The Sun.
London, England, 1818-09-24 00:00:00

ROXBURGEIE CLUB.

FOR THE SUN.
MR. EDITMI,—As it seems that your Journal
has obtained the designation of The Parsons' Pa-
per, on account, I
suppose, of the zeal with which
it his supported our Establishment in Church and
State, I am afraid that you will not stiffer any-
thing to appear in it that may at all tend to le-
fleet on the clerical eharacter, even though re-
lating only to au individual. Rut I shall venture
to trouble you at present, not with a view to put
your impartiality to the test, for though, very oh-
viously, your's -is a Ministerial Paper, you cer-
tainly are not to be deemed a thick: and thin advo-
cate, whodefend Ministers on all occasions, right or
wrong. Bnt to the point. I find itt the last ontuber
of a periodical work, an account of a Dinner given
at Paris on the 17th of May, on occasion of
the anniversary of the RoXBURGHE CLUB. It
appears that this Dinner was given by an Eng-
lish Cletgyman. It may be thought that a Cler-
gyman might employ himself better in his own
country, than in promoting a convivial festival in
the most licentious capital of Europe. This by
the way. This Clergyman, as might be expect-
ed, acted as the President of the feast, or as he
is stiled, the ../mphitrion, an honour, if ant honour,
which lie certainly deserved, as it was at his own
expence. Of course, he cannot be a poor Curate.
This by the way also.—Among the toasts given
on the occasion, the next after that of " Earl
SPENcsit (the first) and the distinguished Mem-
bers of the Roxbiothe Club," was " to the me-
mory of Cu RiStoPiiga VALDARFEn, the Printer of
the Boccacio of 1471 ;' a Book, the purchase of
which, by a certain Nobleman, was the occasion
of the institution.of the Roxburghe Club."
Now, Mr. Editor, as the English Clergyman
was the Founder of the Feast, it is very probable
that he was also the Provider of the Toasts. Let
me then ask all friends of morality and religion,
whether it was commonly decent, not to say un-
suitable, to use the mildest trrni, to the charac-
ter of an English Clergyman, to toast the memory
of a Mall, because he was the first Printer of a
work that, instead of being held valuable, ought
never to have seen the light, because its obscenity
far over-balaoces any humour which it may con-
tain? Allowing for the licentiousness of the tune
in which it was written, the Printer must have
been a man of very loose morals, in having
printed such a work. Will your Readers, who,
I hope, for the credit of the country, constitute
the people in general, as I have never seen your
Paper disgraced by immorality—will they, I say,
believe it possible that a member of that Priest-
hood, which altogether are certainly the purest
fraternity that the world contains, could have
proposed as a toast, to be held in perpetual re-
membrance, and, of course, perpetual honour, the
name of art immoral Printer of a work very im-
probable, certainly very extravagant and very
obscene ! ! The fact would be incredible, if the
name of the Founder of this Feast bad not been
trumpeted to the world. I know not how the
Clergy may receive him on his return to this
country, but every body can tell how they ought
to receive hint. I respect the character of Earl
SPENCER too much, not to sympathize with him
in the regret which he must feel, in standing next,
in a billy revel; to a licentious Printer.

For the honour of the typographical class
in this Country, there are hardly any Printers
among us who would disgrace themselves by
suffering such a work, if now originally written,
to .be. composed in their offices. But _a few words
more on the book that led to the foundatidfi of
the ROxburghe Club. I have no objection to the
Club itself, but heartily wish that it had.a better
origin. The Club, it appears, was instituted,
because a Nobleman gave 22601. for the only Copy
remaining of the first edition of a work stamped
with infamy for its profligate contents. How
much better that money might have been em-
ployed there is no necessity to say, common sense
sufficiently points out the laudable purposes to
which it might have been directed. 11, instead of
being devoted to antiquated obscenity, it bad been
employed in patrouizing genius, in any province
of Literature or the Fine Arts, or in relieving
distress, the_ Nobleman might have raised an en-
viable fame ; but now he is only known as the
possessor of a book that ought to have been
throw!, into the fire the moment after lie bought
it. If he had devoted that large sum to the pur-
chase
of every copy of such a work, for the pur-
pose of destroying them, as the late learned Dr.
C itAtmes Bottnay did the works of the infamous
Tnomss PAINS, how would he have been re-
warded by the consciousness of having endeavoured
to lessen the stun of wickedness, by lessening the
number of profligate incentives, too apt to corrupt
the imagination of youth. But to return to the
Roxburghe Club. Do not imagine, Sir, that I
mean to object to the Institution. On the con-
trary, I know and honour many of its members,
but I hope that in rescuing old works of Litera-
ture from oblivion, they will be solicitous only to
preserve those that may convey instruction, or, at
least, harmless entertainment to succeeding ages.
I do not mean merely works of religious and
moral instruction, though certainly most valuable,.
and beyond all calculation superior to all others,
but such as afford an insight into human life, and
sound the depths of mankind. But to collect and
preserve works of profligacy, and dull rubbish,
merely because they have accidentally survived in-
numerable others of real value that might else
have remained noble monuments of former wisdom.
is an' excess of pitiable folly. Sincerely do I
hope, Mr. Editor, that the singular fact of the
Parisian Festival, upon dr+ anniversary of a day
memorable only for the folly that gave occasion
to it, will have its due impression upon the Mem-.
hers of the ROXBURGHR CLUB in general, and then
it will, no doubt, be esteemed a Literary Institution
highly honourable to this Country, and become
respectable in the eyes of all others. If you think
proper to insert this letter, Mr. Editor, pet haps
you may have " a few more-last words from Mr.
BAxTeR," on the subject of the Bibliographical
Banquet, from your indignant Countryman,
AMEN CORNER, SEPT. C. JOHN BULL.
P. S. As the RoXSURGHB CLUE held a similar
festival on the same day in London, it is 'incum-
bent on them to announce their toasts, in order
to vindicate themselves from the possible suspicion
that the offensive one in titiestlon was among the
. ,
utonuer.