felf now feems again creeping into repute; it is mentioned even by philofophers without a fneer; and it is becoming the corner-ftone of a fpreading fect of vifionaries, whofe favoured or impudent profelytes are faid to behold by day, and in the very streets of this metropolis, the wandering fouls of holy men of other times. It requires perhaps fome leaning towards thefe and the like notions, or at least a fufficient refpect for them not to laugh at but to fympathize with the curiefity and apprehenfions of thofe imbued with them, in order to be pleased with this novel. In Germany, no doubt, fuch doctrines have made a wider impreffion and progrefs than in our country; fince raifing ghofts is an operation of frequent recurrence in The Necromancer; although the fcene of adventure be laid in a frequented part of the country in our own half-century, and among the informed claffes of the people. The prevailing spirit of the fable would best be manifefted by extracts: but for thefe we cannot fpare room.

The extraordinary events, which occupy the firft volume, are, in the fecend, not very dexterously unravelled. They chiefly refult from a confederacy of banditti; the leaders of which are feized, tried, and executed for their crimes, and die becomingly penitent; leaving behind them the neceffary confeflions.

Of the ftyle of this novel, we have only to obferve that it is not improperly adapted to a work which, we doubt not, will eagerly be perufed by thofe who are ever on the watch for fomething new and strange.

Tay. Art. 39. The Parifian; or Genuine Anecdotes of diftinguished and noble Characters. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6s. fewed. Lane. 1794Whether the promife of this title-page, to entertain the public with genuine anecdotes of diftinguished and noble characters, be made good in the volumes, or whether it be nothing more than a Jure thrown out to meet the fashionable humour of the day, we shall not determine. In perusing the story, we have been led to recollect a celebrated French preceptrefs, whofe writings have defervedly obtained a confiderable fhare of reputation, and who fome time ago re, fided in England with fome of the younger part of the family of a nobleman whofe memory is configned to infamy: but we cannot affert that any of the particulars of the ftory are grounded on fact. We can only treat the work as an ordinary novel; and under that character we find little, either in the fable, fentiments, or language, to entitle it to any high degree of commendation. Its chief merit confifts in the lively exhibition of fome of the frivolities of high life. Several of the characters are strongly marked with the negligent gaiety of fafhionable manners. The ftory, confidered as an entire plot, produces little effect: but fome of the incidents are not unamufing, and the piece, all together, may afford a tolerable lounge. E. Art. 40. Count Roderic's Caftle: or Gothic Times. 12mo. 2 Vols. 6s. fewed. Lane. 1794.

In works of fiction, fertility of invention is unquestionably the firft excellence; and this excellence the author of the romantic tale now before us certainly poffeffes. The flory at its firft opening feizes irrefiftibly on the reader's fancy, and through the whole of the

firft volume rivets his attention to a crowded fucceffion of incidents full of furprize and terror; and though, in the fecond volume, the mind is fomewhat relieved from the uninterrupted fufpenfe and agitation in which it has been kept, its interefting emotions are never fuffered to flag; they are only turned into a different channel, in which curiofity and fympathy unite to afford him new pleasure.

Of a performance of this kind, which is throughout narrative, and the effect of which almost entirely depends on novelty, the least that can be faid, in the way of information, or of fuch particular criticism as fuppofes an acquaintance with the story, we dare fay our readers will be of opinion will be faying enough. We fhall therefore only remark that this tale is conceived with originality, and elegantly written, and that thofe readers who can find pleasure in things new, ftrange, and terrible, will be much gratified by a vifit to Count Roderic's Caftle. E.

MODERN PROPHECY.

Art. 41. The Age of Prophecy! or further Testimony of the Miffion of Richard Brothers. By a Convert. 8vo. 1s. Parfons, &c. This pretended convert attacks Mr. Brothers in fo thin a mask, that he who runs may fee through it. He does not at all, like most other writers on the fubject, confider the Prophet as (most probably) a lunatic. He regards him merely as an impoftor, but not as one skilled in the business: he rather treats him as a bungler at foothfaying.

Although we have not much commendation to beftow on this pamphlet, yet, on the author's fuppofition of dishonesty and mifchievous intention in Brothers, we cannot pronounce it to be altogether a bad publication.

Art. 42. Further Teftimonies on the Authenticity of the Prophecies of Richard Brothers, aftrologically accounted for, &c. Svo. 6d. Pugh, &c.

Nonfenfe, collected from the aftrological jargon of the old almanacs, with additions from the proper ftock of the author;-who styles himfelf divine, capromancer, augurer, foothfayer, chiromancer, and cozen of Richard Brothers. If, however, there really be, at this time, or has lately been, a demand for this fort of nonfenfe, who can blame the pamphlet-manufacturers, or other dealers in fuch commodities, for carrying their wares to market? and if, (as Pope expreffes it,) hence the poor are cloath'd-the hungry fed," what good-natured reader can object to it?

Art. 43. Recent and remarkable Predictions, of many great and aftonishing Events that are to happen before and at the Close of the prefent Century, relative to the Revolution in France, the Fall of Popery and Mahometifm, the approaching general Converfion to Christianity, and the glorious Effects that will arife to the whole World, from the present most eventful and important Period. By a Gentleman of known Piety and Veracity. 8vo. 6d. Chapman. Brothers is here out-done, in his myftic occupation, as far as numbers have the odds against one. There are, it feems, seven or eight infpired men at Avignon, French, English, German, Italian, &c. and affociated under like impreffions, in different parts of Europe,

more,

to

to the number of feventy; who know that they fhall be inftrumental in the great events which they foretell. Among these wonderous events, is the deftruction of the Turkish empire, by the inftrument> ality of a boy now at Rome. The prophets declare that they are not difciples of E. Swedenburg. It may be of no confequence whole difciples the feventy are, provided they do not themselves, in these diftracted times, gain disciples enough to become formidable to the nations of Europe, by attempting to act on their own predictions.

Art. 44. Another Witness! or a further Teftimony in favour of Richard Brothers: with a few modeft Hints to modern Pharisees, and Reverend Unbelievers. By S. Whitchurch. 8vo. 6d. Wright, &c.

Mr. S. Whitchurch, like the reft of the fautors of the prophet of Paddington, is violent in his disapprobation of the French war, and in his cenfures of the clergy, thofe pretended minifters of the PRINCE OF PEACE,' who fo frequently found the war-whoop from the pulpit,' and like the lying prophets of Ahab fay "Go up to battle and profper:" p. 14.-Whence this remarkable connection of modern prophecy with modern politics? Let the curious inquirer into the nature and fpecies of enthufiafm determine.

Art. 45. The Lying Prophet examined, and his falfe Predictions dif covered; being a Diffection of the Prophecies of Richard Brothers. By William Huntington, S. S. Minifter of the Gospel at Providence Chapel, Little Titchfield-street, and at Monkwell-fireet Meeting. 8vo. Is. 6d. Terry, &c.

Mr. Huntington feems to be a plain, uneducated man*, who has ftudied the Scripture prophecies with attention fufficient to justify his exhortation to his readers, Pay no regard to the dreams nor to the pretended revelations of Mr. Brothers; for the whole of them contradict the word of God, and are nothing but lying vanities.' Art. 46. The Age of Credulity: in a Letter to N. B. Halhed, Efq. M. P. in Anfwer to his Testimony in favour of Richard Brothers; with an Appendix in Vindication of the Scripture Prophecies. By the Author of " The Age of Infidelity." 8vo. 1s. Button. 1795. It seems rather hard on the prefent age that its general character fhould be affected by every new occurrence which happens to engage the public attention, and that a fresh name fhould be imposed on it, whenever the writer of a pamphlet inclines to treat the public with a new touch on the times. Thus, Thomas Paine fits down to manufacture a few pages of infidelity, and, concluding that he fhall make

*He fays of himself, in his dedication to Mr. Halhed, I am no gentleman, fir, nor fcholar; I never had learning enough to qualify me to read a chapter in the Bible with propriety. In my younger days I was feverely exercifed with much internal distress, through a confcioufness of fin, the perpetual fears of death, and the dreadful apprehenfions of divine judgments to come.' This pamphlet, however, is not ill-written; and we cannot but admire the uncommon humility

of the author.

a great

a great number of converts, compliments the age with the title of "The Age of REASON."-In oppofition to Mr. Paine, comes the author of the tract before us; and big, as it fhould feem, with fearful apprehenfion that Tom's purpofe was in a great measure already anfwered, he at once ftigmatizes the age with the opprobrium of INFIDELITY. Of that performance we gave fome account in the laft vol. of our Review, p. 342.-Having, it is prefumed, been victorious over the sturdy champion of unbelief, and done away the reproach of the times, he now, perhaps, fees things in a new light, and, behold! we neither live in the age of Reafon, nor in the age of Infidelity, but in the age of Credulity!-Whence this fudden change in the character of the exifting generation? Why-a vifionary man {not to repeat the worst things that have been said relative to him,] one Richard Brothers, pretends to have received the gift of prophecy; and fome few other visionaries are thought to have really credited his pretenfions. Is this all? Have not all ages, and almost all countries, afforded ûmilar inftances? why, then, is the prefent age to be thus libelled by degrading epithets ?

This writer confiders R. B. as an artful impoftor; and, accordingly, he expoftulates with Mr. H. for countenancing fuch a character. He alfo takes up, very seriously, the subjects of TRUE and of False prophecy, in order to affert the credit of the former, and to refute not only the pretenfions of R. Brothers, but to overthrow the interpretations of Mr. Halhed. In this undertaking our author, who is undoubtedly a man of fenfe, could hardly fail of fucceeding. Art. 47. Letters to Nathaniel Braffy Halhed, Efq. M. P. in Anfwer to his Teftimony to the Authenticity of the Prophecies of Richard Brothers," and his pretended Miffion to recal the Jews. By David Levi, Author of Lingua Sacra, Letters to Dr. Priestley, &c. 8vo. Is. Johnfon, &c.

Mr. Levi treats the gentleman, to whom he addresses these letters, with feverity, and with a degree of harfhnefs, mingled with courtesy and the appearance of refpect.-Mr. H.'s fcheme of interpretation of Daniel's beasts, &c. is denounced as ænigmatical, fallacious, abfurd, and ridiculous; for all of which, as well as for other parts of his famous pamphlet, he, fometimes feriously, at other times rather ludierously, reprehends and admonishes him; and alfo for the fupport which the learned fenator has afforded to the impoftor, Brothers." On the other hand, Mr. L. has here given us his own expofition of Daniel's predictions, and of their accomplishment; with which we confefs that we are much better fatisfied than with the Halhadian explanation. This refpectable writer refers occafionally to his "Differtations on the Prophecies," of which he obferves, in a note, the first vol. is already published; the fecond, he fays, is now in the prefs; and we are given to understand that more volumes of this work are intended: but the exact number is not specified.

• He endeavours, indeed, p. 9. to reconcile this feeming contradiction, and to prove that the prefent age feems likely to bear the impreffion of two characters, apparently inconfiftent-credulity and unbelief."

MISCELLANEOUS.

12mo. PP. 294.

39. 6d.

Art. 48. The Letters of Themistocles.
Hookham. 1795.

Of thefe letters it is not neceffary that we fhould fay much; for, though this is the first time of their appearance in the form of a book, they have been long known to the public, having been originally printed in one of the London newspapers. They are now acknowleged by Lord Mountmorres, in a dedication to Lord Orford. They were written on various fubjects, highly interefting in their day, but now of lefs importance to the world; fuch as the regency, the revolution in Auftrian Flanders which preceded that of France; the establishment of the hempen manufacture of Ireland; comments on the 8th article of the treaty of Utrecht, and on the question of our dispute with Spain relative to the fishery of the antipodes at Nootka Sound; the corporate rights of the city of Dublin; the abatement of an impeachment by a diffolution of parliament, &c. &c.

By the prefent publication, and others which the noble author has fent into the world, he fhews that he is extremely well calculated for that kind of literary pursuit which requires deep research, laborious investigation, an acquaintance with old records and hiftorical events, &c. The flowery paths of fcience his Lordship leaves to others, whofe parts, without perhaps being as folid as his, are more brilliant and fhewy. The noble Lord feems to know his own forte, and therefore undertakes fuch things only as are fuited to his ftrength and capacity; confequently, he very rarely fails in his undertakings.

Lord M. thinks that he has caufe for complaint against the minifter; to whom, during the important queftion of the regency, he had rendered no fmall fervice by his conduct both in and out of parliament, and who nevertheless was fo ungrateful as totally to overlook him in the distribution of honours and court favours. On this fubject, the noble Lord appears to feel fore; and his concluding expreffion is fevere in the extreme. The minifter, (he fays,) having quitted that country (Ireland) with general diflike, from a fimilar conduct in other matters, the author from peculiar and delicate circumstances, declined all perfonal altercation either in or out of parliament; not thinking it creditable or expedient for a man of honour to tread upon a degraded character.' It will not be expected that we fhould fuggeft who that minifter was: but we will take the liberty of advifing his Lordfhip to look to other rewards, for the rectitude of his intentions and the zeal of his actions, than the favours of any minifter of ftate;-to the approbation of his own heart and the applaufe of his fellow men.

In a preface to this collection, Lord M. more than infinuates that the establishment of the fouthern whale fishery had not so much for its object the acquifition of oil, fpermaceti, and whalebone, as the emancipation of South America from the dominion of Spain; and that the fettlement at Nootka Sound was intended more for political than commercial purposes. The man, from whom he appears to have derived his intelligence on this head, was the celebrated General de Miranda, a native of Curaffoa in Mexico; to whofe character the noble author bears a much more honourable teftimony than others who have spoken of this extraordinary man, who, it would feem, had formed a plan

for