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The benevolence of this nation is great beyond comparison; and, when real diftrefs is known, fome tender bofom overflows with comfort and fuccour: but the chief examples of mifery are unknown and unrelieved; many there are too diffident to apply for aid, or ignorant how to do it; fome of thefe pine away in folitary want, till death clofes their fufferings: numbers, however, rather than filently fuffer their husbands, their wives, and their children, utterly to perish, fupplicate our aid in the public ftreets and private avenues; but, unfortunately for them, the prevalent opinion, that there is fomewhere abundant provifion for the poor, and that idleness, not neceffity, prompts their petitions, induces many to refufe that pittance, which would prove no lofs to them felves, and in fome inftances might fave a life.

In fome difeafes the attack is violent, and the progrefs rapid; and before the fettlement of a poor helpless object can be ascertained, death decides the controverfy.

I know that many undeferving objects intrude upon the benevolent, to the injury of real diftrefs: but, rather than thefe fhould fuffer all the pangs of mifery unpitied and unaided, fome inquiry might be made, and their cafe afcertain ed. Were this tried, it would frequently bring us acquainted with fituations and circumstances of mifery which cannot be defcribed: acquaintance with fuch scenes of human woe would equally excite thankfulness for ourfelves, and compaffion for our fellow-creatures, who are vifited with sufferings and pangs from which we have hitherto been providentially, if not undeservedly, preserved.

Thefe fentiments were the refult of a morning-walk in the metropolis, which introduced the writer into fome fituations of real life, the relation of which, he trufts, will not be unacceptable to those benevolent minds, who think,

'Tis pity human woe

Is what the happy to the unhappy owe. A Morning-Walk in the Metropolis. ABOUT the beginning of December, en going out of my house-door, I was accofted by a tall thin man, whofe countenance exhibited fuch a picture of diftreis and poverty as fixed my attention, and induced me to inquire into his fituation. He informed me, that he was

a day-labourer, just recovering from fick-
nefs; and that, feeble as he then was,
in order to procure fuftenance for a fick
family at home, he was compelled to
feek for work, and to exert himself much
beyond his ftrength: and he added, that
he lived in a court called Little Green -
wich, in Alderfgate ftreet. This poor
object feemed to feel diftrefs too deeply
to be an impoftor: and I could not a-
void beftowing fome means of obviating
his prefent want; for which he retired,
bowing, with tears in his eyes. But
when he got out of fight, his image was
prefent with me: I was then forry that
my generofity had not been equal to my
fenfibility, and this induced me to at-
tempt finding out his family. He had
mentioned that his name was Foy; and
With
by the information he gave me, I difco-
vered his miferable habitation.
difficulty I found my way up a dark pas-
fage and ftair-cafe to a little chamber,
furnished with one bedstead: an old box
was the only article that answered the
purpofe of a chair; the furniture of the
bed confifted of a piece of old ticken,
and a worn-out blanket, which confti-
tuted the only couch, except the floor,
whereon this afflicted family could re-
cline their heads to reft. And what a
fcene did they prefent! Near the centre
of the bed lay the mother, with half a
fhift, and covered as high as the middle
with the blanket. She was incapable of
telling her complaints. The spittle, for
want of fome fluid to moiften her mouth,
had dried upon her lips, which were
black, as were likewife the gums, the
concomitants of a putrid fever, the dif-
order under which the laboured. At an-
other end of the blanket was extended a
girl about five years old; it had rolled
from under this covering, and was to-
tally naked, except its back, on which a
blifter-plafter was tied by a piece of
packthread eroffed over its breast; and,
though labouring under this dreadful fe-
ver, the poor creature was asleep. On
one fide of its mother lay a naked boy a-
bout two years old; this little innocent
was likewife fleeping. On the other fide
of the mother, on the floor, or rather
on an old box, lay a girl about twelve
years old: she was in part covered with
her gown and petticoat, but he had no
fhift. The fever had not bereaved her
of her fenfes: fhe was perpetually moan-
ing out, "I fall die of thir, pray give
me fome water to drink,"

Near her

flood

flood another girl about four years old, bare-footed: her whole covering was a loose piece of petticoat thrown over her jfhoulders; and to this infant it was that her fifter was crying for water.

I now experienced how greatly the fight of real mifery exceeds the defcription of it. What a contraft did this kene exhibit to the plenty and elegance which reigned within the extent of a few yards only! - for this miserable receptacle was oppofite to the ftately edifice of an Honourable Alderman, and fill nearer were many spacious houses and shops.

I have obferved, that the daughter who was ftretched on the floor, was ftill able to speak. She told me, that fomething was the matter with her mother's [lide, and afked me to look at it. I turn

ed up an edge of the blanket, and found
that a very large mortification had taken
place, extending from the middle of her
body to the middle of the thigh, and of
a hand's breadth; the length was up-
wards of half a yard; and to stop its pro-
grefs nothing had been applied. It was
a painful fight to behold; and many not
les painful exift in this metropolis. I
procured medical affiftance immediately,
and for a trifling gratuity got a neigh-
bour to nurse the family. The church-
warden, to whom I made application,
beard their history with concern, and
added his humane aid, to rescue from
death a poor and almoft-expiring family.
I have, however, the pleasure to con-
clude this relation of their unfpeakable
diftrefs, by communicating their total
deliverance from it, which, I think, may
be justly attributed to the timely affift-
ance adminiftered.
J. C. LETTSOM.

London, Jan. 6. 1780.
Obflinate Virtue of Lord BELLAMONT.
THE Abbé Raynal tells us, that when
the triennial bill was under confi-
deration, Q. Mary defired Lord Bella-
mont, her Treasurer, to oppose it. He
refused. He was defired only to be
neutral. He proved, on the contrary,
very active in promoting the bill. The
Queen difmiffed him from his poft. He
retired to privacy and frugality. The
Queen, overcome by his obftinate virtue,
offered him a penfion. He declined it,
faying, he had no right to a reward, as
be did no fervice.
VOL XLII.

NEW BOOKS; with the Prices, Publish

ers names, Remarks, and Extracts. [The fignatures annexed, fhow to whom we are indebted for the remarks, &c.; M. denoting the Monthly, and C. the Critical Review; G. the Gentleman's Magazine, &c.]

Letter to the people of Laurencekirk, on occafion of prefenting the King's charter, by which that village is erected into a free and independent Burgh of Barony, [the firft erection of the kind fince the union].

To which are fubjoined, An abridgement of two letters published by Sir Richard Cox, containing an account of the establishment and progress of industry in his_village near Cork in Ireland; The Guar dian, No 9.; — and, The clause of erection of Laurencekirk into a burgh of barony. [By L--d G-------"]. I s. 6d. Sibbald & Co. Edinburgh.

EXTRACTS.

Utility of industrious villages.] The public utility of induftrious villages is known and experienced in all parts of the world. The advantages, public and private, of manufacturing villages, are well known in Scotland. They produce our beft men for public fervice in times of war, and for all the occupations of induftry in times of peace. Holland, in proportion to its territory, is undoubtedly the most populous, rich, and induftrious country, in the world. Holland abounds with independent villages or burghs. They are immenfely numerous, are established under various and curious forms of government, and have jurisdictions exactly fimilar to our independent burghs of barony.

Patriotic emulation propofed.] Sir Richard Cox's pamphlet is a valuable object for the public attention. The examples and precepts it exhibits may be of the utmost importance to us. Shall I flatter myself, that his example, and his manly, fenfible philofophy, may kindle the true patriot fire in fome congenial fouls among our great and wealthy men; that it may produce a glorious emulation to excel, in the jufteft and best taste of diftinction and pre-eminence? We have rich men who spend a great part of their lives and revenues in ftatcly obfcurity at London, or in the building of magnificent houses, or in high entertainments and daily feasts, with retinues and rabbles of fervants, and other diffipations and

E

vanities

vanities at home. We have not a few, who employ their lives in anxious accumulation of fuperfluous fortune, which (by the prevailing fashions and manners of our times) is more likely to occafion the extinction than the aggrandifement of families. One defign of this publication is, to point out worthier objects, and a better example. I have not fo defperate an opinion of our people of rank and fortune, as to think that the true greatnefs of this gentleman's character, and the excellence of his fyftem, will raife in none of them a defire of imitation. I know feveral wealthy perfons, fome of them intimately, who have happily and wifely united private œconomy with public fpirit, and have already made confiderable progrefs in the paths of this worthy gentleman. - May I hope, that his leffons, and his example, will incite them to exertions ftill greater; and that others who have not hitherto entertained a thought of such defigns, may be caught with the good fame, folid advantage, and true pleasure, which are prefented to their view in this pamphlet ? I do believe, that the latent virtues of men in high life are often buried and loft by the influence of fashionable habits, and company, in which they are bred, and by the want of feasonable inftruction, and good example, to direct them in a noble and worthy courfe of life. I am the more perfuaded, that this publi. cation may be feafonable, and even efficacious, when I reflect with pleafure, that fome of our men of the highest rank and fortune do at this day difcover a great degree of that public spirit, true ambition, and tafte, which Sir Richard fo warmly recommends, and the advantage as well as pleasure of which he fo clearly demonftrates.

Points on which the profperity of the vil lage depends.] Your profperity and reputation (the objects of my ambition) depend on two material points: First, Upon wife and practicable rules and regulations for the good government of your community: With regard to this, you will obferve, that your charter impowers you to make by-laws; in the framing of which I fhall, in due time, offer my beft advice and affiftance: -2dly, and chiefly, Your profperity and reputation depend on the integrity, induftry, and spirit of the inhabitants. - To the Jaft branch I am to confine my obfervations and admonitions in this letter,

Virtue and Honesty.] By your tution as a free and independent of barony, you enjoy the ufeful an firable power of electing from ti time your own magiftrates. An have a jurifdiction fufficient for th pofes of justice, peace, and good within your own territory. Yo indeed no political capacity, or fh the election of our reprefentatives i liament; but there is a power of lible efficacy to make focieties happ flourishing; a power not derived the grants or charters of kings, bu ferred on mankind by God and Na I mean the power of Virtue and fty. It is a fimple but certain That this power, in proportion as duly exerted, and firmly perfever will render your individuals happy your community confiderable.—H me prefs upon you a fhort but highl portant leffon to a newly erected com nity. You are now in the infant a nocent state of your fociety: be c to keep corruption of manners at ftance; for there is no inftance t corrupted people have returned to a of innocence and virtue. This I a fraid is a kind of eternal damna Much, very much, depends on your duct and manners at the beginni this inftitution and establishment. early practice will be a fure prefa your future fortunes; and, in this I recommend to your ferious atte the golden maxim of a wife and an philofopher, "Make choice of the plan of life; perfevere in it; and cu will foon render it the most agreeabl

Virtue and Happiness infeparable.]" ven," fays Berkeley, has not left the power of Fortune to diftribut beft bleffings of life, Heaven has it as an unalterable law, that Virtue Happinets are infeparable, and no cumftances of Fortune can divide the

Vice and Mifery infeparably joined.] the other hand, it is equally a fixed in Nature, that Vice and Mifery are feparably joined. It is obvious to e one, that nothing can render human ture more bafe, defpicable, and wre ed, than Vice and Poverty. Yet, e for the confolation of thefe hapless n tals, I can venture to affure them, Vice and Wealth are nothing bet There is a wonderful fympathy betw them, and they will bear an exact c

pari

ria: as their manners are much the is their fate. The poor proflifeble, and fick, for want of reefficient fubfiftence; the opubestefs, and abuse of fuperfluity. r drone is meagre, pale, and ; the rich one, overgrown, bloatovenly. In their lives they are aufeous, defpifed, and unhapad their end is generally untimely ariable.

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Lectures on the universal principles and du-
ties of Religion and Morality, as they have
been read in Margaret Street, Cavendish
fquare, in the years 1776 and 1777. By
the Rev. David Williams. Printed for the
Author. 2 vols 4to. 1 l. 1. Dödfley,
London. [38. 526.]
"I Quitted the customary offices of the

profeffion to which I was educated, [fays Mr Williams], for reafons which have been already aligned, [viz. in the appendix [35. 197.;-36. 369. to the fecond edition of Elays on public worfhip]. But, either because religion is effential to the human mind, or because the habits of a profeffion are, like all o thers, very difficult to be fufpended, I could not reft fatisfied out of my employment. On intimating my fituation, I had hopes given me of the moft flatter ing encouragement. But on feeing my plan extended beyond the limits of the Chriftian church, [i. e. feeing the plan was purely a Deiftical one, -as the author fhould have faid in plain language], they were withdrawn, and my papers were put up: for I had none of the views of Reformers and Apofiles; and it was my intention, not to engage, until it appeared to be for the fervice and pleasure of others, as well as my own."

Sitting firangers, and of character.] y growing fociety, especially if 5 are encouraged to fettle, bad awell as good, will arife, or find -No induftrious community" ell advanced where ftrangers are , or even difcouraged. If good y are the most valuable acquifiour fociety; if bad, they cannot among you: and their exaeght not to feduce; for the vifiFries of vice are the ftrongeft ints to virtue.-Thefe general chaof Virtue and Vice are not prepicable to the individuals of d. There is a ftrange diverfity iture of Vice and Virtue, WifFolly, in the natural compofind formed characters of men; and characters are changeable. By ewife man may play the fool, and may act a wife part. Neverthe truth ftands unalterable, That profperous or unhappy, in proto the various degrees of Virtue prevailing in the total courfe of In real life there is a kind of diate character between Virtue e; a flat mediocrity, which perMacunds more in the world than *These men are juft in their dealgent in their vocations, and rea their conduct; yet they cherish gracious affections which form daracters of Virtue; the publiccitizen, the bountiful mafter, der father, or chief of a family; Veiging friend, the charitable or geman, the kind and obliging neigh &c. It is true, that although they est in thofe graces of Virtue, they hot branded with any fcandalous They are a numerous clafs of and in all ranks. As they are geerious, dull men, and always they thrive, and make money, knowing any real use of it; and any intention of public good, dr all, ufeful drudges in fociety,

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This confeffion is a very frank one; and we give him full and unreserved credit for the truth of it. The children of light are not always wife in their generation. But Mr Williams, who had renounced all pretenfions to their character, was refolved not to act on their plan. The heroic pafion of foul-faving (as Ld Shaftesbury ironically termed it) mingled not with his principles, and had no fhare at all in "the inftitution in Margaret ftreet." As "Give me where to ftand, (as Mr Williams might be fuppofed to fay), but I will have folid ground: or I will lock up all my inftruments. I have not the wings of the Apoftles. I cannot work by their faith, nor live on their hopes."

After reprobating the defigns of fanatics and miffionaries in their attempts to reform churches and kingdoms, he tells

his readers, that his "bufinefs hath not any thing in common with fuch defigns. The liturgy on the univerfal principles of Religion and Morality, was first intend ed as a gratification and pleasure to a fmail number of perfons who could worfhip on no other; to be publicly ufed, on the fuppofition that it would afford the fame gratification and pleasure to great numbers in the fame circumftances, and bring me fome recompence for my trouble in ufing it.

When the defign was made public, the expectations entertained by fome, and the apprehenfions of others, were equally ill-founded and extravagant. Nay, the opinions formed on the fteps which have been hitherto taken, are not the moft judicious. Experiments may be to the public as fallacious as fables: they often occafion as many errors, and are always expected to prove too much. If the inftitution in Margaret ftreet were only to prove, that a liturgy may be drawn up on principles which all mankind acknowledge, and may be used without offence even to fectaries and bigots, it would leferve confideration and refpect. A bishop quitting his diocefe, and attended by both Houfes of Parliament, in the fame experiment, might have given it more eclat, but not more certainty. In the prefent cafe, it is a difcovery made by a private man, at fome rifk, and at fome expence. It holds up to the world a fact which hath at all times been deemed incredible; the importance of which to morals and policy may be understood, when men raise their thoughts from the elementary to the intellectual world; and the ben fits which may be enjoyed in future by perfons who might not have undergone the apprehenfions, anxieties, and inconveniencies, by which it hath been

afcertained.

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That good men of all nations and all religions; that believers in Mofes, Chrift, and Mahomet, Free-thinkers, Deifts, and even 4theifts, who acknowledge beneficent principles in nature, may unite in a form of public worship on all the great and most important truths of piety and morality, can no more be a queftion for it is demonftrated, not by the arts of logic, or the declamations of oratory in books, but by a ftated, public fervice, to which any man may have recourfe for fatisfaction."

Mr Williams proceeds to ftate the ufe of his difcovery for the benefit of preach

ers and politicians. The principal use arifes from the freedom of communication, which, as he obferves, "constitutes the bonds by which all affociations, all clubs, and all parties, are held together." In the illuftration of this profound remark, the author hath thrown out hints which feem to mean fomething; but we ac knowledge ourselves unable to get to the bottom of them. And in truth they must be very deep! - quite out of common reach, fince "feveral perfons," he informs us, "eminent for their knowledge in the prefent fcience of politics, have not understood him."

For our parts, we fee nothing very extraordinary in this gentleman's experiments or difcoveries. Whether it be, that our "thoughts are not yet raised from the elementary to the intellectual world," or that we have yet fome little predilection remaining for Chriftianity, or from whatever caufe it may arife, we prefume not to determine; but we must acknowledge, that we cannot fee the great utility of this project (confeffedly a Utopian one) of uniting the molt heterogeneous parties, from the orthodox Believer down to the fpeculative Atheist. No plan of worship, however vague, equivocal, or comprehenfive, can afford a link to join fuch hoftile extremes; or provide them with "a loop or hinge to hang their doubts on," while they repair, in all the nakedness of pure nature, to offer their united facrifices at the fame altar, and make their refponfes to the fame priest. It is contrary to the nature of man, - it is contrary to the express defignation both of the Jewish and Chriftian religion; and, notwithstanding our author's experiments and discoveries, we are at length fully convinced, after mature obfervation, that his project is a trial of mere curiosity, and chiefly affects as a novelty.

Mr Williams's capital mistake lies in foppofing, that what holds good in fociety at large, holds equally good in a religious community; and that nothing ought to bound the one which doth not limit the other: but he concludes too haftily, from premifes that will be granted by very few, whether believers or infidels.

In the fupport of civil life, the most oppofite profeflions of religion may be u nited for the common good by univerfal principles. Here even the Atheist may be a ufeful member. He may be fuch on

the

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