that the hand-writing of the Liber the volume 7158, can only be anteignium in the volume 7156, cannot be cedent to the end of the fifteenth older than the last half of the fourteenth century. century, and that the copy inserted in ORIGINAL CRITICISM FOR JULY, 1805. "Nulli negabimus, nulli differemus justitiam." A VIEW OF RELIGIONS. A View of Religions, in Three Parts. By Hannah Adams. Aneu Edition, with Corrections and Additions. To which is prefixed, An Essay on Truth: By Andrew Fuller. Button. 6s. & 9s. THE variety of opinions in the re shews that he is utterly unfit for the task he has undertaken; in fact he appears enamoured of his own bigotry. Indeed, for a man thus wedded to his opinions, to talk of truth, is preposterous; it may serve to confirm the blind admiration of the multitude, but it can render no service to the cause of pure christianity. Tig of matter of astonishment to those who are not Without pursuing this gentleman acquainted with the nature of the paragraph by paragraph in this ssay, human mind. Persons in general we shall just notice the curious and deem it a strange phenomenon, superficial manner, after which he has whilst the infidel converts it into a treated this important subject. After serious objection against the truth of having laid down the leading articles christianity. of calvinism, he quotes those passages In a performance of this complexion of scripture which have been most we expect a rigorous impartiality: in- controverted, but which, in our transdeed a publication of this kind has no lation, have been thought favourable merit in our eyes, without strict atten- to his system. He then adds: "If tion to the truth. It ought to resemble language have any determinate meana correct map, where the metropolis ing, it is here plainly taught," &c. is seen in the centre, and all other and "If this doctrine be received, places retain their appropriate position, christianity is received; if not, the rethough scattered to the extremity of cord which God hath given of his the kingdom. The author of such a Son is rejected, and he himself treated work has only to study accuracy: this as a liar!" It is really lamentable is the sine qua non; that quality which thus to perceive a man of sense either will impart to it real and substantial deceiving himself or deceiving others. value in the estimation of the public. Mr. Fought to know better; he Should these remarks prove just, cannot call such a mode of putting we cannot think favourably of the things together argument; and it is Essay on Truth, prefixed to this work; impossible, that with any unprejudiced the sole purpose of which is, to pre- mind, it should generate conviction. judice the reader in favour of one sect A papist might come forward with or party, to the disparagement of all much greater plausibility, and introthe rest. Evangelical truth, as it is duce the passage-1 -This is my body, individiously called, forms the basis of &c. This is my blood of the New Testhe Essay, and by which we are to tament, &c. and then add, "If lanunderstand moderate calvinism, or a guage have any determinate meaning, degree of calvinism; which, after all, it is here plainly taught, that transubmust be pronounced far below the stantiation is the doctrine of the New usual standard of orthodoxy. Had Testament; If this doctrine be reMr. Fuller introduced the work with ceived, christianity is received; if not, some remarks illustrative of the va- the record which God hath given of rious opinions stated in the work, we should have thanked him for his labour but for this his endeavour to strengthen and promote a spirit of bigotry, he deserves our reprobation. The contemptuous manner in which As reviewers, we deem it our duty Mr. F. speaks of moderation and cha- to detect and expose such a spirit; it rity, in the first paragraph of the Essay, has been the bane of religion in every his Son is rejected, and he himself treated as a liar!!!"- Surely Mr. F. must be ashamed of such a fallacious manner of treating the most important subject in the world. age, and is in direct opposition to the ild and gentle, the meek and humble genius of christianity. That such an Essay should be prefixed to such a work, must at once condemn it: the reader will expect to look in vain for a fair abstract of the opinions of individuals or parties, whom the editor has thus previously branded with the odious name of heretics; and who, thus rejecting the record which God hath given of his Son, must, in his opinion, be damned to irretrievable misery. ON THE SCIENCE OF DEFENCE. A Treatise on the Science of Defence, for the Sword and Bayonet, &c. in close Action. Price il. Is. in Bds. Illustrated with Plates. Dedicated to H.R.H. the Commander in Chief. By Anthony Gordon, A. M. Captain of Invalids retired; who, from his local rank, is commonly called Major. WE have with due attention perused this new and extraordinary Treatise ; and from our conviction of its utility, we have no hesitation in recommending it as a most instructive and inte resting production, illustrating a great military subject, as important in its consequences to the present and future generations, as any ever agitated in As to the work itself, it may be sufficient to say, that it is in the form of a dictionary; that it embraces a great number of articles; and that where the prejudices of the editor do this country. not interfere, we may in general rely Whatever our favourable opinion on the information. The Appendix, of this work may be, we confess that however, contains a declaration wor- we are not so much surprised with its thy of attention: "All who profess to intrinsic merits and its present apbelieve in divine revelation, accede to pearance, as we are to find that a the following articles. 1. That there military subject of such immense is one Supreme Being of infinite per- magnitude and importance should fection. 2. That the Supreme Being have remained so long neglected, and is the object of religious worship. as it were concealed from the wisdom 3. That Jesus of Nazareth is the and sagacious penetration of so many Messiah. 4. That there will be a ages. resurrection. And 5. That piety and It is true that Saxe and Guibert virtue will be rewarded, and impiety have suggested that decisive advanand vice punished." It is also added, tages would result to any army con that upon every religious system versant in the science of defence, were now embraced, it is our duty and in- it rendered dexterous in applying the terest to be virtuous and pious." In fort to the foible in close action." But these sentiments we heartily concur: these celebrated tacticians entered not they have our unreserved approbation. into any detail of particulars, nor into But if these things are so, how could the modus operandi, but left this mothe editor declare that persons receiv- mentous subject where they found it, ing or admitting the above articles, open to the first occupant. Our precan be said to reject the record which sent author has come happily forward God hath given of his Son, especially to fill up the void; and with what if the admission of these articles be ability is manifest from his work, and conducive to virtue and piety? But system of exerci e proposed; to which it is the nature of bigotry to contradict (in our opinion) there can exist no coitself. Let us, however, remember, lour of objection, excepting only such that all the above essential articles are as has been opposed to the first introadmitted by every denomination; and that it is an irrefragable argument for their cultivation of moderation and charity. We trust, then, the efforts of partizans will be of little avail, and that persons of every system of faith will unite together in promoting, not the jargon of human creeds, but the divine influence of scriptural christianity. duction of all arts and sciences by ig norance and prejudice, and which have been dispelled by the rays of light and truth, whenever they were permitted to make their appearance. For were the question put in regard to the superiority in war, of science or ignorance, of discipline or indiscipline, common sense, independently of rational discussion, would decide in favour of science, and against chance and ignorance. A second question. Do the esta- of a few passages of the introduction, blished exercises (which are comprised &c. reserving ourselves for more coin the manual and the movements) pious extracts on future occasions. give the soldier any idea of the science The demonstration of the aforesaid of defence in close action? Does dex- advantages, resulting from Major Gorterity in the manual give any notion don's system, will appear, we are into the man of making thrusts and clined to suppose, in the work before. guards for his defence any mode of us, (which is honoured with the pasaving himself and destroying the tronage of the Commander in Chief, enemy at the same time? Does the and was composed by the order of His manual, or any part of it, instruct Royal Highness, to whom it is dedimen in the powers of the firelock, as cated) as clear and cogent as any of a lever to apply the fort to the foible? the collaries in Euclid. The answer must be, No. And in Major Gordon being ordered to turn our opinion, that science is neither in his thought the subject of the science. useless nor chimerical, but, on the of defence, is aware of the difficulty of contrary, the most useful and im- giving an adequate idea of the elements; portant that explains and communi- more particularly, as he has been in the cates a precise knowledge of the mode habit of demonstrating the powers of the of destroying the enemy, and of pre- sword by practice, more than by words. venting the effusion of patriotic blood He regrets that his talents are not more at the same time. And we have too commensurate to the subject: however, high an opinion of the solid sense and such as they are, they shall be willingly talents of our defenders in arms, who exerted in the contribution of this mite of are emulous to conquer or die for assistance. If, as a pioneer, he should be their king and country, to suppose found useful in clearing the way, in re-. that they will not be unanimous in moving any of those asperities which concurring in the measure of extend- might retard the progress of our defenders ing the science of defence to batallions, in their course to glory, he will be highly and of exercising them daily and un- gratified." remittingly in this practice, previously to their meeting the enemy. "It might be said, that the present strength and glory of the nation, its army. This science (as we take it) is two- of 800,000 heroes, who are resolved to fold, viz. general and individual. The meet and fight, to conquer or to die for utility of individual defence is not their country, do not require the aid of controverted, but admitted, as there this exercise, recommended by an invalid. are schools and masters established The old soldier rejoices to find that the for the purpose of instructing indivi- nation is now armed, and competent to duals in the use of the hand weapon. the demolition of the enemy. The exBut all the advantages of individual ploits of His Majesty's forces achieved in defence, multiply in proportion: to the close action, both by sea and land, have number of individuals instructed in demonstrated their superiority, and are the science, so as to co-operate. engraved on the heart of the nation: but The essence and perfection of the as the discipline is common, and equal, general aggregate defence, will depend they cannot insure the destruction of the on the skill and precision of the indi- enemy, without the effusion of patriotic viduals constituting the whole collect- blood at the same time; wherefore that ed body. The great object of the work science cannot be too studiously cultivated, before us, is two-fold, viz. 1st, To which invigorates individuals with a power instruct individuals in the powers of of defending themselves, without suffering the firelock, so as to give them an in- from the enemy at the same instant." dividual advantage over the enemy of "This science will render the destrucsixty to one. 2dly, To combine and tion of the enemy inevitable in close exercise the individuals in such mar- action; inspire unusual confidence; it will tial practices and attitudes, as will give redouble the national enthusiasm, and exthem a superiority in number of two cite a contempt for the enemy." to one, in the same space, in the mo- "Gordo has been flattered as the ment of close action, whatever the proprietor of a new exercise; but he cannumber of the enemy may be in the not a rogate to himself the honour of infield. Our circumscribed limits must venting an exercise which was practised confine us, at present, to the citation more than two thousand years ago. He project went only to review a system Unfortunately for this science, its protector which had been neglected for the last resigned his situation; but he took care to sixteen hundred years. On joining the recommend the prosecution of the subject regiment, he was astonished to find no to the succeeding commander in chief, exercise for close action; no notion of Sir William Pitt, who gave it similar enmaking thrusts, cuts, and parades; no couragement. After repeated experiments system of defence or offence; for the exhibited before him, and the late Duke established exercises are adapted only to of Rutland, who was then the Lord Lieuthe missile weapon, and to the move- tenant of Ireland, the project was offered, ments in line, column, square, and echil- under that illustrious sanction, to His Malon, &c. Unable to account for this de- jesty's notice. His Majesty was pleased fect, he made much research, first in this to order one hundred recruits to be precountry, and afterwards on the continent, pared in the new exercise: these men to no purpose. The system every where were honoured by the Royal inspection, established was the same, and differed only and by his Majesty's high approbation; in some trifling minutia. Being thus - which was most graciously, and directly expectedly disappointed, he was obliged signified by his Majesty, and after that to trace the exercises to their origin. At also by a Roval message, delivered by the length he was gratified with the sight of late Sir William Fawcett, then the Adthe exercise in question, which still re- jutant General." mains dormant in the magazines of anti- "From experiments made upon ten quity in those magazines which are stored different occasions, it appears that this with GOLD and DIAMONDS, from which science doubles the number of the forces, great kings, philosophers, orators, poets, and historians, have illumined themselves and their countries.' in all times and places of close action; and that it invigorates each man with an addition of power, twenty times greater than his former power, as is demonstrated in the appendix, from the powers of the lever." "The established exercises are descended from the ancient system; in many respects they have been simplified and improved; they are well adapted to the mis- We are to observe here, that the sile weapon; the idle and superfluous ranks author is far from exaggerating; for are removed, and adjusted in the order the power of the fort of the firelock, now established. This order gives them with the bayonet affixed, or of any an opportunity of co-operating to succour hand weapon equally long, when their friends and dest oy the enemy. The compared to the power of the foible, ancients admired facility and simplicity in is one hundred to one, as is proved their movements; they rejected those from the powers of the lever. which were complex and perplexed; such for example as "the marching a square by its right, or by its left front angle, &c.” Finding the exercises partly improved in their descent, although much mutilated and vitiated in their fundamental and essential parts; under these circumstances, and the conviction of his own mind, he solicited the attention of the late General Burgoyne, then commanding the forces in Ireland, to the p oject of introducing some kind of exercise for close action. The project, in the opinion of the General, appeared to be of great magnitude, and required mature deliberation. After three months consideration, he thought it incredible that any science could enable one man to defend himself against twenty grenadiers in immediate succession: he could not believe it, until he had seen the experiment exhibited, and proved by repetition. The General being thus convinced, had no hesitation in ordering a detachment to be trained in the bayonet exercise. As to the origin of the science, &c. "The progress of arms thus compressed by Horace, viz. "Unguibus et pugnis, dein fustibus Pugnabant artis quæ fabricaverat was like that of all other sciences, by slow "The Grecian states, however discordant on other points, concurred in the policy of encouraging gymnastic exercises, as is manifest from the very signal honours accumulated upon the victors of the Isthmian, Pythian, Nemean, and the celebration of the Olympic games. "The conquering heroes (Olympiania), were crowned, and rode triumphantly in were noted for wealth, accumulated by stare chariots, in right lines, through the this traffic. cities, whose walls were levelled for the "There were at least fourteen sects, purpose, and had their names immortalized (familiæ gladiatorum) such as the betiarii, in the inimitable effusions of Pindar, &c. secutores, samnites, galli myrmillones, The revolution of time was even marked, &c. &c. In his edileship, Julius Cæsar and denominated to do them honour. availed himself of that opportunity to gra Heace, the period of four years was called tify the public, by exhibiting 300 pairs of an olympiad." gladiators in succession. But this science, "The Romans, though comparatively at first confined to soldiers and stigmatized illiterate for a long time, were superior in gladiators, was at length cultivated by all the use of the hand weapon, which is thus ranks, as an essential branch of a finished stated by Vegetius: education." "Quis mediocris gladiator ingemuit ? Quis unquam vultum mutavit? Quis non modo stetit, verum etiam decubuit turpiter ?" "The Romans owed the conquest of "Cicero in his Tusculan Question, the world to their pre-eminence in the use speaking of the grace and magnanimity of the sword, and to a rigid discipline. A displayed by the gladiators in their last handful of Romans could have had nothing moments, says: but this science to oppose to the multitudes of the Gauls, to the enormous size of the Germans, to the number and corporeal strength of the Spaniards. We were at all times inferior to the Africans in the resources of wealth and stratagem, and to the Greeks in all arts and sciences; but by "What gladiator, even of mediocrity, an unremitting cultivation of the hand has been heard to sigh in the moment of weapon, and by a judicious selection and extremity? Which of them ever changed instruction of recruits in the science of his countenance? Which of them has not defence, the Romans conquered the only not stood in a graceful attitude, but world." has not even fallen with dignity ?" decoræ more "This science originated in the custom "The ladies also, seeing the effects of of sacrificing wretched prisoners of war, this science in adorning the mind and supposed to propitiate the manes of heroes body, were instructed slain in battle thus Achilles gratified palæstræ. Hor." himself, and the shade of his friend, with the immolation of twelve captives. 66 Δωδεχα δὲ Τρώων μεγάθυμων νίκας εούλες Χαλχω δηϊόων. Iliad, lib. xxxiii. line 175, "Then last of all, and horrible to tell, Sad sacrifice! twelve Trojan captives fell." Pope. "As the use of the sword in skillful and loyal hands, was the bulwark of the Roman power, so the abuse of it might subvert the constitution, as in the instances of Sylla and Marius, Cæsar and Pompey, &c. &c. "The gladiator Spartacus, with a handful of similar traitors, proved the immense advantage he had acquired by this science, from his defeating several consular armies. And if Cicero had not confined the gladiators to their schools, their junction with Cataline must have proved fatal to Rome." Superstition, though tenaceous of her "The abuse, and after that, the loss of rights, yet admitted some innovation in the this science, and of all kinds of discipline, mode, she resigned the personal exercise concurred in accelerating the fall of the of the bloody dagger, and permitted the empire. slaves to exert themselves in slaying one "It does not appear, that from this another." These exhibitions of courage period, until the vear 1575, any adequate and dexterity attracted multitudes of all effort had been made to recall this science. descriptions; in consequence of which, "About this time, however, under Some men of rank, observing the public Charles IX. of France, its revival was avidity for these spectacles, erected col- attempted. But as the reformers did not leges for the instruction of gladiators, in proceed upon mathematical principles, nor all the minutiae of the science. These upon the laws of motion, and the powers were termed ludi, and the masters ludi- of the lever, it is no wonder that this magistri, or lanista. Lentulus and Crassus science should have retros aded, or re |