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have gained from the reading of religious tracts. He began to question Mr. Taylor, at the close of the oration, in words very common in those tracts: such as-" were the gospels written by good men or by bad men, &c. And if you deprive us of the Christian religion, what will you give us as a substitute?" I begged Mr. Taylor to allow me to take a share in the business, and to answer him. In a very few minutes, he was driven from the room as a man more impertinent in the putting such paltry questions, than capable of reasoning upon them. So much for the blus- › tering and religious Dr. Beaumont of Bradford.

After Beaumont had left, there stood up a name-sake of mine, who has his name attached to a pamphlet, asserting the existence of evil spirits, in a controversy with a Mr. Heinekin, the Unitarian preacher of Bradford. This man introduced a variety of questions, very little to the purpose, and made a very sorry defence for that which is falsely pretended to have "God for its author, good for its end, and truth without ary mixture of error for its matter." Unluckily for this pretension, Infidelity has the evidence to show, that the matter is false, the end is bad, and man is the author. Such defenders of the Christian religion as we meet, are made up of religious tracts, and are entirely disqualified to cope with us iu our historical researches as to the origin and progress of that religion. Their rapid utterance and angry tones are as chaff before our sifting of their souls. We let in a crowd of persons to hear the conversations between the "Carliles;" for my name-sake is a great man, with his evil spirits, in the neighbourhood of Dudleyhill. The mass of people which crowded the room seemed both pleased and instructed, and we did not leave them until after ten o'clock.

Nothing, entitled to notice, further passed at Bradford, and having been disappointed in a promised room at an inn in Halifax, for an oration, we passed through it on Tuesday, June the 30th, to Manchester.

In Manchester, our first effort was to obtain the Mechanics' Institute, which is professedly let to lecturers; but the silly managers pretended to be alarmed at our purpose and refused it. I then applied to the firm of Kay and Derbyshire, attorneys to the lord of the manor, for the use of the splendid Manor Court-room in Brown-street. Very few questions were asked, and the room was let to me as a matter of course, for the three first nights of this week, by Mr. Derbyshire. I submitted to him the advertisement which was to appear in the Saturday morning's paper, gave him the name of Mr. Taylor as the lecturer, and took his receipt for 6l., being the price of three nights' use of the room. The following is a copy of our advertisement :

IMPORTANT HISTORICAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND MORAL LECTURES, IN THE MANOR COURT-ROOM.

"To the Literati, curious in ancient history and scientific research, lovers of eloquence and truth, and the more critical portion of the inhabitants of Manchester.

"Three Lectures will be delivered on the evenings of Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, July 6, 7, and 8, at the Manor Courtroom, Brown-street.

"Doors open at seven-Lectures to commence at half-past seven Admission to the boxes three shillings-to the seats in the area of the room, two shillings, on each evening.

"MONDAY EVENING.-First Lecture.

"SUBJECT.-A display of criticisms and researches in the ancient religious history of mankind, conciliatory toward the mutual prejudice and hostility of every existing religious sect; showing that the best principles of the various religions have been allegorically alike; that, like languages, they have emanated one from the other, and developing their various points of connection and emanation.

"TUESDAY EVENING.-Second Lecture. "SUBJECT.-An astronomical and etymological tracing of the various systems of the Pagan religions to the worship of the

sun.

"WEDNESDAY EVENING.-Third Lecture.

"SUBJECT.-Phrenology; or a more condensed and extended view of the physical and moral bearings of this science on the condition of mankind, than has hitherto been developed by any writer or lecturer: showing the great advantages derivable to society from its being mcre particularly understood by parents and teachers of children.

"Competent criticism will be allowed after each lecture, and respectful questions answered."

For sundry reasons, we withheld the names of the lecturers, being anxious to introduce so important a subject to a company that might have come without an apprehension of that at which many are so ridiculously alarmed; we, well knowing, that Infidelity is offensive in nothing but its name.

There is one of those rascally Scotch editors, who so much infest and disgrace the newspaper press of this country, of the name of Archibald Prentice, connected with a paltry paper of this town, called the Manchester Times. When I was last in Manchester, this fellow was writing down, as its editor, a paper called the Manchester Gazette, and was then, because Cobbett had been, exceedingly abusive toward me. He began the game on Saturday last, and did that, which no honest and honourable

man would have done, and for the doing of which, he had not, nor could he have proper and reputable information on which to make such a statement as the following

"DEISM.-The notorious Rev. R. Taylor, it will be seen by an advertisement in another column, is to deliver three lectures in the Manor Court-room next week. We are mistaken if he will be well attended. We understand that he is accompanied by Richard Carlile, the advocate of the beastly Peter Place's principles concerning population."

A pretty fellow is this to talk about the beastly principles of population, whilst he is living in a neighbourhood surrounded by every thing that is hideous and beastly in the human or animal character, and calling those principles beastly, which have no other tendency whatever than to raise mankind in character and condition above such a brute beast as himself, and the thousands of similar beasts by which he is surrounded and delighted. The whole aim of " Place on the Principle of Population," is to raise the character and condition of the working man above that of the brute beast; for which, Archy Prentice, with his brimstone, itchy, and Scotch-fiddle habits, appears to have no taste. The most elegant and accomplished society that the world has witnessed, has made itself so far elegant and accomplished, by the observance of those principles which Mr. Place has humanely recommended to the working classes. Archy might not know it; but better men do know it, and better men sympathise with the wretched condition of the working classes, and know full well that there is no other remedy for the removal of the distresses and difficulties in which those classes are involved, than the remedy of " Place on the Principle of Population." Has Scotch Archy any other remedy to recommend? Is he fond of his national disorder, that not to have it about him would leave him more itchy than with it? Are the working classes of this country to be for ever subject to the invasion of Irish lice and Scotch cutaneous animalcula? It is the removal of these beastly nuisances, that Archy Prentice dreads and he knows well, and reasons upon the principle of self-interest, when he oppresses the introduction of wholesome principles in society, assured, that such a man as himself must sink as others rise in the scale of cleanliness, health, and comforts.

Thus stand affairs in Manchester, on Monday morning. I think of sending up a report of this evening's proceedings as a postscript.

RICHARD CARLILE.

It was not so seen by the advertisement.

:

POSTSCRIPT TO SEVENTH BULLETIN.

On the Monday and Tuesday of this week, we have had possession of the fine Manor Court-room in this town, and Mr. Taylor has appeared here in his orations to very great advantage, and has delighted such audiences as presented themselves. Though small, they were respectable. On the first evening, no one ventured a question by which discussion might have been elicited. The whole company seemed awed into an assent to the statement of the great historical truths bearing upon the Christian religion which the oration had embodied.

On the second evening, a Roman Catholic presented himself, who appeared to be steeped even to the crown of the head, in the infallibility of what his priest had told him about mystery, miracle, and prophecy. He was incapable of putting a fair question on the subject of the oration which he had heard, and not being the competent critic with whom we sought discussion, as far as mildness and good manners would allow, we relieved the company from its painful attention as early as possible.

As Mr. Taylor was leaving the room, the Rev. Mr. Nunn, a celebrated preacher of this town, presented himself, and they recognized in each other that they had been intimately acquainted as fellow-collegians. Their conversation was highly interesting to the company, and gave a dignity of character to Mr. Taylor, which delighted his friends and commanded the respect of his opponents, if any were present. Mr. Nunn remembered an expression of Mr. Taylor's at college, when points of faith and doctrine, as to Christian tenets, were being canvassed, and reminded him, that, on such an occasion, he, Mr. T., had emphatically exclaimed, "I WOULD NOT TELL LIES FOR GOD.” Mr. Nunn assumed, that Mr. Taylor, having abandoned that faith and doctrine, was now telling lies against God. This was generally rebutted, as an unfair inference, by the company present; and the contrary maintained, that Mr. Taylor had preserved the sincerity of character, in which that expression had been put forth, changing his opinions or doctrines only, as he had formed his former opinions or doctrines to be matters of error. Mr. Nunu declined all public or private discussion; but allowed the former excellent character of Mr. Taylor, and gave a pressing invitation to a visit.

R. C.

SUPERSTITION AND TYRANNY.

THE insertion of these verses in the next LION, will oblige a constant reader :

Leeds.

SUPERSTITION prowls the earth,
Blasting virtue, reason, worth,
Priests and rulers gave it birth,
Fair Freedom to destroy;

Fawning parasites for gain
Swell a sceptr'd monarch's train,
Basely hug the tyrant's chain,
And feign a loyal joy.

Statesmen strew with thorns the way,
First mislead and then betray,
Lull this servite land, and say,

"England, thou art free."

Britons cry, "Our nation's blest,"
'Neath the wings of Slavery rest,
Thus in dark Religion's vest,
Church and State agree.

Tyranny, with lurid light,
Bursting on the mental sight,

Ruin seems to aid thy flight,

Darkly fraught with woes;

Virtue sleeps in Freedom's grave,
Miscreants alone are brave,

Blackest Vice on Luxury's wave
Boldly claims repose.

Drooping worth, alas! may weep,
Reason seek Oblivion's deep,
England still rulers keep,

And barters bliss for pain;

Rise, ye slaves to cursed fear,
Ye to whom Religion's dear,
Equal rights and laws revere,
Your liberties regain.

J. B. WALKER.

NOTE BY EDITOR.-On the question of liberty and slavery, there is in this country much less fault in the rulers than in the people themselves. Wretches, who have no daring in them to be individually free, are not justly entitled to complain of general slavery,

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