to the Son of God: and yet in this reformed Liturgy, all the latter part of the Te Deum; the fecond verficle of the Litany, O Son of God Redeemer of the world, &c. and, O Lamb of God that takes away the fins of the world, &c. are retained. It is true, there are not many inftances of the kind, in the whole fervice; at the fame time we cannot help being of opinion, that there would have been a greater confiftency, if nothing of this kind had occurred. The great principle of the Chriftian religion feems to be, that there is but ONE GOD; that he only is to be worshipped as the fupreme object of all religious homage; and that all acts of Chriftian worship are to be offered up to him, in the name of Jefus Chrift; that is, as his difciples, and with those difpofitions which are recommended in his gofpel.-That the character of our Saviour is the worthy object of honour and veneration, is most readily admitted; that the high offices he is appointed to fuftain in the government of this world, and particularly his regal office and character, do juftly demand our devout attention and obedience, will likewife be allowed: and the memorable declarations he, upon fome extraordinary occafions, made concerning himself, all power is given to me both in heaven and earth; the Father judgeth no man, but bath committed all judgment to the Son; as the Father hath life in himself, fo he hath given to the Son to have life in himself, and to give it to whomsoever he will; do befpeak a moft fignificant character, and could only be fpoken by one who filled up the most important station in the government of God. But notwithstanding this, that JESUS is not equally, and in the fame manner the object of worship as the Supreme Being is, must also be granted. And, therefore, as all our Saviour's inftructions relating to the worship of the DEITY, are fo entirely filent upon this head; as nothing of this kind is mentioned in any part of the Gospels; as the inftances of its being practifed in the firft age of Chriftianity are fo few; and as the fetting up two diftinct objects of worship is a departure from the fimplicity of religion, and may tend to diftract the minds of men; it fhould feem defirable, that the worship of Chriftians, and efpecially in all public affemblies, fhould be directed to the one Supreme God, in the name of his Son, Jefus Chrift.

Inftead of the Abfolution, as it at present stands in the Morning and Evening Service, the Author of this Specimen hath introduced in the fame place, a Declaration to be made by the Minifter alone. He feems to like the word Declaration, as more decent and modeft than Abfolution, and hath expreffed

himfelf with great caution, without departing much from the old form.

Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, having in his holy word commanded his Minifters to declare to all people, that he defireth not the death of a finner, but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live; and that he is ready and willing to pardon and abfolve all them who truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his holy Gofpel; let us the clore befeech him to grant us true repentance and his holy Spirit, that thofe things may pleafe him which we do at this prefent, and that the reft of our life hereafter may be pure and holy, fo that at the laft we may come to his eternal joy, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Thefe are the principal alterations which the Reader will meet with in this Specimen: there are a few others of a verbal kind, which will be generally thought for the better. The Author has alfo added, a new Table of Leffons for each day in the year; and a Table of felected Pfalms for every day of the month. Thefe were neceffary improvements; and they feem to be digefted here in a judicious and proper man

ner.

Upon the whole, as the picus and judicious Editor fays, in his preface," This attempt, as well as fome other Specimens that have appeared in confequence of the Free and candid Difquifitions, plainly fhew this at leaft, how easily our Liturgy might be altered for the better, and what great improvements it is capable of, if our worthy Governors were difpofed to fet about this noble and Chriftian work, and which has been fo long and fo earneftly wifhed for by the most rational members of the Church of England. It would be a glorious event, indeed, if the public fervice was reduced to the ftandard of the New Teftament, fo that nothing was found in the former, but what was warranted by, or not inconfiftent with the latter. This would prove an extraordinary bleffing, not only to this national church, but likewife to other Proteftant churches, at home and abroad, by fetting them a noble example of the neceffity of another Reformation. Above all, by this Chriftian work, England might become the happy occafion of enlightning every part of the globe with the pure Gofpel of Jefus Chrift; nothing being more conducive to this godlike purpose, than to reform those corruptions in the Chriftian church which have hindered the converfion of Jews, Heathens, and Mahometans."

It is not eafy for perfons in common life to foresee when the Governors of the Church will think it a convenient seafon to enter upon this great work of Reformation: or, perhaps, their various fears may for ever prevent them from vigorously engaging in it. Notwithstanding this, if Reformation be neceffary; if the fatisfaction of the moft fenfible and valuable part of the clergy; if the progrefs of knowlege; if the interefts of true religion amongst the laity; if the growth of infidelity and immorality, all cry out for reformation; in the name of God, let it be attempted by thofe who are equally interested in it, and whofe minds are not fubject to the fame fears.

A time of public war, and especially when the dividing voice of faction hath again gone forth amongst all ranks of men, may seem to be unfeafonable for fuch attempts as thefe: Reformation in religion may, perhaps, be better expected amongst the arts and improvements of peace :—when that happy event comes, may it bring along with it to the English church and nation this great and defired bleffing; and amongst the many unequalled honours of the reign of GEORGE III. may it in future ages be faid, that under his wife and aufpicious government this good work was compleated!

In the mean time, every thing which the prefent circumftances of affairs will admit of, ought to be done, in order to prepare the minds of men, and to facilitate the execution of this important defign, when it fhall in earnest be attempted: and, to this end, nothing could have a better tendency, or a more powerful effect, than for thofe Noblemen and Gentlemen who have divine fervice performed in their own domestic chapels, to introduce the use of fome fuch Specimen as is now published. We fhould apprehend they might do it without giving offence to public authority, and especially if the officiating Clergyman had not any other cure in the church. This would be giving fanction to the important defign; the countenance of their example would have the greateft effect upon the minds of their tenants and neighbours: were one inftance of this kind to take place, it would probably foon be followed by many more; and we will take the liberty to fay, that amidst the various public fervices in which perfons of rank are engaged, either in the fenate, or in the adminiftration of juftice and the laws, they could not render a more important fervice to their country, than by contributing, in this manner, to the reformation of religion.

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The Diffenters have frequently been called upon to join their influence towards the accomplishment of this defign and as far as we are able to judge, many of the most rational and fenfible part of that body of people are very well affected to it, and have repeatedly declared their readiness to join in the communion of the national church upon fuch a reformation as hath been propofed. There is, we are told, a very refpectable fociety already formed in one of the northern counties, who have agreed to introduce fuch forms of worfhip into their public fervice, as they can all confcienciously join in and how far this may pave the way for the reformation of the national church, (which our Editor feems to expect from fuch a practice becoming general) time only can discover. This one thing, however, we would beg to fuggeft to them, as a thought not unworthy their confideration; whether it might not be prudent to make ufe of the fpecimen we have now had under our review, as far as they approve of it, in preference to another service which may be prepared for them; which, however just and philosophical it may be in its fentiments, and we doubt not is fo, will, however, have the great objection of novelty against it; aud, probably, may not be fo chafte and fimple in its language.

We defire by no means to be understood as dictating to those who have the molt perfect right to judge and chufe for them→ felves, and, we prefume, are well able to determine what may be the moft prudent meafure in their peculiar circumtances but we hope to be excufed in our carneft wishes, that every event may confpire, and every method be pursued, which may tend to bring about a general Reformation; that the public fervice of religion may be performed in fincerity and truth; and that true and genuine Christianity may prevail against all fuperftition and falfe religion whatsoever,

An Effay on the different Nature of Accent and Quantity, with their Ufe and Application in the Pronunciation of the English, Latin, and Greek Languages; containing an Account and Explanation of the ancient Tones, and a Defence of the present Syftem of Greek accentual Marks, against the Objections of Ifaac Voffius, Henninius, Sarpedonius, Dr. G. and ethers. By John Fofter, M. A. late Fellow of King's College, Cambridge. Svo. 3s. 6d. in boards. Poté, &c.

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HE fubject of this Effay will, probably, be looked upon by many Readers as curious, rather than useful, or of any confiderable importance. Others there are, who will, no doubt, look upon it in a different light. For our part, we shall only obferve, that Mr. Fofter is an able advocate for that fide of the queftion which he expoufes; and that there are fome curious and pertinent remarks to be met with in his Effay. He endeavours, in oppofition to a spreading: opinion, to vindicate, from the imputation of ignorance, abfurdity, and barbarism, the character of those learned Greeks of the lower Empire, to whom Europe, he fays, is greatly indebted for much of that found knowlege it now has: whofe exile and misfortunes are to be pitied; whofe abilities and genius are to be honoured; whofe induftry is to be refpected; whofe labours are to be thankfully received; and of whom every true lover of Greek learning fhould, with pleafure and gratitude, acknowlege himself a follower and admirer.

In the course of his attempt to vindicate our present fyftem of accentual marks, he draws an argument à priori, in proof of the existence of ancient Tones diftinct from Quantity. For as vocal founds are formed by organs of speech which are effential and immutable parts of our nature, they must have been, he fays, in all ages fubftantially and formally the fame, tho' variously modified in their application: and if height and length are different and diftinct qualities of human found at prefent, they muft have been fo in the time of Homer or Aristotle.

When the Greek language became, what it was for several ages, the favourite of foreigners, then thofe perfons, we are told, who particularly ftudied it with a view of illuftrating and making it more generally known, did, in order to facilitate the inftruction of others, wifely and properly enough invent marks of direction for that purpofe; whether exactly in the fame form with thofe we now have, or no, is very in+ fignificant. Marks themfelves are quite arbitrary and if they are but faithful, are good. But whatever figns or charaćters Grammarians devited and ufed on that occafion, the thing fignified by them, i. e. the particular rife and fall of the voice, Mr. Fofter fays, was the fame, not invented by them, but exifting always before them, (as much as speech was before any characters were formed) and only pointed out by them in a certain determinate manner.