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graceful practice is reprobated with becoming severity: and we sincerely hope that the Bishop will, with the concurrence of the clergy, remove altogether this scandal from the church." (p. 30.)

After the remarks which have already been made, we need not occupy much additional time in commenting on the Charge before us. Its principal and distinguishing characteristic is a certain nebulous obscurity, arising from a sort of indistinctness of vision, which confounds all sects and mixes all parties; which attributes to some of them principles they hold in utter abhorrence, and denies to others the exposition of their own creed; which claps the head of a Calvinist on the shoulders of Wesley, and plants the shoe of an Antinomian under the foot of the Pope,

Ut nec pes, nec caput uni Reddatur formæ.

And the composition is well suit. ed to the matter. To say that it is beneath mediocrity, is to say little; we have seldom seen a more faulty performance. The reason is obvious: "Etenim dicere bene nemo potest, nisi qui prudenter intelligit*" We have a right to expect, from every man who appears before the public, language of easy progress, plain, and intelligible, and not without some portion of harmonious cadence." Ipsa enim natura circumscriptione quâdam verborum comprebendit concluditque sententiam; quæ cum aptis constricta verbis est, cadit etiam plerumque numerose. Nam et aures ipsæ, quid plenum, quid inane sit, judicant, et spiritu, quasi necessitate aliqua, verborum comprehensio terminaturf."

In this first requisite of good writing, the pages which we have just examined are singularly defective. The sentences, in general, consist of clauses which are formed without skill and combined without

Cicero applies this remark to public speaking: it is equally true of composition. + Cicero.

It were mere waste of time to point out all the passages which we conceive to offend against the rules of good writing; but to prove that our objections are not lightly made, we will add a few to the quotations already produced.

Some sentences are cumbrous, and defective in construction.

contemplate these things in the abstract, as “It may seem strange to those who can it doubtless will to succeeding ages, that after the aweful lesson which has been exhibited to Europe, after the clear demonstration of the miseries of revolution and change, (even where the former state was bad, and stood in need of great reformation,) that there should still be found men willing to plunge themselves and others in the same troubled waves, vainly flattering themselves that they can ride in the whirlwind, and diunsteadiness of mind, or discontented temrect the storm; or through pride of heart, per, one or other of these or more combined, ambitious of change, without foresight or regard to consequences; and that men should

not yet be convinced, that excessive liberty
has a natural tendency to end in extreme
known by long experience, though short of
despotism; and that what is tried and
perfection, is more to be relied upon than
new speculations, however specious. But
the case is, that when the seeds of disunion
are scattered abroad, their operation extends
widely beyond the occasion which gave rise
to them, and they spring up continually
here and there; that when the links of sub-

ordination are broken, it is not easy to
unite them as before; that when men's
minds are bewildered with speculation, they
briety and moderation.” pp. 7, 8.
do not easily recover their former tone of so-

"And though the metropolis and its neighbourhood is always most liable to the corruptions of the world, yet even there, notwithstanding the arts with which dissension is propagated, the frequent change of ministers to gratify the love of novelty, the flattery which they administer to the meanest lowest prejudices and false taste, if not to of the people, the accommodation to their their worst passions, yet the increase on the whole does not appear so great as I apprehended, much less is it permanent in every place where it has for a time prevailed.” p. 19.

Some are defective in construction, though they have not the plea of extension.

"If it he so, I ask whether the sacrifice thus made to convenience be, not far too great. Or that, in cases of sudden distress, a church might he unserved, or some office unperformed. I have no scruple in saying that it were better it should, than that a person should be employed, of whose fitness we have no means of judging." p. 30. Some are bald and flat.

'To murmur and repine, to be insensible of these things, whilst our lot is, to say the least, better than that of others, argues ingratitude to Providence, and may justly cause an apprehension lest we be visited for the same." p. 8.

"But here I must beg your excuse if 1 should fall upon some things which may seem to be less appropriate than they might be." p. 5.

Some present us with unexpected truisms and tautology.

“But this diocese is of a very differeut stamp from those which I have formerly administered, though each of them also distinguished by a peculiar character, not common to many." p. 5.

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If the character be peculiar, how can it be common to many? * Some are almost unintelligible; and others violate the most common and acknowledged principles of Granimar.

"In fact, the spirit of democracy is not easily subdued, unless it be kept down by main force, as in the neighbouring country.” p. 9.

Is a thing easily subdued, which is kept down by main force?

"If these things are so, it becomes every man to scrutinize deeply both his own intentions and his own practice; that he be not led, through the appearance of good, to weaken those establishments, by which a greater good is obtained than it is easy for any man or set of men, when once the same is impaired or dissolved, to build up again.” P. 14.

"The same" (what?)" is impaired or dissolved!" to build up" (what?) "again!"

Peculiar.

*

"But that these things are so, let me call your attention to the present state of the dissenters amongst you, as I collect it from your own answers to my queries (for which I return my thanks to many of you who have supplied me with ample information), compared with experience acquired in other quarters." p. 14.

"I am sorry to say there are such, though I hope but few belonging to our order; and these are those who are likely to be found at such places." p. 29.

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"Our church, from its very caution on this head, and from the circumstance of having contented itself with providing against dangerous errors on either side, has abusively been wrested into the giving countenance to such doctrines, or colour for them." p. 15. Nothing can be wanting for the encouraging and supporting us in our duty.” p. 19.

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"The humility and meekness which Christianity inculcates is the most likely remedy," &c. p. 18.

"The metropolis and its neighbourhood is always most liable to the corruptions of the world." p. 19.

into the place of a singular; and Sometimes a verb plural steals plain, simple, abstract "one," is treated with a distinction which is

"1. Appropriate; belonging to any one due to many." with exclusion of others. Swift.

"2. Not common to other things. Locke, 3. Particular; single. Milton."

Johnsen's Dictionary

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My conviction is, that the more the one

*This clause is elliptical: the meaning i "but to prove that these things are so," &c. 2A2 Tue

are studied with the history and origin of them, and their true bearing on controverted points, the more confirmed will be our opinion of their wisdom and moderation.” p. 51. We lay the greater stress upon these specimens of bad writing, because we have a right to demand of the Bishop at least correctness and precision. Many are the subjects which reject the aid of ornament; but every subject admits neatness, perspicuity, and grammar. If we revert to the episcopal Charges which we have been accustomed to read or to hear, we shall be convinced, that, in the duty of Visitation, there is nothing peculiarly calculated to damp the fire of genius or to fetter the energies of the soul. We could turn without difficulty to Bishops, who have impressed upon us the best arguments by the most powerful language; who have given popularity to precept by the charms of diction; and have swept away the puny opposition of flimsy creeds and sophistical opinions, by the mighty stream of sound principle under the direction of a manly and commanding eloquence. We are not so simple as to expect that every man who wears a mitre should write like Horsley; but we exceedingly deprecate the act of giving to the world, under the sanction of episcopacy, erroneous and crude opinions in the garb of heavy and ill-sorted periods. It is a triumph, not to the friends, but to the enemies of the establishment. What is good they presently forget: what is bad they deride; but they mark and remember it.

"Discet enim citius meminitque libentius

illud

Quod quis deridet, quam quod probet et veneretur."

Reports of the Society for the Suppression of Vice. Nos. I, II, III, IV, V. Printed by Woodfall, 21, Villiers Street, Strand.

It is notorious, that things the most sublime in their nature have been

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selected as furnishing the most ample and convenient ground for burlesque and ridicule. The travesties of the Bible, of Homer, and of Virgil, continue, accordingly, to be works of first-rate popularity, with those who will consent to purchase a laugh at the expense of piety or fine taste. In approaching, therefore, to the consideration of the " Reports" now before us, we confess that the society, whose pro ceedings they detail and defend, has lost nothing in our esteem by the ridicule with which some of our contemporaries have treated it. The perusal of the Reports has left no doubt in our minds, that the principles and objects of this society deserve high commendations. At the same time, other accounts have reached us, which seem to justify a part of the censure cast upon the execution of its plans. It will be our endeavour impartially to state the evidence we have been enabled to collect, and to deduce the conclusion which the premises warrant.

And, first, as to what has been wrong in the conduct of the society. The Committee, then, who have managed its affairs, appear to us to have erred in several instances. Their errors, however, we believe to have originated in a zeal, somewhat unmeasured, for the accomplishment of objects in themselves undeniably excellent.

They suffered themselves, for example, on one occasion (we have not heard of any other), to be betrayed, through the precipitancy and intemperance of one or two of their members, into a contest with some surveyor, in which they were worsted. The agents of the institution were also at one time autho rized (we rejoice to say it was only for a time) to employ, for the detection of offences, stratagems and disguiseswhich to us appear to be incompatible with a religion, one of whose principles it is," not to do evil that good may come." The obliquity of this proceeding attracted early notice; and we are happy to say, that it now stands proscribed by a reso

lution of the society.-The Committee are also charged with having exercised on some occasions a spirit of bigotry, which has led them to pronounce a sentence of exclusion upon most respectable characters. From this charge, we fear that we cannot wholly exculpate them. We have much satisfaction, however, in expressing our opinion-an opinion founded on facts which have come to our knowledge-that this spirit has greatly abated of late. We sincerely hope that it will entirely dis appear.

Having thus stated freely what appears to have been questionable in the conduct of this society, we will now give our readers the reverse of the picture, and inform them what we conceive to be its real merits.

In the first place, let us consider the design of its institution. On this point the members have a right to be heard for themselves.

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The society, in the general account of its own design which it presents to the public, gives us the following statement. The particular objects to which the attention of this society is directed, in further ance of its main design, are the following:

The profanation of the Lord's Day, in the carrying on of trades, in the working of artificers at their or dinary callings, and in the vending of their goods by shopkeepers, &c. -It is unnecessary, and, indeed, scarcely possible, to point out how essentially the cause of religion suffers from the wilful or inconsiderate violation of the Lord's-day.-The society, however, wish to be understood as being desirous of distinguishing between the actual profa nation of the Sabbath, and acts of duty or necessity.

The frauds and abuses practised in selling by false weights and measures, are grievances of great extent, and in a particular manner affecting the comfort of the industrious poor. To the correction of this oppressive evil, the society professes to direct its serious attention.

Blasphemous and licentious books and prints, which tend to inflame the minds and corrupt the morals of the rising generation, will be diligently sought out, and no effort spared to bring the venders of them to punishment.

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The preventing of the evil consequences resulting from lotteries, forms another object of the serious attention of the society.

Many other offences, injurious to public morals, and contrary to the express or implied injunctions of his Majesty's Proclamation, come within the scope of the society's exertions: such as the keeping of disorderly houses and gaming-houses, profane swearing, cruelty to animals, and other enormities. In short, it is the grand design of the institu tion to promote a general reformation of morals, by the aid of the existing laws against vice and immorality; and to afford assistance to magistrates and their officers, in a variety of ways, both by the communication of facts, and by pointing out offenders to their notice.

Now of the designs of the institution, thus stated, it may safely be affirmed, that the objects which it proposes to itself are strictly legal, and of the first and most unequivocal importance.

That to secure the observation of the Sabbath, to regulate weights and measures, to repress blasphemous and licentious books and prints, to check lottery insurances, to shut up disorderly houses of every descrip tion, to defeat the practices of those who are employed in the seduction of youth, to silence the tongue of the blasphemous, to curb the fury of the cruel, are legal objects, cannot be disputed, because each of these practices is known to be the subject of a specific enactment of the law. The members of the society are indeed able to marshal old laws and new the laws, royal speeches of other days and the proclamations of our own, records musty with the mould of every century, as auxiliaries in their cause. They have not fancied an enemy, and then attacked him; they have

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not magnified their individual enemies into the enemies of the state, and made the public interest a handle for private revenge; but they have taken those for foes whom the law has proclaimed such, and have endeavoured to strengthen the hands of the law in the unequal contest which it wages with them.

Nor will the importance of the objects pursued by the society be more disputed than their legality. From Livy, who imputes the triumphs of Rome to her reverence for what is sacred, down to Machiavel, who reluctantly admits that no state can exist without a religion, there has been scarcely any writer, whether infidel or not, who has not conceived some species of religion essential to the good order of society. If they have rejected a particular creed, they have yet proposed some other modification of religion; or if they have thought it well for themselves to "live without God in the world," they have by no means consented that the great mass of the community should thus live. Socrates in his last moments sacrificed a cock to gods in whom he did not believe, because he deemed even superstition to be better than atheism: Rousseau taught his child the Bible, because he knew that a world of unbelievers would be a world of scoundrels and the great body of sceptics amongst ourselves, acting upon the unphilosophical principle that a false creed can produce good morals, have deemed that faith essential for the mob, which they reject for themselves. The importance, therefore, of that part of the design of the society which more peculiarly regards the interests of religion, will be almost universally admitted.

Still less will men be disposed to cavil at the other objects proposed to itself by the society. It is, indeed, impossible to say how far a modern patriot will push his principles; but we conceive that the wildest champion of popular liberty will scarcely wish to indulge the people with the licence of using false

weights and measures, of enlisting the press and the arts in the service of vice, of straining the evils of the lottery to their dregs by the most knavish practices, of opening houses where rogues are to live by depredations upon the honest and industrious, or where the debauched are to fatten upon the ruin of the innocent. Such crimes as these are of too gross a nature to admit of palliation or compromise. They cannot be disguised by a gentle name or artful colouring. Every man disavows them, hates them, anathematizes them, and trembles for the existence of the society in which they have free course and circulation. They are crimes of that pernicious nature, that where they are planted and flourish, public happiness and welfare must wither in the deadly shade.

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Such, then, being the objects at which the society aims, we must admit that they quarry at legitimate game. If these are really the species of virtues which they design to advance, and these the species of vices which they design to check, they plainly, in the language of the continent, deserve to be placed in the legion of honour." When there were wolves in the land, a premium was offered to the man who sallied forth to destroy them. Nor let the premium of public commendation be denied to those who, at the expense of much obloquy and detraction, venture into the dens of these moral monsters, to drag them to the light, and to place them within reach of the violated laws of

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