inded to be offered; from which even he whofe life is but of denied to be free. Of this fin David is fupposed to have hich we mentioned before, in fin did my mother conceive is in hiftory no account of any particular fin that his mitted. For this alfo it was that the Church had tradition to give baptism even to infants. For they myfteries were committed knew that there is in all llution of fin, which must be done away by water n of which the body itself is also called the body

of the author of Ratio:ox atics have made et de vac

Original Sin a Doct•to

with his jut aborrt.de pe, and has tată în ve Jeration our aaitas

d by Scripture, đại tà the Church pr

Jr. F. bet te be ***

of being born again he says, rectifying of our former birth,

ob fays, no perfon is clean from fin, d as David laments and fays I was con

did my mother bring me forth."

b. 2. de Abraham. Patriarcha. c. 11.

cumcifion he says, "for a very good reafon does the

d the males to be circumcifed in the beginning of infancy, bond-flave born in the houfe; because as circumcifion is from ancy, fo is the difeafe. No time ought to be void of remedy, becaufe none is void of guilt."

Such are the opinions of the antient Fathers of the Christian Church upon this effential doctrine of Chriftianity before the peace of the Church was disturbed by a controverfy upon it. Without any comments upon the above quotations, I thall leave it to the difpaffionate reader to judge, whether the doctrine of the general corruption of human nature in confequence of Adam's tranfgreffion is a doctrine (as Mr. F. afferts) not countenanced by the early Greek Fathers, and whether it is difavowed by all antiquity prior to the time of St. Austin,

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Letters addreffed to a Young Man on his firft Entrance into Life, and adapted to the peculiar Circumstances of the prefent Times. By Mrs. WEST, 2d edition. 3 vols. 12mo.

(Continued from page 301.) THE labour of reviewing a dull book is difguftingly fatiguing. To review a Work so well conceived and so admirably performed as Mrs. Weft's Letters, is a delightful tafk; and one which of itself amply requites the Reviewer. He reads it carefully over. He examines part after part; and then regards it as a whole. He notes fuch paffages as may give the

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prove our nature to be corrupt is too nice a point for me to determine. As Fanatics interpret them their literal meaning is undoubtedly forced, and those who deny the doctrine of innate corruption muft ufe much ingenuity in explaining away their plain and obvious fense.

In a note, p. 71, Mr. F. fays "that the writings of the early Greek fathers give no countenance to the doctrine;" and again, fame note, p. 2. he afferts upon the authority of Dr. Jeremy Taylor" that the innate corruption of man is difavowed by all antiquity prior to the time of St. Auftin." Had Mr. F. faid that this fubject was not controverted in the church 'till the time of St. Auftin, he would have then spoken the truth; for we find no difpute about this doctrine 'till the 5th century, the time when the flame of Pelagianifm first burst forth. As foon as this herefy appeared it was moft ftrenuously oppofed by Ifidore, Chryfoftom and Auguftine; and indeed with fo much zeal by the latter, that, in the heat of controverfy, he has betrayed himself into expreffions, which feem to infinuate, that the good and bad notions of men arife from an invincible neceffity in their nature. Had the deftroying hand of time deprived us of the writings of the Fathers, the denial of the doctrine of Original fin by Pelagius and his colleague Celeftius, and the ferment it made in the Chriftian world, would be a prefumptive proof that it was a part of the creed of the primitive Chriftians. But fince we happily have their valuable authorities to refer to, I fhall gladly produce fome of the many paffages, which might be produced, to prove that they did hold this doctrine with as much exactnefs and precifion as could be expected before difputes arofe upon it.

Clemens Romanus, Epift. 1. ad Corith. c. 17.

"Of Job it is written that he was juft and blameless, true, one that "feared God, and efchewed evil: Yet he condemns himself and fays, "there is none free from pollution; no not tho' his life be but of the length of one day."

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Juft. Martyr. Dialog. cum Tryphon. p. 94. Ed. Stephens 1551. Speaking of Chrift's baptifm in the river Jordan, he fays," he did "this for mankind, which by Adam was fallen under death and under the guile of the ferpent, beside the particular cause which each man had of finning."

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Irenæus adv. Hæres. Lib. 4. c. 5.

"Men are by no other means faved from the antient wound of the fer"pent, but by believing in him, who by being crucified after the fimili"tude of the fin of the flesh, both draws all things after him and quickens "the dead."

Orig. Homil. 8 in Lev. c. 12.

"Hear David fpeaking; I was, fays he, conceived in iniquity, and " in fin did my mother bring me forth: fhewing that every foul that is "born in the flesh is polluted with the filth of fin and iniquity.".

From the baptifing of infants be infers that "if there was nothing in infants which required forgivenefs and mercy, the grace of Baptifin "would be fuperfluous to them.".

See Origen again, Comment. in Epift. ad. Rom. lib. 5.

"And alfo in the law it is commanded that a facrifice be offered for: 66 every child that is born; a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons; "of which one is for a fin offering, the other for a burnt offering. For "what fin is this one pigeon offered? Can the child that is new born "have committed any fin? It has even then fin, for which the facrifice.

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" is commanded to be offered; from which even he whofe life is but of one day is denied to be free. Of this fin David is fuppofed to have faid that which we mentioned before, in fin did my mother conceive me: for there is in hiftory no account of any particular fin that his "mother had committed." For this alfo it was that the Church had "from the Apoftles a tradition to give baptifm even to infants. For they "to whom the divine myfteries were committed knew that there is in all perfons the natural pollution of fin, which must be done away by water " and the spirit; by reafon of which the body itself is also called the body " of fin,'

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Cyprianus et cæteri Collegiæ qui in concilio affuerunt numero

66 Fido fratri.

Speaking of baptifm, they fay, "an infant ought not to be refused baptifm, who, being newly born, has been guilty of no fin, except that being carnally born according to Adam, he has contracted the contagion of the old death at his firft birth; who is admitted to the "remiffion of fins more readily because not his own fins but those of "another are remitted."

Bafil de Baptifmo.

In an explanation of John 3, ver. 3, 5, of being born again he says, "I take that word (weer) to fignify the rectifying of our former birth, "which was in the filth of fin: as Job fays, no perfon is clean from fin, "tho' his life be but of a day; and as David laments and fays I was con ceived in iniquity and in fin did my mother bring me forth."

Ambrofius lib. 2. de Abraham. Patriarcha. c. 11.

Speaking of circumcifion he says, "for a very good reafon does the "law command the males to be circumcifed in the beginning of infancy, even the bond-flave born in the house; because as circumcifion is from infancy, fo is the disease. No time ought to be void of remedy, be"caufe none is void of guilt."

Such are the opinions of the antient Fathers of the Chriftian Church upon this effential doctrine of Christianity before the peace of the Church was disturbed by a controverfy upon it. Without any comments upon the above quotations, I thall leave it to the difpaffionate reader to judge, whether the doctrine of the general corruption of human nature in confequence of Adam's tranfgreffion is a doctrine (as Mr. F. afferts) not countenanced by the early Greek Fathers, and whether it is difavowed by all antiquity prior to the time of St. Austin,

REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Letters addreffed to a Young Man on his firft Entrance into Life, and adapted to the peculiar Circumstances of the prefent Times. By Mrs. WEST, 2d edition. 3 vols. 12mo.

(Continued from page 301.)

THE HE labour of reviewing a dull book is difguftingly fatiguing. To review a Work fo well conceived and fo admirably performed as Mrs. Weft's Letters, is a delightful tatk; and one which of itfelf amply requites, the Reviewer. He reads it carefully over. He examines part after part; and then regards it as a whole. He notes fuch paffages as may give the

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public a fair fample of the compofition. He introduces thefe by apt remarks and thus the book paffes in revifion before him, and its excellencies bed themselves deeply in his memory.-This is our mode of reviewing. We are at all times glad to commend; we never dogmatize; and never cenfure but with reluctance. Under fuch circumftances, and conscious of our fteady adherence to principle, the weight of Mrs. Weft's obfervations on profeffional critics oppreffes not our feelings. Let the galled jade wince; our withers are unwrung."

"I do not mean (fays fhe) to be invidious or particular in my remarks; but when we are poffeffed of incontrovertible proof, I mean the teftimony of Voltaire and his affociates, that reviews, magazines, and other productions of a fimilar nature, were fome of the moft fuccessful means by which the tenets of Jacobinifm, both with respect to government and religion, were propagated in France; it is not being an alarmift to inquire whether thofe engines, which recent experience has proved to be fo powerfully deftructive in a neighbouring kingdom, are directed to better purposes here. Many of our mifcellanies are avowedly hoftile to our civil and religious eftablishments. In fome I have feen fuch affertions, under the pretext of zeal for free difcuffion, as I fhould have thought too impious to be tolerated in a Chriftian country. Others are more cautious, and affect to treat with decorum and respect what their confciences cannot approve. Among thefe, you must not look for a bold attack, but a fly infinuation. All here is gentleness, liberality, candour, moderation, impartiality, great regard for truth, and univerfal philanthropy. They will give you a fpecimen of the first quality, by speaking of very immoral, nay even indelicate writers, in exceedingly complaifant and well-bred terms; admiring their wit and talents, and kindly lamenting their fcurrility. They beftow their liberality alfo on this portion of writers, who they candidly hope, will rub off the little specks which obfcure their brightness in the next publication; and thus, like Puff in the Critic, they make their well-turned cenfure the parent of a new edition. I could exemplify their moderation and impartiality by obferving, that the moft plaufible works on the fide of fchifm and republicanifin, I will not quite fay infidelity and anarchy, are selected, and fuffered to amplify their doctrines through fucceffive numbers; and if fome fiery champion of the establishments fhould rush forth with more zeal than prudence, and lift up his leaden mace against the demon of mifrule, he alfo is unfortunately dragged to the fore-ground, and bafinadoed with the most rigid impartiality: while to hew their moderation, any excellent valuable work of the fame tendency is confined to the humble limit of half a page; and what cannot be ridiculed is damned with faint praise." Their regard to truth refis upon their own affertions. Certainly they must best know what they feel: were we to Judge of it by what they fay, we might be tempted to call it problematical. I give full credit to their univerfal philanthropy; for, after long obfervation, I never did fee any inftance of its being counteracted by the narrow spirit of love for their country."

"Without entering into the difputed question, whether the general interefts of literature have been promoted by the erection of a numerous hoft of heralds and purfuivants, who every month announce the pretenfions of the yet more numerous hoft of authors; and who not only arrange the lifts, but determine the merits, of the respective combatants: even granting, that this kind of reading is very amusing to those whose taste is formed, and whofe opinions are fixed, I think the guardians of the rifing generation must agree with me, that there are many reasons why it is unfuitable for youth. Most of the publications of which I have been treating are undertaken to serve the purposes of a party; and you will own, that an impartial pártifan is as rare as "the phoenix, that fole bird." I often think, that these tribunals owe much of the deference with which the public receives their fiat, to the very politic ufe of plural pronouns. "We are firmly of opinion," "It is our decided judgment," are phrates that carry with them an impreffive authority, which poor Angular I and me can never attain to. For many years, I never met with the above fentences without finding my fancy tranfport nie into an extensive library, crowded

with black coats, large wigs, and green fpectacles. Each individual, holding in his hand the the voluminous commentator on whom he had formed his judgment, while fipping his cup of tea, (the modern Helicon,) appeared in the act of pronouncing his oracular opinion on the impleaded author; while the moderator of the learned corps, collecting the fuffrages as the majority decided, either crowned the work with immortal bays, or configned it to oblivion. Well might I, and every unfortunate wight in my fituation, tremble at an affemblage as formidable and invulnerable as that of the fecret tribunal; but fince I have been enabled to take a peep behind the fcenes, my terrors and my deference are confiderably diminished. For, alas! my dear Boy, thefe black coats, wigs, fpectacles, and commentators, are but "the baseless fabrics of a vifion." Number one always conftitutes counsel, jury, moderator, and judge; and we is only compofed of I and myself. It is even whispered, that truth and verity would oftener conduct us into the circumfcribed attic, than the fpacious library, where you would meet with one folitary writer, glowing with rage and envy at a fuccefsful competitor, and earning his Sunday dinner by a virulent abuse of the pamphlet which has been extolled by a brother reviewer, and impeded the circulation of his own. Or it may be, that the fex as well as the fcene may change; for the Gentleman's Magazine afferts it as a fact, that Mrs. Rudd, of fhocking celebrity, the accomplice, if not the feducer, of the unfortunate Perreaus, and fo well known for her guilty depredations and flagitious conduct, gained her livelihood for many years by writing articles for reviews. The natural talents of this unhappy woman are faid to have been very confiderable; but, allowing that he had received that degree of cultivation and improvement which would have fitted her to have been an arbitress of public tafte, furely her life prefented an indubitable argument against her being a fit guardian of public morals. When fuch characters are permitted to be judges, we may anticipate the tenor of their decrees."

We beg leave to difclaim all intention of impofing our fentiments upon the world by the politic ufe of" the formidable "plural pronoun" wE. This word pleases us beft, because it is a modefter pronoun than the fingu→ larly felf-fufficient I; and this no doubt is the reafon why Mrs. Weft her felf ufes it in her introductory pages. Another reafon why we adopt this word is, that it has a kind of technical propriety.-Custom,

"Quem penes arbitrium eft, et Jus, & norma loquendi," has fanctioned it; and perhaps to reject it, were more coxcombical than to retain it. Befides, in our cafe, truth authorifes us to use the word wE. The reviewer may exprefs his fentiments as he may choofe; but his papers must be counterfigned by the Editors before they can be fent to prefs. Thus much we have though fit to fay, by way of apology to Mrs. Weft for a flight diverfity of opinion. As to the general purport of the paffage juft quoted, we agree with her completely.

Mrs. Weft exhibits in ftriking colours the "Abfurdity of Rouffeau's Eloifa, which confounds the nature of vice and virtue.' The German Dramatists and Novelifts proceed in the very track marked out by Rouffeau and his affociates; who, though they cordially hated one another, hated religion still more.

The very titles which some of the Continental play-and-book-wrights prefix to their precious works, prefent fuch a contradiction in terms, as good fenfe revolts at; and nothing could make them endured by any one, were it not that unthinking people are entrapped by fentiment, and what is termed fituation, to pity what they ought to loathe, and to commend what they should despise. "The pitiable adultress," "The noble Lie," "Generous Revenge," "Honeft Thieves," The guiltlefs Parricide," Errors of Virtue," "Amiable Indifcretions," "The Innocent Slan

derer,"