282

Dr. Lloyd on the Greek Article.

is well-founded, I propose, with no ordinary measure of certainty, to de monstrate the fallacy of its application. As the matter now stands, both the doctrine and its application being unrefuted, because the former is sound and because the rottenness of the latter is not perceived, there is no alter native but to admit that Jesus is the only true God, or to deny the authority of the apostolic writings. I thank the Almighty that I am not reduced to this dilemma, because my consolation under the afflictions of this state, the visitations of God and the malignity of men, is the evangelical hope of eternal life, of which I should be despoiled by the election which would be forced on my mind.

It is a long while since I intimated, in a note to one of my papers on Acts x. 28, that Dr. Middleton's, "Doctrine" appeared to be generally true. In my letter, given in your number for November last, it is asserted, that "the argument" deduced from that doctrine, "is totally unfounded," and that "I can demonstrate that the new doctrine of the Greek Article fails to prove the Divinity or Deity of Christ." I am at a loss to guess what new facts Dr. Carpenter can expect on a question of criticism, or what facts he has adduced to which he requires an addition. The principles on which I rely are not designed as additions to those maintained by former writers, but are independent of them. Without giving an exposition of them, I will repeat, that I admit the chief principles of Dr. Middleton, thinking, however, that "nothing has yet been done with effect against" the conclusion which he infers, though I hold it altogether inadmissible.

Ready to assign “honour to whom honour is due," I have to observe that the ground on which I proceed has been discovered by two independent inquirers, and is probably unknown to all others. I am happy to have this opportunity of bearing my humble testimony to the perspicuity of one of the most unassuming and best informed friends of the Unitarian cause. It gave me no small pleasure to find, on explaining to Mr. Richard Taylor my view of the irrelevancy of Dr. Middleton's "Doctrine" to the only question which confers on it the slightest importance, that he also had been impressed with precisely the same idea, an idea equally simple and decisive. Mr.

Taylor has higher claims to esteers than those which the profoundest learning alone would furnish, to which neither he nor I presume to urge any pretensions. His genuine simplicity, his modest manners, his diligence of inquiry and love of the truth, add grace and ornament to the clearness of his perception, and to the respectable learning which distinguishes him in his profession. These have contributed their full share towards securing to him the attention and patronage of the most renowned scholars of our times. It is a great satisfaction to me to be able to appeal to him for the originality of the principles on which my argument pro ceeds, and for the complete conviction which results from them. I may be able to bring forward some collateral considerations to fortify it, that have not presented themselves to his mind; but have no hesitation in saying, that he will fully support my delaration, that "all the learning called to the aid of the argument from the Greek article by Middleton, Wordsworth, &c. is alto gether wasted."

At the same time, I am compelled to observe, that there is no appearance of any desire among the Unitarians to countenance my efforts on this question. In love of the truth I yield to none: thousands may boast of much greater zeal for the interest of the party, which, like others, is not exempt from weakness, or divested of a partiality towards those who, at least, unite devotedness to the one, with an attachment to the other. Indeed, the utmost indifference to the present subject has been indicated. This might excite no small surprise on a moment's consideration of the humiliating state to which Mr. Yates was reduced in his controversy with Mr. Wardlaw. Hav ing no other resource, he was under the necessity of transcribing the miserable and evasive gloss of a popular writer, which, to say the least, is any thing but satisfactory, a gloss which may serve as a specimen of polemic dexterity in a case that had no remedy at command, but which is by no means a fair sample of the general ability of its author, who seldom takes in hand a subject on which he does not spread all the light yet emitted from the orb of truth.

I am, however, content. The refutation of Dr. Middleton must, as it seems, remain uncommunicated except

Gleanings

GLEANINGS; OR, SELECTIONS AND
REFLECTIONS MADE IN A COURSE Those are devout whose purposes em-

John Fox, the Martyrologist. When the famous John Fox, the martyrologist, was summoned to subseribe, by the queen's direction, the venerable old man produced his Greek Testament, and said, "To this I will subscribe." And when a subscription to the canons was required, he refused it, saying, "I have nothing in the church, save a prebend at Salisbury, and so much good may it do you, you will take it away from me.'

Fuller's Ch. Hist. B. ix. p. 76.

No. CCLVII.

if

the Lord's day (yet not constantly) to the academians: those were Mr. Thomas Sampson, Dean of Christ Church, and Dr. Lawrence Humphrey, President of Magdalen College. Nay, Sir Henry Saville hath often reported to certain intelligent persons, that have told me the same, that when he first came to the University, about 1561, there was but one constant preacher in Oxon, and he only a Bachelor of All Soul's College. These, I say, preaching for the most part to the academians, their puritanical doctrine took such deep root among their auditors, that it never could be quite extirpated. When Mr. Sampson left the University, and Dr. Humphrey often absent upon occasions, and none left, perhaps, to execute the office of preaching rightly, Richard Taverner, of Woodeaton, near Oxford, Esq. did several times preach in Oxford, and when he was High Sheriff of this county (which was a few years after this,) came into St. Mary's church, out of pure charity, with a golden chain about his neck, and a sword, as 'tis said, by his side, (but false, without doubt, for he always preached in a damask gown,) and gave the academians, destitute of evangelical advice, a sermon beginning with these words :

66 6

Arriving at the Mount of St. Mary's in the stony stage, where I now stond, I have brought you some fyne biskets baked in the oven of charitie, carefully conserved for the chickns of the church, the sparrows of the spirit, and the sweet swallowes of sal-vation, &c.'

College, in Oxford, afterwards Master "He was some time of Cardinal of Arts and at length Clerk of the Signet to King Henry VIII. and Edward VI., from the last of whom he man) to preach the word of God in obtained Letters (though a mere layany church of his trajesty's dominions. A good scholar he was of his time, but an enemy not only to the Catho lic religion, but to the ceremonies of the Church of England now in their infancy."

Wood's Annals, 1563, 5, 6 Eliz. vol. ii. quoted in Letters of Eminent Persons, from the Bodleian Library, vol. i. p. 67, 68. Note.

An eminent Lay Preacher. "After lamenting the dispersion of the scholars on account of the plague, and the low ebb to which learning was reduced in consequence of it, he proceeds thus: Preachers I am sure were so rare, that there were but two "St. Mary's pulpit was then of fine in the University that preached on carved Ashler stone."

( 285 )

REVIEW.

"Still pleased to praise, yet not afraid to blame."---POPE.

ART. I.-The Village School Improved; or, the new System of Education practically explained, and adapted to the Case of Country Parishes. The third edition, with additions. To which is added, an Appendix, containing Specimens of Catechetical Exercises; an Account of the Method of teaching Arithmetic in Classes, and by the Agency of the Scholars themselves; Mental Arithmetic on a new and simple Principle, &c. By John Poole, M. A. Late Fellow of Oriel College, Oxford, Rector of Enmore and Swainswick, Somerset, and Chaplain to the Right Hon. the Earl of Egmont. Oxford: at the University Press. Sold, in London, by Messrs. Rivington and by J. Hatchard. 1815. 12mo. pp. 188. O the large, and, we trust, increasing, body of persons who exert themselves, in various ways, for the success of popular education, we cordially recommend this volume: it is the result of the inquiries of a cultivated mind, accustomed to patient, attentive observation, and instructed by much individual experience; and it constitutes, on the whole, the most valuable and interesting of all the publications on the subject.

Το

ing to introduce into the school some of the recent improvements in education."

For a detailed account of the Enmore school, we must refer our readers to the publication before us. In the general plan of this seminary there are two circumstances which deserve more immediately our notice and applause: we mean," the method of teaching" and the rank of life of some of the children who receive instruction.

In what

of Dr. Bell's and Mr. Lancaster's systems,
"The method of teaching is a compound
with alterations and additions.
respects it agrees, and in what it differs
from each, may be seen at once in the
subjoined table."

"I. It agrees with both--

"In the division of the school into

classes; each under the tuition of one of the scholars.

"II. It agrees with Dr. Bell's--"1. In the use of small, cheap books, in preference to cards.

2. In reading word by word, backwards, and sometimes syllabically.

"3. In unreiterated spelling.
"4. In the reading and ciphering les-
sons being accompanied with questions.

ness done in each class.
5. In keeping a register of the busi-

6. In the interrogative mode of communicating religious instruction.

"7. In the religious instruction being according to the principles of the Established Church.

"III. It agrees with Mr. Lancas

ter's--

"1. In all the children being seated at single desks, facing one way.

"2. In all the children being taught

to write.

Enmore, from the parsonage of which the author dates the "Advertisement to the third edition," is a village four miles west from Bridgewater in Somersetshire. Here a day-school had for some time been established, which Mr. Poole was in the practice of occasionally visiting. "It consisted generally of about twenty-five or thirty children of both sexes; all of whom were taught to read; some few to write; and such of the girls as were old enough were instructed in needlework. The schoolmistress was an active, intelligent woman; who appeared desirous of doing all in her power to bring on the children in their learning: but her plan of instruction being that which is followed in most of the old village schools, the progress made by the children, though equal to what additions have been introduced:* is usually made in such schools, was by no means such as satisfied" their kind and intelligent visitor. Hence he "formed the resolution of attempt- third edition. 2 P

"3. In all the children being taught to spell, by writing on slates words dictated by the teachers.

VOL. XI.

"4. In all the children, when of a classes. proper age, being taught to cipher in

"IV. The Enmore school differs from

the greater part of those, both on Dr.
Bell's and Mr. Lancaster's systems---
"In not being a free school.

"V. The following modifications and

Some farther modifications and addi

tions are described in the notes to this

286

Review.-Poole's New System of Education.

"1. Writing from dictation connected, in various ways, with every reading lesson. "2. Numerals, punctuation, &c. taught by writing from dictation.

"3. Sets of questions and answers provided for many of the reading lessons.

"4. Sets of questions and answers provided for the ciphering lessons;---and for other things taught in the school.

"5. Nothing repeated from memory, until first read, with all the accompanying

exercises.

"6. Mr. Lancaster's method of teaching arithmetic considerably modified and extended tables, in some rules, given on a peculiar construction," &c. &c.

:

proficiency of the pupils advanced, by means of not a few very simple and ingenious contrivances: silence, too, is secured, and the necessity of the frequent recurrence of punishment obviated, by well-devised modes of appealing to some of the best feelings of the youthful breast. The teachers and superintendants are eager to acand to adopt every judicious hint or quire information from any quarter, scheme in regard to practical and popular education. On looking into the last report of the British and Foreign School Society, we perceive, with much satisfaction, that in this respect the labours of Mr. Poole have not been useless: in the second of his classes "a which he is instructed, by the teacher skewer is given to each child, with of the class, to form the letters in the sand-and availing himself of this master of a school in one of our large intimation, the industrious and skilful manufacturing towns furnishes "each boy" of the second class, “with a style to write the small letters and figures in sand." We are also sanguine enough to indulge the hope that our present notice of The Village School, &c. may excite in some of our readers of it; and may thus assist, in no a desire of studying Mr. P.'s account small' degree, the instruction of the children of the poor.

This table is important, as it exhibits the nature and extent of the instruction communicated in the Enmore school, which "now (1815) consists of a hundred children." A synoptical view, moreover, is thus presented of the respective systems of Dr. Bell and Mr. Lancaster. Many persons suppose that the mechanism of the schools denominated severally after those two individuals, is, in substance, the same. No opinion can be more contrary to the fact. Some of the points in regard to which their plans differ, are here described: and others will be visible on an inspection of a Madras and of a Lancasterian seminary; although the chief of the variations have not been overlooked by Mr. Poole. Of the schools somewhat The Enmore school is divided into improperly termed "national," it is a remarkable feature that the method eight classes. He who shall make of instruction observed in them is himself acquainted with its general strictly uniform; no deviations being volume, and with the business of each arrangement, as described in this little permitted from the rules and order class (of which Mr. P. likewise gives prescribed by Dr. Bell. In the other class of popular schools, on the con- ble well rewarded. We shall not un a distinct account), will find his troutrary, all those improvements take dertake an abridgement of the author's place which experience suggests or local circumstances demand. The Royal without injury to them; and they mechapters this could not be done Lancasterian institutions, in most large rit a repeated and diligent perusal. towns of the kingdom, are conducted, His Village School, &c. whether it be it is true, agreeably to the leading viewed through the mirror of his pubprinciples first exemplified in this nation lication, or actually visited, cannot but by the active and benevolent person whose name those seminaries deserv- present a most engaging scene to the edly perpetuate but the apparatus is eye of the benevolent reader or tranot identical with what may have been veller. It is, no doubt, possible, and seen at the Borough school. In the will pronounce opinions more or less even probable, that different persons majority of the provincial schools time and labour are saved, and the favourable to some of the parts of the plan of instruction which he has detailed. But his zeal, intelligence and kindness, his unaffected candour

Nothing more is intended by these remarks than to shew, that the Lancasterian schools may, and do, receive improvements.

* P. 87.