The forte of the objection (to refer to an expreffion of our Au thor) rests with the Unitarians on the latter exception. And to fuch perfons it is undoubtedly a matter of great confequence. We may vary as to the mode of worship; but when worship hath a diftinct object, the difference grows ferious indeed *.'

CORRESPONDENCE.

To our READERS.

A confiderable number of Purchafers of the Review, have fignified their disapprobation of what bas been termed a negative improvement, with respect to the place affigned to our CORRESPONDENCE, and NOTES to CORRESPONDENTS; which part of our work we, last month, transferred to the blue Cover; in order to make the most of our Toom. It has been observed to us, that our Articles of Correspondence are often as entertaining, and may fometimes prove as useful, as other parts of the publication; that it is not always of a temporary nature; and that when the Reviews are bound in volumes, it must be totally loft.-In conformity, therefore, with the defire of our friends, we return to the accustomed mode of arranging our materials.

To the REVIEWERS.

THE criticisms in the Monthly Review are generally juft, the reafoning ingenious, and the arguments conclufive. Except upon abstruse and disputed subjects, your character of books coincides with mine, formed before I can know your opinion. But your account of the book, Vox Oculis Subjecta †, has difappointed me much. The author's benevolence, and his fituation, fhould have fecured his performance from the feverity of criticifm; and the hyper-criticisms on its unphilofophical title, the natural difpofition of mankind for conversation, the use and value of language, and other fubjects, as trite," would apply to the writings of a Bulwer, a Holder, a Wallis, a Monboddo, or any other author upon the origin and progrefs of language, and the teaching the deaf the knowledge of fpeech.

66

Perhaps your remark (on the title)" the modulating forms of the organs of fpeech the object of fight," however philofophic, is not fo proper as Vox Oculis Subjecta; because the expreffion, and fentiment, by no means convey an idea of Meffrs. Braidwood's inimitable and ineftimable art. The motion of the organs of fpeech is the object of every perfon's fight; but thofe only who are taught by Mr. Braidwood can tell what the fpeaker fays, if they do not hear the voice. That the found of the voice is in fome degree, though not philofophically fo, the object of fight, the following curious fact will illuftrate:

I can converfe with my daughter, who is deaf, and was inftructed by Meffrs. Braidwood, upon any fubject; and the knows what thofe fay who are ftrangers to her, if they speak flowly, and distinctly. A Gentleman, who was an intire ftranger to my daughter, was defirous to fpeak to her. He asked her two or three questions, to which the gave ready and pertinent anfwers. In his abfence, I asked her, if the Gentleman did not fpeak well and distinctly? She replied in the affirmative, but faid he lifped. Though the cannot hear a found, yet fhe could diftinguish the hifs which conftitutes the lifping voice.

My intention in addreffing you, is not to promote the fale of the book; but to inform your Readers, that I think you ought to have

*For our account of Mr. Sturges's Confiderations on the Church Eftablishment, fee Review, Vol. LXI. p. 323.

+ See the Review for laft month, p. 44↓*

recom

recommended the Author's benevolent inftitution to the public patronage. Every feeling mind muft approve, and every charitable perfon, in affluent circumftances, contribute to its fupport. Meffrs. Braidwood, though well known to the writer, are unacquainted with the preceding remarks.

Newcastle, 12th Dec. 1783.

R. F.

P. S. There can fcarcely be any neceffity to declare, that I am not the author of the book.

We refer our Readers to the Article alluded to in the above letter for a proof, that we there spoke of Meffrs. Braidwoods' endeavours as being highly meritorious. We infert this letter (although anonymous) as it contains a fact, which, if true, wili ferve as an additional evidence of the fuccefs of thofe endeavours, which, no doubt, fhould be encouraged; and, in our opinion, deserve a better advocate than the author of Vox Oculis fubjeda. As to that performance, we find no reason to alter our opinion of it, for the young Lady did certainly not see the found we call a lifp; but the faw the configuration of the organ which produced the lifp, and which every common obferver will allow differs fenfibly to the eye in a perfon who labours under that impediment, from one who articulates freely.-This obfervation, however, does not in the lealt derogate from the merits of the humane and ingenious preceptors; it only fhews the excellence of their method.-As the book appeared without a name (for wẹ have no evidence that the writer was a parent of one of Meffrs. Braidwoods' pupils) we could not be influenced either by his benevolence or his fituation. We are confcious of having discharged our duty to the Public.

Another Letter, on the fubject of the above Treatife, figned Aixaloon, came to hand too late in the month, to be duly noticed at this time. In our next, farther attention will be paid to it.

+*+ We are obliged to SIMPLEX for his hints, as we believe they proceed from a very honeft and friendly motive; and we shall avail ourfelves of them as far as a regard to truth and confiftency will permit. He may reft affured, that we do not mean ever to depart from thofe principles which he so justly ftyles LIBERAL; and for our adherence to which, we are happy to think that our work hath been, hitherto, so favourably distinguished by the Public. He appears, however, to have mistaken the views of one of our affociates. How far this Correfpondent, and others, have formed a wrong opinion of that gentleman's object, in the late controverfy with Dr. Priestley, time, perhaps, will difcover.-On this point we will fay, once for all, that though Bishop Bull's name is mentioned with the respect due to his learning, &c. yet his Defence of the Nicene Creed is not appealed to as decifive authority, in the controverfy between the Athanafians, Arians, and Socinians; nor, indeed, as any authority at all. It was his Judicium Ecclefia Catholica that we quoted, only for the fake of illuftrating Our obfervations on a difputable paffage; and it was that part of the Bishop's work which more immediately refpected the dispute between Dr. Priestley and the Reviewer, on which we paffed fach encomiums, both for the accuracy of its criticifms, and the juftnefs of its conclufions: and we still confider his reafoning as invincible.

ttt A. C.

ttt A. C. intimates a charge of plagiarifm against the Rev. Mr. Sellon, with respect to his Abridgment of the Sacred Hiftory, which was mentioned in our Catalogue for September laft. Our Correfpondent fuppofes this publication (but owns he has not seen it) to be the fame work that was printed by R. Main, in 1770; and he asks with what right and juftice Mr. S. hath put his name to it? We have turned to our Review, Vol. XLIII. for the year 1770, and there we find an account of the tract in queftion, with Main's name to it; and a manufcript note in the margin of our volume, fignifying [from fome private information], that the Abridgment, &c. was the work of Lady Mayne. A. C. farther fuppofes, that Mr. S. may have made fome additions to the book, as he hath added one third to the price, which was before only 1 s. and, confequently, more within the compass of the poor parent's purfe.'-As we have not at hand Mr. Main's edition, we can fay nothing farther on the fubject; except our acknowledgment, that this Correfpondent is right in his fufpicion, that we had forgotten the first edition of this excellent little fchool-book." Perhaps, the wonder would have been if we had remembered it.

SIS Amicus's first letter, concerning a General Index to the whole fet of Monthly Reviews was miflaid. On the receipt of his fecond favour, fearch was made, and his former letter found. We are much obliged to the writer for his offer; and fhall once more refume the confideration of this fubject; efpecially as fimilar propofals have been received from another quarter. Further intimation of what we may refolve on, shall speedily be given, in our Notes to Correspondents.

If In the hints to our Correfpondent, C. C. (vid. last page of Rev. for Oct.) we forgot to mention the Sermons of Dr. WILSON, Bishop of Man; which may, we think, be justly ranked among the models for preaching to plain people, in country congregations.

ttt V. V. V. is received.-Many new publications are neceffarily delayed, on various accounts; but it is not our intention that any fhould be "for ever omitted." All are defigned to come in, fooner or later; and our Readers may be affured that we do every thing that our limits, leifure, health, and indifpenfible avocations will admit.

N. B. We feldom affix an Author's name when it does not appear with his performance; nor can it be expected that we should always watch the advertisements, and compare them with title-pages, &c. though our Collector has frequently done this, as opportunity hath occurred.

The Elegy on the ancient Greek Model was particularly noticed in our Review, Vol. LXI. p. 333. A Correfpondent afcribes it to Mr. Hayley.

+*+ An answer to Mr. de Lolme was addressed, above a month ago, to the care of his Bookfeller.

ERRATUM in laft Review.

P. 432. 1. 14. for prefent flate, read parent fiate.

APPENDIX

TO THE

MONTHLY REVIEW,

VOLUME the SIXTY-NINTH.

FOREIGN LITERATURE.

ART. I.

Elais Philofophiques fur les Meurs de divers Animaux Étrangers, &c. i. e. Philofophical Effays on the Manners of feveral foreign Animals together with Obfervations on the Principles and Cuftoms of different People; extracted from the Travels of M

in Afia. 8vo. 430 Pages. Paris, 1783. Sold in London by T. Payne.

TH

HE anonymous Author of this entertaining book is, as we learn, an officer who has paffed a confiderable part of his life in India, in the (French) King's fervice, made long and frequent voyages in Afia, and employed his leifure hours in the study of human and animal nature. These two branches of ftudy are more contiguous in thofe countries than in ours (where, however, in point of morals, they are tending more and more towards a coalition), for the kings and nobility of Madura acknowledge their defcent from a fine breed of affes, ftill kept up in that part of India. It is true, our Author attempts to refute this genealogical ftory, and affirms, that it is a mere invention of the miffionaries, founded on a custom that prevails among the Indians, of calling themfelves affes, from an exceffive humility. We apprehend that he is miftaken, and that the tradition of an afmine defcent is ftill in credit at Madura, notwithstanding the academy, which exifts in the capital of that province, and which our Author thinks incompatible with the prevalence of fuch an abfurd opinion.-The Author's argument

The term animal here is not figurative.

APP, REV. VOL. LXIX.

is

is only prefumptive, and might be used by a waggish adversary, to include more than kings and nobles in the pretended genealogy.

However that may be, thefe Philofophical Effays difcover, in their Author, many of the qualities of a good observer; they indicate also modefty and candour, with a very confiderable degree of knowledge and induftry. All thefe good qualities have not, however, proved a fufficient prefervative against fome paradoxical opinions, and erroneous conclufions, from the facts which have fallen under the obfervation of this inquifitive traveller. His moral and political reflections are not always attended with perfpicuity; and though his ftyle and manner are decent, yet he enters, fometimes, into details, which must offend the defire of every grown gentleman and lady to be deemed modeft. It may be his opinion that pudicity is a factitious and conventional sentiment, which owes its existence to civil education, and the prejudices it occafions; yet he ought to know, that there are certain customs, nay, fome prejudices, which deserve to keep the influence they have acquired, at least, in the prefent ftate of civil fociety.

Thefe Effays, which our Author has dedicated to M. De Buffon, are not the only fruits of his labours and peregrinations; for he tells us, in a Poffcript to the work before us, that he has discovered, during his travels, a manuscript of the highest antiquity, containing a fummary of the most aftonishing phyfi cal, moral, and political revolutions; of vaft enterprizes by fea and land, carried on by three great nations; of the philofophical, aftronomical, chronological, geographical, military, and nautical knowledge of these nations; of their arts, sciences, languages, and legiflation; of the properties of their plants, animals, and minerals; and of their fentiments and doctrines, both open and fecret: together with an account of feveral princes, who governed these nations in days of old; of their religion and manner of confulting the Deity: but this is not all; for our Author tells us (horrefco referens) that this manufcript contains the plan and combinations of a conspiracy formed against the human race.-Why then not publish it for the fake of humanity, fince public utility is the great end which the Author profeffes to have in view, in this work? The fimplicity, candour, and accuracy that feem to characterize his narrations, prevent our regarding this difcovery as a piece of quackery; and yet, we mult confefs, it has a strange look that he should keep to himself fuch a tremendous fecret. -Where authors hint at fecrets which they chufe not to reveal, they rather infult their readers.

As to the work before us, it begins with a curious defcription of the different kinds of ferpents which the Author had Webserved