Art.37. The Confessions off. Lackington. late Bookseller, at the Temple of the Muses, in a Series of Letters to a Friend. To which are added, Two Letters on the bad Consequences of having Daughters educated at Boarding-Schools. 12mo pp. 212. 2s. Boards. Jordan and Maxwell. How far Mr. Lackington will accomplish his wish of "making a holiday in Heaven," we presume not to decide, but we may venture to assure him that he will be a source of mirth on this globe. Whitfield was accustomed to say to his hearers, "Come to Christ, the dirtier the better," and the subscribers to this doctrine must regard Mr. Lackington as a most precious child of Grace: for no pious old maiden could be more energetic in pronouncing herself" the vilest of sinners," than this modern Confessor,--or perhaps would be more offended if taken at her word. Has Mr. L. been ambitious of re sembling the character which Pope gives of Lord Wharton: "Then turns repentant, and his God adores Let him be flattered by this comparison, and take it in lieu of all other compliments: for our opinion is, that true repentance is modest and unostentatious; and that the judicious among the Methodists will not be much delighted with this sort of Confessions. Mr. L. would persuade us that he formerly kept very bad company, a fact which we are not disposed to controvert: but we cannot give him credit when he asserts that his enlightened friend Dick Thrifty doubted of his own existence.' Even in the very Temple of the Muses, we question the possibility of finding a doubter who doubted whether his doubting-self existed. The liberty which Mr. L. takes with himself should not be extended to his acquaintance; who, even under feigned names, cannot be pleased with the portrait which their friend has drawn of them. We will not say that he who writes a long account of his repentance sets down more than is true: but we must tell Mr. Lackington that he will be in high luck if he finds people who will implicitly credit all that he has written. Since he has interlarded his work with many quotations from the poets, we shall call it a poetical confession; by which we do not mean to question the fact of his being sincerely concerned for having ridiculed the Methodists; though we are of opinion that the ostentation and vain display, which are made by the Confessor, can be little to the credit of his christian humility. On such good terms is he now with himself, and so satisfied of the force of his arguments, that he wishes to compare himself to St. Paul, and expects that his correspondent should say to him, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Methodist.' He confesses that, if it had not been for methodistic preaching, he should now have been a poor, ragged, dirty cobler, peeping out from under a bulk with a snuffy nose and a long beard; and to poor snuffy nosed coblers this hint may be of use in persuading them to be methodists, since thus they may get something better than "a stall which serves them for kitchen and parlour and all." If Mr. L. was formerly severe on the Methodists, he endeavours now to make them amends; and their preachers owe him their lowest bow for his compliments. The The letters on Boarding Schools are intended to reprobate this mode of education as productive of vice, and as disqualifying females for the state of matrimony. It is very true that the system of boarding school education is on too high a level to adapt females for the dutres of ordinary life. Moy Art. 3. The Farmer's and Gardener's Directory, containing the most approved Rules and Directions for fotetelling the Changes which take place in the Weather; with Observations on the Barometer, Thermometer, Hygrometer, and Rain-Gauge. 12mo. Pp. 48. Is. Scatchard. In our variable climate, it is of great importance to be weather-wise, or to be acquainted with those prognostics which indicate the changes of the atmosphere. To the agriculturist, this knowlege is peculiarly valuable; and he is obliged to the author of this little unostentatious manual, for the hints which it contains ;-hints which, in general, display attentive observation and philosophic reading. This Directory contains, Signs from Animals, &c. Signs from Vapours, Clouds, &c. all indicating a change of weather. Signs of wet and dry Seasons. The influence of the Moon on the weather. Signs from the Barometer, Hygrometer, &c. All the remarks here suggested are not of equal value: but, as the piece is small, the purchase of this tract may be a shilling well laid out by those who are much concerned in the state of the weather, and who may bring its rules to the test of experience. The editor observes that 6 When the Swallows fly high after their prey, we think ourselves sure of a serene sky; but when they fly low and brush the surface of the water with their wings, we judge that rain is not far off.' ་ When the Gnats collect themselves, before the setting of the sun, and form a sort of vortex, in the shape of a, column, it announces fine weather.' The Earth, after very long and abundant rain, is sometimes seen to be almost dry, and the Roads quite free from dirt. This is a sign, that the rain has not altogether ceased; and denotes a continual efflux of electric matter, which, being renewed, carries with it, in the form of vapour, all the moisture that falls on the earth. There is sometimes a great deal of dirt after a very moderate rain this is a sign of fine weather; because it indicates that evapo. ration has ceased.' There is no sufer sign of rain, than two different Currents of Clouds, especially if the under-current flies fast before the wind. And if two such currents appear in hot weather, they shew, that a thunder storm is gathering.' On wet and dry seasons, the following rules are laid down: A Day is accounted Wet, when rain falls to the amount of one pound troy, on the space of a square foot. A Week, when it contains four or more wet days. A Month, when it contains three wet weeks. And a Season, or Quarter of a Year, when it contains two wet months. When there has been no storm, before or after the Vernal Equinox, the ensuing summer is generally Dry, at least five times in six. When • When a storm happens from the east, either on the 19th, 20th, or 2 st of March, the succeeding summer is Dry, four times in five. • When a Storm arises on the 25th, 26th, or 27th of March, and not before, in any point, the succeeding summer is generally Dry, four times in five. If there should be a Storm at south-west, or west south west, on the 19th, 20th, 21st, or 22d, the succeeding summer is generally Wet, five times in six. It rains less in March than in November in the proportion of seven to twelve. It generally rains less in April than in October, in the proportion of one to two. And less in May than in September, in the propor tion of three to four. When it rains plentifully in May, it generally rains but little in September; and the contrary. Out of forty-one years, there will in general be twenty-two dry Springs, six wet, and thirteen variable ones; also twenty wet Summers, sixteen dry, and five variable ones; and probably eleven dry Autumns, eleven wet, and nineteen variable ones. The quantity of rain which falls in nine successive years is nearly equal to that which falls in the next following nine. And every nineteenth year is generally similar. This similarity was very striking between the temperature of the years 170, 1720, 1739, 1758 and 1777.' Gentlemen, also, who have Barometers, may be thankful for the instruction which is here offered for using that instrument. Art. 39. The Intruder: a periodical Paper. Boards. Printed at Aberdeen. 12mo. 2s. 6d. We have perused this little volume with a considerable degree of pleasure and approbation. Although some of its papers are par ticularly calculated for the meridian of Aberdeen, from the local observations on customs and manners, which they contain; yet there are others which furnish useful reflections and rational entertainment, worthy the attention of the inhabitants even of this southern and enlightened metropolis. If we may make any exception to this statement, it is with regard to the paper on Vanity.' Without becoming the incautious advocate of many vain-glorious fools, who claim more respect than the world is willing to allow them, and disclaiming all intention of usurping the dominion of modesty, 1 must humbly assert the rights and privileges to which I think vanity is entitled, and endeavour to undeceive the learned, with respect to a celebrated ancient orator, whose merit has been depreciated with the accusation of insufferable vanity. I have before alluded to the ease with which an author can commit his own praise to paper; and as my observation has been very extensive, I have seen with surprise many persons of that description, summoning their whole resolution, to support an ordinary conversation on the state of the weather, births, deaths, marriages, &c. when all their efforts with much blushing and stammering, could produce little beyond the sound of an occasional monosyllable. But this awkwardness is not alone chargeable against them; for there are others, and men of good sense too, whom I have seen equally perplexed and as easily put out of countenance, on the most common oc casions. Mo.y. 1 casions. They cannot walk into a room where there is any company, make a bow, or answer to an inquiry respecting their health, without rendering their uneasiness and embarrassment evident to every one present; and sometimes, not without throwing their bodies into such vio lent distortions, that an observer might think they were going to expire. But this is not all ; to have any tolerable idea of their behaviour, you must figure to yourself, the innumerable mistakes and foolish blun ders, which they who labour under this awkward diffidence fall into; and you must suppose, every one pretending to compassionate the poor creatures, yet ready on all occasions, to laugh at their distress. In company with their equals they assume some more composure, and perhaps behave with a good deal of propriety; but, in presence of every stranger, and more particularly of their superiors, all their courage fails them, and they sink into the most abject state of awkward insignificance. Now, what I affirm is, that a little vanity would cure them of all this; or at least, prove by degrees an excellent means of correcting bashfulness, and finally of giving an entire new turn to the manners, not only favourable to happiness, but also essential to true dig nity of character. For, while a man continues so awkwardly diffident as I have before represented, he will never secure that esteem and regard, which he will have the mortification to see bestowed, almost exclusively, on those whose carriage is easy and unconstrained, whose manners are dignified and respectful. A man that is not at ease with himself, will seldom appear unembarrassed in company; that openness of behaviour and freedom of conversation which delight every body else, will soon become irksome and tedious to him, whose anxiety and impa tience are habitual from distrust in himself. How much do I admire that manliness of thought, which begets in us the consciousness of our own importance! We ought to carry it along with us through every situation of life; because accompanied with occasional pliability and tempered with moderation, it will form our best security against the arrogance of the great, and the general artifices of the world.' The author should have defined the term Vanity, before he recom mended it as a virtuous quality, and then perhaps he might have coincided with the author of No. 373. in the Spectator, where the happy mixture of modesty and assurance is recommended; and surely with more propriety than vanity can be, which is generally understood to be a weakness, and the property of a man who over-rates his merits. We rather think that this correspondent really means a just and manly confidence; which undoubtedly every one should attempt to attain, by conscious rectitude and the sedulous exertion of his talents. In the mean time, we shall only add on this subject that the moralist ought carefully to guard against such a misapplication of terms as may tend to weaken the distinctions between virtue and vice, and to break down the wall of separation between the path of wisdom and that of folly. The ensuing extract, from a correspondent's letter on the subject of candour, will shew that such distinctions and proper discriminations between good and evil qualities of the mind are not always neglected in this volume. What a pity, that human beings, born in a christian land, endowed with reason, or possessed of the least spark of fellow-feeling, should be so insensible to the dictates of humanity, and so void of that that natural philanthropy which pervades even the breast of the wildest Who steals my purse, steals trash; 'tis something, nothing; 'On the contrary, how amiable is that character which is endowed with candour and charity towards all men. Liberality of sentiment is an essential, a distinguishing ingredient in the character of a worthy or great mind; open and cheerful in itself, it diffuses cheerfulness and good humour over all who are under its influence; it forms the ground of mutual confidence and union among men, and prevents those animosities from arising, which are the offspring of groundless prejudice. In the magistrate, it tempers justice with lenity; among subjects, it promotes good order, social virtue, and the most friendly intercourse. But it may be necessary to distinguish between this amiable virtue, and that unreal candour, with which the man of the world endeavours to deceive. To view all the actions of men with the same degree of satisfaction is inconsistent with common sense, and contrary to the express precepts of morality. Were we to think and speak equally well of all, we must either be insensible to the difference between right and wrong, or indifferent to that distinction when we perceive it. This virtue does not really consist in that guarded inoffensive language, which some men pour out in the sweetest accents, and with the most lovely countenances, on every character good or bad; nor is it really to be found in those who can publicly approve of, and with the greatest seeming sincerity defend, the conduct of those who may or may not merit their commendation. Envy can put on the mask of hypocrisy, and act the part of candour; and could we penetrate into the hidden movements of the mind, we should discover that the hypocrite secretly hates and despises the man {whom he has publicly commended.' The concluding paper addresses with awe and reverence the dread tribunal of critics and reviewers; but yet with that manly confidence which becomes an independent and virtuous author. SINGLE SERMON S. Art. 40. Preached before the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in the Abbey Church of Westminster, May 25, 1804, being the Day appointed by His Majesty's Royal Proclamation to be observed as a Day of solemn Fasting and Humiliation. By George Isaac Huntingford, D.D. F.R.S., Bishop of Gloucester. 4to. 1s. 6d. Cadell and Davies. It is justly remarked by this learned preacher, that Christianity pre-supposes its followers to be members of civil community, and to them, considered in that capacity, applies many of its precepts.' Though the mass or aggregate of political duties is not particularly specified in the N. T. under the term Patriotism, the several direc2* tion Man 1 |