poet, who rather intended, surely, to expose the vanity of attempting to alter our feelings and consciousness, or in the common phrase, to get rid of ourselves, by a change of place and country, than to ridi cule the folly, stupidity, and ignorance of many travellers. Boni pastoris est tondere pecus, non deglubere. Suetonius. It is the part of a good shepherd to shear his flock, not to fleet (flay) them. This is a political maxim now grown out of use. The best minister at present is the man who can extort the most money, not he who imposes the least burdens on the people.' Corpus onustum Hesternis vitiis animum quoque pragravat una. The body loaded with yesterday's excess also bears down the mind. The effect of dissipation is felt not only corporeally but mentally." This also we have extracted to point out the want of the distinctive mark of the adverb; it ought to have been unà.- Divide et impera. -Divide and govern.-This is the Machiavelian policy of almost all governments. By dividing a nation into parties, and poising them against each other, the people are deprived of their intrinsic weight, and their rulers incline the scale as suits their caprice or discretion.' -Duos qui sequitur lepores neutrum capit.-He who follows two hares is sure to catch neither. When the attention of a man is divided between many objects, he rarely attains any of them. He has, according to the English proverb, "too many irons in the fire."Homo homini lupus.-Man is a wolf to man.- The human race have been preying on each other, ever since the creation.- Il faut attendre le boiteux.-It is necessary to wait for the lame man.—' --This news is doubtful, we must wait for the truth, which comes haltingly behind.' Nulla fides regni sociis, omnisque potestas There will be no common faith between those who share in power, and each man will be jealous of his associate. This is a strong description of the jealous and distracted councils of a nation, on the eve of ruin.' The quotations are given alphabetically, which may in part account for the needless repetition of some. A few errors are to be ascribed to the press. Whether the authorities are always exact, we have not leisure to examine. For what reason the last quotation was added we are at a loss to say; whether it was that the compiler was unwilling that the letter Z should pass without some notice; or whether he was ambitious of not concluding his book without a farther conformity to its title-page, which promises something of Greek but nothing do we find, unless Hiera picra-sacred bitter, might be called a Greek sentence: which, together with the last phrase, is of little consequence to the reader. Art. 49. An Abridgment of Mr. Byrom's Universal English ShortHand; or the Way of Writing English in the most easy, concise, regular, and beautiful Manner. Designed for the Use of Schools. 2d Edition. By Thomas Molineux, of Macclesfield. 12mo. Boards. Common Paper. 2s. 6d. Sold by Lowndes in London. 5s. It Hi. It is a principle in mechanics, that what is obtained by a saving of power is done with a proportional loss of time; and perhaps it may be observed in writing, that what the art of short-hand endeavours to obtain in conciseness and dispatch is accomplished with a proportional loss of orthographic correctness. We mention this in conse. quence of reading, in the title, that this work is designed for the use of schools. Short-hand should not be learnt too early. It may be taught in the college, but perhaps not in the school;-to young men who have acquired a knowlege of their own tongue, and wha can write it correctly, but not to mere boys. Mr. Molineux may not teach it to his younger pupils, and we hope he does not; to those who have gone through the preparatory branches of science, and who are intended for either of the learned professions, for the senate, or for the extensive department of commerce, it may be taught with propriety; and as he has endeavoured to comprise in his Abridgment every thing useful which is contained in the original work, and has thrown the whole into a more convenient form, he has rendered no inconsiderable service to the learner of short-hand. It cannot be expected of us to decide on the comparative merit of this system. As far as we have examined it, we think it capable of answering every purpose of this useful invention. Mc-y Art. 50. The Vth and VIth Reports of the Society for Bettering the Condition and increasing the Comforts of the Poor. 8vo. Is. each. Becket. 1798. Having already given to our readers a competent idea of the nature of these reports, there seems to be no occasion for us to enlarge on the two parts that are now before us,-farther than to observe that No. VI. completes the first volume ;-yet we cannot help acknowleging, particularly, the satisfaction here afforded us by the perusal of the account of two schools, at Boldre, in the New Forest, Hampshire, by the Rev. Mr. Gilpin; one for 20 boys, the other for 20 girls; to be selected from the children of the day-labouring poor of the parish. The girls are taught to read, knit, spin, sew, &c. The boys, besides being improved in reading, are instructed in writing and arithmetic. -The rules and orders of the institution appear to be well calcu lated to answer the very commendable end proposed. Many other benevolent plans and actual undertakings, for the benefit of the poor, are detailed in both the pamphlets which are the subject of this little article:-see also our account of the former, Rev. vol. xxiii. N. S. p. 476; and vol. xxv. p. 333, 335, and 459. Art. 51. Apperçu sur la Guerre de la Vendée, &c. i. e. A Sketch of the War in Vendée, extracted from Manuscript Memoirs written by General Beauvais. 12mo. 3s. sewed. Wright, &c. London. 1798. Concerning Turreau's Memoirs of the War in Vendée we said enough in M.R. vol. xix. p. 494. This sketch is the outline of a larger manuscript history of the same war, intended as corrective of Turreau's account. The table of contents and various extracts are here made public, with a view of obtaining that preliminary encouragemeat, which will be necessary to accomplish the somewhat expensive publication publication of the whole. The personal presence of the author, in an important station during the greater part of the rebellion, has secured to him the requisite information, and seems to have less affected his partiality than was to be expected. His skill in narration is very respectable; and his intended larger work is a proper object of patronage to those who projected the unlucky expedition of Quiberon, which will naturally form one of its episodes. Art. 52. The Lawfulness of defensive War, upon Christian Principles, impartially considered. By a Clergyman of the Church of England. 12mo. Pp. 36. 6d. Darton and Co. 1798. Whether we consider the motive, the object, or the execution of this little piece, it merits every praise. Solid in its arguments, impressive in its manner, and simple in its style, we cannot but recommend it to the perusal of all classes of persons, of either sex, and of every age: but particularly to the sincere Christian, who loves the TRUTH, in the unsophisticated doctrines of his master and lord. It is wonderful how there could ever have been two opinions, among those who have perused the gospel, on the proposition considered by this worthy ecclesiastic; and yet no contrary assertions have been more positively made on any disputed passage of scripture, than on this plain question. That the precepts of Christ and his apostles are directly in favour of universal forbearance, I presume, (says our author,) no one can deny; and yet we are told by very high authority, that many of those precepts are but strong oriental idioms, and therefore, not to be taken literally. But how can we better judge of the precise meaning of the precepts of any teachers, than by comparing them with their own practice, and making their actions a comment (and what surer comment can we have) upon their doctrine? The word and works of Christ appear in perfect unison-as two undeniable witnesses, they join in bearing the most conclusive evidence against all fury, contention, and strife. What arguments then of human wisdom can possess force sufficient to disannul such an authority? To which he adds, from the Bishop of Bristol's fast sermon, March 7, 1798, the following words: "We are not at liberty to blend human inventions with pure revelation from God. Our holy faith, when pressed into such an union, is injured by it, since it becomes difficult to distinguish between the pure principle, and its debasement by intermixture." Now let us hear the Bishop of Rochester, in his pastoral letter, dated Westminster, May 1, of the present year: "It is little else than a calumny on the Christian religion, to pretend, as some have pretended, that defensive war is either contrary to the general spirit of the morality of the Gospel, or forbidden by any particular precept, or discouraged by the example of the first Christians. The notorious fact is, that they scrupled not to serve in the armies even of their heathen sovereigns, &c." What says our clergyman of the church of England to this? Whether he be right or wrong, let the reader judge :— Should it be asserted and acknowledged, that Christians were engaged in a military capacity during the early ages of the church, yet would it by no means justify Christians of the present day in following 5 Tay. following their example, if we do not find the practice to have beca dictated and warranted by the precepts and example of Christ. The mistakes of those, who in one age professed themselves his disciples, will not excuse the misconduct of those who assume the same character in another. The question is not, what Christians have done? -but what they ought to have done? and, what Christ has commanded them and us to do? Otherwise, the temporising of Peter with the Jewish converts might be alleged in favour of many unjus tifiable liberties taken by the present teachers and professors of Christianity, or the dispute between Barnabas and Saul be considered as a sufficient warrant for all the unkindness and cruelty which have been since exercised in the fierce contentions of Christian professors with each other.' We shall just give one short extract more from this tract; The man who, after attempting every possible means of escape, suffers himself to be deprived of existence in this world, because he dare not lift up his hand against the life of a fellow creature, may be regarded as weak and pusillanimous. But what then?-will the censure of a few frail mistaken mortals disturb his quiet remains in the silent tomb; or divest his innocent spirit of the peaceful reflection, that he died without having added to his other offences the guilt of murder? It is true, he may have left behind him those who stood in need of his protection and support: but he has left them still within the reach of the boundless and unwearied benevolence of him, who is not likely to withhold his all-sufficient care from those connections which have been given up for his sake. If such a man be in error, his error is on the side of mercy: it is not his alone, he has an example for it in the conduct of the primitive Christians of the first great preachers of Christianity, the apostles; and it is founded on the precepts and practice of Jesus Christ himself. Took! Art. 53. Virtue's Friend; consisting of Essays, first published periodically, on Subjects connected with the Duty and Happiness of Mankind. Vol. I. 12mo. PP. 211. 2s. 6d. Johnson. 1798. This volume consists of ingenious little essays and stories, compiled, as the writers tell us, with a view to oppose the pure attractions of conscious virtue to the fascinating allurements of vicious pleasure; to inspire an ardent passion for all that is noble, great, and excellent; to rouze men to emulation in useful and laudable pursuits; above all, to repress the malice of parties, allay those unhappy animosities that tear and distract society, and to diffuse throughout the calm of mutual forbearance, the sweets of social harmony, and the infelt joys of a self-approving mind.' The work seems well calculated to answer these laudable aims, and may be read with benefit, especially by young persons. As a specimen, we shall select the piece entitled" Sunday Morning;" not as the best in the collection, but because it is one of the shortest. It was Sunday morning. All the bells were ringing for church, and the streets were filled with people moving in all directions. Here, numbers of well-dressed persons, and a long train of charity children, were thronging in at the wide doors of a large, handsome church. church. There, a smaller number, almost equally gay in dress, were entering an elegant meeting-house. Up one alley, a Roman Catholic congregation was turning into their retired chapel, every one crossing himself with a finger dipt in holy-water as he went in. The opposite side of the street was covered with a train of quakers, distinguished by their plain and neat attire, and sedate aspect, who walked without ceremony into a room as plain as themselves, and took their seats, the men on one side and the women on the other in silence. A spacious building was filled with an overflowing crowd of methodists, decent and serious in demeanour; while a small society of baptists in the neighbourhood quietly occupied their humble place of assembly. Presently the different services began. The churches resounded with the solemn organ, and with the indistinct murmurs of a large body of people following the minister in responsive prayers. From the meetings were heard the slow psalm, and the single voice of the leader of their devotions. The Roman Catholic chapel was enlivened by strains of music, the tinkling of a small bell, and a perpetual change of service and ceremonial. A profound silence and unvarying look and posture announced the self recollection and mental devotion of the quakers. Mr. Ambrose kd his son Edwin round all these different assemblies as a spectator. Edwin viewed every thing with great attention, and was often impatient to enquire of his father the meaning of what he saw; but Mr. Ambrose would not suffer him to disturb any of the congregations even by a whisper. When they had gone through the whole, Edwin found a great number of questions to put to his father, who explained every thing to him in the best manner he could. At length says Edwin, "But why cannot all these people agree to go to the same place, and worship God the same way?" "And why should they agree?" replied his father. "Do not you see that people differ in a hundred other things? Do they all dress alike, and eat and drink alike, and keep the same hours, and use the same diversions ?" "Ay-but those are things in which they have a right to do as they please."" And they have a right too to worship God as they please. It is their own business, and concerns none but themselves." "But has not God ordered particularly ways of worshiping him?" "He has directed the mind and spirit with which he is to be worshiped, but not the particular form and manner. That is left for every one to chuse, according as suits his temper and opinions. All these people like their own way best, and why should they leave it for the choice of another? Religion is one of the things in which mankind were made to differ." The several congregations now began to be dismissed, and the street was again overspread with persons of all the different sects, going promiscuously, to their respective homes. It chanced that a poor man fell down in the street in a fit of apoplexy, and lay for dead. His wife and children stood round him crying and lamenting in the bitterest distress. The beholders immediately flocked round, and, |