* that any considerable proficiency,' &c. &c. An opinion has got into the world,' is an awkward and vulgar mode of expression, which might have been easily avoided. It is probable that the world' was nearly the same in the days of the apostles' as it is now, though the comparative qualifications of the ministers of the christian religion, at that time and at present, may possibly admit of dispute. The greater part of the sentence now referred to should have been enclosed in a parenthesis, from the word 'founded' to the word 'present,' including both. When it is read with this recollection, the misuse of the semicolon after the latter word, will remarkably appear.; Indeed, if this sentence be read carefully, it will evince in a striking manner the objectionable mode which the author has adopted of constructing his sen

tences.

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Page 9. He says, There are certainly many things in the sacred writings,' &c. He probably means many passages. The gentleman speaks of the bible which we have in our closets, and which is read in our churches,' &c. Pray is there any other bible? Or is this to be considered as a little flourish of verbosity? In this sentence he has hit upon another kind of flourish. He repeats the word 'different,' four times in two lines, and the word 'distinct,' which immediately precedes this prettiness, might also have been different. The word 'but,' which presently follows, is supernumerary. Not tired of repetition, however, in the same sentence where different' makes so conspicuous a figure, he gives us the word 'particular,' five times in six lines. This sentence consists of sixteen lines, and the next of twenty-five. What a pity it is that he had not reserved one of these pretty words, (' differ"ent' and 'particular,') to grace the latter long-winded sentence. Page 1o. He tells us, that an accurate knowledge of the expressions which were in fact (he means, most probably) used by our Saviour and his apostles, can be obtained ONLY by a careful examination of almost innumerable copies.' He then proceeds to say, that other means are necessary, and states as one, 'comprehending generally, the genius or (and) idiom of the author's dialect, the peculiarities of his style,' &c. Then follows a little more verbosity, as our author condescends to tell us of what kind the style may possibly be; whether plain or figurative, concise or diffuse, argumentative or pathetick.' So much delighted is he with working up' these three, four, and five syllable words, that in the next clause, he is utterly incomprehensible to common minds. What can be meant by the countries which are either the subject of description, (of the birth place of the writer) or the scene of narrative, of the birth place of the writer?" No offence is intended to the author,' but really this appears unintelligible.

Page 11. Under the first general head the author' has numbered several paragraphis, 2, 3, 4, apparently as subordinate divisions of his discourse. Under the second general head, he has discontinued this

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plan, though he is nearly as diffuse under the second, as under the first general head. He begins a paragraph in this page, Another duty of him who would preach the word of God faithfully, is,' &c. &c. Will the gentleman be so good as to consider whether the paragraph would not have been commenced better in the following words? Another du ty of the faithful preacher, is, to accustom himself to habits of frequent and close meditation. It would have been less circumlocutory, though that to some persons might have been no cause of preference. The idea of some young divines in close meditation, reminds one of a stanza in the Dunciad;

*Studious he sate, with all his books around,

"Sinking from thought to thought, a vast profound!

Plunged for his sense,' &c. &c. &c.

But to proceed; the author speaks of persuading rational beings to 'be rationally virtuous. Can rational beings be irrationally virtuous? Was this word, rational,' repeated merely from a love of jingle? The words what hope,' &c. immediately following, have no reference to, or dependence upon, any preceding expression which can justify their independent use here. They can hardly be intended to refer to the expression in the preceding sentence, can possibly be expected.' To expect hope, would indeed be to refine upon refinement. Pray, can men' be pious' otherwise than from principle?

Page 12. Our author,' says, a minister's discourse should be clear and easily comprehended.' He probably means, easy of comprehension, for he hardly intends to take the business of comprehension entirely to himself, and he cannot answer for the comprehension of his auditory. After stating a few ideas in a great many sonorous polysyllables, he concludes the paragraph by saying, It is thus only that he can do justice to his subject; and all this is the fruit of meditation.' It is pretty evident from many sermons, that to do justice to a subject,' is not necessarily the fruit of meditation.' In the next paragraph he talks of answering a certain class of men, ' in a style of general invective and contempt! Ought this to be at any time the conduct of a christian minister, · an ambassadour of a meek and lowly master?' What good would probably result from it? He next speaks of another class who have a right to be convinced by cool reasoning.' Does this young gentleman mean to insinuate that to answer and convince, are with him synonimous terms? In the next sentence he speaks of others of strong, comprehensive, artful and penetrating minds,' &c. Two epithets, although they might convey an idea as well, do not sound so prettily as four.

Page 13. Towards the end of the paragraph now under consideration, he falls into his former fancy for repetition. 'However' appears three times in two lines. So pleased is the gentleman with this

jingle, that he forgets (as in a former instance,) the proper meaning of words. He talks of arguments' being fruitful in artifices.' Perhaps he means, that his 'antagonist might be fruitful in artifices.' He concludes this paragraph in the same manner as the preceding. Now all this is the fruit of meditation.' Yet 'meditation' will not always produce this fruit. Industry properly directed, would be far more useful to many persons, than meditation.' Every man is not a Marcus Antoninus. The meditations of some men, are like the grave dozings of an owl in a barn. They may produce a 'te-whit, te-woo,' but after the exclamation is over, the hearer is just as wise as he was before...

Page 14. Our author' says, why should we conceal imperfections 6 so notorious?' How can that which is notorious be concealed? Forgetting his former statement in page 7, that the world is different at present from what it was in the days of the apostles," he says here, human nature, and human passions are the same in our age, as they were in the infancy of our religion.' Pray, are not human passions' a part of human nature? The word 'conscience,' (in this page, 14, fourth line from the bottom,) is used apparently for self deception. If this application of the word conscience,' be allowed in reference to speculative opinions, the grossest absurdities may be propagated under a specious pretence. The truth is, that the desire of proselytism, is generally founded either upon ignorance, vanity, or knavery.

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Page 15. The word slaves,' in the second line, might be advan tageously exchanged for converts. Our author proceeds," There is in the world so much immorality, against which it is our duty to contend earnestly, that we really ought to suffer our learned and pious * brethren to amuse themselves with their humble speculations, without pouring curses upon their heads, or thinking ourselves bound to in jure their reputation, and ruin their influence. Some of the speculations, to which he may be supposed to allude, are not harmless." Opinions, whose tendency experience has proved to be injurious, ought to be opposed; without, however, attacking the reputation, or ruins ⚫ing the influence' of their propagators, further than as expounders of the scriptures. The expression, pouring curses on their heads,' is too absurd and disgusting to require any other reprehension than mere ly stating it. It has been observed before, that when this gentleman gets the jingle of words into his head he forgets every thing else. The ensuing sentence is an additional instance of this frailty. The word 'weak' is twice repeated within five words. He says, 'the sect may be the weak opinions of a weak man.'. The opinions of a 'sect' may be those of a weak man, but the sect' itself must be composed of human beings. He continues, They only who believe IT,' &c. Believe what? The 'sect' or the weak opinions?" Remainder next week.

VOL. 1.

D D

CONTROVERSY.

"TO evince our most scrupulous impartiality, we publish the following Communication, without subscribing to the sentiments which it contains. The Anthology Reviewer perhaps will not think himself entirely subdued, when he is told that the Sketch of Spain, of only seven pages' contains more historical and geographical information, respecting that nation, than twenty-four large octavo pages of Doctor Morse's Universal Geography. We presume that this might readily be conceded, without risking any very great encomium on Mr. Paine.

DEFENCE OF MR. PAINE.

Laughs not the heart, when giant names that shine
Establish'd, as it were, by right divine;

Criticks, whom every captive art adores,

To whom glad Science pours forth all her stores;
Who high in letter'd reputation sit,

And hold, Astrea like, the fcales of wit;

With partial rage rush forth-Oh shame to tell!
To crush a bard just bursting from the shell!

MESSRS. EDITORS,

CHURCHILL.

THAT the greatest authors and most exalted geniuses must smart under the lash of criticism, is a remark frequently made and undoubtedly true. D'Israeli informs us, that Sophocles was brought to trial by his children for a lunatick; that some criticks had condemned the vanity of Pindar, the hard and rough verses of Eschylus, and the manner in which Euripides conducted his plots; Socrates was treated as an usurer, and Athenæus as an illiterate person. Plato, who has been called the Moses of Athens, the Philosopher of the Christians, and the God of Philosophers, has undergone a variety of criticisms; Athenæus accuses him of envy, Theopompus of lying, Suidas of avarice, Porphyry of incontinence, and Aristophanes of impiety. Pliny and Seneca say Virgil is destitute of invention, and Caligula denies him even mediocrity. Horace censures the coarse humour of Plautus, and Horace in his turn is blamed for fiction and obscurity. This catalogue might be stretched out "to the crack of doom." It is not surprising therefore, that the juftly celebrated author of "Adams and Liberty" should be made to feel the envenomed shafts of envy and malignity, and the castigation of the "puny whipsters" of the times.

The preceding remarks I would not apply exclusively to a late publication in the Ordeal, which is considered as a harmless, good-natured attempt to raise a laugh at the silly, absurd practice of emphasising almost every word by a different type; nor to the observations of "A Reader" in the last Ordeal, which, though not altogether fair, discover no malice in the author. But the Anthology for March con

tains a most pitiful ebullition of envy and spleen, purporting to be a review of a pamphlet..entitled "Spain: an account of the publick festival," &c. These one-sided reviewers have, with wonderful sagacity, selected five sentences from "A brief Sketch of Spain," by R. T. Paine, jun. to prove that the author's "prose is bad enough to deserve the commendation of his admirers ;" and they might have told us that this Sketch, which occupies only seven pages, contains more information than twenty-four large octavo pages of Dr. Morse's Universal Geography. Could they find no passage good enough to deserve the commendation of those who are not his admirers?

It is not pretended that Mr. Paine's writings are free from inaccuracies. He is no "faultless monster." It is not supposed that he writes to pamper the squeamishness of fastidious criticism. Every one knows that, from the warmth and exuberance of his imagination, his metaphors are sometimes obscure. Perhaps as many instances of ill-chosen, figure and ill-constructed sentences might be selected from almost any page in the Anthology; though that work is conducted by a " Society of Gentlemen," eminent in Law, Phyfick, and Divinity.

From the style of this review, and especially from the concluding paragraph, it is evident, that the intention of the reviewers was not merely to expose trifling inaccuracies in this pamphlet, but to destroy the literary reputation of Mr. Paine. Many of his productions have attained to a high degree of celebrity, and the whole are now in the press, shortly to appear in a volume. This insidious attempt to stop the subscription, by mischievously reproaching the credit of the work, merits the contempt of every friend to genius, and of every enemy to detraction and malignity. FAIR PLAY.

IMITATIONS

From the Silva in the Monthly Anthology for March.

'EPIGRAMS

Are easily made; but to make things and to make things well, are different things.

At a literature club four witty wights met,

Will, Jim, Frank, and Joe, were the names of the set;

For our next magazine, we want epigrams eight,

Says William to Joseph, who facing him sat.

I've some notable wit, which when polish'd will do,

Cries Francis to Jim, who hop'd it might too.

What the plague, is this it? cries Will with a sneer,

Why Francis, your wit is as flat as stale beer;

You're mistaken, says Frank, and he smil❜d as he spoke,
'Tis not-able wit, which turns out no joke.