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dent research, his keen acumen, his ready ingenuity? Fortunately, a man's own word is now taken on these points; and I am sure, of whatever metal the age may in other respects be composed, this is the golden age of authors. I remember I was broaching this opinion the other evening in company, when a young lady, who sat at iny right hand, turned suddenly round upon me, and with a very significant look, said, Brass highly •polish'd resembles gold." pp. 8-10. The materials of this work are mingled with a whimsical variety. A few literary and moral essays occur, on composition, education, time, &c. intermixed with critiques, letters, tales, romances, and short effusions of the muse; the author generally aiming to unite a moral tendency with a manner light and entertaining, and adapted to please the numerous relatives of the Saunter family. Of his style and talents we shall give two or three short specimens, in the following extracts.

"Julian was the son of a mechanic in a populous town; and as soon as he could guide the awl, was kept hard to work in his father's shop, mending the soles of all the pedestrians in the town. Julian disliked cobbling very much, and confinement still more; but he stuck to the last, only now and then making a holiday with some other boys, for which he never failed to be rewarded with a good drubbing -At length his father died; and Julian, who was yet too young to set up as a maker and mender of soles on his own account, was taken as shop-boy by an oilman within a few doors of his father's stall. As he had now frequently parcels to carry to different parts of the town, he very mach preferred his new way of life; and not seldom did he loiter on his errands to lengthen his enjoyments of fresh air and exercise.

"One day he was sent with a parcel to the house of Albano, and having lingered more than he commonly did, it was late in the evening ere he arrived. He had been ordered to make haste, and he found by the old woman who received the parcel, that his negligence had not been unnoticed.by Albano; indeed he heard his voice, blaming aloud the master of the shop for not having sent his colours, as he ordered, before the evening.

VOL. I.

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I never saw any thing so beautiful,' replied Julian, except the sun to-night as it was setting behind. 'Wood-Hill.’

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Did you stop to look at that? asked Albano with a smile. 'Yes,' replied the lad, I could 'not help it."

Come up with me, then,' said Albano.

"Julian tripped after Albano, and beheld with a delight he could find no words to express, a number of fine paintings, some by Albano, and some by the best masters.-He was all eye: and though he scarcely spoke three words, he received half-a-crown from Albano, and went home happier than he had ever been before! He played truant no more. Having made up parcels for Albano at different times, he took small quantities of the different colours, and at every leisure half minute, flew to his garret to grind, to arrange, to view his treasures.

"In time he was again sent to Albano. He had not now loitered by the way; on the contrary, he was breathless with the haste he had made. He begged to be permitted to take the parcel up stairs himself. The old woman granted his petition.--Albano was painting. Julian advanced timid ly, was welcomed by Albano, and at length gained courage to watch the movement of the master's hand. He made new errands, and every errand was a new lesson.-At length he waited once more on Albano-his parcel was larger than common. He hesitated-looked at the valuable pictures around him-blushed-and at length produced a piece of his own. It was the sun setting behind Wood-Hill. -Albano looked at the piece, then at Julian-again at the piece.

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Julian,' said he, this is not 'perfect, but you must not carry out oils and pickles any longer; you 'shall come and grind my colours.'

"Julian obtained his discharge, was received by Albano, became his pupil, and soon more than rivalled his master.

"The happy moment that first shewed to the wondering eyes of the boy the creative powers of the pencil, awakened in his mind a dormant faculty, of which till then he was unconscious. Albano must have felt a pleasure of the purest kind when he reflected that he had been the means of producing such a genius to the world; for though perhaps, in the grave calculations of moralists and philosophers, it is of no real consequence to mankind to have painters, poets, or sculptors, yet it cannot be denied but that those elegant arts are in themselves great sources of pleasure. Those who only admire the effects produced, find in them no inconsiderable addition to their enjoyment; while those whose powers produce the effect, derive from their exertion a constant, and surely a laudable fountain of delight. Who then shall say, that the faculty of conceiving and executing works which rouse all the powers of the mind, confer delight on the artist during the performance, and gratify numbers with the mere sight of it,-who shall say these faculties, these feelings, were implanted in our minds for no purpose, that they are unworthy the pursuit or the admiration of a reasonable being? For my part, I am convinced that every feeling was placed in our minds for some good purpose; and the powers of genius, of wit, of taste, of sense, of spirit, were never given us to lie dormant. Man was made to be happy; and if these faculties add to his happiness, why should they be thrown from him with ingratitude?" pp. 128-133.

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spoiled me; however, I recollect, and shall to my latest hour, that she implanted in my mind the seeds of all I have ever known, and with a tenderness and gentleness that render her memory the dearest possession I have. I was then thrown on the protection of other relations, already occupied with the care of children who had engrossed their affection. Accustomed only to the voice of fondness, and ever habituated to declare openly all that I did, at my first vacation from the boarding-school where I was placed, I related a little trick of no great turpitude, which had escaped the knowledge of my governess. A visit was paid, without me, to the market town where my school was, and I was informed that my governess had discovered the circumstance, and, as an expiation, had enjoined me to learn the first act of the French tragedy of Athalia, on which condition complete oblivion was promised. The task was enormous, but I cheerfully complied. My holidays, indeed, were clouded over by the necessity of intense application to a disagreeable labour; but I succeeded, and used daily to repeat a proper proportion of it to my aunt, who did

not understand a word of French!

"At length the dreaded morning arrived. I was to return, to repeat the whole act, and to be forgiven, when, as I was earnestly looking it over, I was informed that the whole was a deception, and that my goverDess had enjoined no task, for she had discovered no misconduct. Can you wonder, Mr. Saunter, that my little heart closed for ever against the deceiver-that openness fled from my lips-and that sullen gloom and discontent took the place of affection in my heart? Fatal, indeed, to my happiness and manners for many years were the effects of this cruel deception; nor perhaps shall I ever wholly recover that confidence, that fearless warmth, which that avowal so harshly blasted.

“Farewell, Mr. Saunter! and continue, I beseech you, to use your utmost efforts for the encouragement of truth and sincerity, since the foregoing account proves that the violation of them may be attended with effects not obvious on the first glance.

"I remain, Sir, "Your very humble servant, "ALINDA."

"TO SOLOMON SAUNTER, ESQ. "Sir,

"In riding through an unfrequented part of the country the other day, I met a travelling knife-grinder, whose name was inscribed on his wheel, with the following addition, 'Grinder from

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this place to the next.' This absurd information reminded me of a similar mark of wisdom in Suffolk, where a post is placed in the middle of a stream, with these words legibly painted on it- When the water is above the top of this post, it is danto cross. These blunders gerous seem of the same nature with those ascribed to the natives of the sister kingdom; and though the circumstances contain nothing worthy of your notice, they may serve to fill up the corner of a paper, if ever it can happen to you that subjects should fall short.

"I am, Sir,

"Your most obedient servant,
"VIATOR."
pp. 125-128.

We cannot help regretting, that Mr. Saunter's stationer furnished him

with so very indifferent paper for his Lucubrations, especially as the price of the work would certainly afford a

better.

XXII. THE CIRCULAR ATLAS, and Compendious System of Geography, being a comprehensive and particular Delineation of the known World, whether relative to the Situation, Extent, and Boundaries of Empires, Kingdoms, Republics, &c. or to the Description of Countries, Islands, Cities, Towns, Harbours, Rivers, Mountains, &c. comprizing whatever is curious in Nature or Art. The Materials, derived from original Productions, and from Works of the first Authority, are arranged upon a Plan of perspicuity and conciseness, methodised so as to be accessible to every Capacity, and illustrated by circular Maps, from accurate Drawings, made expressly for this Work. By JOHN COOKE, Engraver. 4to. boards. Part I. 10s. 6d. Hurst, Debrett, Egerton, Vernor and Hood, &c.

HIS volume is dedicated to her

TRoyal Highness the Dutchess

of York, and appears, by the author's account of his work, particularly adapted to the use of the ladies. An address is prefixed, repre

senting the utility of geography, and the pleasures resulting from a know. ledge of it. For a description of the distinguishing merits of this work, we select the close of the address.

"In maps, particularly those designed for the instruction of youth, perspicuity is equally essential as in any literary composition. But it is the general complaint, that the eye is disturbed, and the attention diverted by the multiplicity and confusion of names, upon maps of convenient size for use, while those upon a large scale, which admit of a clear arrangement, become highly expensive, and are too cumbrous for common reference: to remedy this defect, atlases or books of maps have been constructed, wherein the several countries, and provinces of each continent have been separately delineated, and inany improvements have been devised for the more clearly distinguishing places according to their relative importance; but nothing of this kind has been purposely adapted for the youthful student, or is sufficiently elegant to claim a place in a lady's library. These atlases are unaccompanied with any description; and in systems of geography the maps generally appear to be the least concern of the compiler.

"The Ladies Circular Atlas, now submitted to the public, is calculated to exhibit all the quarters, divisions, and subdivisions of the earth, natural and artificial, including all the modern discoveries, with the utmost perspicuity, in a convenient and even portable volume, in the general maps anarking only the capital cities, principal rivers, lakes, &c.; in those of particular countries, the principal towns, &c. will be found distinctly noted, and carrying the subdivisions farther than any former atlas; in separate maps of each state, province, circle, county, or other district, every minutiae of any use will be inserted, so as to render the work more complete than those upon a much more extensive scale. The maps are accompanied with a compendious system of geography: the whole forming a useful yade mecum for the travelJer, and a pleasing book of reference for persons of every denomination." p. 7, 8.

The whole of this work is to contain one hundred maps, all above that number will be given gratis.

This part contains three plates and

five maps. The first plate describes the solar system; the second illustrates the vicissitudes of the seasons, the rotundity of the earth and the attraction of the atmosphere; the third exemplifies refraction, reflection, &c. The maps are of the countries of Russia in Europe, Spain and Portugal, Swabia, Prussia, and Franconia.

The introduction traces geography to its source, and notices the progress of that science and astronomy, with an account of the successive writers who have brought them to the present state of improvement. As these subjects are so well known to our readers, and are chiefly compiled from other authors, we consider an extract unnecessary.

XXIII. SERMONS: by ROB. HAWKER, D. D. Vicar of Charles, PlyWilliams. mouth. 8vo. pp. 254. 55.

R. HAWKER is well known to

be an active and laborious clergyman, of that class usually termed Evangelical; and we introduce these pleasure, as we understand, from good Sermons to the public with more authority, that the whole profits of a large edition are devoted to the be nent of an Orphan School lately erected at Plymouth.

The following are the texts and subjects discussed in this volume, viz. All blessings traced to their source, office, Judges xiii. 19, 20.-Religion John xv. 16.--Jesus in his priestly The Shiloh come, and the gathering a personal concern, John xi. 23.of the people unto him proved, Gen. xlix. 10.-The pure progress of grace, Ps. xcii. 13, 14.--The blessed effects of the love of God in the soul, Rom. v. 5.

The believer's warfare, Judges viii. 4. The coming of Jesus as the Saviour of his people, Phil. iii. 10.

The author wishes these Discourses to be considered as a specimen of his usual method of preaching;" and we give the following exordium to the first sermon as a specimen of his style and sentiments:

ALL BLESSINGS TRACED TO THEIR SOURCE.

"John xv. 16. Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Fa ther in my name, he may give it you,

"There is nothing more gratifying to the mind, than when in the enjoy ment of any one given blessing, we are able to trace it to its source, and can discover, both the author of it, and his kind intentions in giving it. "If I am made happy in the possession of even one of the most common mercies of life, that mercy, be it what it may, is made doubly sweet, when the hand of God is seen in the appointment. It is a mercy then, twice blessed. First, in respect to its own nature, and secondly, as coming to me, with a peculiar and personal direction from God. The traveller who, on some sultry mountain, discovers unexpectedly a cooling stream, to assuage his thirst, will drink of it, with a tenfold pleasure, if in the moment of enjoyment, he considers it as flowing for his refreshment, from the immediate gift of heaven. Nay, will it not be allowed, that, in the pleasing intercourse of social life, our felicities are all heightened, from the consciousness of the good will with which the kindness of our friends are accompanied? If then in natural things, our enjoyments receive an increase from such causes, what an accession of happiness must it be in spirituals, when we are enabled to trace them up to him, and to his special appointment, who is the predisposing cause of all?

"If I enjoy the gracious operations of the Holy Ghost in my soul; if the person, and gifts, and righteDusness, of the Redeemer be dear to my heart; if I know what it is, to have fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ; will not these distinguishing mercies be yet abundantly increased, both in sweetBess and in value, when they are discovered to be the result of that everlasting love, wherewith God hath loved his people, before the foundation of the world? Such views serve to confirm, and no less at the same time explain, the meaning of that saying of the apostle's, when speaking of a divine appointment in all our mercies, he refers the whole unto God's sovereign will; who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began*.

* 2 Tim. i. 9.

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"And moreover, beside the enjoyment of the blessing itself, in those distinguishing properties of it, there are several other very interesting qualities, folded within its bosom. What method can be so effectual under God, to induce all the practical fruits of the gospel as when, from pointing to the source from whence all grace issues, it is necessarily implied from whence all must be looked for? And is it not, of all possible arguments, the strongest and the best, both to saint and sinner, to manifest that He who is the Author and Finisher of salvation is the only Being from whom every good and every perfect gift must

come?

"Tell me, you, who from a clear conviction of your own unworthiness, are ever ready to ascribe your recovery from sin to salvation, to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made you accepted in the belov◄.. ed; tell me what motive do you find equally powerful in prompting you to shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light, as the consciousness, that God hath chosen you in Christ before the foundation of the world, that you should be holy and without blame before him in love? Doth not this conviction operate beyond any other to induce you to adorn the doctrine of God your Saviour in all things? And if by divine grace you find yourself preserved in the path of duty, is it not truly refreshing to the soul to discover the cause, that you are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them ‡ ?

"And no less let the sinner say, if it be God's choice, and not man's desert; if all the difference between one man and another originates in him, who giveth to every one severally as he will, why should you question more than others, but that you may be the happy partaker of the same grace also? Surely, there would be abundantly more reason to doubt receiving the divine favour, if that favour was depending upon your de sert of it, than if it be the sole result of unmerited bounty and goodness!

"I have been led into this train of observation, from the perusal of the precious words of the Lord Jesus in the text. Ye have not chosen me, but Ephes. ii. 10,

+ Ephes. i. 4.

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