be accustomed to self-denial and temperance, and strengthened by the precepts and practice of virtue. But a licentious boy, indulged and pampered by luxury, flattered by obsequiousness, elated by wealth, and corrupted and rendered insolent by sy cophants and panders, would be a Nero or a Caligula, if he had power; but if that power is fortunately cir. cumscribed within a narrower sphere, he will, in whatever station he is placed, degrade his rank, and become a worthless member of society. You, then, who bear a father's sa'cred name,' or are the guardians of youth, engrave upon their breasts, at the very dawn of reason, the great principles of religion and virtue, teach

losus et fœdissimus,' and the shameless adulteress, dishonoured by illicit love, are, therefore, never to be shielded from ignominy, contempt, and neglect; but to be considered as the most dangerous to the morals, and consequently to the happiness and "" 2. 159. prosperity of their country.'

LV. AN APOLOGY for the People called Methodists; containing a concise Account of their Origin and Pro gress, Doctrine, Discipline, and Designs; humbly submitted to the Friends of true Christianity. By JOSEPH BENSON.

HIS book, the contents of which

awaken their sensibility, let them know what it is to pity and to be 'pitied,' and save them from the fatal effects of early dissipation." p.

128.

MARRIAGE.

"FROM this divine institution, (marriage) all the delightful and amiable ties of consanguinity and friendship, all the relative and social duties, and all our noblest attachments, are derived. It exalts our nature, and honourably distinguishes man from the mere animal herd; it awakens all the finer sympathies of the soul, and is the happy cause of all the beautiful moral effects of love. This sacred rite, therefore, which is productive of so many advantages and blessings to mankind, cannot be too much protected and revered. The violators then of this most solemn of all contracts, are to be deemed the most flagitious members of a community, as the most daring offenders both against the laws of God and of man, and whose crimes go directly to the subversion of all morality, to blast the peace of families, and to destroy the very existence of society. All vice leads, in its consequences, to the destruction of nations. But to trample upon the sanctity of marriage, is to tear up every vestige of the morals by the root; it is to poison the purity of our domestic establishments, where virtue should erect her throne; and it is to undermine that great and capital pillar, upon which all civil politics are principally supported. The base seducer, macu

displays the character, and relates many incidents in the life of the late Rev. John Wesley, who at eleven years of age was sent to the Charterhouse school, and at seventeen was elected to Christ Church, Oxford, where he pursued his studies to great advantage; when twenty-three, he was chosen Fellow of Lincoln College, and was soon after made Greek Lecturer and Moderator of the Classics. This is considered as a public expression of the high opinion the univer sity entertained of him as a man of talents, and an excellent critic in the learned languages.

The commencement of his religious pursuits appears to have originated in the following circumstance. He was early impressed with a sense of the importance of religion, and much occupied with theological studies: when about twenty-six years of age, he travelled many miles to see a serious man, who said to him, "Sir, you wish to serve God, and to go to hea ven. Remember, you cannot serve him alone. You must therefore find companions, or make them. The Bible knows nothing of solitary religion." He never forgot this; and on his return to the university he spoke to his brother Charles, who was a student of Christ Church, and two other gentlemen of the university in consequence of which they agreed to spend three or four evenings in a week together, to read over the classics which they had before read in private, and chiefly the Greek Testament, and on Sundays some book of divinity. This little society

was formed at the close of the year 1729, and in the next year two or three of Mr. J. Wesley's pupils desired the liberty of meeting with them, and afterwards one of Mr. C. Wesley's pupils. They visited the castle to admonish the prisoners, and some few poor families in the town when they were sick. This practice, added to their attending the communion once a week, drew upon them the censure and reproach of many in the university, and produced opposition to their religious pursuits, which they still persevered in, and had some additions to their little number, among which are the names of Hervey and Whitfield. "The trustees of the new colony in Georgia, were greatly in want of proper persons to send thither, to preach the Gospel not only to the coJony but to the Indians. They fixed their eyes on Mr. John Wesley, and some of his friends, as the most proper persons they could think of, on account of the regularity of their behaviour, their abstemious way of living, and their readiness to endure hardships." (p. 33.) The application was complied with; and when in America, "not finding an open door for the prosecution of the grand design, which induced Mr. W. to visit America, the conversion of the Indians, he, and his two companions, considered in what manner they might be most useful to the little flock

disliked, the pulpits were shut against him he soon adopted the same plan in London he had formed in America, and a small society was collected under his auspices in Fetter Lane; as he was refused to preach in the churches, in conjunction with Mr. Whitfield, he preached to great numbers, first at Bristol, and afterwards in most parts of the kingdom, in the fields, and other public places, rapidly increasing the number of his followers, who, forming themselves into different societies, built places of worship, and established themselves as a distinct body, taking that name which Mr. Wesley's enemies at college used as an opprobrium, namely, Methodists.

This work gives an account of Mr. Wesley's journeys, and many incidents of his life, with the sentiments maintained by his societies, and the rules by which they are regulated, and forms a compendium of the history, principles, and conduct of the people called Methodists.

LVI. MEMOIRS of the Life of FROISSART, with an Essay on his Works, and a Criticism on his History. Translated from the French of M. De La Curne De St. Palaye. By THOMAS JOHNES, Esq. M. P.

OHN FROISSART, priest, canon,

to advise the more serious among them to form themselves into a sort of little society, and to meet once or twice a week, in order to improve, instruct, and exhort one another. Secondly, To select out of these a smaller number, for a more intimate union with each other, which might be forwarded, partly by him and his friends conversing singly with each, and partly by inviting them altogether to their house. And this accordingly they determined to do every Sunday afternoon. Here we see the first rudiments of classes and bands, which have had no small influence in promoting the success of the Metho dists, beyond any other denomination of Christians, not immediately favoured by the civil power." p. 42.

The author informs us, that on his return from America he preached in many of the churches to crowded auditories; but as his sentiments were

church of Chimay, historian and poet, was born in Valenciennes, a town in Haynault, about the year 1337. His infancy announced what he would one day be; he early manifested that eager and inquisitive mind, which during the course of his life never allowed him to remain long attached to the same occupation, or in the same place.

"The different games suitable to that age, of which he gives us a picture equally curious and amusing, kept up in his mind a fund of natural dissipation, which during his early studies tried the patience and exercised the severity of his masters.

"He loved hunting, music, assemblies, feasts, dancing, dress, good living, wine, and women: all these tastes, which almost all shewed themselves from twelve years of age, being confirmed by habitude, were come

tinued even to his old age, and perhaps never left him. The mind and heart of Froissart being not yet sufficiently occupied, his love for history filled up that void, which his passion for pleasure left; and became to him an inexhaustible source of amuse

ment.

"He had but just left school, and was scarcely twenty years old, when at the entreaty of his dear lord and master Sir Robert de Namur, knight, Lord of Beaufort, he undertook to write the history of the wars of his own time, more particularly of those which ensued after the battle of Poitiers. Four years afterwards, having gone to England, he presented a part of this history to Queen Phillippa of Haynault, the wife of Edward III. However young he might then be, he had already travelled into the most distant provinces of France. The object of his visit to England was to tear himself from the pains of an attachment which had tormented him for a long time. This passion took possession of his heart from his infancy; it lasted ten years, and sparks of it were again rekindled in a more advanced age, in spite of his bald head and white hairs." p. 3-5.

To collect materials for his history he travelled over the greater part of Christendom at the desire and expence of great personages, and particularly the Queen of England, to whom he was secretary; "and wherever I came," he says, "I made enquiry after those ancient Knights and Squires who had been present at those deeds of arms, and who were well enabled to speak of them. I sought also for heralds of good repute, to verify and confirm what I might have heard elsewhere of these matters. In this manner bave I collected the materials for this noble history.". 19 -20.

He was well received by the many noble personages which he visited, to whom he often introduced himself by presenting one or other of his works; in one of his visits to England we find an account of his presenting a romance, entitled, Meliador. He had waited some time for an opportunity to present it, but "The Duke of York, Richard de Surry, and Thomas de Percy, finding the king but little occupied, mentioned to him the romance which Froissart had brought with him. The prince asked to see

it, and the historian says he saw it in his chamber; for, I had it always with me, and placed it upon his bed. He then opened and looked into it, and was greatly pleased: indeed, be ought to have been pleased; for it was illuminated, and the writing much ornamented: it was, besides, bound in crimson velvet, with ten silver-gilt nails, with a golden rose in the midst of two clasps gilt, richly worked with gold rose-trees." "Then," continues Froissart, "the king enquired what subject it treated of; and 1 told him, of love. He was delighted with this answer, and looked into different parts of the book and read therein; for he read and spoke French perfectly well. He then ordered one of his knights, named Sir Richard Credon, to carry it to his cabinet; and he seemed much obliged to me for it." p. 56-57.

This incident shews the temper and disposition of the times in which it occured, for which the works of Froissart are said to be celebrated.

The Essay and Criticism subjoined to these memoirs, are intended to describe the works of Froissart; a new translation of which, by Thomas Johnes, Esq. is announced for publication.

The intention of the Essay is thus described by the author: he says,"I feel I owe a particular attention to an historian, who alone is worth a number of others, by the importance of the subjects he treats of, and from the length of time his history contiaues. I have besides observed, that the author has expanded, in the course of his work, many facts which serve to clear up many preceding facts; and that for want of this information, it has often happened that I have been stopped in my reading, and have not profited so much by it as I otherwise should have done. It is this which has made me sensible of the want those who read Froissart would have of such an explanation." p. 76.

"The history which Froissart has left us, extends from 1326 to 1400. It is not confined to the events which were passing in France during this long period; it comprehends, with almost as much detail, every considerable affair which happened in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and in Flanders. It includes also an infinite number of particulars relative to the affairs of

the Popes of Rome and of Avignon; of Spain, Germany, Italy; sometimes even of Russia, Hungary, Turkey, Africa, and other places beyond sea; in short, of almost the whole known world." p.77-78.

Froissart's design in writing his his tory is expressed in this Essay. “He himself," says the author, informs us, that he had not the intention of making a dry chronicle, wherein facts are simply related with their dates, and in the order they happened, but that he was anxious to write what was in truth history, in which the events were presented with all the circumstances which had attended them. The details which lay open the secret springs by which mankind act, are precisely those which unveil the character, and the very heart of the personages, which history places on the stage; and this was one of the essential parts of the design which Froissart had proposed to himself in writing history.'

"Many passages in this work indicate that he had a natural inclination for it, and that he found infinite pleasure in working at it; but another object which does him much more honour, has greatly strength. ened this natural taste: he proposed to preserve, for ages to come, the memory of those men who had made themselves renowned by their courage or by their virtues; to give to their actions a value which nothing can efface or alter; and by amusing usefully his readers, to give birth to or augment in their hearts, the love of glory, by the most brilliant examples." p. 111-112.

The criticism contains an examination of a charge imputed to Froissart of writing with undue partiality in favour of England; it describes his style as romantic; and investigates the merit of the different editions of his works.

and to the modern, mystical, and impious French philosophy." After historical evidence of the truth of the two former principles, our author proceeds. At first view," says he, "such bigoted fanaticism seems incompatible with atheism, but the reverse is true. For it must be confessed, that every deviation and apostacy from the principles of those truths which proceed from GOD, the great source and essence of all truth, is a step towards error; and the greater the stride the nearer the approach to a total disbelief of a First Cause. The papal fanaticism is evidently a gross corruption, and departure from the divine truths, revealed by the Spirit of GOD through his blessed Son. The belief in transubstantiation; in the power of priests, ordained by man, to forgive sins; in the worship of images, saints, and dead men; and in the infallibility of the Pope, are in direct opposition to the divine truths of the Gospel. The first is a manifest perversion of the words of Christ, from their metaphorical and spiritual sense into a blasphemous mystery; the second into a daring assumption of one of the attributes of GOD, his infinite mercy; the third, a direct disobedience of one of his express commands; and the last, a flat denial of God's supremacy, by an unqualified assertion of the Pope's being equal to him. Thus far advanced on the high road of error and blasphemy, the French nation had only one step more to take, to arrive at the most palpable of all falsehoods, the grossest of all lies, the non-existence of a God-ATHEISM." p. 67-68.

The names of the three principal French infidels are mentioned, with the means used to propagate their opinions; the progress of infidelity, and some of its most pernicious tenets, as maintained in France, are specified; and the author takes the opportunity of addressing Britons on the subject under consideration, and introduces

which, it is asserted without hesitation, that the little horn,' spoken of by Daniel, (which by former commentators has been represented to de

note the Pope), is a type, not of the Pope, but of a very different political power, in support of which opinion it is argued, "That the Pope in no part of the prophecies is referred to as a horn, or temporal prince, but is