Bristol Job Nott; No. XXII.] PREOCCUPATION. OR, LABOURING MAN'S FRIEND. THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1832. [Price 14d thousands, I believe I may say hundreds of sands, what if some of the giant geniuses of thousands, of the pestilential publications above the day were to stand forward? We talk of The rapidity with which the vegetable tribes alluded to are weekly sent forth over the whole plain simple writing-and it is very well that would propagate and increase, were free scope face of our country, teaching people to despise what is written should be plain; but that plaingiven to them, is almost incredible. I have governments, encouraging them to take the ness should not be the namby-pamby plainness before me a statement founded upon calculation, power into their own hands, holding up all the of humdrum common-place, but the simplicity by which it appears that the elm tree produces ancient institutions of our land both in church of intellect unbending itself. The class of readsuch a quantity of seed, that if free liberty and state to mockery and derision; inculcating ers for whom such publications are designed, were given for it to propagate, a single tree resistance to authority as the only way to ob- feel insulted if you get talking to them as if would so multiply itself, that in the third gene- tain liberty, perpetually insinuating that mon- they were children. They like a writer that ration there would be elms enough to stock archy is tyranny, and that crowns are useless puts forth some sound sense, and seasons it with not merely a park, or a parish, or a county, baubles, scoffing at religion and raking up a little genuine attic salt. A noted vender of or a kingdom, or a quarter of the globe-or all the old ten-thousand-times refuted objections cheap periodicals was asked sometime ago "do the world itself; but many worlds! "When of infidelity against the Scriptures, urging the the operatives read the ****?" "Oh yes," we allow, (says Dr. Adam Clarke, on Gen. i. 11.) people to have recourse to physical force, and (he replied,) great numbers of them read itthe most confined space in which a tree can giving them minute directions how to do it because it is done in a smart style, and they grow, it appears that the seeds of the third effectually. This is the sort of seed that is will read anything that is done smartly." "Fas generation from one elm, would be many my-being sown, more or less, every week amongst est ab hoste doceri." We may learn wisdom riads of times more than sufficient to stock the our population; and it is not difficult to fore-from an enemy: 'tis to no purpose to attempt whole superficies [surface] of all the planets in see what will be the harvest that will follow to cram dull heavy prosing essays down the peothe whole solar system." upon such a seed-time. What then is to be done? Send all the writers and publishers to prison? The prisons wouldn't hold them, they are so many. a ple's throats; there must be some life and vigour I have somewhere seen a similar calculation thrown into our publications; and then they'll with respect to the thistle; shewing that in a swallow the pill for the sake of the gilding. very few years comparatively, the produce of Mind, I don't say that this prurient craving single thistle, were every facility afforded for "The land stinks, so numerous is the fry;" after talented writing is to be commended; far propagating its species, would fill the whole and if they could be sent to prison, it is a from it. quesOn the contrary, we ought to love surface of the earth; so that the world would tion if that would suppress the evil. It has Truth in the plainest garb. But seeing this exhibit to us, nothing else but one great thistle- been tried. The editors of some of these unnatural appetite for high seasoned literary bed! Now, what is it that prevents the whole wretched productions have been sent to jail-food exists-we must treat it as a disease. surface of the world being covered with thistles? but even from within the walls of a jail, they It is to little purpose to say you shall eat plain I answer in one word, PREOCCUPATION. It is have still continued to send forth their winged wholesome food, or you shall have none; while because the ground is occupied before hand by heralds of blasphemy and sedition, with the the poison-shop man is standing by with his a multitude of useful herbs and plants, therefore additional interest of the authors being regard- high-seasoned savoury ragouts spiced just to the thistle seed cannot attain to that universal ed as martyrs to the cause. What then is the their palate. What then is to be done? Why, dominion which it aims to establish. remedy? I answer PREOCCUPATION. Sow the we must treat the case as they usually deal Now, we may learn a most important lesson land so thick with good wholesome herbs and with squeamish patients; we must endeavour to from this, with respect to the best method of grain that there shall be no room for the thistles administer a little nourishment by degrees, in preserving the moral world from being overrun to plant themselves. Bible Societies and Tract such forms, as the palate will relish, and the stoby the rank weeds and thistles of infidelity and Societies are contributing to do this; but there mach retain ; in the hope that, by and by, they sedition. These "ill weeds" are growing up is a vast surface of population upon which they will acquire their proper tone, and relish the fast and are propagating themselves with im-do not act. There are tens of thousands of roast beef of plain common sense, and the mense rapidity. The newly-invented forms in people who will not read the Bible, and who wholesome bread of scriptural truth. which they are disseminated, vastly increase scoff at religious tracts, who yet read and will Well, is there no talent ready to exert itself their pernicious influence. The light penny read something. And I'll tell you what they on the side of truth and order? Take my word and three-halfpenny infidel and jacobinical will read, they will read Job Nott; they will for it, there is a great deal of diabolical wit enpapers, may be aptly compared to the winged read him, because he comes to them in a po- listed in the cause of republicanism and sceptiseed of the thistle-wafted by every wind to pular shape, comes to them weekly, and as cism. The winged seeds of evil are wafted by deposit itself wherever it can meet with a soil far as he is able, endeavours to lay hold of every wind. Remember the remedy, Preocready to receive it-and, Oh, how prepared is such subjects as borrow interest from the pas-cupation; and hasten to apply it. the soil of the human heart, to receive and sing events of the day. This is Job's plan. cherish the baueful seed! Thousands, tens of Let it be followed up vigorously. Let men of I understand this to mean the third generation talent condescend to work the system. If such of elms; but still the calculation is astounding. - THE HOLY-DAY. My consin Job lately adverted to some prevailing a plain fellow as Job can gain the ear of thou-errors as to what are commonly called the holidays appointed by the Church. If these sacred seasons are by many misspent and unimproved, what shall we say as to the profanation of the oldest, the most frequent, the perpetual holy day, which has God for its author, and the present and eternal happiness of man for its object? Sabbath; since, by his resurrection unto life, the them, so that the streets of her towns flowed with blood? Did not Buonaparte sacrifice tens of thousands of her inhabitants to gratify his mad ambition, carrying off men and boys from the plough and the loom, by his "conscription," to fill the ranks Thus we read in the Acts of the Apostles that of his armies, and leaving their bones to bleach on My friends, I request your attention while I en- the first disciples, after our Lord's resurrection, the sands of Egypt and among the snows of Russia? deavour to represent shortly, and probably in a dif met repeatedly on the first day of the week, and And where is the fruit of all his prodigal waste of ferent manner from what you have been accustomed that our Lord himself then came in the midst of life and treasure? His power has crumbled to the to consider it, the nature of the Sabbath, the obli- them and blessed them. The first day of the week dust. He has left the nation which he boasted to gation to keep it holy, and the great value of this was the day on which the disciples ever afterwards have made great, torn asunder by factions, unprosmerciful gift of God, more especially to the labour-met for worship. It was called the "Lord's day." perous, restless, and discontented. The heavy ing classes.. Remember the many solemn warnings" I was in the spirit on the Lord's day," says the judgments of God have fallen upon it. Soon after of dying men on this subject. Remember the last inspired John in the Revelations. This was the the impious act of the French National Council, words of Gregory, the rioter, when he said to Davis, day the Lord had made, they were to rejoice and abolishing the Sabbath, had passed, the cholera looking from the fatal platform to the church, "If be glad in it. And after the example of these in-visited Paris, and 10,000 inhabitants a week perishwe had been there on that Sunday (the Sunday of spired apostles and early Christians, sanctioned, ed. During the great plague of London, as dethe riots) we should not be here now;" and the doubtless, by our Lord himself, the Christian church scribed by De Foe, it will be remembered that the warning of Clarke, "It is my last advice, and I has always kept the Sabbath on the Lord's resur- deaths during one week never exceeded 7000. May hope you will always keep it in mind. Always at rection day. The wandering Jews still keep the not the words of the prophet Ezekiel be applied to tend a place of worship; Sabbath-breaking and Sabbath of Creation; Christians keep the more the French nation? They polluted my Sabbaths; drinking have been my ruin." These men had lived glorious Sabbath of Redemption. The infidel, in then I said I will pour out my fury upon them, to as heedless of the Lord's day, as many now do doctrine and in practice, profanes both. accomplish my anger against them." who, if they do not give timely heed to their advice, It is the height of impiety to dispute the will of God will have cause to repent it as bitterly at their dying in the disposal of the time which He gave, and which hour. It is a common saying that you may know a He can take away in a moment. What man or what man by the company he keeps; not less certainly nation, in disobeying this command, can hope to may you know a man by the way he keeps Sunday. prosper? As God gave to our first parents all the If he spends it in buying and selling, in the ale-trees in the garden of Eden, except the tree of the house, in reading newspapers, in idle, frivolous, knowledge of good and evil, of which they were sinful conversation, while the church bells' sacred forbidden to eat; so he gave us all the days in the call is disregarded, the man has no true religion, week except the Sabbath, on which we are forbidden no solid happiness. He is travelling along the to do any manner of work. When man ate the forbroad road to ruin, with all the company of Sabbath-bidden fruit, the ground was cursed, because of breakers. There are set times for every thing. man's sin, aud brought forth thorns and thistles, The Lord's day is the appointed time for casting in and sin and death came upon the transgressors. the precious seed of the word, which, being sown How can he hope to prosper when he puts forth his | to the spirit, the fruit will be everlasting life. But hand to profane the sacred, the forbidden day? whoever sows to the flesh on that day, shall of the Look well to it. Sabbath gains will turn to corrupflesh reap corruption. tion and ruin. Our Sabbaths, as they come and go, seem a small portion of time-yet the man of seventy has lived ten years of Sabbaths; ten years in learning to be wise and holy for eternity, or ten in breaking the commandments of God! Of Sabbath-breaking it may be particularly said, that he who is guilty of this offence is guilty of all; for it not only involves the principle of disobedience, but is the first step to other crimes. I trust a British Parliament will never pass such an act as that which has stamped infidelity & blasphemy on the Councils of the French. But while the law of England honours the Sabbath, the practice of multitudes dishonours and tends to abolish it. Suppose the Sabbath were abolished, what would be the effect on the labouring classes? If their week of working days consisted of seven days, instead of six, would their weekly wages be raised? No, not one farthing. Wages are regulated by the cost of maintaining the labourer. Where living is dear, wages are proportionably high. If, owing to a want of hands, wages are higher than the usual rate, and a number of additional hands offer themselves for employment, wages immediately fall. The effect of employing all the working population of the kingdom for another day would be precisely the same. A day's But we are not merely to consider the observance wages would fall one-seventh, and the labouring of the blessed Sabbath as a duty to be performed, man would receive just the same wages for a week but as an inestimable gift and privilege to be en- of seven working days, as for a week of six working joyed. Men who love the world and hate religion, feel days, and a Sabbath. God has given this day of the Sabbath to be a weariness. They wish to banish rest to the labourer for worship, and preparation for reflection in the usual round of business and amuse- the heavenly Sabbath of unmixed, eternal happiness, ment. But what great mercy accompanied the Di- as he gives the gospel," without money and without vine sentence cursing the ground because of sin, in price." And if this sacred day were not set apart that man was not doomed to incessant labour. After for preaching the gospel to the poor, the poor would I have said that the Sabbath is the oldest, and a his daily task, the working man refreshes his weary have no gospel. Are they willing to part with the perpetual holy-day. It may be considered as the limbs with sleep; and after his six days' labour a Christian's hope of glory, then let them break the birth day of creation; for after this vast earth, the day of rest and refreshment for soul and body has Sabbath. Then let the man of threescore and ten sea, and all that in them is, had been called into been mercifully set apart for him. Then, the sound part with the ten years that have been given him to being, the Almighty Creator ceased from his work of the workman's tool is no longer heard in the rest from his daily labour, and prepare for eternity. on the seventh day, and blessed the Sabbath day. city, the spade and the plough lie idle in the field, But in parting with this valuable portion of his and hallowed it. Therefore in commemoration of and the toil-worn horse seems happily conscious time, he will gain absolutely nothing in this world, the glorious work of creation, our first parents, and that there is a Sabbath, even for him. And who and lose every thing in the world to come. Such is all their descendants to the end of time, were re-shall rob the labouring man of the time which God the infidel gift of the French legislature to their workquired to keep the Sabbath; and the institution was has given him, and which the law of his country has ing population, and the infidels of England are strivagain solemnly confirmed and commanded to be re-secured to him? When he puts his hand to work ing hard to bring the same blight of sin and misery membered forever in the fourth of the ten command-on that sacred day, he is his own worst enemy. upon the country. It is the Lord's day on which the ments, which were written on two tables of stone The French infidels, during their revolution in blasphemous, seditious productions of the poison by the finger of God. Accordingly the Jews, who 1793, declared death to be an eternal sleep, closed shops are chiefly circulated and read. It is the Lord's kept the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament, and the churches, and abolished the Sabbath. But not- day on which they have opened lecture rooms to were the peculiar people of God till they rejected withstanding their vain and impions decrees, death preach their pernicious doctrines instead of the gosthe Saviour, strictly observed the Sabbath; and came as before, took away these infidels into everlast-pel of peace, that maketh wise untosalvation. On the heathen nations, who neglected it, counted their time ing punishment, and the righteous to life eternal. This Lord's day they have held their revolutionary poliby weeks of seven days. This remarkable division impious law relative to the Sabbath has lately been tical meetings in London, Manchester, Birmingham, of time into weeks, even among idolatrous nations, renewed. The commandment of God declares, " on &c. But indeed it is one of our great national sins, clearly shews the appointment of a Sabbath extend- it thou shalt do no manner of work." The infidel that numbers of all classes make the Lord's day a ing to all mankind. council of France declares, "on it thou mayest do day of business, of traffic, of amusement. It may The Christian has an additional motive for keep-all manner of work." They may thus profane the be said of us, as of the Jews when they had greatly ing the Sabbath holy, of which he is reminded by a Sabbath in their own land to their undoing, but the transgressed and fallen away, “In those days saw change of the day on which it is kept, from the last law and institution of God shall never fail, and it I in Judah some treading wine presses on the Sabday of the week, to the first, ever since the resurrec-shall judge them at the last day. Has France pros. bath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as tion of our Saviour. The seventh portion of our pered for these things? Since she has encouraged also some grapes and figs, and all manner of burtime is still hallowed, but as the Lord of the Sab- her population to make the day which God hallowed dens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the bath lay in the dark and silent grave on the last day a day of business and amusement, has her govern- Sabbath day, and I testified against them in the day of the week, it was not a day for his people to re- ment been more settled, have her agriculture, trade, wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre joice. On the first day of the week our Lord arose, and manufactures flourished? Have peace and also therein which brought fish and all manner of and therefore, in memory of his resurrection, the plenty and contentment smiled upon her people? wares, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children first day has ever been observed as the Christian Have not revolution and civil war raged amongst of Judah and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, what evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not onr God bring all this evil upon us and upon this city? Yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath." capital were the strongest in moral courage of I know not whether the reasoning of the any nation in the world ;-were unrivalled in Lancet about the independence of the disease physical energy: it was superintended and con- upon the diet of the respective nations, be trolled by an excellent and indefatigable medi- wholly borne out or not; possibly the food cal police: no nuisances existed; in short, the and habits of France, though they do not geneI might add a great deal as to the sin of pro- provisions of the sanatory laws, taken along rate the disease, may aggravate it, and predisfaning the Lord's day in the shop and counting with the circumstances of the citizens, were pose to its contagious infection :-but what house privately as well as publicly, in making jour-calculated either to defend them altogether then, is it not allowed by all to be a new nies for business, and in feasting, so that both masters and mistresses, man-servants and maid-ser- from cholera, or so to divest the disease of its disease? God hath made a new thing in the vants, and cattle, keep no Sabbath; but this would sting; so that the monster would be harnless in earth, and if he were about to make a new lead me too much into detail. Wherever true religion the precincts of that privileged town.-But scourge, and designed that it should light pretakes root in the heart, all such violations of the what has proved the fact? From the prime eminently on France, could he not so adapt it, Divine command will cease. The real Christian, too highly values the privileges of the day of sacred rest, minister, the peer, the deputy, and the general, as that in that country second causes should to break in upon them by such worldly pursuits. to the scavenger, and the pauper, all classes combine to aggravate it? The frequent violation of the Sabbath is the surest of inhabitants have been smitten ;-the timid Upon this subject, of the relative condition sign of a nation's decline in piety and holiness. It and the brave, the weakly and the robust, of the two countries in respect of the food, one is also a fearful sign that its prosperity is on the from the infant to the decrepid man, all suffer remark is very obvious, but not less forcible. wane. To conclude with an extract from a communication transmitted by a correspondent :from the scourge." When the disease first appeared in this coun"Sabbath-breaking is injurions to others. It is a This extract is taken from the Lancet, an try, the cry of the radico-infidel party was, public crime-a national sin, and therefore a na-eminent Medical Journal; and now let us hear "Oh it is owing to nothing but the misery and tional curse. It exposes the land wherein it is prac- what this publication says concerning the starvation of our wretched people."-Now that tised to the curse of God. The Sabbath-breaker also makes light of the blessings of the Sabbath, and cause of this awful visitation. the state of things is wonderfully changed, goes his way regardless of them. He loses all the "What this cause is we know not, and we and they are afraid that the hand of God will means of grace, puts away from him all the most fa- know that no one else comprehends it. We be acknowledged in mitigation of the disease vourable opportunities of instruction, and spurus the cannot speculate upon it. We believe it in here, and its increase in France, the infidels methods which God has appointed for saving his soul from hell. What hope is there of such a man short to be at present beyond the limits of hu- have totally changed their ground, and have that he will ever learn what he must do to be saved man comprehension. But we know full well found out, that it is because our people are so -that he will ever be converted to God-that he what it is not. It is not the nature of Parisian much more substantially fed, and altogether will ever be brought to repentance-that he will food; for the food of Paris has been of the better provided for than the French, therefore believe in the Lord Jesus Christ that he may be saved? Is it any wonder that such persons come same kind for centuries, and has generated no the chief burden has fallen on the latter. to their dying beds in a state of ignorance and im- such disorder. It is not the filth of Paris, for penitence, with the guilt of all their sins upon their Paris is less filthy by an infinite number of deheads, and in a state of terror at the thoughts of grees, than it has been for many years. It is eternity? The harvest is past, the summer is ended, not in short any one of those things, of which But whilst we acknowledge God's mercy to and they are not saved. Then they have all that to human senses learn, all that to do, and all that to be done for can take cognizance; for all Britain hitherto, we would still say, Take them, which they ought to have spent their lives in these things have never given birth to the pre-warning by ungodly France; fall not into her learning, in doing, and in seeking to have done for vailing disease. Away then with the specious sins, lest thou be partaker of her plagues.-Be them, but all of which they have wilfully neglected." delusion that pretends to teach us the philoso- not high-minded, but fear !-Let Britain humNEHEMIAH. phical causation of the disease, by reminding ble herself before God in spirit and in truth, ns of these local circumstances. Let us ho- and he will hide her under the shadow of his nestly acknowledge our ignorance on the sub- almighty wings. ject, which after all, is far more scientific than the pretence to science."-Lancet of April 14. THE CHOLERA. Whether it be more scientific or no, I know not, but I am sure it is more christian to acknowledge our ignorance as to the secondary though at a loss to account for second causes, cause of this fearful plague. But the christian, should be at no loss to find out the first cause, -the hand of God stretched out against guilrefuse to render to him the honour due unto ty nations; and especially against those which Oh infidelity, how difficult it is for thee to pieserve anything like consistency in thy impious ravings! WILL O'THE WISP. PART II.-Will's Public Exploits. The awfully destructive progress of the Cholera in Paris is too generally known, to need a particular description. The number of cases and deaths reported is truly appalling, and it is agreed on all hands, that the returns fall very far short of the fact. I am not going to give my readers the fearful particulars; they are to be found in every newspaper. Suffice it, that many thousands were seized in the course of a single week, that nearly half the reported cases proved fatal, and that in the space of twenty-four hours 2000 new cases and 800 deaths were reported within the city of Paris alone. What now becomes of the prophecy of M. Villerme, that Paris was almost sure to From that very moment the pestilence abated. Returning to England Will was met escape? Hear the vain boastings of that man of science, delivered in public only five days before the onset of the disease. his name. The difference of God's dealings with our own, and the neighbouring nation, is truly tional act she humbled herself before God. surprising. Britain was visited; and by a na 1. Then Will O'the Wisp to France went his ways 2. He referred the praise to La Fayette, have been expected to promote the infection. though the advancing season of the year might France, on the other hand, makes no acknowdence on her superior "civilization," ledgment of God, but proudly rests her confi"moral courage," "physical energy," "sanatory laws," tent of civilization; the inhabitants of that terror and devastation through her land! he said, "exceeded all other cities in the ex- unsheaths his sword against her, and carries he carried his torch so near to their ricks, &c. &c.; and behold the destroying angel But the farmers had cause to rue his tricks, "He congratulated his fellow-citizens on the probable, nay almost certain immunity they were to enjoy from the cholera, as well as from all other similar visitations. "Paris" For That he burnt 'em quite down to the ground! 4. Then Will O'the Wisp to Ireland went, And a happier season he never spent, For his spirits were cheered by the healthful scent 5. But, pleasant as 'twas, there was little hope Of furthering his design, it may be needful for the information of the casual Verse 5,-" Little hope," &c. The poet evidently Where so many Jack Lanterns were lit by the with which he might go about deceiving people with Pope, As left him not the slightest scope For his genius there to shine. 6. Then Will O'the Wisp to high place was preferr'd, The reason of which was, as I have heard, "He had thoughts of sailing for Ireland, To proclaim himself King in Munster; But the Devils are there so thick, quoth he, And so stirring, they cannot have need of me, And there's Moore, he will make the fun stir." "If the King had his viceroy, so had he, And a Saint ship of Holy Murther; false appearances. Satan also gave him a letter of Verse 2. Conscious that he deserved it." That the high expectations formed and expressed in this country respecting the results of the French Revolu tion, were owing to "Delusion," is now acknowledged by thousands whose eyes were so dazzled at the time by the false light of the political Jack o' Lanthorns, that they lost their senses for awhile. The tendency of the emigrant system is very questionable at best, That parishes should send out ship-loads of paupers to our own colonies, who would only be a burden upon us here, may be well-but that scores and hundreds of persons, who are not only able to "pay their own fare," but who carry with them property to the tune perhaps of £100 or £200 a piece, or, in some instances, much more,that such persons, I say, should be flocking out to the United States, a conntry which is England's most formidable rival, and thus contributing to weaken the physical and financial strength of this country, and increase in a two-fold ratio that of her competitor-this is ruinous. I fear too that a great portion of the emigrants' property may be taken out in the shape of specie; if so-if the currency of the country is being continually drained, it must have a most ruinous influence on our agriculture and commerce. Verse 3.-" Burnt 'em quite down," &c. That the atrocious and worse than savage burnings of the autum of 1830,-some of the first fruits of British praises bestowed upon the French revolution were owing to "Delusion" is most certain. For what could be more infatuated than the idea of advancing the commonweal by burning a nation's bread? The agricultural poor were so deluded as to think that to ruin the farmers by burning the corn, was the way to get higher wages-whereas, it is manifest, that if the farmers' property be destroyed, he won't be able to employ any men or pay any wages. Besides, Verse 13.-" Fructification table." This table is burning the corn, of course, raises the price of corn; not found in Hutton or Bonnycastle, and therefore I and what is the consequence? Why, quantities presume it must refer to some new system of arithof foreign corn must immediately be let in upon the metic. The whole verse is rather mystified (if the market, to the great injury of the English farmer, poet will excuse the observation) and Job is almost and to the proportionable injury of the English inclined to imitate the pocket-book publishers, and labourer. The hatred shewn by the labourers against offer "six copies for the best solution" of the Enigma. He proved such a dunce that he knew not a word threshing machines may seem more plausible; and I 14. Then Will he retired to private life, NOTES UPON "WILL O'THE WISP." think the farmers should endeavour to avoid the use decidedly to the advantage of the labourers;-for if the Verse 1.-" Then Will O'the Wisp," &c. This in-we see how men may be so deluded as to cut their own throats, whilst they imagine they are contending teresting piece of biography being published in parts, for their rights. Verses 9-11.-" To Bristol came," &c. The poet seems to attribute the calamites of the three days in Bristol to delusion. This may be tolerated in poetry, but it is too delicate a subject to write prose upon. CORREPONDENCE.. The Anecdote transmitted by X. Y. is received; also an article without signature, which appears by the hand-writing to come from a former correspondent. Bristol: Printed and Published by J. & W. RICHARDSON, No. 6, Clare-Street, to whose care all communications may be addressed, post paid; also sold by J, NORTON, Corn-Street, and J. CHILCOTT, Wine-Street; Mrs. BINNS, Bath; Mr. WHITE, Cheltenham; and Mr. BEMROSE, Derby. Bristol Job Nott; No. XXIII.] THE WHIRLIGIG. "Here we go up, up, up, OR, LABOURING MAN'S FRIEND. And here we go down, down, downy; I dare say most of my readers are familiar with the above popular stanza, and know the nature of the machine to which it refers. Now what is the world with its various concerns and interests but a great whirligig, which moves much to the same tune "Here we go up, up, up,"-" And here we go down, down, down?" Those that are at the top of the wheel one day are at the bottom the next. The rapid changes in worldly affairs should teach us not to presume in prosperity, and not to despond in adversity. "Beware of desperate steps, the darkest day, Live till to-morrow, will have passed away." Some will perhaps call this ever-revolving system the wheel of fortune; but it is in truth the wheel of providence, turning on the pivot of divine purpose, and directed in its motions by divine wisdom. It is our wisdom to believe this, and to trust that all God's appointments shall in the end work for good to those that love him, and simply rely upon his power and goodness to fix the bounds of their habitation, and order all that concerneth them. THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1832. politics for him and his friends to follow; and MR. NOTT, THE PEACE SOCIETY. " [Price lad gins-for instance if, in the late riots, when on the Saturday night the rioters took refuge in the barges on the river, the defensive system had been carried out into something more like attack, it is nearly certain that all the property and lives that were subsequently sacrificed would have been saved. And this exemplifies the principle that to attack an enemy on his ground may often be the most effective-perhaps the only effective manner of defending your own. In short, if arms are to be used at all, the art of using them must be cultivated, else we shall not be able to use them in the moment of exigency. Then again, if the art be to be cultivated, there must be those who make it their business to study and practice it; that is, there must be soldiers-and why not? There were devout soldiers in Old Testament timeswitness David and others. And there were devout soldiers in New Testament times-witness Cornelius and his subalterns; and the Centurion, whose faith our Lord so highly commended; and that there are devout warriors now Job can testify, for he has the pleasure of knowing many of them. Perhaps Job might not have meddled with this subject, had not his attention been drawn to it by the anecdote; but, having had his attention thus turned to the subject, it has further occurred to him as rather an awkward and untoward coincidence, that whilst Col. Macerone and the poison shop people are so busy in instructing the bad part of society how to use arms, the Peace Society should be labouring to persuade the better part of the population, who-are alone likely to come into their views, that it is un The recent proceedings of the Peace Society remind me of the following story :A certain great promoter of Peace Societies, being on a visit to a friend at Portsmouth, was very full of It is worthy of remark, that when the soldiers came the praises of his favourite hobby. "Do you know that excellent institution?" says he to his friend, to John the Baptist, saying "what shall we do?" he "Oh yes,' did not tell them that they must abandon their pro"do you know the Peace Society?" replies the Portsmouth inan, we have a very flou- fession, but simply that they should discharge its rishing auxiliary here, and I shall be happy to intro- duties with integrity and forbearance, and not emduce you to some of the committee." The man of ploy the power which the possession and use of arms "Do violence (said peace was highly delighted to hear of the prevalence gave them to exact unlawful or extortionate contriof the good cause; and looked forward with much satis-butions by false accusations. faction to the promised introduction. On the follow- he) to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be The concluding clause ing morning, the Portsmouth man took his friend to content with your wages." view the arsenals, dock yards, and fortifications of be content with your wages, strongly implies that the place; and having led him to a spot where about they were justified in receiving wages-and what did fifty great guns could be seen, placed in formidable they receive them for but to fight, or at least to be array;-" "Look here," said he to his visitor, "I ready to fight, when occasion required? have now an opportunity of fulfilling my promise; this is our Peace Society." Now this, I think, was X. Y. no bad hit, what say you, Mr. Nott? Job Nott is a man of peace, and desires to act upon the Apostolic injunction, if it be possible, as far as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men; but then if men wont live at peace with one, what can a body do? And we know very well, that if John Bull was to give out that he wouldn't fight, all the jackdaws of Europe would be pecking at him presently. So I can't help thinking that the Portsmouth man was a shrewd fellow, and had caught the true bearing of the thing. With respect to foreign powers, an armed peace is the only safe peace, except we expect miracles to be wrought to save us from the assaults of our enemics; and with respect to internal affairs, I don't any more." see how life and property are to be protected from there can be no doubt; but it seems they are not to such outrages as we have witnessed in our own city, beat their swords into ploughshares because it is ununless this ultima ratio, this last argument be appeal-lawful to use swords, but because, through the univered to, to quell the mob, when other persuasives fail. sal prevalence of true religion, there will be no longer May it ever be the last argument, and never resorted to till all other persuasives have been tried in vain; This is Job's course; at least, it is what he but nevertheless, when other means are found inef-desires and aims at. His system of politics fectual, arms must be resorted to, or society will be consists in dutiful obedience to lawful authority, laid open to the wanton violence of ruthless maraudIt may seem easy to draw distinctions in theory and every one doing his duty in that state of between defensive and offensive warfare, but it is life to which it has pleased God to call him-commonly very difficult practically to determine and he is quite sure that these are the best where defence terminates, and where aggression be But whilst some are going to the tune of "Here we go up, up, up, and others are answering to the tune of "Here we go down, down, downy," there is a still greater number of satellites who are singing "Here we go backward and forward, and here we go round, round, roundy.' What changing of sides! what conversions of opinion! Only look for instance at some of the periodicals, how they began to trim and turn as soon as the wind changed! Oh what a privilege it is to be honest! The honest man has nothing to retract, nothing to alter in compliance with the ever shifting wind of popular opinion. He steers by the fixed polar star of TRUTH. ers. lawful to use them. May the gospel everywhere prevail, and then "they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war That such a happy period will come need of them. When the devouring wolf shall have had his nature changed, and dwell with the lamb in peaceful harmony-when the roaring lion shall have learned to feed with the ox, instead of feeding upon him; then there will be no longer need of the art of war; but till then I think the lamb and the cow, and the ox and the kid, will be in great danger, unless they either learn war themselves, or enlist some good stout dogs to protect them. And occasionally it may |