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we are resigned to condemnation, if it should be the will of Heaven, an impossibility stares us in the face. For every subject of condemnation must be as incapable of pious resignation, as Satan is incapable of the hallowed fervors of love.

ART. 4.

Columbian and European Harmony,
or Bridgwater collection of sacred
musick. By Bartholomew Brown,
A. M. and others.

"There is in souls a sympathy with sounds,
And as the mind is pitch'd, the ear is pleas'd
With melting airs, or martial, brisk, or grave:
Some chord in unison with what we hear,
Is touch'd within us, and the heart replies."
COWPER.

Second edition, improved. Pubished according to act of Congress. Boston, Thomas & E. T. Andrews. Proprietors, Thomas & Andrews and John West. pp. 167. 1804.

FROM the settlement of NewEngland to the commencement of our revolutionary war, the American churches were used to the sacred musick of the mother country. At the last mentioned period American composers began to multiply; Williams and Tansur gave place to Billings; and fugues and fol de rols threatened to banish simplicity and grandeur from the choir. This revolution in our sacred harmony was by no means universally pleasing. Many lovers of musick in our universities protested against it. Law, Holyoke, and others, by their pupils and publications, began to purify the corrupted taste of the country; and much within a few years past has been done, we hope, towards a thorough reformation. Among the singing books which have contributed to this reform, the work before us is distinguished. It was very long since sent us for review; but by some unfortunate occurrence, not through intentional disregard, we have hitherto delayed to give that notice of it, to which

it is richly entitled. It contains a greater proportion of solemn and finished musick, than the generality of modern compilations; and no work of the kind can boast of having so judiciously adapted the words to the tunes. The musick is some of it from the splendid collections of Arnold and Calcott, whence, with the addition of one or two parts, such admirable tunes as Advent, Sepulchre, Whitsunday, and others of a similar style, have been given to the community. Other tunes in the book, to use an expression of Whitfield, 'were stolen from the devil.' But the propriety of these pious frauds is much to be doubted. To strangers to Lorrain and Moulines their musick must be delightful, and in all respects congruous with but it works confusion in the breast the purposes of publick worship; of a man, who has heard the same strains in a circle of bacchanalians, or connected with love ditties from

the piano of his mistress. To say the least, the practice of accommodation should be sparingly and discreetly adopted. We have heard with pleasure that this valuable collection is destined to appear in another stili more perfect

edition.

ART. 5.

A Discourse delivered at Milton, Sept. 9, 1807, being the day appointed for the dedication of the academy in that flace. By Thomas Thacher, A.M. minister of a church in Dedham. Dedham, H. Mann. 8vo. pp. 24.

THIS gentleman is known to the publick as a masculine and original writer, and his intimate acquaintance highly appreciate his talents and classical erudition. This performance will not diminish the estimation, in which he is justly held. If some of the opinions ad

vanced should be found to require qualification, and the style in a few instances to need correction, the good sense, which abounds, and the eloquence, which appears in it, will compel the candid reader to acknowledge, that it was dictated by no ordinary capacity, and executed by no mean pen. There will no doubt be a diversity of opinion respecting his eulogy of Franklin.

This man, in original genius, was superiour to all, who were before him, and of them, who have come after him, there is no one, who will pretend his claim to literary eminence is in any degree equal. In many of the arts and sciences he has left at a great distance many illustrious men in the European world; in economick and political science, his superiority has been acknowledged.'

Was he not the most accurate observer of men and things ever known?' p. 6.

This is praise, which, in rapid conversation, is sometimes lavished on an admired author, or a favourite speaker; but in sober composition it can be applied to very few, if any, of the numerous claimants for renown. That Dr.Franklin had uncommon native powers will not be controverted but his

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superiority in economick or political science' will not now be universally acknowledged.' His chief merit rests on the ease and simplicity of his style. His philosophy was often visionary, and he had no religion; his political integrity is questionable among his friends, and his moral purity is the jest of his enemies.

If in this instance, as we apprehend, Mr. Thacher gives exces, sive commendation, all we trust will unite in an after tribute to genuine literary worth. In connection with Hackney College' he observes:

-A succession of instructors, who

during the time of its continuance, directed the studies of the youth, were the first scholars in Europe:

When I mention the names of Dr. Richard Price, and Gilbert Wakefield, my intelligent hearers will assent to what I affirm.' p. 21.

The occasion of this discourse naturally led to the important topick of education; in treating which Mr. T. has proposed and illustrated these several propositions.

'First of all, we affirm, that from the primordial ages of man, as far

as human actions have been devel

oped either by history or tradition, there have been no examples of genius and talents displayed in elegant literature, which have been totally unaided by any species of education.' p. 3.

If there be in any country upon earth an unqualified necessity for a common education diffused through every grade in society, it certainly is in a government similar to our own, I mean a Republican form, in which every man of decent property and morals, may be a candidate for the highest honour, which the people can bestow, and where every citizen is annually called to exercise acts of sovereignty by electing his rulers.' p. 8.

A further consideration is offered respecting a common education, i. e. it is necessary for every member of society, and on certain what is called in this country, a libaccounts has an advantage over, eral education.' . 11.

Religion must be cultivated with close care and attention in the minds of the young. p. 15.

Added to the above, attention

ought to be paid to the personal morality, decorum and manners of youth. For without these, religion, or the profession of it, is but a convenient mask for an impostor, or a ferocious bigot, waging war with common sense, property and social happiness. p. 16.

All other parts of literature ought to be prefaced with a correct the Grammar of our own language.' and theoretical acquaintance with

To this, it scarcely need be added, that a thorough acquaintance

with arithmetick is the basis on which a true knowledge of mathematicks, geography, natural and experimental philosophy are founded. We hope that no modern theory or affectation of improvement, will ever so far prevail as to lessen the moment of classical literature, as a branch of instruction. For besides this important acquirement, that the Greek and Roman languages are the key necessary to unlock the technical terms of all the arts and sciences-a picture is drawn of the greatest and best uninspired men, who ever lived in the most celebrated periods of time, and their virtues delineated in the most sublime and eloquent language.' . 18.

A few specimens of the substance and manner of this discourse will doubtless excite the wish to peruse the whole. If any, who are thus induced, should feel either wonder or regret at the high whig notions, which run thro' it, the one may be diminished and the other cease, when it is recollected that similar refined speculations have in all ages been indulged by many of those studious men, whose learning was only surpassed by their virtue. In the seclusion of profound reading and thought, the necessity of restraints for the preservation of liberty, and of power for the enforcement of law, is not felt, or seen, or acknowledged, as by those who toil amid the turbulence and tumult of active life. The benevolent theorist is reluctant to believe that faction is the monstrous growth of every soil, and that its fruits are every where so noxious, as experience represents. Hence probably the unsubstantial visions on civil liberty, of Price and Priestley, and many of their literary associates and admirers. Hence too, we believe, the romantick liberality of the doctrines of Mr. Thacher on the same subject:

'We grant that there are a great variety of qualities in the human

mind.

Some men appear to be marked out by Heaven for literary eminence; they seem amidst every impediment to be escorted, by the command of GOD himself, to the temple of fame by a guard of Angels. Yet, we scruple not to add, that none of these were ever to be considered as self taught ; but that they derived some advantage from education, either direct or mediate. When we hear of the inventors of arts and sciences, of those, who, in various branches of learning, have given the evidence of their mighty mind, without any other assistance than that of a di vine afflatus, we seem to assent to the idea, which we have been attempting to refute; more especially when we hear that men have been distinguished in rude and barbarous ages, having no other light to direct, or illustrious precedents to follow besides the impulse of a celestial genius.' p. 4.

'As an illustration of the case in

hand, we will compare the revolu-
tion in America, the conduct of the
citizens under it, with those of an-
cient and modern times. Do you
ask respecting the late revolution,
why it was effected with so little
blood, unless that necessarily spilt
in the field? Why so much human-
ity and refinement towards ene-
mies both foreign and domestick?
Such mildness, amid many causes
and incitements to revenge, as well
as the means of gratifying it? Why
not only ex-
this tenderness was
pressed to those in arms, but was
extended to the vanquished, so that
those citizens, who had been ene-
mies, returned to the bosom of their
country, while the cause and mem-
ory of their exile are obsolete with
all, and are totally unknown to the
rising generation? We reply, the
cause is as obvious as the fact.,

Those pillars of civil society, the
institutions of religion and schools
for literature, had been long erect-
ed in this country. Their effect
was conspicuous in forming both
the morals and manners of the
people; of course every temple
was a city of refuge to the obnox-
ious part of the community; every
institution, whether literary or sa-
cred, was a protection against per-
sonal violence and injustice.' ..

RETROSPECTIVE NOTICES OF AMERICAN

LITERATURE.

UNDER this head we propose to commence a review of books in American literature, which have either been forgotten, or have not hitherto received the attention they deserve. Interested as we are in every thing, which relates to the honour of our country, we are not ashamed to express our conviction, that one reason of the low estimation, in which our literature is held among ourselves as well as in Europe is, that there has yet been no regular survey of this field of letters. It is supposed to be utterly barren, because it is so wide, and desolate, because there has never been a map of the region. But, as in the highest parts of a mountainous country, which appear at a distance to be covered with eternal snows, you will discover in crevices and little spots some humble and modest plants, which sufficiently reward the toilsome ascent of an enthusiastick botanist; so in the extensive, if not copious records of American learning, we hope to detect a few rare and undescribed specimens, which may by this means awaken at least the regard of some future historian of literature. It is unfortunately true, that, while every country in modern Europe has produced copious annals of its literature,* or maintained regular journals of its new works, this country has till within a few years had nothing of the kind. There was indeed a thin quarto volume published in the year 1789, which bears the imposing title of Bibliotheca Americana; but it is in the first place a meagre compilation,

La France Litteraire, do. of the Benedictins. Litteratura Italiana of Tiraboschi, Warton's Hist. of English Poetry, &c. &c.

In

and is confined, not to works of American authors, as would be imagined from the title,but to books, which relate only to the general history of the country. The late Dr. Homer of Oxford, whose death our antiquaries ought to deplore, had projected a complete work of this description, and the proposals for his Bibliotheca Universalis Americana have been long before the publick; but how far he had proceeded in the execution of the work, or whether it will ever be given to the world, we have not been able to ascertain.* Miller's retrospect of the last century, there is an interesting sketch of our literature, which is the more valuable, as it is the first attempt to give a general outline of the advances we have made, and the works we have produced. It has shown us, it is true, the pitiable sterility of our literary history, but it has reclaimed also some of our treasures, disclosed others, which were hardly suspected, and opened a range of enquiry, which we doubt not may yet be pursued, and to which it will be our object in any way to contribute.

We are afraid it will be found that the further back we go in our history, the more monuments and relicks we shall find of what is usually called learning; but the acquisitions of our first emigrants who received their education, and laid in their stores before they crossed the Atlantick, can hardly be claimed as American. This, however, we have the less reason to regret, as they brought with them

*Vid. Anthology for Scpt. 1807.

In the notices, which we propose to insert in future numbers of the Anthology, of former American works, there is only one department, which we shall entirely disregard, and that is unfortunately the most rich in materials. Theology, or something which has been called so, is the subject upon which much of our genius and learning has been always employed, and not seldom wasted.

It would be an endless task to review even the works of tolerable merit in this class, which have issued from the presses of New-England alone. Here we are proud to mention the works of Jonathan Edwards, a man, whose powers of mind need not have bowed before the genius of Locke or of Hartley, and whose theological research, in a remote part of an unlettered country, would have been considered creditable to any divine surrounded with learned libraries, and aided by the intercourse of men of erudition. But we refuse to enter this field of literary history, because it is perhaps not only the best known, but would be also less generally interesting.

chiefly the scholastico-theological scanty hints, which we find in the knowledge of that age, and the journals of foreigners. generation, which immediately succeeded them, inherited little more than the rags of their fathers ecclesiastical habiliments. The elegance of Queen Anne's golden age of literature seems to have had little cotemporary influence in this counThe clergy were still the principal writers of the times, and the character of a gentleman author, who wrote for amusement or fame, was almost unknown. In the interval between the commencement of the last century,and the establishment of literary journals in Great-Britain, may be found a few of the most rare and curious articles, which we shall be able to present. Since the establishment of the Monthly Review in the year 1747, it has been the good fortune of some of our writers to have their works reprinted, and consequently reviewed in England; and the political complexion of this journal has,since the rev olution, given some of our authors an estimation, and procured some of our writers an attention, which others of not inferiour merit have failed to obtain. Still however we believe, that the connexion of this country with England has been just sufficient to place us in the train of their literature, where, like some of the last couples in a long procession, we have been rather overlooked through the weariness of spectators, than distinguished according to our real, tho' not pre-eminent merit. We have received just enough attention to lead us to think too little of ourselves; and it is perhaps a just punishment of our want of national curiosity, that we have taken our notions of our own literary wealth from the partial and

Neither shall we trespass upon the ground of that respectable and industrious society, which has already published several volumes of historical collections; for their objects are rather archæological than literaary, and extend to the earliest periods of our history, which are so remote, as to furnish little for our review. Still, however, we shall be happy to avail ourselves of their aid, and we especially solicit information, and suggestions on the subject of early American authors, which we doubt not their

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