MODERN WESLEYISM.

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ley and the Wesleyism of that period were very dissi milar. The people, who had performed many important functions in the administration of their church affairs according to the primitive system, had been excluded under modern arrangements. Their influence was therefore diminished, whilst the powers of their ministers had been much enlarged and become almost absolute. This state of things had caused a separation in that body; and Mr. Mark Robinson, reflecting upon this position, and especially the secession from their own body which had taken place in Ireland, wrote to Dr. Southey, communicating his desire, and that of many of those with whom he was associated, to put themselves under the direction of the Church of England, under the denomination of Church-Methodists, if some mutual arrangement could be made. A copy of this letter Southey forwarded to Dr. Howley, who, after explaining the difficulties of such an arrangement being immediately entered into in this country, continued: ."I am not, however, without hopes that in certain situations, more especially in parts of the colonies, a union of purpose and action may silently take place, which, under discreet management, would be productive of much advantage to the one great cause; but this must be effected by a prudent use of opportunities, and not, I think, by formal treaty." The subject upon this, with the exception of an occasional communication with Mr. Mark Robinson, and a reference to it in the "Col

236

AN UNJUST ATTACK.

loquies of Sir T. More," which gave it for the time a temporary impetus, was allowed to remain quiescent.

About this time a severe and unjust attack having appeared in the "Morning Chronicle" Morning Chronicle" upon him, Southey thought that the ends of public and private justice would be more fully attained by prosecuting that paper for libel. Southey had always been averse to the liberty (he would call it licentiousness) of the press; and he conceived that on this occasion it had so far outstripped the bounds of propriety, that he might punish it for an abuse of its power. His legal friends, however, in whose control he rested the whole matter, advised him rather to allow the subject to drop, owing to the uncertainty of procuring a verdict. It may be presumed that this was as much in consequence of the comparisons that might be drawn with his own virulent productions, as from the surfeit of cases which the "Six Articles" of Castlereagh caused both to judge and jury. However, Mr. Henry Taylor, in the true spirit of friendship, took up his pen, and promptly replied, in a spirited and satisfactory letter, to the charges brought against him.

The favourable reception which the "Book of the Church" met with amongst the real friends and supporters of the Establishment, has already been alluded to. The obvious attack made in it upon the Roman faith and superstition roused the indignation of that church, which did not scruple of accusing the author of

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99 VINDICIÆ ECCLESIÆ ANGLICANE,

237

falsifying history and misrepresenting its religion an easy expedient. Amongst those who came forward with the fairest show of refuting it was Mr. Butler; and such was the insidious effect of his book, that Dr. Howley wrote to Southey to inquire if he intended to answer it, as it would be necessary to seek some person of ability to do so, the statements made in Mr. Butler's book having imposed upon some persons who ought to have known better. Upon this announcement Southey set himself diligently to work to prepare his Vindiciae Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ, the Book of the Church, vindicated and amplified;" in which his object was to attack the enemy "along the whole of his line."

66

Whilst engaged in this work he was disappointed to hear that his friend, the Rev. William Lisle Bowles, had desisted from the publication of some observations upon Mr. Butler's book, which he had begun; upon the intelligence that Southey was about to defend himself. The latter, however, urged him to resume his labour, upon the ground that "every answer would have a circle, within which no other could act with equal effect." Dr. Phillpotts, now Bishop of Exeter, was one of those who had undertaken to vindicate the "Book of the Church." He felt the necessity there existed of answering, in a detailed confutation, some of Mr. Butler's statements, of exposing the doctrine of his church, and revealing it in its true colours. This was more

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DR. PHILLPOTTS VERSUS ROME.

especially a duty he considered due to the Church of England and the Protestants generally, since there had appeared so many different mis-statements, and apologies, and extenuations of the teaching of that communion.

A TRIP TO HOLLAND.

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CHAPTER XIX.

Journey to Holland and Belgium-Brussels-Antwerp-Is laid up at Leyden-Mr. Bilderjik-Lowland Hospitality-The Hague-Return to England-Literary Labours-A Second Visit to Holland-Death of his youngest Daughter-Is elected to sit in Parliament for the Borough of DowntonGarrick Papers-Foreign Quarterly-Visit to his UncleEngagements in London.

ETAT. 51-55.

To recruit his health, as well as to obtain some monastic works, which he felt it would be hopeless to search for in England, Southey determined upon a tour through Holland; nor was he less allured by the peculiar features of the country, and the historical associations connected with it. He knew, that instead of climbing mountains he would have to ascend church towers, and anticipated great delight from the panorama to be viewed from the summit of the steeple of Haarlem.

Having made his arrangements, he started from