Pella, who abandoned the rites of Moses to secure the privileges of the Colony.

Of this orthodox Hebrew church, now first heard of, Dr. Priestley questions the existence, and calls upon the Bishop for his proof: who, finding, to his great disappointment, that the authorities appealed to by Mosheim were nothing to the purpose, proceeds to construct a formal demonstration of his own. This demonstration begins with six professedly gratuitous propositions, which, however, to do the learned Prelate justice, he frankly acknowledges, of themselves prove nothing. And it concludes with a seventh, upon which the principal stress is laid, but which, as the Bishop in his last Disquisition very fairly owns, proves barely and singly the existence of a body of or thodox Hebrew Christians, existing somewhere in the world in the time of Jerome, 250 years after the reign of Adrian. And this cypher being added to the six preceding cyphers, constitutes what the Bishop is pleased to call the entire proofs, of the existence of the orthodox Hebrew church at Ætia in the time of Adrian. This statement, Mr. Urban, of Bishop Horsley's argument may appear somewhat ludicrous; but I pledge myself that it is correct. It would be easy to exhibit it in the Bishop's own words, in a way which must convince the most incredulous. I have done this in a small volume, intituled "The Claims of Dr. Priestley re-stated and vindicated," &c.; and I challenge your Right Reverend Correspondent to disprove this representation.

Speaking of that small publication, Mr. Urban, I cannot sufficiently deplore the painful sensations which have been excited in the breast of his Lordship, and other "friends of Truth, of Christianity, and of the Church of England," by a typographical error in one of the Newspapers, which represented that little Volume as "dedicated, by permission, to the Prince Regent.” Not having any concern in those advertisements, I had heard nothing of this unfortunate mistake till I saw it in your pages. But, though his Lordship, with his usual perspicacity, intimates a suspicion of fraud, I cannot think that either the compositor or the book

seller, with whomsoever the fault lay, could have any inducement to a fraudulent act. And as to the book itself which was so advertised, no child, who is capable of reading the titlepage, could mistake the meaning. Indeed, Mr. Urban, I have little inducement to dedicate any publication of mine to the Prince Regent. I thank God, I have no favour to ask, either of the Prince or his Ministers. To the Regent I owe nothing but that allegiance which is due from a freeborn Briton to his lawful Prince; and in this duty I flatter myself that I am not inferior to the learned Prelate himself. Nor do I owe any thing personally to the Regent's Ministers, excepting gratitude, in common with my brethren, for that wise and conciliatory measure, by which Unitarians have been placed under the protection of the Law: a measure the importance of which we have learned to appreciate, from that wild effervescence of an intolerant spirit which has lately manifested itself where it was least to have been expected. Happily it is now perfectly harmless.

"Mr. B. himself," says his Lordship, "quotes Lord Thurlow as an admirer of Bishop Horsley's Tracts in this controversy." It is true, Lord Thurlow was, as every one must be, a great admirer of the talents and learning of Bishop Horsley: nor would he esteem him the less for that useful talent, which the Bishop posses sed in an eminent degree, of throwing dust into the eyes of the simple and the ignorant. That Lord Thurlow was convinced by the arguments of the learned Prelate, Mr. B. never asserted. He has good reason to believe that the noble Lord saw the fallacy of them as distinctly as the Bishop himself; and that he made no hesitation of expressing his sentiments accordingly.

But, adds his Lordship of St. David's, "Mr. Whitaker was no ignoramus;" and he, in a public dedication to Bishop Horsley, congratulated him upon his victory. That Mr. Whitaker possessed a profusion of learning, cannot be doubted by those who are acquainted with his works. Of the extreme exility of his judgment, there can be, among intelligent readers, but one opinion; and of his competency to discuss an historical question, his

Defeuce

Defence of Mary Queen of Scots, is a

notorious specimen. We give his

Lordship this Mr. Whitaker.

His Lordship charges me with using harsh language concerning the Clergy and their doctrines. The idea I mean to convey in that passage which has given offence to bis Lordship is, that persons, all whose expectations in life depend upon their profession of a particular system of opinions, cannot, in the nature of things, be unbiassed inquirers after truth. If, in the expression of this sentiment, undue asperity of language has been allowed, I would readily retract it. In the mean time it may, perhaps,contribute to take off the edge of resentment, if it be recollected that his Lordship himself and his partizans have not been in the habit of using the gentlest epithets, and the most temperate language, when speaking of Unitarianism and its advocates.Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra. Yours, &c. T. BELSHAM.

P. S. I will beg leave to offer the following plain interpretation of the two important texts which his Lordship has cited; which may perhaps be acceptable to some of your Readers, till his Lordship finds time to propound his own more critical and elaborate solution of them.

1. David in spirit calls the Messiah his lord; because, being, like Abraham and Isaiah, transported in prophetic vision to the times of the Messiah, he speaks of his great descendant as if he were then existing, and with the

deference which would be due to him if he were actually present.

2. No one knoweth who the Father is but the Son, and he to whom the Son shall reveal him: But what the Son reveals, is not the Father's essence, but the Father's will. This, therefore, is that which the Son knows concerning the Father. And, by fair analogy, when it is said that no one knoweth the Son but the Father, the subject of the proposition is the doctrine, and

not the essence of the Son.

I presume that the learned Prelate, upon reconsideration, will see it to be his duty to retract the charge of which I bave complained in the beginning of this Letter; and which, I am willing to believe, was the effect of inadvertence rather than malignity. T. B.

ABOUT two months ago

graphs were inserted generally in the Newspapers, stating that a Submarine Forest had been discovered just above low-water-mark on the coast of Normandy or Britany. Being lately on a Survey as a Commissioner of Pevensea Level, I discovered (or rather the workmen of the Marshes pointed out to nie, as what they themselves were well acquainted with), to my apprehension, a precisely similar Forest. It is situated in the Western extremity of Bexhill parish, just above low-water-mark, adjacent to a manor-farm of the Duke of Dorset's, used by Messrs. Brooks, respectable gentlemen farmers, called Conden, in that subdivision of Pevensea Marsh named Hoo Level, very nearly midway between Hastings and East Bourne. I have been thus particular in stating its situation, in the hope that the curiosity of some of the numerous visitors of the coast of Sussex

may be excited, and that some of them may be induced to favour the Publick with their speculations and conjectures with regard to it. I do not recollect that it has been noticed in any printed account of this district; and, therefore, as it appears to be at least equally curious with that on the coast of France, I have thought that you would excuse this intrusion on your pages. There are the remains of 200 or more Trees, which are firmly rooted in the soil, now become sand, and are all retaining their perpendi cularity and original vertical position. Some of the Trees are four or five feet above the surface; others have been cut down, or rather, I conjec flux and reflux of the waters. The ture, worn away by the continual ramifications and claws of the roots are very perfect. The Trees are similar in their species, and in their manner of growing, to those of which our Sussex woods are composed, and are principally oak and birch. At high tides this spot is covered by the sea to the depth of 10 or 12 feet; so that it is evident that the Earth must here have experienced some grand convulsion, as it is utterly impossible that, under present circumstances, any other than marine vegetation could thrive, or even exist. The whole of the adjacent Country, inland, is a

marsh,

Marsh, from which the sea has been expelled, and is now kept out with great difficulty and at a vast expence; and there is no woodland nearer than four miles on the hills adjacent to these levels.

The only hypothesis by which I am able to account for this phænomenon is, the supposition, according to antient and uniform tradition, that this land was formerly united with the opposite Continent; and that, at the time of the separation and of the eruption of the waters of the Ocean, the surface of this ground must have been lowered by an earthquake, or by some other violent shock of Nature; since, low as it now is, if it were not possessed by the sea, it would of necessity be covered by the > fresh inland waters.

>

I believe that this Wood, or Forest, is by no means unique, and that there is one on the coast of Lincolnshire very similar,

Mr. URBAN,

E. J. C.

Aug. 10. VERY friend to the Established

E church must be gratified by perceiving, that the subject of Queen Anne's Bounty has been recently taken up by an intelligent Member of the House of Commons (Sir Egerton Brydges), and is likely to receive the attention of Parliament in the course of the next Session.

As a ground-work for those proceedings which Sir Egerton Brydges may institute, the following documents have been ordered to be laid before the House; and the substance of each is here stated for the informnation of such of your Readers as may not have access to the printed

Votes.

1st. An Account of the annual produce of the Revenues vested in the Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty, and of any Parliamentary grants in aid thereof, from 1st Jan. 1803.

2nd. An Account of the annual application of the said Revenue and Parliamentary Grants during the same period; and in what public securities, and to what amount, the money in the Governors' hands is invested.

3rd. Ao Account of the number of Augmentations made by the Governors in each year, and to what amount in the whole for each year, during the said period.

GENT. MAG. August, 1814,

4th. An Alphabetical List of all Livings augmented in England and Wales, distinguishing the dioceses and date of each augmentation, with the population and certified value thereof according to the last return thereof to the said Governors; also the sums paid for the augmentation of each living from 1703*.

5th. An Account of the number of

Livings for the augmentations of which purchases of land have been made; and also of those on which the interest of money appropriated for their augmentation, but not laid out, is paid to the Clergy.

To these useful documents it might be desirable to have added, An Account of all Livings in England and Wales, the emoluments of which are now below 501. per annum.

It is almost inconceivable that a fund so splendid in its nature, which has now been created upwards of a century, and materially augmented during later years by munificent grants from Parliament, should have hitherto produced such inconsiderable effects; and we must suppose, that, however great the revenue may be, it has either borne no proportion to the magnitude of the object, or that the plan pursued in the disposal of it has not been the most judicious and effective. One reason of this may have arisen from the Publick not being so well aware of the nature and objects of the fund as they ought to be. Sir John Sinclair expressly observed some time ago, that "the state of the funds has of late years been carefully concealed, but it probably yields at present from 40 to 50,000l per annum†.” Why it should be so concealed, is not very apparent. A calculation was made, some years since, by Dr. Burn, who stated, that it would require 339 years from the period when this benefaction originated, before the total number of livings under 501. per unnum (then estimated at 5597) could exceed that sum, and that if one half of such augmentations were made in conjunction with other benefactors, it would then require 226 years before the same object could

be accomplished *. This fearful interval must, however, be reduced from the augmentations latterly made to the fund by Parliament, to which I have alluded.

I am very far from joining in the cry against the inequality that prevails in the revenues of the Clergy, being sensible that a gradation of ranks is as necessary in our ecclesiastical, as in our civil constitution; and, consequently, am of opinion that an equalization of emoluments would on the whole be productive rather of evil than of benefit. At the same time, the condition of the inferior Clergy well deserves attention, and calls loudly for amelioration. The increase afforded by the Bounty, inconsiderable as it is, would still prove an important addition to the annual income of many livings; and in the absence of some other National provision, it is most desirable that this fund, instead of being permitted to accumulate (if such be the case),should be diffused as promptly as possible, more especially as the allotted sum, when invested in land, becomes daily more productive. If just principles had guided the mind of Henry VIII. and a wise and liberal system of policy had been adopted by him, when he first laid the axe to the root of Popery in this country, and dissolved its numerous and powerful establishments; had a portion of the revenues seized from the religious houses, instead of being bestowed upon hungry courtiers and expensive follies, been given to the parochial Clergy with a discriminating hand; their general condition would at this period have presented a very different appearance; and where penury and want existed amongst them, the evil would most commonly have arisen from the mismanagement of individuals, and not from actual necessity. It is, therefore, to be hoped that when the present topick comes before him in Parliament, the rich Impropriator will not turn a deaf ear to the subject; or by ill-founded and ungenerous arguments against the Clergy as a body, prove the means of strangling this inquiry in its birth.

* Burn's Eccl. Law, ut supra; and see a note of Mr. Christian's to Blackstone's Commentaries, vol. I. p. 285, who consiters Sir John Sinclair's statement of the income as exaggerated.

Aug. 11.

T cannot fail to be matter of regret to those that love Mankind, that the sale of Empirical Medicines appears to encrease every year, both in the Metropolis and every part of the Kingdom. Few of these are, it is apprehended, of an innocent nature; and the lower classes, as well as some of the higher, give too much encouragement to the plausible advertisements which are every day in every advertising Paper of intelli gence obtruded on their observation. it may be safely asserted, that if the essential mischief produced by the extensive circulation of these medicaments was placed in one scale against the essential good in the other, the mischief would greatly preponderate. The Eau medicinale has been much recommended in arthritical complaints, and produced much pecuniary profit to its venders; its effects, in a great variety of instances, have been found to be of a violent kiud; and if the unhappy patient has not fallen a victim to its frequent use, it may be attributed to a strong constitution, or some other latent cause.

It is supposed that the Digitalis ferruginea, a plant not indigenous in Britain, but found in Italy, Greece, and some of the islands of the Mediterranean, is the chief ingredient in its composition; and as it is of a deleterious if not poisonous nature, extreme caution ought to be observed in its application; and to persons of a delicate or debilitated constitution it ought not to be prescribed at all. An analysis lately made by one of the most eminent chemists of the age proves that it is very similar to the Digitalis purpurea, purple Fox glove, a plant very common in lanes and The hedge-rows in this country. ferruginea was thought by Dr. Sibthorp to be the Xogos λEUXOS of Dioscorides, and is still employed for

medicinal

S we have all been feasting and

blessed with a long peace, as at present we fondly hope, or may be plunged too soon into new contentions, we shall feel more than ever that we are, brethren, and have but one common interest to support: and that they who would divide us, and create dis sentions at home, from trivial or no causes, but for their private ends, are worse than any enemies with whom we can be engaged,

They who see it in this light, will

which we are blessed, after so long a period of destructive War, it may not be amiss to recollect, what great authority we have for what we have done: an authority which, in times of more devotion, would have been recurred to long ago. We read in I Chron. chap. xvi. that," when David had made an end of offering the burnt-offering and the peace-offerings," on bringing up the ark to Jerusalem from the House of ObedEdom, "he blessed the people, in the name of the Lord. And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, and to record, and to thank aud praise the Lord God of Israel." Then also was it that he composed that noble hymn, which stands as an everlasting monument of his pious thankfulness, and of his genius, both in the above mentioned chapter of Chronicles, and with some few variations in the 105th and 106th Psalms.

"Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make his deeds known among the people."

Now in every country-town, and in almost every village, we have (ge nerally without knowing it) exactly copied the bounty of David; giving to every man and every woman, and almost every child, both bread and meat, and comfortable drink, the wine of our climate, sometimes at public tables, sometimes in other modes of distribution; but every where with the same spirit and the same intention; that of enabling the people to partake in the general joy, and to keep the feast of peace, as one united family. I rejoice that this has been done. Our National character is honoured, and perhaps improved by it: and whether we shall be

that the extent and nature of the population of London prevented there the attempt at such festivities; and will regard the fireworks and other entertainments that have been given to the publick at large, as the only practicable substitute for the rural rejoicings, with which the general population of the country has been exhilarated. There is a paltry affectation of wisdom, which many assume, by condemning whatever is done, and turning it into ridicule. But the wise are above such tricks; and I will conclude my present communication with a short anecdote, literally true, and very illustrative of the subject.

A wise, and indeed a famous man, was enjoying with a friend, the striking beauties of the Temple of Peace in the Green Park; while two blockheads behind them were affecting to despise the whole, and to wonder at the folly of such an exhibition. He heard them for some time in silence till at length, out of all patience, he raised his voice to a high pitch, and exclaimed distinctly to his companion, "I had rather hear two jack-asses bray for an hour together, than two puppies affecting wisdom, by condemning all they see." The puppies took the hint, and barked go more; and I send the anecdote to you, as a lesson for such puppies in general. Yours, &c.

PER

A. R.

Mr. URBAN, Ross, July 31. ERMIT me to inquire if of any your Readers have tried M. Appert's method of preserving alimentary substances, and with what success. Since you did me the honour of publishing my abridgment of his superficial treatise, in the beginning of last year, I make no doubt but it has excited the attention of many who are not above studying the pleasures and comforts of a good table;

for