their important duties, fraught with high responsibility. They are of ten men without manners, and without learning; who need "put no enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains ;" who, with Othello's drunken lieutenant, will say, this is my right hand, and this is my left. Deeply impressed with the importance of some immediate and radical change in our system of education, particularly as it respects the instructers of the Latin and Greek languages, at our academies and colleges, we cannot, on this subject, here omit inserting the declarations of Gilbert Wakefield, whose observations apply with ten fold more force to this country, than to England; most sincerely wishing, that the opinions of a man, so distinguished for science and classical learning, may have some effect upon our men of wealth and influence, and persuade them to offer such salaries to teachers of youth as shall induce men of understanding and learning, to undertake what at best must be an ungracious task. "I cannot but lament that inundation of dreadful evils, which are let in upon society by the tribe of unprincipled, or ineffective school masters. The majority of young men, who go to college after finishing their education at school, scarcely know, with tolerable accuracy, even the first rudiments of the languages. "Can imagination represent to herself a more melancholy case, than that of an ingenuous, enterprising youth, wasting his time and blasting his hopes, in a seminary of one of those ignorant, heedless, insipid teachers, with which the kingdom is overrun ? I have kept my son,' said the mayor of one of the first towns in this kingdom, six or seven years with this fellow K-, learning Latin and Greek all this time; and, now he is come home, I find him unable to construe a prescription, or explain the inscriptions of the gallipots.' In my humble opinion this enormous usurpation of stupidity and impudence ought to be made a national concern. "To suffer the rising generation to be thus abused beyond all recovery from any future process, what is it but to blot the spring from the year? For my own part, I look upon the generality of these preceptors as robbers of hope and opportunity, those blessings for which no compensation can be made. I cherish liberty, I think, with a warmth of attachment inferiour to no man; but I should rejoice to see, I confess, some restrictions in the case before us. Men of acknowledged qualifications should be appointed to examine, with a scrupulous and conscientious accuracy, the competency of all those who undertake the teaching of the learned languages; and none should be allowed to exercise this arduous office, but those who could endure the fiery trial. Society would be benefited beyond measure, and no real injury be done to the individual. Men should learn,or be taught, the knowledge of themselves; nor should he aspire to adorn the mind, who is fit only to trim a periwig; or, in the vain attempt of acquir ing science, leave uncultivated the capabilities of a commendable shoe maker. All quit their sphere, and rush into the skies.” In March, 1720, Mr. Johnson was ordained as a congregational minister at West-Haven, in the twenty-fourth year of his age. From early life, even while at college, he had been opposed to extempore prayer. He had also an early dislike to the independent or congregational form of church government. In the prosecution of his studies, he very soon began to doubt the validity of presbyterian ordination, avowed his perfect conversion to episcopacy, and declared that he could find no way of reconciling his conscience, while he neglected the practices of the ancient church. He accordingly took an affectionate farewel of his people at West-Haven, and proceeded to Boston, in company with Messrs. Cutler and Brown, the former president, and the latter tutor, of New-Haven college; both of whom had also been converted to episcopacy,proposing to embark for England to obtain holy orders in the church, where they arrived on the 15th of December, 1722; whence they immediately proceed ed to London, and were politely received by Dr. Robinson, the bishop of London, and the society for propagating the gospel. Mr. Cutler was ordained to take charge of the new church in Boston, and Mr. Johnson to take care of the church at Stratford in Connecticut. The former also received from the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge the honours of a degree of Dr. in divinity, and Mr. Johnson of master of arts. Having taken leave of their friends, they embarked for America in July, 1723, and Mr. Johnson arrived at Stratford to take charge of his little flock, consisting of about twenty families, by whom he was joyfully received. Mr. Johnson's conversion to the episcopal church; the particular books which he read, which assisted to promote that conversion; the commotion that in consequence was excited in the colony of Connecticut; the conference with the trustees of the college, and Governour Saltonstall, &c. &c. are all amply detailed by Dr. Chandler, In the month of February, 1729, On comparing the sketch of the life of Bishop Berkeley in the work before us, with the life in Dr. Aikin's general biography, we find it latter is more full and satisfactory; to be generally correct, though the but wherever we are made acquainted with the life of this celebrated gentleman and scholar, we are most profoundly impressed with the highest admiration of the disinterestedness of his character, of his learning, his christian charity,his discernment, and patriotism. At the period of Mr. Johnson's conversion to episcopacy, the church of England had scarcely any existence in Connecticut. There were thirty families at Stratford, chiefly from England, under the care of Mr. Pigot, the intimate friend of Dr. Johnson, and who no doubt was very instrumental in producing his conversion. Mr. Johnson, while minister at Stratford, frequently made excursions into the neighboring towns, and preached with peculiar success; the episcopal church making very visible progress in Connecticut; and in the year 1736, upon inqui ry, there were found to be no less than seven hundred families in the colony. Great acquisitions were afterwards made to the church by the wild enthusiasm introduced by Mr. Whitfield, and propagated by his followers. Mr. Johnson pub lished tracts, in defence of the church, which involved him in much controversy,particularly with Mr. Dickenson of Elizabethtown, in New-Jersey, and Mr. Foxcroft of Boston. These controversies reach down to 1736, and are detailed at much length by Dr. Chandler. These publications were much approved of in Eng land, and obtained for Mr. Johnson, in 1743, from the university of Oxford a degree of Doctor in dis vinity. Dr. Johnson had two sons, who were educated at Yale college, for whom he composed a compendium of logick, including metaphys icks, and another of ethicks, for their better instruction in these studies; which were printed to gether, in an octavo volume by Dr. Franklin, for the use of the college in that city, then about to be erected, and of which Mr. Franklin was one of the most active promoters. In 1754 the trustees of NewYork college unanimously elected Dr. Johnson president, who accept ed, but with great reluctance. For the history of the establishment of the college, in the city of New York, whose charter was granted in October, 1754; the violent op position which arose among the trustees, respecting what denomination of christians should predominate in the government and immediate direction of the college; the violent clamour in consequence excited in the province and legis lature of New-York; the vigorous exertions made by Mr. Johnson to promote the interests of the sem→ inary; the benefactions it receiv ed, &c. &c. we refer our readers to the work itself. In 1763 Dr. Johnson resigned the office of president, and went to his peaceful retreat at Stratford, where he passed the remainder of his days; not however in inglorious ease. He resumed the charge of his old mission, and was again kindly received by the people of Stratford in character of their minister, in 1764, upwards of forty years after he had first en tered into this relation with them. He entered into the controversy between the Rev. Mr. Apthorp and Dr. Mayhew, on the subject of an American episcopate, and wrote a short vindication of the society for propagating the gospel. "On the morning of January 6, 1722, the most glorious epiphany he ever beheld, he conversed with his fam ily on the subject of his own death, with the greatest cheerfulness and serenity. He expressed his wishes that he might resemble, in the manner of his death, his good friend the bishop Berkeley, whom he had greatly loved, and whose exit he had ever esteemed happy. Heaven granted his wish; for soon after he had uttered these words, like the good bishop, he instan taneously expired in his chair,with out the least struggle or groan; so that he may rather be said tơ have been changed or translated, than to have died." Two days af ter, his remains were interred in the chancel of Christ church, Stratford, where a handsome monument has been erected to his memory. Thus lived, and thus died, a man, the narrative of whose life involves much interesting anec dote; who was respectable for his understanding and his learning, and still more pre-eminent for suavity of manners, and the benevolence of his heart. The great Racine, the father of the French drama, after having exalted the glory of his genius to the utmost limits allotted to humanity, regretted, at the age of thirty-eight years, that he had done every thing for the world, and nothing for his God. Cæsar, at the same age, lamented, on the tomb of Alexander, that he had yet done nothing to secure to himself durable renown. This passion for human glory conducted the conqueror of Pompey to actions which should be disdained by a noble heart, and it was, on the contrary, at an advanced age, by contempt of glory, that the author of Andromaque elevated Racine above himself. Very different from these men was the character of Dr. Johnson. His whole life was active, vigilant, and efficient in the service of his Maker; in magnifying the holy office of a clergyman; in reclaiming the vicious; in quickening, to a sense of their duty, the negligent and careless; in influencing the ignorant; in strengthening and confirming the serious and religious; in visiting the sick, feeding the hungry, and cloathing the naked. Private virtues are the more sublime, as they do not aspire to the approbation of others, but only to the testimony of one's own conscience; and the conscience of a good man is of more value to himself, than the praises of the universe. As we have already protracted our review to an immoderate length, we will only give the following extract from our author as a favourable specimen of his style and manner. Vol. III. No. 3. N While the Dean refided at Rhode-Island, Mr. of the work then in hand, was more particularly informed by him—that he himfelf (the Dean) had heard this strange declaration, while he was prefent in one of the deifical clubs, in the pretended charac ter of a learner-that COLLINS was the man who made it-and that the demonfiration was what he afterwards published, in an attempt to prove that every action is the effect of fate and neceffity, in his book entitled, A Philofopbical Inquiry concerning point be once established, that every thing Human Liberty. And, indeed, could the is produced by fate and neceflity, it would naturally follow, that there is no God, or that he is a very useless and infignificant being, which amounts to the fame thing. more generally known, a place is given As this ftrange anecdote deferves to be it in this memoir. When the Dean was about leaving America, Mr. JOHNSON made him his final vifit. As he retained a strong affection for Yale College, the feminary in he had been otherwife connected, he took which he was educated, and with which the liberty, on this occafion, to recommend it to the Dean's notice; hoping that he might think proper to fend it fome books, and not expecting, or aiming at from that time, Dr. BERKELEY, afified tranfmitted to Mr. JOHNSON a deed, in ין farm in Rhode-land, confifting of ninety fix acres. The annual intereft of it was to be divided between three bachelors of arts, who, upon examination by the rector of the college, and a minifter of the Church of England, fhould appear to be the best claffical fibolars; provided they would refide at college the three years between their bachelor's and mafter's degrees, in the prosecution of their studies; and the forfeitures, in cafe of non-refidence, were to be given in premiums of books, to those that performed the best exercises. ART. 6. The first settlers of Virginia, an historical novel, exhihiting a view of the rise and progress of the colony at James Town, a picture of Indian manners, the countenance of the country, and its natural productions. The second edition, considerably enlarged. New-York. Printed for I. Riley & Co. 1806. pp. 284. NOVELS, which are founded on historical incidents, are little adapted to interest the attention and affect the imagination, from the recollection, which will intrude into the mind, of the real extent of the facts, and the consequent conviction, which will be induced, that the rest is fiction. But any one, who is acquainted with the early history of Virginia, will not only feel this embarrassment, while reading the novel before us, but will often be disappointed by the recollection of having before read the same events, narrated in precisely the same language. In a historical novel we look for historical facts, as the basis of the story; but we know not by what right an author avails himself of the labours of others in this more than in any other kind of composition, without acknowledging his obligations. Near the close of his book, Mr. Davis* refers his readers to Smith, Purchas, and others. How far he is indebted to them, not only for incidents, but for paragraphs and pages, we cannot assert; but by the evidences of plagiarism, which we will adduce, we cannot repress the suspicion, that it is greater than w can We will present our reaprove. ders with a few extracts from the life of Smith, in Belknap's "American Biography," and direct them to the pages of "The first settlers of Virginia," in which they are generally copied verbatim. "Proceeding up the river, another company of Indians appeared in arms. Their chief, Apamatica, holding in one hand his bow and arrow, and in the other a pipe of tobacco, demanded the cause of their coming; they made figns of peace, and were hofpitably received." Amer. Biog. p. 255.--Firft Settlers. p. 18. The paragraph following this in the novel is a little varied from the Biography. They proceeded down the river to Kecoughtan, where the natives, knowing the needy state of the colony, treated them with contempt, offering an ear of corn in exchange for a musket, or a fword." Amer. Biog. p. 261.-Firft Set thers, p. 21. The five paragraphs which succed this in the novel, are a little varied from the Biography. Compare p. 265 of the Biography, "The Indians astonished," &c. with pages 26, and 27 of the novel. "Powhatan then fet fuch a price on his corn, that not more than four bufhels could be procured; and the neceffa ry fupplies could not have been had, if Smith's genius, ever ready at invention, had not hit on an artifice which proved fuccefsful. We had fecreted fome trifles, and among them a parcel of blue beads |