The National Register. — London, England, 1811-03-17 00:00:00

162 A.. - • name and direction of their author, led me to glance at the interior of the papers, which consisted chiefly of manuscripts, with some cuttings from , the Pro vincial Gazettes. I was disappointed, however, in rnY object ; but curiosity excited by the , few scat tered sentences which I read, grew too strong to be restrained, and I perused the whole with the in tention, by a description of their contents, publicly given in one of our weekly papers to enable their original possessor to ascertain their fate and have them returned on his application. The first consisted of the identical printed copy of an article, cut out of a country publication, and which lately attracted the attention of the Court of King's Bench. The next was entitled 4 4 Additional triumph of the Liberty of the Press," and was a letter of congratulation to the public in general, and the Editor of the Stamford News in particular, en his acquittal during the present assizes, for the libel alledged against him by the ATTORNEY-G&NE RAL. This article which begins thus, " 0 Sir ViCA Rl' ) where is your sting !" will probably not be deemed worth applying for by its writer, as I have just been informed his exulting anticipations have proved errcneous, and the Editor of the Stamford News, is likely to wear the envied crown of modern patriotic martyrdom. Had I more time, at this moment, I would transcribe this curious letter, as I have no doubt, the same prolific pen, will have already produced another, of a totally opposite nature, and its appeafance would place in an advantageously contrasted light, the talents of the author whilst treating both sides of a question. The rest of these papers consisted of commenced essays, political a-.lcl critical ; anacreontics and notes for future pieces. On the same leaf, I found a pun against COBBETT, an opinion on the new Comedy at the Lyceum, the first; stanza of a love ditty, an excla mation against Methodism, a puffing remark or two on some modern painting, a memorandum on the necessity of disinterestedness, and the alarming encrease of public cv,er private. corruption, and a variety of expressions and similies culled in the style oft OPE, either from the writings or the conversation of others. There are also some °bier: -cations on the impossibility of ever having honest placemen, as long as men shall reject the light and law of nature, and a virulent tirade agains . all mi. nistries that cannot direct the complicated machi nery or the State; and maintain its independence without ,a standing army, fleets, and taxes. Such are, Sir, the conterms-of the articles which have fallen into my hands in so singular- a manner, and awakened such serious donbts in my mind respect ing the sincerity of modern R'eformers Fofes- S TI ITER ••••••.• 4. I gINIMMIN , IND .. • ''Pe.. '." sions. The publication of this letter will, I trust, procure me the advice of your enlightened Corres pondents, and should the author of the writings in question wisk.to have them back, he has only to send to the True Briton man of war, where he will receive them from the hands of AN ENGLISH SAILOR. THEOLOGICAL DISQUISITION. •;. SE TUE RE,. J. BROWN.• M ". , Mancha ad rninistratur pravidentici Dei, idemque cemulit rebus hit:Mauls, nec solum universes, verum etiam singulis. Cic. 1. Divin. 181. 117. As war is at present desolating the nations of Europe, it is of consequence to consider the prin ciple upon which the divine government acts with respect to states and kingdoms ; and by a retros pective view of their history, to display the punish meat that has been inflicted, in consequence of a violation of its sanctions. It is a law of the Divine Government, that the assortments of human asso ciation under the regulation of civil polity should be rewarded or punished in this world, as they do not, ia the same capacity, exist in- the world to come. Hence the five great empires, when they had, at different periods of their history, filled up the measure of their guilt, received a punishment proportioned to it ; and the picture Historians give us of it excites at once feelings of commiseration and horror. The purity and justice of the Deity were early manifested by that deluge which swept away the first inhabitants from the face of an earth, which, by their crimes, they had contaminated. The conflagration of Sodom and Gomorrah is, to all states and cities, an awful proof that enormous crimes shall not be committed, under a righteous administration, without the display of divine wrath and vengeance. Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, and lofty monument of Chaldean splendour, was, long ago, devoted to destruction for the magnitude of its guilt, at which succeeding ages should trem ble. Rome, whose language and literature in early life we acquire, to embellish manhood, and amuse later years —Rome, which has afforded to modern nations a model of government and legislation— whose armies covered the world with trophies of her successful ambition, .emerging, as' a republic, from virtuous poverty,. and towering, by conquest and opulence, into a mighty empire, - which vaunted .it would be immortal—where now is:her grandeur, ,her polity, and her power ? She has fallen !---,tbe glory and boast of nations has fallen ! _ 5119..40;1'20 luxurious, dissolute ,, aud corrupt ; she_ 14.44cEpie PF'l l ll