the modern state of the society, Mr. M. remarks that it has be come a new refinement, or perversion of modern zealots among the Friends, to encourage abstruse questions, after the manner of other innovators of Christian simplicity, respecting the essence and mode of existence in the Godhead.'

To aggravate this misfortune, the Friends appear to be relaxing in their peculiar discipline, and are casting off the discriminating badges of their sect. One chief feature of our society (observes Mr. M.) from the beginning has been, that of a refusal actively to pay "tithes, priests' demands, and those called church rates." This peculiar scruple, which the society has agreed to call a Testimony, has been the cause of much personal suffering at former periods; but as it has long, in some degree or other, had its dissentients, it has been productive of continual breaches of harmony.' It is the opinion of the editor of these tracts, that the objections raised to the payment of tithes are not well founded; and therefore, in a postscript to the first essay, on Church Discipline, written by Henry Portsmouth of Basingstoke, he combats the scruples of his brethren, and delivers many rational and liberal sentiments. He then subjoins a short detail of occurences, &c. in which, glancing occasionally at other dif ferences, he pursues the subject, and introduces the next paper, intitled, An Explanatory Address to the People called Quakers and to the Candid of every Denomination, with the following notice: This article will serve to exemplify the narrow, bigotted, and mischievous spirit, which becomes tolerated and fostered in the Society of Friends, by the continuance of the mistaken Christian testimony with regard to tithes.' The facts, which have provoked Mr. M.'s censures on the conduct of his brethren, induce him to observe, that strict alliance with such a church has lost its amiability i

In this collection, will be found the several papers which have been published relative to the Case and treatment of Hannah Barnard, of which we have taken some notice (see M. R. vol. xl. N. S. p. 325.) Remarks on the whole affair are annexed by Mr. M.; who accuses the Quakers of admitting narrow and intolerant principles, and thus records the fate of this persecuted female on her return to her own country; The documents of the London proceedings having been transmitted to such as were deemed proper persons in America, the business was made matter of record against her in her Monthly Meet-' ing before her arrival-and soon after that arrival, she was condemned to silence, as a minister. She is stated to have received the deci sion with a firm and inflexible constancy, remaining persuaded that the number of those who privately think with her, as to the great eternal principles of religion and godliness, is increasing and will increase.'

From a kind of historical commentary on the transactions of the Quakers, Mr. M. proceeds, in the remaining papers, to discuss doctrines. Plain arguments are stated from reason and scripture against the belief of Eternal Punishment; and he contends that we are not warranted in believing that the first Friends ever held, or entertained the doctrine of the proper eternal divinity of the Son of God.' Passages of scripture are amply adduced under the heads of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to demonstrate the Unity of God the Father.

It

It is somewhat singular that the controversy on the doctrine of the Trinity, after having been so generally put to rest in other churches, should be awakened by the Quakers. In what an age of novelties do we live!

Art. 50. A Description of the Condition and Manners, as well as of the Moral and Political Character, Education, &c. of the Peasantry of Ireland, such as they were between the Years 1780 and 1790, when Ireland was supposed to have arrived at its highest Degree of Prosperity and Happiness. By Robert Bell, LL.B: 8vo. Vernor and Hocd. 1804,

29,

The information contained in this pamphlet is curious and important: it is stated with great perspicuity and simplicity; and it eminently claims the attention of government. Numerous are the warning voices which sound in its ears; and the bad system, under which the Irish peasantry live, has often been made public: but we fear that little has been done to redress the evil. The nature of the information here communicated will be best displayed by submitting to the reader a few specimens of it.

Among the most remarkable of the amusements of the inhabitants of our sister island, was what has been called the Irish wake, which was an assemblage of men and women round the corpse of a deceased neighbour. To accomodate as many persons as possible, the corpse was de, cently laid out in one corner of a barn or some other extensive place. The next of kin, together with some old men and old women sat near the dead body all night, and amused themselves the greater part of the time with smoaking tobacco, and telling stories of ghosts, goblins and witches. The rest of the people began shortly after night-fall to arrange the plan of their sports and diversions, which hardly ever ceased until break of day. These sports consisted chiefly of rude buffoonery, boisterous mirth, coarse jests, songs, &c. all of which were regulated by some one person, selected by the company to act as master of the ceremonies; and who was most noted for his drollery and vivacity, The mirth of the company was however interrupted, once in every hour, sometimes every half hour, by the cries of those who sat next the deceased: the sports were then supended, and every person present was supposed to join in the general lamentation, which lasted about five or six minutes. These cries have been described by the appellation of the Irish bowl; and, shocking as they would have been to a delicate English ear, they were not destitute of modulation. The tones were few but plaintive; and the voices of the women always predominated. While they were crying or howling, they frequently repeated a set of unmeaning words, and would ask the deceased why he was so cruel as to leave them. Many women who had neither been related to, nor acquainted with the deceased, would join in the bowl with every appearance of affliction, would beat their bosoms, dishevel their hair, and bedew their faces with tears: the same women would perhaps, in ten minutes after, take a leading part in the mirth which succeeded. The corpse was accompanied to the grave by similar cries and howlings. It has often been said that persons were hired to cry at wakes and funerals; the author of these accounts cannot deny the existence of such a practice; but must say that he never knew an instance

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of the kind. He has also to add, that he never knew or heard of any liquor being drunk at wakes: the company was treated only with pipes, tobacco and snuff: and the whole expence of waking and burying an adult, seldom amounted to a quarter of the sum which the interment of an infant, three days old, would cost in London.'

Equally singular was their mode of spending the Sunday. In the morning they went to their popish chapel, which was sometimes not sufficient to contain one half of the people: those, therefore, who could not gain admittance, prayed in the open air, near the doors of the chapel. As soon as service was over, the greater part of the congregation went home and dined: after which, during the summer season, they assembled in large bodies in some adjacent field; where the old sat in circles, and entertained each other with stories, and the young danced to whatever music they could procure, and some of the young men exercised themselves in feats of bodily strength. Good humour and contentment always prevailed at those meetings, as long as they drank no whiskey but whenever that fiery spirit was introduced, intoxication and quarrels were the inevitable consequences.

6 In the win er season, they assembled on Sunday evenings at some house where whiskey was sold: but more commonly where some one belonging to the family played on an instrument of music. The people belonging to the latter description of houses never demanded, or expected any recompence for the accommodation thus afforded their neighbours, except the satisfaction arising from the consciousness of having contributed to the happiness of others. The love of society was, in short, so prominent a part of the character of those people, that hardly any part of a peasant's family remained at home on a Sunday evening; and in winter, they would often go a distance of three or four miles, through swamps and bogs, to any place where a considerable number of people were assembled. Even in their ordinary occupations, both in the field and in the house, they shewed an uncommon fondness for social intercourse. Every evening of the week, throughout the winter season, a party of young females went successively to the houses of their respective parents, with their spinning wheels, and dedicated a great part of the night, to the double purpose of industry and innocent amusement. Hither they were generally followed by their lovers: the song and the tale went round, and labour ceased to be a toil. The happiness enjoyed by those simple rustics, in places where oppression had not spread her iron hand, was such as those who live in polished society might envy.'

The author informs us that in the town where he was educated, and in many other places, he has frequently witnessed the most wanton assaults committed by gentlemen as they passed along the streets, upon poor creatures, whose only crime was that of gazing, perhaps with admiration, at their splendid apparel. And such was the slavish spirit, the vicious apathy; such was the cold-blooded indifference, and the base selfishness of the surrounding spectators, that these outrages were suffered to pass, not only without punishment, but without censure; and if noticed at all, it was only to applaud the gallant exploit that had been atchieved.

The injured parties, if their condition was very low, might as well have applied to the Grand Seignior for a guard of Janissaries, as have

sought

sought redress from the laws of that country, whose life and strength their hard labour had contributed to support. To have brought an action for damages, would have required more money than they themselves, and all the relations they had in the world possessed. If they attempted to prosecute by indictment, the magistrate, in the first instance, would either not attend to their complaint, or recommend an accommodation, which, if listened to by the party accused, was generally concluded by the payment of a sum of money, by way of compensation, so small and insignificant as not to have the least effect in preventing a repetition of the outrage.'

These attempts to rouse government to a sense of the importance of Ireland as a vital limb of the British empire, and to excite attention to her claims on the justice of this country, deserve, in our opinion, every encouragement, since we are convinced that we cannot neglect our sisterisland without exposing ourselves to imminent danger; while, by consulting her interests, we shall advance our own in the same proportion.

SINGLE SERMONS.

Art. 51. Zeal and Fortitude in the Christian Ministry illustrated and explained: delivered at Hackney, April 8, 184, on occafion of the Death of the Rev. Joseph Priestley, LL. D. F. R. S. &c. Published at the Desire of the Congregation. To which is added a Brief Memoir of Dr. Priestley's Life and Writings, and a Letter from his Son, Mr. Joseph Priestley, containing the Particulars of his last Sickness. By Thomas Belsham. 8vo. is. 6d. Johnson. It is not unfrequently the fate of men of great talents and unshaken virtue to be undervalued, if not persecuted, by their cotemporaries; and, while they derive present consolation and support from the approbation of a pure conscience, to be under the necessity of waiting for the decisions of posterity, in order to obtain that honourable reputation which they so justly merit. How many instances, from the time of Socrates to the present, could be adduced in confirmation of this remark! The dauntless advocates of new opinions in religion must count on much opposition. The controversy will soon be blackened by base and malignant passions; and they, whose benevolent wish. was to enlighten, will, to their great mortification, discover that, for the present at least, they have done little more than alarm and inflame. Dr. Priestley, possessing the qualities of a reformer and founder of a sect, has experienced the harsh treatment which innovation provokes; and though, by his bold researches and expositions, he has divested Christianity of much of the mystery which it is generally supposed to involve, and has endeavoured to prove it to have been originally a religion of great simplicity, (inculcating doctrines which men of reflection, who affix precise and well-defined ideas to expressions, can sincerely adopt,) yet there is nothing in his system which is of a popular nature, and he is more likely to become the favourite of the philosophical believer than of the multitude. Posterity will do him justice, will estimate the value of his exertions, and will reprobate, with deserved censure, the bigotry of an age, terming itself enlightened, which could invoke the spirit of persecution to enforce theological argumentation, and drive a man of such distinguished

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distinguished learning and science to the remotest boundaries of the civilized world. He has now paid the debt of nature; and it is honourable to the heart of Mr. Belshain that he has endeavoured, in this funeral discourse, to anticipate and even to surpass the praise which must be rendered to the merit of his deceased "guide, philosopher, and friend." Of Dr. Priestley he has given, we believe, a faithful delineation, notwithstanding that the hand of friendship is apparent in the application of light and shade. After having presented a short sketch of the character of the apostle Paul, as drawn by himself, (Acts xx. 24.) Mr. B. discovers in it such a resemblance in its prominent features to that of Dr. P. as he thinks must inevitably strike all his hearers.

We have perused the memoir, which forms the chief part of the discourse, with pleasure and satisfaction; and till a more ample account of the deceased, which we are taught to expect, is prepared, this sermon and its accompaniments will be an acceptable present to the Unitarian Church. Though Mr. B. does not pass over Dr. Priestley's merit as a scholar and philosopher, his chief object is to illustrate and display the excellence of his deceased friend's character as a Christian minister; for which purpose he takes a regular review of his life. We must, however, abstain from any detail, and content ourselves with subjoining one short passage descriptive of its leading traits:

A predominant feature in Dr. Priestley's official character was a disinterested love of truth, indefatigable zeal in the pursuit of it, and resolution to adhere to it, when found, at all hazards. This virtuous principle was generated in his mind by the vigor of his intellect, and by an early intercourse with wise and good men of different opinions in religion. Having often heard these opinions discussed with temper and ability, and being himself penetrated with an impressive sense of the importance of Christian truth, he soon began to regard it as an imperious duty to take nothing upon trust, but to think and judge for himself concerning the doctrines of Christianity, according to the ability and opportunity which divine providence had granted

him.

His magnanimous spirit led him also to hold in just contempt all ambiguity of language in expressing his sentiments, and to avow, in the most honourable manner, his conceptions of Christian truth.'

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Much opposition was created by this conduct: but, as his eulogist observes, a confidence in the power of truth, and a commanding sense of duty, triumphed over all.'

The account transmitted by his son, of Dr. P's final illness, exhibits a pleasing picture of a Christian philosopher approaching the conclusion of his sublunary pursuits; and terminating them by a dissolution peculiarly calm and easy. He was active to the last, and in death seemed only to rest from his labours.-Some posthumous publications will shew in what manner, and to what purpose, he employed the concluding days of his mortal pilgrimage.-Dr. Priestley was born at Field Head, near Leeds, Yorkshire, March 13, O. S., 1733, went to America, April 1794, and died at Northumberland, North Ameri ca, Feb. 6, 1804.

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