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intolerant, such a dogmatizing spirit, that I should not have expected, from one belonging to a body just emerging from the trammels of persecution and therefore deem it my duty to caution him against falling into that dangerous path a second time, and to remind him that such conduct but ill accords with the religion of Jesus.

Surely, Sir, you must be aware of the utter contempt in which your society is held by the religious bigots of the day; and that your exertions in the cause of truth, are more dangerous to the supporters of a wicked and corrupt priesthood, than such a work can possibly be to true Christianity. And yet you would think, and I am convinced every reasonable man would think so too, that had one of the infamous Calvin's saints acted so towards you, he would deserve the reprobation of every friend to good order!

But what is there in this book which is so highly offensive? Your speaker declared, that the author ridicules the two first chapters of Matthew and Luke, and treats them as though they were genuine; when it has long been admitted by the true friends of Christianity, that they are forgeries!-Now, Sir, I acknowledge, that they are deemed forgeries, and that your Society, and the Unitarians, have clearly proved them forgeries, but what then, does this admission convict the author of dishonesty in not treating them as such? Certainly not. And as a convincing proof, ask nine-tenths of those professing Christianity, what they think of those chapters, and their answer will be, they certainly are genuine without them Christianity cannot exist! In fact, the whole body of people (excepting as before excepted), in the United Kingdom, nay, in all parts of the world, where Christianity is known, believe their authenticity! and, what is more, found their chief doctrines on them, and hold them in the highest veneration!-If then this is true, and I think you will not question it, surely the author is justified in his mode of attack-he is justified by his learned predecessors, many of whom were men of acknowledged virtue and excellence he is justified by the Unitarianshe is justified even by yourself!!! for your manner of treating doctrines held in pious respect by the poor deluded fanatics of the day, appears to them in a much worse light than Ecce Homo can possibly appear to you.

Your speaker seemed to think the sentiments of the Freethinking Christians were generally known; but, if he does think so, I am sorry to say, I can inform him, that (comparatively) they are unknown, even in London; and I am really surprized you do not endeavour to promote so good

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a cause, by opening one or two other places in different parts of the town. But, to return to the book-I hope the gentleman will look at it again, and reflect a little on what he said respecting it; and, if I am not mistaken, I think he will not deem it so criminal as he did on his first peru sal. For myself, I can say, that I have read it, and it appears to me as fair an examination as the author could, consistently with his ideas, present to the world; for although I do not agree with him, yet I would much rather see such a work in circulation, than the contemptible trash daily issuing from the press, in support of the most absurd doc

trines.

Your correspondent Christophilus has examined Paine's Age of Reason, and refuted many of his positions in a masterly manner; and I think his time would not be mis-spent, nor the patience of your readers exhausted, if he were to devote his attention to Ecce Homo, particularly as it seems to be getting into general circulation.-For my own part I am glad it has appeared, as it will tend to elicit much va luable discussion, which would otherwise have been lost to the world.

Unfortunately, we cannot even in the present day express our sentiments on religion as on any other topic; but there is something extremely unjust in branding those men with base and opprobrious epithets (as was the case in your last number) who go farther than ourselves, or dare express their opinions in an open and undisguised manner. Opini on should not be restrained, and it is impolitic to attempt it, by using scurrilous language to any man, especially on religious subjects-which ought to be left as free "as the air we breathe," and open to the remarks of all parties, provided they do not offend good manners!

And now, Sir, although I began with censuring a member of your society, I cannot help expressing my hearty approval of the society itself, and particularly of your truly liberal and enlightened Magazine, which, of itself, is calculated to do more in the cause of truth than its feeble opposers imagine; and must finally prevail, if you do not attempt to restrain the ardour of enquiry by saying "thus far you may go, but no further."

With every desire for its universal diffusion, I beg leave to subscribe myself,

London, Jan. 8, 1813.

A FRIEND TO TRUTE.

I

THE FAMILIAR INSTRUCTOR.

To the Familiar Instructor.

MR. INSTRUCTOR,

OFFER you my sincere congratulations upon your good fortune in meeting with Mr. Clairmont, that distinguished Christian and philosopher, feeling fully satisfied that your pleasure and advantage will receive no small increase from a more extended knowledge of his friends and intimate acquaintances: but as this must necessarily be a work of time, from the distance of their residence and other combined circumstances; and as I am ever anxious to hold out the experienced hand of age to the enquiring virtuous youth, I now send you the character of one for whom Mr. C. feels the warmest attatchment, and to whom he performs every duty of the friend.

To a young man of your mind no apology seems requisite for the exercise of this liberty, particularly when I assure you, that were a novel to be written, in which Mr. Clairmont and his friends should sit for the characters, Sir Theophilus Barnard would be the most distinguished in absence of Mr. C. Sir Theophilus was an only son, and came into possession of his title and the family estates, which are very considerable, in the county of York, at an early age, and being placed under the tuition of a worthy man, much given to study, who succeeded in establishing a thirst for the same pursuits in the breast of the young Baronet, and by that means guarded him from the dangers to which he was exposed in a peculiar manner, by his age and circumstances. About this time he became acquainted with Mr. Allen, which laid a foundation for a knowledge of Mr. Clairmont, and that strong affection which now exists between these two greatly enlightened characters. When Sir Theophilus first went to visit Allen and Clairmont, he was surprised at the unreserved freedom with which they spoke of each other's circumstances and characters, and was shortly after honored with having his own brought on their gossiping table for dissection. His title being rather prominent in this enquiry, they entered upon its examination first, and were occupied upon it the whole of the evening, in which much sound philosophical argument was combined with many curious historical relations, that produced an unanimity of opinion between Clairmont and Allen; the latter building his objections against them because of the numerous rogues, villains, and profligates, that

are titled. Mr. C. was far from scouting this argument as ridiculous, yet did not consider it conclusive, as there are many things excellent in themselves that will bear the same objection. He traced the effect of titles on the human mind, and satisfactorily shewed that their natural tendency was to lift their possessors above their proper sphere, to create a false inequality among the human species, highly dangerous to the minds of those men that possess them, and much more to society at large, by raising an improper standard for honor and ́esteem, which necessarily causes an indifference, if not an aversion, to pure and just principles, upon which all REAL superiority must be founded, and that a title cannot make a truly virtuous man more amiable; neither is it in the power of all the ti tles on earth to cause vice and hypocrisy to assume a manly dignified form.

At the close, as well as through the whole of this conversation, Sir Theophilus displayed many evident marks of disapprobation; but to his high honor be it spoken, that the next morning he communicated his conviction to Clairmont's opinion, and signified his determination to drop the use of his title, ever after being called plain Mr. Barnard, or 'Squire Barnard, by the country people. His house is situated at the extremity of his estate, near the city of York, in a delightful rural spot, where nearly the whole of his time is occupied in the pursuit of literature; and being divested of all the trading employments of man, his knowledge may almost be termed universal. His library is rather extensive, containing the writings of all good authors in the English and French languages, with a quantity of manuscripts composed by himself, in which we observe the enlightened politician-the clear-headed philosopherthe able critic on the arts, and the moral dramatist. When at home, he leads almost a solitary life, having no intimate connection with his neighbours.

Clairmont suggested the important good he might effect in sinking popular superstition, and advocating the cause of uncorrupt Christianity, by having a place for the public to meet in at his own house, or some other situation more convenient, and that he might ultimately succeed in esta blishing a society upon primitive Christian principles. This would be of no small magnitude; the farmer was warm in the same cause, but Barnard took the recommen dation with the utmost coolness, being much more disposed to live at ease, pursuing without molestation his favourite studies, and calmly waiting for the progressive improvement

of man, when he would know how to set a proper value upon the pure principles of the gospel, without the use of any of those extraordinary exertions that were now indispensably necessary for the least gleam of hope to be entertained of even the smallest degree of success, when the present degraded state of knowledge among the mul titude is considered, combined with the exertions of a set of men whose interest and practice it is to keep it at as low an ebb as possible to suit their vile purposes.

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Clairmont remained unmoved, being firmly persuaded that the use of proper methods, by an energetic and active mind, would produce effects totally beyond the power human foresight to calculate: and even admitting the probability of a failure, no injury could be done, but much good, as it would enlarge his knowledge of the nature of man, than which nothing is more essential to either the Christian or philosopher. Barnard continued equally unchanged and unchangeable; his constitutional bias being strongly averse to those exertions that a Theological reformer must prepare to meet with, in the first onset of an attempt to stem the torrent of popular superstition. In the publication of their religious opinions, there is a striking contrast between him and Clairmont, so much so that his tenants and nearest neighbours are ignorant of his professed principles; and even 'Squire Dashwood, who happened to meet him on the road several times, has been heard to lament the company he keeps, for fear he should be made a man of no religion. Mr. Barnard is also a member of a philosophical society at York, and occasionally delivers lectures both in the moral and experimental departments; he is allowed to be the mostable they have, being possessed of a forcible com manding eloquence, and compleatly master of his subjects, combined with the most enlightened views of the govern ment of God; so that he has a decided superiority over mere philosophers, whose enquiries do not exceed the boundaries of their sciences, therefore lose the advantage of an enlarged application of their studies. In private company he has none of the disagreeable stiffness of the pedant, and can with the greatest facility "pass from grave to gay, from lively to severe." He possesses the rare talent of applying any part of his greatly varied knowledge to illustrate the point in hand, and by a peculiar dryness of remark, he renders his conversation highly pleasing and instructive.

The only relaxation he allows himself from his favourite studies and his home, is a yearly visit to Clairmont and Allen; but being much concerned at the inconvenienee