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charitable and ungracious declaration at the outset, which I could earnestly wish had been suppressed; not for the sake of Paine, whom I loathe, but of Watson, whom I revere. This is certainly a very able defence of Revelation against many old and obvious objections very forcibly urged-(for I set aside the ribaldry, ignorance, and petulant self sufficiency of the objector, as circumstances which give a manifest advantage to the respondent) :-but there runs through the whole reply, what I have often observed and reprobated in defences of this kind,—a remission of orthodoxy for the purpose of removing from view the most obnoxious parts of the cause. The inspiration of the Evangelists, the divinity of Christ, &c. are here kept back; and the case is argued as if the writers of the Gospels were ordinary biographers, Christ a mere mortal inspired, &c.; although the author hints that his belief is different; and from the situation he holds in the Church, we must presume it to be

There is in this, to my feelings, a sort of temporising spirit, inconsistent with the warmth and earnestness which we should expect in a sincere believer contending for the rock of his Salvation; and peculiarly repugnant to that strain of simple, manly, nervous, eloquence, which distinguishes the writings of this respectable prelate.

NOV. the 8th.

I have been for some days attending lectures on chemistry. Specious as the advantages of the new nomenclature appear, they seem counterbalanced by the reflection, that on any revolution in the system, which surely stands on ticklish ground, the denominations deduced from it, must undergo a correspondent disorganization.

Saw distinctly this evening, through a microscope, the circulation of the white and transparent globules of blood, in the pellucid body and members of a water newt-a spectacle which impressed me with a more awful sense of the mysterious operations going on in nature, than the revolution of the planets.

NOV. the 12th.

Read Burke's Letters on a Regicide Peace. I am so satisfied that Burke enters into the true genius and and character of the principles which have operated in the French revolution, that I listen with reverence to whatever he advances on the subject. He has here pursued his original sentiments on these principles, with no abatement of his original vigour. In his cordial detestation of them, I heartily

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conspire; but by what measures does he propose to rescue us from their contagion ? Were it possible to restore France and Europe to the state they were in before the revolution, or rather to the semblance of that state-(a thing probably inpracticable were it ever so earnestly sought; and which the corruption of courts will not allow us to suppose would for any length of time be sincerely, honestly, and steadily pursued)—still the mind could never be restored; pernicious habits could not be effaced; prejudices, however useful, could not be revived; nor could the sacred cause of real liberty be purified from the stains and disgrace of prostitution. We are in the midst of horrible and antagonist disorders; nor, till they reach something like a crisis, is it easy to say, what we ought to think, or how we ought to act. His strictures on the war, which certainly never originated in the views he recommended, and which, prosecuted as it is, can only tend to accelerate the evils which he laboured to avert by it, or sink us still deeper in the bog of corruption, are animated with a just and lively indignation. He certainly places us, by these Letters, in a shocking dilemma: but I wish to believe that his rampant imagination has magnified the peril; and, at worst, have considerable reliance on that nisus towards a healthy state, which, in the body politic, as well as natural, is often our safest and surest ground of hope, under the visitation of disorder.-The passage in which he brings the situation of the emigrants home to our feelings, and recalls us to a sense of our own danger by their example, is sketched with-masterly judgment, and coloured with a glowing pencil.

NOV. the 13th.

Read two translations of Burgher's Leonora ; one in the Monthly Magazine for March, and one by Mr. Spencer. The latter, I conjecture, more fully conveys the sense; the former more vigorously transfuses the spirit, of the original. In the latter, many vivid images are sublimed into vapid abstractions, much energy is lost by a fastidious rejection of sonorous echoes to the sense, and the general effect is perhaps weakened by the refinement of the language: in the former, the sense is invigorated by concentration; the character of the piece is sustained by correspondent, popular, appropriate, and forcible expressions; and, by the artificial incrustation of antique phraseology, a congenial gloom is shed over a tale of horror, to which I can allow every merit but retributory justice. I would certainly sooner have written the anonymous translation; but, had I done so, I should have grieved at seeing, in the rival version, many sentiments and images which I had neglected to transplant; and I should have shrunk into myself, when

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"Full at the portal's massy gate

The plunging steed impetuous dashed."

Lord C. called in. He believes it to be Earl Fitzwilliam, not Fox, as I conceived, whom Burke's "dim eyes in vain explored" on the side of administration, at this crisis.-Necessity, he thought, a strange doctrine. The most revolting objection to it, I observed, seemed to vanish, with those who regarded the infliction of punishment as only a means of reformation. He urged the influence of punishment, regarded as an example to others: this, I replied, would only be a link in the chain; and he seemed to acquiesce.-His Lordship saw no inconsistency between prescience and freedom. God foresees: how he foresees, I know not— certainly not as man does, by arguing from cause to effect: he foresees; he reveals his foreknowledge to a prophet; how is the event affected?

NOV. the 21st.

Read, with much curiosity and interest, Hurd's Life of Warburton. All the offensive characters of Hurd's manner, which Parr has felt with such discernment, and described with such force-the quaint phrase, the cool sarcastic sneer, the flippant stricture, the petulant gibe, the oblique insinuation, the crafty artifice, tne mean subterfuge, the fawning suggestion-are here strikingly manifest. In my opinion of Warburton or himself, which Parr had settled and defined, it has not made a shade of difference.-The art with which Hurd has evaded all notice of Jortin and Leland, is very amusing.

NOV. the 24th.

Finished Maundrell's Journey from Aleppo to Jerusalem: a plain, unaffected narrative; but written with an uncouthness of style, which we should not expect to find in any composition of this century. I can scarcely fancy any thing more interesting to a fervent devotee, than such a journey. What emotions must be felt, at beholding Mount Calvary, the Sepulchre of Christ, &c.!

NOV. the 28th.

Mr. L. spent the morning with me. I was pleased to find, that though of such opposite political sentiments, he fully acknowledged the integrity of Burke's principles, and the transcendant energies of his mind, which still worked with so much

D

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vigour under the most overwhelming depression. He stated that he had pressed Tooke, as I have done, on the ambiguity of his political principles, but without any satisfactory result; and thinks, as I do, that for the attainment of his particular and limited views, whatever they are, he has connected himself with a party whose aim extends much farther, but whom he conceives it will be possible, when his end is answered, to check in their career.

Looked into Gibbon's Miscellaneous Works. His ingenious Dissertation on "L'Homme au Masque de Fer," if not quite conclusive with respect to this mysterious personage, exhibits a wonderful convergescence of moral probabilities on-a natural son of Anne of Austria, widow of Louis XIII, by Cardinal Mazarin.

DEC. the 6th.

Finished Robertson's History of Scotland. In the 1st and prefaratory Book, he skilfully evades a long tract of obscure and uninteresting narrative, by exhibiting a brief but masterly abstract of Scotch affairs till the period of Mary Queen of Scots.-The History, which properly commences here, and embraces only two reigns, and a term of little more than sixty years, evinces unquestionably very respectable talents in the writer; but when I recollect Gibbon's exquisite taste and critical discernment, can I believe him serious or sincere, in disclaiming the honour of forming a triumvirate of British Historians, with such a colleague ?

DEC. the 11th.

Finished the 1st Vol. of Robertson's Charles the V., obeying the references to proofs and illustrations. I am confounded at the immense researches which furnished materials for this preliminary volume: and if Robertson is surpassed, as he politely confesses himself to have been, in diligence, by Gibbon, it must be acknowledged, at least, that his industry has been directed to enquiries more immediately interesting to a modern European. The notice of Voltaire at the conclusion, is liberal and handsome; and, (so little are we in the habit of seeing justice done to this extraordinary man in this country,) was, to me, I confess, quite unexpected.

DEC. the 15th.

Le Marquis D' A. dined with me. Had much chat on our different modes of society. At Paris, in dinner parties, each gentleman brings his servant; calls for

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what wine he chooses, at and between the courses: liqueurs are introduced with the desert; and when the lady of the house says, "je suis a vos ordres," all withdraw together to coffee and cards, or disperse to the opera: after which the same, or some other house, is found open for supper, which is usually composed of as great a variety of dishes as the dinner. Young fellows drink only "dans les debauches" with their mistresses, or in set parties; and to appear drunk in mixed company, would be an unpardonable offence.-Except in an hour (could it be restricted to an hour) of seperation after dinner, the French have clearly the advantage of us.He thought people of condition in France, in general, far more affable to the lower orders, than they appeared to be with us. I believe he is right; but then it must be recollected that the French are, constitutionally or by habit, a far more sociable and affable race than ourselves.

DEC. the 17th.

Read the 1st Book of Macchiavel's Discorsi sopra Livio. Is it possible Macchiavel could seriously believe (c. 56) that great political revolutions were usually ushered in by great natural portents, as earthquakes, meteors, &c.? In the 58th chapter, he declares himself very decidedly in favour of Republics over Monarchies, as possessing greater wisdom and steadiness in the administration of affairs, stronger attachments to rectitude, and more constancy in adhering to engagements; and professes a manly sentiment, which would form a good motto, "Io non giudico, ne giudichero mai, essere difetto difendere alcune opinioni con le ragioni, senza volervi usare o l'autorita o la forza." Who would not think he was reading a sentence of Beccaria?

ter."

Attended, in the evening, the representation of Holcroft's "Deserted DaughH. is here very busy at his purpose: his aim, to those who are conversant with the tenets of his sect, is sufficiently manifest; but he manages and conceals it with a discretion not very consistent, surely, with his principles.

DEC. the 19th.

Finished Robertson's Charles the V.; a sound and able exposition of an interesting period, which finely opens the state of Modern Europe: I cannot think, however, that as an historical composition, it emulates the lively ease, acuteness, and penetration of Hume; or the exquisite skill, poignant taste, and profound erudition of Gibbon. Though Robertson's style appears quite unexceptionable,

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