the vile calumny of these insignificant revilers; and if, like me, you but truly acknowledge, and properly revere, that exalted Being, which Deism would teach us does exist, who framed the mighty fabric of the universe, and whose Providence extends over millions of habitable worlds, you may still preserve your sense of rectitude unshaken, nor need you be affected by such paltry scoffers.

I now, reverend Sir, take my leave, and would recommend to your serious (I wish I might say impartial) consideration, the following emphatical lines:

"The Heavens above, the Earth below,

One great benign Creator show;
Blest revelation! unconfin'd,

And legible to all mankind;

Not given to a paltry few,

But shed o'er all, like heaven's rich dew:
Who partial paint the Power supreme,
Our universal Sire blaspheme."

Edward Street, Blackfriars Road,
Nov. 1st, 1819.

D. HARRISON.

To the Editor of the REPUBLICAN,

A CARD TO MR. CARLILE, PUBLISHER OF PAINE'S AGE OF REASON.

SIR,

AGREEABLE to your requisition in the REPUBLICAN, No. 9, I without reserve say, that I think your conduct in publishing merits the approbation of every honest man. For to oppose the prejuaice of ages, when that prejudice is inimical to the happiness of mankind, detecting the fallacy of received opinions, and to ameliorate the human mind, is the noblest effort of philosophical employment.

JOHN JAMES BRAYFIELD.

63, Southampton Street, Camberwell,

November 2, 1819.

THE MOCK TRIAL.

A PARODY.-BY. J. J. Brayfield.

A TRIAL founded on a mystery,

A plot begotten by the sire of lies,

And nurs'd to full-grown Treason by the care

Of fost'ring lawyers, that can extract

Fines out of looks, and Death from double meanings.

I heard the deep-mouthed pack, they scented blood
From the first starting, and pursued their view
With the law-music of long-winded calumuy.

Well I remember one among the tribe,
A base Apostate, skilled in parallels
And dark comparisons of wond'rous likeness:
Who in a speech of venal eloquence

Mustered up all the crimes since Woolston's time,
To put in balance with this unjust charge,
And made e'en Cataline a saint to Carlile.
The Parasite so much o'er-played his part,

I could have hugged him, praised the sophistic lies
Hot from his faithless tongue. He was the saine
Who started from the question in debate,
And when corrected by a calm rebuke,
Used all the threats that malice could suggest,
Aud rancorously forced Atheist down

The mild Defendant's throat, who fearless said :—

"I am no Courtier, no false-tongued Priest,
Nor am I a mean, fawning Dog of State,
To lick and kiss the hand that buffets me.
Preach fear to corrupted Legislators,
When civil uproar threatens a reprisal

On their cursed greedy gatherings of extortion..
Bid the projecting Politician fear

When all his springs are wound up to the height;
And if one motion fails, the whole machine
Sinks, and destroys the Builder in its ruins.

Talk fear to Hypocrites, to Manchester Murderers,
To a profligate Prince, who his subjects scorns;

To Priests and Cowards-but name it not with Virtue.
Fear is the tax that conscience pays to Guilt,
And yet unspotted Innocence may fall
The sacrifice of cunning and revenge;
Witness my Mock Trial for Blasphemy."

Thus 'tis; the course and fashion of the times,
When prejudices and aversion work

Those the Priests, contemn are Atheists call'd.
Now it is a term, a bug-bear word,

The Villain's engine, and the Vulgar's terror.
The man who thinks and judges for himself,
Unswayed by aged follies, reverend errors,
Grown holy by traditionary dullness
Of school-authority, he is an Atheist.
The Man who hating idle noise, preserves
A pure religion seated in his soul,
He is a silent, dumb, dissembling Atheist.

O Priest-begotten Tyranny! what waste
Thy cruel hands make in this fair creation,
Treating Heaven's image, in thy fellow-creature,
Worse than the savage beast, or grazing herd!

THE PROGRESS OF REASON.

To dissipate all prejudicial sway,
And clear a passage for eternal day,
Pure light to give the intellectual blind,
、And drive all dull eclipses from the mind,
Is Reason's part; for this her rays extend
Through every rank, man's comforter and friend:
And while each base idea she refines,

In every beam immortal radiance shines.

How shrinks each despot from the generous light
That breaks the blackness of the mental night!
With owls and bats they share the murky sway,
And basely sicken at the face of day,
That bids the flag of freedom be unfurled,
And gives protection to a wakening world!
Darkness is theirs; in that, supreme they reign,
On nature's face a despicable stain;
And thoughtless profligacy, dead to shame,
Sanctions their infamy and shares the blame.

Ere long, conviction, with a viper's sting,
One dreadful truth will to their bosoms bring.
Reason, her light, without restraint, imparts
To such as live with freedom at their hearts;
Warm throbs the bosom which their flames inspire,
Slow beats the pulse wherever they expire.
They teach us, that the rulers of the realm,
(Though, by false power, they justice overwhelm)
Are but the transient regents of an hour,

In fine, subservient to the People's power;
Theirs the expence, and theirs should be the choice,
The final judgment, and decisive voice.

This truth, a voice of thunder may make known,
And all its lightnings flash about the throne.

Printed and Published by T. Davison, 10, Duke-street, Smithfield.

No. 14. Vol. I.] LONDON, FRIDAY, Nov. 26, 1819. [PRICE 2d.

A LETTER TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE REGENT,

On his most gracious Speech, delivered at the opening of Parliament.

"For forms of Government let fools contest:
Whate'er is best administered, is best."

POPE.

SIR,

IN addressing myself to you, I am actuated but by onc motive-a love of liberty and independence-in the cause of which I am ready to draw the pen or the sword; or, if need be, to bleed and die on the scaffold. England, at this moment, presents a desolating, terrible spectacle-a spectaclé that is calculated to awaken feelings of apprehension and alarm in the most cool, and in the most ambitious bosoms. All around us we behold nothing but pale and meagre countenances agitated by discontent and distress. Every heart palpitates with anxiety; and every eye looks forward with fearful distrust to the opening of that Parliament, whose decisions may fix, or destroy for ever, the liberties of the English People. I have just received your Speech. After expressing a becoming concern for His Majesty's "lamented indisposition," and regretting the necessity you are under of calling the Parliament together at this period of the year, you advert to the "seditious practices," which you say have been long prevalent in some of the manufacturing districts of the country. It is strange, very strange, that we should never hear a word of those seditious practices, except in the Ministerial papers. But

Printed and Published by T. Davison, 10, Duke-street, Smithfield.

your Highness may have other modes of becoming acquainted with the evil practices of your subjects than those which are open to every body: you may have a method of discovering sedition in embryo, while slowly forming in the discontented head of some poor creature, where politics and sedition have more than they can do to keep out the thoughts of hunger. But when you have discovered it, do not be angry with the man; nor ascribe that to a rebellious disposition, which arises only for want of bread. But still I am at a loss to know where the sedition your Royal Highness speaks of has been able to conceal itself, so as to escape the most inquisitive researches of the whole nation-for surely you can never call the peaceable meetings of your peaceful subjects by so harsh a name-nor hint that those meetings are incompatible with the public tranquillity, since nothing was ever more tranquilly conducted. I have the misfortune, too, to be utterly ignorant where that spirit manifests itself which your Highness says, is "utterly hostile to the Constitution of this kingdom, and which aims, not only at the change of those political institutions which have hitherto constituted the pride and security of this country, but at the subversion of the rights of property, and of all order in society." This, may it please your Royal Highness, is a delicious morceau of Royal eloquence-but nothing more. The sentiment is fine-the words neatly put together what a pity it should not be true! There is no such thing in existence, Sir, as the "SPIRIT" you speak of. The English nation, far from wishing their Constitution destroyed, desire nothing with greater earnestness and sincerity than that that Constitution should be acted up to, and obeyed. As to the security, &c., which it is said certain political institutions have procured us, your Royal Highness will, perhaps, permit us to be a little sceptical on that head; since we find to our cost, that even our glorious Constitution" itself cannot "SECURE" us against religious persecu tion. But when I read of our manufacturing gentry wishing to subvert the rights of property, and all order in society, a grin, a Sardonyc grin, perhaps, forces itself upon