of these fashionable moralists. You will not be taught to value life at their rate, or degrade honesty as they do, who make it only a name, You are persuaded there is something more in the thing than fashion or applause; that worth and merit are substantial, and no way variable by fancy or will; and that honour is as much itself, when acting by itself, and unseen, as when seen and applauded by all the world.

Should one who had the countenance of a gentleman, ask me, "Why I would avoid being nasty, when nobody was present?" In the first place I should be fully satisfied that he himself was a very nasty gentleman who could ask this question; and that it would be a hard matter for me to make him ever conceive what true cleanliness was. However, I might, notwithstanding this, be contented to give him a slight answer, and say, ""Twas because I had a nose." Should he trouble me further, and ask again, "What if I had a cold?" or, "What if naturally I had no such nice smell?" I might answer perhaps, "That I cared as little to see myself nasty, as that others may see me in that condition." But what if it were in the dark? Why, even then, though I had neither nose, nor eyes, my sense of the matter would be still the same; my nature would rise at the thought of what was forbid ; or if it did not, I should have a wretched nature indeed, and hate myself for a beast. Honour myself I never could; whilst I had no better idea of what, in reality, I owed myself, and what became me as a human creature.

Much in the same manner have I heard it asked, why should a man be honest in the dark? What a man must be to ask this question, I won't say. But for those who had no other reason for being honest than the fear of a gibbet or a gaol; I should not, I confess, much covet their company or acquaintance. And if any guardian of mine, who had kept his trust, and given me back my estate when I came of age, had been discovered to have acted thus, through fear only of what might happen to him, I should for my own part, no doubt, continue civil and respectful to him: but for my opinion of his worth, it would be such as the Pythian god had for his votary, who devoutly feared him, and therefore restored to a friend what had been deposited in his hands.

"Reddidit ergo metu, non moribus; et tamen omnem
Vocem adijti dignam templo, veramque probavit,
Extinctus tota pariter cum prole domoque."

Juv. Sat. 13.

I know very well that many services to the public are done merely for the sake of a gratuity; and that informers in particular, are to be taken care of, and sometimes made pensioners of state. But I must beg pardon for the particular thoughts I may have of these gentlemen's merit; and shall never bestow my esteem on any other than the voluntary discoverers of villainy, and hearty prosecutors of their country's interest. And

in this respect, I know nothing greater or nobler than the undertaking and managing some important accusation; by which some high criminal of state, or some formed body of conspirators against the public, may be arraigned and brought to punishment, through the honest zeal and public affection of a private man.

I know too, that the mere vulgar often stand in need of such a rectifying object as the gallows before their eyes. Yet I have no belief, that any man of a liberal education, or common honesty, ever needed to have recourse to this idea in his mind, the better to restrain him from playing the knave. And if a saint had no other virtue than what was raised in him by the same objects of reward and punishment, in a more distant state; I know not whose love or esteem he might gain besides; but for my own part, I should never think him worthy of mine.

"Nec furtum feci, nec fugi, si mihi dicat
Servus: habes pretium, loris non ureris, aio.
Non hominem occidi: non pasces in cruce corvos.
Sum bonus et frugi: renuit, negat atque sabellus.”

HOR. Epist. 16.

By this time my friend, you may possibly, I hope, be satisfied, that as I am in earnest in defending raillery, so I can be sober in the use of it. It is in reality a serious study, to learn to temper and regulate that humour which nature has given us, as a more lenitive remedy against vice, and a kind of specific against superstition and melancholy delusion. There is a great difference between seeking how to raise a laugh from every thing; and seeking, in every thing, what justly may be laughed at. For nothing is ridiculous but what is deformed; nor is any thing proof against raillery, but what is handsome and just. And therefore it is the hardest thing in the world, to deny fair honesty the use of this weapon, which can never bear an edge against herself, and bears against every thing that is contrary.

A man of thorough good breeding, whatever else he be, is incapable of doing a rude or brutal action. He never deliberates in this case, or considers of the matter by prudential rules of selfinterest and advantage. He acts from his nature, in a manner necessarily, and without reflection, and if he did not, it were impossible for him to answer to his character, or to be found that truly well-bred man, on every occasion. It is the same with the honest man. He cannot deliberate in the case of a plain villainy. A plum is no temptation to him. He likes and loves himself too well, to change hearts with one of those corrupt miscreants, who amongst them gave that name to a round sum of money gained by rapine and plunder of the commonwealth. (To be continued.)

Printed and Pablished by RICHARD CARLILE, 62, Fleet-street, where all Communications, post-paid, or free of expense, are requested to be left.

The Lion.

No. 24. VOL. 3.] LONDON, Friday, June 12, 1829. [PRICE 6d.

Head-quarters, Nottingham,
June 9, 1829.

Up to this date, we cannot get a suitable room for an oration in this town. We have engaged, paid for, and have been disap pointed by subsequent refusal, in no less than five places. Having engaged Thurland Hall on Tuesday last, the Rev. Mr. Taylor took his card to be printed to one Wright, who printed the bills and tickets last year in the affair of Gilbert's conceit at public discussion. Wright began to talk about difference of opinion, just as if a man of business should be rogue and fool enough to say he cannot do business with any one differing from him in opinion. Mr. Taylor told him, he had come there with a job of printing, and not to ask his opinions. Wright declined, and the next printer's shop that stood in the way was that of Bennett, in the Market-place. Bennett, or some one acting for him, took the order and promised to execute it by ten o'clock the next morning; but instead of doing this, he put himself in motion to frustrate the object of the card. On calling on him on the Wednesday, to ascertain what expence had been incurred, we found that there was an understanding between him and Mrs. Payn. Each made a shuffling excuse; but neither of them ventured to speak the truth of the case. Some one had called on Mr. Bennett to tell him he need not print the card, when no person but himself had fair cause to know that he had the card to print; and some one had called on Mrs. Payn, to say she must not let the hall; and she, without reference, had discovered Mr.

Printed and Published by R. CARLILE, 62, Fleet Street. No. 24.-Vol. 3. 3 B

Taylor's address in Angel-row, which had not been communicated to any one but Bennett. We called on Mrs. Payn, and found she had returned the money for the hall with the following note: -

"To the Rev. Robert Taylor.

"SIR-Thurland Hall door will be closed, and if an advertisement appears, a counter one will also appear.

"June 3.

"I am, Sir, your humble servant,

"MARY PAYN."

The next place engaged was the Cockpit, a seated, chapellike building, used for a variety of sporting and other purposes. The owner of this was a Mr. Pawlett, a grocer, who, with Mrs. Pawlett and Miss Pawlett, were very much frightened, when they heard of the purpose for which the place was to be used. Mrs. Pawlett observed, that they did not object to let it for sparring; but could not think of an oration or lecture from Mr. Taylor.

Similar disappointments arose with the holders of the late Jews' synagogue in Clare-street, with a room called the Union Room in Woolpack-lane, and with all the large rooms that could be thought of and asked for.

As soon as Mr. Taylor had engaged Thurland Hall, and had a prospect of doing something, he engaged a respectable lodging, at the house of Miss Byrne, a milliner, in Angel-row, Nottingham. On the second day of being there, Mr. Taylor received a visit from his hostess, who requested him, that, with all speed, he would be so good as to suit himself with another lodging, as a knowledge of his public character had put her under great alarm as to the consequences which might follow his being there. The next morning, Mr. Taylor being ready to quit Miss Byrne's lodgings, we sought an interview with her for explanation, and the consequence was an entire removal of her prejudices toward us, though not perhaps a removal of her fears as to the consequences of our being there. She entered into conversation like an amiable, honest, and sincere woman, and entirely gained our esteem by her candour and frankness. We can say for Miss Byrne, that she was no hypocrite, and we make her a case in point, to prove, that the honesty of all opinions is alike. I never allow a Christian to shine over me in good mannors or in good sense; for the moment I perceived in him any thing good, which I did not before exhibit, I would imitate him. Miss Byrne's honesty led her into a defence of her religion, such as no hypocrite could make. There was an earnestness in all she uttered, and a vielding to reasons against which she could no longer reason. The scene was that which it should have been, sincerity conflicting with and yielding to sincerity. We were all the better friends, for the better knowledge of each other, and if there were

to come a day of judgment, the Christian misrepresentation which we receive would be enough to damn all the Christians concerned in it.

The next step taken was to write to the Duke of Newcastle, as follows:

"To his Grace the Duke of Newcastle.

"MY LORD DUKE-Understanding, that I have to ascribe to apprehensions of your Grace's very formidable discountenance, the hindrance thrown in my way in the reclaiming of Thurland Hall, after I had engaged and announced my engagement to deliver therein a Public Lecture on Ancient History, as bearing on the origin and evidences of Christianity, I most respectfully beg the honour of such intimation of your Grace's pleasure on the subject, as may prevent wrong imputations on your Grace's liberality, and determine the chance, that the great cause of truth and reason may have (as far as your Grace's sentiments are concerned) of finding acceptance in society.

66

My Lord Duke, respectfully,
"Your Grace's servant,

"At Miss Byrne's, Angel-row, Market-place, Nottingham, June 4, 1829.

66

ROBERT TAYLOR, A. B."

No answer has been received from the Duke.

Our task is so far complete in Nottingham. There is no man here who dares to stand forth to defend the Christian religion, where he can be answered. The saucy, when pulpited, Gilbert, is as still as a mouse when the cat is known to be near. We have sent our circular to two very celebrated Wesleyan preachers, who are here, the Rev. Theophilus Lessey, of Tiviot Dale chapel, Stockport, and the Rev. Robert Newton of Liverpool. There is a good specimen of the Wesleyan talent in the town; but what is it, when put side by side with the Infidel mission? What is all the fine preaching about the everlasting God that did die on the cross, about the worm that never dieth, about the sacerdotal character and sacrificial blood of Christ, about the New Jerusalem, the Heaven, the Hell, the day of judgment, the sin, the fall and the redemption of man, contrasted with that sentence in our circular, which asserts our competency to prove, that such a person as Jesus Christ never existed. What is it all? We heard the Rev. Theophilus Lessey preaching on Sunday last, Mr. Taylor was also in Gilbert's chapel, but one question of ours would have shut the mouths of both. They preach what they know not, and the hearers attend to hear because they understand not. These preachers are public cheats and liars. The hearers are dupes, fools, idiots, cheated, trembling cowards. Religion is a madness, which is systematically perpetuated to make