thor claims for it "no higher rank in the departments of litera-, ture," and says that it "requires all the indulgence which the goodnatured reader can afford it." He is aware, he fays, that it "is at once too long and too bort. Too long for a Guide-too fhort for a bitery;" and this in truth is the worst that can be faid against it, except that it wants the illuftration of a plan of the town, and sketches of a few of the more remarkable buildings. The original intention of the author was, he tells the reader, to compile a sketch of the Hiftory of Shrewsbury," from the only printed work hitherto in any refpect worthy of that name, [Phil lips's, we fuppofe,] and to add from Hume and Warrington those paffages of national history in which this town bore a part. To this he defigned to annex a short account of its public buildings." He was led beyond his firft intention by the defire of preferving a memorial of the greater part of its ancient ftructures, the demolition of which he had the pain of witneffing. The principal heads of the work are thefe: 1. Situation and Etymology. 2. Ancient Hiftory. 3. Topographical Account. 4. Ancient Buildings. 5. Ecclefiaftical Buildings. 6. Hofpitals and charitable Foundations. 7. Town Hall. 8. County Gaol. 9. Market House, &c. 10. Halls. 11. Domeftic Ar chitecture. 12. Members of Parliament. 13. Mayors. Treasurers of the Infirmary. To which are fubjoined a few additions and corrections. 14. The following account of the catastrophe which befel the church of St. Chad in Shrewsbury, a few years back, is worth transcribing, by way of warning to thofe who have the care of fimilar ancient Atructures. In 1788 a crack was observed in one of the pillars fupporting the central tower, and on examination it was reported to be in a very dangerous ftate, from the shameful practice of digging graves near the foundations. But, fays this author; "from that ill judged fpirit of economy, which too often in. fluences the decifion of parish veftries, the wholefome advice (of the architect) was unfortunately rejected; and a mafon was employed to cut away the injured parts of the pillar, in order to underbuild it, loaded as it was with the weight of a stone tower, and a heavy peal of bells. This mad attempt was attended by the confequences, which might have been expected. On the fecond evening after the workmen had commenced their destructive operations, the fexton, as he entered the belfry to ring the knell, ufual previous to a funeral, perceived the floor covered with an uncommon quantity of lime duft, and broken pieces of mortar. On attempt ing to raise the great bell, he felt the tower shake violently, and a fhower of fmall particles of mortar immediately followed. Trembling and in hafte, he inftantly defcended into the church, from which he fecured as much of the furniture as he could carry, and as his alarm would permit him to collect. The following morning, July 9, as foon as the clock had ftruck four, the decayed G BRIT. CRIT. VOL. XXXVII. JAN. 1811. pillar pillar fuddenly gave way. Inftantly the tower was rent afunder, and falling upon the roof of the church, the greatest part of that venerable structure, with a tremendous crash, funk to the ground. "The aftonishment and difmay of the inhabitants are not to be defcribed, when they arofe and beheld the fudden scene of devaftation. The roof of the f, acious nave, with the north range of pillars that fupported it, together with a great portion of the exterior walls of that fide aile, and north wing of the tranfept, appeared lying in confufed heaps, mingled with the remains of fhattered pews, pulpit, organ, monuments and bells, broken and difperfed in a thoufand forms." P. 158. The defcription is carried much further, and accompanied by very fuitable reflections, (and in a note a tremendous lift of fimilar accidents *) for which we cannot here find room. The prefent publication is called "a new Edition," but as we know not of any former, we can give no comparative account. This is printed with great neatnefs, in a fmall type, and confequently contains much matter. DIVINITY. ART. 25. Prayers collected from the feveral Writings of Jeremy Taylor, D.D. Bishop of Down and Connor, adapted to the Family, the Clofet, the Sacrament, &c. &c. By the Rev. Samuel Clap ham, M. A. Vicar of Chrift Church, Hants, &c. &c. 8vo. Price 8s. Rivingtons. 1810. It has not fallen to our lot to examine a collection of prayers altogether fo well adapted to the exigencies of individuals, or to the devotional offices of private families, as this before us. On the merits of Bishop Taylor it would be abfurd and ufelefs to expatiate. His piety has been the fubject of admiration, and his eloquence the theme of praife, to many of our beft writers, and in thefe prayers thefe two qualities will be found to be admirably combined. Mr. Clapham, the editor, confiders them as a fuitable appendage to the Family Sermons published by himself, which have received fo diftinguithed a fhare of public approbation. We are entirely of his opinion, and recommend them accordingly for that purpofe. They are infcribed, with a fuitable dedication, to the Bishop of Lincoln, and we entertain no doubts that a fe cond impreffion will foon be wanted. ART. 26. A Funeral Difcourfe, occafioned by the Death of the Rev. Dr. Barnes, preached at Crofs-ftreet Meeting-house, in * To which that at Liverpool might now be added. Manchefter, Manchester, on Sunday, 15th July, 1810, by John Yates. pp. 86. 8vo. Liverpool. Johnfon, London. 1810. From Mr. Yates's account of Dr. Barnes's labours as a minifter, labours not of office only, but of true Chriftian love and charity, he appears to have well deferved the tribute of respect paid to him by the learned preacher, and no lefs by the congregation before whom this Difcourfe was delivered, who were unanimous, it feems, in their requeft to have it printed and published. Dr. Barnes was a native of Warrington, where he received the first rudiments of education, and afterwards attended the Lectures of Mr. Holt, Dr. Priestley, and Dr. Aikin, as a student of the Aca demy; upon the diffolution of which feminary, and the foundation of a "College of Arts and Sciences" at Manchester, he was felected as tutor of divinity in the latter, but the College did not flourish as he expected. His minifterial functions were confined first to a chapel near Bolton, and afterwards to the Crofs. ftreet Meeting (as we prefume) in Manchester; and from Mr. Yates's account, nothing could be more exemplary than his care and diligence, to promote the fpiritual interefls of all connected with him. He died on the 27th of June, in the year 1810. Dr. Barnes appears to have been one of the firft promoters of the Literary and Philofophical Society in Manchester, an occafional contributor to their Memoirs, and one of the two firft fecretaries. Mr. Yates tells us nothing of his particular opinions as to doctrinal matters, which we are left to collect from the circumstances of his connections. The Difcourfe contains feveral good reflections, though not remarkable for any thing much out of the common way of fuch difcourfes. It muft, however, have been heard with intereft by thofe who were acquainted with the worthy fubject of it. We have no objection to record thefe teftimonies to the merit of pious diffenters; but we wish to remind our readers, that if the fame cuftom prevailed in the Church, they would never be released from the praifes of divines, dying in various parts of the king dom. ART. 27. Dr. Popham publifhed, in 1801, a work fomewhat fimilar to this, entitled, "Extracts from the Pentateuch," of which we gave fome account in our zoth volume, at p 289. The prefent work is not an extenfion or continuation of that, but a feparate collection of illuftrations, which are taken from various authors ancient and modern, claffical and others. In many inftances the author gives his own reflections upon the text; in which, though we do not fee much that is profound, we find nothing but what G 2 is is pious and instructive. The work will doubtlefs be attraetive to many, who might be deterred by a more extenfive or more elaborate commentary on the Scriptures; and tending thus to encourage the ftudy of the facred Writings, cannot but deferve our commendation. ART. 28. A Sermon preached at Woburn Chapel, ou Wednesday, Feb. 8, 1809; being the Day appointed for a General Faft. By the Rev. W. Cockburn, A. M. Chriftian Advocate in the Univerfity of Cambridge. Dedicated, by Permiffion, to William Couper, Efq. Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the Loyal British Artificers, who was prefent with his Corps on that Occafion. Published by Defire of fome of the Congregation. 8vo. 24 PP. Is. 6d. Hatchard, &c. 1809. We have often noticed the productions of Mr. Cockburn, and have always found reason to commend them, and though his univerfity title is, fince this publication, transferred to a worthy fucceffor, we fee him ftill anxious to deferve the name of a Christian Advocate. This fermon is by no means of the common fort; the author looks into the calamities of Europe with a fcrutinizing eye, and points out the evils which had prevailed in feveral of the fallen or falling governments, and the good which may poffibly be intended in the dreadful chaftifements which Providence has brought upon them. He alfo warns us of our dangers, if through falfe confidence in our fituation, we refuse to amend our ways. These topics are not new, nor can new ones be found, after fo many have been employed, but there is an energy in this author's manner which tends to give them new effect. ART. 29. A Sermon preached in the Church of St. Chad, Shrewf bury, by the Rev. John Eyton, A. M. Vicar of Wellington, Salop, on Sunday, November 11, 1810; when a Collection was made for the Support of the Boys' Sunday School, eftablished in that Parish. 8vo. 20 pp. IS. Robinfon. 1810. This author takes occafion, from his text (Acts xix. 20.) to mark the caufes which at firft occafioned, and will naturally occafion, the word of God to grow and prevail. The causes he ftates are, 1. An enlightened and faithful miniftry; 2. A becoming and confiftent conduct on the part of Chrift's difciples; 3. A careful attention to the religious inftruction of youth. This latter topic, of courfe, he applies to the particular occafion of the Sermon, and earneftly folicits his hearers for their prayers, and for their alms. The latter part of the difcourfe is employed to point out the advantages, national and private, which must arife. from the growing and prevailing of the word of God. It is a fenfible and useful difcourfe, and probably had proportionable effect. ART: GRAMMAR. ART. 30. The Sermon of that celebrated Pulpit Orator, the late Rev. Dr. Hugh Blair, on the Duties of the Young, arranged. into French Exercises, for the Use of the Youth of either Sex, engaged in the Study of the French Language. To which is added, by way of a Key, a highly finifbed Tranflation into French of the fame. By Mr. Le Noir; Profeffor of the French Language, Elocutiou, and Belles Lettres; and Author of the Fastes Britanniques, the English and French Logographic Emblematical Spelling Book, and other approved Publications. two Parts price 2s. 3d. Dulau, &c. 1809. 12mo. The A more inftructive and judicious kind of exercise, for ftudents in French, than thefe books fupply, cannot easily be imagined.. ART. 31. The French Student's Vade-mecum, or Indifpenfible Com-' panion: in which are difplayed the different Cafes of Verbs and Things, as required by all the French Verbs and Adjectives, the different Prepofitions which they govern, thofe required by the Subftantives, and the different Moods which must follow the Conjuntions. By the Rev. P. C. Le Vaffeur, a Native of France, and Chaplain of the Cathedral of Lifieux. 12mo. 175 PP. Birmingham, printed; Longman and Co., London. 1809. If the youth of the prefent time do not learn French well, it will not be for want of fufficient aid. On every fide we meet with new contrivances to facilitate and direct their efforts. Of the book before us, which takes the form of a dictionary or vocabulary, we cannot better give a notion, than by extracting one or two of the first articles. "Abaiffer, v. to bring down, humble, cut. off, ac. p. or th. Abandonner, v. to abandon, leave, ac. th. Ex. Je l'abandonne, I leave it. Dat. p. ac. th. Ex. Je vous l'aban donne, I leave it to you. Dat. th. ac. p. Ex. Abandonner qu'elqu'un à fon caractére, to leave one to himself." The chief thing to be explained here is, that . and th. mean of the perfon and thing. The reft is eafy. It is obvious that much afftance must be afforded by fuch a vocabulary. MISCELLANIES. ART. 32. Oxford Univerfity Calendar. 12mo. Cambridge has had a calendar ever fince 1795. forry to fee, that Oxford has produced a fimilar Ga 140 PP. 1810. 43. Nor are we publication. The |