From fome obfervations I have heard and feen on this part of my work, you may remember I was tempted to think, that I had advanced fomething new on this fubject. I am fure the principles are as old and as moderate as thofe of the Reformation. I know that every page of our history confirms their truth. Have we forgotten the hiftory of that Reformation? Is "the Prefervative against Popery" buried in oblivion and unmerited neglect? Do we remember Mede, and Chillingworth, and Hooker, and Barrow, and Tillotson, and Hoadly, and Sherlock? Can we pafs by the phalanx of Statesmen, and Bishops, and Lawyers, who flood forth in 1688 ? What I have advanced is in fubftance very old; in manner it may perhaps be new. All I have advifed, is on the fide of caution. I only declared and pronounced folemnly in the face of my country, that A COLLEGE OF ROMISH PRIESTS of a religion hoftile in principle and in action too, whenever it has the power, against the established church of this kingdom, should not be fet upon a hill, and authorised and maintained by the minifters of the crown, and the publick money of the land. They have been difperfed, fince that warning was given. I only faid, let fupport be administered to them privately, and in detached fituations. I have pity for them, and relief too, according to my ability.

But, though I give all my goods (faid an Apoftle) to feed the poor and the diftreffed, and have not Charity, it profiteth me nothing." What does he mean? He furely means fomething. Alms alone, it feems, however liberal, however extended, neither are, nor can be, the whole or the effence of Chriftian charity. They are indeed a material part, and one of the beft external proofs of its existence.

Charity

Charity is in reality a principle of general fafety, of kindnefs, of active benevolence, of difcernment, of prudence, of moderation, and of guarded virtue. It originated from HIM, who commanded his difciples to join the innocence of the dove with the wisdom of the ferpent. We may depend upon it; the fyftem of Christianity is not inconfiftent with itself. Surely this is not to teach, or to recommend, perfecution or intolerance. My language and arguments are defigned only to fhew, that the spirit of the fyftem of Popery yet remains unaltered in its great and leading principles. If it herifbes, it will perish altogether. I love toleration in the conftituional fenfe of the word, as much as the most defigning patriot of the day; but indifference to the publick form of religion is the first step to its neglect, and to its confequent abolition.

I cannot think it a mark of perfecution or intolerance, when I deprecate the revival of the Romish fuperftition in England (s).

There

(s) "From obvious causes (indeed) the cruelty, the tyranny, the im66 piety OF THE CHURCH OF ROME bave almost faded from our memo66 ry; but ave must bring them back to our recollection, if we would un"derftand C THE JUDGMENTS OF GOD WHICH ARE ABROAD IN THE EARTH." She is now perfecuted in her turn. As Englishmen, we forget her injuries; as Chriftians, we pity and give "alms to her exiled adherents, regardless of the malicious endeavours of our adversaries to represent the church of England, 66 as itself interested in her preservation. But let us only advert "to the principles, religious and civil, upon which we are sepa"rated from that idolatrous and intolerant power; and it will be "evident that, as a national Church, we have neither part nor lot "in this matter. OUR CAUSES ARE DISTINCT AND MUST EVER 66 REMAIN SO: and we have now more abundant reason than ever to rejoice in our Reformed Religion. Our fathers obeyed the warning "voice, and left her corrupt communion when she had rifen to the "zenith of her glory; and we have hitherto escaped the plagues "by which she is now tormented." And it may be added, that as England was formerly (and I truft is ftill) the bulwark of

66

"the

There is an enthusiasm, an gyasus, in the profeffors of it which, I know, never forfakes them. It is active, where its influence can hardly be fuppofed. It is faid to pervade even the squabbles of a fociety fet apart for the prefervation of our national antiquity. With a cat-like watch, it peers and pries over every paper on ecclefiaftical reliques, and garbles the flightest cafual effufions of proteftant zeal, before it is prefented to the world. If it cannot be openly recommended, it will effe&tually guard against the leaft reproach or infinuation of its fublety. Romith Baronets will be busy, and Romish Priefts will meddle. Perhaps the Secretary of that Society knows, whether these hints are true and juftifiable. It furely will be understood, I am only fpeaking of the fpirit and tendency of the fyftem itself. I would carry charity with me in my heart and in my hand, but I know that charity is, and must be, consistent with a love to my country, and to her rights civil and religious. If I am wrong, I fear, I must continue fo. I have yet feen no argument to hake my conviction.

I would fay a few words on another part of my work. I have been under the neceflity, at least as I thought, of appealing for illustration to writers of all ages and in various languages. There is an appearance of oftentation in it, to which I must fubmit. I certainly am of opinion with Cafaubon, that it cannot be fuppofed, " facere aliquid ad veram pietatem

"the Proteftant faith, so muft fhe now be the bulwark of Chrif tianity itself." See the Bishop of Lincoln, Dr. Prętyman's fermon before the King and Parliament at St. Paul's on the publick thanksgiving on the 19th Dec. 1797. (Published in Feb. 1798.) It is the compofition of a man of learning and ability,

written with great judgment, eloquence, and difcernment of the figns of the times.

pietatem feu doctrinam, Græcâ potius quam aliâ lingua loqui." (t)" Certainly not. But to enforce and to illuftrate any pofition, the language of poets, and the dignity and spirit of ancient eloquence and history in the original words, are of no mean affiftance. The nature and full force of this work could not have been fuftained without the notes, in which the most important fubje&s, sacred, moral, and political, are occafionally difcuffed. But I have generally given, in English, the substance of the allufions, contained in the learned languages which are brought forward.

I would not have any one think, that an appeal to the higher poets of modern Italy is either trifling or difgraceful. No man ever felt the power of poetry, if he refused his homage to Dante, Petrarch, Ariofto, and Taffo; I mean, if their language was familiar to him.

In their primal poet there is an originality and a hardihood of antiquity. The foul of Dante was dark and fullen: it was proud, and full of his wrongs. Frons læta parum, et dejecto lumina vultu. He paffed through imaginary realms without the fun, to the confines of light and hope. The day fhone full upon him, and the beams were from on high. His draught of men and their paffions is eternal. language was like himself, deep and full of matter: its ftrength and harmony may be beft expreffed by his Tufcan

brother:

Afpro concento, orribile armonia

- D'alte querele, d'ululi, e di strida,
Iftranamente concordar s'udia.(u)

His

(t) Is. Cafaub. Exercitat. 16. ad Annales Ecclefiaft. Baronii.

(u) Ariofto. O. F. c. 14.

As

As to Petrarch; we are led by every milder feeling to the retreat of Valclufa. The ftrain of the poet is yet fofter than the breeze, or the murmur of his fountain.(v) Yet was he not without energy. His fubject was fometimes high and holy. He was familiar with death, and his breathings were after immortality. He too could defcribe the difruption of the mortal veil, and the departure of the foul,

Svegliata fra gli fpirti eletti,

Ove nel fuo Fattor l'Alma s'interna!

I will not pursue this theme; and of Ariosto and Tafso it would be idle to fpeak. But you will permit me to observe, that the three greatest masters of heroick verfe, in unlaboured eafe and flowing dignity, are, to my apprehenfion and judgment, Homer, Ariofto, and the glory of Spain, Alonzo d'Ercilla (x). I have, without intention indeed, but with the privilege of a letter, defcanted a little on a favourite incidental topick. For when I hear the language of Italy, under thefe mighty masters, called frivolous and light, I cannot pass it without a moment's vindication. In my opinion they ftrengthen and harmonize both the intelle& and the ear. My references to them are however very few.

I am told, I am forgiven for my Latin; but for the Greek, not fo easily. In this particular indeed, I am rather surprised that no man of wit has faid of my notes, "They are Greek "invocations

(v) Ωσπερ απο των ευωδέστατων λειμώνων αυρα τις άδεια απ' αυτής φέρεται. Such is the harmonious profe which diftinguishes the critical writings of the great Halicarnaffian. Epift. ad. Cn. Pompeium, de Platone. Sect. 2.

(x) The Author of the Araucana.