or without it? What is there in my conformity to a particular and prescribed mode, to constitute a qualification for secular offices, and why should the conscientious avoidance of that conformity produce a disqualification? It is impossible to resolve these inquiries in any way but one; and a diversity of opinion would never exist on the subject, if the clamours of a predominant faction, and the intellectual and moral obliquity which interest and bigotry impart, had not perverted and confused the understandings of men. Who would think of establishing by law modes of medical practice, or systems of natural philosophy? Religion is a personal conviction of the judgement; and it is impossible that any legitimate control can be exercised over the conscience. Because opinions cannot be subjected to the authority and restraints of law, they ought not: actions, and not sentiments, should be guided by its interference; crimes, and not errors, should be restrained by its penalties. If once we admit the right of the civil magistrate to interfere with religion by rewards and penalties, we instantly recognise a principle, which justifies every exercise of that right, and binds on the necks and consciences of subjects, the yoke of unlimited and unresisting subjection. Individuals can no longer act and think for themselves. The right to legislate, involves in it necessarily, the right to enforce such acts of legislation; and if they may be justly enforced, nonsubjection becomes a crime. On these principles, our religion must be continually varying, and adapting itself to the different governments under which we may happen to live. It is needless to say that the Christian Scriptures know nothing of such a right. It is never appealed to or acknowledged. The Saviour solemnly assured his enemies, "that his kingdom was not of "this world;" and he clearly defined the extent and limits of obedience to the secular power, by the injunction he addressed to his disciples:-"Render unto Cæsar, the things that are "Cæsar's; and unto God, the things that are God's."-There may be other grounds of secession from a religious establishment, distinct from the principle to which we have now adverted; these may be à posteriori reasons of dissent, more obvious to general apprehensions, and derived from the actual state and character of that establishment: but the principle referred to apples to all, whatever be their specific modification, or their comparative excellencies; and it constitutes the firmest and most consistent basis of rational separation. The spirit of this principle pervades every part of "The "Legend." The writer well understands his subject; and the friends of Nonconformity are under special obligations to him for defending their cause, and exposing the misrepresentations of their opponents. The miscellaneous topics discussed in the correspondence, prevent us from giving a regular analysis of its reasonings and illustrations; but we have said enough to convey an accurate idea of its merits, and to induce readers to gratify themselves by perusing it. our The following is a little in the style of the Velvet Cushion, and proves that our Author can paint when he pleases, and describe as well as declaim! It exhibits an interesting groupe of contrasts; and with it we shall close our cursory notice of these amusing and well written letters. Being informed, some time ago, that the Bishop of was to give a charge to his clergy, I was determined to go and hear him, expecting to find the spirit of a reformer animating a modern prelate. When I arrived, the sermon was ended, the Bishop had left his throne and velvet canopy, and was stationed at the altar, sitting, I think, to the left of a richly decorated table, and in the mellowed light of a large painted window. His clergy stood in a semicircle at the bottom of the steps leading to the altar. The rays which came through the colouring of an imposing figure in the groupe, (I believe it was Aaron, the Jewish High Priest,) gave a pale and subdued complexion to the brotherhood. I was just reflecting how it was that none of the painted windows which I had seen, or of which I had heard, had exhibited Jesus in the act of greatness and humility, washing his disciples' feet, when I was roused by his Lordship's voice; the tones were not very agreeable, the sentiments were less so, and the composition was feeble. The air was so cold to my head, that I was just going to put on my hat; the doctrine was still colder to my heart; and I could hardly forbear crying out, "a religion without a Saviour, is a temple without a "Shekinah, and its worshippers will all desert it." I saw an old woman, who, I suppose, had the rheumatism, hobbling out. I will follow thought I;-but just at that moment, the Bishop's voice was elevated; there was a general shuffling of feet among the clergy; and I turned towards the apostolic scene. "The church," said he, has had to withstand the attacks of infidelity, superstition, "and that fanaticism which has of late threatened to overthrow "the altar and the throne."-Gracefully turning over a leaf, the dignitary proceeded, "Thank God, the Church has successfully "resisted all their assaults, and exhibits her divine constitution "in her security.-But yet there has arisen a greater cause of "alarm within the citadel; impregnable to external violence, there "has sprung up from the bosom of the establishment, a race of "men, giving to themselves the exclusive and proscribing title "of Evangelical." Here I observed several of the priests give a side long glance at a fine-looking aged man. He was nearly bald; a few silver hairs trembled on his temples, to the current, which swept through the long aisles; but his countenance betrayed no agitation. While the bishop expatiated on the danger that must arise from these invidious and secret efforts to undermine and betray the holy, the reformed religion, the full and yet bright eyes of the venerable priest were fixed on a youth, who stood at some distance from him in the circle, as though he would have said, "See what you have to expect; I have preached Christ, " and I will preach Christ, though I should be buried in the ruins "of the church: I have stood many such attacks as these! why "should the sun of mercy forsake me now that I am old and "grey-headed, which amidst the storms and follies of life has never gone down."-I could stay no longer, "Thus it is," I muttered, and the vergers gazed at me as I passed-" thus it is "the Church of England provides for her people the means of "conversion; and this is the boasted independence of her clergy." As far as I can see, the persecuted episcopalian minister was meant for a more independent church. I should as soon lay down my office as my independence. I now preach where and what I please; I mount my pulpit as an ambassador from heaven to earth," and "have no reason to fear, no temptation to flatter." The heavy chime of the clock, as I issued from the stately edifice, reminded me that I had to preach at a village three miles distant-it rained; the bishop's carriage was waiting. As I walked, I meditated on that sublime text-" God forbid that I should glory, save in the "cross of Christ Jesus my Lord." When I arrived-the barn was full." The Gothic arches, the solemn light," were wanting, but there was the presence of Him, who has said, "Where two or three are met together in my name, there am I in the midst "of them." pp. 112-115. Art. VI. The Paradise of Coquettes, a Poem. pp. lvi. 256. Murray, London, 1814. In Nine Parts. THERE is such a thing as the poet of the parlour. For men and women he gives us fine ladies and sweet-dressing gentlemen; for blue skies and green fields, Turkey carpets and rose-wood tables; for proud achievement and circumstance of chivalry,' the adventures of a masquerade; for battles or games, an encounter at chess or whist; for spirits, the least of whom could wield these elements,' sylphids that dart through the key-hole, and live in the atmosphere of an essencebottle. Such poetry must always, in some degree, put us in mind of a monkey in man's clothes; but it has its prettinesses. The critic will hardly spend his strength in laying down rules for this mock-poetry. One thing, however, is indispensable: it should be the apparent sport of the writer, a mere jeu d'esprit ; if he appears in carnest, we are shocked at the misapplication of his powers. Herein is the great excellence of the Rape of the Lock; Pope is always playing with his subject. Herein too is the secret of the great cumbersomeness and tediousness of the Triumphs of Temper; Mr. Hayley is always at full stretch, laying out his subject in grand divisions, and exhausting all his powers of description and invention upon it. The present writer outdoes Mr. Hayley himself; nothing, we think, could possibly have been devised more heavy, more lumbering, more ludicrously yet lamentably cumbrous, than the "Paradise of Coquettes.' The poem is divided into nine parts, and consists of certainly not fewer than three thousand lines. One whole part is taken up with the monologue of a belle returning at morning from a ball. Then comes, still more tiresome, the genius of coquetry. Three parts are taken up in their long snip-snap speeches. They ascend to the star that contains the Paradise of Coquettes, and the rest of the poem consists of various descriptions of this paradise and its inhabitants. The poem, indeed, strictly speaking, is contained in seven parts; the first and the last are the mere prattle of the poet about women. The poet is not without elegance, considerable powers of language, and a versification polished up into the utmost monotony of smoothness. We cannot, however, flatter him with any expectation of the popularity he so confidently anticipates. • So, with unstudied rapture, o'er my page While gloves the prayer-book but on Sundays cross, And languid eyes turn brighter, while they read.' pp. 8-9. We cannot conclude without just hinting, that à person may be witty without being profane, and that there are much better butts for small witticisms, than the Bible. Art. VII. A Practical Treatise on finding the Latitude and Longitude at Sea; with Tables designed to facilitate the Calculations. Translated from the French of M. de Rossel. By Thomas Myers, A.M. of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and Honorary Member of the Philosophical Society of London. To which are sub. joined an extensive Series of Practical Examples, an Introduction to the Tables, and some additional Tables, by the Translator. 8vo. pp. xxxvii. 379. Price 16s. boards. London, G. and S. Robinson 1815. A WORK calculated to communicate a knowledge of nautical astronomy, or to facilitate its computations, must always in this country meet with early attention, and deserves a candid examination. M. de Rossel, whose performance Mr. Myers has translated, is a man of some celebrity, and both by his theoretical and his practical knowledge, is well qualified to write on subjects connected with navigation. He is a member of the Parisian Board of Longitude, a captain in the French navy; he was a coadjutor with d'Entrecasteaux in his voyage of discovery, and is the editor of the account of that voyage. De Rossel's treatise is given in the third volume of the Astronomie Physique of M Biot, who thus describes it in his preface. • The observations made by M. de Rossel, and the officers who accompanied him, during the voyage, (of d'Entrecasteaux) have been generally regarded as the most exact which have been made in a maritime expedition from our nation; and the manner in which they have been discussed by M. de Rossel, has been considered, with reason, as constituting an excellent treatise on nautical astronomy. It is a treatise of the same kind, but shorter and more simple, which this author has been pleased to add to my work. In it will be found all the methods requisite at sea, and, which is not less valuable, they are exhibited under the most commodious and simple forms which can be employed in the applications. Mariners will doubtless remark the ingenious tables which M. de Rossel has computed to facilitate the use of Douwe's method of finding the latitude from two observations of the sun out of the meridian. By means of the tables I refer to, this method, which may frequently be of great utility, will become so easy and commodious that there can be no doubt that its use will become familiar to mariners.' The work is divided into seven chapters. Of these, the first contains preliminary observations, with rules for taking the date of the computations from the Nautical Almanac, or the Connaissance des Tems. The second is devoted to the corrections which must be made in the observed altitudes of the celestial bodies, on account of the dip of the horizon, refraction, parallax, the semi-diameters of the luminaries, &c. The third comprises various methods of finding the latitude. The fourth relates to computations of the horary angles, and of altitudes. In |