-1997.] 
tions and Memoirsof the Royal and Man- 
chefter Societies, the acquifition of Ma- 
thematical knowkedge has been very 
* much facilitated by Dr. CHARLES Hur- 
TON’s excellent. ** Mathematical Dic- 
tionary,”” a work richly ftored with cor- 
rect information in every branch of ma- 
thematics, and with ufeful and entertain- 
ing accounts of eminent inathematicians. 
The theory of {pherical trigonometry, 
already well digetted in many accurate 
treatifes, is happily applied to praétice in 
Mr. KeLiy’s ingenious and well-me- 
thodized “ Pratiical Introduétion ‘to 
Spherical and Nautical Aftronomy :” the 
work will be found very ufeful in the 
practice of ftereographical projection, and 
in the application of mathematical {ci- 
ence to navigation. 
In Mr. Frennp’s elementary treatife, 
entitled “ The Principles of Algebra, 
for the Ufe of Schools,” an ingenious at= 
tempt is made to fimplify this branch of 
the mathematics; by dropping the mode’ 
of working by negative numbers: other 
improvements are {uggefted in this work, 
which well deferve the attention of ma- 
thematicians. Mr. Mannine has alfo 
publifhed an “ Introduétion to Arith- 
metic,” which, if not enriched with 
much new matter, will be found an uleful 
guide to learners. It remains at prefent 
unfinifhed. 
METAPHYSICS. 
In the fublime fcience of Metaphydics, 
the attention of the Englith public is 
ealled toa new fyftem of fpeculative phi- 
lofophy, which has obtained great cele- 
-brity in Germany. Mr. NivscH,a pu- 
pil of Profeffor KawT, the father of this 
‘Sytem, fubmits to the confideration of 
philofophers, an ‘“‘ Introductory View of 
the Kantean Philofophy,’’ concerning 
Man, the World, and the Deity. In> 
this preliminary fketch, Mr. Nirscu’s 
chief objeét is, to enable the reader'to 
form fome judgment of what may be ex- 
pected from a more comprehenfive view 
of this new fyftem : the work contains a 
mafterly retrofpeét cf former opinions in 
philofophy ; and fuch.an account of the 
method of philofophifing adopted by 
Profefior KANT, as may ferve. to give. 
the reader a glimpfe of his abftract and 
dificult theory. The doé€trine of philo- 
fophical neceflity, already fo ably main- 
tained by a numerous train of modern 
philofophers, has found a new advocate 
in Mr.CaLexs Pitt, whofe  Effay on 
the Nature of Power and Preference,” 
though neither enriched with the acute- 
-nefs of a HARTLEY or ah Epwarps, 
nor diftinguithed by much originality, 
Montuiy Mag. No. XIII. 
; Metaphyfics..... Lheology, | ae 
poffefies the merit of clearnefs of concep- 
tion, accuracy of arrangement, and per- 
tinency of illuftration : it is intended as 
introductory to an Effay on the Philofo- 
phy of Chriftianity. 
THEOLOGY. 
During the period of the prefent re- 
trofpeét, the field of Theology has, as 
@fual, not been unproduétive. On the 
controverfy concerning Revelation, one 
of the more valuable publications has 
been “ Dr. PatesTLEey’s fecond feries of 
*“* Difcourfes on Revealed Religion,” 
delivered, and. firft publifhed, in Philae 
delphia, and finve reprinted in London : 
the volume contain.an interefting view of 
, the ftate of religious opinions and prac- 
tices, prior to the Chriftian era; and 
ftates, in @fummary, but mafterly way, 
the combined evidence for the Jewith and 
Chriftian revelations. Mr. IrnELAaNp’s 
“ Five Difcourfes, containing certain 
Arguments for and againft the Reception 
_of Chriftianity by the ancient Jews and 
Greeks,’’ are entitled to refpeétful men- : 
tion, as an ingenious performance of a 
{cholaftic rather than a popular caft. A 
publication of confiderable refpeétability 
has appeared, under the title of “ IMZ/u/- 
trations of Prophecy, &c.’’ Befides a large 
colleétion of opinions and commentaries 
on the prophetic parts of fcripture, it con- 
tains many original obfervations, which 
bear evident marks of ingenuity, but 
which would have been more valuable, 
had the author written lefs under the in- 
fluence of political fyftem : his fentiments 
are, however, liberal, and his ftyle is 
nervous and animated. Dr. FirzcGe- 
RALD’s “ Effay on the Originality and 
Permanency of the Biblical Hebrew,’ 
particularly pointed againft{ Mr. Painr’s 
affertion, that written language is not a 
proper vehicle for the word of God, isa 
performance, which will rather imprefs 
the reader with an idea of the depth of 
the writer’s erudition, than of the accu- 
racy of his judgment. Dr. WiLiiams’s 
<« Remarks on Dr. Bell’s Treatife on the 
Authenticity of the Narrative of the mi- 
raculous Conception,” proceeds too much 
upon ill-fupported conjecture, to afford a 
cautious enquirer much fatisiaction. The 
hberality of Dr. Patey’s “ Defence of 
Chriftianity,”’ has awakened fome jealoufy 
among his more orthodox ¥brethren. 
Archdeacon Ports, in a “Charge to 
the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of St. 
Albans,’’ cenfures the doétor’s free con- 
ceflions ref{peéting the inf{piration of the 
Apoftles; and Mr. Roserts, in “ Ob- 
fervations on the Principles of Chriftian 
Morals,” controverts his aotion, that in 
G 
morals 



