PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTIONS 
 
 ON THE LATS 
 
 REVOLUTION IN FRANCE, &c,
 
 PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTIONS 
 
 ON THE LATE 
 
 REVOLUTION IN FRANCE, 
 
 AND THE CONDUCT OP 
 
 THE DISSENTERS IN ENGLAND* 
 
 IN A LETTER TO 
 
 THE REV, DR. PRIESTLEY, 
 
 BY J. COURTENAY, ESQ. M, P, 
 
 , QUO SCELESTI RUITIS ? HOR, 
 
 SECOND EDITION WITH ADDITIONS, 
 
 LONDON; 
 
 P&INTED FOR T. BECKET, PALL-MALL. 
 MDCCXC.
 
 PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTIONS 
 
 ON THE LAT1 
 
 REVOLUTION IN FRANCE, &c. 
 
 ADDRESSED TO 
 
 THE REV. DR. PRIESTLEY, 
 
 SIR, 
 
 1AM not in the leaft furprifed that fome of 
 the moft enlightened men of the prefent 
 age, equally diftinguimed by genius, fcience, 
 and tafle, are ferioufly alarmed at the dan- 
 gerous and rapid progrefs of democracy in 
 France. We had indeed little to fear, whilft 
 they enjoyed that ferene and tranquil ftate 
 of government, uniformly refulting from the 
 unlimited power of a monarch, and the feu- 
 B dal 
 
 863881
 
 dal privileges of" a numerous, polimed, and 
 gallant noblejje. Whilil the various orders 
 of a p'ious, rich, and fplendid hierarchy 
 anxioufly watched over the temporal and 
 eternal concerns of a docile obfequious laity, 
 preaching up the catholic apoflolic doctrine j 
 of paflive obedience and non-refiftance, 
 internal peace, fubordination, and fubmif- 
 iion, were the characterises of that gay, 
 volatile, and ingenious people. But now, 
 borrefco referent, they no longer acknow- 
 ledge " The right divine of kings to go- 
 ' vern wrong;" and inftead of bending 
 their necks to the vice-gerent of heaven, 
 prefumptuoufly look into the facred ark, 
 quefiion the conduct of the Lord's anointed, 
 and on abftract metaphyfical principles '(un- 
 happily reduced into practice) affert the un- 
 alienable right of man to freedom : The 
 fatal confequences are obvious j as it is a 
 political truth, confirmed by the experience 
 of ages, that the tranquillity and happinefs 
 
 of
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 of a well regulated community can only be 
 maintained by implicit obedience and un- 
 conditional fubmiffion. The vifions of chi- 
 merical fpeculation muft difappear before 
 the light of hiftory, and truth and reafon 
 again refume their empire over the human 
 mind. I fay then, if the Athenians had 
 quietly and judicioufly fubmitted to the do- 
 minion of the thirty tyrants, Critias, and 
 his council of ariftocrates would not have 
 been compelled to ftain their hands in 
 the blood of their fellow-citizens. So- 
 crates might have faved himfelf and his 
 country, if he had exerted his abilities, like 
 Dodor H. by fupporting the civil and ec- 
 clefiaftical eftablifhment of Athens, inflead 
 of proudly and obilinately difplaying that 
 factious and heterodox fpirit which has al- 
 ways diftinguimed you. If Brutus, and his 
 band of Roman confpirators, had faluted 
 Julius Cxfar, king, defpotifm and felicity 
 would have been diffufed over the world, 
 B 2 and
 
 ( 4 ) 
 
 and an Englifh prelate (a) would not have 
 difgraced himfelf, and his holy function, by 
 pronouncing an eulogium on aflaffination, 
 and recommending the dangerous and da- 
 ring tenets of a heathenim ballad to our in- 
 genuous youth, in the infidious and capti- 
 vating language of claffical eloquence. But 
 let me, in the words of Lord Bacon, bring 
 this topic home to men's buiinefs and bo- 
 foms. If Mr. Hampden had meekly ac- 
 quiefced in Charles's claim to mip-mo- 
 ney, the nation would have been preferved 
 from the horrors of a civil war -, " taxation, 
 " no tyranny," would have become our po- 
 litical creed ; America might ilill have 
 fiourifhed under our aufpices; the un- 
 contaminated loyalty of toryifm would 
 have been our own ; we mould not have 
 incurred the wrath of Heaven for (hedding 
 the royal martyr's blood ; we mould no; 
 have been punifhed for that flagitious aft 
 by the Revolution ! nor have had a Prince
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 of the Houfe of Brunfwick tofufferfor our 
 Jl ns: We might ftill have enjoyed a Popifh 
 liturgy (b)> a Calviniflical creed (cj, and 
 an Arminian clergy (dj, with all the fuper- 
 added bleffings of an arbitrary monarchy. 
 
 The populous and flouriming kingdom 
 of Dahomey on the gold coaft of Africa, is 
 another ftriking example of the invaluable 
 benefits of abfolute power. The king is there 
 a king indeed, being the abfolute matter 
 of the lives and fortunes of his fubjects ! fej 
 <( They are," we are told, " a happy people, 
 " and have a great contempt for the fubjects 
 " of the neighbouring republics." A fimilar 
 fentiment is thus beautifully exprefled by a 
 Tory poet: 
 
 " Still to ourfelves in every place confign'd, 
 
 " Our own felicity we make or find ; 
 
 " The lifted ax, the agonizing wheel, 
 
 " Luke's iron crown, and Damien's bed of fteel, 
 
 f ' To men remote from power, but rarely known, 
 
 ? Leave reafon, faith, and confcience all our own." 
 
 THE TRAVELLER. 
 
 I flatter
 
 ( 6 ) < 
 
 I flatter myfelf, that I have already proved 
 to your fatisfadtion, by examples taken both 
 from ancient and modern hiftory, and from 
 recent facts elucidated by moral reafoning, 
 that the vicious and oppreflive conduct of 
 our, rulers can only be effectually checked 
 and counteracted by patience, humility, and 
 long fuffering ; and that all our political 
 evils folely originate from tumult, infurrec- 
 tion, and rebellion. Let us learn a lefTon 
 of wifdom from the untutored favages of 
 Dahomey ; they preferve their lives and 
 property from royal rapacity and violence, 
 by a cheerful refignation of both to the 
 nod of their fovereign. A grave divine 
 earneftly recommends the fame fyftem of 
 quietifm to the fair fex, as an effectual pre- 
 fervative againft any poffible violation of 
 their chaftity (f). 
 
 I mall now proceed in demonflrating, 
 that the Chriflian religion is to all intents 
 and purpofes abolilhed in France; and that 
 
 the
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 the National AfTembly have covertly and 
 infidioufly introduced a fyfte;Oi of atheifm in 
 its ftead. The fen ate of democrats* have 
 commenced their impious fcheme by abo- 
 liming tythes; a provifion appropriated and 
 fanctified, jure divino, for the comfortable 
 fupport of the clergy, by Heathens, Jews, 
 and Chriflians (gj, They have facrile- 
 gioufly prefumed to feize on the ancient 
 revenue of the church, under the impi- 
 ous pretext of public good; of encoura- 
 ging agriculture, by eafing the peafants of an 
 unequal and oppreffive ecclefiaflical corvee ; 
 and of providing a better and more fuitable 
 maintenance for the fecular and parochial 
 priefts, who alone perform the refpeclive 
 duties of their function. Thus have the 
 National Aflembly reduced atheifm into a 
 fyftem, by feizing on the lands of the clergy, 
 with an avowed defign of either pledging 
 them as a fecurity for the national debt, or 
 felling them to Turks, Jews, and Infidels, 
 
 for
 
 ( 8 ) 
 
 for the difcharge of it. Befides, if bifhops, 
 archbifhops, abMs, and the fuperior and dig- 
 nified ranks of the hierarchy, are deprived of 
 riches, immunities, power, and grandeur, 
 how can they (hew their contempt of them ? 
 You invidioufly fnatch from thefe Senecas, 
 thefe Chriftian ftoics, the fublime merit of 
 optional virtue, by compelling them to 
 practice temperance and moderation, not 
 from choice, but neceffity. 
 
 A fimilar facrilegious attempt to abolifh 
 tythes in Ireland, is a melancholy proof of 
 the turbulent and innovating fpirit of the 
 prefent times. The depreffed flate of the 
 clergy too evidently appears by the flyle 
 of their writings. Their arguments are 
 fingly founded on the impolicy and injufHce 
 of depriving them of a provifion fanclioned 
 by antiquity, and folemnly entailed on them 
 by the laws of the land. They have given 
 up the vantage ground on which they ftood, 
 ftript themfelves, of the celeftial armour, 
 6 the
 
 ( 9 ) 
 
 the panoply divine, with which they were 
 clad, and have rafhly ventured into the field 
 naked and unarmed. 
 
 They have fucceeded accordingly. If 
 the clergy once weakly admit the profane 
 interference of parliament ; if they once ad- 
 mit, that this provifion may be modified, 
 and even abolimed by the fame authority ; 
 if the conteft is merely to reft on the fallaci- 
 ous deductions of human reafon, it would in- 
 deed be difficult for the church to maintain 
 the argument. Even the fpecious flate- 
 ment of the celebrated author of T/je Wealth 
 of Nations (h) has little weight with me ; 
 for granting that tythes are often a fifth, 
 and even a fourth, inflead of a tenth ; though 
 they are a check to induftry, &c. ftill the 
 more unequal and more oppreffive this fa- 
 cred burthen may be, the more meritorious 
 it is in thofe who fubmit to it from a con- 
 fcientious motive, without murmuring and 
 repining. A leading member of the Irifh 
 C Hou/e
 
 Houfe of Commons * has expatiated in his 
 ufual ftyle of energetick, but delufive elo- 
 quence, on the great advantage which the 
 church would derive from an Ad: of Com- 
 mutation. Law-fuits, bickerings, and ani- 
 mofitieSj he afTerted, would ceafe at once; 
 and the mild fpirit of peace and Chriftian 
 charity, would mutually endear the paftor 
 and his flock to each other. The clergy, no 
 doubt, are perfectly fenfible of this ; and 
 only perfift in claiming tythes, as being 
 their exclufive property by divine inftitu- 
 tion; and thinking that by accepting any 
 commutation, however beneficial, they would 
 betray the caufe of God and religion. 
 
 And now, Sir, permit me to addrefs you, 
 in the moft ferious manner, on the moft 
 ferious fubjecl:, \Vhat can democra- 
 tick frenzy alledge againfl epifcopacy ? 
 Were not bifhops instituted by the apoflles* 
 |hemfelves, to enlighten and govern the 
 
 .* Mr. Grattan. 
 
 primitive
 
 ( II ) 
 
 primitive church ? Though they food dif- 
 played an exterior pomp and fplendour in 
 their veftments, and in the celebration of 
 divine worfhip ; though they affumed impe- 
 rial grandeur, inhabited palaces, afcended 
 their thrones ; though they cenfured, con^- 
 trolled, and excommunicated emperors; yet 
 they only fubmitted to this pageantry, and 
 reluctantly exercifed this temporal power, 
 merely to imprefs the congregation of the 
 faithful with a holy awe and veneration for 
 the M A j E s T Y of the church ; well knowing 
 that found morality and the focial duties 
 could reft fecurely on no other bafis. Dr. 
 Momeim's mifreprefentation on this very 
 -interefting point, is defervedly treated with 
 contempt (ij. That bold and infidious 
 writer, under the fpecious pretext of can- 
 dour and moderation, infpires his readers 
 with an averfion to all ecclefiaftical power, 
 and with indignation againft the clergy, for 
 having invariably fomented religious con- 
 C 2 troverfy
 
 ( 12 ) 
 
 trover fy on myfterious unintelligible te- 
 nets i for encouraging perfecution, and pro- 
 moting the mifery of mankind in this 
 world, by infufing into their minds a 
 fpirit of hatred, malice, and uncharitable- 
 nefs ; which at laft became the theological 
 characterise k of every various difcordant 
 fe& of Chriftianity. But if this eccle* 
 fiaftical hiftorian had been candid, (even 
 allowing the fact,) he mould have fairly 
 acknowledged that the unrelenting viru- 
 lence and embittered rancour of perfecu- 
 tion are the moil infallible criterions of 
 true belief, and the beft proof of a fervent 
 and fincere zeal for religion. As each fedt 
 iligmatized its antagonift by the odious de<- 
 nomination of heretick, Arians and Atha- 
 nafians, mutually actuated by the pureft mo- 
 tives of brotherly love and affection, in- 
 flicted a momentary and tranlient punifh- 
 ment on the bodies of each other, either 
 by the fword or the ftake; left by conti- 
 nuing
 
 ( '3 ) 
 
 nuing too long in their refpedive fchifmaticfe 
 opinions, they might forfeit all hope of 
 falvation. 
 
 Thus the fame actions, erroneoufly con- 
 fidered on mere abftract notions of philan- 
 thropy, may well appear unjuft, cruel, and 
 barbarous ; but their very effence is changed 
 when viewed through this juft theological 
 medium; for the genuine and beneficent fpi- 
 rit of orthodoxy confecrates the apparent 
 inhumanity of the action, by fanctifying 
 the motive. 
 
 A century ago, an attempt to violate the 
 fhred of a prieft's garment would have been 
 deemed the higheft impiety; but that 
 happy period is long paft. A new feet of 
 philofophers has brought all the prefent 
 calamities on France, by infidioufly varying 
 and adapting their writings to the tafte, 
 and comprehenfion, of all ranks of focicty. 
 They have perverted their underftandings, 
 and corrupted their morals, by fatally per- 
 
 fuading
 
 ( '4 ) 
 
 fuading them that juftice and benevolence^ 
 were the efTential duties of man, and that 
 without bewildering themfelves in the teaz-* 
 ing perplexities and inextricable myfteries 
 of theology, they fhould " look through 
 nature up to nature's God fkj. ft They 
 have rent the facred veil afunder, andfalfe- 
 ly andprefumptuoufly taught) that all power 
 originates from the people; that kings 
 are only the firft magiftrates of the flate, 
 and indebted to the loweft peafants for the 
 fplendour, magnificence, and majefty that 
 furround them; and that the greatefl and 
 meaneftfubjed fhould be equally bound, and 
 equally preceded by the laws. Under the 
 fpecious pretext of checking and exposing 
 fuperftition and bigotry, they have profanely 
 maintained, that the ordination of the pried 
 does not alter the nature of the man ; and 
 that the fole utility of his fundion confifts in 
 inftruding the people in the moral and focial 
 duties of life. They have calumniated the 
 
 ambaffadors
 
 ( 15 ) 
 
 ambaffadors of Heaven, by charging them 
 with having monopolifed a third of the 
 landed revenue of the kirgdom, by artfully 
 working on the ccnfciences of the weak 
 and credulous, and extorting from them on 
 the bed of ficknefs, and even at the hour 
 of death, a {hare of their property, as a 
 propitiation for their fins. Their avowed 
 principles, fay thefe apoftles of impiety, 
 their uniform practice, the very fpirit of 
 their profeffion, mark them as implacable 
 enemies to fcience, philofophy, and intel- 
 lectual liberty. A conftellation of genius 
 feemed united in propagating thefe danger- 
 ous atheiftical tenets. They were diflufed 
 in every fpecies of writing, and the dulcet 
 poifon was greedily imbibed in every part 
 of Europe. The moft poignant ridicule, 
 the fineft fallies of wit, the moil brilliant 
 traits of imagination, threw a falfe luftre 
 over this deceptious fyftem. The pernici- 
 ous dogmas of their fchool, captivated the 
 2 attention,
 
 ( 16 ) 
 
 attention, and were conveyed to the hearf; 
 in the enchanting page of a novel, amidft 
 the feigned adventures and paflionate en- 
 dearments of lovers. An article of faith 
 was expofed in an epigram; fcepticifm 
 allured profelytes by a bon mot ; and creeds 
 were confuted in a fong. The luminous 
 fcrutinifing genius of Montefquieu ; the 
 fplendid levity of Voltaire ; the impaffioned 
 and fafcinating eloquence of RoufTeau ; the 
 precifion and depth of d'Alembert ; the bold 
 and acute inveftigations of Boulanger ; the 
 daring paradoxical fpirit of Helvetius; the 
 majeftick fublimity of the fyftematick Buf- 
 fon -, the profound aftronomical refearches of 
 Bailly; the captivating elegance of Marmon- 
 tel; the impreffive condenfed thoughts of 
 Diderot; all thefe with combined force 
 affailed and unfettled the confecrated opi- 
 nions of ages. The venerable Gothick flruc- 
 ture was maken from its very foundation ; 
 the facred edifice is now laid low, and the 
 
 madnefs
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 fciadnefs of democracy has vainly dedicated a 
 temple to liberty on its ruins. 
 
 And are we not at this inftant menaced 
 with fimilar calamities, by a dangerous 
 combination of fanatical literati ? Have not 
 our prophetical Elijahs obferved a cloud in 
 the eaft, pregnant with inflammatory parti- 
 cles, and juft ready to burft on this devoted 
 land ? But to drop the metaphor. Has not 
 a catechifm (I) gone forth, teaching us, that 
 churches are houfes built of wood and 
 ftone, which do not change their nature, 
 though rendered holy by thofe fanc- 
 timonious ceremonies which the hierarchy 
 have ordained ? Are we not told, that 
 neither (m) epifcopacy nor tythes are 
 of apoftolick inftitution ; that bimops are 
 not chofen by the people, but appointed 
 by the mockery of a royal congt d'etire ? - 
 Are we not alfo told, that the primitive 
 church confifted folely of the people, their 
 leaders, and the minijlers or deacons? Can 
 D you,
 
 ( '9 ) 
 
 containing feditious and irreligious doc- 
 trines, highly injurious to the rational 
 and moral precepts of Confucius ? The 
 great inquiiitorial council of Japan have 
 proceeded with their ufual vindictive 
 impetuofity, and have actually impaled 
 fix of thofe mifchievous zealots, who 
 were difpatchcd by the Eaftern AfTo- 
 ciation, at an enormous expence, to dif- 
 perfe this alarming tract through every na- 
 tion and country under Heaven I Nay, fo 
 inveterate is the malignancy of this fynod, 
 that they have lately made up this cate- 
 chifm into a fpecifick, which, agreeable to 
 their accuftomed cant, they cz\\ fpifitual re- 
 generating pills. Thefe are prefcribed to be 
 taken by nurfes, and women during a (late 
 of pregnancy ; that children at the breaft 
 may fuck in thefe curfed dodlrines with 
 their milk, the embrio ideas of infants 
 be contaminated before they are born, and 
 a new ftimulative be added to original fin. 
 D 2 By
 
 By this diabolical invention, faction, rebel- 
 lion, and anarchy, may be diffeminated over 
 the globe, and the flourilliing empires of 
 China and Japan be overturned by a future 
 generation* of Arians, Socinians, Pela- 
 geans, NecefFarians, Antinomians, and Ma- 
 terialifts ! 
 
 " The lobe, ere yet he draws his vital breath, 
 " Receives the lurking principle of death ; 
 " The young difeafe, that muft fubdue at length, 
 " Grows with his growth, and ftrengthens with his 
 ftrength." 
 
 If fome vigorous and coercive meafures 
 are not adopted to check thefe audacious 
 proceedings, I would not give the NIP of a 
 Jiraw for our confUtution, in church and 
 Jlate. 
 
 From the firft ages of Chriftianity, celi- 
 bacy (n) in both fexes has been efteemed the 
 fublimity of virtue: its merit is derived 
 
 * See Review of the Cafe of the Diflenters, p. 22. 
 
 from
 
 ( 21 ) 
 
 from the difficulty we feel, in this frail (late 
 of mortality, in refitting the inftinclive im- 
 pulfe of animal fenfation. Hence, the mo- 
 naftick life became early the divine teft of 
 corporeal purity, celeftial fervour, andfpi- 
 ritual devotion. But thefe new reformers 
 have rafhly abfolved both monks and nuns 
 from the folemn vows by which they had 
 devoted themfelves to heaven, and im- 
 pioufly encouraged them to abandon their 
 peaceful and fanclimonious retreats, and 
 expofe themfelves to the " pomps and 
 " vanities of this wicked world, and the 
 " finful lufts of the flem." However, it 
 were well indeed if the mifchief ended 
 here ; but, alas ! this fatal ftep will even- 
 tually prove the ruin of England, as it is 
 calculated on the mod moderate computa- 
 tion, that the fleets and armies of France 
 may foon be manned and recruited from this 
 new fource of population. Their manufac- 
 tures and agriculture will no longer be dif- 
 
 trelTed
 
 trefTed by a war, as it may be carried on with 
 vigour and facility without calling a tingle 
 man from the plough or loom. Our moft 
 experienced flatefmen, our wifeft patriots, 
 our moil enlightened fenators, are convinced 
 of this melancholy truth : The French Re- 
 volution is therefore generally execrated; 
 and has only received the contemptible 
 plaudits of an obfcure fociety, compofed 
 of atheiftical DifTenters, republican Deifts, 
 and levelling Freethinkers, who impatient- 
 ly long for the deftrudtion of our civil and 
 ecclefiaflical eflablifhment. 
 
 The celebrated Mr. Necker has fagaci* 
 
 oujly obftrved, that it daily became more 
 
 \ 
 
 requifite than ever, to inculcate the ge- 
 nuine dictates of religion on the minds of 
 the people, as the only effectual confola- 
 tion to fupport them under the weight of 
 oppreffive, unequal, and impoverishing tax- 
 ation (o). But the neceffity of enforcing 
 this pious doctrine is unhappily done away, 
 
 as
 
 
 ( 23 ) 
 
 as a redrefs of grievances and a restoration 
 of rights have already taken place ; and it is 
 a melancholy truth, that reverfionary feli- 
 city makes but a flight impreffion on thofe 
 who have a profpedt of enjoying the com- 
 forts of this life. The celeftial fpecifick fo 
 earneftly recommended by Mr. Necker de- 
 rives its vital efficacy from the exertions 
 of arbitrary power, which compels us to 
 purchafe eternal joy by a fevV years mifery 
 in this tranfitory flate of probation. The 
 priefthood, influenced by this facred mo- 
 tive, have ever been the zealous advocates 
 of defpotifm, except when their own pri- 
 vileges and immunities are endangered ; as 
 in fuch a predicament, they are precluded 
 from exerciiing their own judgement, and 
 only adt as truftees and delegates for the 
 rights of heaven. 
 
 The late emperor, Jofeph the Great, who 
 aftonimed the world by the fublimity of hi s 
 
 genius and the grandeur of his actions, 
 ? not
 
 not adverting to this political axioffly 
 feems to have committed a fatal error, 
 in not conciliating the affections, and fe- 
 curing the attachment of the church (and 
 perhaps the law) before he commenced 
 his comprehenfive and beneficent fyftem 
 of government in the Auftrian Nether- 
 lands. 
 
 Lord Stanhope has thought proper topafs 
 an eulogy on the National Affembly, for 
 making no diftinction between Catholicks 
 and Proteftants, but impartially admitting 
 both to all offices of truft and profit ; and in- 
 vidioufly contrafts our conduct with their's 
 in refpect to the DifTenters. But if their 
 true motive be confidered, they will be 
 found by no means entitled to panegyr'ick. 
 By this affected moderation, this fpecious 
 candour, this comprehenfive indulgence, 
 they evidently exhibit a contemptuous in- 
 difference for the Catholick eftablilhed 
 church, and the folemn decifions of coun- 
 cils and theologifts. This is a dangerous 
 
 unequivocal
 
 unequivocal fymptotn of their malady- 
 prognoftick and a diagnoftick of Atheifm. 
 
 On the fame confiftency of principle, M. 
 Mirabeau moved this fenate of democrates to 
 addrefs the king to appoint an envoy for the 
 fpecial purpofe of jointly confulting with 
 our adminiftration on the moft effectual 
 means of abolifhing the Have trade. Did 
 this fpring from the generous fuggeftions 
 of humanity? Certainly not. Treachery 
 marks their proceedings ; and the ruin of 
 Jrevealed religion is the invariable aim of 
 all their aclions. For has it not been in* 
 conteftably proved, by writers* equally dif- 
 tinguHhed by genius, learning, and profound 
 refearches into antiquity, that the eldeft born 
 of tlam, who was accurfed by his father, 
 was called Cufh, " which, in the. Hebrew 
 language, fignifies black. Ethiopia, under 
 which name Africa is included, is called in 
 Scripture the Land of Cufh, and the inha- 
 bitants, Cufliims, or Cufhites. The ne- 
 
 * Mr. Bryant, &c. 
 
 E
 
 (26 ) 
 
 groes therefore are defcended from Ham, 
 by his eldeft fon, Cufli j which accounts 
 for the degraded fituation thefe people have 
 ever continued in." This reafoning is con- 
 clufive. The Cufliites were certainly de- 
 voted to perpetual flavery, for the wicked - 
 nefs of their great progenitor, Ham. Cu(h 
 himfelf was probably born black, both as a 
 prophetick defignation of his future fate, and 
 to tranfmit this degenerate colour to his 
 pofterity. 
 
 The only fpecious objection to this very 
 rational hypothefis, is obviated by the au- 
 thor of Obfervations, &c. in anfwer to Mr. 
 Clarkfon's reprobated Eflay. " It may be 
 objected/' fays he, " that Cum was born 
 prior to the time of Ham's committing the 
 offence againft his father, for which he fen- 
 tenced him and his pofterity to fo fevere a 
 punifhment ; and therefore the complexion 
 of Cufh could not have any relation to the 
 crime to be committed afterwards by his 
 father. In anfwer to this, I obferve, there 
 
 is
 
 ( 27 ) 
 
 is no impropriety, nor improbability, in 
 fuppofmg that the blacknefs of Cum was 
 the mark fet upon him and his pofterity, 
 from the foreknowledge of the Deity, of 
 the crime, and confequent punishment, 
 which Ham would commit, and be fen- 
 tenced to; and as a feal of that perpetual 
 fervitude to which his defendants were to 
 be doomed by that fentence*." | 
 
 Be this as it may, it is inconteftibly 
 proved by the celebrated author of Ancient 
 Mythology, and univerfally admitted, that 
 the Europeans are the fons of Japheth : it is 
 therefore our indifpenfable duty to accoin- 
 plifli the divine predictions of Noah, and to 
 hold Ham's defcendants in chains for ever. 
 But it is the avowed intention of the Na- 
 tional Affembly to weaken the credibility 
 of the facred hiflory, by emancipating the 
 negroes. However, I truft we iLall not be 
 made the dupes of this profane policy: 
 
 * Page 33 
 E 2 on
 
 ( 28 ) 
 
 on the contrary, I fincerely wifh, that the 
 corporations of Briftol and Liverpool would 
 fend out the reverend author of the Scrtp- 
 tura I Refearcbes * to the Weft-Indies, with 
 a cargo of bibles; which may be conve- 
 niently flowed in the flave-fhip, as they 
 are not now fo much crowded as formerly. 
 Let him teach the unfortunate Africans to 
 read and ftudy the book of Genelis; let 
 their genealogy be condenfed into a fhort 
 catechifm, fuited to their untutored capa* 
 cities, and taught them every Sunday by 
 one of the negro-divers. It is impoffible 
 to fay what a fudden and falutary erred: it 
 may have on their unenlightened minds, to 
 know that their fufferings are folely owing 
 to the wickednefs of their anceftor, Ham. 
 
 It will conciliate their affections, and 
 endear the fons of Japheth to their hearts, 
 if they are once perfuaded that we hold 
 them in bondage, and inflift ftripes on 
 them, neither to obtain any bafe and 
 
 fordid 
 * Rev. Mr. Herries.
 
 fordid profit from their burning toils, nor to 
 gratify the fudden impulfe of vindictive paf- 
 fion, but merely in obedience to the decrees 
 of Heaven, to accomplish the word of pro- 
 phecy, as faithful executors to the laft will 
 and leftament of Noah, our common proge- 
 nitors, the fecond father of mankind, fpj 
 
 Monf. Volney*, indeed, would fain per- 
 jfuade us, on the authority of Herodotus, 
 that the ^Egyptians, celebrated both in 
 profane and facred hiftory, were blacks ; 
 and thence artfully iniinuates, that we do 
 not abfolutely derive our intellectual fupe- 
 riority over them from the whitenefs of 
 our fkins. But, even on this hypothecs, 
 though the ^Egyptians might have been of 
 a dark colour, yet they were not of fo deep 
 a die as the defendants of Cum, nor was 
 
 * Nam Colchi videntur /Egyptii c(Te Ip'fc autem ex 
 hoc conjedabam, quod afro colore funt et crifpo capilh, 
 
 HEROD. 1. 2, p. 211, Glaf. ed. 
 
 their
 
 ( 3 ) 
 
 their hair fo foft and woolly; which makes 
 an eflfential difference between them fqj, Be- 
 fides, it has been conjectured by the Abbe 
 Spalanzani, and demonftrated by a late diiTec- 
 tion at Jamaica, that the cellular membrane, 
 on which the colour of the epidermis or 
 outer cuticle depends, is wondroufly ex- 
 tended over the brain of the negroes, and 
 completely wraps up the cerebrum and cere* 
 bellum in its curious net- work. Confe- 
 quently, the jmprefilon made by external 
 objects on thsjenforium is rendered lefs dif- 
 tint by paffing through this reticular eniie-* 
 lope, the nervous fenfibility thereby blunt- 
 ed, and the rational faculties weakened. By 
 this aftonifhing contexture of the reafoning 
 organ, the pofterity of Ham, and the fons 
 of Japheth, are fpecifically diftinguimed 
 from each other; the former cannot feel 
 fo exquifitely as the latter, either intel- 
 lectually or fenfitively; and yet, by this 
 admirable contrivance, they are gracioufly 
 
 fitted
 
 ( 3- ) 
 
 fitted for that ftate of degradation and fla- 
 very to which they are perpetually devoted. 
 
 It will give me great pleafure if this 
 fingular difcovery (hould afford the leaft 
 fatisfaction to thofe whofe generous but 
 mifapplied fympathy has carried them be- 
 yond all bounds of prudence and difcretion 
 on the fubject of the Have-trade. They 
 may now reft allured that the negroes 
 do not fuffer more than they can bear. 
 The dullnefs of their underftandings, and 
 the bluntnefs of their fenfations, (origi- 
 nating from the fame caufe,} alleviate their 
 tranfient miferies, and proportionably fhield 
 and protect them from that pungency of men- 
 tal and corporeal pain they would otherwife 
 feel from incidental acts of feverity, to 
 which a ftate of flavery muft fometimes ex- 
 pofe them. This anatomical defcriptionof 
 the prolongation and extenfion of the fub- 
 cutaneous membrane over the brain, fhould 
 be explained to the blacks, in familiar un- 
 
 technical
 
 ( 3* ) 
 
 technical language by the furgeon of th 
 plantation, who charitably vifits and attends 
 them after every punifhment ; as they are al- 
 ways humanely indulged with fome hours 
 reft and relaxation, to repair their exhaufled 
 flrength and fpirits. When they have once 
 attained a clear fcientifick conception of this 
 phenomenon from the furgeon, the clergy- 
 man fhould then explain \\iejinalcaufe of it 
 to his catachumens, that they may derive 
 religious confolation from this marked pro- 
 vidential inferiority of their fpecies, and 
 look up to their matters, miftrefTes, and 
 their kind guardians, the negro-drivers, 
 with more awe and reverence. 
 
 The National Aflembly, poffeiTed by the 
 fame mifchievous daemon of democracy, 
 have actually proceeded to abolifli titles and 
 reduce penfions. 
 
 I hope a few impartial reflections on this 
 very interefting point, may in fome meafure 
 obviate the pernicious tendency of fuch le- 
 velling republican notions. As the French 
 noblejfe always facriiiced to the graces, they 
 
 derived
 
 ( 33 ) 
 
 derived their captivating politenefs, and in- 
 imitable addrefs, from the affiduity of this 
 pleafing devotion. They gave a decided 
 ton to fociety in exact proportion to the dif* 
 tinctions of rank and birth. A fimple 
 gentilbomme edged in, as he could, through 
 the half-opened door of a lady's afTembly- 
 room; but whenever an archbimop, a 
 prince of the blood, or an ambaflador, 
 was announced, " ouvrez les deux bat t ants 
 pour monfeigif . rarcbeveque," &c. was the 
 fafhionable language. A nice and fafti- 
 dious obferver, who had been ufed to good 
 company, could inftantly difcover due et 
 pair, a fimple duke, a marquis, a vifcount, 
 or count, by the condefcending hauteur, 
 the dignified familiarity, or graceful negli- 
 gence of returning a bow, or prefenting 3 
 fnuff-box to an inferior, with as much 
 precifion as if he had examined their 
 reipective patents. But all thefe en- 
 chanting accomplifhments will be foon 
 negleded. The eye of tafte will fpeedily 
 lofe this exquifite difcrimination, which 
 F was
 
 ( 34 ) 
 
 was never before attained in ancient or 
 modern times. L? amour, la chaffe, k fervice, 
 I'agrement de la Jociete, les mots beureux, les 
 petit sfAnsj will give place to the trijiejje of 
 party and the ennui of politicks, to the tu- 
 mults of faction and the conflicts of am- 
 bition. The gay and feducing attendance 
 of the toilet will be deferted for the fenate ; 
 and a tedious debate on the constitution 
 will arrefl the attention more than a new 
 dance at the opera, or a ballet at Verfailles. 
 A poetical arljlocrate who feels for the deca~ 
 dence of his country, laments this fatal 
 change of manners in the following pathe- 
 tick and afFeding lines : 
 
 " Autrefois, dans la France, 
 
 " La prefence d'un due faifoit taire un marquis : 
 
 " Devant 1'homme a la cour admis 
 
 " Un gentilhomme de province 
 
 " N'auroit ose refler affis. 
 
 " Un bourgeois refpe&oit le noble le plus mince ; 
 " Les plus grands impofoient-toujours aux plus petits ; 
 
 " Et c'etoit un ordre admirable : 
 
 " Mais 1' aujourdhui dans ce Paris 
 
 " C* eft un 4efpotifme effroyable ; 
 
 " Tout le monde y dit Jon avis *." 
 
 * Reveil d'E feminize. 
 
 How
 
 ( 35 ) 
 
 How different is our lituation at this mo- 
 ment ! how triumphant the contraft ! By 
 the aufpicious exercife of the prerogative, 
 the Britifli and Irifh peerage have been 
 liberally increafed during the prefent 
 reign. As birth, fortune, and defert are 
 not faftidioufly deemed indifpenfible quali- 
 fications, the gratitude of the new peer to 
 the crown is infured, as he can only afcribe 
 his promotion to the gracious favour of his 
 fovereign, and the benign influence of the 
 minifter. Thus the pride and arrogance of 
 affuming merit are effectually checked ; and 
 a courtly complaifant race of nobles gradu- 
 ally formed ; all actuated by the true fpirit 
 of ariftocracy, and implicitly devoted to 
 the crown ; always ready to fupport its 
 prerogatives, and maintain the fplendid pri- 
 vileges of their own order, againft vulgar 
 prejudice, and popular encroachments. 
 
 For though the lords derive their honour 
 
 from the crown, the fountain of all honour ; 
 
 F 2 ftill
 
 ( 36 ) 
 
 as they are only truftees, they (hould 
 be ever ready to refign it with alacrity on 
 any great political crifis. By a fpirited ex- 
 ertion, founded on this generous fentiment, 
 a few noble peers, (if report is to be credit- 
 ed) gallantly defpifing reproach and obloquy, 
 and difdaining to be bound by too rigid and 
 fcrupulous an adherence to their word, faved 
 the king, the church, and the nation, by 
 voting againfl the Eaft India bill in 1783. 
 
 On the fame maxim, a defertion of friends, 
 party, and principle, may fometimes be con- 
 iidered as a political teft, and as a juft, fair, 
 and conftitutional claim to a penfion and 
 peerage; being a fort of feudal homage, 
 and the moft unequivocal proof of pro- 
 found duty, loyalty, and attachment. Sure- 
 ly even the malignity of faction muft admit, 
 that the elevation of foul which indig- 
 nant virtue infpires, could alone induce any 
 perfon to aft what is commonly, but very 
 erroneouily, deemed a difhonourable part 
 6 in
 
 ( 37 ) 
 
 in politicks. Would the moft unprinci- 
 pled adminiitration abandon fuch an in- 
 trepid convert, to be vilified, traduced, and 
 expofed to the bitter taunts, and contemp- 
 tuous fneers of a calumniating oppofition ? 
 No: let a man of fuch heroick merit never be 
 configned to difgrace; let him be enobled by 
 a title, and enriched by a penfion, in order 
 to excite a generous emulation in others, 
 and as the only adequate reward and confo- 
 lation he himfelf can relim. 
 
 I have alfo, Sir, often reflected with iin- 
 gular fatisfaction on the pleafing mode in 
 which civil fuits were carried on in France; 
 where even the decifions of juftice were 
 biafled by the gentle influence of man- 
 ners and cuftoms, and blended with their 
 focial fyftem of policy. The Prefident was 
 ufually folicited in perfon, by his noble or 
 fair clients ; and their ftate of the cafe was 
 liflened to with the moft polite refpect and 
 attention. As gallantry and law were hap- 
 pily
 
 if! 
 
 ";.. .."::' ':-' ( 38 ) 
 
 pily united, ladies with great condefcenfion 
 vifited the judge at his own chamber. 
 When beauty pleaded her caufe irrefifti- 
 bly in private, what a faint impreffion 
 could even the eloquence of an Erfldne 
 make in open court ? Sometimes an amo- 
 rous proportion, expreffed with the utmoft 
 delicacy, dropped from the judge, and if 
 favourably received, le proces etoit gagne. A 
 French critick has produced a fpecimen of 
 elegant wit, addrefled by a judicial magif- 
 trate to a charming fuitor, on this nice 
 point, equally honourable to himfelf and 
 the jurifprudence of his country : The equi- 
 voque of a legal term is happily preferved ; 
 for as the author was a lawyer, he remem- 
 bered the profeffion in his poetical rapture, 
 and refted his claim to reciprocity on a double 
 entendre : 
 
 " Vous avez chez moi libre acces, 
 / " J'en demande chez vous un autre. . 
 
 " Si je ne gagne mon proces, 
 " Vous ne gagnerez pas ie votre:" &c. 
 
 But
 
 '( 39 ) 
 
 But the barbarous fpirit of democracy has 
 interrupted this tender intercourfe ! this 
 fentimental mode of conducting law-fuits ! 
 The fale of judicial offices will no longer be 
 permitted. A previous fludy and long 
 practice in the courts will be efteemed in- 
 difpenfible qualifications for the bench ; 
 and confequently young men will be ex- 
 cluded, on whofe generous feelings the 
 tears and follicitations of the fair never fail 
 to excite the warmed emotions. Inex- 
 orable bourgeois juries will be eftablifhed, 
 who may prefume to judge both of the 
 law and fad:; no deference will be paid to 
 birth, rank, or riches j and an accompli med 
 courtier, perhaps a favourite of his fove- 
 reign, will be treated like one of the canaille. 
 But the evil will not ftop here: not 
 only the foft intercourfe which has been 
 juft defcribed, will no longer be tolerated, 
 but all the delicacies of poUtejJe will be 
 abolifhed, and ancient ruflicity revived. 
 
 " The
 
 ( 40 ) 
 
 ' The ideas which the Greeks formed 
 of politenefs, mud have been very differ- 
 ent from ours," fays Mr. Hume, in 
 quoting this paffage from Menander: " It 
 is not in the power of the Gods to make 
 a polite foldier." The reafon is obvious. 
 The turbulent fpirit of licentious equality 
 difTufed among the Grecian republicks, in- 
 fpired a contempt for thofe finer fc*eial arts, 
 the original invention of which even Mr. 
 Dutens admits to be modern. They difdain- 
 ed to acquire that refpectful addrefs, that de- 
 licate adulation, and honourable fubferviency 
 to the pkafure and inclination of others, in 
 which the very effence of true politenefs con* 
 iifts. Such a fenfitive plant fhrinks from 
 the rough hand of democracy, and can be 
 only cultivated to its utmofl perfection 
 under the genial influence and cheering 
 beams of court funlhine. The author of 
 EJprit des Loix, who faw this finely ex 
 emplifitd in his own country, remarks,, 
 
 with
 
 ( 4* ) 
 
 with patriotick exultation, " that politenefs 
 and arbitrary power made an equal pro- 
 grefs among the Romans." The converfe 
 of this propofition is likewife true. The 
 French will foon lofe that boafted fupe- 
 riority which has fo long excited the envy 
 and emulation of Europe. Even the Dutch, 
 under the aufpicious protection of the 
 Pruffian monarch, will fpeedily be drilled 
 into more refinement, and excel them in 
 every graceful and elegant accomplimment. 
 As amiablenefs of character is attained by 
 the agreeable art of concealing the boifterous 
 fallies of paffion, and restraining the dif- 
 gufting bluntnefs of fincerity, politenefs 
 and diflimulation are indiilblubly con- 
 nected, and always flourish under the pro- 
 tection of royalty. This exterior varnifli 
 pleafes the eye, though it difguifes the 
 heart; as painting glafs, beautifies it, but 
 renders it lefs tranfparent, 
 
 Thus the fplendour of ariftocracy was 
 G diffufed
 
 ( 42 ) 
 
 diffufed to the wideft extent in France, was 
 
 protracted through every gradation of fo- 
 
 ciety, and threw a brilliancy over their do-? 
 
 ineftick manners. The fovereign difpofed 
 
 of the whole national revenue, and difpofed 
 
 of it with the moft judicious liberality.* 
 
 Thofe who were incapable of afiifting 
 
 themfelves, thofe who could no longer 
 
 afford the indulgence of fafhionable ex- 
 
 pence, thofe who difdained to tarnifh the 
 
 luftre of their birth by the fordid acqui- 
 
 fition of commercial gain, {till enjoyed 
 
 every luxury of life, by the condefcending 
 
 kindnefs of royal beneficence. A million 
 
 and a half (almoft the twelfth of the whole 
 
 product of national taxation) was gracioufly 
 
 beftowed, with unbounded generofity, on 
 
 a fuperb and gallant race of nobles. As 
 
 this mine of regal munificence was ex^ 
 
 hauftlefs, Paris and Verfailles were crowded 
 
 by men of mining accomplishments, who a 
 
 with pafiionate anxiety, longed to recorn-
 
 ( 43 ) 
 
 niend themfelves at court. But it was nei- 
 ther by the arrogance of felf-affumed merit, 
 nor the revolting pride of parts, that their 
 hopes were to be realized, and -their wi(hes 
 gratified. Where the fafcinating influence, 
 difcriminating tafte, and decifive power of 
 the fair fex prevailed, their favourites rofe 
 to fame and fortune, by .the acquiiition of 
 thofe artificial embellifhments, and by 
 that exquifite polifli, which the taft Jin 
 of Verfailles could alone appretiate. No 
 envoy was appointed to a foreign court 
 who could not trace the complicated figure 
 of a minuet with graceful precifion. The 
 dignified credentials of an ambafTador were 
 often granted for the compofition of a 
 chanfon amoureufe-, and de pincer la barpe 
 avec gout, or to poffefs the happy art de 
 lien tourner fin compliment y has frequent- 
 ly raifed an officer to the command of 
 an army, or a clerk in office to prefide 
 over the marine of France* War or peace 
 G 2 depended
 
 ( 44 J 
 
 depended on the charming caprice, on the; 
 imile or frown of this enchanting gyno- 
 eraey j and the beaux yeux of the reigning 
 Sultana often fet the world in a blaze. 
 
 The faucy indifcretion of ill-bred authors 
 was likewife inftantly corrected, and an 
 inftructive hint conveyed to them in the 
 polite ftyle of a kttre dc cachet. Diderot 
 was treated with this flattering mark of at- 
 tention by Madame de Pompadour, and fent 
 to apartments provided for him by the king 
 at Vinctnnes, for prefuming to criticife the 
 compofition and execution of a favourite 
 court fiddler, without being himfelf a con* 
 noifleur in muiick. Roufleau, with his ac- 
 cuftomed mifanthropy, prefented a memoire, 
 foliciting the enlargement of his friend, or 
 requeuing to {hare his prifon*. Both thefe 
 favours were, with great propriety, refufed 
 him ; yet he ungratefully exercifed his cy* 
 nical declamation, on not being indulged in 
 
 either alternative, 
 
 Lettres 
 * Confeflions de Roufleaw, torn 2 r
 
 ( 43 ) 
 
 Leftres de cachet .were alfo frequently 
 iffued, out of pure tendernefs to hufbands, 
 who, left they mould be eye-witnefles to 
 the intrigues of their wives, were kindly 
 refcued from domeftick diftrefs, and /hut 
 up in the Baftile y where they enjoyed every 
 comfort of life, without anxiety or trouble. 
 This indulgence was ufnally granted at the 
 felicitation of the lover, who evinced his 
 paflion to his miftrefs, and his friendship to 
 her fpoufe, by the fame aft. A handfome . 
 bourgeoife was always fure of attracting the 
 gallant attention of fome young and amo- 
 rous courtier ; and the confinement of her 
 hufoand was the natural confequence : but 
 now he will have the mortification of con- 
 ilantly beholding the indifcretion of his 
 wife, as his houfe will be deemed his caftle, 
 from which he cannot be removed without 
 a formal procefs of law. 
 
 But, alas! the whole of this fublime and 
 beautiful fyftem is deranged. The very 
 
 dregs
 
 ( 46 ) 
 
 dregs of the people Ijave fatally difcovered 
 that nobles, princes, and even kings, arc 
 formed of the fame clay with themfelves, 
 and owe their elevation and grandeur only 
 to the accidental circumftances of birth and 
 fortune. It has been well obferved, that 
 truth mould not be told at all times; and 
 fure a truth of this dangerous tendency 
 fhould ever be concealed from the vulgar ; 
 for contempt often begins with them when 
 admiration ceafes. They were happy and 
 content when they looked up to the great 
 ones of the earth, as beings of a fuperior 
 order ; but the plealing delufion from, 
 whence they enjoyed fo much felicity will 
 quickly vanifh ; the tranfient fplendour of 
 a terreftial meteor would no longer ex- 
 cite their wonder and aftonifhment, if they 
 did not trace its origin to the heavens, and 
 miftake it for a falling ftar. 
 
 I am confirmed in the juftice of thefe fen- 
 timents by thephilofophical obfervations of 
 
 Mr.
 
 ( 47 ) 
 
 Mr. Necker, who defcribes, with fympathe- 
 tick delight, the happinefs of the French peav 
 fantry before the late political revolution. 
 sf They behold," fays he, *' the oftentatious 
 difplay of ranks with the coolefl indiffer^ 
 ence; grandeur is fo remote from their ha- 
 bitual ideas* that they accuftom themfelves 
 to look upon it as the attribute of a few be- 
 ings of a fpecies different from their's - t an4 
 as they return home to their cottages, under 
 the preffureof a burthen they can fcarcely 
 bear, they fee thofe fiery courfers, who ra-r 
 pidly whirl the magnificent chariots of the 
 rich and noble, clofe by them, and view 
 them with the fame indifference as they 
 Contemplate thofe wandering planets over 
 their heads, whofe twinkling motion they 
 juft difcern." But this beautiful Arcadian 
 landfcape will quickly vanilh ; the ferenity 
 of their prefent enjoyments will fpeedily 
 be difturbed ; their political confequence in 
 elections will excite new and afpiriug ideas, 
 
 and
 
 ( 43 ) 
 
 and foon transform this humble, content* 
 ed, fubmiffive peafantry, into a bold, turbu- 
 lent, fa&ious yeomanry; thofe magnificent 
 chariots and fiery courfers will ftop at their 
 doors, and the rich and great will conde- 
 fcendingly alight to follicit their votes; they 
 will be tempted, by long leafes and low 
 rents, to lead a life of care, anxiety, and 
 labour, in the cultivation of the farms, 
 The faille (r), that excellent tax, fo admira- 
 bly calculated to maintain thefplendour and 
 dignity of the nobleffe, and keep their te- 
 nantry in a comfortable ftate of degradation, 
 will be abolimed for ever. They will fpurn 
 their vegetable meal, and infolently, per- 
 haps, afpire to realize the unkingly wifh of 
 Henri guafre,whofe ftatue is ftill contemptu- 
 oufly exhibited on the Pont Neuf, as a mo- 
 nument of his folly ;-*' That he hoped to 
 fee the time when every peafant in France 
 mould eat flefli meat once a day, and have a 
 
 boiled fowl for his Sunday's dinner." 
 
 The
 
 ( 49 ) 
 
 The more I confider this important fub- 
 jec"t, 'the political evils that menace our 
 country, from the fatal revolution in 
 France, become more apparent. I fhall 
 adduce one ftriking inftance by which our 
 revenue and manufactures may be ruined. 
 The commutation aft is now a favourite 
 one, as it fairly and impartially compels 
 every man to pay an additional window tax, 
 in order to reduce the price of tea : if he 
 does not choofe to- drink it, he has no rea- 
 fon to complain, as it is his own fault. 
 Perhaps it will be fuggefted at fome mo- 
 ment of popular frenzy, that the com- 
 mutation adt is a badge of flavery; for 
 when this meafure was firft propofed, it 
 was compared in debate to ihega&e/fe, a fi- 
 milar fort of impoft on fait, which long 
 prevailed in France, and has lately been 
 abolimed by the National Affembly. Mr. 
 Fox, though he owned the juftnefs of the 
 remark, fidioufly preferred the mild fpirit 
 H of
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 of French taxation; averting, " that 
 there was no degree of comparifon, on 
 the plea of neceffity; between the ufc 
 of fait and tea. The latter was clearly 
 a luxury, and no ways conducive to 
 health ; perhaps far otherwife, as many 
 had thought. Salt, on the contrary, 
 ,was a neceflary; and therefore it was far 
 Jefs oppreffive to oblige the fubjeds of 
 France to purchafe as much fait as it was 
 fuppofed a perfon of any given defcription 
 in life would have occafion for." Thefe 
 words may be malicioufly repeated, to ex- 
 cite fedition and difloyalty in the minds of 
 the people, and induce them to infift on the 
 repeal of a moft equitable and impartial 
 tax. What mufl be the confequence ? 
 The flourifhing ftate of the Eaft-India 
 Company would no longer excite Mr. 
 Crawford's admiration; bankruptcy mufl 
 enfue; publick credit would be fhaken; 
 the rapid reduction of the national debt 
 
 would
 
 ( 5' ) 
 
 would ceafe ; and we mould no longer be 
 charmed by the accuracy of calculation and 
 elegance of compofition, fo eminently dif- 
 played in that annual oration, (the India 
 budget) which fhews forth the merit, and 
 celebrates the praife, cf the prefident and 
 members of the board of control. 
 
 The dangerous proximity of the two 
 countries alfo makes me tremble. Our ma- 
 nufacturers, on any wife judicious extenfion 
 of the excife laws, will be tempted to mi- 
 grate to France, inftead of doubling their 
 induftry and fharpening their ingenuity 
 here, both to pay the tax and evade the 
 lav/. Now, as our experienced and enlight- 
 ened minifters have candidly declared, that 
 all our future refources of revenue, all our 
 hopes of a permanent flourishing finance, 
 muft be derived from an extenfion of our 
 excife laws, and their application to our 
 manufactures, we may be reduced to the 
 melancholy alternative of choofing either to 
 H 2 be
 
 ( 5* ) 
 
 be ruined by enforcing, or abandoning, this 
 falutary fyftem. The threats and audacious 
 conduct of the tobacconifbs at this moment, 
 implicitly direded by the factious advice of an 
 able, ac~tive,ahd dangerous leader in the houfe 
 of commons, furnifh too lamentable a proof 
 of the facility with which our fraudulent 
 fmuggling traders (moft of whom are diffen- 
 ters) may be induced to fpurn at the laws 
 of their country, elude the wifciomofits 
 ais 3 and, with unparalleled impudence, 
 to combat and oppofe the opinion both of 
 the minifter and his fecretary. 
 
 The moft effectual means mould be in- 
 ftantly pimued to check this growing mif- 
 phief -, and perhaps none could be better 
 than re-eftabliming the obfolete pradice of 
 iiTuing general warrants, at the difcretion of 
 the fecretary of (late. If there mould ftill 
 remain any abfurd prejudice againft the 
 name, let them be called lettres de cachet. 
 
 A late
 
 ( 53 ) 
 
 A late eminent magiftrate * recommended 
 the adoption of this meafure, with great 
 force of reafoning, and unanfvverable 
 argument, in order to check the migration 
 of our manufacturers, and the export of our 
 ff inning- Jenny s i but now the French revo- 
 lution, and the wife extenficn of our excifo 
 laws, have made it not only prudent, but 
 abfolutely neceflary for the prefer vation 
 of the empire. The prefent member for 
 Middlefex has a glorious opportunity of 
 making the amende honorable to his king, 
 country, and conftituents, by bringing in 
 a bill to legalize general warrants, or 
 kttres de cachet. Let the commons pafs it, 
 and the lords will not venture to throw 
 it out. The daring menaces of the tobac- 
 conifts, in their evidence, may ferve as a 
 preamble to the act; and a fpecial claufe 
 may be inferted to fufpend the pernicious 
 operation of the habeas corpus act for feven 
 
 * Sir John Hawkins. Life of Dr. Johnfon, p. 510. 
 
 2 years ;
 
 ( 54 ) 
 
 years; and at the end of that time it will 
 be totally forgot. 
 
 In more, the expediency of ftrengthen- 
 ing the arm of executive power is univer- 
 fally admitted; and as we have hitherto de- 
 rived all our riches, glory, and happinefs, by 
 keeping up a cordial enmity, and provoking 
 rivallhip between us and France, by a total 
 diverfity of laws, opinions, and conflitu- 
 tion ; let us ftill, with patriotick pertina- 
 city, adhere to our old fyftem, and we may 
 yet bid defiance to all our enemies, foreign 
 and domeftick. On this principle, the fol- 
 lowing hints may be of ufe. 
 
 Let the whole of the Britifli revenue be 
 farmed to that great controller of finance, 
 Monf. C. Let a royal imprimatur be efta- 
 blifhed; (nibbling at the newfpapers, by for- 
 bidding them to be lent, is a nugatory po- 
 licy;) let both houfes of convocation meet 
 to recommend lotteries, and his majefty's 
 proclamation for the reformation of man- 
 ners;
 
 ( 55 > 
 
 nersj let them appoint a committee, 
 (Doctor H. in the chair) to cite, de- 
 grade, and deprive fuch of the clergy of 
 their benefices who mall prefume to fup- 
 port any of the prefent members of the 
 houfe of commons, at the next general 
 election, who voted for a repeal of the 
 teft act > let them examine, and fentence 
 to the flames, all publications of an im- 
 moral tendency, and commit the authors, 
 printers, and readers to Newgate ; let the 
 fchifm .bill, which expired on the ift of 
 Auguft 1714, be revived j let the authority 
 of the bimopi court be extended, and no 
 appeal allowed from their decifions, except 
 to heaven. Something of this fort has been 
 already done, juft fufficient to provoke the 
 animadverfions of Doctor Price ; and what 
 more can be faid in praife of adminiftration ? 
 Even you, Sir, muft acknowledge that I 
 fpread no falfe alarm, when we are at this 
 moment menaced with a reftoration of the 
 
 pagan
 
 ( 56 ) 
 
 pagan divinities. The Pantheon may re- 
 ceive the gods of Greece and Rome; and 
 perhaps we may fee the worfhip which has 
 been very lately abolimed at Ifernia, revived 
 at Ranelagh. Our youth are early initiated 
 into the myfteries of the heathen mytho- 
 logy, and have too flrong a propenfity to 
 kneel at the mrine of Venus, and pour 
 out libations to Bacchus. In mort, the 
 revolution in France, the fpirit of the dif- 
 fenters, and the licentious wifh of a pla- 
 tonick philofopher (s)> flrike me with the 
 utmoft horror. The approaching calamities 
 of Britain lie heavy on my heart. At all 
 events, I mall endeavour to adt with forti- 
 tude and refignation : 
 
 " Such in thofe moments, as in all the paft, 
 
 " O fave my country, Heaven, (hall be my laft." 
 
 But a consideration of the utmofl import- 
 ance yet remains. The dangerous revolt of 
 the military, on whom the (lability and glory 
 of theFrench monarchy refted, has excited my 
 
 indignation,
 
 ( 58 ) 
 
 mutiny ; and tauntingly afking them, whe- 
 ther they are not degraded, by fubmitting 
 to the caprice of puerile ariftocrates, who are 
 wifely commiffioned by their fovereign to 
 drill and chaftife them into military difci- 
 pline, by the magical effects of a ratan ? 
 Thefe inflammatory addreffes have already 
 had fuch a fatal operation, that I queftion 
 whether a German prince could now induce 
 his troops, by double pay, to fulfil a con- 
 tract with us or Spain, if the flame of rebel- 
 lion mould fpread to her colonies in South 
 America, or to the Ifle of Man. 
 
 On the whole, Sir, I own myfelf terrified 
 at the very idea of innovation. The fer- 
 mentation of democracy, begun in France, 
 may extend here, and excite a fatal change 
 in our tempers and difpofitions. Your 
 philofophical purfuits incline you to be 
 lefs tremblingly apprehenfive; you falfe- 
 ly conclude from analogy, that our con- 
 ftitution may be improved by impregnating 
 
 it
 
 ( 59 ) 
 
 it with a new principle, as you have given 
 common water the fpirit and flavour ofPyr- 
 mont, by a lucky infufion of fixed air- 
 But the ancients were wifely, and even ti- 
 midly circumfpe<ft on this effential point of 
 policy. The kings and ephori of Sparta 
 havejuftly merited and obtained the praifes 
 of all pofterity for ifTuing a decree againft 
 Timotheus, and fining him, for adding an- 
 other firing to the harp. Thofe profound 
 judges of human nature inftantly perceived 
 that the laws and inflitutions of Lycurgus 
 would foon be rendered inefficacious by 
 the wanton vibrations excited in the cars 
 of their fober and uncorrupted youth, by 
 this unconftitutional firing. They ex- 
 prefsly fay, " He has given to our mufick 
 an effeminate and artificial drefs, inftead 
 of the plain and orderly one in which 
 it has hitherto appeared ; rendering melody 
 infamous, by compofing in the chromatick, 
 inftead of the enbarmonick. Be it therefore 
 I 2 enabled,
 
 ( 60 ) 
 
 enafted, by the authority aforefaid, that 
 Timotheus be banimed from our city, that 
 men may be warned for the future not to 
 introduce any innovation * into Sparta!" 
 
 I only quote this very fingular hiftorical 
 anecdote, to convince our felf-opiniated, 
 fceptical reformers, that nothing was deem- 
 ed trifling by the wifdom of antiquity which 
 could in the flighted degree tend to any al- 
 teration in the government. 
 
 In the prefent wildnefs of political fpe- 
 culation in France, I mould not be furprifed 
 if fome declaiming demagogue propofed the 
 eating of raw flem, a la mode $ Abyjjinie, in 
 order to keep up the rage and violence of 
 the commons in unabated vigour. An aft 
 of the National AfTembly (confidering their 
 unhappy influence) would foon make this 
 favage cuftom fafhionable, under the falla- 
 cious pretence of reducing the price of 
 
 * Burney's Hiftqry of Mufic, vol. i, p. 408. 
 
 woodj
 
 ( 6, ) 
 
 wood; and rendering one article of the 
 commercial treaty of no effect, by pre- 
 venting the importation of coals. This 
 barbarous nutriment would foon be relifh- 
 ed here, as we have always had a pro- 
 penfity to that fort of food -, and would in- 
 fallibly produce every atrocious act of fe- 
 rocity which has already defolated that de- 
 voted land. 
 
 As the pafilons, tafle, and appetites, prin- 
 cipally originate from the phyfical pro- 
 perties of our diet, our virtues and vices 
 may be traced to the fame fource, and im- 
 proved, or counteracted, by a moral regimen. 
 This fentiment is neither new nor para- 
 doxical ; it has been already elucidated, with 
 philofophick truth and poetical beauty, by 
 one of our moft elegant and pleafing poets: 
 
 " Was ever Tartar fierce or cruel 
 " Upon the ftrength of water gruel ? 
 " But who fhall ftand his rage and force, 
 " Iffirftherides, then eats his horfe*.** 
 
 * Prior's Alma, 
 
 The
 
 The cruelty or mildnefs of animals de- 
 pends on their either being graminivorous 
 or carnivorous -, man, by his dignified na- 
 ture, enjoys the optional privilege of be- 
 ing either; but as he is alfo diftinguimed 
 by the fuperior faculty of cooking*, the 
 direful effects of a raw-flem diet are coun- 
 teracted by this humane refinement. The 
 Hindoos are meek, gentle, uncommonly 
 patient, and fubmit to every act of extor- 
 tion and rapine, with aftoniming compos 
 fure and the moil laudable refignation. 
 Our countrymen, who, by their travels and 
 indefatigable refearches, have acquired a 
 perfect and accurate knowledge of Indoftan, 
 all agree (however they may differ on other 
 points) in giving the natives this very amia- 
 'bfe character, and univerially afcribe it to 
 their limple vegetable diet. This phyfical 
 principle is fo well underftood, that the 
 
 * See Bofwell's Tour to the Hebrides, 30! edit. p. 2i. 
 
 note. 
 
 2 fighting
 
 ( 63 ) 
 
 fighting cafls are compelled to eat fiefa, as 
 an eflential part of military difciplinej other- 
 wife they would foon lofe their courage and 
 the efprit de corps, and meanly degenerate into 
 the tamenefs of mere citizens. 
 
 I could adduce ftrong reafons for throw- 
 ing out this alarming hint, and have now 
 in my poffeffion letters from a leading mem- 
 ber of the National AfTembly, to prove that 
 this horrid fcheme is in agitation. The va- 
 nity of Frenchmen induces them to think, 
 that as they have long given the ton, en- 
 falt de manger, the moft ariftocratick people 
 in Europe (even Spaniards and Germans) 
 will foon eat themfelves into a republican 
 frenzy, as they will be Simulated by 
 a frefh incenfive at every meal. This 
 is the favourite project of our reftle 
 and ambitious rivals at prefent, who fl 
 vainly flatter themfelves with the hope c 
 eftabliming a mocking fyftem of univerfal 
 democracy, by this infamous expedient 
 
 Our
 
 ( 64 ) 
 
 Our heft prefervative, in fuch an emer- 
 gency, would be a general teft act, de- 
 priving every man of the rights and pri- 
 vileges of a citizen, befides fubjecting him 
 to a fine, at the difcretion of the judges, 
 and imprifonment till it was paid, who 
 did not produce and lodge a certificate 
 weekly at the excife office, figned by the 
 rector, curate, and churchwardens of the 
 parifh, certifying his exact compliance with 
 the obligatory claufes of the faid a<ft, to 
 wit, " That A. or B. had duly and regu- 
 larly eaten his flem or fifh, either boiled, 
 roaited, baked, broiled, or fryed." Yet I 
 am fully perfuaded, that you, Sir, and your 
 brethren, the diilenters, would fHll remain 
 ftubborn and refractory, and faclioufly com- 
 plain of this falutafy reftraint, as a new 
 grievance, and again expatiate on the natu- 
 ral and abftradt rights of man, to eat his 
 meat according to his own whim, either 
 or roafted. 
 
 If
 
 If experiments in every branch of me- 
 dical philolbphy were purfued on a liberal 
 and comprehenfive plan, new fources of 
 knowledge would be opened for our con- 
 templation, and the evils of life greatly al- 
 leviated. The late Doctor Johnfon's fpe- 
 culations on this fubject were new and cu- 
 rious. I remember when the fcheme of 
 fending Swifs troops to the Eaft Indies 
 was talked of, a perfon in converfation 
 cenfured it, becaufe on foreign fervice they 
 are liable to the maladie du pays, and often 
 languish away their lives, unlefs they are 
 permitted to return home. The Doctor 
 afked, whether there were any Scotch regi- 
 ments in India ? On being anfwerd in the 
 affirmative, " Let the Switzers, then," 
 faid he, " be inoculated with the Scotch, 
 and, rely on't, the difeafe will never reach 
 them." 
 
 But, Sir, notwithstanding the ftrong 
 
 fymptoms of our approaching ruin, I re- 
 
 K joice
 
 ( 66 ) 
 
 joice to fee a revival of our ancient fpirit. 
 The corporation and teft acts have not been 
 repealed ; elfe infurrection, irreligion, and 
 anarchy, would have been the confequence. 
 Thofe acts are our defence againft the 
 encroachments of non-conformity 5 they 
 are the fhield of our faith, which protects 
 us, againft the darts of fanaticifm. What 
 is the prefbyterian plea of merit ? The 
 ftorm that overturned the church and ftate 
 was raifed by you ; otherwife we mould 
 have enjoyed at this moment the blefled 
 calm of arbitrary power j for it was a 
 meritorious device in the clergy to con- 
 vert, by a fpecies of political tranfubftan- 
 tiation, that implicit obedience they owed 
 the pope, into an unlimited allegiance 
 to the king: " And thus," fays the 
 farcaftick Doctor Hurd *, " arofe in the 
 church that pernicious fyftem of divine in- 
 defeafable right, broached indeed by the 
 
 * Moral and Political Dialogues. 
 
 clergy,
 
 ( 67 ) 
 
 clergy, but not from thofe corrupt and 
 temporary views to which it has been im- 
 puted." Sir John Maynard betrays the vi- 
 rulence of a whig, in his anfwer. " This 
 apology," fays he, " is the beft that could 
 be made for them ; but when one confiders 
 the baneful tendency of thofe doclrines 
 which were calculated to enflave the fouls 
 and confciences of men, and, by advancing 
 princes into the rank of gods, to juftify 
 their tyranny, one cannot help feeling a 
 flrong rcfentment againft the teachers of 
 them, however they themfelves might be 
 impofed on by feveral colourable pretences." 
 It is my boaft, Sir, to have already de- 
 monftrated the efTential benefits refulting 
 from defpotifm and perfecution, and to 
 have {hewn the hierarchy in a true light, 
 confidently labouring to promote both : 
 I therefore truft thofe unfounded afperfions 
 which have unguardedly dropt from the 
 pen of the Bimop of Worcefter, will have 
 K i little
 
 ( 68 ) 
 
 little weight with the candid reader. Let 
 us now advert to the conduct of the dif- 
 fenters at that critical period. It is thus 
 defcribed by Mr. Hume, with whiggim 
 rancour, and fanatical partiality: " Any 
 word or writing which tended towards he- 
 refy, fchifm, or feditipn," fays he, " was 
 puniflied by the high commiflioners, or any 
 three of them. They alone were judges of 
 whatever expreflions had that tendency ; 
 they proceeded not by information, but 
 upon rumour, fufpicion, or according to 
 their own fancy ! The puritanical party, 
 though difguifed, [men of clofe ambition,] 
 had a very great authority over the king-* 
 dom $ and many of the leaders among the 
 commons had embraced the tenets of that 
 fed:. All thefe were difgufted with the court, 
 both by the prevalence of civil liberty ejjen- 
 tialto their farty, and on account of the re-, 
 ilraints under which they were held by the 
 eftabli&ed hierarchy," Thus the virtuous 
 
 aufterity
 
 ( 69 ) 
 
 aufterity of Archbimop Laud, and the un- 
 fhaken attachment of Charles to epifcopacy, 
 were fatally counteracted by the rebellious 
 difpofition of the diflenters; otherwife we 
 fhould have had an holy inquifitorial tri- 
 bunal to watch over our morals, and re- 
 gulate our confciences, at this day. 
 
 Is it furprifing, then, that you are held 
 in abhorrence by the dignitaries of the 
 church ? They have been roufed from their 
 lethargy; they no longer flumber in their 
 ilalls j they have been convened " from the 
 four quarters of the heavens" to ftigmatife 
 your proceedings. Like the Jewifli prielts * 
 of old, who enjoyed the exclufive privilege 
 of blowing the facred trumpet, Doctor H. 
 has founded an alarm from Mount Sion, 
 and gathered the elect together, to avenge 
 themfelves of their enemies. 
 
 Quo non prxftantius alter 
 
 " JErc cierc viros, martcniquc accendere cantu." 
 
 VIRGIL, 
 * Numbers, x. 8. 
 
 Have
 
 ( 7 ) 
 
 Have you not, Sir, avowed the fame prin- 
 ciples with your anceftors? and do you not 
 well deferve a fimilar treatment ? I fee the 
 genuine fpirit of the primitive church re- 
 vive, and the prefent race of diffenters are 
 the object of its wrath. Such pious fer- 
 vency was never equalled, except by the 
 orthodox zeal of the planters at Jamaica, 
 who, about a century ago, petitioned King 
 William " to banifh the Jews from that 
 ifland, becaufc they were the defcendants 
 of the crucifiers of our lord*." 
 '- 111 will to the eftablimment, muft 
 in all governments belong to a diflenter, 
 if he be an honeft man," fays a reverend 
 prelate -f; " the man himfelf all the while 
 believes he is doing God and his country 
 fervice, and the harm that he may do under 
 
 * Hiftory of Jamaica, vol. 2, p. 293, 
 
 t Review of the Gafeof the Proteftant DiOenters, p. 14. 
 See ajfo Bifhop Bonner's Comment on the Statute de 
 Csmburendis Hereticis ; where the fame fentiment is ably 
 maintained, and finely illuflrated, 
 
 this
 
 ( 7' ) 
 
 this notion, will be only fo much the more* 
 the greater we fuppofe his virtue and abi- 
 lities." This impreffive truth cannot but 
 have great weight with the publick, when the 
 moral character of the difTenters is confi- 
 dered - t if they were vicious and profligate, 
 there would be lefs danger. 
 
 It was confidently, indeed, afferted in de- 
 bate, by Mr. Fox, that " it was neither juft 
 nor candid to charge the difTenters with de- 
 figns which both their conduct and pro- 
 feffions contradict. On this fallacious 
 ground/' fays he, " every fpecies of per- 
 fecution, from the maflacre of St. Bartho- 
 lomew down to the corporation and teft 
 ad, may bejuftified." Such arguments are 
 clearly erroneous; yet they are always fet 
 off by this fubdolous orator with fuch de- 
 lufive ability, energy of exprefiion, and im- 
 pofing candour, that they too often make a 
 fatal impreffion on the houfe. Hence his 
 powers of deception; his portions being 
 2 frequently
 
 frequently admitted as true, even on points 
 of law and the practice of the courts, though 
 contrary to the opinion of the moft eminent 
 lawyers, who generally neglect ordifdain to 
 anfwer him. Yet, in defiance of this fpecious 
 logick, Iftillfay, that the proteftantdifTenters 
 have entered into a folemn league and cove- 
 nant to deftroy our civil and ecclefiaflical 
 eftablimment becaufe I would do fo in a 
 fimilar fituation$ therefore I hate and per^ 
 fecute them, perfectly convinced I mould 
 merit the fame treatment myfelf. Is not 
 this ftrictly fulfilling that divine precept, of 
 doing to all men what I would they fhould 
 do unto me ? This internal conviction, (as 
 Hobbes finely obferves,) from the very con- 
 ftitution of human nature, muft operate 
 ftronger on me than either the conduct or 
 proFeffions of the diflenters. Allow me to 
 elucidate this by a familiar inftance: Let 
 us fuppofe a criminal arraigned at the Old* 
 Bailey; may not _the jury confcienrtoufly 
 
 conclude,
 
 ( 73 ) 
 
 conclude, that if they had been in the (ami 
 fituation with the prifoner, they would have 
 committed the fame crime; and therefore 
 find him guilty, though contrary both to 
 fadt and evidence, and notwithstanding the 
 culprit's fokmn afleveration of his innocence. 
 
 On this principle I join iflue with Mr. 
 Fox, and aflert with him, that the fame or- 
 thodox argument juftifies every fpccies of 
 perfecution; therefore I have made it the 
 foundation of all my reafoning on this mif- 
 reprefented and mistaken fubjeft. 
 
 The example of Ireland has been al* 
 ledged, as a triumphant inftance of no bad 
 conferences having enfued from a repeal 
 of the teft ad: but to this a moft fatisfac- 
 tory anfwer has been given by the author of 
 A Review of (be Cafe of the Di/wters. 
 " The repeal of the Irim teft adl, in 
 1779, was probably," fays he, " occafion- 
 ed by the dread of aSpaniminvafion. But 
 what is the true ufe of Ireland's exam-
 
 ( 74 ) 
 
 pie ? Eleven years are not yet patted ovc? 
 fince the repeal took place. Is the repeal 
 of the teft act juftified as a political mea-? 
 fure, or is it not, by the prefent fituation of 
 the church and kingdom ? Let the queftion 
 fleep; its difcuflion might be more unplea- 
 fant than it could be profitable. But let 
 Great Brit an bware. " 
 
 I am extremely glad that Doctor H. has 
 boldly and openly alluded to the treafonable 
 negociation carried on between Spain and 
 the diffenters of'Ulfter, in 1779, as thelrifti 
 fectaries are very irritable, and fore on this 
 tender point. The fact is, that a fynod, 
 denominated the Northern AJJbciation, was 
 aflembled at Belfaft, and fome propoil- 
 lions adually moved, for delivering up the 
 province and the linen manufacture to 
 Spain, if government any longer oppofed 
 the repeal of the teft act. It is reported, 
 that Mr. Fletcher (who recently faved the 
 church and ftate, by difclofing the dreadful 
 5 confpiracy
 
 ( 75 ) 
 
 Sbhfpiracy of the diflenting minifters at Bo*, 
 torn in Lancashire,} was providentially a 
 member of the Irifli fynod; and fecretly 
 withdrawing himfelf from the a/Tembly, he 
 took port, arrived in a few hours at Dublin 
 eaftle> and laid this alarming intelligence 
 before the Lord Lieutenant. A council was 
 fuddenly called, and the heads of a bill drawn 
 up and certified, (Poyning's excellent law- 
 being then in force,) and tranfmitted to 
 England, for a repeal of the teft ad. A 
 copy was difpatched to the fynod, entreat- 
 ing them at the fame time to break off all 
 liegociation with Spain. After fome debate, 
 their requeft was complied with, and the 
 motions of the combined fleets in the chan- 
 nel became very languid, as Count d'Orvil- 
 liers' projects were utterly difconcerted by- 
 this wife and judicious rneafure. The ori- 
 ginal papers, and the whole of the corre- 
 fpondence between the prefident of the fynod 
 
 sd the Marquis del C , I hear, will be 
 
 L 2 publimed 
 
 
 

 
 ( 76 ) 
 
 published By the Bifhop of St. David's, a$ 
 an appendix to his next edition of " A 
 Review of the Cafe*." 
 
 Now,: fir, permit nifc to affc you' a ; plain 
 queflion : Doss not the church fet an ex- 
 ample to- the difTenters how they fhould 
 conduct themselves' on> cafuiftical diffi- 
 culties ? Is it notf peffe<5tly u-nderflood, 
 that numbers of the clergy ardently wiffo 
 to be relieved from fubfcription to the 
 thirty-nine articles, and fome years ago 
 ftated their reafons, with great force and 
 precision, in a petition to the houfe of 
 commons ? Yet, as the legiflature did not 
 think proper to comply with their requefly 
 they fubmit patiently,, andconflder the co- 
 ercion of the fubfiiling law as an ample juf- 
 tlfkatioa for their involuntary accjuiefcence. 
 
 * This reverend 1 prelate's zeal is a ftriking exemplification 
 
 of a beautiful paflage in Do6lor P 's fermon, preached 
 
 at the funeral of Archbifhop Seeker, where he fays, " that 
 could the world but fee the haraffing cares, which torment 
 their bofoms, their perpetual anxieties, and diftreffing ap- 
 prehenfions for the fouls of thofe committed to their care^ 
 BISHOPS need not be envied their coaches, their emolu- 
 ments,, their titles, or their dignitaries."
 
 ( 77 ) 
 
 They conceive obedience, and holding their 
 livings, to be their primary indifpenfible 
 duty, even on the tenure of fubfcription 
 to articles which they do not believe. Yet 
 they ftill maintain their confcientious ob- 
 jections in theory, and exhibit a laudable 
 ingenuity, by reconciling unfullied principle 
 with worldly wifdom : this is indeed fulfill- 
 ing the fcripture, be ye wife as ferpents and 
 innocent as doves. 
 
 Oaths are taken, and their obligation ex- 
 amined by them, with the fame candour and 
 liberality, on the incontrovertible maxims 
 of moral and political philofophy, fo ably il- 
 lufkrated by Archdeacon Paley, who fhrewd- 
 ]y obferves, " That members of colleges, 
 and other ancient foundations, are ftill re- 
 quired to fwear to the obfervance of their 
 refpeclrve ftatutes ; which obfervance is 
 become in fome cafes unlawful* in others 
 impracticable, ia others ufilefs, in others 
 inconvenient*" But, if the act you fwear 
 
 * Principles of Moral and Political Phllofophy, Vol. I, 
 c, 01, p. ^15- 5th edit. 
 
 to
 
 . 
 
 to perform be abfurd and impradicabie',' 
 you are, ipfo fatto, abfolved at the mo- 
 ment you take it. So, if the caufe for 
 prefcribing the oath originally no longer 
 exifts, you are equally abfolved, as the 
 cried: neceflarily ceafes with the caufe* 
 If the fpecifick ads enjoined are impradi- 
 cable or abfurd, you virtually and truly 
 comply with the genuine fpirit of the oath, 
 as far as you poflibly can; which is the 
 utmoft you could do, even if you flridly 
 and literally fulfilled every injunction, fup- 
 pofing they were neither abfurd or imprac- 
 ticable. It may be invidioufly afked, then, 
 where is the utility of fuch a folemn ap- 
 peal to Heaven ? and whether it would not 
 be better either to form pradicable caths^ 
 or difpenfe with impracticable ones ? My 
 conftant anfwer is the danger to be appre- 
 hended from any innovation. Betides, one 
 principal ufe of an univerfity education 
 would be loft; which is, to infpire our 
 ingenuous youth with a due veneration for 
 
 the
 
 ( 79 ) 
 
 the founders of colleges, who framed both 
 the ftatute and the oath. By this means, 
 the fhidents are alfo early acquainted with 
 the refinements of logiek, and the fubtilty 
 of moral diftincl.ions, and rendered lefs 
 fcrupulous on trivial points, which might 
 otherwife impede their progreffive fortunes 
 in life. 
 
 Thus, Sir, animated with the moft ardent 
 zeal for the profperity and glory of Britain, 
 I have exerted my utmoft efforts to infpirc 
 my countrymen with a true fpirit of obe- 
 dience, fubmiflion, and loyalty. The church 
 is in danger; the conflitution is menaced; 
 a puritanical favagenefs of manners fpreads 
 among the people ; the defponding feriouf- 
 nefs of fanaticifm has contaminated their 
 hearts and infecled the land. Atheifm and 
 democracy have formed a new family-com- 
 pa6t, and this new and formidable alliance 
 will be our ruin ; I fee nothing but clouds 
 and darknefs in the air; for Defpotifm has 
 aimoft finifhed his fplendid courfe,and fcarce 
 
 emit!
 
 ( 8o ) 
 
 emits one refracted ray, to cheer the im- 
 pending gloom, and prolong the twilight of 
 his reign. 
 
 Liberty, as every true Englishman knows, 
 .can only appear " profufe of blifs and preg- 
 nant with delight," feated on her throne, 
 with the crown and mitre in conjunction 
 on her head, adorned in the fumptuous 
 robes of the peerage, with the teft ad: in 
 one hand, and the excife laws in the 
 other. You will tell me, perhaps, with 
 republican enthuiiafm, that you can ad- 
 mire her drefled up in ruftick fimplicity, 
 amidft the bleak mountains of Switzer- 
 land, furrounded by a hardy peafantry of 
 foldiers, fertilizing the rocks, and turning 
 the very ftones into bread. YOU will tell 
 me, that you can admire her in naked 
 majefty.i roving amidft the boundlefs fo-^ 
 refts of America, diffufing her own, fpirit 
 of attraction through diflant regions,, and 
 uniting them by its divine energy ; where 
 confcience is not (hackled by bigotry; where 
 
 toleration
 
 ( 81 ) 
 
 toleration is profcribed, as only implying a 
 fufpenfion of perfecution ; where obedience 
 to the laws is the teft of allegiance, and 
 the virtue * of the man does not ftigmatize 
 the citizen. You will tell me, that you 
 can admire this favourite goddefs of your'?, 
 where fhe reduces all ranks, and levels all 
 invidious diftin&ions, by reftoring man to 
 his natural equality, dignified alone by rhofe 
 fuperior talents beftowed on him by the Di- 
 vinity; where all the brilliant traits of the 
 human mind, unfubdued by the uniform 
 glare and wide effulgence of monarchy, are 
 difplayed in their true and original colours. 
 
 I know you will tell me, that your eye is 
 not microfcopic enough to difcern the mi- 
 nute fpots in the fun of liberty that has 
 lately rifen in France ; which has deigned to 
 revifit the deferted fhores of Corfica, and, in 
 its glorious progrefs, has illumined the 
 whole political atmofphere of Europe. 
 * See note, page 70. 
 
 M
 
 But, Sir, I fit down contented, and ihall 
 enjoy the confcious fatisfaclion of having 
 performed my duty. I have painted the ca- 
 lamities of France $ I have forewarned Bri- 
 tain of her danger. The fceptre trembles 
 in the hands ofkipgs; the (lability of every 
 throne is fhaken, by the late political con- 
 vullion ; the fhock is not confined to France $ 
 it ads like " the ele&rical returning ftroke, 
 which often produces fatal effe&s at a vaft 
 diftance from the place where the lightning 
 falls *." 
 
 I hope, Sir, you will excufe the freedom 
 with which I have thus publickly addreiTed 
 you ; and be perfuaded, that I can admire 
 the celebrated philofopher in Do&or Priefl- 
 ley, though I have the misfortune to differ 
 with him fo effentially on religion and po- 
 litics. 
 
 I am, Sir, Your's, &c. 
 
 J. c. 
 
 Bryanftone-ftreet, 
 April 26th, 1790. 
 
 * Principles ofEkftricity, by Lord Mahon, 1779. 
 
 NOTES.
 
 NOTES/ 
 
 P. 4. (a) DR. Lowth. " Num verendum erat ne qnis 
 tyrannidem Pififtratidarum Athenis inftaurare auderet, ubi 
 in omnibus conviviis, et aeque ab infima plebe in compitis, 
 quotidie cantitaretur SKSXWV illud Calliftrati nefcio cu- 
 jus, fed ingeniofi certe poetse, et valde boni civis ? 
 
 " Quod fi port idus illas martias e Tyrannotonis quif- 
 piam tale aliquod carmen plebi tradidiffet, inque Subur- 
 ram, et fori circulos, et in ora vulgi intuliflet, actum 
 profelo fuiflet de partibus deque dominatione Caefarum : 
 plus mehercule valulffet unum Harmodii (jitter quam 
 Ciceronis Philippics; omnes." Prasledliones Hebraicac, 
 P- 15- 
 ft has been thus elegantly tranjlated by Sir William Jones. 
 
 Verdant myrtles branchy pride, 
 
 Shall my thirfty blade entwine : 
 Such HERMODIUS deck'd thy fide, 
 Such ARISTOGITON thine. 
 
 Kobleft Youths ! in iflands bleft, 
 
 Not like recreant idlers dead ; 
 You with fleet PF^IDES reft, 
 
 And with Godlike DIOMED. 
 
 Myrtle (hall our brows entwine 
 
 While the Mufe your fame (hall tell 5 
 
 *Twas at Pallas' facred ftrine, 
 At your feet the Tyrant fell. 
 
 Then in Athens all was peace, 
 
 Equal laws and liberty : 
 Kurfe of arts and eye of Greece; 
 
 People valiant, firm and free ! 
 
 M 3 P. 5-
 
 p. 5. (1} The late Lord Chatham probably alluded to th<* 
 abfolution in the Vifitation of the fick, where the prieft 
 exprefsly fays, " From the authority committed to me, 
 I abfolve thee from all thy fins." 
 
 P. 5. [c] " The famous controverfy concerning the de- 
 crees of God, with refpect to the eternal condition of man, 
 which was fet on foot by C A L v I N , becomes an inexhaufti - 
 ble fource of intricate refearches, and abftrufe, fubtle, and 
 inexplicable queftions. He maintained that the everlafting 
 condition of man in a future world was determined from 
 all eternity by the unchangeable order of the Deity ; and 
 that this abfolute determination of his will and good plea. 
 jure, was the only fource of happinefs or mifery to every 
 individual. This opinion was in a very fhort time pro- 
 pagated through all the reformed churches, and in feme 
 places was inferted in the national creeds and confefiions, 
 and fo thus made a publick article of faith." Momeim, 
 vol. iv, p. 73. See alfo the i7th Article of Religion, 
 on " Predeftination and Election." 
 
 P. 5. (d] " In the iyth century James Arminius, profef- 
 for of divinity in the Univerfity of Leyden, rejected the doc- 
 trine of the church of Geneva, in relation to the deep 
 and intricate parts of predeftination and grace ; and main- 
 tained, with the Lutherans, that God has excluded none 
 from falvation by an abfolute and eternal decree. In 
 England the fate of religion changed confiderably ; and 
 this change, which was entirely in favour of Arminianifm, 
 was principally effected by the counfels and influence of 
 WILLIAM LAUD, Archbifhop of CW^wry." Mofheim, 
 vol. iv. p. 499. 
 
 P. 5. \e] ' Of the countries bordering on the Gold Coaft, 
 the kingdom of Dahomey is the largeft, governed by 
 
 the
 
 C 8$ ) 
 
 the mod abfolute tyrant that exifls on earth. Whydafo 
 where the Englifh, French, and Portuguefe have forts, 
 is a province belonging to this monarch, having been 
 conquered by his grandfather about fixty years ago. In 
 Dahomey ' there is no. individual freeman, except the 
 king. The king is abfokite matter of the lives and pro- 
 perties of his fubjects, and he fports with their lives in 
 the moft wanton and favage manner. Mr. Norris haa 
 feen at the gates of his palace two piles of heads, like 
 fhot in an arfenal ; within the palace, the heads of per- 
 fons newly put to death are flrewed at the diftance of a 
 few yards in the pailage that leads to the apartment of 
 this tyrant, in order to infpire the perfon who is to be 
 admitted to an audience, with awe and terror. Mr. 
 Norris does not fpeak of one particular tyrant ; it is 
 the cuftom of the country on great occafions, fuch as 
 the reception of meffengers from neighbouring ftates, 
 or of white merchants, and in general, on days of cere- 
 monial ; but the great carnage is once a year, when the 
 poll-tax is paid by his fubjects. Mr. Norris cannot 
 exactly fay how many are executed in this manner in 
 the courfe of the year, but fpeaks within compafs when 
 he reckons them at a thoufand. This is the cuftom of 
 the monarchy, and this power extends over his whole 
 dominions. The kingdom is very populous, and runs 
 about 350 miles inland. The roof of the palace is deco- 
 rated with a prodigious number of human heads ; and 
 when the king means to make war, it is an expreflion in 
 ufe to fay, the palace wants thatching. The great men 
 of the country cut off a few heads in thefe fcftivals, 
 -which is a part only of the fame ceremonial, and the 
 viftims are taken from thofe deftined for execution by 
 the king. Parents have no fort of property in their 
 children in the Dahoman territories j the children be- 
 4 long
 
 ( 86 ) 
 
 long entirely to the king, and are taken by his order frotn 
 their mothers at an early age, arid diftributed in vil- 
 ]ages remote from the palace of their nativity, where 
 there is but little chance of their being feen, or at leaft 
 recognized by their parents afterwards* Notwithftanding 
 this, the people of Dahomey never quit the country ; with 
 an extraordinary fubmiflion they revere the name of their 
 Sovereign, and never mention it in their moft private apart- 
 ments without kneeling; fuch is the force of Education and 
 labit." Reports on the Slave Trade Part the firft. Report 
 of the Lords of the Committee of Council of the Slave 
 Trade, Part IV. 
 
 P. 6. [f] " If maidens are ravifh'd, it is their own choice, 
 
 " Why are they fo wilful to ftruggle with nen ? 
 *' If they would but lie quiet, and ftifle their voice* 
 " No devil or dean could ravifh them then." 
 
 SWIFT'S BALLAD ON AN ENGLISH DEAN. 
 
 P- 7- (s) So religioufly fcrupulous were the Gentiles on 
 this point, that, as the learned Dr. Comber, in his Hiftori- 
 tal Vindication of the Divine Right ofTythes, juftly remarks* 
 " Melchefidec was both a prince and a prieft among 
 the Phoenicians, and ufed to receive tythes : fo that we 
 may be fure tything was very ancient there; for the 
 Carthaginians, who were a colony of Phoenicians, tranf- 
 planted into Africa, abo\it 900 years after the death of 
 Sem, A. M. 3075, brought with them this cuftom from 
 Tyre ; to which city they ufed to fend their tythe, by 
 one clothed in purple and prieftly robes (a}. And Dio- 
 dorus Siculus more fully faith, that being in great ftraits 
 in their wars, they feared Hercules of Tyre was angry 
 with them, in that, being defcended thence, they hacl 
 
 ufed
 
 fed In the times before to fend to that god the tythe of 
 all their profits, but becoming rich, they neglected this, 
 till their mifery made them repent and fend it as be- 
 fore (b}. Mr. Selden grants that the Grecians confe- 
 crated their tythes fo often to Apollo, that he was called 
 AtxarnQop-, which may be tranflated the Tythetaker. 
 The hymn he cites out of Callimachus, page 30, mews, 
 that firft fruits, in the proportion of a tenth, were every 
 year fent to Delos, unto the fame God; but Mr. S. hath 
 omitted the two next verfes, which exprefsly fay, " thefe 
 were the tythes of corn." And we may well fuppofe he 
 had tythes of all profits, when fo infamous a gain as that 
 of Rhodope afforded a confecration to him (c) : and that 
 this was ufual, may be gathered from that other cour- 
 tezan, in the old poem, ' who vows to offer the tenth 
 of all her gains to Venus" (d}. The Siphnians paid a 
 yearly tythe of their mines (*) ; and it was doubtlefs paid 
 as a due ; becaufe upon their omitting it, they loft their 
 mines, by the juftice of the gods. Porphyry alfo relates, 
 out of Hefiod, one of the oldeft poets, that the gods had 
 utterly deftroyed an atheiftical and irreligious people, 
 called Theos, becaufe they paid no firft fruits, as they 
 ought to have done (/): which divine judgement muft 
 have been long before Hefiod's time; and, even then, 
 it feems it was fo unufual an impiety, that the de- 
 ftruaion of that people was believed to proceed from that 
 caufe. Yet judgements are not wont to be fent down 
 upon whole nations for omitting arbitrary and accidental 
 ads of extraordinary devotion." 
 
 Hijl. Vindication, &c. p. 2P, 30, 34. 
 
 (,) Juftln. Hiftor. 1. 18, p. 186. (A) Wodor. Sic. Hiftor. 1. 5. 
 
 (0 Herodot. Euterp. 1. , p. 160. (d) Antholog. 1. 6. 
 
 (0 Herodot. 1. 3, P. o. 00 Prphyr. do Abftin. 1. 4, * , M*
 
 ( 88 ) 
 
 A few of the ralbis, of the fe& of the Sadducees, hava 
 aflerted, that tythes were paid to the Jewifli priefts, 
 (the tribe of Levi,) as a compenfation for their giving 
 up their (hare in the divifion of the land of Canaan, to 
 which they were equally entitled, as one of the twelve 
 tribes of Ifrael ; but this opinion has juftly been deemed 
 heretical, and is clearly proved fo, by the learned and 
 orthodox Dr. Comber. 
 
 What an amiable trait does this learned divine give 
 of the pious conduct of Rhodope! but why {he de- 
 dicated the tythe of her amorous gain to Apollo, the 
 doctor has not explained : Venus, under whofe propi- 
 tious banners fhe ferved, might have received the 
 gift with more propriety. To her we find the other 
 courtezan alluded to by this reverend writer, made hey 
 votive offerings, The epigram in the Anthologia to 
 which he refers, may be thus freely tranflated : 
 Fair Nicarete long to Pallas bows, 
 To Venus now fhe breathes her fervent vows : 
 Adieu, (he cries, my diftaff, and my loom, 
 The houfewife's taflc no more mail wafte my bloom 
 Such tafks the old and ugly may employ, 
 While feftive love (hall thrill my foul with joy. 
 With rofes crovvn'd, and flum'd with warm defire, 
 To Cytherea ftill I'll tune my lyre : 
 Speed thou my gain, my native charm refine ! 
 A tythe I'll give, 'tis your's by right divine. 
 
 Anthol. lib. vi. c. S. ep. 9. 
 
 I am told a claufe was 'to have been inferted in a 
 bill, intended to have been brought in by a worthy 
 Baronet, for the regulation and reformation of women 
 of the town, obliging them to pay -a tenth, for the aug- 
 mentation .of thofe curates' falaries who have not above 
 
 twenty
 
 ( 89 ) 
 
 twenty pounds a year; no doubt with the unanimous 
 approbation of the bench ofbifliops. 
 
 P. 9. (h) " The tythe, and every other land tax of 
 this kind, under the appearance of perfect equality, are 
 very unequal taxes ; a certain portion of the produce be- 
 ing, in different fituations, equivalent to a very different 
 portion of the rent. In fome very rich lands, the produce 
 is fo great, that the one-half of it is fully fuiKcient to re- 
 place to the farmer his capital employed in cultivation, 
 together with the ordinary profits of farming ftock in the 
 neighbourhood ; the other half, or, what comes to the 
 fame thing, the value of the other half, he could afford 
 to pay as rent to the landlord, if there was no tythe : 
 but if the tenth of the profit is taken from him by way 
 of tythe, he muft require an abatement of the fifth part 
 of his rent, otherwife he cannot get back his capital with 
 the ordinary profit. In this cafe, the rent of the land- 
 lord, inftead of amounting to a half, or five-tenths of the 
 whole produce, will amount only to four-tenths of it. 
 In poorer lands, on the contrary, the produce is fome- 
 times fo fmall, and the expence of cultivation fo great, 
 that it requires four-fifths of the whole produce to re- 
 place to the farmer his capital with the ordinary profit. 
 In this cafe, though there was no tythe, the rent of the 
 landlord could amount to no more than one-fifth or two- 
 tenths of the whole produce. But if the farmer pay; 
 one-tenth of the produce in the way of tythe, he muft 
 require an equal abatement of the rent of the land! 
 which will thus be reduced to one tenth only < 
 whole produce. Upon the rent of rich lands, tr, 
 may fometimes be a tax of no more than one-f 
 
 or four (hillings in the pound ; whereas upon tti 
 
 poorer
 
 poorer lands it may fometimes be a tax of one-half, or 
 of ten fhillings in the pound. 
 
 " The tythe, as it is frequently a very unequal tax upon 
 the rent, fo it is always a great difcouragement both to 
 the improvements of the landlord and to the cultivation 
 of the farmer : the one cannot venture to make the mod 
 important, which are generally the moft expenfive, im- 
 provements; nor the other to raife the moft valuable, 
 tvhich are generally too the moft expenfive, crops, when 
 the church, which lays out no part of theexp'nce, is to 
 fhare fo very largely in the profit. The cultivation of 
 madder was for a long time confined by the tythe to the> 
 United Provinces; which, being Prefbyterian countries, 
 and, upon that account, exempted from this deftru&ive- 
 tax, enjoyed a fort of monopoly of that ufeful dying 
 drug, againft the reft of Europe. The late attempts to 
 introduce the culture of this plant into England, have 
 been made only in confequence of the ftatute which en- 
 acted that five fhillings an acre fhould be received in lieu 
 of all manner of tythe upon madder." Smith's Wealth 
 of Nations, Vol. III. 
 
 P. n. (i) " The Bijhops aflumed, in many places, a 
 princely authority, particularly thofe who had the greateft 
 number of churches under their inflection, and who pre- 
 fided over the moft opulent aflemblies. They appro- 
 priated to their evangelical function the fplendid enligns. 
 of temporal majefty. 
 
 " A throne, furrounded with minifters, exalted above 
 his equals the fervant of the meek and humble Jefus ; 
 and fumptuous garments dazzled the eyes and minds of 
 the multitude into an ignorant veneration for their arro- 
 gated authority. The example of the Biihops was am- 
 biUoufly imitated Sy the Prejlyten r who* negle&ing the 
 
 facred
 
 ( 9' ) 
 
 facred duties of their flat ions, abandoned themfelves to 
 the indolence and delicacy of an effeminate and luxu- 
 rious life. The Deacons, beholding the Prefbyters de- 
 ferting thus their functions, boldly ufurped their rights 
 and privileges ; and the effects of a corrupt ambition 
 were fpread through every rank of the facred order." 
 Mofheim's Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, vol. i. p. 216. 
 
 P. 14. [k] Thefe apoftates would fain revive Cato's 
 ftoical creed, preferved by Lucan, Book IX. ver. 576. 
 
 Hasremus cuncli fuperis, temploque tacente 
 Nil facimus non fponte dei : nee vocibus ullis 
 Numen eget : dixitque femel nafcentibus auctor, 
 Qtiidquid fcire licet: fterileis nee legit arenas 
 Ut caneret paucis, merfitque hoc pulvere verum. 
 Eitne dei fcdes nifi terra, & pontus & ae'r, 
 Et ccelum & virtus ? Superos quid quaerimus ultra ? 
 Jupiter eft, q^uodcunque vides, quocunque moveris. 
 
 P. 17. (/) The work is entitled ' A Plan of Lectures 
 on the Principles of Non-Conformity, for the Inftruc- 
 tion of Catechumens;' by R. Robinfon. It made its 
 iirft appearance about the year 1778. In the year 1781 it 
 had ran through four editions, andaj5/?/6 was fent abroad. 
 7"his rapid fale is no lefs than the folemn judgement of 
 the eaftern aflbciation, and a proof of the approbation 
 with which it has been received by the general body of 
 the non-conformifts." Review of the^afe of the Pro- 
 teltant Diflenters, page 23. 
 
 P. 17. [m] All thefe fchifmatick ideas are confonant to 
 thofe of Moihcim, whofe character and writings I have 
 already defer ibed. 
 
 " Neither Chrift himfelf, nor his holy apoflles, have 
 
 commanded any thing clearly or cxprefsly concerning 
 
 N 2 the
 
 ( 9* ) 
 
 the external form of the church, and the precife method 
 according to which it fhould be governed. From this 
 we may infer, that the regulation of this was, in fome 
 rneafure, to be accommodated to the time. 
 
 " The people were undoubtedly the firft in authority; 
 for the apoftles {hewed, by their own example, that 
 nothing of moment was to be carried on or determine^ 
 without the confent of the aflembly (a): and fuch a 
 method of proceeding was both prudent and neceflary 
 in thofe critical times. It was afterwards judged necef- 
 fary that one man of diftinguimed gravity and wifdom 
 fhould prefide in the council of Prefbyters, in order to 
 diftribute among his colleagues their fevcral tafks, and 
 to be a centre of union to the whole fociety. This per- 
 fon was at firft ftyled the angel [b] of the church to 
 which he belonged, but was afterwards diftinguimed by 
 the name of vi/hop, or infpector ; a name borrowed from 
 the Greek language, Evwrxna-, infpeclor, and exprefT- 
 ing the principal part of the epifcopal function, which 
 was to infpe<St into, and fuperintend the affairs of the 
 church." Moflieim, vol. I, cent. I. 
 
 P. 20. () " Marriage was permitted to all the various 
 ranks and orders of the clergy, high and low. Thofe, 
 however, who continued in a fiate of celibacy, obtained by 
 this abitinence a higher reputation of fan&ity and value 
 than others. This was owing to an almoft general per- 
 fuafion, that they who took wives were of all others the 
 mod fubjecl: to the power of malignant demons ; and as it 
 was of infinite importance to the interefts of the church 
 that no impure or malevolent fpirit entered into the bodies 
 of fuch as were appointed to govern or inftruc~l others, fo 
 tjie people were defirous that the clergy mould ufe their 
 
 *. ' ' , 
 
 () Afts, i. 15. vi. 3. XY. 4. xxi. zz, ' (l>} Rev. ii. 3. 
 
 utmoft
 
 ( 93 ) 
 
 Utmoft efforts to abftain from the pleafures of conjugal 
 life. Many of the facred orders, cfpecially in Africa, 
 confcnted to fatisfy the defires of the people ; and endea- 
 voured to do this in fuch a manner as not to oiFer an en- 
 tire violence to their own inclinations. For this pur- 
 pofe, they formed connections with thofe women who 
 had made vows of perpetual chaftity ; and it was an or- 
 dinary thing for an ecclefiaftick to admit one of thefe 
 faints to a participation of his bed ; but (till under the 
 moft folemn declarations, that nothing parted in this 
 commerce contrary to the rules of chaftity and virtue. 
 Thefe holy concubines were called by the Greeks 
 T-vmvaKToi, and by the Latins, Mulieres Superindutlz.'* 
 Moflicim, vol. i, p. 218. 
 
 P. 22. (o) " Je reprends la fuite de mes reflexions, et jc 
 place ici unc obfervation importante ; c'eft que plus 1'e- 
 tendue des impots entretient le peuple dans 1'abattement 
 et dans la mifere, plus ileft indifpenfable de lui donnerunc 
 education religicufe, car c'eft dans 1'irritation du malheur, 
 qn'on a fur tout befoin, et d'une chaine puiflTantc, et 
 'd'une confolation journaliere. Les abus fucccffifs de la 
 force et de 1'autorite, en bouleverfant tous les rapports 
 qui exiftoient originairement entre les hommes, ont 
 eleve, au milieu dleux, un edifice tellement artifkiel, ct 
 ou il regne tant de difproportion, que 1'idee d'un dieu y 
 eft devenue plus neceflaire que jamais, pour fcrvir dc ni- 
 velleinent a cet aflemblage confus de difparites de tout 
 genre." De 1' Importance des Opinions Religieufcsi par 
 M. Necker, p. 18. 
 
 P. 29. (/>) I am aware that Monfieur Gcbelin in his 
 Monde Primitive, maintains another hypothefis, with great 
 ingenuity, founded on his aftoniftiing knowledge in etymo- 
 logy,
 
 fuppofed to difhonour whoever is fubjeft to it, and to 
 degrade him below not only the rank of a gentleman, 
 but that of a burgher; and whoever rents the lands 
 another, becomes fubjeb to it. No gentleman, nor e 1 
 a burgher, who has flock, will fubmit to this degrada- 
 tion. This tax therefore not only hinders the itock 
 which accumulates upon the land from being employed 
 in its improvement, but drives away all other ftock from 
 it. The ancient tenths and fifteenths, fo ufual in Eng- 
 land in former times, feem, fo far as they affected the 
 land, to have been taxes of the fame nature with the 
 taille." Smith's Wealth of Nations, vol. 2, p. 96. 
 
 P. 56 [s] " Yet though the restoration of ancient theo- 
 logy is the object of the moft ardent defires, 1 much fear 
 that a period (till more barbarous, with refpect to philo- 
 fophy, that an age ftill darker and more debafed, muft 
 precede its eftablimment on the earth. Prodigies .and de- 
 firuction attended, as we ihali obferve in the enfuing 
 hifiory, its departure from mankind ; and defolation will 
 doubtlefs be the harbinger of its future appearance. 
 
 " The orb of viciffitude produces renovation and decay, 
 in regular fucceflion, and marks, as it revolves, the dor- 
 mant events of future periods with the ruinous characters 
 of the part. Let US' therefore patiently wait for, and joy- 
 fully expect, the happy moment when the breezes of phi- 
 lofophy mall arife with abundance and vigour, and impel 
 the veflel of theology, laden with the riches ofwifdom, on 
 our natal coaft. 
 
 " The revolution is certain, however remote ; and the 
 profpect is of itfelf fufficient to increafe the vigour of ex- 
 ertion, and animate the expectations of hope; to enable 
 tis to brave the ftorms of ecclefiaftical perfection, and 
 vanquifh the refiftance of folly." 
 
 Taylor's Preface to the Commentaries of Proclus. 
 
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