who wrote it deserved to suffer the severest punishment.

At this distance of time, it is difficult to find in Dr. Sacheverell's sermon just reason either for the praise of the one side, or the condemnation of the other. Different kinds of rant are to be met with in public speakers: there is quaker rant, methodist rant, popish rant; and there is, what is near akin to this, namely, high-church rant. Sacheverell's ser

mon was of the last sort. There must have been a peculiarly high degree of pre-disposition in the tories, when this sermon could rouse and charm them and on the other hand, there is nothing so remarkably pointed that any of the whigs needed to apply it to themselves, or be enraged at the author. As to what he said against dissenters, that was meekly to be borne: thousands of sermons preached on the thirtieth of January have been equally, and thousands more severe; and he is unworthy of the name of a dissenter who cannot read such a performance with patience, and with pity. The church whigs had still less cause of displeasure, and appear extremely reprehensible for their irritability. Let the reader represent to himself a man, whose ideas of priestly dignity and power were somewhat, though but little, inferior to the church of Rome; who was displeased at people of a different communion enjoying toleration, because he conceived that his own church should fill the land; who was provoked almost to madness to see every subject, theological and ecclesiastical, discussed with freedom in books daily issuing from the press; and he has before his eyes

e Sacheverell's sermon at St. Paul's.

the picture of Henry Sacheverell, D. D. and chaplain of St. Saviour's, Southwark; and of every highchurch hero. If left to himself by rulers in church and state, a very harmless animal he is to others, though he may be exceedingly troublesome to him

self.

What to do with the author of the obnoxious sermon became unhappily the subject of deliberation with the ministry. Lord Somers, it is said, advised that he should be prosecuted for the offence in a court of law. If a little contemptible cur barks at a man as he walks along the street, he consults his passion more than his character, if, instead of going on his way, he turns to it in a rage, and endeavours to beat out its brains. There is an unwillingness to punish, which governments should display in every thing of this kind; it is necessary to the dignity of their character, and conduces to the safety of the state. An eagerness to catch at every bitter and hasty expression uttered against them, in a moment of irritation and wrath, betrays a littleness, as well as severity of mind, which would not have entitled them to a higher office than that of apparitors of the inquisition; and discovers apprehensions of danger unworthy of men, who should be amply furnished with firmness and courage. The advice of Somers, though certainly strong enough, was over-ruled by his colleagues, who conceived that Sacheverell had pointed at them as by name; and they unwisely determined to bring the matter before parliament, and in a solemn manner, establish his guilt, and award an exemplary punishment. Had they given him a fat living, or a bishopric, the danger of the church would, most probably, have vanished from

his eyes, and he would have ever afterwards been as quiet as a lamb, and as gentle as a dove.

Into parliament the cause was brought by Mr. Dolben, son of the former archbishop of York: and heavy complaints were made of the chaplain of St. Saviour's. So strangely were their minds heated with the subject; and with so high a hand were things carried, that it was determined to impeach him as guilty of high crimes and misdemeanours. A committee, consisting of some of the first characters in the house for talents and respectability, was appointed to draw up articles of impeachment from the sermon. They were prepared, approved, and carried up to the lords, who acceded to them, and directed preparations to be made for the trial. Four heavy charges were brought against the doctor. He was accused of asserting, that the means used for bringing about the revolution were unjustifiable; that the toleration granted by law to dissenters was unwarrantable; that the church of England was in imminent danger under the present government; and that the measures of the existing administration tended to the destruction of the constitution. In order to conduct the affair with greater solemnity and publicity, Westminster-hall was ordered to be fitted up for the purpose.

From various causes much time was consumed before the trial could commence; and all that time Sachevérell and his friends were most assiduously employed in rousing the public mind against the ministry and the whigs, and in endeavouring to persuade the public that they had formed a determination. to pull down the church, and set up the sectaries; and that this was the first step towards the

accomplishment of their design. Nor were his friends now either few or inconsiderable. The highchurch party among the clergy, which formed a considerable majority of the inferior orders of the hierarchy, favoured his views. The whole body of the tories also ranged themselves under his banners. Some of them, from the heart, entered into all Sacheverell's views, while others felt nothing of cordial attachment to the man, but hoped that, by professing zeal for the safety and prosperity of the church, they might be enabled to drive out the whig administration, and govern in their place. It was a disappointment to them, that the reins of authority had not been put into their hands at the queen's accession; they were, therefore, now the more anxious and alert to improve the present opportunity. So well did these men perform their parts, especially by the assistance of the clergy in their public discourses from the pulpit, that the minds of the multitude were wrought up almost to phrensy.

The whigs perceived their error too late; and before the trial commenced they were sensible that they had brought themselves into a situation of the most imminent danger. How to mitigate the evil, and, if possible, render it productive of benefit to themselves, and to their cause, became now the subject of deliberation and it was resolved to bring forward all the great principles of the revolution, and of liberty; and by contending for these to interest the public in their favour. But it was in vain: a passion for liberty was unable to contend with the passion for the church.

On the twenty-seventh of February, in the year one thousand seven hundred and ten, the trial began,

and was managed, on the part of the commons, with singular ability by Sir Joseph Jekyll, Mr. Eyre, General Stanhope, Sir Peter King, and above all by Sir Thomas Parker, who entered with his whole soul into the business, and brought his superior talents to bear upon Sacheverell, and the sentiments which he had maintained. To enter into a particular relation of the proceedings of the court, does not coincide with the plan of this work, and would occupy too much room. An ample narrative is given in the histories of the times, and especially in an account of the trial, to which the reader is referred'.

When the managers of the commons had brought forward their accusations, in support of which they entered into an elaborate defence of the principles of civil and religious liberty, of the revolution, and of the dissent; Sir Simon Harcourt, and the other advocates for Sacheverell, appeared in his defence. With much ingenuity and judgment they eluded the force of the arguments which his accusers had adduced, by allowing their truth, and acknowledging their weight. Instead of saying any thing against the revolution, the toleration, or her majesty's ministers, they only insisted that the doctor did not speak against these, and that his words conveyed another meaning and they justified the discourses as inculcating general duties, without descending to notice particular exceptions. After his council had concluded the defence, he himself read a well-composed vindication of his conduct, which had been drawn up by Atterbury, Smalbridge, Friend, and Moss, and corrected by Sir Simon Harcourt. It was uttered

f Burnet, vol. II. Tindal's Continuation of Rapin, vol. XXIII. Somerville's History of the Reign of Queen Anne.