dangerous to the State. A Mahometan, for instance, holds it lawful to propagate his religion by the sword; and Mr. Locke himself thinks that Atheism ought not to be tolerated. Certain however it is, that the intention of the present Bill is to give relief to Protestant Dissenters only; and therefore there ought to be some test, to distinguish who are and who are not Protestant Dissenters. This, I think, will be sufficiently done by the proposed Declaration."

It was accordingly proposed by Lord North himself to be inserted as a clause in the Bill, which was at last agreed to, though not till after much opposition from several members, particularly from Mr. Wilkes, whose language on that occasion forms a very sufficient illustration of his religious principles. He contended for unlimited, universal toleration; observing,

"that

"that Mr. Locke was much too confined in his notions, when he asserted that Atheists ought not to be tolerated. For his own part, he should wish to see pagodas, mosques, and temples of the sun, rising up in the neighbourhood of our finest gothic cathedrals." Notwithstanding this pious declamation, the clause was agreed to; and when the Bill was brought into the House of Lords, it passed unanimously without debate or division. "Thus," says the Bishop, "what the Dissenters had been so long struggling for, and for which they had twice before applied to Parliament in vain, was at length obtained. It was a measure generally approved as wise and just, and no less consonant to the principles of sound policy, than to the genuine spirit of the Gospel."

Whilst the Government and the Church

of

of England were acting with this moderation towards the Protestant Dissenters, it was reasonable that some indulgence should be shewn to the Roman Catholics; and accordingly in the course of this year an Act was passed, repealing a severe, oppressive law, which had been enacted against them in the reign of King William. But this measure, though sanctioned on the same principles of charity, and grounded on the same policy, was very differently received. In Scotland, the Calvinistic clergy, in particular, immediately took the alarm; and from the exasperating language of their sermons, aided by some furious pamphlets, which were disseminated amongst the people, many disgraceful outrages were committed in various places; public meetings were held for the security of the established religion, and the General

Assembly

Assembly even passed a vote, that any alteration of the penal laws against Papists would be dangerous to civil and religious liberty. About the same time a similar spirit, though at first less violent in degree, manifested itself in England. A Protestant Association, as it was called, was formed in London, the avowed design of which was to oppose the progress of Popery, and to counteract the effects of the late Act, which was affirmed to be of the most dangerous tendency. It was stated that several Popish schools, and mass houses, which had before been kept private, were made public; that many new ones were opened in several parts of the Metropolis, and that the numbers resorting to them greatly increased. At the same time the Association disclaimed persecution, as contrary to the Christian rule, and professed to make use of no

other

other means, but what were clearly consistent with moderation and prudence. All this was plausible: and had it in a single case been clearly substantiated, that a priest or his congregation had refused to take the oath prescribed by the Act; that doctrines had been inculcated injurious to the Constitution; or that any attempts had been made to seduce Protestants from their faith; there would then have been sufficient ground for alarm: but no such facts were made out in evidence.

The Bishop's sentiments upon this subject are perfectly just, and worthy of his own liberal and enlightened mind. “Undoubtedly," he says, "we ought to be on our guard against the arts and industry of those who profess to teach the tenets of Popery; we ought to combat their manifold errors, as occasions offer, both