the principles on which you laid claim to the public notice, that I should excuse you of all interested motives if I were to see you more earnest than you are to promote the success of your publication. I am not afraid, in your case, that it will degenerate into self-interest, and that when you have established your work, you will rather be thinking how you shall extend its sale than fulfil its design. But however you may feel upon the subject, its friends, who have no such feelings of delicacy to check their zeal in its support, may call upon the public, and more especially upon that part of the public who are most interested in it-the clergy of our Church, to give it all the assistance and encouragement in their power. Surely there can be few of the friends of the Establishment to whom one shilling in the month can be an object, or an expence which they cannot willingly and cheerfully contribute to the cause you have in hand.

If its circulation were confined to the clergy alone, and to those of that body who are perfectly competent to the expence, the numbers would be very large; the proprietors would meet with the encouragement which they have a right to expect, and the work would go on with spirit, without any fear of interruption or decline: but without encouragement, and liberal encouragement, it cannot be expected to maintain its ground. Surely one half at least of the clergy might take it in without inconvenience to themselves; and to as many more they might recommend it among their parishioners, which would extend the circulation to a number as great as those to which I before alluded. But you, Gentlemen, would probably be contented with half that number. I own I am zealous in whatever I undertake, and in any object which I have at heart; but I think in this case not more so than every clergyman should be.

Perhaps I am the most earnest on this subject, from having seen, on a tour through various parts of the kingdom, the indifference which prevails with respect to things. of this kind. In many places, and those towns of considerable rank, I found, upon inquiring, what sort of publications were most called for, that your's was not of the number. Magazines and Reviews of all kinds, Evangelical and Gospel, Gentlemanly and Monthly; Critical and Liberal, I could find; but the Orthodox Churchman's was never asked for. You will, from the little that you have already seen of me, and perhaps when you know

me

me better, you will be better able to judge what my feelings were, when I found that the clergy in any part of the kingdom could be so supine as not to wish to see at least what a Magazine and Review, so professedly engaged in their service, had to say for itself. Can a Church, thought I, so ill defended long stand its ground against its numerous and increasing adversaries? Do the clergy of such a church, or rather such a clergy, who will do nothing for themselves, not even concern themselves so far as to care or inquire how it stands with them and their establishment, deserve to be defended? Men who, while its adversaries are continually circulating and recommending their own hostile publications, even, Thave heard, from their pulpits, will not even take the pains, or be at the expence of a shilling to read themselves what is written in its defence. Surely it must arise from supineness and inconsideration, rather than from a want of attachment to the church, to which they owe their strongest support.

I

Your's,

LETTER TO THE EDITOR.

MR. EDITOR,

F. E. L.

AM one of your constant readers, and allow me to say, what is religiously true, one of your warm friends. 1 am exceedingly solicitous for the success of your valuable work; because it is, in my judgment, well calculated to illustrate the doctrines of the gospel, and support the interests of the Church. I admire it the more, as there seems a principle, a rectitude in your conduct, which I cannot discover in some of those publications, which make the highest pretensions; and I allude particularly to the Christian Observer. I found that most pernicious publication in my parish. I shewed the honest men, who patronized it, its dangerous tendency, and conjured them to discontinue it. 1 succeeded; I recommended the ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN in its stead. And now, Mr. Editor, comes the painful part of my story. My worthy parishioners have learned neither Greek nor La tin. They do not know what is meant by metaphysicswhich which your excellent publication abounds. May 1 here be permitted to give my advice? Either let your Magazine be adapted solely to the scholar or the family.

7.2

By

By confining it to the latter, you will, I am persuaded, get it into much great circulation, and thereby diffuse more general good. I do not presume, Sir, to dictate; I deliver my sentiments with deference, but with a conviction that they are just.

Biography seems to excite the greatest interest. My honest neighbours are greatly pleased with the life of Skelton: they have severally told me, he was such a one as every clergyman ought to be. I am as much pleased with your Review of Books. I have bought in consequence of your critiques, Dr. Gardiner's, and Mr. St. John's Sermons, and the admirable Bampton Lectures on Enthusiasm; and I am happy to observe, that your Criticisms convey a just account of the several excellen cies, defects, &c.

You will oblige me by inserting this letter in your interesting Magazine; and I trust that all your literary correspondents will take the hint I design to give them, and will write down in future to the capacities of general readers, I am, Mr. Editor,

With the best wishes, &c. &c.

M. A.

CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE

RIGHT HON. LORD

REDESDALE, LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND, AND THE RIGHT HON, THE EARL OF FINGALL, &c. &c, FROM THE 28th OF AUGUST, TO THE 26th OF SEPTEMBER, 1803,

THE following Correspondence has been diffusively circulated through the medium of the public papers, and forms, at present, a topic of general conversation. Of its authenticity we suppose there is no doubt; though the copies of the letters seem to have been surreptitiously obtained, or, at least, in breach of confidence, published by one whose sentiments differ from those of the noble Lord, who holds the office of Chancellor in the sister kingdom. We present them to our readers as an object of general interest; but more peculiarly so to the clergy, We do not pretend at present to offer any remarks upon this Correspondence; but if the measure to which it alludes should become a matter of public discussion, which

we

we most sincerely deprecate, we shall then think it our duty to offer our sentiments upon the subject very much at large.

LETTER I.

FROM THE RIGHT HON. THE LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND, TO THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF FINGALL.

MY LORD,

Ely Place, Dublin, Aug, 18, 1803. CCORDING to your Lordship's request, I have signed, with great pleasure, a Warrant for your Lordship's appointment to be a Justice of the Peace for the County of Meath. At this moment, my Lord, it is peculiarly important that every person intrusted specially with the preservation of the public peace should know and conscientiously pursue the strict line of his duty. Your Lordship's distinguished loyalty, at all times and on all occasions, leaves me no room to doubt that you will exert yourself to the best of your judgment for this important purpose; and the same distinguished loyalty has probably marked your Lordship, as one to whom nothing could safely be uttered tending to demonstrate any disposition towards the rebellious outrages which of late produced such dreadful effects, and excited so much alarm. But, I fear there have been too many, in whose presence and hearing demonstrations have been made and words uttered, which ought to have alarmed the minds of loyal men, and induced them to communicate the ground of that alarm to those in authority under the government, and especially to the Justices of the Peace in their several districts: but who have thought fit to retain the impression made on their minds within their own breasts, and to leave the chance of discovery to other means. The persons to whom I allude have principally been persons professing to hold the same religious faith with your Lordship, and over whom I most sincerely hope your Lordship's high character may give you that influence which justly belongs to it. It would be highly important, therefore, that your Lordship, in

the

the discharge of your duty, as a Magistrate, should take every opportunity of clearly stating, and most strongly inculcating and enforcing the great duty of allegiance, and that that duty is not confined to forbearance from open rebellion, or even from acts tending towards rebellion; that true allegiance is an active duty, requiring every man not only to suppress rebellion when it shall shew itself in violence, but to disclose to that government under which he lives, whether he be a natural-born subject of that government, or a sojourner only under its protection, every thing which can raise ground for suspicion of disloyalty in others; and it is particularly important that your Lordship should, as a Magistrate, state and enforce, that persons knowing of a treasonable purpose, who do not disclose it, are guilty, in the eye of the law, of that crime which has been denominated Misprision of Treason; and, if they yield any kind of assent to the intended treason, they become traitors themselves. Your Lordship's enlarged and liberal mind, distinguishing clearly between spiritual and temporal concerns, must feel that there can be no duty of religion contrary to the duty of allegiance; and, indeed, no man, however ignorant or prejudiced, can read the Holy Scriptures, without finding that the duty of allegiance to a Pagan Government was strongly and repeatedly enforced by Christ and his Apostles, and especially by the latter, who found the Christians of their times too much disposed to consider their faith in Christ as absolving them from their allegiance to the country in which they lived. I am truly sorry to say, that I fear in this country all who profess to be Ministers of the Gospel of Christ, do not teach Christ's doctrine of allegiance to their flocks; and I particularly lament to find in the minds of men, who assume the highest rank amongst the Ministers of the Roman persuasion, the frequent use of language, tending to raise in the minds of the ignorant an opinion that none are to be considered as Members of the Catholic Church of Christ, that none therefore are to be esteemed as brethren in Christ, but those who profess adherence to the See of Rome. Until the minds of men shall be brought to a different temper-until the Priests of the Roman persua sion shall cease to inculcate to those under their instructions doctrines so repugnant to their temporal allegiance until they shall cease to inculcate that all who differ from them in religious opinions, are to be considered as