conceive them to be friendly. I knew the letter was from a man whom I have long confidered as my enemy-from whom I received, (if not greatly mistaken,) that fierceft of attacks on my Hiftorical Views-to whom I attribute the late infulting comments on my Hiftory-to avoid whofe perfecution in the Critical Review, I published the firft edition of my Local Attachment anonymously-and from whom I again expect, whenever I appear in print, the fame harfh, unworthy treatment-if that unrelenting spirit be ftill fuffered by their editors to difgrace the records of literature. Yet I opened the letter without the tremor of a nerve; affured, that it could never add to the feverity of my fate. But what was my aftonishment when I read the following:

SIR, The fociety at the Globe have directed me to inform you, that any MS. of yours in their cabinet shall be left for your disposal at Mr. Trueman's, addreffed to you. I am to add officially, that, at the laft meeting, you were unanimously expelled. A provifional expulfion was fome time fince refolved on; and fince that time various circumftances have occurred, which, in their opinion, juftified the prefent refolution. You will excufe my adding, that any letter from you, addreffed to me, will be returned to the poft-office unanswered.'

B. PARR, Secretary to the Society at the Globe. "The reader may conceive my aftonishment, when I proteft, that of the club in queftion I was not a member. Had I entertained the leaft fufpicion of my being confidered as fuch, I fhould certainly have fignified, in a formal manner, my refolution to withdraw myfelf from the fociety. But, admitting that I was one of the fociety, ought exclution from that fociety to have taken place, without any specification of crime? Had my offence been rank and cried to heaven-with even the blackeft ftamp of hell upon it'-fhould judgement have been paffed without any intimation of a trial? Might not the club-prefident have gratified the difpofition to torture by malignant playfulness, and fomewhat faved appearances, had he furnished me with the articles of accufation, received my defence with a farcaftic fneer, and ridiculed with airy facetioufnefs every fentiment and every expreffion, till at length, (predetermined, as he was, on banishment or death,') he put on the ftern cap of condemnation? To the proceedings of the Exeter club, the tyranny of the bafeft ufurpation, is more than human mercy: the fierce Gallic democracy, in comparison, has the fweeteft drops of heaven upon it.' Obferving, for months, a myfterious filence, the club, at length, erected themfelves into judges-judges in their own caufe; and, with more than inquifitorial fecrecy, proceeded to try their culprit, unconscious of his trial, passed sentence upon him for things that he knew not, and executed that fentence with the moft refined barbarity!

"I have now only to add, with respect to myself, that, though I suppose the critique imputed to me was the caufe of the first refolution-a provifional expulfion; yet I have endeavoured in vain to guefs at the various circumftances that afterwards occurred, to justify the fecond.

"With regard to the gentlemen of the club,-I moft readily own myself mistaken in my ideas of Mr. Swete's extreme unfriendlinefs towards me; and should be happy in the opportunity of making a fimilar acknowledgement to my supposed adverfary in the Critical Review. From the former gentleman I have lately received feveral letters of remonftrance and explanation: When I annexed the drawings to the Obfervations on the Cromlech (fays Mr. S.) I did it, merely by way of illuftration, notpoffeffing the leaft with of havingmy vanity gratified by their publication. You well know, that your work was an object I had at heart, beyond any other. You alfo know, that I drew thofe three druidical reliques on a large fcale with a view to your hiftory; and that, at my particular request, you were defired to fend Bonner to me, when he next came into Devon, that he might copy those sketches in his own manner, and engage with me alfo for two views of my place. Has it

"Second volume of the Hiftory."

+"Such, indeed, had one of the members intimated in the Gentleman's Magazine."

Yet the writer, whoever he may be, is my perfonal enemy, and bears a rancorous hatred against me.

been

been owing to any retraction on my part, that you are not poffeffed, at this inftant, of thofe three plates?-No: I have never, at any time, intimated to you, that I had receded from my intentions.**

"More than fix years have now paffed, fince Mr. S. promised me his drawings. But of drawings on a large fcale, I recollect nothing. I always underflood that his drawings for the hiftory + were to be engraved on the fame scale as thofe of the club-book. Let me afk, then, whether it was not natural, on the publication of his drudical reliques, to deem Mr. S. guilty of a breach of promife? I had no intimation of his intention to publish them; nor, when published, could I account for their appearance. Not that I have accuted Mr. S. of a breach of promife. Under the impreffion, that he had ufed me unworthily, I dropped a hint or two, expreffive of my feelings, in the notes and poftfcript to the first volume of my hif tory. But I prefumed not to call in question, his tafte, his ingenuity, his goodnefs of heart. It was a harmlefs foible, only connected often with the moft brilliant talents, that I flightly touched upon-I mean, literary vanity. In short, conceiving Mr. S. to be the chief inftrument of the late arbitrary proceedings of the club, I was induced to publish a few little strictures, which I fhould otherwife have fuppreffed. He tells me, however, that he was not the chief inftrument.. -I wished you (fays he) to be apprized of thofe proceedings, ere they tended to exclufion, that, if it was in your power, you might exculpate yourself from the heavy charges which had been brought against you: And when we proceeded for the first time to ballot for your expulfion, the recollection of past friendship rofe ftrong upon my mind, and inftigated one farther exertion in your favour. Thus, then, I yet remained your friend.' With the feelings this avowal muft excite, I would wish to close my poftfcript; affuring Mr. S. of my difpofition to cherish, in his favour, all the fentiments of benevolent regard; and welcoming (though we shall never meet again) that forgiveness which is moft native to his heart-and which can only accord with the philanthropy of a man of taste, the urbanity of a gentleman, and the charity of a chriftian!"

ART. XXIII. The Lawfulness of Defenfive War, upon Chriftian Principles, impartially confidered. By a Clergyman of the Church of England. Pp. 24. Price 6d. Sold by the Bookfellers, London. 1798.

THIS we confider as one of the most peftilent little pamphlets that has lately fallen into our hands-we fay lately; as the profecution of Paine, and perfons of a fimilar defcription, (together with other caufes,) was obferved to operate like a fpell, in chaining up the tongues" of the Jacobins, and petrifying even the pens in their hands.

.

"

But, though they dared not to ftand forward in the face of day, and, ftill braving what they deemed perfecution, proclaim their opinions with all the foolhardinefs of fanaticifm; yet many of them have muttered fedition from their lurking-holes, and fcattered, in dark corners, the feeds of anarchy. With thefe, we fcruple not to class this Clergyman of the Church of England, whofe principles may prove doubly pernicious to fociety, from their being produced under the veil of religion. The tendency of the publication will, at once, appear, from the extracts which we proceed to lay before our readers :

"Dated April 21, 1798.

"+See Profpeétus, published in 1793. Old House at Oxton,'' New Houfe at Oxton'-Inftead of one large plate for the work, Mr. Swete preferred feveral on a fmaller fcale; fuch as thofe introduced into the fociety volume."

"In his letter of April 21, 1798."

"There

"There are many who argue with fuch a degree of fpecioufnefs and plaufibility in behalf of defenfive war, that even good men are led into the perfuafion, that it is juftifiable for Chriftians to engage in it, for the fafety and defence of their country, families, liberty, civil rights, &c. and to fave themselves from being destroyed by their enemies."—"The following pages are designed as an humble endeavour to obviate the prejudices of those who fincerely defire to arrive at the knowledge of the truth, but have ftumbling-blocks thrown in their way by the advocates of thofe ideal virtues, which have long dazzled and deluded mankind by their false glare and tinfel splendour."—" The Jews practifed wars under a law from Heaven; but, by its being now taken away, Divine Providence feems to fignify, that the power once granted to that peculiar people is now refumed by that Being, who has the fole right of delegating fuch authority to mortals; and, that every one who affumes it, without being in like manner authorized, can be regarded in no other light than as a trangreffor of the divine law, and an encroacher on the prerogative of the Creator."

The King of Great-Britain, then, who profecutes the war, without any fuch authority from Heaven, (as our author thinks,) “is, thereby, a tranfgreffor of the divine law, and an encroacher on the prerogative of the Creator."

"Antichrift, to whom it was given to make war, is the direct opposer of the Prince of Peace, the Saviour of men; and, therefore, is very emphatically flyled, the Destroyer-And all who maintain this truly Antichriftian doctrine of the lawfulness of war, do thereby prove, that however they may differ, in other respects, from the Romish church, their defcent is from one comnion parent, and that they are certainly not the subjects of the Prince of Peace."

We here perceive all the equivocation of the genuine Jacobin.

"The love of our country is a plea frequently urged in favour of the lawfulness of war, and as an excufe for engaging in hoftilities: but what is the love of our country, if oppofed to the law of Chrift, but a blind and selfish attachment to that particle of earth on which we first drew our firft breath, and on which we happen to live."-"Humanity forbids me to defire, that any one might be feduced by alluring promifes and fpecious pretences, into the commiffion of enormities, at the bare mention of which my foul fhudders with horror, that I may remain easy and fecure in my poffeffions! And how would my heart bleed, and my mind be ago nized, at the thought of my poorer neighbour's being dragged from his much-loved home on my account; unwillingly forced from the few comforts he is blessed with -from the most pleafing profpects and engagements of life-the embraces of his dear wife and children, dearer, perhaps, to him than all this world could bestow without them to leave the innocent and delightful task of labouring for their fupport, and be forced into the field of flaughter; that I may be fplendidly attended, and clothed in purple and fine linen, and fare fumptuously-though he who died for the falvation of us both, and whofe difciple I profefs myfelf to be, had not where to reft his head; and, when he laid down his life, was obliged to the charity of a Jew for a fepulchre to shelter him from the infult of his enemies. The love of our country is, too often, made a fpecious pretence for indulging our ainbition. It ferves as a mask, to cover the pride and difcontents of one, the tyranny and haughtiness of another, and the interested selfishness of all. It is, in fact, but a popular name for an immoderate self-love, disguised under the fair, but falfe character, of an ardent defire for the general welfare of our fellowcountrymen."

And what is this univerfal philanthropy which our author boasts, but a mask to cover his own difcontent and ambition? What is "the heart that bleeds"--" the mind agonized" with his poor neighbour's diftreffes, but an inftrument to excite the murmurs of difaffection, and to detach the love of his fellow-fubjects from the mildest and best of Kings? Does this benevolent Clergyman fuppofe that his aim could.

be

be effected without deluging the land with blood? No-but, amidst the flaughter of millions, his liberal philosophy would bid him extend his views to future ages, and triumph in the happiness of generations yet unborn. Thus, however, he proceeds, in the fame ftrain of affected fenfibility, as a man, and of pretended confcientiousness as a Chriftian:

"For a nation to fend its thousands into the field of battle, or into a foreign land, to meet those enemies, who, otherwife, might become the invaders, is committing a real and certain evil, in order to avoid that which is only fuppofed and uncertain."-"We are ftruck with aftonishment, to fee men, under the profeffion of Christianity, in all the tinfel pomp of military parade, leading forth their refpective legions against each other, and contending, even to death, for fome trifling object and attempting to justify their conduct under the specious plea of neceffity."

Here he alludes to an expreffion which he, himself, has been forced, by authority, to use, in a prayer to the Deity---we mean," juft and neceffary war." If he could not concur with government in the opi nion of "the juftness and neceffity" of the war, he ought to have refigned his gown, and, retiring, in filence, from the church, have left his place for those who may be more worthy of enjoying its emolu ments. It was not for him to launch out his anathemas against his loyal brethren, who may have manifefted their zeal against the infidel armies, by confecrating the banners of victory, or the ftandard around which we are to rally, in fupport of all good government, and of true religion and virtue!”

"Who (fays he) can avoid being shocked at beholding the crofs, opce the emblem of peace and reconciliation to the fons of men, now used to excite, in their bofoms, thofe diabolical tempers, from which the Lamb of God laid down his life to fave us?And to heighten the dreadful fcene, (Oh! more than folly and madness !) the preachers of Christianity pitching their tents under the banners of the deftroying angel, and stimulating those who blindly rely on them for faving inftruction, to deeds, at the bare mention of which the heart of humanity recoils, and which fill their unhappy country with widows and orphans! Who can think of these things without lamenting the infatuation, ignorance, and delufion of the prefent race of Chriftians, and dreading the aweful effects of fuch an apoftafy from the religion of peace! And fhall we fee our fellow-creatures finking, by thoufands, into the gulph of error and destruction, and not extend our arm to fave those who are yet within our reach ?"

What arrogance and prefumption! The effervefcence of a proud fpirit having spent itself in apoftrophes, our author calmly returns to his fophifms.

"It may be difficult to draw the line between defensive war and that coercion which the civil magiftrate should exercife to reftrain the unruly from disturbing the peace of their fellow-citizens." (A fufpicious word by the way.) "So hath it been obferved; and it may be difficult to those who fuffer themselves to be governed by erroneous principles. If we allow that the civil magistrate has á right, on fome occafions, to difpofe of the lives of his fubjects, it will, then, be difficult: but, if we fet afide that ufurped power over human life, which no mortal can juftly affume, the difficulty vanishes in a moment. Here are fixed the limits of man's authority: Thou shalt not kill."-" If man appears not to be endued with any divine authority to take away the life of man, what can juftify the destroying of thousands, uncondemned by any human law ?"— A failor, in an engagement, having difcharged one of the guns, was ftruck with the thought: What, if that ball has killed a man The thought kept fuch poffeffion of his mind, that he was.

་

ever after, unable to do a fimilar action."-" This hand (may the young foldier exclaim) is yet unftained with human blood-but when I return from the field, (if ever I do return,) can I expect to enjoy this comfortable reflection? No-the confcioufnefs of murder may weigh me down to the earth-my bufy fpirit, even in fleep, may, in horrid vifions, be acting, over again, the fatal deeds!!!"

Is not this enough to throw a damp upon the spirits of our foldiers and failors, among whom many hundreds of the pamphlet before us, have, no doubt, been induftriously circulated? We fcarcely expected that the writer would have been fo audacious as to apply his principles to practical ufe. Such, however, hath he done in the postfcript-advifing the British foldiery to lay down their arms, and leave the war, we fuppofe, to "ufurpers," and their blood-thirsty followers :

Should thefe pages fall into the hands of any of those mistaken men who are engaged in what is termed the fervice of their country, they are requested to favour them with a ferious perufal."-" Happy would he esteem himself to become the inftrument of awakening, in their hearts, thofe latent fuggeftions, which, if attended to, would lead them to lay afide the weapons of carnal warfare."

Let us afk this dogmatical writer, whether our Saviour ever interfered with the military establishment of the Roman government, or any government upon earth; or, rather, whether himself and his difciples did not, on all occafions, enforce obedience to the ruling powers? When the foldiers afked John the Baptift," what they fhould do?" he faid unto them, "Do violence to no man, neither accufe any falfely, but be content with your wages." (Luke iii. 4.) Here the Baptift is fo far from difapproving, that he condefcends to regulate the office and employment of the foldiers. And are we not acquainted with the "DEVOUT SOLDIER of Cornelius ?" (Acts x, 7.) We fhall only add, that this little tract was printed in Cornwall, and printed with a view to the accommodation of the poorer claffes of the people; fince the paper is of an inferior quality, and a great deal of matter is here compreffed within a very small compass.

ART. I. $vo.

IN

1799.

THE REVIEWERS REVIEWED.

Lloyd's Letter to the Anti-Jacobin Reviewers. Price Is. Arch, Gracechurch Street, London.

'N this Letter, Mr. Lloyd charges us with an unfair review of his Edmund Oliver. He cenfures us for representing him as a political Jacobin, and contends, that our conftruction of that portion of his book, on which we founded our opinion, is uncandid, and our reafoning inconclusive. We allerted in that review, that though Mr. Lloyd appears friendly to the Chriftian religion, and is, in feveral points,

what