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neither of the cases, sir, but a plain apostrophe in my own character to the missionaries; and, out of my respect for their labours, I introduce their names, though of different churches, and "not formed for metre."

It is remarked in the Preface," critics not only condemn an author for what he has and has not done, but for what he does not profess or wish to do." These reviewers, I trust I have shown; go beyond this strong accusation, and falsely insinuate that I do that, which I neither directly nor indirectly have done, If it were to be asked, what could posibly induce any writers so to commit themselves? I answer, that they are anonymous,—that they have no idea I can reply to them, and that their nar row and bigotted notions are doubly of fended; first, that in my Preface I should treat reviewers lightly-and, secondly, that I, a clergyman of the Church of England, should write a work profes sedly religious, upon the broad basis of Catholic Christianity, and not to the inclusive honour and praise of our own establishment, and to the anathema of all other.

To expose these malaperts will aid, I hope, the cause of every independent author, and gratify every reader, who has a mind of his own; and, still further to show their worthlessness, I could refer to half a dozen other articles in the same Review, which (I know not if all are alike false, but one concerning Henry Kirk White is,) are yet more illiberal, trifling, and erroneous, than that which tħas required an exposition from

Avebury, Wills, CHARLES LUCAS.

Dec. 2, 1812.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

I

SIR,

Nlooking over the works of Bernar din de St. Pierre, the other day, my attention was arrested by his Voeux d'un Solitaire; and particularly by those cutitled, Voeux pour une Education Nationale. Among some pertinent observations are the following, to which I am not disposed to assent; he previously observes, that emulation should be banished from our schools. "L' Emulation, (says he) est la cause de la plupart des mays au genre humain. Elle est la racine de Fambition; car l'emulation produit le desir d'etre le premier; et le desir d'etre le premier, n'est autre chose que l'amtion, qui se partage, suivant les post tions et les characteres, eu ambitions po

sitive et negative d'où coulent presque tous les maux de la vie sociale.”

Before I offer any remarks on these sentiments, I would premise that, in all probability, and from what we have lately seen and heard, the science of education is yet in its infancy; and that the way in which it has been conducted in Europe for many centuries, is not that which is calculated to produce the best and most permanent impression upon the buman mind. I am the more willing to enter into a disquisition concerning the propriety of the stimulus of emulation in our schools, from having observed, that a worthy friend of mine, whose writings are well known and esteemed by the public, has hinted, that such a feeling ought to be discouraged; now, although I may be disposed to allow a due weight to his opinion, yet we are not, I think, called upon to sacrifice our judgment against the evidence of facts: it will be well therefore to examine a little into the nature of the case.

If there be any truth in the doctrine of motives, of cause and effect, of praise and blame; and, if the human mind be governed by motives; if, from one end of the earth to the other, we constantly see the same causes producing the same effects; and that, consequently, without motives, man cannot act at all; so, we must admit, that the minds of children, which are simply full-grown minds in miniature, must have some motive presented to them to stimulate them to exertion. I say stimulate them to exertion: now, if emulation be taken away, what stimulus are we to apply in its place? "Attach pleasure to their learning," says St. Pierre: and so, munibus pedibusque, say I: and where will you be able to find any motive to apply to the human mind with more pleasure and force than emulation? The pleasure of excelling, in schools, does most assuredly lead to excellence; and I am of opinion that, as long as that feeling is not pressed to the injury or retardation of other boys, (and here only lies the difficulty,) such aspirations to fame and to excellence ought to he encouraged; but I am ready to admit, that if, instead of producing its proper object, Emulation become a mean of introducing envy, bickerings, and strife, its proper object is lost, and it becomes, of course, a mischick Hence, it is evi, dent, that the welding of this powerful auxiliary requires much skill, and the hand of an able master: and here it will be necessary that the master should take

into the account the capacity of his pupil-bis disposition for this or that particular study-the length of time it is intended he should pursue it; and, indeed, a variety of et cetera to be known only by application in individual cases, without all which, much valuable time will be irrecoverably lost. But, says St. Pierre, "Emulation is the root of Ambition," and therefore it must be torn up! It is an unfortunate circumstance for mankind, that Ambition is so often used in a bad sense, and in a bad cause; and to a benevolent mind, such as St. Pierre's appears to have been, it is no wonder that the only method which struck him as desireable, was to eradicate so base a passion as, in its worldly exem plification it is, I am sorry to say, too commonly found to be. However, we must not despair: St. Pierre might be mistaken; and so have been myriads of minds as benevolent as his. It is the province of true philosophy not to attempt to overturn, but to direct aright the powers of the human mind: if, upon investigation, it should be found that Emulation, or, if you please, Ambition, be a part of our nature, as I am inclined to think it is, the question will then he, not whether it should be eradicated or no, because if it be a part of our nature, that cannot be done; but, in what way may it be best directed? and that it may be directed both in youth and manhood, to the happiness and well-being of man, I entertain no shadow of doubt. If we could see this moral quality of the human mind, this scarecrow for the benevolent, the timid, and the well-meaning; this powerful steamengine of intellect-employed only for the welfare, the good, and the happiness, of mankind, how different would it then appear!-Instead of carrying fire and sword into the dwellings of our neigh bours-instead of laying waste a country, and rioting in the blood of our fellow creatures, let us imagine Ambition prompting mankind in the glorious career of truth, justice, and benevolence: instead of our exclaiming "Behold an Alexander, a Cæsar, a Charles the Twelfth, or a Bonaparte;" imagine such characters held up to our execratión, or at least to our pity, and the heroes of mercy, of peace, and of benevolence

sach men as Milton, as Locke, or as Howard, crowned with the laurels of Wisdom and of Peace, then may we hail Ambition with delight, as its deeds should shine forth as the morning! Instead

of men's being ambitious to outvie each other in deeds of prowess, and, what is falsely termed, military glory, let us imagine men only ambitious to do good— ambitious to excel one another in deeds of charity, benevolence, and love—ambitious to listen to that still small voice of wisdom, which at times is heard, even by our heroes of blood-ambitious to assist in the progression of intellect and the diffusion of truth; let us imagine, I say, such ambition, and I am very much deceived if it would not be accounted vir tuous, praiseworthy, and sublime.

If there be any truth in these remarks, I think it will follow, that emulation and ambition, when applied to the progression of intellect, and the happiness and well-being of men, are qualities of the human mind by no means to be do spised or superseded:--that our rules for judging of the propriety of their ap plication are to be formed by the effects which the use of them produces, as in other moral qualities; that, where the effects are bad, it is to be presumed that the use of them is bad, as in war, conquest, and desolation: that, where the effects are good, as in instruction, benevoletice, and happiness, their assist ance is sanctified, and their influence and use incontrovertibly good.

JAMES JENNING,

Huntspill, Dec. 22, 1812.

P.S. Your readers will oblige me by correcting the following errors in my paper of your Magazine, for September last, page 101, column 2, line 11, for were read are-line 23, for propitious read monstrous-columu 1, line 38, for referred read deferred.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

I

SIR,

T is not difficult to analyse the causes

of the ascendency of Error among societies of Men; but to expose errors is dangerous, because, being engendered by deep-rooted prejudices of education, aud forstered by self-interest, they are maintained by active and vindictive Passions.

An experienced Philosopher expressed his apprehension of those passions and prejudices when he declared, that, if his band were full of Truths, he would not open it! Such an imperfect being is man-that Truth must always be exhibited in a way calculated to humour, and not to oppose, his prejudices-R those who are hardy enough to maintain it, must run the chance of being sacrificed to their temerity!

1

"Is there in Sodom five righteous men? Is there in Israel fifty who are worthy to be saved?"-Lives there in Britain one in twelve whom it is useful to address in the language of Truth?-In other words, can a votary of Truth, with no other protection than the native fascinations of the goddess, make an appeal, at present, to any tribunal in England, and escape the vindictive accusations of venality and prejudice?

Is there, at this day, to be found in England, among twelve men indifferently taken, more than one or two who will uphold Truth against the blandishments of sophistry, falsehood, and corruption? In fine, are not many great Truths as obnoxious at this day, in England, as truth ever was, at any time, in any country in the world?-Might not any obstinate stickler for Truth meet with martyrdom in England, as certainly as did the prophets and Jesus Christ among the Jews, as the Apostles among the Gentiles, or as the great Protestant reformers among the Catholics?

Genoese, and the Dutch; that those na-
tions have fallen one after another, and
that you are in danger of falling also,
from the operation of similar causes,

TRUTH tells you that all those fallen
people were corrupted by the influx of
foreign wealth; were intoxicated by fo
reign power; and were, finally, ambiti-
ous of universal dominion.

TRUTH informs you that their wealth enabled them to intrigue in the councils of foreign princes; that they sought to direct the governments of the whole world; and that they were constantly meddling in the quarrels of their neighbours.

TRUTH declares that, to serve the sinister purposes of their commerce, they stirred up wars among other nations; and considered that their welfare was best promoted by the strifes and calamities of all other people.

TRUTH tells you that, in consequence of their overgrown wealth, inordinate ambition, and jealous policy, they were first envied, then feared, and, finally, hated and opposed, by the whole world.

TRUTH informs you that they were
jealous of all competition; that they
aimed at universal monopoly; and that
they thought the only means of perpe-
Yet England, with almost the single tuating their prosperity, was to allow
exception of the United States of Amen, rivalry in matters of trade.
rica, is the freest and most enlightened
country in the world! In England there
yet remains some scope for Truth! In
an unrestrained, though terrified, press,
she has here a stage on which to play
a part; and she is not wholly fettered,
banished, or strangled, as in many coun-
tries. Truth may still, therefore, solicit
votaries in these islands, provided she
deport herself with sufficient prudence
and modesty!

TRUTH then, O Britons! presents her self before you! She invites you to dismiss passion; and to discharge yourselves from the slavery of self-interest! She desires, in a choice of public difficulties, and at a crisis when your eternal fate, as a people, depends on your active intelligence and virtue, to point out your duties to yourselves and your neighbours! Will you listen to her, and give her countenance?-Will you respect or despise her warnings? Will you create a new era in your submission to her reign; or will you reject her till the ascendency of wisdom becomes useless to your prosperity? -Listen then to the voice of Truth and, let her declarations, principles, and Counsels, sink deep into your hearts!

TRUTH then, without adulation, admits that you are a great people; but that you have risen to greatness by nicans of commerce, like the Tyrians, De Carthaginians, the Venetians, the

TRUTH records, that, to maintain their ascendency and pretensions, it became necessary to augment their fleets and armies; and to carry on wars against the nations which previously had been their customers, and the means of their ag grandizement.

TRUTH warns you that their acquired wealth was soon dissipated in the maintenance of fleets and armies in foreign countries; that such drains were not resupplied by balances of trade as formerly; that credit was soon substituted for wealth; that paper, or alloyed money, took the place of the precious metals; and that the solid basis of public prosperity, founded on industry and balances of trade, gave way to temporizing projects and artifices."

TRUTH records, that in those countries, as the Pride of the government increased, the miseries and oppressions of the people accumulated; and that, as the exigencies of the state augmented, pretexts became necessary for diminishing the liberties of the people.

TRUTH tells you that, as the necessities of the people accumulated with the public distresses, so individuals became

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more willing to sell themselves to the government, and to assist in oppressing and enslaving their independent and less crafty fellow citizens.

TRUTH records that, during the internal and external contentions of those people, the energetic, industrious, and useful part of the community, emigrated to exercise their talents and experience in foreign countries, thereby transferring to them the foundation of their native country's greatness.

the prosperity, and dangerous to the very existence, of those nations whose strength is founded on their commerce; and that public distress is unfavourable to public spirit, aud fatal to the energies of public liberty.

TRUTH tells you that, without liberty, there is no security for person and property; and that, without security of person and property, individual industry, the soul of commerce, can never exist in any country.

TRUTH illustrates that, in the climax TRUTH reminds you that, in Britain, of their national misfortunes, all the the security of public liberty depends on fences and securities of civil liberty were the free and independent Representation destroyed one after another, so that of the people in the legislature; and that public freedom, public spirit, public glory, the security of personal liberty and propublic prosperity, and often national in-perty depends on the unbiassed convendependence, were extinguished together! tion and full powers of Juries. TRUTH reminds you that Tyre fell a victim to its meddling policy-Carthage to its ambition-Venice to the tyranny of its government-Genoa to foreign wars-and Holland to the corruptions consequent on overgrown wealth.

TRUTH admits that your geographical position and territorial circumstances are more advantageous than the territory and position of those people; and that the prolongation of your national independence rests less than theirs on extra neous circumstances and warlike atchievements.

TRUTH tells you, however, that all the prosperity, wealth, and power, which arise from foreign commerce, are subject to common laws; and that in these respects, without increased caution and wisdom, you are doomed to follow the fate of other great commercial powers, and sink to the secondary rank prescribed by your territory and population.

TRUTH proclaims, that the commerce and power of the British Islands arise out of their insular security, their commanding geographical position, their political liberty, their staple commodities, and the characteristic energy and industry of their inhabitants, all existing antecedently to their present ascendency. TRUTH declares, that, as the ascendency of the British empire has arisen from the gradual and unpremeditated operation of natural and inherent causes, those efficient causes are adequate to sustain the ascendency which they have conferred, without the hazard of wars to assert abstract powers and commercial rights, which did not originally tend to raise the country to its present eminence. TRUTH reminds you, by a never-failing experience, that wars are alien to

TRUTH declares, that public liberty and personal security must be lost to the people of England whenever any consi derable part of the House of Commons is nominated by the minister of the day, and becomes identified with the executive government; and whenever Juries, who are to try questions between the crown and the subject, can be picked from among the freeholders by an officer of the crown, instead of being returned by the sheriff in regular rotation.

TRUTH then suggests it as your duty to hold sacred those Bulwarks of your freedom as the bases of your public prosperity; to treat as public enemies those who dare to impair them; and to despise, as unnatural sycophants of power, those who decry your unremitting and zealous exertions to maintain them.

TRUTH, in like manner, calls your attention to the confusion and uncertainty of your laws, which have been the growth of a thousand years, of bad as well as good times, and of ages of superstition, ignorance, and despotism, as well as of epochs of liberty; and it tells you that your entire legal system demands a m dical reform and regeneration.

TRUTH tells you that the liberty and glory of a country must be utterly destroyed, if, after the great barriers of liberty are undermined, slavery is made palatable by the corruptions and subjugation of the public press, thereby reconciling the people to their chains, holding up truth and virtue to the scorn of ignorance and credulity, and hunting down and persecuting all the honest exertions of expiring patriotism,

TRUTH declares that the exportation and disappearance of your specie, is symptomatic of the decay of your public

wealth

wealth and external power-it warns you of increasing domestic and foreign difficulties from that cause-and it adduces that fact as a proof that you ought to have sanctioned, by your voice, those overtures for peace, which have been so often made to your government.

TRUTH likens the operations of your government, subject to the incumbrances of an enormous public debt-to those of a trader who has issued a large amount of accommodation-bills. The progress of both is similar—is attended by similar difficulties-and, unless such anticipations of means are liquidated by timely sacrifices, they are, in both cases, likely to be followed by similar effects.

TRUTH calls your attention to the principle, that, as taxes on the people cause the people to indemnify themselves upon each other, so it is impracticable that great public debts can be overtaken by any fund growing out of taxes, because the taxes which generate the fund, augment the expenditure of the government in a higher ratio.

TRUTH proclaims the precarious pur. suit and dependent character of commerce in any country where the possession of currency depends more on intrigue, sycophancy, and factitious credit, than on real trade and capital. It tells you that, in such a country, speculators overwhelm capitalists, that merchants become the humble tools of power, and that the spirit of trade and honourable enterprize inust soon be destroyed.

TRUTH declares, that increased taxes, levied to carry on wars and pay the interest of enormous public debts, have unduly increased the nominal value of all Commodities; so that many of those comforts are consequently abridged which are usually enjoyed by industry in wise and well regulated communities.

TRUTH tells you that, as a consequence of uncertain foreign relations, and of fluctuations in trade and property, the reward of industry and cuterprize is rendered precarious; that the education of youth in trade and habits of industry has greatly abated; and that trade ceases from day to day to present its usual inducements and its advantageous prospects to industry.

TRUTH reminds you that your commercial system has drawn THREE MILLIons of your population from agriculture to manufactures, and that those manufac turers have no adequate means of subsistance till the restoration of commerce by a general place.

TRUTH indicates that the fluctuations of prices, of employments, of credit, and of foreign trade, demand an increase of sympathy towards your own poor, most of whom have been created by public circumstances not within their controul, rather than by vice and idleness.

TRUTH calls your attention to the rapid progression of the nominal value of all commodities, at a time when you are without specie; and proves, that to advance farther or to fall back is equally dangerous to your welfare.

TRUTH solemnly proclaims the rapid progression of your annual public expenditure within twenty years, from 16 to 20, 24, 36, 48, 60, 80, and 100 millions, affording incontrovertible evidence that in a few years it must advance to 120, 150, 180, 240, and 500 millions, provided the currency and the augmented taxes can continue to sustain such accumulating claims.

TRUTH reminds you that this enormous augmentation of taxes is called for at a moment when your foreign trade and your sources of wealth are comparatively annihilated.

TRUTH tells you that your sure means of defence and offence, lie in your great and invincible NAVY; that a mistaken po licy and false notions of glory stimulate your ministers to emulate the military establishments of the great continental powers; and that your condition under such policy, is that of the Frog of Esop, attempting to swell himself to the size of. the Ox.

TRUTH whispers that your public ene my rejoices in the policy which leads your ministers to spend nearly a million weekly in maintaining an army in the Pe ninsula of Spain and Portugal; and It tells you that your best policy, in regard to Spain under a French dynasty, (if it be necessary to intertere in any way,) should have been to detach from old Spain its extensive colonies, and erect them into independent free governments.

TRUTH reminds you of the primary objects and principles of colonization; and teaches you to seek no other colonies than islands whose dependence and produce you can secure by means of your invincible navy.

TRUTH tells you that, as the most pow erful of free people, you ought every where to sustain public liberty; and, in all your alliances and foreign connec tions, never to support despotism against exertions of the people made to assert or recover their civil liberties,

TRUJI

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