ful place of punishment for the wicked, which the Scriptures endeavour to render the object of our serious terror,as an imaginary scene which is fitted to excite our mirth and divert our fancy. It appears to me, Sir, that wit of this sort is one of the best engines of infidelity, and is much more likely to serve the cause which it is employed to attack, than that which it professes to defend.

A. B.

THE following letter is only one of many of a similar description with which we have been favoured, and which our desire of cultivating peace has induced us to suppress. Finding however, that our forbearance has been so far misunderstood, as to be construed into a tacit acknowledgment of the strength of the reasoning contained in these letters, we have judged it prudent to give publicity to one of them, which, we can assure our readers, furnishes a favourable specimen both of the temper and arguments of our assailants; being upon the whole, at least, as moderate as any we have received, and certainly more ably written.

To the Committee of the Observer.
GENTLEMEN,

THE following letter is not written with a view of serving any party;* but to remind you, and your correspondents, of your professions of candor and good will to others. I hope that jus

* It will be seen how well the professions and practice, the cover and contents, of SECTARIUS PACIFICUS agree.

†There are few things so calculated to impose on superficial thinkers, as that undiscriminating cant of charity, which characterizes the present day. On this subject, therefore, we beg leave to make a few observations.

It will be readily allowed in the first place, that whenever a bare statement of facts appears harsh, and wears the colour of invective, the narrator ought not to be blamed, (when duty requires him to state the facts), even though he should happen to wound the charity of the person who may be implicated in it. It will also be allowed that self-defence, and all those measures of repelling, pursuing and disarming an enemy, which self-defence may require, are perfectly consistent with charity. If these general principles are kept in mind, they will obviate much misconception on this subject.

But how stands the present case? The con

tice to those professions will lead you to insert it, in its present state, in your Observer. Sincerely wishing you more divested of a sectarian spirit, and all possible success in the cause of truth and godliness, I remain,

GENTLEMEN,

Yours, respectfully in the Gospel.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer.

THE very liberal way in which you promised to conduct your useful miscellany, cannot fail of exciting attention and regard. "To avoid every thing that may tend to lessen Christian love, and to admit nothing harsh nor intempèrate towards any sect of Christians, &c." are sentiments that will ensure the approbation of every good man, whether he be a conformist or nonconformist.

Now, Sir, permit me to say, that being a constant reader of your Observer, I am in the habit of observing how your professions and your practice, your cover and contents, agree, or clash, with each other. And here I must say, it has pained me repeatedly to remark, that there appears an irreconcileable inconsistency. If I have any "Christian love," it has been wounded and "lessened" by your ungenerous remarks on Dissenters. I allude to several of your correspondents, besides the illiberal and unmanly attack of W. R.†

ductors of the Christian Observer, attached to the Church of England, because they conceive her doctrines and government to be agreeable to the apostolical institutions, and because they regard her establishment as the chief instrument which God has pleased to employ for maintaining, in this country, the cause of true religion; feel it their duty to watch the proceedings of those who may be unfriendly to her interests. Let it not be understood that we wish to involve Dissenters, generally, in this imputation. Very far from it. But shall we be deemed uncharitable, if we cannot exempt from it, either SECTARIUS PACIFICUs, or those, be they many or few, who concur in his views? He, as will be seen, deems the Church of England to be a main branch of Antichrist. If, under these circumstances, he does not wish her downfall, and both pray and labour to effect it, we should think him neither sincere nor consistent. Giving perfect credit, however, to him and to those who entertain similar sentiments with him, for sinceri

Your reviewer, Sir, believes, that the increase of Dissenters leads them "to wish for a change in the ecclesiastical, and perhaps, even of the civil government," ,"* and that "from the features of their Church government, a tincture may be given to their opinions respecting civil government." And though he pays a few individuals a compliment, and offers some circumstances in favour of "the general body," he returns to his point, "with which he set out," and again, in almost the same language, charges them with having the latent seeds of disaffection. If these reflec. tions do not tend to "lessen that Christian love, that ought to unite the members of Christ, I am at a loss to conceive what can do it." These insinu ations would have become the most violent member of Mr. Reeve's association, at the time when every Dissenter was a suspected and marked character; but every way unbecoming a Christian reviewer, now the storm is over. As that gentleman is assuming, allow me to be positive in denying, in the most express manner, what he has advanced. I call upon him, out of regard to the ecclesiastical and civil government, to establish his charge; or in the name of every thing honest, and becoming a Christian, to retract it.†

In the mean time, give me leave, Sir, to state my opinion of the general body of Dissenters. We believe that the Church of Christ was first established, not by the aid of civil power, but in opposition to it; that is, not against the principles of civil government, but against the inclinations of the then existing potentates. It never sought the' secular arm to uphold it; it never required its officious services. (a) We

feel complacency in the increase of those who regard her as a main branch of antichrist.

This is a misrepresentation of the passage alluded to, as may be seen by comparing them together. (See Christian Observer, p. 447.)

What we said upon the subject was no more than general reasoning, and contained But if we no charge against Dissenters. had preferred any charge of hostility to the Establishment against them, the letter of SECTARIUS PACIFICUS would furnish us with a convenient opportunity of substantiating it, at least in one instance.

(a) This reminds me of a simile Sir G. Saville once made in the House of Commons,

believe Christianity recommends to government a free toleration to all its subjects, without distinction; and re. quires of them a conscientious submission to the powers that be.' Receiving that free toleration, we are satisfied with our freedom, and candidly, and sometimes humanely, wish others might enjoy the same liberty. But if our brethren are happy with what we conceive would be a bondage to us, we are content, and bid them God speed. We are not unfriendly to the ecclesiastical system, because we do not touch nor handle those ordinances, which are after the commandments and doctrines of men: nor do we wish to change the minds of our conforming brethren, who are perfectly satisfied.* We do not aim at subverting the Establishment, though, as a cause of our dissent, we believe that, with all its excellences, it is a main branch of the anti-christian system.† But our exertions are directed another way. We leave the Church to stand, or fall, as it may; and, adopting Gamaliel's advice on another occasion," Refrain from these men," &c. when speaking of the utility of establishments: "So have I seen a number of moles throwing up their little hillocks of earth around a majestic edifice. What are you doing? said a spectator. We are raising mounds of earth,' (said the blind animals) to defend and support that noble building!!""||

* We commend the prudence of SECTARIUS PACIFICUS, in confining his attempts at proselytism to those whose perfect satisfaction with the establishment, has been previously impaired.

We wish our readers particularly to mark this passage. We have already commented upon it.

One would be led to fancy by this allusion, that the Church of England was some body of recent separatists, who, by their schism, had disturbed the peace of the Church.

The weakness of this reasoning is too palpable to require being exposed. No one will deny that the Almighty may accomplish his purposes without the intervention of governments, or any other human agency. But is it his ordinary method of proceeding to do so? Was not the secular arm made singularly intrumental in promoting the reformation? And does not SECTARIUS PACIFICUS owe to it the right, if he chooses to exercise it, of publicly exposing, either by himself or his itinerants, what he deems the anti-christian abominations of the Church of England.

Acts v. 38, 9. we intrench ourselves in our own ground, save only when we go forth, with our itinerants, to attack the common enemy, the god of this world.

We certainly have no tincture in our discipline that inclines us to seek a change in the civil government. We do not indulge the spirit of equality and independence. Our ministers, elders, deacons, exhorters, &c. all know their places; and all things are done for the use of edifying, that brotherly love may continue. And here I might remind your reviewer, that if Scripture authority is to be regarded, respecting discipline, we conform to it more exact ly than the Church of England possibly can.*

With another gentleman, (see Christ. Observ. p. 471) we are far from undervaluing the benefits of a wise and temperate reform;' but then we would be wise and temperate in obtaining it. Let the silence of the general body of Dissenters, in reference to petitions, during the late war, prove the assertion. As we are not, then, Democrats, nor Jacobins, in our church government, we cannot be systematic enemies to our civil constitution. We know our privileges; we prize them; and we bless God for them. I could name several dissenting ministers, whose compliance with the precepts of Scrip ture, relative to civil government, I should not be afraid to oppose to that of any evangelical clergyman in the kingdom. It might, possibly, put many

of them to the blush.

I would recommend your reviewer, indeed many of your correspondents, to go occasionally to hear the Dissenters preach, and visit them at their own houses; and I am persuaded the candour, the talents, and piety of numbers of that injured body, would astonish them, and command their reverence and esteem.‡

See the Epistle of Clemens Romanus, p. 764, of this number.

We made no such assertions, nor was it even in our intention to make them.

We assure SECTARIUS PACIFICUS, that we have long been convinced of the candour, talents, piety, and usefulness, of many Dissenters, whom we cordially reverence and esteem; although we cannot compliment Christ. Observ. No. 12.

Yet, Mr. Editor, your reviewer acknowledges that the origin of the evil of which he complains, has its foundation in the constitution of human nature.'* If so, who are so likely to wish for a change in our ecclesiastical, and from that to the civil code, as those who are in the fetters of the Establishment. And have not the majority of complainants against both, been members of the Established Church? The Dissenters are free from ecclesiastical bonds: they need not, they ought not to complain.§ But if this evil have its foundation in human nature; (and not amongst Dissenters merely ;) and if human nature, in general, dislike all government, then, the more heavy the burden, the stronger the wish for a change.

But, perhaps, many of the members of the Establishment have a kindred disposition to a certain animal, of whom it is said, the more he is loaded, so much the more steadily will he carry his burden.|| Nolens ipse esse asininus, I leave your reviewer to apply the simile, and remain,

Mr. Editor,

Yours sincerely,

SECTARIUS PACIFICUS.

them, nor will they expect that we should, on account of what we deem their errors. We will much approve of either the language or believe that few, if any, of this description, the sentiments of SECTARIUS PACIFICUS.

This is another misrepresentation of our meaning.

blishment? When disaffection to the Church What is meant by the fetters of the Estabonds will, no doubt, be as clearly seen, and as has been once produced, the ecclesiastical sensibly felt as the tyranny of our civil government was by the members of the Corresponding Society. But is the existence of fetters, in the one case, more than tyranny in the other, proved by disaffection?

No.

But have they not complained?

Had we made all the remarks which occurred to us, we should have swelled this article to an enormous size. We have brought the above letter forward with great reluctance, after we had, in order to avoid dispute, adopted the resolution of suppressing it (for it reached us early in September.) We now publish it partly to save ourselves from an inundation of similar communications, and partly to vindicate the Christian Observer from the charges of uncharitableness and bigotry which have been so confidently preferred

5 L

LIGEN

GREAT BRITAIN. MR. Gifford's History of France, from the earliest times to the death of Louis the XVth, forms four large volumes in 4to; and is embellished with portraits of the sovereigns, and other distinguished characters, and with historical plates. The first part of the first volume of the continuation of this work, or the History of France, from the accession of Louis the XVIth, to the peace of 1802, will be published next spring.

A general AssOCIATION OF THE BOOKSELLERS, throughout the united kingdom, has been formed for the purpose of establishing and supporting a new daily Morning, and a new daily Evening Newspaper, to begin on the 1st of January, 1803; in which particular attention will be paid to literary subjects.

A work on practical Agriculture, by Dr. Dickson, illustrated by about fifty copperplates, will appear early in the next year.

M. Peltier has published, in London, a French edition of Denon's Travels in Egypt; containing, besides the work of Denon, a Selection of Memoirs upon different parts of Egypt, with plates. The price is six guineas; and upon superfine paper, with first impressions, nine guineas.

Six other Letters to Granville Sharp, Esq. on the use of the definitive article in the Greek Text of the New Testament, are in the press.

Captain Walsh, of the 93d regiment and aid-du-camp to Sir Eyre Coote, has in the press, in 1 vol. 4to, illustrated by numerous engravings, A detailed Journal of the late Campaign in Egypt; including descriptions of Gibraltar, Minorca, Malta, and Egypt.

A translation from the Greek is announced, of the learned work of Eusebius Pamphilius, Bishop of Cacoaria, in Palestine, on the Preparation for the spreading of the Gospel. It will be published in monthly numbers, at one shilling and six pence each.

A new weekly publication, entitled The Literary Journal, will commence on the 6th of January; and will be continued every Thurs. day, price one shilling.

A new and complete Collection of modern Voyages and Travels, with engravings, is now publishing in monthly pocket volumes, by Mr. Blagdon.

Mr. Greatheed, of Newport Pagnell, has in considerable forwardness a General History

against it. If in doing this we should have wounded the charity of any, who are really entitled to the appellation which this letterwriter has assumed, it will give us great concern: and we here protest against any inference which may be drawn from what we have said, to the prejudice of such persons.

of Missions, in which he is assisted by Mr. Burder of Coventry.

On November 30th, being St. Andrew's Day, the ROYAL SOCIETY held their Anniversary meeting at their apartments in Somerset-Place; when Sir Godfrey Copley's gold medal was presented to W. Hyde Wollaston, M. D. for his various papers printed in the Philosophical Transactions. Of the old council, were elected for the ensuing year, the Right Honourable Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. K. B. Sir C. Blagden, Knt. H. Cavendish, Esq. Edward Whitaker Gray, M. D. Right Honourable C. Greville, Right Honourable Sir W. Hamilton, K. B. Rev. Nevil Maskelyne, D. D. George Earl of Morton, K. T. Joseph Planta, Esq. Benjamin Count Rumford, and Samuel Wegg, Esq.-Of the new council, Mark Beaufoy, Esq. Andrew Douglas, Esq. Sir. M. B. Folkes, Bart. C. Hatchett, Esq. Everard Home, Esq. Thomas Barnard, Esq. Lord Bishop of Limerick, W. Manden, Esq. Jos. de Mendoza Rios, Esq. Francis Earl of Moira, and W. H. Wollaston, M. D.-The officers are, Sir J. Banks, president; W. Manden, Esq. treasurer; Jos. Planta, Esq. and G. W. Gray, M. D. secretaries.

The king's scholars, and the town boys of Westminster School, have presented to Dr. VINCENT, their late head master, the present Dean of Westminster, two pieces of plate, each of the value of 120 guineas, with inscriptions expressive of their esteem and affection, and the high honour with which he had filled the chair.

It is said, that a mixture, consisting of six parts of gold, and one of platina, gives a metal of a beautiful colour, great malleability, and capable of receiving an exceedingly fine polish, and more unalterable than gold, when exposed to the action of sulphurised hydrogen, and other agents.

M. ALDINI, Professor at the Institute of Bologna, and nephew of the celebrated Galvani, after having made his experiments on Galvanism, at the National Institute at Paris, has visited London, and given an accurate account of his experiments and discoveries to the Royal Society. He intends to publish a large work on the subject, in this country, before he returns to Italy. He has established the fact, that the metals are not necessary for the production of the galvanic fluid; and that it is excited, collected, or generated in the bodies of animals, where it acts as the great cause or instrument of muscular motion, sensation, &c. He has succeeded in exciting muscular contractions, by the simple application of the nerves to the muscles of a prepared frog. He has also given motion to the limbs of a small cold-blooded animal, by the gal