1796.] Original Anecdotes.—Gregoire .

union with the French republic: the amicable difpofition they now thow towards France, has been chiefly excited by the great virtues of this popular reprefentative.

The higheft eulogy that can be pronounced on his character, is the fingular observation, that fince the commencement of the revolution, he has claimed the admiration, and won the confidence, of all the different factions that have, by turns, prevailed in the French government. Under the bloody regimen of Robespierre, a fyftem of profcription had been commenced against all men of letters and profeffed religionifts. Such, however, was the veneration with which M. GREGOIRE was regarded, although eminent in both thefe characters, that no one was found hardy enough to attack him. A ftranger to perfonalities, and divefted of private paflions and ambition, his faculties were wholly abforbed by his concern for the public welfare.

As a member of the Committee of Public Inftruction, M. GREGOIRE has laboured more abundantly than all his affociates, in foftering the growth of the arts and fciences, and in encouraging their profeffors. He has already addreffed, in the name of the Committee, fome valuable reports to the National Convention, which, if collected and printed, with due regard to fyftematical arrangement, would furnifh the public with an excellent mifcellaneous compofition, or mélange.

The boldeft ftep taken by M. GREGOIRE, fince his commencing a public functionary, was his addreffing an encyclie (circular letter) laft winter to the bishops of France, requiring their aid in the convocation of a national council, for the purpose of reftoring the clergy, agreeably to the decrees of the Council of Trent, the fynod of Borromeo, and the liberties and independence of the Gallican Church. It was taken for granted at that time, that M. GREGOIRE would have incurred a profecution, on this account, from the exifting government! - He was allowed, however, to pafs with impunity. The following skizzo, felected from his Report on the Bounties to be conferred by the Nation on Men of Genius, may affift the reader to acquire fome infight into the character of this celebrated man: "A great man is the public property. A prejudice vanquished, or a truth difcovered, are often of greater national utility, than the conqueft of a town. A man of genius is the foremost of his century; outstrips it,

and is, as it were, from thence (dépayse) expatriated. As virtue united with beauty, is liable to peculiar temptations; fo a genius, poffefling the gifts of fortune, is particularly expofed to the anathemas of the fickle goddefs." And, in another pamphlet, we find, "Books confecrated to the nobleffe, treatifes of genealogy, works calculated to flatter defpotifm, or pamper greatnefs, enthrined in Morocco leather, have always had a place in our most fuperb libraries; while the immortal works of Milton, Althufius, and Hubert Languet, have lain neglected in an ignoble corner, under the humble covering of parchment. Works which laid open the crimes of princes and minifters of state, which demonftrated the just rights of the people, were, fo to fpeak, the Sans Culottes of our libraries."

And, in a paftoral letter addreffed to his clergy, foon after the restoration of religious worship, after deploring the former errors of religious factions, he adds, “You, I trust, have not yet forfaken the faith. which you once profeffed; yet can I wonder, if even fome amongst you, through the contagion of example, have been perverted? - Alas! our religion, like our native country, has alfo its EMIGRANTS!" The character of GREGOIRE may be beft collected, from a view of his writings at large. He is about 50 years of age, in his temper extremely good-natured, and no lefs-lively in converfation.

[Thefe Anecdotes will be REGULARLY
CONTINUED; and the Conductors re-
queft the affiftance of all perfons who, by
a recent refidence in France, are quali-
fied to communicate original and intereft-
ing facts.]

ORIGINAL LETTER.
To the Editors of the Monthly Magazine.
GENTLEMEN,

AS I obferve it is a part of your plan to
preferve the original correfpondence
of eminent men, I fend you a letter from
that venerable champion of liberty, the
late archdeacon Blackburne; which I
have no doubt you will think highly
curious, as it illuftrates the origin of those
enlarged views, both civil and religious,
and that manly ftrength and freedom of
expreffion, for which his writings are fo
remarkable. It prefents, alfo, a striking
inftance of the effect which fingle circum-
ftances fometimes have to give a direction
to the whole of future life.

I am your's, &c.

To the Rev. Mr. Turner, Wakefield.

DEAR SIR,

Richmond, July 13, 1769.

I RECEIVED the account which your ac eptable Letter brought me of your fafe arrival at home with great pleasure. May God lengthen out your time for the good purposes to which you employ it, with as much earthly comfort as is confiftent with that portion of difcipline appointed by our heavenly Father to bring forth the peaceable and everlasting fruits of righteousnefs.

The company of fuch worthies as Mr. Turner and Dr. Priestley is one of my luxuries, and the last fmall tafte I had of it, will make me long till another opportunity affords me a fecond courfe and I had the lefs relish for the defert (I mean the rambles) as it was a kind of interruption of that converfation for which I am always sharp fet. Friend Lindfey can talk and even difpute on horseback. In that fituation I am fure to fall into reveries, and often forget both myself and my company, and for fomething of that fort, which might look like ill manners, I believe, I ought to make an apology, in our pilgrimage to Mafter Buncle's Cave.

Mr. Amory, I find, does not recollect me: the Anecdote of Andrew Wilfon and the Sermon belongs to another young Clergyman of that Day. Andrew had never an opportunity of feeing any Sermon of mine; I am fomething doubtful whether in thofe days I was worth a Sermon. Foxhunting was then my study and employment, which I purfued at a relation's houfe in the Country, when abfent from York, with great folicitude and affiduity. At that relation's Houfe however, I found fome old Books formerly the property of my great grandfather (an Oliverian Juftice) who at the restoration faved himself, his Family, and Fortune by a Match with a female Royalist of Distinction, whofe name you faw in Catterick Church. Thefe books, which, after my faid Ancestors demife, were thrown by among the lumber of the House, I conveyed to my lodging Room, and there became acquainted with the manners and Principles of many excellent old Puritans, and then laid the foundation of whatever approaches towards mediocrity in my own. was ftruck with their unaffected and difinterefted Piety and their zeal for the fpiritual good of mankind, and from them I learned that a Chriftian truly fuch must ever be in a state of warfare with the world, and particularly the principalities and Powers of it. It was their piety which carried them thro' their trials, and their nonconformity to the Luxury and diffipation of the Age as well as to the forms of the eftabiishment that made them more than conquerors. I was in good hope you had much of it ftill remaining among you, and freely own I was extremely hurt to find by good Dr. Priestley that a feventh Day was become in fome 'measure a day of diffipation among some claffes of diffenters. I cannot I own look upon a ftrictnefs in fuch an article in the light of narowness, and I must despair of ever understand

I

ing my Bible, if the setting apart a feventhday Sabbath, is not a commandment of a moral

tendency, and of as indefpenfable obligation as any other of that denomination. But of this enough, tho', I hope, not too much to be excufed by a Man of Mr. Turner's feriousness and Candor.

I have not the remoteft profpect of any thing which deferves the name of Reformation in our very uncdifying establishment. But while we believe it to be the cause of Chriftianity—we muft prefs towards the Mark as we can, and work our way with such talents and Inftruments as are fupplied by providence. Poffibly our pofterity may reap the benefit of our movings; or poffibly our Candlestick may be removed. A fad alternative, which I care not to think of; and yet whither, I think, our Church-Politicians are manifeftly driving.

I have fent Dr. Pricftley a fragment for his repofitory to be used or laid afide at his dif cretion. I have fome minutes of more things which will take fome time to form, more, I am afraid, than I fhall, of a great while, have to bestow upon them, having upon my hands the equipment of two pretty large Volumes for new Editions, which must be out by Christmas.

I expect the Bishop of Carlisle on Monday next, who is communicative, and may furnish intelligence of future ufe. Should that be the cafe, and my leifure permit, Dr. Priestley or you fhall have an account.

I request your acceptance of the enclosed Pamphlet, which was rather hurried in the execution, and is in many paffages inaccurate. I fend a lift of the Prælat Errata to Dr. Priestley with a request to communicate them, unless I can difpofe my fon, before I close this Packet, to make a copy for your use.

and a dinner with an honeft Farmer, a little Rambling the other day for meditation fake, higher in rhe Country than you were, I met with a Mr. Benn one of your Brethren: but as fome of the more orthodox were of the party, we could not have much interesting converfation, but I like the Man, and he has promifed to eat part of a Pudding with me, when I hope we fhall understand each other perfectly.

I write to Mr. Amory and enclofe the Ticket in this Packet which request you to deliver.

Mr. and Mrs. Lindfey, and my younger for
and daughter are now in Wettmorland, where,
I find, by a Letter they fent me yesterday,
they are enchanted with the beauties and hor
rors of Nature.
expect all but my daughter
at home to morrow. I have had the worthy
Mr. Lindley's thanks in form for bringing him
acquainted with two valuable men.
The reft
of my Family joins in wishing every blessing to
you and yours with

Dr Sir y much obliged and
affectionate Serv'.

FR. BLACKBURNE. Please to add Mr. Amory's Chriftian name, (which, having enclosed his Letter I don't recollect) to the direction of the enclosed.

ORIGINAL

( 889 )

AN ADDRESS TO THE BRITISH NATION. "Fell Madness, as o'er Life's deceitful way

For milk at morn and ev'ning duly drain'd,
Nor feek cold bev'rage from the freezing fpring.
"For then each peafant was the farmer's
friend;

Unaw'd by distance, round his blazing hearth,
They heard without the wintry form defcend,
Tho' fcarcely heard amid their fimple mirth.

"Their mirth is paft; their freeborn spirit
fled,

Like them depreft their former mafters groan,
Condemn'd the downward path of life to tread,
The focial chain is broke-the link is gone.

"Proud property now lords it o'er the plain;
Behold the painted chariot roll along,
The wealthy master of a menial train,
Shall he defcend amid the vulgar throng?

"Too far remov'd to hear pale fickness moan,
Too proud to ask what means the weeping eye,
The unprotected orphan pines alone,
The wretch that cannot work is left to die.

Behold his new-fafhed manfion! now no

more

The fimple cottage of the rural fwain,
Whofe harden'd hand could guide the plough of
yore,

Or fow with fkilful caft the golden grain.
"Behold the well-ftock'd yard, tho' far
withdrawn,

Left it offend Refinement's nicer eye,
To yield precedence to the turfy lawn;
Does it not ev'ry luxury fupply?

"E'en the fleek horfes fhow their mafter's
wealth;

Here man alone feems deftin'd to repine;
Broken alike in fpirit, and in health,

I almost with their ftate for me and mine.

"How happy once the careless life I led! Long pafs'd-yet ftill to weeping mem'ry dear, When fweet content with ev'ry moment fled, That brought that wing'd-that clos'd the rolling year:

"My path was humble, but that path I trod Without a hope, without a wifh, to climb; Thankful receiv'd each bleffing Heav'n bestow'd, And felt, but mourn'd not at the flight of time.

Happy my fmiling family to view, Around me labour, and around me play, When darkness from the dewy fields withdrew, When grateful twilight brought the clofe of day.

"Then liv'd our ancient lord; content at
home,

Amid his friends and tenants to refide,
No weeping eye in winter saw him roam
To diftant fcenes of luxury and pride.

"Ah little know the gay unthinking great
How cold it ftrikes upon the poor man's heart.
To gaze upon the long forfaken feat,
While they and charity at once depart.

"His fon fucceeding, ftill we hop'd to prove The kind indulgence we fo long had known, MONTHLY MAG, No. XI,

To find matur'd by years the former love,
Which oft' his artless infancy had thown:

891

"But abfence had eftrang'd his alter'd mind,
He felt no pleasure in his native fpot;
To heartlefs fafhion's venal crew refign'd,
Our names remember'd-but all elfe forgot.

"His farms were rais'd, far diftant he with
drew,

In other feats his gather'd wealth to spend :
Oh! that e'en yet our wretched ftate he knew,
Tho' fcorn'd the title of the poor man's friend.

"Look at these rags! and need I tell the rest!
Their ancient lord, their benefactor gone,
Our fwains by petty tyrants were opprefs'd
And foon oppreffion brought their ruin on.

"Our rents exacted by a rigid hand,
Our flender wealth by adverse seasons drain'd,
Monopoly bid high for all our land;
And what for us but pining want remain'd?

"My younger children cannot earn their bread,
Nor aught thefe aged wither'd hands can fave;
In vain for us the plain's with plenty spread,
The country blooms a garden and a grave!

"Perhaps, 'tis true, that he who wealth com-
mands,

By the large efforts of expensive toil,
May clothe with livelier grain the waving lands,
And bear a richer harvest from the foil.

"But think how many from their envied state
Of humble eafe and independence thrown,
Shall curfe improvements pregnant with their fate,
And weep their country's forrows in their own..

"For not with them the fatal ills fhall reft;
Depriv'd of these their friends, the meaner poor,
Untaught, unfed, by hopeless toil depreft,
Shall tread the path of honeft fame no more:

"Bound by no tender tie, their native spot
In diffipation live, and die forgot,
Soon fhall they quit, to them each place the fame,

Nor leave a child who bears its father's name !
"And should the country's population fail,
Far diftant be the melancholy day!
How little will the hoards of wealth avail

Το prop the bafelefs pile that finks away!

"Ye fons of fortune, hither turn your eyes,
Do not reject the fuppliant's folemn pray'r,
Till all too late, by fad experience wife,
Ye curfe the evils ye are doom'd to share.

"As your's the pow'r, be your's the will to
fave,

Let proud monopoly opprefs no more,
Nor let them fink neglected to the grave,
Who liv'd your father's humble friends of yore.

"Your smile shall foon its wonted pow'r impart,
Like funbeams o'er the weeping landscape thrown,
The emanations of a noble heart
Not born, nor beating for itself alone.

"E'en in the humble peafant's low-roof'd cell
Once more fhall plenty then her fcenes expand,
While ev'ry grateful breast with pride shall swell,
To hail the faviours of a drooping land!”

VARIETIES,