The writer of this letter professes himself, and perhaps sincerely, to be of the established church; on which account we are the more concerned to perceive that the inportant principles of the Reformation are so little estimated in the present day, and that men calling themselves Protestants should be so indifferent to the cause of truth and righteousness, as to consider the establishment of Popery justifiable and even necessary on the principles of mere policy.

The great aim of this pamphlet is to prove that the condition of the Irish peasantry, which he pronounces to be in the extreme of wretchedness, is owing principally, if not indeed wholly, to their being obliged to bear the burthen of supporting the Catholic bishops and clergy; and he therefore recommends that a tax should be laid on all Tithes, somewhat similar to the Income tax, and to make up the deficiency by a rate on the neat or profit rent of land.

"Now," says he, "if eight hundred of the twelve hundred parishes [in Ireland] be taken at 500l. per annum, a tax of 10 per cent. will give the sum of 40,000l." In like manner, if the remaining four hundred parishes be taken at 300l. per annum each, they will give 12,000l. making together 52,000l. which will leave the sum of 68,000l. to be raised by assessment, being 561. for each parish a very inconsiderable sum, compared to the poor-rates raised in the best administered parishes in England."

This is indeed a very extraordinary proposal; but what is still more extraordinary, the author of it wishes us to believe that if it were carried into effect, it would be "beneficial to the established church;" in what respects, however, he has not condescended to tell us. Really we are so short-sighted as not to perceive how it can possibly conduce to serve the cause of Protestantism, or lessen the number of Papists, if the legislature were to oblige the established clergy to contribute part of their property to the maintenance of their rivals and enemies: we presume to say rivals, because it is well known that every Roman Catholic, and especially every priest, looks down upon the Protestants as usurpers as well as heretics, and treats the ecclesiastical establishment as a system of robbery. The very principles of popery make all who adhere to it radical enemies of Protestantism; and if it obtains the form of a legal establishment, which this measure gos

inost

most effectually to produce, we shall soon see the Roman Catholics assume all the arrogance of their fore fathers, and their numbers instead of lessening will increase.. The letter-writer wishes to have the Romish bishops in Ireland appointed by government; which is in fact to set up two equal and independent churches in one kingdom; and by a necessary consequence such an act would most effectually go to the length of acknowleging that the Roman Catholic bishops have a precedent right over those of the Protestant communion. If any thing were to be bestowed upon the Romish ecclesiastics in Ireland, it should be in much the same way as the Regium Donum is distributed in England to dissenting teachers. And if aught farther be conceded, or any thing like what is here proposed be adopted, we have no scruple in asserting that all the Sectarists of every denomination would have a fair pretence for setting up their claim to a support out of the public revenue;-the consequence of which would unavoidably be, that we should soon be without any CHURCH AT ALL! W.

DOMESTIC HAPPINESS PROMOTED; in a Series of Discourses from a Father to his Daughter, on occasion of her going into Service: calculated to render Servants, in general, happy: with various Characters, Anecdotes, Fables and Reflections. Being for the most part adapted also to the use of Sunday Schools. Abridged from Virtue in Humble Life, written by Jonas Hanway, Esq, 12mo. pp. 216.

HE name of the pious and benevolent author, whose

T prolix is here most

prolix publication is here most judiciously abridged and admirably adapted as a manual of moral and religious instruction for young persons of all descriptions, but especially those who are called to a menial station, will ever be revered among the number of genuine patriots and philanthropists. Hanway had that true regard for the interests of his fellow-creatures, which resulted from the only pure motive, the Love of God. Active in all the offices of charity, and assiduous in promoting every scheme that had a tendency to ameliorate the condition of the wretched, he was most particularly solicitous to inculcate the principles and practice of Christianity.

Christianity. He was a sound and a lively Christian himself, and he recommended Religion to others by his example and his writings. In the latter, he is warin, close, persuasive, and affecting, yet in none of them does his earnestness get the better of his judgment. He had abundance of Christian zeal, but he carefully avoided the flights of mysticism and enthusiasm. There is nothing perplexed or mysterious in his Essays; they are plain, practical, and impressive. In the person of Farmer Trueman, addressing his affectionate lessons of advice to his daughter Mary on going into service, we observe and admire the character of the good old English yeoman in those better days, when that valuable class of men were distinguished by a scrupulous regard not only to the externals, but to the principles of religion. It would be impossible for us to give any thing like a connected view of this miscellaneous little book, which is as rich in the variety as it is in the excellence and importance of its

matter.

On the duty of frequent communion, considerable stress is justly laid, and many excellent observations are made. As this subject is of high importance, we shall select an extract upon it, which will furnish our readers with some idea of the merits of this valuable little volume.

"To reason calmly, we may ask in what consists the difference between a law which commands a thing to be done, and the same authority which orders a thing not to be done; Do this in remembrance of me' is as absolute a command, as one of the ten commandments, Thou shalt not steal. If thou dost steal, thou knowest it is a breach of this commandment. If thou dost not receive the sacrament, and in this act remember Christ, is it not likewise an absolute breach of one of the laws of Christ?

"I beg thou wilt observe, that the intention of this celebration ought to be considered in these several views.

1. It is to fix and imprint on our minds, in a manner the most lasting, the remembrance of the death of Christ, as the strongest motive to our obedience.

2. It is a commemoration of his death, in an humble acknowledgment of its being the only ground of our hope of pardon.

3. It is a public declaration to the world of our faith in him, and that we, on our part, will endeavour to continue down the memory of his love to all generations.

4. It is the highest expression of our thanks and gratitude to God for his unspeakable mercy in sending his Son into the world for the redemption of mankind.

Vol. VII. Churchm. Mag. Aug. 1804.

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5. It is also a confirmation, on our part, of the covenant which God hath made with us, and a thankful acceptance of those con·ditions of pardon, which he has offered, and whereby we acknowledge and renew our obligations to obey him.

"This was perfectly well understood by old Anthony Albans. Thou rememberest the sad accident which happened to him near us, by his being overturned in a road waggon, at the age of seventy-four. He was bruised and broken in a terrible manner, and it was thought he had but few hours to live. He had been accustomed to receive our Lord's Supper almost every month, for half an hundred years; and in this great extremity he expressed the most longing desires to perform this last duty to his crucified Lord. By the interposition of the good lady, thy mistress, a clergyman was found; and Anthony, with all the sincerity of a dying man, was prepared for eternity. By the mercy of God, and by means of that lady's charity and pious kindness, he recovered. His temperance, and the calmness of his affection, were apparently instrumental to his cure, but perhaps not so much so as the calmness of his mind, produced by his custom of testifying his faith in Christ, and the practice of obedience to God's laws. As soon as his surgeon permitted him to go abroad, Anthony repaired to the house of prayer, there to pour forth his soul in grateful thanksgivings for the mercies, which he had received.

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Anthony used to reason thus: of all commands is it not natural to lay the greatest stress upon those which are given us by our friends, a little before their death, especially if we really love them, and they particularly desire it to be done, in remembrance of them?' And who is our best friend? surely Christ who died for us. And do we not wish that Christ should remember us when he cometh to gather together his faithful servants, and take them to heaven? If, MARY, the lady whom thou art now going to serve, should by an astonishing mark of her love and compassion for thee, preserve thy life; snatch thee also from the grave, or but die herself in the attempt to do so. Suppose, likewise, that she were to leave thee a creditable maintenance, upon the condition of thy doing some particular act easily performed; wouldst thou not do it? If thou didst it not, would not thy conduct be ungrateful, dark as the regions below, whilst thy folly was the derision of children? Thou wouldst lose thy support by a negligence which would plunge thee into poverty, and gain thee the character of a mad person or an idiot. And yet, alas! this is nearly the case of the negligent, in respect to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. What can thy mistress, or any mortal do for thee? She may help to save thy life for a few days or years, aud render it comfortable, whilst it lasteth, and then all her kindness must end: but Christ has promised a crown of everlasting glory to all his faithful followers?"

This abridgement, we understand, was executed under the sanction of Mr. Hanway himself, by a lady universally esteemed by the wise and good for her abundant labours in the great cause of virtue and religion.

A Sermon preached at the Anniversary of the Royal I mane Society, in St. George's Church, Hanover Square, on Sunday, April 15, 1804. By the Right Reverend Thomas Burgess, D.D. Bishop of St. David's. To which is added, an Appendix of Miscellaneous Observations on Resuscitation. By the Society. 8vo. pp. 44.

IN

a remarkably neat and elegant dedication of this eloquent discourse to the KING, the learned prelate observes:

"THE FATHER OF HIS PEOPLE will accept with indulgence any endeavour to second His Society's humane and patriotic efforts for the preservation of LIFE.

"THE PATRON OF SCIENCE will regard with candour whatever in any degree tends to the encouragement and success of an ART, which, for its end, embraces an object of the greatest public utility, and in its principles comprehends some of the most interesting theories in THE PHILOSOPHY OF ANIMAL Na

TURE.

"THE GUARDIAN OF RELIGION will enter with interest into

those principles of CHRISTIAN DUTY, which most powerfully impel men to the service of their fellow-creatures, and recom mend the practice of Religion on its PUREST MOTIVES."

Prefixed to the Sermon, the right reverend Author hath given an analysis of it, which will furnish our readers with a correct idea of its philosophical and evangelical merits, two excellencies which we have rarely seen so happily united as in the present instance.

"I. General views of the works of nature, as evidences of a creating Providence.

"II. Structure of the animal form---the machinery, the means, and the principle of life---in what life consists---in what, animation suspended and restored.

"III. Inferences in proof of design, wisdom, and omniscience, in the structure of the animal form.

2. Analogy between the phenomena of nature and of Re: velation.

" IV. Suitableness of the external form of Man to his internal faculties

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