rich, because expenfive; and explaining this to mean the direct contrary, that they took these out of the hands of the better fort. 3dly, Xenophon fays, it is the natural effect of a democracy, that they will have all fatire aimed, not at the people in general, but at individuals, knowing that thofe will naturally be fome of the rich, the noble, or the powerful (these words Dr. B- explains, Thofe of higher ftation and worth;) except, continues Xenophon, one of the people is rallied for his bufy ambition and affe&tation of diftination, Δια πολυπραγμο συνήν και δια το ζητειν πλεον τι εχειν + (I appeal to any man who underftands Greek, whether thefe words are not used in an ill fenfe;) to diftinguifh himself by fomething praife-worthy, fays the Doctor. His admirable proof of the fo much difputed authenticity of Fingal, by its obfervation of true manners and notions of the people who are its fubjcct, in one inftance; as if a man fhould difprove a charge of forgery, by fhewing an exact resemblance of hands in one letter of the alphabet. His attributing the original defect of the poetical arts in Rome, to a caufe which fubfifted in those very states which brought them to the greateft perfection, viz. their being a colony. And his clofe of that eleventh fection, in which, to fhew his hiftorical skill, he makes Nero blacker than any Hiftorian that ever I read or remember,' Upon the whole, we apprehend that the adventrous Doctor never met with a more formidable Opponent; and, wishing him fafe off the Arena, we take our leave both of him and his Antagonist. PROVIDENCE: An allegorical Poem. T In Three Books, O enlarge the bounds of human knowlege, to embellish and illuftrate moral and philofophical truths, and to increase the influence of Virtue, by adding to her charms, is the peculiar province of Genius. Poffibly this was the original purpofe of the Supreme Wisdom, in creating throughout the human world, fuch a ftriking difference of intellectual powHad it not been for fome fuperior, and, as it were, heaven-illumined minds, the firft lights of knowlege would never ers. have been kindled. The human understanding is not, in general, formed for great conceptions, or abstracted attention, nor is it neceffary that it fhould; for the wants of the body are much more importunate than those of the mind, and many must be employed in fupplying the firft, while a few may be fufficient to cultivate the laft. But as the body has its artificial wants, fo likewife has the mind; and as the appetite which riots on abundance must be gratified by delicacies and variety, fo the profufion of intellectual fupplies has rendered it neceffary to convey inftruction through the medium of pleasure. Hence it is, that in a luxuriance of literature, Writers of a vigorous imagination will always fucceed the beft.-We have, indeed, known inftances where the mere force of unadorned truths and folid arguments have acquired the Authors of fuch works confiderable popularity; the celebrated Clarke was a mere reafoning engine, and totally deftitute of every spark of imagination; but abftracted and metaphyfical enquiries were much more the taste of his time than of the prefent; and we are very fenfible, that elaborate and philofophical truths, have now need of all the graces. of imagination to render them acceptable to the public. Upon this principle Mr. Ogilvie merits our approbation and acknowlegements, for chufing to adorn, with his poetical powers, a fubject which is, furely, of the greatest and most universal importance. It is in the belief of this doctrine of Providence alone, that human mifery has its fureft refuge; and to establish this doctrine more firmly, to animate hope by the concurrence of reafon, and to encourage faith by the evidence of knowlege, is to labour very effectually in the fervice, and for the happiness, of mankind. The poem before us is divided into three books, of which the Author has given the following analyfis in his introduction: The fubject of this work, comprehenfive as it is, may not improperly be comprised under the three following heads. When we contemplate the Supreme Being, as the Creator and Governor of the universe, we either confider him as having difpofed the Works of Nature in their prefent fituation, and as regulating their various revolutions; or we behold him conferring the most extensive benefit on mankind, by favouring them with a Revelation of his will; or we fee him conducting the complicated detail of Human Life, to effectuate fome great and neceffary purpofe. In each of thefe views, however, as fome objects will occur, which ought at once to excite our admiration and our gratitude; fo others will prefent themfelves, which fuggeft doubts that require to be afcertained by a connected process of juft obfervation. Thus the works of Nature, while they dif K 2 play play the Omnipotence of the Deity, exhibit fuch indications of feeming evil, as lead us to challenge, upon a fuperficial review, his wifdom and his Juftice. We plainly perceive, indeed, that the productions of the earth are fuited to the neceffities of the inhabitants, for whofe benefit it appears to have been created. We fee it glowing in many places with the most attractive beauty, and crowned almost every where with verdure and variety. We obferve the rotation of feasons regularly carried on in uniform and invariable harmony. But when thefe marks of defign induce us to form a favourable conclufion, with regard to the fuperintendency of Providence ;—whirlwinds, ftorms, volcanos, earthquakes;-whatever, in fhort, of this kind we have been accustomed to confider as productive of evil, reclaims loudly against this decifion, and leads us to call in queftion, if not to deny, truths, which appear to ftand upon the best foundation. When in the fame manner we proceed from contemplating the works of Nature, to confider the conduct of the Deity, in exhibiting to the world a revelation of his will; ineftimable as the benchit may appear to be, the objections raised against it are plaufible enough to reprefent as fufpicious, circumstances which were originally regarded as beneficial. The principal difficulties which occur in this examination, arife from the time at which the doctrines of revealed religion were promulgated to mankind, and from its want of univerfality in all ages. These at least are the points which are most particularly connected with the prefent fubject. After all, however, the most formidable objections to the belief of a Providence, are drawn from an eftimate of its conduct with regard to human life. The unequal diftribution of reward and punishment which takes place in this world; the depreffion of virtue and the triumph of fuccefsful villainy; are fuch objects as recurring frequently to every reflecting mind, give occafion to complaints fo apparently well founded, as it is no eafy matter to obviate effectually. We are the more tenacious of our opinions on this fubject, as the experience of almost every individual fuggefts particular inftances of this unequal diftribution, in which either himself or his neighbour is immediately and deeply interefted. The general obfervation, that this inequality will be fully compenfated in fome future ftate of exiftence, whatever effect it may produce upon a fenfible and confiderate mind, yet furely can never produce perfect refignation in a man who confiders prefent happiness, or prefent affliction, as the greatest good, or the most infupportable evil. We may tell fuch perfons, that their fentiments are unjust, and that their comlaint is irrational; but unless they are made to fee that fome immediate immediate benefit may refult from their calamity; unless from proofs fupported by the teftimony of experience with regard to others, the mind is convinced of the fuperintendency of Providence; unless in some of these cafes we are apt to take up the complaint of the Poet; - Cum res hominum tanta caligine volvi But when the mind furvey'd The human Jeene involv'd in deep'ning fhade; CLAUD. The circumftance likewife which difcovered his mistake, has, in this view of the fubject, the force of a convincing argument: Abftulit hunc tandem Rufini pœna tumultum, Thy doom, Rufinus, clear'd the gloomy scene, Id. ibid. From the fuppofition that these three topics comprehend the fubject, the Author was induced to treat them feparately, and has therefore affigned a distinct book to each of them. In the firft, the objections to the belief of a Providence arifing from the natural evil which takes place in the world, are stated and obviated, at least in fome measure, from the neceffity there is for its existence in the prefent ftate of things; and from the beneficial confequences of which it is obviously productive. The unreasonableness of wishing, that this world was a Paradise, or that man had been created with higher powers than he poffeffeth, is particularly difplayed; and the analogical argument from the fcale of Being, as far as we can obferve it, to the probable gradation which fubfifts in fuperior ranks, is illuftrated with fome care, and carried to as great length as the Author's sphere of inveftigation could enable him to proceed. The fubject of the fecond book is fuch, as the Reader will perhaps think at first view not fufceptible of the beauties of defcription. As it forms, however, a great and interefting part of the work, it was neceflary to confider it as particularly as poffible; and this the Author hath attempted to do in fuch a manner, as that the Reader may receive fome entertainment amid. the process of regular argumentation. As the nature of the theme made it impoffible to continue the feries of allegories in this book, which had been begun in the preceding one, it was neceffary K 3 neceffary to have recourfe to history for facts, inftead of fiaitious circumstances; and thefe which are culled out, were cast into their prefent order, that their combination may imprefs upon the mind the principal truth which it was propofed to illustrate. If the Reader requires a more particular detail, he may confult the note at the beginning of the book. It is proper only to obferve further in this place, that as the first scene was fo barren of incidents, the Author has ventured to introduce in it the only allegorical perfonage, who is permitted to act a confiderable part. The perfonification of the Genius of the Nile in the fucceeding fcene, and that of Reafon in the end of the book, are intended, as the Reader of tafte will immediately obferve, to enliven the defcription where it was judged expedi ent, and to render that part of the work in fome measure entertaining, where the feparate arguments are fummed up, and where the conclufion refulting from them is impartially stated. The conduct of Providence with regard to human life, upon which it was intended to throw fome light in the last part of the poem, affords fuch numerous and diverfified subjects of speculation, that whatever reafon the Reader, who is diffatisfied with the arguments, may have to impeach, on that account, the judgment of the Writer; yet the defect of entertainment may be justly afcribed to fterility of imagination. In canvaffing a perplexed and intricate fubject, we are not to expect proofs which carry along with them immediate and irrefiftable conviction. This in every cafe is extremely difficult, and in the prefent inftances wholly impoffible. The compleat vindication of the ways of God to man, we must leave to that day in which the fecrets of the heart will be laid open, and the Deity's moral government of the world, as it regards the circumftances of individuals, will be juftified in the prefence of its affembled inhabitants. It is fufficient with our limited and fcanty portion of knowlege, if from confidering things as they are at prefent, we can account for fome of the difpenfations of Providence, in fuch a manner as may convince us, that the marks af defign which reflection fuggefts to us, point to fome Being of fuperior wifdom, who is employed to regulate the revolution of events. When this truth is once thoroughly eftablished, the doctrine of future retribution follows as a confequence. Thus much the Author thought it neceffary to obferve, with regard to the fentiment in this branch of the fubject. The allegorical part is fuited to illuftrate it, in that manner which he judged to be moft appofite and agreeable.' After this account which Mr. Ogilvie has given of his defign, the only task which remains for us, is to enquire into the merits of |