"that looks like religion, is turned out of society. Immo rality is no longer a monster of hideous mien ; the un66 profitable works of darkness have left their native cell, and appear unmasked at noon day; infidelity increases and "multiplies; and atheism is no longer a singularity! Un"der such discouragements, no wonder few have sufficient "steadiness to stand amid the crowds, and not be carried "with the throng."

In his discourses on the religious obligations arising from pious education; on the conduct, which secures the favor both of God and man; on youthful sobriety; on the character of Daniel, as an example for imitation; on the means, by which the young may avoid the contempt, and ensure the respect of mankind; on the advantages of good, and disadvantages of bad companions; and on the influence of evil communications; he has offered to the young the highest motives for the discharge of those duties, which result from their relation to God, to their parents, and to society; exhorted them, in persuasive terms, to a life of sobriety and religion, and furnished them with means, by which they may effectually fortify their virtue and religion from the rude assaults of the corrupt and abandoned.

In treating on the progressive nature of vice, he discovers a profound knowledge of the human heart, illustrates the singular advantage of beginning life well, and shows the danger of small deviations from rectitude,

"Occasional falsehoods have been succeeded by a con "firmed disregard to the truth; occasional acts of dishonesty have led to every species of injustice. Intemperate at times, men have become reconciled to the lowest degra "dation of their nature; one deliberate departure from "the laws of chastity has been followed by all the crimes, "which mark the libertine; anger in the beginning has be"come revenge in the end; and a disrespectful manner of "conversing on the subject of religion has generated habit"ual blasphemy and impiety."

The last discourse is a pathetic and interesting one on

improving the present, as the accepted time and the day of

salvation.

On the whole, we think these discourses well calculated to produce early virtue and religion; to give the young a sense of the dignity of human nature, the value of pure morals, and the infinite importance of religion. Of the style we would remark in general, that it is suited to the subjects, and to the persons, whose improvement was more particu larly designed. Of the matter we hazard nothing in af firming, that it is truely valuable; and scruple not to say, that it abounds with useful lessons for parents and children, for instructers and pupils. If some blemishes should be found in the work, it should be recollected, that the discour ses were not originally designed for the press; and, although the ability and fidelity of the Reverend Editor cannot be questioned, he might not think himself at liberty to correct every thing, which he deemed a defect.

Memoirs of the life of Dr. DARWIN, chiefly during his residence at Litchfield, with anecdotes of his friends, and criticisms on his writings, by ANNA SEWARD.” Phil adelphia, 1804. 8vo.

THE writer of this volume has been for several years highly celebrated for her poetical compositions. We believe this is her first publication in prose. DR. DARWIN formerly complimented her, as "the inventress of EPIC ELEGY," and we really think she might have done greater honor to herself, and to his memory, by a composition like those, in which she celebrated Major ANDRE', Captain Cook, and Lady MILLAR. Her prose is frequently encumbered by evident affectation; some of the sentences are tedious and obscure; and throughout the style does not possess that ease and simplicity, which would have been most suitable to narrative composition. Her remarks however are

generally apposite; and her criticisms on the poetry of Dri DARWIN discover good judgment and a refined taste.

Though the biographical sketch appears to be drawn with the affection of a zealous and warm friend, it exhibits evidences of impartiality, and unites justice with candor. Miss Seward neither spreads the veil of concealment over the failings and prejudices of the Doctor, nor rudely and unkindly denudates them for the sake of giving unseemliness to the whole portrait; but adopts the rule of the moral poet,

"Blame, where you must; be candid, where you can." The Memoirs are limited principally to the period of Doctor DARWIN's residence at Litchfield; that is, from the autumn of 1756, when he was twenty four years of age, to 1781, when he removed to Derby, From that time his fair biographer can only trace the outline of his remaining existence; but she informs us, that MR. DEWHURST BILSBURY, his pupil in infancy, his confidential friend, and frequent companion through ripened youth, is now writing at large the life of Dr. DARWIN.

From the work before us we learn, that the Doctor was somewhat above the middle size; his form athletic and inclined to corpulence; his limbs too heavy for exact proportion; that his face bore the traces of a severe small pox; and his features and countenance, when they were not animated by social pleasure, were rather saturnine, than sprightly. Even at early age he had a stoop in his shoulders, and wore the professional appendage of a large, full bottomed wig, which gave him an appearance of twice the years he bore. At a more advanced period his gait was embarrassed. by a stiff knee. He stammered extremely; but whatever he said, whether gravely or in jest, was always well worth waiting for. Conscious of great native elevation above the general standard of intellect, he became early in life sore upon opposition, whether in argument or conduct, and always revenged by sarcasm of very keen edge; nor was he less impatient of the sallies of egotism and vanity. He sel

dom failed to present their caricature in jocose, but wounding irony. Extreme was his scepticism to human truth. From that cause he often disregarded the account, his patients gave of themselves, and rather chose to collect his information by indirect inquiry, and by cross examination, than from voluntary testimony. That distrust and that habit were probably favorable to his skill in discovering the origin of diseases, and thence to his preeminent success in effecting their cure.

Doctor DARWIN avowed a conviction of the pernicious effects of all vinous fluid on the youthful and healthy constitution; and had an absolute horror of spirits of all sorts, however diluted. It is declared, that his influence and example have sobered the county of Derby to such á degree, that intemperance in fermented fluid of every species is almost unknown among its Gentlemen.

Professional generosity distinguished his medical practice, He not only diligently attended to the health of the poor, but supplied their necessities with food, and gave them readily every charitable assistance, their situations required.

In 1757 he married Miss Howard, an amiable and accom→ plished lady; and, eleven years after her death, he married the young and blooming widow of Col. POLE. He died April 18, 1802, aged 71.

The "Botanic Garden" was begun in 1779. "The verse, polished and modulated with the most sedulous attention, the notes involving such great diversity of matter relating to natural history; and the composition going forward in the short recesses of professional attendance, but chiefly in his chaise, as he travelled from one place to another, could not be the work of one, two, or three years; it was ten from its primal lines to its first publication." Miss SEWARD gives some curious particulars of the origin of this work, which was suggested by a poem of her own of 46 lines, written at the desire of Doctor DARWIN, and by him published with her name in the Gentleman's Magazine. "Yet he afterwards, without the knowledge of their author, made them the exordium to

the first part of his poem. No acknowledgment was made, that those verses were the work of another pen. Such acknowledgment ought to have been made, especially since they passed the press in the name of their real author. They are somewhat altered in the exordium to Doctor DARWIN'S poem, and eighteen lines of his own are interwoven with them." She afterwards complains of the injustice of this plagiarism with evident dissatisfaction and chagrin.

On

The "Zoonomia" was commenced about the year 1771, and first published in 1794; and in 1796 he printed a small tract on "Female Education at boarding schools." On this latter work Miss SEWARD makes the following remarks. "Some good rules for promoting the health of growing children will be found on its pages, and they promised unfee'd attention from its author to the diseased in the school of the Miss PARKERS, for whose female academy it was written. the whole however it is a meager work, of little general interest, those rules excepted; and with an odd recommendation of certain novels of no eminence to the perusal of young people. This was one of those follies of the wise, which daily present themselves to our surprized attention." "Phytologia, or the philosophy of agriculture and gardening," was printed in 1800. "The Temple of Nature," a poem, is a posthumous publication.

On the atheistical principles of Doctor DARWIN, and on his" filmy, gawzy, gossamery verse," we forbear to remark in this place. Our opinions will be given in detail in 2 subsequent article.