that is necessary is, a consideration of his interest and an attention to the duties of a servant, which are neither abstruse in comprehension, nor difficult in practice. Let not the incli nations of indolence, or ofother pursuits, cause you in any instance to be an eye-servant, to be industrious and submis sive while your master is present, but the moment his back is turned to consider it as a licence to trifle with his time and temporise with his character. There is something in this conduct so hypocritically weak, and so strongly indicative of a little mind, that the bare contemplation of it is alone disgusting, Do your duty as a servant, Edmund, let the man w hom you serve be what he may; and if he will not esteem you for the milder virtues, force hint to respect you for your integrity and usefulness. Remember also, as a stronger inducement, that the duties which you owe to him, you owe also to your God, and that while you faithfully serve you at the same time do the will of the other; but let not a conscientious rectitude in one respect induce you to overstep the bounds of propriety in another. It is almost proverbial, that a good servant has always a bad quality, and it is indeed very generally the case; for being seusible of their superiority in most points, they regard it as a sort of privilege belonging to that superiority to be allowed to violate their duty with impunity; and this, in the present state of society, may be done without much inconvenience, for as good servants, like other good things, are not easily to be met with, they can usually find masters who will willingly put up with the bad quality to have the service of the good ones. But with this measured excellence you must not be satisfied, nor depend on the inferiority of others for your own advancement.

one,

A pert and saucy demeanour is an evil very frequently at tendant on such characters, which renders them in some circumstances highly disagreeable. Let me therefore caution you from being led into this folly, which you will no doubt often meet with. You know that I am no friend to a tame ser· vility, or an unconditional surrender of independence; but I am an equal enemy to pride and assumption, and I hold it to be an imperious duty incumbent on servants to treat their masters with respect and civility. I know it will he urged that masters are oftentimes unreasonable in their demands, and irritate their servants to do what otherwise they would not have done. I grant this, but the cause of folly by no means extenuates its guilt; nor can it be shewn by any pari ty of reasoning, that the unreasonableness of a master will jus tify the insolence of his servant. We must not plead other

people's faults as excuses for our own; if your master put himself in a passion, you well know then that he is wrong, for nothing will justify uncontrouled anger; pity him therefore, and be silent; and when his anger has subsided he will respect you the more, as possessing a virtue of which he is deficient. If you differ with him in opinion, hold no contention, for it as probable that he may be right as you; and if the subject of difference be relating to his own business, the probability is then greatly in his favour, for masters usually know more of their own affairs than their servants. If you think him unreasonable in his demands on your services, be · willing nevertheless to sacrifice a little of your own convenience to his wishes, for masters and servants hardly ever think alike as to what service is sufficient and reasonable; and it is often a very difficult problem, to determine which of the two is more correct in. his judgement; it is prudent therefore in both to give up a little of their opinion, if they wish to render their claim upon each other more firm and equitable. In this case never be nice about trifles, and whatever you do, do it with cheerfulness and good humour. I have seen servants, who, if required to do the least thing out of the common way, would set about it with so reluctant an air as would plainly show the great attention they paid to their own ease and convenience. Now I would sooner at any time do a thing myself than be compelled to witness this sulky selfishness in another, for to see the disposition is more painfully disagreeable than to perform the duty.—I have made these remarks, not because my dear child is unacquainted with them, but in order to mark them as errors which will be practised around him, and to caution him against the effects of their contagious example.

Other things besides duty to your employers will now require your attention; you will have some leisure time upon your hands, and at your age it becomes doubly important to see that it is well used. I do not fear that you will pass it in' idleness, for you have been so used to activity, that I am satisfied you will not be happy without some object before you; all I fear in this respect is, that you may be led to make a wrong choice in your object, and may fix on something unworthy in your pursuit. Your companions in business will hold out many inducements for you to pass your evenings at theatres, bulls, and public entertainments, but beware of these things, my son, and remember the command which I gave you, that for the first year you visit not a theatre, a bail, nor a public entertainment of any description - it is pe◄ rempt ry, and cannot on any account be dispensed withthink it not harsh or severe-you are still young, a stranger to

London, and without a frieud near who can guide and direct you; it is necessary, therefore that you should shun those walks of public pleasure where you must inevitably be expo sed to danger on every side, until age has more firmly fixed your habits of virtue and industry, until you are better ac quainted with the rules and stratagems practised in a corrupt city; and until you have found a friend in whose society you can find pleasure, and on whose judgment you can rely; and let this latter object be with you a subject of serious consideration.

"A world in purchase of a friend is gain."

You cannot but remember how often I have regretted, that in the course of my life I have never been able to meet with the man whom I thought in every respect fitted for a friend-a deficiency either of virtue in their conduct, of piety and goodness in their disposition, or of kindness and delicacy in their deportment, has uniformly prevailed. Be it your diligent search, Edmund, to find a character pos sessing these qualities, and to fit yourself for his society; and may heaven indulge you with better success than your father has met with! Seek it not in the high or in the low ranks of life, but chuse rather the middle class; you will find considerable difficulty in your research, for there are not many characters of the description that you will want, and the few that do exist,are so quiet and still, that although the effects of their goodness may be felt far and wide, yet themselves are but little known: for true excellence retires within itself, and like its great parent works in silence; but superficial virtue seeks for the plaudits of mankind, because it has but little or no approbation of its own. Be not at all anxious to gain a large circle of acquaintance; with us in the country there is a deficiency of society; we are therefore in a measure compelled to court it, in order to keep up even a moderate acquaintance. In large cities it is different; there human beings are so huddled together, that they can hardly move without jostling each other, and the difficulty is not in gaining but in avoiding acquaintance. You will find plenty that will be glad to associate with you, but very few of them will be worthy of your society; and unless you can meet with those who are so, with whom you are satis fied we should be pleased, rather give up all society, and live entirely to yourself. You may enjoy all the sweets of a literary taste, and you may constantly commune with your own heart and with God. These are pleasures of a purer kind-such as you cannot be deprived of, and such as are well worthy of a noble mind."

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THE UNITARIAN DINNER, AS LATELY TAKEN, &c. at

THE LONDON TAVERN,

To the Editor of the Freethinking Christians' Magazine.

`SIR,

OF all the predictions of the present day, there is not one

perhaps more safely ventured on than this, that there will appear, in the next number of the Monthly Repository, a boasting yet a broken and an imperfect account of the late Unitarian Dinner.

I have reason, Sir, to apprehend, that the manager of the said account will leave unnoticed even some of the Unitatarian toasts, and particularly this," Sir Walter Raleigh, who introduced into this country the smoking of tobacco."

The toast, Sir, was given by the Reverend Robert Aspland. Some of the company were dissatisfied; but the reverend gentleman defended the smoking Unitarian toast with the most powerful argument, namely IT STANDS IN THE LIST.' Yes, Mr. Editor, IT STANDS IN THE LIST;" and surely no opposition whatever can prevail against it. Surely the soundness of all Unitarian toasts, or the soundness of all Unitarian doctrines, may, by a Unitarian divine, at a Unitarian dinner, be most amply proved. Behold! THEY STAND IN THE CREED!

But of these particulars nothing will be said in the Monthly Repository. Of course we shall not there be told of the manner in which the reverend gentleman concluded, for the night, his services. I will yet then endeavour to make in the account, for Unitarian deficiency.

up,

The reverend gentleman, Sir, finding still some opposition to the Unitarian tobacco toast, again, with great solemnity, began to move; and notwithstanding the proud incumbrances upon him, he reached, by gradual progression, even to his head! With hollowed hand, and all imaginable gentleness, he touched it!-with equal gentleness he drew his -fingers' tips across his forehead and across his chin!-he then, let down his hand!-he turned himself!and then, as wondering Unitarians still beheld him, HE LEFT THE CHAIR, AND

LEFT THE ROOM!!

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And now, Sir, I have had the honour of attending, for six long hours, the Unitarian tavern feast. I have heard repeatedly the exclamation, Let not a feature of the cause be hid! O! Mr. Editor, let not then, this concluding, or this

crowning scene be lost; but grant the favour of a little room for it in your faithful miscellany.

I am, Sir, notwithstanding my late exaltation,
Your's, respectfully,

AN UNTITLED AND UNNOTICED STRANGER."

The Hut, B. Street, June 16, 1813.

It will be recollected, that two years ago an account appeared in our Magazine, of the Anniversary Dinner, held at the London Tavern in support of Unitarianism. We have just received from a correspondent the preceding report of certain things which occurred at this dinner last month, for the truth of which we do not pledge ourselves; indeed we are almost staggered at the contents of this letter, for we did hope the Unitarians had profited by our rebuke. However, as this letter will be read by those who will be able to contradict its allegations, if untrue, we can only say such contradiction shall have the readiest insertion in our publication in the absence of which, we shall 'consider the affair at the London Tavern as calculated to disgust all 'conscientious Unitarians, and likely to induce them to withdraw from those who walk thus disorderly.--Editor.

CLERICAL ANECDOTE.

To the Editor of the Freethinking Christians' Magazine.

SIR,

HEHonourable and Reverend

THE

of a well known family, and brother to two noble Marquisses, some few years since, after having taken "holy orders,' paid his addresses to a young lady of rank and fortune, whose father accepted his proposals upon the express condition that he should abjure the gown, and officiate no more as a parson! The condition was agreed to, and the marriage took place accordingly; but the father dying soon afterwards, and a rich living in the presentation of the family becoming vacant, this "honourable and reverend" gentleman snapped at the golden bait, put on the gown again, and is now at this moment rector of ****** *, one of the most valuable and productive livings in the neighbourhood of the metropolis.

Some remains of conscientious feeling would however appear to hang over him, as he rarely puts on the prohibited gown, or performs his duty as priest of the parish, except at the times when absolutely compelled to do so by the provi sions of the Act of Parliament; on other occasions, so great is this respect for the memory of his departed father-in-law, he constantly employs a curate to officiate in his stead, and con