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and the sooner the better. But our Christian parliament-men, though nine-tenths of them are domestic and social atheists, are all very religious and scrupulous oath-making men, when in parliament assembled.

Extract from No. 1, of "The Jurist," on the case of the Recorder's rejection of Mr. Carlile's evidence.

The law of evidence has too many deformities to admit of exaggeration. We must in this case, therefore, separate that which is law from that which is not law. The learned Recorder states it as one of the reasons for rejecting Carlile's testimony, that he "dared publicly to avow his disbelief of the Scriptures." But every one who is conversant with the practice of the courts knows, that a disbelief of the Scriptures has long ceased to be a disqualification;-that the evidence of Jews, Mahometans, Hindoos, &c. is admissible, and constantly admitted ;-and that it has now become an established maxim of the law, that where a person believes in a God, the obligation of an oath, and a future state of rewards and punishments, he cannot be objected to as a witness, on the score of religion. This portion consequently of the Recorder's sentence must be placed to the account of his orthodoxy, and not of his law.

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The other reason assigned for rejecting Carlile is, that he "avowed his disbelief of God ;"-and this would be beyond doubt a valid legal objection. But in the above report no such avowal appears. When asked whether he believed in a God, he objected to the question as an unfair question, as complex and difficult, as too undefined for him to understand or reply to;' and he requested the Recorder to explain his meaning. There was nothing in his answers from which we are entitled to infer that he did not believe in a Supreme Being. On the contrary, the natural inference is, that he did believe; although his belief probably was not in strict accordance with theArticles of the Church. Thousands of persons, it is most true, believe or profess to believe in a God, without ever having inquired into the grounds of their belief, or into the meaning which they affix to the term. Some indeed have regarded their creed upon the subject, not as a matter of religion, but a point of loyalty;-as, for example, the courtiers of Henry II, of France, who, as the learned Henry Stephens informs us, were wont to say, "Qu'ils croyoyent en Dieu, comme leur roy y croyoit, mais que si'l n'y croyoit point, ils s'efforceroyent de n'y croire point aussi."* We know also that some of our own Puritans would acknowledge no other God but the God of the Covenant; and even in more modern times we have heard of 'le Dieu de St. Louis,' as contradistinguished from that Deity which is the lover of peace and justice. Carlile may, therefore, have wished to ascertain in what particular sense the Recorder used the . Apologie pour Herodote,c.

expression, and what opinions, religious or political, were according to his ideas comprehended under it. But whatever may have been his motive in asking for an explanation, it is at least certain, that he did not avow his disbelief in a God.

The next point to be considered is, how far the other terms of the legal qualification were complied with. That Carlile felt the obligation of an oath is very evident. "I hold the form of swearing to be a solemn promise to speak the truth."-"I feel that I am bound to speak the truth." Nothing could be more explicit. We have no means of judging whether he believed in a future state of rewards and punishments;-he was not questioned on the subject; and to assume that he did not believe, would be unjust as well as preposterous. Upon the whole then, for any thing that appears on the face of the report, Carlile was a competent witness; and if that report be correct, we are justified in pronouncing the Recorder's sentence of exclusion to have been partly unfounded in law, and partly unsupported by fact. The prisoner, we are told, was found guilty upon other evidence; but what the nature of that evidence was, or how the articles stolen were proved to be the property of Carlile, we are not informed.

Mr. Thomas Bailey of Nottingham owes me ten-pence for the postage of this letter. If he acknowledge and pay it, he will be so far honest. Every number of " The Lion" stipulates that all letters shall be post-paid.-RICHARD CARLILE.

Nottingham, 8th October, 1828. SIR,-I beg leave to convey to you my sincere thanks for the notice you have been pleased to take of me in your letter to Miss Brown.

That I may continue to merit through life, such unequivocal expressions of YOUR enmity; whilst I share as largely as at present, in the esteem and confidence of the wise and virtuous among all parties of my fellow-townsmen, is the honest wish of, Sir your's much obliged, To Mr. Richard Carlile, London. THOS. BAILEY.

I have no enmity, but some little cause for it, toward Mr. Bailey. I will undertake to justify all that I have said of him. Will he and Mr. Gilbert do as much for what they have said of me ?"-RICHARD CARLile.

DIEGESIS.

THIS new work of the Reverend Robert Taylor's, is now ready to go to press. It is a new and enlarged history of the origin of the Christian religion, done in form, after the manner of Mosheim and Lardner; but, in substance, in a manner which they partly understood, but dared not to do it. It is learnedly, ingeniously, laboriously, and honestly done, adding the points of further research, ingenuity and honesty, to all that was done by Mosheim and Lardner.

To print this work in the style in which SYNTAGM was printed, and the same number of copies, will swallow up one

hundred and fifty pounds. To do it in the style in which I wish to see it done, will cost near three hundred pounds. There is no other immediate means of doing the thing well and quickly, than by subscription, and I therefore propose, that all persons who can afford it, and who wish to forward the work, will pay into my hands the sum of one pound or more, as they like, for which they shall receive their copy or copies at the time of publication, at the trade price. Whatever be the price, and the author does not wish it to be extravagant, it must be remembered, the benefit will go to the author, and the timing of that benefit will correspond with his need and desert of assistance, at his liberation in February next. There is a difficulty, at this moment, in stating the precise price; but, even if the work shall reach a thousand pages, its cost shall not exceed to subscribers, who pay in advance, the sum of one pound.

Promptness in the execution of the work will coincide with the promptness of the subscribers. If they are not tardy, it may be got ready before Christmas.

SYNTAGMA, has, as yet, but barely covered its cost of printing, &c., though one of the best controversial pamphlets that has ever appeared. The Reverend author will not again enter into scriptural controversy, as much of that which shall be oral, as the preachers of the Christian religion may be pleased to encourage; but he will employ his talent, in future, in the production of original and standard works.

Oct. 9, 1828.

RICHARD CARLILE.

To the Editor of "The Lion."

SERIOUS THOUGHTS IN SOLITARY HOURS.

If there be a God, it would have been kinder of him had he made us, (as he is reported to have done the angels,) free from all those very unpleasant evacuatory and excretory operations, which are continually at work in our imperfect frames. But then we should never have known the luxury of a bath. This was suggested to me, while reading the "STRICTURES ON THE PERSONAL CLEANLINESS OF THE ENGLISH," published by you. It is a book which ought to be read, by all heads of families in particular; for it contains subjects which affect the well-being of every individual in the country.

If there were a true religion, there would be but one; the existence of so many differing creeds, is a sufficient proof that not any of them are true.

That part of the Christian delusion, which teaches us to expect a reunion with our friends in another and better world, is a particularly pleasing one. How sweet to anticipate

Meeting in worlds of never-ending bliss,

All that we lov'd, esteem'd, rever'd, in this.

They whom the untimely stroke of death disjoin'd,
The faithful pair, by sacred vows combin'd;
Who never wish'd one pleasure to conceal,

Or knew one grief but love could quickly heal;

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When two such spirits wing their airy way,
And reach the bright abodes of endless day,
Enraptured each the dear-loved friend shall view,
And ardently their former love renew.

And in the realms of happiness shall prove
The true delights of pure celestial love;

They part no more, nor change their glorious state,
Completely blest beyond the power of fate.

Yet this is all delusion. Well, the Christian never knows his disappoint. ment; and if he contrived to cheat life of half its sorrows, I would not blame him. But he does not. If in the favour of God one day, he offends him the next, and then he is miserable till his God is pacified again. This is the life of a conscientious Christian, I know it by experience. There is no permanent happiness for him. And since I became a Materialist, I have been permanently happy. "There is no peace for the wicked." But there is plenty for the philosophical unbeliever, because, generally speaking, he is a moral man. Philosophy will teach morality. I have learnt more of moral obligation in my seven years teaching, from philosophy, than in twenty-four of Christian education. And my love of virtue is such, that I had rather fall into the fire, than fall into an error that would cast a reflection on my moral rectitude of conduct. May I ever be so careful. Would that I had been so when a Christian.

Religion never yet eradicated the bad passions of a decidedly depraved disposition; where it has gained a naturally amiable character for a proselyte, he has been an ornament to it. But where a vicious man has become a convert, his passions have only for a time been smothered; and they (like fire in a similar situation,) have after a time broken out with redoubled vigour, overwhelmed their possessor in crime, and thus proved the inefficacy of religion.

How terrible are the anticipations of death to some persons. And yet, how simple a thing is death, we are not afraid to fall asleep, and sleep is the image of death. When our sleep is undisturbed by dreams, the image is perfect. Philosophy will conquer the fear of death. How pleasing a reflection it must be to a good man, to think, that after he has performed his allotted task, he can "shuffle off this mortal coil," without any of the painful retrospection which will unavoidably attend the last hours of a base and unworthy character; and depart amidst the sympathy of all with whom he has been connected. And he will not be forgotten, for,

"The sweet remembrance of the just,

Will flourish when he sleeps in dust."*

Whilst a notoriously bad man will be consigned to the tembamidst the execrations of his fellow-creatures.+ Grant me thy aid then, philosophy, that I may so live, as when I die, they may say of me with propriety

"He was, what? Think what

A man should be. And he was that."

What a curse is religion. Shall we never have a cessation of the war, bloodshed, persecution, heart-burnings, and rivalry that it is continually engendering. Not until philosophy, with her mild, fraternizing influence has superseded it. If any person, dubious as to its pernicious effects, wishes for proof positive, let him at the present moment cast his eyes towards the sanguinary conflicts in the East, between the cross and the crescent. Let him * Instance Shelley. + Instance Castlereagh.

look to Portugal, aud mark what is there required to support the Altar and the Throne. Let him take a glance at unhappy Ireland, and see what is likely to be produced by the contest between the Bible and the Missal, the humble followers of the lowly Jesus in orange, and his meek disciples in green. Those who think they are serving him best by explaining his mysteries, and those who make a greater mystery by eating him. If such a person will reflect seriously on these things, I think he will then be induced to say with me,-Oh! that all the religions of the world were at this moment suspended before me by a single thread, that I might cut it asunder, and annihilate them all for ever. W. V. H.

TO THE REV. ROBERT TAYLOR, now confined by the Christians in Oakham Gaol, for Infidelity.

REV. SIR,-Your exclamation, in your last letter, respecting Haythorne and Wright, the Bristol bankers," that again some honourable hearted man in Bristol, would force on their observance your challenge to them," was not made in vain. The same cause which induced me to address a letter to Wright on your behalf, induced me to send him the following letter, with the two last numbers of "THE LION," so that it is impossible he can plead ignorance of the means taken to expose his conduct; a conduct which will reflect eternal disgrace on his head, and be an everlasting stain on his character; for we are to judge men, only by their actions, taking the will for the deed; and though some actions are but the pigmy efforts of a plebeian soul, the will is the same, as in him, who, with a giant's strength, performs a giant's deed. The soul of Don Miguel, placed in the situation of Wright, could not have carried its malice further, than in such acts as Wright performed; but the low-minded grovelling soul of the tyrant, though restrained by law from blood, would have shown itself, whenever an opportunity offered. Like the crocodile, it would cry over its prey. Like the cat, play with the mouse it intended to devour. And, like the serpent, lie in ambush, till an opportunity offered to spring on its unconscious victim. The soul or disposition of a bad man is only confined by the restraints of his local situation. Give but vent to his spleen, and liberty to his actions, and whether it be a banker or a king, the actions of the man will soon convince the world of the blood-thirsty tyranny of the heart. I quote the following from memory :—

"Oft have I wondered why on Irish ground,
No venomous reptile's there to be found;
The reason's clear, in nature's sacred work,
She saved her venom to create a Burke."

In like manner, I consider the venom of malice was trebly distilled a thousand degrees above proof, by the Christian's devil, and by that devil infused into the soul of that man, be he who he may, who struck the fallen reed; who could perjure his soul by swearing to a debt never really owed; who threw a man that had never injured him into prison, because he had the power; who employed counsel to continue him there; and who took the means if ever his victim should, by his future exertions, realise a property, to rob him of that property, and this because "the law allows it." Curse on such laws. If men were punished agreeably to the law of justice, in what situation would such men stand?

Enough of this Christian tyranny, this would-be Monster, whom I so

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