teachers of religion in the opinion of the multitude. Arranging their followers in companies, committed to the care of leaders, who were themfelves accountable to their fuperiors in authority; they enjoined a rite of confeffion, which, if viewed as a bond of union, or in relation to the afcendancy, that it gave the more enterprising over the fears or affections of the reft, differed not. from auricular confeffion. They laboured to attract and allure by every novel mode of expreffion and gefticulation, by harangues and invectives addreffed, not to the reafoning faculty, but to the fenfes and the paffions; by reprefentations of the new birth, and exhibitions of its pangs, often painful to the feelings of humanity, or difgufting to common decency and common fenfe." P. 24.

We cannot accompany the learned author through the whole of this accurate picture, which is every where confirmed in the margin, by references to the writings of thefe teachers, as collected in his extracts; but we do moft earneftly defire those of our readers, who wish to see the subject properly treated, to have recourfe to the fermon, and the accompanying authorities. We only regret that the amiable

66

Village Dialogues" of the indefatigable Rowland Hill have not been made one of the fources of felection; fince they would have furnished, if we miftake not, fome of the Arongeft inftances in the whole collection. The conclufion of this ftriking picture we cannot omit, fince the truth of it must be fo ftrongly confirmed by the recollection of every individual.

"They" (the methodists) loaded with pious eulogies the more active patrons of their fcheme: they confecrated the memory, or pourtrayed the endless joys of those who died in their faith. They reviled the Clergy, and all who ftill adhered to them as nominal Chriftians, as ignorant profligates, and unconverted hypocrites. They placed engines of terror every where in their paths. They defcribed their purfuits as devices of the father of evil; their afflictions as judgments; and their diseases as preludes to eternal fufferings. They fpared not even the filent grave: they infulted the afhes of the dead." P. 29.

Very wifely and truly does the author add.

"If the care of the establishment fhould ever be intrufted to teachers of this defcription, it may ftill furvive in name. But that fpirit of benevolence and toleration, by which it has so often protected even its bittereft enemies, and fo happily affimilated itfelf to the mild form of our conftitution in ftate, IS GONE FOR EVER." P. 30.

The

The means of oppofition to this fyftematic attack, recommended by Dr. Outram are temperate, and effectual; they are indeed obvious, and are fuch as have been recommended by others, but they are here ftated with peculiar clearness and propriety. In the Preface to the Extracts, which form the proofs of this fermon, Dr. O. further recommends "to counteract ASSOCIATION, by ASSOCIATING, under the requifite fanction." P. vii. This is an important idea which feems to require further developement, and on which we fhould like to fee fome specific plan propofed.

The fecond difcourfe in this volume is alfo highly appropri ated to its object; and the author fpeaks of academical establishments, both the old and the new, with the fpirit of a man whofe value for them is derived from a correct knowledge of their excellence. He points out the objects, particularly fought in the regulations of the New College, and pays the debt of gratitude due to those who have moft contributed to its establishment. It is followed by a fhort but excellent Latin prayer of benediction, which, we prefume, was pronounced by him, as Public Orator, at the time of laying the first ftone.

But the largest part of the book, and the most laborious, though a mere work of compilation, is the collection of extracts, judiciously difpofed under heads, in fuch a manner as to give a complete view of the principles and practices of the Arminian and Calviniftic Methodists. The fections are thirty-one, and the mere recital of their fubjects will show, in fome degree, the force and fufficiency of them. They are these.

"1. On the numbers of the Arminian (or Wefleyan), and the Calviniftic Methodifts, more particularly the former. 2. On the mode of afcertaining the tenets of the Arminian and Calviniftic Methodists. 3. On Chriftian Perfection, as maintained by the Arminian Methodists. 4. On Unconditional Election, and the efficacy of Divine Grace (infallibly attaining its end, be our natural inclination or reluctance what it may) as maintained by the Calvinistic Methodists. 5. On human depravity, as believed both by the Arminian and Calviniftic Methodists. 6. On the Grace of God, confidered as an almighty or miraculous influence (be the freedom of the will what it may) by both the Arminian and Calvinistic Methodists. 7. On the New-Birth, and its Pangs, ordinary and extraordinary*. 8. On the perceptible

"This and the following fections refer both to the Arminian and Calvinistic Methodists."

Prefence

Prefence of God. 9. On talking with God, and receiving from his Holy Spirit explicit affurance of pardon or acceptance. 10. On afferting the falvation of particular perfons. 11. On Works, er habitual Holinefs, confidered as a condition, or an evidence of Salvation. 12. On afferting the Salvation of fome particular Criminals, and death-bed penitents. 13. On profeffing regard for the Doctrines, Difcipline, and Minifters of the Eftablished Church. 14. On reviling the Clergy. 15. On violating the difcipline, and ufurping the authority of the Church. 16. On feparation, confidered as inevitable. 17. On praifing Separatists. 18. On the policy of declining the name and character of a feparate Sect. 19. On aiming at an univerfal Hierarchy. 20. On the advantages of affociation and confeffion. 21. On the advan tage of Novelty. 22. On the fhelter of inward Feelings, and metaphyfical perplexity. 23. On felf-denial, exemplified in renouncing Errors. 24. On felf-denial in other things. 25. On claiming a divine Miffion, and miraculous Gifts. 26. On ufing the style of the Apoftles, and other infpired writers, or claiming to be confidered as placed in fimilar circumftances with them. 27. On a prefumptuous application of texts, moft of them ufually confidered as belonging exclufively to Chrift. 28. On fpeaking with familiarity of Chrift. 29. On claiming to be confidered, before all others, as holy, or as the people of God. 30. On claiming to be regarded as more peculiarly the objects of Providential Care. 31. On judgments."

What they term experiences, though not mentioned in these heads, feem to belong to fection 7th, and thofe that follow. It will be perceived at once that a very extensive view is here given of the principles and conduct of feparatifts: and that the whole muft form a most useful work of reference, for those who would clearly understand the tenets and conduct of thefe people. It will appear the more important, when we confider that the extracts are taken from all their principal writers; from the works of Welley, Whitfield, and their moft celebrated followers, Toplady, Romaine, Hill, Hawker, &c. from their principal magazines, as the Arminian, the Evangelical, the Chriftian Obferver, &c.;-from Overton's True Churchman, Nightingale's Portraiture, &c. The fervice which Dr. Outram has rendered, by collecting and arranging thefe documents, is of the moft valuable kind, and we congratulate the Clergy on the acceffion of fuch a manual, to explain and keep in their minds the defigns and machinations of their active enemies.

ART.

ART. X. Anecdotes of Literature and Scarce Books. By the Rev. William Beloe, Tranflator of IIerodotus, &c. Vol. iv. Svo. 470 pp. 10s. 6d. Rivingtons. 1810.

WE

E enter upon the examination of this work with feelings of delicacy, which our relative fituation to the author renders neceffary, but with the di pofition to render juffice to its various and valuable contents. One remark it is impoffible not to make; that, if the preceding volumes were esteemed worthy the attention of the Bibliographer and Collector of books, this must be ftill more fo; as it comprehends a greater variety of subjects, is more fkilfully methodized, and demonftrates that experience has increafed and extended the author's refources, and materially augment his powers of employing them. This volume alfo will be found to combine more amufement, than would at first sight appear to refult from a feemingly dry and uninteresting fubject. The reader will find a confiderable proportion of Biographical anecdote mixed with ufeful and not unfre quently important information. But it is time to juftify these affertions, by placing the contents feverally before him.

The introduction brings us acquainted with a new and almoft inexhauftible fource of amufement. The oriental Literary Treafures collected by Sir Gore Oufeley, during a refidence of twenty-years in the Eaft Indies. The following is a defcription of one of thefe manufcripts.

"No. 4. Bchariftan. "The Garden of Spring.". A book on Ethics and Education, illuftrated by interefting anecdotes and narratives, written both in verfe and profe, in imitation of the Guliftan, or "Rofe Garden" of Saadi, and like it divided into eight chapters; compofed by Nuruddin, Abdurrahman Jámi, ben Ahmed, of the village of Jam, near Herat. He was born, A. H. 817, and died at the age of 81 years, about A. D. 1492. As a Grammarian, Theologift, and Poet he was unequalled; and his compofitions are as voluminous as they are excellent. The enor mous expence which people have incurred to poffefs accurate copies of, and to adorn and embellish his works, is no small proof of the great eftimation in which they were held by the Literati of the Eaft.

"This volume is a fmall folio, confifting of 134 pages, written in the most beautiful Naftalik character, by the famous fcribe Mohammed Huffein, who, in confequence of his inimitable penmanship, obtained the title of Zerin Kalm, or "Pen of Gold." The leaves are of the softest Cashmirian paper, and of such modeft hades of green, blue, brown, dove, and fawn colours, as never

to

to offend the eye by their glare, although richly powdered with gold. The margins, which are broad, difplay a great variety of chafte and beautiful delineations in liquid gold; no two pages being alike. Some are divided into compartments, others are in running patterns, in all of which the illuminations fhew the moft correct, and at the fame time fanciful tafte. Many are delineations of field fports, which, though fimple outlines of gold, are calculated to afford the higheft gratification to the lover of Natural History, as well as the Artist, from the uncommon accuracy with which the forms of the elephant, rhinoceros, buffaloe, lion, tiger, leopard, panther, lynx, and other Afiatic animals are pourtrayed. It appears, by the names which are inferted at the bottom of the pages, that feveral artists were employed in the compofition and combination of these ornaments, one for the landscape, another for the animals, and a third for the human figures, all of whom have given proofs of fuperior merit. It would take almoft a month to infpect all the excellencies of this rare manufcript; for, although fo richly ornamented in gold, the chafte colours of the ground prevent any glaring obtrufion on the eye, and oblige the examiner to place it in a particular point of light to fee the exquifite and minute beauties of the delineations. The paintings, which are meant to illuftrate the fubject of the book, are done in colours, and in the center of the leaves." P. xiv.

The introduction judiciously intimates, towards the conclufion, the patriotic with that this collection may become the property of the public. To which we cannot but add our own withes alfo, that fome public fund were appropriated for the extenfion and improvement of fcience, by purchafing fuch a noble affemblage of rarities for the British Museum

The Table of Contents informs us that the work itself defcribes, 1. The curious and valuable editions of the Hitorians and Geographers of the fifteenth century. II. The Latin tranflations of the Greek Hiftorians, Geographers, &c. 111. The Fathers, &c. &c. 1v. Orators and Epiftolary writers. v. Writers of Natural Hiftory and Philofophy. VI. Commentators upon Ariftotle. vII. GrammaVIII. Mifcellaneous remarks relating to early typography. Among these articles feveral are to be fought for in vain, in any preceding English work. The firft in particular, involves much curious and useful information. The account of the Sorbonne Prefs at p. 13, will well repay the reader's attention; and we would gladly infert it here, but that the account of Livy and the different improvements of fucceeding Editors feem to prefent a fubject of more general

rians.

intereft.

* By