We have mentioned somewhat of the poffibility of re-entering once more into the island of Japan. But if that should be thought too hazardous, what can hinder some of our ships from vifiting Formofa? A fruitful, pleasant, and well fituated inland. Are there not a thousand pretences that may be fuggefted for putting in there? And if the veffel that makes this attempt be a ship of force, and well manned, is there any reafon to doubt that he would be able to procure that respect which would make way for trade? It may be replied that the Chinese laws are fo ftri&t, that there is no trading in Formosa without the emperor's leave. To which I reply, that it is very well known the Chinese infift upon their laws in the most peremptory manner, where they are fure they have force enough to fupport and carry them into execution. On the other hand, where this is not to be done, they are very flow in coming to extremities, and had rather bate fome of their pun&tilios than run the hazard of a difpute that might be attended with bad confequences.

In times paft the Dutch made the conqueft of this island, or rather the Dutch Eaft-India company made it, and kept poffeffion of it in spite of the whole force of the Chinese empire. I am very far from faying that this should become a precedent to our Eaft-India company, or that they ought to attempt either a conqueft or a fettlement by force; all I contend for is, that if the Dutch Eaft-India company conquered it, the English Eaft-India company might find a way to trade there. They would find their account in it, and the nation would find their account in it; and though it might cost some time and trouble to bring it about, yet this very time and trouble would for fo long a space exclude other nations, and we might perhaps find a means of putting the trade there on fuch a foot as to keep it wholly, and for ever to ourselves.

If we never try, it is certain we fhall never fucceed; and if the Swedes or Danes had been difcouraged by fuch obstacles, there is no doubt but they had never brought that trade to bear, which they now enjoy. Befides, when our Drakes and Cavendishes undertook thofe perilous voyages in the dawn of our navigation, they had much greater difficulties to struggle with, and much less affiftance to hope for, yet they overcame them all; and to their boldness and intrepidity we owe that figure we have fince made as a maritime power. If therefore a fpirit of this kind could be raised, or rather revived, why should not we expect fome fuch like effects? Or why should we rest fatisfied with the prefent ftate of things, and lay afide all thoughts of improving or extending our commerce, when we fee other nations far lefs able and powerful than our own, and under

under much greater difficulties than we have any grounds to fear making fuch attempts, and making them with fuccefs.'

In compiling this work, the author has felected the most interefting articles that occur in political writers, which he has improved by obfervations and remarks. He has alfo enriched it with feveral original Effays on important fubjects. In all the lights in which this work can be confidered, it is a valuable repofitory of those branches of knowledge which concern the gentleman, the merchant, and the farmer.

XIII. A Hiftory of the Work of Redemption. By the late Reverend Mr. Jonathan Edwards, Prefident of the College of New Jersey. 8vo. 5s. in boards. Buckland,

THIS work is faid to contain the outlines of a body of divi

nity, in a method entirely new. But all the novelty there is in it, if in fact there is any, confifts in its being drawn up in the form of a history, illuftrating this general principle, that 'the work of redemption is a work that God carries on from the fall of man to the end of the world.'

In pursuance of this defign the author endeavours to establish these three propofitions :

1. That from the fall of man till the incarnation of Christ, God was doing thofe things, which were preparatory to Christ's coming, and working out redemption, and were fore runners and earnefts of it.

II. That the time from Chrift's incarnation, till his 'refurrection, was spent in procuring and purchasing redemption.

III. That the space of time from the refurrection of Chrift, to the end of the world, is all taken up in bringing about, or accomplishing the great effect or fuccefs of that purchase.

In evincing the truth of the first propofition, that is, in recapitulating and explaining the hiftory of the Old Testament, he produces a great variety of types and figures, which, according to his imagination,' fhadow forth' the redemption, or fome circumftance belonging to the Chriftian difpenfation. Take the following examples:

It is likely that these skins that Adam and Eve were clothed with, were the fkins of their facrifices. God's clothing them with these was a lively figure of their being clothed with the righteoufnefs of Chrift. This clothing was no clothing of their own obtaining; but it was God that gave it them. It is faid "God made them coats of skins, and clothed them ;" as the righteoufnefs our naked fouls are clothed with, is not our righteousness, but the righteoufnefs which is of God. It is he only clothes the naked foul.

Our first parents, who were naked, were clothed at the expence of life. Beafts were flain, and refigned up their lives a facrifice to God, to afford clothing to them to cover their nakedness. So doth Chrift, to afford clothing to our naked fouls. The fkin fignifies the life: So Job ii. 4. "Skin for skin, yea all that a man hath will he give for his life;" i, e. life for life. Thus our firft parents were covered with fkins of facrifices, as the tabernacle in the wildernefs, which fignified the church, was, when it was covered with rams fkins died red, as though they were dipped in blood, to fignify that Chrift's righteousness was wrought out through the pains of death, under which he fhed his precious blood ... After their fall they were awakened, and afhamed with a fenfe of their guilt, when their eyes were opened, and they faw that they were. naked, and fewed fig-leaves to cover their nakedness: as the finner, under the firft awakenings, is wont to endeavour to hide. the nakedness of his foul, by patching up a righteoufnefs of his own.'

A man may find a type and a figure in any thing, who can find them under the fig-leaves of Adam and Eve. A writer *, not unlike the Prefident of the College of New Jerfey in taste and invention, has obferved, that an acorn is the emblem of circumcifion, because it refembles penem fine præputio.

Speaking of the flood, our author fays: That water that washed away the filth of the world, that cleared the world of wicked men, was a type of the blood of Chrift, that takes away the fin of the world. That water that delivered Noah and his fons from their enemies, is a type of the blood that delivers God's church from their fins, their worst enemies. That water that was fo plentiful and abundant, that filled the world, and reached above the tops of the highest mountains, was a type of that blood, the fufficiency of which is fo abundant, that it is fufficient for the whole world; fufficient to bury the highest mountains of fin. The ark, that was the refuge and hidingplace of the church in this time of storm and flood, was a type of Chrift, the true hiding place of the church from the forms and floods of God's wrath.'

In another place we are told, that the Red fea did represent Chrift's blood; because the apoftle compares the children of Ifrael's paffage through the Red fea to baptism.'

Chrift, who by fuch writers as our author, is supposed to be represented by an infinite variety of types and fhadows, is said to have been prefigured by the burning bufh, which Mofes faw

*Duncan Forbes.

in the wilderness. The fimilitude is enigmatical, but here it is Chrift is called the branch. The bush grew on Mount Sinai or Horeb, which is a word that fignifies a dry place, as the human nature of Chrift was a root out of a dry ground. The bush burning with fire reprefented the fufferings of Chrift, in the fire of God's wrath.'

Naturalifts have frequently puzzled themselves in attempting to account for the first peopling of America. But they may fpare all future difquifitions.

Our author has folved the diffi

culty by the following curious hypothefis.

The devil being alarmed and furprized by the wonderful fuccefs of the Gospel, which there was the first three hundred years after Chrift, and by the downfall of the heathen empire in the time of Conftantine; and feeing the Gospel spread fo faft; and fearing that his heathenish kingdom would be wholly overthrown through the world, led away a people from the other continent into America, that they might be quite out of the reach of the gofpel, that here he might quietly poffefs them,. and reign over them as their God.' P. 44. 295.

No wonder we have heard fo much of the turbulent, refrattory, and rebellious fpirit of the North Americans. Mr. Prefident accounts for it-America was colonized by the devil!

This learned author, as we are informed, has left in MS. feveral hundred fermons on doctrinal and practical fubje&s, explications of above five hundred texts of fcripture, and effays on the truth and excellency of the Chriftian religion, the harmony of the Old and New Teftament, the divinity of Chrift, the neceffity and reasonableness of atonement, and of the imputation of merit, the eternity of heil torments, the foreknowledge of God, predeftination, &c. which the editor has fome thoughts of publishing, if this volume fhould meet with encouragement. The good people of America are welcome to these valuable remains,' for there, we are told, they have been applauded; but fuch pious rhapsodies, as we may expect from this writer, are already too numerous amongst us; and we fincerely wish, that no more may be imported.

XIV. A New Geographical Grammar: containing a comprobenfile Syftem of Modern Geography, after a New and Curious Method. To which is added an Appendix: containing a Geographical Table, with the Names and Situations of the chief Cities, Towns, &c. Alphabetically arranged. The whole laid down in a Manner fo eafy and natural by Way of Dialogue, between a Mafier and his Scholar, as to be understood by the meaneft Capacities, and very proper for the Use of Schools in general. Illuftrated with Maps and other Copper-plates. By Charles Vyfe, Teacher of the Ma

Z 2

the

thematics, and Author of the Tutor's Guide, &c. &c. 12mo. 450 bound. Robinson.

THE

1

HE ufefulness of geographical publications is fo univerfally acknowledged, that it would be fuperfluous to infift on it here. Our task is, therefore, only to enquire how the work before us is executed. The mode of Dialogue, in which Mr. Vyfe hath chosen to treat his fubject, feems peculiarly adapted to a geoghraphical work; the explication of one phenomenon, one divifion of the globe, &c. naturally leading the pupil to enquire about others, and curiofity being never at a lofs to afk pertient queftions concerning the various inhabitants of the earth, the climates, productions, &c. It is true this mode's not favourable to elegance of ftyle; but information, more than oratory, is the bufinefs of fuch works as the prefent.

Mr. Vyfe begins with an explanation of what relates to general geography, viz. the Natural and Artificial Divifions of the Earth, its Motion, Figure, and Magnitude; the Theory of the Winds and Tides the Doctrine of the Sphere; the Principles of Aftronomy; the Ufe of the Globes; and the Conftruction and Ufe of Maps. He then proceeds to the Particular Geography of Europe, and defcribes its Boundaries, its ancient Inhabitants, and the Empires, Kingdoms, States, &c. into which it is now divided. The Geography of each State in particular follows next, with an Account of its Climate, Air, Soil, Produ&tions, Mountains, Forefts, Mines, Metals, Minerals, Rivers, Lakes, Animals, Birds, Fishes, Number of People, with their Cuftoms, Manners, and Religion, Hiftorical Events, Conftitution of Government, Commerce, Arts, Manufactures, Learning, Learned Men, Vegetables, Fruits, &c. The other quarters of the world are afterwards treated of in the fame manner.

The information given in this work is as copious as the fize of the volume will permit, and fully fufficient to give the younger clafs of pupils fuch a portion of geographical knowledge as fuits their comprehension. To them, therefore, this publication must be useful, and particularly to those of the fair fex, who generally imbibe fo very little of this kind of knowledge, that on many occafions thofe even of a fuperior rank in life betray an ignorance that diminishes the refpect to which their appearance feems to entitle them.

To give our readers a fpecimen of the manner in which this work is executed, we shall present them with the author's account of the tides.

S. What am I to understand by the tides?

M. By the tide is meant that motion of the waters in the fea and large rivers, by which they are found to rife and fall regularly. The motion of the water during its rifing is called

its