8 Earl of Berkshire to B. Langton.-Church Service at Canterbury. [July, ment, may with nearly equal interest, and perhaps with more propriety, be placed in the high road, as being more exposed to the view of the public. With respect to James Watt, we cannot but regret that he did not, in his life-time, receive (in spite of the modesty of his nature) the patronage and consideration due to his great talents." We may, however, be allow ed to hope, that the liberality of future times will be more just to those whom the voice of the public has pronounced to have deserved well of their country; and that the Philosopher, the Hero, the Statesman, the Poet, the Artist, those who lengthen, and those who gladden life, may be honoured with public testimonies of approbation before they are alike indifferent to praise Louth, July 5. SEND you a copy of a Letter from I the Earl of Berkshire, to my grandfather Bennet Langton, Esq.† of Langton, co. Lincoln. Possibly you may deem it worthy of preservation in your valuable Miscellany. Yours, &c. "DEAR BENNET, R. UVEDALE. "As my last was a letter of condolence, in this it is more proper to congratulate you upon succeeding to an estate which I am persuaded you know how to enjoy. Though the loss of an old friend could be no surprise to me, when I consider he was advanced so far beyond the stated age of man; yet so great was his humanity, I could not help grieving for him, at the very same time I reflected upon the following thought old tragedy I met with accidentally-it is really very well expressed: in a very * Henry Bowes Howard, who succeeded to the title of Earl of Berkshire in 1706, and to the Earldom of Suffolk in 1745. He died in 1757. He died in 1769. Some account of him may be seen in Boswell's Life of Johnson, vol. i. p. 458, 6th edit. He was father of B. Langton, Esq. LL.D. the friend of Johnson. "To die, Why 'tis man's nature-not his punishment; Now you are become master of yourself and your time, I should be very glad to see you at Charleton, which from your own encouragement I have had some reason to expect long since. Hunting is at this time in perfection, and as that is agreeable to you, it will be most so to me, to see you here while the season lasts. I am, dear Bennet, yours most sincerely, BERKSHIRE." Charleton, Jan. 2, 1727. Mr. URBAN, ·July 8. URING a late visit of some days in the neighbourhood of Canterbury, I was present at one of its Churches on a Sunday afternoon, and reminded of the "Admonitory Letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury," noticed in your Magazine, part i. p. 445. The circumstance which brought it to my recollection, and struck me as of sufficient importance to demand very serious attention from the Churchwardens of the parish, as affecting the order and solemnity which should always accompany public worship, was the confusion that took place in the Church from almost the beginning of the service, to the ending of it. This was occasioned, as I was afterwards informed, by an alteration in the usual -past hour of service, namely, from half-p two, till a quarter before two, which takes place every 4th or 5th week, and is owing to the incumbent of the living being under the necessity of performing a duty at the Cathedral, which interferes with his own parochial duties. The writer of the Letter above alluded to (which I have not at present by me) gives it, I think, as his opinion, in which I fully concur, that no Clergyman should be eligible to a situation that shall clash with the duties of his own parish, and that for obvious reasons. Besides such indecency and irreverence in the house of God, a pretext is furnished to numbers, who stand in little need of one, for absenting themA. B. selves from Church. 1824.] Hereford Cathedral,-Origin of Church Property. I Mr. URBAN, June 20. SEND you a representation of the magnificent Porch on the North side of Hereford Cathedral. (See the Frontispiece to the present Volume). It was built by Bishop Booth early in thesixteenth century. It rises above the aile, and has the front and side arches open for admission into the Cathedral. Each outer angle has an hexagonal turret, in which are staircases to the room over the porch. The window and spandrils formed by the pediment are highly decorated; as also of the door beneath; those at the sides are less enriched. M. Mr. URBAN, N June 28. OTWITHSTANDING all that has been written on the subject, a great misapprehension prevails on the origin and amount of Church property, in consequence of the representations of prejudiced persons. It is constantly alleged, and very generally believed, that her revenues are enormous, and that her Clergy are overpaid; charges and opinions which are untrue and erroneous, and which a plain state ment of facts will sufficiently refute. Ascending to the early institution of Christianity in our Island, we find that the Romish Associate Missionaries sought on their arrival the protection of the Heptarchal kings, and that wherever they obtained this sanction, they immediately formed a settlement. A mandate from the Pope soon erected it into a diocese, and raised the Prior to the Episcopal order. They possess ed but one Church, which became the Cathedral, in the precincts of which the Monks lived together as a collegiate body, and from whence they issued out to evangelize the neigh bouring country. At this period the infant establishment was supported by the voluntary offerings of humble converts; and of what was thus collected one fourth was set apart for the Bishop, one for the maintenance of the Clergy, another for the poor, and another to defray the expences of Divine service. The conversion of one powerful Thane after another, led to the foundation of Churches on their different domains, and the retention of a resident Priesthood. Agreeably to the practice of the Jewish Church, succeeding Barons endowed the edifices which their foreGENT. MAG. July, 1824. fathers had erected with the tenth of their income, and different Acts of Parliament confirmed what had been thus freely granted for ecclesiastical purposes. Hence it appears, that the first dioceses, in extent, bore some resemblance to the petty sovereignty ; that the manorial limits became the first boundaries of the parish; and that the tithe was the surplus of the baro nial revenue. Up to the time of the Reformation, Ecclesiastical patronage seems for the most part to have continued in the hands of these noble families. The few livings in the gift of Monasteries, the Universities, and other public bodies, were either theirs in consequence of having been founded by them, or were attached to them by the bequest of private patrons. Those in the patronage of the Crown and Bishops, were in like manner by right of endowment, or were gradually acquired through lapse or forfeiture of nomina tion. Circumstances attending the Reformation operated a change most unfavourable to the interests of the Church. The tithes of those livings attached to the religious houses were, by a rapacious monarch, at the disso Jution of these establishments, alienated and conferred on his favourites. A stipendiary was appointed under the title of Vicar; he received the minor dues, while the lay Rector enjoyed the tithe. According to a late survey*, out of 10,693 Benefices in England and Wales, 5,516 are Vicarages, and 5,177 are Rectories. The total revenues of these two descriptions of livings are something less than three millions and a half, while the amount of impropriated tithes is rather more than a million and three quarters. It appears, therefore, that more than half the liv ings underwent this spoliation, and that lay Rectors, persons no way connected with the priesthood or its duties, receive more than a moiety of the sum divided among the parochial Clergy. From the same estimate we learn that the average value of an English bene fice, is 3021. and of a living in the Church of Scotland, 2751. If, then, such was the origin of Church property, if a third of it has See Quarterly Review, No. 58. Article--Ecclesiastical Revenues. been 10 Origin and Amount of Church Property.-Family Livings. [July, been thus sequestrated, and if the average stipend is so low, it is erroneous to suppose that the beneficed Clergy, as a body, are overpaid, or that the burden of maintaining them falls on the community. And supposing it did, it could not then be said to fall upon one part of the community more than upon another. Estates and farms are continually changing hands, and we know that in all purchases and leaseholds the amount of tithes, as well as of taxes, is taken into the account. But this is not the only deprivation which the English Clergy have sustained. It has been satisfactorily proved, that a great proportion even of Incumbents labour gratuitously. Almost two-thirds of the Benefices are in the nomination of private persons, and these are usually disposed of as a species of reversionary property. The annual value of the living, the probable period of possession, and other circumstances, are all exactly calculated, and made to correspond with the interest of the purchase money. So that what these ministers receive in the form of tithes, is not the proper emolument of their office; it is but the interest of their private property laid out in a life annuity. It is the same thing if some father buys it for his son, or if some individual should purchase it for himself through a friend; in both cases the living is bought with the property which is, or will be his own. Transactions of this nature are become so general and notorious, that there is scarcely a newspaper but what contains among its advertisements, next presentation to be disposed of, by public sale, or private contract." Indeed, so much business is now done in this way, that the new employment of Clerical Agent is created, and these men are usually as dextrous in setting forth all that renders the bargain desirable, " aged incumbent, excellent glebe, and sporting country," as any auctioneer. All admit that the Curates in general are not sufficiently remunerated, and that without a private fortune they could not support a respectable appearance as single men, much less bring up a family; but it would seem that the case of the above Incumbents is even harder than that of the Curates; the latter does receive 601. or 701. per annum for his services, but the former absolutely nothing. a When this system of sequestration and sale has been of such long standing, and passed through so many hands, it is as hopeless to expect that the holder of presentations should dispose of his patronage freely, as that the present lay Rector should abandon his claim to the tithes. Both may be sensible that they are in possession of what belongs to another; but as they have not acquired it by fraud, so they presume they may turn it to their own account without impeachment of their honesty. Certainly we could not expect that the tithe impropriators should be dispossessed without compensation, though in the case of Heritants it might not seem altogether oút of place if the children would, as some have nobly done*, restore a part of the pelf so ill-gotten by their ancestors. For If men of character, who love the welfare of their Church, reflected, they would refrain from speculations which are illegal in their nature, and mischievous in the effect. But in regard to family preferment thus disposed of, a case of greater dishonesty can hardly be produced. If a guardian runs away with the property of the helpless orphan, every bosom rises indignant at the baseness of the theft, but no one attaches the same infamy to the conduct of private patrons, who, in making this "gain of godliness," are ten thousand times more criminal. In the one case a child is destituted, but in the other the spiritual interests of thousands are left to suffer. who does not perceive that as far as this species of patronage is concerned, we enjoy a learned and pious Clergy only as family interest and personal piety happen to be united in the same individuals? For the free appointment of worthy men, the noble ancestor left provision, but his degenerate successors, in selling the living, are not ashamed of the meanness of the robbery, nor stagger at sacrilege of the blackest description. Meritorious men may in vain look up to such persons for preferment, for what they care; the indolent or the profligate may take place of the diligent and the pious; the enquiry is not which is the most 1821.] Mode of disposing of Church Patronage censured. deserving candidate, but which is the highest bidder. An advowson may indeed be fairly sold with the estate attached to it, but the purchaser becomes thereby possessed of the same sacred trust which the direct descendant inherited, and is bound by every moral feeling to administer it aright. But if the conduct of the vender is thus inexcusable, the transaction must be questionable in regard to the purchasing Clergyman. It is allowed that his intention is generally honourable and disinterested. He ministers at an altar of whose offerings he does not partake; and preaches a Gospel whereof he does not live. Thus it is, that conscious of the purity of his motives in this respect, he is the less scrupulous of committing what our Ecclesiastical laws term Simony, and of subsequent perjury in disavowing it. If the oath were less explicit than it is, the subterfuge by which it is usually evaded, viz. that we did not personally pay our money for the living, could not preserve our integrity. What we commission, or permit another to do for us, and with our property, we do ourselves. We may easily elude the letter of the laws, but acting with this duplicity, we cannot escape with a conscience void of offence toward God. If there were no real harm in the purchase, we should still be guilty of swearing falsely, and approach the altar of God with a lie in our right hand." But it is not without reason that Simony is forbidden by the existing laws. It directly excludes deserving men from preferment, deprives others of their proper maintenance, and tends more than any thing else to secularize the spirit of the Clergy. It weakens that bond of sympathy between a minister and his people, arising from reciprocal duties cheerfully performed; diligent labours on the one hand, rewarded by free-will offerings on the other. "Those who are taught in the word, communicating to him who teaches." But when a minister regards his tithes as his own independent property, he cannot receive them with the same grateful feeling which he might if they were the remuneration of his services. He is now the more tempted to exact his tithes to the utmost; and from the moment he shews himself rigorous, or keen, his influence is impaired, and his usefulness in the parish destroyed. Far 66 mers, forgetting that tithes are but a rent charge, commonly pay them grudgingly, and as of necessity," but Clergymen do not always remember that the boast of disinterestedness best becomes their lowly character and exalted office. These disgraceful litigations would be effectually checked by their manifesting more of St. Paul's readiness" to take wrong, and suffer themselves to be defrauded," rather than give occasion for infidels to blaspheme. Certainly they fulfil a duty to themselves and their successors, in requiring their legitimate maintenance; but, in a general way, how much of the successful issue depends on the temper which they manifest in the dispute. Let it be apparent that the Christian Minister "seeks, not so much theirs but them;" and Farmers, shammed into liberality, might not be so ready to take advantage. Happy it is for the Church of England that her Clergy in general do discover much of this laudable spirit, becoming the Ambassadors of Him" whose kingdom is not of this world." But as it regards Simony, can nothing be done to put down this barefaced system of venality and dishonesty, which is at once the bane and reproach of our Church? We have Laws, why do they slumber? If a township accused of accepting a bribe is disfranchised, and the briber fined, why does not a heavier sentence await these illegal contractors, seeing that corruption in the Church is worse than in the Senate? Why is not the Vender of Livings made to forfeit his right, and the Purchaser his bargain? Why will not well-meaning men be awake to the evil they promote, and entertain a conscientious horror of being concerned in such transactions? If there were no receivers of stolen goods, there could be no thieves; if none would purchase livings, none could be sold. But so long as the Laws delay to punish, and estimable men are parties in these contracts, others of less character, but with a clearer apprehension of the evil, will plead their example in violating the rule of right. The evil will indefinitely extend till public patronage becomes as corrupt as private-for if the people countenance individuals in this infamous traffic, Universities and Corporations will soon think it no disgrace to accept of a premium from the candidate for preferment. It 19 On the Celtic or Gaelic, and Sanscrit Languages. It is therefore to be hoped, that all who love their Church, will refrain themselves and discourage others from dealings which injure her interests and disgrace her name. Such is the "auri sacra fames," that from the mean-spirited and covetous patrons we can expect no reform; but from those whose object in entering the Church is to recommend religion by their life and doctrine, we can expect a serious attention to the apostolic maxim, be not partakers of other men's sins; keep thyself pure." PATRONUS. Mr. URBAN, 66 Putney, July 1, Na former paper inserted in your Work of interesting and valuable writings, philological and scientific communications by eminent men of literature, I endeavoured to prove the close and intimate analogy and affinity between the Celtic or Gaelic language, and the Greek and Latin. The Hebrew, the Sanscrit, and the Celtic, are decidedly the three most antient languages. The Hebrew, probably, ranks as the first and earliest: and there is considerable doubt, on the score of precedency, between the two others. The Sanscrit is unquestionably a more complete language, in point of grammatical formation and construction, than the Celtic, the most difficult to pronounce of any language, antient or modern, as many of the vocables constituting it, are at once, in sound and accent, gutteral, nasal, and labio-dental. No person born out of the country where it has been spoken, has ever yet acquired its true pronunciation, though many have attempted it, with the benevolent view of being of service to, and of befriending emigrants, and the poor who leave their native country. The Sanscrit, on the contrary, is beautifully harmonious; and has all the softness of the Italian. I was in habits of friendship with the much lamented and distinguished Oriental Scholar, the late Sir William Jones: and having once asked his opinion of the Sanscrit, he elegantly and forcibly gave it thus-"It possesses all the perfections, without any of the imperfections, of all the languages with which I am acquainted." Various origins of the word Sanscrit have been given, but certainly none can be more striking than that derived from the Celtic. In this original language, Screeйgh is writing, and Shaugh [July, is antient. Putting together this adjective and substantive, we have a compound appellation,asShaugh-Screeùgh, or Sunscrit, meaning the old written language. The Celtic language is extremely simple in its construction. The verb has few, or no inflections; and the pronoun follows the person of the tense, as follows. Screeigh-me, Ego Scribo; Screeigh-oou, Tu Scribis ; Screeigh-Aigh, Ille Scribit; ScreeighShighn, Nos Scribimus; ScreeighSghive, Vos Scribitis; Screeigh-Aidth, Illi Seribunt. The compound tenses are formed by the aid of a few simple auxiliaries joined to the invariable verb. The substantive generally precedes the adjective, as Dhinnuh-Moore, a great man; and hence the title of one of our peers, Lord Dinnevor. Sometimes, euphonice gratia, the adjective precedes as moore-err, an Earl, or great mau. The plural number is formed either by an altered pronunciation of the singular, or by the addition of a final syllable. The comparative and superlative_are formed by a qualifying prefix. The substantive is indeclinable; and has its cases formed by prepositions. Superlatives of diminution or increase generally furnish the adverbs. A definite article is used; and its absence supposes the indefinite. The interjections and conjunctions resemble those of other languages. Such are a few of the peculiarities of the language of Gomer. This was the language spoken in Great Britain at the period of the Roman Invasion. At present, it can be distinctly traced in Devonshire and Cornwall. In Wales, I could understand the inhabitants, though not so well as in Ireland, when I was stationed there. It is to be hoped, Mr. Urban, that so very antient a language will not be lost, as it must ere long, unless a Celtic Professorship be established at each of the Scottish Universities. As it is not a written language, there can be no other eligible, or possible mode of preserving a knowledge of it: and in a century more even this cannot be done; as probably no person will be found qualified to fill such a station. It is trusted, that our liberal men in power will have recourse to this only expedient of continuing the knowledge of a language from which so many others are derived. The expense, compared with the benefit, would be as nothing. When |