from press and other errors as might be wished. In some places we find, for whole pages together, the dot of multiplication introduced instead of the symbol of equality; and in others we trace the omission of the mark of radicality. But these are trifles compared with the absurdity of saying (p. 60) " I divide by 87. instead of multiplying by 2s. 6d." It is extremely unlucky, when a writer on arithmetic proves himself ignorant of the nature of such simple rules as multiplication and di. vision. But Mr. Joyce is equally unfortunate in the rule of three; for he says, as 12 gallons are to 31.-18s. so are 65,873 gallons, to 21,4087. 14s. 6d. and all his proportions are equally ridiculous. Our readers will at once see that this is not hypercriticism; a proportion is constituted of two equal ratios, and ratio is the relation which subsists between magnitudes of the same kind with respect to quantity. So that it is as absurd to state the proportion between money, and a measure of capacity, as it would be to determine how much blueness there is in thunder, or how much melody there is in a typhus fever. After this, we do not much wonder that our author applies to questions generally, the elegant appellation of "sums," (p. 62.). To make amends for these inelegancies and inaccuracies, we are presented with a syllabus of mental arithmetic,' carefully abridged, as we conjecture, from Whiting's little piece under that title published in 1788. It should be observed, however, that Mr. Joyce seems aware of his inability; as he most pathetically appeals to the old adage, humanum est errare. Truly it furnishes a maxim which we are always ready to urge in favour of an author, who ventures on an unexplored region, where a work, though much wanted, is difficult of execution. But in the present times, when there are more books of arithmetic, by some scores, than ought ever to be read, we know not what temptation there could be for a writer, who has other roads to fame, to fatigue himself by labouring along this worn up path. But we recollect farther, the modern improvement of the old adage,―To err is human,-to forgive, divine; and as we are desirous to act under its iufluence, we promise to forgive Mr. Joyce for his Practical Arithmetic' and Key,' if he will forgive us for recommending him to relinquish all thoughts of publishing the " Algebra' and the Practical Geometry' he talks of. He had better let his character rest on the respectable footing of the Scientific Dialogues'; for we perceive that nothing short of a miracle can prevent his injuring his reputation if he intermeddle with mathematical subjects. Art. XIV. The Works of Creation, a Series of Discourses for Boyle's Lecture, No. I. Being the First Sermon cf the Series, delivered at St. Mary Le Bow Church, Cheapside, on Monday, September 5, 1808. By the Rev. Edward Repton, A. M. of Magdalen College, Oxford, Curate of Crayford in Kent. 8vo. pp. 27. price 1s. Mawman, 1808. MR. Repton publishes this sermon, (the title of which we have correct ly copied), as a specimen or advertisement of the course which he is now delivering at Bow Church, for the Boylean Lecture. He regrets, with reason, that the sermons preached at this Lecture have been usually delivered to empty pews; and that even the Series published by Mr. Van Mildert, (Ecl. Rev. Vol. III. p. 122) which have been favourably received from the press, found but few auditors. We should with great pleasure lend our feeble recommendation in aid of his endeavours to revive i the fashion of attending these lectures; but the sermon he has published will doubtless attract that sort of notice which must render any exhortations of ours entirely superfluous. It is proper, that, before giving a specimen of this first Lecture, we should remark how carefully Mr. Repton has excluded from it every tincture of those qualities which usually are rewarded with popularity, by the multitude; pomp of language, enthusiasm of sentiment, and ostentation of science and learning, were never more successfully avoided. It is, we think, as a logician, and a divine, that he chiefly excels: and to his merit in these respects, we cannot apply any terms of panegyric that would be worthy of the occasion. We will however transcribe the "series of inquiry" which he proposes to pursue; "namely, to consider the various works of the Creation in the order described by Moses, in the first chapter of Genesis; to examine the slow progress of human discovery in former ages, compared with the more rapid progress of the present; resting the truth of the sacred books, on their general tendency to the improvement and happiness of man!" This" series" is to include" an inquiry into the superior excellence of revealed religion," Mosaic and Christian, "beyond that of" all other religions; all this is to be performed in eight lectures, for only fifty pounds, and, what is still more surprising, is to constitute a series! We will now give an extract from the sermon, which appears to us one of the most extraordinary passages, (considering that the writer is only a simple curate, has not yet taken a degree in Divinity, and perhaps is not even in Priest's orders,) that we ever read; Let us hope there is no presumption in supposing, that the various revelations of God's Will with respect to Man, and which seem adapted to the progressive state of his mind and faculties, appear to denote that he has been gradually advancing in knowledge, although there is one point to' which none of the sons of Adam can ever hope to attain; He alone having eaten of the Tree which taught him the "Knowledge of Good and Evil!!!"-Hence it happens, that in all our inquiries, in all our discoveries, doubt and ignorance are ever contending; we know not what is right or wrong, what we ought to deem good ar evil!! except indeed in such matters as relate to the duties and happiness of ourselves and fellow crea tures !! for in these we either do or ought to obey the dictates of the Divine Creator benevolently implanted in us, since, as St. Paul expresses it, we are taught of God to love one another!!' pp. 17, 18. We heartily congratulate Mr. R. on the discovery, that what is commonly called, but improperly, the Fall of Adam, was the precise cause of his intellectual pre-eminence above all his posterity; and that the true reason why our knowledge is so imperfect, why we can never hope to attain an equality with Adam, and why we cannot discern between good and evil (except as far as concerns our duties and happiness, which we understand instinctively) is, that we have not the opportunity, which he fortunately enjoyed, of tasting the forbidden fruit! Mr. R. has omitted, however, to state the name of the benignant being who encouraged Adam and Eve to aspire after this ineffable incommunicable privilege. pecu We trust the sagacious patrons of Mr. Repton, who discerned his liar fitness for the Boylean Donation and Lectureship even before this discovery was published, will take care now not to forget him when a vacancy occurs in the stalls of a cathedral, or on the episcopal bench. Mr. R. seems also to have discovered that water contains 85 parts of oxygen, and 515 of hydrogen gas!(p. 19.) on which subject we advise him to send a paper to the Royal Society. Art. XV. Brief Narrative of the Baptist Mission in India. 8vo. pp. 70. Price 1s. Button, and Burditt. 1808. OUR first intention was to have noticed this pamphlet at some length; but on consideration we think our task is extremely short. It is so compressed as to admit of no abridgement without degenerating into a mere list of names and dates, it is itself an abridgement of the Periodical Accounts of the Mission; it is written with the utmost clearness, simplicity, and candour; it costs but a shilling; it is said to be drawn up by the Secretary of the Baptist Missionary Society, Mr. Fuller, who is necessarily in possession of the most accurate information; and therefore, if any one, yet unacquainted with the subject, cares to know the leading particulars of the origin and progress of a mission, as disinterested in design, and as strenuous in exertion, as any that the Christian world ever did or ever can employ for the illumination and conversion of idolaters, and surpassing, beyond all comparison, all former missions, and all other undertakings, in the grand article of translating the bible into the languages of the heathens, it will cost him but little time, or money, or labour, to procure and read this narrative. It is not written, nor ought it to have been written, in the strain of apology; we may fairly doubt whether there ever was an undertaking of the same magnitude and continuance, and in which so many persons were concerned, that supplied by its conduct so little to gratify the malice of its bitterest enemies. Such enemies even this undertaking has been fated to encounter: and our benevolence prompts us to wish that the names of all of them may prove to be, what most of them will certainly be, too insignificant to be perpetuated in infamy after the unfortunate persons are gone. In one point this narrative is unsatisfactory; it passes in so slight and delicate a manner over the measures of obstruction and restraint adopted by the Indian government, that we are left uninformed as to the degree of disability under which either at present or formerly the missionaries have been placed. But we can easily understand that this forbearance on the part of the narrator, was quite indispensable. The number of persons baptized by the missionaries down to Nov. 1807, is one hundred and twenty-three; nearly a hundred of whom were natives, chiefly Hindoos, with a few Mahometans. Nine were of the Brahmin caste. Art. XVI. Walks of Usefulness in London and its Environs. By John Campbell, Kingsland, near London. 18mo. pp. 150. price 2s. bound Burditt, 1808. IT is undoubtedly true, as Mr. Campbell observes, that "if every Chris tian were to consider himself a missionary from God to such perishing men as he has access to, which he certainly is, much good might be done every day;" and all who deserve the name they assume will be ready to acknowledge the obligation it involves, to the whole extent which Mr.. Campbell would require. The principal objection that would be made, if not perhaps the principal that would be felt, by persons of this character, is, that much harm may be done to the interests of religion, much odium needlessly incurred by its sincere professors, much prejudice excited among its careless and dissipated neglecters, by an unseasonable obtrusion of pious remark and admonition. It is the part of discretion to ascertain when such benevolent interference as Mr. C. justly recommends is unsea sonable, and what is the best form of complying with his advice; and it will be the anxious concern of the truly devout, not to let this matter be decided by undue delicacy, by a dread of " the scandal of the cross," or an inordinate and criminal deference to the opinions of our fellow creatures. One of the greatest advantages to be derived from habitually remembering and discharging the obligation to which we allude, would be an increased stedfastness and strength of piety in the philanthropist himself; a fortitude like that of the early Friends in "bearing their testimony;" a Christian heroism like that ascribed by Racine to the Jewish high priest, ❝ Je crains Dieu, cher Abner, et n'ai point d'autre crainte." The book consists of a numerous collection of conversations of a religious turn, many of which we are to understand have actually taken place; and it is arranged into chapters, intitled "Walks." It is calculated to afford both motives and examples, to those who are so unfeignedly convinced of the truth of Scripture and the importance of eternity, as to feel a proper disposition to promote the spiritual interests of those with whom they may be accidentally or permanently connected. It may also be recommended as an amusing and useful book for children. Art. XVII. Mrs. Leicester's School: or the History of several Young Ladies, related by themselves. 8vo. pp. 180. price 3s. 6d. boards. M. J. Godwin, Juvenile Library, Skinner Street, 1809. THOSE who think it sufficient for children's books that they should be entertaining and harmless, will probably not find much to object against this little publication of Mr. or Mrs. Godwin; excepting that it tends to impress even on children, and even on female children,the propriety of domestic theatricals and visits to the play house. In other respects, nearly the same character is applicable to it which we have already given of the "Stories of old Daniel," published at the Juvenile Library, before the name of its conductor was avowed, (See Vol. IV. p. 274.) Art. XVIII. The Life of David Brainerd, Missionary to the Indians, with an Abridgement of his Diary and Journal from President Edwards. By John Styles, Author of an Essay on the Stage. 12mo. pp. 291. price 4s. bds. Williams and Co. 1808. IT is less necessary to recommend the admirable character of Brainerd* as a study for every Christian, and a model in almost all respects for every Missionary, than to state the pretensions of this publication to a preference over former biographies. The life by President Edwards, says Mr. S., "has been supposed to contain much unimportant and exuberant mat ́ter, and a too frequent recurrence of the same things" in Mr. Brainerd's Diary. Our author has therefore adopted the recommendation of a friend, to "rewrite the life, and select from the original volume the most important and interesting portions of the Diary and Journal," so as "greatly to reduce the book both in size and price, without at all diminishing its in * In a recent work, which will speedily come under our review, it is remarked, that "to this day the memory of David Brainerd is held in veneration in those districts which were blessed with his ministry;" the converts made among the Indians by "the incessant labours of this judicious and truly apostolic missionary," are described as having eminently adorned their profession of Christianity. Memoirs of an American Lady." trinsic worth." For the selections, he availed himself of "Mr. Wesley's Abridgement," taking care to add these indications of sentiment, which Mr. Wesley, from a persuasion that they were founded in error, had thought fit to exclude from his own work. The very excellent and instructive remarks of President Edwards at the close of the original volume, are introduced here with some abridgement. To indulge in observations on the peculiar character and singular piety of Brainerd, or in extracts from the original or the present author which we think particularly worthy of attention, would extend our notice of this work to a very unsuitable length; considering its intrinsic merits, and that the life by Edwards was become scarce, we regard the publication as a valuable and timely service to the re ligious public. Art. XIX. The Arcanum of National Defence. By Hastatus. Svo. pp. 50. 1808. IN this spirited and patriotic pamphlet, the production we understand of Major Barber, it is urged that the only way of contending successfully gainst the disciplined hosts and consummate tactics of Bonaparte, is by overwhelming them with a vast superiority of physical force. It is recommended therefore to arm the whole population of a country, of England or Spain for instance, with the pike; the advantages of this weapon are forcibly stated, and a very simple plan of discipline is laid down. It would take up too much room to give our reasons at length, for thinking that no considerable body of French troops will ever be defeated by pikemen, though of ten times superior force. We consider it as evident that pikemen, to act with effect, must act in a body; and consequently that in an inclosed country they would be nearly incapable of acting at all. In an open country, we are persuaded that a corps of light-infantry, though destitute of artillery, would be more than a match for an immense superiority of pikemen. The author proposes a plan of breaking an enemy's line with a powerful column of pikemen; which column we think would soon be entirely discomfited, if not destroyed, during their charge, by a brigade of light guns, before they could touch their enemy. It does appear to us, that the irregular force of a country should be trained to the light infantry exercise: that in this country especially they must expect to succeed by markmanship, and agility; and that general engagements should be scrupulously avoided, as not only unserviceable but ruinous to the cause. There are several very good remarks on the expediency of abridging and simplifying the detail of discipline, which are not exclusively applicable to that system which the author recommends. Art. XX. The Power of God. A Sermon Preached at Lymington, before the Associated Ministers and Churches of Hampshire, Sep. 28. 1808. and published at their Request, By J. Hunt, (Titchfield.) 8vo. pp. 50. price 1s 6d. Williams and Co. 1808. is not surprising that this sermon should have been thought worthy, by those who heard it, of appearing in print, though it is chargeable with certain imperfections which may be naturally expected in a sermon 66 not written with the most distant view to publication.' Superadded to the more essential requisites of correct and devotional sentiment, we find in it much vigorous thought and impressive diction, on a great variety of important topics. We cannot enter into a critical examination of the ser |