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the Rev. Mr. Goddard's fermon on that fubject. By Peter Peckard, A. M. late Fellow of C. C. College, Oxford. 8vo. Is. Owen.

Thefe obfervations are written with a view to defend Dr. Law's difcourfe on the Nature and End of Death under the Chriftian Covenant, and the Appendix to it, againft what Mr. Goddard has advanced in oppofition to it. It is not Mr. Peckard's defign, however, to write a regular and particular defence, nor to give a formal answer to Mr. Goddard's difcourfe, nor to draw up an elaborate treatise upon the fubject of an intermediate state, but only to give a short account of the rife and progrefs of the opinion of an intermediate ftate of fenfibility, to ftate the nature of the queftion in difpute, and to give a concife fketch of fome of the principal confequences attending it, and it's opposite.

As to the merit of the performance, we fhall only fay, that the reader will find in it fome just reflections concerning the doctrine of the natural immortality of the foul, and fome very free fentiments, in regard to church authority.

XXIII. Remarks upon a late Treatife relating to the Interme diate State: or, the happiness of righteous fouls, immediately after death, fully proved. 8vo. 6d. Corbet.

The first and laft fentences of this fhort piece, may give the difcerning reader a just idea of it. Our Remarker fets out thus. -It is the doctrine of the church of England, and has been the ⚫ doctrine of all true Chriftian churches, fince the apostles time, ⚫ that righteous fouls, fo foon as they are delivered from the burden of the flesh, are in joy and felicity.' He concludes in the following manner.

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I have faid nothing ⚫ out of an uncharitable fpirit' (this is not true by the bye) of ill-will to any man living; but from a well-grounded perfuafion, that no man can believe the doctrine of the foul's fleeping till the refurrection, unless blinded by his ghoftly enemy; or propagate it, but by the inftigation of the fame evil fpirit: fo that my chief view, in writing thefe Remarks, was to ba• nifh an error out of the world that is contrary to the faving religion of the gospel, and naturally tends to corrupt and destroy

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the fouls of all that receive it.'

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XXIV. True Cenfure no Afperfion or a Vindication of a late seasonable Admonition, called, A Word to the Hutchinfonians. In a Letter to the Rev. Mr. Horne. By Philologus Oxonienfis 8vo. 6 d. Baldwin.

The author oppofes railing accufations, and bitter words, which he calls fiery weapons; and recommends modefty, as having a perfuafive power that does, and will always prevail. In the management of moft controverfies of late, the gentlemen who are concerned lay afide the character of ministers of the gofpel of peace, and chufe rather to appear with the vi

⚫rulence

C

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rulence of schoolmen, than the meekness of divines: one would imagine that they intended to revile rather than convince their • adverfaries.". Our readers will fee from the following extract, wherein this gentleman differs from his adverfary, and on which fide there is reafon and argument. • What has been complained of, and is ftill exploded with fo much reafon, is the setting up and extolling what is ufually called a faving faith, which is recommended with as much earneftnefs as if that alone were the one thing needful, and repentance and obedience were unneceffary parts of the covenant. The fruit, as you justly obferve, receives its goodness from the tree; but if the tree puts forth leaves only which foon fade away, how fhall we be able to judge of its goodness? Will not the mafter of the vineyard be apt to fay to the hufbandman, Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground? p. 15, 16."

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XXV. A Letter to a Young Lady concerning the Principles and Conduct of the Chriftian Life. By Lawrence Jackson, B. D. Prebendary of Lincoln. Octavo. Is. Owen.

This letter, Mr. Jackfon tells us, was occafioned by the request of a young Lady, in a family with which he is very nearly connected, to fend her his thoughts on a religious conduct of life ; and particularly to affift her apprehenfions, and guide her behaviour, in her approaches to the facrament of the Lord's Supper. It was received with approbation where it was fent; was spoken of and communicated to fome, and defired by others; and the author was from thence led to fuperfede the trouble of frequent tranfcribing, by a publication of it, rather in compliance with the judgment of others, than his own. To give a minute and particular account of what is contained in it, were to little pur. pofe. It may be fufficient to say, that Mr, Jackfon bids his fair pupil be a good girl, fay her prayers morning and evening, read her Bible, the Common-prayer book, and Nelfon on the Feftivals and Fafts of the church; recommends to her the duties of felf-denial and mortification; and, in a word, gives her a great deal of good advice. In regard to Nelfon's book, he wishes it a place, in every Lady's, in every perfon's library and efteem. 'Nelfon,' fays he, has had the happiness to unite the character of the gentleman and the fcholar, the cleareft head with the warmest heart, the graces of piety with those ⚫ of good breeding: he does honour to the religious conftitution of our country, fets her appointments in the trueft light, fhews ⚫ their conformity with the purest ages of Christianity, and points out and perfuades all the improvements intended by them."To conclude; tho' there are many good things in this letter, and the author feems to be much in earneft, yet he treats his fubje& in too fuperficial a manner, and his performance wants that beauty of colouring, that spirit and energy, which are neceffary to enforce his directions, to captivate the affections, and fubdue the hearts of his readers.

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POETICAL

POETICAL.

XXVI. A pathetic Addrefs to all True Britons. Folio, 6 d. Scott.

This is not a pathetic, but a ridiculous addrefs, of fome wrongheaded pretender to poetry, who has not, however, the leaft fpark of genius, or minuteft claim to the Mufe's most diftant regard witness the following no-verfes: the first three lines are taken from his encomium on Fabius, p. 4..

Tho' caution made him of his troops
take care,
His conduct and his valour did appear,
When he his colleague from their fnares did clear.
Again, p. 6. fpeaking of matters nearer home,

Lift to your country's cry, behold her moan,
Her forrow for the lofs of PoRT-MAHON-

But as 'tis loft, each British heart muft mourn,
And his whole thought to keep GIBRALTAR turn a

Page 7.

Methinks! I fee a num'rous train defcend!

And on the beach their armed ranks extend;
Guarding the coaft; fee DOVER CASTLE full
And ev'ry fortress betwixt that and HULL!

Page 8. The concluding couplet.

But if they of their Leader don't approve,
They will not fight for fear, so well as love..

The Author, however, is right, as to his meaning, tho' a little out of tune in his music.

XXVII. An Ode of Confolation upon the Lofs of Minorca. Humbly addreffed to his Royal Highnefs the Duke of Cumberland. By John Free, DD. Vicar of Eaft-Coker, in Somersetshire, and Thursday-lecturer of St. Mary-hill, London; and Lecturer of Newington, in Surry. Folio, 6d. Baldwin.

Whatever fancied animofity may have been obferved betwixt Dr. Free and us, we fincerely congratulate him upon his confo latory ode; which is not only the leaft exceptionable of the Doctor's poetical writings, but, in truth, the best of all the political poems we have feen, fince the commencement of the prefent war. To criticife on particular paffages, to point at any defects of harmony or expreffion, and to convict the Doctor of any little mistake, either in his poetry or politics, might be construed into malice against our late antagonist; we fhall therefore con

clude

clude with a fpecimen of his poetry: and candor forbids that we fhould chufe the worft. There is really good painting in

STANZA V.

See yon good LEADER, mark'd with age and scars,
Propping his feeble footsteps with his lance,
Wrapt in deep thought, amidst the din of wars,
By moonlight, tow'rds the gleaming waves advance
Why comes he? but fome fuccours to defcry,
For fore his caftle by the foe is prefs'd:
Yet, ah! in vain he rolls his haggard eye,
His hopeless itate is not to be redrefs'd;
He fighs indignant, and in grief returns,

Tho' ftill his thunders rear, and all the Welkin burns. XXVIII. The British Hero, and ignoble Poltron contrafted': or, the Principal Actors in the Siege and Defence of Fort St. Philip, and the Mediterranean Expedition, characterized. With fome ftrictures on the French proceedings in America. Arr Ode. 4to. I s. Robinson.

Was ever, before this inftance, fuch a title page préfixed to an Ode? But this Ode, indeed, is fuitable to fuch a title. It is a monstrous compound of wretched panegyric, impotent fatire, and ridiculous doggrel. To fpeak of fuch a ftrange performance in terms adequate to its demerits, is no eafy talk: for, as Rochefter fays,

As charms are nonfenfe, nonfenfe feems a charm,~
Which Readers of all judgment does disarm.

Wilmot, indeed, was fpeaking of fingers, and he does not fay Readers, but Hearers: however, the alteration is juftifiable Senough; and that the thought is founded in truth, we have but too much reafon to believe: for, as Reviewers, we have often experienced fad * conviction, that the fureft opiate is a stupid book.

* Your mufe diverts you, makes the Reader fad:
You think yourself infpir'd, He thinks you mad.

ROCH

XXIX. Virtue. A Poem on the breaking out of the war between England and France, in 1756. 4to. 6d. Morgan.

Tho' the author of this fmall and crude performance is no poet, he seems to be a good Englishman: fee the following

lines.

O Virtue roufe thy fons to gen'rous deeds!
Lo, gallant Blakeney in the fortrefs bleeds!
The foldiers emulous of martial ftrife,
Fir'd by example, and contempt of life,
Or die with glory, or the bulwarks keep,
While ufelefs Navies range along the deep.""

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Curs'd be the flave, that fhuns an equal fight,
His friends and country bleeding in his fight,
While mid the horrors of th' enfanguin'd plain,
The honest veteran fights and dies in vain.

MEDICA L.

XXX. A Treatise on the virtues and efficacy of a Cruft of Bread eat early in a morning fafting. To which are added, fome particular remarks concerning the great cures accomplifhed by the faliva, or fafting spittle, as well when externally applied, as when internally given, in the fcurvy, gravel, ftone, rheumatism, and divers other disorders, arifing from obftructions. With fome critical obfervations concerning the recrements of the blood; demonftrating, that when regularly fecreted, they both contribute to preferve the life of animals, and keep them in health. By a Physician. 8vo. Is. 6d. Edw. Robinfon.

As the proper parent [Dr. Robinfon] has thought fit to own this his child, we fhall take no further notice of it than to obferve, that the medicine hereby recommended, and fo generously communicated, is (to ufe the good-wives phrafe) perfectly innocent: provided the patient does not put too much confidence in it.

ERRATA in our last.

P. 174, 1. 30, for Levetical, read Levitical. P. 177, 1. 32, for, and xxviii. read, and Exod. xxviii. Ibid. 1. 35, for Hab. read, Nabum. P. 179, 1. 31 and 32, for Genefis, read Leviticus. P. 181, 1. 35, for I Sam. read 2 Sam. P. 182, 1. 23, before Exod. xx. put, and of idol-worship; and dele the fame words, 1. 24. -N. B. The Hebrew throughout the whole article, in which the above mistakes happened, is alfo incorrect; owing to the abfence of the gentleman who fhould have examined the proof of that fheet: the learned reader, however, will eafily fet this to rights, by turning to his Hebrew Bible.

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