great object, that now engages his attention, muft, when compared, form a valuable addition to the Provincial Hiftory of our country and viewing it as the work of an individual almost unaided, we cannot withhold the meed of praise due to learned labours fo usefully directed." The Reviewer then prefents his readers with a variety of extracts; declares that of " Provincial Hiftories he knows very few with ftronger claims to public encouragement than the prefent;" and concludes with wifhing Mr. P. health and ftrength, to profecute to its juft conclufion, this most laborious, but highly useful undertaking." (To be continued.) ART. XXVII. A Review of the Review of a New Preface to the Jecond Edition of Mr. Jones's Life of Bishop Horne, in the British Critic, for February, 1800. In a Letter to a Friend. By a A. I. N. The Second Edition. To which is added Poftfcript. 8vo. Pr. 24. Hatchard. London. 1800. T feems, by the following "Advertisement," that the author of this fpirited little tract was of opinion that it was well adapted to the second department of our work, but that he was restrained, by motives of delicacy, from fending it to us. "On a fuppofition that the following Review, received from a friend, would not be an agreeable prefent to the British Critic; that it might be indelicate to offer it to the Anti-Jacobin; and, having no wish to encourage the Monthly or Critical Review, I have deter mined to let it take its chance by itself." We shall not now enter into the juftice of these motives of delicacy refpecting ourselves. We can only fay, that we have ever been ac cuftomed to confider the British Critics, as embarked in the fame good caufe with ourselves; as bound to the fame port, though not steering precisely the fame courfe in order to reach it. But on this, as on all other occafions, we fhall rigidly adhere to the maxim,Amicus Socrates fed magis Amica Veritas. The object of this tract is to lafh the writer of fome articles in which Mr. Jones is cenfured with more feverity than decorum, for his Hutchinfonian principles. Of thefe principles we have hitherto forborne, from motives formerly affigned, to give our opinion; but we have allowed, and shall continue to allow, the friends and opponents of the Hutchinfonian doctrines, to speak for themselves. Without farther comment, therefore, we fhall proceed to make fuch extracts from the work, as will enable our readers to understand the nature of this literary difpute; and in doing this, we fhall have the pleasure of laying before them a letter to the British Critics, from the late excellent Mr. Jones, relating to fome of their animadverfions on a tract which he published in 1793. "THE In a Letter to the Editor of the Britife Critic, for O&tober 1793"SIR, "The nature and defign of the Trinitarian Analogy, as it hath been stated in the four preceding Numbers, is fuch, that it may be fuppofed to have come from fome perfon, who covets no praise, and fears no cenfure. You have allowed him the merit of a little good fenfe; to which, however, in my opinion, he has but a doubtful title. For, if this great argument, fo plainly founded on divine Revelation, and fupported by evidence, old and new, from every quarter, is fo flightly noticed, and thrown afide as a trifle, by perfons in whom the world expects to find fuperior learning, and from whom writers, on the Christian fide, have hoped for that candour and justice which they have hitherto not met with from others; it must surely have been an act of indifcretion to truft it with the public, fuch as good fenfe would not eafily have fallen into. Give me leave, therefore, to explain. how this happened. "The incident, which gave occafion to the compofing of these papers, is truly related in the preface. The publication of them was not at first intended, But a late learned and excellent perfon, who was not only a ftrenuous defender of the Chriftian cause, but a great ornament to the Christian society, was heard to fay, that, if fuch a man as Dr. Prieftley was ever to be converted to the belief of Chrif tianity, nothing would be fo likely, in his opinion, to produce that effect, as a fight of that alliance between natural and divine Truth, which Revelation hath pointed out to us; meaning that very Alliance, or Analogy, in particular, which hath here been traced with fo much care and attention. Of this, when it first occurred to him, he wrote the following memorable words: I have found information enough to give me an idea of the fpiritual agency of the Divine Per. fons in the redemption of mankind; an idea, which I could never have expected, or thought it poffible for man in the body to have; and which hath fixed me faft to the rock of my falvation by an an chor of the foul, both fure and steadfast, never more to be tossed about upon the waves of scepticism or infidelity.' "The author, therefore, could not think it quite improbable, that with perfons of fewer prejudices, and better inclinations, the fight of fuch a thing might poffibly be productive of fome good effect; with which hope he ventured to fend it abroad. For if it be once admitted, that nature affords a vifible teftimony to the mysteries of Chriftianity, as is here demonftrated, the difpute with Philofophers is at an end; and, for the most diftant profpect of fo defirable an event, I would, at any time, hazard my reputation, "In the firft paper, I have contended, according to the established opinion, which is undoubtedly right, that the doctrine of the Trinity ought to be believed upon the teftimony of God; but if men call out for fimilitude of truth in what is known, before they will receive what is unknown, to human reason, we are then ready to meet them upon their own ground, I do therefore with that yon had shewed G4 your your readers, in as few words as poffible, what the argument is, what is the defign of it, and to what fort of perfons it is more particularly addreffed, as an argumentum ad homines; which, if it should not fucceed fo often as it might be wifhed and expected, no harm is done, All the common arguments remain, and may ferve to keep plain Chrif tians in the way of truth, as they have done hitherto; and, as those philofophers, who are unhappily difaffected to it, we must leave them to go on in their own way, producing a new crop of hard words every year, till they shall be brought to a better understanding of things: and then they will do as much good, as they are now difpofed to do mifchief. For, fuppofe twenty perfons to be perfuaded, in the ordi nary way of reafoping, that Chriftianity is not falfe; qne fingle man, who is brought over to love and admire the wisdom of it, will, probably, be worth them all and I look upon this as the certain effect of my argument, where it has any effect at all. "Soon after the papers, which contain it, were printed off, it was reported, that a copy of them had been handed, without the author's confent or knowlege, to Dr. Priestley: with what fuccefs he never heard. But what that learned gentleman published, foon afterwards, in his addrefs to his friends, the French philofophers, who are extir. pating Christianity as faft as they can, leaves us utterly without hope that any good effect is to be expected from that or any other appli cation of the kind. Many years ago, that excellent controverfalift, Mr. Charles Leflie, published his Short Method with the Deifts; originally compofed for the private benefit of the Duke of Leeds; the defign of which was to give a demonstration of the facts of Chriftianity. For, argued he, no man can poffibly deny the do&rines, if he admits the facts by which thofe doctrines were first proved to the world. But, in Dr. Prieftley, we fee a melancholy example of what Mr. Leslie thought impoffible; he having actually borrowed (or fto. len) that author's fingular demonftration of the facts of Christianity, without any mention of his name (of which you should have given your readers fome notice) while he denies the doctrines which those facts were intended to prove, Mahomet did the fame, as the learned Mr. Bryant hath, of late, very well obferved, This impoftor allowed fo many of the facts, that he ought to have taken the doctrines with them; but, like our philofophical Doctor, he denied them all, and published a new fet of his own manufacture. Mahomet's view was to raife a party againft the Chriftian world; and the Doctor makes no fecret of it, that he is actuated by a like fpirit of profelyting, While fuch a perfon is fo bufy in working upon others, nothing can be done upon himself, and I am one of thofe who always confidered his cafe as a hopeless one. I have watched the ways of mankind very atten tively; and I find they reject many things, not because they doubt of them, or conceive them to be falfe, but because they do not like them. Judas always knew that his Mafter was the true Meffiah; he only difcovered, that he was not fuch a Meffiah as would do for bim. The philofophical leaders in France are not fo bereaved of their wits, as to disbelieve the being of a God; they have only difcovered that that anarchy, murder, and facrilege, will not confift with the wor fhip of him, fo they caft him off, till he fhall caft off them; which will happen in its time, as it did to the Jews. . "I think it highly proper, that, in a popular undertaking as yours is, all appearance of fingularity in judgment should be avoided, and the temper of the age fubmitted to, fo far as it may be done, without any mean arts of adulation on the one hand, or fuppreffion on the other; for which your enemies would hold you cheap, and your beft friends would be afraid of you. Every fincere reformer of the times, in which he lives, muft confider himself as a physician to fqueamish patients, who will touch no medicine unless it is palatable or fashion. able; he must do good to the world against its will; and perfevere, as well as he can, under the honeft encouragement of the fanguine, the cold approbation of the prudent, the contempt of adverfaries, and the filence of many who think rightly, but are afraid to speak. That you may always be mindful of those reasonable expectations with which the friends of this Church and Government, at a very critical time have given you fuch ample encouragement, is the hearty with of Your conftant Reader, and humble fervant, Nov. 20, 1793. The Author of the Short Way to Truth. "When you have read the foregoing letter, I have a notion you will think it hardly credible it could be forgotten by the editor, as I was willing to fuppofe; and, if remembered, you may wonder how it could be remembered to fo little purpose. Incorrigible, as it were, he goes on reviewing in the fame flimfy way as before, notwithstand ing the useful hints given for doing it to better effect; and, when you confider the perverfe, malevolent interpretation put on the gentle reproofs and friendly admonitions of the Letter-writer, by the Editor, you will be reminded of the Apoftle's queftion to the Galatians, Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? "By this early offence that is, of not doing what they ought to have done) we forfeited (fay they) the expectation of his (Mr. Jones's) fupport and affiftance. I do not know what the gentleman's expecta tions might be; but, methinks, Mr. Jones did pretty well for them, By his zeal and exertion the Society for Reformation of Principles was fet on foot; he made a collection of excellent tracts, publifhed under the title of the Scholar armed, in two volumes, for the use of students in divinity; (which, by the bye, have not been recommended as they deferved) and he was the means of establishing the British Critic; of which the Editor and his friends are now reaping the profits. If Mr. Jones's other avocations had left him leifure to give farther affiftance to the British Critic, it would have added much to the credit of the work; but it certainly had no claim upon him. With the care of a parish, to which he was indeed a bleffing; with attention to his pupils, whom he was anxious to fend forth into the world, from under his inftruction, well-rooted and grounded in found principles; and with his private literary ftudies, which had ever the glory of God for their object; object; his time was fully employed; and might furely be excufed from contributing to the fupport of the Review by his labours, without the uncharitable infinuation of having resentment for his motive. "So much for the British Critic. We have weighed him in the balance; and I believe you will allow he is found wanting: wanting in juftice to the author whom he reviewed, by fuppofing he was befide bimfelf (as Feftus did Paul) when he was speaking forth the words of truth and fobernefs; wanting in juftice to his readers, by pretending to give them the Review of a work, and concealing from them the greatest part of it; as the chief priefts, with a view to ftifle evidence, confulted that they might put Lazarus alfo to death; and wanting in argument; for he produces none; having recourfe to bare affertion and his ipfe dixit, instead of it, and fubftituting railing for reafon. If he had indulged his readers with a fair account of the tract, instead of reprefenting it as not worth notice, it might have induced them to look into the tract itself, and then many of them might have been heard to fay, what a gentleman did fay, into whofe hands it was put, If this be Hutchinfonianifm, it is only ano ther name for Chriftianity in perfection.' But I truft Mr. Jones's character, as an author, is too well established for any work with his name to it to be difregarded, because some critics fpeak evil of those things which they know not; and any tract of his, relating to interefting points in philofophy and theology, will engage the attention of the learned and pious, however lightly treated by others. Regard for an old friend, no longer able to speak for himself, for whom you likewife had a great regard, induced me to make these animadverfions; not doubting they would be acceptable to you, as a free-will offering of a grateful heart. If you think the letter will be ufeful to others, and afford them any fatisfaction, you are at liberty to print it. If it should ferve to convince the Reviewers of their error, and lead them to acknowledge, with Jofeph's brethren, we are verily guilty concerning our brother, the end will be anfwered; for their amendment, not their difgrace, is the object." This caftigation not producing the expected effect, the following poftfcript was fubjoined to the fecond edition of the Review, "P. S. Contrary to my expectations, the authors of the British Critic have taken notice of your correfpondent A. I. N. in their review for April. I thought they would prudently have passed him pver in filence; but they could not; their evil genius would not let them. Instead of proving themfelves wifer to-day than they were yesterday (which they had an opportunity of doing, by candidly confeffing they had been in the wrong) they adopt a notion, that wrong, perfifted in, becomes right; and fo they pursue their old courfe. Their motto is not, Let the galled jade go wince, our withers are unwrung ; for they feel plaguy fore. If you throw a stone at a dog and he yelps, you may guess you have hit him. Mr. Jones (they fay) had feveral friends of lefs genius and judg ment than himself, who blindly deemed him infallible. In that num ber" (i, e of lefs genius and judgment than himself) we could not arrange |