impartial in his conduct at elections of members of parliaments, coroners, and verderors. Let him be ready to convoke, on proper applications, county meetings, for the purpofe of addreffing any of the branches of the legiflature, or the confideration of local bufinefs: but let him not promote fuch affemblies, for the purpofe of difplaying his own importance, of facilitating party views, of gratifying a minifter, or of being advanced to knighthood. In fummoning grand-juries, let him not pafs by or poftpone particular individuals, in confequence of private difputes or political differences. As fo large a fhare of the original duties of a theriff is now performed by his deputy, the qualifications, and above all the integrity of that officer, ought to be feverely fcrutinized by his principal. And he who recollects that the first incident which turned the thoughts of Mr. Howard to the fubject of prifons, was the infight he obtained into the ftate of them in his official capacity as fheriff, will scarcely want additional arguments to convince him of the benefits which would refult, were sheriffs* in general to beftow a little more attention than is ufually given to the condition of gaols and to the conduct of those whom they appoint to govern them."

In the laft chapter of this inquiry confiderations are fubmitted to perfons who doubt or difbelieve the truth of Chriftianity, or the neceffity of a ftrict obfervance of all its precepts. It opens in the following manner:

"When I explained, in the introductory chapter, the plan of the prefent work, I ftated that it was my purpofe to combine on every occafion, as far as the nature of the fubject might admit, the conclufions of reafon with the dictates of religion. I have accordingly endeavoured, throughout the foregoing chapters, to eftablish moral duties on Chriftian principles, and to enforce the performance of them by Chriftian motives. This conduct has evidently proceeded on the fuppofition that fuch principles would be deemed obligatory, and fuch motives recognized as powerful, by the greater part of my readers. I cannot, however, be ignorant, and I think it would be wrong to diffemble my conviction, that if this book fhould be fortunate enough to obtain the attention of thofe claffes of fociety to which it is addressed, it will not unfrequently fall into the hands of perfons who deny or doubt the truth of the Chriftian revelation; or who allege that a ftrict obfervance of its precepts is incompatible with

their political or profeffional duties, and is not required from them in the exifting ftate of the world.".

To infidels and fceptics, of whofe errors he briefly enumerates the canfes, he refers it to be confidered, whether in fo weighty and folemn a question as a divine revelation, if it be not improbable, or even not impoffible, they are not bound by the highest obligations to examine with fairness into the validity of its claims. He then ftates the circumftances of the firft eftablishment of the Cliriftian faith-the humble origin of its author-the difficulties he had to encounter, and the prejudices to overcome-the conftant oppofition he experienced-the innocent and ufeful life he exhibitedthe ignominious death he underwent the firmnefs and conftancy of his firft difciples, though they had nothing to expect for that conftancy in the prefent life, and in fact experienced nothing but troubles and perfecutions. Yet from thefe unpromifing beginnings did Chriftianity make its way fo fuccefsfully, that within three centuries from the firft preaching of Chrift, it penetrated to the remoteft extremities of the Roman empire. He concludes, that a religion thus deftitute of all worldly means of fupport, could not have thus obtained belief and acceptation, if its pretenfions had not been founded on irrefiftible truth. For a more detailed account of this moft important of all inquiries, he refers the reader to Mr. Paley's Views of the Evidences of Chriftianity, Dr. Beattie's Treatife on the fame fubject, and Mr. Paley's Hora Paulina.

The plea of thofe who contend against the neceffity of a firict obfervance of all the precepts of Chriftianity in the exifting fate of

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the world, he examines both by reafon and Scripture.

With refpect to the first he argues, that if cuftom is to determine how far we must obey the rules of the Gofpel, it will follow, that if it fhould be the general custom utterly to difregard those rules, no individual would be under any obligation to obferve them. But an argument like this, which strikes directly at the root of all religion, cannot be maintained by those who believe in, Chriftianity.

From the Holy Scriptures many texts are cited, demonftrating the neceffity of a perfect obedience; and in a long note there is an ingenious, and, we think, a juft expofition of one text, 2 Kings, ch. v. 18th and 19th verfes, which feems to countenance the practice of deviating from the line of ftrict duty in compliance with exifting circumftances, but which may be very fairly otherwife explained.

He concludes his work in the following words:

"It is impoffible to conceive that he who knowingly deviates from the path of moral rectitude and Chriftian duty, becaufe moft others in the fame rank and profeffion with himfelf deviate from it, and because, by forbearing to deviate, he fhould incur embarraffiments and loffes, odium and difgrace, is, in that inftance, acting confiftently with the letter or the fpirit of the various fcriptural injunctions which have been quoted. Let thofe, who find themfelves tempted to fuch deviations, confider whether it is not probable that the Supreme Being, on whofe providence the fuccefs of every undertaking depends, will profper thofe who fcrupuloutly obferve the laws which he has pre

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fcribed for their conduct, and leave the iffue in his hands, rather than those who manifest their distruft of his care, by reforting to arts and practices which he has forbidden; whether thofe, who are injured in their worldly prospects by their confcientious adherence to the line of rectitude, are not entitled to the full benefit of the fcriptural confolation," If ye fuffer for righte oufnefs fake, happy are ye;" and whether it is not the part of wif dom as well as of duty, whatever be the event at prefent, to regulate every action by that rule, according to which it will be judged at the laft day."

We here close our account of this valuable book; from which, though we have taken copious extracts, we have omitted, on account of their length, feveral paffages, which it was originally our with to have inferted. For those selections which appear, we fhall make no apology; the public are obliged,

by every fincere effort, to promote their benefit: and the author, if his character may be collected from his writings, will be highly gratified by any circumftances which may render his exertions more extenfively useful. In this inference we can hardly be miftaken; as one prevail ing feature in the compofition is an .energy, and indeed exuberance of ftyle, arifing evidently from his zeal and earneftness in favour of the cause he has undertaken. We heartily wish the work, what the author cannot command, though he deferves it, the best fuccefs. But whatever reception the labours of his pen may experience from his countrymen, for whofe happiness he is ardently folicitous, he may rejoice in the full poffeffion of rewards far furpaffing literary praife, and which mortals can neither diminih nor augment; the fecret applaufe of his own heart, and the approbation of his Maker.

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