Art. 45. A Dissertation on the best Means of civilizing the Subjects of the British Empire in India, and of diffusing the Light of the Christian Religion through the Eastern World. By Francis Wrangham, M. A. F. R. Š. 4to. 35. Mawman. 18 5. Though prophecy teaches us to anticipate the universal extension of the Gospel, and though its superior excellence, compared with every other religious system, will induce all benevolent minds to desire the acceleration of its triumphs, it must be confessed that at present enormous difficulties obstruct its progress, and that we cannot as yet penetrate the methods by which Providence will ultimately accomplish the purposes of Grace. The good Christian can much more easily pray for the conversion of the unbelieving world, than project feasible plans for its accomplishment. We hear and read indeed much on this subject, but what has been done? Europeans, in their intercourse with the negroes of Africa, with the savages of America, and with the more civilized yet superstitious natives of populous Asia, have by their conduct reflected so little credit on the religion which they professed, that antipathy against rather than veneration for the Christian Religion must have been excited in the bosoms of the natives. Is it likely that the work of proselytism will succeed in our hands; or that a few missionaries, however active and conscientious, will be able to counteract the impression made on the inhabitants of the East by our general system of conduct? Providence, it is true, can bring good out of evil, and turn the interested speculations of commerce, and the bloody marches of ambition, to purposes which did not enter into the contemplation of the original actors; and so far we may hope that the Empire, which we have established in India, will be made subservient to the diffusion of the Light of the Christian Religion over that part of the world: though, perhaps, any measures now par ticularly directed to that end will prove abortive. Mr. Wrangham, with all his zeal for the advancement of true religion, is aware that the English in India are aukwardly situated for preaching the Gospel. He admits that in our intercourse with this unhappy country we have been hitherto anxious to increase the number, rather than to promote the welfare of our subjects; that there are on record numerous instances of mercantile and military abuse, and of peculators who have desolated her streets with famine, and drenched her fields with blood ;' yet he ventures to hope that we shall make them ample compensation for the enormous evils which we have occasioned. With poetic boldness he predicts that from our commerce they will obtain affluence, from our manners civilization, from our instruction manliness and independence. A certain portion of our spirit of freedom will be diffused under all the disadvantages of climate, over the plains of Hindostan; and the divine genius of the Gospel will confer emancipation on millions, who are now groaning under the heavy yoke of Brahminical superstition.' If they are not to taste the genius of the Gospel till they are enriched by our commerce, we fear that their conversion is at a remote distance. Among the measures recommended by Mr. W. for the advancement of true religion in Hindostan, are the destruction of the pre dominancy dominancy of the Hindoo priesthood, and the establishment of a Christian Cast or tribe. We shall make no other comment on this curious project, than to ask what service has been rendered to Pro syletism in Ireland by destroying the predominance of the Catholic Clergy, and erecting & Protestant Cast? Is not more zeal than discretion apparent in such advice? After having sketched the civil and religious wretchedness of Hindostan, Mr. W. might console himself with the outline of improvement which he has traced, and with hailing, in a style of poetic fervour, her dawning glories: but we must consider his Dissertation as displaying amiable enthusiasm rather than sound judgment. It appears that this essay also, as well as Mr. W.'s poem noticed in our number for May last, was written in competition for the prizes lately proposed on these subjects at Cambridge, and was likewise unsuccessful. Mr. W. therefore may say that the choice of the subject rested not with him: but the arguments are his own, and of the theme itself he is the parent by adoption. Art 46. Two Masonic Addresses, delivered in the Lodge of Freedom, No. 89, Gravesend, December 27th, 1803, being the Anniversary of the Festival of St. John the Evangelist, by Brother Killick, R. W. M.; and Brother John Bryan, I. W. Published at the Request of the Lodge. 8vo. Is. Asperne. 1804. Of these two addresses, the first, which is also the shortest, seems to be the best; and it receives a considerable share of respect from its companion. From each of these harangues, we are led to conclude that Masonry and Virtue are the same; and that the former may be styled, if the phrase is allowable, the agriculturist of the human mind,whose aim is to enrich it with stores of knowlege, both useful and ornamental,-between whom and religion there is a close connection.' Since such are the spirit and purpose of a Masonic lodge, we cannot wonder that Brother Bryan unites with his Superior in earnest exhortations to his brethren to appear as champions in its cause, in opposition to all profligacy of conduct, and to all infidelity respecting divine revelation:- If that sacred volume, which is most deservedly styled, by way of just pre-eminence, The Book, is to be considered as a fable, what, I would ask, is to become of all that is dear and valuable to Masons?-nay, to all mankind? Art. 47. Galerio and Nerisso, including original Correspondence, the History of an English Nobleman and Lady; several poetical Effusions, and a few domestic Anecdotes. 8vo. 4s. Boards. Jordan and Co. It may be doubted whether readers in general will be much interested by the subject of this correspondence: but some will be occasionally affected by the events which occur, and will give way to emotions of tenderness and compassion. The incidents, the author informs us, are not the idle fiction of the moment, but a faithful re. lation of well-authenticated facts; and the period, to which they are said to belong, is the latter part of the reign of James the Second. Whether they may be deemed real or fictitious, it is but justice to the writer to state that he has not attempted, as is too often the case, by gross improbabilities or licentious descriptions, to disturb the imaginations or corrupt the hearts of his readers. The poems, which are subjoined to the letters, are in many instances agreeable and well written compositions of the kind, though various errors and defects occurred to our notice. Art. 48. Observations on the West India Dock Salaries, in a Letter addressed to Randle Jackson, Esq. Barrister at Law. 8vo. 19. Stockdale. This writer contends that the honour and patronage attached to the situation ought to satisfy the Directors of the West-India Docks for their trouble, without pecuniary remunerations in the form of salaries. It is true that the Bank and East-India Directors have salaries: but the Dock Directors must not, it is hinted, presume to quote such high authorities. Masters only of one solitary million, (says the author of this letter,) it ill behoves us to assimilate ourselves to the makers of money and the rulers of men.' Art. 49. A calm Appeal to the Consciences of the Bank Directors. By Henry White, seventeen Years a Clerk in the Bank of England. 8vo. Is. 6d. Morton. When appeals are made to the public, complaining of personal injury, the whole of the case should be most fully stated. Mr. White has not explained the supposed ground of his dismission from the service of the Bank Directors; he only avers his honour and integrity; which perhaps no individual calls in question. We shall not hazard the slightest conjecture respecting the nature of this gentleman's offence, but we feel for him on the score of mortification and pecuniary loss; and we hope that the Bank Directors, whether they be or be not moved by his calm appeal, will attend to the hints of a public nature which he has suggested: particularly to that which respects the affixing a mark on every person's transfer who is selling stock, if any dividend remains due on it; and that the person be asked whether he has received the same; for it often happens that stock is sold, when the dividend due previously to the transfer is never received, the individual ignorantly supposing that it belonged to the person to whom the stock is transposed. Art. 50. A Letter to the Rev. George Burder, occasioned by his Sermon on Lawful Amusements; preached at the Thursday Evening Lecture, Fetter-Lane, Jan. 10, 1805. 8vo. Is. 6d. Symonds. Art. 51. Postscript to the Letter to the Rev. George Burder, occasioned by his Appendix to his Sermon on Lawful Amusements. 8vo. Is. 6d. Symonds. 1805. Temporary relaxation from business being as necessary to maintain the vigour of our faculties, as the unstringing of the bow to preserve its elasticity, amusements (abstractedly considered) cannot be pronounced either unlawful or immoral. Like many other things, however, they are not only capable of being abused, but are in fact greatly perverted. The preacher, when he adverts to this subject, is bound to discriminate between the use and the abuse of amusements, and should offer directions by which our morals may be protected in the hours of relaxation: 112 excess. relaxation: but he is no more justified in loose and general declamations against amusements than against the ordinary callings of life a for these, like the former, are capable of being prosecuted to a vicious On this ground, the author of the Letter and Postscript before us joins issue with Mr. Burder; to whom we recommend the consideration of these sensible hints. Ground for reprehension certainly exists in our theatrical exhibitions, which it should be the study of those who preside over and control them to remove: but it is absurd to contend that the pleasures which result from the drama are incompatible with the duties of a Christian.-The Letter-writer's object is to expostulate with the preacher on his narrow and gloomy views of religion; to induce him to be more liberal and temperate in his censures; and to convince him that admonition, in order to its being really persuasive and useful, must be the result of good sense. Art. 52. Typographical Marks, used in correcting Proofs, explained and exemplified; for the Use of Authors. By Č. Stower, Frinter 8vo. IS. Longman and Co. C. In a concise form, and at a cheap rate, Mr. Stower has given to young authors some useful advice on the mode of correcting Proofs, of which they are generally very ignorant, and by which ignorance the Printers are often much incommoded: but he should have also apprized them that there is such a book as the Printer's Grammar, where Mr. all the information contained in his pamphlet is to be found. Stower has indeed exemplified the application of the typographical marks in an annexed plate, which is a more specific mode than the Printer's Grammar exhibits. CORRESPONDENCE. A Constant Roader informs us that, in consequence of our suggestion, in the account of the Dictionnaire des Sciences Naturelles, preparations have for some time been making, on an extensive scale, for publishing a work in which, though provision is made for other interesting matters, the Natural Sciences, and their relations to Arts Sciences, Mapufactures, &c will be primary objects of attention.' He adds that no labour will be spared in collecting every useful fact of foreign or domestic intelligence; and that the size of the work will be according to our recommendation in reviewing Sonnini's Dict. of Nat. His. tory, namely, 8vo. with 4to plates-We have not yet obtained the additional livraison of the Dict. des Sciences Naturelles, mentioned by our correspondent. We have received a letter from Professor Leslie, acquainting us that he did not see Count Rumford's statement respecting his Experiments on Heat, inserted in our last month's Correspondence, time enough to enable him to reply to it in this Review: but that his intention is to prepare an answer for publication in our October number. It does not occur to us that we have made any promise on the subject to which our correspondent at Manchester refers. The APPENDIX to VOL. XLVII. of the M. R. is published with this Number. THE MONTHLY REVIEW, For OCTOBER, 1805. ART. I. Madoc, by Robert Southey. 4to. pp. 560. 21. 28. Printed at Edinburgh, for Longman and Co., London. 1805. IT has fallen to the lot of this writer to puzzle our critical discernment more than once. In the Annual Anthology, we had reason to complain that it was difficult to distinguish his jocular from his serious poetry; and sometimes indeed to know his poetry from prose. He has now contrived to manufacture a large quarto, which he has styled a poem, but of what description it is no easy matter to decide. The title of epic, which he indignantly disclaims, we might have been inclined to refuse his production, had it been claimed; and we suppose that Mr. Southey would not suffer it to be classed under the mock-heroic. The poem of Madoc is not didactic, nor elegiac, nor classical, in any respect. Neither is it Macphersonia, nor Klopstockian, nor Darwinian,-we beg pardon, we mean Brockian. To conclude, according to a phrase of the last century, which was applied to ladies of ambiguous character, it is what it is.As Mr. Southey has set the rules of Aristotle at defiance in his preface, we hope that he will feel a due degree of gratitude for this appropriate definition of his work. It is an old saying, thoroughly descriptive of such an old song as this before. us. Mr. Southey, however, has not disdained all antient precedents in his poem, for he introduces it with this advertise ment: 'Come, listen to a tale of times of old! Come, for ye know me! I am he who sung VOL. XLVIII. I And |