suffered decapitation. Could not our author have contrived to render his comparison a little more accurate, by making Tom's body drop from the head after suspension? This would have been very plausible, since he had been cutting his throat the night before. We appeal to the common sense of our readers, whether all this be not mere trifling?-and trifling, too, on subjects of the highest importance to man, as a guilty creature before God. Such apparatus may be very necessary for producing the mawkish stories that are daily issuing from the press, for the edification of the admirers of the marvellous; but alas! how are the sublimely simple truths of Christianity distorted, when they are made to pass through such a medium! THE history of this illustrious female can never cease to interest the inhabitants of the British Isles; and when the pen of the future historian shall commit to writing a faithful record of the times that are passing over us, these volumes will supply him with a profusion of facts and documents of no ordinary value. In their present state, they form a very proper supplement to the History of the Reign of GEORGE III. or of England, continued to the commencement of the present reign; and as such, the work deserves a place in every Englishman's library. In fact, it is the only authentic narrative yet before the public, of this interesting portion of our national concerns; and though some circumstances which took place at the time the publication was first announced, led us to expect that it would be furiously assailed by the envenomed shafts of party scribblers, we believe it has had the good fortune, hitherto, to escape every thing of this kind. Mr. Wilks apologizes, in his Preface, for any imperfections of style, or in the digesting of his materials, that may be found in his volumes, on the ground, that he was compelled to snatch from the discharge of the duties of a laborious profession, (the law,) the hours which he has devoted to the compilation of them. We do not doubt, indeed, that had he taken more time, and been more at leisure from other pursuits, he might have polished his periods, and rendered them more smooth in the reading; but after all, this is a matter of very inferior consideration. Dr. Johnson finds fault with Robertson's Historical Works, as being chiefly composed of varnish and colouring. He draws a comparison between him and Goldsmith, as writers of History, and gives the preference decidedly to the latter, for this important reason,-that Goldsmith fills his pages with facts, without wasting his time in dressing them up; while, with Robertson the case is quite the reverse. "A writer of History," says he, "should put as much into his book as it will hold." We take this to have been Mr. Wilks's if so, he has succeeded in a very high object in compiling these Memoirs; and degree. The Queen was really an exmind than falls to the lot of any ten traordinary woman; she possessed more ordinary females; and it is impossible to trace her history in these pages, without sighing over her unhappy fate. Village Sermons, on Interesting_Subjects. BY THE REV. THOMAS MILLER. London, R. Baynes, Ivy Lane, 1821, pp. 136, 12mo. price 2s. THE Reverend Thomas Miller is, we believe, of "the College of Stepney," though he has omitted to apprise his readers of the important fact in the title page of his pamphlet;—and we are the more surprised at this, as he has thought proper to present himself before the world in the character of a clergyman! We cannot praise his sermons; for we think them crude in their statements of the truths of the gospelcarelessly and incorrectly written and by no means equal to Beddome's or Burder's Village Sermons. We wish well to Mr. Miller, but his clerical pride disgusts us; and we cannot offer him a better piece of advice, than to study and make himself master of the following text; "How can ye believe which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour which cometh from God only?" Mr. M. has placed in his title page, as a motto, the following words; The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor!!!" Religious and Literary Intelligence. Without entering into an historical view of the progress of Christianity in this country, and of the connection between that progress and the enactment of laws for the regulation of this sacred day, it is necessary to refer to those laws which are now in operation, and to develope their inadequacy. The laws of Athelstan forbade all merchandizing on the Lord's day, under very severe penalties. It appears that such restrictions were then peculiarly necessary, and they were eminently useful. In the 27th year of the reign of Henry VI. an act was passed, declaring" that all fairs and markets upon feast days or on Sundays, (the four Sundays in harvest excepted,) should clearly cease, on pain of forfeiture of the goods exposed to safe; and fairs holden theretofore on solemn festivals, should thereafter be holden three days before, or three days after such festivals." In the reign of QUEEN ELIZABETH three statutes were passed, which are still unrepealed, but which are wholly incompatible with those principles of religious liberty, which, happily for this country, all parties unite to recognize, and under whose benignant influence the cause of Christianity has rapidly advanced. Reference is now made to 1 Elizabeth, c. 2; 23 Elizabeth, c. 1, s. 8, 11; and 29 Elizabeth, c. 6, s. 7. Observations on the Profanation of the Sabbath in England; the present state of the Laws; and on their proposed Alteration. In every civilized country, especially where the mild and salutary influence of Christianity has been permitted to operate, the observation of the Sabbath-day has been justly deemed of the last importance. "The profanation of the Lord's day," therefore, says Judge Blackstone, in his invaluable Commentaries, (vol. iv. p. 63,)" is an offence against God and religion, punished by the municipal law of England. For, besides the notorious indecency and scandal By the first of these acts, it is declared, of permitting any secular business to be "That all persons not having a reasonable publicly transacted on that day, in a coun- excuse, shall resort to their parish church try professing Christianity, and the corrup- or chapel (or to some congregation of relition of morals which usually follows its pro-gious worship allowed by law,) on every fanation, the keeping one day in seven holy, as a time of relaxation and refreshment, as well as for public worship, is of admirable service to a state, considered merely as a civil institution. It humanizes, by the help of conversation and society, the manners of the lower classes, which would otherwise degenerate into a sordid ferocity, and Savage selfishness of spirit; it enables the industrious workman to pursue his occupation in the ensuing week with health and cheerfulness; it imprints on the minds of the people that sense of their duty to God, so necessary to make them good citizens, but which yet would be worn out and defaced by an unremitted continuance of labour, without any stated time of recalling them to the worship of their Maker." remarks of this celebrated man especially deserve regard, not merely from their intrinsic excellence, but from his known probity and wisdom. YOL. VIII. The SUNDAY, on pain of punishment by the censures of the church, or of forfeiting one shilling to the poor for every such offence." By the two last acts, it is declared, "That every person above sixteen years of age who shall not repair to some church, chapel, or usual place of common prayer, being convicted thereof before the judges of assize, or justices in sessions, shall forfeit £20 a month; one third to the king; one third to the maintenance of the poor of the parish, and the houses of correction, and of impotent and maimed soldiers, as the Lord Treasurer, Chancellor, and Chief Baron of the Exchequer shall order; and one third to him who shall sue in any court of record:" and the latter statute further declares, "That if the penalty be not paid in three months after judgment, he shall be imprisoned till he pay, or conform himself to go to church,' The penalty imposed by these latter statutes, it was also determined, Q did not dispense with the forfeiture of one or horses, nor waggon-men with any shilling a Sunday; and the shilling was declared to be immediately forfeited upon the absence of each particular day. By the 29th Elizabeth, c. 6, 3rd James, c. 4, s. 8, 9, the method of levying the payment of the penalties is specified; and the latter statute also declares, "That every person who shall retain in his service, or shall relieve, keep, or harbour in his house, any servant, sojourner, or stranger, who shall not repair to church, but shall forbear for a month together, not having reasonable excuse, shall forfeit £10 for every month he shall continue in his house such person so forbearing." violate the laws of God and their country. waggon or waggons, nor carmen with any cart or carts, nor wainsmen with any wain or wains, nor drovers with any cattle, shall by themselves or any other, travel on the Lord's day on pain of twenty shillings; or if any butcher, by himself or any other with his privity and consent, shall kill or sell any victuals on the Lord's day, he shall forfeit 6s. 8d." Notwithstanding this statute and another on the same subject, no offences are more frequently committed. Through the whole country cattle are permitted to be driven; and in large towns, and especially in the metropolis, butchers now regularly open their shops on Sunday To these statutes reference is now seldom morning, and frequently during divine sermade. It is rightly admitted, that attend-vice, to pursue their callings, and openly ance at a place of religious worship is solely a RELIGIOUS DUTY; and that, on the one hand, no service can be acceptable to God which is only rendered to avoid the penalties inflicted by human laws; aud, on the other hand, that no human tribunal has any right to interfere between God and man, and to legislate on matters that are above and beyond all such legislation. The repeal of such statutes would, therefore, be important, if bigotry and intolerance should venture to enforce them; but the genius of the age renders it not essential, any farther than that all laws which are useless and improper should be repealed. These, how-rity; and except dressing of meat in famiever, appear to be the only statutes which are unnecessary or unwise; and those which will be hereafter referred to, whilst some are inefficient, all are in principle correct, though the penalty may be disproportioned to the offence, or the mode of recovery tiresome and vexatious. As a contrast to the statutes just referred | to, King JAMES the First disgraced himself and his country by his BOOK OF SPORTS, by declaring to his subjects," that dancing, archery, leaping, vaulting, May-games, Whitsun-ales, and morris dances were lawful; and did command, that no such honest mirth or recreation should be forbidden to his subjects on SUNDAYS, after evening service." In the first year of the reign of CHARLES I. c. 1. such improper and indecent conduct was, however, prohibited; and it was declared, "that every person indulging in such games, should for every offence forfeit the sum of 3s. 4d. or be set publicly in the stocks for three hours." The inadequacy of this penalty, and the negligence of the police are, however, at present so lamentable, that in many places in London, and throughout the country, games of the most improper character are indulged with impunity. To this fact attention should be paid. In the third year of the reign of this monarch, a beneficial statute was passed, declaring that no carrier with any "horse These penalties were, however, limited to but a few descriptions of persons, until, by the 29th CHARLES II. c. 7, it was enacted, that no drover, horsecourser, waggoner, butcher, higgler, or any of their servants, shall travel, or come into his inn or lodging on the Lord's day, or any part thereof, on pain of twenty shillings; and in general, that no tradesman, artificer, workman, labourer, or other person, shall do or exercise any worldly labour, business, or work of their ordinary callings on the Lord's day; except works of necessity and cha lies, or dressing or selling of meat at inns, cook-shops, or victualling houses, for such as cannot otherwise be provided;" (and by the 9th Ann, c. 23, s. 20, except licensed hackney coachmen and chairmen within the bills of mortality;) "on pain of every offender above fourteen years of age for feiting five shillings; and also that no person shall publicly cry, shew forth, or expose to sale, any wares, merchandizes, fruit, herbs, goods, or chattels whatsoever, on the Lord's day," ("except crying and selling of milk before nine in the morning, and after four in the afternoon, and except mackarel, which may be sold on Sundays, before or after divine service," by the 10th and 11th of William, c. 24, s. 14;)" on pain of for feiting the same; and also that no person shall use, employ, or travel on the Lord's day, with any boat, wherry, lighter, or barge," ("unless allowed by a justice of peace, &c. on extraordinary occasions; and except forty watermen who may ply on the Thames on Sundays, between Vauxhall and Limehouse," by the 11th and 12th of William, c. 21, s. 13;) "on pain of five shillings; and if any person offending in any of the premises shall thereof be con victed in ten days after the offence, before one justice, on view, or confession, or oath of one witness, the justice shall give warrant to the constables or churchwardens to seize the goods cried, shewed forth, or put to sale, and to sell the same, and to levy the other forfeitures by distress, to the use of the poor, except that the justice inay out of the same reward the informer with any sum not exceeding one third part; and for want of distress, the offender shall be set publicly in the stocks for two hours." If the penalties thus indicted be sought for, they are, first, very trivial, and second, they are difficult to be recovered. The Christian and sirnames of the parties must be ascertained; the person who actually buys; the money must be seen to pass;-and various other formalities must be attended to, before FIVE SHILLINGS can be recovered of a man whose profits on a Sunday morning are frequently Five POUNDS! In one parish in London, the churchwardens, with laudable assiduity, repeated their exertions to recover the penalty, in spite of all the difficulties which presented themselves; until, at length, subdued by their energy and perseverance, the butchers requested that the beadle might attend on them every Monday morning for five shillings, which should be regularly paid, and save THEMSELVES the trouble of attending at a police office. Another example of such flagrant conduct is also worthy of attention. In the parish of COVENT GARDEN is held a market, and the FRUITERERS and GREEN GROCERS inhabiting it are equally pertinacious. The churchwardens in that parish have also interfered. They have had much trouble, and been put to considerable expence; till, at length, they have succeeded against the legal objections made to the various forms of warrant, conviction, and distress; and when thus defeated, the offenders also directed that the beadle should call on them every Monday for the penalty of FIVE SHILLINGS. The only possible method of preventing so shameful a breach of this wholesome Statute, is by VERY CONSIDERABLY increasing the penalty, and by facilitating its recovery. This measure is now in contemplation, and to it the attention of the religious public is thus invited. Before this measure is more distinctly mentioned, it is necessary to specify the acts which have been passed as explanatory of the last mentioned statute. By the 9th Anne, c. 23, s. 20, it has been already stated, that licensed hackney Coachmen and chairmen within the Bills of Mortality are allowed to ply. By the 10th and 11th William, c. 24, s. 14; it has also been stated that the crying and selling of milk before nine in the morning, and after four in the afternoon; and also mackarel are allowed to be sold on Sunday before or after service. By the 54th Geo. III. c. 61; it was declared that "No Baker in the City of London or within twelve miles thereof, should on any pretence whatsoever, make, bake, or expose to sale any bread or rolls; or bake any meat, puddings, pies or tarts, or in any other manner exercise the trade of a baker on the Lord's day, on pain of forfeiting ten shillings, &c." In this act was, however, inserted a salutary proviso, that meat, puddings or pies, might be baked between nine in the morning and one in the afternoon, so as the persons requiring the baking thereof, carry or send the same to and from the place where baked. By 50th Geo. III. c. 73, further regulations as to the trade of a BAKER were imposed, but the penalties are as usual too small and too difficult to be recovered. That act declares that "no person exercising or employed in the trade of a Baker beyond the City of London or the Liberties thereof, or beyond the said ten miles of the Royal Exchange, shall on the Lord's day or any part thereof, make or bake any bread or cake of any sort or kind, or shall on any part of the said day, except between the hours of ten in the forenoon, and half past one in the afternoon, on any pretence whatever, sell or expose to sale, or suffer to be exposed to sale, any bread or cake of any sort or kind, or bake or deliver, or suffer to be baked or delivered, any meat, pudding, pie, or victuals at any time after half-past one in the afternoon of that day, or in any other manner exercise the trade of a Baker, save and except so far as may be necessary in setting and superintending the sponge to prepare the dough for the following day's baking; and that no meat, pudding, pie, &c. shall be brought to or taken from any bakehouse, during divine service in the church of the Parish were the same is situate, nor within a quarter of an hour of the commencement thereof." Conviction to be before one justice on view, or oath of one witness, or on confession; penalty for first offence five shillings; for a second offence not exceeding ten shillings; and for every subsequent one not exceeding fifteen shillings, with the costs and expences of prosecution to be assessed by the Justice," &c. By the 55th Geo. III. c. 99, it is further provided, that" no Bakers within the Bills of Mortality. or ten miles of the Royal Exchange, shall bake bread or rolls on Sundays, nor sell bread, nor bake meat, &c. except from nine to two o'clock, under the penalty of ten shillings for the first offence, twenty shillings for the second, and forty shillings for the third and every subsequent offence." This statute extends the time of delivering bakings until half-past two o'clock; but which, unfortunately, in London is often extended till five o'clock. Notwithstanding the various statutes which have been thus recapitulated; and notwithstanding the 21st Geo. III. c. 49, which declares that no house, room, or other place, shall on the Lord's day be open for public entertainment or for any debating societies ; and notwithstanding the 13th Geo. III. c., 80, s. 4, which prohibits killing game on that day; it is universally admitted, and by the wise and good it is deeply deplored, that the Lord's day IS OPENLY PROFANED. What is the reason for such conduct? It is admitted that the true reason is a want of moral feeling, and of religious principle. But as such defect is only to be remedied by the preaching of the gospel, the diffusion of knowledge, the circulation of the Scriptures, by Sabbath Schools, and by the dispersion of religious tracts, and all which means must receive the blessing of God before they can be rendered useful; is it not also necessary to enquire whether it be not the duty of the religious public to endeavour to obtain the enactment of a law,-not by which persons shall be compelled to assume the appearance of devotion, or against their consciences, or even inclinations, to attend at any place of religious worship,but by which the tradesman, the merchant, the artificer, the shopkeeper, shall be prevented by the laws of their country from setting at defiance the basis of all the laws by which that country is governed, and from flagitiously trading on a day which the dictates of common sense, the usage of all ages and christianized countries, and the laws of God require to be observed as a day of abstinence from exertion, and indeed of attention to religion. How is this object to be effected? This question has been variously answered. Some individuals have proposed the establishment of PERMANENT SOCIETIES to en force the laws, as prosecution societies. To such institutions, however, many objections are with propriety urged; and it has been properly said by a dignitary of the church: Let laws be powerful, explicit and intelligible; let the penalties be decided and adequate, and let their recovery be rendered simple; but when such laws are passed, let their enforcement be entrusted to the people whom they are designed to govern; and let the virtuous and the good remember it is their IMPERATIVE DUTY to enforce them." By others it has been urged-Shut up all shops, all public houses,-prohibit all baking, suppress Sunday Newspapers,prevent all travelling, and compel persons to attend at some place of public worship under a severe penalty. But such propositions have only been met by reproach or ridicule. By endeavouring to effect too much, no good has resulted; and whilst the evil has been again and again deplored, the remedies proposed have been either hostile to religious liberty, or impracticable and absurd. Impressed, however, with the propriety of calmly investigating the state of the laws, and of endeavouring to effect in the first instance the prevention of trading on a Sunday without reference to any of the other evils which exist, and which should From the Bishop of London, Mr. Wilber- a measure as From their friends in the country, and especially from ministers resident in large towns or cities, they invite information and assistance, and to them they intimate that when the measure shall be introduced to Parliament, PETITIONS from all parts of the kingdom will be rendered necessary, and they fully rely on their activity and energy. All such communications are to be addressed to MR. JOHN WILKS, JUN. SOLICITOR, 36, NEW BROAD STREET, who will submit them to the Committee; and it is unnecessary to add, that promises of PECUNIARY aid will be particularly important. When a PUBLIC MEETING of the friends of religion and good order is convened, (and which will probably take place in May) the measure will be minutely explained the probable amount of the expenses stated and every information afforded which can be desired. In the mean time they entreat their friends throughout the kingdom to implore the blessing of Heaven on their efforts; and to afford them all the assistance and encouragement which they so eminently require, and thus earnestly entreât. 36, New Broad Street, |
