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England with ignorance, with a want of penetration to comprehend its institutes, with a deficiency of ability in understanding, or a want of honest zeal in enforcing the doctrines and duties they were commissioned to preach. These are charges reserved for these latter ages. When, however, we hear it publicly declared, at a late Anniversary meeting of an Auxiliary Bible Society, that 'the monster which opposed them (meaning, no doubt, the real orthodox members of the Church of England) no longer existed his head had been cut off, and he should now proceed to deprive him of his legs. It was, however, absolutely necessary that somebody should visit the poor to know their wants; but could they expect the Archbishops, Bishops, and Clergymen, to trudge about on such errands! Oh, no, it was impossible, it would occupy too much time, it would tire them to death;' which speech, it is stated, was received with loud and repeated applauses,'-can any one, after this instance, for a moment doubt the tendency of such associations as these? can any consciencious member of the Church, however much he may be inclined to second every scheme which may tend, eventually, to extend the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, avoid disgust? Every one will do well to consider, whether he is not rather doing real harm, than consulting the real advantage of his Church, by lending his countenance to such societies. After all, it is, however, by more faithfully doing our own duty, and by being instant, both in season and out of season, in leading all within our vicinity to the knowledge of their Saviour, than reproaching them for what we conceive to be exceeding theirs, that their influence will be most discreetly and most effectually opposed."

The third part of this Charge is employed in considering, and recommending the national system of Education, particularly the Madras plan, which has been so extensively adopted, and found so universally

useful in promoting the spiritual welfare, and the temporal interests of the rising generation. It conbats several specious, though totally irrevelant arguments which have been used against it. To make any selections, and certainly many might well be made, to illustrate its utility and worth, would prolong this article, which has already been extended far beyond its original intentions. To blame it when its merits have been so universally allowed, would be useless; and to praise it would be unnecessary.

Archdeacon Jefferson's second Charge was delivered to the Clergy of his district, and printed and published at their unanimous request, in the year 1815. In the intermediate year the Bishop himself visited his diocese. His Charge was published, and, to the consideration of the important objects which it embraces, and to the eloquence of the language in which it is written, Mr. Jefferson strongly recommends a diligent attention, and a careful perusal of it to his hearers and readers. Many, if not all, the important subjects of discussion being thus preoccupied by his Diocesan, little was left to the Archdeacon to comment upon, except a few which chiefly had reference to local circumstances; and as it was written for local utility, and local circulation, the noticing of its contents, in this place, may seem less necessary. It contains, however, many judicious remarks, and much useful information, both to the clergy and laity within the Archdeaconry of Colchester, as well as to every parish in England.

His third Charge, in the year 1821, "On the duties of Churchwardens, explained and enforced," was published after his death, by the kindness and care of Mr. G. Preston, the bosom-friend of the Archdeacon, who seems fully to have known his value, and to have duly appreciated his worth. I cannot do better than refer to the short, but able review of this Charge, in vol. XCII. ii. of the Gentleman's Magazine. The duties incumbent upon Churchwardens are cer

tainly very important, and it is to be feared that they are too frequently but ill executed. Many accept the office, the duties of which they consider as light and trivial, in order to free them, as they suppose, from being compelled to undertake the more laborious, troublesome, and responsible situations which, they would, from their rank in life, be under the necessity of filling, in their respective parishes. Dr. Blomefield *, the successor of Mr. Jefferson, the truly accurate and elegant scholar, and it is to be hoped, the strenuous friend and patron of every scheme which his predecessor found so useful to promote in the Archdeaconry of Colchester, has taken up the same subject, and has caused a short but able Compendium of the duties of Churchwardens to be recently distributed through the Archdeaconry. It is to be hoped that this short tract may be further circulated, and be a means of enlightening the minds of many through every parish in his Majesty's Dominions.

I cannot quit the subject of Mr. Archdeacon Jefferson's Charges without subjoining the concluding paragraph of his second, so strong and forcible in language, so comprehensive in sentiment and importance, and so completely declarative of the man. "Let not an unworthy avarice dilapidate, nor corrupt taste transform, her temples; let not a vain conceit mutilate her forms, nor an affected piety degrade her services; let not an unwilling or forced submission condemn her laws, nor a misplaced criticism vitiate her liturgies; let not a spurious liberality warp her creeds, nor an opprobrious contempt endanger her charity. There are no vacillations in Truth; it is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." Kellington, Feb. 25, 1824. OMICRON.

* In a few months after the receipt of this communication, Archdeacon Blomefield was most deservedly promoted to the Bishoprick of Chester. N.

Letters to and from Mr. THOMAS ROUTH *.

From the Rev. WILLIAM WITHERS † to "Mr. THOMAS ROUTH, at his Father's house in Morpeth, Northumberland.

Cambridge, April 24, 1735.

"DEAR SIR, "I am glad to hear you are so uneasy at our tardy correspondence; and I hope this quick return upon you will bring me off Not Guilty. As for your five-penny business of expence, assure yourself, that shall break no squares.

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My allowance at the University is very genteel, my studies no way disagreeable, my company every where welcome; which circumstances, with the blessing of a kind Providence, the satisfaction of my friends, and the pleasing thoughts of a few growing friendships, make me suspect that Cambridge is the quintescence of my life. But be my future range in the world prosperous or disheartening, it shall always be to aim at merit ; and as to our acquaintance,

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"You will pardon me, Sir, if more expressions of my sincere affections for you give place to the little following history of our school contemporaries, which, however broken, is as much as I know of the matter. At your first coming to D-r you remember you succeeded into my partnership with Jack Cand, as old Domine's poetical file undeniably proved, the two F -'s had left school not long before. As these three are persons which we, posteri, were much beholden to, on account of their deep draught of the Heliconian spring, or rather their tho rough insight into prosodia, you ought to have patience to hear their present posture of affairs. The first of them, after he left us, had the advantage of near four years' learning at Hull; and was awhile ago admitted at Magdalen College in this University; I did, indeed, challenge his acquaintance, but find him a spark of such loose and dissolute morals, as I shall not care to engage myself in any familiarity withal. After two years' stay in the University, Tom F— has retired into the country to study the chace and the bell' esprit, sciences more easy and useful than Logic and Mathematics.

"Little Jack is here still his proficiency in learning, his enemies will tell with pleasure; but his haughty carriage to me, shall force nothing from me but my good wishes for him.

"The next age in our scholastic republic, as far as it regards us, gives an account of Browne, Nicholls, Mirfin, and Smith; * A Collector of Excise at Carlisle; an intelligent Antiquary; and possessor of a small collection of ancient coins and other curiosities.

+ Of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, B. A. 1736; M. A. 1740.

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the first of whom has not disappointed my expectations, in his Oxford expedition. He has been proof against all my entreaties of a promised correspondence; and is now God knows where. The last is a pretty silly fellow at home with papa, or under the tutelage of Dick Smith, his name-sake, whose coat of arms you seem lately to have made bold with. I always took Nicholls for a good scholar; but of an unbroken spirit, which made me never prize his company at school, and has almost now erased him out of my memory. Master Mirfin and I write, commonly, once a month; and, though I think that young gentleman will never shine in life, yet his sweet temper and much civility to me, both engage and command a like return. His master's name is Calton, a man of pretty good report, and happy in three wellbuilt sons, and as many stately daughters, the youngest of which our F. Mirfin seems to think good-natured enough.

"Honest G. Bonington is my news-monger at Dr, and faith he has such a happy talent that way, that, at a dead season, he'll tell you a story, of a Bear and a Fiddle, a square foot in dimensions.

"Having recovered breath after this confused detail of what I proposed, the news of my well-faring relations would, you tell me, be welcome at Morpeth, where, desiring you to present my particular respects to your good parents and sister, I beg pardon for this prolixity, and am, assuredly,

WILLIAM WITHERS.

"Your faithful friend and servant, "I wish this letter do not miscarry, for I cannot recollect I have laid your last with the directions in it.

"N. B. I can write bolder, if required, as may be seen by the outside of this letter."

"DEAR SIR,

Cambridge, June 21, 1740.

"I received the favour of yours, in which you have forgot the date and to give me direction to find you; both which oversights I readily charge on that weariness from your late accident, which affects me as it should do. But, however, you must allow that jointly they are a reason why I should be less particular than otherwise. As to myself, whom you so kindly enquire after, let it suffice for the present to know, that I am easy in fortune, mind, and conscience. As to the employment of my time, though study is my profession, and I shall therefore risk being called a pedant if I talk much about it, yet thus much I will venture to report, that my end in study is to collect from various sciences a kind of honey to sweeten and improve conversation without attempting to excel in any one,-nihil egregiè, omnia tamen mediocriter. I can project the sphere upon the plane of the ecliptic, and understand the 66th proposition in Newton's 'Principia;' yet I own I'm no Astronomer. I can read a Classic Author with satisfaction and exactness; but don't profess to be a Critic. I'm no Divine, though doubly ordained; and yet I can prove the Being of

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