posed and delivered before I had received the circular printed papers which are now in your hands, I had no choice at that time of what I pow consider as more valuable matter than my humble composition abovementioned on the present aspect of our national affairs. Two days since I received a packet of printed papers from government, in titled "Important considerations for the people of this kingdom;" and having perused one of them with great attention and an equal degree of approbation, I feel inclined, in imitation of the example of some of iny brother clergymen, to read it to you from this placet, in lieu of the Sermon above-mentioned, which a good part of the congregation now present have already heard. I have considered, that if an analysis of the method and intention of it were given; a few prefatory remarks made concerning it; and the pamphlet itself read to you with that proper emphasis which may render it easy to be understood by the meanest capacity, and with that seriousness which the important truths it contains so justly merit, it would be productive of the most beneficial effects in aid of the benevolent intention of our watchful guardians and governors in so liberally distributing the tract in every part of the United Kingdom.

In the analysis which, in the first place, I am going to give you of this sensible and well written little tract, I would particularly request such of my auditors as are able to do it to take the pamphlet in their hands, and attentively mark the different portions as they are explained

to them.

The little tract which you now hold in your hands is divided into two principal heads or members, the first of which ends at the bottom of page the fifth, the second extends to the end of the pamphlet. The first of these principal members explains to you "the grounds of the (present) war, &c." the second lays before you "what will be the wretched lot of Englishmen, if that enemy should succeed in the Invasion and subjugation of this Kingdom."

The first paragraph states to us in the same plain and intelligible, yet strong and energetic language which runs through the whole performance, the "deeply interesting" circumstances of the present " moment," on the event of which" depend objects the most consequential both to ourselves and others which can well be conceived; the principal of which you will find particularly mentioned in this paragraph. The second proceeds to lay open to our view the grounds of this war, which, as I have explained to you at large in a discourse delivered from this place during the late war with France, ought to be “just and necessary,” ere we can with any propriety request the protection of Heaven, and its blessing on our endeavours. These grounds are in this pamphlet said with great truth "not to be sought in a desire of his Majesty to keep the Island of Malta, contrary to the treaty of peace, &c. which the first Consul of France hath untruly and uncandidly asserted to be the case "but they are to be sought in the ambition of the Consul of France, and in

* In the Evening of Friday, August 26, 1903.

The reading desk.

Entitled "Self-preservation, a justifiable cause of War Sold by Rivington &c. price Is. Svo. 1800.

his implacable hatred of Britain, because in the power and valour of Britain alone he finds a check to that ambition which aims at nothing less than the conquest of the whole world." The pamphlet proceeds to notice the ardent wish of our sovereign to procure for his people the blessing of peace, the sincere desire by which he was actuated that it might prove durable, and that the conduct of France might be such as to authorise him, in justice to his people and without betraying their rights and interests, to execute with scrupulous exactness all the stipulations of the treaty. It then proceeds to detail at length the very opposite conduct of the ruler of France to that which was so naturally and properly expected. His treatment of HOLLAND, PIEDMONT, and SWITZER LAND is mentioned in terms of just reprobation and the still existing wish of our Sovereign to avoid "a recurrence to arms" is also noticed. The misconception of the first Consul of this pacific disposition of our Sovereign by imputing it to "a dread of his power;" his design of taking possession a second time of Egypt, whence we had driven him with disgrace, and to open a road to our possessions in India, there to destroy one of the principal sources of our wealth and power, are also touched on at the close of this paragraph. The farther aggressions of the First Consul and his insolent demands on our government are detailed at large in the third paragraph. The following lays before us a peculiar reason which the Corsican ruler of France had "to reduce us to a state of poverty, weakness, submission and silence;" viz. lest the people of France, whom he rules over with a rod of iron, should contrast our mild and free government with his severe and despotic one, our legitimate, with his usurped and unlawful government; and thus either "first or last shake the foundation of his ill-gotten power." This is a very strong and cogent reason; and such an one as is not only very likely to operate powerfully on the vindictive mind of the Corsican, but most probably one time or another will have its full effect. The writer of these important considerations, &c." next proceeds to shew, that "we have never interfered or desired to interfere in the concerns of the Consul, or to destroy or change any thing in the internal state of other countries;" but that our Sovereign hath endeavoured solely to preserve in his own dominions (as it is his bounden duty to do)" every thing dear to himself and his subjects." He still further proves that this honourable and forbearing conduct on our part is by no means "sufficient to satisfy the Consul of France;" nay indeed that nothing less than our entire destruc-. tion will satisfy this common disturber of the rights of civilized nations, this common scourge and pest of the human race.

66

Such being a faithful representation of the insolent demands and cruel designs of the enemy, the writer next proceeds to acquaint us with the miserable fate that awaits us if the unrelenting enemy who hath set himself against us should prove successful in his threatened invasion. From a view of what the French have done "in all those countries where the remissness of the government and the pusillanimity of the people have given them the predominance," we may form a pretty accurate judgment of what they would do here should they happen to subdue us. Too fatally true alas! is the observation of this writer, that "there is no country into which they have been able to enter where their footsteps have not been marked with blood;-where they have spared either Vol. V. Churchan. Mag. Sept. 1903. high

Y

high or low, rich or poor, sex or age ;-where terror has not been their forerunner, and where desolation and misery have not marched in their rear." We are next presented with an account of BUONAPARTE'S Invasion of Italy;-the declaration which he made of coming to them as their "friend and brother," to "deliver them from taxes and slavery; and to give safety to their persons, security to their property, respect for their laws, and reverence for their religion." We are then told in what a base and diabolical manner he violated every one of these solemn engagements.

The following paragraph presents us with an interesting account of his Invasion of Egypt; "a country which was at peace with France, and against the people or government of which France had no cause of complaint," but the conquest of this country, it seems, was necessary to open a road to the Indian possessions of Great Britain. The CoRSICAN USURPER, to attain this his unwarrantable object, invaded Egypt, and repeated the promises he had formerly made in Italy, and issued a proclamation declaring himself and his army to be true Mahometans, which was the religion professed by the inhabitants of that country, and to which they were most devotedly attached. The manner in which he fulfilled these his professions, by "massacreing almost all the inhabitants of the populous city of ALEXANDRIA," and murdering in cold blood at JAFFA 3,800 Turks whom he had made prisoners, is related at large in this part of the pamphlet. But the blackness and atrocity of his conduct is raised to the highest pitch by the account here given us of his causing 580 of his own soldiers, men who had fought in his cause and encountered the severest treatment in his service to be poisoned, merely because he desired to "disencumber himself of them." There is no history ancient or modern which presents us with an instance of atrocity equal, or in any degree to be compared with this, since the most savage and bloody tyrants that ever existed upon earth have generally been anxious to reward with the utmost marks of their favour the instruments of their ambition, instead of returning their services with baseness and ingratitude almost too great to be believed.

Far from being confined to ITALY and EGYPT; HOLLAND, SWITZERLAND, and GERMANY, and we may now add HANOVER also, heretofore a constituent part of the British empire, have in turns been the scenes of French cruelty, rapine and insult. A detailed account of French perfidy is given in these last mentioned countries in the following pages of this interesting pamphlet, which may appal the stoutest heart, and must cause an involuntary sentiment of indignation to arise in every bosom where virtue, religion, or humanity reside. Well may this energetic writer, after reciting these various barbarities, say, "the recollection of them will be never effaced; the melancholy story will be handed down from generation to generation, to the everlasting infamy of the republicans of France, and as an awful warning to all nations whoi they may hereafter attempt to invade." In the conclusion of this address the ingenious writer brings the picture of French atrocity nearer to us by stating, that as our opposition to the unbounded ambition of the CORSICAN DESPOT of France has been greater than that of other powers, so, if we should be subdued by him, our punishment, if possible, would be greater than theirs: the probable punishment they

would

would inflict on us is suggested; and the COURAGE and PATRIOTISM OF ENGLISHMEN is aroused to vindicate their honour and to defend their cause!!

Thus I have endeavoured to present you with an analysis of the pamphlet now before you, which if it prove in any degree useful, or may better enable you to understand the pamphlet itself when you hear it read yourselves or when you peruse it, will fully answer the design I had in view when I put it together. The author of this excellent little piece hath evidently taken considerable pains to bring together in a striking point of view some of the most interesting particulars which respect the arduous contest in which we are now engaged. PLAINNESS and PERSPICUITY have evidently been his objects; and it is evident that, if he thought it would have been proper, he was capable of clothing his ideas in more elegant and highly polished lan guage. It is, in my humble opinion, a remarkable proof of his JUDG MENT that he hath selected a mode of conveying his information to the public which is not only perfectly intelligible to the learned, but also to the unlettered part of the christian community. The truths which this interesting tract contains are all of the very first "importance" to every loyal and patriotic Briton, whatsoever may be his rank or relative situation in life. The tract is distributed to you gratuitously: but allow me most earnestly to beseech you to value it according to its intrinsic 'importance," and not according to the easiness by which you have acquired it. Let not this precious, this inestimable little piece be thrown by as vile or useless lumber the moment you have slightly and inattentively perused it; but read it, I intreat you, ye that are able to do So, after me with the greatest attention *;-read it over and over again in the moments of retirement at your own houses; study it; impress its contents most deeply on your hearts, and suffer them to be engraven in everlasting characters on your minds; and then lay it up as a sacred legacy, if the good providence of Almighty God should guide us safely through the present most arduous trial, for your children and for your children's children to the latest posterity. Consider this excellent little manual-this summary of what we are to expect from our cruel and unrelenting enemy-as the affectionate present of a government which is anxious for your happiness; a parent solicitous for your temporal and eternal well-being; a king, the sole object of whose long and admirable administration has uniformly been (according to the full letter and ge nuine spirit of his CORONATION OATH), to preserve whole, and ins violate the glorious and happy constitution of these flourishing and United Kingdoms both in CHURCH and STATE!!

I have now executed the pleasing and honourable task which I had assigned to myself; happy if it hath in any degree promoted the design which I had in view. I have nothing at present to add preparatory to the recital of this little pamphlet, and have only to request your serious attention whilst I read its contents, which begin with the following striking and appropriate words:" At a time, &c."

After having read the pamphlet to the end, the congregation was addressed in the following words:

This request was literally complied with, to my great satisfaction.

Y 2

Here

Here ends this excellent and useful little piece, the impression of whose contents will I hope remain long and deeply engraved in the minds of Britons and excite them, if ever the threats of Invasion should be really put into execution, to rally round the throne of our excellent and pious sovereign, and much rather part with life itself than surrender to such implacable foes, as other nations who have been “ judicially infatuated" have done, the rights, the liberties, and the honour of Englishmen. But since all our exertions can hope only for a prosperous issue by the blessing of Heaven shining forth upon them, let us humbly implore the protection and solicit the assistance of that best of Beings who hath hitherto been our effectual support in all the dangers by which we have been at various times surrounded. Let us beseech him "to go forth with our fleets and armies ;" to give us courage in the hour of danger, and victory in the day of battle. And since a secure and permanent peace, and not a protracted warfare is the object of all our exertions, let us beseech him to turn the hearts of our enemies from those sentiments of hatred and revenge which they now entertain against us to ideas more congenial to the glorious gospel of the meek and crucified Redeemer of a sinful world; and finally, give to us and all the world that quiet and repose which for so many years hath been a stranger to the earth. Finally, O Father of loving kindness and mercy, forgive, we most humbly beseech thee, these thy erring and fallible creatures, and our most bitter enemies all their offences: make them truly penitent for all their provocations against thy divine Majesty, and all their various cruelties at different times exercised against those nations which have submitted to their arms: Implant, O gracious Lord, hearty and sincere contrition in the place of unrelenting vengeance in their hearts: make them as sincerely religious and good as hitherto they have been irreligious and wicked: and receive them, so soon as they shall be worthy of thy favour, into the arms of thy mercy, and at length confer on them the inestimable glories and blessings of everlasting life!!

Grant, O Lord, these humble requests of us thy servants now gathered together in thy holy house to pour forth our prayers and supplications unto thee, through the all-atoning merits and for the sake of our crucified Saviour Jesus Christ; to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be ascribed, as is most due, all honour, power, might, majesty and dominion both now and for ever; Amen.

OBSERVATOR.

It is hoped that this frame and disposition of mind is more in the spirit of that holy religion, which teaches us to pray for our very enemies," than the Anathemas and prayers for vengeance on our enemies, which have disgraced the productions of some of our divines: for surely we may and ought to hope, notwithstanding their present enmity to the people of this realm, that the veil of error will at length be removed from their eyes; that they will become fit objects of God's mercies; and that they will finally be saved with "the remnant of the true Israelites!!!"

ΤΟ