As friends to truth, peace, and liberty, we ever behold with regret that kind of contention to which this pamphlet relates. It is far too feldom that advocates for freedom uniformly maintain confistency of conduct. Mr. White's feclufion of his Diffenting brethren from the place of worship in which they had been accustomed annually to meet, although they might differ from him in opinion, and without affigning any reafon for fuch feclufion, bears the appearance of a peremptory and ungenerous fpirit:-but it is not for us to enter into the difpute: we judge merely from the letter before us. We have only to obferve that it is well-written, and proves the author to be qualified for fuch a difcuffion.-That he fhould find himself hurt by the treatment which he and his friends received, is to be expected; yet his performance, while it difcovers good fenfe and fpirit, indicates alfo a mind difpofed to moderation and liberality: though fome phrases appear rather too pointed and too strong.

Art. 37. Three Difcourfes, delivered at the Ordination of the Rev. Daniel Fleming, at Nuneaton in Warwickshire, August 6, 1793. On the Nature of an Ordination, by the Rev. Edward Williams, D.D. Diligence in the Chriftian Miniftry, by the Rev. George Burder: And on the Duties of a Chriftian Church, by the Rev. Thomas Saunders. 8vo. 6d. Button. 1793.

These discourses are short and pertinent: that they are animated by a calviniftic spirit may be concluded from their having been delivered in a chapel of the Independents. The first effay contains remarks on the subject of ordination, well worthy of notice; and the tracts or fermons that follow prefent many exhortations of a fenfible and practical nature, which may be usefully perufed by perfons of different fentiments.

MODERN PROPHECY.

Art. 38. A revealed Knowlege of the Prophecies and Times. BOOK THE FIRST. Wrote under the Direction of the Lord God, and published by his facred Command; it being the First Sign of Warning for the Benefit of all Nations. Containing, with other great and remarkable Things, not revealed to any other Perfon on Earth, the Restoration of the HEBREWS to Jerufalem by the Year 1798, under this revealed PRINCE and PROPHET. 8vo. pp. 71. Distributed gratis by the Author, but fold by fome Bookfellers. London: in the Year of Chrift 1794.

The perufal of the above copy of the title-page of this much noticed publication will fave us the trouble of reviewing the contents. Indeed none but a brother of Mr. BROTHERS, (the author,) would dare to undertake the task. The writer dates from No. 57, PaddingtonStreet: but we understand, by the news-papers, that he has been removed, by AUTHORITY.

Art. 39. A revealed Knowlege of the Prophecies and Times; particularly of the prefent Time, the prefent War, and the Prophecy now fulfilling. The Year of the World 5913. BOOK THE SECOND. Containing, with other great and remarkable Things, not revealed to any other Perfon on Earth, the fudden and perpetual Fall of the Turkish, German, and Ruffian Empires. Wrote

under

under the Direction of the Lord God, and published by his facred Command; it being a Second Sign of Warning, for the Benefit of all Nations; by the Man that will be revealed to the HEBREWS as their PRINCE and PROPHET. London, printed in the Year of Chrift 1794. 8vo. pp. 101. Diftributed as above.

We must again refer our readers to the title-page, which fufficiently speaks for itself, and will be confidered as its own best expofitor: but they must confult the fubfequent pages of the two pamphlets for the manner in which Mr. B. is there made out to be the "nephew of God." There is, however, one circumftance in the history of thefe myfterious publications, which ftrikes us as worthy of explanation, if explanation can be procured.-It is reported, with credibility, that Mr. B., (a perfon in no affluent fituation,) has given away a great number of his pamphlets, the expence of which, for paper and printing, must have amounted to a confiderable fum.-How came he, who was lately refident in a receptacle for paupers, (of which we shall fay more in a following article,) poffeffed of money fufficient for this purpofe? Could he find means to raise it on his half-pay, as a navy lieutenant? or has he been supplied by means unknown? Time, perhaps, will produce the difcovery; which may prove of more importance than "Good men would think;" as Dr. Hill occafionally faid in the advertisements of his noftrums.

Art. 40. Teftimony of the Authenticity of the Prophecies of Richard Brothers, and of his Million to recall the Jews. By Nathaniel Braffey Halhed, M. P. 8vo. 15. Symonds. 1795

Here is a phænomenon of a complexion very different from that which has been prefented to our view by the two foregoing publications. Mr. Brothers has no pretenfions to literature:-but to fee a gentleman eminent for his mental abilities, and extenfive attainments in claffical, and particularly in oriental, literature and science; to behold such a man a convert to the unparalleled reveries of the prophet of Paddington, is an object of fuch novel appearance, that we are almost at a lofs for words to exprefs our furprife, and, indeed, concern, on the occafion! What a ftrange alliance is here between knowlege, tafte, wit, -and ignorance, infatuation, and, perhaps, infanity!-Mr. Pope, in fumming up the incongruities and failings of Mr. Addifon, with refpect to that mifunderstanding which at one time fubfifted between these two accomplished votaries of the Mufe, fays:

"Who would not laugh, if such a man there be?
"Who would not weep, if Atticus were he ?"

In the extraordinary cafe before us, there is no room for laughter: but who would not weep indeed, if fuch a man as the author of the prefent tract were really in the fituation which every one of his readers muft imagine, who knows that he is ferious in the avowal of his firm belief in the prophecies and pretenfions of Richard Brothers!

Mr. H. has prefixed to his teftimony a Letter from Mr. Brothers, addreffed to him in the folemn tone and ftyle of an infpired TEACHER, acting under the exprefs authority of a divine million, commanded to denounce the judgments of Heaven on devoted nations, and fending forth difciples to inftruct and admonish the ignorant and the finful;

and

and here Mr. H. appears in the light of a "chofen veffel." He is commanded, in the name of God, to publifh this letter; and also to publish his teftimony of the judgments of God,' and of the Prince [Mr. Brothers] of his people,' meaning the Hebrews. Mr. H. is alfo informed that he, too, as well as Mr. B. is defcended of the tribe of Judah, and of the family of David, King of Ifrael. Thus, by his compliance with this awful requifition, has Mr. H. given His fan&tion to the prophet's HIGH PRETENSIONS!

We come now to our author's own proper addrefs to the public. He fets out with fome well written ftrictures on the prefent war, which he totally condemns; adding to the weight of his cenfure the most earnest recommendation of peaceable measures. He foon, however, quits the ftyle and language of a mere uninfpired politician, and introduces the prophetic fpirit and publications of Mr. Brothers; bearing his teftimony to the refpectable character of that extraordinary perfon. He also brings forwards his own expofition of Daniel's vifions of the four beafts, &c. in order to fhew that they relate to the prefent times, and that they emblematically foretell the deftruction of the Emperor and Princes of Germany, the Emprefs of Ruffia, the Pope, and the monarchs of France, England, Spain, Pruffia, and Sardinia: -all' unequivocally announced in the prophecies of Daniel and Efdras. For the manner in which our author difcuffes, and proves, (as he doubtless imagines,) the certainty of these discoveries and applications, we refer the curious and the alarmed, if any juch there be among our readers,-to the pamphlet: obferving, en paffant, that we have feen a variety of expofitions, which have had their day, their readers, and their admirers too; and which, (with due reverence be it spoken,) may vie with the work before us, in whatever may be deemed the wildest and moft fanciful of the ingenious.writer's interpretations.

-

Towards his conclufion, Mr. H. talks in a fingular strain about the fale of his foul in the Houfe of Commons: but this paffage we confider as a flash of wit, or humour; of which qualities we have obferved feveral gleams through different parts of the pamphlet. He likewife takes occafion to explain and vindicate Mr. Brothers, in regard to his flyling himself the nephew of God. I fincerely hope,' fays Mr. H. there is no man in this country who will openly deny that Jefus Christ is God Almighty. If there be, I fpeak not to him; I am fure no member of the established Trinitarian Church can fafely fay otherwife. Now, if Jefus Chrift had brothers and fifters, as is exprefsly proved from the gofpel, the fon of any one of thofe muft neceffarily have been his nephew. Extend the line of filiation as far as we pleafe, through 50, 100, or 1000 defcents, the last is still a nephew, lineally defcended from the firft, in the fame manner as every Jew, to this day, is a fon of Abraham, and as we are all of us, beyond all doubt, the fons of Adam.'

In the final paragraph, he seriously encounters the error of those who may confider Mr. B. as an impoftor or a madman; and he concludes with recommending that the faft appointed for the 25th of February be, by authority, appropriated to the purpose of a folemn and fincere humiliation for our crimes, and a moft earnest fupplication

to

to God for the restoration of peace; and that we may take warning by the fate of our abandoned and fubjugated ally, not to poftpone our offers for a negociation to the very last moment, when the fword fhall already be at our throats, and all hopes of obtaining moderate terms shall be totally relinquished. Let us, while it is yet poffible, adopt that most divine fentence of the gofpel, « On earth will towards men."

peace, good

NATHANIEL BRASSEY HALHED.'

1792,

rt. 41. Anecdotes of Richard Brothers, in the Years 1791 and with fome Thoughts on Credulity, occafioned by the "Teftimony" of N. Braffey Halhed, Efq. By Jofeph Mofer. 8vo. is. Owen. 1795.

According to the facts here ftated, Mr. Mofer brings the question as to the fanity of Mr. Brothers to a fhort iffue. His anecdotes are derived from a perfonal acquaintance with Mr. B. whom he has known for a confiderable time, as above expreffed, particularly in the workhouse of St. Margaret and St. John, Weftminster; in which he was received on the application of a Mrs. Green, with whom he had lodged about three years; and who gave fuch information concerning the whole courfe of his behaviour during that time, as amounted to ftrong prefumption of the gentleman's infanity. Mr. Mofer was in the habit of converfing frequently with Mr. Brothers, during his refidence, for several months, in the workhouse, fubfequently to his lodging with Mrs. Green; and was daily more and more convinced of the peculiar derangement of his mind. He was perfectly harmless, and I believe him,' fays our author, if left to follow the dictates of his own heart, to be a man of strict honour, integrity, and principle. I have also obferved, to a naturally ftrong but unfortunately perverted understanding, is in him joined fome knowlege of books; but attended with a total ignorance of the world: gentle, mild, and unaffuming, though feemingly poffeffed of great fenfibility; and although his mind is ftrongly biaffed toward a particular object, he can scarcely be faid to be dogmatical, even in the height of his enthusiasm.'

With refpect to Mr. B.'s affertion that he has the honour of a divine miffion, and that he is commanded to announce the most dreadful calamities not only to this country, but to foreign governments and nations, in confequence of the prefent troubles in Europe, Mr. M. has not the fmalleft doubt of our prophet's perfect fincerity, and firm reliance on the reality of his divine infpiration. As to the countenance which his prophecies have received from the gentleman whofe very refpectable name is introduced in the title page of this publication, Mr. M. feems rather at a lofs what to make of that circumftance: but he declares his full perfuafion of that gentleman's fincerity alo. He expoftulates with him, however, on the impropriety of his conduct in publicly diffeminating his opinions on fo dangerous an

occafion.

Mr. Brothers's letter is dated on the 28th of January, which circumftance has been noticed as worthy of obfervation.

Art.

Art. 42. Sound Argument, dictated by Common Senfe; in Anfwer to Nathaniel Braffey Halhed's Teftimony to the Authenticity of Prophecies of Richard Brothers, &c. By George Horne, D.D. 8vo. 1s. Oxford printed, and fold by Boofey, &c. London.

Seriously argumentative, but furely unneceffarily fo; unlefs the author could really fuppofe that the good people of this enlightened country could be weak enough to fall into any delufion, in confequence of the pretensions of Mr. Brothers, or his difciples; if difciples he really has. The author tells us that he paid a vifit to Mr. B. but did not ftay long, as others were waiting for admiflion. My opinion fays he, of this character is, that he has been weak enough to listen to the perfuafions of fome defigning men, who have ftimulated him to publish his book, for the purpose of promoting fedition; while, in fo doing, he has worked himself up to a ftate of phrenzy and enthufafm. He adds, as this man has referred me to the fcriptures, and Mr. Halhed alfo in his pamphlet pretends to argue from thofe infallible guides, I fhall meet him on his own ground.' We repeat our remark that this conteft appears, to us, to be altogether a work of fupererogation.

Art. 43. An Enquiry into the Pretenfions of Richard Brothers, in Anfwer to Nathaniel Braffey Halhed. By a Freethinker. 8vo. IS. Parfons, &c. 1795.

Nothing but extremes with fome people! This Freethinker neither believes in Mr. Brothers as a prophet, nor in any prophets antient or modern; no, nor in any alleged miracle whatever! To fhew his enmity to and contempt of the miraculous powers that have been afcribed to human beings, he has added to his inquiry a new edition of David Hume's Effay on that fubject; which performance he has harrowed up from the gulph of oblivion, whither it had long ago been configned by the learned labours of Dr. Adams, &c. &c. Art. 44. A Vindication of the Prophecies of Mr. Brothers, and the Scripture Expofitions of Mr. Halhed. By Henry Spencer. 8vo. 15. Cullen and Co. 1795.

Therfites trying to laugh at Tirefias :-but he can make nothing of it. Often are we reminded of the following well-known couplet: "All human race would fain be wits,

“But millions mifs, for one that hits.”

Art. 45. A Word of Admonition to the Right Hon. William Pitt, in an Epiltle to that Gentleman, occafioned by the Prophecies of Brothers, &c. and the notable Expofitions of the Scripture Prophecies by Braffy Halhed, M. P. 8vo. IS. Cullen. 1795.

A fpirited but not very polite writer here takes up the matter in a very ferious manner indeed! and whether Brothers be mad or not, (but rather concluding on the fide of derangement,) he chiefly confiders him as the inftrument or dernier refort of the most defperate enemies of this country, for poifoning and inflaming the minds of the multitude, and poffibly, in the event, bringing them to act on the

We have fome doubt whether this be a real name, or aflumed on this occafion.

impreffions