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paid no attention for some time: and when renewed applications roused him to exertion, such was his ignorance, that he sent a collater with a printed Phalaris to Sion College, imagining, as it seems, that and the King's library to be the same. His next step was to ask the assistance of Mr. Bentley, who occasionally visited his shop, judging him likely to have interest to procure a loan of the manuscript; but so little zeal did he shew to oblige his Christ Church customer, that he did not go to solicit the favour, but mentioned it when he casually saw him. To the first request, which seems to have been in the beginning of 1694, Bentley answered at once that he should be happy in an opportunity of obliging Mr. Boyle, a young man related to the illustrious founder of his lecture, and "that he would help him to the book." This was some time before he had the custody of the library; but it was afterwards noticed, that he might have made interest with the persons employed upon the catalogue, whom he sometimes accompanied and assisted in their work. However it was not reasonable to expect any uncommon exertions to serve a gentleman who seemed himself to consider the matter too trifling for any application to him either by letter or through a friend. But the real cause of the offence was a conversation between him and the bookseller, upon the latter asking confidentially his opinion of the work on which Mr. Boyle was employed: Bentley told him that "he need not be afraid of undertaking it, since the great names of those that recommended it would ensure its sale; but that the book was a spurious one, and unworthy of a new edition." Bennett receiving from Oxford fresh applications for the collation, in order to excuse himself, laid the blame upon the new librarian, whom he asserted that he had long solicited in vain, and who had besides spoken with disparagement and contempt both of the book and its editors. This representation being implicitly believed by Boyle and his friends, convinced them that Bentley was behaving uncourteously from hostility to a work, which he was known to consider as not being the genuine production of the tyrant whose name it bore. What ensued, confirmed them in this opinion. After another and more urgent letter, the bookseller, though he still gave himself no trouble respecting the object, happening to meet Bentley in the street, renewed his request for the manuscript; and was answered that "he should have it as soon as he sent for it to his lodgings:" it was, in fact, delivered to his messenger on the same day, along with an injunction that no time should be lost in making the collation, as he was shortly going out of town, and must replace the book in the library before his departure. As he granted this favour the very first time that it was asked after he had the custody of the library, nothing but a misrepresentation of facts could have led people to charge him with uncourteous or disobliging conduct. The time of his leaving London to keep his residence at Worcester was approaching, and as he was to set off early on a Monday morning, he applied to Bennett the preceding Saturday, for the restoration of the book; which had been put into his hands from five to nine days before. The shortest of these periods was more than sufficient for the completion of the task; but it was not until almost the last moment that this trust-worthy agent sent the book to Gibson, a person who obtained his livelihood as a correcter of the press, with orders to collate it with despatch. He had not advanced further than twenty pages, when a message arrived from the bookseller that it must be immediately returned, "as the library-keeper waited for it in the shop :" his solicitation for longer time obtained only a permission to keep it till the evening; to a further delay Bentley refused to consent, not choosing to risk its safety during his absence from town. There still, however, remained sufficient time for a competent person to have finished the collation; but at nine o'clock that evening when the manuscript was returned, only forty of the 148 epistles were dispatched. It was the care of Bennett to give his employer such a representation of this matter as should confirm his suspicion of some discourtesy personally directed against himself. Mr. Boyle had already expressed his belief of this being the fact; and to create such a quarrel as should preclude explanation between the parties, appeared the best mode of concealing his own neglect of the

commission. Besides, the numerous inquiries made upon the subject soon discovered to this sagacious tradesman his interest in siding with a powerful literary party.

Such is the state of the facts, as it appears from a careful examination of the many tedious discussions respecting this much talked of but trivial affair, which has, by a strange accident, found a place in our literary history. To Bentley, had the transaction been fairly stated, not a shadow of blame could be attached; and Boyle was censurable only for giving implicit credit to the representations of his agent. To have gratuitously affronted a promising young scholar, of a name and family which he held in veneration, was inconsistent with Bentley's character: he would rather have rejoiced in an opportunity of obliging him, and, if properly applied to, would undoubtedly have made the collation himself. But a notion prevailed at Christ Church, that an affront was intended both for Phalaris and his patrons, and this it was determined to resent. Possibly the tory politics prevalent in that society, might have had their share in hurrying on a quarrel with a scholar in the opposite interest.-Pp. 50—53.

When the edition of Phalaris appeared, the Preface contained the following sentence:-" Collatas etiam curavi usque ad Epist. XL. cum MSto. in Bibliothecâ regiâ, cujus mihi copiam ulteriorem Bibliothecarius, PRO SINGULARI SUA HUMANITATE, negavit." It was in vain that Bentley remonstrated and explained; the offensive imputation was published and circulated; and it may be supposed that the critic, whose forbearance was rarely so conspicuous on subsequent occasions, yielded unreluctantly to the solicitations of his friend Wotton, that he would, in pursuance of a previous pledge, demonstrate the spuriousness of Phalaris. Accordingly, about two years afterwards, he put forth his just dissertation on the subject, in the form of letters to Mr. Wotton.

To enter here on the particulars of this curious and celebrated controversy would be as superfluous as impossible. They are already well known to our readers from the books published at the time, and from the amusing account given by Mr. D'Israeli in his "Quarrels of Authors." Bishop Monk has detailed them with great spirit and perspicuity; and to him we must be content to refer. In the following year the rejoinder of the Christ Church wits appeared, in the shape. of an examination, by Boyle, of Bentley's remarks. In the beginning of the year 1699, it was met by the immortal "Dissertation."

Meanwhile Bentley had been accumulating honours and distinctions. Through the interest of Stillingfleet, now Bishop of Worcester, he became Chaplain in ordinary to the King; the Rectory of Hartlebury, in Worcestershire, was given him till his pupil, James Stillingfleet, should be in full orders; he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society; and took at Cambridge the degree of D.D. In the year 1700, the ecclesiastical commission appointed by King William III. to recommend fit persons to ecclesiastical appointments, unanimously determined to assign to Bentley the Mastership of Trinity College, Cambridge. This appointment appears so congenial to all that former

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motives to follow the resolution of Joshua, in the text, and the directions necessary to carry it into effect. To the former of these divisions we give unqualified praise; the latter must have some drawback, on account of the impracticability, in our Church, of some of the author's views with respect to family devotion; but we must remember, that beyond our own island we can have no authority to dictate how Protestants should proceed in the service of God. It is true, that often religious exercises are "formes mortes," but it is problematical, hów far better than the use of "prières écrites," it is "prier vous-même à haute voix ;" because experience has shown us in England what sad errors men have fallen into who, without discretion, have abandoned themselves to the influence of their zeal. The other directions are incomparable; praying in common, concluded with a hymn, and preceded by the reading of the Scriptures, with a comment attached, at the most convenient hour of the day for that purpose; but the greatest essential, says M. Merle, is " une vie en accord avec la sainteté du culte que vous rendez à Dieu. Que vous ne soyez pas deux hommes différens, devant l'autel de Dieu et dans le monde, mais soyez vraiment un seul homme. The conclusion of the sermon is admirably adapted to direct the attention to the preceding directions.

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Lord Byron's Cain, a Mystery: with Notes; wherein the Religion of the Bible is considered, in reference to acknowledged Philosophy and Reason. By HARDING GRANT, Author of "Chancery Practice." London: William Crofts. 1830. 8vo. pp. 432. 10s. 6d.

BYRON'S "Cain" is a "" Mystery" in more senses than that in which it was so designated by his Lordship. It is a mysterious medley of the sublime and the ridiculous; of elaborate scepticism and puerile cavils; of splendid poetry and dull disquisition; of mock devotion and real blasphemy. It does not appear to have been intended as a direct attack upon the

ever.

Scriptures, or upon any system of religion in particular, but an attempt at the subversion of all religion whatsoAll the sceptical inventions of past and present infidelity are crammed into the mouths of his principal interlocutors; and if the subordinate characters are dressed in a garb of piety, it is but to exhibit some semblance of attention to historical fact. The Deity is represented throughout as a capricious tyrant, while Lucifer is exalted into an angel of benevolence, compassionating the miseries which an unjust providence has entailed upon the race of man. Whatever mischief, however, "Cain" was destined to do, was principally confined to the period at which it first appeared. It is not calculated to induce a lengthened attention; and it was the author, rather than the book itself, which rendered it comparatively dangerous at all. Perhaps, therefore, we should have recommended the author of the well-intentioned volume before us, to have kept his annotations upon the "Mystery" within the compass of his own portfolio; at the same time we are bound to acknowledge, that they contain a lucid and pious refutation of the_various arguments, if arguments they can be called, which the noble writer has embodied in his drama. Many of them, indeed, would have been passed unheeded by the

common

reader, and even the most profound would only have caused, perchance, a weak and transitory impression. Still there is now an answer for any of the readers of "Cain" who may be staggered by any of its sophistries; and we heartily hope that they may be induced to have recourse to it. we confess our doubts, whether a bulky commentary, five times as long as the poem itself, will be a very likely attraction to the ordinary readers of Lord Byron.

But

Six Lectures on the Parable of the Prodigal Son, delivered in the Parish Church of Bradford-Abbas, Dorset, during Lent 1830. By the REV. ROBERT GRANT, B.C.L. Vicar of Bradford-Abbas, &c. &c. &c. Lon

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I feel I should be voluntarily defective, were I to omit earnestly inviting my readers (if it please God I have readers) to connect with these Notes, the perusal of a small work, which consists of Six Short Lectures on the Parable of the Prodigal Son, preached, during the last Lent, in the Parish Church of Bradford Abbas, near Yeovil, Somerset, by the Rev. R. Grant, the Vicar. To eulogize these elegant, though plain, spiritual, and faithful discourses of, clearly, a faithful minister of Christ, and of that Gospel and revelation which it has been the sincere, however imperfectly executed aim, even of this book, to advocate, is needless and would be improper. To select any extract from those lectures might not be easy. I only wish the opportunity to be given them of speaking for themselves; being confident, that should any approve of my own homely fare, they will be much pleased with the provision I now propose to their acceptance, not abundant indeed in quantity, but richly so, and most wholesome at the same time, in quality.-P. 432.

In the celebrated list in the "Critic," we do not recollect to have met with the puff fraternal, the puff filial, or the puff paternal; but we shrewdly suspect, that the above may be classed under one or other of these significant appellations. Be this as it may, the encomium is not unmerited, and we are happy to admit the justice of Mr. H. Grant's recommendation of Mr. R. Grant's book.

From the different incidents in the parable of the Prodigal Son, the preacher has pointed out the endearing connexion which exists between the Almighty and his creatures, represented under the image of a Father's affection for his children; the paternal love which he has manifested in the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ, and in the impartial distribution of the means of grace; the danger consequent upon the abuse of these gifts, and the wretched effects of sin; the need and advantages of affliction, in 'bringing the sinner to a sense of his unhappy condition; and the joy

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with which the conversion of every true penitent is witnessed in heaven. The Lectures are a good practical exposition of a very interesting and important passage of Scripture; but they would have been rendered somewhat more complete by an additional Lecture on the character of the elder brother.

Six Lectures on Liberality and Expedience, delivered in Kentish Town Chapel. By the REV. JOHNSON GRANT, M. A. Rector of Binbrook, and Minister of Kentish Town. London: Hatchard. 1830. 12mo. pp. vi. 194. 5s.

GRANT again! Another of the same name, at least, if not of the same family; and not a whit behind his namesakes in his claim to our attention. In these days of mock liberality, when we are called upon to concede the most sacred institutions of our country and religion, to the unhallowed demands of noisy demagogues, and when expedience is a cloak for the grossest violations of public faith, it is time that a line be drawn between the genuine and spurious character of those virtues, of which the names have been of late so much abroad. Our author has taken up the subject upon Scripture principles; and by a reference to the precepts inculcated in the Bible, he has submitted it to the only legitimate test. Liberality, in all its forms and characters, comes under review; its influence upon the moral sentiments is considered and improved; and the nature of true Expedience is then fully investigated and defined. The various distortions under which these qualities continually appear, are pointed out in the fifth Lecture, which is peculiarly deserving of an attentive consideration. Throughout the whole discussion, there is no immediate reference to particular persons; but the whole is conducted on the broad basis of religious duty. There may be some few points on which we should be disposed to differ from Mr. Grant; but they are not so important as to demand especial consideration.

A SERMON.

ISAIAH Ixiv. 6.

We all do fade as a leaf.

To the most careless observer it must be apparent, that there is a great resemblance between those periodical changes which we observe in the natural world, and the earthly state and condition of man. The comparison has been often drawn, and doubtless (to those who sometimes extend their thoughts beyond the immediate occupations and engagements of the present moment,) it has been productive of useful reflection. But because the truth is a common one, shall we discontinue to regard it? Shall we discontinue to derive those lessons of solid wisdom which it is every way adapted to afford? The slightest acquaintance with the human heart will dictate an answer to both these questions. It teaches us that man is a creature, who requires constant admonition to keep him in the path of duty; that, surrounded as he is with temptations fitted to his inclinations and wishes, and varied with all the alluring promises of earthly joy, he needs constant instruction in the way of righteousness, both "in season and out of season," to preserve him from becoming a victim to that corruption of his nature which he inherits as one of the posterity of fallen Adam. This being the view, then, which both reason and revelation will lead us to take, with regard to our present condition, as well as our future destination, surely we should allow no opportunity to escape, no incident (however trifling in its own nature, or common from its frequent recurrence) to pass unheeded by, which may present a check to those pursuits that would militate against our future peace. And any circumstance which reminds us that we are but mortal, if improved by meditation, may conduce to this important end. The different seasons of the year, each in its turn, convey to us striking images of the changing scenes which accompany human life. But we are at present more immediately concerned with that portion of it, to which the text bears relation-the falling of the leaf; the autumn of the year when no one can behold the trees of the forest deprived of that beautiful clothing which decked and graced them through the summer of their season, without reflecting upon his own mortality; for the voice of inspiration informs us, and experience confirms its truth, that we also must all "fade as a leaf."

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But here we must observe that the comparison only extends to, and is offered in illustration of, the mortality of human nature, and the perishable condition of all that relates to that mortality. The leaf fades, withers, drops, and moulders into dust; and so it is with the corporeal part of man- -but the similitude extends no farther. The body indeed, like the leaf, shall crumble into dust; but the spirit, which was breathed

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