preached to his people of the power belonging to him, as a priest, of absolving them from their sins, and of the benefit which they would derive, if truly penitent, from confession and absolution; concluding by fixing a time, at which he would be at home, to hear all those who should have any communications to make to him with such intention. This discourse caused a mighty hubbub in the parish; people did not know what to make of it; some doubted if their clergyman could seriously mean what he had said: one old woman did not hesitate to declare," she would be if she would tell him all she knew." The confusion ceased in due time; but the people neglected to avail themselves of the offer of their pastor.'

pp. 37, 38.

The old woman was in the right, but she might have made her declaration without swearing. Soon after his sermon in recommendation of confession and absolution, the zealous fellow of Magdalen took into his head to preach against Pluralities. This was a different affair, and we learn that this 'discourse was not heard with the same approbation as the ' former !'

On the death of his mother, in 1797, the Author succeeded to some freehold property, and his fellowship became untenable. Soon after this, he became acquainted with an emigrant priest, with whom he discussed the doctrine of Transubstantiation, and he finished by wondering at his own blindness in remaining so long a gainsayer. On this subject we have the old story. Berenger, in the eleventh century, is affirmed to have been the first to teach the figurative presence. Arnauld's Perpetuité de la foi is mentioned as unanswerable, without a hint that it was refuted by Claude. Then comes the customary praise of Bossuet's Variations; the average proportion of peremptory absurdity about Purgatory and works of Supererogation; followed up with the delectable discovery, that Chillingworth's book is calculated to excite the passions of • Protestants, rather than to dispel their ignorance!!—Chillingworth and the passions!

This is sufficiently absurd, but its ingenious Author contrives to keep gallantly on the wing, and to soar an equal flight in his subsequent speculations. Having thus put an extinguisher on Chillingworth, he boldly patronizes Tiberius, and holds up that truculent despot as a model for sovereigns. Describing the education of his son, he informs us that they 'read together that Machiavel of historians, Tacitus, who, as I endeavoured to persuade Kenelm, has treated the fame of Tiberius with great injustice, by representing him, on every occasion, as a cunning and cruel tyrant; whereas he was always wise, habitually just, and often beneficent. Let any one fairly and impartially analyse the actions

26

of this sovereign and the comments of the historian, and he will perhaps be inclined to allow that my opinion is not altogether unreasonable.' p. 285.

Respecting the wisdom of Tiberius, it may be enough to remind his panegyrist, that favouritism is a pregnant evidence of folly, and that Sejanus was allowed to accumulate power and influence to the endangering of the imperial authority. But he was habitually just! Our critical occupation bas sometimes brought us acquainted with strange vagaries, but so unaccountable a whim as this never before started up before us in palpable form and bearing. If there were one atrocious quality for which, more than any other, that ferocious ruler was infamous, it was habitual injustice; and we cannot believe that the man who thus ventures to maintain the contrary, has even cursorily read the historian to whom he refers. Tacitus accumulates instances of the grossest violations of equity, and unless we are to give up that illustrious annalist as altogether unworthy of credit, there can be no room for a moment's hesitation on this point. To select two or three instances only out of many- Pater quoque, illustris eques Romanus, ac frater 'Prætorius, cum damnatio instaret, se ipsi interfecere, datum erat erimini, quod Theophanem Mitylenæum, proavum eorum, Cn. Magnus inter intimos habuisset: quodque defuncto Theophani calestes honores Græca adulatio tribuerat. Post quos Sex. Marius, Hispaniarum ditissimus, defertur incestasse filiam, & saxo Tarpeio dejicitur. Ac, ne dubium haberetur, magnitudinem 'pecuniæ malo vertisse aurarias quoque ejus, quanquam publicarentur, sibimet Tiberius seposuit.' If, by the phrase 'habitually 'just,' the Author means to intimate that murders committed under colour of law, are legitimate, he is welcome to his opinion, and we admit, in this view, the justice of Tiberius. In this way, the successor of Augustus was a great master, and his application of the lex majestatis, is aloue sufficient to eternize his fame. There was," says Montesquieu, 'a law of ma'jesty against those who might be guilty of treason against the Roman people. Tiberius availed himself of this law, and ' applied it not only to the cases for which it had been intended, but to every thing that might subserve his hatred or his suspicions. It was not merely overt acts that came within the ⚫construction of this law; but words, signs, and even thoughts: for what is said in the openness of heart which marks the • conversation of two friends, can be considered in no other light. No longer, then, was there frankness at the banquet, 'confidence in relationship, fidelity in households: the dissimulation and gloom that characterized the emperor commu⚫nicating in all directions, friendship was considered as a snare,

'ingenuousness as imprudence, virtue as an affectation which 'might recal, in the popular mind, the happiness of by-gone times. There is no tyranny more cruel than that which is ' exercised under the pretext of law, and under colour of justice; when wretches are, so to speak, drowned on the very 'plank to which they had clung for safety.'

We have exhibited quite enough of our Author's reasoning, to qualify our readers for the not very difficult task of estimating his calibre as a man of argument. They will probably be of opinion that, as a polemic, he is any thing but formidable: that his weapons, such as they are, fail of injury when wielded by his arm; and that of the two parties between which he was so long enacting the pendulum, that which arrested him in the last of his oscillations, has the least to boast of. His interview with the bishop to whom he applied on the subject of his reconciliation, is somewhat interesting.

On the 17th of May, 1798, I was present at high mass in St. Patrick's chapel: it was the feast of the Ascension. My emotion betrayed itself in tears, which, in a man of my age, might be regarded as rather a violent symptom; but it called forth no indecorous signs of surprise or curiosity in those near me. I forgot to inquire at the sacristy the address of the bishop, and next morning found myself walking in Hyde Park, alarmed at the step I was about to take, and almost undecided. A friend, who was in my confidence, met me by chance, and, out of regard for my tranquillity, though a Protestant, encouraged me to persevere. We turned into Grosvenor-square, and up Duke-street: old Mr. Keating informed us that the bishop lived at No. 4, Castle-street, Holborn. "We please ourselves by calling it the castle." I parted from my friend and proceeded to the Castle alone. An elderly, rather pompous, duenna-looking woman, opened the door of the house, for such it was, not the gate of a castle: his lordship was engaged, but I was desired to walk into the dining-room, which, no doubt, served as an anti-room for want of any other. While I waited here, a French priest came in, who, evidently alarmed at his approaching interview with the bishop, from whom probably he had "something to ask or something to fear," inquired of me," Faut-il faire une génuflexion à Monseigneur ?" I answered, that I was unacquainted with the ceremonial expected by Monseigneur; but that he, M. l'Abbé, had better do as he would on being presented to his own bishop. He took me for a countryman, but " my speech bewrayed me." He was called for before me; this I thought unjust; but in a few minutes after the bishop came in, and addressed me with, "Qu'est-ce que vous demandez, Monsieur?" Again, thought I, my country is about to be lost to me; but let us hope for a better. I told Dr. Douglass the purport of my visit: he, seeing the affair was one not quickly to be dis patched, requested me to walk up stairs. We seated ourselves on each side of the fire in an old-fashioned wainscotted room with cor

responding furniture, the floor half covered by a well-worn Turkey carpet. On the walls, yellow with smoke, hung portraits, which, through the soot that incrusted them, I hardly discerned to be ecclesiastical worthies; Cardinal Allen, perhaps, founder of the college of Douay; a Campion, or Arrowsmith, or other martyrs of the Reformation. A crucifix was set in a conspicuous place: over the chimney a little engraving of Pius VI., then a prisoner. The bishop was a tall thin man, between sixty and seventy, of a healthy look, with a lively and good-natured countenance: he wore a suit of black, not very fresh, with a little, close, white wig. Martinus Scriblerus was proud of being able to form an abstract idea of a Lord Mayor without his gold chain, or red gown, or any other accidents. I had no difficulty in detecting the bishop in the plain man before me; for, being in his own house, he showed without reserve his pectoral cross, and I saw on his finger a ring in which was set an amethyst.

"As you

"This is a very important step, sir, no doubt you have given it due consideration." I gave a succinct account of my studies and motives. "May I ask, have you consulted your family and friends?" "My parents are not living: I am their only surviving child. For my friends, I know before hand what they would say. Are you aware of all the civil consequences? The penal laws are repealed; but you will lose your état civil." I bowed my head. are in orders of the Church of England, your conversion will excite more than ordinary surprise, and (I say it only to warn you,) ill-will against you."—" I trust not; people are sufficiently indifferent about such matters."-" Perhaps you will lose some ecclesiastical benefice?" -" I have proceeded no further than deacon's orders, and therefore have no preferment."-" But your expectations?"" I must live without them."

After a little more probing of this sort, and a short pause,"There is a business which is very distressing to those who are not used to it, as it is very consoling to those who are; I mean confession: we all go to confession; I, who am bishop,-the pope himself. You know, I presume, that you must begin by that?""I come to beg of your lordship to appoint me a priest." After a little consideration," Would you wish your priest to be an old man or a young one?"-" My lord, you know your subjects better than I do : I leave the choice to you; his age is to me a matter of indifference." -"Many people think otherwise: however, if you will be pleased to call here to-morrow at this hour, I will introduce him to you." I took my leave without a genuflexion, but with a strong sentiment of respect and kindness for this worthy, amiable, old man.'

At the appointed time, the convert was introduced to the Rev. Mr. Hodgson, and, after several conferences, was baptized by him conditionally, on the very correct assumption that, in the Church of England, the rite is sometimes very care'lessly' administered. Could the due administration have been ascertained, this would have been unnecessary, as the Church of Rome admits the sufficiency of lay baptism. The

mode is by affusion, and the rule is, that there be so much water ut gutta guttam sequatur. A tolerable illustration of the Author's enlarged and liberal views of religious matters, is supplied by his account of this interview with Mr. Hodgson. The latter gentleman having occasion to put the supposition, Had you been a quaker,' our Author is simple enough to confess, that he could not repress a slight movement of offended pride at its being supposed possible' he could be a quaker! This catholic feeling is further displayed in the following absurd passage, in which vulgar-minded prejudice and laughable affectation contend for the pre-eminence.

Not having been used to belong to a tolerated and despised sect, I had felt my bile rise at the word Quaker; and now memory recalled the interesting scene in the Gerusalemme Liberata, the helmet, the fountain, Tancred baptizing the dying Clorinda. I kneeled down, and the priest poured water on my head.' p. 66.

'Interesting' indeed, and exquisitely appropriate! The helmet, a china basin,-the fountain, a pump-Tancred, Mr. Hodgson-and the dying Clorinda,' Mr.

.!

The Author's residence in France seems to have been distinguished by few circumstances worth chronicling; and we strongly suspect that, but for the sake of the introductory part, and certain passages towards the close, the mere itinerary of the volume would never have been published. Havre, Rouen, Paris, Lyons, Avignon, Aix, Marseilles, Toulon, Nice, will give the outline of the Author's route; and although the particulars connected with it may be tolerably readable, we cannot compliment him on their being either very interesting or instructive. The most remarkable paragraph in his Paris journal, is that in which he avows his antipathy to domes as an architectural ornament. He is singular, and he is welcome to his singularity.

The gilded dome of the Church of the Invalids, from whatever point it can be seen, is the ornament of Paris, and it is an ornament because it is gilded. A dome is, on the outside, an ugly and heavy object to the view; and therefore gilding, or what is better, architectural ornament, like that left incomplete at Florence, is well employed on a dome. I know I have Cicero against me, who speaks in high praise of the dome of the Capitol. Cicero and the Capitol are great names; but much as I venerate that great orator and philosopher, I hope there is no harm in saying, that I have seen more domes than he had an opportunity of seeing.' p. 127.

We are quite willing to allow, that the fact of having seen more domes' than Cicero could have seen, must, of course, make our sagacious critic a much better judge of the article