The National Register.
London, England, 1816-03-11 00:00:00

;Walla t OUT.

Our Ititto, Constitution an 3Lato6.

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 1816.

heaped with the victims of his atrocious ambition, issued
orders to his *qv to demonstrate the benevolent sup-
port of God in the victories which he had gained, and to
direct towards hint the tribute of natural gratitude.
11'e do not say, nor do we mean in the most distant man-
ner, to insinuate that the victories of our country have
been gainisi in the cause of injustice, or that any ofour
clergy would have eulogised them if they had been so
beat. We oliect to this habit of interpreting authorita-
tively the will of Heaven from particular events; be-
cause, it' allowed to one set of men, it cannot be refused
to another; and because, while we cannot determine the
exact degree of wisdom and principle that would render
it innocent, it is li,ble to nual abuse as commonly ex-
ercised by the ignorant and the prejudiced, leading some
pious men to presumptuous enthusiasm, end confirming
the scoffer and the infidel in their wretched impiety. If
we draw a certain inference with regard to God's will
from the result ota particular scheme, what is to hinder
our neighbour from exercising a critical judgment that
may lead him to conclusions quite the reverse of ours; and
who shall decide which ofus is the right, but a being equally
liable to error with ourselves? Some of the Britons in the
time of Cromwell indulging this habit, though pious men,
proceeded to such a height of presumption, as in their ad-
dresses to their Make:, to direct him how he should pro-
ceed in particular circumstances; and to tell him, if he did
not act according to their suggestions, he would show a
disregard to his own interests. Let us not therefore
presume to offer ourselves as interpreters of the will of
God in ptutieular aspects of things; let us not decide
whet are his intentions, from our narrow views; and,
above ell, let not worldly politics, or the passing topics
of the day, be mixed up with the great interest of our
eternal salvation ; or detailed from the pulpit, along with
the doctrines, precepts, and promises of the oracles of
truth. We have before us a sermon addressed to Ferdi-
nand VII. in the Royal Chapel at Madrid last year, by
a Divine, whose titles fill a greater space than our Church
Creed. In this courtly composition, a passte,re of which
we shall translate, the preacher shows the perversion
of his moral judgment, by praising Philip 11. the most
atrocious tyrant of modern times; and recommends to his
successor, the present occupier of the Spanish throne, the
course of polities which he ought to pursue ; not as being
wise and expedient, but as being dictated by Heaven, or,
what in his opinion ir the same thing, by the Spanish
priests. " If you doubt my word, Sire, listen to the great
Mesa of Jesus, my neither, the odors of Spain, and
the joy ofthe celestial Jerusalem. This enlightened vir-
gin was tenderly and passionately attached to the throne
of St. Ferdinand, n hidh you now worthily fill. She en-
tertained a particular love to, and maintained a particu-
lar intercourse with, your immortal ancestor, the just and
the prudent Philip 11. ; and distressed to see hint stir-
munded by so many, courtiers, who concealed from him
the truth, she resolved, • from affection, to declare it to
him, saying within her own compassionate heart, that it
was better that she shasilsl undertake a task that seemed
above her, than that the King and the kingdom should
be ruined. She could not ascend this chair to preach,
because, though she 'was a doctor (doetora) of the
Church, her sex forbade her. But as embtenatiress of the
Eternal King, she communicated to him, in two lines of
a letter, as much as I have said, and desire to say, in this
sermon. The following are the words, 'Remember, Sire,
that Saul was an shed and anointed King. Upon the
rending of this paper, that great Prince bethought him-
self a little, and then recognized the warning of Gd,
through the mouth of that celestial heroine. He repaired
certain errors that endangered Lis Arnie ; he watahed
over and secured the happiness of his kingdom ; amid at-
tained such a stare of perfection, that in a short titre after
his death, San/it Estop/emir/ of the Apostles, the daughter
of Sta. Teresa,saw hifulepart trimnphantly from the tri-
bunal of God, favoured by the most Im:y virgin, (Mar,.)
to whom he Irail performed siernal services. I, Sire, do
not possess the fi•rver of spirit which distinguished Santa
Teresa ofJesus, but I yield to no one in my love towards
vim, in my desire to promote your felicity, and that of
your ltim.,nlom. • 'You know my sentiments, because I lee(
you; I do not flatter yon : I tell you the truth ; I repeat
to von, Amer with Jay holy mother, " Remember, 0 ibl•
mortal Perdinanei, that Saul was a King, that he was
anointed by his pro,i!et, that in the end he was :ejected
by God, that he his life, his serail, and his lingtiom,
tin• not fultilliot: big ttligations."—Such arc the threats
by which that heiguilatunt creature is directed to submit
to the ascendancy of the Church, and to opliress his sub-
jects at its &Imre : and such is one of the daubers of
canting politics to the pulpit.

PRICE 9',d.

ebe (Oebical diVonitor.
NCMBE% IV.
SALES roruct SUPREMA EST LEX.

NO considerable variation has taken place in the rela-
tive pmportion of diseases, during the last week ; so far
as any can be noted, rheumatic. affections seem to be ra-
ther on the increase. The high winds and the recurrent*
of sharp frosts, which we have lately experienced, may,
in some measure, account fir this; since it is well known,
that the slightest changes of tempereture will sometimes
aggravate chronic rheumatic pains; even to so great a
degree, that those persons affected with them, possess, in
the variation of their feelings, a tolerably correct baronstes
tor, and are not unfrequently able, before they aria::: from
their bed, to tell from what quarter of the comp uss the
wind blows. Some cases of acute rheumatism, with cone.
siderable febrile affection, have lately occurred, in which
it was necessary to employ bleeding and other meaner of
lowering the system. Not only has the disease been met
with in adults, but also in younger subjects : two girls
about twelve years of age were each seized with symp.•
tonis of fever; a severe cold, chill, and the consequent
:stage of re-action, followed by pains and swellings of the
larger articulations, the wrists, knees, and melee. Smart
purging, and the usual febrithge medicines. were effectual
in combating the diseast.% Beth of these patients were in
It humble mak of life ; and the exposure to cold and damp
during their enstumary employments, may have been the
cause of the febrile determination to the extremities,
which, under other circumstances, might have seised upon
some internal organ. In very young subjects, febrile dis-
orders have been accompanied with considerable affections
of the head ; and some few have been carried off, either
by inflammation of the bruin, or the consequent effusion
of water into the ventricles of that organ. In some cases
of pulmonary tlisease, not only in old people, in sheet
such a circumstance is frequent, but in persons of middle
age. after the inflammation had been subdued, an affection
of the head, -toil very considendele degree, took place.
This fact of the conversion of diseases, is a very curious
and a very important one, and has begun to engage the
attention of medical men, who, if they cannot discover
the secret cause, are at least anxious to ascertain the laws
of its operation.
In my last paper; deprecated the ttio common, but
unnecessaryeluterferOnee in slighter cases of catarrhs, or
colds, as a measure likely to be attended with more injury
than benefit. I repeat the prohibition ; although lam
aware, that it may be objected to me, as is frequently
done to all medical precepts, that experience contradicts
my reasoning, and that ninny people do actually pursue
the measures I forbid, and get rid of the complaint. I
admit the fact, but not the inference ; I consider it as an
additional proof that the salutary operations of the Ms
medientrix, of which I have before spoken, are, in ordi-
nary cases, not to be diverted by the most preposterous
interference ; but it shindfl he recolleeted, that the con-
duct which in a robust constitution, and at a vigorous
period of life, may be adopted with impeitity, will per.
haps, in a more weakened state of the stem, or when
the seeds of disease are already lurleibOirelhe habit, be
fidlowed by irreparable mimllief There is not, however,
the RIM reason for abstaining from:.previptive means,
InTrients to the exposure t;fa person to the exciting causes
of disease, cold, and moiettire. When it is known, that
these are to be encountered, it may be ;passer, not only
to protect the surfitce oldie laxly from thousiefluenee, tv
warmer clothing, but a. to fortify the xikein against
their temporary action, by increasing vasoltie excitement ;
and with this view alone can the taking smite- stimulating
drinks be allowable. A glass of wine, or some dilirte2l
spirits, may, under such circumstances, be useful ; end
the custom of guarding ugainst the cold and damp night
air by these means, after having been shut up in a warns
apartment, is not so liable to reprehension ee that against
which I before exclaimed. It is generally aecordiag au
any measure is well or ill-timed, that it becames salutary
or prejudicial.
The MONITOR has an opportunity of seeing disease
in all its variety and under all its forms; in its simple
and natural eunditien, and in what may be culled its
esenetaceees! state, when the ill-judged and officious in.
terference of bungling artists has so flawed the natural
character of a complaint, as to render it ahneseeinipts able
to be recognized, except by an exeerienced ieri. Of the
fruits of these advantages he intends the public to eartie
cipate. Ile not unfrapiently becomes} de*" res,wi,
egl • a
vei to persons in the erer classed titit seyt when,
ill^ p
• after repeated apelications to, gad fruitless trials of other
praetitigners, either their neaney or their patience