235 The Epi Cicero's freedmen." orbem aquæ: waters in restoring sight to the and success; The place, which all its pride from Cicero drew, Repays this honour to his memory due, And with such eagerness by all are New springs of healing quality should rise, To case the increase of labour to the eyes. The American translation of I shall add to these few lines my hearty wish, that this first translation of a classic in this western world, may be followed with many others, performed with equal judgment Cato was reprinted at Glasgow and be a happy in 1758, when Mr. Logan is denominated "late President of the Council at Philadelphia," but, unless I have strangely overlooked it, is not once mentioned by Mr. Melmoth in his Cato and Lelius. VERMICULUS. omen, that Philadelphia shall be Philadelphia, Feb. 29th, The story of Cicero's well, of which Franklin has made such ingenious use, is told by Pliny in his Natural History, B. 31. S. 2. where he is speaking of medicinal waters. The passage is quoted by Dr. Middleton in his Cicero, iii. 297. It appears that Cicero had a villa at Puteoli, afterwards the imperial palace of Hadrian, where he is supposed to have uttered that address to his soul, the origin of Pope's Vital Spark of heavenly flame. On the Term "Unitarian." SIR, I perceive, in your very valua. able publication, that the propriety of the term Unitarian being monopolised by a certain sect of Christians is called in question, and an allusion has been made to the speech of a gentleman of the University of Cambridge, who as serted, that the established sect "Some time after Cicero's might lay claim to that title. He death, his puteolan house fell into maintains, I believe, the same the hands of Antistius Vetus, who opinion; and any one who reads repaired and improved it; when a the first article in that medley of spring of warm water, which hap- of opinions, called the thirty-nine pened to burst out in one part of articles, will see that the preten. it, gave occasion to an epigram, sions of the established sect are made by Laurea Tullius, one of not without foundation. Thie sect, in common with the sect at tas is a compound term, comRome, worships one God under pounded of tria, three, and unitas, the name of the Trinity, and whom unity and it implies a modifica. they address in their prayers very tion of the numbers of three and frequently, the minister and the one, in the explanation of which whole congregation using these many folios have been written. words: "O most holy, blessed I am not going to enter upon the and glorious frinity, have mercy voluminous controversy which this upon us, miserable sinners;" and subject has occasioned, but shall that we may not be led astray by observe only, that the word Trithe word, they expressly say, that nitas is of the feminine gender, this Trinity is one God. Now and, of course, all the epithets or the term Unitarian implies a wor- adjectives applied to it are femishipper of one God, whether that nine. In speaking, therefore, of God goes under the name of Tri- the Trinity, I beg to ask, whether niy, Jupiter, Baal, or Satan, or, the members of the established according to us, under the name sect among us, in speaking of their of the God and Father of our Lord God, make use of the proper lan Jesus Christ; and if a nation de- guage: I ask them, whether they clares that this Trinity, this Jupiter, should say, he, she, or it. And this Beal, this Satan, is only one again, whether they can apply the God, why should we endeavour to pronoun I to this God. For excon radict them? Let them call ample: in the scriptures our God themselves Unitarians, if they is introduced as saying, "I am please; and certainly it is better Jehovah, who make all things, that they should flatter themselves stretching forth alone the heavens, even with the right to the title, and spreading abroad the earth than contradict openly the Unity by myself. I am Jehovah, and of God, by worshipping that non- there is none else; there is no God strous fiction, a plurality of Gods. besides me." The members of the But it becomes the members established sect will very properly of the sects established in England say, that these words may be apand Scotland, as well as the sect plied to their God thus: I am the established at Rome, who all pay Trinity, who make all things, the same worship to the Trinity, stretching forth alone the heavens, to have clear ideas of the term, and spreading abroad the earth by and they who do not believe in myself. I am the Trinity, and this God should at least under- there is none else, there is no God stand the term, and apply to it besides me. always the proper epithets. Now They who do not worship this the address of the members of God, called the Trinity, may inthe established sect is taken deed make some objections to the from the litany of the sect es application I have made of the tablished at Rome, which uses term in the above passages; but the latin language in its religious my business is not now with them. services, it addresses the Trinity If the members of the established in these words: Sanctissima, bea- sect are satisfied with the reading tissima Trinitas--Most holy, most as it stands, that is enough, and blessed Trinity. The term Trini. we may go on to some other pas Or are both expressions sages, making in them a similar us? application of scripture to their equally proper? In the first case, God. Thus the sublime prophet the members of the established sect says, in another place," For thus may use the pronoun 1, contemsaith Jehovah, who created the plating only the Unity, I am the heavens, that formed the earth Trinity. In the second, they and made it; he hath established use the pronoun we, contemplatit; he made it not in vain; he ing the three persons, we are the formed it to be inhabited, I am Trinity. This in poetry will have Jehovah, and there is none else." a fine effect, as it gives the writer Let us use, as before, the name an opportunity of varying his of the God worshipped by the es- phrases, according as it may suit tablished sect in this passage, sup- his purpose. I am not sure that posing first, that it had been trans- this thought has not been antici. Jated from the hebrew into latin, pated; for in the dark ages it was and thence into English. It would customary to bring, not only the then have run thus: "Thus saith persons of sacred history, but even the Trinity, who created the hea- those of the Trinity, on the stage, vens, she that formed the earth their parts being acted by men and made it: she hath established dressed up for the occasion; God it she made it not in vain: she the Father being an old man with formed it to be inhabited." If the a beard, God the Son a pale young passage had been translated im- man with a cross, God the Holy mediately from the hebrew, where Ghost having doves' wings and unfortunately there is no word to head, the Trinity having on a triexpress the Trinity, it might be angular hat, whence probably is rendered thus: "Thus saith the derived the triangle that is seen Trinity, who created the heavens over the altar in many places of and the earth: he hath established worship, both of the established it, or she hath established it, or and the Romish sect. it hath established it," &c. Now which of these pronouns would be the most, or are all equally, appropriate? : As complaints are now pretty general, that the belief in the Trinity is now very much on the decline, might it not be useful to I have observed, that the Tri- bring it more in sight among all nity is a compound term, com- parties, that select extracts should pounded of three and unity; and be published from the bible, in hence arises a similar difficulty which, where God is introduced respecting the singular and plural as speaking, the term. Trinity pronouns. Thus, since the Tri- should be used, as I have done in nity is declared to be the one God, the passages above quoted. sacred proclamations respecting will then clearly appear, that the the Unity must be applicable to established sect is Trinitarian, this God; but the doubt is, how which cannot be seen from their we are to apply them. As for bibles, and perhaps it will go some example. Are we to say, I am way towards determining, with the Trinity, and there is none greater precision, this right to the else, there is no God beside me, title of Unitarian. or, We are the Trinity, and there is none else, there is no God besides 1 I remain, Sir, yours,' It 66 Old Testament, but from the Septuagint translation, and scarcely ever change a word in their quota tions;" and especially, in the instance alleged, copy this version" so erroneous? Dr. C. as a Trinitarian, must hold the omniscience of Jesus Christ. How to this belief can he reconcile his opinion of our Lord's reference to the story of the Fall, when "he exhorts his disciples to be wise as serpents,” though the Serpent had no concern in the transaction? This critic's notion of the Nachash as a creature domesticated with Adam and Eve "the woman no doubt having often seen him walk erect, talk and reason," reminds me of the following passage in Brown's Vulgar Errors. "In the picture of Paradise, and delusion of our first parents, the serpent is often described with human visage; not unlike unto I have not forgotten my propo. sal, of occasional communications, made at the close of your fifth volume, [pp. 635-640.] though I have so long delayed my re-appearance. I now offer you what occurred to me on reading your three uumbers for the present year. P. 9. Dr. Leechman. May I be allowed to ask how that pious and learned divine could commu. nicate what the late Mr. Kenrick and his ingenious biographer would esteem "rational and animating views of God and the Christian revelation," and yet bear true al legiance as a beneficed minister of the Church of Scotland? That Church peremptorily enjoins the gloomy creed of Calvin, of which as Dr. Price observes, (Sermons i. 52) her clergy, "not only declare their belief but that they will constantly adhere to it: that Cadmus and his wife in the act is, never grow wiser." I would of their metamorphosis. Which farther enquire, in behalf of Dr. is not a mere pictorial contrivance L's" orthodox brethren," why or invention of the picturer, but their violent opposition," per- an ancient tradition, and conceived haps conscientious, certainly con- reality, as it stands delivered by sistent, should be censured rather Beda and authors of some anti. than a rational Christian's accep- quity; that is, that Satan appear. tance of an orthodox "theologi- ed not unto Eve in the naked form cal chair?" of a serpent, but with a virgin's head, that thereby he might be. come more acceptable, and his temptation find the easier entertainment." This, Dr. B. calls "a conceit not to be admitted," Pp. 17, 18. Dr. Adam Clarke, and quotes Pierius and Barcephas on the Nature of the Serpent. who thought "the assumption of When this learned critic charges human shape had proved a disaderror on "the Septuagint trans- vantage to Satan; affording not lation" as to the sense of the He. only a suspicious amazement in brew original, can he believe the Eve, before the fact, in beholding plenary inspiration of "the New a third humanity beside herself Testament writers, who" he ob- and Adam; but leaving some exserves, "scarcely ever quote the cuse unto the woman, which af Pp. 11, 13. Vigilius has been, I believe, long known as the sig. nature, in the Theological Repository, of the late venerable Mr. Turner, of Wakefield. mestic and civil policy. In the carry this fundamental law of nature to such a height, that they never put any one to death even for murder, which very rarely happens; that is, once in several ages. terwards the man took up with lesser reason: that is, to have been deceived by another like her self." V. E. B. v. Ch. iv. Who "There is a positive law among shall decide when doctors disagree? It will, probably, be soon decided the Mezzaraneans not to shed hu They that critics, even those worthy of man blood voluntarily. the name, are sometimes employed magno conatu magnas nugas dicere. P. 27. Sir Thomas More, &c. To these should be added Bishop Berkeley. In 1785, he published, in Ireland, the Querist, containing If it appears that a person has real. several Queries proposed to the ly murdered another, a thing they consideration of the public." almost think impossible, the person Among others, on various topics convicted is shut up from all com. of national industry and politi- merce of men, with provisions to cal economy, are the follow- keep him alive as long as nature, allows. After his death the fact ing. 53. Whether some way might is proclaimed, as it was when they not be found for making criminals shut him up, over all the Nomes. useful in public works, instead of His name is blotted out of all sending them either to America their genealogies; then his dead or to the other world? 54. body is mangled just in the same Whether servitude, chains and manner as he killed the innocent, hard labour for a term of years, and afterwards burnt to ashes, would not be a more discouraging, which are carried up to the high-, as well as a more adequate pu- est part of the desert, and then nishment for felons than even death tossed up into the air, to be carried itself? 392. Whether felons are not away by the winds blowing from often spared, and therefore encou, their own country nor is he ever raged by the compassion of those more to be reckoned as one of their who should prosecute them? 393. race, and there is a general mourn. Whether many that would not take ing observed throughout the kingaway the life of a thief may not ne- dom for nine days." Pp. 173, 4. vertheless be willing to bring him Dr. Kippis (B. Brit. ii. 261.) to a more adequate punishment?" attributed the adventures of Gau In 1737, was published ano- dentio di Lucca to Bishop Berkenymously, as a translation from the ley, but in the next volume de Italian, "The Adventures of Signor clared this a mistake, on the auGaudentio di Lucca," who is made thority of the Bishop's son. The to discover another Utopia far dis- work has lately been ascribed by tant in the Arabian desert. Of this a writer in the Monthly Magazine discovery he gives an account to (xxxii. 220.) to "Simon Beringthe holy Fathers of the Inquisition ton, a Romish priest in Shropat Bologna. The ingenious author shire." I remember to have seen evidently contrived his romance this work attributed to the Rev. to convey his own sentiments on James Ridley, author of the Tales various important questions of do. of the Genii, who died in 1765, |