soning. They are more serviceable years to it, will not exhaust the and expedient, as a present course resources of pleasure and informaof study, now than they will be tion which it yields. You have as hereafter, because the volatility of yet only tasted of the fountain; it youthful years, requires those sends forth a copious and constant studies which, like mathematics, stream, of which you may drink, are particularly suited to restrain without fear of drought or satiety. and correct it: and the hastiness The style which characterises every of that period demands the influ- author, and the idioms peculiar ence of those pursuits which will to every language, will ever give check it, and habituate the mind a novelty to this kind of reading. to pause, consider coolly, and wait The writers of Greece and Rome for the conclusion. A desultory are so various and numerous, that reading may be more agreeable, there is no reason to fear that you because more easy, but it is not so will grow weary with turning over useful as the slow, regular and the same work. Nor can you be at gradual progress of mathematical a loss to meet with an author, whe knowledge. The Belles Lettres may suit your peculiar genius, may be more alluring and fasci. your present humour, or the par nating, but the mathematics are ticular object of your literary pur more necessary for you, because suits. Poets, orators, historians, they exercise those powers to which philosophers, mathematicians and you may not be inclined to give a critics pass before you, and seek full scope. The former address your acquaintance. You may the fancy and taste, but these, the reason and understanding. When you shall have forgotten how to work the rules of Algebra, or to demonstrate the theorems of Euclid, you will still be conscious of To read English authors only, a closeness in reasoning, and of an and to converse merely with transexpectation of clearness and lations, is not to read like a schostrength in arguing, which, were lar; nor can the benefit, pleasure you to trace back to its original and honour, which is a scholar's cause, you will have little reason to portion, be the reward of it. The doubt, was derived from, or much neglect of originals, it is to be susaided by, the attention which you pected, proceeds too much from gave, in early life, to those sciences. laziness. But that laziness is peBut among all the branches of culiarly blameable in an academic: learning that now invite your at- because his powers are in their tention, none is to be preferred, as vigour, aid is at hand to facilitate an object of unremitting study, to his progress, and the drudgery, if classical learning. With this has any, has been surmounted at your education commenced, this school. Now the path becomes has occupied the days spent at more pleasant, difficulties are school; you enter into the acade- cleared away, the spirit of the au my to renew your acquisitions thor is felt, and taste begins to and to push your improvements in relish the beauties which were bea it; and the application of future fore unobserved. Classical learn

now borrow the aid of one class to assist your deeper researches, and then unbend and amuse your mind, with the beautiful pages of another class.

ing has, hitherto, been rather an to call the attention of your readers exercise of reflection and memory; to the consideration of this subit now becomes the employment ject. I hope that this communi and gratification of the imagination cation may lead to the adoption of and genius and as it connects some plan of united action, calcu itself with your other studies, you lated to give increased effect to will now perceive its application those exertions, which being, as and use. There is not a libe- they are at present, insulated, parral profession which may not tial, and having no common diderive singular advantage from rection, must be considerably conversing with the Greek and weakened in their efficacy; but Latin writers. They are peculi. when combined and as it were arly important to a divine, espe- concentrated in one common focus, cially the former, as the books must be proportionally energetic. which contain the religion of Christ, Such a plan, if adopted, cannot are written in that language. The fail, not only of exciting the zeal works of a Sykes and Jortin, of of Unitarians themselves, but of a Lardner and Farmer shew to calling the attention of the Chriswhat valuable purposes a Christian tian world at large to the consi. minister may improve his acquain- deration of the arguments urged tance with the authors of Greece in support of the Unitarian doc and Rome. Not a question in theology can be discussed, nor a criticism on any passage of scrip. ture be brought forward, but what proves the utility of this branch of knowledge to the divine. The advice which Horace gave to the Pisos applies here with the fallest force, and should be extended to the compositions of his own country:

-Vos exemplaria Græca Nocturna versate manu, versate diurnâ.

trine and thus of increasing the number of Unitarian Christians. With a view merely of bringing the subject into discussion, I submit the following plan to the consideration of your readers, hoping that it will be the means of calling forth some other plan, more suited to the purpose.

I am, Sir,

Your most obedient Servant, AN UNITARIAN LAYMAN. The end proposed is 4 General Association of all the Unitarian Societies, throughout England and Wales.

2. County Association. At the first quarterly District. Meeting, a At the first quarterly meeting, minister and layman to be deputed a President and Secretary to be from each District to a County chosen annually out of the minis. Meeting; and where the numbers ters of the district, and a Treasurer in one county are small, two of out of the lay delegates. more counties may be united in one Association.

It is obvious that such a meeting must be of incalculable utility, and many plans might be there adopted to promote the cause; such, for instance, as the forma The Association to dine together tion of new interests in the dis- after the business is transacted, trict, by preaching and by Unit- 3. General Association. Atarian tracts; the establishment the first half-yearly meeting of of congregational libraries or of each County Association, a miSunday schools in each society mister and a layman to be annually of the district; or the institution appointed to attend a meeting of of small tract libraries in different the General Association, which is places, for the diffusion of religious to be held, once in each year, at

one or other of the largest towns sions, and to follow the instrucof the Association, and in the kingdom alternately, and a tions sermon or sermons to be preached to watch over the interests of the on the occasion, and a collection body at large; with a power of made in aid of the General Fund; calling an extraordinary general and, after choosing a president, meeting upon any emergency, such, . secretary and treasurer, the gene for instance, as an intended inva ral business of the Association to sion of the religious rights of Dis be transacted, and the result to senters in general, or of Unitarians be printed in an Address to the in particular. body of Unitarians, and transmit. ted to the different county dele. gates, to be by them transmitted to the delegates of the district meeting, and by them communi. cated to each separate society.

The expences of the respective delegates to be defrayed out of the funds of the Association to which they are deputed.

In order to form the necessary funds, each particular society entering into the Association, to have an annual sermon and a collection.

The General Association would be of great utility in devising schemes for the support of deOne-fourth of the money so col. cayed ministers, and for the relief lected to be reserved by the society of the widows, and for the educa- for their own particular exertions; tion of the orphans of deceased three-fourths to be transmitted to ministers, as well as for the esta- the district meeting, who are to blishment of seminaries of minis- transmit one-half to the county terial education. They might also meeting, by whom the remaining undertake the publishing of popu- one-fourth is to be transmitted to lar Unitarian books and tracts, the General Association meeting: and of lessons, according to the so that one-fourth will be approplan of Mr. Lancaster, which are priated to the funds of each socie much wanted for the use of Uni- ty,-one-fourth to the funds of the tarian Sunday schools; and, by district Association, one-fourth printing large impressions, might to the funds of the County Assosupply the Unitarian body with ciation, and the remaining one. books, &c. at a cheap rate. They fourth to the funds of the General might also send missionaries to Association. preach throughout the kingdom, by means of whom, and aided by the General Fund, new interests might be raised and the cause revived in those places where it has hitherto been declining for want of support.

4. General Committee.-A stand. ing Committee to be chosen annually by the General Association, consisting of such of its members as reside in or near London, who are to carry into effect the deci VOL. VII.

3 K

It is probable that the funds might be considerably augmented by donations and bequests from opulent friends.

N. B. The object might be promoted by the exertions of the London Unitarian Fund Society and of their missionaries, who might transmit to each separate Society a printed copy of the plan deemed most eligible, and solicit their concurrence.

Mr. Crabbe's Representation of Thy thoughts, thy ways, great God! are