ftream, the whispers of the breeze, the folemn waving of a lofty pine, the forked motion and momentary appearance of lightning, the grand fwell of a billow, the rapidity of a torrent, the meanders of a rivulet, or the smooth gliding of a filent ftream, must, even to those who have not a mufical ear, appear all within the compass of mufical imitation: for this plain reafon, that pofitive refemblance is, in fact, the ground of this imitation. Nor does the analogy feem much trained, when we fay that mufic may imitate the tread of a giant, the light and nimble footsteps of a nymph, or even the motion of those fanciful beings which Shakspeare has defcribed as "chafing with printless feet the ebbing Neptune." But the imitation of which mufic is capable, is not stinted to fuch positive refemblances as thofe now cited; general ideas of hugeness and immenfity, of lightnefs and elegance, of operations that are performed with difficulty or with facility, of order, of confufion, of exertion, of repofe, of energy, of debility, of fimilarity, of difcrepancy, of union, of incompatibility, and many more, may be clearly conveyed by different qualities, modifications, arrangements, rythm, and combinations of mufical founds. With refpect to the more diftant and obfcure analogies, fuch as that to cold, light, darknefs, pain, and the like, as to those who are lefs fenfible of the effects of mufic, they may seem to origi nate rather in the enthusiasm of the hearer, than in any reality in the art, I fhall not infist on them.'

We must not leave thefe Letters without recommending them frongly to our readers, for their intrinfic merit, for the fake of our author's widow and fon, left by his premature death in a state far from affluent.

A Reply to a Pamphlet, entitled Confiderations on the War with the Turks. By M. De Volney. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Stockdale.

THE

HE work to which this able reply refers, we examined in volume LXVIth. p. 131; and in March laft we noticed M. Peyffonel's anfwer to it. M. Volney, with fome local knowledge, but perhaps with no very accurate political information, prophefied the downfal of the crefcent. He confidered the Turks as an effeminate race, who could not ftand opposed to the emperor and the czarina, who had lost their Solymans and their Mahornets, by whom they were led on to victory. M. Peyffonel, the conful-general of France at Smyr na, with better information, but at least equal prejudice, anfwered particularly the Confiderations' of M. Volney, and combated every position. Our prefent author, with more acuteness and judgment than either, warmly attacks the eastern traveller, and points out many historical

and

and political mistakes. He feems not to have seen M. Peysfonel's examination, for he tells us, that the Confiderations have not yet been answered.

He begins with mentioning M. Volney's mistake in the chronology of the Turks who emerged from the Caspian in the ninth century, (800 years fince, inftead of 400) and then endeavours to fhow, that, though lefs warlike, the fultans have difplayed as much spirit and firmness as their boasted predeceffors. The laft fultan fhowed many proofs of an enlightened mind, of a firmnefs and judgment in which he exceeded either Selim or Solyman. He then traces the causes of the prefent war in their embryo; gives an advantageous reprefentation of the Turkish conduct; and in his account of the events which have occurred fince they have been oppofed in the field to the Ruffians and Imperialifts, he attempts to prove that they have loft no part of their former fpirit and enthusiasm. The Imperialists may boast of the capture of Novi, of Gradifka and Jaffy, at the expence of 100,000 men, and money in proportion: the Ruffians have to boast of Choczim and Oczakow, and to deplore the lofs of 30,000 men ; we may add, with a depreciation of the rouble from fifty-fix to thirty-two. Choczim was gained with difficulty, and Oczakow by accident, while, notwithstanding the boafted victories of the Vienna Gazette, our author, who fpeaks with the confidence which undifputed information fhould alone infpire, tells us, that the Turks were often victors, and have at least conquered, if they have not kept, as much ground as the Ruffians and Imperialists have acquired, by having over-run the Bannat.

Suppofing (adds our intelligent author) the Turks driven from Europe, what is this kingdom, the emanations of whose legiflative wisdom are to enlighten the ignorant Turk? A nation fcarcely half emerged from that cloud of barbarism and ignorance, which covered the chief of its territories at the beginning of the prefent century. Even at this day, where are we to find in the most uncivilized part of the Turkish dominions, more profound ignorance, more favage barbarifm, than amongst the inhabitants of Ruffian Lapland, Siberia, or Kamfchatka? Unable to introduce the arts of civilization into its own dominions, does it think itfelf equal to the arduous task of practiting its legiflative abilities with any probability of fuccefs, on ftrangers adverfe to the Ruffian name, adverse to its manners, and still more adverfe to its religion. A change in the latter is abfolu:ely neceffary to any revolution of the government. The precepts of the Koran are the rule of legiflative as well as of moral conduct; the fuperftructure of administration is founded on this bafis. The prefent fystem of faith is not only a religious but a political fyftem. Would Ruffia

then

then introduce a new Koran. a new system of faith? Without it all elfe would be useless, Is Turkey in a condition to receive it? I may be perhaps told, that the religion of Mahomet was eftablished by arms; the conviction of its truths enforced not by arguments, but by the point of the fword. That this was partially the cafe I am willing to allow; but there were many circumstances at the time, which combined to pave the way for the admiffion of a new faith.'

Thefe circumstances were the contefts among Chriftians; their perfecutions of each other, and probably the fenfual profpects which the religion of Mahomet held out as the rewards of another ftate. If the events which the combined powers expect, should happen, they will, in a few years, add perhaps, depopulated provinces to their crowns; for, our author informs us, that fince the year 1770, the inhabitants of the Crimea are decreased two-thirds, from 250 to 60 thousand.

Sweden, Poland, Pruffia, and the Germanic league are, according to the account before us, greatly interested in preventing the conquest of Turkey; but we ftill think that the Mediterranean powers fhould look on this contest as of the greatest importance. France, however, the main spring of Mediterranean politics, is in confufion at home, and cannot turn her views to the proceedings of other powers. We ought allo to observe, that our author's account of the fituation of Sweden, &c. fhows that he poffeffes no inconfiderable share of historical or political knowledge. His eagerness haftened him into a few trifling miftakes, and we cannot think that the two campaigns have been fo highly favourable to the credit of the Turks as he has reprefented them. But it is by no means a doubt, that if they can fupport two other campaigns without material lofs, their adverfaries muft fue for peace: their refources are not equal to the attempt, Military men, however, know, that the events of the present fummer will be in fome degree decifive, by the junction of the two armies at the gates of Sophia, where the Ruffians will cover the Crimea and carry the war to the gates of Conftantinople. If we have any forefight they will not fucceed.

Hints, &c. fubmitted to the serious Attention of the Clergy, Nobility, and Gentry, newly associated. By a Layman. Second Edition. 8vo. 25. White and Son.

THIS excellent little work is attributed to a nobleman of high

rank, who, for fome time, enjoyed the highest civil of fice in the kingdom. The truth of the report we need not examine: it is enough to be able to fay, that thefe Hints

would

would do credit to the head and heart of any man in this nation. The New Affociation, our readers know, was established in order to promote piety and virtue, to discountenance licentioufnefs, and to check the progrefs of infidelity. The author, in conformity with their views, offers thefe Hints to their confideration. It is not, fays he, the punishment of the petty breaker of the fabbath, the fuppreffion of vice in the lower ranks, that will fulfil the object of your inflitution: virtue and piety must become refpectable by your example: the public worship of God must be countenanced by your prefence, and the libertine must be awed by an exemplary conduct in those whose rank and stations render them objects of attention and notice.

The greater part of the pamphlet relates, however, to another, though a collateral fubject. The forms and the language of the prefent Liturgy are fuch as many cannot join in confikently with their religious principles, who would be regular 'attendants on public worship. If example is, therefore, to have its full effect, these obstructions, in the way of confcientious and fcrupulous minds, muft be removed. It appears, that in the first 125 years after the Reformation, the Common Prayer was revised no less than eight times; and in this age of enquiry, when the Scriptures have been elucidated by repeated collations of manuferipts, and the exertions of the most judicious critics, another revifion is undoubtedly, our author thinks, become neceffary. He shows, that Sancroft, who, as chaplain to the bishop of Durham, affifted at the last examination in 1661, so far from thinking that this form was the fixed and ultimate one, propofed, when archbishop of Canterbury, in 1677, another revifion. When the meeting at the Feathers tavern was at an end, it was fuppofed that the bishops would foon engage voluntarily in the caufe, but the calamities of the war may have turned away their attention.

If I prefume (fays the author) to obferve, that fix years are now elapfed fince the termination of the war, I befeech the right reverend lords not to confider me as doubting their intentions to fulfil our just expectations, but folely to remind them of the circumftance, and humbly to reprefent to them, that the nation have a right to demand from their lordships fome activity, fome proofs of a fincere difpofition of reconciling, as far as may be, all good men to the communion of the established church; and thereon, of furnishing the grand and fole inftrument by which infidelity can be effectually curbed. Bigotry, and its fellow-traveller ignorance do, while they laft in every country, rivet the minds of the people ftrangely to certain things; but - when the light of learning enters, if all matters of worship, and of faith particularly, which fcripture does not warrant, are not

removed

removed away as faft, the confequence will be certain. Thefe errors once difcovered, and proved to be fuch, will bring an imputation of prieftcraft on the clergy, and drive off multitudes into infidelity. So much prejudice and injury any unfound parts of public divine fervice bring on the reft: even when these last are able to ftand the test of the most searching eyes. How foon would every unfair infinuation at once be filenced, now too frequently dropped, as if mankind confidered their lordships to be too much attached to their temporal, and too little attentive to their fpiritual concerns, on the infant it shall be known that the bishops have applied to the king, in order that a revifal under his royal authority might be committed to them and others to prepare! The falutary work has been too long delayed, confidered both in a religious and civil light.'

Though we have given the full force of the author's reafoning, and though we may be styled as in the words following the paffage we have transcribed, flimzy politicians,' we must ftill add, that we think the attempt would be inexpedient, and perhaps, even for the purposes which the author has in view, infufficient. We ground our opinion on the frequent experience which, in our profeffional capacity as Reviewers, we have of the petulance and captioufnefs of polemics. While they cavil at a fentence, the change of every part, if a word be left, will often not content them; and while the church of England retains any part of its peculiar doctrines, many of the diffentients would complain. It should be confidered on the other hand, that Diffenters are of different and oppofite opinions: they are now divided iuto Methodists, the remains of rigid Calvinists, on the one fide, and Arians and Socinians on the other. What is granted to one will difguft the other; and while the more moderate of either defcription now join the church from habitual respect and veneration, if the form be changed, even the great objects of the affociation will be no longer answered. If the question be taken up in a more ge neral view, and in this we fhould choose to confider it, viz. as the triumph of reafon and true religion without the flightest regard to fectaries of any denomination, we fear, that many, with the lofs of the form, would be apprehenfive that the fubftance would have fuffered. If revifions had been more frequent, and conducted with prudence and fteadinefs, thefe apprehenfions would have no force; but what has not for a long time been changed, the weaker minds will readily look on as unchangeable. We pretend not to fay that these reasons are decifive; and we are aware that they rest on a very difputable and infufficient foundation, that men of judgment fhould facrifice well-founded opinions in compliance with the prejudices of thofe who are not capable of forming any opinions of

their