^''L.^.^C A NARRATIVE G F TRA NSACTIONS RELATIVE TO A SERMON, PREACHED IN THE Parifh Church oi Brighton, Auguft 1 8, 1793 : WITH Short EXTRACTS from the SERMON, AND OCCASIONAL REMARKS. By VICESIMUS KNOX, D. D. MASTER OF TUN BRIDGE SCHOOL, AND LATE FELLOW OF ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, OXFORD. " Stirpem et genus omne futurum ♦' Excrcete onus : " Nullus amor populis, nee fcedera funto; " Littora littoribus contr^iria, fludlibus und.is, *' Imprecur, arm.i aimis, pugaent irsir^uE nepotesq.ue !!'" IJtioi Brlzb'.onlui. LONDON: PRIKTED EpR C. DU-LY, IN THE POULTRY. P^,^^ ^o. c. .^■._.^v. , 1943 K77rx !^proleg6mena. Vj 9To certain Perfons unknown; but, m the J anottymous Autography of their Requifition^ 5 Manifefto, or Mandate, directed and fent to Dr. Knox in Brighton Theatre, denomi- natingthemfelves, "The Gentlemen of " THIS Theatre." 5g Ceiitlcmen of this Theatre^ ■o'W] HEN one man accofts another by name "^ '^ * in the flreet, who has not the pleafure ^ of knowing him, the man fo accofted ufually returns the civility of the hat, and fays, " Sir, *' you have the advantage of me.'* Upon my word, Gentlemen of this Tbectre^ I muft confcfs \\\2X you have the advantage of Wd". I fee indeed my own name on the back of the note which yon did me the iionour to ^zw^ me; tr, but, in the infide, I lee no name at all, and can c" find no appelhuion with which to addrefs S you, but that which, in the note, you your- % ielves [ :v ] felves have thought proper to afllimc, videlicet^ *' The Gentlemen of this Theatre." I never faw your faces before, and I have never heard your names fmcej — fo that you moft certainlv have the advantage of me. Non Jiimus ergo pares, — Impar coftgrejjtis. — Do lu" hens manus. That point is very clear. I certainly do not know isjho you are ; it remains to be de- cided ivhat you are. Let me put on my fpec- tacles, and look at your own manufcript note once more. — -" The — Gentlemefi—OT — this — '• Theatre;' — of this Theatre, — " of," — that is, — the Gentlemen of or belonging to this Theatre. —Aye; there I have it, fure enough. The Gentlemen of this Theatre muft be the PlayePvS; the Gentlemen of the Sock and Buflvin, belonging to Brighton Theatre. " Your fervant. Gentlemen ; I like you too *' vv'cli to leave you yet. — Pardojinc^ uioi^ I take off my fpe^lacles with the fatisfadlion of a man who has jiift made a difcovery; and, turning them round and round with my fmger, I turn the difcovery in my thoughts at the fame time, -No, no,— it will not do; — it 3 2 Ciinnot I V J cannot be fo. The Gentlemen Players are gentlemen too well bred and too difcreet, to turn out the fpe£tators, — their cuftomers, — quiet people too, who difturb nobody, and have juft paid for five feats in the boxes. — Befides, you fee " the Gentlemen of this " Theatre" are here clofe behind us, — coming along with their own letter themfelves, like the Irilhmen. — See, fee, they are clad in military uniform; — they cannot be the Players; they are foldiers in right earnejl, — Do obferve their uniform. " Pfhaw !" fay you, " for that matter, " and as to the military uniform, the Play- *' ers, man, have all forts of drefles; and ** could furblfh up a little company of fol- " diers, in the twinkling of an eye, out of ** their theatrical wardrobe; — foldiers that " would look as well as thefe do, for tlic mat- " ter oi look, if that's all, I warrant ye. They *' need only call in thole ufeful auxiliaries, at *' n pinch, the candlc-fnuiicrs; or thole i r:RtIe-' " men tliat arc lo well fkillcd in maao^u- *' vring, the fcenc-lhlftcrs ; and depend upon " it that is the cafe. There is no abfolutc <' irnpoflibilitVj but that thcfc perfonngcs, a %_ " thcu-h [ ^i ] " though In a fubaltern fphere, may have *' ftyled themfelves, with ambitious afplra- " tion, " The Gentlemen r^xHis TheatreP Very good, very good indeed ! — This Is a part of the //(ly then; — excellent, i'falth; mod excellent!— This is the ''^ Agreeable Siirp7'ife'* then, that was announced in the play-bill for to-night's amufement. I thought the play was over; — but there ncvv lies \\i^furprife\ — 5t is ;?c/ over, — this is tbe^Avi? ad. — Well, the more for money the better. This is fome- thing firpr'ifmg indeed; and prodigloufly €igreeahle^ I own : But I did net know that I was one cf the drmiiaU^ pcrjonce'. — they ihould have acquainted rnc beforehand ; I was quite ignorant of the plot: — but tb.e Gentle- inen cf this 'Ihcaire have fent rne dire<5lion?, I fuppofe, in tliis billet. Well, let us reatl on. Oh I — I ice, I muu go out; niuil not; Ir — I am but a y.cvjce i?i thealricals ; but I am docile — w^Illing to learn. — I iee, by mv inftrudtions, I rnuil: go out immediately ^—(m" rounded, 1 fuppofe, hy v[\j life-guards. Egad \ i fliall be as proud as an emperor, as I march throu3, their freehold j whence they have a right to drive all ethers away, as the dog did from the manger. Ten thoufand millions of pardon. [ ix ] pardons do we all beg you, you kind, good, dear Gentlemen ^^this Theatre. — We faw the play advertifed ; — we paid our money at the door, and we were placed here by the box- keeper. — Excufe our ignorance, — we knew of no cxchijive rights here : — and if we can pre- fume to have equal rights with you at the Theatre, then yours was the intrufion into our company, not ours into yours, — for we were here before you. But, right or wrong, it is not worth contending about; for might overcomes right ; and the might is all on your own fide : Contendere durum ejl^ xuin viSlore—fequor, " Of, of. — Of, off, Danocrat.—Off, off, ** Sedition, — OJf^ cff^ Sermon^'* Well, Gentlemen of \a'\9, Theatre^ we are re- treating as faft as you will let us pafs. We have been under a miftakc. We did not know that you had exclufive rights, or that you could fhcw your commiiricns. Wc thought you merely players, — That fret and drut tlicir iiour upcn the ilage, i.ivl then go olF as well as w^. Serius ccv:)sy exeunt ouuicsf All t - ] All this miftake now arofe from yolir ftyling yqurfelves, " I'he Geiitkmen of this Theatre^'' Had you condefcended to let us know your RIGHTS, or would have fhewn us your com- mifTions/It would have faved you from making your throats fore with calling us fuch hard names ; and that gentleman yonder would not have been fo much out of breath, and looked fo pale. The ladies have falls in their pockets; — do let them adminifter them to his nofe. He feems quite faint, poor gentleman. Well — Good night to you. I always obey lawful authority; and even unlawful, when I am oppofed by a fuperior force; and, doubt- lefs, you have a vvarrant for this proceedings notwithilandlng it appears a little extraordi- nary. I humbly think, (but there now, what bufmers have I to think?) that you are not iioiL^ and upon tliis occafion^ ading under your commifiion. The wcakcil however mull go to the wall. Near tv/cnty to one are great cdc's indeed at foot-bal!. I furrender my cit.idel. You have taken us all priioners. AVc march out; but leave the honours of war all your ovv'n. Your colours fly triumphant ; and I hear the Oioiits cf vidory. Yv^e have furren-' [ xi J furrendered at difcretion. It Is a moot point, whether to difcretion. But let us not wrangler about fuch little monofyllables, I certainly did yield to fuperlorlty of fome kind or other; whether of difcretion or force, let hiftorians of the year one thcufand feven hundred and ninety-three determine. You have had your revenge; — let us now pa7~ly. You fay, and we have it under your own hands, that you are gentle men-^~you add indeed, of this Theatre; but, v/hether of this Theatre or not, a gentleman will behave like a gentleman in the Theatre, out of the The- atre, and all the world over: — So that I am fure I fhall be heard with candour, now the firfl heat is a little fubfided. Hang it, I wifh you had put your own names to that puzzling paper of yours ; I might then have faid. Co- lonel O'Nokes, or Captain Stiles, or Lieute- nant Doe, or Enfign Roc ; — but now 1 can ad- drefs you only by the awkward appellation. Gentlemen of this Theatre. Give me leave to emit that odd addition, and to fay plainly, *' Gentlemen" — as I have no doubt you are, by felf-efiimation, profeffion, and rank ; — though in one indance, and from zeal in b what [ xU ] what you deemed your country's cause, you have aded rather zingently to be fure. Gentlemen, then ; we have mentioned the word commiJfiGn. You do not, I dare fay, fuppofe, that military men only have coinmif- Jions, Every clergyman has a ccmmi^ion. Will you give me leave to read it to you ? It may affifl you in the judicial proceedings of this newly united Court Martial and Court EcclefiaJiicaL In the avocations of rural amufe- ment, and the fatigues of a military life, you may not perhaps have met with it, or confi- dered it with due attention. Here it is. Gentlemen, in this little volume,whence my of- fenfive text was taken. Shall I read iifor you, as you are rather difconcerted by your recent exertion in the caufe of your country ? Then, pray take oif your hats and your caps, and ifliie orders to the younkers in the rear to hold their babbling, and call no more hard names, now the parly has begun. — " Hats off?— what! to « you ?— No; I'll be if I do." Not fo hafty, good Colonel O'Nokes, I did not fay ^o me; but in reverence of the aforefaid com- mifTion, which comes frqin the King — of KingSs. [ xiii ] Icings. The words are very folemn. No- thing fhould have induced me to have read them to you in this place, but that you have accufed me in this place of having exceeded my commiffion in the ofFenfive fermon, in which I ftudied to promote your happinefs, and the happinefs of every mortal under Hea- ven, by recommending, on gofpel principles, peace and benevolence. Now your wrath is a little abated, and the overflow of ill language fubfided, I will read it to you. In return, if you pleafe^ you fliall fhew me that part of your commiffion, which authorizes you to turn his Majefty's liege fubjeds out of Theatres, and to revile them as they go, with infulting language. " I charge thee^ before God, and the Lord " Jesus Christ, who JJjall judge the quick ** a?td the dead at his appearing^ and in his ** kingdomy " F reach the TVord^ be iiijlant in season, " OUT OF SEASON, REPROVE, REBUKE, EX- *' HORT, with all lo7ig-fuffcring and doctrine. " For the time zvill come, when they will ** not endure found docJrine, and fall turn hi " azvay [ xiv ] *' azvay their ears from the truth ; hut watch " thou in all things-, do the wark of an Evan' '' M^^ifiy vdake full proof of thy mlniftry^'' St. Paul to Tim. il. 4, Now, Gentlemen, would you think one of your own.profeiTion deferving of abufe and infult for doing his duty, under all circum- ftances, fearlefsly and regardlefs of Intereft and favour, according to the tenor of his commf- fon? Would he be entitled to praife or blame ? Do )^ou defpife a foldier who braves all danger, and efteem a fneaking coward who confults only his own fafety? The queflions are felf-anfvcered. Apply them, from your ovvm profeffion, mutatis mutandis^ to another profeHion, as liberal as your own ; and ftill honoured, and deem.ed ufefui, even in a po- litical light, to your country, for w^hich you difplay fo much zeal. The Author of that religion, Vvhich is eftablifiied by law in this kingdom, is called the Captain of Salva- tion. Would you have a foldier, profef- f on^illy engaged in the fervice of this great Captain, a mere time-ferver, a preferment hunter, a flatterer, a fubtlc politician for his 4 own f XV ] own gain, a fervile courtier, fit only to cringe and fimper at levees, and bend hi« dodrines with his back to all circumftances and peribns, for the fake of a ftall or a mitre ? Would you have him fuit his dodrines from the pulpit to the varying hour, to the caprice, or the va- nity, or the prejudice, or the pafiion qf his congregation ? Would you willi him to preach the reverfe , of my text, " Glory to " ourfdves^ to great lord?, generals, and worldly *' potentates /;/ the high(]fl ; on earth war; *' ill will (for a?iy thing ice care) to all men, but " our friends* our relations, our patrons, and " party?" — No; Gentlemen, you would not. I know you better than to believe it for one moment. Animated with the fpirit of Englifli- men, which loves a frank, honed difpofition, you mufl: prefer one who wouid preach what he thinks ufejiil tnithy even at the point of the bayonet, and the mouth of the cannon. Gentlemen, I wlfli I could claim the honour of fuch ardour in tp.c fervicc — All I can claim is, a defire to do my duty in the pulpit with hdelity. I preached peace in the hearing of thofe who, it now appears, v/ere ' prejudiced, at the time, in favour of ivar. For that very rcafon, reafon, it became me to do my duty with par-* ticular zeal: — ^I did it to the beft of my power. I rejoice that I was enabled to do it fo fuccefT- fully, as to have excited their attention ; even though it is accompanied with their difplea- fure. Prejudices obftruct the truth for a time; but ahey go off like clouds in an autumnal morning, when the fun rifes in his glorious majefty. Eyes have fome, but they will not fee. Pride militates againft perfuafion. Pride fays, " Who is it that fpeaks to us in a ftyle '' of authority? — ^Who is this that ^ares Ex- " HORT us ?" — Pride faid formerly of our Sa- viour, " Is not this the carpenter's fon ?" Pride would have ftoned him to death; and Pride did at laft crucify him : But, when Pride had done its worft, the truths which a few proud men of his own time were offended at, tri- umphed OVER THE CIVILIZED WORLD ; — . the Cross became the glory of nations, and princes, and warriors ; and the proud were forgotten or execrated. I do not defpair^ even now, notwithftanding 1 was compelled to quit the Theatre, but, as the world im- proves in ENOW^LEDGE, war will be ?w more '^ and, perpetual and univcrfal peace ^ which I fo [ xvil ] fo earneftly contended for, will be at length eftablifhed. In my generation, Gentlemen, I will do all I can to accelerate the approach of that happy period* I rejoice, greatly, that I preached peace at Brighton. It is my duty to preach it every where, when called upon to preach at all j and, by God's grace, I will do my duty. I thank you for your oppofition ; it will greatly promote the caufe. On that account, I am, Gentlemen, Your much obliged TUNBRIDGE-TOWN, Kent, V. KNOX. Nov. 29, 1793- P. S. The next time you honour me with your correfpondence, venture^ if you wifh for an anfwer, to fign your names to your epiille. It will be more manly than to fculk under that indefniite defcription of yourfelves, " The '^ Gentlemen of this Theatre." f. XIX ] Preface T O THE P V B L I C. Stmt lachrynue rerum et menUm mortalia tangunt. — Projice tela manu, Virg. AT the ordination of every Prieft, the fol- lowing queftion is put to him, in the moft folemn manner, by the Bishop ; *' Will you maintain and fet forwards, as much " as lieth in you^ quietness, peace, and ^ LOVE AMONG ALL CHRISTIAN PEOPLE, ** and fpecially amo?tg them that are^ or JJjall *' be, committed to your charge .^'* To which the following is the anfwer: ** I WILL DO so, the Lord being my helper''' I conceive then it is the duty of every ckrgy- man, bound by this promife, to preach peace C ON [ ^^ ] ON EARTH and GOOD-WILL TOWARDS MEN, as well in a time of war as at any other time ; as well to a congregation of Chriftian people in the military profefllon, as to a con- gregation of Chriftian people in any other pro- feflion. In the intereft of no party, the advocate of humanity *, the friend of man, a lawfully or* dained minifter of Jefus Chrift, I have on all occafions endeavoured to fulfil this folemn en- gagement, made at the time of ordination ; and particularly in the laft Autumn, when a. large and mixed congregation, at a place of public reibrt, was, on the moriiing pf a Sunday ■* The following fpecimens of Heathen feditlon, which I adopt, are pretty fafe from informers, being, to mojl of thewy in an unknown tongue : *' Homo fumj humani nihil a me alienum puto." Ter, " Quis enim bonus, aut face dignus *i Arcana, qualem Cercris vult elTc facerdos, ** Ulla aliena fibi credat mala ? Separat hoc nos ** A grege brutorum." Juv. " Molliffima corda •* Humano generi dare fe natura fatetur, « Qua; lacbrytnas dedit, hsec noftri pars optima fenfus/' Juv. in in Auguft, committed by the vicar to my charge. The confequences of this endeavour are al- i*eady known to matiy ; but are circumftantially related in th^ following Narrative. I have long poftponed, and now publifh it with re- luctance. The pcrfonal infult, unjuftifiable as it was, fhould have been overlooked with fovereign contempt^ as it deferved, if it had not been followed up by menaces arid mifrepre- fentation. A newfpaper which is fuppofed to infert paragraphs under the fanCtion or with the connivance bf high authority^ exprefled a hope that I fhould be told of my improper fermon " by my diocefan^ in a way that would *' make me an example to other pulpit po- " LITIGIANS." Whether the example was to operate on courtly preachers oifajlfermoiis^ in favour of war and 111- Will to men, I know not. Another paper informed the Public, that I was feeking fafety by flight to America ; but that I fliould probably be ftopt in my courfe by the Attorney-General. Other prints, in the fame fervice, generoufly under-- took the tafk of throwing dirt upon an indi- vidual, in the hope that, where muci\ was c 2 thrown. [ xxli J thrown, fomc might flick; and that the ilttle irregularity of the officers in defiring foe ** t^ " leave the Tbeatre^^ for ib it is candidly ex- prefled in a newfpaper now before me, might be abforbed in the atrocity of my fermon. Private letters and converfation were equally kind to my anonymous affailants, and bitter againft me, whom they mentioned by name. I therefore at fir^t drew up the minutes of the whole tranfadion, for the information of my family, — a part of whom were involved in the affront intended for me alone. A time might come (after I fhould be gone to a jufter Tribunal than the military one at the Theatre) when my younger children might afk what I had done to caufe the men of violence to rife up againft me, to excite the hope of true Britons that I fhould be punifhed by my dio- cefan, to urge me to meditate a retreat to America, and to occafion the projeded voyage to be prevented by the interference of the At- torney-General. This memorial would have gratified their curiofity, and, I hope, removed their anxiety. I had preferved a record for their fatisfadion ; and I fat down, in the niidfl of the arrows that vv^ere thrown from 4 unfeen .»* unfeen hands, perfedly contented. I had a MURUS AHENEUS to fhclter me. ' But my filence, which arofe partly from contempt, and partly from a love of eafe and peace, was mifinterpreted. It was fuppofed, by the malignant, to imply a confcioufnefs of having deferved the ill-treatment I had re- ceived. It was attributed to timidity. It was faid to be the efFecSt of a bribe. It was matter of aftonifhment to my friends, and exultation to my adverfaries, Tlie opportunity was feized for the diflfemination of calumny. Malice, unmolefted, ftalked over the field in triumph. I was told, that the independent part of the Public expected an account au- thenticated by me ; as they had been hither- to perplexed by recitals, apparently defective and clearly contradidory. I therefore deter- mined to revife my notes ; and I now prefent them to the Public, merely as the record of a military outrage^ rendered important by their notice of it, by its mifchievous tendency, and by its fmgularity. Many years have I been in the habit of addrefling my countrymen on the pleafant fubie That I have always written freely, thofe "who have done me the honour to read w^t \ have written, will allow ; and that I have * It is the obfervation of an antient, that to credit common report is itfelf a fpecles of calumny. Calumni.^ ?vhen forced by a£fual aggrcffion, Defenfive war is certainly exempt from all the cenfure which falls on war wantonly and cruelly un- dertaken from pride and ambition. I always thought the militia^ whofe only bufinefs is de- fence, a moft excellent inftitution, and its officers, in general, men of true patriotifm. May I take the liberty of quoting what I faid of them many years ago, in EJfays moral and literary f " I cannot clofe this fubjedl without ap- ** plauding thofe generous and liberal men, " who, when their country was threatened " with an invasion, fcrfook all the comforts " of their homes, and without previous habits *' to enure them, fubmitted with alacrity to " the inconveniences of a camp, and the un- " fettled life of a foldier. Their judicious " and patriotic ardour evinces that they wear *' a fword for their country's good *." I {hall beg permiffion to tranfcribe another palluge, which has alfo been written many years, on the military in general. * KfiHv ip. Edliloii tliirtcciJth. " Men (C cc [ xxxii ] Men in the military profellion are not cul- pable for the exiftence of war; a ftate which they found eftabliftied before they were •' born, and which it is not in their power, *' if it were their inclination, to alter. Their " profellion has always been deemed one of *' the moft honourable. As things are con- *' ftituted, and as they have generally con- " dueled themfelves, their claim to honour " may, I believe, remain undifputed. While " we lament that fuch an order of men jfhould *' have been found necefiary, we may freely " beftow that praife, which the virtues of in- " dividuals engaged in it deferve. " Courage is obvioufly a prime requifite in " this profeflion. It has of courfe been culti- *' vated, encouraged, and difplayed by it in " high perfedion. But courage, when it " does not arife from animal infenfibility, is " conned:ed with every generous virtue. The " foldier has, therefure, been diflinguiOied " for opennefs, honour, trutli, and liberality. " To the folid virtues, he has alio added the " high pcliili of urbane and cafy manners. " His various commerce with the buly world " has rubbed cfi'thofc arpcriiics, and extended £ xxxlll ] " that narrownefs, which too often adhere to *' the virtuous reckife. And perhaps it is " difficult to exhibit human nature in a more ** amiable and honourable light, than it ap- " pears in the accomplifhed foldier; in the " foldier, fully prepared for his profeflion by " a liberal education, and finifhed, through " the favourable circumftances of it, by all *' thofe qualities which render men generous ♦' in principle, and agreeable in converfa- «' tion*." But though I am ready to honour, as I have ever publicly honoured, the military profeffion ; yet I wifli, in the fcripture-language, that " MEN MAY NOT LEARN WAR ANY MORE." But, fays an obje6lor, there always were w^ars. It is granted. But becaufe mankind have been unwifc, are they never to relinquiHi their folly ? Why fhould not human affairs, in this refpcd: as well as others, admit of im- provement, by THE TOTAL ABOLITION OF WAR ? Human affairs lliould always be in a progrelfive flate. The old age of the world, * Knox's "Winter Evenings, p:ige 295. octavo edition. which [ xxxiv 3 which IS the prefent age, fhould corred the temerity of its youth ; the enlightened ftate fhould redify the errors of its paft times of ignorance. Titpe was, when men did not believe the exiftence of antipodes ; and when to have publifhed an opinion. of their exiftence, would have fubjeded the ingenious philofo- pher to the inqiiifit'ion ; and, perhap?, brought him to ihtjiake. Time was, when men be- lieved that the earth ftood ftill, and that the fun and all the heavenly bodies rolled round it ; and to have contradi<3:ed fuch an idea, would have been deemed damnable herefy. Time was, when people thought that Sir Ifaac Newton^s difcoveiies could never have been made. The time Jlill continues^ when men believe war to be necelTary ; though the very fame men, at the fame time, (in England at leaft,) allov/, that the Chriflian religion is true, which forbids rancour, malice, revenge, and teaches forgivenefs of injuries and of ENEMIES. The commandments are read in the churches of England by public authority ; and one of them fays, Thcu ihalt do no mur- der ; yet a party (liall furprize a few unarmed foreigners afccp in a village retreat, and put them [ XXXV ] them to death if there is clanger of tlieir giving alarm, and expeft, and even receive rewards and applaufe. The Bible, read alfo by law in our churches, contains this ediO:, founded in juftice and mercy: " Whoso *' SIIEDBETII man's BLOOD, BY jMAIs* ALSO " SHALL HIS ELOOD BE SHED ;" yet, he who coolly fhcddeth* the blood of thoufands, ihall be received with acclamations, illumina- tions, bonfires, explofion of cannons ; and be confidered as vv^orthy of the richeft rewards and the higheft honours a Christian na- tion can confer. Prejudice is very obftinate, and ignorance with great difficulty convincech Yet I mud believe, that a Nevv'TON may here- after appear in tb.e political world ; and prove that men may live happily, tl;e fliort ipace allowed them, without employing the bcft part of their Irjcs^ tlie time of youth, health, and ftrength, in cutting off eacli other fron\ the land of the living. Is not the world wide cr.OLipli for us all c We put pike, and other f :]:cs oT prey', into our liHi-ponds, to eat up the little f :h, that the others may futcn and l-c.;omc r,iv.rp7Y/itV7 for the tables of the rich O and luxLirir^iis ; ihit it is ipuite ap.otlicr th;i g" e amni-;.>- [ xxxvi ] among Chr'i/lians^\Nho are taught to fay, " Our " Father which art in heaven;" and who, confequently, are all brethi'en^ and who cannot flay any of their ipecies, unlefs in felf defence, "witlicut being guilty oi fratricide^ an aggravat- ed fpecies of murder. " Ye are brethren," fay the fcriptures ; " why do ye wrong *' one to another?'^ Great God! the Father of us all, have mercv r■'^ naankind, though their traiifgrelTions h:ivf jMltly provoked thee, and grant, that none of thy children may hud their breihren to mutual dopLru^ion *. Whcu, indeed, are thefe leaders ? Are the^ not fliepherds of their peop] ;i f ? Is it net the fhcpherd's bufmefs to guard ail the fneep from the common enemy, the WOLF? Would a fliephcrd, a real, not a figurative fhepherd, he jullihed in leading one flock 10 fight and deriioy another, evc7i if they iVuuld^ when thou halt given herbage fufii- cient for them all? But fuppoiing, for ar- gument's fake, that fepherd hirrfdf one of !»- Quid mevuillirj oves ? placiiluni pccus. Ovid. th^ [ XXXV ii ] ihejl:eep, would not his condud, in teaching them to anticipate the butcher, be flill more culpable, becaufe more unnatural ? But what are thefe leaders ? Do they not enter the world in the fame helplefs manner as the pooreft of their train ? Do they not leave it, after a brief continuance, in the fame helplefs manner ? and fliall the fhort miferable interval be fpent in deftroying life, and diffufirtg mifeiy ? They themfelves are obje<5ls of greater pity, than thofe who innocently bleed under their guid- ance. Have mercy upon them all, O Fa- ther ! and grant that pride and ambi- tion may fall at lafl:, fubdued by reafon, and by the influence of Chriftian benevolence. Let us all remember we are men^ pity human nature, alleviate its vroes, and retain but one caufe of amicable ftrife, the emulation to DO THE MOST GOOD IN OUR TIME, AND TO PREVENT THE MOST EVIL. Happy they, who, in this turbulent fcene, ?ire enabled to live in peace, and defccnd to. the grave unftained with the blcod of any fellow-creature ! Behold a pale hand in a fliroud, fpotted with the blood of a brother ' not one penitential tear to v/afli it out ! O e 2 eartli, [ xxxvHl ] <*arth, cover it ! May neither my friends nor my enemies have to meet, in another world, thofe whom they have fent prematurely out of this, with all their imperfections on their heads. May they live in peace, die in charity, and be united in blifs, at a joyful refurrection. So much, furely, I may wi/h v/ithout the im- putation of fedition. With refped: to the charge cf fedition, I aflv, I folicit the ftrideft fcrutiny of my con- dud:, as a loyal citizen, as a preacher of peace, as a friend to order, law, and liberty. I he- iitate not to add the word lihcrly^ though by Jome * profcrihed. If I v/ere not a friend to liberty, * To account for fonie larc roi.rrTCAi. ph.~:\o:ta\ u.r a " FACTION FOR Tilt: CXOWN AS Wri.L AS /.GAIXS 1" J':' ; *' AND C0N\S?IR.ACIi:3 AGAI"::T f-.Vi^riJOM AS V. i,LL .vS *' AGAINST pp.EROGATivE/' — *' To ih.ev," thc c-ivlCs," l.iys a rcmarker on this obl'.rvation, " oi thi:. mal";:,n.incv, it *' will be neceiliiry to obfcrvc, tiuit tivre is, in every *' fociety, a number of men to wiioni t^:";.-.nnv is rRC- *^ vjTi^L/.r: men c.r::J cf iiiry 'e.v.';- • ■•;' qufU^jLuti-i [ XXXIX ] liberty, as Vv-ell as to law and order, I fliould indeed be a traitor ; for liberty is the efTence of the Britilh Conftitution. To (lifie ufeful truth by i x t i M i D A T i o N *, is an attempt as weak as it is wicked. It would " requlilte to rise in a free state. The emolument? " and favours they gain for suFPOP/nxG tyranny, nie *' the only means by which they can obtain those di- *' stinctions which, in every eqj:/.l government, are " the rcwiirds of public service." * The feverity afllimed by fomc parts of the com- munity towards other parts of it, is tl.us accounted for, by that very able and rcfpe6lable clergyman, tlic Rev. Christopher Wyvill, whofe exertions of eloquence ■ii.\\i\ virtue, in the caufe of freedom, dcferve his country's gratitude. *' Tlie cilabliHiment of a lep^flative ancnibly in Fr-.truc *' on equitable principles of reprcfcntatlon; tlic exultation *' exprefled by the people here, on the fuccefsful elToits *' which had been exerted to emancipate tlie French na- *' tion i and the apparent eafc with v.iiieh a Iranfii'on " might be made, in this ccunlrv, from admiring their *' form of reprefentation to ii::[jrov:.:g cur onvii ; thcfe *' united eircumflanees pufhcd ti:c ,'■..■..•.■ ui a jlaloc* *' aristocracy to its prcient extremity. " From that moment their Li!:l,.i^.i>, no l-'Uger 1:^0 *' knov,-n any bounds of jiriTicr, v.icci k.mk r, (•«. t-i-'.- " DENCf. '' The [ xl ] would be equally feafible to extingulfli the light of the fun, by binding bandages over the eyes of men. Fire, fword, banifhment, profcription, profecution, ftrained even to perfecution, have been often tried in attacking truth ; but they have ultimately promoted the caui'e which they were intended to annihilate. Lop a tree, and, if the root is vigorous and the foil fertile, it will vegetate with redoubled luxuriance. It is one advantage, among a thoufand, attending the conquefts of rcafon, that they fccure the regions wliich tliey fub- jugate. Brute force extends only to the body. The mind mocks its impotence. The faul- ciiiON, lifted up agalnil principles, cuts the *' The TEOPi.E, and tlielr juH. conditutioii?-} claims, have " been the conllant objetls cf their unqualified scorn *' AND DEKisiON, their unmitigated aijkcrrence and ex- " ECRATioN ; and ftili, in each wild and moody change of " temper, tlicfe alternate excesses of rage and ridi- «' cuLE*, of HORROR and coNTEMPTj ha\e been but tlie "' varied exprtflions of their FEAR." • N'.l habc; infaUx paytiitat duriu'- in fe Q.-aui quoa Uidiculos iion;iiieE facir, J'-'^' Wnnefs " Sjni Cukft!,"' a phra.'j of lontemjt ror the "D-ip, (to \vh in J fus <;iii;fi r.re,'c!>fG tlic 0''!",m:',; v,'Ji.h has b:;;i ;r.i;il.it;J .r.tj Er.c'. ft' " li.c j-lui- j'lj .t.L.!';!u''e," H V, 3 [ xll ] tfzV, which mRantaneoufly coalefces; while hs who aimed the blow falls to the ground, by his own ill-direded force. Nothing but a bellum internecinum, a war which cuts off man, woman, and child from the face of the eartli, can exterminate falutary truth, once made vilible, by her owa unextinguifhable hi fire, to a whole people. The object cannot be deftroyed, though the eyes which fee it m.ay be put out with the fword's point. Violence produces fear and death, but not conviction. It may fubdue, but cannot conciliate. Then way violence cenje from the earth ; and the mild arts of pcrfuafion, reafoning, and argument, be the only means re- fortcd to, unlefs when it is necefiary to repel force by force, by all p::ople and rulers in every part of the habitable globe. May the homage paid to grandeur be every where paid to virtue ; the glory bellowed on w^ar- riors, referved ior the peace-makers ; and the laurel become lei's honourable than t!ie olive. In this age of vicirlitude, under every change of political, philofophical, or reriglous opinion, be it mine, as far as in me lies, to pro- mote peace, to diffuie happinefs, and to pre- vent vent or alleviate mlfeiy. Thefe are my party- principles — thefe my politics — this my philo- ibphy — and this, with piety to GoD, and allegiance to the Pria^ce of PeacEj my i^.ELIGION. A N A R- NARRATIVE O F Tranfadions relative toaSERMON Preached at Brightott^ Augujl i8, 1793. THE contumelious language and infolent behaviour of a few angry perfons, who thought proper to take offence at a Sermon which I lately preached at Brighton, have hi- therto been pafled over in filence, becaufe I deemed them utterly unworthy my ferious animadverfion. As far as I was perfonally con- cerned, I defpifed them. I felt that fuperioritv which arifes from obferving a filly effort of caufelefs malice, feeking its own poor gratifi- cation, by force, by the infringement of law, and the difturbance of order. Though injury was certainly intended me, yet, at the time, I fuffered none ; and I fcorned either to com« B plam [ 2 ] plain of the attempt, or to retaliate the male- volence. • But the Public has confidered the out- rage more ferioufly. To the Public it ap- pears to afford an alarming precedent of military interference. It juftly excites gene- ral uneafmefs, when they who are bound by every obligation to preferve the peace, become its violators ; and feek redrefs of fuppofed grievances, by arbitrary coercion, neglecfling thofe laws which apply to every wrong a cer- tain remedy. Nothing tends more diredly to the ANARCHY wc dcplore. A military tribunal, to which even the pulpit is made amenable by force, is indeed a fmgular and truly alarming innovation in our excellent Conftitution. The Public is naturally rouzed at the flighteft appearance of military defpot- ifm, the worft of all others ; and of that //«- authorized violence, which has produced, in its progrefs, the moft dreadful maffacres on the other fide of the Channe). To the Public, thus awakened by a dangerous example, I owe a faithful and minute Narrative of all the circumflances which have excited its folici- tude. 10 The [ 3 ] The public attention calls loudly for my ftatement. Mifreprefentatlon and calumny have taken advantage of my forbearance. The engines of venal malice have been em- ployed, to hurl on me their envenomed wea- pons of abufe. Diurnal papers, notorioufly under corrupt influence, have been commif- fioned to mifreprefent my fermon and my principles, that the offence of thofe who en- deavoured to punifh me in a manner equally illegal and indecorous, might be fuppofed to admit of palliation. An unoffending indi- vidual was to be facrificed, that a namclefs body of his favoured affailants might efcape cenfure. I owe to my friends and to myfelf a public reprefentation of the whole affair, to obviate the effeds of bafe calumny, which, though defpicable in the eyes of thofe who know its origin, is yet diffulcd with induftry, enforced by influence, and at length deceives the unwary. I beg not to be mifandcrfiood in the mo- tives to this publication. I mean not to com- plain. I feek no redrcls; for I feel no evil. Tlie feeble weapon aimed at me fell pointlefs to the ground, and I liniled at ils imbeeillity. B 2 T wifli [ 4 ] I wifh only to leave on record a true account of a tranfadion, which, infignificant to my-' felf at firft, has derived importance from the continued attention of the Public to it, and from the indefatigable calumnies of agents, who, for the purpofes of their paymafters, are mercenary enough to palliate any wrong done to a private individual. I am fenfible that a preacher of the gofpel of Jefus Chrift, when he has performed his duty in the pulpit to the bell of his power, and according to the didates of his confcience, ought to bear with patience whatever ill ufage may enfue. I know well, that he ought to pradife, what he is bound to preach, the for- givenefs of injuries. I am aware that he ought to ftifle the feelings of refentment, and to return good for evil. But I am alfo con- vinced, that it is his duty to ftop the pro- grefs of error, and to do himfelf and others juflice, by a reprefentation of real fadts, nei- ther diftorted nor difcoloured by guile. It has indeed been my lot to have fuftered ill-treatment from thofe who were bound by all the laws of honour to have afforded me, and thofe who accompanied me, protection from [ 5 ] from UNMANLY infult. The age of chivalry IS paji ; or the ladies of my family would not have participated in the punilhment to which I was condemned, as an ecclcfwjlic^ by a military fentence. Though I could not but feel fome degree of indignation at thofe circumftances of the infult which involved defencelefs females in it ; yet I have endeavoured to fubdue all emotions of revenge. I purpofely abftained from animadverting on the affront intended me, till time co-operating with realbn, fhould have effaced the firft impreffions, and Ibftened anger into pity. I am diveftcd of all vin- didive fentiraent, and proceed with perfed: equanimity to my Narrative. At the commencement of an anniverfary vacation in the laft Autumn, 1 hired a houfe in North Street, Brighton, and went thither, together with my family, in purfuit of health, by fea-bathing, and a lalutary change of air and fcenc. A clofe attention to fludy, and to various bufmefs, had rendered fiich excurfions, in feaions of leifure, highly ufcful, if not ne- ceffary. In this temporary rcfidence at a place of public rcfort, I had no other objcd in view but [ <5 ] but health. After I had been there a week or ten days, Mr. Hudson, the vicar of the parifh, with whom I had not then the pleafure of being in the leaft acquainted, fent me a note, exprefling his defire that I would gratify his congregation, as he politely exprefTed him- felf, with a fermon on the morrow, which was Sunday the eleventh of Auguft. I ufe his words, and appeal to him for the truth of the fad:, it having been afferted in letters, in private companies, and at coffee-houfes, that I folicited an opportunity to preach, in order to ferve the purpofes of a party. Short as the notice was, I did not refufe, efpecially as up- on my fhewing rcludance, feme friends who were prefent at the receipt of the requeft, im- portuned me to comply. On the Sunday I preached on the text, " ^he peace of God, ivhich pafeth all under- *' fand'nig^ fl:all keep your hearts and minds " through Chrif Jefns^ — Phillpp. I v. ~. As it has been fald that I obtruded myfelf into the pulpit, and as I have been fo firigu- larly infultcd and fo grofsly abufed In public, I maybe pardoned in mentioning in public, the very [ 7 ] very flattering manner in which this fermon was heard by a very large and very refpeftable congregation, in which were many of the miUtary belonging to the Surrey regiment, quartered in Brighton. The utmoft atten- tion was paid to it. The military appeared to be particularly imprefled, and highly fatif- fied. Expreffions of approbation were heard, too emphatic for me to repeat. Mr, Hudson, the vicar, who read prayers, came to my houfe, on purpofe to thank me, in his ow^n name, and that of his congregation. He mentioned the general fatisfaftion I had gi- ven; the many inquiries that had been made after my name by ftrangers ; and exprelTed a hope, that I would preach once more, as he knew it was the v^-ilh of his parifliloners. This, however, I declined at that time, and certainly had no intention to preach again at Brighton, though I had every reafon to be pleafed with my reception. I hope I may be permitted to mention a few additional circumftances, tending to evince that it was the wiih, not only of the vicar and parifliloners, but of tlic company rcforting to Brighton, that i fliould preach there [ 8 ] there again. On my going to the ufual places of public refort, gentlemen highly refpedtable in appearance, whom I had never fpoken to before, paid me the compliment of noticing -me by falutation ; and feveral of them intro- duced themfelves to me on the Stene, and at the bookfeller's, in order to thank me for my . fermon. One gentleman in particular, who told me his name is Foster, and who lives in Warwickfhire, a perfect ftranger, did me the honour to compliment me in a very remarkable manner, and to fpend much time with me in various converfation. I have never feen him fmce I left Brighton, nor have had any com- munication with him ; but I doubt not that he will do me the juftice to acknowledge that he exprefled the higheft approbation, and added, that he had heard many do the fame. 1 met upon the Stene, on the Monday morn- ing, Captain Mix ford of Upper Charlotte Street, London, who told me that he had heard with great pleafure the fmgular applaufe be- ftowed on my fermon preached the day before, and lamented his own abfence. Thefe gen- tlemen, of whore integrity I have the higheft opinion, will bear ample rcflimony to the truth t 9 ] truth of this part of my ftatement, and prove that I did not preach at Brighton againft the will of the hearers, as malicious reporters have falfely, yet confidently, afferted. I muft regret, ,as circuraflances have hap- pened, that I did not make myfelf acquainted with the names of all the llrangers, who ho- noured me with particular notice, in confe- quence of my fermon. They would all have confirmed my contradidion of a malicious reporX, that my Ji/'JI ferm.on at Brighton gave offence, and that I preached a fecond time officioufly, againft the wifhes of the vicar and people, and at my own folicitation. To the vicar, and to the numerous inhabitants of Brighton, I make m.y appeal with confidence, 1 proceed to mention how it happened that I was perfuaded to preach on the following Sunday, after having declined it. On the birth-day of the Prince or Wales, I was prefent at the ball, and partook of the fupper given at the Cafllc in lionour of him. I there aUb experienced a marked civility, from pcr- fors who could know me only from the fer- mon which had been fo favourably received on the Sunday. I met Mr. Hudson thcrj. c He [ >° ] He' fhewed great kiiidnefs, continued in my company nearly the whole of the evening, and in the courfe of it, renewed his requeft, that as his parishioners very much wifhed it, 1 would give him another fermon on the fol- lowing Sunday. My reply was as follows : " I come here for recreation, after the fatigues of my daily avocations and of my own parifh church, and I do not wifh to be interrupted by exertions of this kind, efpecially as I find my laft fermon has excited fo general an at- tention, and probably raifed expectation too high. You mention the praifes I have re- ceived ; but I will not preach for the fake of praife. If you fay it will ferve you, if you wifh to be abfent, or if it is any relief to you, I will endeavour to prepare a fermon in the raidft of the interruptions of this place, and will preach next Sunday, though I fmcerely wilh to decline it." He continued his re- queft, and I complied ; little thinking how great a difturbancc was to be the refult. I had no fermon with me which w^as fulted entirely to the occafion. I had frequent vi- fitors at my houfe, and v/as engaged to go out on family- parties for feveral days. Hov/- I o ever. V [ " ] ever, I wrote the offenfive fermon in {hort intervals, frequently interrupted. ' My ene- mies have faid that I came prepared to Brighton, a miffionary of fedition, an incen- diary with my ammunition in my pocket, a preacher of premeditated treafon, an emiiTary employed to caufe mutiny in the army, and revolution in the empire. Such malice can only provoke a fmile. Several friends faw me writing my fermon, and many can atteft on oath, that I never fought an occafion of preaching at all at Brighton, as well as that I never preached fedition, treafon, or any thing but what was at once conducive to public order and peace, and to private hap- pinefs, comfort, and fecurity. I chofe for my fubjeifl:, '* Ibe profpccf of perpetual and unlverfal peace to be eJlab!lfJ:)ed on the principles of Chrlfliaii philanthropy. ' My text was. Glory to God in the highcjl^ on earth peace ^ good-ivill towards wen. I was led to the choice of this fubjecl from obferving the extreme litteknf.ss ex- prcfFcd, even In gay and good-liuinourcd companies, againft a gre;it part of our fellov.-- creatures ; from the a'rnoil daily accounts i.i C 2 ihe [ 12 ] the newfpapers of flaughtered thoufands, and the eageiTiefs with which war had been adopted by all the nations concerned, when NEGOTIATION might have efFeded every defirable purpofe, without expence, and with- out CARNAGE. The following expreffions, which were ut- tered loudly in my hearing, and apparently intended for my ear, on the Sunday evening on the Stene, after my fecond fermon, feem to prove that a recommendation of good-iLill towards men was not ill-timed. " My prayer," faid an unknown gentleman in uniform, " my prayer to God is, that the war with France may be a long, a bloody— nay, an everlalliog war." A fnnilar inveteracy I had often obferved in converfation of mixed companies ; and I had read fomething approaching to it, in fajl fcnnons of recent date. 1 really thought, therefore, that a fpirit fo unpbilofo- phical, fo unchriftian, (o inhuman, ought to be checked, if poiTible, in the pulpit, hv tliofc who were enlifted foluiers under the Pjunce OF Peace. The temper of the peoi)le feem- ed to be foured by national animofity, artfully iiifpired by deluiive publications 3 and a fa- vairenefy [ 13 ] vagenefs of fentiment began to prevail, pro- dudlive of barbarifm and barbarity. Perfons wholly ignorant of public afiairs, and incapa- ble of judging of them, had been taught of late to exprefs themfclves with a cruelty againft the public enemy, dii'graceful to the Britifli character, and fuch as, if farther en- couraged by inflammatory treatlfes, may pro- duce a condu(^ at home, in future circum- ftances, fatal to internal peace and perfonal fafety. It muft ever be dangerous to cherilli CRUEL paffions in the populace. He is a wretched politician, who, for temporary pur- pofes, encourages fentimenis in the common people inconfiftent with their religion, and Vvith humanity. Such being my opinion, 1 was confident I could not render greater fer- vice, in the little fpace allotted to a difcourfe from the pulpit, than In preaching univerfal philanthropy, and the duly of leeking peace with all human kind, by every pofTible mode oi fair negotiation. l^Iiolc were the rcalbns which induced mc lo I'hiil'c ihe fii])je6b of peace and good-inli tu-irarJs men. The time and the place nnturally ]L!g^.';en:cd ihe idea. Such fubjccls, 1 :;!ii lure, arc proper at all times, [ H ] times, and in all places; but there appeared to me a peculiar propriety in bringing them forward at the time I was dcfired to preach, and at Brighton. It was a time, when every news-paper teemed with accounts of dreadful flaughter. It was a place, at which the fub- jed; of peace and war was peculiarly intereft- ing, becaufe an army of many thoufand men was encamped in its vicinity, and the whole neighbouring country had affumed a warlike appearance. The church is a place at all times adapted to the doQ;rines of peace and benevolence. Kad I even gone to the camp, and difcourfed, as a chaplain^ on the fame topic, it could not have been out of place. But every one who came to the churchy knew that he tnujl hear peace, charity, good- will, forgivenefs of enemies recommended, in hear- ing the leifons from the gofpel. If my fer- mon was deemed ill-placed in recommending univerfal peace and univerfal good-v/ill in Brighton churchy what Vv'ill men, vvho judge fo, fay of the gofpel read there ? wliat of the national liturgy, eila'olillied by lavv' as iirmly as the national militia ? But I digrcis too Iciig from my Narrative. On [ 15 1 On the Sunday appointed, I went, acconl- panied by a friend and all my family, to the. church, and preached that ferrnon which gave difpleafure to a very few military men^ who, I am willing to believe, totally mifap- pjehended its tendency. I was heard ia filence, and, ifl can judge, with great atten- tion. I was not ccnfcious that any part of the congregation was offended, nor did I fur- mife it till after tlie following incident. On going out of the church, a lady, a perfe(5l ftranger, accoiled me and faid, " I thank you for your ferrnon. I could have flit hours to have heard fuch with pleafure. But excufe me — I muft tell you, that from what I have obferved in the pews, among a certain de- fcription of perfons, you have offended thofe^ who, I fear, have as little relifh for the doc- trine of forgivenefs as they feem to have of peace. Many, like myfeif, are highly pleafed with every part of your dlfcourfe ; but there are thofe who are angry indeed 1" My family, who ftood around rue, heard her obfervations, and were greatly alarmed. I was not in the lead alarmed^ though certainly concerned, to find th3.t I had been minipprchended. Con- icicus [ i6 ] fclous of having meant nothing but what was humane, beneficent, and truly Chriftian, in all which I had delivered, I feared no ill. Having done no wrong, nor intended any thing but good, I felt a ferene complacency, notvvithftanding the alarm given by this un- known lady. In a tone of voice, and with a look and manner expreffive of apprehenfions for my fafety. I rnet with no moleftation in the church. I walked flowly through the cluirch-yard. Nothing but refped: was fhown me. I returned with my family to my houfe with peculiar cheerfulnefs, flowing from a faithful difcharge of my duty, and the confe- quent efteem of the parilhioners, which, I be- lieve, I poffeiTed. I had friends to dine with m,e on that day, and the church-fervice in the afternoon began rather early. Under thefe circumftances I might have been abfent without blame. But I rofe from my tabic, acquainting my com- pany, that as I underilood the officers, who were at church in the morning, were offended at me, [ would certainly ivalk to church, in the hope of meeting fome of them, and hear- in-i- v.'luit hud qiven them offence, and of com in p- [ 17 1 coming immediately, before mifreprefentatloti could take place, to a full and amicable ex- planation. I wiflied earneftly to meet the angry parties, that we might converfe toge- ther, that I might acknowledge my fault, if I had been in the wrong, and remove their miftake if they thought me fo, undefervedly. I had no refentments ; I only wifhed for reconciliation. I went therefore unaccompa- nied by ray friends ; for I fought no protec- tion : I met not a fmgle officer. After hear- ing Mr. Moflbp preach, I returned to my fa- mily to drink tea. In the evening I propofed walking on the Stene, ftill hoping to meet my oftended hearers in the military profeffion: many officers were there, but I did not recog- nize any of thofe who were at the church. — No infult was offered me ; for I can hardly fuppofe that the fpeech above-mentioned, ex- preffing a wi(h for a long, a bloody, nay an cverlafting war, could be intended as an infult to mCy though it was repeated clofe to my ear, in a voice raifed above the common pitch, and with peculiar cmphafis. My fermon was talked of frequently in my hearing, but not with dilapprobation. I was pointed out as the preacher rather particularly indeed, but not JB rudely. [ »8 ] rudely. I perceived a large party of the military aflembled at the caftle, who were dining in a room which looked immediately on the Stene ; and I pafTed them unavoidably. I met with no infult on this public and crowded walk, though I purpofely remained there till it was dark, and all the company began to retire. The inhabitants of Brighton, and the parifhioners in general, behaved wdth their ufual civility; not the leaft degree of rudenefs did I on this occafion, or at any time, experience from them, or from any of the company reforting to that place, unconneded with the offended BEW, in the military line. On my return home, a letter was brought to me, of which the following is a copy : " A ftranger prefents his compliments and " fmcere homage of thanks to Dr. Knox^ for " his moft excellent Sermon preached this ** morning, and carneftly requefts him to " publifli it, as a means to promote the in- " terefts of humanity, and procure that great " defideratum, " Peace on Jiarth." " The ardour of Chriftian philanthropy it " breathes fhould be diffufcd throughout the *' world, which is the cbje£l of this appllca- " tion. I '9 ] " tion. The writer wifhes to diftribute a *' number of copies in a diftant county. A ** diflemination of fuch enlightening and '' convincing knowledge is only wanting to *' Hop the effufion of human blood; for " when mankind are well awakened, they " will not permit the dignified human but- '* chers, the infolent, unfeeling traffickers ia " blood, to lead them to deftruition. " Sunday^ Aug. i8." This anonymous letter, the honed efFu- fion of philanthropy, 1 infert in this place, as it forms a part cf my narrative. I have no fufpicion whence it came. The fervant, who delivered it at the door, went away in great hafle. Several friends were prefent when the letter came, and read it as foon as it was opened. I beg leave to mention in this place, that from the pulpit, where I mull have had a pretty good view of tlic whole church, I faw very few officers; and of thoie few, I knew not one even by name : I thought there v.eie not a dozen. Of common foldiers the num- ber was alfo inconfiderable ; I think there D 2 were [ 20 ] were fcarcely twenty, and thefe were not cf the camp, but of the Surry militia quartered in the town. There were indeed more of the fame regiment in the porch or in the church- yard ; but too remote from the pulpit to hear a fyllable of fedition, if there had been any to hear. I mention the paucity of officers and privates for the following reafon : the Public has been taught by miftaken prints to believe, that I was guilty of preaching peace and good-will before the 'whole camp^ that the aide was crowded with foldiers, and that all the officers of the camp attended. I appeal to the parifhioners prefent, whether the num- ber of military men, privates and officers included, was greater than I have conjedlured. My fermon Vv^as not exclufively calculated for a congregation of perfons in any particular profeffion. There was not a word addrefled by an apojlropbe^ as I have heard it afierted, to the officers. I had no reafon to fuppofe that any military men, but thofe of the Surry militia quartered at Brighton, would be at the churcho I thought, and I believe it was fo that divine fervice was performed by the ciiap- hiii-: \:\ the camp, and that \.\\q. fold:crs nfthc 1 3 ccimp [ 2. ] tamp would not be j>ermitted to ftraggle \o the town or the church, on a Sunday, during divine fervice. The Public has been much deceived in the exaggerated accounts of my preaching to the whole army; but had the whole army been at the church, had it been allowed or been poflible, I am certain they would have heard nothing from me, but what was authorized by the gofpel, enforced by the law of men as well as of God, tending to promote their happinefs in all events, and animating them to the difcharge of every duty, on principles of humanity and Chrifti- anity. I exprefsly aflerted, while I was de- ploring the calamities of war, that the con- ductors of war were often men of singular HUMANITY AND HONOUR. I exprefsly com- mended the beautiful gradation of ranks in fo- ciety. I enforced good order ; I deprecated anarchy as much as defpoiifm. I have already related the tranfadlons of the Sunday. On Monday I went to the Downs, where the Vv'holc army v/as afTem- bled. The beauty of the day attradlcd thither my fiicnd, and my family. I hoped alio to meet thofe whom I Iiad oiltncJcd, that [ 22 J that they might bring their charge againft mc face to face; and that I might explain what was mifunderflood, or make a frank acknow- ledgment, if any thing could be made appear on my part truly reprehenfible. I hoped the explanation on both fides would be liberal, candid, and gentlemanlike. I cared not how many were prefent at it. Truth loves the light. I would not be proted:ed by my com- pany, or concealed in my carriage. I walked alone a great part of near four hours on the ground, amidfl: thoufands; the reft I fpent with my vifitor, with my family, and the family of my friend, Mr. Bridger of Buckingham-houfe, Shoreham. The military were indeed engaged in their evolutions ; but they frequently paffcd me nearly, and might have fpoken to me. The company of fpedators v/as very numeroiis, and much of it conneded with the army. My fermon, I have been fince told, v/as a frequent topic of convcriation on the ground, and I was pointed out as the preacher of it; but no infult was offered, and no pcribnal application made to me. In the evening I went, as ufua!, to the ^tene, and the bookfellers fhops on the Stene, and [ 23 ] and met with nothing in either place, though crowded, but friendfhip and civility. The morning of Tuefday was fpent on the Stene, and in other places near Brighton. Even now I avoided not meeting thofe who, I had been recently told, were heard io threaten me feverely, behind my back, on the preceding day. I preferred meeting them, and hearing the word they could fay, to secret calumny; which, as it could not be encountered, could not be repelled. This fiend was bufily at work, inflaming many againft me who had never feen or heard me. Every one knows how things are unintentionally exaggerated when they become topics of converfation in the convivial hour, and when an emulation pre- vails of making a difplay of i'pirit or ingenuity, Sauccr-cyed phantoms of Sedition began to flit before diilurbed imaginations. Old women, dreaming of chimeras dirc^ ftlmulated their hufbands to buckle on the helmet and the fliieUI, and take the fpear, and go forth againil the giant Sedition, which appeared to their old eyes in the form of a windmill. The important hour at length approached. Tlie anger of my enemies was nothing indeed in [ 24 ] in duration to the wrath of Achilles; but yet it appears to have been of a durable nature. The offence of Sunday morning was to be revenged on Tuefday evening. My friend, who was to return to London on the next day, propofed that fome of my family and myfelf fliould ac- company him to the Theatre. I had no defire to go; but as I had determined to decline no opportunity of meeting thofewho,now,itfeems, cxpreffed themfelves with great rancour againft me, I confented immediately. Ac- cordingly Mrs. Kiiox, my eldeft fon (a boy of fourteen years), and my daughter (a year or two younger), fet out with my friend for the Theatre. As we walked up North- ftreet, fe- veral perfons Hopped and fpoke to each other, in the hearing of myfelf and family. In terms of the higheft approbation of the laft Sunday's fermon. Near the door of the Theatre, Major ToRAiNE and a young Lieutenant of the Eaft Middlefex overtook me : they were not going to the Theatre ; but they accompanied me a little way, and behaved with great politenefs; the Major inviting me to vifit him in the camp, and expreffing his concern that he had not feen me there before. They might not perhaps have [ ^-5 ] have heard of my offence; but, whether they had or not, it is certain that their behaviour was, as ufual, friendly and gentleman-like. I have been fmce informed by a gentleman^ who had opportunities of converfmg in the camp, that, notvvith (landing the mlfreprc- fentations of my fermon, a great part of th.e moft refpeftable officers were far from cx- preffing difpleafure at its dodrine. On entering the Theatre, Mr. Thomas, the boxkeeper, accofted me by name, though I thouQ:ht I was unknown to him ; Ihewed un- common attention, and begged leave to feat us all in a good place of his own choice. This place was the right hand fidc-box, next to the ftagc-box. Soon after the curtain drew up, a few ofli- cers entered the ftage-box on the oppofite fide of the Theatre. They had not been there five minutes, before their whole attention fecined fixed on the box where my family, my frlcn.d, and myfclf were feated. They looked fre- quently at me, and then talked to each other with great apparent earneftnefs. Other olFi- cers, and feveral elderly ladies, foon appeared in the fame box ; they alfo looked at us in a E pointed [ 26 ] pointed manner, and then feemed to delibe- rate*. Their attention appeared to be en- grofled by the confultation, and they feldom turned to the players on the ftage. There were feveral other officers interfperfed in other boxes. Meflages were fent to fbine of them, and they removed into the ftage-box. A man who fat in the fame box, and on the fame feat with me, was fcnt for, and I faw him taking his feat, opponte to me. They fre- quently went to each other, and appeared ex- tremely bufy and anxious in concerting the plan of operations. This continued during the whole of the play. My children obferved it, and told me that they fufpected feme in- fult. I difregarded their fuggeftions, and fat with perfe6t compofure. Between the play and the entertainment, the following Note, directed to me, was firfi: handed from behind us, to Mrs. Knox, who gave it to me. My fon had feen one of the officers writing; and there is no doubt but he was compofmg this Note, fent without a name, and couched in terms of caution and fubtlety. I mufl call it a difcreet Note; and as difcretion is allowed to be the better part of courage, I muft add 5 Alicjuid jamdudum invadere magnum ! Vi r c . another [ 27 ] another epithet, and contend that it is a cou- rageous Note. Copy of the Mandate of Expulfwn^ dlf- patchcdby a Confederacy of unknown Perfons^ ftyling thernf elves in the faid Mandate^ The Gentlemen of this Theatre. Su^ perfcr'ikcd on the back^ Dr. Knox. " Your Discourse last Sunday was *' so offensive, that the Gentle- ** men of this Theatre desire you *' WILL QUIT IT immediately." It is fo laconic that it might be taken for the produdion of a Spartan Republican, if it were not at the fame time fb authoritative as to refemble the edicl of a German Defpot. It is written with a pencil on a fcrap of torn, paper. I intend to preferve it, that it may fupply documents to future liiilorians, and hope to have intereft enough to eet it depo- fited in tlic arch.ives of the Tovv'er. I read tlic order, and irave it to Mrs. Knox. Imniediatcly I role, and addreiling myfclf to the oppofite boxes, which, however, were now nearly empty, the niiUtary hnv::>y ac c:mpan'>cd their dl/pjtcb, requeued to know i: 2 who [ 28 ] who had Tent me this impertinent Paper without a name. The meflenger, whoever he was, had difappeared. I turned back to look for him, and beheld a phalanx of mili- tary men, who had come round, and were drawn up behind me at the door of my box, and in the Lobby, through which I muft pafs in my retreat. While I was afking for the meflenger, a clamour began, and finding the paiTage clofed by the very perfons who had ordered me to withdraw immediately^ I ftept a little forward, and endeavoured to fay to the Theatre, which was not half filled, " Ladies " and gentlemen, I have this moment received " an extraordinary Paper, neither figned nor " dated, containing a requifition that I fhould " quit the Tlieatre immediately, on account of '* the fermon w^hich I preached laft Sunday " morning in your parhh church. I beg par- " don for interrupting you, but under thefe " circumdances, and iurrcunded, as you fee " I am, I humbly intreat the permiffion of " the Houfe, to ail: aloud who fent me this " Note, and by what authority I am bound to " obey it, in this place of public entertainment, '* when my fltmily and myfelf have entitled *' ourfelves [ ^9 ] " ourfelves to unmolefted feats, by paying the " price demanded at the door. We have inter- " rupted nobody. Will you authorize the ar- " bitrary expulfion of us all? for my family and " friend will certainly follow me. I beg leave, " befieged as you fee me by a confiderable " number of men behind me, who are at thia ** moment exprefling their anger by opprobri- *' ous names, to enter into a fhort explanation " with them, to aflc the particulars of my *' offence m yotir prefence^ and to declare, that " if any thing advanced in my fermon gave *' perfonal offence, it was unintentional, and " that I am concerned at it. If any of thefe " gentlemen will prove to your fatisfa6:ion that " he is juflly offended, I will immediately beg " his pardon. I htg your pardon, who are to- " tally unconcerned in this attack, for this fm- '* gular interruption, which I truft I fliall ob- " tain from you, as men and Englifhmen ; *"' when you have before your eyes a defencelefs " individual, in a fituation fo fingular, as will, *' I hope, juftify my prefent addrefs to you." It was impoflible to be heard diftin<£tly. I could not find an interval of filence to utter half of the above, which I had conceived in mv [ 30 J my mind and wlflied to deliver. The cla- mour of the peribns in uniforms behind me was loud and inceffant. I heard myfelf call- ed, in the firfh inflance, a democratical fcoitndrcl that deferred to he hanged. "A " Democrat, a Democrat, a d d Democrat. "'Out with the Democrat — no Democrats." Scoundrel and rafcal were titles lavifhly be- flowed. It is needlefs to repeat the filly oaths and unmeaning expletives which ferved thofe, Vv'ho vs'ere too much enraged to be able to fay anv thins; ^^^"--^ to add to the noife and drown my voice. I particularly remem])er hearing one man fay, " No ipeech — that "" v;on'c do — -he ought to be hanged — out with "him :" and another call repeatedly for per- sonal VIOLENCE to be iiifiiclcd upon me be- fore I Ihould be fuffered to depart. A grim and gaunt figure exclaimed, " Irons — Irons, •' here; he ought to be put in irons diredly.'* I found it was impolTible to be heard by the Houfe at large, who could not know the caufe of the difiurbance. I thought my perfeverancc might create a riot. I faid, therefore, to my terrified family, " I v/ill go, *' for the lake of peace. Fear not, they will '"- not [ 3' ] " not hurt women and children I feel '* no anxiety for my own fafety. There is no ** oppofmg fo great a fuperiority of num- " bers. I hope for an explanation." 1 entered the Lobby, and had a right to expe(ft that the pajfage icculd be clear^ and that I fliould be allowed to retire, as I was ordered, without moitftation. But I found the narrow Lobby crowded by perfons in re- gimentals, many of whom, as I -TafTed, con- tinued to ufe the fame language vvhlch I had heard behind m>e, while in tlic Houfe. No one, however, offered 'm^j pcrfounl violence^ thougri ONE fellow, not in an uniform^ (to the honour of the army,) continued to call loudly and re- peatedly for it. He did not think proper to approach mc ; for what reafons I know not. Probably for prudential ones ; and difcretion, it has already been obferved, is a valuable in- gredient in the compofition of valour. He was vox d prefer ca nil. He did not begin to bray, till tlie whole body of veterans flood around him. Confcious fafety fred his tongue. When I had arrived — per tct d'ifcrimhia reriim — at the oppofite fide of the Houfe, I arcel of drunlicn boys \;\\o committed this ourrar'*e. There were fome ■> oun<2; men amoiip: thcin ; but the rtxg-leadlrs, and the i-rawlcrs, were, if I may judge from appear- i-ncCj vtterans in age if not in fervicc, and of lomo ran-:, if I may believe report, in their profefnon. They did it in sober fadncf^. Ore circumftance 1 muil beg leave to point out as particularly worthy ot notice. — Oi the afiuHants in the Theatre, very fciv (I be- Hcve) [ 37 ] Heve) were my hearers in the church : fo tliat the reft were probably influenced by the falfe re- prefentations of goflips, and the dreams of old ladies, to which I have above attributed fome of the ill-grounded alarm and offence. Whe- ther any thing which they thought glanced at \\\Q. finery of their old beaux, hurt the pride of the elderly gentlewomen, I cannot afcertaia: but their inftigations feemed to have confidera- ble effed in ftimulating the corp'^^ who came into a£tion in the Jiraits of the Lobby ^ to the moft valorous exertion. After the defeat, our little family party w^alked home arm in arm, v/ith our good friend, to our hou.fc in North-ftreet. In the terrified condition of the ladies, a carriage and tlie attendance of a fcrvant were defira' .e; but we were not fuffered to wait for them. None of thofe polite gentlemen ex, "erfed any con- cern, left the ladies, heal: d i)y ihc crowd in the Lobby, fhou]d c:.Lch cold ; or offered to icnd for our accommodations from home. True polirencrs, tbat i^olitcnefs which arifcs from a poiifhed underftanding and an hu- mane and g od iieart, vvouUl h.ivc ftiewn fome iblicitudc about ladies, thus linguL.rly fright- [ 38 ] 6ned, who could not poflibly be involved m' the atrocious guilt of my horrible democratlcal difcourfe. But no — the tall officer had faid, *' Go along after your hufband, and be d — d ;" and perhaps humanity or common civility from any of the fhortcr officers, after that order, mi^ht have been conftrued mutinw As vv'e paiTeJ along the Pcreet mufing on the Jgrceahk Sm'pr'ife (the drama v/e v/ent to fee], a gentleman, who purpofely followed us frorn the Theatre, came up to me in North-ftreet; and after exprefling his indignation at what he termed, in the warmth of hrft im.prcilions, tiie coTvarLiIy ir-^alment we had received, of- fered to be a wltnels, if I chcfe to indicl the alfailants for a breach of the peace. I knew him not. He appeared to be a gentleman, a man of fcnie, and was of a liberal f.rofuC- fion. I thanked him very iincerely ; and told him, what was ftric^ly true, that I did not know the name of any of the perfons in uni- form who jiad caufed the outrage; and that it: \yas too foon at prefent to coine to any deter- mination. He gave m.e his addrefs, and \z^X. me poIitLiy; with an ailLirancc that, if called iJOOUj he ihould ccine forward with zeal, in >•!, [ 39 ] the caufe of truth and juftice, to bear wltrief* againft fuch unmerited inihlt, injury, and op- preflion. He felt hurt, as a man, for the ill- ufage of me and my family; and, as a Briton, for violated law and liberty. He told me he had been in the camp ; and I was miftaken if 1 thought that all the officers difapproved my fermon, or would juilify the infult that had been offered this night, to punifh me for the zeal it difplayed in promoting the happinefs of human nature. As he was much in tlie can^.p, and did not wifii to be perfonally embroiled in difputes, he defired his name might not be mentioned, unlefs I (hould determine to profe- cute. He is flili ready to come forward and give his teflimony in a court of ju (lice. On the day following, tliat is, on Vv^cdnef- day the 21ft of AUj^uft, I had relicicci at Brighton juft four weeks, the term for which I had hired my houfe of Mr. Grantham of Lewes. My friend was to leave the town on the morrow. It was iliereFore dctciinined that I ihould accompany him, and luiilcn with all my baggage-waggons of fedition and trea- fon, to London. I know not whether the Tower vras fcrtihcd with additional v;orks on my t 4=^ ] my intention being difcovered ; but to Lon- don I went, and Brighton, I fuppofe, felt itfelf relieved ; like Rome when it had vomited out Catiline. At London I had the happinefs of meeting many fenfible and refpe^tabie friends, whole zeal in the prefent pofture of my affairs evinced their fmcerity. Their friendfhip feemed to i-ncreafe from the indignation they felt at the unmerited treatment I had received. They urged me to publifh my fermon ; affuring me it would redound to my honour, confute my adverfaries, and pro- mote the glorious caufe of peace and hu- manity. Letters of encouragement, and even congratulation, arrived from various quarters, from ilrangers of the firfl: abilities, who figned their names; and from others who chole to remain in concealment, in times, as they ex- preiTed it, like'thefe. The affair at firft could be known only to a few. I had not been in London above two da's •, before it was ilatcd, with fome inaccu- racies, but yet upon the whole with much truth, in ieveral of the ncvv*fpapers which dared to relate it. It was fome time before- the [ 41 ] the minlfterlal papers were ordered to open their mafked batteries of abufe. A Lcivcs paper, publiflied on \\\c twenty- fixth of Auguft, was fliewn me ; in which was a very incoherent accourjt of my fermon, with flrange and fiighty obfervations npon it. My fentiments and language were mii'reprc- fented; but, I believe, without any hofliie in- tention, and folely from errors of memory and judgment. In the midft of a very injurious and miilaken report of my fermon, praifcs vv'cre introduced, which 1 muft confider as hyperbolical. It afferted, tliat I/poke iv'itb a f.ow of eloquence fear ccJy to he equalled I at the extravagance of which culogium, I will join in a hearty laugh with my enemies and de rac- tors. This account was in itfelf vv'orthy of little attention ; and derived its importance from its immediate diffufion throughout tlic neighbouring camp at Brighton, and tlic fub- lequent copying of its errors into the London papers. Garbled paragraphs, the mod: un- favourable and the moft untrue, were printed from it, as authentic intellir2:ence from Brighton, in one or two venal publications : All praife was omitted ; abufe of the moil virulent kind fuccecded. I was not indeed furprifcd at c the [ 4^ . ] the ofFencc taken at the nonfenfe and vulgarity which was put into ray mouth. From this time it became fafhionable, among a certain defcription of perfons, to fill private letters, and embelli/h converfation, with every ca- lumny and falfehood v;hicli could irritate their own party againft me, and foften, in the minds of the Public, the improper conduct of the avengers at the Theatre. I have laughed very heartily at the reprefentations v^^hich were communicated, in the circles of falLion, to a family of high rank, and intimately con- neCced with the court, concerning the ftyle and contents of my fermon. They told me what they had heard, with great good humour, I ought to have loft their friendihip, if what they had heard had been true ; but they knew me too well to believe it. I will mention one or two particulars, which they faid were ge- nerally circulated in that high fphere. — I had defcribed minutely the Prince of Wales's tent; and I had faid to the officers, *' Pull off your ^' fine cloaths, and then let us fee what you " are." I appeal to the bittereft of my ene- mies prefent at the fermon, whether there is the leaft degree of truth in thefe ridiculous accpv^nts, It were endlefs to enumerate thq I 43 ] filly things of this kind \Thlch were fathered upon me in converfation. The abfurdeft, yet moft malicious, was, that I faid to the whole body of privates of the i^hole camp^ afferabled in the church, " You fools you, why do you *' obey your commanders, who are only a " parcel of knaves and fycophants ?" All who know me will do me the juftice to aflert, that I am incapable of fuch vulgar language in a pulpit, and that I never uttered or entertained fentiments fo abfurd and fo mifchievous. All who heard me will, I am confident, reprobrate falfehood fo contemptible, fo malevolent, fo imjuft. Before God and man, in the moft folemn manner, I affirm that no fuch dodTinc was inculcated by me or my fermon, or any where elfe, either in thefe words or any other, dircdly or indiredly. The truth is, that in a very large congregation there v;ere many who perhaps littl-j attended or little undcrftood the fcope of tlic fermon ; but when it became the iubjed: of general converfation, all vvho Vv'cre there, were willing to retail a little to thofc who were not there. AVhat they under- flood, or remembered imperfccliy, they fup- plied, merely for fomething to fiy, by inven- tion. They were unwilling to appear un?.''^lc G 2 to C 44 ] to fadsty inquirers. The moft ignorant and illiterate found Ibmething to lay; and thus a thoufand moll abfurd reports originated from folly^ and the love of talking for talking fake- iv^alice, however, feized them, ftamped theni with a counterfeit mark of authenticity, and fent them to pafs current in the. world, among thofe who had no opportunities of detecting the impoiition. Thus I fuffered in the opi- nion of a part of the Public, whole efteem I fliould certainly have poffefTed, if it had known the real intention, the beneficial ten- dency, the relpedful manner, and the Chi iftian fentiuients of my difcourle. 1 will here take the liberty of inferting a few Extradls and Letters, which I received from voluntary correfpondents. Extrad from iht niifoUcUcd LcHer of a Gcritle- man •vohofe abiihii^s cjid Icl'^'hui-^, as a ivriter o/i po/ilks. arc h^ld hy lb:: Piihllc in hl'j-h efii'Cin. *' Cnnfolation would be nnfpiiiccd. The " enmity of fuch wretches is a moil lioiiour- *' able difliiicilon ; and a ininiiicr of rciiL'idn '' will f.-el that he h:i^ well performed hu 24 '- durics [ 45 ] ** duties,' when his admonitions have pro- " voked their rage. Their wlriciugis indeed " a proof that thefe men have more confcience, " or at leaft fhame left, than I fuppofed." Ext raff from the Letter of a Clergyman 'whow I faw prefent at the Sennoiiy but a perjecl Jlrajiger, except by NAME and per/on, " The bed vindication would, be to publidi "' tlie fermon, and profecute your aflailants " at the Theatre ; and I think the world will " acquit yon of entertaining unfavourable fcn- " timents of the exifting government of this ** kingdom.'* ^'•^'** •' " An enraged fon of Mars, the day *' the fermon was preached at Brighton, juft " on my coming out, attacked me a3 furionily ^' as a bull-dog, and wondered why fuch a '5 (\ (J fellow fliould be allowed to preach " at Brigluon ; — talked of writing to Bitliop <' ^ Arclibiihop -, &c.; enquired " wlio was the preacher ; branded 7?ic, nov/ '' ,i!ui then, with reproach, and ufed ill lan- '" gr.ngc, exceedingly unfit for a gentleman.'' (N. B^ Thi;, I luivc rrjfhu I, tlhik, kipp.ncJ //V //'.' C II UUC II.) ^' I an- [ 46 1 " I Jiufwcrcd him in fliort, that the fermofl ** was bat too true ; and that no Bifhop what- *^ ever would notice any reprefentations> pro- ** vidcd they were just, which could he " made of it." " He then took care to circulate a report, *' that I countenanced and defended the fer- " mon ; and, I afTurc you, I had my doubts, •' but I fiiould have met with fome infult " fimilar to yours, which you may depend on it, I fhould' have refented, by redrefs from that palladium of Britifli liberty, an Englifh jury.'* Hy.tracl of a Letter from a Friend^ ivbofe great abilities mid excellent character are refpel^ed In a large circle rf acquaintance. " Contradiclions of the falfehood circulated in the ^ruc Briton concerning your dif- ccurlc, would keep up the fiimulus in your caliirniiicitoi-s. '^ Nothing would fo effedually filence the Icouiidrcls, as pu'Jii'liing yr-ur fcnnon ; and yet t^CANDi'L 'VOULD I^SIXUATE that ^' \GU [ 47 1 " you had fiipprejfed fome pqffages ; and ** your meaning in others would be wiU " y^/^K perverted by the wretches who are " HIRED to do fuch DIRTY Vv'ORK. Thefe ** fellows would be glad to recommend them- " felves by abufing you.***** ** You will get fome enemies by the fpirit " with which you have defended Christian " HUMANITY againft tyrants and murderers, " But I hope fmeerely that you may find the *' love of honeft men more than a compenfa- " tion for the malice of the worthlefs. You " are fure of the bed fupport, the comfort of " an approving confcience. The rest is " INSIGNIFICANT. ***-''^ The BITTER- " NESS OF THE TIMES INCREASES." **** ExtraB from the Letter of a Correfpcndent at Brighton^ whofefcnfe and virtues are ^worthy of the highejl ejleem ; and who was prcfent at the Sermon^ and in the Theatre, " I fancy the reptiles have fpit their fpite, '* done an heroic a(Sl: before the ladies, and ** will again plume themfclves on their valiant ^^ e;cplpit of dilturbing a Theatre."**** " You [ 48 ] ^' You are in pofTeilion of more than my ^' approbation — of my fmcere admiration of " your PRINCIPLES, and of your conduct ** too on the late occafion ; nor can the treat- *' ment you received from a mercenary tribe, " (a fmall tribe too, remember, not more, I •'believe, than twenty! — and who were " they?) inftigated by a delire of pleasing " THE HIGHER Pov/ERs, deprive you of '' the confcioufnefs of having done nothing It is a great, but a diiligreeable com- " pliment paid to you. Unnoticed had been " a lefs able attempt to inculcate any doc- " trine." For the Letter of the Reverend Mr. Mos-? SOP, (which was alfo unfolicited,) curate of the pariih of Brighton, who read Prayers, and fat in the defk during my fermon, I muft beg leave to refer my Reader to the Appendix ; where he will find feveral other papers, omitted in this place for want of room. The [ 49 ] The next is from a perfe£i flranger, who figns his name. « Sir, " Permit a flranger, who reads and hears " the various comments, ftri(5lures, and con- " jeclures of various parties, on the unex- " ampled outrage you fuffered at the Theatre " at Brighton, to urge you to publiih the fer- " mon, with the fubfequent circumftances, as " foon as poffible ; and to advertife that fuch " is your intention. Name your aflailants, " and the regiments they belong to, as far as " you can pofitively afcertain them. " In the *' TVorld,'' this day, they admit " the treatment you have received to be un- " juftifiable. In the paper improperly called " the True Briton^ you are cenfured with a " feverity perfeclly charafteriftic of the dcf- " potic party and principles by whom it is *' protected and fr.pported. They fcem to *' think, by committing you to your ^.letro- " politan, that you will be made an example, " to deter other honed men from doing their " duty, and that they may make them the II " devoted t 50 ] " devoted victims of their dreadful cabals and " intentions. However, Sir, bad as times " ARE, an honeil Englifhman, doing publicly *' his duty, need neither fear the cenfure of a '* Bifiiop nor the frowns of a Prince. ***- Auguft 27. I am, Your humble fervant, ^jf^;U;'/.^^ i^sljoj^ sj/. )> I will aod but one more letter : It comes from a perion unknown ; but as he fays he was prcient at the fermon, it may properly be inferred in this place. " Rev. Sir, " As a fellow-collegian, as a brother clcr- " rrYman, and as -a liearcr of your fermon at " Brighten, which gave fo much offence to '• the Military, but which gave me fo much *' pleafure, I take the liberty to trouble you *' with this ; — merely to exprefs my earncft *' hope that yon will bring to punilliment, or " at lead; to public notice, thofe puppies Vv^ho " infulted you in confcquence of their dilap- " pro!;ation ; and that you will alio print [ 51 3 ' your fermon ; — being aflu red that it will ' not only be an ample refutation of ' CALUMifY, but will alfo give pkafure to ' every impartial perfon, and will encreafe ' your already well-deferved reputation. • t ********** • ■ <^^^oRD> « I am, Sir, ^r." Sept. 15. I have many other Letters full of expref- fions of approbation, and bearing teftimony to the beneficial tendency of m^ fermon ; but I forbear to infert them, left I fliould weary my Readers with a repetition. There are many witnefTes to the receipt of the above by the poft ; which I mention, becaufe I am aware that the wicked malevolence of my ca- lumniators will infinuate fufpicions of their authenticity. Their writers would willingly come forward, but I would not let their iriendftiip and their honcfty expofe them to the malice of my advcrlaries. Many able and impartial Letters on the I'ubjeQ liavc appeared in the independent newfpapcrs ; for which I here make my grattiful acknov/lcdgments to II 2 the [ 52 ] the unknown authors, who dared to ftand forth volunteers in the defence of injured truth, and of an individual likely to be op- preffed by overbearing influence. But what, I may be afked, could offend the ofHcers ? I knov\r not ; for I faid nothing but what their hearts muft accord to, when un- biaffed by mifunderftanding or mifconception. I am enlifled under no party. I efpoufed only the general interefts of humanity. I enforced its di<3:ates by the fandions of the Chriftian religion. If I may venture to con- jedlure the caufe of their difpleafure, I fhould fuppofe that a paflicn, which Young calls the unl-verfal pajfion^ was offended at my de- trailing fomething from the pomp and parade of military preparadon, and the glory of con- queft. That paffion, when offended, is of all perhaps the moft vindictive. That palncn might be irritated Vv-hen, after deploring the calamities of war, I faid, that the finery of its externals could not conceal from the eye of hunianlty its real and Ihocking deformity. Defenfive war, in which alone the militia is concerned, I never cenfured. Ofienlive war I did and do reprobate as the difgrace and cala- [ 53 ] calamity of human nature, and equally re- pugnant to reafon and to the mild and friendly fpirit of Chriftianity. I defpife and abominate defpotifm wherever it exifts ; but there were no defpots at the churchy there arc no defpots in England, and therefore my cenfures of defpots could never be confidered as a perfonal inventive on any hearer, or any Britilh Potentate. Was it pride then, and vanity, that were hurt \ I fhould hope that generofity in military men would overcome pride, if any exifted ; that it would prevent a numerous and opulent body, who havefuf- fered nothings and who arc not even named or known by me at this hour, from endea- vouring to injure and ruin, as far as they can, an individual and \\\?i family; a family which, whatever may be his demerits, are certainly innocent, and worthy every man's kindnefs and proteO:ion. As independent as any of my affliil-ints in mind, and perfe<5lly eafy in cir- cumftanccs, I want not their affiilance ; but they owed me, from their office, proteclion from violence, If it had been offered from any quarter. 1 know brave men, grey- headed veterans, whofe fwords would have leaded [ 54 ] leaped from their fc abb ards to defend a clergy- man and a woman from the flightefi in- fult at a public Theatre. How difFex-ent thole who deliberately took couiifel together againft a clergyman, and aflenibled in a body, in a narrow pafiage, to inlult him, while they were driving him from the Theatre, and he made no refiftance : Who were rude and infolent to a defencelefs woman and child; and not contented with this, continued to perfecute the infulted party by virulent in- vectives againft them in their abfence : Who flunk from public cenfure, and did not venture to avow, by their names, the ad: which they gloried to execute when there was no danger of oppofition. To call names ! the laft poor revenge of malicious imbecillity ! To fiiffer mifreprefentation to go forth in news-papers uncontradicled, after having fated their revenge by a public out- rage I I firmly believe, that the majority of the brave men throughout the army difapprove fuch ccndu^fV, and blufli for the degradation of the military charafcer. True magnanimity is never captious ; forgives real injuries, is cafily flitisfied \A\\\ concefhon, and holds [ 55 ] holds out tlie hand of friendfhip to a con- quered adverfary. I made every conceffion in the Theatre which a gentleman could give, or a gentleman demand ; yet I was flill pur- fued with foul names, that would have dif- graced a fcolding woman of the lowed order. But that generofity vvrhich I have not expe- rienced,! have wifhed toexercife. I might have diicovered their names by diligent inveftiga- tion ; but I have never inquired ; and I know no more of them at this moment, than I do of officers among our Sardinian, our Spanifli, or our Neapolitan auxiliaries. I might have profccuted tlrcrn,bur I never meditated fuch re- ven^ic, I leave thcni to their own refledlions, and to the opinion vvhiich the unp-rejudiced part cf tr.eir own prcfciTicn mud entertain of their conduCl. Tl'.ey ought to liave made an apology as puM^c as their offence. It would have dilplaycd a nol-ile magnanimitv ; fuch, indeed, as cannot be cxpcQcd from pcrfons capable o'i jjcrpjlh'g in mean reven^yj. Much is to be allowed to t:ic furpriie of fidJcn paflion, and to human intirmity. But pcri'verance J, in illegal ven^^rance, v^hen tb.c Iiw is open, is jj"!excuG!:I'j i.: t];c ckfc;;'h :r:; of \\\\- .;;:u order. The [ 56 1 The mode of punifhment adopted muft be improper ; becaufe, had my fermon been all that mafs of abfurdity which either they or their adherents think it right to reprefent it ; yet, as our Church is Epifcopal, as our Confti- tution is inviolate, our Courts of juftice pure, a regular procefs fhould have been inftituted. The accufed has then an opportunity of vin- dicating his innocence. A felf-appointed court- martial and a fummary procefs, without giv- ing the culprit leave to defend himfelf, ftrikes at the very root of public juftice. They who had recourfe to it, might themfelves fuffer by the precedent. All men, all profeffions, ail ranks, are deeply concerned in preventing the prevalence of a fummary procefs without judge or jury. A breach of the peace from its prefervers is doubly mifchievous. It de- ilroys confidence in the legally appointed de- fenders againPc violence. A riot might have enfued from the outrage at the Theatre. If 1 had throvv^n myfelf on the protection of the multitude, who Vv-ere my friends, the con- fequence might have been fatal to my ag- greffors, or to pcrfons unconcerned. It is fome aggravation of their furious onfet, that they had a/i arry ^f viany ihoufaiids within t 57 ] a few minutes march of the ipot. How dan- gerous the experiment of riiking a riot in fudi a caufe, and in fuch a place ! And if the conrcicufnefs bf irrefiftlble power gave con- fidence, how ungenerous, againft adverfaries fo defencelefs, was fuch coniidence ! AVith arms by my fide, with confederates at my back, and whole regiments within my call, I would fcbrn to attack any unarmed individual; much lefs one in a profeflion forbidden defence by arms, and naturally feeking of the generous foldier that protedion which it cannot, con- fiflently with decorum, fecure to itfelf by force. My enemies triumphed over me. But amidft all the exultation of their triumph, I would not exchange fitnations with them. In fuch a rencontre I had rather be the affaulted than the aflailant. The laurels gained in vic- tories like thefe are but bluihinr honours. I was defeated, but not depreffed. The generous public have fliown me many marks of approbation. My moft valuable friends have com.e forward in my fupport, with a teal and fteadinefs of attachment which would cheer the drooping heart under perfecutions in* finitely feverer than any which I have endured. [ ;8 I They have Indeed confoled me In the miclfl: erf fcurrility. But above all, my own mind has confoled me. The caufe which I fupported with an honefl: zeal, and, as it appears, with cfFed, was a good caufe. I glory in the caufe. I will never retract a fentence that I uttered in maintaining it. Under every affliction, and in the arms of death, it {hall be my comfort, that I laboured ftrenuoully, and in my pi'optr fphzrc^ to flop the effuGon of human blood, and to promote peace on earth, and good-\vill among all that are dignified by the name and the form of man, however divided by oceans, or dlftinguiiiied by languages, or detached by forms of government, differently modified, according; to their own choice. But why do I not publifh my ferraon r Before I aufwcr that quefiion I mud do my- felf the juilice to aifure the Public, that I liad no knowledge of a little Pamphlet, v*'hich I am informed was publilhed under the title of Dr. Knox's Sermon. It was beneath fuch formial and ferlous notice as would have been neceffary to have ftopt its fale. I found it a mere tranfcript from an article in a newfpaper„ \vhich had been foms time publilhed, and which. I 59 1 whicli hardly filled a column. It carried Vv'ltli it its own marks of want of authenticity. Enemies, as well as friends, muft immediately have difcerned that it was nothing more than a mere contrivance of fome induflricus artizan to raife himfelf a trifling fupply, by impofing on the pubJic curiofity. The purpo-fe, 1 think, muft have been defeated by the clumfy exe- cution of xhQ prcije<^or. I Hightly mention it now, and caution the Public againft the delufion, becaufe I fmd that zealous partlfans have been bafe enough to hand it about, with an aflurance that it was genuine. I low do truth, juflice, and benevolence, fall before the fpirit of party ! Political frenzy, inilamed by •intereft aud ambition, feems to trample on all the limits of right and -wrong ; and men, honeft in their nature and honed In their lives and converfation, become temporary knaves in the ftruggles erf political ccnteft. I affirm, that no man who alfcrtcd tlie catchpenny pamphlet to be mine, believed it. But the quefllon recurs. Why do I noc publifi:i my ferraon ? My reply is, that I clo not think it wcuKl anfwer the cxpe-iined fmcerely to avoid the fo- menting of trcubles and commolion ; and I ihiTcred a fermon (calcu]:ited in my own opinion oniv to dlftnie a love of peace and mankind) to ileep on its flielf, Iclf, by opr Dofing many itubhorn prejudices which un- fortunately prevail at the prefent moment, I ni'glit difturb my ov^^n tranquillity, without promoting my grand objecl, public peace. I \!\o not engage not to publilli it. It is at hand ready for the prefs, and fnall niake its appearance, if I fee. it likely to effe^l its fole purpofe^ that of doing good by teaching univerial benevolence, infpiring a love of peace, good government and order. Prejudice at prefent might impede its beneficial eilefis^ to be ac- quainted with the literary republic, or to pay any regard to the ftate of literature. Much clergy is not necefTary when men combat ar- gum.ents'with force. Cejdat toga armis, is a glorious motto, in fpite of that block- head, Cicero, who v/as no foldier, and made but a poor figure indeed, when his head and hands were cut off by the hero, Mark Anthony, and nailed on the pulpit, where he had difplayed his offenfive eloquence. A glo- rious { c, ] rlous triumpli of the fvvord over the tongue; of brute force over genius, tafte, philofophy, elegance, humanity, and wit ! V/hat are theie to fvvords and battle-axes ? ' No — it is iinpofTible, as there are many proofs on record, that I am, and have ever been, a peaceable member of the community, a friend to order, a lover of my King an'4 Country ; it is impoffible that any honour or emohmient could be beftovved by the Givers cf good th'if.'gSy as a remuneration for forcing me to flill back by a retreat that is now ahnoil as famous as the retreat of the ten thoufand under General Xenophon. No refltd:ion on that General! befides, if it were, I ihculd be forgiven ; for really. Gentlemen, (pray believe me,) he was not in Englilh pay, but a foreigner and an antient, in a country called Greece, a good way from Brighthehr.ftone. In fpeaking of Xenophon I cannot poflibly alkide to any of my conquerors* But 1 beg pardon for the fliort digrefTion. I was faying that the publication of my fer- mon would make it appear, that the hiqiiijl^ tcr'ial dctucLmcnt of forces dclcrved no reward for their ftrcnucus fervices, thus vilely throwa 1 7 away r 64 J away agamft a voluntary friend to every thing which they are paid by us to defend. My fer- mon was a defence of peace, order, law ; theit attack an illegal and ufelefs violation of them all. Away with the fordid idea ! I will not for one moment believe, what has been frequently fuggefted to mc, that thefe perfons, whoever they were (for I know no more of them than our good friend the Pope at R.omc), were incited to difplay their prowefs and patriotifrri in the Brighton Theatre, in the hope of pleafmg a great Pcrfonage, refident in that Town, to whom, as that common liar com- mon Fame reports, fome of them immediately repaired after the terrible fermon, and told their tale. Wretchedly miftaken muft they have been to think, if they did think, which cannot be true, to rife in favour of a gracious fuperior, and procure in future, at court, honour or promotion, by oppreffmg an indi- vidual in the exercife of his lawful profeflion, for doing his duty faithfully in the pariih church, and recommending tliat Chrillian lehgion, that love of peace, and that good order in which the gracious fuperior muft delight, or he would ceafe to be gracious. No, [ 6j ] No, no;rI have a far better opinion of him than they had, if they thouglit fo. It was a fpoiiih fpeculation, to think of claiming to themfelves the merit of an exdtifive loyalty^ and deriving honour and rewards for it, by dillurbing the pubHc peace. It could not be fo. The gracious fuperior muft have lauglied tlierrj to fcorn, when they detailed to him the adion at the Theatre at Brighton, if, while confidering their claims, he compared them with thofe of hardy veterans who were at the fame moment oppcfmg the terrible armies of France. There can be no truth in the fug- geftion ; and if there were, the publication of my fermon muft deftroy all hopes at once, and make them fall to the ground like a bat- tered redoubt. It would appear immediately, that they had made all this fufi in combating only a fuppofcd enemy — a pnft^board Sans Culotte — ftuck up to (hoot bullets at, for want of better fport, li^ht carncjl ftcjlj and blood ; — a mere phantom, caufed by tlic fever of loyalty run mad, and patriotifm in a trance. No, Madam Fame, though thou haft a thoufand tongues, and all of them hung upon fwlvcls, thou fhalt never pcrfuadc me, that the meaneft K mortal [ 66 ] mortal that ever wore a red coat could pofTibly think to recommend himfelf to the higher powers by routing, in a body, an unrefifting clergyman and his wife. Notoriety, how- ever defirable in itfelf, fo obtained would be like the notoriety of a man {landing on the pillory; — a dlfagreeahh firvice^ but which would feldom entitle the party to hcnotirabk diftindion or advancement out of it. I only mention this illiberal fuggefticn, as one in- ilance to prove how little dependance is to be placed on common report, in times when party-fpirit runs high ; and when many are in the hope of' getting a loaf or a fifli, by hook or by crook, in Hiewing their ov/n zeal to men in power; and mifreprefenting and driving all others away, left they Ihould want to go fnackSj and io^ by the multitude of guefts, Icflcn the good cheer. l\olitical PSEUDOLOGY, as it is called by the learned, is too much (ludied of Lite, and is but too fuccefsful. But I will not believe, either that; Erltirh rjjl^crs could milrcprcfent a fad for tlie purpofc of ingratiating tliemfeh'es with a fupcrior ; or that a fupcrior woidd lifien one raoincat to a talc tl-at tended to injure, in \\\^ (>piniO!i., [ 6; J Opinion, a peaceful individual, known for hid attachment to the pureft ftate of the conftitution. No; I honour the King and the Prince; and I firmly believe that they would fcorn to perfecure or to opprefs, at the inftigation of the moll OPULENT peer in the realm, the mod defencclefs individual, the moll abje.***'^ I muft quote no more for want of room. The reader, who, I hope, wilhes for it all, muft be referred to a fermon preached before the Univerfity of Cambridge, by R. Watfon, D. D. R R, S. t 95 i F. R. S. Lord Blfliop of LlandafF, and the King's Profeflbr of Divinity in the Univerfity of Cambridge. It is the fifth in the o6tavo volume of his fermons, collected and publillied by himfelf in 1788, repiihlijljed eight years after it was preached, and therefore no fudden efFufion. It is an honour to Eplfcopacy. My fermon, compared with his Lord(hip's, as to freedom of expreflion, is courtkr-like, I have not been able to follow either his pre- cept or his example. What if his Lordfhip had preached it before the military inqiiifitioa in Brighton church, inftead of the Unlverf.ty ef Cambridge? Why, you will fay, that if he had been profane enough to have gone to the Play-houfe two or three days afterwards, as I was, the faid inqiiifition, or their delegates, would have torn bis lawn Jleevcs for him^ and perhaps have called him a Scoundrel, a Rafcal, and a Democrat. Now I fay no, Sir^ no fuch thing. They would not have torn his lawn fleevcs. Though the Bifhop's fermon would have been infmltcly more provokin^^ inafmuch as it is infinitely more excellent than mine, they would have behaved to Mm with rci'pe th(dr [ 94 ] their profeflion. Such champions do not at- tack members of the Houfe of Lords. Me they thought they might annihilate, if they pleafed ; me, one of the loweft of the clergy, at the bottom of the profeflion ; a mere private, one of the rank and Jile, Before the Revolution in France, great people ufed to drive over little people in the ftreets of Paris, crufh them to atoms, and fay no more than, " Drive on, coachman, it is only a Sans *' Culotte; there are enough left." Now " they order thcfc matters better in KnglaJid :'* Thanks to the King and Constitu- tion; yea! blefTed be thofe laws which preferve a clergyman, without a cafTock to his back, from the fword of the violent, with as much care and tendernefs for him as for the lawn fleeves of the mitred fage. Now I do not wifli to make his Lordfhip farticeps criminis ; but as he, on the fame fub- je£l:, and before a whole Univerfity, whence his fentimcnts muft flow in channels in all du'cclions over the klngdoin, went much greater lengths than I did, and met with ap- plaulc, I cannot but think there is no crimi- nality on cither fide. Criminality! There is [ 95 ] IS a bar, at which thofe who dare to ftigma- tize an honeft zeal in the caufe of humanity aa a crime, may find in their need as Uttle mercy as they have been incUned to fhew to their fellow-creatures, during their liltic brief autho^ rity in this vale of woe. Criminality in wifhing to terminate the calamity of war ! On fuch a charge, I addrefs not venal focieties, interefted courtiers, fneak- ing placemen, penfioners, expedients 3 but you, ye widows and ye orphans ; you, ye poor mangled brethren ; you alfo, ye pale de- parted CORPSES ! and, though I fpeak to cold and fenfelefs ears when I fpeak \,q you \ yet your blood cries to high heaven for mercy to man- kind, and pleads pov/erfully, and, I hope, fuc- cefsfully, to thofe of your fellow creatures who have it in their power, to fay, in the com- manding language of the fcriptures, " O thou " SWORD, HOW LONG WILL IT BE ERE " THOU BE QUIET ? PuT UP THYSELF ** INTO THY scabbard ; REST, AND BE " STILL*." Slain ere ye had tafled the fweets of life, even in the early morning of your day, the flinty heart of wcarlcc regard^ • Jer. xlvii. 6. you [ 96 ] you not, ambition is too much engaged, and vanity too felfifh to feel for any but itfelf ; but RELIGION fhall fhed a tear over you, and daily pour her orifon, that your few and evil days in this world may be compenfated by a happinefs where love fliall reign, and war ihall be no more. But I muft defift. Yet not till I have made my final declaration. I profefs myfelf one who thinks war, ofTcnfive war, at once de- teftable, deplorable, and ridiculous. I profefs myfelf the friend of the people, the friend of all mankind, in all countries, and of all colours ; the low as well as the high, the high as well as the low ; it is enough that they are fellow-men, alike born, alike to die ; all of them, however diflinguifhed for a few fhort years, doomed to mortality, like myfelf, and fubjed; to the thoufand miferies flefh is heir to ; — to all of them, and not to any little party, excluding oil others from love and mercy, I avow myfelf, in all that I ever preached and wrote, the difmterefted friend ; and when I ceafe to be fo, may God Almighty palfy this tongue that has pleaded their caufe with energy, and wither this hand which lias often written [ 97 ] written In their fervice ; and which, for that reafon alone, is now compelled to hold the pen in defence of myfelf and thofe I love, from envy, hatred, and* anger, ftudiouily foftered and diffeminated by mvifible agefits^ who, not content with a public infult, add to it, for its palliation in the eyes of others, private obloquy. It is obferved, by thofe that have ftudied human nature, that they are the leaft inclined to forgive who committed the wrong. Then let me have the honour and happincfs of freely forgiving thei?i, who infulted 77ie and mine unlawfully, indecently, and without caufe. I do forgive them. I know not one of them ; no, not even by name. I defire not to expofe them. For me they are ilieltered fafely in their retirements. I willi them a merry Chriftmas in their winter- quarters^ wherever they may be. May their mirth, at that happy feafon of love and friendlliip, be uninterrupted by dreams of Democrats, and may they never have to encoimter more dangcrolis foes than fuch as they have been ufed to engage and put to flight; SUPPOSED ENEMIES, OH the Downs, aad in the Theatre of Brighton. o { 99 ] A P P E N D I t1 Letter from the Rev. Mr. Mossop, Curati of Brighton, ivho officiated in the Defk on the i'6th of Augufl, and was prefent during the ivhole of my Sermon, ^he Rev. Mr. Hud- son, the Vicar, was abfent en that day ; Dtherwife, I have no douht hut that he would have home aftmilar tefiirnony. Rev. Sir, FROM my fituation in the church at Bright- hclmftone the day you favoured us with a rermon, which gave fuch high offence to a certain defcription ^{gentlemen, I have, as may naturally be fuppofed, had my ears fufficiently ftunned with inquiries relative to this fcrmon, both by many that were prefent, as well as abfent. From fome of the former, I have experienced no fmall por- tion of ill- nature, becaufe / could net conjcienti- oufly join in the cry v.'ith thofe who can judge the motives of their" neighbour better than he can liimfelf, and pronounce it at once fcditiousj libel- lousj t;'a'.:.}rous,, demccraf.c, o i Th?; [ ICO J The anfvver I have given to the latter dcTcriptloi^ of inquirers, was in Tubftance, " That I doubted '* not but that Dr. Knox would fubmit his fermon, " in proper time, to that Public at large, which is " better able to judge, and generally more can- " did, than interefted individual's, who often mif- *' apprehend, but more frequently mifreprefent, a *' fubjeft, to apologize for illiberality and male- " volcKce i'' adding, " That that chriftian cha- " rity, which men of our order ought to entertain " one towards another, would not allow me to " fuppofe, that Dr. Knox's motive was to hint, " in the moft diftant manner, at the fubverfion " of our prefent happy conftitution and govern- '• mcnt, but merely to expatiate on the advantages " of univerfal peace and goodwill among m.an- '^ kind, and to reprobate the decifion of diiputes *' by the umpirage of the Avord." May I, therefore, take the liberty to aik^ Whe- ther you have it in intention to publifli the fer- mon, or not ? that I may have an opportuniLV of gratifying my inquirers v.'irh a more latisfaflory anfvver. As I am. partly a ftranger to you, I beg you will excufe this libtrrcvi ^nd rem.ain. Rev. Sir, Your obedient humble fervanr, J. MOSSOP, Eric HTJIEI. MSTC\E, 12th September 1793. To the Rev, Dr. Kxo>, [ ,0. ] N. B. / never had the ■pleafure of f peaking ti this gentleman. I am totally unacquainted -with him. From a pure love of jujlice and truth hejent me the above unexpe£fed and unfolicited letter. On my afJdng his leave to puhlifo it^ he returned the following anfiver. It may be doubted whether certain pluralifts and court divines ivculd have dared to give Jo honeft a tefimony. I N'll. Rev. Sir, DULY received yours of the 17th inftant ; and as I look upon you to be mifreprefented to the Public, relative to the fermon you preached at Brighton, and confequently loaded with no fmall degree of unmerited opprobrium, I fliall willingly contribute my mite to exonerate you. You have, therefore, my permiffion to publifh my letter to you of the r2th of September lafb, in your in- tended vindication ; provided your publication contain no invedlives againft the prefent exiiling government, nor any fentiments which might be improper fur one zcaloiifly attacr.ed to our moft excellent conftitution to countenance. I muft conclude, by faying, th.:t if every cler- gyman is to be expofcd to infulc, for doing what he [ 102 } he conceives to be his duty, in expofing the reign- ing vices of the age, we fhall foon find, that the feeble rays of rehgion, which yet remain, to en- lighten the chriftian world, will foon become to- tally eclipfed. I am. Rev. Sir, Your obedient humble fervant, J. MOSSOP. BrIGHTHEI. MSTONE, 19th Nc~i.'Ci!:hcr 1793. To the Rev, Dr. Knox. N. B. Mr. Mojfop's candour does h'lui the mor^ honour^ as his Jiipend covftfts cf the voluntary Juh- fcription of the rich, who rejort to Brighton ; and as GREAT PERSONAGES, ivith their tradefmen and retinue, are among his pariJJmners, N'' III. My Dear Sir, XT' OUR lad favour has (o\ix\Ci me fa much indif- pofed by the rheumatifm, that it is not with- out effort 1 can acknowledge the receipt of your ktcer. It will of courfe be out of my power to bear my teftirnony in the vvay you mention, againft the 14 [ 103 ] the extenfion of military controul over our places of diverfion, our temples, and our altars j yet the more I refled on the infult you received at Brigh- ton, the greater is my concern, that a precedent of a nature fo highly dangerous, fhould be per- mitted, by thofe in power, to pafs uncenfured and iinpunifhed. Since the men of tlie fword have dared to violate, not only the laws of decency, but thofe of their country, in your cafe, I cannot meet a cockaded ftripling in his regimentals, or a foot foldier in the ftreet, without feeling that we have mafters, whofe fervants we are, although our tftates and our induftry are mortgaged to pay them their wages. We fhall perceive what the country will fay and do when your Narrative is publifhed. If the hirelings of the pen are bidden to fupport thofe of the fword, by the perfons who dired both, the matter is fettled, and you are only the firft viftim. I am. My Dear Sir, with much efteem. Your faithful friend and fervant, K. S. London, A:)v. 20, 1795. NMV. t 104 ] N° IV. Sir, |UR excellent laws have guarded us from the alTaults of malice, and of fuperior force, with peculiar care. The following quotations from Judge Blackstone^ with many others, will evince, rhat the greateft men, even armed, as your alTail- ants were, and fuperior in numbers, dare not^ con- fiflently with a regard for our admirable conftitu- tion, attack the mod defencelefs member of the community. Yet your affailants, in this very eicly pretended to be the defenders of the law and the conftituiion. That learned judge, and friend to freedom and hvimanity, fays, " Befides actual breaches of *' the peace, any thing that tends to provoke or *■ excite others to break it, is an offence of the " fame denomination. Therefore challenges to " fight, either by word or letter, or to be the bearer '^ of fuch challenge, are punifhable by fine and im- <' prifonment, according to the circumftance of the «' offence." Book IV. chap. ii. fefl. 12. •'An unlazvfid afJ'emUy is when three or v.iore «f do affemble themfelves together to do an an- " lawful aci." (j> 'There zvas a conspiracy cf jManv more than three, for two hours ^ againfi yoUy in the Theatre, a[fembled to do an unlawful jh:t i and they did it. Hireling 77 e-iif patters de- fended [ -OS ] ftnded it; tlie readers of which pay twice to be deceived; firfl the iv^iges, then the price of the papers ! ) " A RIOT is where three or more do an unlavv- " fill ad of violence, either 'ujith or without a " cGinmcti cavje cf quarrel -y as if they beat a man, *■• or do any other unlawful aff, with force or vio- *•■■ lence ; or even do a lazvful a5iy as removing " A NUISANCE, in a violent and tumultuous man- " ner." Book IV. chap. ii. fed. 6. " The puniflimient of unlaivful aJjenibHeSy from " the number three to eleven^ is fine and impri- '* funmentj if chey amount to the number twelve, " it mav be catital." ~ Blackstoxc, *' There is one fpecies of battery more atro- <^ cious and penal than the reil, which is the " beating of a clerk in orders, or clergyman, on *^ account of the refpefl and reverence due to " his facred charader, as the minister and y.u- EAssADOP. OF TE ACE.'' *-^**So that upon the hole it appears, that a perfon guilty of fuch *' hrutal behaviour to a clergyman, is fub-jecl ro *^ th.ree kinds of profecucion, ail of which may *^ be p'Uifucd for one and th.e fame offence ; an *' ind.dment for the breach of the King's peace " by luch atTuik and battery ; a civil adion for '^ (he I'peci.il damage fufcai'ied by tlie party in- '■' iurrdi and a fuit in tiie ecclefiallical court.""''*** Book I^^ clup. 15. feci. 7. r Every t£ VV [ '06 ] Every St-eal Fi-iend to our King and Confiituticn, efpecially if by profeffion and folemn engagement bound to defend the country, and affift the civil power, in the fuppreffion of riot, and the prefer- vation of order, will himfclf be peculiarly careful not to break the law, and difturb the peace. Judge Blackftone fays, " All difturbances of " the peace, ail oppressions of a notorioufly evil *' example, may be indicted at the fuit of the " King." Book IV. chap. 15. ic6t. 8. A code of laws which thus fecurcs perfonal li- berty to ALL, rnuft be endeared to every Englifh- man who regards either hiaifelf or his fellow citizens. *^ The leaft touching of another's perfon, wil- ** fully or in anger, is a battery j for the law can- *^ not druw the line between different degrees of " violence, and therefore tf ,i:y prohibits the firfl: " and loweft flage of itj every mans pe-rjcn being «' facred, and no other having a rio;ht to meddle ' DO «* with it, in any the flighted manner." Blackstone, Book III. chap. 8. Would not one preach in defence of fuch a conRiiution, and pray too, faying, '^ Efio perpe- *^ tua !" Yes j though club law and sword LAW ihcnild oj)pofc' the lav/ of England, vi ei armisj Let us all fland up^ ijsyou have done, advo- " catca [ 107 3 cates for it, and for our glorious conftltution in its purity. I am, &c. LEGULEIUS. P. S. You remember a fubjed at College for a theme: Minor in pralioy non femper minor in caufa, I have juft heard one of your affailants was a LITTLE Lord. He had a queer name of his own; but I cannot recoiled it. I never knew before, that there was fuch a being in the univerfe. N^ V. Dear Sir, 'IXT'hf.n you confider the great influence of enormous wealth, and its confequent power, alarmed at the rapid progrefs of civil li- berty, you will ceafe to wonder at the indefatigable and fuccefsful exertions, which are made to crufh individuals who publicly efpoufe its caufe. No rancour is fo venomous, as the rancour of wounded pride ; of avarice, dreading the diminution of its revenues J of ambition, checked in its felfifli and vain-glorious career. Nothing but a fear of the laws rcllrains a virulence fo exafperated, from the moft outrageous injuftice. Rcalon, argument, perfjafion, plead in vain agaiaft irritated lyvAnny. p 2 Gonlcious [ ^o8 ] Confcious power, goaded by fear and anger, lie- ntates at no villainous act of opprelTion, confident with its own fafety. The ill-ufage you have recently experienced, proves what military power, under arlfiocr attend direftion, would do, if it dared. Happiiy the laws ftill retain their vigour. Public fpiric is not yet quite extinft. Englifhmen will not yet fuffer law and liberty to be traaipicd upon, v.ith irn- punity. 1 hope, therefore, t!;at you will not be difpi- rited. I do allure you, that the ii'ly calumnies of hired fcribblers have done you no diiTervice among the inde-pendent fart of the Public. They have only deceived thofe who were willing to be de- ceived \ thofe v.ho love to have their malevolence fed by a breakfaft of paragraphs, equally replete with abfiirdiry and virulence, xl ftrange appetite ! But calumny is as dclightral food to fome, as hu- man ?iz?'^. to t:9:ers. I have iufb this minute fcen a paragraph in a piiper, Vv\'-.ich I copy at the ccfree-hcufe, where I am. now v;ri:ing. for your amufemenr, v.hile I drink my morning dilh of tea. After inveighing againft you, the writer fays, '•^ The clergy iiavc been accufed, ere no-.v, of in- '' doience, of Inability, of woi takinn; t'le trouble " even of writing their own difcourfes j but, mjy God ! " if thelc are the lamples of tliem (mxaning your '' lermon) [ 109 ] ^* fermon) when they do write, may they never " RESUME THE PEN ! and we readily admit their " old plea, ^' That the body of divinity now pub- " lilned, is already large enough to anfwer every " purpofe, if well inculcated." But what, fay I, fhould v/e do for fermons on the thirtieth of January y and on fail days, if thg prayer of this writer fliould be heard, and the clergy never refume the pen ? I fuppofe the dig- nified part of them may '•jurite against the people; or why are they loaded with finecures ? He adds, " The learned Doftor polTciTes great " merit : How much to be wifhed it were dif- " played in a better cause." A better caufe than the promotion of peace and good-will ! Thefe things are very diverting. 1 hope you laugh at them all. I am. Sir, Your humble fervanr, CLLRICUS. FlEET-St RETT, Sept. 17, 1793. P. S. I can contradict the report, that the Prince wss at church when you preached ueace. He has a great number of chaplains ; and, doubt- lefs, hears divine fervice performed at the Pavilion. I willi he had been at church ; he would, I ain fure, have approved your dodlriiic, and repri- inand-.'d the military inquifition. N° VI. no N° VI. Sir, tW the i5ifl: page of Mr. Burke's ReBe6lions, which fome of the arifiocracy read with more devotion than the fcriptures, we find it thus written : " The Chridian (latefmcn of this land are fen- *^ fible, that religious inJiruBion is of more conje- " quence to the great, than any others^ from '* the neceffity of bowing down the stubborn " NECK of their pride and ambition, to the yoke " of moderation and virtue ^ from a confideratioii " of the FAT STUPIDITY and gross ignorance *' concerning what it imports men rnojl to knoii\ *^ which prevails at courts, and at the head *' of armies, and in senates, as fnuch (mark " that !) as at the loom and in the fifid." I think you mud have Mr. Burke on your fide, if he preferves his confiftency. But what will your military antagonids fay to him, when they read this ? They will be tempted to huftle hiin in the lobby of the llou'ic of Commons, if he goes on in this ftrain. I heard your fermon. You laid nothing fo offcnfive to courts, or heads OF armies, as tliis. Only confider the expref- fions : — " Stubrok,v> \-i;ck — fat s7''PiDfTv — c;ross [ .11 ] GROSS IGNORANCE." I think this paffige does Mr. Burke more honour, than all his flimfy wire-drawn llufF, his fophiftical, paffionate, and romantic de- clamation againfl human nature. O ft fic cm- nia I But, for the life of me, when I read o^ fuhh{)rn jiecky FAT ilupidity, and grofs ignorance^ I cannot help thinking of sv/ine. Sure he does not meari to rank People at Courts-^ at the Head of Armies^ and in Senates y with the fwinifli multitude. Yet he rnuft, when he attributes to them ftubbora necks, fat ftupidity, and grols ignorance. It is to his honour, if he numbers the rich and great I'lilgar with the poor and abje6l. Truth will break forth. There are as many fvvine, very fat indeed with ftupidity, and with ftubborn necks, in gilded, and painted, and carved fyesy as in ftyes covered with thatch, and fcarcely keeping off the pelting of the piiilcfs ftorm. Bravo ! Mr. Burke ! This compenfates for a good deal of your abufe of thofc of your fellow creatures, whofe cri'me is poverty. I have a notion Mr. Buike, confidently with the above excellent palTage, would number your c.JJailants with tiie swinish multitude. Not that he ventured to tell them fo, when he Vvcnt to fee the " pride, pomp, and circumdance of *' glorious war," ovi i\\t South Dcwns. However, 1 am pretty Hire he would not approve of your being trodden doivn under the hoojs of a J.vinijh 14. ■nu'tltudcy [ "'- ] multitude, for endeavouring, as he exprellcs it, to bow down the Jluhborn neck of pride and am- bition, and. to remove a little of that fat fiupidity and grqfs ignorance which he fays, though yoii. did not fay, " prevails even at the hlad cf " ARMIES." 'Xht J-winiJh multitude di hl^h I'-fe are well de- fcribed by Horace, in thefe celebrated words : P'lngucm et rnUduriiy tt bene curat} cut:' porcum. I wlfli the poor little j^igs v.'ere as fat and v;el]- liking. May they never lack warm ilyes and full troughs 1 I congratulate you on having fo eloquent an ad- vocate on your fide as Mr. Burke. He fays in another place, a little lower down, '* Our provident constitution has taken care, '^ that thofe who are to inftruit presu.mi'tuous *' IGNORANCE, thofc who are to be cenfors over *^ INSOLENT vice, fliould nevcr incur tht:ir con- *' tempt, nor live upon their alms." You fee he ftands up for the freedom and dignity of the pulpit. Thefe fentimcnts certainly do him honour. It is a pity that his grains of wheat are hidden in bufliels of chaff, and his jewels lofc in a dunghill- The swiNE, however, will rout them cur. That t nj ] That expreffion of " Swinifli Multitude," was an unlucky lap/us lingua. — But if we are fwine, ^id vetat et no/met grunnire ? I am. Sir, Yours, Src. PINGUICULUS PORCELLUS, N° VII. \T'he following Account, though certainly founded on a converfation which atlually gaffed at a -public place, in the hearing of a perfon ''jjhofe name 1 know, is probably intended to reprefent the fplrit of tbs Tattlers upon this occafion.'] Sir, T WAS lately fitting in a fnug corner in a book- feller's fliop, at a place of public reforr, when I was an eye and ear witnefs to the following fccne and dialogue, which I take the liberty of tranf- mitting to you for your edification. Enter fix wen, feme with fkirts to their coats, and feme (expofing the feat of honour) with- out fkirts ; fonie zvith caps, and feme with CL. bats i [ "4 ] hats ; fome with feathers, and Jome with none ; but all fierce of fhyftogjiomy, loud of voice J and (in courje) dejperately courageous, \Jl. D — a you, you Sir j did you hear the fa- mous feditious fermon ? id. No — /hear it, aye ? / never go to church, /want to hear none of their gab, not /j though I know all about it as well as if I had been there. But hold your jaw. I am reading the papers. — Good God ! what a fad thing it is j the French I fee are all turned atheifts. They have abolifhed Sundays, and difcarded their clergy. I hope to God we fhall exterminate the banditti i — a pack of Sans Culottes and Carmagnols. ifi. But this ferm.on runs in my head. It was full r.'f treafon and fedition. It was all about fea- thers, and fword-knots, and epaulettes. But one comfort is — I hear the preacher is taken up. 2d, Yes he is, and I hope he will be taken down. What do you think he faid, you ? Why he faivl — (hnhy hah^ he !) he faid — All mankind arc brothers — Brothers! hah, hah, he! Lady Proud- fielh, who you know is a lady of family and the firft fartiion, told me fhe thought fhe fhould have burft her fides a laughing at the idea. It is too bad. I am told a profecution is commenced. 4/,?7. It \->, it is. — What's as bad — he told the men not to mind the officers a fl^ip of a loufe— that was his [ "J ] his txprefiion. I know a man that will take his bible oath of it. Then he went on and faid — They ought to bid the colonel kifs their breeches. He ufed plainer Englifli. Well j that was not all. He faid, You Sirs, fays he, addreffing himfelf to the men, you are a pack of fools, fays he, and your commanders are all knaves and fycophants. The whole army was there — there was not a man left in the camp — all at the church j and they no fooner came out, than they fell a mutinying like mad. D — n it, fays I ; fo I ups with my fword, and runs a dozen of them through the body at a thruft; with one foot I kicked a fcore over the cliff; with the other, I fent a little hundred into the clay-pits belonging to the brick-kiln ; and with my left hand I collared a dozen more -, and then they all marched back as quiet as lambs, and no more was heard of the mutiny. 5//^. I faw you, I faw you do it, by G— j and Tim Figgins, of the Gothamfliire, fays he was one of the mutineers ; for he heard the parfon fay, On earth peace. That was all he heard ; but a comrade of his told him, peace was proclaimed in the Gofpel Gazette j and that we were all to go home, and take care of our families, and plough the ground for the next wheat harveft : So he was flvipping about for joy, but meant no harm, when you at- tacked him in the rear with your foot, and laid him fprawling on the beach. By G — , the par- tis 2 fon [ "6 ] Ton ought to be brought to a court martial though. 6th. He will, he will. But you have not heard half. The fermon was the moft flagitious, faftious, feditious, traiterous, libellous, mutinous, villainous, rafcally, fcoundrelly fermon that ever was preached in a pulpit, by G — . Lady Epaulette told me he adlually defcribed the pattern of the cotton lining of the prince's tent, and held out a yard or two for every body to fee it, and faid. What a fhame ! No v/onder the national debt has increafed to fuch an enormous pitch. Lady Epaulette reddened fo at church, you could not tell the difference between the colour of her face and her regimentals, by G — . Lady Bumfidget was fo mad flie could have cried, but llie turned itoffto a laugh, and patted the captain on the iTioulder a hundred times, while he bit his lips and vowed vengeance. Too bad 1 too bad ! faid old Mrs. Tattle, our landlady. But he went on talking about peace and war. Now that I do not mind fo much. Pamn all he faid about, flopping the eff'ufion of blood. If he hadfiuck to feacCi damn zV, we Jhould 7:ot have minded that *, But feathers ! If I do not revenge.— What do you think he had the impudence to fay ? Why — fine featlicrs make fine birds. That was the worft of all. D — n all his other kdition. That galls me. • One of the party cigngcu {d!idi this repeatedly in the Play- Hcvife Lobby, during the aclion. \r \Jh And [ "7 ] iji. And me too. id. /don't like that. ^d. No ! — Any thing but that, 4th. I feel hurt at that. ^tb. Aye, there's the rub. 6th. " The time and the place make it criminal.''* A grave old gentlennan, who had fat with a (lick in his hand, gently tapping his fhining boots all this while, now rofe, and refpedfully adicd the ift. Pray, Sir, were you prefent at the fermon. He proceeded to afk thenn all in order. Anfwer i/?. No — but I am credibly informed of all its contents by my laundrefs, who had it from Lady Van Helmet's waiting-maid, whom flie went to drink tea with that very Sunday evening; fo Ihe muft remember it all perfe6lly. 2d. A very reipe<5lable man, who has a very good place under Government, told me, and he had it from a coufin of one of our contraflors, who heard it from an old deaf woman thr.t Hit in the church porch all the while, from the text to the blefling. A very honed creature — he gave her a halfpenny for her intelligence, and flie promifed to bring him fome more. 2d. I gave fixpence to a foldicr's wife, that mends dockings for me, to tell me a.'; about it. I am afraid the huffey cheated m.e ; for I afked her what fort of a man the preacher was, and flie laid he [ "8 ] he vvor.? a area-: wig, and preached in fpe6lac!es— • Wfiichj I am iold, is not the cafe j but, however, the poor woman iTivght make ufe of her ears, though not her eyes. Her account tallies, in other rel]jc;cc ', v% irh all the reft ; and I have no doubt flic will make afrKkivi: of it, for flie fucke very confi- dently, and fnc is wretchedly poor. I have net paid her bill for fome time. 4/^. My grandnnother was there; and my ne- phew Jack, it fcenis, caught her napping in the pew, as f?-?c aOeep as a church, rind gave her a good fmart tweak by the nofe, Vkichout waking her. He told her of it as foon as fhe came home. But the old lady proved ihe was wide awake, by re- peating the Creed and the Catccbrze, from one end to the ether. She forgot the text, I be- lieve-- 'Dut fhe faid fhe remembered the fermon well, vov/ed it was all treafon, and poor Jack got a box on the ear for his pains. ^I'b. I wcnr out to cea that afternoon. None of us knew a word a^out trie fermon} till Mr. Buille entered in a hurry, and faid, one of the m.efiengers iiiiu juft arrived and apprehended the preacher. All the company fiartd; and knowing nothing of thic fermon, afl.ed the footboy, who had leave to go to church in the morning, but who, it feems, had gone to fee tlie two mt:^. hanging in chains hard by. t-r Hips out to fetch fo:ne toad, and inquires ot Dorothy, the cook in the kiichenj v.ho happening 10 E "9 1 to have company herfeif, found out from the vvad-ier- woman, that the preacher pulled the Prince's tent to pieces, and faid we were all brothers and fifters. Lord-a-mercy ! fays fhe, — I he fitler to a prince! and old Smoaker his brother ! If that bcn't treafon, I do not know what is. I hope -the parfon will be taken up. I'll peach him j they fay a body. may make a penny of it. She is rather hard of hearing, but ar» honefl good creature, and 1 intend to take her words dov,'n, and infert them in the Lying Adver- tifer, or the Falfe Briton. Anfwer the fixth. I had my intelligence from my valet de chambre, who had it from his maiden aunt that had a dream. She thought (he faw all the Sans Culottes, in their miferable uncloathed condition, upon the beach, which frightened her into fits. Whereupon fhe went to tell it to an acquaintance of hers, the wife of a man v^ho has a fniig place in the India- Houfe; and (lie, it feems, was at the church. Upon hear- ing her (lory of treafon and fedition, the old fjul was at no lofs to account for her dream. It fcems th.e good Vv'oman, who h.l^ h5r.rd the fermon, cainc home hi'^hly pleafed, and was wiiliing for pL\".ce, wlien her hulls.'.nd interrupted, and lays, Jen:iy, fiys he, take care v/hat y;)u fay. I hear it wr.s all treafon. You mull take t'other fide of the quellion, mv dear. True, fays fne. Aye, a nod's as good as a winkj a word to the wife. '* '!'>ovv. [ 120 ] " Jenny, can't you recoiled any little bit of trea- " fon, Jenny, juft to tell the captain ?" — " O yes,'" fays flie, " I believe I can, for that matter." — " Well " then let's have it." — " Why he faid fonnething «' that tends imnnediately ts the Juhverfton of the ** government.'' — " Did he fo ? did he fo ? that's *' good — fo much the better — very vt-ell indeed — ' " let's have it— What did he fay, my dear?" — " W^hy he faid, That we ought, all of us, to be " GOVERNED by — ycs, he faid governed — mark " that' — take that down — governed by one Phil. " Anthropy. I do not know who Philip is — " fome outlandifh prince or Sans Culotte or ano- " ther — but whether he be the pope, the devil, or " the pretender, I will take my bible oath, before " any juflice of peace, that he faid we ought to be *^ governed by one Phil. Anthropy j whereas, you " know, we have no right to be governed but by " the exifting government. There we have him. " This will make intereft mthjomebody you know. " Aye, aye — No Phil. Anthropy. -No Philan- " thropy, fay I. No llrangers. No philanthropy." The old gentleman fmiled and faid, I find you were none of you prefent at the fermon. Now I was there ; and I affirm that it was, from beginning to end, calculated to ferve the caufe of humanity, and no other caufe. You have been mifled by the filly tales of the idle, the interefted, and the wicked. AIL [ I" ] Air. " Who are you ?— who are you ?" An EnglishMajj. A man. I wear no fword indeed j but I have a tongue to contradift a liar^ and a good ftaff of English oak to defend myfelf againft a ruffian. Here is my addrefs. I will convince you of your error, if you will liften to reafon. All. " Reafon ? Oh, we have nothing to do with « it — it is nothing to us.*' \_Exeunt—-fneaking and muttering*. \fi. A d d Quiz this. id. A queer put. ^ 3^. An old curmudgeon. 4/i&. A fon of a b — . £//&. A democratical rafcal. dth, I, I, I don't half like him — O, here he comes — Why did not you knock him down, Jack ? 17?. I'll teach him to jaw, if I ever meet him again. id. I had a good mind to draw my fword. 2d. I had my hand upon the hilt of mine. ^^th. If he had not ftopt \i\^ Jiangs I'd h.d,\Q pinked him, or I'll be fhot. 5/^7. I would have kicked his — — — . 6th. I wifh he was here now — I, I, I, I — O Lord, here he comes — good morning — let's go. Devil take the old democrat, fay I. — No demo- crats. I'm off". — Damme, I don't like democrats with Jlaves of Englijh oak, not I. — Good morning Jo ^ou, Sir. {Exeunt cwnes. • li The [ 122 ] The old gentleman took a pinch of fnuff, and coolly walked up and down the pronnenade. Yours, DEMOCRITUS. P. S. I hear the angry warriors actually met to concert meafures for profecuting you ; but no two of them could agree in the fame ftory. So they damned one another, and parted. It feems, it was a little Jew that called from his box for perfonal injury. He was as arbitrary as if he had been his mofl: Christian Majefty, for whom your true- hred Englijh -patriot would fight the devil. ^ N° VIII. Sir, T AM an officer; .ind though I did not hear your fermon, yet 1 can readily believe it was full of treafon,- from one end to the other. I know it was. I do not often read ferrnonsj but upon hearing of your treafon, I determined to look into your 'vo- lume of JermonSy which you pubiifhed two or three - years ago, in the hope of finding fomething to con- vid you, if my brother ofTicers fhould unluckily have forgotten the word parts of that flagitious dif- courfe at Brighton. I could find nothing myfelf, but fome old-fafhioned do6lrines about faith, hope, and charity. But my good friend Dodor Plumpton, having nothing to do on Sundays, (as he keeps three curates, at thirty pounds a-year each, and his [ 123 ] his flail is a finecure,) employed one whole Sunday morning in endeavouring to find out fomc treafon in your fcrmons. And, fure enough, here it is. The Dodtor fent it me in a frank, given him by the member for the borough, who got him all his. preferment. The Doclor fays he cannot fee (though he wears fpeftacles too) what in the world the Public can find in your fooliOi books to buy them. He himfelf has favoured the Public with one whole fermon, on " submission to the powj-rs " jTHAT BE," and he never got rid of any, but thofe that he prefentcd in Turkey leather, gilt and let- tered, to the Minifter, and a few of the better Jort, But to the treafon. This will do for you. Sir, Here it is, in page 377, of your fecond edirion. Mrs. Plumpton copied it tor the Do6lor, as writing is fatiguing to him, efpecially after dinner. I have not read it; but I dare fay your diocejan will make you an example for it. I hope to God he may. '•'• Such, indeed, is the violence of political " aniniofuy, that every fecial Chriflian duty is " facrificed to the indulgence of it: hatred of the " bittcreft kind is occafioned by a difference in " polirics, or by an attachment to a favourite " ft.itctman, or lyitem of public conducl ; and it " is greatly to be lamented that this violence of '' zeal arifes not from the pure motives of genuine '■'• pacriotihn, to which it arroganiiy pretends, but *' from envy, {\Ki\x\ a contentious teiiiper, from " vanity, from ainbirion. R 2 *' I mofl: [ 124 ] <' I moft earneftly admonifh all who are infti- *' gated by thefe motives to feditious language, " writing, or aclion/to confider that they arc in- f' fulting the King of Kings, who delights in order '* and tranquillity, and whofe gracious gofpel par- *' ticularly requires a peaceful fubmifllon to the ** laws of a country, and to the powers legally " eftabliflied. Confufion, and every evil work, '^ are the confequences of the unruly paffions of ** envy and flrife, when they direft their force ** againft the civil government and its proper ad- *' miniftrators. Fear God and honour the King, " are commands joined together in the fcriptures *' fo clofely, as ta induce one to conclude, that to ** honour the King is to perform a duty at lead " approaching to the nature of a religious office. '* But if this fhouid not be allowed, yet it is cer- ^* tainly true, that to difturb any good governnnent *' is contrary to the duty of a good man, and parti- *^ cularly inconfiftent with the charadler of a good ** Chriftian, who fliould ftudy to be quiet, and to ** mind his own bufineis, and not to follow thofe *' who, from envy and Jlrife^ are given to unne^ ** cejfary innovation." I fay I have not read it myfelf; but I take Do6lor Plumpton's word for it. He looked very angry with you. So he judges fairly. He hates you worle than the devil. So he is impartial. I thought it but fair to let you know before-hand v^'hat I intend to profecute you for ; fo have taken this [ m ] this trouble, which, by the way, is doing you more honour than you deferve. You know they told you your deferts. ^ la laffjfirne, (hould have been the word. They did imitate the French very well. I wifh'I had been in the Theatre. I am told they had not men enough, or that enterprize would have turned out ftill more glorious than it did, though it did them all honour. Good fubjeds ought to be diflinguifhed j and, therefore, I hope fome ribbons will be beftowed on the moft a6live of thofe good men, who proved, on that occafion, that they do not degenerate from the Wolfes and the Marlboroughs that adorn our En- glifh hiftory. I am glad to fee the good old bull- dog breed kept up. Let's have no more of your fni veiling about peace. What fhould you know about peace or war ? Leave every one to his own bufinefs, fay I ; and don't let the cpbler go beyond his lad. There's Dean Swift now, I like him. I acci- dentally opened one of his books t'other day, and my eye fell on the following pafTage. The affair happened at a coffee-houfe. An officer^ you muft know, in company with a clergyman, had a little difpute. But the E)o6tor met with his match, by God. You fhall judge. You (hall hear Dean Swift's own words. " D — n me, D odor," (cried the officer,) f« fay what you will, the army is the only /chool for " gen* [.126 ] " gentlemen. Da you think nny Lord Marlborough «< beat the French .witk Greek and Latin ? p— n "me, I would be g^ad,;by.G—- d, to fee apy of "-your fcholarSj with his nouns and his verbs, • and « his .f^ilofophy and.hisr trigonometry, what a « fi^^ure he would make at a fiege,"or blockade, *\ or rfncpuntering 1" The parfon had nothing to fay. So you fee the afFair ,at Brighton is not the firft ia which, the officers were too many for the parfon. I only wilh Lhad been there, that's all. It was an additional feather in the cap of all the parties, male and female, concerned therein. That's poz. None of yours, by G — d, B Y DAWSON. Bull AND Mouth Street, Jug. 25, 1793. p. S. Damn you^ I'll fight you, if you'll come without your children to take your part. Not elfe J — five or fix to one's odds, by G — . N° IX. Rev. Sir, Was lately in company with fome fropjfional centlemen and their ladies, when the comical pranks of the military at Brighton Theatre became the topic of converfation. One of them faid he heard you intended to -^roJccuU your affailants ; upon upon wfiicK tHey all burfV out into aloud laiigli,' declaring, they never heard any thing more divert-* ing in their lives. Profecute,' indeed 1' faid a fmart^ martinet, I fay pi-ofec^te-" too, - cried aii'cmaciated ■ lady m ^helmety at the.f^ipQ tinn^ purfing up her mputh, and fanning aw,;ay, naoft rapidly. " What's. *^ that?" afked a veteran who had been whiftfng " Wh.ajt can the matter be?" while he adjufted his fiill witlj one hand, and beat time on the ivory hilt of his fword with the other. " What's that ? ''"Does he fay he will profecute ? Never believe " it. He knows bettei- than to profecutd. Their " PUIiSES ARE A LITTL'E TOO HEAVY FOR BIM; " my dear." Here he winked his eye ; and they all joined v/ith an air of triumph, and repeated; Yes, yes, — 7'heir purses are a little too HEAVY FOR Hifi. I do affurc you this is literally true; and from it I conclude, that thefe heroic fOuh imaglr.ed that CiTcnce's gilded hand miglit faove byy'^Ar, But 'tis not fo in England. — By the way, you Oiould not have preached the Gofpel of .)eacc before men wlio live by war. Truth is nou to be told at all times. Never preach the Go/pel wh'zn it may give offence, Or obilruft your preferment. 'Prc^ach cxbout any thiiig that is not inttTcfling, and doco ncr come Ivjiy.e to men's bufinefs and bofoms. Be as ^.'•'.7 >.s you p^kafe ; you will be ///"c". Apropos, I :r.vt v, i'Ji t!ie fol- .1. lovting [ 118 J lowing pafTagcs from a fhrewd author, who wrotd about fifty years ago. Read j and learn to preach the right wayy do j nnake the pulpit a drum eccle- fiajlic, 'that's your fort to pleafe. " Whenever pillage or fhedding of blood arc *' to be juftified or encouraged by a fernwn, or <* men are to be exhorted to a battle, to the fack- " ing of a city, or the deftruftion of a country, ** by a pathetic difcourfe, the text is always taken " from the old testament. (^ War' Go/pel!) " But to jnake it evident, that divines may be " ufeful to all fighting men, without preaching " of the Gofpelj we need but to confider, that " among all the wars and diffenfions which Cbri/- " tians have had one with another, there never " was a caufe yet fo unreafonable or' abfurd, fo " unjufl or openly wicked, if it had an army to ** ifack it 3 that has not found chrijiian divines., or «« at lead fuch as filled themfelves fo, who have « efpoufed and called it righteous. No rebel- " lion was ever fo unnatural, nor tyranny so « cruel, but if there were men who would fight " for it, there were pricfls who would pray for <« it, and loudly maintain that it was the cause " OF God." Bialcgues on Honour , page 159. ************* <^ However, I 129 ] *' However, morality is often preached to theni, *' and even the gospel, at seasoi/aele times, " when they are in winter quarters, or in an idle " fummer, when there is no enemy near, and the " troops are encamped in a country where no " hoflilities can be committed. But when they " are to enter upon action, to befiege a large " town, or ravage a rich country, it would be " very impertinent to talk to them of their chrijliaji " virtues., doing as they would be done by, " loving their enemies, and extending their " charity to all mankind. Not a word of *' the gospel, nor of mecknefs and humility. " All thoughts of CHRISTIANITY are laid afidc " entirely. The men are praifed and buoyed up " in the high value they have for themftrlves. " Their officers call them gentlemen and fellow- " foldiers. Generals puli oif their hats to th.em ; " and no artifice is ncglefted that can flatter " their pride, or infpire them with a love of " GLORY ! " The clergy themfelves take care at fuch " times not to mention to tb.em their fins, or " any thing that is melancholy or difheartcning. " On the contrary, they ij?eak chearfully to them, *' encourage and o.fi'uri tbcra of God's fav(;ur. *' They take pains to jufiify, and endeavour to " INCREASE THE ANIMOSITIES and AVKRhlON ^' which tliofe under their care have againfl ilieir s '•^ cij'.'ir.ics, t 130 ] " enemies, whom, to blacken and render ** ODIOUS, they leave no art untried, no ftone *' unturned J and no calumny can be more ma- " licious, no ftory more incredible, nor falfity *' more notorious, than have been made ufe of, ** knowingly i for that purpofe, by chriftian di- *' vinesy both proteftants and papifts." Dialogues en Honour y page 162. I am. Rev. Sir, with the greateft refpe6t. Your obedient humble fervant, T. B. Portsmouth, Sept. 21, i793» P. S. I obferved you ended your fermon with a benevolent prayer. Take care not to pray too ardently for enemies. And, I befeech you, don'c let the Reverend Dr. Par be your model in pray- ers i for thefe are his words -, you may read them in his Sequel J page 73. " If," fays that learned and able Divine, " the ^ threatened crujade of ruffian despots fhould * be attempted, it will, in my opinion, be an out- ' rageous infringement upon the law of i^ationsj ' it will be a savage conspiracy againft the ' written and unwritten rights of mankind ; and, ^ therefore, in thejincerity of my foul ^ I pray the ' righteous Governor of the univerfc, the Creator * of men, and the King of kings, I pray him to « abate the pride, alTuage the malice, and con- II '* foun(4 [ IJ" ] ^f found the devices of all parties, diredly or in- " direflly leagued in this complicated fcene of guilt *' and horror 1 this infult upon the dignity of hu- ** man nature itfelf ! this treafon againft the ma- ** jESTY of God's own image, rational and immor- <^ tal MAN." There's a fervent prayer for you ! but take heed how you pray in like manner, in the hearing of the faid RUFFIAN DESPOTS. Luckily the ocean rolls between them and usj fo that though they probabljr have LONG ears, as you know they have prover- bially LONG HANDS, yet th^^v could not hear Dr. Par, efpecially as the cannons were roaring, and the drums were beating, anc: the dying were howl^ in^y for many leagues together. N°X. Sir, T AM very angry; very angry indeed. In the nev/fpaper account of the Brighton outrage, I read that military men did fo and fo. Mditary men ! military men, 5/r/ I tell you it is noc true. Sir. Depend upon it — they were foxhunters in red coats, with a p:ick of puppies vclpin; at their heels ; but no military men. We, Sir, know better. There is not a kt of more generous men on God's earLh than the mili[.uy. I, for my parr, Wviild 1^1 would as Toon attack my own father and mother^i as infult a woman, or threaten a clergyman, efpc- cially when I was armed, aiiifted with a numerous body, and perfonally unprovoked. Blood and oons, Sir! I tell you once more, the military arc incapable of fuch an adion. You do ^oc know the names or. qualities of the party concerned; therefore you may be, and I fay you muji be, mif- taken in thinking they were of the military or- der. A fed coat don*t make a foldier. A tide is one thing, and honour another. I' am only a *"SERjEAi?T,' God knows j but I have got many an honourable fear, fighting Tace' to face, in the field of battle. No man can fay I ever thought my red "coat and fword privileged me to affront women and children ; and 'as to cjzUing names , d— n me, (God forgive me for fwearingj) buc_ fooner than ipit my fpite by calling names, I would pull off my regimentals, and put on petticoats, I am clear no military men were concerned, I wanted to fet you right. So begging your ho- nour's pardon for this freedom, , I remain. Sir, Your humble fervant, JOHN SMITH, A Serjeant in the Regulars^ Strand, London, Sep, 20, 1793. T H E E N D. ■ 9 08 2 ^ UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY This book is DUE on the last date stamped helow INTEPvLIBRARY ]jUANS: Form I,-;i 20m -:•_', '.■iixnn.sd) Ar ^-.f-'r^r x;iQ JX 1963 Knox - K77n — A narrati ve of transactions rel- ati TO t o a s e n iio n« . . August 18, 1795. OCT 1 9 ^9! ' ^nijiigrirr NOV in icf ^ ^A UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACIL A A 000 133 931 6 JX 1963 K77n } \ V .! .)