Hammond, that having adopted peculiar hypotheses relative to the destruction of Jerusalem, and the heresy of the Gnostics, he could see nothing else in the New Testament: so our Professor can see nothing in the Old Testament, but the former and the latter rain, and the feasts thereto belonging. Of this I shall trouble you with a few out of many instances.

"The great occasion of sacrifice, feasting, and thanksgiving, an occasion which gave birth to the WHOLE of that beautiful collection of odes, the book of PSALMS, and ALMOST ALL the prophecies, was the approach and fall of the former rain." P. 14.

In the following passage the awful judgments of God are reduced to the phænomena of a thunder-storm, and his special presence to the showery season!- "Whenever the prophet speaks of God as approaching, or the day of the Lord as at hand, it may be taken for granted, that he is predicting the autumnal rains. The Hebrews do not, indeed, ascribe the special presence of God to any season but this, and therefore when he comes, he is always described as coming to judge." P. 19.

Again, if the Psalmist exclaims, "The Lord is KING; or, if the prophet declares, Jehovah shall reign in Mount Sion, it may be concluded that both are speaking of the former rain." In like manner, he tells us, if either "speaks of Jehovah as the ROCK of his people, we may rest assured that he is celebrated as the source of waters." P. 21.

66

.

According to our Author, the psalm seems EVER to have taken place in the night, and to have been attended with splendid illuminations," Surely this writer must have read the Scriptures with a veil upon his eyes, if not upon his heart. David often speaks of praising God in the morning, yea, three times in a day. (See Psalm lv. lvii. Ixiii.) Great part of the service of the temple, it is well known, was performed in the morning; but Dr 11. like some fashionable people, turns day into night, and night into day. Let us hear his reason. When one prophet says, "The light of the moon shall be as the light of

the sun;" he explains it of the light of the former being increased by famps and torches to be "as clear as the day:" and this he calls alluding in a very elegant manner to the illuminations. And when the prophet adds, "the light of the sun shall be sevenfold," our Author, (as if inspired by a moon-beam) tells us, it imports, that the illumination shall continue for "seven successive nights!"-Still farther, ascending by a happy climax to the acme of absurdity, the learned Professor assures us, that when JEHOVAH is spoken of as the "light everlasting" of his people, it is a * direct allusion to the illuminations." P. 24-5.

During these extraordinary nights we are told "the prophet was favoured with those divine communications, which are termed the word of God." But if these communications respected only the approach of rain, which came regularly in the eighth or ninth month, except in extraordinary cases, they surely little deserve to be called "divine," or to be stiled emphatically, "the word of God!"

But war too, according to this Author, was regulated in the same manher, commencing a little before the rainy season, and terminating on "the first appearance," of its infal. lible presages, p. 32. This, if true, must have made short campaigns, and the Hebrew annals would not bave been so deeply stained with blood. But who can forbear a smile at such suppositions as the following; that the flight of the Philistines, after the death of Goliah, was not occasioned by the loss of their champion, but by the approach of rain; and that the song of Moses at the Red Sea, was the song of rain, because he speaks of the waters overflowing;yet such are the arguments by which Our ingenious Author labours to support his hypothesis. See page 58,

and 66.

Of those noble odes which constitute the book of Psalms, and which have been hitherto understood as descriptive of the various feelings which agitate the heart of a good man, on a great variety of occasions, we have the following curious classification. In the first class he places those which "betray much apprehension from the enemy, and much despair

of rain."-In the second, those which "look forward to the rain and the flight of the enemy" as blessings, it is

devoutly presumed," "God will not withhold."-And in the third, "those rapturous and extatic compositions, which either exult at the certainty of their deliverance by the descent of the rain, or triumph over the foe, already dispersed by it, and rejoice in the anticipation of plenty." So that the rain-the rain-and the rain, was still some way or other the burden of the sacred ode, and the pious Author had no feelings to express but what concerned either the weather or the wars!

But let us examine his instances. When the Psalmist (Psalm xlii.) pants after God, we are informed (page 88.) that "he longed for the rain." When (Psalm xliii.) he prays ❝ send forth thy light and thy truth," he is imploring rain and lightning, or rather wishing for "the nocturnal illumination," which also we are required to believe is constantly intended by the light of God's countenance! (page 91.) When he desires to "walk before God in the light of the living," (Psalm lvi.) we are told "the Hebrew literally signifies, that he may personally make procession to the presence of his God, in the light of those that are preserved:" (page 92.) that is, to make this consistent with the last interpretation, the height of David's piety consisted in muking procession with lamps and flambeaux, together with the song, the shout, and the universal uproar" of the people, (page 87.) in order to join the illuminations (which he calls the presence of God) in the Temple. What a new and easy "practice of piety" is this! Surely a London mob must be very pious, for we have a recent instance, and shortly expect another, which will demonstrate how fond they are of lights and illuminations-yea, and of making procession too, with "music-the joy, the shout, and the universal apraar!!!"

But to be serious, (as it is indeed a very serious misfortune that a learned Doctor of Divinity, and Professor of Poetry should thus debase and expose to ridicule the sublime devotion of our inspired writer;) I shall add but one other specimen of our Author's new Translation and exposition, which occurs in his version of the

one hundred and forty-third Psalm, a part of which runs thus: "Answer me speedily, O Lord, my hurricane faileth; hide not thy presence (in the illuminations) from me, and I shall be likened to those that go down to the well.... Teach me to perform thy pleasure, for thou art my God, thy hurricane is plenty." Would the English reader believe, that this is the same text rendered by our translator, and by learned men in general, thy Spirit is good? Will the Author produce any reason, any authority, or even any apology, for transforming the soul of the Psalmist, and even the Spirit of God, into a hurricane! Will any Doctor of Theology pretend that ruach (m) the Hebrew word used for spirit, properly signifies a hurricane ? or will he condescend to give us a reason for its being here so rendered? I am much mistaken if he can. if ruach signify a hurricane in the Old Testament, then should not pneuma, its corresponding word in the New Testament, signify the same? I know that one learned critic talks, ridicu

But

lously enough, of "a holy wind,” and "a wind of holiness;" but our Author would improve it, I suppose, to "a holy hurricane,"-"a hurricane of holiness." So that between these two learned writers we shall get completely rid of the Spirit of God, with all his works, and influences-yea, and of our own spirits too; for if when we read my spirit faileth, i.e. fainteth, we are to read "my hurricane faileth,' so, in other instances, we must read, my hurricane, rejoiceth;" and as our Author applies the same term to Deity, we must read, "I will pour forth my hurricane upon all flesh;" which, however applicable it might have been to the universal deluge, must sound extremely strange when promised as a blessing to all mankind.

I have confined my observations to the first class of Psalms; though the same strange and absurd explication accompany the other classes. And as I conceive the Reader must be already tired of these absurdities, I proceed no farther; but I would conjure men of learning, and those who conceive themselves to be men of genius, to be cautious how they attempt to obtrude on the public syssems, so repugnant to common sense, left, while they gain a momentary applause for ingenuity and novelty,

READ your Prospectus with a con

I siderable degree of interest. Having been much disgusted with the party principles of the existing reviews, I was gratified to hear of a Literary Journal, the plan of which promises nearly the same utility, without their inconvencies and defects. Yet, Sir, as a man of some literary experience, who has been often disappointed in works of fair promise and liberal profession, permit me to say, I am not without my fears and jealousies respecting yours; and, at the same time, with your leave, I wish to suggest a few things which appear to me important to maintain the respectability of your Work, and secure the public patronage.

It is

In your own department, Mr. Editor, I would recommend to keep as much as possible to the analytical plan. I know that a good analysis requires care and candour. much more difficult than to copy a table of contents; yet who can be entertained or instructed with the latter? It may recommend the book, but will not recommend your work to readers, who require something to inform and please: nor will mere detached extracts satisfy; I would therefore advise, when practicable, to throw your contents into the narrative form, and to introduce your extracts between, so as to relieve the

tedium of reading the mere heads of chapters.

Another hint I have to offer, respecting the nature of the works you honour with analysis and extract. If you wish to procure our respect and preserve our attention, you must not All your pages with the ephemeron productions of the herd of play-writers and novelists, the poetasters and quidnuncs of the day. We must have useful science, (as popular as you please) sterling sense, nervous Ian guage; and, permit me to add, good morals and sound divinity in their turn; which is the more reasonable, as I suppose many of your readers will be of the clerical order, the bulk of whom are known not to be able to purchase books, though they are expected to be men of extensive reading. In deference to their cloth, I would also hope you will sometimes indulge us with a little classical and biblical criticism, when it appears to you valuable and important.

What I have to suggest to young correspondents is with equal propriety addressed to you, since it is to the Editor men look for the selection and superintendance of their papers. Permit me to caution you against three or four sorts of scribblers, very dangerous to the peace of your readers, and the success of your work.

1. Angry politicians, whether minis

terial or anti-ministerial. Turn them over to the newspapers. Give us as much sound polítical information as you please, but teize us not with the bickerings of the inns and outs; the squabbles for the loaves and fishes.

2. Religious Bigots, of all denominations, whether in the establishment, or among the numerous sectaries that divide from it. Guard us from a persecuting spirit on the one hand, and a turbulent disposition on the othera temperate clergyman and a peaceable dissenter, both claim our respect; and nothing can be more unjust than the reflections of party journalists on the one side or the other.

3. Sceptical philosophers, who, from affected modesty, reduce every thing to a query, hesitate on every impor tant principle in morals or religion;

and reason downward till they doubt of God." Rational investiga tion should on all subjects be encouraged; at the same time, as those should be guarded against who wish to overturn the first principles of religion, morals, and civil government, and reduce it to anarchy and atheism.

4. Literary pugilists, those polemi cal writers, who contend not for truth but victory, and who attack persons. more than principles; whose object is rather to vilify an opponent than refute him. Yet such is human nature, that these writers, by publishing wit for argument, and strong language for good sense, often acquire a momentary popularity, greatly to the injury of truth, and the reproach of public taste.

These brief hints, Mr. Editor, are submitted to your opinion and revision from one who means to be a subscriber, and, if acceptable, an ocsional contributor.

OXONIENSIS.

The Life of Bonaparte, First Consul of France, from his Birth to the Peace of Luneville, translated from the French, with a Portrait by Heath, 8s. boards. Robinsons. Adelphi. A Sketch of the Character of the Rev. John Cowper, by his brother W. Cowper, Esq. 1s. Williams.

Scripture Biography, by J. Watkens, LL.D. 12mo. 4s. 6d. Philips.

Memoirs of the late Rev. James Garie, of Perth; with Extracts from his Diary, and an Appendix. Compiled by W. Gardiner, Perth, 8vo. Ritchie.

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Life and Military Atchievements of Bonaparte, 1s. 6d. Badcock.

Memoirs of Froissart, with an essay on his works, from the French of M. de St. Palaye, by T. Johnes, Esq. M. P. 5s. bds. White.

CHEMISTRY.

An Epitome of Chemistry, in three parts, by W. Henry, second edition, 5s. 6d. boards. Johnson.

DRAMA.

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The Accomplished Tutor; or Complete System of Liberal Education, by Thomas Hodson, 2 vols. 8vo. 18s, bds. Symonds.

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An English Key to Xenophon's Memorabilia of Socrates, by B. Smith, M. D. 8vo. 5s. boards. Mathews.

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Ri

The Visit for a Week; or, Hints on the Improvement of Time, for young persons, by Lucy Peacock, fifthedit. 48. Badcock.

Rudiments of the Greek Language, shortly illustrated, and a compendious Lexicon, for the use of those who wish to make themselves acquainted with the New Testament, in the original, by Greville Ewing. Ritchie, Edinburgh; Duncan and Niven, Glasgow.

Letters on the Elementary Principles of Education, by Elizabeth Hamilton, vol. 2, boards, 8s. Robinsons.

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Reports of Cases in the Court of King's Bench last Michaelmas, by E. H. East, of the Inner Temple, Barrister, vol. ii. part 2, royal 8vo. Butterworth.

Reports of Cases, argued and determined in the High Court of Chancery, vol. v. part 3, beginning with Michaelmas Term, 41 Geo. III. 1800, and ending with the sittings after Hilary Term, 41 Geo. III.