is faid, that he often reftored them to health and life; a fick fig, or orange tree must be pulled up by the root; he inspected their parts with care, and then treated them by bathing or by amputation; and he prescribed a proper diet. But all this apparatus of feeming quackery, failed not to have often a good effect.'

In fpeaking of filk, one of the most valuable articles of commerce, he obferves, I must exprefs my furprise at the paucity of trials made with regard to it. Silk-worms are fed with mulberry-leaves, which fhoot very late in the year, and by that means are fubject to much inconveniency. Why, therefore, not look out for fome more common, more easy, more cheap food for these infects; befide briar-tops, on which they feed very readily, they live commodioufly on elm or fig-leaves, but especially on lettuce.-Sugar, of all foreign productions, forms at prefent the most general branch of commerce; and I am well perfuaded that our tafte allured by, and accustomed to its sweetness, could not brook the want of it, did any fovereign profcribe it his territories. And, I am likewife perfuaded, that the canes, which produce it, would with difficulty thrive with us: but, fince we have found, that the juice, the fap, the effential falt of fome of our kitchen plants, and fome of our trees, are poffeffed of a fweetness approaching that of fugar; why not bring these trials to perfection, and multiply the plants on which the trials may be made?

In the chapter on Manure we have the following paffage: To have a fat hog, it is particularly towards the clofe of his life that he is to be beft fed. And perhaps the fame method fhould be used with corn. It is the general obfervation that the fields are all nearly of equal beauty, when the corn begins. to peep out of the ground; the appearance is every where the fame, or nearly fo, be the foil fat or lean. But it is at the approach of harveft, we diftinguish the good quality of the foil I mean that there is fufficient juice almoft every where, to give birth to plants; and that means fhould be devised for watering, for diftributing a better nourishment, in proportion. as the item ftands more in need of it; especially about the time that the flowers are about to form or fet, in order to produce feed. By this obfervation, we might, perhaps, come to husband the manure, and make greater advantage of it. That monftrous cabbage, whofe vaft fize was matter of astonishment, and under which was found an old fhoe, owed in par ticular this exceffive vegetation or growth to the juices it continued pumping to the laft; while the common manures, being of fervice almoft only at the beginning, fupply nothing farther when vegetables ftand moft in need of nourishment.'

In treating on Animals it is obferved, As change of one climate proves hurtful and pernicious to certain animals; another, it is poffible, may prove favourable. Tobacco, which was originally brought us from the land of Tobago, proves much better in many other places, particularly in Virginia. The vines taken from the circumjacency of the Rhine, and from Burgundy, make at this day the Canary and Cape wines. The bullocks of Hungary and Poland have improved in Switzerland and other places. The sheep of Spain fo fuperior in wool, to all others, are originally from Africa. Our poultry yards have been stocked with different animals which have perfectly well thriven. This fuccefs fhould invite to new trials, from which, fociety would, with gratitude, draw the agreeable and the useful. The rein-deer, fo fleet, the delightful antelope, the rhinoceros, the oftrich, &c. would, perhaps, live very well with us.'

We fhall add, to the above, the following paffage: There often happens in the country an inconvenience, which how inconfiderable foever it may appear, feems to me to merit the aid of the naturalift: It often takes feveral hours, and even whole days, to churn the cream, without being able to make butter come. The poor country maids teaze themfelves to death, fometimes fecking the warmth, fometimes the cool, and throwing falt into the churn, but all to no purpose; both their labour and their cream are loft. There may poffibly be fomewhere an infallible method to prevent this accident, and, in that cafe, it should be made public as much as poffible. An academy, preferring the useful to the brilliant, which would propofe this queftion for the prize they diftribute, would do a greater service to the public, than by propofing so many frivolous, particular, or futile queftions as we fee at times announced.'

The last citation we fhall make is from the eighteenth chap ter; Honey was formerly in great ufe; but fince fugar is become fo common, we have quitted our native production for that of America. I imagine, that medicine is in this a confiderable lofer, and that the virtue of an extract, made from the most valuable particles of a thoufand different flowers, cannot but have the advantage over the juice of a cane. Be fide, fugar is become almost a commodity of the firft neceffity, fo as to reduce all Europe to a state of dependence on the new world. It is on all thefe accounts, that I propose the extracting the falt or fugar of honey; I imagine we might give it the whiteness of the fineft fugar. We fee that wax, which is nearly of the fame colour is brought to rival fnow in whitenels. There are, befide, certain diftricts, where the honey is naturally of the finest white. If, therefore, we could come

to

to chryftalize the falt of honey, it might, poffibly, gain a more agreeable tafte than that of the American fugar. An object this, of policy, of health, of reafon, and ceconomy, and merits, doubtless, the application of the naturalift; happy the man who fhall enrich his country with this difcovery!'

We have dwelt, perhaps, too long on this article, but were defirous to give our Readers fome view of the writer's propofals. There is a variety of other hints, and among them, fome which are fo fanciful, that they feem unworthy of any trial; but we every where meet with fenfible remarks, though the Author, at times, makes us think of his own observation : It is not in the clofet a man can become a good farmer, the hand which never held but a pen must not pretend to direct that which is to guide the plough.'-The book appears to have been publifhed, in the original, about the year 1768.It is to be wished that naturalifts, &c. may apply themfelves to fome of the enquiries here recommended;-amidft fuch a number of fubjects, by repeated application, it is probable they will find fome fuccefs; according to the motto chofen by this Author;

Quis eft enim, qui totam diem jaculans, non aliquando collinet?

CICERO.

ART. X. A Sermon preached at the Opening of a Chapel in MargaretStreet, Cavendifb-Square; and the Introduction of a Liturgy on the univerfal Principles of Religion and Morality. On Sunday April 7, 1776. By D. Williams. 8vo. 6 d. Payne, &c.

ART. XI. A Liturgy on the univerfal Principles of Religion and Morality. 8vo. 2 s. fewed. Payne, &c. 1776.

HIS ingenious Writer, in his Effays on public Worship, Patriotifm, and Projects of Reformation, of which we gave a large account in our Review for March 1773*, propofed and recommended the forming of a religious fociety, in which the offices of devotion fhould be conducted on the general principles of piety and virtue, without introducing the peculiar doctrines of Chriftianity, or of any fyftem whatever, that is thought to proceed from fupernatural revelation. The fcheme, there difplayed and enforced, is now carried into execution; and we are here prefented with the first fermon preached on the occafion, and with the liturgy made ufe of at the chapel in Margaret-ftreet, Cavendish fquare.

The text is taken from Hebrews x. 25. Not forfaking the affembling of ourselves together, as the manner of fome is; and the difcourfe opens with the following obfervations:

* See alfo Review for July, 1774.

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The entire profligacy and deftruction of a people are effected by a neglect of thofe means by which they were originally led to virtue and glory. Some of thofe means; like most of the inftruments of human wifdom; will not bear the examination of reason: and though they may have effected wonders, from the mifapprehenfion or superftition of the people, they may also have had fome circumstances about them extremely ridiculous and abfurd. These circumftances are not discerned in the early state of focieties, when the principles that animate them are warm and impetuous. The end in view was generous, and noble; and the heads of men had not yet learnt to chufe the means, by which their hearts were to be gratified. The early periods of fociety, like thofe of human life, are times of action, not of difquifition: and as the heart has generally proved a better guide than the head; and rendered the youth of a man more virtuous, though lefs knowing, than his age; fo in communities, the firit periods have been virtuous, under the direction of the public paffions; and the laft have been profligate and vicious, while they abounded in knowledge and philofophy.'

The Author, in applying this fact to his prefent purpose, remarks, that one of the principles which animated our brave and virtuous ancettors; which gave a fublimity to the favagenefs of their virtues; impelled them to actions of difinterested patriotim, and gave that wisdom to their legiflation and policy, at which we are aftonished-was Religion: whereas their defcendants, improved in all the arts of life; intelligent in the principles and interefts of society; adorned with names which fcience and philofophy will hand down to eternity—are advancing to a political decrepitude and deftruction, from a strange and wretched Irreligion. This, he hath no doubt, will appear a paradox to fome of his hearers, who have been accuftomed to annex ideas to religion, which belong only to prepoffeffion and fuperftition. He ftates, therefore, the objection which may be made by fuch perfons; and, in the answer to it, he informs us, that when he takes up the cause of religion, he does not mean any particular mode of it.

If, fays he, we obferve that the world and all the beings in it are formed with wifdom; that every want may be fupplied, and every defire gratified, by an infinity of provifions, which feem to imply the greatest goodness in the Being who made them: this will be fufficient to all the purpofes of religion. All inquiries into the nature of that being, whofe works only we can fee, are fruitless; for none by fearching can find Him out. Piety therefore confifts in attention to the works of God; and to the power, wisdom, and goodnefs which they exhibit. This cannot be done without delight, gratitude, and virtuous refolutions-without an intention to act in our little fpheres, in fome degree, according to thofe great principles we have been contemplating. In public worship, thefe pleafures and refolutions receive an increased ftrength, from those focial af. fections which are the moft powerful principles of our nature.?

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It is here, Mr. Williams thinks, that philofophy and philofophers seem to be defective; and very juftly to come under the reproach and even the execration of the people. After having difcuffed this point with much ingenuity, he fhews the importance of public worship, in such a manner as cannot fail of giving pleasure to all who are friends to the cause of virtue, and to the general welfare of fociety.

Every man who is at all diftinguished by his understanding or knowledge, has a number of people who look up to him, and are afected by his example. If they fee him neglect the duties of pub. lic worship; their conclufion is, that they may do fo likewife; for a man of his understanding must have good reafons for his conduct. This truth may be illuftrated in England; not by private inftances only; but by means of parishes and provinces. When the country gentleman refided on his eftate; and had fo much religion as to attend his church; all the parifh followed his example; the people were put in mind of their duties; and their morals were regular and good. At prefent, if a gentleman occafionally vifits his eftate, he never attends any kind of public worship. The confequences almoft univerfally over England are, that the churches are deferted, and the people profligate and abandoned. They have no method of frequently recollecting their religious and moral obligations; and the motives and reasons of a virtuous conduct are never laid before them. The general diffolutenefs and wretchedness of the people are to be attributed principally to these causes.

Vice

'It seems to be our duty therefore to attend the offices of public worship, because we may thereby make the beft ufe of our knowledge. in the works of God, by rendering the wisdom and goodness they discover, the reasons of a moral conduct: we may keep up the moft pleafing kind of fociety with our fellow-creatures; do them fervice by our examples; and affift in counteracting that univerfal profigacy which is deftroying all our public and private virtues. has her affociations in every treet: under various denominations, there are public nurseries of all kinds of profanenefs and iniquity. Our youth, after a trifling and fuperficial education; after exchang. ing their prejudices abroad, for foreign principles and foreign infidelity, if any thing be wanting they are there perfected in iniquity.Speak to thefe people of your religion. You, who have spent your thousands in the education of your fon; and who fee nothing for it; but that he can speak trifling things in the trifling language of a neighbouring country; fpeak to him of the offices of religion, and ak him to go to church; he will fmile at your folly, and haften to thefe temples of vice. If the old ground of myfteries and cree.ls be not tenable, why fhould it not be quitted for better?-Because our youth can laugh at our prejudices-are they to run headlong to deftruction for want of fome means of putting them frequently in mind of their most important duties? In our prefent fituation, we should defert the outworks, and fly to the citadel; for the enemy is there already.

It may be faid that if we confine our public fervices to the most important moral duties, they are fo well understood, that it would