to enter upon the terms prefcribed by
Chrift, without altering her habit, or
In a word,
leffening her privileges.
fhe may eafily increase the number of her
friends, without creating herself a fingle
enemy, that the will have any reafon to
be afraid of, by only altering things
which are really alterable, and excep-
tionable in themselves; and wholly tak-
ing away a few others, I fpeak it without
bitterness or defign to reproach, that in
my judgment, and that of many of the
church of England herself, expofe her to
the centure of her avowed enemies, are
inconfiftent with the principles of true
Proteftantifm, and I fear greatly preju-
dicial to the intereft of true religion and
virtue amongst us "And in the clofe of
his pamphlet, speaking of a flricter union
amongst Chifitians and Proteftants of all
denominations, he expreffes himself with
"Though
a peculiar warmth and energy.
I have no perfonal advantage in profpect
by what I write, otherwife than what I
fhould fhare in common from a national
benefit; and know myself too inconfi-
derable to be capable of giving any great
affiftance towards the perfecting fuch a
work; yet as I would do every thing in
my power, fo if the providence of God
fhould ever make me but the lowest in-
Arument to carry on and effect this blef-
fed defign of uniting the Proteftant
churches of thefe kingdoms, I thould
think I had anfwered one of the best ends
of life, and in the fulness of my joy,
with triumph fing my nunc dimittis.
Now Lord letteft thou thy fervant depart
in peace, for mine eyes have feen thy fal-
wation.- -And there is not the leat
reason to doubt that this is the fpirit and
of numbers among the free
temper great
and catholic part of our Diffenters.*--But

ΝΟΤΕ.

Happy fhould we be could this moderation be more generally found; perhaps, as Doctor Chandler fays, years and experience have much foftened their minds. We know that fome principles are like the elements, fupportable and defirable when under proper reftraints, but when these bounds are exceeded, Jike a torrent they bear down all before them, fo that not any thing can ftand against their impetuofity: hiftory the touch-tone of truth gives a most lively picture of this in the following extract from

we return to the Bishop, who goes on
with uppofing fuch questions as there to
be asked, " May they not render the
Bifhops and Clergy to very unpopular,
that they may make throng puines to take
away, or much curtail their revenues
and engage the crown itself, as in
Charles the Firit's time, to give them up?"

es;

-If the clergy of the Church of Eng-
land would support the character, and
discharge the duties of Chriftian minifters
with fidelity; and difcover that meekness,.
difinterestednefs, and benevolence, which
become their facred profeffion, they would
be the most respectable body of men in
the kingdom, and would never become
unpopular."May they not abolish deans'
and chapters, and spiritual courts?"—It is
apprehended that if both of thefe were effect-
ed, it might be done without any real in-
jury to the church of Chrift, or to the fub-
jects of England.- May they not push at
depriving the Bishops of their feats in the
house of Lords, and make them mere mo-
derators or prefidents of the clergy of
their diocefes ?"-It is we believe, the
general fenfe of thinking men, that if our
Bifhops were to appear lefs in the cha-
racter of ftatefinen and politicians, and
more in the character of primitive Chri-
ftian Bishops and preachers of righteouf-
nefs, it would be for the good of the
tae, and the honour of the church.
NOTE.

Butler, and fhews what has been felt when
power and fome principles were united.
When tinkers baul'd aloud to fettle
Church-difcipline, for patching kettle,
No fow-gelder did blow his horn
To geld a cat, but cry'd reform:
The oyfter-women lock'd their fifh up,
And trudg'd away to cry, No bifhop:
The moule-trap-men laid fave-alls by
And 'gainst ill counsellors did cry:
Botchers left old cleaths in the lurch,
And fell to turn or patch the church:
Some cry'd the covenant, instead
Of pudding-pyes and ginger-bread:
And fome for brooms, old boots and
fhoes,

Bawl'd out to purge the commons house;
Inftead of kitchen-ftuff, fome cry
A gofpel-preaching miniftry;
And fome for old fuits, coats or cloak,
No furplices, no fervice book;
A trange harmonious inclination
Of all degrees to reformation!
SI 2

"Max

1

320

Ellis's Conftitution of the English.

May they not procure their tithes to be changed into ftipends ?"-That would be dreadful indeed! yet if thefe ftipends were fufficient to give encouragement to real merit, to afford a decent and refpectable maintenance, and at the fame time left room for that hofpitality, and beneficence which are fo highly ornamenta in the character of a clergyman, where would be the great inconvenience ? "And will the Bishops and clergy in fuch a state, be able to do as much as they do now against Popery ?"-Our Author thinks they would not others think perhaps that they might eafily do as much as they do now; and probably more : that they might be more attentive to the duties of their office, more apt to teach, lels greedy of filthy lucre, and more able by found do&tine both to exhort and convince the gain-fayers. But he adds, and, in this we most heartily agree with him, "I do not conceive that there is any great danger that they will be brought to this. For the fectaries themfelves are likely to decline in their intereft and influence; especially the Prefbyterians and Independents. They have been of late much divided among themselves,, about particular points of religion, fo that it will be difficult for them to act in concert. The Quakers are most likely to fubfift, because they have a polity: but that being founded on enthufiafm, will grow more and more relaxed until it diffolves."

We should imagine that the polity of the Quakers hath a much more folid and permanent foundation than enthusiasm; and were the other denominations of Diffenters to cement themfelves together in the fame manner, they would put themselves in a much more refpectable fituation, and have confiderably greater influence in all public and national affairs. But his lordship adds, with great juftice and picbability, "If the Diffenters fhould continue to act together, yet they will not compats the ruin of the effablished church: becaufe the nobility and gentry will not come into it, much lefs the court. They know that the fectaries are all of them upon a levelling scheme; and therefore though fome of the nobility, have no great concern for the Bishops, or Clergy, upon truly religious principles, yet they will be willing to fupport them as bar

June,

riers to themselves. Though they may diflike fome bishops, at fome particular times, yet they may think that others of that character may take different meafures.

Our Au

puthing bills against translations, or fel-
They may perhaps come into
Ing of fines; but will hardly go further,
nor will even compass these points. The
court will be difpofed to protect the cier-
gy, in thefe particulars; their own in-
tereft will lead them to doubt it; and
when they have reafon on their fide, they
may if they do not let things go too far,
be able to protect the Bishops and Clergy
against all fuch attempts.'
nefs and precifion, where the ftrength
thor feems to have feen, with great clear-
of cur fpiritual conftitution lies; and to
have spoken with lefs guard than is com-
monly used upon fubjects of this kind,
But all who have thought upon the œco-
nomy of the English government with
any attention, look upon a clofe union
between the crown and the clergy in the
fame light. While we have the happiness
to be governed by a prince, who has
himself to true a judgment in polities,
or is to well advited by his minifters as
not to attempt to break in upon the liber-
ties of the fubject, this will be looked
upon with indifference and unconcern ;
but should an oppofite fyftem of govern-
ment be embraced, the fons of liberty
would then, and not without reafon,
become jealous of the power and influ-
what our Author fays of the dangers
ence of the clergy.-But this leads us to
that may be incident to the civil part of
this establishment, from the under growth
of regal powers; from the prevalence of
the antimonarchial parts, or from foreign
force taking advantage of divifions among
ourselves. With refpect to the first, he
apprehends, that the prefent King and
his family have too much probity to de-
fire to take away thofe liberties of a peo-
ple, which providence has given them;
that in the prefent difpofition of the peo-
ple, jealous to the highest degree of their
freedom; ever upon the alarm against ali
encroachments of the crown; and taught
to believe that the laws and liberties of
this kingdom are their birth-right, it is
highly improbable fuch an attempt should
fucceed.

is diffufed through the mafs of a nation,
When fuch a fpirit of liberty
especially of one already poffeffed of
laws that fence every great article of

1766.

Memoirs of Madame la Marquise de Pompadour.

321

liberty, it appears to be impoffible deftruction of our public liberties; and that a crown under the circumftances how much the complexion of our parliaof ours, fhould fuddenly or in any little ments depends upon the virtue, freedom, time hereafter become abfolute, with the and independency of our people, it beaffiftance of foreign force. But if any comes every Elector in Great Britain perfon thinks, that by the influence of duly to confider, and for the fupport of preferments, the operation of civil offices, that virtue and independency in parlia ments which are to be the prefervation of and the application of money, the crown may gain parliaments, to fuch a degree, the conftitution, the people have much in that they may carry whatever points their powers by frequent elections, which as it is the only medium for this happy they defire, not apparently contrary to the national interefts, I will not difpute end we hope it will be ever preserved and this point with him. The only points infifted on by the people, and for this that I would infift upon are thefe, viz. end, we feel a pleafing cordiality and a That the crown will not be likely to get wifhed for hope that the commendable any parliament to give up any of the ftruggles in a neighbouring Kingdom will great bulwarks of national liberty: that be happily accomplished, better to anno parliament will be fo far influenced as fwer the end, to keep clear this fountain to give up any of the effential points, or of Summum Bonum and fource of national AMEN. great fecurities of our liberty, because happiness. And let every Englishman fay they themfelves could have no equivalent for the lofs of public liberty that they would recoil at the thought of fo deeply injuring their pofterity and their countrymen, even if they could do it with fafety: and lastly, there is no appearance that the ftanding troops, compofed as they are, and will always be, of officers and foldiers of our own nation, would all ftand by the crown in attempts to destroy the conftitution."

:

fenfible Our Author likewise, in a very and ingenious manner, endeavours to make it apparent, that the antimonarchial party will not probably prevail; and that there are many favourable circumftances to secure and defend our country from the invafion of a foreign force; but these we must not enlarge upon, having already extended this article to a great length. One thing we cannot help remarking, he never seems to fuppofe that we are in danger from the aristocratic part of our government; and yet he cannot but have known that the growing power of the peerage is an obje&t which the friends of liberty and the constitution have long looked upon with fome degree of jealoufy.Upon the whole, we are not told, in what quarter our greatest danger lies; for this there fore we refer to the memorable prophefy of Montesquieu, which we in part mentioned above: The British conftitution will perish, when the legislative power becomes more corrupt than the executive. It is from our parliaments therefore that we are to expect the confervation or the

MEMOIRS of Madame la Marquife de
POMPADOUR, wherein are dif-
covered the Motives of Wars, and Trea-
ties of Peace, Embafies, Negotiations
in the different Courts of Europe; Plots
and fecret Intrigues; the Characters of
Generals, that of Minifters of State, the
Caufes of their Elevation and Disgrace;
and in general whatever remarkable
has paffed at the Court of France dur-
ing the twenty laft Years of the Reign
of LEWIS XV.-Written by herself.
T is not about the hiftory of my life
which I undertake to write; my design
is more extensive, as aiming at drawing a
picture of the Court of France under the
Reign of Lewis XV. The private me-
moirs of a favourite are little interesting
of themselves; but it is not indifferent to
know the character of the prince who
raised her to favour, the intrigues of his
reign, the genius of the courtiers, the
fchemes of the minitters, the designs of
the great, the projects of the ambitious:
in short, all the hidden springs that have
fet in motion the politics of her time.

I

The public feldom judge foundly of what palfes in the cabinet. They hear of the king's ordering armies to march, of his winning or lofing battles, and thereupon they reafon according to their particular prejudices.

Hiftory is fcarce more exact, and generally Annalitts are but the echoes of public errors.

I shall avoid here all the details that do

not

1