planation, we are certain that it does not portend rain more at one period than another.

On the whole, this work will make an advantageous addition to the little library of the agriculturift, as it contains much valuable information of a practical kind, in an eafy and perfpicuous style.

An Attempt to illuftrate fome of the Prophecies of the Old and New Teftament. By Thomas Zouch, M. A. 12mo. Payne.

35.

THERE was a time when proteftants in general referred part of the prophecies in Daniel and the Revelations to the antichriftian power established in Rome, from whose abominations they were happily feparated: they lamented the fituation of thofe kingdoms ftill groaning under the yoke of her idolatry and fuperftition; they rejoiced in the forefight of the doom that awaited her, and anticipated the moment when the judgments of God fhould be poured out, and the blood of the faints fhed by her cruel minifters be avenged by a just but dreadful retribution. A ftrange and aweful dereliction of opinion feems now to be taking place in the proteftant world, almoft fufficient to realife the fears of Sir Ifaac Newton, that even in thefe kingdoms of Great-Britain and Ireland the detefted crafts of antichrift might be reftored to their wonted pre-eminence. Against fuch a calamity it is the duty of every minister of the gofpel to be upon his guard; it is his duty not only to be contantly attentive to the fure prophetical word, but to caution his flock against the wiles and fubtleties of the enemy. On thefe accounts the attempt before us is highly useful and praiseworthy it contains in a fmall compafs the material parts of the prophecies relative to popery; it holds out to our deteftation, coincidently with the fcriptures themselves, the prominent features by which it is diftinguished; it clearly depicts its rife and progrefs; and, by a cordial truft in Providence, piously reftrains our grief, while adding, that its final overthrow is not fo near at hand as many ferious proteftants, in confe quence of late events, have been led to expect. The ultimate fall of Rome and the papal power will be diftinguished by more fignal preludes than the feparation of an individual limb from the grofs body; and, in fact, though the government of France be feparated from the papal church, this church ftill retains the greater part of the people within its fpiritual jurisdiction ; and though its fplendor be diminifhed, and its enormous power curtailed by a political effervefcence, its dominion is by no means completely overthrown. Ireland is a melancholy inftance of the length of time in which popery can exist, not only without any connection with, but in actual opposition to

the politics of the state. Her catholic prelates are as formally recognised in popish countries as in any former period, and, in many inftances abroad, are placed at the head of very numerous congregations. The outrages in France have induced many perfons endowed both with religious zeal and learning to look for a new form of antichrist in the late revolution; but this idea is ably refuted in the work before us, and we are kept close to the marks exhibited in the fcriptures of the corrupter, not the denier of all religion. This part of the work we recommend particularly to those who are engaged in a course of ftudies on this important fubject; and as the author himself feems not to have confidered the nature of the seventh form of government in Rome, and of which a layman has given fo good a reprefentation, we recommend this latter publication to his perufal; convinced that he may derive from it confiderable affiftance in the affignment of the well-known period of 1260 days. Our readers will, we hope, make due reflexions on the conclufion of the work, which we now present to them, and thence be induced to perufe with equal attention the whole of its contents.

'The present state of the Chriftian religion in the world suggests no motives to innovate from the commonly received opinion concerning antichrift. The condition of the monaftic order is truly wretched and forlorn. Their habitations plundered, their revenues confifcated, they are reduced to the lowell ebb of diftrefs. In this country fome of them have found protection and a safe asylum. The zeal and warm benevolence of good catholics may long continue to fupport and preferve, if not to restore them to affluence and profperity. At least their final diffolution hath not yet taken place. The kingdom of antichrift ftill exifts, and hath long exifted. In the Roman hierarchy we observe all the marks of the man of fin,” which are fo particularly fpecified in the volumes of prophecy. Though the temporal power of the pope is fufpended; though his cardinals are driven from their palaces, and ftripped of their gaudy fplendor, yet the fpirit of popery, exercifing its ufurpation over the minds of men, fo far from drooping in defpondency, is yet alive and vigorous. Her idols, her pictures, her croffes, her relics, are still objects of religious adoration. She retains the fame corrupt doctrines-obferves the fame distinction of meats,—the fame abítinence from marriage. She maintains the fame claim to miracles, and profeffes the fame intolerant principles, the fame averfion to heretics. The recent conduct of the Romanists in Ireland, where the genius of popery preferves its own native difpofition, difcovers the fame bigotry, exciting men to perfidy, maffacre, and treafon. In short, the present appearance of things tends to confirm in every re fpect the truth of thofe prophecies, which regard the latter times.

See our XXVIIIth Vol. New Arr. p. 447.

That open avowal of atheism and idolatry, which disgraces the hiftory of the age in which we live, is a melancholy confequence of the corruptions of the church of Rome, flowing thence as the ftream from the fountain's head; and fhould not therefore excite our attonishment, as if fome new fign of the times had manifefted itfelf."Atheism hath been more prevalent in popish than in proteftant nations. The reafon is plain. It is the annual fpawn, and the natural effect of the grofs superstitions and corrupt manners of the Romish church and court."

The apocryphal moralift, no negligent obferver of human nature, hath remarked that "the worthipping of idols not to be named is the beginning, the caufe, and the end of all evil.” Wild. xiv. 27. Hence he derives that black catalogue of crimes which he enumerates in the preceding verfes. And St. Paul, in his defcription of men given over to a reprobate mind, attributes their depravity to the fame caufe. And indeed how can it be otherwife? An alienation from the worship of the true God must estrange the heart of man from every thing noble and virtuous. Deferted by that being, whofe pure fervice he hath abandoned, he can have no pretenfions to divine grace, no claim of affistance from the holy spirit to purify his heart, or to enlighten his understanding."

As to the state of popery in this kingdom, it is by no means under depreflion and debasement. It doth not flourish in its priftine bloom and vigour. It does not difplay itself in gay and costly proceflions, in the oftentation of poinp and parade. But furely it may be asked without impropriety, whether the church of Rome hath not enlarged the number of her votaries in this country? whether fhe hath not augmented her train of miffionaries, and with her ufual exuberance of zeal exerted every act of wily policy to extend her influence ?When the establishment of that church is pronounced to be venerable-when it is declared that protestants or catholics are divided by thin partitions, whilft in reality they are separated from each other by bars ftrong as gates of adamant-when the fabric of Romih idolatry is dignified with the appellation of the majesty of religion"—when it is afferted that "the fon of perdition is yet future, and that he fhall be neither a proteftant nor a papist, Jew nor heathen"--when in a neighbouring kingdom a college hath been founded, at the expence of the nation, for the exclusive education of popish priests, and that with a munificence exceeding all bounds, fo that no college in our famous universities of Oxford or Cambridge can boast of a more liberal endowment-do not all these things argue a diminution of attachment to the real interefts of the church of England? do they not imply fentiments not very unfavourable to a fyftem of religion, which every genuine proteftant must acknowledge to be truly antichriftian.' P. 229.

A Tour through the Island of Man, in 1797 and 1798; comprifing Sketches of its ancient and modern Hiftory, Constitution, Laws, Commerce, Agriculture, Fishery, &c. including whatever is remarkable in each Parish, its Population, Infcriptions, Registers, &c. By J. Feltham. Embellished with a Map of the Island and other Plates. 8vo. 75. Boards. Dilly.

As an appendage to the British empire, the Ifle of Man is an interefting fubject of defcription; and Mr. Feltham's publication is calculated to introduce it to the familiar acquaintance of the English reader. Cheapnefs of provifions, and other circumftances favourable to the unfortunate, induce many perfons to banish themfelves from the more confiderable parts of the British dominions, and feek an afylum in this ifolated diftrict. We will, therefore, extract Mr. Felthain's account of the conftitution and government of the ifland, which differ from those of any other territory attached to the crown of Great-Britain.

Previous to the grant of this ifland to the Stanley family, in 1406, it had been fubject to different governments, though ufually fubfting as a petty kingdon, to which the dominion of fome of the Hebrides was once annexed; and it was fucceffively tributary to, or connected with Denmark, Norway, Scotland, and England. Its most ancient records are the laws and ordinances enacted there, commencing in 1417. The firft of thefe is an act paffed by the authority of commiflioners, appointed by the lord, and the twenty four keys, to prevent abufes of the places of refuge, at that time afforded to criminals oy fome ecclefiaftics in the island. The Manks itatute-book cominences in 1422, and contains "a collection of divers ordinances, fatures, and cuftoms, prefented, reputed, and used for laws in the island."

Henry IV. granted to fir Joh.. de Stanly, his heirs and aligns, the inland, Cattle- Pele, and lor ip of Man, and all the islands and lordships, royalties, regalities, and appurtenances, with the patronage of the bithoprick, and all ecclefiaftical benefices, in as full and ample a manner as they had been poffeffed by any of the former lords or kings of. Man, to be holden by nomage, and the fervice of rendering to his majesty, and to his fucceffors at their coronations, two falcons. By thefe, and other letters patent in 7th James I. this ifland has been held by the family as a fief feparately from the kingdom, but dependent on the crown, from 1406 to the revestment in 1765, with fome little interruption at the latter end of the reign Elizabeth, on the failure of iffue male of Ferdinando, then ear of Derby.

From the grant of Henry IV. it has been governed by its own laws; its conftitution we shall now notice, as to its legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The laws enacted in the 15th and 16th centuries appear to have been preferibed by fuch different powers, or combinations of power, that, as precedents of the exercife of legislative authority, they can have little weight. Sub

fequent to this was established the more regular mode of legislation, which fubfifted in 1764; and from the laft century, with few exceptions, the legislative authority has been vefted in the governor, council, deemfiers, and keys. These four estates are, when affembled, termed a tynwald court, and by joint concurrence they enacted laws. The lords proprietors had for a confiderable time the title of royalty, and had the fovereign controul of government in every inftance, under certain reftrictions. With respect to the perfons who had a feat and voice in the council, various opinions are held, and it is at prefent a matter of controverty. The deemfter (Moore)confiders it to have confifted of the treasurer, or receiver-general; the comptroller; clerk of the rolls; water-bailiff; attorney-general; two deemfters, archdeacon, and his official; bishop, and his two vicars-general;-and the clerk of the rolls adds to these the collectors, and confiders the bishop, and other ecclefiaftical officers, as only intitled to attend this council when fummoned. The attorney general differs from each: he confiders fome fpiritual officers to have had a fixed feat, but does not allow all above-mentioned. He further confines the right to fuch lay officers as compofed the lord's household, and acted in his minifterial departments. He doubts the propriety of the deemfters, (though he admits they have never been abfent) and excludes the collectors. So that according to him, the council were, the receiver-general or treasurer; comptroller; clerk of the rolls; waterbailiff or collector; the attorney-general; and probably the bifhop and archdeacon, and the vicars-general and official, as occafional members.

By the Manks ftatute-book, fome of the fpiritual officers ap pear to have enjoyed the privilege for a series of years; an enumeration of the acts with their fignatures is annexed to the memorial of the prefent bishop and vicar-general, in fupport of their claims; for in 1776 and 1777, the then governor excluded them from the council, and from having any hare in the legislature. This is a delicate queftion, and it would be highly improper in me to offer, as a ftranger, any opinion. The acts stated as signed by the ecclefiaftical department, are acts of general concern, not confined to, or connected with ecclefiaftical affairs.

The duty of this council was to affmble when called on by the lord proprietor, or his governor, and give their aflent or diffent to the laws proposed.

The 24 keys, or principal commoners, were anciently ftyled Taxiaxe, and the worthieft men in the laud. In king Orrie's days, fix of there were chofen from the out-ifles; when all were chosen in the island firft is uncertain, but in 1417, the records flate 24 keys as concurring in public acts, and they continue the fame number. On a vacancy, the houfe prefents two names to the governor, who chooses one, and then he takes the oaths and his feat, which is for life, unless he refigns, is expelled, or accepts an office that entitles nim to a feat in the council. The qualifications are, to be of age, and to poffefs freehold property; non-refidencė is no difqualification, They debate upon, approve, or reject any law propofed to them. During the feffion they adjourn at pleafure,