ART. XII. Enthusiasm: a Poem. In Two Parts. By Mr. Jerningham. 4to. pp. 36. 2s. Robfon and Clarke. 1789. TAVING, in the progrefs of our critical labours, received HA much amusement from fome of the poetical pieces which this gentleman has occafionally prefented to the Public, we took up the poem before us with all thofe favourable fentiments that fuch a recollection may be fuppofed to excite; but the ftrict Jaws of impartiality oblige us to confefs, that Mr. Jerningham has not, on this new occafion, fully answered our expectations. Unfortunately, he feems not to have formed in his mind, adequate conceptions of the grandeur and dignity of his prefent fubject, as a fubject for verfe. The profe writer may treat of ENTHUSIASM with all the apathy of a ftoic, and with languor Creeping through each period; but it is a theme that will be expected to animate, to enflame, the poet. It calls for a foul of fire; for thoughts that breathe, and words that burn; and if the Mufe does not beltow a double portion of her inspiration, fo as to make the bard himself the very theme he draws, the reader will fuffer difappointment. Such was our fituation after perufing this poem. Though it contains many poetical lines, we perceive feveral which are profaic; and, in general, it wants that fpirit and energy fo peculiarly required by the fabject. The author's aim is to display the good and bad effects of enthufiafm. The bad are defcribed in the first part,the good, in the latter. In the former, Enthufiafm, perfonified, and not improperly called the daughter of Energy, is accused of being the caule of the deftruction of the great Alexandrian Library, in the 6th century, by OMAR,-of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in the 17th (1685),-of occafioning that penal law in France which confifcated the eftates of those who did not, at their death, renounce the Reformed religion—and of exiling James Saurin. Thefe are the articles of indictment preferred against her; to overturn which, in the fecond Part, the Seraph (for the fcene is laid "above this vifible diurnal sphere"), who takes the part of th' Enthufiaftic Maid,' thinks it fufficient to enumerate the good effects of her influence. To her, therefore, is attributed the patriotifm of thofe fix perfons, who after the taking of Calais by Edward III. prefented themselves before him to redeem the lives of their fellow-citizens;-the acquifition of British freedom on (what Mr. J. calls) the fam'd ransomground of Runnymede ;'-the difcovery of America by Columbus-and the Reformation begun by Luther; in confequence of which, reafon again became enthroned, truth fhone forth, and * Mr. Jerningham difcovers a love for compound epithets; in the choice of which he is frequently happy. 22 liberty herty and toleration prevailed. We will not ftay to enquire whether all thefe inftances ftri&tly and properly belong to the fubject; but muft exprefs our furprise that the poet should have omitted the kind influence of Enthufiafm on fcience, polite literature, and the fine arts. But though the enumeration has not fatisfied us, it produced the intended effects on the heavenly tribunal before whom the caufe was heard which acquits Enthufiafm of the charge preferred against her by the accufing angel, and urges her to vindicate her injured fame. For this purpofe, fhe makes the following oration relative to herself, Britannia, and America, with which the poem concludes: 6 "Bold on a tow'ring rock, with foul elate, I faw BRITANNIA fit in regal state, As mid the flow'rets of the wild he play'd 6 Where, where does fhe abide, that I may dart 'Twas then I added with indignant air Difmifs thy threats, thy warm refentment fpare, Or droop thyself beneath a flood of shame, Thine, thine the child, and thou th' inhuman dame." The figns of greatness dare ev'n now unfold; How on the vigorous eye the morning ray 29 Marvellous ་ Marvellous infant, doom'd to act my plan, O doom'd to act what Heaven's dread thought devis'd, Whofe rigid waves thy conscious foul encreas'd, Enough," th' abruptly-rifing Quire exclaim, Thou shalt regain thy native, dread abode, To lavish commendation on this poem, would be an impeachment of our judgment, and diminish the value of that praife, which we hope in future to have an opportunity of offering to its author. It does, however, poffefs beauties; of which the foregoing extract affords inftances. It has alfo its defects; and what human compofition is perfect? Moo-y. ART. XIII. Sermons on practical Subjects: By the late Reverend Henry Stebbing, D. D. Preacher to the Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, &c. In two Volumes, 8vo. pp. 500 each. 125. Boards. Dilly. 1788. WH HATEVER juft caufe there may be to complain of Clerical negligence, it must nevertheless be pleafing to a benevolent mind to obferve how many fermons of real and fubftantial use are delivered in this kingdom. Such must those be acknowleged which here fall under our review: they are not indeed remarkable for brilliancy of ftyle, or for elegance of compofition in this refpect they are rather negligent; perhaps, in fome inftances, faulty: yet they contain much good fenfe, and have the fuperior merit of recommending, in a plain and forcible way, thofe truths, and that practice, which are moft offential to the welfare of mankind. From the fhort account of his life, prefixed by his Son, it appears that Dr. Stebbing was a pious and benevolent man, and his difcourfes breathe the fame fpirit. They are properly pofthumous, not having been published till after his decease, but, we are informed, he had himself tranfmitted the original manufcripts to the prefs, and written the dedication and preface a few weeks before his death. As this was the cafe, we are a little furprised at an inequality obfervable at times in the dif REV. March, 1789. courses, R courfes, and marks of carele finefs and impropriety which now and then occur. The fententious manner which occafionally prefents itself, reminds us of the quaintnefs (in fome inftances the expreffive quaintnefs) of former days. Though not perfectly fuitable to the more chaftifed tafte of the prefent times, we might ftill allow it to be faid, However God may fuffer those who pray to him, to want his bounties in their basket, he will never fuffer them to want his bounties in their hearts :'-Perhaps also we may bear to be told, when fpeaking of the weddinggarment, the robe of righteousness-Though we cannot expect to wear it abfolutely without fpot or wrinkle, through this dirty pilgrimage of life, yet we muft endeavour to wear it as clean as we can' But the patience of fome perfons may be nearly exhaufted when they read that- Good actions proceeding from a falfe or empty heart, are a light, which however bright it may appear for a time, foon goes out and leaves a ftink behind it':or, when it it faid- An honeft man may think of the grave, but a rogue is ever thinking of the gallows.' The fentiments are, however, juft; and it fhould be confidered that fuch expreffions pals off differently when connected with others, than when they appear thus detached from the main body of the difcourfe. Dr. Stebbing faid to have adhered fleadily to the tenets of the Church of England. We confider thefe volumes as more acceptable, becaufe difputable doctrines are not very much introduced the fifty-first and fifty-fecond fermons are on a topic of this kind, and contain fome rather exceptionable paffages, as when we are told, in reference, we fuppofe, to the Socinians, Was Chrift really no more than a teacher, these men would make no fcruple to reduce him to the ftill lower character of a field-preacher.'-Burlefque phrafes, even when moft juft, have an effect on fome minds, beyond the intention of the fpeaker, and should therefore be generally, if not wholly, avoided in pulpit compofition. We acknowlege ourselves hurt, when we find men of fenfe, learning and piety, with whom this author certainly ranks, exhibiting merely what is plaufible, or popular, or objectionable, and advancing affertions with an air of confidence and triumph, inftead of modeftly and diligently endeavouring to inveftigate a subject. Thus have we ventured to point out fome little defects in difcourfes which, on the whole, have real merit, and are calculated. for important fervice; in proof of which, did our limits allow, we might produce feveral extracts. But we can only just mention fome of the topics here confidered; fuch as, The Jewish and Chriftian difpenfations; Miffion of St. Paul; Neceffity of the Gospel; Confequence of rejecting it; Faith in Chrift; Superiority to the world; Servitude of fin; Intereft in Heaven; Worldly Worldly affections; Government of the paffions; Industry; Agur's Prayer; Returning good for evil; Fear and love of God; Hope and truft in him; Vain profeffions; Rich man and Lazarus; Divine affiftance; Chriftian-like behaviour; Prayer; Humility; Purity; Good example; Repentance; Incarnation, Sufferings, and Refurrection of Chrift; Death; Uncertainty of life; Permiffion of evil; Progress of virtue; Bad company; Prudence and diligence; Courtefy, &c. &c. The whole number is feventy-nine. One fermon, viz. The Milerable end of profligate finners, is faid to have been occafioned by the conviction of the Perreaus: we mention this merely as a proof of the author's attention to circumstances and events, which might ufefully imprefs the minds of his hearers. Is there not a mil-quotation obfervable, p. 306 of the firft volume, where the words pafs the time of our fojourning here in fear, are introduced as thofe of St. Paul, but feem rather to have been St. Peter's language? 1 Pet. i. 17. H1. ART. XIV. A Letter to the Author of Thoughts on the Manners of the Great. pp. 142. 8vo. 25. fewed. Murray. 1788. OTHING can be more true than the principle laid down Nby the author of the Thoughts; viz. that REFORMATION, to be general, muft originate with the fuperior members of fociety. To them the inferior ranks look up, with fuch a degree of deference, as makes them proud of becoming their imitators. Even Vice, itself, ceases to ftrike them as odious, and Folly as ridiculous, when countenanced by the Great, and decidedly influencing their manners. Such being the perfuafiveness of their example, there is reafon for wifhing them to recommend virtue and religion by it, rather than their contraries. The author of the Letter before us, and the author of the Thoughts, are thus far agreed; but they differ, refpecting the line of conduct which the Great fhould purfue, in order to become the moral and religious lights of the land; especially as to the obfervance of Sunday. The author of the Thoughts fays, "Sunday feems to be a kind of Chriftian Palladium, and the city of God will never be totally taken by the enemy, till the obfervance of that be quite loft." But this Letter-writer is of a contrary opinion: for he fays, that if any thing has conduced to leffen the general reverence for religion, to impede its progrefs, and even to lead the vulgar to fufpect its facred authority, it feems to me to be our English Sabbath.' Most of our readers, we are perfuaded, will think the author very bold in this affertion. Why the English Sabbath fhould be fo vehemently attacked, and have fuch bitter things faid of R 2 it, |