that he should himself be admitted only as a lodger. As to Sheridan, his conversion was a sincere one, and it was rewarded by his affording an asylum to his venerable instructor, at a time when the Protestant blood was flow ing in all directions round them, and nothing but the habitual respect paid by the Irish to the ancient families of the country, enabled the convert thus to evince his gratitude. This converted Friar married an English Protestant lady, by whom he had issue three sons; one of them, Patrick Sheridan, succeeded to this very See, but was deprived of it for refusing to take the oath of allegiance to King William and Queen Mary. The second son was successively Dean of Connor and Bishop of Cloyne; and the third son was Sir Thomas Sheridan, some time Secretary to King James the Second, and father of the celebrated schoolmaster of Cavan, the friend of Swift.

The breaking out of the rebellion frustrated all these efforts to rescue the people of Cavan from the dominion of Satan, but in proof of the veneration in which the apostolical Bedel was held even by persecuting enemies, one circumstance, not mentioned by his Episcopal biographer, but related by Walter Harris, deserves to be recorded. Burnett tells us that the Irish rebels, who in great force attended the funeral of this Prelate to the church-yard of Kilmore, desired his son-in-law to bury his body according to the Church service-that they fired a volley of shot, not in triumph, but in token of respect, over his grave, and raised a loud cry, with these words, "Requiescat in pace ultimus Anglorum!" Harris adds, that one Edmund O'Farrel, a Priest of the Romish Church, exclaimed over the, grave, "O sit anima mea cum Bedello!"

It may be right to add here, for the instruction of those now happily engaged in Bedell's interrupted work, a brief extract from almost the only written sermon he left after him; for he, like Usher and many other of the most distinguished divines of the earlier days of the Church of England, was an extemporary preacher.

Preaching on these words of our SAVIOUR, "learn of me, for I am meek and lowly," he thus addressed the Irish House of Commons, in which there were at that time many members of the Church of Rome-" GOD help us, we had need to attend to the lesson

of CHRIST, to be gentle, as the Apostle directs, apt to teach, patient; in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if GOD peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, and that they who are taken captive by Satan at his will, may recover themselves out of his snare." (ii. Tim. 24, 25, and 26)—“ I have long been of this mind, that many in their sermons and writings are to blame for their manner of dealing with the adversaries of their opinions, when they give reins to their tongues and pens in railing and reproachful speeches, and think they have done well when they exceed them in that, wherein to have the better is indeed to be the worse.' "It is not the storm of words but the strength of reasons that will stay a wavering judgment. Our calling is to deal with errors, not to disgrace men with scolding words. When Alexander the Great overheard one of his soldiers railing against Darius, he reproved him, saying, I entertain thee to fight against Darius, not to revile him.' Thus may we suppose our Divine Master might say to some of us, I would that you should refute Popery, and set yourselves against Antichrist my enemy, with all the discoloured sects and heresies who fight under his banner against me, and not to call him and his troops all to nought.' In this my poor opinion I differ from some men of great note-from Luther and from Calvin and others-they were, perhaps by complexion or otherwise, given over too much to anger, but sure I am that the rule of the Apostle is plain, and that with lenity we should instruct, even such as are the slaves of Satan, waiting, that when escaping out of his snare, they should recover a sound mind to do God's will."

J. GRAHAM.
Magilligan, Feb. 15.

Since we have received the above

communication, the Dublin Warden states, that "twenty Roman Catholics have just abjured the errors of Popery in the Church of Cavan; three at Bally-haise, co. Cavan; two at Knockbride, ditto; eight at Omagh; eight at Westport, co. Mayo, publicly recanted, besides eleven, who attend the worship of the Established Church, without having gone through the ceremony of a formal abjuration; five at Kilcormuck, eo. Wexford; thirteen in Portarlington, Queen's county," &c. &c.-EDIT.

asserted

a

concerning the existence of a Society, for the avowed purpose of purchasing Livings in the Church of England, and bestowing the same upon persons of fanatical persuasion," he may be assured is a fact. The case, indeed, is so notorious, that I wonder one so intelligent should doubt it." The nest-egg of the fund, in the hands of this self-constituted body (comprising, it seems, by the Cheltenham presentation, devotees of both sexes) was laid and left, for the said "purpose," by a wealthy individual who died about 30 years since. That pecuniary principium was devised, in trust to accumu late, till it attained a certain magnitude, and then the trustees were to commence operations by the purchase of improveable Church Livings, in populous places, or in places likely to become so. Nor were they to rest there; but they were to seek out, and easily were to be accessible to, young men "decidedly pious" (as the present cant phrase is) to be trained at the University for the Livings so purchased, as they should become vacant. These loaves and fishes, though already by no means few, not being sufficient among so many, the trained bands are marched forward, under the auspices of their patrons, into Curacies, no matter how small the immediate stipends,-titles for orders being the chief object. Arrogating to themselves a distinction, to which of all men they have the least right-that of Evangelical Ministers. This sect (for such they are), like their prototypes the Puritans of old, are fast stripping religion of all her lovely graces, and clothing her in sombre weeds and repulsive gloom. I said, they have no right to their assumed title-Evangelical; because their preachers seldom take their texts from the Gospel, and scarcely ever from that sermon of sermons in the Gospel, the Redeemer's own sermon on the Mount. That, I suppose, would be denominated by them " inoral sermon," If they are determined to have a distinctive title, Epistolarians would better suit them; as the chief sources of their sermons are St. Paul's Epistles; not that the writ

a

Concerning distinctive names, set up as "walls of partition among professed worshippers of the one living and true God, I devoutly wish the predicted time were come, when all those worshippers would unite their righteous hands to throw them down,

even to the ground!" whether Churchmen or Dissenters,-Catholics or Protestants,-Calvinists or Armenians,-Quakers or Methodists, with all the other "divisions and sub-divisions" of sects, which now unhappily exist, to the manifest detriment of Divine Revelation, and to the fostering of infidel principles. I do conjure them to amalgamate under the one grand, and only-authorized distinctive name of CHRISTIAN. Thus were "the disciples of Christ first called in Antioch," and why should they not thus be designated in Britain? Am I therefore an advocate for Latitudinarianism? or do I deem all " modes of faith" of little consequence? By no means; I object to the existent denominations of religious faith as dering strife," and tending to prevent that

gen

unity of spirit which should be preserved in the bond of peace." I object to them for the same reason that induced an amiable Prelate (the late Bishop Horne) to say (I quote from recollection) were the Lord now to look down from heaven upon the children of men, what would he behold? He would behold that blessed Gospel which was inercifully designed to unite them in peace and amity, torn in pieces by contending sects, till there is scarcely enough left for every one of them to take a little!" Nay, I object to such fanciful and mischievous distinctions on still firmer ground, DIVINE AUTHORITY. I here quote from the inspired Volume;-" Now, I be seech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judg ment. For it hath been declared unto

me of you, my brethren, that there are contentions among you. One of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and" (the only one that was right) "I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were you baptized in the name of Paul?"-1. Cor. i. 10, et seq. "Note or comment" to these words is unnecessary. Every candid mind must interpret them aright. May the interpretation lead to good!

Ι

Reverting to the persons aiming to establish an imperium in imperio, who, on calling forth the inquiry of E. I. C. have virtually prompted these animadversions, I think it right to say that I acquit them of intentional mischief, although they are doing a great deal, and 1, moreover, give them credit for abundance of zeal. Yet, as generally, it is "a zeal not according to know ledge," they are here reminded of what their favourite Apostle says on that matter: "It is good to be zealously affected always;" but in what? "in a good thing.-Gal. iv. 18. will go further, and declare my belief that they are, for the most part, wellmeaning people. But meaning well, and possessing ability to act well, are very different properties. An advocate of John Wesley (arguing with Dr. Johnson respecting the propriety of expelling that founder of Methodism from College) said he meant well, and was a good kind of man. "That may be, Sir," replied the sententious casuist, so is a cow a very good kind of animal, but we turn her out of a garden."

66

C.'s letter, relative to the Wesleyan Methodists' union with the Church, I meant to say something. As, however, on that subject Clericus seems fully competent to answer for himself, I shall not "meddle with another man's matters," but now produce my promised extract, giving such reference as may guide E. I. C. or those whom it concerns, to the very curious original; a document that furnishes an additional proof of a wise man's saying, that "there is nothing new under the sun." For even old heresies and, schisms, supposed to have been put down by the strong arm of law, or that were believed to have passed away to return no more, revive and re-appear: like comets supposed to have departed from our horizon for ever, we see them revisiting us again, to gleam with baleful aspect on the happiness of mankind.

Process in the Exchequer, Hilary Term, A. D. 1632 against sundry persons, for encroaching upon the King's Regality, in erecting themselves into a society or corporatio, called the Collectors of St. Antholyn's, for the purchase of Church Livings.

"They had made a dependance of Clergymen upon them; and went on as if they designed to become supreme patrons; when it wd be easy for them to introduce Puritans into the most considerable places in the kingdom."-Harleian Catalogue; where a copy of this process is noted. No. 832. They held meetings from 15 Feb. 1625, to 15 March, 1631.

"Whereas His Majesty's Attorney Gen" lately exhibited an English information, in the Court, on His Majesty's behalfe, agst Wm. Gouch, Richd. Sibbs, Giles Ospring, and John Davenport, Clerks; Tho. Crew, kt. His Majts Sergt at Lawe; Rob Eyres, an Apprentice of the Lawe; John White, Samuel Browne, Barristers at Lawe; Nicholas Raynton, Citizen and Alderman of London; John Gearing, Richard Davies, George Harwood, Francis Bridges, Merchants; Wm Levans and Rich Foxley, Clerks; and Price, defendants: shewing thereby, yt since ye 10th yeare of ye reigne of ye late king James of blessed memorie,ye sd defendants, to ye intent to obtain, and procure into theire hands, divers tithes, oblatns, & somes of money, &c. manors, messages, lands, tenements,did, of their own authoritie, creat and

make themselves into a societie or bodie

corporate, called sometimes by the name of the Collectors of St Antholyne's, & some, times by the name of ye Treasorers: & soe continued ever since: and, from time to time, to make Assemblies and Chapters of

:

themselves; and to hold Counsells, & to make Ordinances concerning the premises, and, as some of them dye or bee removed, to elect others in their places, for these purposes, and to appoint and constitute Registers & Actuaries of their doings, and Ordinances therein; who write the same into their bookes and Registers; wch they keep among themselves and under colour thereof, sithence the sayd tenth yeare, had gotten into their hands divers somes of money, intended by ye givers of them* for necessarie relief and sustenance of men of the Clergie, having cure of Soules, and for other such like publick pious works: and with part thereof had purchased to themselves, or some others & their heirs (but with purpose to be at their dispositns) the Rectorie of Dunstable in the County of Bedford, the Rectorie of Cicester in the

County of Gloucester," and a variety of other places, both in England and Wales, too numerous here to mention; and if mentioned, would make the inhabitants of some places stare. The Court, however, was of opinion, that the proceedings of the said defendants were against the Laws and Customs of this realm; and tend to the drawing to themselves, in time, a principal dependence of the whole Clergie of the realm, that should receive reward from them, in such measure, and on such conditions as they should fancy; thereby introducing many novelties of dangerous consequence, both to the Church and common weal; and were usurpations upon His Majestie's Regalitie."

Mr. URBAN,

FACT.

Kellington, Mar. 9.

of parts can say of another." To attempt to exalt one character by the depression (though that may be said to be only apparent) of another, must always be considered as illiberal as it is certainly unjust.

late Professor Dobree, in your Obituary for October, 1825 (not September), had there said, "that he was intimately acquainted with Porson, who set the highest value on his talents; and at the death of that great man, he was considered as his natural successor. He was, at that time, out of the kingdom, and the diffidence of his disposi tion would not permit him to become an active competitor for any honour." Whether Professor Dobree was out of the kingdom at the time of Porson's death, or whether he was along with the learned Bishop of Chester, a rival candidate of the present Dean of Peterborough, who, on that occasion, finally succeeded to the vacant chair of the Greek Professor, being at that time absent from the University, I do not accurately remember. To the absolute truth of the other parts of this character, I am, however, from a long intimacy, sufficiently enabled to bear ample testimony. Supposing the case to be as stated by Verax, this would by no means be a solitary instance in which the diffidence of his disposition "would not permit him to become an active competitor for any honour." From

The writer of the Memoir of the

as fashionable, in the present day, for highly-talented authors, or for such as, at least, esteem themselves so, to write complimentary notices of themselves, or occasionally to inform the world, by means of flattering reviews of their own productions, of the value and importance of their own labours and discoveries, I pretend not to say.

The article, however, which appeared in the last number of your valuable Publication, among the Minor Correspondence, purporting to come from Verax of Cambridge, though it cannot possibly, for a moment, be supposed to proceed from the pen of the learned Dean of Peterborough himself, yet certainly must have emanated from some warm advocate of his, who, with the partiality of friendship, manifestly shows "what pretty things one man

*The receivers meant them for very different uses.

have seen, I can sincerely declare, that of the celebrated trio, Monk, Dobree, and Bloomfield, that Dobree was invariably considered the favourite pupil of the late eminent Professor; and well might, without any impropriety,' be denominated the natural successor of that great man. Verax, however, would wish us to draw a different conclusion from these premises. He contends, that it is the greatest degree of inaccuracy thus to reason. Dobree did not, on that occasion, succeed to the vacant chair, and therefore could not be justly considered as the natural successor of Porson. To little purpose has he attended to either the new regulations or the old system of education pursued in the University of Cambridge, if they have only taught him to draw such consequences as these. It is well known to every member of Trinity College, that, in that Society there are two Lay-fellowships, that is,