The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-05-15 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

A new translation has just appeared of Father Carron,
the Jesuit's I I ietory of the Mogul Dynes/y. The period
of which the Learned Father treats is comprehended be-
tween the years 1399 and 1657, or front the founding of
the Mogul Empire, by that siii;,ular military adventurer
Tamerlane, to the accession of the Emperor Aurengaebe. Uf
course it includes the reign of the great Acbar, or Akebar,
as Father Catrou calls him, from which we make the two
following extracts. The translation is spirited and faithful.
" All the amusements of the Emperor partook of a martial
character. He had retained from the Tames, his ancestors, a
fondness for archery, and for the taming of fiery steeds. The ex-
orcise which he more especially delighted in was,ro mount on the War
elephants, and to serve as their conductor, whilst they engaged in
combat. This is a species of exercise so extremely dangerous, that
the wives of those whose duty it becomes. tear their veetintnts. ai d
pluck the pendants from their care, when they behold their hit/thanes
expose themselves to these kind of combats. Nevertheless, what
to *thin was a terrific occupation, served Akebar as an amusenunt.
An adventure is related of him, which displays the intrepidity of
the gallant Mogul. Some rebellious peasants had fled for refuge
to a city indifferetitly fortified, but of which it was difficult to force
the gstes. Akebar gave orders to employ the war elephants in
breaking down the gates, and forcing a passage into the place.
The conductors of these animals, which are trained to these k ind of
rorfliets, failed in resolution. The 31onarch was exasperated.
Having that day assumed the (IMPS of a simple soldier, that hi
might not be known in an inglorious war, 'undertaken against
peasants, he took the place of one of the conductors; mounting ea
the neck of the elephant, and guiding hilts with 30 iron hook. he
made the.animal, with so much address• go through the manceurres
used on those occlusions, that the gate was burst open. This was
a perilous attempt. Arrows were discharged at the elephant, awl
at him .who guided it, but the.Emperer escaped without injury.
The conductor of the second 'elephant, charmed with the esker of
the man. sham he believed a simple soldier. demanded cat Ak. bur
his name, tbat he might, he said, report his bravery to the Em-
peror. "I am called," replied Akebar, " the Smasher of Gaits.
do not forget to bear a good testimony in my favour." In efhTt,
his faithful companion did not fail the next morning, at the au.
dience whirl; the Kim permits generally to all his subjects. tog Iva
a recital of the valour and address of the oleo, named the Smasher
of Gana. The Emperor, recollected st these words what had
passed, and avowed himself. He then gave the reward, which
was due to his own intrepidity, to hint who had borne his testimony
to it. The man was preseated with a complete serpent. that is,
witka dress, a turban, and a horse. His pay was augmented, end
hp was promoted to a higher rank.
"The MlthiteretrfrpriVerwhicit leirsbar wait centinvaily fete-
Mg, obliged hint to Mond a school for engineers. There was to
deficiency of artillery in the Indies. It rnav be said, that from time
immemorial, the Chinese, who doubtless were, Si one time. maw
ters of Indostan, had in that country cast pieces of ordnaree, the
antiquity of which cannot be traced at the present day. Unreel°.
nately. there were bat few persons in the Indies who had the plod
to work them, with the same science and precision which is pry.-
heed in Europe. A kehar entertained, therefore. the plan of in-
viting Europeans into his service, and of inducing them to settle at
Ages, by the prospect of great advantages. The Enghili had
recently established themselves on the coast of lodestar, and had
acquired a great reputation for valour. In their sea engagements
they had almost always the advantage of the Portuguese. It en
from their new establishment at Surat, where they beesn to ow
on a very advantageous commerce, that Akthar procured Enchsh
cannoneers to verve his artillery. One of there cann.,oeers 114,1 an
extraordinary reputation for ability among these or Ms nation: 1.4
was noted besides fir his inebriety This man was much discon-
certed when he found himself in a country in a hich vine-tunas
are prohibited.. He made use of the following artifice. to poetics
the enjoyment of his favourite beveraget—f toe day iliet tile Em-
peror wished to lie a witness to his skill, at a 'tattletale t:iSianft.• on
the opposite side of the river, a large cloth had been fixed. at which
the eatinoneer was ordered to take aim. 'frit Englishman pointed
his gun en barl:y, that he did not even strike an object so extremely
easy. The Monarch was astonished, and made him some CO.
pruaches. My Lord,' replied 'the Englishman, sten I have
been compelled to the disuse of wine, my sight is groan so weak
that I can no longer discern an object, however conspicuous, evea
at a moderate distance. Wine is alone capable of restoring solb-
dently my powers of vision, to enable me to disenver °ejects,
agreeably to my ordinary habits.' fliere was no went of wire at
the palace. Akebar hail always some tor his own pleasures. and s
certain quantity was given every day to the elephants.. A bottle was
then brought, which the cannoneer emptied At a single draught.
Then causing the mark to be changed, and another es• i.tcuted,
that was very litt.le bigger than the ball which was to be tired. the
Englishman hit it with the gr.a est precision, and obtained the $P
please of the King. From that me Akebar gave librett to all
his European cannoneers to plant vineyards in the neighliouthrwed
of Agra. Some eicrilent wine is produced Unman.. plantation.
The decree of the Prince was iii•erted in the Chronicle in these
words:l—"l' he European/4 are born in the element of wine, es nth
are produced in that of water ; so prohibit their' die use of it Sit to
deprive them of life.' This pennisition to eta livafe the Om. wbt
foreigners in the service of the Mogul possess, is a great $OlllCe t 4
profit to them. Wines which is DM 0111111111111 at .4gra, ii dear,
sntl the cultivator doss not run the laaasrd of injury trim awn,
as in Eumpe ; it is a certain bassist."

PROTEST.INT SI)CIP7'T
FUR THE PXOTECTION OF !MIAMI/US LIBERTY.
. - _

On Satunlay the fifteenth Anniversary Meeting tithe Protestant
payee for the Piuteetton of Religtren litheety wan held at the City
or ii,don Tanen. The great moos was filled to excess' at an early
meshy a most respectable assemblage of ladies and gentlemen,
e!vhom mine upressly flan distant pans of the country, to
mind the merit".
Atekteu o'clock (being an hour berm the appointer! time for
teeing the business) !Inhere Pt e, Req. toot the Chair,
corm . .
by theinvestion of the toomiinet.untW the JaSquis of banstiowit
'bold strive, wile bad premised to preside on this ocroalots.
The Cuatastax (pro tempura) proceeded to tow the objects
f„.hielt they were asseniblid, the first botagebat of bearing the
groin of the preeredings of the peat year, to which tie would entreat
aye silent and part itular attention of elf
Sln Pv.I.I.ATT. one of the Seefehitieit, then read dieting 'onion
ca the Ileum which tea* eery voltmiinons.
At twelve o'clock thelllstquis of Lonstiown entered the roam,
secipsnied by Lind Dac-:e. Their Lordships were received with
wry warm apd garret applause.
It was then moved that the remaining portion of the Report
should be deflected by the other Secretary of the Society, in the
pare of the speech which it was num' fur him to make on these
canons.
31r. J. %Cites then mac and was received he the Meeting with
the mot enthusiastic cheering, which continued for • enveidemble
dins The reefing. having at length subsided, the Secretary ad.
*rued the Assembly for upwards of three hour'. in aspeteh which
ass alike remarkable for the energy with which it was delivered
sad foe the very great eloquence •hich it throughout displsyed.
/fur limits will not permit us to do more than give a bare outline of
thme numerous details, and of that wide and 'alevines field of
eiseIVIIIiOII end reasoning. wh'cis it emlitaced. The beamed Oen.
demo commenced by observing that he felt himself on this ocea.
non anoustly oppressed. He resembled one, who had been long
absent from bie native ralley, but who was about to return to that
cAler which he loyal PO well. To hie mitt and li-art its licence
fed heen awed. however remote his wanderings. He had sidled
on die bosom of the quiet lake whose waters laved a distant shore,
had vorseed over the etorm.tonni sea; he had sojourned in the
fertile vale of 1.711a-onuny, and had climbed the glorious summit of
Muni Blare; but whenever he was—whethella silence he mad the
teem of eftesewouil eier, awe Now mimeo* etslssamsid, w. pt
• the sublime rains of sane ancient temple, in the clasJe and
amidst all ?brie scents, his risen, vatic! woe
ever otreeitt to his nand. Various as was her loveliness,
there were amidst her sylvan scenery two figures, which had
i.e.m sketched by his vivid imagination with a pencil that
hot made them prominent in his pornsitore. There wa
a venerable beech and an eget, ottlt, fine as ever lerenished
en e'en h::11 Of in their valleys, beneath whose wide-spreading
brindles the youth had learned slalom and oh! there rood the
ancient and proud mansion of hi. tsthers. The wanderer retorted
to Ins ; her ruin was lovely ; it was a foie sunny nice.
• the foyers were blooming. and the blossoms there were full;
but though rank and intellect dwelt in her Inanition, still, when he
Le heal has former home, eminent aittcted his imagination, and his
heart was oppressed. Alas! the spoiler had been there ; —the
beech tree had been uprooted by the tempest the spotter had
been there,—the aged oak had laid his honours to the dust. (Cheers.)
come. and those whom I have been accustomed to %re here—those
who were our ornament and pride (elieen)-1 behold no more.
Here had I seen our Townsend, his locks spreading indeed in oil.
very aid benevolent loveliness —he to whom we loved to listen.
whoa worth were wisdont.—and kr is here no mo•e ! Anti here too
lad I beheld our Plogue,—thuteaD beneath whom molt Oulu here
proem loved to repose: he was wont to be here. He is even now
rehired to my imagination and my heart am real em ever. Oft this
ow
he stood, like the proud oak. before us. I still behold him.
with his noble and bighouched brow, and with his hoary locks and
manly form. pouring forth the riches of that mind sn full of wis-
dom. and Wattling the aspirations of that heart so devoted to the
cane of liberty and truth. (Loud cheers.) But he is cast away
and I cannot, cannot, but feel with you on this occasion, a mourn.
Velum and sad commiseration. We too soon forget the dead, and
while they live and are present with us, too often we do not enough
esteem theta. ()not went the 'intim of the kindly benevolent
Townsend. and long shall his memory dwell with us! And never
byme shill Bogue be anneered. He who stood, as it were. amongst
at, forming the link of the present generaton with that of our fate.
father—throe brave puritans and noncontormista, to whom this
ecountty owe, Mee liberty from religious thraldom, and whose his.
tory he orate with an eloquence and power that shall confer on his
name imperishable renown. (Chun.) Oh ! how I now wish
that os my bean was Inscribed every word he uttered, and that I
could tell so others how he taught the irseparable cannezion
levers dell and religious liberty I—how he opened his hive to
tell us that there could be neither true piety nor national greatness
Ohre these were unknown ! Ah ! his words are still present to
in., memory. never to be forgotten. Though this subject is of sad-
&elk still we will not despair for the great UMW, but will emulate
!nose mighty sgnrin that are gone. We will not weep, but we will
gv st tut to the monument of those illustrious men, and there,
again and again.will we renew our pledge never to desert the cause
they eadeatrintred to suppoet. hut Mat we will transmit to future ages
the maned !lone of freedom unestinguished and ualeesened, to
lea mei tvideignits4vresubdaduir..4 lord ahem., Miss Lemont

tientiereeniii totrti—greelreg the
opereeedinge of the
Veiny during the past year, In eomenuatico of the Repeat
which had beep psrly read by the other Hon. Secretary. He Newt
alluded to those cases which, at the last annual meeting of the So-
ciety, were in an undecided state. He would, he said, on this Dee'.
son, mention one which had made a deep impression on the minds
of the assembly last year, and also on the whole body of Protestants
Dissenters. The) world recollect that it was the case of a refusal
to celebrate the marriage ceremony at the parish of Llangain, in
Wres, where the clergyman connected with the Established
!lurch had allowed himself—instead of being, as he should have
Nei. the fader in midst of his parishioners, delighting in their
iesengs, keying in their joys, and in the union of love that was
&beat to be formed—to be their meth and persecuting opponent, for-
betting to consecrate Met union. tiniest the female *mild forego
the doctrines she had been taught by her forefathers. Principle
tn.:oohed over dove, and amide, a multitude of .friends who had
r in.. to bring their greetings and their presents, she was applauded
slide she refused to saerifine her conscience to the frown of power.
TN., till went easy, the mother of the maiden being the first to
lipp'utut her fur offering herself a victim at the shrine of truth and
nei loth, rather than comply whit a demand which humanity
oal;',lt not to have dictated, and which the laws of the country
ought not to have allowed. He would not detail the whole of the
circumstances that occurred. but he would just state that the father
of the young woman was present on the occasion, and naturally
enough expressed his displeasure and disappointment 43 no mea-
sured tone. For this conduct, dal very clergyman hurl prosecuted
him in the Bishop's Court at Carmarthen, for bawling on the omit.
snn. The meeting would not wonder that the Comun'ttee pledged
themselves to have this clereyman taught his duty try law, and
Chet the shield of this Society should be spread over the peasant's
head. The whole year had passed away without either of these camel
being determined. And what could better prove the need of such
an inaMution as this, when he stated that in theme local courts the
whole of the c:crgy exercised a power uncontrolled ? The Society
had, therefore. removed the procrediegs into the Arches Court of
this metropolis, for the benefit of better counsel, and both cause' re-
mained in a state that he could riot predict when a judgment would
be pronounced. Rut for the wealth of the Society, therefuee, this
etas man, who though strong in right, was weak in law, would
hare had a. redress. It was things like these which occasioned to
the rni::d great regret and pain ; but he was proud to say they were
net frequent, and formed the exception, and not the rule (cheers);
nee were they mach as the mans of the intelligent and
great among the Established Church could approve. Ve-
nous applications had been made to this 'tumuli= during
tee pest year, which ought not to have been made. He had
before requested gentlemen in the country not to write to the
Committee on any subject which had nothing to do whatever
with the purposes for which this Society was established.—
Applies:Mos were made for contributions to build chapels, and in-
deed on any subject that struck the writers as improvements. With
fespect to peel:Mary grievances cognisable by this institution, he
use glad to sar they had been declining in number Once the ex.
reamer of the Society. t was pleasant to find that their labours
*".e tot nithout some advaotage, said that in distant parts of the
ontntry persons were beginning to know better bow to respect the
righ:s which this Society maintained and defended. Throe hail,
h"'"er, been some application mode to the Society respecting the
right of ex-mption front turnpike tolls, in going to places of wor-
ships burnt bees violated. At 'fermium', near Lincoln, a toll
was deeigi,gtd at I,joc,tlp.bar, from the wife of Mr. Thorold ; and
he Society had been asked whether she wee liable to pay lt.
Karr tog that ren,,,tot hod a right, as well as men, to worship 00d
in Weil manner as the:r consciences directed, the Meeting would
sot doubt that he should have replied that the same exemption
which the husband claimed for himself the wife also had a tight to
("dui. Teo other complaints had been made on the mine sub-
kn. but he tasted the letters addressed by this Institution
to the parties wunid in the future prevent their recurrence;
ard that it would be generally known. that all persons might enjoy
err right, without payment of double tolls, to worship God in
ntrit places an their corn-ir:es directed. On the qaestion of the
Pates rata, he footed, on the whole that there was less (Imposition
to wren the Dessenters than had been known in former time'.
The Rev. lie ChapPel. of Votler, in Huntingdonshire. had
einem to state. that • a chapel lately erected at Stilton had been
rated, but when application was mettle to have it disallowed, the
the:parties were informed that a Session had intervened. and that
their appal was therefore.too late. It was nem-awry that persona
should time. that in any appeals against rate* on places of worship
not asse.sttile it was indispensable that application shuuld be
Miele before the next Session arrived, for if a Session was allowed
tr, intervene, the injustice of the ease could not be brought into
hid penile; and although the person who thought a wrong
been dune•wen precluded from a remedy which greater
vigi-
Isau world have prevented. At North Crawley. in Bucking.
nateshire, and at Chertsey, in Surrey, two Cllnell of assessment
lld been abandoned in consequence of the interference
of this Society. Upon this euhject he would state generally
an unitise distinct profit teethed to the Minister or Trustees.
f'''n any place of religious whrship, no charge for rate' could be
and if made could not be sustained. On the subject of rates bo.liling new chapela, connected whh the Established Church.
_fr:etil'applievi.ine hbeen made during the ,
Seeideo of Par.'
II nom. And he Juliti not wonder at it. AR Oiseesitens. they did fat satriphun tha• !her had to rear their own las,s of worship, and
t 2 provide few the support of -the mini.,.', of their own choice.
fist when they found they had to rontriteite not only to the mew's rays: but Nitta* a body paid no leant arum than LIM Ot/01 fne
the. erosion of new edifice' esclusively for the If..tshlkshad (thumb,
mg beaten all this, they should have to pay towezdethe repairs

these erections ; they Meld not but feel, that having ninthly con-
tributed so aliteetantly. it was a hard and unjust demand. But it
was a tax , thrush a grievous one. anth they nitut snake tip their
Minds to enliven it. The Committee had received an applicarion
Corn the Bee. Mr. Fry. of Kidderminster, stating that tie had
been rated etr the erectien of a new chapel tbr the Established
Church, which they were splendidly ornamenting with organs. end
• ?misty of other devices, tint deemed by hint to be necessary to.
the 'Tinton! worship of the Eternal. He (Mr. Wilke), however,
recommended him not M make any re‘ietance to the charge. On
the subject of the Footle offering+ many applications luul been
made to the Society. He would advise the members of the
tabliehest Choreb to thrego tlitse petty and velatiotneesamions,
whit h widest little to their wealth, but which detracted greatly from
their *noir. it was these pelity and irritating trifles, that like a
canker ate up all the 'Menge, destroyed thelmehreee of the bowers,
and contented that which ought to be to then) a home of fertility,
solitary duet No Ilistarfce, no quietness of retirement could pro.
tart the DIMIPOOM fere Mom Mile annoying clams. which. he
would repeat, added notllline so the honour. and little to
the wealth of those who essteted them. He het had letter
after letter upon this subject: One stated that within this fortnight
ten end twenty petsona had been summated up together err
surefire of these duo'. before the very clergyman (though
not a Magistrate) who claimed them. One man was sum-
moned foe two years' dwee 4d. each year. (Hisses and laughter.)
Another three years at Id. each year ; and then came '• your deugh.
tee 24.1. etch year." But this was not all ; far the person; whose
arrears fur three yeses amounted to is had 4e. to pee for expenses
(Cries of "Shame ! shame !) and after ell the poor man was cons.
pelfra to pay theee sums at instalments of sixpence a wee!: (Shame,
shame!) and yet this' very clergymen was no clergyman, and be.
inlet, which his whole conduct was illegal, for the law of Eneland
forbade the clergyman to make any demand after tNo years. (Dear,
hear, hew.) Thereftwe this very 'nary was rendered amenable to
the laws which he had violated, and liable to be pimished at the
instance of soy person who chow! to inform epeeist him. It war
greatly to be wished that the enlightened, the educated, nod, he
would add, the well-paid clergymen of the Eatablished Church
would not thus seek to satisfy their mates, but would adopt a
mere !mooting 'rode. In this very treetrre.tois there was a pariah
the income of whose Rector was 2,0P1/. a year, where the Curate,
on making upplicatina for further payment. was told that lie must
Mks the:Lama dues. The honour of the Established Church wax
sawel thswo peaMem eiela pea Me leisatm tet.
.ttlitresnit leseives that endangered the etebility or the Church ; it
has such wings as these which turned the people against them,
and that ennoded those friendly fe:linge which must otherwise ne-
cessarily occupy the heaths of the multitudes by which they were
surrounded. (Cheers.) Upon the subject of the mortuary dues,
two eases had occurred. These old exploded demands, anutinting
to PO little, but to vexatious. had eiristed ever since the reign of
Edward V. According; to them the clergyman was entitled to
fit. W. or 3a. 4d. according to the rank of the person who
died. But in order to claim it it was necessary Yor the der.
gyntan to show that it hail existed immemorial In the parish,
otherwise he had no right to take it. • The Rev. William
Marshall, of Newport Pagnell, was a name not unknown to
the ntee.ing. He was the person who apprehended and caused
the committal of a man to Aylesbure gaol, because the man
knocked at his door to ask fora contribution towards building a
chapel. Untaught by experience, he had claimed foe the burial of
a corpse, which was interred in the Dissenting meeting-house of
that town. Si. &I.; 2s. for going to church, Is. for reatliug the
service, lid. for clerk's fee, and 2s. for gravedigger and parsing.
hell—total 5..6:1.; although the man never went to church, no
service wee read, no clerk nor grave.digger assisted, and although
no peaeing.bell was tolled. When this clergyman was applied to
on the subject, he said he thought his cenduct was right, and that
the burial ground of the Dissenting meeting ought not to deprive
him of his fees. Proseedings. however, being threatened by the
Society. the money was returned. Another ease was mentioned
where, by the intervention of this Society, the clergyman had de.
foisted in making hie claim. Upon the subject of these claims, it
was to be desired that those who could exercise an influence over
the Established Church would do it. Milton had raid that the
beet mode to keep tto a division in the Church was to exact these
dues. Even scolding to the Council of Trent, the opinions of
many of the Fathers of the Cethsilic Church, ninny Learned Judges.
and of Selden himself, theca claims oo the part or the clergy for the
adtninistration of any of the Sacraments were considered simoniacal.
This would tea eh them how tney yielded to the first innovation of a
wrong. (Hear, hear.) It was thus that the voluntary offerings of
affection had been converted into a demand; and that that which
had been first given in love ended In being extored with the grasp
of power. As to the disturbances at places of worship, he was
inure disposed to attribute them to local prejudices, low pensions,
and indtvidual excitement, than to any thing like a general wide-
spread disposition to prevent dissenters from enjoying that freedom
of religious worship which this Institution was desirous to protect.
At Hedge-End, to the parish of South Stoneham, near Southamp.
ton, a case had occurred. however., io which it was necoutary to
' take some proceedings. The I(ev. IlleDraper had there established
• Bennet chapel. Several persons, atter the Minister had retired,
remained in prayer. Two men disturbed them, and, on being ap-
prehmaltd, one was bailed, and the other committed for want of
bail. 'l'llesee min at tint treated the &Cif with indifference, but on
reflection application was made on their behalf, es know if, upon a
unable aairmegiedgessesse proceedings would be dtecominued. At.
ways came and attentive to any thing that hreathed out contrition,
the panne were dismissed ; and glad was he to pay, that the man
who was imprisoned had since become a most constent fregtienter
of that very chapel. (Cheers.) Upon the subject of out-door
preaching, the Committee had been much occupied. as it was a
subject involved in meat difficulty. At West-End. in Middlesex,
they regretted to find the Clergytnan of the Established Church
interfering and preventing persons from anneisting together on a
green, for the purpose of' religious instruction. On one occasion,
the parties thus interfered with retired to a cottager's dwelling. In
consequence of this, the poor cottager was threatened to be not only
no longer employed, but that he should be removed from the perish.
A similar case of interruption had occurred at huckleberry, by the
interference of the clergyman of the adjoining parish, although the
clergyman of the parish in which the parties had assembled counte-
nanced their proceedings. on this subject he apprehended it was
necessary, whenever persons wished to •ieemble, to give notice
thereof, and to obtain the consent of the nwr.er of the place where
it was intended the meeting should be held ; and from that period
they were entitled to assemble. But if no consent were obtained,
they could not be taken into custody, as it did not amount to a
breach of the peace, but only to a trespass. At Winchester a poor
man had been guilty of preaching in the streets, for which he was
committed to prison by the Mayor of that ci'v, because lie would
mum enter into ■ recognizance of 2011!., and find two emetics in
50!. each, that he should not preach anywhere out of doors for two
years. The poor man said he was exercising a duty dictated by his
conscience, and that he must submit to imprisonment, for fie could
not bind himself under a penalty that he would not do what had
been done by Whitfield. by Wesley, and by the Saviour of Man-
kind himself. He was, therefore, still suffering the infliction of the
law. It certainly did appear to him that in this case, if the Mayor
1 of that ancient city had dismissed the man with a rebuke, it would
have been much more consonant with the spirit of Christian cha.
city, than to commit him among men who were guilty of those
crimes which be wu desirous to terminate, and for breaking that
peace which be. though having nominally broken it, was desirous to
preserve. The refusals to bury the dead was another subject
which had often otenpied their attention, and which must speedily
occupy the attention of the Legislature. The meeting was aware
that the clergy in various parts of the country had repeatedly re-
d fused to bury those who had not been baptised by a mmtster of the
Established Church. On this subject the law appeared to be per.
Pertly dear. Some doubts were entertained previous to a luminous
decision by Sir John Nichol!, in 1795, whether lay baptism had any
legality. The clergy availed themselves of these doubts, and held
! that persons were obliged to have their children baptised
by a minister of the established Church. ft was, however.
determined by Sir J. Nichol, that lay baptism was valid, and that
I the Ministers of the Established Church were bound to perform the
rights of burial upon all those who had been baptised, although by
Dissenting :Ministers. Rut, notwithstanding that decision, there
was a great tenacity on the part of the clergy still to withhold that
which their duty and the law required then, to do. Ahßudwich, in
Essex, a child named Etheineton had been baptised by a Dissent-
ing Minister and died. Application was made to the Vicar to per-
form the burial service, but he refused. The parents accordingly
gave him regular notice of the time they should attend, and they
attended accordingly in sad procession. The clergyman, however,
was determined in his refusal, and as the mournful group passed
along they saw him driving by in his chaise, smiling indignantly
upon them. The child was then taken a distance of tune mile', and
buried, at great inconvenience and expense. He, (Mr. Wilke)
however, wrote to this clergyman, and the result had Chown that
I that man, whose brow was the most Inuring, and who seemed to
look upon his fellows in a lower sphere as reptiles too contemptible
for his care, was not the nun who had the true and manly spirit
beating within him when danger drew nigh. How easily
might you outbrag such braggarts, and nutrate such raters !—.
'lles very men, as soon as he was threatened with su r) pe.
eion front his living for three months, wrote to the poor
peasant to say, that he should be -perfer.ly willing and happy
at any day that was convenient to biro (loud cheers) to attend the
burial of the child. The pa.ents took him at his word ; they took
up the coffin of the child, brought it back again to the parish, and
compelled this clergyman, whatever might be hie reluctance, to
read the burial service over it. (Tremendoue cheering.) There
wail, however, a circumstance in which no efforts on the pert of the
Society could prevail, nor possibly teed assistance to those who
complained. He referred to thoac circumstances which applied to
a vastly extended body of Protestant dineenters—the Baptists.
Where children had been baptised by a dissenting neniater„ the
law entitled it to burial by the ritual of the Established Church,
hat where the children had not been baptised at all, then, ac-
cording to the present state of the English law, no clergyman could
be compelled to perform the service. This affected no lees than
four or five hundred thousand iestividuale, composed of many of
the volt respectable, intelligent, and highly honourable
persons in the country. He had, therefore. during the last
few mmithe, felt it his telly to communicate with Lord
Liverpool on this subject. Tne communication related to two
points—the first was the power which the Clergy claimed to refine
the adtitittance of the corpse into the Church. and thus to omit the
finest part of that most beautiful composition, the burial service.
This subject certainly appeared to be inn stare of obscurity and
in for some
parts of the Rubric appeared to give the
CleezrgPylinviliesbn; discretion. however, would say, that it was an
! authority which the Clergy ought not to 1141%wrtli. and that the Le-
', gislature should interpose. The other more important point, how.
ever, wart, that situation in which he had stated all the Baptists
througlinut England and Wales to he pteetel. The Leather, Secre-
tary then detailed several cases of refusal* on the part of the Clergy
to bury children h.cause the; !:,td not been baptized. In ens can