the

Nothing has disgusted us so much in the proceedings of this Society, as the control which they exercise over the amusements of the poor. One of the specious titles under which this legal meanness is gratified is, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Of cruelty to animals, let the reader take the following specimens:

Running an iron hook in the intes tines of an animal; presenting this first animal to another as his food; and then pulling this second creature up and suspending him by the barb in his stomach.

Riding a horse till he drops, in order to see an innocent animal torn to pieces by dogs.

Keeping a poor animal upright for many weeks, to communicate a peculiar hardness to his flesh.

Making deep incisions into the flesh of another animal while living, in order to make the muscles more firm.

Immersing another animal, while living, in hot water.

press, and, above all, by education. | ought) make that signature an indisThe fear of God can never be taught by pensable condition. constables, nor the pleasures of religion be learnt from a common informer. Beginning with the best intentions in the world, such societies must in all probability degenerate into a receptacle for every species of tittle-tattle, impertinence, and malice. Men whose trade is rat-catching, love to catch rats; the laz-destroyer seizes on his bug with delight; and the suppressor is gratified by finding his vice. The last soon kcomes a mere tradesman like the ethers; none of them moralise, or lament that their respective evils should exist in the world. The public feeling is swallowed up in the pursuit of a daily occupation, and in the display of a technical skill. Here, then, is a society of men, who invite accusation, -who receive it (almost unknown to themseives) with pleasure, and who, if they hate dulness and inoccupation, can have very little pleasure in the innocence of their fellow-creatures. The Latural consequence of all this is, that (besides that portion of rumour which every member contributes at the weekly Eeeting) their table must be covered with anonymous lies against the characters of individuals. Every servant discharged from his master's service, -every villain who hates the man he has injured,-every cowardly assassin of character,-now knows where his accusations will be received, and where they cannot fail to produce-The first of these crueltics passes sorae portion of the mischievous effects which he wishes. The very first step of such a Society should be, to declare, in the plainest manner, that they would never receive any anony-served trout streams in England. - The Fous accusation. This would be the caly security to the public, that they were not degrading themselves into a receptacle for malice and falsehood. Such a declaration would inspire some species of confidence; and make us believe that their object was neither the love of power, nor the gratification of uncharitable feelings. The Society for the Suppression, however, have done no such thing. They request, indeed, the signature of the informers whom they invite; but they do not (as they

Now we do fairly admit, that such abominable cruelties as these are worthy the interference of the law: and that the Society should have punished them, cannot be matter of surprise to any feeling mind. -But stop, gentle reader! these cruelties are the cruelties of the Suppressing Committee, not of the poor. You must not think of punishing these.

under the pretty name of angling;— and therefore there can be no harm in it-the more particularly as the President himself has one of the best pre

next is hunting;—and as many of the Vice-Presidents and of the Committee hunt, it is not possible there can be any cruelty in hunting. The next is, a

"How reasonable creatures," says the Society, "can enjoy a pastime which is the cause of such sufferings to brute animals, or how they can consider themselves entitled. for their own amusement, to stimulate those animals, by means of the antipathies which Providence has thought proper to place between them, to worry and tear, and often to destroy each other, it is difficult to conceive. So inhuman a practice, by a retribution peculiarly just,

process for making brawna dish is not (when the strength of the two never tasted by the poor, and therefore animals is the same) equal to that pronot to be disturbed by indictment. duced by the cur of a butcher. Haller, The fourth is the mode of crimping in his Pathology, expressly says, that cod; and the fifth, of boiling lobsters; the animal bitten knows no difference in all high-life cruelties, with which a the quality of the biting animal's master; justice of the peace has no business to and it is now the universal opinion meddle. The real thing which calls among all enlightened men, that the forth the sympathies, and harrows up misery of the brawner would be very the soul, is to see a number of boisterous little diminished, if he could be made artisans baiting a bull, or a bear; not sensible that he was to be eaten up a savage hare, or a carnivorous stag,- only by persons of the first fashion. but a poor, innocent, timid bear; The contrary supposition seems to us not pursued by magistrates, and deputy to be absolute nonsense; it is the deserlieutenants, and men of education,— tion of the true Baconian philosophy, but by those who must necessarily seek and the substitution of mere unsuptheir relaxation in noise and tumultuous ported conjecture in its place. The merriment, by men whose feelings trespass, however, which calls forth all are blunted, and whose understanding the energies of a suppressor, is the is wholly devoid of refinement. The sound of a fiddle. That the common Society detail, with symptoms of great people are really enjoying themselves, complacency, their detection of a bear- is now beyond all doubt: and away baiting in Blackboy Alley, Chick Lane, and the prosecution of the offenders before a magistrate. It appears to us, that nothing can be more partial and unjust than this kind of proceedings. A man of ten thousand a year may worry a fox as much as he pleases, may encourage the breed of a mischievous animal on purpose to worry it; and a poor labourer is carried before a magistrate for paying sixpence to see an exhibition of courage between a dog and a bear! Any cruelty may be practised to gorge the stomachs of the rich, -none to enliven the holidays of the poor. We venerate those feelings which really protect creatures susceptible of pain, and incapable of complaint. But heaven-born pity, now-adays, calls for the income-tax, and the court guide; and ascertains the rank and fortune of the tormentor before she weeps for the pain of the sufferer. It is astonishing how the natural feelings of mankind are distorted by false theories. Nothing can be more mischievous than to say, that the pain inflicted by the dog of a man of quality

tends obviously to render the human character brutal and ferocious," &c. &c. (Address, pp. 71, 72.) We take it for granted, that the reader sees clearly that no part of this description can possibly apply to the case of hunting.

rush Secretary, President, and Committee, to clap the cotillon into the Compter, and to bring back the life of the poor to its regular standard of decorous gloom. The gambling houses of St. James's remain untouched. The peer ruins himself and his family with impunity; while the Irish labourer is privately whipped for not making a better use of the excellent moral and religious education which he has received in the days of his youth!

It is not true, as urged by the Society, that the vices of the poor are carried on in houses of public resort, and those of the rich in their own houses. The Society cannot be ignorant of the innumerable gambling houses resorted to by men of fashion. Is there one they have suppressed, or attempted to suppress? Can anything be more despicable than such distinctions as these? Those who make them seem to have for other persons' vices all the rigour of the ancient Puritans-without a particle of their honesty or their courage. To suppose that any society will ever attack the vices of people of fashion, is wholly out of the question. If the Society consisted of tradesmen, they would infallibly be turned off by the vicious customers whose pleasures they interrupted: and what gentleman so fond of

decent representations, has produced, and
continues to produce, the best effects.
"But they have to lament that the ex-
tended establishments of circulating libra-

endeavours towards their better regula

In the same spirit we see them writing to a country magistrate in Devonshire, respecting a wake advertised in the public papers. Nothing can be more presumptuous than such conduct, or produce, in the minds of impartial men, a more decisive impression against the Society.

suppressing, as to interfere with the vices of good company, and inform against persons who were really genteel? He knows very well that theries, however useful they may be, in a consequence of such interference would variety of respects, to the easy and general be a complete exclusion from elegant diffusion of knowledge, are extremely inju society; that the upper classes could rious to morals and religion, by the indisDot, and would not, endure it; and criminate admission which they give to that he must immediately lose his rank works of a prurient and immoral nature. It in the world, if his zeal subjected is a toilsome task to any virtuous and enfashionable offenders to the slightest lightened mind, to wade through the catainconvenience from the law. Nothing, to select such books from them as have logues of these collections, and much more therefore, remains, but to rage against only an apparent bad tendency. But your the Sunday dinners of the poor, and to Committee being convinced that their atprevent a bricklayer's labourer from tention ought to be directed to those instiksing, on the seventh day, that beard tutions which possess such powerful and which has been augmenting the other numerous means of poisoning the minds of six. We see at the head of this Society young persons, and especially of the female the names of several noblemen, and of youth, have therefore begun to make some other persons moving in the fashionable tion."-Statement of the Proceedings for world. Is it possible they can be 1804, pp. 11, 12. ignorant of the innumerable offences against the law and morality which are committed by their own acquaintances and connections? Is there one single instance where they have directed the attention of the Society to this higher species of suppression, and sacrificed men of consideration to that zeal for virtue which watches so acutely over the vices of the poor? It would give The natural answer from the mems very little pleasure to see a duchess bers of the Society (the only answer sent to the Poultry Compter; but if they have ever made to the enemies of we saw the Society flying at such high their institution) will be, that we are game, we should at least say they were lovers of vice,-desirous of promoting best and courageous, whatever judg- indecency, of destroying the Sabbath, ment we might form of their good and of leaving mankind to the unreAt present they should de-strained gratification of their passions. Dominate themselves a Society for We have only very calmly to reply, Suppressing the vices of persons whose that we are neither so stupid nor so income does not exceed 500l. per wicked as not concur in every CARUM; and then, to put all classes scheme which has for its object the tpon an equal footing, there must be preservation of rational religion and another society of barbers, butchers, sound morality ;-but the scheme must and bakers, to return to the higher be well concerted,- and those who are classes that moral character, by which to carry it into execution must deserve they are so highly benefited. our confidence, from their talents and their character. Upon religion and morals depends the happiness of mankind;-but the fortune of knaves and the power of fools is sometimes made to rest on the same apparent basis; and we will never (if we can help it) allow a rogue to get rich, or a blockhead to get powerful, under the sanction of these awful words.

senise.

To show how impossible it is to keep sach societies within any kind of bounds, we shall quote a passage respecting crelating libraries, from their Procoedings.

"Your Committee have good reasons for beleving, that the circulation of their notices among the printsellers, warning then against the sale or exhibition of in

to

We do not by any means intend to obliged to work through, in our articles apply these contemptuous epithets to upon the Methodists and Missionaries, the Society for the Suppression. That we are generally conceived to have there are among their numbers some rendered an useful service to the cause very odious hypocrites, is not impos- of rational religion. Every one, howsible; that many men who believe they ever, at all acquainted with the true come there from the love of virtue, do character of Methodism, must have really join the Society from the love of known the extent of the abuse and power, we do not doubt: but we see misrepresentation to which we exposed no reason to doubt that the great mass ourselves in such a service. All this of subscribers consists of persons who obloquy, however, we were very willhave very sincere intentions of doing ing to encounter, from our conviction good. That they have, in some in- of the necessity of exposing and corstances, done a great deal of good, we recting the growing evil of fanaticism. admit with the greatest pleasure. We In spite of all misrepresentation, we believe, that in the hands of truly have ever been, and ever shall be, the honest, intrepid, and, above all, discreet sincere friends of sober and rational men, such a society might become a Christianity. We are quite ready, if valuable institution, improve in some any fair opportunity occur, to defend degree the public morals, and increase it, to the best of our ability, from the the public happiness. So many quali-tiger-spring of infidelity; and we are ties, however, are required to carry it quite determined, if we can prevent on well, the temptations to absurdity such an evil, that it shall not be eaten and impertinence are so very great,-up by the nasty and numerous vermin that we ever despair of seeing our of Methodism. For this purpose, we wishes upon this subject realised. In shall proceed to make a few short the present instance, our object has remarks upon the sacred and silly been to suppress the arrogance of suppressers, -to keep them within due bounds, to show them that to do good requires a little more talent and reflection than they are aware of,-and, above all, to impress upon them that true zeal for virtue knows no distinction between the rich and the poor; and that the cowardly and the mean can never be the true friends of morality, and the promoters of human happiness. If they attend to these rough doctrines they will ever find in the writers of this Journal their warmest admirers, and their most sincere advocates and friends.

METHODISM. (E. REVIEW, 1809.) Strictures on two Critiques in the Edinburgh Review, on the Subject of Methodism and Missions; with Remarks on the Influence of Reviews, in general, on Morals and Happiness. By John Styles. Svo. London, 1809.

IN routing out a nest of consecrated cobblers, and in bringing to light such a perilous heap of trash as we were

gentleman before us,-not, certainly, because we feel any sort of anxiety as to the effect of his strictures on our own credit or reputation, but because his direct and articulate defence of the principles and practices which we have condemned, affords us the fairest opportunity of exposing, still more clearly, both the extravagance and the danger of these popular sectaries.

These very impudent people have one ruling canon, which pervades everything they say and do. Whoever is unfriendly to Methodism, is an infidel and an atheist. This reasonable and amiable maxim, repeated in every form of dulness, and varied in every attitude of malignity, is the sum and substance of Mr. Styles's pamphlet. Whoever wishes to rescue religion from the hands of didactic artisans-whoever prefers a respectable clergyman for his teacher to a delirious mechanic-whoever wishes to keep the intervals between churches and lunatic asylums as wide as possible-all such men, in the estimation of Mr. Styles, are nothing better than open or concealed enemies of Christianity. His catechism is very

derision. We agree with him, that ridicule is not exactly the weapon to be used in matters of religion; but the use of it is excusable, when there is no other which can make fools tremble. Besides, he should remember the particular sort of ridicule we have used, which is nothing more than accurate quotation from the Methodists themselves. It is true, that this is the most severe and cutting ridicule to which we could have had recourse; but, whose fault is that?

simple. In what hoy do you navigate? | fully comprehends when he has become By what shoemaker or carpenter are the object of universal contempt and you instructed? What miracles have you to relate? Do you think it sinful to reduce Providence to an alternative, &c. &c. &e. Now, if we were to content ourselves with using to Mr. Styles, while he is dealing about his imputations of infidelity, the uncourtly language which is sometimes applied to those who are little curious about truth or falsehood, what Methodist would think the worse of him for such an attack? Who is there among them that would not glory to lie for the tabernacle? who that would not believe he was pleasing his Maker, by sacriEcing truth, justice, and common sense to the interests of his own little chapel, and his own deranged instructor? Something more than contradiction or confutation, therefore, is necessary to discredit those charitable dogmatists, and to diminish their pernicious infence; and the first accusation against us is, that we have endeavoured to add ridicule to reasoning.

We are a good deal amused, indeed, with the extreme disrelish which Mr. John Styles exhibits to the humour and pleasantry with which he admits the Methodists to have been attacked; but Mr. John Styles should remember, that it is not the practice with destroyers of vermin to allow the little victims a veto upon the weapons used against them. If this were otherwise, we should have one set of vermin banishing smalltooth combs; another protesting against mouse-traps; a third prohibiting the f: ger and thumb; a fourth exclaiming against the intolerable infamy of using soap and water. It is impossible, however, to listen to such pleas. They must all be caught, killed, and cracked, in the manner, and by the instruments which are found most efficacious to their destruction; and the more they ery out, the greater plainly is the skill used against them. We are convinced a little laughter will do them more barm than all the arguments in the world. Such men as the author before us, cannot understand when they are out-argued; but he has given us a specimen, from his irritability, that he

Nothing can be more disingenuous than the attacks Mr. Styles has made upon us for our use of Scripture language. Light and grace are certainly ternis of Scripture. It is not to the words themselves that any ridicule can ever attach. It is from the preposterous application of those words, in the mouths of the most arrogant and ignorant of human beings;-it is from their use in the most trivial, low, and familiar scenes of life; it is from the illiterate and ungrammatical prelacy of Mr. John Styles, that any tinge of ridicule ever is or ever can be imparted to the sacred language of Scripture.

We admit also, with this gentleman, that it would certainly evince the most vulgar and contracted heart, to ridicule any religious opinions, methodistical or otherwise, because they were the opinions of the poor, and were conveyed in the language of the poor. But are we to respect the poor, when they wish to step out of their province, and become the teachers of the land?--when men, whose proper "talk is of bullocks," pretend to have "wisdom and understanding," is it not lawful to tell them they have none? An ironmonger is a very respectable man, so long as he is merely an ironmonger, -an admirable man, if he is a religious ironmonger; but a great blockhead, if he sets up for a bishop or a dean, and lectures upon theology. It is not the poor we have attacked-but the writing poor, the publishing poor-the limited arrogance which mistakes its own trumpery sect for the world: nor have we attacked them for want of