to stick to ministers, for fear of worse consequences.

It is the speeches and conduct of your violent hot-headed men that stir up the people and make every quiet man oppose them, through fear for his life and property: it is their speeches and conduct which get us a suspension of the habeas corpus act; it is their speeches and conduct which bring the dragoons amongst us; it is their violent petitions which cause the wishes of thousands to be called faction and rebellion, and hinder thousands from petitioning for what they know is good, for fear of getting amongst violent men. It is the writings of violent men which frighten quiet ones, and may give a handle to the enemies of the people to put an end to the liberty of the press. So, what I say is, have nothing to do with violent men, but look upon them as your greatest enemies do not read their writings, do not listen to their speeches, do not attend their meetings.

And who do you call violent men, said Gudgeon.

Why, I call those violent men, said Goodman, who would stir up the people to violent actions, and violent language: who would make them so wicked, as to wish to take the property of others by force, instead of wanting only plenty of work and good wages. I call those violent men, who would wish to put down the regular government of the country by force, and so get us into a civil war, in which none can be gainers

but bloody men, who set their own lives and those of others at nought. I call those violent men, who would stir people up to secret conspiracies and rebellions. I call those violent men, who promise people such things as never can be brought about by any means in this world; such as, that all shall be equal in property, and so on. I call those violent men, who make people fancy that some wild notion of their own is to cure all evils, when it would only make things worse; such as those who want universal suffrage.

Why neighbour, said Waver, would not that be the way to have us all fairly represented, and so to put an end to all corruption and bribery?

No, it would not, said Goodman; it would be the way to have thousands of voters, who would sell their votes for half a crown a-piece : thousands who would be obliged to vote just as their masters or the overseers of the poor wanted them: thousands who would give their vote to the greatest blackguard, who could flatter them best, and talk most violently. No, neighbour; a man, in order to be a proper voter, ought to have so much property, as to make him not tempted by a small bribe, and so much education, as not to be gulled by a fine speech.

But to return again to what I was saying about violent men: I say, it is such men that do the most harm to the cause of reasonable reform. Why, it is your Brandreths and your Thistlewoods who frighten all quiet people

from wishing for any reform at all, aye, make them enemies to it. It is such men that give tyrants an excuse for every thing they can do against reasonable liberty; and I say, and I would say it with my dying breath, that such men are the greatest enemies old England ever had. If they were to succeed, they would be the curse of the nation; and when they fail, they bring the cause of moderate reasonable reform and real improvement into ill repute, by their foolish plans and violent measures.

CHAP. IV.

Some say, that reason is enough to make a man happy, and that religion is of no use but to feed the priests.

IT was Sunday morning; some of the villagers were sitting at their doors enjoying the fine day, and waiting for the tolling of the last bell; others were standing at the church-porch talking over the news of the village. The Sunday school was walking orderly and happy to church; Goodman had just been seeing his poor sister, and had left his daughter Sarah to take care of her during service.

As he passed Will Waver's door, he heard the voice of Gudgeon, saying, Come, Will, do not go and hear the Parson tell lies, but come to our club. Waver answered in a doubting voice, I wish, Gudgeon, you would not talk so; I know I am never well satisfied with myself when I do not say my prayers to God on a Sunday, as a Christian ought to do. It is all a humbug of the Parson's, cried Gudgeon; he frightens you about hell and the devil, and you are fool enough to believe him: never think of it for three or four Sundays, and you will be a changed man.

Yes, but he will not be a happy man, said Goodman, stepping into Waver's house. If you talk so loud at the door, neighbours, I cannot

help hearing you as I pass, and when I hear such words, I cannot keep my tongue still. What, neighbour Gudgeon, would you persuade a man to forget his Maker, who gives him life, and all the good things he has? Would you persuade a man to offend the Almighty, who could kill us in a moment, and punish us for ever afterwards? Is this one of the good lessons the Radicals have taught you?

Gudgeon looked black, and bit his lips; he said with a sneer, I would have a man use his reason, and not be priest-ridden; I would have him follow his nature, and not a parcel of lies, invented by the priests to keep folks in order.

That is, said Goodman, you would have men to live like brutes, you would have them live without God in the world: but then, Master Gudgeon, they must die like brutes, and what is to become of their immortal souls? I have no soul, said Gudgeon; when a man dies, there's an end of him.

Oh neighbour, said Goodman, make yourself very sure of that before you run any risk; for if you should only chance to be wrong, what a fearful danger you run! There can be no harm, neighbour, to be on the safe side, particularly when you will be more happy even in this world by being so.

But I say I shall not be more happy, said Gudgeon; cannot I do as I please now, and will not that make me happy? Cannot I go and take a pot of beer at the alehouse, kiss a pretty wench, laugh at the parson, and do as I please