Salisbury cathedral. We have had reafon to examine that grand fabric with unprejudiced eyes, and can with justice declare that we regard them as real improvements. The fublime effect of the choir is heightened in a very confiderable degree by the difclofure of the folemn chapel at the termination, which, with the noble painted window of the refurrection, impreffes us now with more awe and veneration than we were formerly accustomed to feel, or, in truth, than we ever remember having felt in any other cathedral. The dim religious light of the chapel adds an effect to the choir, which is altogether indefcribable, and which would have delighted Milton, though it may difguft Milner.

The laft article in this collection is an extract from Mr. Milner's Hiftory of Winchefter, concerning the rife and progrefs of the pointed arch, which he traces from the interfections of two circular arches, ufual in the periods preceding the Gothic arch. This opinion he feems to regard as his own, while we recollect having read it in more than one author who has anteceded him. The truth is, that a special work is ftill wanting on Gothic architecture, and the fubject is capable of the wideft difplay of erudition. It fhould begin with the ftate of Roman architecture in the fifth century, and then pafs on to the Byzantine. As every thing, Arabian, Moorish, or Mahometan, was regarded with an eye of utter abhorrence by the Chriftian world in its earlier æras, while, on the contrary, the Moors in Spain employed architects from Conftantinople to build their mofques and palaces, as we know from their own authentic records, publifhed by M. Cardonne, it is proper to regard the Byzantine empire as the chief fource of the barbaric arts of the middle ages. The beft painters, fculptors, and architects, of thofe periods, feem to have been Byzantine, till polite fcience began to revive in Italy in the fourteenth century. From a learned and profound difquifition, therefore, on the ftate of the arts at Conftantinople, the inquirer would proceed to Venice, a femi-Grecian ftate in confant intercourfe with the Byzantine empire, and imitative of its tafte and manners. Thence the tranfition would be natural to the state of the arts in Italy till the restoration of the style of ancient Greece. A knowledge of the relative fituation of architecture in thofe more illumined countries being thus concentrated, will be found to throw fome light upon the fame fcience, as it exifted in the more obfcure regions of Germany, France, Spain, Great-Britain, and Scandinavia; for in Poland and Ruffia the forms are rather Byzantine, and often strictly fo. As the Netherlands, moreover, eftablished a centre of commerce and arts to the whole of western Europe, the rife and progrefs of architecture in this country must be examined with great care and affiduity, if we with to form a found judgement upon the fubject.

Journal of a Route to Nagpore, by the Way of Cuttae, Burrofumber, and the Southern Bunjare Ghaut, in the Year 1790: with an Account of Nagpore, and a Journal from that Place to Benares, by the Soohagee Pafs. By Daniel Robinfon Leckie, Efq. Illuftrated with a Map. 4to. Stockdale.

1800.

IT appears from the advertisement prefixed to this little work (of which the title-page is fufficiently defcriptive) that it was printed from a journal kept by the author when very young, and intended only for the perufal of his brother, who has been induced to publifh it from the confideration that, as the route was through a part of Hinduftan left blank in major Rennell's map, and afferted to be little known to Europeans, the chafm might in fome measure be filled by the information which the prefent volume furnishes.

As the Afiatic territories of our Eaft-India Company (we fhall not here inquire on what principles of honefty or juftice) are daily becoming more numerous and extenfive, the publication of authentic works on the geography, hiftory, and languages of Afia fhould be encouraged by thofe who are interested in Indian commerce or politics. The pages before us will be found of confiderable utility as well to travellers who may be called to traverse the countries defcribed by our author, as to those who may wish to fupply in their clofets the deficiencies here enumerated in major Rennell's map.

The work is too concife and fhort to admit of copious extracts-we shall content ourselves with a few paffages which may entertain the English reader, referring the Indian traveller or geographer to the journal itfelf for minute particulars.

• As I had heard much, and feen nothing, of Merhattah horsemen, I was particular in obferving them. They ride with very fhort ftirrups, infomuch that their thighs are in an horizontal position with the faddle, which is made of cloths or filk, according to the ability and fancy of the rider, thickly quilted; and they have a firm feat. Their arms are fometimes matchlocks, with fswords and fhields, but most commonly the fpear, which they use with great dexterity.' P. 4.

In page 7 the following lines (which we fuppofe are fculptured on the mofque of Jangepore) are in the true style of Eaftern hyperbole.

May the standard of king Aurungzebe be difplayed while the world exifts!!! The pure Nawaub of high dignity erected a mofque in the town of Jangepore, beyond the power of language to defcribe, from the dome of whofe roof the heavens appear low. Hear, O ye bead-tellers! if you make this place your afylum for a night."

It should appear that major Rennell (memoir, fecond edition,

410. page 12) is not perfectly clear with regard to the idea he has formed of the Merhattah ftate, that all the chiefs owe a fort of obedience to the paifhwah, resembling that of the German princes to the emperor. The account I heard from the dewaun in the durbar was, "That there is a person whom they call the reprefentative of the rauj, who is kept in the fort of Sattarah, and he is treated with all imaginable respect when he makes his appearance at Poonah, which is only upon particular occafions; and when at Sattarah he is fupplied with every luxury, and magnificently attended. On the demife of this image of government, the handsome fon of fome poor man is chofen to fupply his room. The paifhwah is prime minifter to the Merhattah state; the rajah of Nagpore, &c. commander in chief of the armies; and they, as well as the rest of the chiefs, call themfelves fervants of the rauj ; and none acknowledges the least immediate authority of the paifhwah, but they are all bound in cafes of neceffity to render mutual affiftance to each other, for the public good of the conftitution." But the fine extensive country which the paifhwah occupies, together with the advantage of playing the Sattarah puppet, will always give him influence with the other chiefs. P. 55.

• A custom prevails in this town, (Nagpore) which I cannot forbear taking notice of, because it ferves to prove that long ufage will give a plaufibility to things feemingly the moft prepofterous. The bramins and best people at Nagpore have women attendants upon their families, whom they breed up from their childhood, and are called butkies, or flauls. They attend on their masters and miftreffes during the day-time, and are permitted to go to any man they please in the night; fome of them become very rich, and they are in general very handfome fine women,' P. 59.

The frequent occurrence of Indian and Perfian words expreffed in European characters will embarrass the English reader of this work: the authors or editors of fimilar publications fhould explain, by notes or otherwife, fuch oriental terms as they find neceffary to infert. The name of a princess mentioned in p. 11, Zeebul Niffau, fignifies the ornament of women, or the glory of the fair fex, and is properly written

زيب النسا

The word kelladaur, which occurs in pp. 14 and 28, is compounded of the Arabic aÿ kelbua, a caftle or fortress, and dar a Perfian word, fignifying a poffeffor or holder-i. c. the keeper of the fort.

Cumurbund, in p. 100, is a compound of two Perfian words, cumr, the waift or middle, and is band or bund, fignifying that which binds or faftens-a girdle or fash worn round the waift.

Sermons on practical and important Subjects, with a Preface, particularly addreffed to Candidates for Orders, and the Younger Clergy. By Philip Henvill. Vol. I. 8vo. 75. 6d. Boards. Egerton.

MR. Henvill's preface confifts of no fewer than 137 pages, confiderably exceeding one half of thofe which include the fermons contained in this volume. This fashion of former times, we thought, had been long exploded; and we do not wifh for the revival of fuch a cuftom.. It may be compared to the erection of a large unfightly porch, out of all due proportion to the fize of the building to which it belongs.

We pafs over the whole of this long preface, fo defultory in its compofition, and fo heterogeneous in its materials (acknowledging, however, that there are to be found in it fome ufeful obfervations, adapted to the younger clergy, and candidates for holy orders), and proceed to notice the fermons themselves.

In the first of these discourses, on the duties of the miniftry,' we find a variety of juft obfervations; and the preacher well explains, though with little novelty of illustration, the reafon why our Lord chofe rather to confer the order of the miniftry upon the moft illiterate of his followers, than, by the appointment of the learned, fubject the commonalty to the impofitions of the chief priests and scribes, who would have willingly embraced fo favourable an opportunity to infinuate among them the idea of fome collufion or confederacy, in order to calumniate the character, and depreciate the doctrines of their great master.'

Mr. Henvill very properly pleads for a meet and fufficient maintenance' to be allowed to the minifters of the gospel. But, whilft he remarks that this provifion is ftrictly enjoined by the canons of the church, and has been allowed from the firft ages of Chriftianity, we were forry to find him attempting to reft the argument in favour of tithes not upon the law of the land, nor merely upon examples prior to, or connected with, the Chriftian difpenfation, but even upon the incidental introduction of the payment of tithes in our Lord's parable, which contrafts the humility of the publican with the oftentation of the Pharifee! Surely fuch far-fetched and infufficient arguments only ferve to weaken the caufe which they are meant to defend !

In the fermon on charity, Mr. Henvill fuggefts various ufeful hints. But in this as well as his other difcourfes we find too loose and unconnected a texture of compofition; a want of that lucidus ordo, that unity of plan, which connects and embraces the whole of a subject, whilft it excludes extraneous

matter. Thus, we frequently find good ideas interfperfed, but they are misplaced, or they might, with equal propriety, be introduced into difcourfes upon a variety of other fubjects, as well as in the places where we happen to find them. This, we apprehend, is a capital defect in compofition, and which young, ingenious, and lively writers, ought to take peculiar pains to correct.

The fermons on the true character of neighbour,' and on flander,' are among the best in this collection. In the former, we find an obfervation, not, indeed, much to the honour of human nature, but which a knowledge of the world will amply confirm.

To obtain affiftance, in diftrefs, recourse must be had to chicanery and deceit, and those who actually need it, are obliged to affume a state, extremely different from the one they in reality poffefs. The appearance of opulence will command that respect, which even a fufpicion of penury will effectually preclude.-To difcover poverty, is to difclofe want; and that is, unfortunately, the readiest and most uncertain mean of continuing in it.-He, whom you call your friend, if he be not inclined to afford the relief you afk, will not be at a lofs to devife excufe; and, to the fhame of humanity be it alleged, the greater and more urgent the diftrefs, the lefs, in proportion, will be the probability of removing it. Such is the perverfenefs of mankind; and fo true is the obfervation, that" profperity gains friends, and adverfity tries them." P. 93.

In the fermon on flander,' our author juftly remarks,

It is no excufe for any one to allege that "he meant no harm." -It affords but little retribution to the party injured; and is an evident demonstration of ignorance in the other!-Is it not the part of a madman to exprefs himself without thought?-A fool, indeed, may deny the existence of the Deity and, as the Pfalmift obferves, may say "in his heart, there is no God."—But will any perfon, capable of reflection, make the fame declaration ?What!

Is it no harm to tamper with, and to injure, the reputation of another?—Or, has he a wifh to be difcredited in his affertions ?--Does he mean to calumniate his neighbour, or to belie himself ?— If neither be his intention, he must be a knave, to speak without meaning; or abfolutely an ideot, not to difcover that one or the other muft unavoidably be the confequence of his folly and indif cretion!' P. 11.

With thefe fpecimens and remarks we will difinifs the volume, only obferving, that, though the fermons are not excellent, there are many detached parts which are entitled to commendation.