པP་་་བ་པ་ Vol. VI. p. 182. The Spectator gives a laughable scene between a bookfeller and one of his customers, relative to a volume of French Sermons: to which the Editor gravely adds a note, to inform us that the fcene paffed in Vaillant's fhop, and that the fubject was, it is faid, a volume of Maffillon's Sermons; as if the humour or wit of the ftory was heightened an iota by telling whofe Sermons were the object of the difpute. Vol. VII. p. 282. By an advertisement fubjoined to this paper, a Mr. Tafwell undertook to teach either fex, above 14 years of age, the Latin tongue, by an attendance of only an hour a day, for three days in a week, in three months time from their commencing pupils. From which I reckon he of fered to teach the language in thirty-fix hours; and this, I believe, exceeds any thing of the kind yet offered *. ́ Voi. VIII. p. 136. The Editor fuppofes that Mr. Addifon's papers of a ferious nature were written long before the publication of "The Spectator," when he had a defign to enter into holy orders. But I apprehend it is much more probable that they were the refult of his maturer years. A mind like his, deeply impreffed with morality and piety, as he advanced in years, could not fail to grow deeper impreffed with thefe his most important concerns t. Ibid. p. 160. The Spectator obferves, that" an eminent Italian author wishes that, for the benefit of mankind, he had Trophonius's cave in his poffeffion ; which, fays he, would contribute more to the reformation of manners than all the Workhouses and Bridewells in Europe." How long, Mr. Urban, fhall we talk about folitary imprisonment, and not try the only probable remedy in our power to correct and reform the idle and the profligate? B. S. P.S. June 4. In your laft, p. 463, is announced the marriage of Mifs Hamer, of Hamer-ball, near Rochdale. I fhall efteem it a favour if any of your heraldic correfpondents will inform me, what is the arms of the family, and if the fame as the late Commodore Hamer's-and why the arms belonging to the name of Hamer is entirely omitted in Edmondfon's "Body of Heraldry?" B. S. * The advertisement is just printed as it was in the original Spectator in folio, as a cu riofity. E. + The Editor does not claim this fuppofition, having only mentioned it. E. •rancient Durial-Letter. Mr. URBAN, 487 Leith, May 9. COME weeks ago, a parcel of old writings happened to fall into my hands: a few of them appearing to be curious, I inclofe copies of two, to be inferted in your Mifcellany. The firft is the moft ancient Burialletter (as they are called here) that I have met with. It is taken from the original faithfully, and afcertains the time of the death of Sir Richard Maitland, a perfon not altogether unknown to the literary world. At this time, when there feems to exift in the kingdom a fpirit for the improvement of its fifheries, the fecond may not be unacceptable. It proves, that, above three centuries ago, the white and herring fifhery was a valuable object (for the charter cannot apply to the falmon fishery); and that the veffels employed in it were generally manned by fix failors. And the fubfequent charter, in 1547, proves, that at that time a fishing veffel was held fo valuable as to be claffed with heritage or land; and that the widow of the proprietor of the bark, in place of having right to a third of it, as a moveable, was entitled only to a tierce (or liferent of a third) of it, as an heritable fubject. If fuch communications are agreeable to you, I may have it in my power to furnish you, from time to time, with others, tending to illuftrate the laws and customs of our ancestors. Yours, &c. I. SUTOR. To my affured gud freind the Laird of Efter my hairtlie comendatiouns Seing it has pleafit God efter ane lang and honorable lyf to gif my father ane blitt and happie end and to call him to his mercy Toquhome being myndit to discharge my deutie in executing of the last offices I have thocht it convenient to defyre yow as ane of the number of the fpecial freinds he eftemit in his lyfe to tak the panes to be at Lethingtoun be dyne honor his buriall with your prefence and to houris on Sonday next to cum the xxvII of this inftant to accumpanie him with the rest thereto As I fal bie alwayis reddie to acquyte yow, I wifs not the lyk, in ony uther *An ancient family in East Lothian, of the name of Livington [not Livingstone], now extinct. Sir Richard Maitland, of Lethingtoun, who died at the age of 90. See an account of him in "Lift of Scotifh Poets," p. cxiii, prefixed to "Ancient Scotifh Poems," lately published by Mr. Pinkerton. thing that lyis in my pouer q' what fall pleis yow imploy me Sua I commit yow to the protectioun of GoD From Halyrudhous this xx111 of Merche 1:85. Your luiffing freind Jo MAITLAND*. OMNIBUS hoc fcriptum vifuris vel andituris Georgius de Haliburton Dominus ejufdem et baroniæ de Dyrlton falutem in Domino fempiternam - Noveritis nos dediffe conceffiffe et hac præfenti carta noftra confirmaffe predilecta fcutifero noftra Willelmo Levinton de Saltcottis pro fuis auxilio confilio et fervicio nobis hactenus impenfo Noftram puram plenam et liberam licenciam ad habendam naviculam ad mare in villa et territorio de Gulyn† fuper litus maris ad prendendum capiendum fuper mare pifces majores et minores cujufcunque fexus et ad terram deducend. Tenendam et habendam dictam naviculam cum pertinentiis de nobis et heredibus noftris dicto Willelmo et heredibus fuis feu affignatis quibufcunque in feodo et hereditate imperpetuum cum omnibus et fingulis commoditatibus libertatibus et ayriamentis ac juftis fuis pertinenciis ad dictam naviculam fpectantibus feu juste spectare valentibus quomodolibet in futurum Adeo libere quiete plenarie integre honorifice bene et in pace ficut aliqua navicula in aliquo dominio per quemcunque fuperiorem dominum in regno Scocie melius plenius integrius honorificencius habetur feu poffidetur et confimili modo ficut et nos necnon anteceffores noftri habuimus et habemus cura laboranti bus eandem ad numerum fex virorum vel infra ad laborand. in ead. ficut moris eft cum Libero introitu et exitu ad mare ac ad amplicandum cum tempeftates ingruerint in aliquo loco ubi eis contigerit infra dict. noftrum dominium cum equis et earum uxoribus feu fervitoribus aut fervientibas cum pertinenciis ad obviand. diete navicule five cymbe necnon eam exonerandam pifcibus captis et ad terram deductis cum ad domos fuas jocundo aditu et reductu per noftrum memoratum dominium tociens quociens nocte et die ubi et quando eis placuerit et opus fuerit abfque moleftatione perturba cione queftione taxatione exaccione contradictione revocatione per nos heredes noftros feu aliquem nomine noftrum dicto Willelmo heredibus fuis et affignatis quovis colore quefito inferendis Et nos vero dictus Georgius et heredes noftri diciam naviculam five cimbam cum pertinen. dicto Willelmo heredibus fuis et affignatis in omnibus et per omnia ut premiffum eft contra omnes mortales waran *Sir John Maitland, of Lethingtoun, afterwards chancellor of Scotland. In 1590 he was created Lord Maitland, of Thirleftane. He is the anceitor of the Earls of Lauderdale. + Now Gullan, a village in East Lothian, on the South fhore of the firth of Forth Sic. tizabimus acquietabimns et imperpetuum per prefentes defendemus In cujus rei robur et fidei teftimonium figillum noftrum prefentibus eft appenfum apud caftrum noftrum de Dirlton decimo die menfis Maii anno Domini millefimo quadringentefimo fexagefimo feptimo Teftibus Waltero Haliburton fratre noftro germano Ricardo Haliburton fratre noftro naturali Henrico Haliburton conianguineo noftro Waltero Foular Henrico Nicholfon et Ade Bural ferjando cum diverfis aliis. GEORGE Lord HALYBURTON. [N. B. By a charter, dated 18 August, 1547, John Levingtoun of Saltcottis conveys to his beloved fon Archibald, and his heirs and affigns, the above puram plenam et liberam licentiam ad habendam naviculam ad mare in villa et territorio de Gulyne fuper littus maris ad prendendum capiendum fuper mare pifces majores et minores cujufcunque fexus et eofdem ad terram deducendam Refervato tamen libero tenemento totius ef integræ prædiétæ naviculæ cum libertatibus proficuis et pertinentiis ejufdem mihimet ipfi pro toto tempore vitæ meæ tertia ejufdem fponfæ meæ quum contigerit.] "Safe from the bar, the pulpit, and the throne, "Yet touch'd and mov'd by ridicule alone." Mr. URBAN, May 28. Et rationalibi To place a folly in a ridiculous point writer of the following curious hand-bill, "The Secret difclofed; or, The itinerant Field Orator's Methodist Gibberish: lately delivered in this Neighbourhood. "You that have ears to hear, eyes to fee, tongues to tafte, and throats to fwallow, draw near-draw near, I fay, and pick up the crumbs I fhall fcatter among ye-the crumbs of comfort, wherewith ye must be crammed until ye become chickens of grace, and are cooped up in the hencoop of righ teoufnefs. "If your hearts are as hard as a Suffolk checfe, or a Norfolk dumpling, my difcourfe fhall beat them, as it were, upon a cobler's lap-ftone, until they become as foft as a roafted apple-aye, even as foft as custardmeat, and melt in your bellies like a mar row-pudding. "Do you know what trade Adam was?I fay, do you know what trade Adam was? The Decay of Religion and Piety, whence principally arifing. 489 If you don't, I'll tell you. Why, Adam was a planter, for he planted the beautiful garden of Eden. "Now, do you know what was the first thing Adam fet in his garden? Hol ho! ho! you don't, don't you? Then I will tell you. His foot. His foot, I fay, was the first thing Adam fet in his garden. But he could not keep it there. No, no, no, no, no, no; he could not keep it there; for Lucifer came behind him, tript up his heels, and trundled him out again neck and fhoulders. "I'll tell you a fecret. I fay, I'll tell you a fecret. Knees were made before elbows; aye, knees, I fay, were made before elbows; for the beafts of the field were made before man, and they have no elbows at all. Therefore, down on your marrow-bones, and pray for mercy; elfe you will all be turned into Belzebub's underground kitchen, to make bubble and fqueak of your fouls for the Devil's fupper." Strange as this ftyle may appear, it is a very fuccessful imitation of language every day to be heard at Methodist meetings; but furely the congregations muft poffefs very depraved appetites to relifh fuch coarfe food. In endeavour ing to adapt their language to the capa cities of the vulgar, the preachers of this fect make ufe of the grofleft metaphors, which, coolly confidered, cannot be looked upon but as grofs impieties. There is certainly a great difference be tween preaching a language incomprehenfible to common minds, and thus levelling all form of common decency. That the preachers among both the Ef tablished Church and the Diffenters in general would endeavour to pursue a medium between the two extremes, is ftrongly recommended to them by Yours, &c. THE S. J. be surprised that their flocks are equally cold and indifferent? When we fee the clergy more diligent in fcrambling for preferment than promoting the falvation of fouls; when we fee the great and important duties of the paftoral care give way to hunting and gaming, balls and horfe-races; when we fee the church crowded with men who poffefs neither learning nor dignity of character; what are we to expect from fuch a state of things? When the fanctuary is thus openly polluted, need we wonder at the fpirit of irreligion and diffipation which fo univerfally prevails in the higher ranks of life? and at the ignorance and corruption of manners which, in thefe days, fo ftrongly characterife the lower orders of people in this country? Mr. URBAN, Leicestershire, June 2. HE decay of religion and piety among the laity of the Church of England is visible in every place; and cannot but give pain to thofe who are concerned for the fupport and honour of our establishment. That the clergy have, in a great measure, loft that re fpect and veneration in which they ufed to be held by the laity, is a truth no lefs obvious. These appearances are not, I apprehend, very difficult to be accounted for. When piety becomes generally odious and unfafhionable, what can the minifters of religion expect but neglect and contempt and when the zeal of the paftors themfelves is in general either decayed or extinguished, need we GENT. MAG. June, 1753. The clerical credit and character have Non tali auxilio, non defenforibus iftis, In the neighbourhood where I live, Mr. Urban, we have feen the plough more than once exchanged for the pulpit, which has given occafion to a common remark, among our fagacious farmers and graziers, that "when all other means means fail, they can become parfons." It is of no avail to tell us, that their piety and morals reflect no difcredit on their order. I could fay as much of many an honeft farmer in my own parish, and fign their teftimonial with a fafe confci ence but will any one be abfurd enough to maintain, that nothing further is requifite to procure a clergyman that refpe&t which will give due weight to the exercife of his public functions? If the education of a common excife. man or mechanic qualifies for the clerical office, why do we fpend fo many years at fchool and in college? The vulgar, who are the bulk of mankind, always look up with the most profound respect to a man of letters and I will maintain, that it is abfolutely neceffary to the parochial credit of every clergyman, that he be refpected, not only as a man of piety and worth, but as a fcholar and a gentleman. And can we expect either the addrefs and manners of a gentleman, or the accomplishments of a 1cholar, from one who, before his head unfortunately came into contact with pifcopal hands, never affociated with any above the rank of farmers, excifemen, and mechanics? Piety and humility, gentlenefs and sondefcenfion, ought to be the diftinguishing characteristics of minifters of the Golpel. They ought, indeed, to characterife every one who profeffes and calls himself a Chriftian. But unless to the abovementioned qualities a clergyman adds a competent fhare of claffical and philofophical learning, and, above all, a critical knowledge of the facred writings, how will he be able to "exhort and to convince gainfayers," or rightly to divide the word of truth?" He may, indeed, with the help of good lungs and a good voice, perform the public and common routine of office, to the fatisfaction of his hearers; and, if he has been fortunate enough to ftum ble upon a good collection of Sermons, he may fhine in the pulpit. But, as the pious and excellent Bishop Burnet obTerves, in his "Paftoral Care," "he underftands little of the nature and obligations of the priestly office, who thinks he has difcharged it by performing the public appointments. In thefe, all are almost alike: but the difference between one clergyman and another fhews itfelf more fenfibly in his private labours, in his prudent deportment, in his modest and difcreet way of procuring refpect to him felf, in his treating his parish, either in reconciling differences, or in admonishing men of rank, who set an ill example to others." the No clergyman, therefore, who makes a confcience of his duty, will be fatisfied with barely performing the public offices which are required of him. He knows that it is incumbent upon him to exhort, admonish, and inftruct in private, as well as in public; in fhort, to be "inftant in feafon and out of feafon." He confiders himself as the father of his flock, as their inftructor, adviser, and guide, in their most important concerns. He is always ready to offer them his beft advice, his fympathy, and his prayers. His godlike office is, "to eafe the oppreffed, and raife the finking heart." It is his bufinefs and delight to teach his people how to improve various difpenfations of Providence, to adminifter confolation to the afflicted, and to "fmooth the bed of death."But when the low-bred and illiterate engage in fo arduous and important an office, is it to be fuppofed that they can acquire the refpect or confidence of thofe who are committed to his charge? Prepofterous, indeed, to think that per fons, who have need to be inftructed in "the first principles of the oracles of God," fhould be able to communicate knowledge to the ignorant, to refolve the doubts of the weak and the fcrupu lous, to fupport the drooping foul in the hour of darknefs and defpair, and to arm it against the fear of death. Yours, &c. CLERICUS. LETTERS ON EDUCATION. (Continued from p. 391.) LETTER VII. "Reafon panders will." SIR, SOME SHAKSPEARE. April 17, 1786. few years fince, the young people used to have philofophical difputes among themfelves about the foundation of morality-the origin of evil fit and unfit-right and wrong-the good of fociety, &c. But the WISE OBSERVERS of the prefent day take the liberty of faying, that the youth now follow the wrong without any dispute nay, and that too, long before they know what is right. Upon this head, however, I will argue, for the fake of my young friends, with any of your moral philofophers. What they call aurong, I pofitively aver to be right; and I hope I may be allowed to be the oldest dyputant whatever, upon the fubject of the origin Strictures on the modern Syftem of Education. origin of evil, and right and wrong, if that gives any claim of refpect to opinion. Human life, Sir, is too fhort for metaphyfical difputes and enquiries; and my young friends are right to follow their own inclinations, without giving themfelves the trouble of think ing about what is fit, or what is wrong. But even without my affiftance, if any of my young friends fhould be attacked by thefe faftidious moralifts, they can defend themfelves by unanswerable argument. For inftance, upon the fubject with which I concluded my laft letter. There is nothing more cominon than to hear youth of modern honour and fashion ufe this argument for female feduction: 66 Why, fuch a plan, no doubt, would have been difgraceful and infamous to have attempted upon a woman of rank and fabion 1-but to an ordinary girl, and below one's own rank, Lord! where's the harm?" Suppofe now, one of your men of principle thould take up this argument against a gay young fellow, it would probably go on in this manner, and in the end you will find the philofopher will be filenced. Philofopher. All mankind, Sir, are equal in the fight of the Almighty! and the rights of none can be infringed without guilt. What you call people of rank and fashion, I fuppofe, are thofe of an equal rank with yourfelf, or rifing above that rank; and people of ordinary condition are below your own rank. Gentleman. You are right, Sir, as to the diftinction of rank; but I deny that all men are equal —I confider thofe below me as born to be fubfervient to me; and I think there is no harm in feducing a girl that is not entitled to expect me for a husband. If the allows liberties in fuch expectation, the is a fool: if he keeps her own fecret, and manages well, the has a chance of getting a hufband fuitable to her. Philofopher. All rank, Sir, is adventitious it might have been mine as well as yours. Go back but a little way, and you will find all our predecellors were favages and barbarians. Accident raifed one, and depreffed another. The high to-day may be low to-morrow, while thofe in an humble 1phere may rife to opulence and honours; and can mere accidental circumflances vary the nature and obligations - of man? The higher his fiation, the more duties he has to perform; and will the Almighty! before whom all man 2 491 kind are less than nothing, listen to the Gentleman. Hold, Sir-Start not fuch an idea-By Heavens! were any man, be his ftation what it would, to offer the fmalleft indelicacy or indignity to my fifter, I would put him to death without fcruple, were I to be facrificed for it the next moment.-No more of this, Sir, I prav. Philofopher. You are justly warm, and right, Sir. But, on cool refcction, you muft fee that every inferior rank to you have as good a right to punish people in your fiation, as you have thofe above you. Believe me, "Do as you would be done by" must be the rule of action in every station and fituation of life, if we would do right. It is with you as with too many in the world: the bead is em ployed in finding an excufe for the inclination, without examining the propriety or justice of the action. Gentleman. You distract me, SirGo to HELL with your arguments. This, as I hinted, is an unanswerable argument, and the philofopher is filenced. This retort very proderly clofes many a debate, and difutauts can go to no place where they will be made more welcome; but your men of principle, I have always found, are very thy of coming to BELZEBUB. (To be continued.) Mr. URBAN, A May 30. Prick, or pryk, as anciently writ ten, means fometimes, no doubt, a fpur; the fpur formerly confifting of one point inftead of five, or more. Blount, Tenuies, p. 125. Grofe on Spurs, in Archæologia Soc. Antiq. vol. VIII. p. 112, feq. Hence, to prick, means to ide, quafi, to ¡rick the horie, or put him on : A gentle |
