Buffon, who has consulted all the best authorities, gives us the following particulars on this subject:-"The gazelle is about the size of the fallow deer, which it also resembles in the texture of its coat; but its colour is a reddish brown. Its horns are curiously bent and annulated, permanent, but not solid; and it has a tuft of hairs on its fore-legs." But the annexed representation will give a better idea of this delicate and beautiful creature, than a long or minute description. These creatures divide the hoof, and are therefore clean, according to the Jewish law; and their flesh is so much esteemed for food, that they composed a part of the daily provisions for Solomon's household +. They are gregarious, generally going in flocks; but very shy, and so swift of foot, that they cannot be taken in hunting without the assistance of the falcon. They often graze upon the plain at night; but return to their native mountains (at least the species we are describing) early in the morning. The eyes of this creature are so remarkably full, bright, and piercing, that the Turkish and Arabian poets frequently allude to them, in complimenting their fair ones. So much for the natural history of this animal.— But why is the great Redeemer represented under this metaphor-Without descending to minuteness, or multiplying particulars, I will suggest two or three points of resemblance. 1. The amiable qualities of the gazelle, such as cleanness, gentleness, modesty, &c. (which very much resemble those of the Lamb) give us the outline of his character, who was "holy, harinless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." 2. Its defenceless state, and exposure to persecution and death, point us to "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world." 3. But its swiftness seems a principal circumstance here alluded to, as representing the alacrity and readiness with which our gracious Redeemer came down from Heaven for the salvation of his elect; and the promptitude with which he still comes, in seasons of difficulty or distress, to the assistance of individual believers. "O'er hills of guilt, and seas of grief, + Kings iv. 23. VOL. X. T. W. ANECDOTE OF LAVATER, From the Letters of M. KARAMSIN, a Russian Traveller. Μ' y friend, I am every day more and more surprized at "Is Lavater he enjoys not an hour of leisure: the door of his study is never shut. The beggar comes for alms; the afflicted in spirit, for consolation and advice; travellers, to see a man of such celebrity; and, however short the stay of any one, it is still, to a certain degree, an interruption. Then he goes abroad to visit the sick; not such only as may have a particular right to his care, but whosoever he understands to be ill, in the town. Late this afternoon, after dispatching some letters, he took his hat, and requested me to walk with him. I had a curiosity to know whither he might be going, and I accordingly followed. We passed out of one street into another, and so onward till we came almost to the gates of the city: I thought we were to stop there; but Lavater went on. We passed out by the gate; and then proceeding to a small hamlet, there entered a lowly peasant's cottage." Is Anna yet alive?" said Lavater to an old woman who came. She still draws breath; and this is all that can be said,' replied the old woman, with tears in her eyes. She opened the door of the sick-chamber, and we went in. We there saw an old woman, with the paleness of death in her face, and her person withering away to mere skin and bone, lie stretched upon a bed. Two boys and two young girls stood by the bed, and wept. When they saw Lavater, they instantly made way for him, and kissed his hands. He approached the dying woman, and, in a voice of tenderness, asked, "How do you find yourself" Dying-dying,' replied the old woman, with difficulty. She was too feeble to articulate more. Her eyes were fixed; and she heaved her breast at every breath, as in the greatest agony. Lavater sat him down beside her; took her by the hand; and endeavoured to prepare her to die. "Your hour is come," said he; "your Saviour calls you hence: fear not thou the terrors of the grave: only this frail mortal body shall become its prey. At this moment, when thine eyes are for ever closing on the vanity of this life, turn thy thoughts to where rises the day-star of a happier world, that shall endure for ever. Be thankful to God, who has, ont of his goodness, preserved you to such an advanced age, to see your children and grand-children grow up around you, in honesty and good esteem. He will make your memory blessed upon earth; and will grant to you for ever ever to enjoy the light of his divine countenance, in the mansions of eternal felicity. There, there shall we be for ever united in one happy family." He uttered these last words in a hesitating, interrupted voice; and as he ceased, he wiped his eyes, from whence involuntary tears had begun to flow He then prayed, pronounced his blessing over the dying woman, and took his leave. He tenderly kissed the children, and bade them not to weep I observed him also to give them some money. I was deeply affected by the scene: my heart felt heavy within me; and I could scarce breathe freely when I came into the open air. "Whence have you so much strength of mind, and power of endurance?" said I to Lavater, in my surprize at his fortitude and activity. "My dear friend," replied he, "man rarely wants the power to work, when he possesses the will. The more I labour in the discharge of my duties, so much the more ability and inclination to labour do I constantly find within myself." ANSWER TO A QUERY IN OUR LAST, p. 227. MR. R. Editor, if W. M. had read his celebrated author (Mr. Gurnall) a little farther, he might have there found an answer: for when he asserts that a Hypocrite may "cordially, yea, passionately desire pardoning mercy," he adds, "but not from a pure principle, a hatred of sin, but an abhorrence of wrath he sees hastening to him for it." Christian Armour, vol. iv. p. 25. Here then is the discriminating mark: the regenerated soul desires and de-. lights in the display of Divine Mercy in itself, as well as in its consequences; whereas a hypocrite regards nothing but deliverance from torment. As the thief would prefer an escape from the hand of justice, that he may go on in his crimes, to a pardon on condition of not repeating them,so a hypocrite would prefer a plan of salvation, by which he might sin with impunity, to that of the Gospel, which restrains from sin, as much as it rescues from misery. But the true convert dreads as much the idea of living in sin here, as he does that of suffering in Hell hereafter.W.K. QUERIES. I. Is sin the source of evil, and the procuring cause of all our calamities in this life?-II. In what sense are such calamities, afflictions, &c. sanctified to those who are exercised therewith-III. If the people of God experience their afflictions, &c. sanctified, do they act with propriety when they pray to God for their removal? A BEDFORDSHIRE FARMER Nn 2 REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS. Village Dialogues bet veen Farmer Littleworth, Rev. Mr Lovegood, and others. By Rowland Hill, A. M. Vol. 2d. 12mo. CONSIDERABLE extracts from the four first of these Dialogues have been presented to our readers in this Magazine. The 5th, which is Dialogue XIII. (the Numbers being continued from the former volume) concludes the subject of the Slave Trade, and narrates the conversion and experience of poor Sancho. Dialogue XIV. entitled "A Whisper from behind the Door," is an excellent satyr upon religious scandal, in a conversation at old Madam Toogood's, between the Rev. Mr. Spiteful, Master of the Free School, Mr. Wisehead, a Socinian bookseller, Mr. Considerate, one of the aldermen of Mapleton, and an occasional hearer of Mr. Lovegood, Madam Toogood, and Miss Prateapace. Dialogue XV. continues the same subject, and contains a very spirited attack on the bold Dogmas of Socinianism, and an able defence of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures. The ridicule of some modern modes of -criticising away the plain and obvious sense of Scripture, appears to us peculiarly happy; and the misfortunes of poor Mr. Doolittle in the chace, introduced in the close of this conversation, are delineated in the peculiar manner of the writer. Dialogue XVI. introduces a story of much interest, and very pathetically related, Mrs. Chipman, the wife of an honest carpenter, is seduced by the vile arts of Sir Charles Dash, and elopes with him from her hus. band. They come to Mapleton, and curiosity leads them to Brook. field church, where she is converted under the preaching of Mr. Lovegood: she of course renounces her connection with Sir Charles, and seeks an asylum under the roof of Edward, the landlord of the Golden Lion. Dialogue XVII. continues the narrative, and gives us a letter from Mr. Lovegood father, with his answer, and Mr. Lovegood's reply; also Mrs. Chipto Mr. Reader, Mrs. Chipman's man's penitent letter to her husband, who appears to be dying with a broken heart, whilst she is almost distracted with the agonies of a guilty conscience. Henry Littleworth carries this pathetic letter to Mr. Chipman, and the volume closes, leaving us to wait for the answer in another, which is to conclude the Village Dialogues; and may be expected soon after Mr. Hill's return from his summer excursion. In comparing this volume with the former, though it loses something in point of novelty, many of the speakers being the same, we discover the same masterly delineation of character, the same fertility of invention in the incidents, of humour and of pathos,-the same knowledge of the human heart, the same alternate strokes and the same sacred regard to the honour of God and the interests of true religion. It must be confessed, indeed, that Mr. Hill has but little dramatic mercy for Mr. Doolittle, placing him in very humiliating and ridiculous circumstances; and that he is very severe upon Mr. Spiteful; at the same time he holds up to admiration and esteem the faithful and laborious parish-priest, in the persons of Mr. Lovegood and his brethren. Upon the whole, as but a small part of these Dialogues could be admitted in our work, we are persuaded there are but few of our readers who will not wish to see the volume. N. B. For the prices, see the Monthly List in the last and present Numbers. Sermons and Essays, by John Maclaurin; with the Life of the Author, by Dr. Gillies, 3d Edition, 12mo. THERE are some books of an inferior class-they were not without their use at the time that they were published; but they soon sink into oblivion they have performed their office. There is a middling class, which edifies the generation for which they were composed, and descends with respect to the next; and they are read with profit. But there is a third kind, exalted far above these, and which rank high in the estimation of mankind. The authors were men of superior endowments, and they are greatly and justly admired in every succeeding age. When they become scarce, the person who reprints them does a service to the world. In this last class Maclaurin has an exalted place. This little volume may be put into the scale with any work of its size which the eighteenth century produced, and it will not disgrace the hand which threw it in. The author appears to have been a man very su perior to most, both in intellect and in goodness. It will be diffi cult to find two sermons more excellent than the second and third in this collection. Along with a wonderful mass of select ideas, solidity of judgment, profoundness of research, ingenuity of thought, and vivacity and brilliancy of representation, they display the most powerful and impressive eloquence on subjects where eloquence is most difficult and uncommon, namely, in stating, illustrating, confirming, and enforcing the fundamental Doctrines of the Gospel. Young Preachers should carefully study this little volume. When men of talents, education, and learning, are unhappily prejudiced against Evangelical Principles, we know no book more proper to be put into their hands than this. If any thing human can convince them of the impropriety of despising the truth, it is the lovely represen tation of it by the superior intellect of Maclaurin, united with the display of the most ardent devotion, and of a holy, humble, and benevolent heart. We have often read this book; but we never read it without feeling ourselves to be but children, and sinking into nothing, from a consciousness of his vast superiority. An Essay on the Sign of the Prophet Jonah. Intended to remove the Deistical Objections concerning the Time of our Saviour's Burial, by attempting to prove that the Prediction relates to the Duration of his Ministry upon Earth. By Isaac James. With a Letter to a Friend, on Revelations xxii. 6—21. THE object of this Essay is explained in the title. The author first endeavours to shew the futility of the answer usually given to the deistical objections, from Mat. xii. 40. He then endeavours to shew, that by the heart of the earth, the land of Judea must be intended; and that the three days and nights must be taken as prophetic days (i. e. years) and referred to the time of our Lord's ministry upon earth. We have not room to enter particularly into the merits of this hypothesis; but it must be admitted, the author discovers much ingenuity, and diligence in research. Doctrine of the Passions, explained and improved. By I. Watts, D. D. Discourses on the Love of God, and its Influence on all the Passions. By I. Watts, D. D. IT would be presumptuous, as well as unnecessary in us, to criticise or to recommend the writings of Dr. Watts. We mention these neat pocket editions (which may be had bound together) merely to |