wonderful machines as perform what the united labour of millions, by the feverest drudgery, could not accomplish. Agriculture toc, the most useful of arts, has received its fhare of improvement from the fame fource: Poetry likewife is of excellent ufe, to enable the memory to retain ⚫ with more ease, and to imprint with more energy upon the heart, precepts of virtue and virtuous actions. Since we left the world, from the little root of a few letters Science has spread its branches over all Nature, and raised its head to the heavens. Some Philofophers have entered fo far into the councils of Divine Wisdom, as to explain much of the great operations of Nature. The dimenfions, distances, and caufes of the revolutions of the Planets, the path of • Comets, and the nature of Eclipfes, are understood and "explained. Can any thing raife the glory of the human < fpecies more, than to see a little creature, inhabiting a small fpot, amidst innumerable worlds, taking a furvey of the univerfe, comprehending its arrangement, and entering into the fcheme of that wonderful connection and correfpondence of things fo remote, and which it feems the utmost exertion of Omnipotence to have established? What a volume of wifdom, what a noble Theology do thefe difcoveries open to us! While fome fuperior Geniuses have foared to thefe fublime fubjects, other fagacious and diligent minds have been enquiring into the moft minute works of the infinite Artificer: the fame care, the fame Providence is exerted through the whole, and we fhall learn from it, that to true Wisdom utility and fitness appear perfection, and whatever is beneficial is noble.'

The next, between Mercury and a modern fine Lady, is a pleafant ridicule on the trifling, diffipated manner in which our modifh fair ones mifpend their time.

The laft, between Plutarch, Charon, and a modern Bookfeller, is a lively fatire on the literary taste of the prefent age, which, to the great difgrace of Letters, delights in fabulous, obfcene, and immoral Romances.

These three Dialogues abound with good fenfe, sprightly fentiments, and found morality: and if they do not furpafs, are not inferior to, the preceding ones. In few words, thefe Writers are worthy to appear together, like friendly Geniuses, who are above the little jealousy of rivalfhip.

Thus have we endeavoured to give our Readers a general idea of the substance and design of thefe Dialogues: as each

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relates

relates to a different fubject, our limits would not allow us to comment fo frequently as we wifhed, on fuch various matter. We must observe, however, that, in fome Dialogues, a third perion might have been introduced with great propriety, from whofe mouth feveral encomiums might have come, with a better grace, and more force, which the characters are fomewhat unnaturally made to pay themselves, on their own ex

cellencies.

Upon the whole, our Author's intentions in this entertaining work, feems to have been more to fhew the elegance of his tafte, than the power of his genius, or ftrength of his. judgment. He has rather lightly skimmed the more serious subjects he has treated of, than entered into them with that depth of difcernment, and acutenefs of penetration, of which the world knows him to be mafter, from fpecimens he has given on former occafions: and, indeed, we much doubt whether the method of Dialogue is well calculated to examine important truths, which require deep inveftigation, and a connective chain of reafoning.

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The Sermons of Mr. Yorick-Or, Sermons by Laurence Sterne, A. M. Prebendary of York, and Vicar of Sutton on the Foreft, and of Stillington near York. 12mo. 2 vols. 6s. Dodsley.

BE

EFORE we proceed to the matter of these Sermons, we think it becomes us to make fome animadverfions on the manner of their publication, which we confider as the greatest outrage againft Senfe and Decency, that has been offered fince the first establishment of Chriftianity--an outrage which would scarce have been tolerated even in the days of paganism.

Had thefe Difcourfes heen fent into the world, as the Sermons of Mr. Yorick, pursuant to the first title-page, every ferious and fober Reader must have been offended at the indecency of fuch an affumed character. For who is this Yorick? We have heard of one of that name who was a Fester-we have read of a Yorick likewife, in an obfcene Romance.-But are the folemn dictates of religion fit to be conveyed from the mouths of Buffoons and ludicrous Romancers? Would any man believe that a Preacher was in earneft, who should mount the pulpit in a Harlequin's coat?

However, had his first title-page only appeared, we might have had the fatisfaction to have fuppofed, that fome licen

tious Layman had prefumed to publifh thefe Difcourfes, under this affumed character, as a ridicule on Religion. But what fhall we fay to the fecond title-page, in which the Reverend and dignified Author does not fcruple to avow his real name, and give us the following information in his preface.

The Sermon,' fays he, which gave rife to the publication of thefe, having been offered to the world as a Sermon of Yorick's, I hope the ferious Reader will find nothing to offend him, in my continuing thefe two volumes under the fame title left it fhould be otherwife, I have added a fe"cond title-page with the real name of the Author:-the first will ferve the Bookfeller's purpose, as Yorick's name is poffibly of the two the more known;-and the second will eafe the minds of thofe who fee a jeft, and the danger which lurks under it, where no jeft was meant.

I fuppofe it needlefs to inform the public, that the reafon of printing thefe Sermons, arifes altogether from the favourable reception which the Sermon, given as a fample of them, in TRISTRAM SHANDY, met with from the • world.'

Is it poffible that a man of fuch wit and understanding as our Author poffefies, fhould have fo little decency and difcretion? How can he fuppofe that the fecond title-page will cafe people's minds? Will it not rather difturb them the more, to find a Dignitary of the Church fo loft to virtue, and fo infenfible of fhame, as openly to acknowlege himself the Author of fo indelicate a Novel; and what is still worse, to use it as a recommendation of works which he publishes in his facred character.

Muft obfcenity then be the handmaid to Religion-and muft the exordium to a fermon, be a fmutty tale? Tillotfon, Clarke, and Fofter found other means of raifing attention to divine truths; and their names will be refpected, when those of YORICK and TRISTRAM SHANDY will be forgotten or defpifed.

It will be in vain for our Author to plead in excufe of this indecency, we might ufe a harfher term, that his end is good, and that his Difcourfes inculcate the pure precepts of Virtue and Morality. Excellent as they are, they are introduced without propriety, and to no effect. It is as unfeemly to make Yorick Gentleman-ufher to Mr. Sterne, as it would be to appoint Scaramouch Prolocutor to the Convocation. How can we think that a Preacher fpeaks from his heart, when

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his example belies his doctrine? or how can we believe that Mr. Sterne is ferious, while Yorick is on the grin ?

If, as the Reverend Writer premifes, the name of Ferick is more known than that of Sterne, we are forry for it.-More fhame to the Divine, who has made the Jefter so noted!A Fool's cap does but ill become a Reverend head. If the order of fociety requires that there fhould be a diftinction of characters, Yorick and Sterne, instead of being one and the fame perfon, fhould have been, in public at least, as utter ftrangers as Mofes and Mahomet.

If Religion is a ferious duty, if it is neceffary that a felect body of men, called the Clergy, fhould be fet apart to inftruct mankind in that most important concern, they ought to fupport the dignity of their facred function, and enforce their doctrine," not only with their lips but with their lives."

If, on the contrary, thefe holy Paftors are not neceffary, if religious precepts will have the fame effect when uttered by a Libertine in masquerade habit, as when delivered by a Priest in a gown and caflock, then the diftinction becomes a farce; and it is an injury to fociety, that fuch an useless order should be fupported out of the labours of industry.

Perhaps the Reverend Writer, inflated with vanity, and intoxicated with applaufe, will affect to fmile at our ftrictures, which ought to awaken him to ferious reflection-Perhaps he will be forward to perfuade himfelf and others, that we reprehend his indecencies, becaufe we envy his fuccefs. But in this he is more likely to impose upon himself, than to deceive others.

The wanton Harlot affects to laugh at the indignant scorn of Chastity he calls virtue prudery; and would perfuade herfelf and the world, that the contempt and reproach to which the is hourly fubject, arife from envy of her fuperior charms and endowments. In fhort, this is the common affectation of every Libertine and Proftitute, from K-F. down to TRISTRAM SHANDY.

But we are fo far from envying the fuccefs of the Reverend Author's writings, that we fhould have rejoiced to fee fuch a numerous and noble appearance of Subfcribers, had the manner of publication been as unexceptionable as the matter of his Sermons, which, in our judgment, may ferve as models for many of his brethren to copy from. They abound with moral and religious precepts, clearly and forcibly exprelled: though we

here

1

here and there meet with an affectation of archnefs, which is unfuitable to Discourses of this nature.

It might have been expected that their Lorships the Bishops, whose names appear among the Catalogue of noble Subscribers, would have exerted their influence and authority over the Reverend Writer, in order to diffuade him from publishing thefe Sermons under the ludicrous character of the firft title-page, which is an apparent mockery on religion.-A mockery, which their names, above all others, ought never to

countenance.

Had they been published as the works of Mr. Sterne, we might have had the privilege of supposing at least, that he was not the fame person who wrote TRISTRAM SHANDY: but as he has taken fuch pains to uncover his own nakedness, we can only lament, in his own words, that men are fo utterly inconfiftent and irreconcileable with themselves- Look at a man,' fays he, in one light, and he shall seem wife, penetrating and difcreet: behold him in another point of view, and you fee a creature all over folly and indifcretion." Too true, indeed, Reverend Sir! But furely it was unneceffary for YOU to exhibit YOURSELF to public view, as a glaring inftance of the truth of your obfervation, fince no man could doubt the juftice of it, without giving the lie to his own experience. R-d

We have as yet only read the first volume of thefe Sermons, and muft poftpone the account of the second till our next number. If we are to judge of the whole, however, from what we have read, we cannot but think, that the perufal of them will give great pleasure to every Reader who has any regard for moral fubjects, or tafte for good writing. We know of no compofitions of this kind in the English language, that are written with more eafe, purity, and elegance; and tho' there is not much of the pathetic or devotional to be found in them, yet there are many fine and delicate touches of the human heart and paffions, which, abftractedly confidered, fhew marks of great benevolence and fenfibility of mind. If we confider them as moral Effays, they are, indeed, highly commendable, and equally calculated for the entertainment and inftruction of the attentive Reader.

* Sermon 2d, he takes the following words for his text—It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the boufe of feasting-then he opens his Sermon in the following pert manner That I deny.'— + Sermon 11, p. 112, vol. II.