the book of the law, which the Lord of the soil (law written in no other but this outlandish | as if they had been brothers and sisters. Howhad written. tongue, that the sheep could not understand, ever, this happy state of things was of short At an early period of the history of the farm, these crafty shepherds managed to keep their duration; for the Romish shepherds fearing these Romish shepherds had contrived to make sheep in ignorance without exposing themselves that if this went on, they must either give up themselves absolute masters of the sheep; and to the charge of altogether disowning the their influence over their flocks, or withdraw used to keep even the farmers themselves in authority of the book. However, it was easy their submission from their superior at Rome, awe. They would not suffer the sheep so much to be seen that whatever reverence they pre- and change their system altogether, thought it as to look into the book of the law, nor to lis-tended for the book, there was much in it that necessary to exert their authority, which they ten to the instruction of any shepherd who was made against their system, or else they would accordingly did, ordering their sheep by no not of their own body; and if ever a poor not have taken such pains to keep it back from means to let their lambs run in the same sheepsheep was caught in the fact, they made no the poor sheep. That being the real state of walks with the flocks of the faithful shepherds, scruple to kindle a bonfire, and roast him alive. the case, there is no difficulty in understanding or be taught along with them. This order was These cruel and tyrannical doings were happily why these shepherds objected to let their flocks too generally obeyed, through fear of the Romish put an end to long before the days of old Farmer read for themselves, and insisted that the book shepherds, though often with reluctance; for George,-of whose time I am now speaking, and was only safe to be read with do-away notes. the sheep could not but see that their young the Romish shepherds had very little footing The unknown tongue was like the dark clouds ones had never thriven so well before. The in his principal estate. Their strong-hold was of night, which effectually hid the light of truth lambkins too were grieved to part from their a neighbouring farm, which some of Farmer from the eyes of the poor unlearned sheep. play-fellows; and there was a great deal of George's predecessors had acquired, and which The do-away notes threw a mist of error over sorrowful bleating and ba-ing on the occasion. be attempted to bring under the same system the beautiful clearness and simplicity of the The Romish shepherds having so far gained of management with the principal estate, from book. They had the effect of a thick fog, their ends, and being very angry at the attempt which it was separated by a narrow brook. coming over bright sunshine, and left the to put their flocks under better training, next set This neighbouring farm which possessed many bewildered traveller, who might have read as about stirring up the rams of their flock to disadvantages of soil and situation, had for a long he ran at noon day, just light enough to see turb the peace of the farm. This was an old time been conducted by bailiffs, whom the old the finger posts which pointed the wrong way. device of theirs, and therefore Farmer William farmer sent over to keep it; and who managed But that they might leave nothing undone to had taken the precaution of ordering small it pretty much their own way, and that was carry their point, they got their superior at wooden logs to be fastened about the rams' necks, not always the best way. The bogs were not Rome to assist them; and what does he do to hinder them from breaking through the fences. drained, the lands were generally ill cultivated, but sends a herd of roaring bulls to bellow at The rams, backed by their shepherds, had made and the native stock of sheep which were under the poor sheep, to frighten them from reading many lond complaints to the farmers, of these the complete guidance of the Romish shepherds, and following the book of the law. The faith-logs, as both disgraceful and cumbersome, and were suffered to feed among the bogs and ful shepherds told their own flocks not to mind pleaded hard to have them taken off. But the unwholesome pastures, and in every respect the roarings, for the bulls being on the other farmers all thought it would be unsafe; and were much neglected. There was indeed a side of the hedge, would do them no more harm so the rams wore their necklaces till after the capital breed of sheep there, the descendants than friendly honest John Bull on the other death of old Farmer George, when his son, the of a flock that had gone over in former days side of the brook. The Romish shepherds, on fourth of that name, being of an open and unsuswith their shepherds, from the principal estate; the contrary, frightened their sheep almost to pecting disposition, yielded to the rams' petition, but the breed not having been encouraged, death, telling them that the bulls would make and gave them the long-wished for emancipation they did not increase so rapidly as might have terrible work with them if they presumed to from the logs, on their making him a solemn been expected, and were much fewer in num-read and follow the book. promise that they would give him no further ber than the original stock. The shepherds Now the farmers naturally favoured the faith-trouble after they were taken off. For a while from the principal estate ought to have had an ful shepherds from the principal estate, not the rams did nothing but caper and toss their eye to the improvement of all the sheep, on only because they were convinced of the supe-heads, and vow perpetual friendship with the the neighbouring farm; but for a long time, rior benefits of their mode of teaching, but other flock, declaring that they would not they left all but their own flocks much in the because they were jealous of that supreme break through the fences, or damage the shepcondition in which they found them. honour which the other shepherds rendered to herd's corn for the world. Farmer George, to The fire-and-faggot-system of keeping the their superiors at Rome, and which the farmers whom they had made the promise, being shortly sheep in ignorance of the book of the law having reasonably thought was dangerous to their own afterwards succeeded by Farmer William, they been abolished by the farmers, the Romish power and interest, and not consistent with seemed to think the promise was no longer bindshepherds now managed to do the same thing by true loyalty to the Lord of the soil, under ing At nights, when the shepherds from the cunning. They could not object altogether to whom the farmers held the estates. Especially estate over the brook were asleep with their flocks, the book, because (strange to say) they pre- Farmer George would have been glad to see the rams broke through their fences, damaged tended to found their authority partly upon it, the whole flocks on the other side of the brook the corn, and did all sorts of mischief. These and were continually insisting that the book under the care of faithful shepherds of his own marauding rams took the nicknames of Whitewas favourable to their system. Instead there- choosing. As there was so much difficulty in boys,-though they were the dirtiest and fore of crying down the book, they took the getting the grown-up rams and ewes to follow shabbiest of the sheep; and of Peep-o'-dayvery different course of crying up the book any other than the shepherds they had always boys, and Rockites, from their night rambles, as too good for any but themselves to read been accustomed to, he took up the plan of and the roving disorderly life they led, like especially they urged that the book of the laws encouraging the lambs of both flocks to run goats among the rocks. In this way the Rowritten and sent forth by the Lord of the soil about together, hoping that the tender lambkins mish shepherds and the rams made the farm was too sacred to be turned into common would be easily trained up together. This such a scene of turmoil, that many of the sheep language; and in short, that it was not safe scheme went on very well for a time, especially from the principal estate crossed the brook and proper to read these laws in any language, as some of the faithful shepherds took up the and went over there, that they might live in except a certain strange tongue, that used plan very zealously, and the lambs of both peace and quietness; and right glad would the formerly to be spoken at Rome, where their flocks improved so much that their dams sent Romish shepherds have been if they had all gone superior has always lived. Well, as I was them of their own accord to be taught out of over in a body, and their shepherds with them, saying, by this trick of having the book of the the book of law, and they gambolled together leaving the undivided management of the farm

HYMN FOR THE FAST DAY.

Hark! to deep repentance calling,
'Tis the solemn voice of God;
Low before his footstool falling,
Tremble at his lifted rod!
Have ye heard of thousands dying
Of the fearful pestilence?
Will ye not be found relying

in their hands. Indeed they and the discon-nishment, and gave the sinner a painful fore- will send the pestilence among you, and ye shall tented rams made no secret of their wish to taste of the far more dreadful evils, which were be delivered into the hand of the enemy." get rid of the other shepherds, and actually reserved for the careless and impenitent against The faithful shepherds further told them that sent over a deputation to the principal estate, the day of wrath, and the revelation of his the terrors of the new disease were as nothing headed by a turbulent ram, who had bothered righteous judgment, when He should come to compared to the old moral plague of their own Farmer George the Fourth to take off the judge every one according to his works. hearts, the only remedy for which was to be logs, and for whose signal and successful The sheep gave but little heed to these warn- found in the book of the law, and they intreated services on that occasion, the ram was nick-ings, but mostly busied themselves in blaming them to go and seek it earnestly, lest when the named King Log. That famous teller of one another, as being the guilty authors of these chief Shepherd should appear to take to himstories, Old Esop, informs us that the frogs calamities, without bewailing the sins that made self his faithful sheep with exceeding joy, any of had a king of that name, who came among them so. Their Great Shepherd, therefore, them should be cast out from his presence with them with a tremendous splash, and frightened sent a more special warning, in a new and ter- the goats and false brethren, into a furnace of his subjects out of their wits. But ever after, rible disease, which had made dreadful havoc fire, where shall be wailing and gnashing of the lazy log lay at full length on the water, in other places, carrying off scores of sheep in teeth. Therefore they ought to humble themso that they soon grew tired of so peaceful a a single day. No such fatal disease had visited selves under his mighty hand, and He would monarch. But this ram was a firebrand. He this prosperous and highly favoured farm, time exalt them in due time.-Here ends the fragnow proposed to Farmer William to turn into out of mind, and when it did come there was ment; and let every wanderer from the fold of common, the corn fields set apart for the much mercy in the visitation; for although the Christ, the good Shepherd, go and do likewise. maintenance of the shepherds from the prin- sheep died in considerable numbers, and no cure NEHEMIAH. cipal estate, hoping by that means to starve could be found for the pestilence, it was not by them out; and he threatened the Farmer with any means so deadly as it had been elsewhere. As a break up of the union of the two farms, which they had no ground for accusing each other of he and his ancestors had been labouring for so having produced this calamity, it might have many years to bring to perfection. Thus did been supposed they would have made the right King Log shew his gratitude and moderation use of it, and regarded it as a solemn warning for having the burden taken off his neck. to forsake their evil ways; but few considered it From all this it will be seen, that Farmer in that light, though many spent much time William had trouble enough from these domestic and thought, in various inquiries about the broils, and that even the attacks of the foreign origin of the disease, and its cure; neither of enemies whom old Farmer George had beaten which could be discovered. When some of the off, were not more dangerous to the peace and faithful of the flock proposed the setting apart prosperity of the farm. But besides, many of of a day when they might all humbly acknowthe dissatisfied sheep on the principal estate ledge that they were heartily sorry for their joined their discontented brethren on the other misdoings, and beseech their great and good side of the brook in the hue and cry against the Shepherd to stop the ravages of the fatal disease, shepherds and their corn fields. Others went the goats and many of the discontented sheep astray with the goats that had greatly increased ridiculed the proposal, and called it humbug, on the farm of late years. This proud, ambi- cant, and hypocrisy. Their wise and becoming tious, and rebellious race of animals spurned resolution, however, was cordially approved and the controul of shepherds, and delighted to encouraged by the faithful shepherds, who browse on poisonous herbage, and to mount the exhorted their flocks to reject the counsel of highest rocks, instead of humbly and quietly the scoffers, that called good evil, and evil good. grazing among the green pastures in the vallies They reminded them that there was a wide and and by the still waters. They led away many essential difference between cant and contriof the thoughtless, unwary sheep into the wil cion, between hypocrisy and humiliation; that derness, through thorns and briers, into stony the same miserable portion was appointed for places, seeking rest and finding none, and to the hypocrite wolf in sheep's clothing, and the the brink of dangerous precipices that threat-rebellious sheep that denied his master. They ened them with destruction. Some of these urged them to reflect how they had erred and wanderers were brought back to the fold in a strayed like lost sheep; how they had gone sorrowful and wretched plight; but others, from mountain to hill, and forgotten their more miserable, perished in the wilderness, resting place, more ignorantly than the ox that were devoured by wild beasts, or stumbled and knoweth his owner, and the ass, his master's fell on the dark mountains to rise no more. crib. Was it not written in the book of the Many of the sheep mis-spent the day of rest in law, "If ye shall despise my statutes or idleness, pleasuring, and wantonness, refused if your soul abhor my judgments so that ye to listen to the warning voice of the faithful will not do all my commandments, but that shepherds, treated the great Lord of the soil ye will break my covenant, I also will do with irreverence, and trampled upon his laws. this unto you. I will appoint over you terror, These and many other acts of folly and wicked-consumption, and the burning ague, that shall ness were the outward signs and tokens of the cause sorrow of eyes, and consume the heart. moral distemper with which the sheep were I will also send wild beasts among you, which diseased, and the troubles which now visited shall rob you of your children, and make you the farm were some of the effects of it. For few in number. And if ye will be not reformed their great Lord and Shepherd, in his ever by these things, but will walk contrary to me, watchful providence over them, had so ordered Then I will also walk contrary to you, and will it, that sin generally wrought out its own pu- punish you yet seven times for your sins. I

On the Lord as your defence?
Have ye heard the awful warning,

Calling to the sons of men?
Think ye of the Judgment morning,
Where shall be your shelter then?
Do the bonds of sin enslave you?

Is the plague your heart within?
Yet the Lord has died to save you

From the guilt and curse of sin.

Come! the house of God invites you,
See the doors are opened wide;
To himself the Lord invites you,
He who once was crucified.

O believe, and, sin forgiven,
Death or life shall welcome be;
Once within the gate of heaven.
Sorrow ye shall never see.

CORRESPONDENCE.

PHORE.

The "Loyal Ballad" transmitted from Cheltenham is received.

:

Bristol Printed and Published by J. & W. RICHARDSON, No. 6, Clare-Street, to whose care all communications may be addressed, post paid; also sold by J. NORTON, Corn-Street, and J. CHILCOTT, Wine-Street; Mrs. BINNS, Bath; and Mr. Was, Cheltenham.

THE PRESS.

OR,

LABOURING MAN'S FRIEND.

"How shall I speak thee or thy power address,
Thou God of our Idolatry, the Press?
By thee religion, liberty, and laws,
Exert their influence, and advance their cause;
By thee worse plagues than Pharaoh's land befel,
Diffused, make earth the vestibule of hell;
Thou fountain at which drink the good and wise;
Thou ever bubbling spring of endless lies;
Like Eden's dread probationary tree,
Knowledge of good and evil comes from thee."
COWPER.

doctrines.

[Price 14d

which I have before alluded, and which bears himself once a naval officer, and who knows
on its title page this audacious sentence as a the heart of a sailor, and knows how to pity
sort of bravado, "Published in defiance of Law, even the errors of a sailor, should extend his
to try the power of right against might." This benevolence to a suffering seaman,-what act
detestable compound of slander, invective, sedi- of bounty more worthy of approval, what more
tion, and profaneness is still circulated, and at calculated to draw toward the Monarch the ad-
a price which can hardly be accounted for, ex-miring, grateful feelings of his people. Surely
cept upon the supposition that there are malignity itself must gnaw its poisonous
wretches in the world who are willing to spend tongue and be silent! But no, as some venom-
and be spent in the service of the enemy of all ous insects are said to suck poison from the
sweetest flowers, so this detestable
paper
righteousness.
matter for its malignity to feed upon even in
this honourable action. "We do not find fault

succour came ?

finds

The poet has well compared the press to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In its Every number of this abominable print is legitimate use it is an instrument of immense full of the grossest perversions. As it is said good; but in its abuse it is an engine of incal- of the Upas Tree, that every living creature with the act of royal bounty itself," say these culable evil. At the present day it is being that comes near it dies, every herb and tree worthy guides of popular opinion. What, then, employed for both purposes to an unprece-withers beneath its pestilential influence, and do they find fault with? The motives?—could The manner ? dented extent. The friends of religion are em- all the country round it becomes a desert-so any be more disinterested? ploying the press very extensively in the cause may it be said of the moral, or rather demoral-could anything be more generous and deliof truth and godliness; and, on the other hand, izing agency of the Radico-Infidel Press ge- privately, that the benefitted parties were cate than to do the act so promptly and so the enemies of Christianity and legitimate nerally, and especially of this publication,authority are working the press till it even not the most honourable character, not the most taken by surprise, could scarcely believe the groans with their pernicious and destructive disinterested actions, not the purest motives, while ignorant of the quarter from whence the fact of their deliverance, and remained for a can shield any individuals, however exalted, from There is scarcely any subject about which the slanderous attacks of this pestilential proa greater outcry has been raised by the Libe- duction; neither can the most sacred and salu- "While preparations were going on for the rals of the day, than the restraints put upon the tary institutions and appointments escape its removal of the goods (under a legal process), freedom of printing. They are angry because withering effects. To illustrate this, we need the lady of the distressed officer was astounded the law does not allow people to print just what go no farther than the last number but one, where by the intelligence that the demands were sathey please, and how they please. In short, they the objects singled out for special attack are- tisfied, and was convinced of the fact by seeing want to have liberty to pour forth their sediti-first, an act of distinguished benevolence the officers retire, but still ignorant how it had ous and infidel opinions over the whole surface shewn by our gracious Sovereign, in paying been accomplished, or who was her generous of society without any check. Now it happens the debts of a distressed naval officer, and res-benefactor that had saved her from immediate in this, as in most cases, that those who most cuing his family from ruin; and, secondly, the ruin." That benefactor, it has been already need restraint are the loudest in crying out appointment of the general Fast. Now, one intimated, was our gracious Sovereign; and against restriction; and, whilst they are daily would have imagined that the former of these this liberal paper doesn't find fault with the breaking through all law-and that, perhaps, subjects would have commanded the approval fact! What then does it find fault with? Why, with impunity-they, at the same time, cry out at least, if not the admiration, of every one forsooth, that seeing our Sovereign could thus most fiercely about the insufferable bondage who heard of it. That a Sovereign's bounty munificently relieve one case of distress, he which they endure. If ever this was exempli- should be extended in a manner most prompt, does not relieve all cases of distress! "We are fied, surely it is so in the case of that infamous most unsolicited, and most munificent, to rescue now (says the audacious reviler) less able than weekly paper, sold at the poison shops, to a family from ruin-that a Sovereign, who was before to excuse his apathy toward the myriads

COMMON SENSE.

What then must follow, but famine and universal beggary! It will be but a poor comfort to a man starving with hunger to think that he has made others as miserable as himself.

But are not there some among us, who value the sabbath day as well as the market day? And will it be nothing to you to come under the power of the people, who have abolished the sabbath in their own land*, and thus defied heaven itself? It is a true observation, that we know the value of our blessings best when they are gone. Gop grant that you may never have to learn the value of what you now enjoy, by that scourge described in the bible, famine not of bread, nor of water, but of hearing the word of the Lord !"

of poor objects whose necessities are a thou- | palates are accustomed to the high-spiced poli- vice, the furnace, the forge, and the plough, sand times more urgent," &c. Only conceive tico-infidel ragouts which our Anglo-French are forsaken, and all labour is at a standof distress a thousand times more urgent than cooks are perpetually dishing up! being turned out of doors by bum-bailiffs to wander houseless and pennyless; and we are to understand that there are myriads of those My honoured father put forth an excellent thousand times worse cases!-and when the tract under this title, and I doubt if ever any mind is wrought into a paroxysm of horror at man knew better what common sense means such accumulated miseries and wrongs, then than he did so without further preface I will the whole weight of the indignation of the in-proceed to give you his sentiments, only leaving censed public is to be launched upon the head out some parts which relate to the then exof our Sovereign, because he has committed the pected invasion by the French, a danger which unpardonable sin of relieving one case of dis- thank God we have now no cause to expect; if tress without relieving all !! Preposterous we had, may be we shouldn't quarrel so much malignity!-Out upon it! It would be tedious among ourselves. But let us hear what Old to follow the weak but pernicious driveller Job Nott says, and may God put it into the in his senseless tirade-suffice it that he desig-hearts of us all to give heed to it. nates this act of bounty by the expressive term FRIENDS AND Neighbours. "humbug," that convenient substitute for The times thicken upon us. The dark clouds sense and argument, which it is the fashion of gather, and the storm that has so long hung the seditious and infidel party to employ to stop over us appears ready to burst. What is to be a gap in their eloquence, or supply a link in the end none can tell. their ratiocinations. Well, next we are treated with a glance at "the enormities which the rapacity of the Church is inflicting upon the poor Irish peasantry, and which his Majesty lends the aid of his blood-hounds to promote." "Alas!" exclaims the writer, this is another of the evils of property!"

66

As I fear many amongst us have no proper idea of the danger that stands at our doors, and as some may have conceived wrong designs, wish to speak a few plain truths in a plain way, appealing to every man's common sense for the justness of what is said.

I

"A

Ah! were the change once made, we should look back with envy on our present state, with all our complaints and murmurings. We are, taking all together, better off than perhaps any nation on the earth; and what are our deserts, that we shold expect perfect happiness, while we are imperfect creatures?

Jack.

VILLAGE CHAT.

und Tom Hod, the mason. Why Tom, you ran off in a hurry t'other day, and didn't stop to hear what I had

To conclude:-My advice is, be unitedbe firm-be peaceable. Let all in their stations promote the peace and quiet of their I solemnly declare to you all, that this is neighbourhoods; considering that the surest And is it indeed true that such a medley of not done with any kind of party spirit, but defence to themselves is, to defend the governfolly, absurdity, impiety, and treason is being from a sincere desire for your good. ment which providence has appointed over weekly, daily, hourly disseminated amongst our Depend upon it the day that should pull them. And, amidst all difficulties remember, people? Who then can wonder at the condi- down the higher classes would be a wretched that whatever causes are given, national sins tion to which society is reduced?—who can day indeed for the lower ones. Providence are the true cause of national judgments. Let wonder that all the foundations are out of has so linked all ranks together, as it were in each then humble himself for his own sins, and And oh if our hearts course?" If the sacred robes of Majesty itself one chain, for wise and good ends, that who- those of the nation. are thus to be defiled by the foul aspersions soever breaks that sacred chain, brings down and hands are thus united, I trust God will be of reckless slanderers,-if the best and most certain misery on his own head. with us-He, and He only, can defeat the degenerous of our Sovereign's actions are to be not Let common sense speak. How can trade signs of our enemies, and change their hearts, only disparaged, but even turned into crimes by be carried on, if there are not merchants of and give us to see that happy peace so earthe diabolical sophistry of these seditious in- large property to execute large orders, and desired by every true friend to his country and cendiaries; and if the civil or military forces give long credit to foreign parts, or factors; to mankind. employed to keep the peace, or to enforce obe- carry our patterns, and sell our goods to the dience to the laws, are to be denounced as the most distant parts of this kingdom? How DIALOGUE II.-Between Jack Anvil, the blacksmith, King's blood-hounds!-I say, if such be the would manufactories be kept up; and your mental food with which the labouring classes buttons, buckles, steel toys, and that almost are to be fed, then it requires not the gift of endless variety of fancy articles, for which your prophecy to anticipate what must be the speedy respective towns are so highly famed through to say. issue of such a state of things. And can the out the world, and which give employment to Tom. Aye, I was obliged to go to work loyal, the good, the wise, the lovers of order and so many ingenious artists and mechanics, be just then, or the foreman would have docked right rule, tamely look on whilst such atrocities disposed of, were there not people of property me a quarter: besides I didn't much like thy are perpetrated, and not lift a voice or move a to purchase them? And as to the very people talk Jack, I don't think thou knowest what hand to check them? Shall the children of who live in luxury, though often to their own true liberty is.-I say we shall never be happy darkness, the emissaries of sedition and infi- hurt in a moral view, do they not help to keep till we do as the French have done. delity, labour and spend in their base, detest- up our trade? Their money is not lost. Does Jack. The French and we contending for able cause, and shall no efforts be employed, no sacrifices made by the children of light, the friends of truth, of order, and of religion, to supply an antidote to this moral pestilence God forbid! I had designed to have adverted to the wretched sophistry by which the Editor But if there should be a levelling, and the of this Pandemonium Magazine* labours to turn lower classes help to destroy the higher, let any the National Fast into ridicule, but I forbear man of common sense judge of the consequence. to give any additional currency to his impious The scene itself could last but a short time, but ravings-the ignorance and absurdity of which the effects would last beyond all calculation. can only be exceeded by their wickedness. If all the men of property are stripped of it. But, alas! there is nothing too weak or too what is to set the springs of trade in motion? wicked to be swallowed by those whose literary The fields will not yield corn of themselves; • Or one of his compeers ;-the article, it seems, is borrowed. nor will money rain down; if the lathe and the

it not go for these and various other articles
of trade, in different parts of the country; and
come back to the public stock, with the means
of comfort and support to thousands and tens
of thousands?

liberty, Tom, is just as if thou and I were to pretend to run a race; thou to set out from the starting post, when I am in already; why we've got it man; we've no race to run; we're there already. Our constitution is no more like what the French one was, than a mug of our Taunton beer is like a platter of their soup-maigre.

Tom. Well, still as the old saying is-I should like to do as they do in France.

at a time when the French were threatening to It has already been stated that this was written invade us. But it is well known that a proposal bas been recently brought into the French house of parliament to abolish the Sabbath!

Jack. What shouldst like to be murdered
with as little ceremony as Hackabout, the
butcher knocks down a calf!
Then for every
Tom. Two million and a half?
little bit of tiff, a man gets rid of his wife. Jack. Aye, indeed. Not translated into
And as to liberty of conscience, which they ten-pences, as your French millions are, but
brag so much about, why they have driven twenty good shillings to the pound. But, when
away their parsons, (aye, and murdered many this levelling comes about, there will be no Jack. For every man to pull down every
of 'em) because they would not swear as they 'firmaries, no hospitals, no charity-schools, no one that is above him, till they're all as low
would have them. And then they talk of sunday-schools, where so many hundred thou-as the lowest.
liberty of the press! why, Tom, only t'other
day they hang'd a man for printing a book
against this pretty government of theirs.
Tom, But you said yourself it was sad
times in France, before they pulled down the
old government.

million and a half paid for them, if 'twas but a than ever their poor king did in his whole life.
little better managed.
Tom. And what dost thou take a Democrat
to be?
Juck. One who likes to be governed by a
thousand tyrants, and yet can't bear a king.
Tom. What is Equality?

Jack. Well, and suppose the French were as much in the right as I know them to be in the wrong; what does that argue for us? Because neighbour Furrow t'other day pulled down a crazy, old barn, is that a reason why

'I must set fire to my tight cottage ?

Tom. I don't see why one man is to ride in his coach and six, while another mends the highway for him.

Jack. I don't see why the man in the coach

sand poor souls learn to read the word of God
for nothing. For who is to pay for them?
equality can't afford it; and those that may
be willing wou't be able.

Tom. But we shall be one as good as ano-
ther, for all that.

66

Tom. What is the new rights of man? Jack. Battle, murder, and sudden death. Tom. What is it to be an enlightened people? Jack. To put out the light of the gospel, confound right and wrong, and grope about in pitch darkness.

Tom. What is Philosophy, that Tim Standish talks so much about?

Jack. To believe that there's neither God, nor devil, nor heaven, nor hell.-To dig up a Sir John says, have been the ruin of thousands; The two wicked old fellow's* rotten bones, whose books, and to set his figure up in a church and worship him.

Tom. And what mean the other hard words that Tim talks about-organization and functions, and civism, and incivism, and equalization, and inviolability, and imprescriptible?

Jack. Nonsense, gibberish, downright hocus-pocus. I know 'tis not English; Sir John says 'tis not Latin; and his valet-de-sham says 'tis not French neither.

Tom. And yet Tim says he shall never be happy till all these fine things are brought over to England.

Jack. Aye, and bad will be the best. But we must work as we do now, and with this difference, that no one will be able to pay us. Tom! I've got the use of my limbs, of my first I take to be my natural rights; the two liberty, of the laws, and of my bible. last my civil and religious; these, I take it, are the true rights of man, and all the rest is nothing but nonsense, and madness, and wickedness. My cottage is my castle; I sit down in it at night in peace and thankfulness, and is to drive over the man on foot, or hurt a hair no man maketh me afraid." Instead of inof his head. And as to our great folks, that dulging discontent, because another is richer you levellers have such a spite against; I don't than I in this world, (for envy is at the bottom pretend to say they are a bit better than they of your equality works,) I read my bible, go to should be; but that's no affair of mine; church, and think of a treasure in heaven. let them look to that; they'll answer for Tom. Aye; but the French have got it that in another place. To be sure, I wish in this world. they'd set us a better example about going Jack. 'Tis all a lie, Tom. Sir John's butto church, and those things; but still hoardler says his master gets letters which say 'tis Jack. What into this Christian country, ings not the sin of the age; they don't lock all a lie. 'Tis all murder, and nakedness, and Tom? Why dost know they have no sabbath? up their money-away it goes, and every hunger; many of the poor soldiers fight with- Their mob parliament meets of a Sunday to do body's the better for it. They do spend too out victuals, and march without clothes. These their wicked work, as naturally as we do to much, to be sure, in feastings and fandangoes, are your democrats! Tom. go to church. They have renounced God's and if I was a parson I'd go to work with 'em Tom. What then, dost think all the men on word and God's day, and they don't even date in another kind of a way; but as I am only a our side wicked? in the year of our Lord. Why dost turn pale poor tradesman, why 'tis but bringing more grist to my mill. It all comes among the people-their coaches and their furniture, and their buildings, and their planting, employ power of trades-people and labourers. Now in this village; what should we do without the castle? Tho' my lady is too rantipolish, and flies about all summer to hot water and cold water, and fresh water and salt water, when she ought to stay at home with Sir John; yet when she does come down, she brings such a deal of gentry that I have more horses than I can shoe, and my wife more linen than she can wash. Then all our grown children are servants in the family, and rare wages they have got. Our little boys get something every day by weeding their gardens, and the girls learn to sew and knit at Sir John's expense; who sends them all to school of a Sunday.

a

rights of

Jack. No-not so neither-they've made man? And the rogues are always making such fools of the most of you, as I believe. I judge a noise, Tom, in the midst of their Parliamentno man, Tom ; I hate no man. Even repub- house, that their speaker rings a bell, like our licans and levellers, I hope, will always enjoy penny postman, because he can't keep them in the protection of our laws; though I hope they order. will never be our law-makers. There's many Tom. And dost thou think our true dissenters, and there's hollow churchmen; man" will lead to all this wickedness? and a good man is a good man, whether his church has got a steeple to it or not. The newfashioned way of proving one's religion is to we are. hate somebody. Now tho' some folks pretend that a man's hating a Papist, or a Presbyterian,

proves

Jack. As sure as eggs are eggs.
Tom. I begin to think we're better off as

Jack. I'm sure on't. This is only a scheme to make us go back in every thing.

Tom. I begin to think I'm not so very unsays happy as I had got to fancy; but Standish if we had a good government there'd be no want of any thing.

him to be a good Churchman, it don't prove him to be a good Christian, Tom. As much as I hate republican works, I'd scorn to live in a country where there was not liberty of Jack. He is like many others, who take conscience; and where every man might not worship God his own way. Now that they the king's money and betray him. Tho' I'm had not in France: the Bible was shut up in no scholar, I know that a good government is Tom. Aye, but there's not Sir Johns in an unknown heathenish tongue. While here, a good thing. But don't go to make me beevery village. thou and I can make as free use of our's as a lieve that any government can make a bad man Jack. The more's the pity. But there's bishop; can no more be sent to prison unjustly good, or a discontented man happy.—What other help. "Twas but last year you broke than a judge; and are as much taken care of art musing upon man ?

your leg, and was nine weeks in the Bristol by the laws as the parliament man who makes Tom. Let me sum up the evidence, as they Firmary, where you were taken as much care them. say at 'sizes:-Hem ! To cut every man's of as a lord, and your family was maintained Tom. What then dost thou take French throat who does not think as I do, or hang him all the while by the parish. No poor-rates in liberty to be. * Voltaire. France, Tom; and here there's a matter of two

Jack. To murder more men in one night,