Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

worship think they are found members of the church as by law eftablished, good churchmen, when they attend this pharifaical affembly. Dr. Gaskin, the Secretary of the Society for promoting Chriftián Knowledge, can give farther particulars on this fubject, if the Bishop. of the diocese where this Clergyman has preferment, or the Overfeer of the beep of London, wish for information.

There is one queftion, Mr. Editor, to which I fhall be obliged to you for an answer. If Mr. Eyre, Mr. Rowland Hill, or twenty others, preach in conventicles, can the diocefans fufpend them, or prevent them, from preaching in the established churches ?-If they can, why do they not?

June 25, 1799.

Your's, &c.

BOULEIOS.

SIR,

TO THE EDITOR.

S the cowardly Wyvill has not dared to give his laft pamphlet

may

a few extracts from it, as these will fhew the cloven foot, and will prove to the world that he, and fome others of his adherents of the affociation, intended more mifchief than fome unfufpecting perfons were aware of. The title of his pamphlet is, Seceffion Vindicated. He fays, "the nation is threatened by military defpotifm; and, though we must endeavour to fhun the traps of informers, and the fnares of legal chicaners, yet we must not fuffer our caution to degenerate into timidity, nor our moderation to cool into torpid apathy and inaction; that though Seceffion is generally a dereliction of public duty, yet there may be, and he endeavours to prove, that there now is, fuch great public danger from the continued obftinacy of Parliament, &c. &c. that an appeal to the people, by Seceffion, is, therefore juftifiable. When the neceffary means of fafety have not been spontaneously, and, in time, applied by Parliament, what the reafon and eloquence of the minority have in vain recommended, may be obtained by the decifive authority of the public opinion. On a timely declaration of that opinion may hang the last hope of falvation; and Seceffion, with a view to procure it, may thus become a neceffary duty,"

He goes on and fays, "it feems clear, therefore, that in fuch extraordinary cafes, the Seceffion of members from Parliament is perfectly defenfible on the principles of the conftitution. It is their laft regular appeal to the nation against the obftinate rafhnefs and folly, and infidelity, of the major part of the trustees. And if the impending danger were evident to the public; if the neceffity for a retreat were clear and urgent, undoubtedly the feceding members would be received with open arms, by their fellow-citizens, as the deliverers of their country."

A a 4

Much

Much is faid of the increasing influence of the Crown, and the Minister is treated with great acrimony. "By this exorbitant influence the Parliament may fink, we know not how foon, into a mere office, to regifter the edicts of the Minifter, and our reprefentatives may then be feen crouching at the foot of the throne, idolizing, in proftrate fervility, the Emperor of Britain."

Much is faid to make the people diffatisfied with the war, and on the misconduct of the Minifter, in not procuring peace when it might have been had; the confequent increafe of new burdens, the infringement of our rights by paffing the fatal Bills, as he calls them, which have expofed perfonal freedom to new dangers by legal chicane." He goes on in the fpirit of his prophecy to tell us, that, though on opening the campaign, fuccefs may attend the armies of the allied powers, yet foon, or a little later, this flow of profperity will be ftopt, and the tide of war will turn in favour of the republic, whofe elaftic power to refift, and, finally, to repel their compreffing weight, will be continually increased by her ardour, and the zeal of her democratic dependencies, &c. &c."-" The more fatal confe quences," he fays, are too painful to be furveyed. As men, friendly to the gradual and peaceful improvement of our fpecies, we deprecate them from the bottom of our hearts, and willingly avert our eyes from the diftreffing profpect." High compliments are paid to Fox, Erskine, and Grey. Can one imagine a more malevolent heart than this champion of liberty poffeffes? Can fuch language as this require a comment ?, I can affure you, moreover, that his private conduct proves him what every democrat is ever found to be, an infufferable tyrant. The inftance of Richmond fchool is in point. When it became vacant, a few years ago, inftead of advising the electors to look out for a perfon of the beft abilities, he recommended a man every way notoriously unfit for the office. That he had opulent affociates in this fcandalous attempt is no palliation of his offence, His clerical character ought to have made him more deeply sensible of the utility of learning, and the obligations of Christian morality. Luckily for the town and neighbourhood, the Lord Chancellor prevented the fuccefs of fo nefarious a purpofe; and it would be well for the community at large, if fimilar attempts could always be fo hap. pily frustrated. I had forgot to mention, that the Mayor of Rich mond, one of the electors, much to his honour, fpurned his imperious mandate, though probably connected with him as his mercer.

The conclufion is about himself, wherein he attempts at once to provoke perfecution and imprisonment, and to excite commiferation from age and infirmity. We hope his complaints are not very severe, as he has had a child almoft every year by Betty Codlin, whom he married about eleven years ago.

I am, Sir, your humble fervant,

ANTI-DEMOCRAT.

POETRY.

POETRY.

The following Academic Exercife has been communicated to us by a Correfpondent at Cambridge,

[blocks in formation]

DANDE fores tutus, veneranti templa Doloris,
Et refera facras animis bacchantibus ædes,
Janitor-haud caput indignus fontemque malorum,
(Seu notâ deflexa viâ vis fanguinis, undæ
Impatiens fubito mergat torrente cerebrum;
Seù penitus defixa irarum vulnera fenfus
Exaniment, cuicunque Deus fit dira cupido :)
Haud arcana peto:-mihi fit cantare furentûm,
Trifte opus, errores, variique infignia morbi.
Ingenuus dolor eft, miferum manfuefcere luctu.
Nec ros, purpureo quos læta rubore Juventus
Nobilitat, quibus aut grato perculfus amore
Caftaliis nectar de fontibus haurit Apollo,
Fortunati omnes!-lachrymâ invideatis honestâ
Indociles Mufæ deflere, inopefque falutis ;
Scilicèt et vobis teneros lux craftina fenfus
Obruat, et, fi tantæ animis cæleftibus iræ,
Percutiat mentem Circês ingloria virga.

Liminis horrendi decede Penatibus, hofpes,
Cui dolor æternum læfo fub pectore vulnus
Pafcitur, aut morbi prænuntius, impete languet
Sanguis inæquali circa præcordia :-mente
Invitata tuâ, fedemque ibi nacta paratam,
Hærebit mæroris et inveterafcet imago.
Quin et tu, gelidâ Scythia quem rupe creatum
Non placat luctus alieni dulcis amaror,
Te procul in patriis latebris abfconde, profano,
Nec rifu temera fpectati facra doloris.
Illic quippe novis laribus, mæftoque fruuntur
Hofpitio, feries queifcunque Acherufia corda
Ingenuit proavûm, ac patrimonia dura reliquit,
Et quos multa ferens fruftrà promiffa, fefellit
Ambitio, vanive injuria lufit amoris,
Aut æftro percuffit inexorabilis ira.

Quàm varios homini mores habitufque creatrix
Infevit Natura, manum teftata potentem,

Tam

1

Tam variæ morbi facies. Hiat ille reclufis
Faucibus infrendens gemitu, vocefque fuperbas
Evomit, in focium rifus jaculatus amaros;
Hic (viden') exoptat manibus velantibus ora
Indecorem comitem celare, ut pectore ab imo
Erumpunt gemitus, lachrymifque humefcit ocellos.
Hic filet, obtutuque hæret defixus inani,
Nefcio quid vacuis velut arrepturus ab auris :
Alter multa agitans fecum fermone frequenti
Irrita dat refponfa fibi, comitifque dolofo
Alloquio fruitur, de fe vitâque priori,
Omnibus his eadem vultus audacia fignat,
Alta, indignanti fimilis, fimilifque minanti;
Acre fupercilium tremit, infectique rubore
Rimatur cunctos oculi penetrabile lumen.
Sin inter ftrepitum ferri et luctantia contra
Membra, et miftarum difcordia murmura vocum,
Forte chelys dulcem fonet infperata querelam,
Continuò cecidit fragor, admirantiaque haufit
Corda melos-fixi numeris lugubribus adflent,
Et tenui metuunt auram violare fufurro.

Ecqua procul fociâ fecernitur (aspice) turbâ,
Flere diem patiens, et flendo ducere noctes?

"Reddite," quæ clamat nequicquàm, "reddite amantem,
Equora; nil vobis promifit, nulla facravit
Pignora difcedens :-veftro nihil, æquora, noftro
Debetur gremio :-fed adultera fuftulit unda.
Ah crudelis amans! jurare, et fallere amicam!
En quæ juravit :-legitis-nam fcribitur ipfo
Pectore- fe reducem : fed perfida sustulit unda.”
Mox delufa procum credens ante ora tueri
In collum ruit, at tenues amplectitur auras,
Hanc prope delufus ftudio miferabilis Orpheus
Arguto fictas percurrit pollice chordas,
Ludere nunc citharâ, calamo nunc vifus agrefti.
Et vates, animum neglectæ vulnere famæ
Saucius, avulfos ab Apollinis arbore ramos
Colligit in nodum, meritæ redimicula frontis,
Dum fterili curas folatur fragmine Mufæ.

Felices tamen hos, (felicia fi qua refervet
Informi Fortuna malo) quêis fluminis hauftus.
Lethæi, annuerit gratarum oblivia rerum.
Ille mihi ante alios cafu miferandus iniquo,
Infelixque animi, modò quem faturata relinquit
Peftis, at affuetum fera ceu veftigat ovile,
Prædatura redit, mentique epulatur amatæ.
Ille, ubi vim morbi requies alterna foporat,
Multa animo revocat delufo, multa requirit
Mufarum alloquia, et chari commercia amoris ;

[ocr errors]

Nec guftare mifer potis eft :---quám fæpe morantem
Increpitat mortem, atque animo trans fidera tendit!
Improba nè teneros agitet Difcordia fenfus
Illius, aut clamor lymphatus vulneret aures,
Neu fermone aufit quifquam cruciare profano :
Intereà molles herbæ, maternaque morbi
Adfit cura: brevi Ratio fi errore fepulta
Forte revivifcat, veterefque refufcitet ignes.
O felix dulce alloquium permutat amica
Queftibus obfcænis, proque elanguente favilla
Ingenii, fentit divinam in pectore flammam !---
Qualis ope illicitâ Stygiis revocatus ab umbris
Virbius, aut qualis dudùm qui captus ocellis
Arte valet nuper medicâ, viridefcere odoros
Plus folitis campos putat, ac frondefcere fylvas,
Et mortalis amans formæ, fe credit in agris
Elyfiis, circa theream fpectare coronam.

THE FALL OF CISALPINA.

BY A CISALPINE REFUGEE.

Ex. Com. Ex. Mun. Ex. Anc. Cident.

Tranflated from the Original-found in a Gin Shop at St. Giles's.

UNFRIENDED! exil'd to a foreign shore,

Far from those plains befmear'd with kindred gore,
Where erft unfetter'd Liberty was spread,
And Cifalpina rear'd her infant head,
I pafs reluctant, ah! condemn'd to hide
In haughty London, from the hoftile tide!

Time was, I haften'd on the banks of Po,
The hatchet quick, and contribution flow:
Compell'd the pamper'd Noble to retreat,
And garrifon'd myfelf, his feudal feat:
Steel'd the young patriot's fqueamish arm to kill,
And learn the luxury of doing ill:

With ardour fnapp'd the matrimonial thrall,
Then ruled, as Abbefs, in a convent's wall:

Till gaunt Rebellion, clash'd with Auftria's cause,
To prop religion, reinstate the laws,

Reftore to flavery, Lombardia's race,

And dash the new republic from her base.

Ah? fad I haften'd through the midnight gloom,*
With Brutus head and breeches, en coftume;

* Subit illius triftiffima noctis imago. Ov.

When

« ZurückWeiter »