and virtue; that it introduces many useful incidental narratives, and sketches of characters; and that it prefents fuch views of the moral government of God as are highly favourable to virtue. This outline our Author has filled up with a variety of judicious remarks, expreffed with clearness and fimplicity. The practical utility of the hiftorical mode of inftruction is well illuftrated in the following paffage: Syftems of religion and morality point out, diflinetly, the feparate difpofitions we ought to cultivate, and the duties it becomes us to practife. But a perfon who endeavours to direct his own heart and life by the rules of rectitude, will find himself greatly at a lofs, in many cafes, if he has only a well arranged set of doctrines and duties to guide him. He will want to be inftructed, how these various branches of moral obligation may be blended in the usual temper and conduct of the fame perion; how they may be combined together in proper measures and proportions, and the times and feafons in which they should be exerted, fo as to form a complete and confiftent behaviour. For, as the chymift may know how to prepare all his colours of the most delicate hue, without being skilled in the painter's art, fo the fcientific moralift may diftinguish the nature of particular virtues, and their feparate boundaries, in a general way, without being acquainted with the method of fixing them in the mind as principles of action, or of moulding them into an eafy, unaffected character of goodness.. What we call character implies confiftency; a direction of the general fentiments and conduct to fome one point. It is not denominated from a few fingle actions, but from the prevailing tenour of the converfation and behaviour. The inward difpofitions are the fources of it. And an even bent and inclination of the foul will · fhow itself, by a correfpondent uniformity of life and manners. The best method, then, of teaching how to form a character of integrity, must be, by fetting to view the difcourfes and actions of a wife and worthy man. These show, the actual operation of good principles, in the different circumftances, fituations, and relations of life, upon the temper and conduct; how they pervade the heart, and regulate the life; how the general train of thoughts and ideas, the chief views and defires, the habitual frame of foul, and the prevailing tenour of the converfation and behaviour, are governed by the rule of rectitude. The common principles of our nature, the rational, intelligent, moral and religious faculties of mankind, and their affections, paffions and defires, operate in the fame general way, in every person; though they are variously modified, in their degree and manner of exertion, by different circumftances. And even thefe circumstances, namely, the motives by which the mind is influenced, and the occafions upon which the different fituations and objects of purfuit in human life, and external varieties of fate, have fuch triking refemblances, in the lives of different perfons, that parallel cafes in ano. ther, are the most useful directions to guide us in the right path. And to fit us for deriving this inftruction from living examples and biographical memoirs, the Author of our frame has given to every Ff3 one an intuitive difcernment of character. By this we immediately dif tinguish the right from the wrong, in temper and conduct, and we can apply this judgment to the regulation of our hearts and lives, with much more ease, quickness, and accuracy, than we can apply a mere precept. • Without defcending to a fervile imitation, a perfon may learn, from the hiftories of others, to infuse the excellencies that are related into his own character, in fuch a manner as is fuitable to, and becoming it. The good qualities of another may be easily copied, fo as to preferve the peculiar ftyle, or natural caft of character, and to improve, exalt, and refine it. A perfon may learn to imbibe the fame predominant fpirit of piety and of benevolence, which he fees in another, and to exert them fuitably to his own abilities, fituation, and circumftances in life, without using the very fame individual expreffions of them as the other does. If a wife man, in high rank, plans and executes great and extenfive schemes for the welfare of his country, or of mankind at large; the man of low ftation and moderate talents may exercise the fame generous temper, in his narrower fphere of action, by candour in judging and fpeaking of others, by labouring with his own hands for their benefit, and by comforting the diftreffed with friendly aid and perfonal attendance. The man who follows a ftudious life, will employ his thoughts on subjects that may render him useful. While the active man, from the same defire of doing good, will be engaged in the execution of laudable plans for the advantage of his fellow creatures. • The effect of moral and religious inftruction, in whatever mode it is conveyed, does, indeed, much depend upon the capacities and difpofitions, of the particular perfons to whom it is communicated. The beft poffible way of tranfmitting divine truths muft admit of being miftaken and abufed, by the unthinking and the vicious. Precepts must be delivered in general terms, and the proper application of them to particular inftances, depends, greatly, on the fagacity and uprightness of those who use them as the rule of life. The com pleteft models, in every art, as well as in the art of living virtuously, are always reckoned preferable to the best fet of rules. And it is, by obferving carefully the performances of eminent mafters, that improvements are made, and proficiency is gained; notwithstanding there are fome who, through inattention or want of skill, copy those things with the greatest eagerness, which leaft deferve their notice. Reason and a right taste and relish for any attainment, will, if diligently applied, diftinguish in a pattern, what may be imitated with propriety, and what ought to be avoided as unbecoming. Thofe parts of the conduct of another which are competent to our talents, and fuitable to our circumftances, are what we should follow. attempt to imitate what does not accord with our own character and fituation, expofes us to ridicule. And in every mode of conveying religion that can be devised, common fenfe, and an honeft heart, are requifite to the proper application, either of rules or of examples, for our own improvement. An Memoirs of a good life are highly ferviceable in a variety of cafes in which the best fyftem of doctrines and precepts cannot, fufficiently, guide and inftruct us. They lay before us many particular instances of of conduct, in trying and difficult circumftances, to which general disections could not be applied with equal advantage. An exprefs command tells us what is our duty, but does not point out the circumflances in which we must practise it. Now, in order to form a proper character, we must wait for these, and obferve them. To pray to God with an audible voice in the midst of a crowd; to put ourfelves in the way of danger without occasion; or to give profufely where donations are not particularly useful; are the actions of one who is but juft entering on a right courfe. He who has long imbibed a principle of piety and virtue, and has been accuftomed to act from it, waits for proper opportunities of exercising the feveral graces of the Chriftian life, and cheerfully embraces them. If interfering circumstances, at one time, prevent his improving the particular good habit upon which his attention is bent, he exercifes fome other virtue, fuited to the prefent occafion. A character ma-, tured in goodness, is guided by an uniform regard to rectitude, and expreffes the inward fincerity and uprightness of the heart, by thofe acts of humility, of contentment, of fortitude, of benevolence, or of pious devotion, which every changing variety of life calls upon him to perform. The conftant aim of a good man is, to discharge each feparate duty in its proper season, and to adapt his temper and behaviour to all the viciffitudes of human condition. And memoirs of a worthy character manifeft how this is done. The gospels par ticularly difplay this, in the whole life of Chrift. They how how he exemplified every virtue that became him, as a divine teacher, and as a man, in the feveral circumstances he was in.' Thus does our Author, fomewhat diffufely indeed, but in an intelligent and fatisfactory manner, vindicate the hiftorical form in which Chriftianity is conveyed. The work cannot fail of being acceptable to the rational and liberal friends of Chriftianity. ART. XVI. A Letter to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury. By A Generous effort to relieve fome ecclefiaftical grievances, by an honeft and free-fpeaking churchman, who is not difcouraged from doing good by the dread of flander or ridicule. It is from fuch men that reformation must be looked for ;-men who are not the flaves of custom and authority; who are not to be beaten back in the pursuit of worthy defigns by the infults of rude and vulgar prejudice; nor diverted from it by the infinuations of interefted policy; but who, having made up their minds (as the phrase is) on one grand fubject, fo direct their attention towards it, as never to quit it till the end originally proposed be actually accomplished. This excellent prelate (to whom it hath long been our pride to pay that tribute of refpect and veneration which his merits juftly claimed from the friends of learning, liberty, and religion) confines his addrefs to two propofals. The firft refpects the re Ff 4 venues venues of the Bishops; the other those of the inferior clergy:both of them tending to the fame end;- not a parity of prefer ments, but a better apportioned difiribution of what the ftate allows for the maintenance of the established clergy. The first propofal fubmitted to the deliberation of the [late] Archbishop is, the utility of bringing a bill into parliament, to render the bishoprics more equal to each other, both in refpec to income and patronage, by annexing part of the eftates, and part of the preferments of the richer bishopricks, as they become vacant, to the poorer. By a bill of this kind, the poorer Bishops would be freed from the neceffity of holding ecclefiaftical preferments in commendam with their bishoprics; a practice which bears hard upon the rights and expectations of the reft of the clergy. A fecond confequence of the bill propofed would be a greater independence of the Bishops in the Houfe of Lords. A third probable effect of the propofed plan, would be a longer refidence of the Bishops in their refpective diocefes; from which the beft confequences might be expected. The fecond thing recommended to the attention of his Grace is, the introduction of a bill into parliament for appropriating, as they become vacant, one third, or fome other definite part of the income of every deanery, prebend, or canonry, of the churches of Westminster, Windfor, Chrift-church, Canterbury, Worcester, Durham, Norwich, Ely, Peterborough, Carlifle, &c. to the fame purposes, mutatis mutandis, as the firft fruits and tenths were appropriated by the Act paffed in the 5th of Queen Anne. Dignities which, after this deduction, would not yield one hundred a year fhould not be meddled with. The following obfervations deferve particular notice, as they tend to correct fome very great mistakes into which people run with respect to the revenues of the church, from partial estimates arifing from fome of the richer preferments: The revenue of the church of England is not, I think, well understood, in general: at least, I have met with a great many very fenfible men, of all profeffions and ranks, who did not understand it. They have expreffed a furprife, bordering on disbelief, when I have ventured to affure them, that the whole income of the church, including bifhoprics, deans and chapters, rectories, vicarages, dignities, and benefices of all kinds, and even the two univerfities, with their refpective colleges, which, being lay corporations, ought not to be taken into the account, did not amount, upon the moft liberal calculation, to 1,500,000l. a year. Putting out of the government of the church, all the Bishops, Deans, Prebends, &c. and reducing to a level the whole clergy of England, it would be found, that on the computation of ten thousand (the general cftimate for the number of oficiating clergy), the ecclefiaftical revenue would produce for each Apo each minifter, on an average, about 150l. per annum. thecaries (fays the Bishop) and attornies, in very moderate practice, make as much by their refpective profeffions, without having been at the fame expences with the clergy in their educations, and without being, like them, prohibited by the laws of their country from bettering their circumftances, by uniting to the emoluments of their profeffions, the profits refulting from farming, or any kind of trade.' The Bishop proceeds to illuftrate his plan, and to answer objections to it and through the whole he difcovers a penetration that does credit to his understanding, and, above all, a benevolence that confers lafting honour on his heart. ART. XVII. A Syftem of Vegetables, according to their Claffes, Orders, Genera, and Species, with their Characters and Differences. Tranflated from the Thirteenth Edition (as published by Dr. Murray) of the Syltema Vegetabilium.of the late Profeffor Linnæus: and from the Supplementum Plantarum of the prefent Proffer Linnæus. By a Botanical Society, at Litchfield. 8vo. No. 1. 5 s. fewed. Leigh, &c. 1782. AN N attempt to extend the knowledge of a fcience fo ufeful as botany, cannot fail of meeting with the approbation of the Public. The prefent performance is only a part (confifting of 176 pages) of a literal tranflation into our language of the laft edition of that moft elaborate work, the Syftema Vegetabilium of Linnæus; published by Dr. Murray from the papers of that great man, and containing 119 additional genera, and variety of fpecies and alterations:'-Of that fyftem, fay our zealous Tranflators, which hitherto, like the Bible in Catholic countries, has been locked up in a foreign language, acceffible only to the learned few, the priests of Flora; whilft the gardener, the herb-gatherer, the druggift, the farmer, and all who are concerned in cultivating the various tribes of vegetation, in detecting their native habitations, or in vending or confuming their products, could by no industry arrive at that fyftem, which they wished to attain, and were capable of enlarging.' · The Tranflators have been favoured with a part of a new work, now publishing by the prefent Dr. Linnæus, termed Supplementum Plantarum, which will defcribe 94 new genera, with many additional fpecies: the effential characters of which they have interwoven in their tranflation, in the proper places. They have inferted too into this work the botanic terms and definitions, tranflated from the thefis of Dr. Elmgren; and have fubjoined the plates from the Philofophia Botanica. In giving an account of their motives for undertaking this verfion, the Tranflators obferve, that Mr. Lee, indeed, in his Introduction |