A REPLY to the Pamphlets lately published, in Defence of the London Female Penitentiary; with further Remarks upon the Dangerous Tendency of that Institution. By W. Hale. 8vo, Price 2s. 6d.

[Concluded from p. 388.]

Ir must have been observed, that the style, the spirit, and the tendency of this pamphlet are such as to require a more than ordinary share of our attention. Nothing but a deep sense of the importance and usefulness of Penitentiaries could reconcile us to so painful a task as that of exposing the author's sentiments in their genuine colours; and we are confident, that a simple and clear exposure of them will suffice to shew their fallacy. This the public have a right to expect, and the cause of truth demands it: this is a duty we owe to our numerous readers and to ourselves (Hale's Reply, p. 40); so that, however reluctant we are, it is further requisite to prove that this writer is endeavouring, on the most erroneous grounds, to destroy an Institution well adapted to save perishing sinners, and to rejoice the holy angels! The grand aim of the Penitentiary, to which indeed all its efforts and wishes tend, is the restoration of penitent young women, who have been either seduced or voluntarily gone into prostitution, - by plucking them as brands from the fire, providing them with religious instruction, furnishing them with

the

very characters for whose benefit alone it was established!! Can he possibly be considered as speaking the words of truth and soberness? We shall quote his own language, and leave our readers to determine for themselves :

After the most attentive peru. sal of all the pamphlets that have been published, in reply to the Address upon the Dangerous Tendency of the London Female Penitentiary, I feel not the least hesitation in declaring, That they have in no instance refuted one single objection that I brought against it: p. 6. From a firm conviction that the whole of what I have advanced cannot be refuted, I appeal to every friend of Virtue throughout the kingdom; and call upon them to discourage the increase of institutions, which will give a greater blow to the morals of society than can at present be conceived by the religious world: p. 142. It is impossible to devise a plan more certain to increase the sum of prostitution: p. 141. How ridiculous is it then to suppose that the London Female Penitentiary will lessen the sum of prostitution! On the contrary, it must be obvious to every reflecting mind, that it will most certainly increase it; and that in proportion to the numbers admitted into the Institution: p. 85. To those who consult their Bibies, it requires no sagacity to foresee the awful consequences that will result from such a fatal violation of the laws of God and man: p. 73. How have gentlemen attempted to con fute this sentiment? They have blended with their ridicule that ignorance which would have disgraced a heathen philosopher (p.92) They are as ignorant of the gospel as they are of the law: p. 96. it is impossible to support the principle upon which the Penitentiary is founded; because, in offering eternal salvation to the viiest sinners, through Jesus Christ, it blends with it the promise of the pardon of the legal punishment due to their crimes against society: p. 99. Ought such an institution as this to be countenanced a sugle day? p. 50. Lis doors are barred against the poor, seduced, forsaken female, who, hav

the very first respectability;' tho' we must put to his own conscience, Whether he does not know that they, as well as the Gentlemen who compose the external Committee, are actively engaged in doing good both to the souls and bodies of many virtuous women, and deserving afflicted poor? Does he forget their labours of love in various Hospitals, Dispensaries, and Lying-in Charities?-in the Society for Aged Widows and Single Women of good character? - in the Dorcas Society, for Indigent Women in Child bed?

at the Female Benevolent Society-the Infant's Friend, the Sick Man's Friend, and many others? It is impossible to think of such diversified acts of disinterested kindness, and say,' Those Ladies pass by continual scenes of distress,' &c. With regard to the Gentlemen who form the other portion of its Managers, Mr. Hale needs not to be told how many benevolent Institutions they support and conduct, both for the good of ' souls' and the temporal comfort of mankind. We, therefore, trust that (on due reflection) the author will feel ashamed, and publicly acknowledge the injustice he does to their characters, and the great cause he affords the enemies of religion to rejoice at such unfounded allegations! The remarks which he also makes on the Reviewers of the Evangelical Magazine, are not always very liberal or just; nevertheless, we sincerely forgive him, believing that he has written in a state of extreme chagrin and irritation. The 'gross absurdities, the ridiculous and glaring contradictions to common sense,' as well as the dangerous errors and falsehoods,' which Mr. Hale says have been propagated or highly applauded' by us, may not perhaps be so untenable in the opinion of other readers as in his estimation.

We could hardly expect to fare better than the ignorant' gentlemen who answered Mr. Hale, most of whom he has very bluntly rebuked for their respective offences. He considers Mr. Hodson's Answer to have been 'sophistical, romantic, weak, metaphysical, absurd, danger

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ous to morals,' the effect of infatuation,' and a slight sense of the awful crime of whoredom.' He calls Mr. Blair's Answer, vindictive, illiberal, rude, low abuse, positive, vain, ighorant, acrimonious, rash, unjust, èruel, strange, dogmatical, ostentatious, invective.' He thinks Mr. Clarke wrote his whole pamphlet' under the influence of a palpable error;' - that M Shrubsole has made several weak attempts at wit, and endeavoured to exhibit him as a coward for not daring to oppose the Magdalen ;'-that Dr. Hawker's account of the Penitentiary is all very pretty and amusing; and, although the pamphlet of Juvenis is not deeply argumentative, yet there is scarcely an idea that bears upon the subject in any of the rest, but what is to be found in his Cursory. Remarks. Mr. Hale, indeed, quoles Juvenis only once, so far as we can, discover; and, probably, might not, have done this, if the young writer had not flattered him with saying,

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His great knowledge and experience in parochial affairs are universally admitted; which Mr. Blair (in a Letter to Mr. Hodson, just published) has clearly shewn to be a very incorrect admission!! We too had fallen into the same common. error of allowing this gentleman's, knowledge of parochial matters' to be considerable, while, at the same time, we most readily confessed that our acquaintance with the complicated system of the poor, laws of England is but superficial*. Many more of Mr. H's fundamental mistakes and false statements are so fully exposed in the recent Stric-. tures' of Mr. Hodson and Mr. Blair, which will be noticed in our next Number, that our labour in refut ing the author is partly superceded.; To those Strictures' we, therefore, refer our readers for a more com-, plete exhibition of his numerous errors; and have not the smallest doubt that this new publication will compose the minds of some persons, who had been misled and disquieted by Mr. Hale's specious observations respecting the Penitentiary and its Defenders.

1

Four Discourses on Subjects relating to the Amusement of the Stage, delivered at Great St. Mary's Church, Cambridge, 1808; with copious Supplementary Notes. By James Plumtre, B. D. 800, 18.

A COURSE of Sermons on the Stage, and preached at one of our Universities, by a Bachelor of Divinity, and dedicated to Dr. Pearson, the Vice-Chancellor, is certainly no small literary euriosity; and as to the preacher's talents, for the happy art of self-contradiction, in placing his text in opposition to his subject, and his proofs in opposition to his argument, we are not acquainted with his equal.

For example. The First Discourse is in Defence of the Lawfulness of the Stage, and the text,' Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God!' Its lawfulness is argued from the dramatic form of some parts of the Old Testament; none of which, that we know of, were ever acted. The Notes to this sermon go to prove, that many of the best writers on the subject consider the stage as an amusement in itself utterly unlawful, while others maintain only the possibility of its being rendered lawful by reform,· a reform which would secure its innocence by annihilating the audience; for who would go to the theatre to see Virtue and Religion?

The Second Bermon, on the Abuses and Uses of the Theatre, is founded on St. Paul's aphorism, Evil com. munications corrupt good manners." Here the author not only asserts, but proves that the religion of the stage is Heathenism, and its morals Prefligacy. Who then can doubt of its utility? The notes confirm these facts, by a great variety of extracts from our most admired plays, in which the preacher is evidently deeply read.

Oa St. Paul's Anathema against foolish talking and jesting, the author founds his Third Discourse on Wit and Ridicule; the lawful ness of which on the stage, is argued from the irony of Elijah ; and the mirth of the theatre defeaded, from laughter being enumerated among the blessings of the New Testament: Blessed are ye that

weep not, for ye shall laugh! This discourse very properly concludes with those memorable words of our Lord, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment!'

The Fourth and last Discourse, On the most probable Means of Improving the Stage,' is raised on a text equally appropriate with the rest, James iv. 17. In this the preacher addresses his respective hearers, not under the old classes of old and young, rich and poor, saints and sinners, but Dramatic Managers, Play-Writers, the Licenser, the Performers, the Audience, Magistrates, and Theatrical Censors! To each of these is given a short but serious lecture; to these are recommended the pure morals of the gospel, the immaculate example of Jesus Christ, and a solemn consideration of the day of judg ment. Managers, Dramatic Writers, and Players, are not to be mercenary, or corrupt the public taste, but whatever they do, do all to the glory of God!'-and the Second Collect at Evening Prayers, with Dr. Johnson's Prayer before composing the Rambler, are recommended for their devout use! Page 130, 1.

The Notes, which form indeed far the larger and more entertaining part of the book, contain a farrago of quotations from divines, moralists, and infidel philosophers, - from the sacred and the dramatic

writers, with a mass of theatrical anecdote and Biblical illustration; and it is with admirable propriety, we think, the author has added a Table of Scriptures illustrated!

The preacher apologizes for his predeliction for the stage, from his early habits when a boy; at which time he became both an actor and an author, leaving the dry study of the classics for recitals of Shakespear and Dryden. Afterward, tho' destined to the study of divinity, he still occasionally gratified his dramatic taste; however, upon receiving priest's orders, and being appointed to parochial duties, another very important study engaged his attention; namely, that of Con