roman-catholics, on every point upon which the integrity of their moral, civil, or political principles has been questioned: it is greatly to be desired that a new edition of them were published.-May the writer be permitted to express a wish, that "The Apology" and "The Defence" of it were publicly read, once in every year, in all the catholic schools where youths are educated in the higher classes of humanity.-Dodd eites a work of the earl, intituled, "The Compendium, or a short view of the late Trials "in relation to the present Plot against his Majesty "and Government. London, 4to. 1679." The writer has not been able to procure a sight of this publication. His lordship was tried for high treason, upon the part which he was alleged to have taken in Oates's plot, on the testimony of Oates and Dangerfield; and brought such convincing proofs of the infamy of the characters of both, and showed such palpable falsehoods and contradictions in their evidence, that the jury found him "not guilty," and the verdict was received with acclamation. In the reign of James the second, his lordship was distinguished on several occasions, and particularly on the embassy to Rome, which we have noticed. Almost immediately after the Revolution, he was committed to the Tower, and interrogated before the house of commons. He answered with great firmness and presence of mind, and was remanded to the Tower on a charge of high treason, for "endeavouring to recon"cile the kingdom to the church of Rome;" but the inquiries to which the investigation of the charge appeared to lead, were found to involve so many persons of distinguished rank, and among the most popular characters of the day, that it was judged

prudent to drop the prosecution altogether, and his lordship was accordingly released. From this time he led a retired life in Wales; his daughter, and only child, married lord Dacre, afterwards created earl of Sussex.

XCVIII. 4.
Lawyers.

In the times to which these pages relate, the English catholics derived great advantage from those members of their communion, who were eminent in the profession of the law. The personal consideration which they acquired, contributed powerfully to remove much of the national prejudices against their brethren in faith.

1. The first of these was Mr. John Austin.-In his profession, he was highly regarded.-He published several works on the concerns of the catholics. The most popular of these, was his Christian Moderator, in three parts. He frequently attacks, in it, the doctrine of the pope's deposing power. The work, by which he is best known, is his Devotions in the form of ancient Offices. It has been frequently republished. An edition of it was published by the celebrated Dr. Hicks, for the use of his protestant congregation. From the publisher of this edition, it is generally known, among protestants, by the name of Hicks's Devotions. Mr. Austin was also the author of The four Gospels in one, in short chapters, with a verse, and prayer, at the end of each,-an useful work, deserving to be reprinted and generally read.

2. In his professional eminence, he was succeeded, and surpassed, by Mr. Nathaniel Piggott. This

statute of 7th and 8th of William, interdicted the bar to the catholics; so that, after Mr. Piggott, no catholic was called to the bar, till 1791, when it was again opened to them. For several years, Mr. Piggott practised as a chamber-counsel. In the conveyancing branch of the law, his eminence was undisputed. Several of his manuscript opinions show his profound learning. He left a manuscript Treatise on Recoveries, which was published, after his decease; and has not been superseded, by the valuable treatises on the same subject, since published by Mr. Cruise and Mr. Preston.

3. His successor in eminence, in the same branch of the law, was Mr. James Booth,-acknowledged to be the father of the modern practice of conveyancing. He was not the author of any work; but his written opinions were given, at great length, and are very elaborate. They are held in great esteem; and always mentioned at the bar, and from the bench, with great respect. The copies of them are numerous; and, in the work, intituled "Printed Copies of Opi"nions of eminent Counsel," several of them found their way to the press.

4. When Mr. Booth was on the decline, Mr. Duane rose to considerable eminence; respectably skilled in his profession, and singularly industrious. He was the editor of Mr. Fitzgibbon's Reports; and supplied the publisher of Bacon's New Abridgment, with the article, "Common." He was a polite scholar;-of acknowledged taste, in painting and music; and the most skilful medallist in England. His collection of medals was famous over Europe. He sold his cabinet of Syriac medals to Dr. Hunter; by whom it was bequeathed to the university of

Glasgow. He had engravings made of several of his medals, and of some drawings by the late Mr. Hussey of Marnall. He paid the artists, whom he employed, with great liberality.

Mr. Hussey, whom we have just mentioned, was a painter of some eminence, but failed in his colouring; he attained in design, great celebrity, and might have reached the summit of his art, if he had not bewildered himself in fanciful speculations, on the triangle, and its visible and invisible perfections.

Other artists of eminence were catholics: among them we may mention Mr. Scheemacker, to whom the public owes the beautiful bust of Shakspeare in Westminster Abbey; and Mr. Moore, the sculptor of Mr. Beckford's statue in Guildhall.

Several other English catholics, during the period embraced by these pages, cultivated literature and the polite arts, with success. It is hoped that the imperfection of the preceding outline will be supplied by some person, better qualified than the present writer, to do justice to the subject. Of the defect of his attempt, none of his readers can be more sensible than the writer himself.

XCVIII. 5.

The Sacred Music of the English Catholic Church. 1. HAVING mentioned the success of the English catholics in polite literature and the polite arts, their sacred music may be slightly noticed. Dr. Arne, the greatest of English musicians, (at least, if we except Purcel), was a roman-catholic. His music for Comus and Artaxerxes has always enjoyed public favour. His ballads, containing an agreeable mix

not been surpassed, and seldom equalled. He composed for the choir of the Sardinian ambassador, two masses,-one in four, the other in three parts;-the latter did not please. The former was exquisite; it is, what all church music should be, solemn and impressive; the harmony, correct and simple; the melody slow and graceful. Unfortunately, the thinness of the catholic choirs, in those times, made them drop the contra-tenor and tenor parts, and sing only the canto and base. This entirely spoiled the beauty of the composition.

2. The late Mr. Samuel Webbe, a distinguished composer of serious glees,-and though not the first, certainly in the very first line of that scientific and pleasing branch of music, is father of the modern English school of catholic church music. In addition to his profound musical skill, he acquired a respectable degree of knowledge of the French, Italian, Latin, Greek and Hebrew languages. He was such a master of the Italian language, that once on an emergency, he performed the part of Mengotto in the Buona Figliuola; and so well versed in the Hebrew language, that the rabbi Uzzielli mentioned to the writer, that he never knew a gentleman, who had acquired so perfect a pronunciation of that language, according to the vowel points. On the writer's expressing his surprise to Mr. Webbe, at his having acquired so much extraneous knowledge, notwithstanding the great professional demand on his time, he answered, that it was "by a rigid observance of "rules,-never to let a bit or scrap of time pass un"employed,--and, whatever he did, to fix his whole "mind upon it."

3. During the short reign of James the second,