tations on the Prophecies.”’ To his 
able and zealous exertions we are alfo 
indebted, for ** A Defence of the Old 
Teftament,” in reply to Mr. Partne’s 
Age of Reafon. In the prefent inno- 
vating age, it is thought neceffary to 
“write new defences of old eftablifhments ; 
and Mr. SHEPHERD has proved himfelf 
an able and zealous advocate for the 
‘church of England, in “A Critical and 
Pradiical Elucidation of the Morning and 
Evening Prayer ;” 
written, and affords proofs of ecclefiafti- 
cal erudition. Dr. EpwARDsS, with 
his ufual ingenuity and liberality, has 
publithed “ An Argument ia favour of 
‘Chriftianity, drawn from the Charatter 
and Difcourfes of Chrift,” in which he 
finds fufficient ground for acknowledging 
His divine miflion, even if miracles had 
never exifted. A weak and blundering 
«¢ Examination of the Bifhop of Landaff’s 
Apology for the Bible,” has been at- 
«empted by Mr. M‘teop. . On the con- 
trary fide, a feeble and intemperate 
« Anfwer to the Age of Reafon, has 
‘been publifhed by Mr. Watsen—and 
an ‘* Attempt,” not very important to 
the caufe, has been made by Mr. Evans, 
*to account for the infidelity of Mr. 
Gipson.’ Amyftical and unfatisfactory 
¢ Vindication of the Divine Infpiration 
of the Scriptures,’ has alfo appeared. 
Liberal commendation is due 
** Difcourfe,”’ by Mr. EsTLIn, on “ the 
Nature and Caufes of Atheifm,” with 
« Remarks on Dupuis’ Origine de tous 
des Cultes,” in which ftrong arguments and 
animated fentiments, are expreffed in 
perfpicuous and forcible language. Few. 
other fingle difcourfes, during this pe- 
riod, are entitled to notice, though a 
faft-day, which always produces a-crop 
of fermons, has occurred. We may fe- 
Jeét from the mafs, Mr. HOULBROO@KE’S 
Funeral Sermon, for Mr. Tayleur, of 
Shrewsbury; Mr. Mac-Grv’s Synod 
Sermon, on Conneétion of Situation with 
Charaéter; Mr. Buxces’s Faft Sermon, 
on the Neceffity and Duty of enlighten- 
ing the Human Race; and Dr. Biarr’s 
Sermon before the Society for the Re- 
dief of the Sons of the Clergy. 
MORALITY. 
The improvement of morals, in many 
important branches, is the principal ob- 
Jeét of one of the mof interefting publi- 
_ ations of the period befere us, Mr. 
Gopwin’s “ Enquirer; Reflections on 
Education, Manners, and Literature.” 
Mr. G. withes to make ailmen, children 
of reafon.. The correétions and im- 
Morality... Critici/m. 
the work 1s correétly . 
COM uAy 
IIg 
provements which he propofes. in. edu- 
cation, all tend to exercife the intellect, 
and form a habit of thinking: the re- 
formations which he would produce in 
manners, are adapted to emancipate men 
from the dominion of patlion, fancy, and 
fafhion, and make them rational beings. 
The work would, probably, have pro- 
duced more effect, had the author in- 
dulged himfelf lefs in excentricity. Mr. 
G. as a philofopher 1s capable of reafon- 
ing logically; and she fhould never, 
from the vanity of being admired as a 
fine writer, condefcend to become a. 
declaimer. The critical part. of the 
work difcovers 2-correct tafte. No ex- 
centricity will be charged upon another 
moralif#t, .Mr. GisporneE, who has 
written a very ufeful “ Enquiry into the 
Duties of the Female Sex,” in which, 
in firiét, and, perhaps, fomewhat too 
rigorous, adherence to eftablifhed_ prin- 
ciples and rules, the author gives the 
female world a great abundance of whole- 
fome counfel, expreffed in correct and 
elegant language. We muft not overlook 
the moral, interfperfed with a large 
portion of ‘theological inftruétion, pro- 
vided for the poor in a colleétion of fmall 
tracts, occafionally publifhed, under the 
general title of ‘* The Cheap Repo- 
fitory.”’ | ae 
Caiticism. 
A few elegant works have appeared, 
‘to adorn the department of Clatlical Li- 
terature, ‘* The Hippolytus of Euri- 
pides,” has been edited in an elegant 
and fplendid ftyle, from the Clarendon 
prefs, by Mr. EGeriv0On: the edition 
is enriched-avith original notes. A very 
Ingenious, but very unfatisfactory at- 
tempt to prove that Troy never exifted, 
has been made by the learned Mr. Bry- 
ANT, ina “ Differtation concerning the 
War of Troy, and the Expedition of the 
Greeks, as defcribed by Homer.’’ The 
general teftimony of antiquity is not te 
be fhaken, even by the powerful arm of 
this great mythologift. The clafficad 
{cholar, will, at leaft, find much amufe- 
ment in perufing a fingular performance, 
written with fome quaintnefs, but with 
much fmartne({s, wit, and learning, en- 
titled, “* Metronarifiun, or a new Pleafure 
recommended in a Differtation on a part 
of Greek and Latin Profody ;” in which 
it is Maintained, that ancient verfe ought 
to be ftriétly read according to quantity. 
Mr. Hove has prefeuted the world with 
an elegant piece of critical inveftigation, 
“in Remarks on the Arabian Nights’ 
Entertainments,’ the object of which is- 
ae te te 
