ART. IV. Twenty-two Sermons, on various Subjects, selected from the Works of the Rev. Isaac Barrow, D. D. late Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. 8vo. pp. 469. 5s. Boards. Cadell jun. and Davies. 1798.

TH

HIS selection from the works of an author of such eminent reputation as Dr. Barrow possessed, in the line of his profession and in other studies, will be gratifying to many readers. Charles II. was accustomed to call the Doctor "an unfair preacher," because he so exhausted every subject which he undertook to discuss, that he left nothing to be said by those who succeeded him : indeed, his discourses are known to be replete with matter. It may have been expected that this re-publication of them should be introduced by an account of the learned author; whom some may suppose, from the title, to have lately enjoyed the Mastership of Trinity College, Cambridge: but, so far from presenting a life of the Doctor, the volume has neither preface nor advertisement; and the reader is left to his own conjectures respecting the motives of the publication, and the reasons for the profound silence of those who superintended the Clarendon press on this occasion*.

It does not fall within our duty to supply this deficiency: but, as there are many to whom these sermons will be new, and whose admiration of them may induce a wish to know something of the author, we think it proper to inform such persons that the life of Dr. Isaac Barrow has been frequently written, and is to be found in all our general biographical compilements. He was born in the year 1630; was the predecessor of the great Sir Isaac Newton in the mathematical chair; was appointed to the Mastership of Trinity by royal patent in 1672, King Charles complimenting him at the time by saying that he had conferred the dignity on the best scholar in England; and he died on the 4th of May 1677, in the 47th year of his age, and was buried in Westminster Abbey, where a monument has been erected to his memory.

Though, however, we cannot undertake to write again what has been so often written-the life of Dr. Isaac Barrow,-it may not be improper to give the following concise account of his works, that our readers may be apprised from what parts of them the selection now published has been made.

In 1683, all Dr. Barrow's English works were published in three volumes folio, by Dr. Tillotson, afterward Archbishop of Canterbury. The first of these volumes contains thirty-two Sermons, on several occasions, with a brief Exposition of the

* The volume comes from the Clarendon press at Oxford.

Dd3

Creed,

Creed, the Lord's Prayer, the Decalogue, and the Doctrine of the Sacrament:-also, a Treatise on the Pope's Supremacy, and a Discourse on the Unity of Faith. The second volume contains, Sermons, and Expositions on the Articles of the Apostles' Creed. The third volume contains forty-five Sermons on several occasions: to which is added a Defence of the Trinity.

In addition to Dr. Barrow's Mathematical Treatises, which were published in Latin by himself, there was given to the public, in 1687, a fourth volume, entitled "Isaaci Barrow, S.S. T. Professoris, Opuscula," &c.

Sermons 1 and 2 of this octavo volume are the 36th and 37th of the third volume of Dr. Barrow's works; the 3d, 4th, 5th, and 6th, are the 39th, 40th, 41st, and 42d of the same volume; 7, 8, are the 4th and 5th of volume 2 of the works. Sermon 9, is the 1st sermon of volume 1, and is the only one taken from that volume. Sermons 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, are the 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 12, 13, 4, 45, 23, of the third volume of the works; and sermon 21, of the octavo, entitled a Defence of the Blessed Trinity, is at the end of the 3d volume of the works.

Why these discourses are so transposed from the order in which they stand in the works, we do not know; and we are equally ignorant of the principle which governed the selection : but the object, no doubt, must be good, and many will be thankful for having their attention thus invited to the works of a Divine who has been celebrated for a strong and comprehensive mind.

Moo-y.

ART. VI. Memoirs of the Courts of Berlin, Dresden, Warsaw, and Vienna, in the Years 1777, 1778, and 1779- By N. W. Wraxall, Esq. Svo. 2 Vols. 148. Boards. Cadell jun. and Davies. 1799.

THOUGH few subjects furnish more interesting matter than

may be derived from anecdotes of living characters, yet they are too frequently ushered into the world under very exceptionable circumstances. Nevertheless, in proportion as they contain amusement they will find readers; whence it sometimes happens that a work of this kind is received with avidity, while the publication of it incurs general censure. In the memoirs under present consideration, we have particularly to commend the writer's sense of propriety in this respect. Though originally collected with a view to publication, their appearance has been delayed by a reluctance to disclose facts of a private nature, during the lives of the persons to whom they

they related. The lapse of more than twenty years has fully emancipated the author from these restraints,' by the decease of the individuals principally mentioned.

To these Memoirs, as to his former Tours, Mr. W. has given the form of letters. The allusion to recent events, in the preface, appears to us ill placed. It is a misapplication of the use of comparison, to adduce great crimes as exculpatory of others with which they have no connection. Anarchy has sins enough to confess, without making it answerable for despotism and superstition.

The first letter dated from Hanover, September 1777, contains many curious anecdotes concerning the house of Hanover; among which is a relation of the principal circumstances attending the death of Count Konigsmark, and an account of the last illness and death of King George I. These latter particulars, which were received from a domestic who then attended his majesty, and which are therefore to be regarded as authentic, differ from the generally received accounts respecting the time and place of his decease.

No remonstrances (we are here told) or expostulations could prevail on his majesty to stop at Ippenburen. He had only 18 miles from thence to his brother's palace at Osnabrugh, where he knew that every accommodation and aid could be procured. His tongue began to swell, his senses to fail, and his articulation to become indistinct. But, as long as he could make himself understood, he continued to repeat Osnabrugh! Osnabrugh!' They therefore hurried on, in hopes of reaching that city while he was still alive, though the king was fallen totally senseless into the arms of one of his attendants, a gentleman ramed Fabrice. The place where he expired is difficult to ascertain; but it is believed that he breathed his last, as the carriage mounted the high hill out of Ippenburen. The body was, indeed, still warm when they arrived at Osnabrugh, where his veins were cut, and every method was vainly used to recover him, as he never gave any sign of life after leaving Ippen- .

buren.'

The 2d letter (dated from Zell) contains a history of the arrest of the unfortunate Caroline Matilda, queen of Denmark, of Struensee, and of Brandt. The next four letters are dated from Berlin, and are almost wholly occupied with an account of the actions of Frederic the Second, and a review of the principal campaigns during his reign, particularly those of the seven years' war. Mr. W. declares himself not disposed to be the panegyrist of Frederic, yet appears to be little less than an enthusiastic admirer of his qualities; ranking him as superior to all other princes, not only of the present but of any age, Cæsar excepted, for his talents, equally adapted to the field and to the cabinet, to active as well as speculative Dd 4

life.'

life.' His legislative and his literary labours are praised, each at least as much as they merit. When we reflect,' says the

author, on these circumstances, can we wonder that he has attracted the universal attention of mankind, and that every other prince sinks into comparative obscurity near him?'-That Frederic the second was a monarch of more than common talents, is not to be disputed. With a penetrating and informed mind, he was remarkably vigilant and active: qualities which were constantly kept alive by a rapacious disposition delighting in rule. Without recurring to times very remote, however, princes may be found who would not greatly suffer by a comparison with Frederic. We might mention our first Edward, and Henry the 4th of France.-Mr. W.'s high praise of the Prussian monarch ill accords with what follows, written from Leipsic, immediately after having quitted Prussia: The air which I am now breathing seems lighter than in Brandenburgh, the human face more cheerful, the animal man more happy, and the aspect of nature itself more grateful.'- The Prussian monarchy itself sometimes reminds me of a vast prison, in the gloomy centre of which appears the great keeper, occupied in the care of HIS CAPTIVĒŠ?- On entering the territories of Saxony, not only the soil becomes fertile, but the cultivation is better; and an air of plenty, mixed with content, is visible in every countenance.'

In the description of the manners of Frederic, the man is delineated distinct from the hero; and Mr. W. has here freely censured some particulars in the political conduct of that prince, though not with the same degree of severity which he used in his Northern Tour; and which was the occasion of his not being presented to his Prussian majesty. The English, Mr. W. observes, were by no means his favorites. It is certain that he has never sincerely loved the nation at any period of his reign, however necessity may have driven him to form alliances with Great Britain.' He deprecates, not without some reason, the animadversions or criticisms which foreigners of our description might pass upon his military conduct. "Je ne veux pas de chambre basse au milieu de mon armée," was his reply to an application lately made him, to permit some English officers to serve as volunteers in his camp.'

Among the military projects undertaken by Frederic, but in which he did not succeed, was an attempt to train the Jews to arms. After the first dismemberment of Poland, finding that there were a considerable number of them in the

* "I do not wish for a House of Commons in the ranks of my

army."

tract

tract of territory which fell to his share, he determined to embody them, and to teach them the science of arms. They vainly remonstrated that war was not analogous to their genius, nor agreeable to their feelings. A corps of several thousand was formed, compelled to learn the manual exercise, and passed in review. But such was found to be upon trial their insurmountable disinclination to bear arms, that after many vain endeavours, they were finally broken and disbanded.' Having failed in such able hands, we may conjecture that the attempt will not speedily be repeated by other princes.

Mr. W. made but a short stay in the Saxon dominions. He arrived at Vienna in December 1777, just before the death of Maximilian Joseph (elector of Bavaria) occasioned the war between the Emperor and Prussia, respecting the Bavarian succession. The description of the Austrian Court is among the most entertaining parts of this publication. We shall extract a few particulars respecting Maria Theresa and Joseph II.

I was presented by Sir Robert Keith to the Empress Queen and afterwards to the Emperor. Maria Theresa received us in the deepest weeds, in a chamber hung with black velvet, on the third story of the palace. She has neither worn any other dress nor inhabited any other apartments, since the decease of the late Emperor, her husband, more than twelve years ago. Francis died suddenly, on the 18th of August 1765, without previously confessing, or receiving absolution." Unless prevented by indisposition, Maria Theresa never fails to repair on the eighteenth day of every month, very early in the morning, to the vault of the convent of the Capucins in Vienna, where his remains are deposited. The vault is lighted up, and on her knees she pours out supplications for the repose of his soul. And the whole month of August is dedicated to his memory as a penitential time.'

The monument which the Empress has caused to be erected for the late Emperor Francis and herself, by some defect of design in the attitude of the figures representing them, awakens ideas very remote from those intended, and has occasioned many ludicrous and sarcastic remarks.-Among the tombs in the same vault is that of Eleanor of Neubourg, third wife of the Emperor Leopold; on which is the following affecting and pious inseription dictated by herself: which, says the author, I copied for its humility, as well as for the religious cast of expression :'

« Eleonore, Pauvre pécheresse!

Morte le 19 Janvier, 1719."

During the whole course of the seven years' war, the Empress Maria Theresa's attachment to her husband kept him

from