The Rev. Mr. S. PEGGE's Letter to the Rev. 46 A S the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield are at this time promoting a fubfcription throughout the diccefe of Lichfield and Coventry, with the approbation and good wifhes of the Honourable and Right Reverend the Bishop, for the purpofe of making certain repairs, alterations, decorations, and improvements, in the Cathedral of Liebfield, it may not be improper to inquire into the ground and foundation of fuch their application, and to fhew, in few words, that it is a requifition neither unreasonable nor novel. "The fabric of this Cathedral, Sir, is ancient and elegant, inferior to very few in this kingdom; but, by length of time, and through the inability of the Dean and Chapter, who have but a fcanty fund for its fupport, is grown much out of order, and in fome parts ruinous. One material inconvenience, to mention no others, nor the want of a general repair, attends it, which is, that the congregation, by reafon of the fmallness and incommodioufnefs of the choir, are obliged to remove, whenever there is a fermon, into the nave or body of the church; a circumstance very awkward, difagreeable, and troublesome. "The Dean and Chapter, Sir, have no fand, as was observed, adequate even to the common and neceffary reparation of their Cathedral, and much lefs competent for undertaking a work of fuch magnitude as that now intended, which, according to the efti mate of Mr. James Wyott, the Architect, amounts to the fum of 5950 and upward. "Now, Sir, in regard to the step which the Dean and Chapter are taking, of foliciting donations from the Clergy and Laity of the Diocese, for the purpofe of gaining aid and affiftance towards accomplishing the arduous and neceflary and honourable enterprize, it may be obferved, that at the foundation of this Cathedral in the middle of the feventh century, the Cathedral was efteemed to be the Mother Church of the whole Diocefe, and that the Parochial Churches were altogether dependent upon it; that the Clergy, who then refided with the Bishop, iffued from the Cathedral to ferve and officiate at the feveral Churches in the Diocese, and that the Diocefe for that reafon was commonly called Parochia, as if the few Parish Churches exifting in thofe times were to be confidered as but fo many Chapels of Eufe to the Cathedral. Hence it came to país, that, for many ages after, the country congregations made annual procef fions to the Cathedral as to their Mother Church, that the parochial Clergy fetched the Cbrifm from thence, and that their parithion ers made a yearly payment to the Cathedral Your a lectionate brother, Mr. URBAN, June 10. MR. Lindley, in his late work, in tituled, "Vindiciæ Prieftleianæ," addreffed to the Students of Oxford and Cambridge; alarmed at the very favourUndergraduate, and unanimously afcribed able reception of a pamphlet, figned the to Dr. Horne; hath entered the lifts is behalf of his friend Dr. Prieftiey, and attempted to expofe the weakness and futility of his antagonist's arguments. With a zeal and energy worthy of a bet. ter caufe, he invites the ftudents of thofe celebrated feminaries to emancipate themfelves from the tyranny of custom and prejudice, to affume the privilege of thinking for themselves on the unfpeakably momentous fubje&t of religion. As he and his friends have the fingular and exclufive talent of unlocking the fenfe of the facred fcriptures, and pushing their enquiries with fuccefs into the throne o God, they entreat them to drink deeply of the dregs of Socinianifin, and to degrade their Saviour to a level of a finful man. It is devoutly to be wished, that young men, deftined to the ministry, will be cautious of adopting the wild chimeras and whimsical reveries of thefe modern reformers, who diftort, mutilate pervert the word of God, who from an intrepid intrepid spirit of novelty, and an intemperate thirft of fame, forget with what awful diffidence it becomes them to reafon on the ways of an infinite being to his dependent creatures. If a writer, poffelfed of profound and well digefted learning, accurately versed in those ftudies more immediately connected with theology, hath defended, with invincible ftrength of reafoning, the fublime doctrine of the redemption of man by the blood of Chrift, he is accufed by Mr. Lindley of being of a gloomy fuperftitious turn of mind, of having exhibited an harsh and deformed picture of human nature. The reader will be furprifed when informed, that the Writer alluded to by this hardy champion of Socinianifm, is the truly learned and pious Bifhop Butler, who, in his immortal work of the Analogy of natural and revealed religion, hath fhewn in the cleareft manner, from a variety of texts, that Redemption is not a mere figure of fpeech in accommodation to Jewish notions, but the exact accomplishment of the prophecies concerning the propitiatory facrifice of Chrift. The learned Prelate hath founded his arguments on the Epiftle to the Hebrews, the Author of which hath declared, that the legal facrifices were allufions to the great and final atonement to be made by the blood of Chrift, and not that this was an allufion to those. This doctrine, the main pillar in the grand structure of Christianity, is defcribed in fuch ftriking colours by St. Paul, that Dr. Priestley, with the moft daring effrontery, hath afferted, that the Apofile argues inconclufively. To fuch wretched expedients, unworthy of a Scholar and a Divine, is this adul terator of the Gofpel reduced. Another reafon why Mr. Lindley is fo much difpleafed at Bishop Butler is, that he has faid that analogy leads us to expect myfteries in religion; myfteries! furely you were dreaming, good Bishop. Thefe harp-fighted critics know of no myfteries in religion; the Almighty hath revealed himfelf in a peculiar manner to them; they can comprehend the heighth, breadth, and depth of the divine Majefty. A late ingenious Writer, who acknowledged that he had long entertained prejudices againft Chriftianity, afferts, in the most unqualified language, that they who deny the vicarious atonement of Chrift, might equally deny that Thucydides wrote the hiftory of the *Soame Jenyus, Efq; Peloponnefian war. He faw that doc. trine enforced by the Apoftles with a clearness and precifion, which nothing but a blind deliberate obftinacy could refift. If Dr. Prieftley had more maturely weighed the nature and defign of Chriftianity, the prefs would not have laboured fo often with his productions. Dr. Horfley, perfectly acquainted with the character and difpofition of the man, and that he was poffelfed of an incutable itch of writing, proved, to the fatisfac tion of the learned world, that his opponent was a fhallow dabbler in ecclefi aftical antiquity, and fuperficially acquainted with the Greek language. It is a mortifying reflection to the Soci nians, that Dr. Horfley owes his preferment to the unfolicited recommendation of a great Law officer. His admirable defence of the established religion against the feeble attacks of the Ditlenters hath defervedly ranked him among the first fcholars of the age. Let the ftudents of Oxford and Cambridge efleem it their highest honour to be the difciples of a Butler, an Hofley, and a White, whofe writings reflect a luftre on the prefent age, and will be tranfmitted with applaufe to the lateft pofterity. The tithes, which Prieftiey and his followers fo anxiously defire, will continue among the eftablished Minifters of the Gospel; whilst the Ditfenters, though protected by the mildeft government that ever exifted, muft bawl for confcience fake against every member of the Church of England. Yours, &c. Mr. URBAN, CLERICUS. June 10. Send you the extract from Leland' Collectanea, Vol. I. p. 233. edit: 1774, referred to by your correfpondent, p. 395.. "Fulco (Fitzwarin) primus, had fyx funnes, Fulco, William, Garine, Philip, John, and Alane. John, fun to King Henry, and Fulco fell at variance at cheftes, and John brake Fulco hed with the cheft borde; and then Fulco gave him fuch a blow that had almost killed him.” John feems never to have forgiven this blow, as he deprived him of the title to Whitington, gave from him the governorfhip of the Marches, and endeavoured to have him killed, or get him into his power, but at laít pardoned and employed him in Ireland, where he did noble feats." Many more particulars are to be found in the volume above-mentioned, PP. 234-5, & feq. Yours, &c. W.H. Mr. June 4. As the extenfive circulation of your Magazine reaches northward beyond the Tweed, the following sketch of what is ufually called "the bort Tour of Scotland," with the diftances, and a few remarks, may not be unacceptable to your readers, especially at a seafon of the year when there are many whofe curiofity leads them into those parts. EDINBURGH to Barnbougle Queen's Ferry Hopetoun Houfe 2 LINLITHGOW Falkirk 3 Carron Works Camelon s Dunblain 7 Ardoch 8 Yours, &c. English Plate* No. English O. R. Killin Tyndrum 14 20 2 14 Dalmally Inn 15 15 12 INVERARY 16, Arroquhar 22 Lufs 17 18 DUMBARTON 18, 92 GLASGOW 19 13 14 S 50 14 Hamilton 20 Lanark 21 39 13 EDINBURGH 22 47 32 9. 8 *See Taylor and Skinner's Roads of North Britain, a most accurate aud useful Work. REMARK S. * Lord Roseberry's, a handsome approach, well wooded, house indifferent.-2 Lord Hopeton's, a magnificent stone building with wings, the fituation overlooking the Firth of Forth extremely fine.-3 Royal palace built by James VI. in ruins.-4 Great Iron-foundery, 1000 men conftantly employed, country of course populous.-5 The aqueduct bridge belonging to the canal-acrofs the inland.-6 Roman vallum, view from the castle remarkably fine. 7 Cathedral in ruins.-8 The most perfect Roman camp in Britain.-9 Linen-manufacture, Salmon-fifhery, Gowrie-houfe, bridge, Scoon Palace, Lord Stormont's.-10 Duke of Athol's, pleasure-grounds, fall of the river Braun." Beautiful ride by the Tay, bridge built by government 1733, cafcade at Monefs.-12 Taymouth Castle, Lord Braidalbane's, pleasuregrounds, view from the fort.-13 A fine cafcade on the fouth fide of Loch Tay.-14 The highest point in Scotland, from Loch Abia the rivers run east and weft.-15 In the churchyard are fome ancient tombstones from Icolmkiln.-16 Duke of Argyle's, the caftle a princely refidence.-17 The best view of Loch Lomond from Lufs.-18 The caftle.19 Cathedral, university, canal, manufactures of Glasgow and Paisley.-0 Duke Hamilton's. 2 Falls of the Clyde at Cory-bin, Stone-biers, and Boniton.-22 The new town, caftle, Holyrood-house, univerfity, Calton-hill, &c. &c. &c. Mr. URBAN, May 12. LONGTOWN Caftle*, in Monniouthfhire, on the S. W. edge of Herefordfhire, on the Black Mountain, or Hatterel Hills, though little noticed by Antiquaries or Travellers, is a fine remain of baronial magnificence, on the frontiers of England and Wales. Being fo near Wales, it was probably reckoned part of it, and on this account does not appear in Domefday Survey. It is a chapelry in the parish of St. Cludock, in the diocefe of St. David. Mr. Taylor's map, on what authority we know not, places here the Roman ftation BLESTIUM, which, in Antonine's 12th Iter from Ifca (Caerleon) to Calleva (Silchefter or Farnham), paffes throughBurrium (Uk), Blef tium (Monmouth), according to Huifley, * See Plate II. an. exed, from a drawing by Mr. Wathen, of Hereford. GENT. MAG. June, 1788. 5 p. 467. Mr. Camden (Brit Herefordfh.) Cafle, at the foot of Hatterel Hills, called had placed Bifium at Old Town, or Old by the Britains Cafleben, or the Old Cafle, and fituated not far to the fouththe fame opinion, correcting the Roman ward of Longtown. Mr. Baxter was of name Belefcium. Mr. Horfley thought the distance from Oldtown to Uk too great for the Itinerary eleven miles. For further particulars of Longtown, we must wait till fome native Antiquary give us a history of the county of Hereford. |