feveral fchools. In this fermon the preacher alluded, with much force, to "the most lamentable and notorious defectiveness of Chriftian education in many of our public schools and other great feminaries of this nation;" and "on the elementary ignorance of Christianity in which young men are permitted to remain, in the greater part of our public inftitutions."When the fermon was about to be printed he added the following note on the subject :

The general ftate of public education in this country, with regard to seligion, appears to require much attention. We cannot but lament, that in very few of our beft endowed feminaries, the ftudy of Chriftianity has that portion of time and regard allotted to it, which the welfare of fociety, the progrefs of delufive and ruinous errors, and the true intereft of found learning itself, feem at the present time, peculiarly to call for. In some of them, and thofe not of small celebrity or importance, all confideration of the revealed will of God is passed over with a refolute, fyftematic, and con temptuous neglect, which is not exceeded in that which the French call their national institute. And yet with every branch of learning, the study of the Holy Scriptures is closely connected with hiftory, chronology, criticifm, and morals, none of which, if the Bible be excluded, can be carried to their full perfection. How far those whofe occupation it is to form the national tafte can be warranted, even in this point of view, in fuch conduct, may be collected from ONE, whofe opinion on every fubject relating to polite literature is decifive. The collection of tracts which we call, from their excellence, the Scriptures, contain, independently of a divine-origin, more true sublimity, more exquisite beauty, purer morality, more important hisfory, and finer strains both of poetry and eloquence, than could be collected within the fame compafs from all other books that were ever compofed in any age, or in any idiom.-SIR WILLIAM JONES's Eighth Dissertation in the Asiatic Researches.

"The confequence of this neglect will be, as indeed is already evident, that learning itself deprived of the bleffing of Almighty God, and having lost its main pillar, his fear and fupport, muft rapidly decline. Indolence and diffipation, even in these retreats, will have their perfect work, and in a fhort period even the very form and external appearance of discipline and inftruction will perifh. Industry and dignity in those who teach, and subordina, .. tion and modesty in those who learn, cannot long furvive the PRINCIPLE, which alone gives permanency to them all.

"But in the present moral and political state of human affairs, the con fequences are immediately alarming. Young men of rank and talents are dif milled into the world, without one single fafeguard against those plaufible and tremendous theories, which have turned more than one quarter of the world into an Aceldama, or field of blood! Of religion, its evidences, doctrines, and motives, they are utterly and grofsly ignorant: No check therefore, restraint, or corrective is afforded from hence; they are therefore, not unfrequently, hurried on by heated imaginations and enflamed pride, aggradated rather than controuled by the learning they have acquired, to turn the arms of eloquence and genius to the fubverfion of order, and the destruction of their native country. Young men in this fituation are not unemphatically defcribed by Cicero: Quâ cæcitate homines, cum quædam etiam præclara cuperent, eaque nescirent nec ubi, nec qualia ellent, funditus alii everterunt suas civitates, alii ipfi occiderunt. Atque hi quidem optima petentes, non tam voluntate, quam cursus errore falluntur.'-Cicero Tusc. Quæst.

"This

This evil however, for which PAGANISM fupplied no remedy, CHRISTIANITY, by abating the presumption, and foftening the affections of men, would, if inculcated at an early period of life, effectually counteract. CHRISTIANITY alone can peculiarly, in the prefent difpofition of the minds of men, turn learning and talents into a bleffing to this country. There is fcarcely an internal danger which we fear, but what is to be afcribed to a pagan education, under Christian establishments, in a Christian country. If thofe who prefide over our public feminaries, fhould be ever awakened to their deep refponfibility in this important duty to GOD, their KING, and their COUNTRY; then, in the awful words of the reverend and venerable Mr. Jones, in a late publication, entitled, Confiderations on the Religious Worship of the Heathen: we shall not be long under the dominion of profligate scholars, who use their heathen learning for no end, but as an inftrument of evil, to corrupt and destroy the Chriftian world; increasing all that misery daily, which abounds too much already."

Dr. Vincent, conceiving himself to be involved in this cenfure on Public Schools, had, even at that time, refolved to publish a book in their defence, and, indeed, we now learn that he had actually prepared it for the prefs, as he prides himself, and certainly not without reafon, on his forbearance, in withholding it from the world. The judicious interpofition of a common friend, Dr. Gaskin, secretary to the fociety, produced an explanation between the parties. Dr. Rennell excepted Dr. Vincent from the reproach which he had caft on other preceptors, and a rupture was, by this means, prevented.

Mr. Gifborn, in his preface to his "Familiar Survey of the Chriftian Religion"-to which we cannot immediately refer-adverted to the fame subject, and in the fame tone of lamentation. Dr. Randolph, of Bath, was the next writer, who attacked our fyftem of public education, in a volume of fermons preached during the advent of 1800, published early in the following year, and reviewed in the 8th and 9th volumes of our work.

"It is with painful remark"-obferved the Doctor," I here confefs to allude to the syltem of public education, and reflecting, as I do, that after many years employed in claffical attainments, in feeking knowledge in the Lyceum, the Portico, and the Academy, I had not advanced a step in the only knowledge that was to make me wiler, happier, or better; I most cordially join my voice to that of my friend and school-fellow, Dr. Rennell, as well as to that of another champion in the Chriftian caufe (Mr. Gisborn),' who followed us in the fame mistaken paths of fcience, and with whofe fentiments I am proud to concur, in deprecating that inattention to serious concerns which is fo vifible in our greatest and best endowed seminaries. I fcruple not to affirm, that our fenate and our bar are now exhibiting, in many inftances, the fatal confequences of this neglect; and that, amidst the exertion of the nobleft faculties, the difplay of the brightest talents, religion has too often to weep over a total indifference to her duties, an habitual difregard for the providence of God, the Gospel of his Son, and the facred inftitutions of his fervice."

In our comment on this fermon, which, apparently, Dr. Vincent has not feen, as he takes no notice of it while he adverts to almost

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every

every other modern writer who has cenfured our system of public education, we remarked "the evil complained of is one of fuch magnitude, fo dreadful in itfelf, and fo deftructive in its effects, that we truft it will not, as hitherto, be paffed over without notice, but become the fubject of deep investigation, and most serious enquiry.". We ftill retain our opinion, and are, therefore, happy to fee that the investigation which we folicited then, is, at length, likely to take place. This, however, would not have been the cafe, if the Bifhop. of Meath, who preached the laft Anniversary Sermon at the Meeting of the Charity Schools, had not added the following note to his difcourse :

"I had propofed to myself to fay a few words on the fad, degeneracy of our public schools in this moft important part of education, and their fystematic neglect, for fuch it is now become,, of that religious instruction, which, in the earlier periods of the Reformation, and even to a much later date, was fo carefully provided for the higher and wealthier claffes of the British youth; but I found the fubject anticipated by Dr. Rennell, in his fermon on this Anniversary, and I could add nothing to what that zealous and eloquent preacher has there urged to call the public attention to this portentous evil."

This Sermon having been published by the Society for Promoting Chriftian Knowledge, and, of courfe, circulated among its numerous members, Dr. Vincent applied for the interference of the fociety, for permiffion to circulate with their annual packet, containing his Lordship's discourse, a note, requesting the members to fufpend their judgment on the point in queftion, till he could be heard in his own defence."-" But," adds the Doctor" the Board was so prepoffeffed either of my delinquency, or Dr. Rennell's veracity, that my application was utterly in vain."-The fact, we understand is, that the fociety, of which the Doctor speaks in terms of " efteem and veneration," though he accufe it of "a departure from its ufual candour in the prefent inftance," had actually circulated many hundreds of its annual packets before the application was made to the General Board, which was alone competent to decide upon it; and the members thought, and we think with them, that to fufpend their circulation for the purpose required, and to grant that interference which was folicited by Dr. Vincent, would be, in fome meafure, to become. parties in the controverfy, and to depart from a line of conduct which they had invariably, and moft wifely, obferved. They thought, likewife, that the Bifhop of Meath was folely refponfible for the note which he added to his difcourfe, and that no responsibility could attach to them, except for the difcourfe itfelf, which alone they had heard from the pulpit, and which alone they had requested his Lordfhip's permiffion to publifh. We mult here, however, differ in opinion from this learned and moft refpectable body; for it appears clear to us that they are, both legally and morally, refponfible for every thing which is published by them, whatever form or fhape it may

affume.

affume. Still Dr. Vincent is mistaken in his fuppofition that no action would lie, were the paffages actionable, against the authors of the difcourfes; it certainly would lie againft them as well as against the publishers. We would also fubmit to the reconfideration of Dr. Vincent, whether to call upon the members of fuch a fociety to fufpend Their judgment on the point in question until they had heard the defence, was not, to lay the leaft of it, a work of fupererogation. It furely might have occurred to this able and refpectable divine, that fuch a body of men were not very likely to lofe fight of the first principle of juftice, the audi alteram partem, to adopt affertion for proof, and to pronounce fentence without hearing evidence! We do not mean to contend that the circulation of the charge by the Society was to be confidered as a matter of indifference by those whom it affected; but merely to affirm that, while it called the attention of the members to the fubject, it was not likely to produce a hafty or partial decifion. It certainly is well worthy the attention of the Society, to confider whether, henceforth, it will not be prudent to fuffer nothing to be printed in their name, and with their authority, which has not been either previously read by their Secretary, or, as is now the cafe with all their regular publications, previously fubmitted to the examination. of a committee. Dr. V. in a ftyle of irony ill-fuited to the subject, exempts the Secretary from all blame, on the ground that he had never read one word of the Bishop's Sermon. But he should have taken care to afcertain the fact which conftitutes the bafis of his irony before he had reared fuch a fuperftructure upon it. The truth is, that the Secretary read with attention every line of the fermon that was tranfmitted through his hands to the printer ;-and this was the cafe, we believe, with at least three parts of it; and it was owing to a mere accident that the remaining part was not alfo read by him. This remark, then, might furely have been fpared; as well as the fneer at Dr. Rennell, refpecting the confined circulation of his printed fermons, of which we are given to understand, that an edition of 500 copies was never fold. Unfortunately, the Doctor is not more correct here, than in the former inftance; for of Dr. Rennell's Sermon on Gaming, more than twice that number was fold; and even of his volume of Sermons upwards of a thoufand, we know, have been already fold.-A writer who boldly accufes others of falsehood, fhould be extremely cautious to afford no ground for retorting the charge on himself.

"Perhaps," fays our author, "it will be afked, why I am fo ready to stand forth before all other conductors of public education ? why my indignation is excited fooner than that of others implicated in the fevere charge of delinquency." Unquestionably every conductor of a public fcool, every individual implicated in the charge, has a right to vindicate his character and his conduct, a right which he ought to exercise, on a point which involves fome of the nearest and dearest concerns of focial life, and the exercife of which can neither fubject him to the imputation of irritability, nor to that of officioufnefs.

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Such

Such a question, then, ought not to be afked, any more than the queftion Dr. V. himself afks- What right had Dr. Rennell to affume the office of cenfor?" To this we fhall give a fimilar anfwer, that every one of Chrift's minifters had an unquestionable right to cenfure the neglect of religious inftruction in our public feminaries, if he believed in the existence of such neglect; and if he have not exercised that right he will have been guilty of unpardonable neglect,

Unhappily we have lived to fee, in a neighbouring country, a new generation fpring up, into whofe minds no religious or moral principle has been infuled; with this nation, too, are we condemned to maintain a close intercourfe; is it not, then, peculiarly incumbent on us, to take special care, that the rifing generation of Britons fhall not experience a fimilar neglect; but fhall, on the contrary, have the fundamental principles of religion, and of that morality which flows, in its pureft ftate, from the fountain of Chriftianity, early, fyftematically, and fedulously inftilled into their minds? Moft certainly it is; and every clergyman, therefore, has the right, (and it is moreover his bounden duty to exercise it) to deprecate fuch neglect, whereever he believes it to exift. Having difmiffed thefe previous confiderations, we now proceed to the main point at issue.

Dr. Vincent asks whether, under the denomination of public schools, are to be comprised only, Winchefter, Eton, and Weltminfter? Surely fuch a limitation of the expreffion would be repugnant to common fenfe. The charge evidently includes, and must include, public fchools generally; many of which have produced as eminent men, as good scholars, and as pious Chriftians, as either of the three here fpecified. But, admitting this extenfion of the charge, Dr. V. conceives, that, if it be well-founded, "the rifing generation is ripe for the machinations of a Voltaire, a D'Alembert, a Condorcet, or a Lepaux, and we may expect a revolution in church and state, as foon as ever a prime agitator fhall ftart up in this country to fet the confpiracy in motion." This deduction is more eafily affirmed than proved; for, though there were a fyftematic neglect of religious inftruction, at public schools, it does not necessarily follow that the mass of the community might not collect fuch inftruction from other fources, nor yet, if they had it not, that they should be led away by the flimfy and fuperficial fophiftry of the French infidels and philofophifts for even thofe Pagan authors, whofe works Dr. V. fo ftrenuoufly, and, in many refpects, fo juftly, defends, might fupply them with fufficient arguments to refift fuch profligate and contemptible, though fpecious and perfevering, affailants.

Our author tells the Bifhop that if he has not confulted Dr. Rennell he has built upon a foundation which be has renounced. We can tell Dr. V. that the Bifhop did not confult Dr. Rennell, and that he knew nothing of the wrath which he, Dr. V. had difplayed on the publication of Dr. R.'s fermon. Therefore, as Dr. R. has fpecially excepted Dr. V. from his Reflexions on the Conductors of not all, but, many, of the Public Schools, the Bishop's foundation, according

to