
Retrofped? of American Literature—Divinity. 
Nthed “ The Life of Ezra Stiles, D. D. 
LL.D. Prefident of Yale College, &c. 
&c.” Prefident Stiles,.a man fo diftin- 
guifhed for his moral and intelleCtual ac- 
quirements, has here found a biographer 
in every refpeét qualified for the tafk of 
recording his character. Mr. Holmes was 
clofely conneéted with the fubje€t of his 
biography, and had the additional advan- 
tage of poffefling the whole of his manu- 
feripts: many materials are thus furnifhed 
for a more faithful delineation of his cha- 
raéter than could have been co!leéted by 
any other means; and the work is alto- 
gether valuable as exhibiting an interefting 
piéture of piety and benevolence, of in- 
duftry, learning, and docility. 
ai DIVINITY. 
Mr. NATHAN STRONG, paftor of the 
North Preftbyierian church in Hartford, 
has publifhed a volume of ‘¢ Sermons on 
various Subjects, Doéirinal, Experimen- 
tal, and Practical.”” They are not remark- 
able for originality of thought or purity of 
diction: they contain fome ftrong reafon- 
ing however in defence of the author’s pe- 
culiar religious tenets, and breathe a {pirit 
of piety and gocdnefs. 
The ‘Sermons of Dr. SamMUEL STAN- 
HOPE SMITH, Prefident of the College of 
New Jerfey,” are profeifedly decorated 
with all the fowers of oratory which the 
reverend writer could colleét: the colors 
of fome are beautiful and delicate, of others 
flaring and obtrufive; the effe&t of the 
whole is a fort of gaudinefs which it is 
prefumed will not generally pleafe. The 
author has taken for his model in thefe 
compofitions the French preachers who 
flourifhed at the clofe of the laf and be- 
ginning of the prefent century; it would 
be flatrery however, to fay, that he equals 
thein in the pathos and fervor of his fty!le : 
there is fomething meretricious in the orna- 
ments of the American preacher which in- 
jures their effeét, and his animation feems 
as often to be the effect of ftudy as to How 
fpontaneoufly fromthe heart. It ought to 
be noticed, however, that thefe difcourfes 
are intended as a fort of experiment ; thofe 
moral and religious truths which are of 
mott importance to mankind, have by re- 
petition become fo familiar to our ears, 
that it was thought neceffary, in order to 
{ecure attention, to give them the grace of 
novelty, -‘‘ and to add the decent and lawful 
embellifhment of art ‘to the fimplicity of 
the Gofpel.”” The fubjeéts which. Dr. 
Smith has chofen are generally of high 
import, and though he does not often at- 
sesppt profound reafoning, his matter is 
647 
far from being deftitute of inftruétion and — 
good fenfe. ae 
Dr. DwiGurt has exhibited ‘‘ The Na- 
ture and Danger of Infidel Philofophy, 
in Two Difcourfes, addreffed to the 
Candidates for the Baccalaureate in Yale 
College.” In thefe difcouries the Dr. ape 
pears to be moft fincerely interefted im the 
temporal and eternal welfare of thofe to 
whom he addreffes them, and of courfe 
they muft have been received with gratis © 
tude and attention. Mr. J. M. Mason’ 
has addreffed fome ‘* Letters on Frequent 
Communion” to the Members of the 
Affociate -Reformed Church of North 
America, It feems to have been the 
cuftom in moft of thofe churches, with 
which the refpectable author of rhis work — 
has been conneéted, not to adminifter the 
Lord's Supper more than once, or at moft 
twice in the year; and the adminiftration 
is ufually preceded by a faft, and follow= 
ed by a thankfgiving day. The object | 
of Mr. Mafon, in thefe fenfible letters, is 
to recommend a frequency of the Com- 
‘munion, and that the holy ceremony 
fhould not be encumbered with the appen- 
dages of a thankfgiving and a faft-day. 
“‘ The Importance of Family Religion,” 
has been illuftrated in a plain and fenfible 
‘¢ Sermon, by ALEX. PRoupFiT, A.M. 
Paftor of the Affociate Reforma Congre- 
gation in Salem, State of New York.” 
A few other fingle Sermons have been 
publifhed ; one by Dr. THaTCHER, de- 
livered at the Firft Church of Bofton, 
April 6th, 1798, at the interment of the 
Reverend Dr. Clarke, who was feized 
on the preceding Sunday with anapoplec- 
tic fit, as he was preaching to his Congre- 
gation. ‘Iwo have alfo appeared, one by 
Mr. THORNTON KIRKLAND, and one 
by Dr. L1nN, on the National Faft (May 
9th, 1798,) appointed by the Prefident of 
the United States. Dr. Livingston 
and Dr. M‘Knicut, each publifhed the 
«¢ Sermon’’ which he delivered to the New 
York Miffionary Society. To thefe are 
added a Charge given to the firft Mif- 
fionary, Dr, Rodgers; the Inftructions 
to Miffionaries, and the Report of the Di- 
rectors. This is altogether a moft inte- 
refting publication: we know that the 
fociety who are now engaged in attempt- 
ing to propagate the gofpel among Indian 
favages, have neither for their object the 
{pirit of conqueft nor of gain ; they are ac- 
tuated by the moft humane and difinte- 
refted motives, and the inftruction which 
they give to the Miffionaries evjyces 
much fagacity, caution, and philanthropy- 
POT @ (oles 5 WEA tere eee 
F 
