more conformable to the original, which we conclude he understands, but he does not add the reasons by which his alterations are fupported. It may be fuppofed that his comments are not wholly confined to the first three chapters of Genefis,he proceeds to the flood, and to the tower of Babel; and, among other fubjects, infifts on the great and fuperior learning of the world at that period, which, after the confufion of tongues, foon disappeared. We fhall infert one fhort paffage intended for the Newtonian philosophers: -We cannot fuppofe, they fay, that fo many globes fuperior in magnitude, can be all in fervice to one only, and that one much fmaller than themfelves. With equal reafon might they fay, that all people of great bulk and ftature ought to be mafters, and Dever ferve little thin people, who are fo much less than themfelves; and that no man fhould make a horfe, and especially a camel, his fervant, because the man is fo inferior in fize. Such miftakes have been made now and then as to bow to the fervants and overlook the lord or fovereign, because they were in lace, and he without; and fo it happened here.-But fome of the fixed ftars are fo far off, that we cannot devife what service they can be of to the earth,-and what if we cannot? If he that made both can, who fays that he made them all for the earth, that is enough to fettle the point.' P. 153. The fecond volume is an Expofition of the Epifle to the Romans: Paul of Tarfus is eminently high in our author's favour. Thus he breaks forth: O admirable cafuift! thy wisdom has ravifhed my foul, and made her the captive of thy tongue! My foul thanks thee!-may the city of Tarfus be ever in remembrance for thy fake! Great diffenter! fon of Abraham the Separatift; the father and pattern of all true Nonconformifts: I go after thee: I follow thy footsteps, and am a Diffenter separated from all unto thy gofpel!-' Though we do not always accord with Mr. Lewelyn in his explication, and though we think he fometimes fails as an expofitor through want of a due examination of his fubject, we cannot but approve of the fervor with which he pleads for the rectitude of the Divine government: in doing which, he finds that the Calviniftical scheme of theology ftands much in his way: this, therefore, he freely cenfures, and he expofes it with irony and feverity, as irrational and unchriftian.-After representing the doctrine in its horrid, and, we think, its true colours, (for all attempts to modify it appear to have been of a deceitful kind,) he thus exclaims: I challenge the whole body and being of moral evil itself to invent, or infpire, or whifper any thing blacker or more wicked: yea, if fin itself had all the wit, the tongues and pens, of all men and angels to all eternity, I defy the whole to fay any thing of God worfe worfe than this. O fin, thou haft fpent and emptied thyfelf in the doctrine of John Calvin! And here, I rejoice, that I have heard the utmost that malevolence itself fhall ever be able to say against infinite benignity! I was myself brought up and tutored in it, and being delivered and brought to fee the evil and danger, am bound, by my obligations to God, angels, and men, to warn my fellow-finners; I, therefore, here before God and the whole univerfe, recal and condemn every word I have fpoken in favour of it. I thus renounce the doctrine as the rancour of devils; a doctrine, the preaching of which is babbling and mocking, its prayers blafphemies, and whole praises are the horrible yellings of fin and hell. And this I do, because I know and believe, that God is love; and therefore his decrees, works, and ways, are alfo love, and cannot be otherwife.' P 292. The fubject of this writer's third volume is the Doctrine of Baptifm. The Baptifts (he fays,) have been for many years pofuading fome of those among whom I officiate, that in heart I am a Baptift, only I will not openly confefs it. To leave them under the apprehenfion that in me they have a secret friend to their caufe, while I know myself to be a real enemy, would be injurious. I am therefore under obligations to friends and foes to declare my mind freely.'-Should our readers think that Mr. Lewelyn's honeft zeal might have been more correct and moderate in the paffage above quoted, and in some others, they will find farther reafon for a fimilar fentiment in perufing this volume. He is, at times, much too warm: his facetious spirit ftill attends him also, and not without his peculiar notions:-but amid his fallies, he fhews that he can reafon coolly and fairly. His view of baptifm, in fome refpects, is too high and myftic for our apprehenfion; yet he feems to think that any perfon may, and, in fome cafes, should, adminifter it. He offers, as it appears to us, very fatisfactory arguments to juftify the baptizing of infants by fprinkling. He seems to think that our baptifical brethren may be reduced to the dilemma of fuppofing, that the jailor and his household were all baptized in a jug, and even concludes with faying, that he, who is immerfed, is not baptized! The fourth volume is entitled, MOPOH EOY, or the Form of God. It contains fome odd and unaccountable affertions, and yet the author fhews that the power of reafoning has not forfaken him. One idea runs through his works, which is here more directly confidered, and maintained as of effential moment; it is this;-that God is literally a man, the Eternal Man, or Eternal Humanity, confifting of a plurality of perfons.-Moft writers on the fubject of the Trinity are unintelligible;-not unfrequently, abfurd and contradictory :-Mr. Lewelyn alfo foars or finks beyond our comprehenfion.-He oppofes oppofes Athanafians equally with Arians and Unitarians.-If this volume be lefs amufing than fome parts of the former, it feems at leaft equally fevere. The afperity with which our author difcards fome diftinguishing tenets of the Calviniftical doctrine, reminds us of a paffage in the works of Count Swedenborg, who tells us, that, in one of his journies to the other world, he met with John Calvin, whom he reprefents, if we remember right, in a very fhabby and pitiful plight, fuffering for his unrighteous pofitions concerning predeftination. We have nothing farther to add concerning this publication, than to direct the reader to the Review for June 1783, vol. Ixviii. p. 548, where he will find an account of a treatise on the Sabbath, by this author. The obfervations, which are there advanced, apply very well to the prefent performances. ART. VIII. Letter from Lady W-ll-ce, to Captain pp. 223. 5s. Couch and Laking, Curzon Street. His. 8vo. HOWEVER diffipated and frivolous the prefent generation may be, we ftill hope that the tender feelings of human nature are not quite difcarded; and that there are yet to be found fome women who are not too genteel to fulfil their maternal duties during infancy, as well as to fupply the opening minds of their offspring with good principles :-but, ftill keeping in our eye the general objects of modifh attentions, it is not every good mother whofe intellectual acquirements and liberal fentiments enable her, like Lady Wallace, to extend maternal kindnefs to the cultivation of a fon's understanding on a large fcale, and to advise him in his general conduct through public life. Some mental compenfation, indeed, often refults from our interruptions in the career of worldly profperity, by calling home our ftray thoughts; which, without wholefome checks, are too apt to wander till they lofe themselves: though fuch advantages are certainly received on compulfion. The powers of Lady Wallace's imagination, as a poet, are already known; in this didactic compofition, addressed to her fon in the Eaft Indies, the difplays the more valuable properties of her mind, which are unfolded on a variety of religious, moral, and political fubjects; and it is very seldom that her opinions on any point are open to objection. An uniform fleady courfe of virtue is thus forcibly recommended by an appeal to confcience: * See Rev. vol. ixxvii. p. 78. and vol. lxxviii. p. 351. and 437: • Ад 4 An undefinable fomething, placed in every man's breaft, will ever direct him right-if he has firmness enough to confult it, upon his first entering upon life, but if once you give way to paffion, this good Genius will fly you-it is true, we often fee the most profligate turn from the most deftructive path; and in the Laws of God, and Man, find the road to duty, but no longer can the uncorrupted voice of Purity, and Integrity, fpeak in his heartno longer Peace fimile upon his folitude; and the most delicious moments which a reflecting mind can enjoy, is when retired from the toils and difappointments of life, feated in fome folitary, tranquil fpot, where the Sun, hiding himfelf behind the mountain, leaves the penfive looking Moon to afcend with a rapid motionwhich tempts us to reflect on our fhort paffage to Eternity. Then the memory of paft fcenes, which the heart approves, exulting in acts of generofity-or even fufferings, which probity made one a prey to then, and only then, can any one truly fay, they are happy.' This argument is ftill farther pursued in the following fhort fummary view of human life, which reminds us of the plaintive Dr. Young, and of what every thinking perfon will find frequently obtruded on his mind, as well by his feelings as by his observation: Every thing in nature feems created for toil, change, and de.. ftruction; defolation and death is the goal of all creation!-to man alone the Hope is given to live beyond the Grave, where his confcience mult make his blifs or torment!-the greatest and best of mankind we often find fuffer the most in this world of woe!-every amiable feeling gives a thousand pangs for one fenfation of joy. What anxieties prey upon our fenfibility for objects worthy our benevolence, in every forrow or misfortune of thofe we love;- our bofom is torn, and our fondeft-fairest wishes are almost for ever difappointed!-we have no good which we can call our own, fave Immortal Fame, which our own good conduct can alone fecure. How momentary Life feems to the moft aged;-how few, if any, of its pleafures that do not leave fome fing in reflection: how mournful is the retrospect of paft joys-lolt friends-or confidence misplaced.-Even our griefs feem lefs painful than our pleafures on reflection-we at least feel fome fatisfaction in thinking that they are paft. What then is worth the toils of life, were it not for hopes of Eternal Exiftence?-Infancy paffes helpless and unnoticed-and then comes manhood, the conflict of paffions-feeling-and difappointment. Finally, before we are aware, old age and infirmity teaches us the fleeting nothingness of that life, to which in childhood we looked up as wonderous long! How mortifying a state, if, unaccompanied with felf-approbation, or undiftinguished by virtue. -Pains of body, and anxiety of mind befet us from every quarter, and hurry our forms fo cherished and vaunted to furnish materials 'for unceasing creation. • What • What fignifies then the continuance of what at best, on retrofpect, feems a momentary existence, except from the defire of gaining Glory? What is fortune-power-or enjoyments which only furvive in reproach. Epictetus in flavery-Socrates in prifon-and Cato feeking death to rob his enemies of their triumph, are objects far more enviable than the man crowned with empire and fur rounded by flaves, and whofe peace is corroded by a fense of Guilt: amidst fickness and contempt his foul finks friendless to a World dreaded and unknown. Death feems in every step-in every tolling bell, like a criminal, he thinks he hears his fummons. -He lives loft to friends-none feek to foothe his griefs - he remains an object of horror amidst unthinking fools like himself;yet indulging in jollity and diffipation-laying up a store of regrets in thofe fcenes which has filled his foul with Remorse, and his body with Difeafe. On that bed-once that of guilty transport, or undisturbed repofe-he trembling yields a fool which never lived to Virtue or to Glory!-What but a guilty confcience could tempt one thus wretched to wish to live?' In the course of her recommendation of the study of history, Lady W. takes occafion to give her fentiments at large on the recent revolution in France; in which even thofe, who may not agree with her, will find no opportunity to cenfure her for venturing beyond her fphere of comprehenfion. We have pointed out fome inftances of the general incorrectness of this fair writer's language, by the filent criticism of Italics. ART. IX. N. The French Conftitution; with Remarks on fome of its principal Articles; in which their Importance in a Political, Moral, and Religious Point of View, is illuftrated; and the Neceffity of a Reformation in Church and State in Great Britain enforced. By Benjamin Flower. 8vo. pp. 501. 6s. Boards. Robin fons. 1792. IN N reviewing a work, like the prefent, abounding with evident marks of good intention, replete with found argument, and written in a clear and manly ftyle, it would be fomething worfe than fuperfluous, it would be unjust, both to the public and the author, to encroach on our narrow limits by launching forth in praise of a publication, whofe praife will be more unequivocally and more effectually fecured, by bringing forward as much of it as our fpace will permit, to fpeak for itself. fhall therefore only detain our readers, while we inform them, that, befide a copy of the French Conftitution *, and some introductory obfervations, Mr. Flower's book contains five We * Taken from Mr. Chriflie's tranflation, which, as we obferved in cur Review for March last, p. 326, is the best extant. chapters. |