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be unjust to any clafs of men; yet very recent events, and fome perfonal knowledge, incline us to think that the party who fupported Hume in defiance to revelation, may yet be traced; and that their arrogance, when they find an opportunity of fhowing it, is not much diminished. It would be ftrange, indeed, if the miferies brought on a neighbouring nation by its club of infidels, did not fuggeft fome portion of temporizing caution.

But empty praife" was not the only way in which Dr. Beattie's English friends wifhed to gratify their feelings. It appears that they confidered him as a fit fubject for advancement, and were only at firft perplexed to know in what way this could be brought about with most effect, and at the fame time with most delicacy. We find, among other friendly efforts, a letter from the late Archbishop of York, (Dr. Drummond) in which his Grace fuggefts to Dr. B. the propriety of entering the church of England, but this the Doctor declined, for reafons affigned in a fubfequent part of his correfpondence. In 1773, he again vifited England, in compliance with the wifhes of other friends, who meditated fome addition to his income. This ended finally in a penfion from his Majefty, the procefs of procuring which does honour to all parties. concerned. His friends (of whom a numerous lift is given in a note*) included fuch a number of perfons not only of rank and influence, but of genius and perfonal worth, that it would have been wonderful indeed if their efforts to ferve him had failed. The Univerfity of Oxford conferred upon him at the fame time the degree of LL. D. and, in addition to his many honours on this occafion, his Majesty was pleased

He could have been no common character who engaged the friendship and enjoyed the intimacy of the perfons here mentioned. "Mrs. Montague, Lord Lyttelton, the Archbishop of York, the Earl of Dartmouth, Lord Mansfield, the Duchefs Dowager of Portland, Sir William and Lady Mayne, (afterwards Lord and Lady Newhaven) Lord Carysfort, Dr. Porteus, Dr. Markham, now Archbishop of York; Dr. Percy, now Bishop of Dromore; Dr. Mofs, Bifhop of St. David's; the Bishop of Bristol (Newton), Lord Dartry, Dr. Parker, rector of St. James's, Dr. Halifax, profeffor of law at Cambridge; the Archbishop of Canterbury (Cornwallis), Dr. Moore, the late Archbishop of Canterbury; Dr. Douglas, Bishop of Salisbury; Sylvefter Douglas, now Lord Glenbervie; Dr. Hurd, Bishop of Worcester; Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sir John Pringle, Mr. Burke," Mr. Garrick, Dr. Johnfon, Mr. Langton, Mrs. Carter, Mr. John Hunter, Dr. Majendie, Dr. Goldfmith, Mr. Hawkins Brownc."

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to intimate that a private interview at Kew would be acceptable. Of this interefting event we have the following account from Dr. Beattie's Diary.

"Tuefday, 24th Auguft, fet out for Dr. Majendie's at Kew. Green. The Doctor told me, that he had not feen the King yefterday, but had left a note in writing, to intimate, that I was to be at his house to-day; and that one of the King's pages had come to him this morning, to fay, "that his Majefty would fee me a little after twelve." At twelve, the Doctor and I went to the King's house, at Kew. We had been only a few minutes in the hall, when the King and Queen came in from an airing, and as they paffed through the hall, the King called to me by name, and asked how long it was fince I came from town. I answered him, about an hour. "I fhall fee you," fays he, "in a little." The Doctor and I waited a confiderable time, (for the King was bufy) and then we were called into a large room, furnished as a library, where the King was walking about, and the Queen fitting in a chair. We were received in the most gracious manner poffible, by both their Majefties. I had the honour of a converfation with them, (nobody elfe being present, but Dr. Majendie) for upwards of an hour, on a great variety of topics, in which both the King and Queen joined, with a degree of cheerfulness, affability, and eafe, that was to me furprising, and foon diffipated the embarraffment which I felt, at the begin ning of the conference. They both complimented me, in the higheft terms, on my "Effay," which, they faid, was a book they always kept by them; and the King faid he had one copy of it at Kew, and another in town, and immediately went and took it down from a fhelf. I found it was the fecond edition. " I never ftole a book but one," faid his Majefty," and that was yours; (fpeaking to me) I ftole it from the Queen, to give it to Lord Hertford to read." He had heard that the fale of Hume's Effays" had failed, fince my book was published; and I told him what Mr. Strahan had told me, in regard to that matter. He had even heard of my being in Edinburgh, laft fummer, and how Mr. Hume was offended on the score of my book. He asked many questions about the fecond part of the "Effay," and when it would be ready for the prefs. I gave him, in a short fpeech, an account of the plan of it; and faid, my health was fo precarious, I could not tell when it might be ready, as I had many books to confult before I could finish it; but, that if my health were good, I thought I might bring it to a conclufion in two-or three years. He afked, how long I had been in compofing my "Effay?" praised the caution with which it was written; and faid, he did not wonder that it had employed me five or fix years. He asked about my poems. I faid, there was only one poem of my own, on which I fet any value, (meaning the Minstrel'')

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and that it was firft published about the fame time with the "Effay." My other poems, I faid, were incorrect, being but juvenile pieces, and of little confequence, even in my own opinion. We had much converfation on moral fubjects; from which both their Majefties let it appear, that they were warm friends to Chriftianity; and fo little inclined to infidelity, that they could hardly believe that any thinking man could really be an atheift, unless he could bring himself to believe, that he made himfelf; a thought which pleased the King exceedingly; and he repeated it feveral times to the Queen. He asked, whether any thing had been written against me. I spoke of the late pamphlet, of which I gave an account, telling him, that I never had met with any man who had read it, except one Quaker. This brought on fome difcourfe about the Quakers, whofe moderation, and mild behaviour, the King and Queen commended. I was afked many questions about the Scots univerfities, the revenues of the Scots clergy, their mode of praying and preaching, the medical college of Edinburgh, Dr. Gregory, (of whom I gave a particular character) and Dr. Cullen, the length of our vacation at Aberdeen, and the clofeness of our attendance during the winter, the number of ftudents that attend my lectures, my mode of lecturing, whether from notes, or completely written lectures; about Mr. Hume, and, Dr. Robertfon, and Lord Kinnoull, and the Archbishop of York, &c. &c. &c. His Majefty afked what I thought of my new acquaintance, Lord Dartmouth? I faid, there was fomething in his air and manner, which I thought not only agreeable, but enchanting, and that he seemed to me to be one of the beft of men; a fentiment in which both their Majefties heartily joined. "They say that Lord Dartmouth is an enthufiaft," faid the King, "but furely he says nothing on the fubject of religion, but what every christian may, and ought to fay." He afked, whether I did not think the English language on the decline at prefent? I answered in the affirmative; and the King agreed, and named the "Spectator" as one of the best standards of the language. When I told him that the Scots clergy fometimes prayed a quarter, or even half an hour, at a time, he afked, whether that did not lead them into repetitions? I faid, it often did. "That," faid he, "I don't like in prayers and excellent as our liturgy is, I think it fomewhat faulty in that refpect." "Your Majefty knows," faid I," that three fervices are joined in one, in the ordinary church-fervice, which is one caufe of thofe repetitions." "True," he replied," and that circumftance alfo makes the fervice too long." From this, he took occafion to speak of the compofition of the church-liturgy; on which he very justly bestowed the highest commendation. "Obferve," his Majefty faid, "how flat thofe occafional prayers are, that are now compofed, in comparifon with the old ones." When I mentioned the fmallness

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of the church livings in Scotland, he faid, "he wondered how men of liberal education would chufe to become clergymen there,' and afked, "whether in the remote parts of the country, the clergy, in general, were not very ignorant?" I answered, “No, for that education was very cheap in Scotland, and that the clergy, in general, were men of good fenfe, and competent learning." He asked, whether we had any good preachers at Aberdeen? I said, yes, and named Campbell and Gerard, with whofe names, however, I did not find that he was acquainted. Dr. Majendie mentioned Dr. Ofwald's " Appeal," with commendation; I praised it too; and the Queen took down the name, with a view to fend for it. I was asked, whether I knew Dr. Ofwald? I anfwered, I did not; and faid, that my book was published before I read his; that Dr. O. was well known to Lord Kinnoull, who had often propofed to make us acquainted. We difcuffed a great many other topics; for the converfation, as before obferved, lafted for upwards of an hour, without any intermiffion. The Queen bore a large fhare in it. Both the King and her Majefty fhowed a great deal of good fenfe, acuteness, and knowledge, as well as of good nature and affability. laft, the King took out his watch, (for it was now almoft three o'clock, his hour of dinner) which Dr. Majendie and I took as a fignal to withdraw. We accordingly bowed to their Majefties, and I addressed the King in thefe words: "I hope, Sir, your Majefty will pardon me, if I take this opportunity to return you my humble and moft grateful acknowledgments, for the honour you have been pleased to confer upon me. He immedi ately anfwered, "I think I could do no lefs for a man, who has done fo much fervice to the cause of Christianity. always be glad of an opportunity to fhew the good opinion I have of you." The Queen fate all the while, and the King food, fometimes walking about a little. Her Majefty fpeaks the English language with furprising elegance, and little or nothing of a foreign accent. There is fomething wonderfully captivating in her manner, fo that if fhe were only of the rank of a private gentlewoman, one could not help taking notice of her, as one of the most agreeable women in the world. Her face is much more pleafing than any of her pictures; and in the expreffion of her eyes, and in her fmile, there is fomething peculiarly engaging. When the Doctor and I came out, "Pray," said I, how did I behave? Tell me honeftly, for I am not accuftomed to converfations of this kind." Why, perfectly well," anfwered he," and juft as you ought to do."-" Are you fure of that faid I."-" As fure," he replied, "as of my own exiftence and you may be affured of it too, when I tell you, that if there had been any thing in your manner or converfation, which was not perfectly agreeable, your conference would have been at an end, in eight or ten minutes at moft." The Doctor afterwards

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afterwards told me, that it was a most uncommon thing for a private man, and a commoner, to be honoured with fo long an audience. I dined with Dr. and Mrs. Majendic, and their family, and returned to town in the evening, very much pleafed with the occurrences of the day *." P. 268.

Soon after Dr. Beattie's return to Scotland, the chair of moral philofophy in the Univerfity of Edinburgh was offered to him, and, no doubt, in a manner very flattering and honourable, but this he thought proper to decline; the reasons he affigns, in a letter to Sir W. F., appear to us fo obvious, that we are rather furprised they did not occur to the parties who made the offer. The letters, however, which paffed on this fubject, may be perufed with much advantage by those who happen to be placed in fimilar dilemma. It is not the least merit of the correfpondence in these volumes, that it mostly relates to affairs which "come home to the bofoms and bufinefs" of literary men, and affords excellent inftances of moral propriety in many fituations of life, and fuch illuftrations of the intimacies of enlightened and honourable minds as are feldom to be met with in the common intercourse of man. kind.

[To be concluded in our next.]

ART. II. A Treatife of Mechanics, Theoretical, Practical, and Defcriptive. By Olinthus Gregory, of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. 8vo. 2 volumes, with a Third Volume of Plates. 547 and 514, pp: 55 Plates. Kearfley. 1806.

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N the preface this author juftly cenfures the opinion of thofe who imagine that a perfon may become a great proficient in philofophical fciences, and especially in the conftruction of machinery, though he is completely unacquainted with the principles of mathematics: and to the prevalence of this opinion, Mr. Gregory attributes the rapid decline of the mathematical fciences in Britain. He then fhows, (after the example given by the illuftrious Newton in the immortal work of the Principia Mathematica, &c. and from other confiderations), that the great improvements. in the practice of every subject, and efpecially in mechanics,

"MS. Diary, 24th Auguft, 1773."

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