ter's views cannot, on this account, be Those who are in grace must of course, involved in any obscurity. MR. EDITOR. SIR, A communication of mine, signed A. F. on Conscience, I thank you for inserting, agreeably to my wish, in the Imperial Magazine for February, 1821. I shall again feel myself obliged if you will allow the early appearance of the subjoined. I think the gentleman who in the first instance proposed the question"What is Conscience?" has not, at present received a sufficient reply ;for this reason, I shall take the liberty to answer him more fully than I did before. I conceive this to be a very interesting subject. The correct meaning of the word Conscience, is a thing, many more than Mr. J. B. of London, desire, and one by which thousands would be benefited. It has been justly remarked by Theologius, that This question deserves a very serious attention, because Christians in general appeal to the decisions of Conscience, in order to justify their deportment." It is generally believed that this same quality, (which must necessarily be divine,) is perfectly competent thus to decide. This is the opinion of the gentleman whose answers are inserted with mine-that the finger of God is ever present in the mind of man, to discover to him truth in passing judgment upon his actions; -this I shall attempt to controvert. I am anxious that Conscience should be understood-I think it is nothing more than the judgment of the understanding; which capability of decision is increased or limited by the degree of instruction and revelation of God's will that has been received; and that again, by the measure of natural reason each individual mind is possessed of. I think it is seldom, and only upon momentous concerns, that the Almighty bestows a divine intelligence. I know that those who think Conscience to be a divine power, say, it is never fully gifted till we are in a state of grace;-I shall, therefore, for brevity's sake, say nothing of the faculty those have of distinguishing between good and evil, who are not in the enjoyment of God's grace (though it seems, according to this, that such men's Consciences must be human.) No. 41.-VOL. IV. if any are, be enlightened from heaven. This supernatural power, of necessity, must direct them in their decision between good and evil; they cannot do wrong without knowing it. But I think no man, let him enjoy "the peace of Conscience" as it is expressed, as much as can be, which I take to be a sign of the individuals being in a state of grace, can himself believe he is thus from heaven enlightened; I mean with respect to his ordinary actions, when he is continually discovering that he was in the commission of some sin, the criminality of which he never knew till that moment, and then only knew from reading, or from information from his fellow men. I remember myself, when I was about 16 years old, being greatly attached to religion; my faith was Calvinistic; I was full of the love of God. I was then possibly in a state of grace; I acted as uprightly as I knew how; I enjoyed a peace of Conscience;-if ever in my past life the light of heaven directed me, I am satisfied it did then. But I am now a convert, and am firmly attached to an opposite religion. I have known the delight of grace in my present faith; this will readily be granted. God respects not creeds, if there is piety; but agreeably to our faith we act! I now practise daily, deeds, I at present think virtuous, but which my former faith condemned as vicious. If God then directed me, it is plain he does not now. Still my Conscience is as approving as it was then; it is as happy. Men of all persuasions die in the peace of Conscience; and the last deeds of some, done out of piety, others die condemning. If Conscience is from heaven, it must lead into truth in this extremity of life; but is this the case? It is certain that numbers of good men die in the possession of God's grace, whose final disagreement in faith and works, proves that Conscience must be human; that it is nothing more than the Understanding. The disproportionate possession of this power by individuals, and their moral and religious information (the great guides to the understanding in passing judgment upon the will) being likewise so unequal, are the causes of the differences of Conscience in different men. 2 M I class God's works as natural and ordinary, supernatural, or miraculous. The perfection at which the body arrives, and the increase the understanding receives in the course of life, are the ordinary blessings of God. Superior or miraculous qualifications of the body, or divine endowments of the mind, when bestowed upon man, I conceive to be extraordinary or supernatural gifts. The Almighty's will is to a great extent known all over the world; some nations, some religions, some men, possess more of the truth than others; but in general, enough is known to direct us in our conceptions of good and evil, without the aid of a supernatural light; I mean an unceasing communication from above to direct us. A Political Dream in May, 1821, and repeated in May, 1822,-by John Bunyan. THE Catholic Question, now agitating in the House of Commons, having excited a considerable degree of interest both among Protestants and Papists, will furnish a reasonable apology for the insertion of the following dream. It is to be lamented that while the advocates for this bill are using every exertion for the accomplishment of their purposes, too many Protestants view it with a degree of apathy, for which it is difficult to account. The important question has long been before the public; and it is well known, that whatever alterations it may have undergone in the modification of its subordinate branches, its radical principles remain unaltered. Hence, the article which is subjoined, though not entirely new, retains all its point and original force. It is not in the nature of time, either to impair truth, or to give to error a new essence. On this subject, what was true in 1821, is not false in 1822. On both sides of this question, the dream The Almighty, when he creates a child, bestows upon it a mind immortal. His creature is at the birth completed. He has not afterwards, as the child matures, to add another instinct to the mind, or enlighten with a beam of his divinity, the soul, as it issues into the world, to point out his will, when his law is already known, and the understanding is capable of comprehending it. As the infant minder has imbodied the principal argumatures, the principles, or essentials, of morality, are quickly understood from inspiration, and religion, and revelation, also. These things, when we know their importance, are treasured and deeply imprinted in the memory, and any person must see how capable the mind is thus rendered, competently to judge between good and evil. We all know that the Almighty grants to us sometimes, and I may say, not very unfrequently, upon momentous concerns, a superior intelligence; but this is not general, and therefore cannot matter to my argument. I have, I think, now sufficiently proved, that Conscience is nothing more (as I said at first) than the human Understanding, and that limited to the information it has received. On this momentous subject I shall be glad to have the thoughts of others, whether they confirm or correct my own. There is nothing to which we so frequently appeal as to Conscience; but it must be confessed that there is scarcely any thing less understood. ANNE FITZALLAN. Camp-Hill, near Birmingham, Oct 9th, 1821. ments, by which the measure has been advocated and opposed. The question seems to be placed in a proper light; and we want neither Daniel nor the wise men of Babylon, to show either the vision or its interpreta tion.-EDITOR. After hearing the debates in a certain great House on the question of giving political power to Roman Catholics in this Protestant country, I returned home at three in the morning, and being exhausted by the attention I had given to all the speakers, I threw myself on a sofa, and fell fast asleep. And as I slept, I dreamed, and behold a castle, having four turrets, stood before me :-near to this building was a crowd of people, holding a consultation, apparently on some important subject. I inquired of a person who was passing, the name of the place, and the cause of the assembly. He informed me that I was on Tower Hill, and that the crowd was composed of the neighbouring inhabitants, who were then considering the merits of a Petition which had been presented to them from the wild beasts who inhabited the Tower, praying emancipation from confine ment, and an equal participation in all rights and privileges possessed by every tame and harmless animal in the metropolis- also admission to the Select Vestry of the parish, and a share in all offices, emoluments, and advantages, at present enjoyed by the resident inhabitants and householders. I thought I was in time to hear the Petition read; and it set forth, among other things, "that the brutes were, properly speaking, lords of the creation, being created previously to man: that they were also the original inhabitants and possessors of the British Isles, which were infested by wolves, and other wild animals, before they were discovered by man: that, although they did not deny the truth of certain histories respecting the cruelties, murders, and enormities, of many of their progenitors, nor even that they had been sworn enemies both to the human race and to all tame animals, yet that ever since they had become their fellow parishioners in the Tower, they had lived harmlessly and peaceably, molesting no one, and neither biting, tearing, nor devouring, any thing but their daily food: that, so far from being injurious, they had contributed very greatly to the emolument and security of the Tower; and that in evidence of this their good conduct they could bring forward the testimony of their keeper, and also that of many monkeys, pelicans, and other respectable and defenceless animals, who had lived for years in the Tower with them in undisturbed security. For these, and other reasons, they prayed emancipation from their present state of oppression and unjust confinement." Perceiving the favourable manner in which the Petition was listened to, and fearing, as the crowd was rapidly increasing, that I might not be able to escape before the wild beasts should be liberated, I was happy to learn that counter-meetings had been held in Lamb's Conduit and CateatonStreets, Nag's Head Court, Houndsditch, and Cow Cross; at which Petitions had been voted and forwarded from the various tame animals in the metropolis against the emancipation of their wild fellow-subjects in the Tower. One of these Petitions stated, "that since the wild beasts acknowledged the Lion as their rightful Sovereign, wherever he may happen to be resident, and were perpetually swearing obedience to his will and commands, they could not be relied on as trust-worthy subjects of King George IV. who was nothing but a man." A grave old gentleman entreated honourable members coolly to weigh this fair objection- he was, however, silenced by a shrewd and powerful orator, who reminded the assembly that the Lions, having for the last 200 years been regularly washed every 1st of April, had been purged by degrees of all their natural ferocity, and they would certainly require nothing of their subjects inimical to the peace of the nation at large, or to the authority of their well-beloved human brother on the Throne.-(A loud shout of Hear, hear!)—Having confirmed the solidity of this argument, no one had courage to answer it. Another Petition reminded the meeting, that the wild beasts were in the constant habit of maintaining that no faith was to be kept either with men or tame animals; and that they were in the habit of taking an oath, that, should it be considered for the good of the wild fraternity, they might tear and slaughter other animals as a matter of conscience. Another grave man now entreated the assembly to allow this fact to possess its just and proper weight with them; so that, if they would not listen to argument, they would at least regard a proof of such nature. A flourishing fellow, however, quashed all this by stating, that what the wild beasts promised on their honour to the tame animals, or to man, was of much more importance than all the oaths they took to their Creator. After the Counter-petitions had all been read, I thought the debate continued as follows:-"Mr. Chairman, all beasts have equal rights-they have been obedient subjects, and peaceable inhabitants."-" What do you mean?" replied another: "why, one got loose and killed the keeper's wife in the Tower; and a relation of his, at Exeter 'Change, broke out, and ate two monkeys. Another wild beast got out near Salisbury, tacked the Exeter mail-coach, tore one of the horses, and killed a dog; and wherever they have got loose at they have always done the same: and as for the Tower, if they have lived harmlessly there, it has been for this plain reason, that they have not had the power of doing mischief, which very power you now wish to allow them." 66 1 ing their teeth, and giving him considerable trouble; and as this advocate was known to be much in the secrets of Government, his notion seemed to take surprisingly with all, except with those who apprehended, that, when the wild beasts should once feel their own strength, they would set up for themselves, and only concede to this modern champion of their claims the privilege of being devoured last. But," said another, "they may be let out safely now, for they are ready to give security; they will give bonds, and sign and seal any thing you please."- Hang it," exclaimed another, "but they can claw it to pie- Another Member affirmed, that ces as soon as they have signed it."- "times were completely altered, and "Sir," said one, "a gentleman has that therefore wild beasts and every most unjustly reproached wild beasts thing else must be altered too."as bloody and ferocious in their dis- "Yes," said one, 66 but what has made positions; I can disprove such asser- the alteration? Has it not been the tions altogether, and put beyond doubt putting down the power of these ferothe fact, that all wild beasts have at cious animals? If you are sensible of times been generous, grateful, and the blessings of light, freedom, secuhonourable in proof of this univer-rity, and peace, then keep them while sal characteristic in wild beasts, I will appeal to the story of Androcles in history, and to the fable of the Bear, who so carefully whisked the flies from his master's face while he was asleep." you have them; and if so, you will continue those under control who have never allowed these blessings to other animals than those of their own fraternity." He also added, "Suppose you let them out, and they should be"I'll tell you what," observed an gin their old tricks of tearing and dehonourable Member; " you had bet-vouring, how are you to get them in ter let them all out directly; for they have grown so much stronger latterly than formerly, that, if you do not, they will soon force their way out without leave." No one present seemed to think this argument worth answering, since all remembered our successful opposition to the French Revolution, and the glorious end of the battle of Waterloo. "I am for letting them out," said another, "because I am sure that we enjoy so much light, knowledge, and freedom, now, compared with what we did when England was covered with wolves, that people will not suffer themselves to be torn to pieces as they used to be formerly." Another advocate for the claims, who had been conversant with many foreign menageries in the course of his life, appeared to think, that, so far from there being any real grounds for alarm, the wild beasts, when released, would, from the natural principles of gratitude and self-interest, be found among the most orthodox, pacific, and loyal, of all His Majesty's subjects, and even afford considerable assistance in keeping in order certain refractory animals, who, under the present system, were often show again?" He was, however, silenced The facts which had been brought forward were, however, deemed likely to have some effect on the minds of impartial hearers, and it was therefore considered advisable to divert them from close consideration: and, in order to effect this, I thought a lively little old man stepped forward as a volunteer with a violin under his arm, and said, "Mr. Chairman, I will sing you a song on this subject;" on which he began, and I thought I never heard a more musical voice than that of the old man. skipped round and round like a bird on his perch, and brought such melodious sounds out of his violin as made all the people cry out, Hear, hear!" and clap their hands with ecstacy. The following, I thought, was his song: 66 "Through this grand conciliation, He Blessed day when all are free! that there was more sound than sense man, This was enough-They were now ripe for emancipation; and strangers being ordered to withdraw, I was most happy to find it possible to obey the command, lest I should feel the fraternal hug of so many lions, tigers, bears, and leopards. Just as I was passing Allhallows Barking, I thought some one had conveyed the joyful result of the meeting to the Tower; and the universal howl, growl, and scream, of exultation emitted from the dens of the various animals, terrified me so greatly, that I awoke, and behold it was a dream. London Packet St. James's Chronicle; with London Journal The Times; with Evening Traveller; with Commer cial Chronicle Craftsman; with Selector Three Weeks. Total number of London Newspapers and Stamps issued for the supply of London Papers, not specified in the above account, which cannot be distinguished Total number of Newspaper Stamps issued LIBERALITY. ARISTOTLE being reproved for bestowing charity on an unworthy object, answered, “I gave it to the man in misery, and not to his manners."-Dr. Johnson acted in the same noble spirit, for having been a great friend to an author, whose character afterwards proved infamous, he observed in reply to one that expressed his wonder at his having been so long deceived; They who look constantly upon the ground will see dirt, but I desire always to have higher objects." |