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RELIGIOUS.

Art. 40. Sermons on the Articles of the Chriftian Faith. By Samuel
Ogden, D. D. 8vo. 4 s. 6d. Beecroft. 1777.

Of the writings of this learned and orthodox divine, we have, on former occafions, given fufficient fpecimens, fee our accounts of his fermons on the efficacy of prayer, and on the ten commandments: for the first fee Rev. vol. xlii. p. 214; and for the fecond, Rev. July 1777. p. 86. The prefent volume contains fourteen difcourfes, on the Being of God, the Redemption of Man, a future Judgment, and other great articles of the Christian faith and perfuafion.-We have feen, by the papers, that Dr. Ogden died foon after the publication of the performance before us.

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SERMONS.

I. An earnest Attempt to reform the Times-at the Vifitation held at Warminster, May the 29th, 1777. By John Eyre, D. D. Curate of Wylye. 8vo. 6d. Wilkie.

From the ftrain of this difcourfe, we conclude the Author to be a well-meaning man, who defires to be useful. He addreffes the exhortation, Rev. ii. 10. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life, to minifters, church-wardens, and chriftians in general. Why overfeers, juftices of the peace, and other magiftrates and officers fhould not have been particularifed as well as churchwardens, we cannot imagine. Nor do we fee that learning the puré Hebrew without points, or infifting loudly on Trinity, Unity, Coetermity, Coequality, would contribute fo much and fo effentially to the reformation of the times, as our Author feems to apprehend. Nonrefidence in parishes, and not providing fufficiently for fubftitutes, is a juft caufe of complaint; of which Dr. Eyre takes particular notice. That the times need reformation, is too evident to admit of any difpute; and therefore whatever may really contribute to advance this defirable end, will be justly deemed to have real worth and importance.

II. Preached before the Laudable Affociation of Antigallicans, at the
Parish Church of St. George's, Middlesex, on their General An-
nual Meeting, on Thursday, the 23d of April, 1778. By the
Rev. Ifaac Hunt, M. A. 4to. Is. 6d. Evans.

The Antigallican Society was inftituted in the beginning of the memorable year 1745, when (fays Mr. Hunt) the finances and commerce of France were fo far recovered from the ruinous ftate into which they were thrown by the wars of Queen Anne, as to enable ic again to disturb the peace of Europe, and brave the British arms. At this time a number of individuals refiding in London, fired with the Juft indignation of Englishmen against the infidious arts, as well as open infolence, of the French nation, entered into an affociation to fupport and diffufe among their fellow-citizens the like fpirit of triotic refentment against those perfidious enemies to Britain.' The pa

• Woodwardian Profeffor in the university of Cambridge.

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profeffed defign of this inftitution was to difcourage, by precept and
example, the importation and confumption of French produce and
manufactures, and to encourage, on the contrary, the produce and
manufactures of Great Britain. The Society foon became very nu-
merous. About the year 1751 they offered a premium for the two
buffes that should catch and cure the greatest number of British her-
rings-a fishery which was then confidered as of national confequence,
though fince, for fome unknown reafons, it has been neglected. In
the year following they offered a gold medal to the captain, and a
premium to the crew, of the most fuccefsful fhip in the Greenland
fishery. Charitable donations to the poor, and to fufferers by public
calamity, have alfo diftinguished this Affociation. In the intervals
of peace the spirit of the Society, it is faid, very naturally fubfided.
At the breaking out of the last war it was renewed. A private ship
of war was fitted out by fubfcription, and a number of boys provided
and clothed to be fent on board his Majefty's fhips. The prefent
conduct of the French, we are told, again rouzes them, and the Af-
fociation have refumed their refolution of fitting out a number of
ftout lads for the fea-fervice. Some perfons are ready to fay, when
fuch enormous fums are raised by public taxes for the aid of govern-
ment, what just reafon can there be for applying to private fubfcrip-
tions? Into this we shall not enquire. Mr. Hunt, however, here
gives us a very good and fuitable difcourfe, recommending the love
of our country, recommending alfo an attention to the present object
of the Society with regard to our marine, and infifting very properly
on the folly of Englishmen's attachment to French manners and pro-
ductions. One would imagine (he fays), that in a country compli-
mented by other nations as the peculiar refidence of good fenfe and
fober thinking, there would be little danger of its adopting the cuf
toms, manners, and drefs of its most capricious, unthinking, and
frivolous neighbours; and this more efpecially in a country of ma-
nufactures and commerce, in which fuch adoption is not only incon-
fiftent with the native difpofition and genius of its inhabitants, but
is effentially detrimental to their public as well as private intereft.'
He concludes with fervent wishes for the reconciliation of our colo-
nies with the mother-country, and earnest perfuafion that reciprocal
offences might be buried in oblivion, and past errors forgot, and the
whole British empire unite hand and heart against the common foe to
its peace.
III. The Vanity of human Dependencies fated and explained-at Barbi-
can, May 17, 1778; being the Sunday after the Deceafe of the
late Earl of Chatham. By Charles Bulkley. 4to. Is. Johnson.
Mr. Bulkley employs his ingenious pen to lament the death of the
above-mentioned eminent and once popular nobleman. I cannot
furely (he fays) be confidered as going out of the line of my profef-
fion, or beyond my province, in paying my very fmall tribute of
honour and refpect (for fmall indeed it is) to the memory of one
whose animated services, under God, our late monarch having at a
time fo

been juft o

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called him to the prime adminiftration of affairs, have
of tranfmitting to us fo many bleffings.' We may
at though the meaning of this paffage is fufficiently
plain,

plain, there is a confufion in the arrangement of the thoughts, not, we think, generally obfervable in this Author.-He proceeds with the words of the Pfalmift: The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart, and merciful men are taken away, none confidering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.' How applicable thefe words in particular to the character of him whofe death we deplore! What was his conftant, uniform language as a fenator, and a statesman, from the very beginning of our present troubles to his own latest breath. Tax not without reprefentation-There was righteoufnefs-Withdraw, withdraw your troops-There was mercy. And when I reflect on the great and mighty lofs we have fuftained by his removal, I am ready to cry out with the prophet, Wo is me, for I am as when they have gathered the fummer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat; my foul defired the first ripe fruit; the good man is perished out of the earth." -But I would not wish to lead you into any defponding apprehenfions.'

Mr. Bulkley expreffes his fatisfaction in the respect and honour which have been manifefted by Government to the memory of the Earl of Chatham at the fame time he declares his concern at not having ⚫ difcovered any traces of a like spirit prevailing in the body at large: I have rather (fays he) been shocked with the appearances of a fullen infenfibility on the occafion; too fimilar, alas, to the general ftupefaction of the times, that worft of omens we have among us, unless, haply, this very ftupefaction may prove at length its own cure by exciting a juft amazement at itself.' Hi. IV. Preached before the incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in foreign Parts-at their Meeting in the Church of St. Mary-le-Bow, February 20, 1778. By the Honourable and Right Reverend Father in God, Brownlow Lord Bishop of Worcefter. 8vo. I s. Harrison.

An ingenious and elegant compofition: and this is chiefly what we have to fay concerning it; for though it advances pofitions and affertions which at the least admit of debate, it much exceeeds the limits we can allow to confider them. Should it be granted that they speak fome truth, it must be at the fame time queftioned whether it is the whole truth, and whether this exact and polished difcourse may not be in fome inftances calculated to mislead and deceive, rather than to enlighten and inform. On the whole, it reminds us of an answer, which was published fome years ago, to Dr. Mayhew's pamphlet concerning the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. It was elegantly written (far fuperior in this refpect to Dr. Mayhew's tract), under the direction of the late Archbishop of Canterbury. It was genteel, fpecious, plaufible-but, as we remember, very far from removing the objections which were offered by Dr. Mayhew. H. V. The Spiritual Merchant defcribed, and the Gain of true Godliness proved at the Tabernacle near Moorfields, Oct. 29, 1777. By Samuel Medley. 8vo. 6d. Buckland, &c.

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ART. I. Meditationes Analyticæ. Ab Edvardo Waring, M. D. Trin.
Coll. apud Cantab. Mathefeos Profeffore Lucasiano, Regia Societatis,
et Bononienfis Scientiarum Academic Socio. 4to. 1. s. Boards.
Cadell, &c. 1776.

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HE very ingenious Profeffor, Author of this and fome former elaborate books on the analytic art, obferves, in the beginning of his preface, that, fince mathematical ftudies feem to languifh at our univerfities, and that the academical youth are, by the generality of perfons, advised against the pursuit of them, it will feem ftrange that he fhould fpend his time and money in writing and printing mathematical works; and that he does not defift from a labour which meets with no praise. He does not, however, he obferves, induftriously seek for arguments to fupport his conduct in this refpect. It is enough that they, have been written in confequence of his office. The profefforial chair, which he had obtained, was to be adorned, and the nature of the inftitution required that the Doctor fhould, to the utmost of his power, endeavour to extend the boundaries of mathematical learning.

Here it may not be improper to offer a remark or two on the learned Profeffor's complaint, that mathematical ftudies are neglected or discouraged in the univerfity of Cambridge. Some years ago it was a general and juft complaint, that all academical honours, on taking the first degree, were diftributed among the candidates according to their proficiency in mathematics and philofophy alone; which induced the youth, of the beft abilities, to employ the whole time allotted for their refidence there, in the purfuit of thofe ftudies; endeavouring to advance into the more abftrufe parts of them, to almost a total neglect of claffical and other learning, which, to them, might be, at leaft, equally useful in their future life;-to the generality of them, especially, as being deftined to the church. To remedy this inconvenience, honours and premiums have VOL. LIX.

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fince been affigned for the encouragement of claffical learning; and fome of them fo judiciously limited, that none were qualified as candidates for the fame, but fuch as had diftinguished themselves in mathematical ftudies. Now we can scarce think that these latter premiums, derived from the munificence of the Chancellor, Univerfity Members, &c. have so totally turned the stream against mathematical learning, as to leave any very juft caufe of diffatisfaction on that head. The perfons of whom the Profeffor complains, as diffuading the youth from the pursuit of these ftudies, had, perhaps, only in view the more abftrufe parts of algebra and fluxions, to which this profound and able Writer has hitherto confined his publications. Thefe, though fo eminently useful in aftronomy and the fublimer parts of natural philofophy, can, certainly, be of but little ufe to the generality of ftudents, in regard to their future profeffions; and ought not, therefore, to engrofs much of the time dedicated to initiatory ftudies. But there are, doubtless, fome parts of mathematics which are of univerfal ufe, and ought, by no means, to be neglected by any who wish to form pretenfions to a liberal education, as they help greatly to fix the attention, to enlarge the understanding, to methodize our ideas, and to improve our reasoning faculties, when we apply them to any other subject whatsoever. For those who apply themselves to mathematics only for thefe ends, to inure themfelves to a method of close thinking and juft reasoning, geometry is the proper field: and they who but moderately exercife themselves therein will fooner attain their purpose, than others that go far greater lengths in algebra and fluxions. So much of the ftudy of mathematics we hope will never be difcouraged in either of our univerfities: and those who have so far entered upon them, and who happen to have a turn for thefe ftudies, may, when they have gone through fuch other branches of learning as are neceffary to their future profeffions, resume them, and carry them to what lengths they please.

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But notwithstanding we apprehend our learned Profeffor's complaint of the neglect of mathematics to be rather ill grounded, yet we think him highly to be commended for his zeal to adorn the profefforial chair, and for his endeavours to extend the present boundaries of mathematical learning; and that we can no way better fhew how much his labours have contributed to thefe ufeful purposes, than by giving, chiefly from his own preface, the following hiftory of what has been done by himself and others in this branch of science.

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See a Differtation on the Geometrical Analysis of the Ancients, of which we gave an account in our Review for April 1775

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