you, that my time is so entirely occupied by the business of the period, that it would be impossible for me to enjoy your society as I could wish, and I own it would be more convenient to me to receive you at any other time.

You have now my sentiments candidly stated: they are dictated by a wish to spare you some unpleasant feelings, which, if you retain the sentiments which you expressed in your letter, you would undoubtedly experience here. I trust you will take them as they are intended. I am, my dear Sir, with the highest respect, your very sincere and faithful servant, J. KEATE.

Professor Malthus was introduced to Dr. Parr by Sir Samuel Romilly. There is one letter of great kindness in the collection, but it is on a private topic.

Mr. Martyn, Professor of Botany in the University of Cambridge, placed his son under Dr. Parr's tuition at Hatton. During part of 1791, and almost the whole of 1792, this young gentleman performed the part of amanuensis. The following letters displays the Professor's gratitude, and is declaratory of the improvement of his son. There is an elaborate reply of Dr. Parr to the Professor's inquiry concerning Latin adjectives ending in osus.

DEAR SIR,

Park Prospect, Nov. 9, 1792. Knowing the importance of your pursuits, and how well your time is filled up, I avoid troubling you with letters unnecessarily; and presuming that my son would communicate to you my instructions concerning the time of his migration, which I had settled in concert with his uncle and worthy master, I thought it unnecessary to trouble you on that point. Now that he has quitted your friendly mansion, it is highly proper that I should acquit myself of part of my debt to you, by returning you my

most sincere and hearty thanks for all the learned instruction and friendly counsel which you have so obligingly bestowed upon him, far above my expectations when I placed him under your

care.

My son informs me that you have honoured my Letters on Botany with some notice; could I have flattered myself with such a supposition, I should have taken a pleasure in sending you the book. I write not for the learned; and taking advantage of the epistolary form, the manner is loose and the style careless. The motto should have been-virginibus puerisque. My view was to reduce the women from their frivolities to something that might enlarge their minds, and yet contained nothing too abstruse. The experiment has succeeded; for three large impressions have been sold. When I have opportunity I shall take the liberty of sending my Tour to Italy; though it is a mere vade mecum, useful on the spot. I have kept it down, and made it as stupid as possible. The whole merit of it consists in having much compressed into a small compass, and in being faithfully transcribed from notes made on the place, wherever I had an opportunity of observing. In the course of the winter I shall print a botanico-philological book, which I shall also have the honour of sending you. This year I hope nothing will prevent my having the pleasure of meeting you in town, either at my house or Dr. Shepherd's, or both. If, when you have settled your plan you will appoint a day, by a line from Hatton, the Doctor and I will gladly receive you on your own terms. In the mean time I am, dear Sir, with genuine esteem and respect, yours most sincerely, THOS. MARTYN.

Adjectives in osus have generally an unfavourable sense, though their substantives have a favourable one, as religiosus, famosus, gloriosus, animosus. They are sometimes, however, used in a good sense, as famosus by Pliny and Tacitus-religiosus by Cicero. I find gloriosum used by Cicero in a good sense, but not the masculine. Milton applies the superlative gloriosissimus in a favourable sense to Cromwell. Has he any authority for so doing? Or can you give me any certain rule for these adjectives in osus?

Dr. Parr, to the Rev. Dr. Mavor.

REVEREND SIR,

June 6, 1792.

I yesterday had the honour of receiving your excellent pamphlet,* and the very polite note which accompanied it. The style is often animated and often elegant; many of the observations are very just, many of your distinctions about politics in France and ecclesiastical matters in England appear to me well founded, and the spirit which pervades far the greater part of your work does credit to your candour as a clergyman, and to your liberality as a gentleman. I must, however, take the liberty of limiting this last commendation, because you in one or two places seem to impute to the Bishop of Llandaff some invidious and secret designs, which I cannot reconcile to the vigour of his understanding or to the openness of his temper. I have known him personally for many years, and have conversed with him freely; I have disputed with him frequently, I have read all his controversial writings, I have watched his public conduct, and I am deeply acquainted with his private character. On some political and some theological points I differ from him in opinion, and especially I differ from him about the time and the manner of repealing the Test Act. But I do assure you, Sir, upon the word of an honest man, that I believe him incapable" of prostituting the sacred name of liberty to purposes of faction," of attempting to "demolish the form of the English Government," and of breaking down indiscriminately and simultaneously "the connection between Church and State." You have with great propriety noticed and commented on "the candour of the Bishop in stating an objection to his own way of arguing," and I agree with you that the objection itself is a very strong one. I further agree with you, that the "majority have a right to prescribe civil privileges to the minority;" but in the exercise of this right I have often found less wisdom and less moderation than I could wish. In the present state of things, I, with the entire approbation of my judgment and conscience, resisted the repeal of the

* Vindiciæ Landavenses, or Strictures on the Bishop of Llandaff's Charge to his Clergy.

Test; for I disapproved of the spirit and the season too in which the repeal was demanded. I saw a very simple question either indiscreetly or invidiously made a complex one; and I found political opinions of which 1 did not approve, interwoven with the business of the Test. For these reasons I oppose them; and for other specific reasons that convince me the Test is at present useful, I could not have supported them.

As we have hitherto gone on well, I would not be in violent haste to remove the Test, and if we hereafter go on much better, if a spirit of intolerance gives way to a spirit of moderation, and if moderation prepares all parties for confidence, I shall then think that the safety of the Church will admit, and that the honour of the Church will require, the repeal of the Test. It became necessary at first from particular circumstances, and when those circumstances cease to exist, a Test will cease to be neces⚫ sary, and of course must cease to be just. In saying so I adopt your own wise and virtuous principle, when you call upon " all moderate men to exert their influence in abating that violence which has unhappily been excited in the minds of individuals." In principle we are agreed, and even in the application of the principle to the present state of things we do not disagree. My observation upon men convinces me that bigotry is to be found upon all sides, and my writings and my conduct will be steadily employed in the discouraging it.

Without pretending to approve of all particulars of Church or State, I am most sincerely attached to the interests of both, and I would rather bear with the defects which may be justly imputed to them, than expose either to the ravages of innovation, In truth, Sir, I am a moderate man, and as I know how to value the real and substantial excellencies both of our civil and ecclesiastical Constitution, I should be very sorry indeed to expose them to danger near or remote. All our rights would be secured, all our comforts multiplied, and all our reasonable wishes abundantly gratified, if men cherished in their hearts and carried into their actions the judicious and noble advice with which your book concludes.* It coincides with every dictate of my under

*The words are "And now, my Lord, having fallen in company by accident, diverged in the course of our journey

standing, and every feeling of my heart-I applaud, I thank you for it.

While" the substance of our ecclesiastical establishment reremains the same," the form of it, as you properly observe,

may be varied according to circumstances ;" and I beg leave to add that, in calculating the importance of those circumstances, and in fixing the degree of those variations, the utmost wisdom and the purest honesty are indispensably necessary. I know some churchmen, and one or two statesmen, who will fall under your splendid description: and yet I fear that too many may be found, who, as Bishop Watson says, are enemies to free inquiry. But sound knowledge and unaffected moderation are daily increasing among ecclesiastics; and my prayer is, that they may increase more and more. Your own book, Sir, is an illustrious proof of this position.

If you have read my Sequel you may have seen that I last year exerted myself with success to check some political dialogues which were publishing at Birmingham; and by the same post which yesterday brought me your book, I had intelligence of fresh and greater success upon a subject of yet greater importance. I last week published at Birmingham, without my name, " A Letter from Irenopolis to the Inhabitants of Eleutheropolis." I am very sorry that it is not in my power to give you a copy, but you may get it at Oxford. The object of it was to dissuade the Dissenters from meeting on the 14th of July. Upon the force of my reasoning you will judge from the perusal of the book, and upon its effects you will congratulate the public when you read the following advertisement.

according to what seemed the best road to each of us, we meet, we embrace, I hope, in the spirit of charity at last. To endeavour to secure the protection of God in another world by propagating the pure gospel of his Son in this, is and ought to be our grand aim, our unwearied pursuit. But while we study to propagate its mild and benevolent principles, let us not forget to infuse their practice by our example. Let us banish anger and evil speaking, and study peace with all men; assured that one breach of the great law of Him is of more importance in the sight of God than a thousand speculative errors which disturb not the quiet of others, or a thousand speculative truths which have no influence on ourselves."