irma il THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES f>/'J>/ were "flattered by an invitation or visit from us : it does not say much for their dis- cernment, and proves them to be persons of a vicious taste, for associating with such de- praved persons, as they now represent us. M The human mind is Very apt to be pre- " judiced, either for or against" but it is wonderful no trace can be discovered of that conduct that induced them to place confi- dence in us. " The more a man is ac- quainted with his own failings, the more he is disposed to make allowance for others ; the knowledge he hath of' himself will in- cline him to be as candid to their faults, as 'he is to his own."* In general, the most quicksighted proclaimers of others miscon- *duct, are the most blind to their own.-*- Wi The great God seems to have given that ** commandment (know thyself) to those " men, more especially, who are apt to ." make remarks on other men's actions, '" and forget their own."-f This failing the heathens were very sensible of ; every man (say they) carries two bags with him, the one before and the other behind ; in # 1 ?riUso5rcii"St:l ("'Knowledge. f Plutarch. the the former, he puts the faults of others ; in the latter, he puts his own ; by which means, he never sees his own failings, whilst he always has those of others before his eyes. Sed praecedenti spectatur njantica tergo. Per. Sal. iv. Non videmus id roantica quod in tergo est. Cat. Carm. XX. Self-knowledge heals our animosities, and greatly cools our debates about matters of doubtful speculation, it will lead us to judge rightly of facts, as well as of persons t it will teach us to judge not with the ima- gination, but with the understanding, and will set a guard upon the former, which so often misrepresents things, and gives the mind false impressions of them. There is not one person, as it respects ws, that has acted consistent with the rules of Christi- anity, morality, or even common decency. AVhile all mouths have been open to receive and diffuse the most malignant censures, not one candid, liberal-spirited person among the creditors, or the church society 7 we stood connected with, has come forward to investigate the business with any degree of B 2 reflection reflection or rationality, all have gono away with a most base, yet superficial, opi- nion of the matter, and have spread the contagion far and near. " The low and timid are ever suspicious, " but a heart impressed with honourable " sentiments, expects from others sympa- " thetic sincerity."* My nominal, pro- fessedly christian friends, have shewn the strongest attachment to their own taste, by their approbation of the hospitality of my house, cellar, and purse : as they cannot now have access to them, they would either disown their former intimacy, or atone for their own crime in being an accomplice (by their countenance) of so vile a being, by turning evidence against me ! But the base ingratitude of the world can never deprive us of the conscious happiness of having act- ed with humanity ourselves. Nor are our persecutors justifiable by the laws of God or man, in their conduct to- wards us, even if we were the characters po- pular clamor represents. Our legislature has wisely enacted laws for the punishment * Goldsmith's Life of Nash. Of of delinquents of all descriptions. It is pu- silanimity in the highest degree to " strike " an unnecessary blow at a victim over " whom providence holds the scourge of *' its resentment."* The common herd of mankind seldom give commiseration; indeed, the lower classes usually treat each other, upon the most trivial occasions, with as much animosity as if in a state of open warfare. Nor is much tenderness or sensi- bility of soi}l to be expected from an illi- terate, profane carpenter ; but that men of understanding and liberal education, con- versant with the sacred writers, and teachers of others, should thus join the rabble against two persecuted females, is almost incredible. The cavillers at the motives of attach- ment between my friend Miss Sharpe and self, seem to enter very little into feelings; described in holy writ, such as the friend- ship of Naomi and Ruth David and Jo- nathan our blessed Lord and Lazarus-j- Jesus qu the cross, and his beloved and sorrowing disciple at his feet.| Our -Sa- viour not only approved of an attachment * Goldsmith. Martyr of Greenwich. f John xi. t John xix. 26. be* 6 between persons of the same sex, but has himself consecrated friendship, by divine ex- ample. Few subjects are more frequently treated of in conversation and writing cone are so little understood, as christian unity and mutual forbearance. The friend- ship of the world endures only the sunshine of prosperity, the winter of adversity con- verts it into the most inveterate hatred ; but the current of tenderness widens as it pro- ceeds; says Solomon" A friend loveth ** at all times, and a brother is bom for ad- " versity." I shew thee friendship delicate, as dear. " Friends grow not thick on ev'ry bough, ** Nor ev'ry friend umetten at the core. " A friend is worth all hazard we can run." Young. M How sharply should our own thoughts " reprove us, when we give our pride or ** malice a loose to ravage all over the cha- " racters of our neighbours, and deny all ' that is good of them, because they have " something in them that is criminal " and worthy of blame ! It is very dis- 2 ingenuous * s ingenuous to talk scandal in superlatives; ** let each look upon their own conduct, ** and blush to think they have indulged ** such prejudice, such sinful partiality."* " The other back retired, and contrary trode." AGAINST SCOFFING. WATTS. ** Our tongues were made to bless the Lord, " And not speak ill of men ; " When others give a railiog word, " We must not rail again. " Cross words and angry names require " To be chastis'd at school, " And he's in danger of hell fire " That calls his brother fool. ** When children, in their wanton play, " Serv'd old Elisha so ; " And bid the prophet go his way, " Go up, thou bald-head, go ! " God quickly stopt their wicked breath, " And sent two raging bears, " That tore them limb from limb to death, " With blood, and groans, and tears. " How 21 " How forcible are right words ! but " what doth your arguing reprove. V Job vi. 25. " Lord, who shall abide in thy taber- " nacle ? who shall dwell in thy holy hill ? " he that backbiteth not with his tongue, " nor doth evil to his neighbour, nor ta/ceth " up a reproach against his neighbour. " He [or she] that putteth not out his " money to usury, nor taketh a reward " against the innocent." PSAL. XV. " In the multitude of words there want- " eth not sin ; but he that refraineth his lips " is wise." PROV. X. IP. " A tale-bearer revealeth secrets; but " he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth " the matter." Prov. xi. i3. " The simple believeth every word : but " the prudent man looketh well to his " going." Prov. xiv. i5. " Every 22 u Every fool will be meddling." Prov. xx. 5. " Debate thy cause with thy neighbour " himself, arid discover not a secret to ano- " ther ; lest he that heareth it put thee to " shame, and thine infamy turn not away." " As an ear-ring of gold, and an orna- ment of fine gold, so is a wise reprover up- " on an obedient ear." " By long forbearing is a prince per- " suaded, and a soft tongue breaketh the " bone." " A man that beareth/tf&e witness against his neighbour, is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow." Prov. xxv. *( " Blessed are the merciful, for they shall " obtain mercy." Matt. v. 7. " An evil man out of the evil treasure [of his own heart] bringcth forth evil things ; 23 " tilings ; but I say unto you, that every " idle word that men shall speak, they shall " give account thereof in the day of judg- " ment." Matt. xii. " Judge not according to the appearance, " but judge righteous judgment." John vii. 24. " Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, " whosoever thou art that judgest : for " wherein thou judgest another, thou con- " demnest thyself; for thou that judgest, " doest the same things." " And thinkest thou, O man, that judg- " est them which do such things, and doest " the same, that thou shalt escape the judg- " ment of God ?" Rom. ii. " Let all bitterness, and wrath, and an- " ger, and clamour, and evil speaking be " put away from you, with all malice, and " be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, 4 forgiving 24 a forgiving one another, even as God fot " Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Ephe. iv.* " The tongue is a litttle member, and " boasteth great things. Behold how great " a matter a little fire kindleth !" " And the tongue is a Jire, a world of " iniquity : so is the tongue amongst our " members, that it defileth the wJuole "body, and setteth on fire the course of " nature ; and it is set on fire of hell." James iii. " Michael the archangel, when contend- " ing with the devil, he disputed about " the body of Moses, durst not bring a " railing accusation, but said, the Lord " rebuke thee" " But these speak evil of those things " which they know not" - JUDE. * How do the calumniators and extortioners of the present day reconcile these scriptures to their practice ? yet they call themselves Christians subjects of a Christian country, where these scriptures are constantly read. Detraction 25 Detraction a detestable Vice, u It has been remarked, that men are " generally kind in proportion as they are " happy; and it is said, even of the dev.il, * that he is good-humoured when he is " pleased. Every act, therefore, by which " another is injured, from whatever mo- " tivc, contracts more guilt, and expresses " greater malignity, if it is committed in * those seasons which are set apart to plea- " santry and good humour, and brightened " with enjoyments peculiar to rational and " social beings." " Detraction is among those vices which fi the most languid virtue has sufficient force " to prevent ; because by detraction that is "not gained which is taken away." " He who filches from me my good u name," says Shakespeare, " enriches not " himself, but leaves me poor indeed." " As e nothimr 2G " nothing therefore degrades human nature " more than detraction, nothing more dis- " graces conversation. The detractor, as " he is the lowest moral character, reflects u greater dishonour upon his company, " than the hangman ; and he whose dispo- " sition is a scandal to his species, should be " more diligently avoided, than he who is " scandalous only by his offence." " But for this practice, however vile, 4i some have dared to apologize, by contend- " ing the report, by which they injured the *' character of an absent person teas true : " this, however, amounts to no more than " that they have not complicated malice *' with falsehood, and that there is some " difference between detraction and slander. ** To relate all the ill that is true of the best " man or woman in the world, would pro- " bably render them the objects of suspicion ** and distrust ; and was this practice uni- <; versal, mutual confidence and esteem, the * ; comforts of society, and the endearments ** of friendship would be at an end." There r 27 a There is something unspeakably more " hateful in those species of villainy, by " which law is evaded, than those by which " it is violated and defiled. Courage has " sometimes preserved rapacity from abhor- " rence, as beauty has been thought to " apologize for prostitution; but the injustice " of cowardice is universally abhorred, and " like the lewdness of deformity, has no ad- " vocate. -Thus hateful arc the wretches who " detract with (or without) caution, and " who, while they perpetrate the wrong, are " solicitous to avoid the reproach, or the pe- ct nalty of the law, some say Miss Robertson is a " swindler ! a whore! a Proteus ! nay, some not only say, she can change her sex, " but even dare to surmise site is of the " masculine gender I*) Others with great " professions of concern and horror, say, such " a report has been spread, they know not " how true." Those who propagate such " reports are usually the fabricators of them, " it is no breach of chanty to suppose this "to be always the case ; because no man " who spreads a detraction, would have * A minister assigns this reason for Miss S 's attachment e 2 " scrupled 28 a scrupled to produce it : and he, who " should diffuse poison in a brook, would " scarce be acquitted of a malicious design, " though he should alledge, that he re- " ceived it from another person, who ij " doing the same elsewhere." RAMBLER. A POETICAL EPISTLE TO AN ABSENT FRIEND : WRITTEN THE TWENTY-FOURTH OF JUNE, 1801. " Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper, and be u in health, even as thy soul prospered" Johx iii. ver. 2, DEUS ME US ET OMNIA. 31 POETICAL EPISTLE. 1 GREET my dear Charlotte, and greet her in peace. Whose riches are wisdom, faith, hope, and grace: Believe me, dear friend, 'tis the source of our woe That too highly we priz'd our enjoyments below. Your friend, near the banks where Ouse slowly creeps, Reclin'd in the shade of the wall, sits and weeps; Indulges sweet dreams, that the mind does impart. With a song in my head, and a sigh in my heart. Let the curtain be drawn, I behold, and I sigh, Kings* are more hopeless, more wretched than I. Alas ! from misfortune no station is free, From the throne to the jail from the monarch to ;m. In the midst of all tumult, 'tis wise to be gay, And, in spite of them all, I will carol my lay. Come, dear Religion ! thou king of the mind, In thv arms let me slumber, content and resism'd : And thou, cheering hope ! with a.pect so meek, A beam on thy brow, a smile on thy cheek. Alluding to the convulsions in most European kingdoms. Pr^c 32 Pride is a cheat, and will surely deceive, She's blind to the truth, this let us believe. Contentment's an angel, sent down from the skies, Fossess'd but by few those few arc the vrise. Grandeur at distance, admir'd for its charms, Oft dazzles our eyes, and our reason disarms. Scandal and rage from its bosom does fly, And envy, pale envy, malignant will lye. Why start, then, from reason, and all her decrees ; For baubles and trifles, so barter our ease ? If a lover is false, and ourselves are displac'd, Our plate, books, and china, all fall'n to waste. Betray'd by my hopes, by my folly perplext, I'll seek in this life the joys of the next. The prospect may brighten, we'll vary the scene, Tho* ray muse sees here fields of perpetual green. O place us, dear Saviour ! in some small retreat, Let the banks, strevv'd with daisies, afford us a seat ; Where the birds on the boughs do merrily sing, And cuckoo proclaims, the gay morning of spring. Thy peace for our pillow away from all noise., Let us give and receive all friendship's true joys. Where the soil it is healthy, and temp'rate air ; To add to our prospect, a litle parterre : Where a lettuce and rose should be planted with taste, And none of the ground be left running to waste. Instead of Italians,' 9 * the linnet and thrush With harmony greet us, from ev'ry bush. Our furniture clean, simple, and plain, Not any thing gaudy, expensive, or vain. A shelf with good authors we surely would choose, That, when serious or gay, might instruct and amuse. * Opera singers. N*> 53 No new-fash ion'd novel, or gilded romance, * Should there have a place, if it traveled from France. Where my Charlotte could sleep on a pillow of down. And, O ! from Eliza, may she ne'er meet a frown. May our table be spread with good wholesome cheer, No kickshaws, or lux'ry, shall ever be there. Let not modern extravagance ever get root, Our garden may yield a plate of good fruit. A glass, too, of port, if health should require ; A shade when its hot; when cold, a good fire. To add to my comfort, may the Lord bless and lend You, my dear Charlotte compassionate friend ! But let's not be anxious, vc/ierewe retire The lease of my clay tenement soon may expire ; As life's but a stage, soul, be warn'd at the thought, Behave on your journey as a traveller ought ; For homeward you're going, for ever to dwell With Jesus, in heaven ; or devils, in hell. Let's pray, thro' the spirit, till the earnest we have That Jesus,/or us, has -perfumed the cold grave. O never, my love ! let us sit down to eat Till our souls have their feast of spiritual meat. For, tho' not possess'd of o'erflowing bowls, We always may have a treat lor our souls. Vor let us complain of a difficult task Jesus says, " Ye shall have whatever ye ask. 1 ' O let thy good spirit our petitions inspire ! Then we surely obtain all we can desire. Jehovah ! be thou our guide and protector, Place us where thou hast an ev'ning lecture ; A seat in a church where the gospel is taught Redemption in Jesus, and all that he wrought. May our hearts be habitually devoted to God, Pejoice in his smiles when he frowns, kiss the rod- Then F 34 Then ltt me study my taste to improve, And follow my muse thro' the mead or the gro?e Let Flora, around the green dale as she goes, i'rom her lap throw the pink, the cowslip, and rose: Where Aurora, with dew-drops, besprinkles the thorn, And paints the gay clouds with the blushes of morn. How oft will your bosom partake of my fire ? Be grave, or be gay, asywir Bard will inspire. Indulge the fond tear, that is ready to start, 'Tis richer than rubies it comes from the heart. Religion we'll blend with emotions of love, Refinement of taste our souk will approve; And, O ! while you read, may such sentiments roll From your head to your heart, from your heart to your soul. May faith, joy, and peace, be the guests of your breast, And blest he. your Muse, who sings you to rest. Your affectionate EL IZA R- ilunilugdon, June 24th, f 8 CM. 5> 4 t POSTSCRIPT. W, my dear,- Nota Bene is certainly rude}. Yet, if more I've to say, how can I conclude r So here is a verse, at the end of ray letter, To- tell my dear friend, Eliza is better. The raor ning is rainy the lettuces grow I'm visited, daily, by good Mr. Rowe. Surely because ray Charlotte did ask it, He constantly comes, with a neat little basket - Some roses and meat, with a battle af beer, Wine, fish, and fruit, I've plenty, dan't fear. Mrs. Leslie is kind, sends many good books, But strangers intrude, with silly, perl looks. I buiton'd the doofijfr-old Drage* he did stammer,. And off goes my button, with a stroke of the haruraer Takes away my knife, spoon, and platter ; Shake goes his flaps, what can be the matter ? He's angry because Polly 's| stockings had eyes, And scratches his head, which is not rerv wise. But, my dear ! I don't mind such a dusty old nettle, For my pen has a sling, tho'he took the kettle. Mrs. Beeby was fright.-.-fi'd, as tho'he had hit her Old Cox stared aghast- -die birds they did twitter. Here's Su.san,+ she cooks, washes, and scours, "* Tiicjailar. f Dragc's daughter. Jailor's ] And, 36 And, into my tea-pot, the water she pours. May the Lord wash her soul from ev'ry stain, Pray bring her the book, where Jesus does reign : O ! should he teach her to lift up her voice In prayer to him saints and angels rejoice ! Lord, bless the means thus us'd for to win her, May she fear and love thee, thou friend of the sinner ! Now, my dear ! I believe you've the chief of the news, Except that I want a new pair of shoes ; For, tho* its not far your Eliza does travel, My shoes are much worn by the very coarse gravel. We've a huge pile of rubbish dust, litter, and bones A smell from the drain a walk, on rough stones, A border of parsley a root, too, of sage Wit and good health youth and old age. Here's labor and sorrow, because there's no water ; Of my tea-pot and saucer, I've made a sad slaughter. Here's plenty of bread, and plenty of meal ; Adieu, my dear friend v now my letter Til seal. * # * Miss Robertson did not publish the 2uery, (Who are the Swindlers ?) as a defence, but merely as a statement of the cruel conduct of others towards her and her friend. Those booksellers who have adver- . tised it as her defence, have taken up an erroneous opinion, and were not authorised by Miss R to give it that title. J&U published by the same Author, and may be kad at the places mentioned in the Title Page c WHO ARE THE SWINDLERS.? A QUERY: SECOND EDITION, With Additions, price is. 6d. * Judge not, that ye be not judged." " He that is without sin among you, tet him cast the &st "* stone at her." AN ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC. PRICE 6d. Defame her not/' &c. ce con. hum. life.. Example is dangerous, when copied without Judgment/' LORD BOLINCttROKE. SISTE VIATOR. PRICE 2d. A COUNTRY GOALEE, PRICE 2d. MISS SHARPE's LETTER TO THE CONGREGATION, MEETING AT WHITE-ROW, SPIT ALFIELDS. TRICK 6d- Jan. 1st. 1802, will be published. In Two Volumes, 12mo,- With a Frontispiece and engraved Title Page, VICTORIA ARCANUM. 4 ; Those who wish to take a set, may leave their name and address with the author, or Mr. B a. dcock, 28, Paternoster-Row; which will be esteemed a favour, as it will prevent the Author's having too many printed. ; *** Being regularly entered at Stationcr's-hall, by the Author, any other person presuming to pirate them will be prosecuted. }. Cundce. Fnmer, Ivy-lane. TOPSY TURVY: ANECDOTES AND OBSERVATIONS ILLUSTRATIVE OF LEADING CHARACTERS PRESENT GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE, IMBELMSHtD WITH A CHARACTERISTIC TAIL AND HEAD PIECE. TOPSY TURVY: WITH ANECDOTES AND OBSERVATIONS ILLUSTRATIVE O LEADING CHARACTERS IN THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE. BY THE EDITOR OF SALMAGUNDI. THE THIRD EDITION", IDitlj Comfiitmj>, an&jfomc abbitionaT .jjiotetf. IE PLUS SAINT DEVOIR DE l' HOMME EST L'lNSURRECTION. La Faytttt. THIS SHEWS HOW PERFECTLY THE RUMP AND COMMONWEALTH TOGETHER JUMP; TOR AS A FLY THAT COES TO BED RESTS WITH HIS TAIL ABOVE HIS HEAD; SO, IN THIS MONCREL STATE OF OURS, THE RABBLE ARE THE SUPREME POWERS. Butltr. LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR; AID SOLD BY J. ANDERSON, NO. 62, HOLBORN HILL, M.DCC.XCIII. Cnterjb at >tatjansr-$alt. MAN IS BUT A TOPSY-TURVY AKIMAL, HIS Hf AD WHERE HIS HEELS SHOULD Bt. StVi/t. TO THE ASSOCIATION AT THE CROWN AND ANCHOR THE ASSOCIATION AT THE ST. ALBAN's TAVERN A3 WELL AS TO ALL THE OTHER ASSOCIATIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF LIBERTY AND PROPERTY AGAINST REPUBLICANS AND LEVELLERS, T EI I S TRIFLE, IN CRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THEIR. PATRIOTIC SERVICES, IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR. ADVERTISE MENT TO THE READER. Objections having been alledged against the authenticity of a Pamphlet (" Flower of the Jacobins") which is occasionally quoted or referred to in the following pages, upon the ground of its being an anonymous publi- cation, the Author thinks it necessary to pre- mise, that he has been able, in general, to cor- roborate the facts advanced in these quotati- ons by the concurrent testimony of avowed and respectable authorities, and sometimes by that of the most authentic French papers. That the major part of the facts advanced in the Pamphlet above mentioned having been since confirmed by a Writer of acknowledged character, ( >v) character *, there is reason to suppose the rest not undeserving credit until they shall be dis- proved. At the time of the publication of That Pamphlet the sentiments confidently and widely disseminated even in this country were such as promised no favourable recep- tion to any Writer who should have direcfly avowed himself inimical to the principles or the pra6Hce of French Reformers ; and among our Gallic Neighbours, in order to encourage that glorious Freedom of the Press acknowr ledged by themselves so essential to the cha- pter of a Land of Liberty, Four out of Five Parisian Journalists who presumed to authen- ticate with their signatures an impartial state- ment of Revolutionary Desert, have since the memorable tenth of August, 1792, been effec- tually silenced by Massacre. * Fennel, the Author of a Review of the proceedings at Paris during the Summer of 1792, 8vo. professes a strict adherence to truth, ( preface page 8, ) that he resided on the spot where the transcations which he relates took place, and minutely investigated even the most trivial occurence*. Review. P. ;. TOPSY TURVY. Old England is ill at her ease, She a surfeit has got I can tell ye; And the cause of Old England's disease Is the pudding and beef in her belly * : To the French for relief she applies, And their Politic Doctors assure her That they know where her malady lies, And their Grand Panacea shall cure her. Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked. Dsut. xxxii. 15, B O TO'SY 'IURVY. " Ah ! what Panacea so grand . 88. Hast thou not kiss'd thv hand, and held my stirrop, Bare-headed plodded by my foot-cloth mule Aiid thought thee happy when 1 shook my head ? Shakipeare, ind Part of Henry VI. B 3 lO TOPSY TURVY. There's Gorsas who well ascertains Of Relative Rights the extent, Since he beat out his old Father's brains Who begot him -without his consent*. Escap'd from the Wheel heretofore, At the Gallies he serv'd his probation; His proficiency prov d at the Oar, He 's advane'd to the Helm of the Nation. * Your Practical Phhosophers reject the duties of this vul- gar relation (the relation between Parents and Children) as contrary to Liberty; as not founded in the social compact ; and not binding according to the Rights of Men ; because the Relation is not, of course, the result of Fa.EE Election, never so on the side of the Children, not always on the part of the Parents. Burkk's Letter, pages 36 and 37. M. Gorsas affords a striking practical exempl ficatxn of these Principles if Modern French Philosophy. 1 he infirmities of a de- clining fa'hei obi ged him torel nquish -he superintendance of a ciav- schooi at Versailles to his Son M. Gorsas, who en^a^ed to aftord him a decent ma nienance during the remainder of Ins I : t e . In less than three months his inhumanity to this a.,ed parent was so notori- ous as to incur the censure of the police; and he soon afterwards, by a blow on the head wi;h a bottle, tut an end to his life. 1 his atrocious act M. Gwi >as wa> doomed to i.xpate u) on the V he!, but at the eiurearv of his brother, a <;roum to t lie Duke dc Politu.ac, that nobleman pi uc u red a in ti-a :on ot Ins | unishuient, and lie was condemned to th'* Gallies for life. In 1788 he found means ot pr - petition to the Ambassadors of Tippoo Suib passing through 1 houlou.e, TOPSY TURVY. 11 Marat*, whom all ruffians applaud, Will to slaughter or robbery lead 'em; This tergiverse Champion of Fraud Shall extend the dominion of Freedom: Tho' our Credit (with Cambons good care) As threadbare is worn as our coats, Tho' with famine we groan, and despair, Marat can soon alter our notes. Thoulouse, who obtained his enlargement, on the condition that lie ?hould never be seen within forty leagues of Versailles. But in a Revolution efft cted by Massacre and Treason the merits of M. Gor- sas could not fail of ascending to their proper level ; and this Prac- tical Philosopher and Parricidical Doctor of the French School has consequently become a leading Member of the National Convention of France. See Fennel, f>. 434, 13 Floii-er of Jacobins, *. 4a. * I led to Slaughter and to Slaughter leave. Drydfn. M. Marat, who makes so conspicuous a figure in the Annals of Anarchy, at the time when he was accused of being an accomplice in the forgeries of the Billets d'Fiscompte, or K'otes of the Bank of Discount, established by M. Neckar, bore the etule- mati, during his residence at Oxford, his depredations upon the As>h- ..:: Museum, ice. &c. See No. I. Additional Notes at the End. B 4 12 TOPSY TURVY. See Merlin *, Preceptor of Youth, Exemplify Filial Affection; (Bright pattern of honour and truth, Tiie cement of Nuptial connection!) See rev'rend Ciiabot t too conspire To accomplish our regeneration: That adulterous Capuchin Fryar Shali teach us to Jlee Fornication, * Qvns ccebim terris non misceat, et mare coelo Si t'ur disphceat Verri ! Homicida Miloni ? Codius accuset maschos, Catalina Cethegum? Ju. 68, and Flower of the Jacoeiks. TOPSY TURVY. *3 Atheistic Dupont t for his pains With honour 'tis fit we should mention ; This globe of the world, he maintains, Made itself like our Gallic Convention : So, to prove ourselves creatures of Chance, We determine, and none shall gainsay us, By disorganization of France To establish the empire of Chaos : j- M. Dupont. Qui Numina Divum Sperneret, et nullos aris adoleret honores. O-vid. Who Heav'n's best blessings with contempt repays, And bids no incense on its altars blaze. " Oil ' ' ^ cs trones sont renverses, les sceptres brists, les rots ex- pirent, et les autei.s des Dieux, restent deeout encore! La Nature et la Raison, voila les Dieux de l'homme! voila mes Dieux ! Admirez la Nature, cultivez la Raison, si vous voulez que le peuplc Francais soit hcureux, hatez njous de propager Cis Pritnipts, de les fairc enseigner dans vos ecoles primaires. Je I'avouerai de bonne toi a la Convention Jf suis Athee." J. Dupcnt, Mor.iteur, 16 Dcccmhvc. What! are tlirones and sceptres demolished ? is Royalty expiring ? AND ARK THE Al/IARS OF 1 H E GODS YET STANDING ! Nature and Reason are the proper Divinities of mankind ' 'These arc my GoJ.s ! Admire Nature, cultivate Reason, it" You will consult th.j happiness of Frenchmen. Accehiau the propagation cj These Pr'rr.aplcs ; make them the subjects ol instruction in \ our schools and semmaries of e lucation. For my part 1 shall a> o\v to the Convention, in ^iod earr.cst, that Ji am an Atheist* 1*4 TOPSY TURVY. What guerdon shall Carra reward Whose fame sclf-acknowledgd we dwell on ? Who, for Burglary doom'd to the Cord A true Philosophical Felon, Now prescribes to Reformers a plan Of Morality new and uncommon ; And the Rights Imprcscriptive * of Man Ascertains by the pillage of Woman. % * A favourite term with French Philosophers " Droits imprt- scriptibles." Rights against which the antiquated prejudices respect- ing probity, property, honour, &c. arc of no validity. M. Carra is so strenuous an assertorof these Imprescript'vve Rights of Man, that lie long ago ventured his neck in sup; ort of them, by an act of Burglary in the Shop of a Milliner. 'lite most notorious depredations of our Philosophical Plunderer v. ere committed on the property of Females. When publickly reminded of the honourable transaction above-mentioned, he acknowledged the truth of the charge, but asserted, as a sufficient apology for the fact, that he was only sixteen years old when he atchieved this his first civic enter- prize. He lias however since demonstrated his unabated attachment to these bnprescripii-je Rights by recent exj !< its of equal celebrity, in delivering his sentiments to the Convention he introduces the Rege- neration of .Morality in the rear of those inestimable benefit* which Mankind are to reap from the Revolution accomplished by his enlightened compatriots. The Additional Notes v. ill iurntsh the reader with a short trait of these sentiments, and shew moie par- ticularly the happy method which Trench Philosophers adopt of re- commending the ingenuity of their Speculations by the purity of tl .it practice. See No. 111. Additional Notes at the hud. TOPSY TURVY. I5 Ec elite's t retrogade worth Surpasses all praise or rehearsal, By scoundrels of ocean and earth Unrivall"d Poltroon universal ! All Jacobin Murderers own His precedence, and hail him " Tu Brute !" While Nearness in blood + to the throne Makes Regicide relative duty. f M. Egalite ci devant Due D'Orlcans, first Prince of the Blood Royal of France. 1 k:iov. no touch of Consanguinity. Troilus & Cressida. The gallantry displayed by this illustrious Patriot, when Due de Chartres, and comma.id'.ng the Third Division of the fleet with which D'Orvilliers engaged Admiral Kc vjel in July 1779, procured him the ironical appellation of" I.'Hi ros o'Our ssant." The most experienced calculators of his numerous negative merits, soon after he had attempted an Acri.d adventure in a Balloon with his usual intrepidity and success, commonly chara_.erized him in the following terms : ' IVitron par Pair, poftron par terre, roltron par mer, Escroc par tout." " Uniquement occupe tie mon devoir, &c. Je vote pour la Mort" (du Koi.) Egaiitl. Moniteur. Intent M.lelv on d : > barging my duly, &c. 1 give my vote for the death (of the King.) \ The Sear in blood, The nearer Bloody. MACBETH. All murders past do stand rxcuAl in This And th s, so sole and so urimatchahlc, Shall prove all deadly Llood>licd but a jest Exaiv.pled by Tins heinous si'lctacle. k. johx. l6 TOPSY TURVY. Thus You see in how striking a light True Merit we strive to exhibit, When our Senators sage we invite From the gallies, the forge, and the gibbet : And of equal desert we can boast Legislators, some hundreds or more, Who with reason, You'll own, rule the Roast, They were, half of 'em, Turnspits before *. * M. Isnard, for example, the son of a Cook; and M. Ruelle, a leading Member of the Convention, the quondam Administrator of Roast and Boiled in an obscure Eating-house near London, in whose hands there is reason to cxpeft that the Regenerated Constitution of France, which they have kept so long in Hot Water, must at length go to Pot. A Snice of the Science of Cookery appears to be an indispensable ingredient in the composition of illustrious Characters both ancient and modern. Homer, if we search his books, Will shew us that his Heroes all were Cooks, &C. K'ng's Art of Cookery, Isfc. C\r J iBU"RN the Sword of King Arthur, and the Sword of the renowned Pendragon, were as serviceable in the kitchen as in the field, if we may credit their poetical Histunan, John Grub, heretofore of Christ's Churcn, Oxford, v\ho ^ays of the last of these Worthies : " His Sword would serve for battle or for dinner if you please ; ' When it had slain a Cheshire Man t'would toast a Cheshire Cheese." The reformatio?!- Dagger of Hudibras seems to have been equally adroit and accommodating with the swords ct these Cambro-Britons, though of alar less sanguinary tender than the Daggers of Fiunch R^rORMEKS. It was a serviceable Dudgeon Eithei for h-Jitum or loi diiklging: TOPSY TURVY, If At your folly Mankind will exclaim If you share not the fruit of our labours, With the sparks of our Patriot-flame While we freely enlighten our Neighbours. From these sparks You may kindle a blaze, If fann'd by some notable fellows, And a orand conflagration You'll raise Let but Priestley and Paine blow the bellows. When it had stab'd, or broke a head, It would scrape trenchers, or chip bread; Toast cheese or bacon ; tho' it were To bait a Mouse-trap, 'twould not care. All will allow the valiant Champion, Guy of Warwick, to have been itque laurca Culina ac Martis insignitus, who have contem- plated his stupendous porridge tot in Warwick Castle ; and Col- brand, his gigantic Antagonist, must have been little inferior to h : m in the former respeft, since he is described by the above cited Poet, Grub, as advancing to the combat " Brim- full of Wrath and Cabbage" undoubtedly of his own cooking. Nor in an enumeration of i It-roes and Legislators will impartiality permit me to pass over in silence the late Bamblr Gascoigne, (cgregii guslus Sci.u:zr) indisputably the first Broiler of Sprats in Christendom. Vet it is evident, from the recent sam; les of State Cookerv which 7k cy have given us, that All must yield the Palm to the Conven- tional Cooks ; nay, I am confident that even our ov n justly cele- brated Cooks nj Colcbrooh, if thevare vet in being, will sui rvndcr with pleasure to the ArCHIMACIRI Gallici those Hero: \ titles under which themselves have figured in the Old Catch with >uch meritorious distincTon. 'lhcze wm Si.ici.-Cook, and Slash-Cook, &c. \ r\ l8 TOPSY TURVY. Even now is your Church undermin'd With Priestley's polemical nitre*. Which exploded, You'll presently find The Red Night Cap t take place of the Mitre. As sure as his regimen works, From Old Orthodox Leaven 'twill purge ye; And of Hebrews +, Dissenters and Turks, Make right Apostolical Clergy. * We are, as it were, laying Gunpowder, grain by grain, under the old Building of Error-end Superstition, which a single spark may hereafter inflame, so as to produce an instantaneous Explo.-ion, in consequence of which, That Edifice, the erection of which has been the work of Ages, may be overturned in a moment, and so eftVclually, as that the same foundation can never be built upon again. PKIESTLEY's Import, of Free Enquiry in Matters of Religion, f. ;o. I rejoice to see the warmih with v. Inch the cause of Orthodoxy, that is, long established Opinions however erroneous, and that of the Hierarchy, is now taken up by its friends; becai^e, if their system be not well founded, they arc only accelerating its destruction. In L.ct, thev are assisting Me in the proper disposal ot those trains of gun- poivder which have been some time accumulating, and at which they have taken so great an alarm, and which will certainly blow it up at length as suddenly, as unexpectedly, and a^ completely as the over- throw of the late aibitrary government in 1' ranee. Priestley. f The Cat of Liberty with which Fennel tells us (p. 25,) the devout Parisian Reformers have decorated the ima.es ot our Saviour in their Churches. It was brought into fashion by the Jacobin Club: a Red Thrum Cap "without Ears or Bells. Ste Preface to that ex. client Story, " Tin: Monkies IN R. r D Caps." Addressed to the Jacobins. Dcbrett, 1792. % I am told that the Sons of Jew- i ,1.1, c rs have been made !) : heps, persons not to be suspected of any Chri ,tian Superstition. Bt;- he. TOPSYTURVY. 1Q Strike the flint of his Heart on the steel Of Freedom; Lawn Sleeves be the tinder: Well brimstone your match with his zeal, And again make St. Pauls a huge cinder*: Rare news for the Shade of good Price."!"! With joy he will sing like a throstle: So let Perigord + post with advice. To exhilarate Freedom s Apostle . * Consumed formerly in the Fire of London. T How ought we then to be affected, who firmly believe that, in so short a space of time, (i. e. about fourteen or twenty years agree- ably to a previous accurate calculation,) we may see our deceased friend again, and be able to tell him, what he will be as eager to learn, how those things, about which he most interested himself, vent on afier his death ; and such is the ; rosj'ect now opening be- fore us, respecting the enlargement of civil and religious Liberty, that the longest liver will have the Best Neivs to cany him. Priestley' 1 ! Sermon on the Death of Dr. Pr'iee. % iVT. Tallzyrand-Pkrico: d, ancicn Kve\|ue d'Autun, who testified li s extraordinary ;.:; it 0.1 lor the Sacred Order, bv recom- mending the confiscation of the 1 report) of the trench Clergy; and who (after the reim.il if it!! the ar.tiuU Prcl.i'es, nut excepting the Arch-apostate oi Sen ) read l\ t horded his minijlry in consecrating the Nev\ Constitutional Bishw) .->. 'J he convent'on, v liicii he has lately dc erted, having no ianliei oica>:on 1< r h.s si. . ces ; ! ive ground, he cannot be better di>] o->cd ( 1 than in an mbaxs) a J Inferos, $ 'I he most August As^mbly in the World, L\ which 1 wish to be uni'ei t'oh 1 the Nati >nai Asskmiily of Franc/, havejustly styled him (Dr. Price) 77.; -i'j ule oj i'reeihm. Priestley* St man w the Death of Dr. Price, />. 3. 20 TOPSY TURVY. Then serve up a dish piping hot Of the Calves heads that govern the Nation; And, reviving Guy Faux 's old Plot, By Murder effect Reformation: Lords and Commons exalt to the skies, Taught by Friestley new flights of devotion. When Both Houses together shall rise, And each Member at once make a Motion, His Birmingham thunder shall 'wake Those blind Watchmen * your Bishops suffragan, And the pillars of Monarchy shake; Paine calls it the Temple of Dagon: Like a Sampson t he lustily strains To pull down that Pile Anti christian, Which shall tumble, and beat out the brains Of each Aristocratic Philistine. * His Watchmen are blind : they are all ignoran*-, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Isaiah lxvi. 10. A prophetic passage which charitable Dissenters aver to be typical of the Orthodox Tran- quillity of our Right Reverend Bench. f Sampson took, hold of the two middle pillars upon which the House stood And he bowed himself with all his might, and the House fell upon the Lords, &c. 'judges xvi 29, 30. TOPSY TURVY. 21 For instru&ion repair to Paine's School, And observe what a picture he '11 draw, Of a Brother of Mahomet's Mule, Call'd, " The Church as establish'd by Law*;* By the Hierarchy 'got on the State That with fishes and loaves loads his crupper, While Sectaries Squint at the bait, And get nothing but kicks for their supper. Nor believe the assertion that Those Who would level the Altar and Throne, Who all faith and allegiance oppose, No Religion can have of their own; For David dcscrib'd long ago Some Lambs of this very same Fold, Whose Religion was Rapine I trow, Since " their Idols were Silver and Goldf." * By engendering the Church with the State, a sort of Mule Ani- mal, capable only ok* destroying and not breeding up, is produced, called The Church established by I.uzv. It is a stranger, even from its birth, to any parent mother on which it is begotten, and whom in time it kicks out and destroys. Paine's Rights of Man t p. Si. f Psalm exxxv. ver. 15. C \ 22 TOPSY TURVY. Some say that with coin to supply us, The spoils of the Church we engross, And as for our Churchmen so pious, Neither Pile we have left them nor Cross*; But 'tis false. t The True Church we restore By our conjiscatorial process ; And her sons, like the Christians of Yore, We make them All take up their Crosses. * Whackum had neither Cross nor Pile, His plunder was not worth the while. Uudibras. Your Assembly tell the People that they have brought the Church to its primitive Condition. In one re/peel their declaration is undoubtedly true; for they have brought it to A state of Poverty and Persecution. Let. from Mr. Burke to Nat. As. 1791, p. 17. f To obviate the inconvenience resulting from the tedious forms of the Old Government, the regenerated Rulers of France, superior to all the narrow prejudices of humanity, have adopted a Summary: Procefs which at once evinces their paternal tenderness towards the subjects of their government, and, by a judicious disposal of their persons, effectually prevents all remonstrance against the equity of Democratical Legislation. Take the following instance from Fennel, page 457. " On the 19th of August, the Assembly, being informed that the Administrators of the Department Du Var, sitting at Toulon, (un- authorized by any existing laivj had transported their refractory priests, very warmly applauded the conduct of that department, and, upon a proposition of M. Cambon, instantly decreed that a 1.1, Eccle- siastics, who have never taken the Oath, or who, having taken it a have afterwards retracted, shall be transported." The operation ot the French Edcls resembles the operation of an Infallible Nostrum, whose learned Vender assured his patients: " Af- " ter swallowing One Box of my incomparable Pills, Nobody never * needs take No more of Nothing." TOPSY TURVY. 23 What! shall Prelates or Nobles forsooth In fine cloaths shew their insolent riches, And basely oppose Naked Truth By Philosophers taught without breeches*! No Let us of Raiment bereave All Aristocratical Sots, For our ancestors Adam and Eve Were, at first, like ourselves, Sans Culottes. Modern Legislators of France tell the people, to comfort them in the rags with which They have clothed them, that they are a Na- tion of Philosophers. Burke's Reflccl. $th Ed. p. 199. Whatever veneration maybe due to the Paraphernalia of the Anti- diluvians, i. e. Antidiluvian Breeches, (or this genuine acceptation of the word is sanctioned by our renowned T exicographer's elucida- tion : " Paraphernalia Goods in the Wife's disposal") Im- partiality must acknowledge Modern Breeches to be no other than the vitious Incumbrances of Aristocratical refinement, and the adop- tion of them altogether as preposterous as the unnatural affectation, so justly reprobated by a Noble Author, Lord Monboddo, of ]Valk~ ing on Tivo Legs instead of Four. Since the circumstances of French Philosophers have obliged them to discard these Vestments of Supererrogation together with all antiquated prejudices, what they have lost in florcntinc and fustian they have gained in Soldier: hip and Sagacity: for the most inveterate Antigallican will not venture to maintain, in their present circum- stances at least, that " the Heart of a Frenchman lies in his Breeches,'' 1 a position fundamentally false and paradoxical. And in admitting that the causes of their posterior Denudation have equally contributed to the di vli.op i.mpnt of their Genius wc are warranted by Sound Classical Authority: Jngenium res Adversac nudarj solent. Hoi: Sat* C 1 2 4 TOPSY TURVY.' But, no longer in Innocence dress'd*, When they courted the Figleaf s protection And green breeches put on, 'tis confess'd They were fall'n from their pristine perfection : Then survey Us so dauntless and bare, .. Nor dispute the perfection We claim Who rival The Primitive Pair, Unincumbered with Breeches or shamet*. Dr. Johnson has ungenerously endeavoured to -veil the naked Gracet tf French Philosophy by a most opprobrious illustration of the word Galligaskins : " Caligae Gallo-Vasconum," i. e. Breeches of the Antient Gascons. But this unheard of imputation must be ascribed to that philological perverseness which gives " Trousers" to the Erse instead of the congenial monosyllable to which they naturally belong (See Dictionary). Seneca has attempted to prove Breeches no impe- diments to prowess and manhood by using the word " Caliga" to express the condition of a common Soldier ; " Marius a Caliga ad Consulatum perductus est." But even these powerful authorities must yield to M. L'Abbe Spallanzani, who has demonstrated that Frogs, by which he means Frenchmen, (substituting, by learned licence, the Food for the Feeders, as Milton and Euripedes are said, by a Rt. Rev. Critic, to substitute Effects for Causes, and Tears for Cinders. See Note xvith signature (H) on the Words " Melodious "Tear," in Lycidas. Warton's Second Edit, of Milton s Poems. This accurate and humane Experimentalist, I repeat, has satisfactorily demonstrated that Frogs that is to say, Frog-eating Fr inch- men, when breech'd, tho' with but so slight a texture as waxed taffety, are thereby utterly disqualified for all vigorous exertion, and rendered totally incompetent to the grand purposes of life. See Spallanzani's erudite Dissertation on the Ghneration OF THL Gkn Frog. Diss. v. ii. p. 13. TOPSY TURVY. 2 5 IF our Counsel with scorn is repaid + We shall bring an old house o'er your ears At our bidding, to swallow your Trade All Europe shall send privateers : Tippoo-Sultan Your Factors shall dread, When back'd by French blades he shall fix a Huge price on each Englishman's head In Bengal, in Bahar, and Orixa. Galligaskins properly, Gaskins. See Shakespeare's Twelfth Wight, Act i. Sc. iv. " I am resolved on two points." " That if one break, the other will hold, " Or if both break your Gaskins fall." Leaving Dr. Johnson to fetch his small cloaths from Gascony or from Rumford if he chuses it, we shall pronounce Gaskin to be derived from the Saxon Gaskinnan erubcscere (that warlike people blushing to be seen with breeches as much as their descendants would blush to be seen without them) and not from the dorsal blushing of the Picts, who painted their posteriors with Red Oker. * This Robe of Innocence was not precisely of the same descrip- tion as That of which a certain Dutchess boasted in her well-known correspondence with S. Foote, who was malicious enough to insinuate that her Grace's Robe of Innocence might possibly be a little the worse for 'wear. \ And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. Gen. ii. 25. Tlie References to the above Notes are given in the preceding page. \ " If we consider," says that Mirrour of marine Oratory M. Kersain r to the Convention, (Seance Jannj. 1, 1793.) Ifweconsidcf the vast field this daring resolution opens on which to display C i the 26 topsY TURvr. Our ordinance launch'd on the Tagus # Shall ring a Republican peal, We'll make Lisbon one grand Sarcophagus And plunder the mines of Brazil. We '11 nip the Dutch Navy in Zealand t, On their demi-despotic J Stadholder Set the PATRiots, his guilders to steal, and The Head that looks over his shoulder. the courage and activity of our Seamen, if you fix your thoughts upon that multitude of vessels richly freighted which will be tire prey of your privateers, if in a Naval War, you call together those numerous and desperate Adventurers which are to be found in all nations of Europe, if you adopt them, and associate them in jour enterprizes, Sec." " We must attack Lisbon and the Brasils, and dispatch an Auxili- ary Army to lippoo Sultan." * " Portugal is absolutely incapable of defence : the Fleet, with which we shall penetrate the Tagus, after having exhausted the coun- try by contributions, after having destroyed the arsenals, must termi- nate its successes by first taking and then liberating Brazil." *< f If you push on the war in Zealand with vigour you will v':p In the bud the Naval Force of the Stadholder, and the patriotic party which, so long since, called you to its assistance, will, with your sup- port, easily prevent it from expanding into maturity." Kersaint. X Ce Demi despote qui vous tyrannise, Sec. Le Gen. Dumourier mux Bsta-jes. TOPSY TURVY. fj Batavia We next will attack*, And to Ceylon establish our claim: Fed on Spices wash'd down with Arrack, How fiercely French courage will flame ! Our Drawcansirs none shall escape, Fleets and armies we '11 fit out by dozens, Expel the Mynheers from the Cape, And fraternize our Hottentot Cousins f. * " An Expedition directed against the English East Indies, shall at the same time threaten the Establishments of Holland, the impor- tant Colony of the Cape of Good Hope, Batavia, Ceylon, Sec. &c. There yon will meet only with men enervated by Luxury, soft beings that will tremble before the Soldier of Liberty." Kersaint. Our great Orator is here a little mistaken in his conjecture, it be- ing well known that the Native Troops of India, under the com- mand of British Officers, have frequently encountered the bayonets of the French Grenadiers with uncommon firmness and intrepidity. f The French may reasonably claim affinity in Blood to a people with whom some of their most ingenious writers have taken consider- able pains to establish the closest affinity in Principle. M. Vaillanr, in his account of the Hottentots, rejects it as a most cruel indignity ottered to this brave people, to suppose them capable of having ar.y Religion. ** Would You desire better fellowship, Master Matthew i' r Beaumont & k'leteher* C 4 28 TOPSY TURVY. All Africa thence we '11 affright Scare lions with Morbleus ! and By-Gars I" And to France by Decrees re-unite , The Department o/Monkeys and Tigers*; Gregoire t we '11 make Pope of the Blacks, And teach Bruce, without garlic or onion, By Raw Cutlets + from murder'd men's backs. To enrich his Repasts Abyssinian, * "Ah! the Monsters! !'' exclaimed Candide : "What! arc a people, eternally capering and singing, the perpetrators of such Hokross ! Can I fly with too much precipitation a country where Apes inculcate ferocity to Tigers! (ou des Singes agacent des Tig res.) ' Voltaire's Candide. f M. L' Arbe Grtgoire, principal of the Society " Les Amis des Noirs, ' a most formidable adversary of the prejudices of his Or- der. See Characters at the End of Additional Notes. J A Cannibal people, devouring the dead bodies of their victims! A Brother, while dying, drenched with the blood of his flaughtered Brother! -Obsernjat. du Che-J. Bintinaye, p. 109. Debretr, 1791. For a particular detail of some of the horrid circumstances of French Cannibalism here alluded to, as well as of Mr. Brute's bloody Abyssinian Banquet, see No. IV. Additional Notes. Nos miranda quidem, sed nuper, Consule junio, Gesta super calidae refercmus maenia Copti ; Nos vulgi scelus, et cuncfis graviora cothurnis. Nam scelus, a Pyrrha quanquam omnia syrmata volvas, Nullus ap d tragicos populus facit. Accipe nostro DlRA QJJOD EXHMPLUM FERITAS PRODUXERIT XVO. Asp cimus populos quorum non sufhcit irae Occidisse alquem, sed plctoba, brachia, vultum Crediderint genus esse cici. Juv. Sat. 15* TOPSY TURVY. 2 In the Silks which Italians export Shall our shirtless Philosophers shine; While for Rome, that idolatrous Court Our new Priests have a tickler in brine: We '11 shew the poor fools, who confide in Infallible brains that are addle, Evangelic Democracy 'striding Superstition's old Catholic Saddle t. " The Republicks of Italy offer you maritime prizes, of which the lofs will fall on English Commerce, &c. klr saint. " Pontiff of the Romish Church, prince, as yet, of a state on the point of renouncing your control. You can no longer preserve both your State ami Church but by the disinterested profession of thofe Evangelical Principles that breathe the purest Demo. CRAC Y." Le Cons. Exec. Provis. au Prince E Vienna they would march to Vienna or to Death." Danton. Moniteur, Jan. 25, 1793. This is a very sublime Stroke of Oratory, but for the honour of Old England, we must acknowledge that it appears to be borrowed from a strenuous Antigallican English Poet: " All sciences a fasting Monsieur knows, And bid him go to Hell to Hell he goes." johnson. We mav fairly conclude that the Courage and Capacity of French Republicans will speedily attain their Ne plus ultra, of perfection ; their growth and expansion having been found to keep pace, in an in- verse ratio of progression, with the tenuity of their diet. Their Health also must be wonderfully improved. Sublata morbi Causa tollhur Effeclus : Liberty and Famine having shook hands in France, they must be entirely free from the grand cause of disease, Indigestion. " Our Food has disappeared in proportion as our Liberty bat extended." St. Just. Moniteur, Dec. i, i:ya. TOPSY TURVY. 31 That the good of Mankind We 've in view Our extreme moderation denotes : Then French Tenets embrace, or, Morbleu I We '11 invade you and cut all your throats*. In the teeth of the Tower of London Hurl the Head of your KiNGt in defiance, His Beef-eaters knock ev'ry one down, And enfranchise Hyzenas and Lions J. * We will make a descent on England. We will lodge there fifty thousand Caps of Liberty. We will plant there the sacred Tree. The tyranny of their government shall soon be destroyed. Letter of the Minister of the Marine Monitcur, Jan. 20, 1793. Our fishing vessels are always ready to transport thither one hun- dred thousand French, for by This Expedition we muft terminate the quarrel, and ;'/ is upon the Ruins of the Toxuer of London that you must sign with the English people, undeceived, the Treaty which shall regulate the destiny of Nations, and shall found the Liberty of the World. kersaint. The Reader is desired to notice an Observation on these quotations from M. Kersaint's Speech. See No. V. Additional Xotcs. f They threaten you with Kings! You have thrown them your Gauntlett: That Gauntlett is the Head of a King: it is the signal of their approaching death. dan ion. Stance du 31 Jan--v. Monitcur, Feb. 1. X These Oppressed Animals have an indisputable claim to the Fra- ternity of the Parisian Philosophers, a claim admitted not long sir.ee by the Exhibitor of a Tiger which he li; b y the Rev. John Milner, F. S. A. Chaplain to the English Catholicks in that City. The honors of the 10th of August 1792 are also said to have been aggravated by acts of Cannibalism. In the St. James's Chronicle a very particular account was given of some facts of tliis kind, which the Author declared to have been within his own positive knowledge. Many other assassinations, in different parts of France, are said to have been accompanied with similar circum stnecs of savage atrocity ; and direct evidence can be adduced of some particulars, equally or perhaps still more shocking, which decency will not sutler to be mentioned. To the foregoing Details I shall subjoin Mr. Bruce's Nar- rative of Abyssinians banquetting upon a living Ox ; termed by that Writer " Part of tin History of a Barbarous Peo- ple". As such I conceive it may be admitted by way of Under plot, or humble A ' :nt, of the Relations which precede it; and will serve to shew what infinite imnrovement African Barbarity might derive from the practice of the Philosophical Savages of France, who have so generously undertaken to <; regulate the destiny of Nations, and emancipate tiie World from ail moral and religious Pre- judices as well as Despotism. D 4 ' ; A long 44 ADDITIONAL NOTES. " A long table is set in the middle of a large room and benches beside it for a number of guests who are invited. Tables and benches the Portuguese introduced amongst them but bull hides spread upon the ground served thorn before, as they do in the camp and country now. A Cow or Bull, one or more, as the company is numerous, is brought close to the door and his feet strongly tied. The skin that hangs down under his chin and throat, which I think we call the dew-lap in England, is cut only so deep as to arrive at the fat, of which it totally consists, and by the separation of a few small blood- vessels, six or seven drops of blood onlv fall upon the ground. They have no stone, bench, or altar, upon which these cruel assassins lay the animal's head in this opera- tion. I should beg his pardon indeed for calling him an Assassin, as he is not so merciful as to aim at the life, but, on the contrary, to keep the beast alive till he be totally eat up. Having satisfied the Mosaical Law, according to his concep- tion, by pouring these six or seven drops upon the ground, two or more of them fall to work. On the back of the beast, and on each side of the spine, they cut skin deep ; then, putting their fingers between the flesh and the skin, they begin to strip the hide of the animal, half way down his ribs, and so on to the buttock, cutting the skin wherever it hinders them commodiously to strip the poor animal bare. All the flesh on the buttock-* is then cut off, and in solid, square pieces, without bone, or much effusion of blood; and the prodigious noise the animal imikes, is a signal for thecompanv to sit down to table. There are then laid before every guest, instead of plates, round cakes, if I may so call them, about twice as big as a pan-cake, and something thicker and tougher. It is un- leavened bread, of a sourish taste, far from being disagree- able, and very easily digcsled : made of a grain caiied Tcti. It ADDITIONAL N O T E S . 45 It is of different colours, from black to the colour of the whitest wheat bread. Three or four of these cakes are gene- rally put uppermost, for the food of the person opposite to whose seat they arc placed. Beneath these are four or five of ordinary bread, and of a blackish kind ; these serve the mas- ter to wipe his fingers upon, and afterwards the servant for bread to his dinner. Two or three servants then come, each with a square piece of beef in their bare hands, laying it upon the cakes of Teff, placed like dishes down the table, without cloth or anv thing bene.-.th them. By this time the guests have knives in their hands, and the men have the large crooked ones, which they put to all kinds of uses during the time of war. The women have small clasped knives, such as the worst of the kind made at Birmingham, sold for a penny each. The company are so ranged that one man sits between two women; the man with his long knife cuts a thin piece, which would be thought a good beef-steak in England, while you see the motion of the fibres yet perfectly distinct and alive in the flesh. No man in Abyssinia, of any fashion whatever, feeds himself, or touches his own meat. The women take the steak and cut it lengthways like strings, about the thickness of your little finger, then crossways into square pieces, some- thing smaller than dice. This they lay upon a piece of the TefF-bread, strongly powdered with black pepper, or Cayenne pepper, and fossile salt ; they then wrap it up in the Teff- bread like a cartridge. In the mean time, the man. having put up his knife, with each hand resting upon his neighbour's knee, his bodv stoop- ing, his head low anil forward, and mouth open very like an idiot, turns to the one whose cartridge is first ready, who stufls the whole into his month, which is so full that he is in constant danger of being choked. This is a 'nark oj grandeur. The 46 ADDITIONAL NOTES. The greater the man would seem to be, the larger piece he takes in his mo'th : and the mote noise he makes in chewing it, the more polite he is thought to be. They have indeed a prove] b that says, " Beggars and Thieves only cat small pieces, or without making a noise." Having dispatched this morsel, which he docs very expeditiously, his next female ne ghbour h .Ids forth another cartridge, which goes the same way, and so on. till he is satisfied. He never drinks till he has finished his eating, and before he hegins, in gratitude to the fair ones that fed him, he makes up two small rolls of the same kind and form; each of his neighbours opens her mouth at the same time, while with each hand he puts their portion into their mouth. lie then falls to drinking out of a large handsome horn; the ladies eat till they arc satisfied, and then all drink together. i ' Vive la Jo\ e ct la Jeuncsse!'' A great deal of mirth and joke goes ground, very seldom with any mixture of acrimony or ill humour. All this time the unfortunate victim at the door is bleed- ing indeed, b it bleeding little. As long as they can cut off the flesh from Ids hones they do net meddle with the thighs, or the parts where the great arteries arc ; at last they fall upon the thighs likewise, and, soon after, the animal, bleeding to death, becomes so tough, that the Cannibals who have the rest of it to eat, find very hard work to separate the flesh from the bones, with their teeth, like dogs." Bruce's Travels, vol, iii.pa^e 301, Sec, No. V. ADDITIONAL NOTES. 47 No. V. KERSAINTs SPEECH. The Notes signed <{ Kersaint" are extracted from the Translation of that Officer's memorable Speech lately published by Ridgway : but it has been found necessary to correct, them by a faithful collation with the Original Speech, as given in the Moniteur or Gazzette Nationale. In the last of these Extracts, where the Orator talks of the Treaty to be signed with this Country, the publisher has prudently forborn to give any intimation of the place whereon it is to be signed; "5r/wRuiNES(fe^TouR de Londres;" as well as to notice the significant epithet {i detrompe," (the English of both which expressions are distinguished by Italicks in the Extract alluded to) for fear, it is presumed, of wounding the patriotic sensibility of his Anglo-Jacobin Readeks. No. VI. HOTTENTOTS, APES, AND ATHEISTS. The Work of M. Vaillant referred to in the Notes of page 27, has been reviewed by the learned M. de la Meiherie and the other ingenious conductors of the ,: Journal Physique." Of Their very curious Comment, upon M. Vaillant's in- teresting information, together with the text, I shall subjoin a faithful translation, as it affords additional proof of" the ge- neral prevalence of Atheistical Fanaticism, which al- though Mr. Sheridan thinks it :; a ddicate w.'j.J." has been openly 4 3 A D D I T- 1 V A L K O T i i . openly avowed and triumphantly vaunted at various times, and on various occasions by many persons of Republican Eminence besides Mr. Jacob Dupont in his celebrated speech before quoted in page 13. " The Author (M. Vaillant) has refuted all that Kolbe has advanced respecting their Religion, &c." " I have not perceived among this people (the Gonaquois ii Hottentots) any trace of Religion, any thing which ap- *' proaches even towards the idea of a Being who shall pu- " nish and reward. I have lived a considerable time with * : them, I have been domesticated with the.-n in the bosom " of their peaceable deserts I have in the company of these " brave people made excursions into very remote regions. " In no part of them have I met with any thing which has * : a resemblance to Religion." vaillant. Here we have a grand problem, in the history of the hu- man race, resolved. It has long been pretended that no human society could subsist without religion ; that they who would endeavour to obliterate every religious idea were no other than the most perverse of men. The Gonaquois have no idea of religion, and yet they are the gentlest people upon the earth, and most rigidly observe all the laws of humanity ; they arc well-disposed, humane, hospitable, generous ; their lips enlivened with smiles and gaiety are cxpress-ve of the constant happiness which they enjov. Such is Alan as he comes from the hands of Nature he scabs onlv to supply Ins wants. These charming climates of the Torrid Zone which are his native countrv as well as That of ail n rm n [pedes of Apes (son frays natal, comme celzi d& touie; la autres especes dt singis, Sec.) might furnifh him abundantly with every thing that is necessary Why should lie be more vicious (plus mechantj than the Apes themselves? Why, in order to he happy and to live in society, should hi huvc cvy more c < < ADDITIONAL NOTES.' 49 . for Religion than they ? M. Vaillant depiftures every in- stant the happiness he enjoyed in these peaceable retreats, and continually regrets the charming^moments which he has passed there. Oh! how infinitely prefer tblc are these pure pleasures of Nature to those which we seek to substitute for them in the social state /" Le Metherie, Journal de Physique Page 453. December 1789. TRAITS OF FRENCH CHARACTERS. For the accommodation of such Readers as will not be at the trouble of exploring the recent productions of French Writers it may not be unseasonable to subjoin a few striking traits of different personages who are indebted for their ce- lebrity, or, more properly for their notoriety, to the French Revolution. They may be reasonably allowed to bring up the rear of those Worthies, of whom the preceding Stanzas have faintly attempted to touch upon the birth, pa- rentage, education, life, character, and behaviour, &'c. Hap- py the liard who shall celebrate the last Dying Speech and Con- fession of the whole illustrious Groupe ! ! The Extracts are principally taken from " Le Veritable Portrait dc nos Legislateu rs, a Paris, 1722." The just title of these Legislators to the compliments here paid them few will be inclined to dispute, and certainly no one who lias the slightest acquaintance with the original publication, that publication yielding the strongest internal testimony of tlic Democratic Principles of the \V liter, evidently a staunch friend and advocate of the On 1. fan-, party, who professes to have bee;;, himself, an Actor in the (J rand Scene which lie de- scribes, and ready to make oath of the veracity of his asser- tions. See Lc Vintabk Pvrirui.', &>.p, 2. ^O ADDITIONAL NOTES, LA FAYETTE. La Fayettf. is tall, thin, and well proportioned, with light hair inclining to reel, his eyes wandering and gloomy have a sinister character, while his mouth, artificially opened, smiles on all the world : las speech is not inharmonious, but slow, and seems to be always afraid of betraying his thoughts. La Fayette, a Despot in his own family, and accessible to those only who were entirely devoted to him, assumed, amidst the popular assemblies, a tone of modesty and an air of precision carried almost to absurdity. Ever cap in hand to the multitude, although surrounded with a numerous company of Adics-de-Camp, the vulgar were grossly duped by this contrast of pride and meanness, which could not but excite the contempt of men of sense and reflection. Always preceded or followed by his emissaries who strained their voices till they were hoarse with the exclamation, " Vive La Fayette !" The mob reiterated the cry by instinft. The General bowed with condescention, and returned home with the satisfaction of believing himself adore'. " Lt Veritable. Portrait de nos Legislat." p. 42. If Fa Fayette had been endowed by Nature with any rcc- ot heart, or compass of Understanding, lie would have endeavoured, from the very fust, to have moderated and con- trouled the furious progress of insurrection ; bur, on the con- trary, he excites, he precipitates, lie ]et>tihes it : what shall I say! II;. sanctim: .^ 11' in pronouncing witii emphasis this maxim, which will be his condemnation: " Insurrec- tion IS THE MOST SACKED OF DUTIES." , I' IllSUrrCCliOTl CSt h Plus saint des devoirs. J Peltier, " Tableau dc Paris 1 ' Xo. 1, Appendix, p. 5. 1 lis ADDITIONAL NOTES. 5 1 He grows daily more abjecl in his adulation towards th people; with his voice and his pen he thus addresses even the common porters of Paris: " To execute your orders, " to die, if obedience to your wills demand it; such is the " sacred duty of Him whom You have condescended to name " your Commandant General." So abjccl is the language of this Eldest Son of Liberty who hath overthrown a Court for the privilege of creeping in the Streets [qui n'a renverse une Cour que pour ramper dans les rues). Ibid page g. V ABBE S YE YES. A profound Metaphysician, naturally endowed with the capability of a&ing the principal part in the New Organiza- tion of the French Government, the Abbe Sycyes was almost an useless Member of the National Assembly. After the night of the Fourth of August, the Epoch of the Abolition of Ecclesiastical Privileges and Tithes, the Abbe Sycyes proved in a most unphilosophical and extrava- gant discourse, that Interest is the Primum Mobile of Man- kind. The Abbe Syeycs, seated in the Committee of the Consti- tution, has by no means answered the expectation of his Col- leagues and of the Publick. This man, morose in disposition, bigottcd to his own opinions, could never accord with his Coadjutors, and appeared to abandon his party. All the produce which the Assembiv has reaped from his talents was a detestable discourse on the Liberty of the Press, and the Plan of a Decree worthy of a Sartinc and a Lenoir. Le Veritab. Portrait. B A ILLY. ADDITIONAL NOTES, BAILLY. It is astonishing that we should have scarcely any thing to say of a man who, in the next degree to La Fayette, has shared all the honours of the Revolution, and who was in- debted to chance alone for the first place of trust, the Mayoralty of Paris, as a recompcncc indicative of that estimation he little merited. From the time when he was honoured with the first presi- dency of the Three Orders united, the Great Man has disap- peared, and we have seen, in the Mayor of Paris, nothing more than the passive Tool of La Fayette, of a corrupt Mu- nicipality, and of all the Ministerial Cabals. Lt Veritable Portrait, p. 54. VOL KEY. If the Nation bestows a recompence on Individuals, in proportion to the Means which they possess of serving her, Volncy deserved her rccomnence : but if she bestows a re- compence proportionate to the real service which Men of Talents render her, Volney ou^hl to refund all that lie lias: received. Lc Veritable Portrait, p. 75. BARN AVE. Tins young man, in the next degree to Mirabeau, occu- pied the public attention during the session ol the Consti- tuent Assembly. He has been represented with two faces. For my pait I have never remarked any other other expres- kion ADDITIONAL NOTES. gj sion in his countenance than that which was occasioned by the circumstances of the times, accordingly as those circum- stances operated on his Self-love, the sole principle of his ac- tions'. Barnave will never possess any real talent ; his heart is Cold, his discourse prolix, abounding with tautology, amplifi- cations, adverbs, which, appearing to be accumulated in every phrase, only for the purpose of affording the protrac- tion necessary to a sluggish imagination, sufficiently prove that Barnave is no better than the retailer and amplifier of the sentiments of another, and formed to the business of in- trigue by a crafty cabal, who have possessed themselves of him from the very commencement of his political career, and will never again relinquish their instrument. CHAP ELI ER. This Counsellor of Britanny, known at Rennes for a Busybody, had shaken oiF the dust of his shoes against his country before he quitted it A man of talents, a good Logician, but corrupt, and born with all the vices of that description of persons which was lately styled " Good Company." Chapelier had too much un- derstanding not to perceive that, in the great Scene which was opening on the publick, Men of Artifice and Intrigue would play the principal part ? He therefore distinguished him- self by a direct opposition to the Court, in order afterwards to make Kith that very Court terms more advantageous to his own interests. Le Veritable Portrait. p. 8j. ROBESPIERRE. 54 ADDITIONAL NOTES. ROBESPIERRE. General of the Sans Culottes, Enemy of all Sove- reignty, intrepid defender of the rights of the people, Robes- pierre wanted only natural consequence, Eloquence d la Danton, and something less of presumption and obstinacy. This man, nurtured with the Morality of Rousseau, has had the courage to form himself upon his model. He pos- sessed his austere principles and manners; his savage cha- racter and unaccommodating spirit ; lie had not indeed his ta- lents, but Robespterre was, nevertheless, no ordinary man. Le Veritable. Portrait, p. 107. RABAUD DE SAINT-ETIENNE. In the infancy of the Revolution, Rabaud wished to dis- tingu.fh himself, and succeeded; some premeditated and set discourses, well drawn up, procured him success; but from the moment in which Men of great talents came forward, Rabaud was silent. In this he shewed his discernment. He is not deficient in understanding, nor even Oratorical talent, but he has little pretensions to character. His publica- tions respecting the National Gendarmery, and the organiza- tion of the National Guard, are destitute of common sense: he should have confined him--elf to objects that were familiar to him, and not have been so conceited as to a ; m at every thing. Th'S is a failing common indeed to men of merit, but muck more so to blfkheads. and posterity, which views things only in their eilects, makes no distinct 'on between them. Le rental). Portrait, p. 152. I' ABBE ADDITIONAL NOTE6, 55 V ABBE GREGOIRE. Originally Cure of Embermen.il near Nancy, at present Bishop of Blois by the election of the people, the Abbe Gre- goire in the assembly of the clergy, was the most strenuous combatant against the prejudices of his Order. He seemed wil- ling to give one sigh to the abolition of the Ecclesiastical Tithes, but this momentary weakness was speedily atoned for. Le Veritab. Portrait, p. 118. ALEXANDER LAMETH. Of all those vile instruments of Despotism who are deno- minated Couitiers, perhaps the most artful, the most traiterous, the most hateful was Alexander Lameth. It was at the very moment in which the Queen had con- ferred accumulated obligations on his family, that he coolly deliberated on the means of subverting the throne of his Be- nefactress. Enveloped for a long time in the most profound policy, possessed of too much address to discover himself openly in the commencement of a Revolution to which he was afraid to trust, but of which he secretly directed the springs, it was not until he had rendered himself the chief, and in effect the despot of the Military Committee, that he gave the reins to his ambition. A very indifferent Orator, but a refined Politician, his forte consisted in sowing dissention among different parties, in embroiling them with each other, in order to manage them afterwards at his pleasure. The enemy of all domination, lie would himself be the only despot. For a considerable time he governed the Jaco- bins under the mask of Patiiotism. Le Veritab. Portrait, p. 87. E 2 T ALLEY- 66 ADDITIONAL NOTES. TALLEYRAN D-PERIGORD. ANCIEN EVEQUE d'aUTUN. His country owes to this Prelate a particular acknowledg- ment on account of his condul respecting the sale of National Property, and the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. He has dared to take his stand between the Church and the People, at a time when the Revolution was not established, and uu conduct has fixed the wavering measures of those, who, although well-wishers to the interests of the publick, were afraid of venturing too far. We were in want of Bishops of the old establishment for the purpose of consecrating our Constitutional Bishops ; all the French Prelates, even the Archbishop of Sens, had re- fused their assistance. He (Perigord) has cut the Gordian Knot, and has afforded his Ministry for this purpose. After these signal services, What has France to do with his Gam- bling, his Pleasures, his pretended Stock-jobbing? Lc Veritable Portrait, p. 145. This noble Ecclesiastic cannot like many others be justly ac- cused of ingratitude to his Royal Master, as it is well known, that he was advanced to the Prelacy much against the incli- nation of that unfortunate Monarch, his promotion being extorted by the urgent and importunate entreaty of a dying father, as appears from the following account by the Che v. Bintinaye. " Who could dare undertake the apology of the Bishop of Autun, the name or sight of whom is sufficient to convey an idea of the most abjeft turpitude and the blackest per- verseness ; Him } of whom the deceased Mirabeau asserted, ADBITIONAL NOTES, 57 " For lucre he would sell his soul, and he would be in the right, for " it would be exchanging Ordure for Gold. We can however exculpate him from the charge of having purchased his Bishoprick. Every body knows that the King had resolved never to make him a Bishop, and that the royal resolution yielded to the prayers of a valued and dying fa- ther, who had been^deceived by his hypocritical promises of reformation. Obs. du Chev. Bintinaye. Pages 73, 74. M. CONDORCET. fronte politus. Astutam vapido servus sub peclore, vulpem. Persius, Sat. 5. The place of Secretary to the French Academy before it belonged to M. Condorcet, was held by M. Granjean de Fonchy, a respe&able character, in the decline of life, and in moderate circumstances. A person of learning and opulence, deceased, had be- queathed a sum of money to the Secretary of the Acadcmv, besides a pension of 1200 livres, as an augmentation of the salary of his office. Of this bequest M. Condorcet and some of his very intimate friends had the earliest intelligence, while the party concerned, was wholly ignorant of the matter. Under these circumstances a treaty was entered into and very expeditiously concluded with M. De Fonchv, for the purchase of his place, which he resigned to M. Condorcet, who possessed himself of the bequest and pension, and who graces at this hour, the post which lie acquired with so much ingenuousness and liberality. He had a principal share in bringing to Paris the Assassins who were dispatched from hence to murder his pupil and beiicfaclor, the Due de Rochfoucalt. E 3 BR1SS0T. 58 ADDITIONAL NOTES. BRISSOT Was known before the Revolution, by the name of Brissot de Warvillc. He was the confident of La Mottc, who was executed in this country as a spy. He so frequently mistook his Neighbour's pockets for his own, as to occasion the pro- verbial application of the the word Brissoteur, to a Pick- pocket. Flower of the Jacobins. M. Brssot was, a few years fmce, well known to some of the Police Officers of this country as a pick-pocket '. but upon their endeavouring to obtahi a more intimate acquaintance with him, he withdrew to France, &c. Fennel, p. 430. ARCHBISHOP OF SEXS. The Archbishop of Toulouse, who became Archbishop of Sens, Cardinal of the name of Lomenie, afterwards Apos- tate, afterwards Nothing the most rapacious, and at the same time the most incapable Minister that ever existed. It is a circumstance unprecedented in all countries of the globe, even in Constantinople, that, in so short an administra- tion, one man should ha ,- e monopolized so many favours, should have accumulated so much wealth, and given su many proofs of fully aid. immo >; i:v. Note in Va?e 27 of La Fie de Louis XI 1. par M. de Limon. Wuh the advancement of the Archbidiop of Toulouse, afterward Arc 'bishop of S: ns, to the Ministry, commenced the misfortun :sof Fiance, &c. Page 71). It was under his administration that Lettres dc Cachet re- sumed their empire. Page 80. It ADDITIONAL NOTES* (jQ, It was under his administration that people began to talk of doubling the numbers of the Third Estate, and of confound- ing the orders of the States General. Page 86. The Archbishop of Sens imagined that One Sole Assem- bly, whose deliberations were decided by the votes of indi- viduals, and which was balanced by no counterpoise of au- thority, would be the sport of his intrigues ana the prey of corruption. He exprfted to establish despotism upon the ruins of the pillars of the Throne. The patriots in their turn, have pardoned his excesses, as a recompence for his zeal against the L ? y. the Nobility, and the Parliament; and the the tyrant of 1788 is returned 111 peace to France, since the period of the Revolotion. lie has t. ken the oath of Apostates, and is become the favourite of Demo- crats. It must also be observe i, that miny first-rate patriots of the Assembly, had been the supporters of his administra- tion. Many arc known for such. ..s Tor ft. Goupel, Ker- Velegan. Champeaux, &c. Others who were not known, were deterred from attacking him, lor fear he should deve- lope their real principles. To demonstrate to all the world that truthof which I myself have evident perception- 'hat tin- An idrshop of Sens is the primary and principal Author vi the I of France it would perhaps be necessary to dilate considerably, to assem- ble and collect a multitude of particular fc.cts which should unmask his secret i n t r 1 ^ .es. But this trouble may lie spare I I 1 the month of March 1 790, he has dared to buast, in I . mids' of ';i.-,o en Catnedral, in the face of a numerous audience A uil jith : : v n I now rt- ; >e an words which the Pope has made use of in speak- ing of tins l'\. , E 4 Vix 60 ADDITIONAL NOTES.' u Vix enim Cardinalis, exul atque extorris a solo patrio, inchoa* turn crescentemque vidit GalUcani Convtntus opera illam rerum con version em, quam nobiscum ignorabant omncs per eum ip sum. mimsterii sui tempore, desicnatam et paratam fuisse, nulla mora interpositd se contulit ad ecclesiim suam cathedralem Senonenscm j ibiqut, mense Martio anni 1790, veritus minime est sermon em coram omnibus habere, et nov am rerum immutatio- MEM PLUR1MA LAUDE CUMULARE, eo USqUC Ut ddem COtl- dendx se aliis incitamento fuisse gloriatus sit." Observations du Chev. Bintinaye. Pages 87, 88, SAINT M IRA BEAU. CANONIZED AND U N C A N O N I Z E D . Mirabeau was, through life, the most unmoral of men. A bad son an execrable husband .1 brutal lover an impe- rious master: His character sometimes loose, sometimes se- vere ; had in it no fixed principle of action. Le Veritable Portrait, p. 1 2. Mirabeau, in the space of one ye.r, paid debts to a vast amount, made purchases of land, of moveables, of a very valuable library; he lived in great state, even Ins pleasures although not of a refined, were of a very expensive sort; and ;:s he neglected no kind of trick to gam popularity, he distributed alms in abundance without being either humane or de- vout. From what source could He derive Ins uruhoug'it of Opulence ! fie who, prosecuted by his Creditors for the >pace cf eighteen months, commenced his political career by swind- ling -|B.coo livies from La Favette. Tnis honourable exploit cl the Cheat Mirabeau is detailed in the Note at the bot- tom of page 17, as follows ; La Fayettr, A.BDITIONAL NOTES, 6l La Fayette, not content with having enlistee! in his pay an army of spies and mercenaries, to applaud him wherever he should appear in public, wished also to purchase Mirabeau. Well acquainted with his necessitous circumstances, he made him an offer of 24.000 livres. Eight days were employed in concluding the bargain. During this interval La Fayette's trusty friend, Talon, procured the money, and tendered it, in the General's name, to Mirabeau, Talon himself being igno- rant that a banker had already engaged to advance the sum ; Mirabeau lost no time, gave Talon the meeting at seven o'clock, and having taken the money, he stepped into his carriage, and driving off with expedition, received a consi- deration of equal amount from the banker. This little vo- luntary jnistake was reft ficd at the expence of the Civil List, which re-established cordiality between the several par- tics. Page 17. M. EGALITE. Here you have the implacable Mover of all the insurrec- tions, of all the calamities which have devastated r r:c. When the whole Universe denounce and condemn nun, shall I, bv an unmanly silence, suffer the Assassin of my So- vereign to reap the fruit of his crimes in peace? No. My grief shall he indulged without restraint, since Ms hatred was without pity. Ah! of what import is it tomcat this moment that Providence, to terrify mankind, distinguished his b : rth hy its proximity to the Throne ! lie who poniards my Master, is no Member of his Family. Here the blood of the lio ubons forfeits every title to regard. Ori eans falling fro-)' one abyss of guilt to another is self-sentenced, is self-degraded, lie was willing 62 ADDITIONAL NOTES. willing to level himself with Ruffians that he might be in- titled to command them. He has descended from that rank. in which Chance had mis-placed him. Me has not abjured his name he has resumed it his birth was evidently an er- ror of Nature; an error which she wdl eternally tegret. Unnatural Son, he could never pardon the virtues oi his Fa- ther: Barbarous Husband he tyrannized over the purest virtue, over a mind of the most elevated stamp ; he hhhself was not ashamed to denounce to the Convention this unfor- tunate Princess, whose only error was her esteem for him. A Father, the corruptor of his Children the Execut.oner of his Posterity, he saenfi. ed to the projects of his hatred the very existence oi his descendants. A Prince, the enemv to theTnrone: a Gentleman, tie destroyer of the Nobility: A Citizen, he overwhelmed his native land with ruin, he sold his Country and its powerful Master, and made the Laws subservient to his interest. In each several relation of Sub- ject, Friend, Parent, and Husband, treacherous and peifi- dious. :o consummate h:s infamy, nothing remained for him to perpetrate but the biucherv of his Sovereign, his Father, his pjenetaftor. Dishonour to thy name Scourge of my country all Nature revolts against thee The Universe no. longer yields th.ee an asylum. Dread \ our Accomplices, dread the remorse of vour own conscience, dread a people whom you have abused. Man- kind put sue you, and Eternal Justice impends over you. La Vie de Louis XVI, par M. de Limon. Pages 55. j6. The following Extrafl from Christies Letters on the Revolution of France i^ given verbatim, (those tri/tin? varia- tions excepted which were necessary in order to make it English) and is part of the "Addrlsse alx Provinces," which had ADDITIONAL NOTES. 63 / had a very considerable circulation in France. It contains some striking traits of character, which, although they appear to excite the patriotic indignation of the let- ter writer, who is pleased to consider them as a sufficient incitement to, and vindication of Massacre, yet as they con- vey facts uncontroverted to this hour, I shall not hesi- tate to insert them as a postcript to the preceding chapter of Republican Worthies. * I shall give you a specimen of the manner in which some of the principal Members of the Assembly were characte- rized in the famous Addresse aux Provinces, ou examen des operations de 1' Assemble e Nationale.' " Whom, I ask, have you chosen as Your Representatives Whom but a paltry Robespierre, who was never known at Arras but by Ins ingratitude to the Bishop, to whom he was indebted for his education. " A Mirabeau, escaped from the Gallows, but not from in- famy, and whose very name is become an abomination. " A Prince, who was never known anion': \ ou but by his gluttonv, his love of money, and his indirlcrcnce to the opi- nion of the public. " A Pcthion de Villeneuve, in whom you have never been able to distinguish anything but the confidence of folly, and who (a vile instrument of factious mei ) resembles the Criers of a fair, stationed at the doors of theatres to make a noise whilst the farce goes on within. " A Barnavc, an insolent, ignorant coxcomb, in whom ta- lents supply the room of principle and morality, in a word, what one calls a Droll. ' An Abbe Sicyes. whom vou have seen dishonour himself at the Assembly of Orleans, and who, after having tried in vain every method of making his fortune, is come to con- found all conditions, in order that lie may rob and plunder amidst the disorders, " A La 64 ADDITIONAL NOTES. u A La Bordf, rich by m?ans of Fortv Millions stolen from the state, the financier of the Archbishop of Sens, and then the most faithful supporter of despotism ; but who after hav- ing enriched himself with the slaughter of the unfortunate, wishes (for his own sakc^ the destruction of those ranks into which his Wealth alone could not procure his elevation. *'" A Gouy d' Airy, who has not been able to escape con- tempt even in THIS VILE ASSEMBLY." Christie's Letters on the Rev. of France, p. 132. Upon the circulation of this libel Mr. Christie founds his justification of the Sanguinary French RevolutionSuch are the abominable Truths to be answered only by the Dagger. ADDITIONAL NOTES. 65 COUP DE GRACE, OR GRACE FOR THE GRACELESS. As I have begun this little Work with an Address to the As- sociation at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, Impartiality in- duces me to conclude it with a short Suggestion to another Society under the same Roof. The Friends to the Freedom of the Press, have lately determined to persevere in eating and drinking, and to make free with their own Constitutions, as well as the Con- stitution of their Country. The question was carried against the dissent of a single member, Mr. Noel Edv/ards, whose qualms of conscience on this occasion may probably save him many more serious qualms. This proceeding of the Society, it must be confessed, is not exactly conformable to the rule of St. Paul, who rather than a weak Brother should perish, declares, that he rvould eat no flesh while the World stand- tlh. However as they have not yet pubhckly resolved to establish true freedom of thinking and writing, by tr.e sup- pression of that false, scandalous, and malicious Libel on French Politicks and Philosophy, commonly called The Bible, it is probable, they may be contented for the present to pass for Christians : I beg leave therefore to hint to them the propriety and decency of prefacing their future dinner* with A GRACE. There is an Old Form so admirablv suited to their views, that I trust they will think me entitled to Ilonourj'.ie Men- tion in their Proces Verbal, for pointing it out to their Notice. It is the Form which was used by Mr. Erskine's Noble and Royal Ancestors, when (according to his brother, Lord BuchanJ they made Porridge Pots of their Helmets, and Ladles of their 65 ADDITIONAL NOTES, their Basket-hiked Swords. And as that learned Gentleman's ancestors are, next to himself, the principal objetts of his thoughts, I am certain it must gratify him beyond any thing except' his own reports of his own speeches. Indeed it cannot fail to give a patriotic edge to the appetite of his worthy compatriots, the noble friend of Brissot, and other brilliant Northern Lights of the Society, to whose ears it must come peculiarly recommended from the friendly lips of their Chaplain, the Reverend John Horne Tooke. " Lord ! turn the World upside down, that Chris- tians MAY MAKE BREAD OF IT !" Pennant's Hebrides, p. 399. BOOKS PRINTED FOR J. ANDERSON, No. -62, H0LB0RN-H1LL. TheWorks of the English Poets, with Prefaces Biographi- cal and Critical, by Samuel Johnson. A New Edition, with Portraits, 75 vols. The Works of Dr. Samuel Johnson, with an Essay on his Life and Genius, by Arthur Murphy, Esq. 12 vols. Murphy's Essay on the Life and Genius of Dr. Johnson, sold separate. Dr. Doddridge's Family Expositor; or a Paraphrase and Version of the New Testament: Witn a Practical Improve- ment of each Section. The Seventh Edition. To vv.iich is prefixed a Life of the Author, by Dr. KiPPia, and an ele- gant Portrait by Heath. Aiso Dr. Doddridge's other Works. Milton's Paradise Lost, illustrated witn Notes fiom Scrip- ture. By John Gillies, D. D. Dr. Watts's Logick. A New Edition, price 3s. Boards. Cheselden's Anatomy of the Human Body. The Thir* teenth Edition, with 40 Copp; rpk.tes. Ol whom nny also he had, A GENERAL AS.vJii FAh,N V of the best ENGLISH CLAoSlCKS, in Plain and Elegant Bindings. ijji, j rg MEMOIR OF THE LIFE OF R. B. SHERIDAN, Esq. A MEMOIR OP THE LIFE OF R. B. SHERIDAN, Esq; WITH A CONCISE CRITIQUE UPON THE NEW TRAJEDY ENTITLED P I Z A R R O. JLonnon : PRINTED FOR J. PARSONS, PATERNOSTER-ROW. *799- I -T , ll --= 3=g R. B. SHERIDAN, Efq. PERHAPS no fmgle objecl: of biography ever prcfented itfelf poffefiing fo many claims to admiration and attention as Mr. She- i RIDAN. Very few indeed, have singly that energy of mind, that vigour of intellect, to which every thing gives Way, which by its own efforts, without any facrifice of time or pleafure, has fmoothed the road to fame, rectified the in- justice of cuftom in the distribution of wealth and honors, and afferted its own irrefiftible claim to pre-eminence. Nature has been al~ moft uniformly a niggard io mankind in her deftribution of fuptnor talents; profufe in uftful mediocrity, which ferves all the common pur- pofes of life, file is very parfimonious in dis- playing the admirable fublimity of cental grcat- a nefs', like the dazzling comet, tranfendent genius blazes but feldom on the world, we are not often' aftonished by its brilliant irradiations; it is rather venerated like afhes in an urn than valued as an exifting gem detraction will not let it live. For three generations the family of Sheridan have been confpicuous in the annals of celebrity. His grandfather was the intimate friend and favourite of Swift, the companion of his leifure, the depofitary of his confidence, and the imitator of his wit; his father was the corrector of the Englifh accent, the guide of foreigners in the attainment of our language, and univerfally acknowledged the beft declaimer of Englifh in his day; he was a confiderable time manager- of the Dublin theatre, which the animofity of party compelled him to quit, but in London, both as an actor and a public lecturer, he found emolument and fame. The mother of Mr. Sheridan had alfo con- fiderable literary reputation, derived from fome plays, novels, and other works, which poflefs great merit. 3 Mr. Richard Brinfley Sheridan was born on the paffage from Dublin to Holyhead, about the year 1750. He was educated at Harrow. The matter of fuch a fcholar might from hence alone be called of note, but he needed no circumftantial recommendations, he was Dr. Sumner, whofe claflic reading, equal, to that of ' any of his cotempories, was exceeded only by his tafte, and whofe colloquial powers were yet better than either; as elegant as Heathy as ingenuous and almoft as liberal, he was more ftrenuous and enterprifing, fearched better into character, and knew better how to command it; with the diligence of the Weftminfter Smith, he combined the hilarity of the Eton Bernard. With fuch a mafter, and fo feconded as by ,Parr, now of fuch fame for eloquence and latinity, what 'was not to be expected? and what was not done? the prefent narrative is to fay, they Jc ho oled Mr. Sheridan. Some of the fined openings in this extraor* dinary character may be retraced fo far back as that timej he had then the enlightening power b 3 4 of fuperior. fenfe, a generous difdain of all that was felfifh and petty, he feemed better than moft boys to meafure his ftrength, and know how to accomplilh his defires. In his fchopl exercifes his- Latin verfes, very properly from the infignificance of the purfuit, were the worft; his Englifh profe, as properly to be cherifhed for its importance, was the. belt; but none of thofe exercifes are now remembered a and on the whole, though he had then the credit of genius, he was dij credited by the negligent ufe of it; he could have done any thing he would, but, would have done nothing if he could. It is odd enough, and in a time of omens, it had been deemed aufpicious, that his laft effort at fchool was a public fpeech, and to the Senate too; what Shakefpear has fet down to Anthony; this was much celebrated at the time. Here too it is remarked by a school- fellow, now at the writers' elbow, that he was always fond of acting plays, and ever bufy in managing the preparations, fcenery. Sec. for their performance. 5 When he left fchool, his predicament was full of peril; his father's chief fupport was that moderate allowance which literature^ ever be- friended by Lord Bute, had got him from the crown; he was unable to fend his fon to college, or indeed to fupport him fufficiently out of it.* The world was before him with all that woeful width of drearinefs, when in all before him, a man can fee nothing he can call his own, what therefore was to be done ?t but what he could do * Mr. Sheridan's father introduced him at Bath with a view to afliftance in his readings, where the following {lory is told of him; the father, knowing the fon 's excellence at decla- mation, had.caufed his name to be inferted in the advertise- ment of his own reading; the youth mortified at this fuppofed degradation of education and character, went to the printer, and menaced him with chaftifement, if he mould ever again. make free with his name, and the printer remembering the wholefome advice of the old adage, in propria pellc quit/a- t omitted it, and to this circumftatice is imputed the fubfequent mifundcrftanding between him and his father: this an- at lead ferves to fhew Mr. Sheridan's fpirit, and the opinion he entertained of himfelf. + Complaints of the flow rewards of eminent endowment have been frequent, long and pathetic ; reams of paper have been moiHencd by the wailings of neglecled literary abilities : L for himfelf ! all intellectual advance feemed hope- iefs moral failing, was too probably not a little to- be fearedall unhappy tendencies bore hard upon him from without, that they were encountered was his lot, that they were overcome is to the ever- lafting fame of all rare energies within! his vigor of argument or reply I ihafl produce and exult (fays an elegant writer,) while I produce the member for Stafford, who after furmounting the obftacles of unpleafing form, narrow fortune, peculiar paternal fituatlon, mitufterial frowns, and unpopular, but I truft and believe a.miftaken opinion of his principles, has attained a pre-eminence which enables him to meet on even ground, the proud poffeflbrs of hereditary honor and wealth ; while to crown his triumphs, foothe his forrows, gild the ftorms, and fhare the funfhine of life, heaven blefled his love with ope who united harmony with fentiment, and foftnefs with good fenfe ; wit, worth, and beauty (hall long lament the early death of this amiable woman, to whom Mr. Sheridan did not know how much he was indebted, till deprived of her interefting fociety ; without this friend, companion, counfellor, and guide, I am perfuaded he never would have overtaken or retained the favorite objects of his purfuits, in literature, connection, and ambition. The following lines were once juftly applied to Mrs. Sheridan's influence on her hufband. Hope breathed forth thefe fafcirating fouads, Friendfhip and honor foon fhall heal his wounds ; The voice of nuptial love reforms his plan, And moderation forms the future masu and capacity mud have had many hard trials ^his fenfe of refponfibility and confcious druggie for uprightnefs, mult have gone through very many more ! Talents fuch as, his can never be in want lite- rary amufement and inftruction are in fuch demand that he who can furnifh either, with fuperiority^ may be fure by daily labour to eat his daily bread. What might have been the expedients in this cafe are eafily to be imagined; that they were at times ingenious, neea not be doubted. I fliall affirm alfo they were fair"; for if any one of them had happened not to have been fo, who would not have heard it every where bruited abroad? The ruffian without a name, too ab- ject to write, and too timorous, had fold the tale to pamper his hunger, or told it, to glut his malignity. No fuch thing with gallantry that no obftacle could divert, with honor that was never ltained, and with activity that nothing could tire; he forced HIMSELF UP BY HONEST ARTS, not eilOUgh Valued, becaufe not enough known. Probably with*nuch honorable felf-denial in piivate ? but with no dimi- 8 fcution of the expedient mew, and gratifying a&s of a gentleman ! With fcarcely enough for himfelf, he found means to fpare not a little for others, un- afked and without any claim for afking, but dif- alter that was blamelefs he gave poor Davies, the bookfeller fhould become an ceconoinift for the nation. 11 Nothing occurred remarkable till his comedy of the RIVALS, when his unforced withdrawing of the play after the firft night Ihewed a facrifice of probable proSt to fame, that a flerted his men- tal bravery on one fide, as much as his affair with Mr. Matthews proved his perfonal courage on the other. Initiated into the notice of the world as a dra- matilt at a very early period, he even then foared far beyond every competitor; his dialogue pof- felfes all the wit of Congreve, the eafe of Vanbrughi and the flrength of Wycherley. His Characters are drawn in the deep and discriminating ftyle of jfohnfon. His fables have the molt moral and wholefome fatyrical tendency ; nor is there in his whole writings, one Tingle obfcene expreffion or double entendre, to tinge the cheek of modefty with a blufh ! how few men of genius are there who can boalt this enviable excellence ! but his fancy being a rich inexhauftible golden mine, he had no occalion to dcbafe it by fuch grofs alloy. Stick a little progreflivc biographical hiftory is peculiar to old England, a country favourable above a!l others to adventurers of genius. Did he poilefs the wand of Midas, or the Lamp of Aladin, or had he attained the long fought fecret of the Pbilo/i- fhersjlonet what could he have effected more than he has done ? C a With the firft receipts from that comedy^ he went to Wilkie in St. Paul's Church-yard, and bought a fet of law-books, with a determination, which h^ might eafily have kept, of being fecond to no man in Weftminfter-hall. Wy cher ley has obferved, that Littleton and the Mufes cannot refide in the fame head, it can- not therefore be a matter of furprize, that Mr. Sheridan, who was paflionately addicted to the lat- ter, mould cultivate but little intimacy with the Former; his proficiency in the ftudy of the law, was fo inadequate to the expectation formed from the vigor of his mind, and ftrength of understand- ing, that in time he was induced to confider the purfuit as defperate, and give up the ftudy ; fimi- lar failures in men, who have afterwards been ce- lebrated for the brilliancy and eminence of their talents, have produced in the vain and in the idle, an opinion that the ftudy of the law is degrading to a man of genius or lively imagination, but in this they err grievoufly; that fome men, under the impulfe of particular genius, have been difcouraged, at the drudgery, of which dulnefs is capable,, and have fled affrighted from the neceffary introduc- tory ftudy required to form an able Lawyer, we are ready to admit; amongil thefe we hear of l 3 Congreve, Cclman, Sheridan, and fome others ; but we hear nothing of the numbers whom indo- lence, incapacity* involution, and the vanity of following fuch great examples, ,have led to a fimt- lar defertion, whom obfcurity and penury have taught to lament their error. In fat the man who abandons the purfuit of a profeffion he has once elected, takes upon himfelf a moft dange- rous refponfibility ; if the event be not extremely favourable both to his fame and fortune, he incurs the cenfure of all the world, and can hardly efcape the flings of felf reproach. What fame followed Mr. Sheridan's other works, and how that fame fecured him in the Patent, is too well known to be repeated. Of true celebrity, on the gratification *of wit, and the triumph of virtue, who has had more ? who pan help envying him the bejl verfes of the time, and the moft intellectual comedy* in exiftence t * The plan of the School for Scandal, however is evidently borrowed from Fielding's celebrated novel of Tom Jones Charles and Jofiph Surface) are Tom Jones and Blifietd, with the varnifb. of modern manners. Mr. Sheridan, faid a lady, is a fool if he pays a bill, (of which, by the bye, he is not accufed) of one of the tradefmen, who receives his comedy with fuch thunders pfapplaufe ; he ought to tell them in the words of Charles, that he could never make jvfiice^ keep pace ivith his generofitj, and they could have no right to complain ; however fevcre the It is a prouder boaft, but not lefs ftri&ly true, that hijhory lies in wait for his speech, as the inoft tranfcendant effort any hijlory can call its own ! Yet after all, what are words when there are deeds ? who has done more where fo little was to be ex- pected? who has been fo praife-worthy, under circumftances fo dreadfully conducive to blame ? never, it is well known, with more money than wit, and always with lefs ceconomy than either, his is the Jingular praife of refufing twice, three thoufand pounds a year. In the firft inftance, when he, with unexampled refinement, deemed his wifes accomplifhments farcafm may appear, the inference is juft ; our author has In a mafterly manner blown up and expofed the covered ways, the mines and countermines of hypocrify, cant, felfim planfibility, and cunning; but I fear he has put to flight, at leaft out of coun- tenance, a due attention to the common duties of life, decent de- portment, purity of manners, and regularity of conduct ; in a word, or rather his own words, he has damned fentiment, and brought into difcredit and fufpicion that appearance of morality and ferioufnefs, which has been pronounced the foil for every virtue, and which however at times, ii may have ferved to dif- giife the bafe purpofes of fraud hnd duplicity, was the nurfe of religion, and in a thoufand inftances, highly fcrviccable to. the i-itcreits and convenience of fociety. r* *3 in ait too precious to be fold, and in the fecond, when true to principle and party, he difmifled with difdain the fuggeftion of felling himfelf! Mr, Sheridan is equally the favourite of nature and accident. His birth is nolle ! for he was born of people who had talents. His accomplijkmeiits are more ennobling, for he owes them chiefly to himfelf. Other people know what it is to feel magnani- mity; he has been enabled moft enviably tojkew it. When is good fortune fo enviable as when it can be changed for fomething better? what is better here better even than the friendship of Mr. Fox the admiration of them who know how to admire, and the praife of the praife-worthy, is the felf-depending blifs infpires the whole fpirit of man, where he finds he has fame, and feels he deferves it. Men of great genius feel confeious, that what- ever their attention can attral, their minds can embrace ; no purfuit in life, however difficult can deter them when excited by ambition, when i6 Simulated by emulation. Thofe grofler fouls that crawl up like the toad, into a niche in the temple of fame by long perfeverance, and the moft painful plodding, they foon outftrip. Their career is rapid, aftonifhing and fuccefsful; the million wonder at their fwiftnefs; their fuperi6fs in birth and fortune are amazed at their progrefs; in vain they attempt to trace their courfe ; in vain they fearch to find the period at which they were left behind; the genius Hill purfues his flights like the voyager in air, while the dullard remains fixed belowj difconcerted by the greatnefs of his daring, and difheartened from purfuing the fame path, by the immenfity of his diftance. When Thalia had yielded our genius all her charms, when even the neglefted and ridiculed Melpomene was panting to embrace her agreeable traducer, he unkindly deferted the one, and avoided the other. Satiated' with fuch eafy conquefts, he afpired to objects much more fplendid, though per- haps not more folid ; his defertion was^lamented by all the lovers of the Drama, and his new pur- fuit fneered at by the envious and near-fighted. They did not confider that the man who could tread the moft difficult path of genius wkh eafe, grace and dignity, was completely qualified to walk *7 in an inferior path, only more dignified: by the noble fplendor of the company. To the fagacity of Mr. Fox, we are indebted for Mr. Sheridan's introduction into political life. On Mr. Sheridan's entrance into Parliament, he had many obftacles to furmount, many points of knowledge to acquire; but the quicknefs of his comprehenfion, the acutenefs of his penetra- tiOnj and the depth of his understanding, joined to tKe never ceafing ardour of his mind, foon over- came every difficulty. His maiden orations breathed modefty and diffidence, but precifion and point; when once or twice perfonaHy attacked, however, he chaftifed the ill-mannered petulants by the mofi keen retorts; the hoarfe ridicule of the majority was their punifhment. There are a fet of human curs in fociety that growl and fnap, like houfe-dogs at every gueft, as if all but them- felves and their partizans were only intruders. Gf this fpccies was his Grace of Grafton, when Lord Thurlow took his feat in the houfe of Peers; his Lordfhip did not wound the Duke with more well-timed feverity than Mr. Sheridan wounded his afiailants; the only difference was in the mode of handling the weapon ; Lord Thurlow knocked D 8 his Grace down with the butt-end of his whip, Mr. Sheridan excoriated the Premier with the feather of the lafh. In Mr. Sheridan's rapid acquirement of politi- cal knowledge, he wanted thofe favourable family aids, which ripened Mr. Fox, Mr. Pitt, and the late Lord Lyttleton, into Statefmen, almoft by the time they reached maturity. Genius, judgment, attention, recollection, and perfeve- rance, he certainly commanded; although he pof- feffed not their early information, which nearly equalled intuition; how eafily is knowledge ob- tained, when the mind is green, when opportunity and defire are great, and when the manners are fcholaftic ? If youth be gifted with all the political wifdom of age, it muft be generally through the medium of fuch great mentors as a Chatham, a Hol- land or a Lyttleton ; Mr. Sheridan is a rare and and wonderful exception he {lands alone. Mr. Sheridan foon proved his luperiority in parliament, where he difplayed without embar- raflment thofe talents which have raifed his re- putation to the higheft pitch; equally expert at a regular charge, or an unpremeditated reply, he rendered himfelf terrible to the opponents of *9 his colleagues, by that vigor -of mind, extent of information, and brilliancy of eloquence and wit, which penetrated their concealed views, expofed their fallacies, and by unexpected flames and retorts overwhelmed them with confufion, and expofed them to the derifion, not only of the houfe but of the public* The Shelburne administration was foon obliged to give way to the great abilities by which it was oppofed. * The Angular felicity of Mr. Sheridan's allufion to the character of Kastril, in the Alchymist, in reply to an obfervation of Mr. Pitt, in which he illiberally alluded to his dramatic efforts, is an eminent inftance of the cauftic feverity of his manner, and in the probationary odes for the Laureat- fhip, Lord Thurlow is made much in charader to exclaim- " Damn Sheridan's wit, " The terror of Pitt, &c." In the attack and the defence the angry boy exhibited the moll imbecile inferiority of genius ; he fubitituted fpleen for irony, verbofity for argument, and fcurrility for wit; the houfe fmiled at his defeat, becaufe he moft wantonly and unpro- vokedly began the affault ; he has fince however, always tacitly acknowledged his overthrow, by evading all perfonalities againft his conqueror; this mews the utility of correction, and his docility to amendment, while it has added to the laurels of the victor, has improved the politenefs of the vanquiihed. D 2 20 Mr. Sheridan, in April, 1793s was promoted to be fecrctary to the treasury, under the Duke of Portland, but in this fituation he had little opportunity of difplaying his abilities, except in defence of Mr. Fox's celebrated India Bill. From this time Mr. Sheridan has been doomed to labor in the unprofitable field of oppofition^ in which he has been conftant and indefatigable. The progrefs of bis life/ from henceforward^ is marked only by the exertion of his talents in parliament. In the feffion of 1785 he made feveral happy fpeeches, particularly on Mr. Pitt's tax on per- fumery, and on the celebrated Irijli propofitions ; the former is no lefs remarkable for the brilliancy of its wit and poignancy of its terms, than the latter for its depth, folidity and force of argu- ment. The following year he brought forward a motion on the fubject of finance, in which he difplayed the union of mathematical precifion and rhetorical elegance, almoft without a parallel. 21 But all the fame he had hitherto acquired was as nothing in comparifon with the very celebrated fpeech he made in parliament in 1787, when he opened the third article of the impeach- ment againft Mr. Haftings, on the fubjecl of the punifhment inflicted by him on the princeffes of Oude, for rebellion; the duration of this fpeech was five hours and three quarters, in it were exhibited all the oratorical efforts the human mind is capable of fuggefting; its pathos drew tears even from thofe inclined to fcreert the fuppofed delinquent from trial; its energy- invaded every breaft, and conjured up every fenfation the orator wifhed to excite; its happy turns of wit gave rejief to its more folemn parts, and calmed the minds of the too power* fully agitated hearers; it produced ttfofe enlight- ened plaudits which refult from fatisfa&ion, con- veyed to the minds of the intelligent. To give adequate praife to this admirable fpeech demands talents little inferior to thofe of the man who pronounced it; its general effect was to produce convi&ion and co-operation in a party who before had determined to negative the impeachment, and to extort from the Houfe a tumultuous ap- plaufe, never before witneffed within the wallj of the Britifh Senate. 22 The event of this impeachment is now generally known, but ill fucceis can reflect no difcredit on the talents exerted in fupport of it; the de- ficiency of fuch evidence as would be deemed legal, could in no wife be forefeen, the decided fanu'on given to the party arraigned, and the difcountenance constantly (hewn to the managers of the impeachment, during its progrefs, by feveral of the- judges, though perhaps in fome degree confident with the merciful fpirit of the law of this country, were obftacles the managers were not, nor could be prepared to furmount; all that induilry and talents, both without parallel, could do, they did. The fpeech of Mr. Sheridan, which lafted upwards of three days, and com- prized all the beauties of which oratory is capable, will never ceafe to be regarded as one of the raoft fplendid efforts of Britifh eloquence- and the impeachment, in fpite of all infinuations to the contrary, demonflrates not only the ability but the integrity of the managers : the event per- haps is as honorable to the Lords, as the conduct of it to Mr. Sheridan and his colleagues, as it demonflrates that palflon or prejudice could never get the better of found judgment and fober refleflion; and that eloquence, almoft fupcrna- tural, could not influence them to forget th nature, qualifies with a Jlight fliadc of Caflilian generofity. In him^ and in Elvira we find the vices and virtues of the European world, ^nely contrafled with the mild, the brave, the jufl difpofitions of the inhabitants of the Ncy 40 World i thus mutually deriving ftrength from comparifon, intereft from variety, and force from a religious adherence to the faithful records of hiftory, in the true fpfjrit of which they are drawn. The conftru&ion of the fable, and the com- bination of thefe characters, fome of which, (par- ticularly Roll a and Elvira>) lay claim to novelty, are diftinguiftied by a general, not how- 's. ever an univerfal exercife of happy ingenuity. The dialogue is too prolix, and .a judicious compreffure is much wanted. y The firft fcene opens with a vew of the Spanifh camp, and Elvira fleeping Valverdc, (Pizarro's fecretary,) kneeling by her, and after waking her, the dialogue between them, is tedious and unin- terefting. Part of this fcene is taken up with an ineffec- tual appeal of Las Cafas^ to the humanity of his countrymen, which is alfo very long and very tedious. 4* The bufinefs on the ftage is frequently languid) and the machinery ill-condu6ted. Rollaj having obtained means to fee Alonzo for a few moments, inftead of flying to him, makes a long foliloquy, in which he introduces a long fimile. Elvira enters with a view to mitigate Alonzo to the murder of Pizarro and finding Rolla in his ftead, defires him to do it, which how- ever he nobly declines, but awakes Pizarro, and makes him fenfible of his fituation, when Elvira enters, and proclaims herfelf the inftigation of the intended affaffination. The fcene that enfues. is highly interefting and animated but when Pizarro calls his guards, and fhe is taken away to be tortured, Rolla makes no refinance, no effort to fave her, although he had fo ftrong a claim upon Pizarro's generofity, and although Elvira had a claim upon his juftice, and his generofity as a man. This is not only ungallant, but unna- tural. The fentiments are derived from the very bofom of domeftic and public duties the tender and 42 pathetic fcenes are finely wrought up from the conjugal and parental virtues; thofe of fublimer caft, from the energies of a free, brave and gene- rous people, fighting for liberty, againft opprcf- fion they are laid in nature, and as fuch, are as applicable to the prefent day as the age for which they are written ; and here the author draws from the pure fountain of nature, without fceming to direcl it's courfe. The juftice, truth and beauty of the fcene, where the Peruvian prifoner is interrogated by Pizarro, are fo confpicuous, and the whole fo highly finifhed, that for the firft three acls, we evidently perceive the author referving hisftrength for fome great occafion accordingly, in the fourth a6l, the interefl burjls upon the audience, in the tender forrow of Cora, followed up by a variety of fcenes, vying with each other in force and pathos, viz. c; In the pvifon fecne* where the generous CJ Rolla devotes himfelfto fave Alonzo. In " that where his magnanimity difdains the alfaf- 43 m fination of Pizarro and finally, where his " heroic fpirit refcues the child of his friend, at C the expence of his life all which pleafe by the * truth and beauty of the incidents, and the pro- c; priety and merit of the fentiments with which u they are embellifhed." The morality of this play is of the pureft kind, and the ftage is in this inftance, as it ever ought to be, fubfervient to the purpofes of truth and honor. It expofes to indignation and abhorrence the favage cruelty of Europeans, inflamed with the luft of gold, and the fury of conqueft, and at the fame time excites the pity and iffterefts of huma- nity, in favor of an innocent, peaceable and vir- tuous people. If any part of this tragedy can be exclujively called Mr. Sheridan's, it is the language, which appears to be faultlefs; it is that of nature attired by the graces, in true exprcfiion, with all the beauties of polifhed ftilc and claflic purity. FINIS. CURSORY REMARKS ON BREAD AND COALS. cft[ can rationally controvert or dispute. Whence can this general calamity arise ? In a great 1 great measure, from the wrong or abusive execution of the Poor Laws. These laws, in themselves, are wise, salutary and fully competent to the purposes for which they were humanely designed, the relief and comfort of all those whom age, debility, or sickness might disqualify for acquiring subsistence by their labor. The abuses and injudicious man- agement of these beneficent laws, have been, for a long series of years past, a subject of frequent ani- madversion and complaint. But the worst and most lamentable consideration is, that a continued perseverance in bad habits and erroneous systems, acquires such strength, by time, as to become almost irresistable. And, as matters are now generally conducted, with respect to the poor laws, there are but little hopes of seeing them carried into execution with more beneficial effects ; unless government should be induced to take the manage- ment of the Poor Rates into their own hands. Then, indeed, reasonable expectations might be entertained of the removal and extinction of a variety of abuses. Many and very considerable advantages might surely be derived from the pru- B 2 dent 8 dent and judicious disposal of upwards of three millions sterling annual revenue- Such is the amount of the prodigious sums collected from the public, every year, under the denomination of Poor Rates. Great as this sum certainly is, if thereto be added the various sums collected annually, for other extensive establishments, by regular public and private societies, a very con- siderable increase must appear, and, if properly applied, would prove a great additional source of comforts to the distressed part of the nation. What a fund of relief, might be derived from the many donations and bequests, amounting, in lands and other property, to three or four hundred thousand pounds annual revenue, left to charitable institutions, in which great abuses are known to exist ! These revenues, under proper economical regulations, might be so managed as to nearly double the benefits intended by the benevolent donors. A multiplicity of other objects to the support and relief of the State, might be found, by careful investigation ; not to mention the various and rich estates, in the possession of many of our Corpo- 9 Corporations. Among other objects of enquiry, it may not be amiss for Government to examine into the actual state of the affairs of Chancery, with respect to the decrees of that Court. It is probable that there will be found considerable pro- perty pending there, and that has been pending there, for many years, unattainable by claimant or defendant, and more still that may remain in sus- pence, for a much longer term of years. In the mean while, I see no reason why Government should not, for public benefit, avail itself of those Sums, until a final nWrppof the. Chancery has de- termined the rightful owner. How far this may be practicable I pretend not to assert ; but this much may be safely averred, that no injury nor danger to the interests of the lawful proprietor can arise, from Government taking the Property into their own hands, when the Nation is made respon- sible for the immediate payment of the same to whatever person the Property may be adjudged. Abuses, with respect to Donations, are so general, that the experience of every individual, of the least observation, must suggest the remembrance of one or 10 or other of them. In matters of importance, as well as in others of a trifling nature, this reproach and censure will be found just. Even the Badge and Coat, of the value of Ten Pounds, left by the Will of Dogget, for the generous purpose of animating the exertions of our Watermen, (that class of men so useful and so essential, as a nursery for the support of our Navy, the great bulwark of England), has not escaped censure. It is gener- ally said, that this coat and badge, which, accord- ing to the laudable and patriotic intentions of the Worthy donor, chould bo equal to the value of ten pounds, are really worth little more than four pounds. Similar abuses may be found, upon en- quiry, in numberless other foundations* Leaving these hints to the improvement of others f better capacity, and more influence and leisure, I proceed to offer some observations on other Subjects. The necessary provisions of life arc generally abundant, in this country j and our mines of coals are 11 arc inexhaustible. With all the advantages of these plenteous blessings Providence has so kindly- deigned to bestow, the people, however, are, but too frequently, in a state nearly bordering on starv- ation. Why so ? From no other source, alas ! does this dreadful calamity flow, but from the mere want or negligence of common foresight and prudence on the part of the Public. The proper application of these, might, at all times, secure u against the attacks or even menaces of want. In Holland, the scanty and wretched soil pro- duces little for the food and subsistence of man, excepting milk, butter, and cheese; and turf is the only fuel of that country, where fire is so much wanting to the comforts ot the inhabitants, under so dreary and rigorous a climate. The people there, however, are sufficiently supplied with the necessary articles of life, though the whole of that country, by the utmost exertions of the most in- dustrious labor and incessant cultivation, is not adequate to the production of bread-corn, sufficient ior its numerous inhabitants. How is the defici- ency II ency remedied ? By the frugality and temperance of the people, in making no waste, and by the care and foresight of Government, in providing a timely supply from other countries, for the wants of their own. There, bread, flesh-meat, fish, and vegeta- bles, though heavily taxed, are dealt out to the Public, at a certain and moderate price. All these articles, so necessary to the subsistence of man, are placed under the management and direction of the Police of the country, and are brought to a fair and open market. The support of the Dutch Govern- ment is derived from taxation on the necessaries of life, as luxuries could afford but little or none, among a people so frugal and parsimonious, as t scarcely know luxury but by name. With us, however, the case is widely different. With us luxuries abound and overflow. What can afford a more just and ample field for censure, in this regard, than the extravagant and shameful waste, hourly visible, in the consumption of flesh- meat ? This waste alone has added considerably to the high price which that very essential article now *3 row bears : and, if that provident body of people, the Quakers, had not happily discovered the method of extracting a nutritious mess from the offals of meat, thousands in this country would never have had the means of tasting it. Yet all who are thoroughly acquainted with the produce of this Island, as to the article of flesh-meat, upon a fair and candid consideration of every circum- stance, with due remembrance of the various substitutes derivable from our fisheries, orchards, gardens, and fields, must readily allow, that there is but little fear of any want of supply in that respect ; especially when no voluntary waste is incurred. If such be our security, with a little provident attention, against any deficiency of flesh- meat, how far greater our certainty of cfependence for an ample supply of coals, at all times, if we are not wanting to ourselves in the neglect of that plenty, with which Providence has blessed us, in our inexhaustible mines ? We have, however, seen the Metropolis, last winter, suffering the most grievous distress, under a scarcity of fuel ; and though a seasonable caution was then suggested, C t> H to the Public, in what manner to guard against a* similar calamity, yet, strange as it may appear, it is lamentably true, that during the present winter, we have laboured, and still labour, under the like distresses, as no steps were taken to prevent it. The caution offered to the public, was, that Government should be solicited to take the carry- ing of the Coal -Trade into their hands, and con- tract tor the shipping tor that purpose; committing the conduct and execution of the business to the able management of the Transport-service. A Duty of Tonnage on the Shipping was then pro- posed to be levied on the Coal-Merchant ; or so much per chaldron duty, upon the delivery of the coals ; by these means the market might be supplied with a certain quantity of coals ; the Public enabled to purchase them at a moderate and regular price : whereas now, by the irregular arrival at Port, of the Ships in the Coal-Trade, the Merchant too frequently has it in his power to impose what p ice he pleases, on the commodity, and the Public is often served at an exorbitant rate. *5 Hie Colliers, last summer, were employed ia the service of Government, to transpoit our army into Holland ; the consequence was, an immediate rise of Ten Shillings per chaldron, in the price of coals ; and Government, at the same time, must have paid dearly for the hire of these Trans- ports, on such an emergency. Had the Shipping- Colliers, however, been, at that time, under the management of the Transport-service, Govern- ment, most assuredly, would have been served at much less expence to the Nation ; and a tax of ten shillings last summer, and of twenty, nay even of thirty shillings in the winter, had been saved to the Poor. It the Imposition of so heavy a Tax is to be submitted to, by the Public, merely to pass into the pockets of individuals, why may not the Government be allowed to avail itself of a duty so profitable, by taking the carriage of the Coal Trade, into its own immediate hands, when in possession of the Shipping? A still greater advant- age, perhaps, might be obtained, it the Coal Duties were modified, imposed, and collected differently from what they now are ; and the Public, at the same time derive considerable benefit from the alteration. i6 Again, it must, upon reflection, appear very ex- traordinary, that the Metropolis should be charge, able with an additional Duty upon Goals, passing from Newcastle, through the Thames ; and that all other Rivers of the Kingdom should be in, dulged with an exemption from similar duties. Coal-Mines being inexhaustible, the only pre- caution necessary is, to provide Shipping for bringing the Coals regularly to market, and to take care that they pass through as lew hands as possi- ble, before they reach the consumer. The markets being thus furnished with a regular supply, every District or Parish, throughout the Kingdom, would then enjoy a never failing opportunity of supply- ing themselves with a sufficient quantity of fuel, at a regular and moderate price. But in order to afford effectual relief to the poorer classes of people, in so essential an article to their comforts, it will be highly and indeed absolutely necessarv to establish Magazines, in different quarters, whence Coals may be delivered to the poor, at the lowest rate possible ; now, alas ! they suffer great *7 great and painful hardships, by paying exhorbitantly for a very scanty supply of coals, inferior in quality and less in quantity than the rich, by passing through so many hands before they can purchase them. The coal-fa&or, lighterman, coal-merchant, coal- dealer, and coal-retailer, all find means to reap a profit, from the exigencies of the public, and the pinching wants of the poor. Such additional du- ties have been imposed, in annual succession, upon, many of the exifling taxes, of so much per cent, that time must at length efFeft a diminution, instead of an increase, in the amount of them ; so that the Minister may be aptly compared to the man lop- ping the branch on which he is seated. A Bill was brought into Parliament, some years ago, by the late Lord Mulgrave ; the object of the bill was to prevent notorious abuses in the ship- ping ol coals, in the river Tyne ; but these goo4 intentions of the noble mover were unhappily frus- trated by the rejection of the bill. If government should at length take the (hipping under its own direction and management, these abuses might be likewise, i8 likewise corrected. If the hand of a bountiful Providence had not recently interposed lor the pro- tection and preservation of the numerous and poorer inhabitants of this metropolis, by a gracious and merciful discontinuance of the rigours of the season, how many thousands must have perished, from their incapacity to purchase their necessaty pittance of fuel, on account of the very high price of that more essential article, bread Shall we not, therefore, carefully take every precaution to preserve us, as far as possib.le, from being exposed to the danger of so dreadful a cala- mity in future ? Since our mines of coals are deemed inexhaustible, shall so many thousands of this city be liable to perish for the want of a fire, whilst every individual of the citv of Durham, at the small expence ot one halfpenny only, has it in his power to procure a plentiful one ? Let it be hoped that these hints, dictated by a wish to contribute to the comforts and happiness of the inhabitants of this great metropolis, and more especially *9 especially to suffering indigence, so visible in every part, with respect to fuel, may interest the feelings and humanity of our rulers, and induce them to devife such salutary measures as they, in their wisdom, may conceive efficacious to the ac- complishment of so good a purpose as the better reliet and protection of the poorer classes of the people. In addition to the want of fuel, there is, unfor- tunately, one still more grievous and distressing; the want of bread. But a considerable degree of alleviation of this awful calamity may likewise be procured, by proper exertions on the part ol go- vernment, and the prudent conduct of individuals. By the calamitous circumstance of a bad harvest, the people are crying out for bread in the streets : but shall the failure of one harvest involve us in such great distress ? Bread, it is true, is rightly denominated the staff of life ; but bread has not usually been made from wheat alone ; v rye, barley, and oats have made, and still make, in some coun- tries, good and substantial bread. Not many ) e.irs sincr 20 since, when the wheaten crop turned out very un- productive, the crops of Rye, Barley and Oats were abundant, yet no one could taste bread made from such meal flour. Was this behaviour wise ? Was it consistent with the duty and submission we then owed and always owe unto bounteous Heaven ? Was it grateful to that Almighty Being ? who has said, " Behold I have given you every herb bearing " seed, which is upon the face of all the Earth, and " every Tree, in the which is the fruit of a Tree " yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. Gene- " sis, chap. i. verse 29." We had plenty of such grain to make bread, bread nourishing and substantial, such as the inhabi- tants of other parts of Europe generally eat, and bless providence for the possession and enjoyment of it. In the northern parts of this Island the people are scarcely acquainted with the taste of a wheaten loaf ; in the Metropolis the poorest man will eat no other. The want of bread for the most useful part of the people can only be supplied by the farinaceous kinds of food; luxurious, indolent anil 1 and infirm persons may support life and preserve health very well, upon all other sorts of vegetables. When Wheat is scarce, where is the great hardship, or whv should we murmur, at our being compelled to eat any other kind of bread ? How many of our most gallant coutrymen, both by Sea and Land, have known the dire want of bread. How would they have thanked heaven on many trying occa- sions, for a small supply of such'bread as we so often contemn and reject. A Law should be enacted to confine Bakers to the making of one kind of bread only ; but officers must be appointed, in every district, to inforce a strict compliance with the law ; then the Bread must be eaten by every body alike. Since the year 1750, Wheat has been seldom exported from this Country ; and notwithstanding the rapid progress and sagacious improvements in Agriculture, from the increased Population and Opulence of the Kingdom, it is always dear. Of late years, many millions have been expended on the Importation of Wheat into this Country ; D whereas 22 whereas formerly, we exported to the amount of six or seven hundred thousand pounds annually, of the same article. Whence this great change, and how is it to be accounted for ? By luxury and increased Population ; And if every one of this increased Population will be so dainty as to require that loaf to eat, which his father never tasted, all the improvements in Agriculture, all the energy Of industry, all the laborious exertions of the diligent husbandman, will not prove adequate to the supply of such an extensive consumption ; and in particular seasons, necessity must compel us to live without it. Though the harvest has been bad, the blame will lye at our doors, if we neglect the means which foresight and frugality furnish to alleviate our sufferings ; submitting with humble patience and resignation to the Divine Will, which hath, in his allwise dispensations, ordained the seasons for the advantage and comforts of man oftentimes, and sometimes, perhaps, with a view to his chastisement. It now being a matter clearly ascertained that this *3 this country cannot furnish any thing like a suffi- cient quantity of wheaten Flour for Bread, for the People at large, and it being- equally evident that the attention of Government has not been wanting to procure, if possible, a supply of Foreign Wheat, to remedy our own deficiency; but all endeavours have proved unsuccessful. Disappointed as we then are, both at home and abroad, in all hopes of augmenting our Stock of Corn, what other expedient remains for our relief, but the adoption of other Grain, in making Bread, or at least some sure method of husbanding the Stock of Wheat we have, with such severe ceconomy, as to make it hold out to the next harvest ? Without some effectual system of the kind, let us not deceive ourselves, there is scarcely a possibility of securing the nation from the ab- solute want of Bread, before the coming-in of another Harvest. Common frugality and temper- ance can alone secure us. Public bounty can only afford a temporary relief to individuals, but cannot remedy general distress. Though Charity will cover a multitude of sins, it caunpt cure the evil. *4 From a perusal of the preceding Pages, the Reader will readily conceive, that the enquiries urged with respect to the Resources of the Coun- try, have been suggested by our present situation ; the better to enable us to carry on the War, which the Councils of the Nation, who are fittest to determine the propriety and necessity of the mea- sure, have determined to continue against our am- bitious and desperate foes. Foes avowedly bent upon the destruction of all orders of Government in civil society. The Expences of this necessary War, must be heavily felt by all classes of the People, but they are unavoidable ; and the neces- sity of prosecuting the War is manifest. Every thing dear to us as a nation, our safety and very existence inforce its continuation. It is, therefore, incumbent on every individual amongst us, who wishes well to, or values the preservation of our happy Constitution in Church and State, to unite with heart and hand in the most zealous and active exertions, in order to frustrate the wicked designs and repel the destructive attempts of those enemies of mankind. Such they have proved themselves hitherto, 2 5 hitherto, by their predatory and sanguinary pro- ceedings, through every country of Europe, into which they have penetrated. Look at their pro- gressive invasion of Holland, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. Compare the situation of these different Countries, previous to the appearance of these oppressive intruders among them, with their present state. How miserably changed from what they were ! Happiness and tranquility, by these rapacious disturbers of the world, are now con- verted into scenes of poverty and desolation. Not content with stripping the unoffending inhabitants of their property, they have deluged their plains with blood. Nor are these ambitious usurpers of the Rights of Nations, in any degree, better dis- posed towards England, than they have shewn themselves with regard to the rest ot the World. Far, very far from it. Were their powers of injury and oppression equal to the hostile extra- vagances of inclinations, their we should soon feel the destructive weight of their insatiable resent- ment. But, thanks be to Heaven ! the wis- dom of our Councils is not to be duped by the s6 ihe affected moderation of their artful and insidious Proposals. Every Negotiation for Peace, offered by such unprincipled Enemies, justly becomes obnoxious to suspicion and disbelief ; and has been, I will say, wisely rejected. We have, in prudence, no other alternative left, but either a continuance of hostile exertions, or a submission to the dic- tates of impious men, who, after murdering their meek and truly patriotic Sovereign, robbed and destroyed so many Nations, and would, assuredly, rejoice in our entire ruin and annihilation. Wc can have no security or dependence on the specious professions of such men. In the prosecution of the War against them, we have much to hope from the justice of our cause, from the approbation of every Friend to the Cause of Humanity, from the powerful assistance of faithful and spirited Allies, and, above all, from the zeal and attachment of our own brave and gallant People, and horn the Gratitude they feel for the Blessings they enjoy under the Protection of our benevolent Prince, and the equal distribution of our wise and impar- tial Laws. Th 7 The queftion of peace or war having been deter- mined by the late discussion in Parliament ; all ob- jections made by the opposing Members fully an- swered ; and the necessary continuation of hostile exertions fairly sanctioned by their entire appro- bation, it is to be hoped that Government will now be at leisure to direct their attention to the means of providing against the increasing distresses of the public, and dispelling, by every method possi- ble, the alarming prospect of the want of bread, which continues rapidly rising in price, to the great and severe affliction of the poorer classes of the people. The application of some immediate remedy to alle- viate their present sufferings, and remove their ap- prehensions for the future, is glaringly evident. But how is this desirable object to be accomplish- ed ? Without incurring the reproach of presump- tion, may it not be permitted to suggest the expe- diency of an enquiry into the real state of the corn, as to the quantity upon hand, through every dis- trict of the country at large ? It it appears prac- ticable s8 ticable to ascertain this nearly, tho not exactly, it may thence be readily determined whether the stock in possession be adequate to the consumption or otherwise. If it should be found insufficient, and all hopes of supply from Foreign Markets, to make up for the deficiency, be vanished and lost ; it may be asked what then is to be done ? The reply is obvious, necessity must drive to the adoption, however sad or painful, of the method often prac- ised on board our ships, when provisions fall short. Ever}' Man's allowance must be lessened, where no other means of relief can be had. We, how- ever, thanks to kind Providence ! are not quite reduced to the forlorn situation, so frequently experienced by many of our brave Mariners. We cannot be said to be in absolute want of Bread, whilst we have left us any other Grain, besides Wheat, for making Bread. With any other wholesome substitute for our relief, in the support of life and health, we should be content , and cheerfully cat, with grateful resignation, that Bread which the beneficent Creator has given us. How would the gallant Capt. Inglefiei.d, and the 2 9 the unfortunate companions of his signal distress and sufferings, during a voyage of 1 9 days, in an open boat ; how grateful would they feel, I say, how bless their stars, if they had Bread of any kind ; the very worst, to silence the cravings of hunger, or mere water, to allay the rage of thirst I The worst situation we can possibly experience, if we are not wanting to ourselves, would fill them with joy and exultation. Let the great but set the example of introducing on their tables such Bread as may be had in the Country, whether of Wheat, Rye, Barley, or Oats, and the People will soon follow it. And if there is a sufficiency of all, or either, to support us to the coming in of another harvest, we should not repine at our lot, with such a security from absolute want. Since the foregoing pages have been written, the Parliament has undertaken the very neceflary and important business of enquiring into the state of the Bread-corn of the country ; we have, therefore, just reason to hope, from the wisdom of their investiga- tion of the subject, that effe&ual care and attention will be employed, as far as human sagacity can provide, 3 provide, to secure the nation against the dreadful calamity of the absolute want of bread. The Committee, to whom this very serious matter has been entrusted, have already proved the utility of their labours, and given material satisfaction, by relieving the public mind from those dire appre- hensions that were universally diffused, to the great disturbance and concern of all ranks of people. Their Reports are, no doubt, founded on careful information, first drawn from persons best qualified to afford such, and afterwards duly canvassed and considered, in every point of view, with mature deliberation, before they are finally made out for delivery. They may therefore be relied upon with safety. For though designing and interested men, whom they may have to consult or examine, in the course of their enquiries, may attempt to mislead their judgment, by artful misrepresenta- tion, the vigilance and penetration of so sagacious a body of well-informed men, such as the Commit- tee must be, would, it may fairly be thought, soon detect and defeat the imposition. But 3* But much as we hope from the sagacity and deliberative wisdom of Parliament, to guard against the tricks of deceit and cunning, we cannot help entertaining some fears, that the Corn-falors, Millers, Bakers, and all those concerned in the trade of corn, influenced and governed, as men generally are known to be, by their own peculiar interest, and clear-sighted as practice has made them in the pursuit of it, will not be very scrupu- lous in the choice of means to counteract any mea- sure, however useful and salutary to the public, which they may judge capable of lessening their own particular profits. On the Resolution ulti- mately adopted by Parliament, every thing relative to the matter must depend. The measure determined upon, which obliges every Baker to suspend the sale or dcliverv of any bread, for the space of twenty- four hours after it has been baked, is truly wise, and will, there is no manner of doubt, prove of considerable econo- my and saving in the consumption of that neces- sary article in families. The 3 2 The prohibiting any alteration in Wheaten Bread, from the mode or quality in which it is now made and sold, is also prudent and wise, as it is supposed to be done with a view to prevent any fraudulent tricks of Millers or Bakers, who, without such precaution or restraint, might otherwise be tempted to avail themselves of the opportunity, to the injury of the health or interest of the consumers. But tho' we may admit the prudence of the Law to re- strain the baker from the mixture of any other grain with wheat, or from making even the wheaten bread of a coarser quality, we however, from a sincere desire of promoting the public good, can- not forbear suggesting, which we do with diffi- dence, that, in such a degree of scarcity as must be evident to every body, from the almost unpre- cedented high price of bread, it might produce much general benefit to allow bakers the liberty of making and selling bread from any other grain, such as Rye, Oats or Barley, separately used. This would enable the poor man, at his option, to purchase either; and many, I believe, very many, would be glad to purchase one or other, which they 33 they could have so much cheaper than wheaten bread, and some would even prefer one or other to it. But after all that can be said on the subject- when we know the extent of the evil when we see famine nearly at our doors, and the horrid miseries of want surrounding us on every side, why waste time in farther enquiries, in consultations and cal- culations ? Will this prevent or lessen the disorder ? It is a fact perfectly well established, and generally too well known, alas ! that the crops of grain, in almost every part of the Kingdom, have been very scanty, and the harvest most deplorably bad, and yet no effectual steps have been taken, before the approach of winter, to alleviate our pressing dis- tress. This we find cannot be effectually done by the means of importation. Let us then have re- course to that which is in our own power Let us lessen our consumption Let every master of a family set the example of economy in the articles of bread and flesh-meat in his own house Let every individual retrench in his consumption of both much more will depend on the general con- currence of the people in a system of frugality and perseverance 34 perseverance, in such measures, than all the other plans that can be devised Let an Act of Parlia- ment be made with such restrictions as may be deemed most efficacious by Government ; let it be immediately passed Let the superiors of the Nation set the example in strictly adhering to it, the compliance of the people will quickly and chearfully follow nor would it fail to produce material advantage to the community, if the people of this country for once adopted the practice of Roman Catholics, in abstinence from Flesh, some days inthe week, and fasting one or two days on a single meal I mean such as are not obliged to labor for their maintenance. If these Remarks should prove any way useful in themselves, or suggest any beneficial hints to others, more capable of improving and extending them to the ease or comfort of society, the views of the Writer will be fully accomplished. FINIS. f ' GT$\&G>G>os>4 Glcndinning, Printer, No. 25, Hatton-Garden. ' THE POLITICAL ' DRAMATIST OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, H35- > A SATIRE. bt econo tuition. . I * T ii e POLITICAL DRAMATIST OF THE HOUSE OF' COMMONS, ' i. i A SATIRE C6c decani) tuition, WITH SOME ALTERATIONS* * . POSTSCRIPT IN 'PROSE, XTAINING REMARKS ON' T^E . JDECLAR ATIUX OA< T8& Wk HG CLUB, On the 23d of January, 1796. Honnon; PRINTED FOR J. PARSONS^, No: 21, f ATERNOSTER-ROW. PRICE ONE SHILLING. MjDCCjXCVI. < * The POLITICAL DRAMATIST OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, IN nss- A SATIRE. 1 HE Houfe was up ; the long debate was o'er; And Addington prefided now no more ; Nor voice, nor vote along the benches crept, And Corn-committees bak'd their bread, and flept j Somnus and Ceres no fage members fcorn, 5 But own the poppy grows among the corn. His friends from idle terrors to releafe, Pitt cad faint gleams of vifionary peace ; B ( 6 ) Pleas 'd with the diftant ray fome grew content, And Wilberforce, retra&ing, bow'd afTent. 10 Fox pour'd his manly eloquence in fighs O'er emigration's dreadful facrifice, And pious drops o'er gallant Sombreuil fried ; (Burke was not there : and Wyndham fhook his head.) Before him rofe to fullen dreary view r 5 Mifguided plans in treachery's darkefl hue,* The Quiberonian Bay, and facred Ifle,*^ Mifnam'd of God, where heav'n will never fmile. While Moira, (whofe commanding courfe is run, His toils unpaid, and all his journiesjdone,) 10 * Alluding to the faithlefs conduct of the French themfe'ves, tinder Puifaye and others. f The Expeditions to Quiberon Bay, and to L' lile de Dieu. X From Southampton to Downing Street, and from Downing Street to Southampton, almoft every other day, during his com- mand of the army encamped in the New Foreft. See ail the Public Pa pers in 1795. C 7 ) Surveys his trophies with Rinaldo's air, Breaks through th' inchanted foreft in defpair, Low-murm'ring quits Southampton's armed ftreet, And lays his fame at pious Godfrey's feet. In Perfian wealth elate, and blooming pride, 25 For mobs and crowds unthinking Bedford figh'd ; Nor faw where, hov'ring o'er th' accurfed tomb, Glar'd the red crefl of Orleans through the gloom. The fullen moody violence of Grey, Soften'd by love, in raptures died away : 30 While Erikine, o'er his Hampftead bending down, Like Him of Lincoln, look'd o'er half the town* Pond 'ring with lawyer's leer, and felfifh. end, What new-hatch'd treafon he muft next defend- B 2 ( 8 ; Grant * was compos'd, nor fought the applaufe of youth, 35 In reafon's ftrength, in fobernefs of truth ; Such as from Fox unwilling praife could draw, For warmth of eloquence, and foundeft law. But chief with teeming brain and fancy fir'd, Homejimobferv'd, The Dramatist retir'd: 40 Such be the term I feign ; his name I hate, Who without virtue is, or would be, great. The fliackles of a wayward bride he wore ; For fince divine Cecilia was no more, He deem'd, inclin'd to trifle and to toy, 45 Hufbands have pains, but bachelors no joy. Sunk in his chair, within his troubled foul Strange thoughts in mix'd tumultuous move- ments roll ; * William Grant, Efq. Member for Windfor, King's Counfel, &.r. &c. It is much to be wiflied, that this very able and learned Gentleman would deliver his fentiments in Parliament more fre- quently. ( 9 ) Of Drury firft, (which Holland's art could rear, Fram'd for all ufes, but to fee or hear,) 50 And fums receiv'd, but to no reck'ning brought ; And fhares theatric, bought or to be bought ; Of works and memoirs from the Gallic fhore, By unfex'd females, and the dubious Moore ; And of the War's neat fketch, * that Auckland drew, 55 Sprinkled with gracious diplomatic dew ; And D'lvemtis's -f ilrong page, with pointed force That marks the bound of Gallia's brief re fource; * See " Some Remarks on the Apparent Cimimftances of the War, in the Fourth Wtckoi October, 1795." The production of a perlbn accuftomed to think, to i'pcuk, and to write, and all with great ability. f " A CurforyYiew of theAfli^nats and RemainingRcfourcesof French Finance, (September 6, 179;.) Drawn from the Debates vi the Convention, by F. IVIvernois, Ffq. A work of fome impor- tance, and which fliould be read with attention, but with much allowance for the warmth of the Writer 3 ( io ) In vain : her arm of terror, as before, Draws iron loans, nor fears to plunder more. 60 Such thoughts awhile The Dramatist purfued, Of public pleafure and of public good : Of fcandal much he mus'd, of treafon more, And fchools for each, and fcholars at his door ; Nor portico, nor learned grove he fought ; 65 In fquares he p reach 'd, in theatres he taught. With random wit he any thing could hint, In verfe, in dialogue, in fpeech, in print, In handbills, refolutions, toafts, and clubs, With ftatefmen, players, pimps, or dukes, or grubs. 70 Chief on the flage unrivalPd ; in that caufe None, but the thinking, e'er withheld applaufe; Nor half, nor whole Menander, * as fome deem* Vice is the prompter of his fubtle fchcme. * Tu quoque, tu in fnmmis, O dimidiate ^Icnanda , i J oneris. Julius C a: far of Terence. ( II ) At will he gathers all his various fame, 75 By Bacchus arm'd againft the tint of fhame : Rich his conception, ready is his phrafe, And his the fpeaker's, his the poet's praife; Round him the Mufes ltrew their fragrant flow'rs From Heliconian fprings, and never fading bow'rs. 80 From thefe The Dramatist now turns with fcorn, For other conquefts, other empire born. Before him, in confufion's order, lie Codes and Digcfts of direft anarchy, With all the embryo forms of varied itrife, 85 Rough-fkctch'd by Gallic pencils from the life, How mobs, in act a fenate's power to wreft, Hcadlefs or headed, ferve a patriot belt. The charts of aberration next are feen, What liars are fix VI, what meteors light the fcene B 4 ( '12 ) With momentaneous glare ; what fpells fo proud With fond illuflon cheat a fpungy crowd. Butlaft, his hands with eager hafte unroll Pictur'd devices quaint on many a fcroll ; Infult with folly, fear with pert grimace, 05 Mock confuls, regal robes, and taudry lace, The trappings of that narnelefs monftrous * fry, That loath 'd abortion of democracy, Got by the demon of the dark divan 'Twixt carnage, luft, and rapine, as it ran. 100 The lights wax'd faint ; and glimmering through the gloom, Specftres arofe, and groan'd their earthly doom ; Who while they breath'd in ilaughterous pur- pofe bold, Leagued in damnation, could no concord hold ; * The Executive Directoiy of France, Council of Ancients, Council of Five Hundred and all their trumpery, and their ap- proaching tyranny. ( i3 ) Their jargon new, their crimes were under- ftood, 105 All foul, all guilty of their country's blood ; Frefh from the depths of that unholy ground, Where life and common fin one tomb have found. Before the Dramatist they held a glafs : 44 Such things are but occasional and pafs ; 1 10 " Unaw'd he fpake ; " they ftamp a glorious caufe :" (The Fiends, fo Hell had order d, glar'd ap- plaufe.) 44 But fay, he cries, what terrors yet re fide 44 In Anarchy's pavilion dark and wide ? 44 Broad is the curtain ; nor yet half unroll'd ; 115 *' 'Twill other lands and chofen iiles enfold : 44 Perhaps," (the gricfly fhadows flitted fair, And o'er the Hall of Themis feem'd to calt Vapour aduftfrom their fulphureous home :) 4 ' Stephen with Satan may divide his dame 1 20 " Goes it not fo ? the fire may beautify : " Another phcenix may with Gallia's vie : " A new Pantheon Paul may yet difclofe, " And with new faints my Lauderdale repofe." The Fiends fled grimly pleas'd ; a dizzying pain 1 25 Entranced the Dramatist's diforder'd brain, Till all his earthly powers confounded lie, O'erftrain'd in that infernal colloquy ; But fhoit his reft ; the Dramatist awoke, And filence in deliberate accents broke : 1 30 " Since all that genius, all that wit can give, " Or fovereign Nature's high prerogative; " All that approving tafte may beftenfure, " Fancy's gay bloffom. or the fruit mature; " The (lores of memory, and the treafur'd wealth 135 " Of claffic moments in laborious Health ; ( is ) " Or readied elocution's eafy flow, " Thoughts that enchain attention, words that glow, ' ' And paint the changeful manners of the age, " Tolift'ningfenateSjOrth'enraptur'dftage; 140 " Caft round my name but ineffectual rays, ' ' Or blefs with dry fterility of praife ; " Too late, alas ! I feel, a ftatefman's part " Muft bear the imprefs of an honed: heart. " Scorn'd, though admir'd, mid flaming tern- pelts caft> 145 " No laurel faves me from the public blaft, " But ftruck and circumfcrib'd in all my rage, " I fland the fad Bidental * of my age. 1 ' Better be with the mob ; their fancies cheat ; " By human Hackneys dragg'd from flrect to flrcet ; 150 * The word Bidental, in Roman writer?, fi unifies a place or pcrfon (truck with lightning. It was uu;al to indole the place, and r ! , an. n'.iar on the Ipot, / '..' .:.// m ''." ( 16 ) * Better go mount the tribunitian chair, 44 Hurl wildeft doctrines through the wilder!: air, 44 With fophiflry that fits the phrenzied crew, 44 Lank, haggard, lean, in black rebellion's hue, " Till cymbals * feem through fancy's ear to rino: o 4 4 In difmal tones around a fuffering king. 44 Oh, for a virtuous heart, or feeming worth ! 4 ' What planet look'd thus fparely on my birth, 44 Cold, though benign ; and on my baby brow 44 Shed damps of death I never felt till now. 160 * 4 Subflance within, nor femblance will they find 44 Of virtuous purpofe, or the upright mind : 44 In all I ur^e, the Houfc alone will hear 44 The high-brought diction, or the wit feverej f In the ancient facrirh cs offered to the bloody idol of Moloch, it was cuflomary to clafli the cymbals and other inftruments, to overpower the cries and groana of the agonizing victims. ( 17 ) " Stage-admiration ! All obtain fome grace, 165 " All from their purpofe find excufe or praife. " Shall Mornington, for three full hours, de- fcant " On fcraps and fhreds in commentating rant \ 41 There is a clock j I wifli my Lord could fee " How ill long fpeeches and fhort light agree : 1 70 " Curfe on his words ; conviction ftill attends, " And proves bad means proportion'dtobadends. 44 Shall Reeves with Druid * faith and potent rod, 44 Involve alone the fpirit of the God 44 In Britain's central tree, all branches broke ; 1 75 * ' Then feck for made beneath the leaf-lorn oak ? * The Druids believed, that the fpirit of their Deir_\ red ieJ : >i the nunk i.r feem of the tiered oak, which o:v\v in the in hi I oi '. ' iorcft of Mona. The allufion here is to the ' I tree, and i' hra:i ' . in tli ' !' c : ( is ; Shall mitred Horfley teach, in eaftern way, " Subjects are made for nought but to obey ? " Shall Wyndham, boldeft in the Sovereign's caufe, " Call for a vigour frronger than the laws ? 180 " Yet all in virtuous meaning feek defence : " I never deviate .into honeft fenfe. ' Ah me ! unwilling now my lips I clofe, *' And leave myfelf and England to repofe. ' Lo ! Pi tt prepares the adamantine chain 185 41 To curb fell Anarchy, * and all her train ; * Read the Bill againft Treafon, and the Bill for effectually pre- renting Seditions Meetings and AfTemblies; and confequently for preventing (and I truft effectually) the overthrow of the lawful and eitablifhed government of thefe kingdom", and of that high and paramount authority, vefled in the King, the Lords and the Com- mons, in Parliament affembied. ( i9 ; " Fir'd with the brand of fome Arch-Calvin's rage, " Or hail'dby Reafon, children of her age % " Not whiten'd with the fan&imonious foam, " Blood mud diftain the portal of theix dome ; 1 90 * The lamb they fain would ftrike forGallic guefts " In other pafTo vers, and other feafts : " Gaunt with difcomfiture they now advance, " And wield addreffes, and would wield the lance, " The good alone are free ! Pitt's virtue fprings 1 95 lt To fliield the peafant, and the throne of kings. " Why mult I crouch before the illuftrious Youth ? " Why hail the guardian of the law and truth ? " If thus he lift Britannia's regal ftatc, " His fame mall be as permanent, as great ! 200 C 20 ) " His be the guidance of the public light ; *' Hyperion's fteeds, in marfhall'd order bright, ' His fteadier hand fhall rein j through heav'ns high way i { Advancing roll along the orb of day, " Through various figns, with temperate bold- nefs tried, 205 " Paufe in the Balance, through the Scorpion glide ; '* The wand'ring fires obferve ; with Free- dom trace " The limits of that confecrated fpace, " And juft to empire's delegating fource, ' Abfolve the deftin'd round of his ethereal courfe," 210 Here ceas'd the Dramatist; and ftrug- gling fighs Burft from his foul, and fears becran to rife : ( ) For now, triumphant in the eaftern world, Old England's ftandard Elphinftone unfurl'd ; High trophies of confirm'd dominion wait 315 In orient fplendor on Britannia's ftate ; And while all toil fhe fcorns, all danger braves, O'er Hope's fam'd Cape her bloodlefs enflgn waves** * In November 1795, arrived the intelligence of The Surrender of the Cape of Good Hope to the arms of Great Britain, under Admiral Sir G. K. Elphinftone, K. B. and the Gene- rals Craig and Clark, without the effufion of blood. See the Ga- zette, publifhed on the occafion by the Miniftry, who, it is firmly expected, will, in the name of Great Britain, greet this invaluable and moft important fortrefs with an E[io Perpetua ! F I N I S. REMARKS ON THE DECLARATION OF THE WHIG CLUB, On the 23d of January, 1796. REMARKS ON THE DECLARATION OF THE WHIG CLUB, On the 23d of JANUARY, 1796, IN A POSTSCRIPT TO THE SECOND EDITION OF A SATIRE, ENTITLED, THE POLITICAL DRAMATIST OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, 1 N f 7So With terrors round, can Reafon hold her throne, Survey the Known, nor tremble at the Unknown ? Ccnncn : PRINTED FOR J. PARSONS, NO. II, V A IF NOS I I- R-ROW. ". I) OCX C VI. REMARKS ON THE DECLARATION OF THE WHIG CLUB. >--< " >-<* x\S the preceding Poem is profeffcdly politi- cal, there is no impropriety in obferving, that fince the nrft edition of it, the public have read in the papers, " The Declaration of the Whig Club, Jigncd, Charles James Fox," as agreed to at a general meeting, held at the B Shake- ( 6 ) Shakefpeare Tavern, Covent Garden, on the 23d of January, 1796. In this Poftfcript, I mall blend no remarks on other works, or other writings, as I wifh this Declaration mould be confidered fingly and apart. I mail pafs, with equal notice, the writings of the common fcribblers of the day, and of the immortal Au- thor of the Treatifes on the French Revolution. I mail not comment on the names of William Miles and Gilbert Wakefield, or of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke. But on public papers of iuch importance, a public opinion may be given; and in the judg- ment of thinking men, I conceive, that a more alarming or a more decifive explication of poli- tical principles, nefarious, abandoned, and de- ilruclivc, could not have been prefented by the art of the fophift, or the ftrength of the orator. It is melancholy to obfervc men of high cha- racter ( 7 ) rafter,, wealth, and dignity, in conformity with the example of the^/7? leaders of thejirft Revo- lution of France, propofing and recommending a Catenation of Clubs throughout the kingdom, all linked and combined with one great central affociation in the metropolis, to over- awe and intimidate the government. It is more than melancholy, it is a warning to this country, to hear such men, calmly and upon reflection, recommending (for I ufe their own words) " The Exercife of that just authority, " which the national opinion mujl ever pqf- "fefs OVER THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE L/EGIS- " lature," without a blufli for the doctrine, and without a fear for the event. What is it, but to declare the Whig Club, the common receptacle of all the political abomi- nations of which the French have drunk largely o and fatally, and prefented the cup to every na- tion ( 8 ) tion of Europe ? What is it, but to ftyle the Whig Club the great Jacobin Den of Eng- land, under the aufpices of men, candidates for the government and direction of this great, opu- lent, and eftablifhed empire ; and prof effing to at! upon a principle, on which no government can Hand, no fubordination can be long maintained ? For, in my judgment, the efTence of the "Jacobin Doctrine confifts in this ; namely, to call the People of any country the Sovereign power, in oppofition to the lawful, permanent, and cjia- blijhed authority, vefted in the governors of it ; to call the fenfe of Clubs affociatcd, the fenfe of that people \ and when thofe Clubs have thought proper to deliver and publiin their dodrir.es and refolutions, to declare that the fovereign people have in effect spoken their will ; and that, in conlequence or it, the meaiurcs ui a govern- ment arc to be Changed, minillers depolcd, a king dethroned, or a conllitution regenerated: and all this ( 9 ) this is fpoken with as much coolnefs, and aDCC XCiY. ADVERTISEMENT. JL ME many excellent things which have been written by the friends of liberty, of our conftitution, and of humanity, againfl. the prefentwar, and on the neceffityof reformation, and a change of nicafures, may make it fecm almoft needlefs to fay more than has been faid ; for intcrcftcd men would not believe though one fliould rife from the dead. But although little that is new can be expcclcd to be advanced on a fubject which is fo plain to the dif- pailionate and difintercftcd, yet, as the argument in the following pages is placed, if not in a new point of light, yet, in fuch an one as has not been conlidcrcd in any degree proportioned to its vaft importance, I am therefore induced to fubmit it to the public at- tention. It may be thought that the Author has not entered fo fully into the diicuflion of iome particulars as he fhould have done, nor be- llowed the pains upon them which their importance required. As to thofe in the former part of the book, as they have been fo ably treated on by numerous voluminous writers, and as he had bul little to produce that was new, he did not think it neceffary A to 11 ADVERTISEMENT. to enter farther into the confederation of them than appeared needful for preparing the way for the vindication of what he ad- vances refpefting thofe Subjects, which fomc may be difpofed to rejeft becaule novel. And as to the execution of the whole, he muSt beg leave to plead theconftant toils of his profeffion, which leave him but now and then an hour for fuch investigations. Nothing but a conviftion of duty could have induced the Author to prefent this to the Public ; he has no felfifh or party views to Serve ; and he hopes for all the indulgence which candor, with juf- tice, can beftow, and no mere. The love of peace, anxious apprehenfions for trembling liberty, concern for the fate which threatens our country, benevolence to- wards mankind, and a motive which a Chriflian and a ProteSbnt ought not to be afhamed to avow, urge me again to addrefs my fellow-fubjects at this dangerous and awful crifis. May the evils which the figns of the times portend, and of which I have fuch Ptrong apprehenSions, never fall upon my country ! May thofe meafures which alone can fave us, be fpeedily adopted ! But, fhould it be otherwile, may the hearts of the true friends of our constitution and liberties never have to accufe them that thev forefaw the approaching evil but wanted virtue to exert their ta- lents, great or fmall, in the caulc of peace and order, juftice and liberty ! Mav the genuine fcrvants of God, who worfhip not the mammon of unrighteoufnefs, nor eiteein the Bible a compoii- tion of fables, never fhiink from their duty, becaufe the world frowns arid Scoffers revile ! Religion is a reality; uncorrupted Chriftianitv is the greaielt benefit that ever God be Plowed upon mankind; but the deformi- ties occasioned by the corruptions of priefts, and the pervcrfions of Itatefmcn, have brought it into long difgrace, and prevented the intended good. The all-wile God, ior rcalons infcrutable to us, has permitted it to be fo. This is one of the many myfteries of his providence; but Iris word will be accomplished; the kingdom of antichrift will pcrifh, ar.d uncorrupted Christianity will revive from the moment of its ruin. We are fure of the event ; but by what particular means this is to be accomplished, ;m\c for his country, for to fimilar fufpicions wasawifer and better man expofed, (Jeremiah xxxviii. 4.) and all for a conduct which avouched the very contrary, and for which, inftead of perfecution and a dungeon, he deferved the thanks of his country. Should it b? thus, the Author will be content to eoniole himfelf with that confeioufnefs wliich he poflefTcs of the falfehood of fuch lur- mifes, of the reftitude of his intentions, and tke hope of His ap- probation who is the Judge of all, and to whom, and not to the will of men, we ought to live. The Author does not profefs to fet himfelf up for the apologia of the French people ; and far be it from him to attempt to juftify their rafh and wicked deeds : he has not even fuppofed that every other people, in like Situations, and with like provocations, would have ,-.lcd the fame part which they have ; for that would be no alleviation of their guilt. The utmoft that he has contended for, or fuggefted, is, that the overthrow of monarchy and popery in that country is the accomplishment of God's word, and in judg- ment for oppreffion and corruption ; that their great leading prin- ciples are good, and that they have a right to legiflate for them- felves, and choofe what fort of government they pleafe, uncontroled by any other power on earth. Whether the French be right or wrong, in this or that j is no prut of the queftion which it has been thought necefiary to enter very deeply info ; yet the truth fecms to be, that there is a Strange mixture of the greateSt good and the greateSt evil : much to be applauded and much to be lamented. But the argument again!! the prefent war is drawn from a higher fource than eithci the principles or practices of the French reformers; and the Author thinks that, whether the French be right or wr.>i ; whether theV triumph or pcrifh, yet molt of the nations who have made war upon them have involved themlelves in great Llame bv the rafhnefs of their proceedings, and that they hazard great danger by attempting to fupport that, which not only infpired wifdom, but general rcafon, has doomed to fall. But more than this; though the war, on the part of the combined powers, wcie ever fo jult, though as juft as that of Ifrael againft the proud king of ADVERTISEMENT; Vil of ArTyria, or of any of the ancient empires again ft their cruel and ambitious invaders, it would not at all affect, the queftion. As in their cafes it was for the accumulated guilt of fuccefiive ages, and for the general depravity of their character, and not for the blame of that particular quarrel in which they fell, that God made thefe invaders his instruments for their chaftifement and overthrow, and which deftination Infpiratibn had foretold fo, for the accu- mulated guilt, and general depravity, of modern nations, chaf- tifement is to be expected, and Infpiration has put it beyond a doubt that it will one day come, when the beaft with ten horns will be (lain, and his body deftroyed, and given to the burning flame. (Dan. vii. 11.) From comparing the ftgns of the times with the declarations and indications of prophecy there is great reafon to apprehend that the time is at hand. Whatever, then, Our provocations might be, the danger is much the fame, and there is no hope of efcape or alleviation but byinftant Repentance and Reformation. Never, therefore, was that exhortation more in time, Retent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at HAND. Newbury, Match u, 1794. CONTENTS. Page A Retrofpe&ivc View of the Events predicted in the fifth, fixth, feventh, eighth, and ninth Chapters of Revelation 9 Signs of the Approach of the Latter Days 29 Conclufion : being an Addrefs to the People of Great Bri- tain 53 j * i?- ' - ' - '* ", ~" , -y+"-*T "'*~ :r ' e v - m "" * * "' 1! - -, ^ RETROSPECTIVE VIEW Of the Events predicted in the fifth, fixth, fe- venth y eighth, and ninth Chapters of Reve- lation. lEFORE we enter xipon our inquiries, permit me to puta plain queftion; not whether thou art interested iu the continuance and triumph of corruption in this country, or in the fupport of def- potifm and popery in France ; que (lions proper enough in them- felves, for intcreft has a mighty influence in corrupting the heart and perverting the judgment ; but, art thou a Chriflian ? Does the reader believe that the prophets in old time fpoke and wrote under the infpiration of the Spirit of God, and that the things which they foretold will have their acccmplifhment ? If not, he may be allured that the following pages will rjbt be to his tafte. In a Chriflian Country, when queftibns of the lad importance are in agitation, and the fate of nations is at flake, there is a peculiar propriety in referring to thole facred records which we all believe to be from God, to fee whether they contain any information -which may a (lift us in formir g a right judgment, and thus prevent our purfuing a criminal and ruinous conduct. He cannot be a Chriflian who delpifes this appeal, and efpecially as it is allowed, a'unoft by general content, that we have here delineated th.2 cir- cumdances and fate of nations, to the end of time. The apoftle Paul 'Rom. xv. 4.) declare?, refpcl:ng the writings t>f the prophets, tb. t " What foe vcr things were written aforetime iS were 1(3 RF. TROSPECTIVEVIEW. wcic written for our learning, that wc through patience and com- fort of the icripturcs might have hope ;" and in the beginning of that profound and difficult, but important and inftruftive, book of Revelation, it is written, (chap. i. 3.) " Bleffed is he that rcadcth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep thofs things which arc written therein : the time is at hand." Is it not therefore a Orange piece of folly, not to lay profanenefs, in Chrif- tians, to maintain, that thefc prophecies are of a kind which it is as vain as it is unprofitable to inquire into? This is to arraign the wifdom of God, end defpife thofe methods of inftruftion which the Infpircr of prophecy has chofen. Far be this from us! Let us better underftand that faying of the apoftle to Timothy , " All fcripture is given by infpiration of God, and is profitable fordoc- ti ine, for reproof, for correction, for inftru&ion in rightcoufnefs : that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnifhed unto all good works." Many things in this book may be hard to be un- cle-flood, and efpecially before their fulfilment, or the taking place of fomc events fo immediately connected with them as to afford the inquirer a clue in his invcfligations ; but it does not thence follow, that we are not to fearch into the mind and meaning of the Spirit of God, but rather that we ought to redouble our dili- gence in inquiry, and abound the more in prayer to God, for the teachings of that Spirit who gave the word, and gave it in this form, not that it might never be undcrltood, but that, whilft the purpofes and operations of God, in providence, fhould be hid from the carelefs eves of a wicked world, they might, at the proper fcalbn, be difcoverable to the pious and diligent inquirer, for the tonfolation of the upright, and, in the end, for the general con- viction and edification of mankind. What the angel {aid to Da- niel (chap, xii.j, 10.) is in point as to the prefent queflion, and a ground of encouragement to invigorate our refearches. Shut up the words and feal the book, even to the time of the end. Manx (that is, about the time of the end) Jhall run to and fro, ({hall inquire and invefligatc) and knowledge, fliallbt intreafed. None of the wick- ed Jhall undcrjland, but the wife Jhall under/land. The wicked will not Ice what Cod is doing, though they thcmfclvcs maybe the in- flrumenis ; but the wile, who fearch into the word of God. and < Licrve and compare the f yis of the times with its predictions, {hall RETROSPECTIVE IEW, 11 fhall underftand.- With thefe fcntiments let us fcnter upon the confederation of our fubjeft. Previous to our cofifidcring what is recorded in the tenth chapter of the Revelation, and comparing it with the eleventh ; and from which comparifon I ftippofe fuch figns of the times to be dis- coverable, as may aflift us to form a judgment of the period in which we live, and of the events we have to expett, it will be proper to take a curfory view of what goes before. In the fifth chapter we have an account of a book fealed with feven feals, which Jcfus, the Lamb of God, was alone found worthy to open. This book is the reprcfentation of the providence of God, which is committed to the execution of the exalted Redeemer of the world. The opening of the feals indicaiesto us the different pe- riods of hiftory, from the firft preaching of the gofpel to the con- summation of all things. In the fixth chapter viz have an account of the opening of fix of the feven feals. Thefe bring us to the overthrow of the heathen Roman empire, by the emperor Con- ftantine, who, about the year 311, embracing Chriftianity, effected. a moft aftonifhing revolution in the hiftory of idolatry, and pro- cured for the Chriftian church a refpite from thofc perfecutions which had long harrafied it, and which fecmed to threaten its utter extirpation. Now (A. D. 323) were the four winds of heaven holden, (chap, vii.) that they fhould not blow on the earth, nor on the fca, nor an any tree, till 144.00 of the Servants of God were fealed in their foreheads, with the feal of the living God. The former commotions and perfecutions gave place to peace and quictnefs, till Chriftianity fhould acquire Strength and permanency by the addition of numerous converts. But tares fprung up among the wheat. The feeds of antichriftian error, pride, and domina- tion, had long been Sown-, and now the funfhinc of court favoirf produced a plentiful crop. Chriftianity, or fomething called by that name, was brought to court; fhc was careffed, loaded with riches and honours; was debauched by her alliance with the world, and quickly became the mother of harlots. The true re- ligion of Jel'us Chrift was adulterated with the maxims of ftatei- meiij and the reveries cf enthufiafb. The pcrfecutcd became the pcriecutors, and univcrfal corruption, reviling, and oppicflion luc- cccded. Hence the judgments which follow, B 2 Chan. lH RETROSPECTIVE VIEW. Chap. viii. " And when he had opened the feventh fcal, thelt was filence in heaven about the fpacc of half an hour." Was this filence, as fomc interpret it, the fhort quiet which the church, enjoyed on the late change of circumftances ; or, (for this quiet had been represented before, chap. viii. 1.) was it not. rather the amazement of heaven, on the opening of the feventh fcal, at the corruption which followed, and at the judgments of God, which were about to fuccccd ? There may alfo be an allufion, as fome fuppofe, to a ccremonv among the Jews-, who, while the facrifices were offering, and while the pile ft went into the temple to bum jncenfe, remained filent without, praying to themfclvcs. " And I faw the feven angels which flood before God : and to them were given feven trumjets." Thefe feven trumpets are to be the fignal for the ufheiing in fo many diftincl judgments on apoftate Chris- tians. " And I faw another angel came and ftood at the altar, having a golden cenfer: and there was given unto him mu-eh iu- cenfe, that he fhould oiler it with the prayers of the faints upon the golden altar, which was before the throne. And the fmoke of the incenfe, which came with the prayers of the faints, afcend- ed up before God, oat of the angel's hand." The corruption of the Chriftian church which had taken place, and the evils which quickly followed in its train, became a fubject. of ferious concern to thofe who ftill adhered to the truth; and the vindication of dishonoured Chriftianity, as well as of oppreffed innocence, was the fubjeft of their earncft prayers. God heard them. ' : And the angel took the cenfer and filled it with fire erf the altar, and caft it into the earth : and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake." All thefe cxprelnons are fignifi- cant of wars and commotions of nations, and are intimations of what is to he expected under the following trumpets, or poflibly they were intended to rcprcfent thofe commotions which fhould agitate the Roman empire, between the death of Conftantinc and the founding of the fir ft trumpet, which fhould bring the invaiion of the Goths ; that is, between tire years 337 and 376. In this interval the family of Conftantinc, his three fons, who divided the empire among them, and all his relations, periflied, chiefly by aiTafiination and intcltinc wars-, within the fpacc of twenty-feven .years. And id fierce and bloody w;is the war between Conftan- tiLis, who reigned in Afw and the caft, and. Mugncntius, who had pro- RETROSPECTIVE VIEW. 1$ 'procurc'd the affaffination of Cenftans, and hadaffumed the purple in Italv. that, as Viftor obferves, it almoft ruined the whole flrength of the Roman empire. But this was only the prelude to much greater calamities, Vcr. 7. " The firft angel founded, and there followed hail, and fire, mingled with blood, and they were caft upon the earth ; and the third part of trees were burnt up, and all green grafs was burnt up." This fvrft trumpet brings a terrible ftorm from the north, the region of hail ; and the nature of the ftorm fhews the .mturc of the judgment, it was hail and fire mingled with blood, which denotes wars, and appears to have been a prediction of the terrible inundations of the Goths, who, about the year 376, broke in upon, and laid wafte a great part of Europe, that third part of the then known world, to which the prophecy refers ; for when the prophecy fpcaks of the judgment falling on a third part, the weflern empire, or Europe, is to be undcrftood. Great were the calamities which were endured, for fcvcral years, from thefe in- vaders. A check was at length given to their depredations : for attempting theconqueft of Normandy, A. D. 402. they were de- feated, their camp and their imraenfe treafures were taken ; the captives were delivered, and as the difperfed wandered about for fafety*, innumerable numbers were flaughtered. But another ene- my Quickly appeared. Yci . 8. " The fecond angel founded, and, as it were, a great mountain burning with fire was caft into the lea ; and the third part of the lea became blood," &c. This appears to be a predic- tion of the irruption of the Vandals, who, about the year 406, made a terrible in vafion into the we Hern and maritime parts of Europe, and bore down all before them ; fo that France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy, were made a prey of, arid Rome ufclf was nude to pay for its liberty. Here they fettled themfclves for a while, till toward the period of the third trumpet, they went into Afri- ca, and there founded the kingdom of the Vandals. Vrr. 10. " Aral the third angel founded, and there fell /great liar from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third p;.rt oi the :i . :. and up % :i th-: fountains of water; and the 14 RETROSPECTIVE VIEW. the name of the ftar is called wormwood ; and the third part of the M'aters became wormwood, and many men died of the waters, becaufe they were made bitter." This blazing dar, or comet, is Attila, who, with his Huns, A. D. 452, made a terrible invafion into the wedern parts, laying wade the countries about the Danube and Rhine, the greatcft rivers in Europe, and efpecially Lombar- dy, which is watered by the Fo. His miffion fecms to have been particularly againd this latter country. Right well did he call himfelf, The fco urge of God, and the terror of man. For fourteen years he {hook both the ead and weft with the mo ft cruel fear, laying wafte the provinces, by plundering, fire, and fword. Af- ter having wafted Thrace, Maccdon, and Greece, he turned his arms againft the wedern empire : he entered Gaul with -CO,CGO rnen, fet moft of the cities on fire, but going beyond the bounds of this trumpet, he met with a fuccefsfui rcfiftancc, on which he turned his force againft Lombardy, took and deftroyed Aquilea, with fcvcral other cities, flaying the inhabitants, and laying the buildings in afh.es. From the Alps to the Appenine, all was flight, depopulation, {laughter, bondage, burning, and defperation. He was preparing to march to Rome, but was diverted from his purpofe by a folemn embady from the emperor, and the promifc of an annual tribute ; and fo concluding a truce, he retired out of Italy, and paffed into his own dominions, beyond the Danube. Whoever cafts an eye upon a map of this countrv, which he thus ravaged and depopulated, and which comprehended almoft all the north of Italy, viz. Piedmont, Milan, moft of the territory of Venice, Mantua, Parma, Modcna, and icveral other provinces, he will inftantly perceive the aptitude of the defcription of this judgment : it was to fall upon the third pare of the rivers and foun- tains of water, and the waters were to become wormwood, &c. Bcfide its lakes, no country in Europe is fo interfered with rivers. There arc not many fhort of a hundred, reckoning the numerous branches, with their fcveral oonfidciablc dreams, which fall into the Po. Pei haps, at fomc future time, not far didant, the com- paring of what may take place in the overthrow of Antichrid, with this judgment which fell on thofc countries efpecially whic.li are watered by the Rhine and the Po ; may help us to undcrdand that. RETROSPECTIVE VIEW. \$ that other judgment, rcprefented in Rev. xvi. 4, 7. by the pouring out of the third vial upon the rivers and fountains of water. Vcr. 12. " And the fourth angel founded, and the third part of the fun was fmitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the ftars ; fo as the third part of them was darkened, and the day fhone not for a third part of it, and the night like- wife." This trumpet alfo relates to Europe, and perfects that for which the other trumpets prepared the way, the extinction of the weftern empire. Wc may here recollect what Sir I. Newton, in his Obfcrvations upon the Prophecies, fays, refpeciing this fort of figurative language. " In facred prophecy, which regards not An- gle perfons, the fun is put for the whole fpecics and race of kings, in the kingdom or kingdoms of the world politic, fhining with regal power and glory ; the moon, for the body of the common people, confidered as the king's wife ; the ftars, for fubordinate princes and great men. Darkncfs is put for obfeurity of condi- tion, and for error, blindnefs, and ignorance ; darkning, fmiting, or letting of the fun, moon, or ftars, for the ceafing of a kingdom, or for the dcfolation thereof, proportional to the darknefs ; dark- ning of the fun, turning the moon into blood, and falling of the ftars, for the lame." There appear no events to which this extinguifhing of the third part of the fun, moon, and ftars, can be io properly applied as to what took pl?cc towards the end of the. fifth century, when the weftern emperor, and his lubordinate governors, were utterly ex- tinguiihed, and an entire end was put to the very remainders of the Roman Caelars. This was c Heeled by the fourth inundation of the barbarous nations, when the Heruli, under Odoacer, their leader, invaded Italy, about the year 436 A. C. and, having con- quered Auguftulus, gave the mortal blow to the weftern empire, and reduced all Italy under the dominion of the barbarian, who afTumcd the title of king of Italy. About hxteen years after this, Thcodoric, king of the Oftrogoths, at therequeftof Zeno, empe- ror of the call, made war upon thefe invaders in their new lettlc- ment, conquered Odoacer in leveral battles, and obtained, as the fruits of his victories, a kingdom for the Ollrogoths in Italy, which Lub lifted, under various turns of Kit m-, from the year 4PJ t6 RETROSPECTIVE VIEW. 493 to 55 e The ^ cat ^ government was now removed from Rome to Ravenna. This extinction of the imperial government-, and humiliation, of Rome, appears to be that to which the apoftlc Paul alludes, a Thcff. ii. 6, 7, 8. Thus he, or that, which hinder- ed the man of fin from perfecting his fchemes of ambition, Was tiikcn away, and free fcope was given to the Popes to realize that fpiritual monarchy, after which they had fo long panted, but could not fo eafily effeft while the Cefars continued, and the civil go- vernment remained fo near them. Thus have we fcen the diffolution of the Roman empire in Eu- rope effefted by the irruptions of the barbarous nations, not at once, but by degrees. From its ruins fprung up the ten kingdoms, wh'ch had been fhewn to Nebuchadnezzar as the ten toes of a great image, (Dan. ii. 42.) and to Daniel and John as fo many horns of monftrous an d lavage beafts. Dan. yii. -j. Rev. xii. 3. xiii. 1. fmmm WHAT was the effeft which all thefe gre;:t and ronftant cala- mities that we have been reviewing, produced on the minds of the fufferers? Did they put a flop to corruption, and reduce mankind to repentance ? In Mead of this, immorality, fupcrftiuon, prieftcraft and cruel opprcflions, civil and religious, kerned to increale in proportion to the corrections of Providence, and even to outflrip the calamities which precipitated the downfal of the Roman empire. Inftead of turning to God by repent- ance, and feeking to him for protection, they multiplied their gods; and the only exhortations of the clergy were, '< The holy martyrs, our defenders, are prefent ; they would be entreated, and they feck that they maybe fought. Seek therefore unto thele helpers unto your prayers, find out, thefe protectors of yourguilti- nefs. Let St. Peter be now your helper in all thing-, that after* ward he may le r:blc to forgive you your fins. Cant to the crois. where n retrospective view. 17 wherein i the wood of the Lord's crofs, and the hair of John the Baptift : we fetch alwayj the comfort of our Saviour through the interceflion of hig fore-runner." Thus idolatry was grafted on the Chriftian profeffion ; and thefe antichriflianapoflates thought, by thefe devotions, and by making converts by fire and fword to the holy Catholic church, to atone for their fins, and bribe the Divinity to intcrpofe in their favor. But while they are chanting to faints and relics for peace, and fhedding the blood of the faints as the price of fafcty, behold an angel flying through the midft of heaven, (ver. 13.) faying, with aloud voice, " Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabitants of the earth, by reafon of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels which are yet to found !" The three laft trumpets are called woe trumpets, and this becaufe the plagues which wfcre to come, cither on account of their much greater fc-r verity or longer duration, would be much more terrible than the fqur former. Chap. ix. 1. " And the fifth angel founded, and I faw a ftar fall from heaven unto the earth, and to him was given the key of the bottomlcls pit." Our commentators are generally agreed, that the judgment intended by this trumpet is very obvious, and cannot be ealily miitak.cn. This falling (far, or comet, is the grand impoftor Mahomet, who, in the unieai enable operations of Providence, was the inftrument of preparing a race of men, or monfters rather, for the fcourging of apoftate Chriftians. Mahomet commenced his career about the year of Chrift 608, Then he began to pro- pagate his impoftjre, and to take tohimfclf the title of The Apof- tle of Cod. He did not pretend to deliver a new religion, but to revive that which had been given to Adam. In the year 622 he began to teach his difciples that God had ordered him to propagate ;md enforce his religion bv hie and fword. Accordingly, in 623, th.^y began Lo put in practice this pretended million. Vcr. 2. " And he opened the bottomlefs pit, and there arofe a fmoke out of the pit, as the imoke of a great furnace ; and the iu:i and the air were darkened by reafon of the fmoke of the pit." This fmoke is his erroneous doctrine. Vcr. 3. " And there cair.: out of the nit locuils upon the earth, and to them was given power as the fcorpions of the earth have power." it does not comport with my Hants, nor is it ucccliary to my dciign, to enter into the minutiae C of l8 RETROSPECTIVE VIEW. of this part of John'* vilion ; I fhall only obferve, that by thefe locufts we arc to undcrftand the Saracens, the difciplcs of Maho- met, who, for fo many years, were the fcourge of the Greek and I.atin churches, Aha and Europe. Here is no mention made of the third part, as in the other trumpets, but their commiflion was againft all the men who had not the leal of God in their foreheads, that is, who were not the fervants of God, but had apoftatized from the truth to fupcritition, idolatry, and pcrfecution, and which was the cafe with the pretended Chriftians both of Afia and Eu- rope, both of thofe who acknowledged the fupreme authority of the Bifhop of Rome, and of thofe who did not. But thefe locufts were not to kill thefe men, but only to torment them. This does not iignify, in the ftri&eft fenfe, that they were not to inflift death on any, for this they did on innumerable multitudes ; but it means that, though they were to be the authors of numbcrlefs torments to both the Greek and Latin churches, yet, they were not to deftroy them in their corporate capacity. This was to be effeftcd by the future woes. As to the time during which thefe Saracen locufts were to tor- ment them who had not the feal of God in their foreheads, it is faid, in the fifth vcrfe, to be five months, prophetic months un- doubtedlv, or 150 years. Again, it is faid, ver. 10. that " they had tails like fcorpions, and there were flings in their tails: and their power was fo hurt men five months;" the fame period of time with that mentioned before. 150 years. There is fome diffi- culty in reconciling this time, which the prophecy allots, with the hiftory of facts. Some fuppofe that an allufion only is here made to iholc hot funrmer months in which locufts arc wor:t to prevail and do mifchief, without intending to maik out any cer- tain time. Some, again,, fuppofe, that as a prophetic month con- tains 30 years, the period of 150 years was intended, and that this refers only to that period in which the Saracens made their chief conqucfU, and occalioncd the greateft calamities. Others imagine that botii thefe five months arc to be reckoned ; and then the period of their tormenting men is fixed to 3C0 years. li :t other* have thought, that here lias been, through the mi fluke of Copvifts, luiiif alieration of the original text. See Whifilo-iCi Hf- a : on the Ji . fattens, p. i<)0, Bv this hypothciis, John is fup> poLd RETROSPECTIVE VIEW.' ig pdfed to have written I E or SixxttivtI) and not E or vsrrt, that is fifteen, months inftead of Jive, this being a period which feems to agree much better with the hiftory of the Saracens; for from the beginning of the Saracen empire, or of the impodure of Ma- homet, in 608, to the firft grand downfal.of it, by the rife or* the Turkifh empire, at the inauguration of Tangrolipix, (after the taking of the capital city of Bagdad) A. D. 1057 or 10 5^ arc about 45O years. As it is not effential to my delign, I fhall not labor to folvc the difficulties which here prefent themfelves, it being enough for our prefent purpofe, if this fifth trumpet be al- lowed to refer to the depredations of this cruel people. 1 fhall therefore only beg leave to fugged to the curious, and to thofe who may have more ability and leifurc for the invedigation, whether the firft Jive months may not refer to the fevered period of their conqueds and cruelties in Afia, where they had their beginning, and the latter Jive months to the time of their chief and mod tor- menting depredations in Europe. Thofe who wifh to fee a more labored explanation of thefe trumpets, may confult Brightman, Mcde, Lbwman, Newton, Whifton, and others. The ktter of whom, except Mcde, has the mod originality, and though he may have fome peculiaries, and dart lomc hypothefes which may be thought to be unfupportcd by good argument, yet, altogether, he feems to have had the mod confident ideas, and I acknowledge my obligations to him. Ver. 12. " One woe is pad, and behold there come two woes hereafter. And the fixth angel founded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar, which is before God, faying to the fixth angel which had the trumpet, Loole the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four an- gels were looted, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to flay the third part of men." It is almod impolfiblc net to believe that this woe refers to Che Turks, who overthrew and entirely cxtinguifhed all that part of the Roman empire which they affaulted, by the taking and lacking of Condantinople, A. D. 1 4.53, and by the entire conqued and poffeffion of the eallern empire to this day. This people perfectly agree with the following description. They were to be prodigi- oufiy numerous, especially in cavalry, (vcr. 17.) Such has been C 2 ihe 46 RETROSPECTIVE VIEW. the cafe with the Turks ; for they are reckoned to have rto lefs than 719,000 of them difperfed over the feveral provinces of their empire. They were to have " breaft-platcs of fire, and of ja- cinth, and brimftone ; the heads of their horfes were to be as the 'lieads of lions, and out of their mouths iffued fire, and fmoke, and brimftone. And by thefe were the third part of men killed.'' (vcr. 17, 18.) This is, as Mr. Whifton obferves, a moft proper or allegorical defcription of the way and appearance of battles, fince the woeful ufe of guns and gunpowder, which were invent- ed under this trumpet. By thefc they were enabled, in the in r fancy of this art, of killing and laying waftc, to atchievc fome of their greateft exploits. By means of his artillery, Amurath the Second broke into the Peloponnefus, and took feveral flrong places ; and in particular at their moft fatal aftion, the taking of Constantinople, in 1453, fuch enormous guns were employed as had never been feen before. One is defcribed to have been of fuch a monftrous fize, that it was drawn by feventy yoke of oxen, and two thoufand men. If we moreover confider the cavalry as firing over the heads of their horfes, hot only do the men feem to have brcaft-plates of fire, but fire, and fmoke, and brimftone, feem to ilfue from the mouths of their horfes. But it being allowed, as it is by almoft all our writers, that the Turks are intended by this woe, what chiefly concerns us is, when was this loofing effe&ed, of which the prophecy fpeaks, and for how long a time were thefe angels prepared to flay the third part of men ? Concerning thefe four angels, fee Mede's Key, p. 108, and Whi/lon's Effay, p. 199. They understand them to be four ful- tanies or kingdoms, which the Turks had at or near the river Eu- phrates, for feveral fuccefhons together, whofe capital cities were Bagdad, beyond that river, and Iconium, Aleppo, and Damafcus, on this fide of it. For a great while they were reftraincd to thefe parts, and could not extend their dominion as they wiflied. Se- veral circumftances operated to effeel this restraint, particularly the expeditions of the crufaders, in the 12th and 13th centuries, and the power of the khans of Perfia, who, till tht- beginning of the fourteenth century excrcifed fome control over them. But it is evident, that the feveral restraints of Providence, which had bound them, began to be taken off towards the end of the thir- teenth, RETROSPECTIVE VIEW. 21 teenth, and the beginning of the fourteenth centuries. All our writers on the ancient Turkifh hiftory, complain of the barren- ness of their materials, and the inaccuracy of dates ; but let us trace this matter as well as we can. Firfl obierve the rife of the Ottoman family itfelf. The firft perfon we read of, of this re- markable race, which has been fuch a fcourge to Chriftendom, is Solyman Shah, who attempted, about A. D. J2i*i, fay fome, later, according to others, to retire out of Perfia, to feck for himfelf and followers a fettlement under the Seljukidae, who then reigned in Aha Minor. In attempting to pafs the Euphrates he was 'drowned. This fo difcouraged his fons, that two of them return- ed back into Perfia; but Ortogrul, the third, with his three fons, Cand&z, Sarubani, and Othman, or Ottoman, Mill remained in the neighbourhood of the Euphrates for fome time, till Aladin, the fultan.of Iconium, received him, and gave him, and the four hun- dred families which emigrated with him, a country to inhabit. Ortogrul died about the year 1289, and his fon Ottoman continued he fubjo& and foldier of Aladin. By his valor and fuccefs lie raifed himfelf to great eminence, and the race of the Scljukidx .terminating in Aladin, he fixed upon Ottoman to be his fuccefTor. Oppreflcd with age and infirmities, he is faid, in his life time, to iiave devolved on Ottoman the cares and prerogatives of royalty. Mr. Gibbon fixes this in A. D. 1299 : but it is generally deter- mined to have been in 1300. From comparing what is laid of the length of his reign, and the beginning of the rejgn of his fon Urchan, and other circumftances, there is reafon to conclude that he began his reign in the year of the Hegira (the Turkifh epoch) '699 or 7OO, probably the latter. Now, as the Hegira began July 15, G>z, A. C. an4 the Arabian years being lunar, and the Turks reckoning them by thirties, nineteen of which confift of 354 d.iys, and eleven of 355, their year roo would commence on Sept. 16, 13OO. Thus the fourth month of the Turkifh year would be according to the Christian era, 13O1. Hiftorians feldom take any notice of this difference in the commencement of the Turkifh years, and thofe of curs; but if an event is laid to have taken place in the 700th year of the Hegira, this year commencing in 13CO of our era, it is therefore fet down as in that year. It is probable that Ottoman was inaugurated in the year of the Hegira 700; but hiftory docs -cot fay 0:1 what day or month of that year ; it 2 RETROSPECTIVE VIEW. it might be towards the latter end of it. Mr. Whifton endeavo very ingcnioufly to prove from certain circum fiances, that he b gan his reign May 19, 13O1. It would certainly afford forne I tisfa&ion, if we could prove to a day or a month from whence t date the beginning of the Ottoman empire. But 1 queilion wht thcr this would be enough to prove the exact time of the loolir thefc four angels, or meffengcrs of deftruetion. In Ottoman, it evident that ail thefe fultanies were united; but perhaps the looting is to be reckoned from fome great and fuccefsful exped tion undertaken fome time after he had mounted the throne, think it is clear that it was foon after the commencement of hi reign ; and if we are not able to prove the exact: day or year, i does not invalidate the concluuon which wc mean to draw. According to Chalcocondylas, quoted by Mr. "Whifton, foo after Ottoman was feated on the Turkifh throne, the Turks mad an irruption into Europe, even as far as the Danube, and a fecon foon after. Thisfccond is afcribedto 1302. But let us hear M? Gibbon, (H>jt. of the, Rife and Fall of the Rom. Emp* vol. xi. p 443) who cannot be fufpected of wifhing to fervc the caufe Chriftianity. He laments, with all other writers on thefc fubject; the obfeurity of the Turkifh annals. He dates the nrft breac which Ottoman made upon the Greek empire July 27, 1299, bu ?ys it was after the Scljukian dynafty was no more. As author are pretty well agreed as to the uncertainty of the Turkifh date.i and as it is pretty clear that Aladin did not die till 1302, perhap this date is not quite corrett. However this may be, he fays *' The Scljukian dynafty was no more; and the diftance and de cline of the Mogul khans foon enfranchifed him (Ottoman) fron the control of a fupcrior. He was fituatc on the verge of tin Greek empire ; the Koran fanctified his ga~i, or holy war, again! the infidels ; and their political errors unlocked the paffes o mount Olympus, and invited him to defcend into the plains of Bi fhynia. Till the reign of Palcologus, thefc paffes had been vigi lantly guarded by the militia of the country, who were repaid b) their own fafcty, and by an exemption from taxes. The empcroi abolifhed their privilege, and aliumcd their office; but thougl the tribute was rigoroufly collected, the cuftody of the paffes wa; neglected, and the hardy mountaineers degenerated into a trend)' line RETROSPECTIVE VIEW. 23 ng crowd. of peafants, without fpifit or difcipline. It was on ic 27th of July, in 1299 of the Chriftian era, that Othman firft JiVaded the territory of Nicomedia ; and the lingular accuracy of le date fcems to difclofe fome foreiight of the rapid and deltruc- !Ve growth of the monfter." In page 431 he informs us, that 11 now " all the emirs who had occupied the cities or the moun- liins, confefled the fupremacy of the khan of Perfia, who often- i.mes interpofed his authority, and fometimes his arms, to check llieir depredations, and to prefcrvc the peace and balance of his UTurkifh frontier. The death of Cazan removed this falutary con- rol ; and the decline of the Moguls gave a free fcope to the rife x nd progrefs of the Ottoman empire." This event he dates May '> l t 1 34* This looks very much like the loofing of which the nophecy fpeaks. Between this and the year 1312 he dates the ;onquefl of the maritime country from the Propontis to the Me- mder, and the ifle of Rhodes, fo long threatened, and fo often pillaged; and that now (p. 437) " the captivity or ruin of the feven churches of Afia was conliimmated, and the barbarous lords jf Ionia and Lydia dill trample on the monuments of claffic and Chriftian antiquity." And but a few years after this, fo humbled were the proud Chriftians of Conftantinoplc, the trembling capi- tal of the emperors in the eaft, that crowds of naked Chriftians, jf both fcxes, and of every age, of priefts and monks, of matrons and virgins, were expolcd to fale in their public markets; and all diey could do was to deplore the fate of their brethren, who were led away to the word evils of temporal and ipiritual bond- age. In 1 357 or 1358 they entered the European leas with a very numerous licet of ihips, and never ceafed their conqueits. nor re- ceived any effectual check, till the latter end of the lad cent u . In 1453 they took and fucked Conftantinoplc, entirely conquered the caftern empire, and made that imperial city the capital of the:; Vail dominions. But for how long a period was their triumph to continue f Ver. 15. '' And the tour angel-; were looted which were pit pared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a vcar, for to li.y the ihiid n.it of men." According to Mr. Br'ghtman, Dr. I I >\ thus Yfirt D171 An hour -*-*-- o 15 A day ------.-1 o A montli -------go O A year of 365$ * - - - 365 91 Total 396 106 It admits of a doubt whether the Jewifh year of 360 days fhould be counted, or the Julian year as above ; but as it docs not affet the hypothefis I mean to eftablifh, I fhall not detain the reader to examine it, Mr, Whifton argues that it is probable that Ottoman began his reign May 19, 1301, and reckoning from thence to September 1, O. S. 1697, wnen prince Eugene overthrew the Turks at Zenta, we have exaftly the time required. And it deferves to be remarked that ever fince that overthrow they have never been able to make any effe&ual head againft the Chriftians, fo called, but in Read of being a plague to the Chriftian nations, in the prophetic fenfe of the term, thefe nations have been a plague to them, and their power has been eonftantly leffening ; for though they have made war feveral times, it has been uniformly to their lofs, at lcaft with refpeft to the old weft- em empire, or the Latin church ; for immediately after this Pro- vidence raifed up Peter of Ruffia, who, by what he effefted among the people of his vaft empire, prepared a fcourge for thofe who, for four centuries, had been fo cruel a fcourge to mankind. This is the melfcngcr who was to bring tidings from the north to trou- ble him, Dan. xi. 44.+ and it is probable that Ruffia will be a principal inftrument of his deftruftion. j- It deferves the atrention of the learned inquirer, whether by his planting rhe tabernacle of his palace between the feas, in the glorious hoi)' mountain, be not Signified his making Cor.ftantinople, which is fituated on the fliores of the Bofphorus, between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, the capital of his empire ; lot as Jerufaiem might be called the glorious holy mountain becaufe the capita! of the Jew fh church, though that church was become very corrupt, and the city pel uted with every crime, fo might this city, which was the capital of tie Gr ek Chriftian ei :m h, and efteemed by them the holy metropolitan city, tho'igh j) ;iinteJ with firr.i.ur abominations, be fjpoken of in '.he fame ft\le. What RETROSPECTIVE VIEW. 25 What fomeable writers have faid on this fubjeft deferves atten- tion, as it ferves very much to ftrengthen the argument, which goes to prove, that the hour, and day, and month, and year, for which this woe was prepared, terminated about the er.d of the laft century. The firft whom I fhall'mention is Mr. Brightman, who wrote in the beginning of the laft century. He fays (in his Expoftion of the book of Revelation, p. 324, edition of 1644.) " A year, here put fimply, is underftood to be a vulgar and ufual Ju- lian year, that conhfts of 365 days and fome hours, all which time being numbered from the year 1300, fhall expire at laft about the year 1696, which is the laft term of the Turkifh name, as other fcriptures do alio prove with marvellous confent." Dr. Crefner, and Dr. Lloyd, bifhop of Worcefter, foretold very nearly the peace of Carlowitz from this pafTage. See what Bifhop Burnet, in his Hiflory of his Own Times, fays of the latter, (vol. iv. p. 297, of i2mo. edit.) " Dr. Lloyd, the prefent learned Bifhop of Worcefter, who has now for above twenty years been ftudying the Revelation with amazing diligence and exatnefs, had long before this year faid, the peace between the Turks and the papal Chriftians was certainly to be made in the year 1698, which he made oat thus ; the four angels, mentioned in the fourteenth chapter of Revelation, that were bound in the river Euphrates, which he expounds to be the captains of the Turkifh forces, that till then were fubjeft to the fultan of Babylon,' were to be loofed or freed from that yoke, and to fet up for themfelves ; and thefe were prepared to flay the third part of men, for an hour, a day, a month, and a year. He reckons the year in St. John is the Ju- lian year of 365 days, that is, in the prophetic ftile, each cay a year; a month is thirty of thefe days, and a day makes one, which added to the former number makes 396. Now he proves from hiftory that Ottoman came and began his conquefts at Proujfe, in the year 1302, to which the former number, in which they were to flay the third part of men, being added, it mult end in the year 160,8 ; and though the hiftoiians do not mark the hoars, or twehth part of the day or year, which is a month, that is. the beginning of the de- Ihuciion the Talks were to make, yet he is confident if that is ever known, that the prophecy will be found, even in that, to be punctually accomplifhed. After tins he thinks their tune of hutt- ing the papal Chriftiamisat an end. They may indeed ftill do mi i- D ch cf 26 R.ETROSPECTI VF. VIEW. chief to the Mufcovites, or perfecute their own Chriflian fubjects, but they can do no hurt to the Papilius." When I confider the fatts which give us reafen te think thai the four angels, or mini{ler*v of deftru&ion, -which were bound in the riv"i Euphrates, were loofed, when the four fultai.ies above enumerated were united under Ottoman, and freed, not only from the reftraints laid on them by the crufaders, but from the control of the khans of Perfia ; when I recollect that all this took place about the latter end of the thirteenth century and the beginning of the fourteenth, and that between the years 1299 and 1304, the Scljukian race being extinft, and the control of the khans of Per- fia being no more, Ottoman founded the prefent Turkifh empire, broke in upon the territories of the eaftcrn Cefars, and laid wafte the apoftiite Chriftian churches ; when, moreover, I confider that fince the peace of Carlowitz in 1699, though there have fincc been wars between the Turks and the papal powers, yet, that the latter have generally been the aggreflbrs, and that the Turks have always come off lofcrs, fo that their power is fo much broken that their empire totters to its very bafe, I conclude that the hour, and day, and month, and year, in which they were to prevail, ter- minated about the end of the lad century, probably on Sept. 1, O. S. 1697, when they experienced that fatal overthrow at Z.cnta in Hungary, from the army under prince Eugene. SIGNS rrr t-*ts-s SIGNS OF THE LATTER DAYS, 'UT does the violence of the fecond woe terminate as we have endeavored to prove ; and is it becaufe the men, againfl whom it was directed, are brought to repentance ? No. Ver. 20. " And the reft of the men (the members of the papal church) which were not killed by thefc plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they mould not worfhip devils, and idols of gold, and filvcr, and brafs, and (tone, and of wood, which neither can fee, nor hear, nor walk, neither repented they of their mur- ders, nor of their forceries, nor of their fornications, nor of their thefts." This is the exaft ftatc of the antichriftian nations; they are Mill impenitent, they ftill maintain idolatrous worfhip, and fyftcms of cheating and fraud, robbery and murder, pcrfecu- tion and war. They have not repented. Mtift we then give up all hope of better days? Will nothing bring the church to a purer ftatc. and the nations to repentance for their corruptions and murdcis? Alas! the man of fin will never repent ; antichriftian prieftsand tyrants will never ceafe their cor- ruptions and oppreffions, robberies and murders, till tliev, and their abominable fyftems, are utterly deftroved by the avenging judgments of God. But we arc not to defpair. Here, in the tenth chapter, an angel defcends from heaven to brigbj.cn the gloomy icene, and to cheer our drooping hopes, by announcing that the fcventh trumpet fhall foon be founded, and the my fiery of God be huifhed, as he hath deelarcd to his fervants the pro- pee:,. D 2 The 28 SIGNS OF THE LATTER. DAYS. The gleam of confolation which hrcaks upon us in this chapter i$ very feafonable and reviving ; the great and lading troubles, predicted in the former chapters, and which occupy a fpace of 14CO years, are enough to try the faith and patience of the bed. To hear of nothing but of hail and fire, of burning mountains and fcas of blood, of darkening of the fun, moon, and ftars, of horrid monfters which vomit fire, and deftroy innumerable myriads of men: to hear of nothing but woe after woe, without inter- mifliou or profpect of end, terrifies the boldeft fpirits, and op- preifes the ftrongeft faith. The woes of the two laft trumpets had now afflicted the nations for near a tlioufand years; and the enormities of antichrift had prevailed for a lpnger period. To re- vive the fpirits, and to animate the hopes of God's fervants, an angel appears at the end of the fixth trumpet, or the fecond wee. to affure them that the time of corruption, perfceution, and cala r mity, fhali not continue much longer, but that the feventh and laft trumpet (hall foon be founded, and that woe coinc upon antichrif- tian oppreffors which fhall finifh the my fiery of God, and intro- duce among men his glorious kingdom of righteoufnefs, peace, and happinefs. Seeing then that there arc the mo ft cog"nt reafons for concluding that the woe of the fixth truin-pet terminated about the year 1697, near a hundred years ago, and that manv good and emi- nent men have been daily expecting, fmce that time, tine judgments of the feventh trumpet, which are to bring the triumphs of po- pery, idolatry, opprefhon, and wickednefs, to an end, and intro- duce the kingdom of Chrift, it becomes us to attend to "the f'gns of thi times, and fee whether the fig-tree is not {hooting forth and announcing the approach of fummer. May the Spirit of God di- rect and illumine our minds, that we may under (land his word and judge rightly ! Chap. x. 1 . " And I faw another mighty angel come down from, heaven, clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow was upon his head, and lus face was as it were the fun, and his- feet as pillars of fire ; and he had in his hand a little book open." This little open book appears to be a codicil to that book of which we read in chap. v. containing fomc additional explanatory matter. The book with feven feals contains a general reprefentation of the ftate of things under the fourth monarchy of the world, (Dan. vii. 7, 23.) or of the SIGNS OF THE LATTER BAYS. 29 the Roman empire, and the kingdoms and flates into which it has been divided, from the firfl preaching of the gofpel to the end of time, and does not take particular notice of the events which more peculiarly concern the church of Chrift. This little book includes feveral difhinft vifions which reprefent more immediately the Hate of the church, and which are related in the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth chapters, and in part of the fourteenth, if not the whole of it. The obferving of this is of the grcateft confequencc to the right underftanding of this intcrefling and inftruttive book. 1 Ver. 2. " And he fet his right foot upon the fea, and his left foot on the earth, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth, and when he had cried, feven thunders uttered their voices. And when the feven thunders had uttered their voices, I v/as about to write ; and 1 heard a voice from heaven faying unto me, feal up thofe things which the feven thunders uttered, and write thcrn not. And the angel which I faw ftand upon the fea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, and fvvare by H*m that liveth for ever and ever that there fhould be time no longer ;" (?t Xpovo? vJy. ifxi itJ that is, as Dr. Doddridge has weil e.xpreiied it, " the times of the judgments, to be fignificd by the pouring out of the feven vials, fhould not be much longer de- layed." And thus aifo do Brightman and others explain it, as meaning that delay fhould be no longer, but that thefeventh trum- pet fhould now fpeedily found, and the judgments of God bring Babylon the Great to a rapid end. And then (ver. 7.) the my fiery of God {hall be finiihed, as he hath declared to his fervants the prophets. Then the providence of God, in permitting the king- dom of his Son to be lb long and fo fuccefsfully oppofed ; in per- mitting his church to be lo grievoufly harraffed by its enemies, and in fullering oppoiers fo long to triumph, which has been cflccmed among the chiefeft myilcrios of the Divine conduct, fhall be il- lultrated, and all nations fhall fee, in the decifive woe upon Baby- lon, thofe dilplays of wifdom and rightcoufnefs which fhall vindicate the Divine government from all the alperfions of infi- delity. Of 30 SIGNS OF THE LATTER DAYS. Of this great event almoft all the prophets have fpoken, and all agree that the calamities will be the moft tremendous that the nations have ever experienced; but the iffue, as it concerns the liberty and happinefs of mankind in general, as well as the flieity of the church cf Chrift in particular, the moft glorious. A glory this very different from that which worldly wifdom and carnal pride, for fo many centuries, have been aiming at. All the go- vernments of the world will be framed on principles of impartial and general jufticc. Pure and undefiled religion will revive. " Glory to God in the higheft, and on the earth peace, good-will toward men," will again be fung ; and both the fettered Jews and the fulnefs cf the Gentiles, will be brought in to fwell the chorus and to g: ace the triumphs of the Son of God. Long have the ryes of believers been looking to the promifes. and obferving the fo;ns of the times, expefting 'the arrival of thefc promifed dzvs. But hitherto the time has been delayed. Here, after the fixth trumpet, or the fecond woe, is paft, and the reft of the men, who were not killed, repented not, and after the L-vcn thunders had uttered their voices, the angel fwears by Him who liveth for ever and ever, that delay fhall be no longer, but -the feventh angel fhall found. In the next chapter, which contains explanatory virions, we are informed that the feventh angel does not found his trumpet, to bring the decifive woe, -till after the witneffes are rifen from the dead, in "Tome one of thcantichriftian kingdoms, nor till that king- dom, or tenth part of the antichriftian city, is fo fhaken bv an earthquake that it falls. Here it is neceffary to recollect what has been advanced in the firft part of The Si-pis of the Times. It is there endeavored to be proved, that by the Jtioni beaft, which came up out of the earth, (Rev. xiii. 11 18.) the French tyran- nv. as perfected by Lewis XIV. and hipportcd by his fucceffors, was intended ; that it was he who. bv the repeal of the edict of Kants, and the overthrow of ;:ll the remains of civil liberty in France, flew the witneffes for religious truth and nod liberty ; that u was lie who caufed an image to be made to the finft beaft (the papacy) by the eftablifnmcnt of a Ipiritual tyranny hmilar toth*t a: Rome, and which, contrary to the flute oi tilings in any oilier country SIGN'S OF, THE LATTER DAYS. Jt country where the Pope's fupremacy in fpirituals has been ac- knowledged, was at once independent of the Pope's authority, and J :t in fupport nf his pretentions and corruptions. I have alfo en- deavoured to prove, that it was here the witneffes laid politically dead for three lunar days and a half, or 105 years; that the revo- lution in France in 1789 was the refurreclion of the witneffes to civil life, and the commotions which have followed, the prophetic ^earthquake here predicted; and that the fall of the tenth part of the cily is accomplifhed in the overthrow of the monarchy or ty- ranny of France. Immediately after this the feventh angel founds, and uflu rs in the third woe, which is to be the means of haftcning the kingdom of God. The nations are angry, (compare chap. xi. 18. with xix, 19.) and gather themiclves together to oppofe the do f.gns of God : his wrath falls upon them, and they are deftroyed. This eleventh chapter, we muft remember, is a miniature picture of the hiflory of the Chriftian church, from its firfl beginnings to the end of time, and belongs to the little book which treats of the affairs of the church efpccially. When the vifions of the book with feven feals are refumed, (which book refers to the more mix- ed and general concerns of the kingdoms) as in the JJteenih and following chapters, thefe events of the feventh trumpet, or third woe, arc exhibited on a larger fcale, and related with a more cic- cumflantial detail. Now let us compare the tenth chapter with the eleventh. In the tenth chapter we are informed that it was not till alter the feven thunders had uttered their voices that the angel lifted up his hand to heaven, and fware by Him that liveth for ever, that delay fhould be no longer, but that the my fiery of God lhould l e {ijhthcd bv the founding of the feventh angel. Thefe feven thun- ders, I think, evidently occupy the ipace between the ending of the jixth trumpet and the commencement of the feventh. But, what are thefe thunders? John was forbidden to write what they uttered; and hence moil commentators have pad over this part of" the piuph cy without even conjecturing what might be intend- ed, fuppoiing that it would be prefumptuous to do io. But tins has not been the cafe with all. S.r.ne have conjectured that though what they uttered was not to be written at that time, yet they are explained in the after vilions. Bnghtman luppjicd them to be 32 SIGNS OF THE LATTER DAYS.. explained in the fourteenth chapter: Whifton imagines that they belong to the laft vial, chap. xvi. But all this fecms very unna- tural. There are others who fuppofc that though it was not pro- per to write down what they uttered at that time, yet that, aftet their accomplifhment, they will be underftood, and fuppofe them to be leven warnings which are to precede either the feventh ! trumpet or the laft vial. It appears to me that as John was for- ' bidden to write down what thefe thunders uttered in vifion, it | would be as prefumptuous as it would be ulelcfs, to inquire what it was till the vifion is realized, and the intent of thefe thunders is ascertained. For as it is likely that it was forbidden to be writ- ten left the prophecy fhould be made too plain before the time that God would have it underftood, fo to attempt an explanation till events have made the archetypes of the thunders quite clear, would be running before God. But it does not hence follow that this is always to be the cafe ; for when the things fignified arc ac- complifhed, they may inform us, in language as plain as events can fpeak, of what we were not to know before. But, to fay no- thing of what thefe thunders might utter, we may obfervc, that as we are not forbidden to inquire what the general meaning of thefe thunders themlelves might be, and as it is probable that they were intended to be fome time underftood, to the end that they might ferve as a guide to direct the inquirer into the figns of the times, and as otherwife the mention of them would be ufelcfs, it is therefore very proper to examine, with modefty, whether this part of facred writ inaynot alfift us in forming a judgment of the times in which we live, that thus wc may be excited to redoubled watchfulncfs, and be ready. Our fir ft enquiry fhould be, what is the meaning of thunder in the myftical and figurative language of prophecy ? As in the na- tural world the things of creation are comprilcd in the heavens and the earth, and the heavens are confidcrcd as the nobler paits of the creation, lo in the world politic, in prophetic language, the heavens mean thrones and governments ; the lun, moon, and ftars, emperors, kings, princes, and great men. as well as empires, kingdoms, and ftates ; the earth fignifies the great mais of the common people; clouds mean multitudes; wind, hail, itoim, ai>d thunder, as well as caithiruakc:., figiiify wars aud commotions among SIGNS OF THE LATTER DAYS. 33 among multitudes and nations. Thus in Ifa. xxviii. 2. when God, by his prophet, threatens to punifh by war, the language is. " The Lord hath a mighty and ftrong one, which, as a tempeft of hail, and a deftroying dorm, as a Hood of mighty waters overflowing, ihall caft down to the earth." And again, chap. xxix. 6. " Thou {halt be vilitcd of the Lord of hofts with thunder, and with earth- quake, and great noile, with ftorm and tempeft, and a ftameof de- vouring fire." The next verfe explains what this thunder and florin is : " And the multitude of all the nations that fight againft Ariel fhall be as a dream." Sir I. Newton, On the Language of Prophecy , p. 18, fays, " Tempeftuous winds, or the motion of clouds, are put for wars ; thunder, or the voice of a cloud, for the voice of a multitude ; a fiorm of thunder, lightning, and hail, and overflowing rain, for a tempeft of war defcending from the hea- vens and clouds politic." Dr. Wafburton, in his Divine Legation^ book iv. feci:. 4. fays, ' ; The old Afiatic ftyle, fo highly figurative, fcems, by what we find of its remains in the prophetic language of the facrcd writings, to have been evidently fafhioncd to the mode of ancient hieroglyphics both curiologic and tropical. ^-Oi the fe- cund kind, which anfwers to the tropical hieroglyphic, is the call- ing empires, kings, and nobles, by the names of the heavenly lu- minaries, the fun, moon, and furs; their temporary difa iters, or entire overthrow, by eclipfes and extinctions; the definition of the nobility, bv flars falling i':o:z\ the firmament ; hoflilc invalions, Lv thunder and tempeftuous winds ; and leaders of armies, con- querors, and founders of empires, by liens, bears, leopards, goats, or high trees. In a word, the prophetic ftyle feeins to be a speak- ing I1IEKOCLYFIIIC." If we examine all the paflages in the facrcd writings where thunder is mentioned in the prophetic ftyle, we fhall find that it generally, if not always, iigniiics war. It is probable, then, that thefe feven thunders were intended to mark out, for tiie ciiicctiou uf the pious inq uiier into trie fi.i.'.ns of the tunes, i-jven wars, or pciiods of war, between the fix th and feventh trumpet, which ihould afflict this wcltcrn part of the world, or thole nations which had given their power to the papal bcait, or winch in any form had afiiimed autichriftian power in religion, and wh*ch Wuii ::. ihouiu 34 SIGNS Or TIIF. LATTER DAYS. fhould prepare the way for the great fcene which was to fol- low. But here it will be proper to afk, (for frequent obfervation has convinced me that fuch queftions are not altogether needlcfs) Does the reader believe that a prophecy can be fulfilled bv the events which take place in his own day, and which pafs under his own obfervation, as well as by thofe of five hundred years back, or of five hundred years to come ? Dors he think the wars and great events of nations which have or may take place in this age, and in thefe countries of Europe, as worthy to be the fubject of prophecy as what was foretold by Daniel, (chap, xi.) respecting the invafion of Greece bv Xerxes ; or of the conquells of Alex- ander, and the fate of his empire ; or of the league which was formed between Ptolemy Philadelphia, king of Egypt, and An- tiochus Theus, king of Syria, by the marriage of Berenice, the daughter of the former, with the latter, and the confequences that followed that conne6tion ? I hope he doe?. As the feven thunders appear evidently to occupy the foace be- tween the fixth and feventh trumpet, and as thunder in the pro- phetic writings is allowed to be the lpcaking hieroglyphic of war, and as it is likewife probable that the fixth trumpet, or fecund woe, ended about the vear 1697, it is woith while to inquire whe- ther thefe thunders have uttered their voices, that is, whether theie have been feven periods of war in Europe fince that time. ():; examination, the hiflory of this century will inform us that, tak- ing .ill the nations together which do or have made up t lie bodv of the papal bead, and among whom the remains of religious cor- ruption, ufurpation, &c. continue, (and which almofi all allow to be the object of thelc vinous.} there have been juft feven of theie thunders, or periods of war, neither more nor lels. And it is worthy of remark, that this is :hc cafe whether we take into the account thofe hates and kingdoms or.lv which fprung out of the rums of the old Roman empire, or all thole that compoic the La- tin church, or even the whole of Europe. We fhall confidei thofe wars in which all Europe have been engaged fo far only as the nations which arc or have been fubjccl to the papacy have been concerned in them. 1. The SIGNS OF THE LATTER DAYS. 35 i. The firfk period of war commenced in 1700, and continued without intermiffion till 1721 inclufive ; for when other powers terminated their dedruciions, and hufhed the roar of war in fome parts of Europe, by the peace of Utrecht, in 1713, and by that of Radadt, in 1714, then, as though alarmed left mankind fliould be too happy, the madman Charles the Twelfth of Sweden roufed himfelf from his bed of afiefted ficknefs at Domctica, and profe- cuted his war againft Ruffia, Denmark, Pruflia, Poland, Hanover, and Saxony, with renewed vigor. In thefe wars the following powers were engaged : Sweden, Ruflia, Denmark, Poland, Eng- land, Holland, the Emperor, Spain, France, the Venetians, the Turks, &c. This was the fird thunder. 2. The fecond, though very violent, while it laded, was of fhort- er duration than the former, continuing only through the three campaigns of 1733, 1731, and 1735. In this war there were en- gaged the Emperor, France, Spain, Sardinia, &c.+ The interval of peace was fhort ; for, 3. In 1737 the third thunder began to roll ; nor did it ceafe to lay the faired parts of Europe in ruins till 1748. In the wars which filled up this period of dedruftion the following powers were engaged: the Emperor, Ruffians, and Turks, led the way ; England and Spain quickly followed; France, Pruflia, and Hol- land alio united to increafe the calamity. 4. In 1755 commenced another period of war, which foon fet all Europe in a flame. Great Britain, France, Pruffia, Saxony, Auftria, Sweden, Spain, and Portugal, experienced its effects. This period of war laded till 1703, and was the fourth thun- der. 5. The fifth, though extremely violent where it raged, did not extend iifelf lo wide. The parties engaged were the Ruffians, Poles, and Turks. The French and Corficans alfo incrcafed the f- About the year 1726 the trcatiei of Vienna 311J Hanover had like to have kinJIeJ a general flame throughout all Europe, but it being happily exrio^uifheJ juft as it \va> breaking out, and the expence of preparation being the chief evil, what happened between us and Spain can by no means be reckoned a thunder. E 2 roar. 36 Signs or the latter days. roar. Poland was never fo dcfolatcd. This commenced in 1768, and continued five years. 6. Peace, as ufual, was but of fhort continuance. The difpute of Great Britain with her American colonics, which broke out into an open rupture in 1775, was the ocrafion of a fixth general tempeft breaking upon the chief maritime powers of Europe, and which continued from 1778 to 1782, five years. The powers en- gaged were Great Britain, France, Spain, and Holland. 7. The feventh and la ft period of war was from 1788 to 1791, inclufive. The parties engaged were the Ruffians and Auftrians againft the Turks; the Swedes againft the Ruffians and Danes; the Belgians alfo, who revolted againft the emperor, increafed the tempeft. Denmark foon became neuter : and as far as the emperor and Swedes were concerned, peace was rcitorcd in 179O. but the Ruffians and Turks continued their (laughter till 2791. This was the feventh thunder. This laft period of war feems^ under Providence, to have been among the principal caufes of the fuccefs of the revolutionists in France ; for thofe who may be thought to have been the moft cif- pofed to affifh the French court were otherwife cmplovcd. This circumftance has not been unnoticed by the writers of the day. It has been obierved that it happened unfortunately with refpeft to the arifiocratical party in France, that Europe had fcldom been, through a long courfe of years, in a (late lefs capable of affording the fuccours which were now demanded by the princes, nobles, and clergy of that country, or in which the minds of the people, or the difpofitions of the Sovereigns were lefs calculated for under- taking any cnterprizc, than at prefent. The mad ambition of the emperor Jofeph, under the influence of the overwhelming power and vaft defigns of Ruilia, to which he became fo mifcrablc a dupe, befides the nun andfpirit of re\ r o!t which it fpread through his own dominions, had, in no fmall degree, deranged the general policy of Europe. And it is worthy to be ob.fervcd that juft when this prince was on the eve of making; peace with the Turks, and which being accomplished, he might then have been able to turn his attention to the fituation of his brother-in-law the king of I* ranee. SIGNS OF THE LATTER DAYS. 37 France, he died, (Feb. 20, 1790.) His fucceffor, Leopold, imme- diately fet himfelf to accomplifh what death prevented Jofeph from executing; but no fooner was peace concluded with the Ottoman court, and his revolting fubjetts in Brabant brought to obedience, than he diedalfo, (March 1, 1791.) All thefe events counteracted every inclination which the court of Vienna might have to oppofe the progrefs of the French revolution, and gave time for its gain- ing fuch a firm eftablifhment, that before Francis, the prefent em- peror, could be prepared for the meditated attack, the people of France were become too much enlightened into the enormities of the old tyftem, too much informed of their rights and flrength, and too united, to be eahly frightened into a retreat. The courts of London and Madrid were occupied in a fquab- ble about an object fcarcelv bearing or deferving a name. The king of Sardinia, from the ftate of his finances, of his army, of his fortreffes, was not in a condition to hazard any attempt in favor df the old defpotifm, till tob late. We may add, the immenfe debts, contracted in the wars of the prefent century, (originating from the impolitic and ruinous pra6tice of funding, which muft in the end, and perhaps very foon, terminate in events the molt Calamitous to thufe who have hadrefort to fuch unwife meafurcs) ; thefe debts, I fay, and the consequent derangement of the finances of all' the powers in Europe, proved highly favorable to the caufe of the French reformers ; and however great the fears of fome might be, refpecting the influence of this example, or however much inclined to liften to the fupplications of humbled deipotifin, or to fuppott the caufe of the mortified nobility and clergy, whofc cries lor vengeance filled every court and every country, yet they were fo (hack led by circumftances as not to be able to yield them immediate aUiitance. Thus have the wars of this century been preparing the way for the accomplifhmcnt of God's dchgns in the ovcnhiow of the tenth part of the antichriftian city, and the d<_fhution of the power of thofe privileged orders oi men, who had been its chief iupportcrs, which appears to be the flaying of the (even thoui.-.i.d names of men predicted Rev. ;;i. 13. and which events': were to be the prelude to the feventh trumpet, which is to bring thufe 38 SIGNS OF THE LATTER DAYS. judgments that are to perfect the overthrow of papal corruption and tyranny. Seeing that God, by his fervants the prophets, has condefccndcd in various known and allowed cafes, (as maybe feen by comparing the writings of the prophets with hiftory) to reveal his purpofes concerning the fate of nations, and that for the confirmation of his word, and the edification of mankind, it certainly becomes us to examine whether there be any tokens or figns by which we may know the prcfent times, led the judgments of God coma upon us when we aic not aware, and find us, inftead of waiting for him, as his faithful fervants, in arms againft his providence, and in league for the fupport of his enemies, and the enemies of his children. There never were greater or more important events, fincc the world began, than thofe to which we are witneffes ;. events ap- parently big with the molt awful confcqucnccs. Though w hat we have advanced refpecting the termination of the powci of the Turks in or about the year 1697. and the accomplifhment of the feven thunders, by the feven periods of war which have been iince that time, may not, by itfclf, prove that the time is arrived for the founding of the fevent h trumpet, and for the commencement of that wot which is to bring antichriftian idolatry, corruption, and oppreffion to an end, yet, in conjunction with other prophecies and events, it is poilible that it may form a ftrong probability a probability as near to a demonstration as can be expected on iucha fubject, and in the prcfent ftage of the bufinefs. Compare atten- tively. In that whole-piece picture (if I mav fo call it) contained in chapter the eleventh^ we arc informed that after the two witnef- les, o two defcrintions of witneffes, had lain politically dcc:d ;n one of the fleets of the antichriftian city, the myflical Babylon. for three prophetic days and a half, the iptrit of hie fiom God entered into them, and they flood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them who law them. This i.-. a Jcwifh manner of dc- fcribing the great political changes of nations from bondage to liberty, as may be feen by comparing this place with I fa. xxv. 6 12. xxvi. 12, 19, 21. Ezek. xxxvii. 1 14. What the prophets in the paffages referred to liavc dclcribcd as the rcluncetion of the SIGN'S OF TIPE LATTER DAYS. 39 the Jews from the dead, is allowed, on all hands, to be their fifing to civil and political exigence, when they fhall be reilored from their difperfions and bondage to their own land and to liberty ; and the fpirit which is promifed, Ezek. xxxvii. 14. to be put in them that they may live, is not that which is promifed Jer. xxxi. 33. and Ezek. xi. ig. but the fpirit of political and civil life, preparatory to that greater bleifing of the renovating Spirit of God. Upon the rifingof thefc witneffes from their Mate of death, thevhearda great voice from heaven, (ver. 12.) that is, from the fupreme pow- er, faying unto them, " Come up hither," affume the privileges and rights of freemen. " And the fame hour there was a great earthquake;" (ver. 13.) or, in plain language, without prophetic figure, a great national convulfion, from the druggies which the lupportersof corruption and tyranny made againft the vindicators of the civil and religious rights of mankind. " And the tenth part of the city fell." This for ages paft has been fuppofed to re- fer to France, the tenth part of the antichriflian city, and events fcem to verify the conjetture. This doubtlcfs appears to point out one of the ten papal hates or monarchies which had been the great .fupporter of the perfecutions and oppreflions of the whore of Ba- bylon, and which was to fall iome little time before the founding of the feventh trumpet fur the great and defoleting woe; and no one of them lias been, all through, io confpicuous in her caufe a* France. ' And in the earthquake" not ?.t the moment of the falling of the tenth part of the citv. hut in the earthquake which termi- nated in that event. " were fiain of men (even thoufand ;" or, of the names of i-ien. as it fhould be read. This lias alio, for near two cent;. rie^ back, been hiDpoled to be a prediction of the abolition (. f titles in Fiance, and of the perilhing of thofe privileged orders of men who have been the principal fupporters of defpottfrn, and the chief aftors in the peifccations which have raged againfl God's leivants, as mav be leeti inure at Luge in the Firii Part of Ike Signs of :'.: Tints. Immedi.it.lv after the fall of this tenth part of the city, the third woe conuneni . Yci. 14. " I he lecon.l woe is pad. and bchol 1 i!\-: third woe i:..>;n:'.li q licki; . And the leveuth an m:1 founded, an J 40 SIGNS OF THE LATTER DAYS. and there were great voices in heaven, faying, The kingdoms of this world arc become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Chrift; and he fhall reign forever and ever." That is, thofe judg- ments now commence which are fpcedily to effect, this happy change ; but Babylon the Great is to fall fn ft, and this is to be ac- complished by terrible things in rightcoufnefs. The nations are to be angry, (ver. 18.) and oppofe the dcfigns of God ; the confe- quencc of which will be, he will gather them together, (chap. xvi. 16. xix. 17 2i.)and pour upon them his wrath, and thus deftrov thofe (whether fecular or ecclcfiaftical) who deftroy the earth. Let us now return to the feven thunders, and fee whether our interpretation of them agree with what is here predicted refpect- ing the tenth part of the antichriftian city, and the events which have taken place. The laft thunder, or period of war, as we have feen, began in 1788, juft before the earthquake in France com- menced, and continued till 1791, or, if we exclude R.uflia and Turkey, 1790. It entered far into the period of the earthquake, and was a means, under Providence, of forwarding the conie- quences of that convulfion. In this part of the earthquake the. names of men were {lain, that is, the titles and di (Unctions, not only of the ccclcfiaftics, but of the lecular nobility were abolifhcd. The titles of thefe latter were abolifhcd June 9, 179O. Their cries for vengeance excited the lympathy and pity of the lur- rounding courts, but they were at prclent in no condition to-h.lp them. The thunder ceafed. Aug. 25.1791, feveral potentates and princes entered into a treaty at Piinitz, and agreed to prepare for the invalion of Fiance, and to unite their force-, to reiicic the an- cient delpotilm, and with it the invaded rights of the iiobihtv and priefthood. The affairs of France advance laft towards a criiis. The angel fwears by Him who livetii forever and ever, that dttay {hall be no longer. Aug. ic. 179*. the Monarchy falls. 1 he feventh angel iounds ihe nations arc angry, and God's wrath i* come. Thus, there hitherto appears to have been the n:oft exact con- formity between the rcprelentatious to John, and the events which v. c SIGNS OP THE LATTER DAYS. 41 we have been confidertng, efpecially as to the rifing and finking of the Turkifh power, and the periods of war which have afflifted the Latin church, or thefe weftern parts of the world, fince the termination of the violence of the Jecond woe, and preparatory to the third j as well as to the revolution in France, and the commo- tions of nations which have followed the fall of the papacy and monarchy in that country. A correfpondence this which is cal- culated to excite the moft fcrious alarm on account of our prefent fituation, and of what we have to expeft. But it is happy to re- flect that this is not all ; it is calculated alfo to cheer the hopes of all thofc who are waiting for the fulfilment of the promifes of God, for the morning cometh as well as the night, and at evening time it JhalL be light. (Zech. xiv. 7.) But, would we efcape the evil, and participate only in the good ? The likelieft means t infure this, is, without delay, to withdraw from this unhappy and inaufpicious war, and apply ourfelves to a univerfal reforma- tion. THERE are alfo other figns of the times which very pointedly indicate what we have to expect, but which we fhall only briefly touch upon. From comparing what Ezekicl fays, (chap. xxvi. xxvii. and xxviii.) concerning the fall of Tyrus, and the confe- quent calamities, from the failure of commerce, with whzt is find refpefting the fall of Babylon the Gicat, Rev. xviii. ferious con- cisions might be deduced. As theic might alio, not only from that general indifference which prevails as to every thing which concerns religion, but from comparing Rev. xvi. 2, 13. with ex- isting events. The union of P rote Hants and Paj ills, (though if mult be fuppoicd that they do not in general mean this,) for the V fua- 4* SIGNS OF TH8 LATTER DAYS. fupport of that which heretofore they thought it their firft duty to oppofe, and for the overthrow of which they pray in all their churches, is a Angular phasnomenon. Yes, charity obliges us to hope that the majority of Proteftants would revolt at the idea of leaguing themfelves with papal tyrants for the direft purpofe f fupporting Popery. I believe that this is not the idea of the peo- ple in this country, and I hope that none of our treaties will ever bind us to fight through thick and thin for the perpetual fafety of all the ftates of Italy. For as the day (if God's word be true) will certainly come, and, it is likely, vcryfoon, when God's wrath will be poured out upon that feat of fpiritual tyranny, this would involve us in an awful fituation indeed, to the tnoft diftant hazard of which no wife Proteftants would expofe their king and country. They who would do this, let them abufe the French infidels as much as they will, are deeper in infidelity than they. No ; the people of this country, in general, think nothing about Popery, or of the po- licy of fupporting it. This is not efteemed even a fecondary end of the war by them. But, it is too evident that the violent advocates for religious hierarchies, tithes, &c. among Proteftants, although they might approve of fome reformation in the Gall-ican church, and would not have found themfelves inclined to oppofe any alter- ation which might have brought it to a nearer conformity to their own feveral fyftems, yet, when the French reformers abolifhed tithes, and reftored to the people their ancient and natural right of choofing their own pallors, and efpeeially wben they abolifhed all religious eftablifhments in that extenfive country, and placed the different fefts upon an equal footing, and made all the minifters of religion dependent upon their feveral flocks for fupport, who might reward them in proportion to their own ability, or accord- ing to the opinion entertained of their dclci ts ; this reduction of things to the original ftate in which Chrift and his apoftles left them, was beyond bcarancc, and they had rather that all the ab- furdities and oppreffions of the old papal eftablifbment fhould be reftored, than fuch a dangerous example be fet up in the heart of Europe. This appears evidently to be the fentiment of thofe who wail and howl fo dreadfully about the contempt into which their ' dear brethren in Chrift" (the Popifh clergy, who can no longer (hew their mitred fronts in Parliaments) have fallen, and for thfc over- SIGNS OF THE LATTER DAYS. 43 overthrow of the holy altars of the idolatrous whore of Babylon. But let us pafs on. - When I read or hear the ravings of Mr. B ke, and of fuch like orators, who arc liftened to with admiration and wonder, while they lb feelingly defcribe the merits of the papal pricfthood, the fanclity of all religious cftablifhments, and the enormous im- piety of touching this ark of God; when I hear right reverend prelates, of a Protcftant church, drawing the moft invidious com- parifons between the priefts of the bloody whore of Babylon and the dineri'ting mrnrfters of this country, (than whom, with the whole body of Protcftant di 'Venters, there arc none who arc more fincerc in their loyalty to the king, in their attachment to the conftitution, or more uniform in their obedience to the laws but enemies to corrup- tion, and friends to civil and religious liberty) ; when I hear them, before the moftauguftaffcmblies, breathing out nothingbut brotherly love to the former, and nothing but wrath and bitternefs againft the latter, and all becaufe thefe differ from them in opinion about tithes and religious cftablifhments; -while I hear them exerting all their eloquence, not only to implore our proteftion and pity for the exiled priefts of France as fellow-creatures, (for that would be praifc-worthv, for, if thine enemy hunger, feed him.) but as our brethren, members of Chrijf, and heirs of tht promifes ; " more near and dear to us by far than fomc who. affecting to be called our Pro- tcftant brethren, have no other title to be called Protcftant than a Jew or a Pagan, who, not being a Chriftian, is for that reafon onlv, not a Papift;" while 1 hear them foftening our renunciation of the antichi iftian church of Rome, into an efrangement, and her idolatry and blafphcmous dogmas into ' ( what n-e deem their errors and corruptions ;" r-whilft I hear them wail over the fallen altars and violated riches of papal idolatry and ftiperftition, without one, fentence which may lead ns to adore God, in the contemplation of thofe righteous and awful judgments bv which lie fulfils his word, and avenges the caufe of the innocent; I perceive in this unity of fentiment between Inch exalted Proteftants and the church of Rome a ftgn of the times which indicates no good to the friends of civil and religious liberty. But I will leave fuch men to the mercv of God, and the public to their own reileclions. Rejoicing I Init the law protects the innocent, I hope that fuch men will nc- Y - vcr 44 SIGNS Or THE LATTER CAYS. ver be permitted to realize their zeal in any thing beyond inve&ive and wailing; and then, let them inveigh, let them wail Jefu I know, and Paul I know; but, who are thefe? -Not the genuine friends cither of Protcflantifm, their country, the king, or the con- ftitution, which they make their theme. The next fign of the times which I fhall notice refpefts the Ot- toman empire. In Dan.xi. 40 45. we have a prophecy of the calamities which the people of the fourth monarchy, or rather of the papal church, fhould fuffer from the king of the South, or the Saracens; arid from the king of the North, the Turks, who came originally from the north quarter. After enumerating the con 7 quefts of this laft enemy, the prophet fays, ver. 44. " But tidings put of the eaft, and out of the north, fhall trouble him; therefore fhall he go forth with great fury to deflroy, and utterly to make away many ;" ver. 45. " yet he fhall come to his end, and none fhall help him." "And at that time'' (xii. 1.) " fhall Michel ftand up, the great prince, which fjandeth for the children of thy peo- ple," (the Jews) " and there fhall be a time of trouble, fuch as there never wa,s fince there was a nation ; even to that fame tim<- ? and at that time, thy people" (the Jews) " fhall be delivered, every one that fhall be written in the book." Then follows a defcrip- tion of their political rifmg, after the manner of the caflcrn ftylc. Enemies from the eaft, from towards Pcrfia or Arabia, and fiora the north, arc to be the means of bringing the Turkifh monfter to an end, and this is to be preparatory to the rcjUirn of the Jews to their own country, which the Turks now pofTefs, and at which time i'uch troubles will afflict the nations as have never been known. One enemy is to come from the eaft, and another from, the north ; and it is deferving the attention of thofe who woul^ obferve the progrefs of things towards the accomplifhmcnt of God's purpofes, that at the prefent time the Ottoman empire is at once threatened from both thefe quarters. The new feet of the Vchabis in Arabia, a, re faid to become more and more formidable. Thefe arc Mahomedan infidels, and their doctrine has nothing lei's in view than the deftruction of the whole fyftcm of Mahometan- ifm, as a fyftcm of fupcrftition, opprcfucn, and bloodfhcd. The founder SI.CNS OF THE LATTER DAYS. 45 founder of the feet was the Shiek Mahomed Jbn Abduhl Vehab. This doctrine has been brooding, it is faid, near fixty years, and its advocates now fupport their opinion by force of arms. They have adherents both fecrct and revealed among the Arabians in general. They arc reported to pofi'efs the greater part of the /country from Medina to Bafibra, on the Euphrates, and beyond it, and 40,000 men have been found infufheient to overpower them. The Porte is pursuing meafurcs for their reduction, and we muft Wait the iflfuc before we can form any certain opinion ; but it is probable that Mahometan ifm, as well as Popery, will owe its fall to the prevalence of infidelity. The fecond great enemy which is to contribute to the dedruction of the Turkifh empire, is to come from the north, and this fcems at prefent the moll formidable. Ever fince the time that we have fuppofed the rage of the fecond woe to have terminated, (the latter end of the lad century) the power of the Ruffians has been getting a head of that of the Ot- tomans, and at this moment Constantinople trembles at the. frown of the *S**4% iM*A*K (M/o'^vv.V Gcfc+^lZy But here a difficulty prefents hfelf. As the Turks came origi- nally from the neighbourhood of Mount Caucasus, where the fa- mily of Gog was fettled, and as they have long been in pofieffion of mod of thofe countries mentioned by the prophet Ezckiel, (chap. xxxviii, 2 6.) as the invaders of Pajedine, alter the Jews' reflo- ration, it has therefore been thought that the Turks are the people to whom the prophecy refers. But, if the Turkifh empire is to be overthrown to make way for the rcdoration of the feed of Abra- ham, how is this to be reconciled with the prediction of the prophet, and the generally-received opinion *' "Were I to enter into a la- bored confideration of this fubject, it would carry me far beyond the bounds I ha've prefcribed myfclf. I {hall therefore but jud touch upon it, and refer the reader for farther information to Wells.'* Geography of (he Old Tcji. vol. 1, chap. 3, feet. 2. Respecting Gog and hi^ aflbciates, mentioned by Ezckiel, it ap- pears that Gog, or Magog, the fon of Japhct, fettled himfclf about Mount Caucafus, and is edecmed the father of the Scythians, who dwelt on the call and north-cad of the Euxincor Black. Sea; Go- jner and his fon Togarmah peopled the northern trat of the Idler Aiia ; 4^ SIGNS OF THE I.ATTRR DA VS. ATia-:, Mefhech fettled to theeaftward of Corner, in part of Cap- padocia and Armenia, to the fouth and fouth-eaft of the Black Sea Tubal i c ttlcd Mill farther to the caftward, towards the Caf- pian fea. Thcfc two latter were the near neighbors of Gog. From a colony of Tuhal fprung the Ruffians ; and the Mufcovitcs owe their origin to a colony of Mefhcch. Dr. Wells, (vol. 1, p. 158) treating on the origin of the Mufcovitcs and Ruffians, fay*, " That the Mofcbvtifo or Mufcovitcs in Europe Mere a colony ori- ginally of Mefiech or Mcfoch, called by the decks Mofdii, is very probable, not onlv on account of likenefs of names, but alio of the rcfpc&ivc filiations of the Afiatic and European Mfhi one to the other. Add to this another confidcration, tlvit whereas in pur and fomc other tranflations the Hebrew text, E/.ek. xxxviii. 2. is rendered thus; The chief prince, or (as it is in the margin of our Bibles) the prince of (he. chief of Mefhech and Tuhal ; in other tranflations, and particularly in the Septuagint, it is thus rendered; The prince of Rofh Mffliech, and Tuhal. The thing is, the Hebrew word tyfcO RoJJi, by fiime is taken to be an apnellatfvc^ by others a proper name. The learned Bochart has obferved from the Nubian geographer, that the river in Armenia, called by the Greeks Araxes, js bv the Arabians called Rifh. And hence he not onlv probably infers, from other instances of the like nature, that the people that lived in the country about that river were alfo denominated Ro/h, but alio proves from Jofephus Bengorion, that there were a people in thcfc parts named Rhoffi. Now the Mofchi and Roffi being thus neighbors in Alia, their colonics kept together in Eu- rope, thole of the Mofchi feating themfclves in the province of Mufeovy, properly fo called, that is, the parts about the citv of Mof- ow : thole of the Roffi feating themfclves in the parts adjoining on the fouth. For the learned Bochart has obferved from Tzetzcs, that the people called Tauri, and from whom the Taurica Chcrfo- vcfus took its name, were, in the days of Tzct7.cs, better known by the name of Ros than of Tauri. Upon the whole, therefore, it may be very probably believed, that the Mufcovitcs and Ruffians in Eurppc were colonies of Mefiech, or clfc of Mefiech and Tuhal jointly." Treating on thefituation of Cog, as north of Tubal, &c. lie fins, " This fituation is confirmed bv thefcripturc itfelf, E/.ek. xxxviii, 2. Set thy face againf Cog, in, or cf, the land of M \ ike frxnee of Rofa, Mefhech, and Tuhal, &c. For hence wc learn, SIGNS OF THE LATTER DAYS. , 47 that the. land of Magog muft be near to that of Rofli, Mejhcch, and Tubal ; and it could be fo only on the north. The learned Mr. Medc hasobferved, that the name Cog fignihcs the very fame with Magog, the letter mem bsing but an hsanantick letter, i. f. not a radical, but an additional letter to the radix or primitive word. And he conceives that it plcafed the Spirit of God to diftinguifh thus between the land and the people of the land, by calling the people Gog, and the land the land of Magog." Thus the Ruffians and Muscovites themfelvcs appear to be in- cluded in the enumeration of E/.ekicl, and \vc mav obferve that they have already extended their conqucfts into the neighbourhood or the Black and Calpian Seas, and of thole parts originallv fet- tled by Cog and their anceflor Tubal. The probability is that thev will extend their conquefts (till farther, and be diftinguifhed in- llrurncnts in the overthrow of the Turkiih empire. And having effected this, it is likely that, with the alliitance of their newly ac- quired fubjecls or allies from thq Cafpian to the Propontus, with the Periians, &c. (the people enumerated by Ez.ekiel) they will be the invading multitude marked out by the Spirit of Prophecy. There is another fign of the tii/irs alio which ought not to be en- tirely omitted. More than two thouiand five hundred years ago the ten tribes of Ilrael were carried captive into AflVria. About a hundred and fifteen vcars after this, Judah and Benjamin all** were carried away to Babylon. Thcle returned, and lomc few of the other tribes with them, but as a nation, Ilrael was never re- stored. According to Kidras (book 2. chap. xiii. .ji 30. thci took counfel among themfelvcs and emigrated into a diftant coun- try, where never man dwelt ; that the name of this country w .: ArpiTcth, at the diltancc of a year and a halt's journey, where they are to dwell till the latter tune, when God wdl bring them back with great wonders. The prophets abound with p.'o.uiies, no; otdy reflecting the reiteration oi Judith, (the Jews but o: Ilrael alio. From thefc tribes not having been heaid of tor j 1 many ages, and the improbability of Inch a people (.'leaping the notice <>i all travellers, the generality have been induced to conclude thai they no where exift, as a diilincl people, but have long ago ! c ;u melted Ju\va aitua" other nations, except thole that united t 4$ SIGNS OF THE LATTER DAYS. felvcs with Judah and Benjamin, at their return from Babylon.- That they {hould ftill cxift is certainly a very extraordinary cir- r umftance ; and fhould Providence bring them forward by and 1 by to aft a cemfpictfous part in the great fcene which is now open- ing, it will doubtlcls excite great aftonifhment ; but both the event and the furprife were forefcen and predicted by the prophets. They fofefaw that the re- union of Ephraim with Judah would not take place till after the great difpcflion, and their refurrection from the long political death which they were to fufler for their fins. Then are Ephraim and Judah to be one people again. (Ezek. xxxvii. 1622.) And Judah fhall fay, " Who hath brought up thefe ? Behold I was left alone, thefe, where have they been !" ( I fa .- xlix. 21.) Independent of the prophecies, there is rcafon to conclude that this people do ftill exift diftinftfrom other nations. The grounds for this conclusion may be iccn in the Afiatic Rrfearches, vol. 2.- That the reader may judge for himfelf, I fhall take the liberty of quoting the cxtraft which we find in the Monthly Review enlarged, vol. 10, p. 502. The account is vrhimfical enough; but conlidcr- ing the number of ages lincc the carrying away Iffael captive, their corrupt itate at that time, their miferable condition fince. their ignorance of printing, &e. it affords as much proof as can be expected, at the firft dawn of their exiftence. When we are better acquainted with them, their MSS. Cuftoms, &c. we may ex- pect more light. u On the defcent of the Afghani from the Jew!. " The Afghans call themfelvcs the pofterity of Melic Talut, oY king Saul.-^-The defcent of the Afghans, according to their own tradition, is thus whinifieally traced ; ' In a war which raged between the children of Ifrael and the Amalekites, the latter being victorious, plundered the Jews, and obtained poileflion of the ark of the covenant. Considering this the god of the Jews, they threw it into fire, which did not affeft it ; they afterwards endeavored to cleave it with axes, but without rucceis : every individual who treated it whh indignity w;is pu- nifhed SICNS OF TH& LATTER DAYS. g nifhedfor his temerity. They then placed it in their temple, but all their idols bowed to it. At length tbey'faftened it upon a cow 4 which they turned loofe in the wiidernefs. * V/hen the prophet Samuel arofe, the children of Ifrael faid to him, " We have been totally fubdued by the Amakelites, and have no king. Raife to us a king, that we may be enabled to contend fur tlte glory of God." Samuel faid, " in cafe you are led out to battle, are you determined to fight ?" They anfwered, " What has befallen us, that we Ihould not fight againft infidels ? Thaf nation has banifhed us from our country and children." At thig time the angel Gabriel defcended, and delivering a wand, faid, *' it is the command of God, that the perfon whofe ftature fhall cor- refpond with this wand, fhall be king of Ifrael." ' Melic Talut was at that time a man of inferior condition, and 'performed the humble employment of feeding the goats and cows of others. One day a cow under his charge was accidentally loft* Being difappointed in his fearches, he was greatly diftrefled, and .applied to Samuel, faying, " I have loft a cow, and do not poifefia the meaus'of fatisfying the owner. Pray for me, that I may be ex- tricated from this difficulty." Samuel perceiving that he was a man of lofty ftature, alked his name. He anfwered, Talut. $a muel then faid, " Meafurc Talut with the wand which the angel Gabriel brought." His ftature was equal to it. Samuel then faid, ii God ha* r a: fed Talut to be your king." The children of Ifrael anfwered, li We are greater than our king. We arc men of dig- nity, and he is of inferior condition. How fhall he be our king?" Samuel informed them, they fhould know that God had confti* tuted Talut their king, by his reftoring the ark of the covenant. He accordingly reftored it, and they acknowledged him their fo- vereign. ' After Talut obtained the kingdom, he feized part of tho territories of Jalut, or Goliah, who aficmbled a large army, but was killed by David. Talut afterwards died a martyr in a war againft the infidels ; and God conftitutcd David king f tb Jews. Q * Mclie 50 SIGNS Or THfc LATTER DAYS. Mclic Talut had two fons, one called Berkia, and the other Jrmia, who ferved David, and were beloved bv him. He fent them to fight againft the infidels ; and by God's attiflancc they were vi&orious. The fon of Berkia was called Afghan, and the fon of Irmia was named Ufbcc. Thcfe youths diflinguifhed them- fc'lves in the reign of David, and were employed by Solomon. Afghan was diflinguifhed by his corporeal ftrength, which (truck terror into demons and genii. Ulbec was eminent for his learn- ing. c Afghan ufed frequently to make excursions to the mountains; where his progeny, after his death, cftablifhed thcmfclvcs, lived in a (late of independence, built forts, and exterminated the in- fidels.' " To this account we (hall fubjoin a remark of the late Henry Vanfittart, Efq. He obierves, that ' A very particular account of the Afghans has been written by the late Ha Fiz Rahmat Khan, a chief of the Rohillas, from which the curious reader may derive much information. They are MuiTulmen, pertly of the Sunni, and partly of the Shiah perfuafion. Thev are great boafters of the antiquity of their origin, and reputation of their tribe : but other MuiTulmen entirely rcjeft their claim, and conhder them of modern and even ba(e extraction. However their character may -be coHc6tcd from hiftory. Tliev have diflinguifhed thcmfclvcs hv their courage, both fingly and unitedly, as principals and auxi- 'liaries. Tliev have conquered for their own princes ami for fo- reigners, and have always been confulered the main ftrength of inc army in which they have ferved. As thev have been applauded for virtues, they have alfo been reproached for vices, h;:v::)i; fomctimes been guilty of treachery, and even acted the bale part of affoffins.' # A fpecimen of their language (the PuJhtoJ h added; ami the following note i infeited by the prefident. < This SIGNS OF THE LATTER DAYS. 1 * This account of the Afghans may lead to a very interefling difcovcry. We learn from Efdras, that the tentrircs, after a wan- dering journey, came to a country called Arfareth, where we may fuppofc they fettled. Now the Afghans are faid by the beffc Per- iian hiftorians to be defcended from the Jews; 1 hey have tradi- tions among thcmfelves of fuch a defcent ; and it is even affertcd, that their families are diftinguifhed by the names of Jewifli tribes, although, fmce their convcrfion to the Ifiam, they ftudioufly con- ceal their origin. The Pujhto language, of which I have feen a dictionary, has a manifefh refcmblance to the Chaldaic ; anda con- siderable diftric"t under their dominion is called Hazarch, or Ha- zaret, which might eafily have been changed into the word uied by Efdras. I ftrongly recommend an inquiry into the literature and hi (lory ox the Afghans. 5 That after the fpace of more than 2500 years the ten tribes of Ifrael fhould be fir ft reftored to notice juft at this period, when fo many figns indicate the approach of their refloration, may be defisned as a hint to us to be readv for what is coming. Let the trifling think what they may, I am fure that the diligent ftudent in the writings of the prophets will be far from eftccrning this lingular circumftance unworthy of attention ; and elpccially as it appears in company with lo many others which prels upon us, and urge us to watch. Among other figns of the fpecdy gathering and refloration of Ifrael, this is not the lcaft, that we are threatened with troubles fuch as have not been iince there was a nation. Never did fuch animohty prevail in any war as has manifefted itielf in this. And if we conlidcr the (laughter of human beings in this one campaign, befulc the wrctchcdncfs to which 'Jioufands 01 unhappy fugitive?, who had long been ufed to all the accommodations and elegancies of life, have been reduced, the prolpect is melancholy indeed, and fecms to befpeak fome vifuation more than common. It appears that a greater number of men have perifhed in little more than one year, than in both the late wars which raged in America and Europe for more than fourteen. Should the dcftruc"tion and ca- lami'}' go on with an accelerating devaluation, as we have re a fori C, 2 to Cg SIGNS Of THE LATTER DAYS, to cxpeft, if it be that day of troubles wkich we are taught t look for, who can calculate the quantum of human mifery to he endured before the ceffation of this tempeft in which we have fo unhappily mingled ! CON- [ 53 3 CONCLUSION: BEING AN A D D R E S sS T p THE PEOPLE OF GREAT BRITAIN. THUS, my countrymen, we have confidcrcd fome of thofe fignt tij the times which, at this feafon of general agitation, folicit our attention with lingular urgency. Signs which intimate nothing lcls than the general (baking and renovation of things. It becomes us therefore to attend to them with peculiar lerioufnefs, that we may know the meafures which we ought to purfue, and avoid precipitating ourfelvcs into the dreadful confequences of oppo- sing the providence of Qod, who in his word has forewarned us of his purpofes, and by his difpenfations is indicating their fpeedy accomplishment : it becomes us to obfervc them with devout attention, that we may hereby be excited to turn to God by a finccrc and general repentance, and thus be hid until the indig- nation be ovcrpaft: " For behold, the Lord comcth out of his place to punilh the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity ; the earth alio lhall difclofc her blood, and no longer cover her flam."t Now therefore conlidcr your ways, I acknowledge that my apprehenhons refpecting our profpefts arc not fo much from the opinion I may entertain of the witdom or folly, the juliicc or injuftice, the piety or impiety, of the prc- f'Cnl war, in a detached view, rs from the imprefiion which the general appearance of things, compared with the writings of the prophets, produces on my mind ; for, did I believe the prefent war (according to the general rule of elUmating thi: g r to be, be- j ira.xxv.2e,ti. von a 54 CONCLUSION. yond all doubt, both politic and juft, even this would not mi:ch IciTcn my appreheni'ion of danger. When \vc look back on ancient hutory, and trace the progrefs and fall of thofc empires and dates which Irifpiration has noticed, we fhall find that the long threat- ened judgments which fell upon them were net for the blame of thofe particular wars in which they perifhed, but for the accumu- lated guilt of fucceflive ages, and for the general corruption of their manners. Thofe wars might be perfectly jiift, becaule dc- fenfive. If wc examine the predictions of the prophets which refer to the chaftifement of the nations, and the deftruction of Ba- bylon the Great, in the latter days, wc {hall find that thofe dreadful judgments which are then to be inflicted, are to be for the (ins of centuries- for blcod which lias never been avenged. The fovc- jeigns and rulers of that day may, perhaps, be among the mo'l mild and juft that have ever excrcifed power; but wc rnuft he Grangers to the hiflory of nations if we do not know that this will be no certain fecurity. To in 'lance only the cafe of Ifracl : Hofhea was the heft prince that ever reigned over that people; the only one that had any mixture of good ; yet, in his days their ruin came. If the great body of the nation be corrupt ; if wc approve the deeds of our fathers, and our iniquity be full ; it is not the piety, or virtue, or juilice, of our princes and rulers that can fecure us. - But though this is the cafe, vet our obligations and our interefr, as they refpeel both the policy and the morality of the war. remain the fame. And if it be found that we arc acting contrary to the principles both of policy and the eternal obligations of morality, we are certainly precipitating our fate, and aggravating our ruin. Jt becomes us then, with great feriouhu fs, to consider our wavs : ior ii is not what the French aie that aiccrtams the Safety 01 dan- :.: : of our fituation : they mav be all that they are reprcfented . and yet our cafe be never the better: the worie thevare. the moie fit are they, in fome reipects, to be the inftiumcnts of God's thieatened judgments. The wifdoni or fo'dv, the policy or impolicy, of the prefent v .. ce;t;.:nly dcfcivcs the moll furious couhtleirtion of all who dcilio conclusion. . 55 defire the profperity of their country ; but as fo many have writ- ten fo ably on thefe fubje&s, it feems the lefs neceffary for me to detain the reader for the inveftigation of them. But there arc two or three things, which, though they may not fo- generally ftrike the attention, at leafh not fo as to produce any confidcrab'.e apprchenfion of danger, yet, if it be clear that they are connefted with this war. there is fo much moral turpitude in them, that, to thofc who believe in the all-fuperintending providence of the Cre- ator, and the Divine infpiration of the Scriptures, they muft ap- pear of a magnitude fufficicnt to excite the extrcmeft folicitude, and the mod iincerc concern. It is impofTiblc for any obferving man, who is at all converfant with what paffes about him, not to notice the unufual animontv which has manifefted itfelf in this contcft, both againft the French and againft all thole who diiler from the fafhionable opinion. So high lias it raged amongft a certain clafs of people, that no words arc equal to the defcription. " But this is a war of religion. The French are a nation of infidels the enemies of all religion ; and therefore deferve to be extirpated from the earth." Admirable imitators of Him who came not to deftroy men's lives, buttofave them ! A war of religion ! O ye pious cruLdcrs ! Ye never need to fhcath your (words. There aic \\ icked nations enow to gratify your holy z.cal with everlafting bloodfhed. But fhew u: your commiffiou. Is it a forgery, or is it derived from llitu <: who makcth his fun to nlc on the evil and on the good, and who fendcth rain on the juft and on the unjuft; and defireth not the death of a finner ?"+ But it is poilible that thcaccufa- tion againft our enemies may not be exactly juft. Mi.ch as w>: execrate wickednels, yet Ictus be impartial. Perhaps it fliould rather be, <: They arc infidels :he paiti/.ans of no feet." Nobody fufpects them to have much piety, vet, bad as thcyare, the freedom of every description of worfuip is protected by all the force c f the nation ; but as it is likely the majority of the rcprcieiitativcs of the people have no religion themfelves, they have elb'blifhcd none. bt have left religion to take care of itfelf, and work its ' Matth. v. i} 4 g. 56 CONCLUSION* own way by the native power of truth, juft as it was forced t do for the firfl three hundred years after Chrift, without either emoluments or penal ftatutes in its favor ; but with this difference, that no man fhali perfecute it, nor any one feci perfecute another, but if Christianity be from God, that it fhall have free liberty to make its conquclls. Be our opinion what it may of the utility or mifchief of religious eftablifhments among Proteftants, yet, is not this preferable to the fuperftitions and horrors of Popeiy ? And if God in his providence fees fit, by thefe methods, to over- throw the abominations of Rome, and thus to clear the way for undertled religion, fhall we be angry with his difpenfations, of difpute his wifdom ? t We are not difpofed to palliate crimes, but let us diftinguifh between the crimes of men and the juftice of Him who makes the madnefs of nations the inftrurnont of ef- fecting both his avenging and benevolent purpofes. We are im- pelled upon by names, and founds, and mifreprcfentations, and then, infpired with zeal without knowledge, fct ourfelves up for the avengers of the caufe of Heaven. But let us be difpaflionatc ; let us examine ourfelves as under the eye of God. If neceflity oblige us to maintain war, yet, let us beware of harboring in our bofoms the murderous and unchriftian paflions of rancor and ma* ievolencc. If we are attacked we have a right to defend our- felves ; but benevolence is to be exercifed even towards enemies ; and if they hunger, what are we to do ? We know what the ma- lignant ipirit of party and worldly policy will fay" Starve them." But Chrift fays, " Feed them." If we muft maintain war, ?.nd juftice fa notify it, yet let it be on thole principles of benevolence 2nd magnanimity worthy of a great and enlightened nation, and then there might be fome plaulible ground to hope for the favor of Providence. But malevolence wo ud ftamp the jufteft war with guilt. And if this malevolence fhould be fullered to take fuch poiiWIion of us as to infpire our devotions, the guilt would be encrcafed.^; But 1 Soe Sir I. Newton's idea of the fall of the antich:ifti.in tyranny ty the j.re- va'.er.cc of ;r.f:dolit>., as quoted in Pin the tirtt, p. 14, thi d edit. I What an elegant writer (the author of ' Reafbrs (cr Natiora! Peniter.ce/) fiys oi '.lis fubjeft^ cLfervei atrention. Among other remark.* on he appoint- n-.enc CONCLUSION'. 57 But that we may be enabled to form a rational judgment of the prefpeft before us, as to fuccefs or ruin, let us confider the connec- tion in which we Hand, and the motives by which We are ac- tuated, whether they be fuch as are worthy of a free and enlight- ened people. With refpect to the continental powers, with fome of them at lead, the origin of the prefent war was indifputably urijiift. Is it not unjuit for any one nation to interfere with the internal regu- lations or another independent nation? An independent n?tion (whether right or wrong, as to what concerns thcmfelves, does not li'.cti the queftion) had long groaned under the real or fuppofed oppreftion's of arbitrary princes, infolent nobles, and intolerant, debauched, athciftical, and perfecuting priefts.f They feel their wrongs, they perceive their rights, and are determined to redrefs ment of a general faff, lie obferves, (p. 2.) '* If we imagine that we ought to enter our churches, to pour out our fpleen and exprefs our malice to, our ene- mies, and to mingle execrations againft (hem with our prayers for ourfc.'vcs, we have grofsly mifund;rftood its purpoie and its principles." (p. ,.) " When we approach the altar of peace with our arms dreaming with blood, and our hearts fwelling with meditations of (till more complete and bloody vengeance, we are only difplaying to ;he world a difgufting alliance of the fierccft barbarity with the mart abject f'jperftition." " Let me conjure you to lay afide that fe- rocious and unrelenting malice, which is more calculated for the fynagogues of faun than the temples of the Almighty." f I believe that their grievance^ Were re.il, and that their eppreffions were thj mjft enormous iliac ever a great and enlightened nation, for fo long a period, fubmiftcd fo. Some of thefe have been enumerated in the fir ft Part of the Signs cf the Times. (J. d forbid tint we fhould withhold cur pity either from the unfortunate or the guilty ! Bur. let u be juft to the caufe of general humanity. Let us take heed that, while we condemn the irregular and wicked proceedings of nun, we do nor alfo cenfure the ways of Providence, and ll.mder and betray the precious rights of mankind. That illuftrious houfe of twenty-Jeven generations, over the fall of which Dr. Horfley laments fo pathetically, was principally illuftrious for oj [ reifion and bloodlhed, for contempt of the poor aid abufc of power ; and, i.i if', fuddeh and awful fall, we ought to adore the avenging juftice of Cjod : for whether his threatened judgments fall on the fecond generation, as in the cafe of the houfe of Alub, ( 1 Kings xxi. 29. 2 Kings ix. 7. x. 1.) or 0:1 the twenty- fevcath, his ban I is ft.U jonfpicuous, nor is his vengeance the left i t't. U the 58 CONCLUSION. the one, and vindicate the other. They bring to juftice their p- preffors ; they difarm them of their power, ftrip them of their diiguife, overturn their old opprcflivc fy items, and form fuch new ones as they think moft likely to infurc fecurity and happinefs. In effecting all this mighty work, folly is mixed with wifclom, and outrage mingles with jufticc. They folemnly declare, as a nation, that they will refpect the lights and independence of all other na- tions, but will vindicate their own. In fuch a ftruggle for the general good, fome mull be fuppofed to fuller cither real or ima- ginary wrongs. Thefe plot againft the nation ; they atfemble in neighboring Hates; are encouraged; prepare for war, andjnvokc foreign aid. On Auguft 25, 179O, the neighbouring princes and potentates .hold a meeting at Pilnitz ; a concert of crowned heads is formed, and it is agreed to invite the other fovereigns of Europe to join the league, and make the caufe of the king, and of the other privileged orders of France, a common one. It is de- termined in the mean while to increafc their armies, and prepare for the invafion of France the nrft favorable opportunity, that by the overthrow of the new conftitution, and the re-eflablifhmcnt of the old defpotifm, and the former (late of things in the church, innovation may be fmitten in the root, and all future ones, in other .countries, be prevented. Thus did foreign courts all'umc to them- felves dictatorial power over an independent people, and formed a concert., not only for the purpofe of overturning the liberties of France, but, as if the world were made for princes, nobles, and priefts only, to intimidate all other nations from daring, in future, to attempt to meliorate their condition. + They have fent forth the molt defpotie and bloody manifestos that ever difgraccd Eu- rope. That of the duke of Brunfwic is exprcfTed in a (tyle of fuch undifguifed barbarity, that even Attila, who boaftcd of him- fclf as the fco urge of God, and the terror of men, would have blufh- ed to have been the author of it. They have invaded France ; tnd the French in return have invaded them. Enormous crimes j- Let us loo'c at -Poland, and in their hiftory ftudy the juftice 3nd benevo- lence of courts, and learn the benefit robe derived fro:n a concert of princes! In;; lihmcn have much 10 unlearn before they can fubferibe to that reviving -doc- trine, '' Millions were made for one." have conclusion. 59 have been committed on both fides ; but we have not yet- fecn the end. " But the concerns of the French arc fo interwoven with the" concerns and intcrefl of other nations; that thefe have felt them- felves injured, and their language has been fuch as to alarm and provoke their neighbors ; and wc alfo have been offended " This may be true. But have we acted according to thofe excellent principles laid down by Jefus Chrift, Matth. xviii. and Luke xvii. lor the putting an end to ftrifc, and for the prevention of blood- fhed ? Have we remonftrated and done all that negociation could do to prevent the horrors of war; or, has the flaming fu'ord of deftruftion preceded the olive branch of peace, and vengeance gone before remonftrance ? Have we acled from fober judgment and urgent neceffity, or from the di&ates of ambition, and the woikings of pallion ? Our innocence or guilt, refpefting the blood which is fhed, and the forrow which is occafioned, will de- pend much on the anfwer which fats give to thefe inquiries. If this war on the people of France be for the purpofc of dictating to them a form of government, on the hypothecs that fuch an cxten- live republic in the heart of Europe would operate as a dangerous example, it is unjuft. If it be on account of fome of their fool- iih or unjuft decrees, vet, if wc have not endeavored, by negocia- tion, to prevent the fpilling of human blood, and the accumulation of taxes, it is unjuft ; and if, inftcad of this, wc have lpurncd at conccfllon, as though rel'olved on war at any rate, the injufticc is incrcaicd. If alfo it he a war to avenge the execution of iheking, or for their humbling the nobility or dcfpoiltng the priefthood, it ii unjuft: for who appointed us the univcrial judges and arbiters vi nations? ' ; But it was ncceffary to the prevention of a revolution, and c f anarchy in this country." So lay a certain defcription of men. But this ii not proved, nor docs it appear that it can be. Perhaps if would he more conformable to their true fentiments to fay, " Wc th;>ught itnecctfary for the prevention of reformation." Let us then examine with difpaflionate feiioufnefs the principles of the wai in which wc are engaged, that, if it be unjuft, wc may icpci.t, 60 CONCLUSION. repent, and do what we legally can to wafh our hands from the ftain of innocent blood. Men under defpotic governments may, perhaps, be filent and innocent ; but Englifhmen are allowed to fpcak. Under a free government, filence is guilt. The nation called for the war; if, after maturer thought, they find themfelves deceived, and apprehend not only its impolicy, but its injuflicc, they are bound to fignify it, or innocent blood (that of our own people, at lead, fuppofmg the blood of Frenchmen to be of no value in the eyes of the Father of all) will cry againft us. Let us farther examine whether we are acting worthy of our character as Prcteftants and Chriftians, who are enlightened ir;o the true principles of the religion of Chrifl. It is pojfiblc that our motives and aims may be diffimilar to thofe who are engaged in the fame quarrel; but who are they? The dragon and the beajl. Molt of them have long been the fcourges of the earth, the curfes of humanity, and their end is to perifh for ever. It is p.ojJiblt to fuppofe that we may mean well ; but what arc the inten- tions of the afibciates by whofe fide we are fighting ? To keep popery from falling, to maintain the power and influence of the clergy, and all that error and luperftition by which they faftcn on the minds of mankind, and circuitoufiy iupport their own defpotic power. But be the motives and aims of lome what thev may, every man's duty is to judge himfclf, as in the light of God, that he be not judged; and as it is poffible that that which is highly criminal may meet with the approbation of the majority of a na- tion, and thus great national guilt be incurred, it becomes us to examine ourfelvcs on this important point. Our religion teaehes us, and our fathers, the reformers, were zea- lous in imprelling its dictates, that Rome is the whore cf Bsbvlcn,+ the mother of harlots, and no true church of Child; that pc^-civ is fuperfthion and idolatry; a religion, at onc-j ;:t war ;;_;;.. nfb the kingdom of Chriftand the happinefs of mankind; a religion, ty- rannical, blalphemous, and diabolical, in principle, and bloodv in practice. Our religion teaches us that this fame lyfiem of corrup- tion and oppreilion, which impregnates all the government;, whii :i f See Homilietof the Church of England, p. i ; -i, 2E-J z8 , edit, oi : ,U . receive CONCLUSION. 6l receive it, and all the religions eftablifhments which grow out of it, with its own enflaving and corrupt principles, fhall be brought to an end worthy of its enormities; it has determined and deline- ated the Ggns for the accomplifhmcnt, and charged us to watch their appearance, and to have no alliance with the mother of har- lots, that wc partake not of her fins, and receive not of her plagues. If the figns of the times indicate the approach of theie threatened judgments, our part is to (land at a di fiance and con- template the progrefs of the awful ruin, and not rufh into the coi - flit, to flop the uplifted arm of God's vengeance; then might be fulfilled in our favor that faying, (PL xci. -, 8.) " A thoufand fhall fall at thy fide, and ten thoufand at thy right-hand, but it (hall not come nigh thee; only with thine eyes fhalt thou behold and fee the reward of the wicked." But, if we join iffuc with the declared fupporters of the whore of Babylon, and unite with them to arreft the vengeance of Heaven, what fate have we to expect, but to fhare in their ruin a ruin as dreadful as it will be extenfive ! Thus, my countrymen, I have endeavored to fct before vou, in the befl manner I arn able, the figns of the times, and what they portend. I have endeavored to roule your attention to the consi- deration of your ways, and your true intcrcft, that vou may t;:ke fuch meafurcs as mav be the molt likelv to iecuie us from the de- flations of that ilonn which already fnakes the greater part of Eu- rope a ftorm, if our conceptions arc juft, which will ipecdilv lav in ruins all the nations which fhall be found oppoi'mg the de- ii.'^ns of God in the oveithrow of that antichriflian fyflem, (col- lar and eccleliaftical, which has lo long corrupted and de droved the earth. As it wa; in trie days of Xoe, before tin flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving i ' marriage, until the diy that Xot en- tered into t/ie ark. and knew not until the flood tame and took them all tiwiv. '. jhall a'fo the coming of the Son oj Man, in the execution ot the divine judgments on the wicked nations, be. Sa) not m your hearts then, * lie delayeth his coining;'" for lie has fore- warned us that he will come as a thief in the night, at a time when liot expe.te:!. Lc; ... therefor- watch and repent. Reformations in 6 2 CONCLUSION. in governments, if attainable at any tolerable price, are very de- iirable ; but wc deceive- ourfclves if we imagine that this will be fufheient to enfure the general peace and happinefs of focicty. Unlcfs the great mafs of mankind are reformed and Chriftianized, every thing clfe will be infufficient.+ Whilft piide, ambition, and corruption predominate ; whilft meanntls ^nci fervility on the or.e hand, and refraclorincfs and contempt of authority on the other, prevail ; whilft the moral lenfe of the generality of mankind is corrupt; or, as our Lord cxpreflcs it, whilft the light which is in. them is darknrfs, and irreligion and vice triumph, it is in vain to expect any great good. I own I am extremely delirous of feeing a peaceable reformation take place in the reprt fvntation aud in the adminiftration of the affairs of this country, as that which might contribute much to the bettering mankind, and which alone pro- mites any hope of elcaping the calamities of a revolution, or of alleviating the other diftreffes which threaten us. B;:t, if this iiiould be accomplifhed, and nothing but this. I confefs my expec- tations are not very ianguinc as to the great and permanent < T ood which would follow. As a corrupt government diiiufes its cor- ruptions tu iouh the whole imfs of focicty, fo, fhould a few wife and virtuous men effect a pure government, yet, if the great bodv of the nation remained unreformed, they would foon corrupt the belt inftitutions, and the adminiftration of the belt government that the human intellect could deviie, and nothing could frill favc us from the difpleafure of God. Let both thefc reformations, therefore, go hand in hand, and let them fpcedily be commenced; for nothing fhovt of mftant reformation, and an inftant change of f- I cannot fo;hear <:> p cfHrp; tie f ttifacVu-n which I feel fio.n the inftiiuti. u c( Sunday lchools. More honor is due to the man who prcjettcd fuch a fi_hcn c of improvement than ro the nn (t Irlli.int conquerors. Should nations become fo wife as o c nven a Jitfie of tint money which is lavifhed i n c om fycopl anrs, or fpent in needlefj and Unjuft wars, to the purpefe of nair.uinig, on a more exter.tivc plan, parochial fchools, which fliou'd be under in' direction of the in- h.ibi:aiits, for the ir.ftruftion of the poor gratis, we tr.if.ht then hepe for amend- ment, both in the principles and condition cf the molt numercus and meft ufefnl j m of mankind. It is 3 debt due to the poor, and thepayrr.cn! of which w.>-,!J enrich the payer. The money f pen in cue needlefs w.r would more than edu- cate a!! our poor for ever ! Hut, alas ! there are too many who think, that Igno- ra&ce-is the mother of o'.hei ufe.ul children 1 .fides Vaiticn. mca- CONCLUSION. 63 Tneafurcs, can afford us any folid hope of falvation. Did God lay, refpe&ing the profligate Jews, when the whole body politic was difcafed from the head to the foot, 4i Shall not my foul be avenged on fuch a nation as this?" What have the nations, under the Chriftian difpenfation, to expect, if, like them, they become uni- verfally difcafed ? Let us therefore examine ourfelvcs and re- pent. What, in a general view, is our moral character as a nation ? Has pur virtue, our moderation, our jufticc, our love of civil and religious liberty, and our attachment to the principles of Proteft- antifm, kept pace with our advancement in the feale of nations? We are called by the name of Chriir, and profefs to be a religious people ; but, do we exemplify in our practice thole holy principles which we profefs ? Do we do juftly, love mercy, and walk hum- bly with God; or, docs infidelity and profanenefs, bribery and corruption, lewdnefs and debauchery, pride and difhpation, per- vade all ranks of men, and threaten auniverfal dillblution ? Arc t]\c rights of confciencc revered ; or, is our fondncls for the wine of the whore of Babylon returning, and are we to judge of the temper of the nation from the flames which bigotry kindled at Birmingham in vinety-ont? Wc arc a nation of profeffed Christians. -'The parlors which we approve, whether of the cfla- blifhcd church or othcrwifc, arc they the meek and humble imita- tors of Him whole fcrvants they are called ? Do the generality of them feck, not filthy lucre, but the felvation of the fouls of men ? Arc they faithful to reprove and warn ; or. do they preach to us fmooth things, and fay, peace, peace, when there is no peace? Are. they diligent .in the difchargc of their duties laboring to inftruft the ignorant, to reclaim the vicious, to comfort the afflict- ed, and to unite men in the bonds of charity ; or, are they proud and worldly ; diligent only after gain; idL- fhephcrds, who care not for the flock, and who low among mankind the feed:-; of con- tention? Do thev recommend and enforce the religion which they profefs by the holinefs and purity, benevolence and pietv, of their lives; or, are they lovers of pleafurc, eating and drinking with the drunken, whofe end ii d-flrurtion, whofe go 1 i< t/wir and whofe glory is in tktir fliame ; who mind earthly things? (Phil, iii. 19.) Arc the great body of the people content to have it thus, C[ CONCLUSION. thus, and moved only by what affects their worldly intereft? Should this, on examination, be found to be the cafe, it furcly calls for deep humiliation, and fuggefts that, without a repentance and reformation as general as lincere, fome heavy calamity mujt buiil upon us. What Dr. Hartley (in his Obftrvaiions on Man) wrote, fifty years ago, defcrves our fcrious confederation. ' How near" (he l;.ys, vol. 2, p. 368) " the diffolution of the prcfent governments, ' generally or particularly, may he, would be great rafhnefs to af- <; firm. Chrifh will come in this fenfe alfo ' as a thief in the " night.' Our dutv therefore is to watch and to pray ; to be faith- " ful ftewards, to give meat, and all other requihtes, in due leafon, " to thofc under our care ; and to endeavor bv thefc, and all other ' : lawful means, to prcfervc the government, under whofc protec- " tion we live, from diffolution, feeking the peace of it. and fuh- ' ; milting to every ord-nancc of man for the Lord's fake. No ' prayers, no endeavors of this kind can fail of having fome good f* effect, public or private, for the prefcrvation of ourfclves and " others. The great difpenfations of Providence are conducted ' by means that arc either lecrct, or, if they appear, that ars ' ; judged feeble and inefficacious. No man can tell, however pri- ' vatc his (ration may be, but his fervent prayer mav avail to the ' ; kd vat ion of much people. But it is more peculiarly the dutv ' ; of magiftrates thus to watch over their fubjecis, to pray for ' them, and to let about the reformation of ail matters civil and ' ; ccclcliallical, to the utmoft of their power. Good governors " may promote the welfare and continuance of a Rate, and wick- ' ed ones mull accelerate its ruin. The facred hiftory affords us ' indances of both kinds, and they arc recorded there for the ad- 4i monition of kings and princes in all future times," P. 37C. i: There are many prophecies which declare the fall of ' the cccleiiaftical powers of the Chriftian world. And though " each church fecms to Hatter itfelf with the hopes of being cx- '' empted, yet it is very plain that the prophetical characters be- ' long to all. They have all left the true, pure, fimple religion, u and tei'ch for doctrines the commandments of men. They are all merchants of the earth, and have let up a kingdom of this " world, CONCLUSION. 6$ " world, abounding in riches, temporal power, and external pomp. " They have all a dogmatizing fpirit, and perfecute fuch as do not u receive their own mark, and worfhip the image which they have *' fet up. They all neglect Chrift's command of preaching the " gofpel to all nations^ and even that of going to ' the loft fheep " of the houfe of Ifrael ;' there being innumerable multitudes in ** all Chriftian countries who have never been taught to read, and " who are in other rcfpels alfo deftitute of the means of favin'g " knowledge. It is very true that the church of Rome is ' Babylon; " the Great, and the mother of harlots,' and of the ' abominations " of the earth.' But all the reft have copied her example, more " or lefs. They have all received money, like Gehazi; andthere- " fore the leprofy of Naaman will cleave to them, and to their " feed for ever. And this impurity may be confidered not only " as juftifving the application of the prophecies to all the Chrif- " tian churches, but as a natural caufe for their downfal. The ' corrupt governors of the fevcral churches will ever oppofe " the true gofpel, and in fo ding will bring ruin upon them- * felves." P. 2>15' " As ^ 1C downfal of the Jewifli ftate under Titus was " the occafion of the publication of the gofpel to us Gentiles, '< fo our downfal may contribute to the reftoration of the Jews, and " both together bring on the final publication and prevalence of " the true religion. Thus the type and the thing typified will " coincide. Tl>e fir ft fruits and the lump are made holy toge- " ther." P. 377. " The downfal of the civil and ecclefiaftical powers ' muft both be attended with fuch public calamities as will mako " men ferious, and alio drive them from the countries of Chrift- " endom into tlic remote parts of the World, particularly into the ' ; Eaft *nd Weft Indies, whither confequently they will carry " their religion, now purified from errors and fuperftitions." P. 4,50. " That worldly-mindednefs, and n^gleft of duty in the ' : clergy, muft haflcn uur ruin, cannot bs doubled. Thclc arc " the < fait of the earth,' and the ' light of the world.' If they " lofs their favor, the whole nation, where this happens, will be 1 " ton- ^6 CONCLUSION. 4 converted into one putrid mafs. If their light become darfc- nefs, the whole body politic muft be dark alfo. The degeneracy of the court of Rome, and fccular bifhops abroad, arc too noto- ' rious to be mentioned. They almofh ccafe to give offence, as : they fcarcc pretend to any function or authority bendes what is ' temporal. Yet dill there is great mockery of God in their ex- ' tcrnal pomp, and profanation of facrcd titles, which, fooner 01 ' later, will bring down vengeance upon them. And as the court ' of Rome has been at the head of the great apoftacy and corrup- ' tion of the- Chriftian church, and feems evidently marked out in ' various places of the fcripturcs, the fevereft judgments are prO- ' bably referved for her. But I rather choofe to fpeak to what ' falls under the observation of all ferious attentive pcrfons in ' this kingdom. The fupcrior clergy are, in general, ambitious, ' and eager in the purfuit of riches ; flatterers of the great, ami ' lubl'crvient to party intercft; negligent of their own immediate : charges, and alfo of the inferior clergy, and their immediate ; charges. The inferior clergv imitate their iupcriors, and in gc- ' neral take little more care of their parifhes than barely what is ' ncccflary to avoid the cenfure of the law. And the clergy of all ' ranks are, in general, cither ignorant, or, if they do applv, it is ' rather to profane learning, to philolophical or political matters, ' than to the ftudy of the fcripturcs, of the Oriental languages, ' of the fathers and ecclchaftical authors, and of the writings of ' devout men in different ages of the church. I fay this is in gc- ' neral the cafe ; i. e. far the greater part of the clergy of all ! ranks in this kingdom are of this kind. But there are ibmc of ' a quite different character; men eminent for piety, iacrcd lcarn- : ing, and the faithful difcharge of their duty, and who, it is not ' to be doubted, mourn in fecret for the crving iins of this and other nations. The clergv, in general, are alfo far more free ' from open and grois vices, than any other denomination of men ; amongft us, phyficians, lawyers, merchants, folchcrs. &c. How- ; ever, this may be othcrwile hereafter, ror it is faid, tlut in ' lomc foreign countries the fupcrior clergv, in others the inferior, areas corrupt and abandoned, or more lb, than any other ordei of men. The clergy in this kingdom fecm to be what wc might expect from tiie mixture of good and bad influences that aficct them. But, then, if we make this candid allowance for them, we conclusion:. 67 ir Saviour; " There (hall not an hair of your head perifh. In youi patience poflefs ye your fouls." Even though that fpiiit, which ;* formtr times filled all lands with violence, fhould again be let lenfe, anl ve fhould be betrayed both by pa- rents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends, and fome of yon fhould die under your fuffenngs. yet in your patience poflefs your fouls, ve (hall not ultimately be lo> V s ; the fcafon is fhort, and your reward is fure ; and whilft the Urne of the wicked {hall rot, vours fliall be had in cverlafting rem*rnbrance. Let the virtuous and good exemplify their principles by following after the things which make for peace; let them with edmnefs contemplate the awful fcene as it opens ; for though it may exhibit fuch events and troubles as have never been fince there wis a nation, yet they will be ialutary; general affliction will produce general ferioufneiif, and the end will be univcrfal reformation and vinivcrfal peace. But that we mav exercife this patience, and poffefs this calmnels of mind, it is ncceftarv, not only to have our iiearts deeply im- p relied with a ienle of the over-ruling providence of God, but to poifcis a prevailing hope as to the iffue. Thcie cannot be attained Without an extraordinarv cultivation of piety, and an intimate ac- quaintance with the word of God. Let us then fhr up ourfclve* to the exercife of a diligence which maybe fonicwhat proportion- ed to the importance of that which we are taught to look for. Thus mav we hope to be prepared tor every event, whether to mourn or to rejoice, to live or to die. What my readers may think of the agreement of events with prophecy, or how they may be affected at the profpeft in general, or at the fituation and profpefts of this country in particular, 1 cannot tell ; I know that the inattentive Chriffian, as well as the cold Sceptic, will eflecin it the illufion of a heated brain, but i airj free toNCLUSlL. 71 free to acknowledge that the figns of A times prefent *o my mind a thoufand images of horror, and afflict \ c with the extr m eft an- gujfh, for the part which my country is &in. Whilft I contem- plate the fcenc which Europe now prefenfe, (i fecne which b'q C k ens as it expands) and obferve the exa& conffrmity of the feve-al parts already difclofcd, with the pattern wjiich Infpiration ha-, drawn, I anticipate the future, and feem to feel nothing out canu- ipiakes, to hear nothing but th uiders, to feenothing but flaughtcr ; and I weep for the calamities of my ErKow-creaWSres. For the glimpfe of one pleafant profpecr. wc mult flinch our eyes u> years to come. Oh, my country.' how ^ I pained at the apprehenfion of thy fate! Thou mihtcft nave dwelt in peace, and even turned to thine own advantage the madneis of other nations : but thou hall been deceived, and chofen war ; thou hail committed thyfelf to the horrors of a temped which threatens to lay in ruins all that is found within the circle of its rage ! " Is there no ba'm in Gilead ?" Are there no means left for the lalvation ci my country ? " Is there no phy- fician there ?" Is then: not one wife and patriotic fkttcfman who loves his country, who loves truth and right moie than gain, and who may be able to conduct a retreat, and heal our wounds ? Ntuit we Hand or fall with antichnfl, and make the fate of papal defpots our own ? Has that warning no longer any validity, ' ; Coiru: cut of her, mv people, that ve be not partakers of her fins, and that ye receive not of her plagues?" O thou Father of mercies, and Diipofcrof all events, touch the hearts of the rulers of the earth, and let a rav from Thee enlighten their minds! Look witli pity on the bleeding nations ! Speedily aceompliih thy promifis, and revsal thy mercy ! V I S I s. V I V T H E 11 A T !E, Altered into RKirae from the c JZlank Verse, of [R OJiJ.RT J1ZJ1R "~T w t T if 2To T JC s{ awl Oeeafioual itluft rations ^~-- Wi. \* v^fcgy , ..IS ' '< "^^" 1//>K'^ erwtrjft in WHufth or form n Jut/it r~J & ^M Bttrlh'thigitfPftBtion ft,rtt>i/f'rr) l rl/>-. >.-. o^o -.- -.-. -. - ii <-< << --?;;. N,>; P R E F A C L. T TOWEVER, widely the opinions of Mankind may differ in matters of religious fpeculation, or in the fundamentals of faith or practice ; the whole world arc agreed in this one point, that, after all their doinp they mult die, and defcend into the grave : refpecling this truth there can be no difTent ; and as there can be no participation in death, nor the rich compound for this univerfal debt, but all muft equally pay down the forfeit on demand, it is highly necefTary, and of the utmoft im- portance for every one, of whatever age or ftation, ferioufly to take this folemn and important truth into confideration, to accuftom themfelves frequently to re- flect on the fhortnefs of life, the certainty of death, and that everlafling and unchangeable Hate towards which we are all travelling, and on the borders of which wc are hourly {landing ; " Whether as King?, " Of wide command we've fprcad the fpacious Sea, " With IV PREFACE. (i With a broad painted fleet, or row'd along, e In a thin cock-boat with a little oar." Dr. Watts. Few works of a ferious nature have been more read, and better approved than the Poem of the Grave, by Blair : but many valuable and well meaning characters having objected to its ftyle and ftru&ure, as not being perfect in that form of fpeech, called blank verfe, and admiring only rhime in poetry, they have wifhed it had been originally written in that manner. Thefe with the weighty objections of a late celebrated critic* to blank verfe, induced the editor to attempt a verification of this much admired piece; hoping at the fame time that a preference to this mode of exprcfiion will not draw upon him, or his readers, the imputation of want of tafte in admiring allicient harmony before the auk- ward ftiffnefs of the Roman Verfe. To thefe reafons may be added, that, rhime is more eafily read and remembered, requiring lefs judgment in theperufal, and therefore fitter for tender minds, who have not yet acquired that habit of attention and reflec- tion neceffary to follow the artificial combination of ideas when involved in the tranfpofitions and involutions of rhetorical refinement. Very ;: - ; Pr. Samuel Johnfon. PREFACE. V Very little more need be obferved here, by way of preface to this attempt. The arrangement and imagery of the original has been as clofely followed as the nature of the tranfpofition would admit. The figures and the phrafeology have alfo been mod fcrupuloufly retained every where, and the only liberty which has been taken, and that but feldom, is the omitting a redundant thought, a far-ftretched metaphor, quaint or forced conceit, or puerile notion ; for Blair, though generally nervous, fometimes finks into mediocrity. But here I muft ftop. It will not, I know be deemed generous to depreciate the labours of deceafed merit, in order to raife my own ; therefore, I fhall conclude this article with the following fhort account of the original author, Robert Blair all that I can collect from the moft diligent inquiry. He was born near Glafgovv, about the year 1700, and took his degrees of A. M. in the univerfity of Edin- burgh in 1720, as appears by a letter to the late Mr. Mitchell. He fettled flrfl in the North of Ireland, where he was fometime afhftant to the celebrated Mr. Abcrncthy ; after which he became Paftor of a congregation in Dublin. How long he remained here is uncertain, for in 1743, when he firfr publifhcd his excellent Poem, The Grave, he exercifed his paftoral office in Edinburgh. This beautiful little piece prefents us with fuch a fpecimen of his poetical abilities that we lament he has left no more. He VJ PREFACE. He died during a vifit to his friends at Glafgow, in the year 1751. The inestimable value of the Christian REDEMP- TION not appearing, according to the opinion of fome evangelical Chriflians, fufRcicntly infifled on in Blair's Original, the editor has ventured to illuflrate that im- portant truth, from the principal paffages of theGofpels that relate the paffion, death, refurrection, and afecn- fion of our Saviour Jesus Christ; hoping that this ftngle deviation from his author will not be deemed by any, an impertinent interpolation. Gray's celebrated Elegy in a Country Church- yard, ufually accompanying this work, has alio been retained in this edition. The propriety of adding it here is obvious. Dr. Johnfon obferves, *' The Church-yard abounds with images which find <{ a mirror in every mind, and with fentiments to which " every bofom returns an echo. The four ftanzas be- ^ 'ere the intent Sun, Had tried his beams, his radiant courfe to run. 20 The fickly taper, thr gh thr gloom profound, Scatters a glimmerin ubious light around, Where low brow'd mi ley vaults abforb the light, Furr'd round with mouldy damps, a gloomy light, Whence oft hasiffu'd ftreamsof pois'nous lr*in, 25 Adding frefh fubje&s to thy vaft domain. Well do I know thee by thy trufry yew, Shading for years the gloomy church- yard view ; Chearlefs, unfocial plant, that loves to dwell, Where fculls and coffins diilblution tell : 30 Tie ^ ^ * Dsath, fays Dr. Toi.iig, commands awiderbmpire than any thai haie yet, or tver may ex:ft. -J- In the crave there is no diftinction of perfor.s, which made Dkgrr.es fay, when fcarching n chavnei-houff ; that lie could find no difterrncc be- twixt the f-u!l 01' King Philip and ih it I another man. THE GRAVE. 3 The uncouth Epitaphs, in mournful verfe, Thy boafted deeds, mortality, rehearfe ; And crawling worms, their writhed bodies fhew, Fed on the carcafes that rot below. Here light-heel'd ghofh beneath the moon appear, 35 And fpc&res form'd by vifionary fear ; Fancy beholds them dance in myftic rounds, While horror in each dreary path abounds. See yonder ancient fane ; the fumptuous lot||, Of names onct known, now dubious or forgot ; 40 Here buried midft the wrecks of lime thev lie, For all their deeds, alas ! like them mud die ; Howe'er illuftrious in the lifts of fame, A narrow turf is all they now can claim. The wind is up, how dreadfully it roars, 45 Through mould'ring walls, and crazy, creaking doors ! How dreary is the found ! the foul recoils, And fhudders at the view of mortal fpoils.-j , [ ., n f ; \ The night bird, brooding, fhrieks upon th^,/j>i$e, And all the fcene the damps of death refpire ; ' 50 The leaden manfions of the dead below, Return the found of fSlitary woe ; Whilepalc-eye'd ghofts, rouz'd from their flumbcrsrife, Pafs and rcpafs, and fink with finicking crics-f-. Again the Screech-owl, on the turret fhrill, 55 WoundsNight'sdull car, and makes the blood run chill. 1) Quite |] Mortals, furvey this folemn plncr, Where fi^hs arc hufli'd, anil forrows I'.te; ; Where (.iid both r^loiy and dif^racc, And all one awtu! fUence keep. FJi.or. Hervcy's Meditations contain a fine dc fcription of a Country Church-} :..C . ] Now voices more than mortal arehea;.! from va.-' .. ?-.i r.votnj i'.Vui from i'.\- hollow tnmb^. /,' 4 THE GRAVE. Quite round the pile a row of Elms extend, Their rev'rend age, coeval they pretend, Shook by the winds, Tome half rift down and torn, Their branchlefs trunks look like the place forlorn : 60 Some at the top fo thin, that fcarce two crows, Could find a place to rooft within their boughs. Strange things, the neighbours fay, have here appear'd, And from the tombs wild hollow founds are heard, The bell has told unrung, at dead of night, 65 Alarming all around with fad affright. Oft, in the lone Church-yard, at eve, I've feen, "When the pale moon has glimmer' d o'er the green, The School- boy, with his fatchel in his hand, Walk flovvly on, and fometimes make a Hand, 70 Alarm'd with fear his fhadow to behold J, He whittles loud to keep his courage bold, And lightly tripping o'er each long flat ftone, With nettles fkirtcd, and with mofs o'ergrown ; Sudden httTftafts, and hears, or thinks he hears, 75 The found of fomething purring in his ears : Fafter he flies, and ftill a ruftling found Purfues his fteps, nor dares he look around ; Till, out of breath, his fchool- fellows overtakes,- Who gather round to hear the tale he makes, 80 Of horrid apparition, tall and grim, With flaming eyes, and wild fantaftic limb, That X Now dreary forms, in Allien ftate, (talk al>ng the gloom ; or, fwifter than lightening, glide along the Ihaiie ; they pals and repafs in unfubltantial ir.iagts, along the forfaken galleries, or take their determined fland over fome lamented grave. Hozey. What time the Rufticks, from tradition, fay, The bufy fpectre leaves the darkling tomb, And dance the fairies in their light array, While pale Lutcnia combats with the gloom. Ld'::or. THE GRAVE. 5 That walks at midnight, or that lonefome (lands, As keeping watch where fome new grave expands, But when the morning cock is heard to crow, 85 Then, ftrange to tell, it vanifhes below ! The new-made widow, there lbmetimes I've feen, All bath'd in tears, and proflrate on the green ; What pangs of forrow heave within her breaft, Her poignant grief can hardly be expreft. 90 Prone on the lonely grave, all pale and wan*, She meditates her once dear loving man, While memory faithful to each joy that's paft, Too fofr, too pleaiing, and too fweet to lalt, Muflers again the retrofpe&ivc days, 95 When pleafure dane'd attendant on their ways; Tenacious of the theme, again flie falls, Grafps the cold turf, and on her hufband calls : Great was her joy ; but now, alas ! deceaf'd, The more her grief, and forrows are increaf'd. 100 For know, God i^ives, and takes ; Who can gainfay ? Or who his fentcnee for a moment flay ? Who Hull refill his pow'r ? Lord take thine own, But give us leave, our loiks ro bemoan. Invidious grave ! how doll thou rend in twain, 105 Two hearts united by love's dearcft chain! A tye fo delicate, fo firm, and ftrong, Might lafl forever, could we laft as long. B 2 Friendfhip ! * When a hufband is carried to the grave, we at once find excufer, for every weaknefs, and palliations of everv fault ; we recollect a thoufand en- dearments, which before glided off our minds without imprelTion ; a thor.l -a favours unrepaid ; a thoufand duties unperform'd ; and wifh, vainly with, '-. hii lcturn, rtui lo ini'di that we nav rtci: t7i%bcf:v.v happir Is. 6 THE GRAVE. Friendfhip ! myfrerious cement of the foulf|, Svveetner of life, fhall death thy power controul ? no I owe thee much, far more than I can pay : Oft have I prov'd thee in the chearful day, When the warm efforts of a generous heart, Did every plcafure, every joy impart. Oh when my friend, and I, by nature drawn, 115 Have trac'd. the woodland, meadow, or the lawn, Anxious to pleale, hid from the vulgar eye, What happy themes our converfe did fupply. Where on the verdant grafs, or cowflip beds, Or where the violets rear'd their fcented heads, 120 Or where foft murm'ring ran the filver frream, There happy friendfhip then was all the theme; Methoughtthefhrill-tongu'd thrufh improv'd her lay, The blackbird fweeter hail'd the fmiling day, Each flow'ret bloom'd with fuper-added grace, 125 As nature wore a more aufpicious face; 'Twas then, I thought the longeft fummer's day, Was much too fhort, and ran too faft away ; For ftill my conftant, fympathtic heart, Had to my friend more vvifhes to impart, 130 But jj A gen'rous friendship no co!d medium knows, Burns with one love, with one refentment jlowij One ihould our int'refts and our pafiions be ; My friend mult hate the man that injures me. T'tc. A principal fruit of friendfhip, is the cafe and difcharge of the fulnefs and fuelling of the heart, which is caufed by the pafTion*. to which our being is fubjeit ; yet the inllancesof real fiiendlhip are fo rare, that the hiitory of the World, and the fictions of the Poets, together, produce but five or f: x couple. In Sac -ediurit, David and 'Jo, .a:!.--;: : In l]c;er } Actitlts and Fa- : ; in Virgil, N\t'i>s and Enryalcs ; in Cicero, Vyiadcs and Orejics ; in Vc.uhi, Mtn/or 2nd Itlcwachus ; in Arrian, SllcAc.r.dtr and T'tbtf: . The tears of friendfhip arc preferv'd by heav'n, For future joys, v. htn grief ihail be nu more. Elatkh tk. THE CRAVE. 7 But that was happinefs too great to laft, My friend is gone, and all my joys are paflf I Painful remembrance ! when the pleafure's o'er, To think of that which can return no more. Dull grave ! thou fpoil'ft the joys of youthful bloom, Robbing life's garden for the dreary tomb ; The dimpled cheek, the innocent and gay, The rich and poor, regardlefs, are thy prey ; The fmiling beauty, deck'd with every grace, The fparkling eye, and heart-bewitching face ; 140 The learned and the clown, the high and low, Muft difappear, where millions daily go ; The folemn face, and droll, for laughter made, Or melancholy pining in the fhade ; The iceptre and the mitre in thy train, 145 Declare how weak is ftrength, and wealth how vain ; For all alike to Death at laft mull: come, And like the turf that covers them, as dumb. No mercy the deftroying tyrant knows, But levels kings, and beggars, friends and foes. 150 How near oblivion to the pomp of pride, Let yon old fane of Westminster decide*; Survey the Temple, where we monarchs crown, And lee the fpot where foon they muft lie down. Happy or wretched now ; or, weak or wife, 155 In death all meet ; there no dillinction lies j Whether in lilk, in woolen, or in lawn, ]ach ileeps as eafy, high or bafcly born. Where are the mighty heroes, now, of old, Of which fuch pompous ftories have been told ? 160 The 7 \V.'. ; .,,a frirriU parr, 'tis the :::> dies. Yeuu~. " ' '', wlr.Tctlv '. 1 11c crowned, isjull LV.rths 11:..,;. ,' :. 8 THE GRAVE. The mighty Cjesars go to war no more ! And Alexander's vi&orics are o'er, He whofubdued almoft the fceptred Globe,' Is heredivefted of his (lately robejj ; By poifon flain, he mixes now as low, 165 As he who died an ideot, or a beau. Alas ! the narrow confines of a fhell, Of all their grandeur the conclufion tell; Once the vaft world fcarce ferv'd their boundlefsaim, But now a narrow grave is all they claim. 170 Proud royalty ! how alter'd is thy cafef, Hojw blank thy features, and how wan thy face ! Son of the Morning ! whither art thou fled ? Where haft thou hid thy many fpangled head ? Where's the majeflic menace of thine eye ? 175 Low in the dull thy pow'r and glory lie ; Swath'd like an infant, now, all wrapt around, Or like the victim flretch'd upon the ground, That throbs beneath the facrificer's knife, No longer able to maintain the ftrife ; 180 Thou now art mute, no longer call aloud, And with thy words, infult th' obfequious croud, Who The moft ancient actions, whofe luflre has prelervc'd their memory, arc the actions of violence. And after all, what remains of all thefe j.reat ex- ploits ? The only real figns of them are the traces they have left upon the canvafsof hiflory : And of the four great monarchies of the world, what re- mains but their names ? || Alexander the great f I thank you, ye relics of founding titles and magnificent names ; ye }>ave taught me more or the littlenefs of the world, than all the volumes of my library : your nobility arrayed in a winding iheet, your grandeur moul- dering in an urn, ate the molt indifputable pruofs of the r.otbingtirt of all fcz'ca thing'.. tlt'vty en :hc 7emt>s, THE GRAVE. Who now begrudge the little that you have, The humble privilege of a peaceful grave ? Arabia's drugs and fpice may balm thee o'er, 185 But yet departed life cannot reftore ; What cruel infuk ! all this comes too late, And only ferves to mock thy idle ftate ; For none fo poor, not e'en the fwarthy flave*, But fleeps as quiet in his (hallow grave, 193 As he with wealth and empty honours great, Who rots a lord in marble vault of ftate. But fee the well plume'd hearfe upon the road, Bearing along the great vain-glorious load, Solemn and flow, in all the farce of ftate, 195 While all the fable tribe upon him wait : Such watch the fick-man's door, and feek the dead, And mimic forrow for their daily breadf, Let out their perfons, but the heart's not fad, For fordid motives make them furely glad. 200 How rich the trappings, now they're all unfurl'd ! How the vain pomp attracts the gaping world, Whilft glitt'ring in the fun : what fplendid rays ! Not conqn'rors trains, or coronation days, In glory fcarce exceed, what crouds are there, 205 To fee the unweildy fight to gape, and ftare ! Above, * In this houfe appointed for all living, the fi-rvant was equally accommoda- ted and lodged in the fame llory with his mafter; the poor indigent ky as foftly, and lleptai foundly as the moft opulent poflcflbr. Ibid. f A barbarous gothic cuftom, which the extravagant excrfr. of modern manners has made two frequent. Behold, ye vain, the great and brave, With dull 2nd darknefs covcr'd o'er ; See beauty's tomb, and valour's pr.iv:, And viewing thefe, be vin no more. lO THE GRAVE. Above, below, all ranks and all degrees, Rufh out abrupt, curiofity to pleafe : Wedg'd in by rows, from children to fourfcore, To fee this fhort-liv'd pomp, hang bellying o'er ! 219 But tell us why this fond deluiive wafte, In earthing up a carcafe that's difgrae'd ? Difgufting to the fight and to the fmell, Tell if you can, ye undertakers ! tell, Amid the gaudy figures which you fhewj, 215 Why is the principal conceal'd from view For whom is all this ftir ? Tis wifely done : So a good painter's eminence is known, In fhades he calls what elfe the eye might grieve, That what delights, it may at once perceive. 220 Proud lineage ! how contracted art thou here, With all this fplendor nodding on thy bier ; Below the envy of the private man, Whofe wife ceconomy contemns thy plan. But honour, that officious trifling ill, 225 E'en to the grave muft wait upon them flill ! Oh what vain glory ! to fuppofe parade, And pageant trappings dignify the dead* ! Abfurd, X The duties of interment are juflly called the lafl duties for beyond the funeral, all that is given to the dead is taken from the living. Lamentations that are too long, not only prejudice nature, but fociety likewife ; they ren- der us incapable of the duties of civil life, and one may fay that, out of com- plaifance to thole friends we have loir, they make us wanting to thofe we it ill enjoy. Solemn and How it moves upon the tomb, While weighty furrows nod on every plume, ~Dr. Wat::. * Worldy glory ends with the world ; and for what concerns us, the world em's with our lives. What have we to be proud of ? arc net all things perilh- able ? the bloom of pride is foon withered, and our little greatnefs is loll in eternity. THE GRAVE. It Abfurd ! to think to over-reach the grave!, And from the wreck of death our works to fave ! 130 Faft die away the beft concerted fchemes, Only that men pafs fafter than their dreams. Ingenious Artifts, and the laurel'd Bard, Employ their talents but for this reward ; The fculptur'd marble foon fhall fade away, 135 The brazen buft, the Poet's tuneful lay. If fuch Remembrancers to Time mufr. yield*, On fomething permanent begin to build j Intrinfic virtue fhall alone fufrain, The wreck of ages, and unchang'd remain. 140 The pond'rous Pyramid, Old Egypt's pridef, Whofe lofty top hath fpread its fame fo wide, Which feem'd to pierce the clouds, at length decay, And all its glories now to time give way ; Its myflic cone with moul'dring mofs difgrae'd, 145 Obfcure the caufe for which the heap was plac'd. The Works of ages, Wonders of the World, Shaken by Time, are into atoms hurl'dj, In huge mifhapen heaps, behold they lie, A fad memento to the human eye ; 150 C Sepulchral Praifes on tombs are titles vainly fpent ; A man's good nam: is his bejl monument. * Tho' low in cmth our b . c! its rut, Virtue furvives the m.ouliiring wail ; Is fair when columns ?.rc forgot, \\ hen temples fink and arches fall. T .kt ,<\ -\ Vtr:;t alone outbuilds the '; :mh!t, monuments H.all lafl, when Z.Vy .'.- fall . A": ' . Thr - 'is. ' ' [ has very fulcmnly aflutcd this truth in the following ; :. J. uccn h . 12 THE GRAVE. Sepulchral columns wreftle but in vain, For Time o'er all contrivances will gain : E'en adamant, and brafs, muft wafte away, And all the glory of the earth decay ; The deep-cut marble, and the well-form'd bull, 155 Corinthian columns crumble into dull, And like their makers, muft at laft give o'er, Sink in the lap of earth, and be no more. Here let ambition paufe, and lay alidc, Its vanity, its pomp, its haughty pride*, 160 And let the troublers of the earth behold, The ruin fpread by lull of paltry gold ! How foon like thofe who laid wide empires wafte, Their own mad fchemes, by others are difplac'd ! Who ravag'd kingdoms thro* vaft lcenes of blood, 165 And, fvvept before them, like a raging flood, In cruel wantonnefs for power and fame, Withmadnefs fet whole nations in a flame. Now, like the ftorm that's fpent, their rage is paft, And the keen murdering blade, is fheath'd at laft ! 170 Beneath the fwerd each hides his fallen creft, And mixes in the dull, with meaner gueil, But The gorgeous palaces. The foltmn temples, The great globe Iijtlf, Tea all that it inherits, Shall cUJJiilvc, slmi, h.ki :ic bafelefs fabrick of a vijlon, Leaz e not a Wreck behind. * Nature provides for all one common grave, The laft retreat of the dirt re ft and brave, The grave unites, there e'en the great find reft, And blenJedlic th' oppredlr and th' opprcft. THE GRAVE. 1$ But ftili their crimes, by nations yet unborn, Remain on record to be read with fcorn. Here too the petty tyrant of the plain, 175 Who treated his dependants with difdain, Whofe fmall dominion, and whofe little ftore, Was gain'd by pinching from the honeft poor, Who ftill purfu'd them like the beaft of prey, Opprefling all that came within his way, 180 Deaf to the cries of hunger and diftrefs, The widow and the orphan's mite made lefs, As if the poor were not of nature's mind, Nor had the common feelings of mankind. Now humble as a child that's whipt he's grown, And in the duft with kindred worms lies down, 185 Tormented by that worm which never dies, Dead, to the worms he falls a facrifice. Here all precedency is laid alidej The heroe's glory, and the herald's pride, Familiar now, within their little room, I90 Groflly together, fide by fide, confume. There are, betray'd by folly, who'd perfuade, That they are ibmething above others made, Such vain pretenfions ibon the grave denies By felf-love flatter'd, vanity, and lies. 195 Beauty ! thou pretty plaything, dear deceitf, Which caufefl youthful hearts fb high to beat, C 2 Gives How mifeiable is that man that cannot look backward but with flume ; nor forward without terror ! What comfort will his riches afford him in hii e xtremity ? or What will all his vain and empty titles, robe:, dignities, and honours, avail him in the day of his diftrefs ? f On bcaulaus charms no more, ye Fair ! depend, The grave docs a ^> without diftir.ction, blend ; 14 THE GRAVE. Gives them a pulfe till now they never knew, The grave will claim thee, and thy charms fubdue, Thy rofes faded, and thy lillies foil'd||, 20O Thy pow'r is over, and thy afpect fpoil'd. Where are thy lovers gone ? Alas ! they're fiown k The worm is now thy paramour alone ! High fed he furfeits on thy damafk cheek, Whilft thou haft neither power to fmile or fpeakf, 205 For this, were all thole vigils at the glafs, To make thy features every one furpafs ? To keep them in repair ; each youth to charm, And every heart, and ev'ry bofom warm ? For which the worm not thanks thee for thy care, 2iO His food alike the fable and the fair ; To him a carrion had been jufl as good, For putrefaction is his daily food. See how the fair one weeps ! the tears roll down, Thick as the dew drops on the grafs new mown. 215 Honeft effufion ! the fwoln heart, in vain, Struggles to put a glofs upon its pain ! This All prefs alike to that fame goal the tomb, Where wrinkled Laura fmiies at Chlos's bhom. See Hervey's addrefs to Fhrilla, in his Meditations among the Tombs Vol, I. p. 4.3. j| Tho' numbers now thy form adore, As if a being half divine ; Know their loofc talk ihall foor. be o'er, And death the purple fcene confine. f / have faid to c^rupthn, thou art my father ; tothfxorm, thou art my K.other and vjyjt/ier. Job, xvii. 14. (J Learn hence, ye lively and engaging Fair, To make vour minds your chief and greatest Lire ; }'..; d -atii ere long will clofe tic blighted eye:, L : 1; Mv'n-boin Viiiuc never, never dies, K:,ra. Ch THE GRAVE. 15 This ineffectual labour, then furfeafe ! So fhall the beauties of your foul increafe. Strength, too thou furly and lefs gentle boaft, 220 Who in the village fports can do the moft ; Loud in thy laugh, and jocund in thy tale, Thy ruddy face ft 111 chear'd with nappy ale j A fit of common ficknefs pulls thee down J, And then thy fpirits and thy ftrength are flown. 225 What groan was that ? a heavy groan indeed ! Another ftill, more poignant does fucceed ! With fh'arper anguifh 'tis from yonder bed, Where the ftrong man has laid his aching head ; A ftronger arm now makes him pant for breath, 230 Struggling he gafps beneath the grip of Death ; Like a hard-hunted bead, his roomy cheft, Heaves high with pains which combat in his breaft : In vain he ftrives to give his lung- full play, In vain, the fell diforder will have wayj. 23$ Ah ! what can all his former ftrength avail ? His finewy limbs, and wcll-fet fhoulders fail. Now fee how carncftly he tugs for life ; But loon o'ercome, weak nature yields the ftrife : Eager he feizes what coines fir ft to hand, 240 And grafps it hard, but death ftill keeps command : The rank diftempcr fhoofs through ev'ry vein, His bowels burn he groans again with pain + Tomorrow is lhll the fatal time when all is to be rectified. Tomorrow eomes, it goes, and ftill we pleafe ourfelves w.th the (hadow, whilft we lnfe the reality, unmindful that the prefer.t moment alone is ours, the future is yet unborn, and the pall is dead, and can only live as parents in their childr.n, in the actions it has produced. l6 THE CRAVE. A louder groan ! now, man of ftrength, thy laft ! Adieu to fame ! thy vi&ories are paft. 345 Behold he lies, pent in a narrow cheft, Still as a child that cried itfelf to reft ; "Vain boafter ! where are now thofe nerves of might, That with fuch vaunting could provoke the fight ? Doth not the bull, unconfeious of his ftrength, 250 Receive the blow that lays him at his length ? All Nature's children, e'en to worms and flies, Feel pangs, perhaps, as when a giant dies ! With ftudy pale, and midnight Vigils fpent*, To know the future, and tell heaven's intent ; 255 The ftar-furveying fage, applies all night, The magnifying tube to aid his fight ; Eager the courles of the flars to trace, And view them trav'ling through etherial fpace, In extacy of thought, he cries " I've found !" 260 But ah poor man ! thou'rt ftill upon the ground. Great heights are dang'rous ; hazardous thy plan Doubtful thyreafons, weak, uncertain man ! Soon, very foon, thy firmeft footing fails, And then thy tubes and knowledge what avails ? 265 Loft in the grave thy learning, and thy Art ; Where nor device nor fcience aught impart. Difablcd * Dr. South, in an cxtafy cries out, " Oh ! how vaftly difproportionate re the pleafures of the fenfual and the thinking man !" As diriment fays he " as an Archimedes in the ftudy of a problem, and the ftillnc-fsof a fow at her wafli !" The pleafure of fpeculation has fomet'mies been Co great, fo intenfe, fo ingrofiing of all the powers of the foul, there has been no room left for other pleafures. Contemplation feels no hunger, nor is fer.:ible of anj thirft but that af:er Knowledge, THE GRAVI. 17 Difabled, here the loud-tongu'd warriour lies, Difarm'd, difhonour'd, cold, and clof'd his eyes ; He cannot tell his ail to paffers by, 270 But quiet in his cell is fore'd to lie. Great man of language, why this dumb defpair, Where that perfuafion which was once thy care ! Infinuation's, fofteft arts were thine, Thy tongue feem'd gifted with a power divine : 275 But now reverf'd, and filent as the place, Thy client's fee another in their cafej. A weary cloud hangs heavy on thy bread, And all thy arguments are now fuppreft, Thy flrength of action and thy force of words, 28* The lifted arm that energy affords The well-turn'd period, and melodious voice, The ornamental phrafe, thy curious choice- Alas they're gone, raz'd from the book of fame, While hackney fcribblers vilify thy name, 285 Infult thy memory, and blot thy tomb, Enough to make thee from thy coffin come, With flat dull narrative, or duller rhime, Which penury has jumbled into chime : Couldft thou but hear what wretched (tuff they fpeak, 890 Refentment's blufh would flain thy pallid cheek ! Here Here tenninate Ambition % airy fchemes, The fyren Pleafure here allures no more ; lire ;;rov'!iri2 Avnct drops her golden dreams And life's fantaltic triiles all arc o'er. % Men take more pains for thi world, lhan heaven would cod tarn:, and when they have what they aim at, do not live to enjoy it. The grave li< I unfeen between us and the objefl which we reach after. Where one lives to liatcver he has in view, ten thoufanr! are cut offin the purfuit )f ir. j8 THE GRAVE. Here the great matters of the healing art, Who had fuch wond'rous knowledge to impart, The mighty mock-defrauders of the grave Juft like their patients now themfelves behave. 295 Where now catholicons, with all their fkill, Their plaifters, powders ? Spite of every pill, And all their bonded implements of art, They and their equipages now muft part ! Where now are all their magazines of health, 300 Vaft cabinets of which procur'd them wealth ? Ye rifled ftill from ev'ry hill and dale, The woodland, riv'let, and the flow'ry vale, For herbs falubrious in the healing trade, And all your vail experiments difplay'd, 305 No drug unfought for, far as fhip could fail, Braving for thefe, the fierce tempeftuous gale, To waft them home; yet what avail'd this toil, What art can death's relentlefs hand beguile ? No cordial recipe can bribe that pow'r, 310 To wave his fummons, now one lingle hour. Here the lank mifeiy worft of felons, liesj}, Whoftaiv'd himfclf with gold before his eyes ! And mean'v fiole from back and belly too, To keep his hoard but fwelling in his view, 315 Eaf 'J of a tax it irk'd the wretch to pay, Into the earth at la ft ! He's drove awayf. Now j| How wre:ch-d *:u''i be the I 1 ite of >h mil t's m'r.d, v.' ho uies his riches as if they were ;. i his own : and when he m'Mu be ha.>. y In I*, ending them, will be miferab'e in hoarding ih'ir. un ; and had rathe: C: i: .;, leave wealth v.'irli his enemu's. i U a n hvinc;, re h've hi' i. i iu!s. * The patriarchs before the ficJ who ! v d, f>: - ni hundred year-, ft 1 ccly provided for a few <]: and we who i.\.: out a fow da . I THE GRAVE. 19 Now cheaply lodg'd from Nature's craving eas'd, With bills and charges now no longer teaz'd Who ne'er would cherifh a relation poor, 320 For fear of leffening his idol's ftore ; His gold and tenements arc left behind, The fole delight and pleafure of his mind, For fake of which he virtue's paths forfook, And now forgotten rots in this fmall nook : 325 Neglected both worlds, for a paltry fum, Unblefs'd in this, and damn'd in that to come ! O Death ! How fhocking muft thy fummons be, To him at eafe, who counts long years to fee, Whofe large pofTeffions make him wifh to flay 330 In this gay world, nor ever go away ; Kere fix'd would have his everlaftinghome, Unfurnifh'd wholly for the world to come. When death demands his breath, may man obey, And melt in virions of eternal day ! 335 Unfcign'd repentance fhould his hours employf, The bed infurance for celeflial joy ; For 'tis indeed an awful thing to die, And launch at once in vaft eternity. When the dread fummons fternly calls us hence, 340 How weak and frivolous is each pretence, D The "lis not the floick's leflon, got by rote, The pomp of words and j'ettant diffcrtation, That can fupport thee in that hour of terror ; Books have taught cowards to talk nobly of jt ; T..,\. when the trial comes, they dart, and (land aghalh Rr.vt's n-r Twitnii - H.- :lnt ha? paid C.od his woiflv", and man his due, is entertained with rref.'f"'". vrars nil frnvuhlv, ?.nd ev ires : n r'ejfure. 20 THE GRAVE. The foul alarm'd raves round her prifon walls, Trembling and fearful, and for mercy calls*, Runs to each avenue with grief and pain, And calls for help, but calls, alas ,! in vain, 34.5 Looks wifhfully on all (he's leaving here, And flill is terrified 'twixt hope and fear. Oh ! that (he could a little longer flay, To wafh, alas ! her many flains away ! And fit her for her paffage o'er the flreight, 350 That leads from this life, to the narrow gate, Paft are the days of revel and delight, When all was pleafure in the young man's fight ; And paft the days of fober thrift and gain, Which oft prevent remorfe that worft of pain : 355 The heart-firings break, and every heaving groan, Declares, the man at laft muft pay the loan. Weak is each help, and vain each mortal view, For Death, ftaunch murd'rer, does his aim purfue ; Vain is all conteft, impotent the flrife ; 363 On ftillhe comes through every lane of life, Nor mifTes once the track, but prefTes on, Till forc'd to yield, his ftrength and courage gone ; He finks at once* to rife on t'other fhore, Where all muft go, and fhall return no more. 365 END OF' THE FIRST PART. * None generally fi nd more diffatisfa&ion in earthly things, than thofe who moft indulge themfelves in the enjoyment of them ; thofe who arc molt in love with the world are frequeutly mod jilted by it; and the longer they live, the more teafon they (hall have to acknowledge and lament this melancholy tiuih. THE GRAVE- PART the SECOND. ARGUMENT. Strioufnefs of the moment of death againfi filicide apojlrophe to the dead The grave-digger Friends fall like leaves in autumn The whole world but a vajl burial ground Death makes no dijlinclion TJje happinefs of man before the fall- Havockjince made by Jin Death mujl render up the dead His power foiled by the tifmg ofChriJl RefurreBion pour- trayedfcattered parts unite. Conclu/ion. O DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING ? O PRAVI, WHERE IS THY VICTORY? -**^ Paul. CELESTIAL Pow'r ! whofe energy divine, Form'd the bright orbs, and taught them how to fhine, Whofe will is fate, whofe laws are juft decrees, Whofe eye all prefent, part, and future fees, Do thou propitious, now by breaft infpire, 5 With pure Religion's lambent, facred fire ; Aid me this dreary valley to pourtray, The folcmn pafiage to eternal day ; Nomufe, no help, would I invoke but THEE, For thou alone can here affiftins; be ; IO Who doit in wifdom and in power cxcell, To teach man knowledge, and thy works to tell. D 2 My 22 THE CRAVE. My Soul ! 'tis fure, a ferious thing to die, And in the grave, a time appointed lie ! 15 What a ftrange moment mull it be, when near Thy journey's end, and every thing to fear ; To pafs the gulf which life and death divide, Where none can tell what's done on t'other fide* ? Nature revolts and fhudders at the ft/oke, 2C Which frees the ipirit from its penal yoke, Yet part they muff, body and foul muft part, In fpite of all all human help and art : Fond couple, link'd more clofe than wedded pair, Muft feparatc go, alas ! they know not where|| ! 25 If after death, man nothing had to fear, Many would foon be tir'd of living here ; If, after death, men knew they ceas'd to be, And fearing nought, were certain to be free, How many then would quit life's irkfome pain, 30 And to their native nothing turn againf ! The * Cardinal Richelieu, after he had given la-e 'to all Europe, many years toge her, confefled to 1'tter Dv. Mnthn, that being forced upon many irregu- larities in his lifetime, by that which they call Reaftn cfjlale, he could not tell how to fatisfy his Confidence upon fcveral accounts: and being afked one Day by a friend, why he was fo fad ? he anfwered, " The foul is a ferious thing; it muft be cither fad here for a moment, or be fad for even." I! " To die to fleep To fleep ! perchance to dream ! Aye thrrt's the Rub ; For, in lhat Sleep of Denth, \vh?.t Dreams mav come, When we have fhuilled of this mortal Coil, Muft give a Paufe. Theic's the Refpeel, That makes Calamity of fo long Life," 6ffr. Shakefieare. + Nothing has more hotrour than annihilation. The worfr that good men can fear, is the beft that evil can wilh for, which is the diitbl u turn ol :h f.ul in death. THE CRAVE. 2$ The debauchee might flill go on to fing, Reel o'er the bowl, and laugh at ev'ry thing : Or if world-weary, thro' the ftorms of life, Misfortunes, loiles, or domeftic frrifej, $$ Who would not then of tortures to be eas'd, Slip out at once at any door he pleas'd ? For death has many doors, which open wide, When inclination once becomes a guide : And who could blame the ill-pleas'd gueft to quit 40 That table where he did not like to fit ? To help himfelf as quickly as he might, Which in his pow'r, he fur el y thought was right, But if there's an Hereafter; In that ftate, Self-murder muft an awful doom await : 45 To rufh, uncall'd, before th' Almighty's throne, With hands, imbrued in blood that blood their own Into the prefence of the Judge of all, To (land without the juftifying call ! Whatpunifhment rewards the horrid crime, 5 He only knows who fees the end of time, Who meafures all our days with niceft fkill, Declaring we muft wait his fov'reign will ; How long, how fliort, it heeds us not to know, But bear with refignation whilft below, 55 JLike centries each ihould watch and patient ftand, Untill th' appointed moment of command. And thus the truly brave arc conftant found ; But cowards bafely may forfake their ground. Then flay the time which quickly fhall befhown, 6a Norrafhlv venture on that world unknown ; The X Of all the crimes which a man can commit, the dcliruclion of himfelf is the moil horiiJ, whvn we tonlidrr that repentance cannot lucceed, and that a'.* '' /.'-!;'. . : c:.rc . tc tcx'.t :"e of the tndv h*.*>.annot ftil! dtllroy Uirr.l'Jf. 24 THE GRAVE. The ills of life will fpcedily be o'er, And you fafe landed on that happier fhore*. Tell us, ye dead ! if you in pity can, Beyond this world what is the future plan ? 65 Some courteous ghoft, if any fuch there be, Tell us what things in after life you fee, I've heard that fomc of you, in days of old, The fatal ftory to mankind have told, Forewarniogthem of death : O then comply, 70 And tell in charity what tis' to die ! But you're withheld : no matter, death muft call, The curtain drop, and time will clear up all. Death's fhafts fly thick ; here falls the village fwain, And there his Lord, the mafler of the plain, 75 Pamper'd with feafting : yet the cup goes round, And to refufe it, who fo daring found ? See yonder maker of the dead man's bed, The fexton, with his fpade and hoary head, With hard unmeaning face, down which ne'er Hole 80 A tear, the mark of pity in his ioul. He digs thro' rows of kindred and of friends, And fings and laughs as he his work attends ; For fcarce a fkull upon the ground he throws, But well its owner and his life he knows, gjj Thus hand in hand with death twice twenty years, Familiar grown he no Removal fears, But joins with willing heart the revel throng ; Who keep it up, and joins their merry fong, Then * Thofe who have read Dr H. Moreon the Immortality of the Soul, may recollect the ftory of the Florentine Philofopher appearing after his death ta h : s friend, to confirm the truth of what they had difsourfed toncerning the immortalitv of the loul. THE GRAVE. 25 Then reeling home, he fnores it out till day, go Regardlefs of the time that deals away. The heedlcfs Boor, unmindful of his trade, Dreams not a grave fhall foon for him be made*. As leaves in autumn drop from ev'ry tree, So fall our friends, as we may hourly fee, o Yet ftill unnotie'd let the warnings pafs, Nor think of Time till empty is our glafs : Fantaftic fchemes, we eagerly purfuc, And plans for future greatnefs make anew, Heedlefs of death, that foon muft clofe the fcene, 100 And leave us juft as if we ne'er had been||. Tho' that fhould be our chief and greateft care, Yet for this world moft ftudioufly prepare, And frolic on eternity's dread brink, In wanton mood, alas ! and never think. 10$ Time hurries on, till death winds up the whole, And brings to judgment, each uncautious foul ; Who while he thinks there's nothing here to dread, He fleals the pillow from the mifer's head : To others juft as thoughtlefs then he goes, HO And calls them to their folemn laft repofe. What * Thus airy pleafurc dances in our eyes, And fpreads falfc images in fair difguifc, T'allure our fouls, till juft within our arms, The vilion dies, and all tht painted charms Flee quick away from the purfuing %hr, Till they arc loft in lhades, and mingle with the night, Dr. Want. !| Fevf take care to live well, but many to live long ; though it is in every man's power to do the former, but in no one's to dn the latter. Happythe man that knows the value juft, Of earthly things, nor ; sfnllav'd to dull. 'Tis a rich gift the Ikies but rarely fend To fav'rite fouls. Dr Watts/ 26 THE GRAVE. What is this world ? look ferioufly around ; What but a wide ftupendous burial-ground ? Strew'd with Death's fpoils, the fpoils of every age, Relih of life, of favage, oroffage, 115 Happy or wretched, here alike are fpread : And the green turf, on which we carelefs tread, Once breath'd with life ; and we that live muft be Juft the fame lifelefs clod as what we fee. We lend our carcafes to cover o'er, 120 Thofe of our progeny not long before j They in their turns, too, foon muft cover theirs : Such is the fate of fathers and of heirs. The fhiv'ring Icelander, the fun-burnt Moor, Men of all climes that never met before, 125 However diftant fti!l their countries lie, Or their opinions vary, they muft die. The lordly prince, the nabob prouder (till, Together meet howe'er againft their will ; For vain are all the ftratagems of courts, 130 Their Schemes are now no more than idle fports. Here the poor flave, fo long his mafter's feoff,* Regains his freedom, flings his burden off; Here tyrants. vex no more; the weary reft, And the wan lover is no more diftrcft ; 135 For tho' the fair refufd' to be his bride, Contented now fhe flumbers by his fide. Here * There the Prifoners reft: together; they hear not the voice of the op- preffor: the fmal! and the great are there ; and the fervant is free from his mafter. 7 ob - A little time is enough to view the world in : Nature tread: in a circle, and has much the fame face through the whole courfc of time. Live well, and make Virtue thy guide, and then let death come fooner or later, it mat- ter: not. THE CRAVE. 27 Here is the large- limb'd Peafant, here the Child, An! here the Mother, tender, meek and mild : Here friends and f )cs without a quarrel lie|[, 140 Nor more with wrath each other now defy ; The prefbyter, and prelate rob'd in lawn, Arlaft are into one opinion drawn : The fhrew, the prude, the wanton, and coquet, The widow, and the virgin too are met; 14- Old age and youth, the candid and feverc, The wife, the generous, artful and fincerc ; The juft, the good, the worthlefs and the vain, The fool, the churl, the pious and prophane ; The fubtlc ftatefman, and the downright clown, 150 Without diltinclion muft alike lie down Ufurpers lie by kings they did depofc, And factious parties are no longer foes : The wreck of nations here at once appears, With all the lumber of fix thoufand years. 155 Poor man ! how happy once in thy fir ft ffate, Created by thy Maker good and great ; Form'd like his image by his Wondrous hand, With pow'r o'er all creation to command : His laft befi: work, well pleas'd he fmil'd and view'd, The body noble foul with fenfe endu'd, 161 Like twofweet inftruments ne'er out of tune, Untill thy folly broke the union foon ; E Then || The r.ruv i:, the v ''''' ' ' ' ' ''' v "" I [ ' 5 > a '' Dr Young julHy c.V i v , : . v .. - r.i io.iu to ii'.i' . F.verv moment of our lives we trejJ > . 1 . ; ire a J ovrrthew f.ith r: ; fulj-. /Is ever tht-ii- kings, |>n : , "i.. i -\ :rj over liie ti r-ones iluv once a doled ; yet all lu id . " . '. n ll e.ver, mean n.> of jM'of; eiKy^ a . : i ju. 28 THE GRAVE. Then no difeafe or rankling pain within, / Till purchas'd by thy all deftru&ive fin : . 165 How blefs'd in Paradife thou might'ft have'ftay'd, The happy tenant of that blifsful fliade ! The gen'rous foil with a luxuriant hand, Without thy toil, around thee did expand Rich blooming treafure for thy due repaft, 1 70 Doom'd by thy indifcretion not to 1 aft. Such is man's hift'ry ; fuch the ftate of things ; To-day the mod: delightful pleafure brings, But e'er to-morrow's fetting fun, they pais, Their pleafurcs wain, juft like the fading grafs ; 175 Oh dire uncertainty ! like fleeting dreams, All human happinefs together feems ! What flrange viciffitudes ! In man's firfl day, Completely happy but foon led aftray : Satan with jealous eye beheld his mind, i8a Where no foul pafiions could admittance find, Burfting with envy, baleful means he fought, How man to fwift deftruction might be brought. Fair Paradife had Icarcely blefs'd his fight, Where ev'ry object charm'd with new delight, 185 Till man to his Creator gave th' offence, For which in ani;er he was driven thence. The interdicted tree he needs mull: know, Which brought in death, and every human woe ! Dreadful As in Adam may be considered the root of Ml ev.1, fo in Chrif: may b'. feeii the fountain faring of eternal life. They are like two Roots, that torn- rnunicate each to all their feveral Eranchcs their ov,n diliinct Pro: crt:es : 1* Miiton, Book iii. As in T!im perifh all Men, fo in Thrr, As from a fecord Root, (hall be rrflor'd As many as arc relio.'J, whlr.-ut Tlve none, THE GRAVE. 29 Dreadful experiment ! by Satan's plan, 190 Contriv'd in fpite, to be the fall of man. Who his rafh error foon beheld, too late, For heav'n's decree was paft, and fix'd his fate : A flaming fvvord is at the entrance plac'd, From which the pair are by an angel chas'd. Ah! fatal error ! not to him alone, 195 Cut to his heirs ; decreed from fon to fon ! Foul monfter, fin ! thou greateft ill we have, What havock haft: thou made to fill the grave ! All woes, of cv'ry kind, all fpring from thee : Sorrow and pain of ev'ry fad degree. 2CO To other ills has nature fet the bounds, No- can they reach beyond their given rounds ; Thus earthquakes, and volcanoes reach not far, Plagues, inundations, elemental jar Or the fierce conflict of aerial powers, 205 They J a ft but minutes, or at moft but hours : More dreadful far has fin deftruclion hurl'd, Difpatching not a country, but a world And at one long ana wide-extended blow, Has levei'd millions to the grave below ; 2l# A whole creation's beauty haft laid waft?. And lTill purfues with wild dcftrucYive hafte. The fad effects of ourfinr parent? blame, Which brought in death and their fucceeding fk; 1 But hold ! I've gone too far, too much have faiJ, 215 Too much our parents fatal fall diiplay'd : Then let vis paufe, and drop an honcft tear, In filial duly : It becomes us here ; \V hilft muling on the deferts death has fprcad, The chaos of mankind thefe ago- dead. 22ut for a feafon fix'd by power divine. A tr.imp celeftial then fhall loudly found, 235 To rouie thy flceping victims under-ground : Then mud thy gates fly open to difplay, Thy haplefs prifoncrs to the face of day: Forth from their earthy beds then mufl they rife, To meet the arbitration of the ikies. 24a There friend and foe fhall ftand up fide bv fide, O'erwhelm'd with fe%.their Judgment to abide; The wicked, trembling for their horrid doom, Vv ouhl fain recede to hold their former tomb, Beating their breads, oppicfs'd with mighty woe, 24^ They call the hills to bury them below ! Whilft pure as filvcr thrice renn'd by fire, To promis'd happinefs the good afmrt ; To J D iitl: i; :h" u,rc rfoade him there '.: n (1 .J, a nrinite to the contrary, yet the belief 1 f ;'j b'.< .! , fo kind, f,. LYjI-- ent a bcingis fo v ry nccclfary to the quiet, comfort, fa; is faction .ind pre- ferv.uion ofour live:, that a wife man would i?c ~r-: ved to qytt > , leafinj :. ,. .... 32 THE GRAVE. When, by his Father fent, us to releafe, And in our fall'n irate reftore to peace, Yielding and willing by thy pow'r was bound, 275 Three days rcmain'd thy captive under ground : And then felf-vigorous rofe, and brake thy chain, Triumphant conq'ror o'er thy dark domain ! Full forty days he taught among mankind, By faith in him they might falvation find ; 280 This having done, beyond the ftarry way, To heav'n above, he rofe in bright array. Nor for himfelf does there remain alone, For ftill his holy love's forfinners fhown, For e'en the vileft, with incelTant prayer, 285 He intercedes, for their acceptance there : And for his fold, it was his firm decree, That where he is, there fhould his followers be. Then why fhould man, who fhould fulunit, regret, To itay conceal'd awhile in Death's retreat? 290 A difmal path, but not, we know, untrod, For death was vanquifh'd by the Son t of Go d ; Anon fatigues and fears away will fly, And man immorLal rife no more to die. Prodigious change ! no more by Death alarm'd : 295 Hell is fubdued when fin fhall fall difarm'd, For fov'reign mercy has the race reitor'd, So lono; rejected and fo lonsr deplor'd The Saviour's grace for men fhall fo prevail, At lad, that all fhall his Redemption hail. 3C0 Here let us paufe, nor deem the time illfpent, We now devote to contemplate th' event. How will thev look, who mock'd, who piere'd his fide, How will hi* tors that trying dav abide ? For THE GRAVE. 33 For all mankind his mortal wounds fhall fee ! 305 His foes forlorn his friends how happy be ! See crouds feraphic lead the joyful way, And heaven's bright hoft their glory all difplay ! Hail, quick repentance ; faith, in refcue come, E'er the dread book unfolds and feals our doom ! 310 In wrath, O God ! thou fure will not deface, Thy image, nor thy Son's implanted grace : Thy handy work thou never can defpife, Who fay'ft againft thy will the (inner dies ; In that great day, O Jefu ! with us fhare, 315 Look on thy crofs, and man in mercy fpare ; For thofa who yet in darknefs are confin'd*, Hope leads to mercy, man muft be reilgn'd. And you ye grafted olives, grow not vain, The caft-off branch we know fhall (hoot again ; 320 And when the Gentile fullnefs fhall come round, It is decreed all Ifrael fhall be found. What then fhall our firm love from Chrift divide ? Not all this world's vain pomp and empty pride : Therefore whatever in our cups may flow, 325 Whate'er by trials or misfortunes, know, Safe in his love, by his example taught, Refign'd we'll joyfully drink up the draught, A life well fpent infures the happy plan, For virtue's happinefs defign'd for man, 330 And thofc who mod exalt the human mind, Immortal happinefs ere lone; fhall find. In 'I ,,. e ; s 1101 ul'.T the ii-n-.: -W . ot thl". Ill >:t li c tolerable, but .,, .- : 1: ;. -it of anotlnr; this ma e the wile hcaihens tr.y, that they liven it ii [1 'v th u ht ; Ivy were not in !:vc arain, as ! ,;\ . ; a ;;-.:'."> 1 v. if thev wen to in ' '. notliirg 54 TIJ E GRAVE, In youth be mindful of your riper ycarsf, Encreafe your hopes and diffipate vour fears ; A virtuous heart, a fpotlefs innocence, 335 The chriftian's anchor, and his ftrong defence, Exceed the bait of worldly things below, Which tho' alluring arc but empty (how. To pure religion's unmix'd joys give place, Superior guide ! gueft of celeflial race ! 34.0 A promis'd vaft eternity of bills ! Each earth-born joy grows vile at thought of this. E'en the lag flefli that fuffers death and pain, Refts too in hopes of meeting once asrain : Nor will it hope in vain : the time will come, 345 When riling from their long-fcqueiler'd home, The foul and body cv'ry way compleat, United in a perfect date fhall meet. So, when the beaming fun's refradled ray, Forms the bright bow, and variegates the day, 350 Confus'dly regular, the blended hue, In crimlbn glows, or lajiguifhes in blue, This melts in fhade, that ripens into l'ght, And fhine together beautifully b.ight. The -j- Life is the time toferve the Lord, The time to infur the great reward, And while the lamp holds out to burn, Thevileft iinner may return. The Kingdom of Heaven cannot be inhe'ued (or poffeflVd) by Tic/?; and Blood, i.e. by mere Man, with all his infirmities about him; for thefe words fpeak not the corruption of our nature, Co much as the weaknefs and infirmity of it, ltand ng in need ofcontinu.il fupplies of meat and drink, &x. which our glorified bodies (h all not want, any more than do the Angels or Saints of Heave. 1 ; not only according to the Declaration of the Gofpel, Matt. ?. Y .ii. p. but in the opinion of the fobereft Heathens ; For not tlu bread of man heir life feiiain--, Nor yv ' .,'.!. , fj^j'l.ci their veins. I'ort'i Horr.r: THE GRAVE. 33 The time draws on, when not a fingle grave, 355 Whether in earth, or in the briny wave, But muft give back its long committed duft, Lent for a while, deposited in truft, And faithfully make up the full account, Of every particle, the juft amount : 360 Not the lead grain embezzled, or miflaid, For all intirc muft back again be paid. Hence ye prophane ! nor afk how this can be,^ Who r.ear'd the piece at firft, lb fair to fee, He by the lame celeftial fov 'reign art, 365 Can join the fcatter'd atoms of each part ; He can do more ; his arm is ftill the fame, Sure as his word, eftablifh'd as his name : And what he can, he will ; his word is gone, And certain as his promile fhall be done. 370 When the dread trumpet founds, the flumb'ring earth, No more inactive, fhall rife up to birth. And ev'ry part poflefs its proper place, With a new elegance of form and grace. Nor fhall the foul its part'ner e'er miftake, 375 But 'midft the croud fhall recollecl: its make, Confcious itfelf, its former habit know, Once the fad vehicle of pain and woe. But now renew'd, more perfect and compleat, With joy lhall repoflefs again its feat. E Juft Faith builds a bridge from this world to the ne\t, OYr the dark gulf of death, and all its horror hides. Young. + The memory of thirns below remains with us after this life, in our future i! ate. " Son, remember that in thy life-time thou receivedlt thy good th tigs," Luke xvi. and Revelations xv. 1 am he that was dead, and ant ahve arjim." 1 Epilt. Corinthians xv. 34- THE GRAVE Juft as a trav'ler abfcnt long from home, Return'd wTth eager nefs infpects each room, And longs to fee the whole ; this meeting o'er, Nor time, nor death fhall feparate them more. The grave's a night a long and moonlefs night, 385 From which w'ere fure to rife to endlefs light. Thus at the clofe of day, the weary bird Leaves the wide air, and in the brake is heard, Covv'rs down and dozes till the dawn of day, Then claps his vvell-fledg'd wings, and foars away. THE END OF THE GRAVE. I fhall conclude thefe Notes with obferving, that as a Refurreftion from the Dead is not impoflibie in itfelf, no Man can abfolutely deny it ; as it is highly probable, both upon natural and moral Grounds, all Men may rationally expeft it ; but as it is infallibly certain upon evangelical Princi- ples, founded on the Veracity of the Apoftles, of Chrift, and God himfelf, all Chiiftians ought moll firmly to believe it, And therefore, my Brethren, if yefitdfajl, &C. AN ELEGY, WRITTEN IN A COUNTRY CHURCH-YARD, THE ARGUMENT. Afummer's evening defcr'ibed its calmncfs diflurbed by the bee' tle,Jheep-bells,and owl country church-yard defcribed, with it sjleeping tenants the vanity of ambition, power and beauty- the folly of pompous epitaphs and inferiptions true merit ob- fcured by penury rujiic poverty not to be defpijed love of life natural to all what the poc? s fate may be in fome future period, related by old age, with his epitaph. The notes in* elude the variations of former editions. Time a Summer s Evening. THE Curfew* tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd wind flowly o'er the lea j The plowman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world to darknefs and to mc. E 2 Now * The evening Ecll. 36 gray's elegy. Now fades the glimmering landfcapc on the fight, And all the air a folemn ftillnefs holds ; Save where the beetle wheels his drony flight, And drowfy tinklings lull the difrant foldsf. Save, that from yonder ivy-mantled tower, The moping owl does to the moon complain, Of fuch as wandering near her fecret bower, Moleft her ancient folitary reign. Beneath thofe rugged elms, that yew-tree's fhade, Where heaves the turf in many a mouldering heap, Each in his narrow cell forgotten laid, The rude Forefathers of the hamlet ileepj. The breezy call of incenfe-brcathing Morn, The fwallow twittering from the ftiaw-built fhed, *The cock's flirill clarion, or the echoing horn, No more fhall roufe them from their lowly bed. For them no more the blazing heath fhall burn, Or bufy houfewife ply her evening care : Or children run to lifp their fire's return, Nor climb his knees the envied kifs tofhare , Oft did the harveft to their fickle yield, Their furrow oft the ftubborn glebe has broke ; How f The reader oftalle cannot fail admiring the juft and natural fimplicity oi 1 li is picture of a Summer's Evening; the decline of day is here coloured by the hand of a matter. j In ihc fir It Edition of this poem, we read the fallowing flanza in this place, which the author upon revifal has omitted. Haik ! how the facred calm that breathes arounJ, Bids every fierce tumultuous paition cafe ; In flill, fmall accents whifp'ring from the ground, A rrratefnl earneit uf eternal peace. gray's elegy 27. How jocund did they drive their team afield ! How bow'd the woods beneath their fturdy ftroke } Let not Ambition flight their ufeful toil, Their homely joys, and deftiny obfcure ; Nor Grandeur hear with a difdainful fmile, \ The fhort but fimple annals of the poor.H The boaft of heraldry, the pomp of power, And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave, Await alike th' inevitable hour : The paths of glory lead but to the grave. Nor you, ye proud, impute to thefe the fault, If mem'ry o'er their tomb no trophies raife, Where thro' the long-drawn iflc and fretted vault The pealing anthem fwells the note of praifc. Can ftoried urn or animated buft, Back to its manfioncrdl the fleeting breath ? Can honour's voice provoke the illent dufr, Or flattery footh the dull cold ear of Death ? Perhaps in this neglected ipot is laid, Some heart once pregnant with ccleftial fire ; Hands, that the rod of empire might have fvvay'd, Or wak'd toextafy the living lyre. But knowledge to their eyes her ample page, Rich with the (poils of time did ne'er unroll : Chill penury reprefs'd their noble rage, And froze the genial current of the foul. Full || There have been many attempts to imitate :liis Eie^y, though but uv; have anivvJ neat the lim.-livity ui" Gray's manner. Z$ oray's elegy. Full many a gem of purcft ray ferene*, The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear ; Full many a flower is born to blufh unfeen, And wafte its fweetnefs on the defert air. Seme village-Hampden, that with dauntlefs breaft The little Tyrant of his fields withftood ; Some mute inglorious Milton here may reft, Some Cromwell guiltlefs of his country's blood. Th' applaufe of liftening fenates to command, The threats of pain and ruin to defpife, To fcatter plenty o'er a imiling land, And read their hiftory in a nation's eyes. Their *' Gray has here imitated the verbofe, but original, Dr. Young. This beautiful companion of the Gem and the Flower, in this ftanza feemstohavc been taken from the Docln's LTniverfal Pallioii, Sat. V. M Such bleffings Nature pnurs, " O'eritock'd mankind enjoy but half her ftores. " In diftant wilds, by human eyes unfeen, " She rears her flowers and fpreada her velvet green : " Pure gurg'ling rills, the lonely defert trace, " And wafte their mufic on the favage race. " Is Nature, then a niggard oi her bliiS ? " Repine we guiltlefs in a world like this r" The following verfc is no indifferent imitation of Gray's manner, and ap- peared in an early edition. Full many a lark, high tow'ring to the (kj, Unheard unheeded, greets th'approach of light ; Full many a liar, unfeen by mortal eye, With twinkling 'uflre glimmers thro' the night. See a Criticifm on This Flrgy, publifhed by Cadeli. * The Natural (implicity of thefe flanz^s extorted from Dr. Johnfon one fentence, which deTervcs to be written in letters of gold : that " all claim to poetic honours mulr be finally decided by the talle ot the common, unpreju- diced reader." Dr. Johnfon's Life of Gray. gray's elegy* 39 Their lot forbad : nor circumfcrib'd alone Their growing virtues, but their crimes contin'd, Forbad to wade through flaughter to a throne, And fliut the gates of mercy on mankind ; The ftruggling pangs of confcious truth to hide, To quench the blufhes of ingenuous fhame, Or heap the fhrine of Luxury and Pride, With incenfe kindled at the Mufe's flame. Far from the madding crowd's ignoble ftrife, Their fober wilhes never learn'd to ftray : Along the cool fcquefter'd vale of life, They kept the noifelefs tenor of their way. Yet ev'n thefe bones from infult to protect f, Some frail memorial ftill erected nigh, With uncouth rhimes and fhapelefs fculpture deck'd, Implores the paffing tribute of a figh. Their name, their years, fpelt by th' unletter'd Mufe, The place of fame and elegy fupply : And many a holy text around fhe {trews, That teach the ruftick morahfr. to die. For who to dumb forgetfulnefs a prey, This pleafing anxious being e'er refign'd Left the warm precincts of the chearful day, Nor caftone longing lingering look behind ? On fome fond bread the parting foul relies, Some pious drops the clofing eye requires : E' vn f- Nothing can be more natural than thefc reflections, and Dr. Johnfon allows them the firft place amongfl elegiac fentimenti. 4_o gray's elegy. Ev'n from the tomb the voice of Nature cries, Ev'n in our Afhes live their wonted Fires*. For thee, who mindful of the unhonour'd Dead, Doft on this fpot their artlefs tale relate ; If chance, by lonely Contemplation led, Some kindred Spirit (hall enquire thy fate. Haply fome hoary headed Swain may fay, 'Oft have we feen him at the peep of dawn 4 Brufhing with hafty fteps the dews away ' To meet the fun upon the upland lawn. * There at the foot of yonder nodding beech * That wreaths its old fantaftic roots fo high, ' His liftlefs length at noontide would he flretch, ' And pore upon the brook that babbles by[|. c Hard by yon wood, now fmiling as in fcorn, ( Muttering his wayward fancies he would rove ; ' Now drooping, woeful wan, like one forlorn, ' Or craz'd with care, or cros'd in hopelefs love. ' One morn I mis'd him on the cuftom'd hill, ' Along the heath, and near his favourite tree : ' Another came; nor yet befide the rill, ' Nor up the lawn, nor at the wood was he ; The * Whatever caft our Jot has borne, when we die we wilh to be rerr.cn -.1. . - ed ] and this is to univerfal a wi'v, that we find it even bieathe trom t he dying lips of the vile : criminal. The following It an /.a appeared in the '~:;i\ edition, but has fince been omittei j'| Kim have we feen the green \vi >d lide along, While o'er the heath we paft, our labour done, Oft as the wood-lark pip'd her farcwcl Lng, With wiltfu! eyes purfuc t'ue fitting fun. GRAYs's ELEGY. 41 1 The next with dirges due in fad array, 4 Slow thro' the church-way path we faw him borne, * Approach and read (for thou canft read) the lay, Grav'd on the ftone beneath yon aged thorn. m THE EPITAPH. HERE refts his head upon the lap of Earth, A Youth to Fortune and to Fame unknown, Fair Science frown'd not on his humble birth, And Melancholy mark'd him for her own. Large was his bounty, and his foul fincere, Heaven did a recommence as largely fend : He gave to Mifery all he had, a tear; He gain'd from Heaven ('twas all he wifh'd) a friend^. No farther leek his merits to difclofe, Or draw his frailties from their dread abode, (There they alike in trembling hope repofe,) The bofoni of his Father and his God. Poor is the friendleft matter of a world, A world in puichale tor a friend is ^ain. F I N I S. SEklOUS AND CANDID OBSERVATIONS ON THAT PART OF THE BISHOP OF LINCOLN'S WORK, ENTITLED Elements of Christian Theology* WHICH CONTAINS HIS LORDSHIP'S EXPOSITION Seventeenth Article of the Church of England. TO WHICH 13 ANNEXED Bishop Heveridge s EXPOSITION of the SAME ARTICLE. IN A LETTER From an Old Christian in the Country, To his Friend in London. Hottjon : PRINTED FOR W . ROW, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET, AND J. PARSONS, PATERNOSTER ROW, BY W. SMITH, KING STREET, SEVEN DIALS. [[price one shilling.] 1800. SPEEDILY WILL BE PUBLISHED, The Liturgy OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND EXPLAINED and VINDICATED, So as to appear in perfeeJ Harmony with the Scriptures, and very far distant from the Arminian System. Now first printed from the Manuscripts of AUGUSTUS TOPLADY, BY THE EDITOR OF HIS WORKS, Address to the Reader. JL HE following letter was sent by an unknown person in the Country, to a gentleman in London ; and by him to the publisher. The letter exhibits the marks of age, of sound gospel know- ledge, and genuine experience; on which accounts, it certainly demands reverence and attention. The reason- ing is calm and dispassionate ; the thoughts plain and well conceived: and although there is nothing striking or elegant in the composition, yet the language is clear and expressive; and proves that the Old Calvin ist, is a man of grace and of good understand- ing ( 4 ) ing, as well as no babe in the Elements of Christian Theology. To the annexed letter is subjoined Bishop Beveridge's Scriptural Exposi- tion on the Seventeenth Article of our Church, chiefly on account of the valuable quotations he makes from the Fathers. This Bishop's own authority is of it- self highly estimable, as he was a prelate of the most exalted piety, and cannot be suspecled of being either credulous or illiterate, for he understood nine languages, most of them oriental. Veneration and affection for the church of England, have been the occasion of printing the subsequent pages, - I. . S E R I O U 3 SERIOUS AND CANDID OBSERVATIONS, &c. Sir, I Take the liberty of repre- senting to you, whom I conceive to be a friend to the grace of the gospel, some thoughts which have occured to me, on reading the Bishop of Lincoln's Expo- sition of the 17th Article of the English Church. You will find what I allude to in his second volume of " Elements of Christian Theology." I am induced to do this, from the perusal of the Anti- Jacobin Review, and several modern publications, which assert, boldly and B confidentlv, ( 6 ) Confidently, as well as the learned Bishop, That the Articles of the Church of England are not Calvinistical. If you look at the article in the Com- mon Prayer Book, you will observe, that Predestination is defined to be, " The everlasting purpose of God, " whereby he has constantly decreed " by his counsel, before the foundation " of the world, which is secret to us, " to deliver from curse and damnation, " those whom he hath chosen in Christ " out of mankind, and to bring them " by Christ to everlasting salvation as " vessels made to honour." Here is most plainly described the objetl of this decree or purpose, those whom God hath chosen out of man- kind; the objeel of it then could not be, all mankind. Here is the state, they were foreseen to be in, when chosen in Christ, they were ( 7 ) were liable to a curse and damnation; and here is the means by which they are to be brought to everlasting life, (( by Christ," through whom they were to be rendered as vessels to honour. Upon this benefit of* predestination does the article suspend their calling by the Spirit of God; their obedience to the call; their free justification; their adoption; their being made like the image of God's dear Son; their walking religiously, in good works; and at length their attaining, through God's mercy, everlasting felicity. The article evidently makes the good pleasure of God in predestinating them, the first and sole efficient cause of all the bles- sings of salvation which they ever enjoy. Was not this exactly Paul's idea? " Whom he did predestinate, them he also called ; and whom he called, them he also justified : and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Rom. viii. 2. B 2 I should ( 8 ) I should think, Sir, no unprejudiced man, who understands language, can read the article with an upright mind, without acknowledging this to be the sense of it. I apprehend, it is impos- sible, that words should be more ex- pressive of the following do&rine. That the cause of man's salvation originates solely in the sovereign purpose or mere good pleasure of the Deity; that some chosen out of the rest of mankind are the subjects of it; that these were viewed, when their salvation was pre- destinated, as under a curse, and ex- posed to damnation ; for it would be absurd to suppose that God decreed to deliver them from that to which they were not exposed. It surprised me, when I perused the learned Bishop's interpretation; it ap- peared one of the most astonishing in- stances of the perversion of language, and distortion of the sense of a para- graph, that I ever met with; and were it ( 9 ) it not for a consideration of the imper^ fections of the human mind in some of the most distinguished characters, I should be at a loss to reconcile it with common sense or common honesty. The Bishop writes, " God decreed the redemption of mankind, through Christ, before the foundation of the world." The article has it, (t some whom God has chosen out of mankind." His Lord- ship goes on " This redemption was to be in the nature of a covenant, be- tween God and man, and the salvation of every individual was to depend on his observance of the proposed conditions." The article affims, Their obeying the divine call, and performing the several duties of the christian life, is owing to the benefit of predestination or election. The Bishop evidently hinges it on the will of the individual, or his performing the conditions of the cove- nant. How different are these ideas ! As different as Sinai and Zion, the being saved by one's own works, and the being ( JO ) being saved by grace through faith unto good works. The Bishop adds" Those, who, he foresaw, would perform the conditions of the covenant, may be said to be predestinated unto life, for whom he did foreknow, he also did predesti- nate." That is, whom he did foresee, would perform the conditions of the covenant. But, I apprehend, his Lord- ship should have read on, and then he would have seen the futility of his in- terpretation. For those whom he did foreknow, were predestinated to be conformed to the image of God's Son ; which, I think, plainly implies, that they were not thus conformed, when foreknown and chosen or predestinated. For if they were so conformed to Jesus when viewed and chosen, what occasion was there for the purpose decree, or determination of God, to destine them to this similarity or likeness to his Son? So it reads in Ephesians, " According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be ( 11 ) fee holy and without blame before him* in love." Does not this imply they were not so, when viewed by God in his eternal decree and ehosen in Christ? However, it appears to his Lordship " that his interpretation of the article is the only sense in which predestination is reconcileable with the attributes of God, and the free agency of man.'* And again his Lordship writes, " For we cannot conceive that a being of infinite justice and mercy, would arbitrarily select out of his rational creatures a de- terminative number, on whom he would bestow the blessing of eternal happinefs, while he consigned all the rest to eter- nal punishment, or passed them over as unworthy his regard and attention. Such an idea of election ought surely to be rejected." Alas! alas! what mean notions must this Christian Bishop have of the grace of the gospel ! According to him it is only ( 12 ) only justice, for he supposes God would be unjust, if he chose only some of mankind, (and not all,) as the article specifies. But let us recollect ourselves, and examine the Bishop's doclrine. Can it be in a bad sense an arbitrary aft, or unjust, for the Deity to chuse some only out of the number of his rational creatures, who had so rebelled against him as to be justly exposed to his wrath? If mankind were not so lost, as to be righteously condemned and equitably liable to punishment, then justice and rectitude require that they should not be punished and miserable. But will the Bishop affirm that mankind are upon the whole so good as that they do not righteously merit the wrath of God and the pains of the infernal world? Then they do not need a Saviour nor his salvation. For why should the Son of God come to save men, whom it would have been unjust in God to punish? Should not his Lordship ob- ject to the position, that all mankind are justly ( 13 ) justly exposed to the wrath of God f and the miseries of the infernal world, On the account of their sins; then I argue, if any are left out of the divine purpose of salvation by faith and obe- dience through Christ Jesus, the learned Bishop cannot say, it was a base arbi- trary act. in the Deity, or any ways un- just to pass them by. Had they any claim on the righteous Governor of the world? Could they say, we deserve not thy wrath ? Yea, can those who are saved by Christ Jesus say so? If they had any claim of right upon the Deity to be delivered from hell and misery, God's choice of them was not the mere good pleasure of his will. Grace was not the source of their salvation. God does not show mercy, on whom he will show mercy, but he does only that which he is bound in righteoufnefs to do ! I could refer his Lordship to the inter- pretation of this article by Archbishop C Whitgift, ( '4 ) Whitgift, Dr. Fletcher, Bishop of Lon- don, Dr. Mutton, Archbishop of York, and divers others. Let his Lordship refer to the Lambeth Articles in 1595. The time would fail me to adduce nu- merous others of the Church of Eng- land, eminent for their learning and sagacity, who thus understand the article. Whatever Burnett, Pyle and others may suggest who disliked the doctrine, the sense which has been given was the meaning of the compilers, and no other grammatical sense can be fairly given. But without having any regard to the authority of great characters, there are, as I conceive, but two schemes of di- vinity, however they may be diversi- fied, the one originating from the good pleasure or sovereign will of the Deity; the other taking its rise in the will of man, or in some betterness of character which ( >5 ) which is supposed to make one man more worthy of the divine favour than 'another. The one is St. Paul's, of salvation by grace through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God ; not of works lest any man should boast. The other, which seems to be the Bishop's, of works, or of him that wil- ieth, and obtains something by his ef- forts which others have not obtained. Though upon the scheme of works, if the subject be closely pursued, it will appear in the issue, that they who have this betterness of character in the case before supposed, must have had some advantages of nature, education or con- nexion, arbitrarily given them by the God of providence, which those other- wise disposed did not possess. But waving this, on the two schemes, that of grace and works, turned the dispute between the reformers and the de- fenders of the popish system. All the venerable Bishops, during the time of Edward VI. and Oueen Elizabeth, al- most to a man, understood the article C 2 as ( 16 ) as I have explained it, and were for building the whole fabric of man's salvation on the good pleasure of the Deity, and on nothing in the creature. Regeneration, justification, and effec- tual calling, as these are* acts of God in time, all of them depend on the doctrine of the 17th article. For, I suppose, the Deity does nothing in time, he did not intend to do from all eternity. I do not conceive that he has any new thoughts on subjects as man has. If these Christian blessings are the result of divine grace, or mere benevo- lence to men, not depending on any exertions or prerequisites in human characters, then the doctrine of the article must necessarily follow. The Bishop supposes the free agency of man will be injured, if the sense of the article, which has been given, be admitted. Surely his Lordship has not sufficiently ( 7 ) sufficiently investigated this subject. My conceptions of free agency are as follow. Every man does what he pleases, within the power of his natural abilities, and without any external constraint. The wicked man who rejects the gospel, acts &s freely as the good man, who is in- fluenced by the Spirit of God to em- brace it, and live under its heavenly guidance. The question is, whether any man, as human nature now is circumstanced, would see and receive the gospel of Christ so as to be saved by it, without divine teaching and influence? Or will the Bishop deny, that it is in the power of the Deity so to influence by the evidence of revealed truth, the mind of any man if it so pleaseth him, as that he shall give up all his prejudices, receive the gospel of Christ, and sub- mit chearfully to Ins authority? This is what I apprehend the reformers meant by invincible or irresistible grace, ( i8 ) grace ; not that it may not for a time J3e opposed by the prejudiced human mind, hut that it should overcome in the issue all resistance, by the force of revealed truth and the beauty and harms of gospel grace. The writers of the Anti-Jacobin Re- view boldly assert, the articles of the Church of England are not Calvinisti- cal. And when thev speak of this sys- tem, always add some dismal epithet in their usual declamatory mode of defaming, as gloomy or horrible Cal- vinism. It may appear gloomy to them, who do not understand it, but the most happy, holy, and pious Christians of every denomination that I know, are those who are Calvinists. Calvin himself, though he was exposed to the error, that all the reformers brought with them from Rome, I mean the calling in the sword of the civil power to support their religion and punish heretics, a sentiment which I detest, as being ( 19 ) feeing contrary to the genius of the gos- jpel and the rights of conscience ; yet was comfortable in his own mind, chear- fui, pious, and holy, and it must be Owned by all who are acquainted with the reformation, that he did more by his elegant and judicious writings to support it, than any other man. So- tinians have acknowledged that he was the first commentator in these later ages, who expounded the scripture in its connexion. I hope the Anti-Jacobin writers will avoid every thing of Cal- vin's spirit of persecution, in their op- position to the evangelical clergy and itinerant preaching. Though, Sir, I may perhaps boast, that my character in the world is as in- offensive and good as the Bishop's, yet my sense of the e\ ii of my sins in the sight of God is so just and affecting, that I can plead nothing before him but the same grace which saved the thief Upon the cross, the persecuting Paul, and ( 20 ) and the abandoned Corinthians. And this is as free for the Bishop or any other sinner that sees it, as for me, therefore 1 have nothing whereof to boast before God or man on this topic. I will now conclude this long letter with five remarks taken from a late publication on the doclrine of particular eleclion, which contain my sentiments on the subject. 1. The doclrine of predeftination or particular election, viewed in a scrip- tural light, is rather calculated to en- courage hope than despair; as every one that believes the truth of the gospel in its genuine import, and acts under its in~ fluence, can have no just reason to question his eternal election of God. 2. No professors can know their election but by their calling, or by their sanctirication of the Spirit and belief of the truth, through which Christians- are said to be chosen unto salvation. 3- ^ ( 21 ) 3. It must on all schemes be allowed to be a certainty in the divine mind and in the nature of things, who of mankind will in the event be saved, and who condemned; there can then in reality be no more just foundation for obje&ing to the scriptural do&rine of eternal personal election, as tending to generate inactivity and despondency than there is to object on the same ac- count to theabsolute certainty of the divine prescience. 4. As God has determined to save a certain number of fallen mankind, and the event is absolutely certain (though none can tell how many and who they are) this gives the greatest encourage- ment and countenance to christians, believing parents, and ministers of the gospel, to hold forth the truth freely and fully to all with whom they are connected, as they have opportunity, since its taking effecl: depends not prima- rily on the will of man, but on the good D pleasure ( 22 J pleasure of the Deity; and it is known 4 from revelation, that many under his blessing will receive it and be saved. 5. The free and indefinite proclama- tions of the gospel, which address them- selves to every human being wherever it comes, announcing pardon, justifica- tion, and life to everyone that believeth, are by no means inconsistent with the doctrine of particular election, for it is by them the elect; are called, comforted, and sanctified; and no person can be assured, they are not of the election of grace, but by their continuing to reject the kind counsel of God in the gospel, against themselves to the end of their lives. You are at liberty to' do with this letter, whatever you think proper, if you should judge it to be calculated for any kind of usefulness. Your's respectfully, AN OLD CALVINIST. ^- -.,-:. . or . - BISHOP BEVERIDGE's SCRIPTURAL EXPOSITION Of THE Seventeetb Article of the Church of England. OF PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION. Predestination to life, is the everlasting purpose of God , whereby (before the foun- dations of the -world were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his council \ secret to us, to deliver from curse and dam- nation, those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as ves- sels made to honour. D 2 Though ( 2 4 ) Though in the other articles we may make use of reason as well as scripture and fathers, yet in this we mufl make use of scripture and fathers only, and not of reason. For as the ordinary priests were not to enter into the holy of holies, so neither is carnal reason to venture upon this mystery of mysteries. For it concerns God's predestination, which must needs be infinitely above man's apprehension. So that a cockle- fish may as soon croud the ocean into its narrow shell, as vain man ever com- prehend the decrees of God. And hence it is that both in public and private, I have still endeavoured to shun discourses of this nature : and now that I am unavoidably fallen upon it, I shall speak as little as possibly I can unto it; and in that little I shall speak to, I shall labour to make use of as few of my own words as by any means I can, speaking nothing concerning this great mystery, but what scripture and fathers have expressly. delivered unto us. * Sd. * Sec note at the end. ( 2 5 1 So much therefore of this article as I have transcribed, contains an excel- lent description of election or predes- tination to life, exactly consonant to the doclrine delivered by St. Paul to the Ephesians, in these words: " Accord- ing as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we may be holy and without blame before him in love : having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ, to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved," Eph. i. 4, 5, 6. And to Timothy in these words, " Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not ac- cording to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began," 2 Tim. i. 9. And what the apostle did here deliver from God, the primitive church learned and taught from him, St. Augustine expressly. ( 26 ) expressly. 't Before he made us, he foreknew us, and he chose us in his, foreknowledge when he had not as yet made us. But by whom could this be done, but by him, who calls those things that are not, as if they were? For the apostle saifh, Who chose us before the foundation qf the world. Though it appears that we are made within the world, yet we were chosen before the world. And again, " Out of those to whom the righteous severity had adjudged punishment, according to the inexpressible mercy of his hid- den dispensation, he chose out vessels which he might fit for honour." And elsewhere, " Firmly believe, and by no means doubt, that the Trinity, the unchangeable God, the certain Fore- knower of all things and w r orks, both his own and men's, before all worlds, did know to whom he would give grace by faith. Without which, none from the beginning of the world to the end of ( 2 7 ) of it, can be absolved from the guilt of his sin, original and a&ual; for those whom God foreknew, he did also pre- destinate to be conformable to the image of his Son." And thus Prosper also, " The pre- destination of God, no catholic person denieth, &c. But the faith of pre- destination is confirmed from the mani- fold authories of holy scriptures, to which it is not lawful, by any means, to ascribe those things, that are wickedly done by men, who came into that proneness to fall, not from the creation of God, but from the sin or prevarica- tion of the first parent: From the punishment of which, none is freed, but by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, prepared and predestinated in the eternal council of God, before the foundation of the world." Fulgentiiis hath also delivered his opinion very clearly in this case ; " For God ( 28 ) God, saith he, who made man, did himself prepare in his predestination, both the gift of illumination to believe, and the gift of perseverance to profit and persevere, and the gift of glorifi- cation to reign, for such to whom he pleased to give it : Who also doth not any otherwise perform indeed, than was ordained by his unchangeable will. The truth of which predestination, whereby the apostle witnesseth we were predestinated in Christ, before the foun- dation of the world, if any one refuse to receive with the belief of the heart, or to utter with the confession of the mouth, if before the last day of this present life he doth not lay aside the obstinacy of his impiety, whereby as a rebel he withstandeth the true and living God; it is manifest that he doth, not belong unto the number of those, which God did, before the foundation, of the world, freely chuse in Christ, and predestinated unio the kingdom. And ( *9 ) And so I pass on to what follows in the Article. Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God, be called ac- cording to God's purpose, by his Spirit working in due season : they through grace obey the calling : they be justified freely : they be made sons of God by adoption : they be made like the image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ : they walk religiously in good works, and at length, by God's mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity. After predestination itself described, here we have a description of such as are predestinated, leading them from grace to grace, and at length conduct- ing them into glory. All which is vir- tually, if not expresslv contained in that excellent passage of the apostle E to ( #> ) to this purpose, from whence t sup- pose this part of the article was taken * where he saith, " For whom he did Foreknow, he did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren! moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called , and whom he called, them he also jus- tified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified," Rom. viii. 29, 30* which words St. Augustine having repeated > concludes, " Of these that are pre- destinated none shall perish with the devil, none of them shall remain under the power of the devil unto death." And the same father again, or as others think Fulgentius, to the same purpose. u Firmly believe* and do not doubt, but that all that God of his bountiful goodness made vessels of mercy, were predestinated of God, before the foun- dation of the world* unto the adoption of the children of God ; and that neither ( 3' ) neither any of them, whom God pre- destinated to the kingdom of heaven can perish, nor any of those whom he did not predestinate unto life can be saved, for that predestination is the preparation of the free gift, whereby the apostle saith, We are predestinated unto the adoption of the children of God by Jesus Christ to himself." And so doth Bradwardin the Profound also say, " Predestination is the eternal preparation by the will of God, of final grace in the way, and eternal happiness in the country for a reason- able creature." But to proceed ; As the godly consideration of predesti- nation and our election in Christ, is full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable com- fort to godly persons, and such as feel in themselves the Spirit of Christ, mor- tifying the works of the jlesh, and their E 2 earthL ( 32 ) earthly members, and drawing up their mind to high and heavenly things, as well because it doth greatly establish and con- firm their faith of eternal salvation, to be enjoyed through Christ, as because it d^th fervently kindle their love towards God, So for curious and carnal persons lacking the Spirit of Christ, to have con- tinually before their eyes the sentence of God's predestination, is a most dangerous doxmfal, whereby the devil doth thrust them either into desperation, or into wretchlessness of most unclean living, no less perilous than desperation. Furthermore, we must receive God's promises in such wise as they be generally set forth to us in holy scripture. And in our doings, that will of God is to be fol- lowed, which xce have expressly declared unto us in the word of God. In ( 33 ) In which words there are several things briefly to be considered: First, that to good, holy and religious per- sons, the godly consideration of this doclrine of our election in Christ is full of sweet, pleasant and unspeakable comfort, which we see verified in the example of St. Paul, who having con- sidered the truth of this mystery, im- mediately triumphs with joy and com- fort, crying out, " What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justified!," Rom. viii. 31, 33. Not, who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's people, or of God's servants ? but " who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?" If God hath elected us, it is in vain for men or devils to accuse us: if he be our friend, it is in vain for any one to be our foe. But, Secondly, ( 34 ) Secondly, Though the godly con- sideration of this do&rine, is the ground of great consolation to the godly, yet for curious and carnal persons to have it continually before their eyes, is a most dangerous downfal, whereby the devil doth thrust them either first into desperation; and so indeed had Su Augustine no sooner explained and confirmed this great doctrine, but Hilarius Arelatensis sends him word, that some were so moved with it, that they say desperation was held forth to men by it ; or secondly, into wretch- lessness of most unclean living, no less perilous than desperation; a sad ex- ample of which St Augustine relates. For, saith he " There was a certain it. an in our monastry, who being re- proved by his brethren because he would do some things that he should not do, and not do some things which he should do, he peremptorily answered, " Whatsoever I am now, I shall be such a one ( 35 ) & one as God foreknew I would be." Who truly fsaith the father) both said true, and yet this truth did not turn to good, but it so turned to evil, that leaving the society of the monastry, he became a dog that returned to his Vomit ; and yet what he may be here- after, it is uncertain. And* Lastly, It is here very opportunely added, that " we must receive God's promises as they be generally set forth in holy scripture." Though they are but some that God hath elecled, yet his promises are made unto all. " Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest," Mat. xi. 28. And " Whosoever be- lieveth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life," John iii. 16. In the application of which and the like promises, we must not have respect to the eternity of God's purpose, but to the universality of his promise. His promises ( 36 ) promises are made to all, and therefore are all bound to lay hold upon his pro- mises. And as we are to receive his promises, so are we also to obey his precepts as made to all. So that in all our doings, the will of God is to be followed, as we have it expressly de- clared us in his word. Not con- sidering whether God elected me from eternity, but whether I obey him in time : if I obey him in time, I may certainly conclude that he elected me from eternity. And thus do I find St. Augustine advising this doctrine to be so published, as that men may not thereby be brought off, but rather spurred on to obedience. " It is of too much contention therefore, saith he, either to deny predestination, or to doubt of predestination : which not- withstanding is not to be so preached to the people, that it may seem amongst the unskilful and dull-sighted multitude to be reprehended in its being preached. As ( 37 ) As the foreknowledge of God seems to be reprehended, which they certainly cannot deny, if it be said to men whether you run or sleep, what he that cannot be deceived foreknew you would be, that you will be. But it is the part of a deceitful or unskilful physician to apply a profitable medicine, so as that it either do no good, or else harm. But we must say, " So run, that ye may obtain ;" and in your very run- ning, you shall know that ye were so foreknown, that you would run law- fully; and so if there be any other wav that the foreknowledge pf God can be preached, whereby the idleness of man may be repelled. And in the next chapter, " And that way which we told him that speaks to the people, he ought to use in the preaching of pre- destination, I do not think it sufficient, unless he adds this or something like it, so as to say, You therefore ought to hope for this perseverance in obedience F from ( 33 ) from the Father of lights, from whbrri cometh every good and perfect gift, and desire it in your daily prayers : and in doing this, to trust that you are not strangers from the predestination of his people, because it is he that enabled you to do this. But be it far from you therefore to despair of your- selves, because you are commanded to put your trust in him, and not in yourselves. " For cursed be every man that putteth his hope in man ; and it is good to trust in the Lord, rather than to trust in man, because blessed are they that put their trust in him. And having this hope, do you serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling." And thus doth this rever- end father annex the same caution to this doctrine of predestination, that after him our reverend convocation did; even that for all the truth of that dodrine, we are still to hope in God's promises and obey his precepts. Or as (. 39 ) as it is here expressed^ " We must receive Gold's promises as they be generally set forth in the holy scrip- ture: and in our doings, that will of God is to be followed, which we have expressly declared unto us in the word of God." * Although this great and good Bishop assures us, that he always spoke of the high dodhines of divine decrees with the utmost caution, and only as the subject came occasionally in his way; yet it clearly appears from this exposition of the seventeenth article, that he had not an idea of its being of dubious im- port, and liable to be accommodated to the different sentiments of different subscribers: but that taking it in its original, plain, literal, grammatical sense, not drawing it aside any way (according to the royal declaration prefixed) it could not possibly be under- stood in any other view; than as perfectly Calvinisti- cal; much less that it would admit of an interpre- tation as diametrically opposite to that sense, as the terms universal and limited, all mankind, and a selec- tion out of mankind, are to each other. And that both Scripture and Fathers most clearly avow, and maintain the fame doctrine of Predestination and Election as the Church of England does, our godly learned prelate positively affirms and proves. - . w ^he following BOOKS may be had of W. ROW, Great Marlborough Street . i The Church of England Vindicated from the Charge of Arminianism price 3s. s Historic Proof of the Doctrinal Calvinism of the Church of England: including a brief Account ct" eminent Persons before and since the Reformation; more especially of our English Reformers, Martyrs, Prelates, . Universities, &c. with a Specimen of their Testimonies. Also a Review of the Rife and Progress of Arminianism in England, under the Patronage of Archbishop Laud by Augustus Top- lady, A. B. late Vicar of Broad Hembury a new edit- 2 vol. 8yo. 10s. boards 3 The Works of ^Augustus Toplady, 6 voL 8vo. price lit 19s. in boards" ' 4 An Apology for Brotherly Love, and for the Doctrines of the Church ,of England, in a Series of Letters to the Rev. Mr. Daubney, occasioned by his Pub- lication, entitled, A Guide to the Church of Eng- landby Sir Richard Hill, Bart. 5 Reformation Truth Restored, being a Reply to the Rev. Mr. Daubney's Appendix to his Guide to the Church by Sir Richard Hill, Bar*. 4s. 6 Daubenism Confuted and Martin Luther Vindicated, with further Remarks oh the False Quotations ad- duced by the Rev. Charles Daubney, in a Letter to that Gentlemen by Sir Richard Hill, Bart. is. 7 Christ Crucified the Distinguishing Topic of the Gospel. A Treatise in Vindication of some of the mest important, Doctrines of Revelation, by Richard De Courcy, A. M. Vicar of St. Alkmond's, Shrews- bury 8 Principles of Elocution and Suitable Exercises, or Elegant Extracts in Prose and Verse, comprehending numerous Examples of Narration, Description, In- struction, and the different Species of Eloquence, intermixed with Remarks on the various Kinds of Composition, and Rules for Reading and Reciting *hem, by John Wilson, 3s. 6d. bound I-jnisu; frinud by W. SMITH, K'u.j S:icet, S^cr d:*!s- 8f University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. * w m m LG THE LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES uc southern'regional library facility AA 000 079 210 1