new edition was actually published. But, alas I have waited with the utmoft impatience, and the Dr. has not yet informed the world when it is to appear, or what is become of thofe precious fheets which have been already printed. Probably the Dr. has waited to accompany me through this exhibition of Priefly contra Priefly, before he or his book feller dare venture again to tax the patience and good-nature of the public. He thought perhaps, that this refutation would contain fuch objections only, as might eafly be obviated without much alteTation. I hope, therefore, that the Dr. will not be angry (as indufry is one of the talents for which the Monthly Reviewers praise him) when he fees, that if he would ever have his name figure away again before an Effay on Government," it must be an entire new work; as the world is now fo entirely convinced of the abfurdity of the old one, that, however the abilities of the Monthly Reviewers may force them ftill to admire it, yet even they, I will venture to say, have now too much diffidence to praise it. The fecond part of the Dr's Eflay, which treats on Civil Liberty, is divided into three fections. The first I have already examined, I fhall now, therefore, accompany the Dr. to his refutation of the fecond. In the first page of his preface, the Dr. tells his readers, that this thing which he calls an Effay on Government, owed its birth to the remarks he formerly wrote on Dr. Brown's Propofal for a Code of Education," and informs them, that he now intends "to treat of civil and religious liberty without any IMMEDIATE VIEW to Dr. Brown's work." Yet has this fupereminently inaccurate and inconfiftent writer, NO OTHER IMMEDIATE VIEW in the fection I am now about to examine, than an attempt to refute Dr. Brown's Arguments in Favour of a Code of Education, i. e. he HAS an IMMEDIATE VIEW to the very thing, to which he declares he fhall have NO IMMEDIATE VIEW. Dr. Brown fays, that by a CODE OF EDUCATION he means, "a fyftem of principles religious, moral, and political, whofe tendency may be the preservation of the bleffings of fociety, as they are enjoyed in a FREE STATE, to be inftilled effectually into the infant and growing minds of the community for the great end of PUBLIC HAPPINESS. It is without doubt intuitively evident, that whereever fuch a code of education as this is practicable, it mußt be highly beneficial. Yet does this egregious writer, Dr. Prieftly, object in the first place, and undertakes to prove, "that it would be prejudicial to the proper defign of education, and alfo to the great ends of civil focities." The pofitions, therefore, D. P. muft demonftrate for the refutation of Dr. B's fcheme of a code of education, are thefe notorious abfurdities, that to endeavour to inftruct youth to become good men, good neighbours, good citizens, zealous prefervers of the bleffings of jociety, and warm friends of freedom, is NOT the proper defign of education, and that to promote the public happiness is NOT the great end of civil focieties. My readers will, without doubt, be impatient to fee the arguments which Dr. P. ufes for the proof of these curious pofitions. But the truth is, that neither the Dr. nor his friends and peers in genius, the Monthly Reviewers, feem to have had difcernment enough to fee, that to refute Dr. Brown's fcheme, and to establish these pofitions, was one and the fame thing; and, therefore, he does not formally propofe to prove thefe propofitions, though we shall find he does it incidentally. For first, that he may deprive no one known fpecies of abíurdity of the honour of a place in his work, to refute Dr. Brown's propofal he brings arguments against a fcheme of a quite different nature, viz. The fixing an unalterable Mode of teaching the Languages, calling forth the Faculties of the Mind, and cultivating the Sciences. Secondly, Indeed, though (I believe) without feeing the tendency, or knowing the force of his own argument, he does attempt to fhow, that to form good men and good citizens is NOT the proper defign of education; and for all to endeavour to promote the public happiness, is NOT the great end of civil fociety. For in page 78, he fays, "Education taken in its most extensive fenfe is properly that which makes the man. One method of education, therefore, would only produce ONE kind of men, but the GREAT EXCELLENCE of hu Мад man nature confifts in the VARIETY of which it is capable; inftead then of endeavouring, by uniform and fixed fyftems of education to keep mankind always the fame, let us give free Scope to every thing which may bid fair for introducing more VARIETY among us. The VARIOUS character of the Athenians was certainly preferable to the uniform character of the Spartans, or to any UNIFORM NATIONAL CHARACTER WHATEVER." Hence then it is evident, that according to Dr. Prieftly's opinion Dr. Brown's propofal is abfurd, because it would make ALL the fubjects of a state GOOD MEN and GOOD CITIZENS, whereas he thinks the proper defign of education, and the great end of civil fociety is to make SOME men GOOD, SOME BAD, SOME HONEST, SOME KNAVISH, fome PATRIOTICK fome TYRANNIC, and that fuch a VARIOUS character of a people is more for the advantage of fociety than an UNIFORM character of VIRTUE. Excellent politician! admirable legiflator! exquifite inftructor of youth! What honour does it reflect upon that univerfity, whether it was in England, Scotland, or Ireland, which dubbed one fo profound in legiflation a DOCTOR OF LAWS? and what tranfcendent happiness is peculiarly referved for any youths the Dr. may inftruct, if he leaves them to form by practice that beautiful variety of character, of which be feems in theory to be fo enamoured. ARISTARCHUS. [To be continued.] The Names of all those who have been chief Mafters of Merchant-Taylor's School, in the City of London, which began Anno Domini 1561, Elizabethæ Reginæ III. with the Time of their Entrance upon, and Continuance in the Place. aged eighty-four 18. The Rev. James Townley, rector of St Bennet, Gracechurch-ftreet, is the prefent worthy head, or chief mafter of Merchant-Taylor's School, elected Aug. 1760. The Changes and Succeffions of the Chief to the three under Maßters, from the Election of Mr. Thomas Parcell as chief Mafter in the Year 17 7. An IMPARTIAL REVIEW of NEW PUBLICATIONS. ARTICLE I. THE Expedition of Humphrey Clinker. By the Author of Roderic Random. 3 vols. 12mo. 75. 6d. Johnfton. Dr. Smollet's reputation is fo juftly eftablished, particularly in the walk of novelwriting, that very little need be faid to recommend the prefent performance to the public. Yet, though we have read it with much Litisfaction, we cannot pretend to fay it is wholly without imperfections: the title is certainly an improper one, becaufe Humphrey Clinker is one of the leaft confiderable in the whole catalogue of perfons; there is befides, no great contrivance in the plan, nor any thing extremely interefting in the incidents. The characters, however, are marked with all that ftrength of colouring, for which Smollet's pencil is defervedly celebrated; and the reader is either continually entertained with fome whimsical relation, or what is ftill better, instructed with fome original remarks upon men and things, that do honour to the good-fenfe and humanity of the author. The chief characters of this novel are, Mr. Bramble, a Welch old batchellor of great benevolence and extenfive understanding: He has a fifter, an old maid, the very reverie of himfelf in the amiable particulars we have mentioned, together with a niece and a nephew both under age, to whom he is guardian. Having a defire for a journey into Scotland, he goes from Bath to London, and thence northwards accompanied by this family and their domeftics. Previous to the tour, Mifs Melford, his niece, difcovers a prepoffeffion for a trolling player, which nearly involves her brother in a duel, and Excites the difpleafure of her uncle and aunt ; but promifing never more to hold the smalleft intercourfe with Mr. Wilfon, the actor, fhe is forgiven, and our travellers proceed in as uch harmony as the irrafcibility of Mrs. Tabitha Bramble will admit, who is generally miferable herfelf, or endeavouring to make others miferable. On the road, this virago quarrelling with one of the fervants, Humphrey Clinker, a poor country fellow, pickt up in a stable-yard, is engaged through neceflity in his room; and though at fift ftrongly diliked by the old maid, becomes a remarkable favourite in confequence of being a very warm methodift. The defcription of Scarborough, Harrowgate, and the various places through which the family pafs in their way to Scotland, as well as in their return, conftitutes from this period the chief part of the expedition, and the whole is concluded by a marriage between Mifs Melford and Mr. Wilfon, who turns out a gentleman of fortune; with another marriage between Mrs. June, 1771. Tabitha and one Lifmahago, a Scotch lieutenant on half pay, a very extraordinary perfonage; and a third between Tabitha's woman, Winifred Jenkins, and Humphrey Clinker, who proves in the catastrophe a natural fon to Mr. Bramble. From thefe materials the reader will fee, that much of the dreadful dangers, the furprizing efcapes, the deep diftreffes, and the romantic paflions which characterize our modern novel-writers, is not to be expected in this performance; in fact, it is fomething greatly preferable to a novel; it is a pleafing, yet an important leffon on life; and that part of it which defcribes the Scotch nation, is at once calculated to entertain the most gay, and to give the most ferious a very ufetul fund of information. Having faid this, we shall make no apology for laying before our readers a letter (the work is written in the epiftolary manner) from Mr. Bramble to his friend Dr. Lewis in Glamorganshire. Dear Lewis, To Dr. LEWIS. THAT part of Scotland contiguous to Berwick, nature feems to have intended as a barrier between two hoftile nations. It is a brown defert of confiderable extent, that produces nothing but heath and fern; and what rendered it the more dreary when we paffed, there was a thick fog that hindered us from feeing above twenty yards from the earriage-My fifter began to make wry faces, and ufe her fmelling-bottle; Liddy looked blank, and Mrs. Jenkins dejected; but in a few hours thefe clouds were diffipated; the fea appeared upon our right, and on the left the mountains retired a little, leaving an agreeable plain betwixt them and the beach; but, what furprised us all, this plain, to the extent of feveral miles, was covered with as fine wheat as ever I faw in the moft fertila parts of South Britain-This plentiful crop is raised in the open field, without any inclofure, or other manure than the alga marina, or fea-weed, which abounds on this coaft; a circumstance which fhews that the foil and climate are favourable; but that agriculture in this country is not yet brought to that perfection which it has attained in England. Inclofures would not only keep the grounds warm, and the feveral fields diftinct, but would alfo protect the crop from the bigh winds, which are fo frequent in this part of the island. Dunbar is well fituated for trade, and has a curious bafon, where fhips of fmall burthen may be perfectly fecure; but there is little appearance of bufinefs in the place-From thence, all the way to Edinburgh, there is a continual fucceffion of fine feats, belonging to noblemen and gentlemen; and as each is S s furrounded furrounded by its own parks and plantation, they produce a very pleafing effect in a country which lies otherwife open and expofed. At Dunbar there is a noble park, with a lodge, belonging to the Duke of Roxburgh, where Oliver Cromwell had his head-quarters, when Lefley, at the head of a Scotch army, took poffeffion of the mountains in the neighbourhood, and hampered him in fuch a manner, that he would have been obliged to embark and get away by fc, had not the fanaticifm of the enemy fortcited the advantage which they had obtained by their general's conduct Their minifters, by exl.crtation, prayer, affurance, and prophecy, infigated them to go down and flay the Philistines in Gilgal, and they quitted their ground accordingly, notwithstanding all that Lefley could do to reftrain the madness of their enthusiasm When Oliver faw them in motion, he exclaimed," Praifed be the Lord, he hath delivered them into the hands of his fervant !" and ordered his troops to fing a pfaim of thanksgiving, while they advanced in order to the plain, where the Scots were routed with great flaughter. In the neighbourhood of Haddingten, there is a gentleman's house, in the building of which, and the improvements about it, he is faid to have expended forty thoufand pounds; but I cannot fay I was much pleafed with either the architecture or the fituation; though, it has in front a paftoral ftream, the banks of which are laid out in a very agreeable manner. I intended to pay my relpects to Lord Elibank, whom I had the honour to know at London many years ago. He lives in this part of Lothin; but was gone to the North:, on a vifit-You have often heard me mention this nobleman, whom I have long revered for his humanity and univerfal intelligence, over and above the entertainment ariling from the originality of his character-At Muflelburgh, however, I had the good-fortune to drink tea with my old friend Mr. Cardoncl; and at his houfe I met with Dr. C-- the parfon of the parish, whole humour and converfation inflamed me with a delire of being better ac quainted with his perfon-I am not at all fur rifed that thefe Scots make their way in every quarter of the globe. This place is but four miles from Edinburgh, towards which we proceeded along the fea-fore, upon a firm bottom of fmooth fand, which the tide had left uncovered in its retreat Edinburgh, from this avenue, is not feen to much avantage - We had only an imperfect view of the Caftle and upper parts of the town; which varied inceffantly according to the inflexions of the read, and exhibited the appearance of detached fpires and turrets, belonging to fome magnificent edifice in ruins. The palace of Holyrood house hands on the left, as you enter the Cannongate This is a street continued from hence to the gate called Nether Bow, The inhabitants feem infenfible to the impreffions, and are apt to imagine the dif guft that we avow is little better than affection; but they ought to have fome compa fion for ftrangers, who have not been used to this kind of fufferance; and confider, whe ther |