TO MR. RICHARD CARLILE, DORCHESTER GAOL.

SIR, Bristol, August 6, 1825. I HAVE with very great pleasure perused your excellent, and correct, exposure of one of the greatest humbugs that ever crept into the mind of man (Freemasonry) and I cannot refrain from embracing the earliest opportunity of expressing my thanks for the part you have acted on the occasion. Though it is sometime since I discarded and disowned the fraternity, from their animosity and hostilities toward each other in this city. I cannot but reflect and look back with shame at my former folly and ignorance. Figure to your brilliant imagination, if you possibly can, any thing a hundredth part so absurd, as a set of men, some of them really not deficient in intellect and ability, met together and dressed up as puppets, more fit for our ensuing fair, in old silk or velvet dresses, of various colours, purchased at a rag shop, or made from their wives or mistresses cast off pelisses, gowns or petticoats; a surgeon, as Commandant Knight of the Rosy Cross Knights; an Attorney, as commander of the Knight Templars and Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem; an Auctioneer, late a Methodist Preacher, &c. &c. &c., as commander of the Knights of the East; a Salt Man and Banker, as Commander of the Scotch Knights, who appeared, not long since, at a masquerade, in the same dress, a very proper place, you will admit, I am certain; a Jaw Bone Cracker or Dentist, as Commander of the Nine elect, representing the great and wise Solomon himself; with a Pork-butcher, Pigman, Sausage Maker and Roman Catholic, &c., as Generalissimo, or great and grand superintendant plagiarist of Finch, and Co., alias Charlatan Major of the higher orders of Noodles, armed in mockery to hurl a mock revenge upon a people for no other offence than because they inhabited a spot of ground on which tradition says that a god was put to death! But here we have many more orders or degrees than you communicate as forthcoming -here we have the Grand Grand Kadosh, Order of Misraim, Le Orion or Egyp tian Masonry, &c. &c. &c. As a specimen of their brotherly love, I send you some squibs, which they throw at each other.

Yours, Sir and Brother,

HIRAM THE SECOND.

Five Shillings worth of Fun, and a Crown's worth of laughter, the Free Masons are mad and Bridge Street is all in an uproar.

I'm mad with vexation of this that and to'ther

Calls for cash are so frequent, I really am dun'd

Ev'ry hour of my life; and continually stun'd,
With the thund'ring knocks, and low vulgar abuse;
who won't hear of a further excuse.

Of men,

So hit upon something, Brother Porky, I pray,
To pay off our debts, without any delay."
"I vill tell you mine Brodher," says Porky direct,
“I've hit upon something, which I do expect
Vil not only pay debts; but give money to boot,
Oh, most excellent thought! is it not very goot?
Let's hear it," cries Squint'em, and stamp't on the toe

Of Porky, who bowed, but first bellow'd out, “ Oh!”.

"'Tis to make puplic, and show for One Shilling,

Our Grand Rooms in Bridge Street, to each fool that's willing!
But who'll be the Show Men?" cries Squint'em with fury,
I wont, for I've shown quite enough, I assure ye!".
Brother Blacksuith now beg'd, with a gut'ral stammer,

a.ome To propose for that office bis friend Brother Hammer, qst Dus

Who would knock down, so pretty, the rabble, if rude,
Oor those who without paying should dare to intrude...
To assist him, Brother, Look ass declared himself ready,
And look'd quite as wise as his Friend Brother Neddy;
While Black muzzled Jack, with pate soft as wool,
Cries" Da-mmee, that's right, the roast we will rule.
Then a monkey step'd forth betwixt Gentile and Jew,
And grinning petition'd for something to do---
All places were filled except that of the Fool,
For which monkey-had not been to school
But the Bullet-brain'd Bashaw of Bengal renown

Would be quite in his element performing the clown:

So Halloo Boys, Halloo Boys, Masons for

ever,

The Grand Lodge in Bridge Street, there's none half so clever.

To be seen during the Fair, at the Slave Mason's Hall, Bridge Street

A GRAND COLLECTION OF NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL CURIOSITIES.

The natural curiosities consist of a Bengal Tiger, whose ferocity is only equalled by its stupidity. A Black muzzled Cur, that answers to the name of Jack, very fond of sleeping on wool; it is more of the Bully than of the Bull breed, being most noisy when it is most gently used: yet is so extremely delicate, that it is much afraid of contamination. A Monkey of the Pug sort, and Dandy Species, something in features like a Jew, and appears on inspection to have undergone circumcision. A great German Boar, soft and gentle in its manners, but partaking of the nature of the Bear-if it hugs it is sure to hurt. A large Ourang Outang, or Wild Man, so tamed as to have learned the art of a Black-smith, and will draw "a piece of gold wire to the admiration of the company. A large collection of Asses from the Zebra to the stupid Jack. Among the artificial Curiosities is a view of the ruins of Solomou's Temple, with the armour of * *Grand Master of the

Knight Templars, who was burnt for Sodomy and other unnatural practices; for which crimes, and their prevalency in the order, it was condemned and the order exterminated.

Note.-I hope this Bristol Friend and Brother will furnish me with a description of the degrees he mentions. I have before heard, that Bristol is a hot bed for the more ridiculous part of Masonry and have wished for a communications with a Masonic brother in that city or neighbourhood. 1 shall be very glad to hear again from Hiram the second. It should have been the third, as tradition already mentions two masons of that name. R. C.

DR. STODDART, A BLASPHEMER OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION AND OF THE GODS OF THE CHRISTICOLES!!!

THE doctor has lately sent the following paragraphs through all the newspapers of the country, by printing it in his, headed as the reader will here find it :

NUMBER OF CHRISTIANS.-By a calculation, ingeniously made, it is found that, were the inhabitants of the known world divided into thirty parts, nineteen are still possessed by Pagans, six by Jews and Mahometans, two by Christians of the Greek and Eastern Churches, and three by those of the Church of Rome and Protestant communion. If this calculation be accurate, Christianity, taken in its largest latitude, bears no greater proportion to the other religions, than five to twentyfive, or one to five. If we regard the number of inhabitants on the face of the globe, the proportion of Christians to other religionists is not much greater; for, according to a calculation made in a pamphlet published originally in America, and republished in London in 1812, the inhabitants of the world amount to

about 800,000,000, and its Christian population to only 200,000,000: viz♫ in Asia, 2,000,000; Africa, 2,000,000; Europe, 177,000,000; America, 18,000,000; the Greek and Eastern Churches, 30,000,000: the Papists, 100,000,000; the Protestants, 70,000,000. The Pagans are estimated at 461,00,000; the Mahometans, at 130,000,000; the Jews, at 9,000,000. If a generation last 30 years, then in that space, 800,000,000 will be born and die; consequently, 73,059 suffer death every day, 3,044 every hour, 51 every minute, and, awful to reflect, nearly-one every moment.-New Times.

There is more meant by this paragraph, than at first meets the eye. Why is it headed-"number of Christians." As sure as I am in Dorchester Gaol, towards the end of a sixth year's imprisonment, for blaspheming this Christian Beligion, Dr. Stoddart has been taught to see the importance and necessity of joining me in my blasphemy, and that promptly! What he has published against Christianity, to be sure is but a matter of fact, visible to all who will look and count; but such, also, have been the whole of my publishings against Christianity.

Here is a system called Christianity, invented, say Christians, and set a going, by an omnipotent and omniscient god, after many thousand years of labour, cogi tation and scheming, for the benefit of mankind So important was the subject deemed, that, say they, this very god, to begin it, assumed the human form and character, and suffered himself to be deprived of life, as a criminal, that the race, or generations of the race to come, should be told, that he had suffered enough to expiate all human offences, past and future, if each human being, would but ask him for a share of that expiation. They say, also, that this knowlege is to spread all over the earth. The Doctor has helped us to a statement of its progress, after eighteen hundred years of real hard labour on the part of this God and his followers! He tells us, that, after the countless millions of human beings that have suffered pain indescribable to propagate, or for propagating, or for opposing, this system; after more wealth has been wasted upon it, than the earth has now on its surface; after all the exertions of a God, who made the universe in six days, and all the materials to begin with; after all that the Bible Societies, Tract Societies and Missionary Societies have done and are doing to help this omnipotent god, he has now, after eighteen centuries, but one in six of all the inhabitants on the face of the earth, that know or respect his new soul saving scheme! What can be a more damning fact against Christianity, its God, or religion of any kind? Of these two hundred million christians, which, by the bye, is beyond the fact, as to number, we may safely calculate, that one hundred millions are as ignorant as the cattle of the field, and would precede or follow their driver (priest) any where; and that about fifty millions are so far enlightened, have knowledge enough, to scout the Christian Religion as an absurdity, though passing among a multitude as Christians. The remaining fifty millions, we may divide into fifty inveterate sects, damning and cursing each other, each proclaiming that the members of one sect can alone claim a share in the criminal and deicidal expiation! Such, then, is Christianity, as seen by your blasphemous exposition, O Dr. Stoddart! This exposition faitly considered and calculated speaks far more powerfully than Paine s "Age of Reason." This Age of Reason" will pass for a Christian Book, before its author has been dead half a century. O! how I rejoice, even at my six years of imprisonment, for hav⚫ ing assaulted this damned absurdity; now, even, damned as an absurdity by you; Dr. Stoddart!

There is, another fact, which tells a strange story against the Christian Almighty :' tha Christianity was at its zenith in the seventh century, and that it has been on the decline ever since Mahomet opposed it with his new system! And now, there is not a Christian alive, priest or layman, who will fairly stand forth and defend his religion before nie! My very gaolers skulk before me like frightened dogs, upon this subject.

The Doctor, by his conclusion, means to shew us another fact, when he says, that a human being dies every moment. It is laughable, as well as awful, when we consider the Christian doctrine, that the bulk of these beings are to be crammed into a lake of fire called hell! The numbers dying, at one a minute, runs thus: 60 in an hour; 1,440 in a day; 10,080 in a week; 40,320 in a month; 525,600 in a

1

year; and since the Christian era, 959,220,000! If we include the full period of a year, or the additional odd hours and minutes, or one day in four years, we shall approach to the round sum of a thousand millions. So that putting aside all that died before Christianity began, there must be already, in heaven and hell, more, according to Dr. Stoddart's calculation, of fifty one a minute than fifty one thousand millions of human being, or their souls, if any one can tell what a soul is! Again, according to another version of the fable, these and so many more, perhaps are to come up some day for judgment! What an assize!

After seeing such a data as the above, can any thing be more certain than the system of materialism, that scouts every notion of intelligent spirits, and that contends, that the human race is but one of many species of animals, all living and dying to one end, merely to furnish matter for new generations.

Now, Doctor; now, Theadore Hook; now, Shackell; now, John Bull; now, Palladium; what do you think of the picture of your god in my window? Is it not a correct one? Now, Eldon; now, Peel; now, Christians all; what do you think of my six years imprisonment, for having attacked this "damned absurdity" called the Christian Religion?

From the foregoing data alone, I infer, and proclaim, that all religion is false and vicious, and that, there is no such a god in existence as any man has preached or taught; no god, no intelligent being superior to man; no intelligent being that can for a moment, affect the motion of the smallest planet. And shewing this, I shew you Ο man, that the whole-duty of man is morality towards his species and all other animals; and that, to seek his own in the general happiness of animal life, is the proper and only moral business of human life.

Dorchester Gaol, Sunday Morning, August 28.-The

best sermon that will be preached this day.

RICHARD CARLILE.

P. S. The following article has been going the round of the papers, in conjunction with the Doctor's number of Christians. It is a suitable and luminous postscript to the foregoing article. I have before noticed the historcial fact, in The Republican, or in one of the defences before the Court; but not having Gibbon's Decline and Fall by me, I did not then illustrate it, as it is here illustrated. At the time of this battle, the Saracens were masters of all the Peninsula, of all Italy, nearly all the Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, and of a great part of France, with the whole cost of Africa from Tangiers to Egypt. The extinction of Christianity at that time entirely depended upon the turn of the battle.

SCOPE FOR THE IMAGINATION. July 22, 732.-Victory of Charles Martel over Abderamus.--The king of the Saracens having crossed the Pyrenees, and advanced as far as Tours, at the head of four hundred thousand Saracens, Charles Martel, with a very inferior army, by the exercise of great prudence and valour, gained a complete victory over Abderamus. Scarcely more than twenty-five thousand of the Saracens got back. It is to Charles Martel that Europe owes its deliverance; for if this valiant man had not stemmed the impetuous torrent, it is probable that there would now be as many turbans in Europe as in Asia; even we might now but for this victory be good Mussulmen, wearing beards, sitting cross-legged, smoking and drinking sherbet, having four wives under lock and key, and female beauty always concealed, excepting from the possessors. Conceive, instead of a virtuous and moderate-minded King, that we had a Grand Seignor, with four Sultans and seven hundred wives in a seraglio, where Carlton Palace now stands; Lord Palmerston the Aga of the Janizaries; Lord Eldon the chief of the Mufti; St. Paul's the chief mosque, and the Bishop of London the chief Iman! The bow-string would ...then stop any difference of opinion, with the breaths of those who presumed to reason; and the heads of innovating men, such as Mr. Brougham or others, would occasionally grace the gates of the seraglio, especially if they questioned the conduct of the Grand Seignor, if it should please him to have a wife sown up in a sack and thrown into the Thames. To be sure, we might gain in the administration of Justice, for their would be no chancery delays to complain of.'-Iris.

5

DEAR SIR,

THE GOD FOR A SHILLING!!!

TO MR. R. CARLILE, DORCHESTER GOAL.

Sheffield, August 23, 1825. I AM waiting in expectation of a message from Mr. Parker, as this is Justice day at Sheffield. The paragraph from the "Palladium" was copied on Saturday into the Sheffield Mercury and it has raised the ire of our fanatics to a desperate pitch. On Saturday, a gentleman asked me "if I would sell that abominable thing?" A. "It is put there to sell."

Q. "Are you not afraid of being trounced for it?"

A. "Not in the least it is an exact scriptural representation of the Deity." Q." What is the price? I have a good mind to buy one and send to Mr. Parker."

A. "I have not the least objection: you shall have it for a shilling."

Feeling his pocket, he said, "I will have that removed," and tripped off, without buying it; the Dandy's pocket being low. A great number came that day to view their God. Yesterday, some person came in a great hurry and bought one. Last night, I being out, a person called, and asked my wife, "What is the price of that thing?"

Λ. "One shilling only."

Q." Let me see it (throwing down the Shilling.) Now, I hope no offence, twisting it up, and tearing it to pieces."

A. "Oh! no, Sir, you shall have some more, for the same purpose, if you will pay for them; but if I were a Christian, I should be afraid to tear my God to pieces. You know it is a true description."

Q. "Well it may now let me advise you, do not put such a thing in any more."

A. "We never allow any person to dictate to us what to put in our window." Q." Now how many more of them have you: I know where they come from." A. "We may have one, or we may have a dozen, and where they came from we can get more.

"

Q. I expect so, good evening."

In a short time, this youth came back and said: "I have returned to tell you, madam, that if you put any more of those plates in the window, I shall adopt other means to prevent it." My wife said, I thank you, Sir, for your information, to show how much I am afraid, you may see I have already replaced the one you destroyed, good evening, Sir.

Yours respectfully,

W. V. HOLMES.

P. S. Wednesday morning 5 o'clock.

I escaped yesterday, so I am safe till Friday. I wish they would attempt to prosecute that plate, every person who has delineated any part of Bible History would be equally liable. We have only erred on this occasion, as we do on all when we touch the Bible, it is too near the truth.

If you had made Jehovah a pretty Gentleman, with a good coat on his back, and a starched collar, no person would have said a word against him. But as you have shown him exactly as he is-a monster; the fanatics cannot conceal their ire.

Printed and Published by R. CARLILE, 135, Fleet Street.-All Correspordences for "The Republican" to be left at the place of publication.