in the strongest and most unequivocal language possible.

"The Catholics," says Bishop Cameron, Vice President of the Scotch College of Valladolid, and one of the Vicars Apostolical of Scotland, in his Letter to Dr. Erskine, p. 14. "cannot even wish the Established Church overturned, because they must foresee that such an event must necessarily be followed by anarchy and all the horrors of a revolution."

It would be endless should I attempt to enume. rate the authorities of eminent Roman Catholics, all coinciding in the same express and unreserved renunciation of the positions ascribed to them by Protestants respecting the dispensing and deposing powers. I will only observe that the very canon of the Lateran Council from which they originate, is very far from being universally received as genuine (Vide Roman Catholic Fidelity, p. 13.); nay, is generally disavowed by the Roman Catholics. But were it true that such had been the power of the Pope and the opinions of his adherents in the reign of King John, and even from that period to the reign of Queen Elizabeth, it by no means follows that the same power and the same belief continue to exist in the reign of George III. I protest I do not believe that any one Roman Catholic of sane mind in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland at present maintains these positions, and I may observe further, that even all the Catholic States on the Continent of Europe have long since both acted and legislated against them. Even in Sicily, close to the Holy

See,

See, and as it were within the circle of the tiara *, the Pope has not only no spiritual jurisdiction, so that he cannot appoint a priest to the lowest benefice, but he cannot even celebrate mass there, without the permission of the King of Sicily: and once within the last fifteen years the whole civil AND ECCLESIASTICAL POWER in that island has been delegated by its sovereign TO AN ENGLISH PROTESTAnt. Besides, these doctrines, it is well known, have been disclaimed by the solemn decision of the six most celebrated Catholic Universities on the Continent, Louvain, Douay, Paris, Alcala, Valladolid, and Salamanca, in reply to the three questions proposed to them on the suggestion of Mr. Pitt. These may be seen in the Appendix No. VII. to Sir J. C. Hippisley's Speech in the House of Commons, on May 18, 1810; and also the rescript of Pius VI. in the Appendix No. XVI. containing the alteration of the oath of consecration.

Yet, though I am convinced that there is no real danger to the Protestant Establishment from any exercise of the Pope's alleged dispensing or depos ing powers, I would remove even the possible apprehension of danger from the mind of the well affected, but still perhaps cautious and suspecting Protestant, and on this, as well as on other accounts, I am not an advocate for Catholic emancipation, without the checks and boundaries of a Royal Veto. This appears to me, not only a necessary stipulation to be insisted on by the Establishment, but an additional security to the Catholics themselves

Sicily is claimed a Fief of the Holy See.

selves against the possible imputation of intrigue or disaffection in turbulent times. When the appointment of Bishops in the Established Church is wholly dependent on the will of the Sovereign, we surely may require from those who are the objects of legislative protection and legislative indulgence this testimony of their gratitude and pledge of their attachment. And all canonical difficulties on this head are so well provided against by the admirable plan of Sir J. C. Hippisley, in No. V. of the Appendix to his Speech in Parlia ment on the Roman Catholic Question, 1810, (Faulder) that I hope and trust an arrangement may at last be made, satisfactory both to the Catholics and to the Established Government.

4

Persuaded as I am that the great measure of Catholic Emancipation is intimately connected with the stability and security of our Establishments in Church and State, and feeling the warmest zeal for the permanence and prosperity of those estab. lishments, I have written thus far for the purpose of drawing the attention of my readers to the dispassionate consideration of this most important subject; I now hasten to conclude a note, which I think much too short, however much they may think it too long. But I must first refer them to the eloquent and energetic, yet solid and irresist ible arguments of that acute and sagacious reasoner, that mighty master," not only of all the riches of classical literature, but of all the depths of antient and modern philosophy, and of all the stores of antient and anodern history, PHILOPATRIS VARVICENSIS.

VARVICENSIS. From his luminous pages, the treasure-house of most valuable instruction on subjects of the utmost importance to the moral and intellectual improvement of mankind, let me extract a few passages to adorn my own, and at the same time earnestly recommend to readers of all parties and all persuasions, the diligent and attentive perusal of the work itself from which I quote.

"In the present condition of the world," says this profound scholar and metaphysician, "that restless and relentless temper which once actuated the members of the Church of Rome is visibly assuaged, a spirit of enquiry has imperceptibly in speculative points produced a spirit of moderation, and few, if any, of the practical mischiefs which Popery might formerly have brought down upon us, are any longer to be dreaded in our own country. Even those few may be ascertained by amicable discussion, and averted by sound discretion. Gladly, therefore, should I hail the day, in which the religious tenets of the Roman Catholics should not be permitted to obstruct the full recovery of their civil rights, and in which the Church of England, providing at once for its civil interests and its own honour, should display to every other Church in Christendom a glorious example of 66 holding the faith in unity of spirit and the bond of peace."-Characters of the late C. J. Fox, by Philopatris Varvicensis, vol. ii. p. 619-668. Let me also pay my humble tribute of applause to the two speeches of that zealous yet liberal and enlightened

enlightened supporter and ornament of the Estab lished Church, the Bishop of Norwich, in the House of Lords, in 1803 and 1810, the perusal of which cannot fail to gratify every feeling, every learned, and every christian reader. But most earnestly and particularly would I call the attention of all who wish for a thorough knowledge of this important subject, to the speeches and publications of an Hon. Member of the House of Commons, who, gifted with no ordinary talents, urged by no common zeal, and favoured by no common oppor tunities, but enjoying both in his private and public character the friendship of Pius VI. and Pius VII. and of the most distinguished characters of the Roman Catholic Church, both at home and abroad, has employed above thirty years of an active and diplomatic life in the investigation of this interesting subject, and is deservedly acknowledged to possess greater stores of information, and a more familiar and comprehensive knowledge of all the merits and bearings of the question, than perhaps any other Member of that House. After this description I need not name Sir John Cox Hippisley, Bart, Nor can I fail to receive the thanks of every reader whom I refer to the substance of his speech on this question, in the House of Commons, on May 18, 1810, already more than once adverted to, and to the very copious and very judicious selection of most important and convincing documents in the appendix and supplement to that publication.

I cannot close this note without observing that the Venerable Prelate and Hon. Baronet, whose

authorities