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To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. of general interest in the minds of society, beyond the conduct of private life. Its

SIR,

NOTWITHSTANDING any differ. views are too narrow for a proper poli

tical topic in any other relation: and it summons into energetic action, preju dices, errors, and absurdities, of various PUBLICOLA. kinds.

ence of opinion which may exist in the minds of men, respecting the justifiableness of war, and necessity of military establishments, those who interest them selves in the welfare of their fellowcreatures, whatever their sentiments may To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. be as to those points, must greatly rejoice at seeing a most severe sort of military discipline abolished. For the information of your readers, the insertion of the following extract from the London Chronicle is requested, provided you think it worthy a place

in it.

MILITARY PUNISHMENTS." "We see with infinite gratification the new clause introduced into the mutiny bill, granting to court martials the discretion of commuting the pu nishment of flogging for imprisonment, This is a salutary concession to the spirit of humanity, which the enlight ening press has aroused and spread through all the eivilized world. This is as much as could be expected perhaps from government in the first instance, and we may safely leave it to the feelings of the British officers them. selves to do the rest. We know that the service is an enemy to this shocking practice."

A CONSTANT READER. London Chron. 14-15 March, 1811.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

HE numerous subscriptions which THE issue from Lloyd's, for patriotic purposes, are known to every body. Permit me, through your Miscellany, to suggest a subject (in my opinion, noble indeed) for ample support. It is the extension of the Lancastrian education throughout. Ireland, together with other methods, adapted to encourage civiliza tion in particular. Somic writers have ascribed the fall of the Roman empire to the religious disputes, which occupied solely the minds of the inhabitants, when other subjects should always be the most buoyant in society. Accursed pole mies, and an invincible itch to settle the affairs of God Almighty and unknown worlds, have been attended with national injuries of the most serious kind, though by no means considered with a proper sense of their importance. A wise politician will ever feel regret when any religious subject, whatever, becomes a point

TH

SIR,

HE writer of "Critical Remarks on Shakespeare," in your last Number, (page 210, vol. 31) sides with Dr. Johnson in his observations on the word "ming." I ain no commentator, and profess to have but an accidental acquaintance with the illustration (excuse the vanity of such an expression) which I take the liberty of sending you. "Ming" is a term frequently used in Norfolk, and is applied in the same sense as to mix," or "mingle." Our bakers and economical house-wives have it in constant use; and the ingredients for bread and dumplings are said to be "ming'd," or, in some instances, "mung," when by kneading they are formed into dough.

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During the scarcity nine or ten years ago, when a mixture of grain was recommended for bread, the discontented used to call out "No barley mung!" Dr. Warburton's therefore appears to me to be the true reading. Take the sentence, "The composition that your valour and fear make in you, is a virtue of good ming,

and I like the

a good mixture, (or) excellent mingle,, wear well." The word "composition," too, favours this sense, which seems also to be that of the lines from the translations of Horace and Lucan. "He bears the bell in all respects, who good ming with sweet doth mingle

"Which never

Norwich,
April 2, 1811.

"

mings with other mingles stream S. S. C.

P.S. Since writing the above, I introduced the subject while in conversation with a theatrical friend, who, unacquainted with its local use, conjectured "ming" to be an abbreviation of "mingle:" and, further, I consulted my boy and maid servant, whose definitions exactly correspond with my own, and, as they cannot read, I consider them to be in this case very high authority. I have detained this so long in the vain hope of leisure, (being much occupied,) for perusing the whole of the play, that I might find the quotation, since it does not appear in my

1

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copy, (the booksellers' edition, 1803, 10 vols. with Johnson's and Steevens's notes,) in the place referred to by your correspondent. April 18th.

effluvia passing through it in different di rections, as well as from the regions above, together with the fresh water constantly flowing into it, tend to preserve the aqueous parts of our globe from the

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. putrefaction which would otherwise take

SIR,

place, and render the surface of our

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useful Miscellany of March 1, an observation of Copernicus, jun. with respect to the earth and moon, as well as other primaries, with their secondaries-that "Our earth's different be mispheres successively receive the benefit of the inoon's reflected light; whereas one of the moon's hemispheres receives no reciprocal advantage from the reflected light from the earth. We may be confident (says he) that the wisdom and goodness of the Creator, had some important end in view, whereby these globes are, upon the whole, greatly benefited by the manner in which they are arranged. Not having met with any opinion or conjecture formed upon this subject, I herefore beg to propose as a query: What benefit of consequence is attained, or (which is the same) what important inconvenience is avoided by the secondary planets, from their having always the sanie hemisphere turned toward their primaries ?"

In answer to this query, I beg leave to observe, that the moon's hemisphere, which is turned constantly to the earth, appears to consist mostly of solid matter, and to be mountainous. By this mountainous coudition of the moon's surface, the reflected light becomes more equably distributed than it would be were the surface a smooth one. This equal distribution of light is one great benefit which the inhabitants of the earth receive from that nature of the moon's surface, which is turned toward it. The solid part of the moon being always turned toward the earth, may perhaps act more powerfully apon it in point of gravitation, than if it were aqueous, and thus our tides are kept in stronger agitation; by these tides agitating the water to an hundred fathoms depth, the nauseous particles occasioned by the excrements of its numerous inhabitants, and putrid matter arising from other causes, are diffused from its surface to that depth, which otherwise would glut as a thick crust upon that sur face; this agitation, with other circumstances, such as the fresh air received by the water, from its incursions into the land; its communication with the atmoSphere by the aerial tides; the electric

calculable advantage in this action of the moon. The advantage we receive from the tides in other respects, are numerous The tides we should receive from the action of the sun alone, would not produce this effect; but when conjoined with the moon, or when she is in quadrature in part opposed by those of the sun, do, upon the whole, produce the most beneficial effects.

With respect to the moon, without en⚫ tering upon a dispute whether she is inhabited or not, it may be remarked that the observations made by Dr. Herschel, prove that she has an atmosphere, and is mountainous similar to our earth, and therefore may be inhabited. The advantages received from this mountainous structure, as formerly stated, render it unnecessary to be adduced as an argument in proof of her being inhabited.

From the similarity of the moon to our globe, we may suppose that she is, like it, composed of land and water. Our globe, so far as is known of its surface, is in four parts of five covered with water, and only one part is solid land. If we may, from her similarity in other respects, suppose, the greatest part of the moon's hemisphere, which is not exposed to our view, to be covered with water: we know that our tides, which are exposed to the moon, are greater than our opposite tides, therefore the earth being a body so much greater in magnitude than the moon, must make greater tides in the moon than she can make upon the earth, but the tides upon her opposite hemisphere, must be less than they would be upon her direct hemisphere. Again suppose that the moon revolved about her axis once in twenty-four hours, her tides in that case would be forty times greater than ours; hodies acting upon one another, recipro cally as their quantities of matter: but her revolutionary notion is near thirty times less than that of the earth, and her tides are considered to be upon her oppo site hemisphere, and not direct tides as those she gives to the earth; thus circumstanced, her tides will not exceed ours in point of elevation, but the agitation would he too slow to preserve the salubrity of the waters; but when we bring

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the query proposed by Coperniens, jun. Without such queries and conjectures upon them, when demonstration cannot be brought directly forward, advance in arts, science, or literature, cannot be expected. Although advances in either of these are not to be formed upon conjecture, at the same time, queries and conjectures may be so improved, as to produce at last a demonstration; or such a degree of certainty, as by natural con. sequence may be considered not to fall OBSERVATOR. short of it.

her other motions into account, we may find that this is corrected; for example, her quick motion in acceding to the sun, to a considerable degree nearer than what the earth approaches, and again receding to a greater distance; by the one, the sun will produce a greater effect upon her tides than upon the terrestrial tides, and by the other a less, from which her spring and neap-tides will arise, but both will tend to encrease the agitation of her waters, which, together with her other motions, commonly designed irregularities, will regulate the motion of her waters so as to be similarly equal to the effects produced by the terrestrial tides; A VINDICATION of the PROPOSAL te and thus the primaries and their secondaries are mutually beneficial to one

another.

But as Copernicus, jun. very properly observes, that, a great part of the moon's surface does not receive the benefit of light reflected from the earth; to compensate this, that part of her surface is screened from the powerful effect of the tides, which would be caused by the direct attraction of the earth upon the waters of the moon, except at change, and which the other motions of the moon, particularly in her spring tides, would cause to be so much accelerated, as to render her coast not habitable for some miles from shore; her high tides making so great incursions upon her

Land.

But what the opposite disk of the moon is composed of, can only be the subject of conjecture, taken from the supposed similarity she may have to our earth in that respect.

It is observable, that so soon after change, as a small part of her illuminated disk comes in view, the disk opposite to the sun, and turned to the earth, likewise appears; and, under some circumstances, is rendered very discernible: if at such times that disk, and such parts of her opposite disk as are turned to the earth by her libration, be attentively observed, in order to discover whether it be serrated like the other parts of her disk, or whether any parts of it are more smooth; and a comparison made between its appearance, and the appearance of the surface of water at night; if such observation and comparison be carefully made, we might perhaps form a pretty true idea of the composition of the opposite hemisphere of the moon. I have no doubt that Doctor Herschel would readily undertake these observations.

I have thus risked a conjecture upon

For the Monthly Magazine.

REPEAL the ACT of UNIFORMITY,

You

OUR Correspondent H. at p. 29, professes to examine a paper con. cerning the value of uniformity in re ligious opinion. Full of his own preconceptions, and inattentive to the ar gument advanced, after talking about to eration, which is not the topic bandled, he decides against the enquirer's proposal to repeal the Act of Unifor inity, as intolerant toward the members of the establishment.

Toward what members of the esta blishment?

Is it intolerant to the clerical order, who would thereby be set at liberty to read prayers and to preach sermons, exactly consonant with their own individual sentiments? Without fear of deposition by the consistorial court, Mr. Stone might then deny the perso nality of the Holy Ghost, or Dr. George Somers Clarke, the existence of prophecy; Mr. Overton might preach his calvinism, and the bishop of Lincoln bis arminianism, unrebuked. Clerical opinion would no longer be amenable before any inquisitorial ecclesiastic jus risdiction.

Is it intolerant to the laity? Less so at least than the present system. By allowing the priest to accommodate his liturgic and homiletic addresses to the surrounding state of public belief, the risk of discordance between the parson and the parishioners must evidently be diminished. Something would be done to meet the wish of the neighbourhoodEcclesiastics of a compromising spirit, are more numerous in the proportion of ten to one, than ecclesiastics ambi tious of proclaiming that they think for themselves. Where an autonomous mind 'exists, it is mostly attended with a spirit of proselytism, which slowly makes converts. Thus, wherever a

change

change resulted, either from ascensive or descensive opinion, the chance would be in favor of increased harmony. Probably not many congregations would undertake or undergo any alteration at all. The Enquirer, however, attaches little value to a conformity of opinion between clergy and people. In his idea the teachers ought to be a wiser order of men, and to hold a purer creed than the multitude, and to be at liberty to say so. Angels of heaven, they should be constanly lifting the erring dupes of fanaticism out of the mire of 'superstition, and cleansing them for the serener region of truth. Be it left to sects to elect ministers down to their own narrow bigotries, and credulous articles of faith; but let the magis trate not impede the progress of in

struction.

The pursuers of uniformity, to have any prospect of success, must always prefer the average creed of the people to the creed of the enlightened class: knowing a better, they must choose a worse, religion; and, perpetually fire from a double battery at superior illumination, and at groping blindness. Happily uniformity is as impracticable as it is unnatural; and, wherever there is tolerance, different sects are found to arise suited to the various shades of insight and hues of temper prevalent among men. This is best for the public; the great awakener of intellect is controversy; where there is no discord, no competition, the stimulus to acquire learning and to display eloquence, is wanting. Spain, Portugal, Italy, have sunken in the rank of literary nations, for no other reason than because an universal consentaneity of religious profession was exacted by the guardians of the press. Water, if stagnant, putrifies; but, whether it ebbs or flows, it diffuses lustre and fertility. It is so with the tide of opinion.

The true interest of the magistrate is to subdivide society into sects so numerous, that no one of them shall include a majority of the people, or be so powerful as a coalition of the rest. Toleration is in that case the permanent interest of all denominations of persuasion, and is likely to be inforced by the sovereign, with the concurrence of all religious parties. What method so conducive to this desirable multiplication of heresies, as a repeal of the Act of Uniformity?

MONTHLY MAG, No. 213.

There is nothing in the historic origin of this act to render its stability honourable. In the year 1662 a bill was brought into the house of commons on the 14th of January, and carried by a majority of 186 to 180, which provides" that all and singular ministers shall be bound to say and use the morning prayer, evening prayer, and all other common prayers, in such order and form as is mentioned in the Prayerbook; and that all such ministers as omit declaring on or before the following 24th August, being the feast of Saint Bartholomew, their unfeigned assent and consent to all and every thing contained in and prescribed by the book shall, ipso facto, be deprived of all their spiritual promotions." This law soon introduced a monotonous uniformity of worship throughout the parish churches of England. Seven months were found sufficient for the conversion of ninetenths of the clergy to the agreed for mulas. About two thousand priests were ejected from their benefices by the regulation.

The act of uniformity was to have been a compromise between the epis copalian and the presbyterian clergy, who professed to be willing to accom modate one another, provided those intolerable sects, (as Baxter called them) the Papists and Socinians, could be effectually excluded. The terms of comprehension were for a long time discussed; but, as soon as the king had received his crown at the hands of the episcopalians, these conferences were closed. The king, in a declaration issued prior to his coronation, had expressly promised, that half of the chapter attached to each see, should be elected by the Presbyterians; but this introduction of the elective principle into the constitution of the legal hierarchy, which would have rendered the church more independent, was offered during the conferences at the Savoy. The Calvinists waved every frivolous difficulty: they agreed to accept liturgic forms of worship; they agreed that the ecclesiastic superinten dents should be called bishops. But the Bucerists retracted the very promises made under the signature of their king; and scrupled not at having obtained the co-operation of a great party, by the offer and promise of concessions, no one of which was eventually to be realized. Preferment was offered with

SI

never

profuse

her other motions into account, we may the query proposed by Coperniens, jun, find that this is corrected; for example,Without such queries and conjectures her quick motion in acceding to the sun, upon them, when demonstration cannot to a considerable deg ce nearer than be brought directly forward, advance in what the earth approaches, and again arts, science, or literature, cannot be receding to a greater distance; by the expected. Although advances in either one, the sun will produce a greater effect of these are not to be formed upon conupon her tides than upon the terrestrial jecture, at the same time, queries and tides, and by the other a less, from which conjectures may be so improved, as to her spring and neap-tides will arise, but produce at last a demonstration; or such both will tend to encrease the agitation a degree of certainty, as by natural con. of her waters, which, together with her sequence may be considered not to fall other motions, commonly designed irre- short of it. OBSERVATOR. gularities, will regulate the motion of her waters so as to be similarly equal to the

For the Monthly Magazine.

effects produced by the terrestrial tides; A VINDICATION of the PROPOSAL te and thus the primaries and their secondaries are mutually beneficial to one another.

But as Copernicus, jun. very properly observes, that, a great part of the moon's surface does not receive the benefit of light reflected from the earth; to compensate this, that part of her surface is screened from the powerful effect of the tides, which would be caused by the direct attraction of the earth upon the waters of the moon, except at change, and which the other motions of the moon, particularly in her spring tides, would cause to be so much accelerated, as to render her coast not habitable for some miles from shore; her high tides making so great incursions upon her land.

But what the opposite disk of the moon is composed of, can only be the subject of conjecture, taken from the supposed similarity she may have to our earth in that respect.

It is observable, that so soon after change, as a small part of her illuminated disk comes in view, the disk oppo. site to the sun, and turned to the earth, likewise appears; and, under some circumstances, is rendered very discernible: if at such times that disk, and such parts of her opposite disk as are turned to the earth by her libration, be attentively observed, in order to discover whether it be serrated like the other parts of her disk, or whether any parts of it are more smooth; and a comparison made between its appearance, and the appearance of the surface of water at night; if such observation and comparison be carefully made, we might perhaps form a pretty true idea of the composition of the opposite hemisphere of the moon. I have no doubt that Doctor Herschel would readily undertake these observations.

I have thus risked a conjecture upon

You

REPEAL the ACT of UNIFORMITY, OUR Correspondent H. at p. 29, professes to examine a paper concerning the value of uniformity in religious opinion. Full of his own preconceptions, and inattentive to the argument advanced, after talking about toleration, which is not the topic handled, he decides against the enquirer's proposal to repeal the Act of Unifor inity, as intolerant toward the members of the establishment.

Toward what members of the esta blishment?

Is it intolerant to the clerical order, who would thereby be set at liberty to read prayers and to preach sermons, exactly consonant with their own individual sentiments? Without fear of

deposition by the consistorial court, Mr. Stone might then deny the personality of the Holy Ghost, or Dr. George Somers Clarke, the existence of prophecy; Mr. Overton might preach his calvinism, and the bishop of Lincoln his arminianism, unrebuked. Clerical opinion would no longer be amenable before any inquisitorial ecclesiastic ju risdiction.

Is it intolerant to the laity? Less so at least than the present system. By allowing the priest to accommodate his liturgic and homiletic addresses to the surrounding state of public belief, the risk of discordance between the parson and the parishioners must evidently be diminished. Something would be done to meet the wish of the neighbourhoodEcclesiastics of a compromising spirit, are more numerous in the proportion of ten to one, than ecclesiastics ambie tious of proclaiming that they think for themselves. Where an autonomous mind exists, it is mostly attended with a spirit of proselytism, which slowly makes converts, Thus, wherever a

change

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