"There were then living two great **** not yet very cold iň their graves, from whom somewhat was expected, the one a superficial pretender, the other a noble hardy veteran in the cause of truth and liberty. The latter is reported poorly to have said that he had let in light enough, as if the light could ever do harm, or were ever suf ficient till men were brought to delight and walk in it. The other wisely observed, that the bow had been too long bent one way, that is, as it is interpreted, the men, and the principles of a free and rational inquiry into the scriptures, had been too much encouraged, and therefore an opening was to be made for other men, and other principles." By the asterisks in this quotation, I apprehend that Lords spiritual were designed. The "superficial pretender' was possibly Secker who died in 1768*. The "hardy veteran" might be Hoadley who died in 1761. The second letter thus refers to the Disquisitions. "This book was compiled about 17 years ago, and before it was printed passed through the hands of a very eminent prelate of the church without any brand or mark of disapprobation put upon it. And soon after it was printed, it was publicly recommended to his clergy by a dignitary, now one of the bench of bishops. And though the two prelates [archbishops Herring and Hutton] who then presided in the church, did not give it the encouragement that was justly expected from men of their principles; yet the last survivor of them [Herring,] and who filled the first place in the church, gave proof upon record of his love to the cause of liberty and free inquiry, and which will be hereafter recorded to his honour. "There was another favourable circumstance attending the publi cation of this book. There were at that time on the bench three learned prelates, all of them born and bred amongst the dissenters, who might well have been expected to countenance such a work from their more mature knowledge of the subject. When a friend of one of these prelates now deceased was asked why his lordship did not lend a helping hand in so good a cause, as he was in truth a public-spirited man? It was replied, that it might be a disservice for him, who had been a dissenter, to move first for any alteration in the established forms." One of the "three learned prelates," must have been Secker, before mentioned, who began his education for the dissenting ministry under the Rev. Mr. Jones, tutor of an academy at Tewksburyt. This inputation upon Secker, if he were really intended, may not appear unjust on comparing the bishop's expressions of candour towards dissenters, and a desire of a comprehension by giving up points indifferent, with his tyrannical exercise of episcopal authority, as charged upon him by archdeacon Blackburn. See "Letters to Doddridge," p. 280, and "Historical View," &c. p. 245. Note. Of the course of education there, Secker gave a very favourable account, in a letter written from the academy, to Watts, who appears to have been one of his Another of the "learned prelates" was certainly Butler, author of the Analogy, who died in 1752, bishop of Durham. I am not aware who was the third. Respecting the authors of the " Free and Candid Disquisitions :" they were attributed to West and Littleton, in the Gent. Mag, before quoted, and in Maty's "Journal Britannique;" from an article in which it appears that those gentlemen thought proper to disavow the imputation. The anonymous authors declared that they were innocent of such a report and depended for success on the strength of their arguments and the goodness of their cause, rather than on the authority and support of illustrious names. A just character of these Disquisitions, and a too sure prediction of the failure of this attempt, was given by Warburton in the following passage of a letter to Doddridge, dated June 15, 1750. "As to the Disquisitions, I will only say, that the temper, candour, and charity with which they are wrote are very edifying and exemplary. I wish success to them as much as you can do. But I can tell you of certain science, that not the least alteration will be made in the ecclesiastical system. The present ministers were bred up under, and act entirely on the maxims of the last. [Sir R. Walpole.] And one of the principal of his was not to stir what is at rest. He took a medicine for the stone that killed him, and on his death-bed he said, he fell by the neglect of his own maxim." Dod. Let. P. 208 Such are the gleanings which I have been able to offer you towards the history of this attempt to reform the church of England: an attempt not likely soon to be repeated. The disciples of Dr. Paley's accommodating system, who are supposed to abound in the church, have now discovered that happy pliancy in the English language by which words may design any convenient sense, however remote from common ac early patrons. This letter Dr. Gibbons in his Memoirs of Watts has preserved and accompanied with some very proper animadversions on the conduct of bishop Porteus and Dr. Stinton, Secker's chaplains and biographers, who hurry over his education among the dissenters by saying that he was a short time under “one Mr. Jones." Les Ecrivains respectables, (Mrs. West and Littleton,) à qui l'on avoit attribué le projet publié il y a quelque tems pour la réforme de la Liturgie Anglicane, dont il a été parlé dans ce Journal, ont jugé à propos de le desavouer publiquement. Les Auteurs du projet ont cru de leur coté devoir déclarer de la nieme manière, qu'ils n'avoient contribué en rien à répandre ce bruit, et qu'ils avoient toujours fondé le succés de leur enterprise sur la force de leurs raisons et sur la bonté de leur cause plutot que sur l'autorité de noms ou de suffrages illustres.” Journ, Britt. for Nov. 1750. iii. 346. M. Maty carried on this Review of English liter ature, which was published at the Hague, during the interval between the peace of 1749, and the war of 1756. He appears, by some passages in his Journal, to have been an intimate friend of Jortin. The late Dr. Maty who published for a few years, a" New Review," chiefly of foreign literature, was his son, and took for his motto "Patrem sequitur haud passibus æquis." eeptation or the sense given to them by the imposers of forms and articles. While I am upon this subject I cannot help remarking that what the alliance between Church and State will probably ever prevent in Britain, has been accomplished in a country where Church and State intrude not on each other's province. I have now before me "the book of common prayer, &c. as revised and proposed to the use of the Protestant Episcopal Church, at a convention of the said church held in Philadelphia, 1785." In this compilation the alterations recommended by Burnett, Tillotson, &c. in 1689, and since by the Free and Candid Disquisitors, are generally adopted. This American Church, as Tillotson vainly wished for his own, has got rid of the Athanasian Creed, retaining only that called the apostle's, with the omission of the "descent into hell." The burial office, &c, are reformed. The separation from Britain has dislodged our Saints, Charles first and second, &c. from this service-book, their place being supplied by a thanksgiving for" the anniversary of American independence,' and for the fruits of the earth," which are the only national offices. The articles are reduced to twenty, though these are orthodox enough, and retain the paradoxes of the trinity, by which the psalmody also is sadly disfigured. Yet let us hope that while our "best constituted Church," must be unchangeable, this American Church, unincumbered by an alliance with the state, may reform and re-reform, and thus go on unto perfection. I am Sir, your's Nov. 13, 1807. SIR, BEREUS. LETTER FROM THE REV. FRANCIS STONE. To the Editor of the Monthly Repository. I SHALL be obliged by your correction of an erratum of the press in your Repository for November, viz. for exercise of," page 566, line four, read exclusive, that is, exclusive of worship of other gods, or demi-gods. I gladly embrace this opportunity to thank you for your polite readiness to insert my communications, and not doubting but you will invariably persist in your laudable, dispassionate, impartial career, I cordially wish an increase of success to your. liberally planned and executed Repository, to the extent of your own wishes, and have the honour to be Your's sincerely, FRANCIS STONE. Michael's Place, Brompton, Dec. 7, 1807. "The account given of Athanasius's creed, seems to me no-wise satisfactory. I wish we were well rid of it.". Tillotson, Let. to Burnett, on the Exposition of the Articles Birch's Life of T. 2d Ed. P. 315. POETRY, BY J. JACKSON, OF HARROP WOOD NEAR MACCLESFIELD LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP. Dear the scene when morning dawns, Sweet to rove midst shady bow'rs, Life's fair morning hastes away, STANZAS Sent to a Young Lady, written early on the Morning of her Birthday, Oct. 5, 1807, By the same. Thou dawning streak of silvery light, "Maiden, awake !-nor let the joys Set to music by a friend of the author's, and may be had, price 1s. of Longman, Cheapside And see where yon blue smokes arise, Go join, fair maid, the sportive ring, A charm, which time can ne'er decay." SONNET. Addressed to a Friend on his Voyage to the West-Indies, Written from Hampton Court, BY MRS. COCKLE. From these proud towers, whilst Friendship's wishes stray, TO A SOLDIER'S WIDOW. Weep no more, thou mourner sad! Died he not for glory? Bid thy widow'd heart be glad, Tho' his corse far, far away, A, |