be necessary, if not to cause, at be fitted to so many different situ ations? But suppose pleasure the result of a comparison of sensa tions, and every difficulty vanishes. least to heighten ideas of pleasure? and may not those painful sensa tions in consequence of being associated through indefinite time, I shall now endeavour to analyse with that pleasure of which they one of our pleasurable emotions, will be found the constant fore- that it may be seen how the pherunners, come ultimately to nomena correspond with this thechange their character, in the ory; let it be that of eating strawmind of the intelligent being; so berries; and here I think it as to make pleasure the neces- undeniable, 1st, That were we to sary result of every possible im- eat nothing but strawberries, we pression? should not have that pleasure in eating them which we now have: This hypothesis may be thrown into a more tangible shape, in the following proposition and corollaries. Prop. Pleasure is the result of a comparison of sensations. and 2d. That were we to eat them without intermission, the unceasing act of eating strawberries would become, like that of breathing the air, indifferent. From It cannot be doubted that there hence it follows, that the pleasure, are many impressions and states of eating strawberries is purely the of existence, which would cause result of a comparison, from the pleasure to some and pain to others; 1st instance, betweeen the flavour for example, a piece of jerk beef, of this fruit and that of other edible or an ill-cured herring, is a lux. substances; from the 2d, between ury to a half-famished savage; our state when eating, and that of a whilst to a full-fed citizen, it previous state of hunger. No would operate rather as an emetic. doubt, pleasures arising from other To a dethroned monarch, the state sources, may sometimes constitute of a private gentleman would be a part of the pleasure now under one of galling degradation; whilst consideration; for example, if by thousands setting out in life, we have been in the practice of it is regarded as the enviable re eating strawberries with an esteemward of unwearied exertions, and ed friend, or in the light and the ne plus ultra of human felicity, agreeable society of ladies, or in The supposition of the absolute na. the midst of a delightful landscape; ture of pleasure, seems irreconcil. the pleasure resulting from these able with these facts, as also with causes, may be afterwards conthe universality of its existence: tinued to the simple act of eating, in all climates sentient beings en- with which they were previously joy pleasure; man, in particular, associated; but as all complex through all the states of society, emotions may be reduced to simfrom the most barbarous to the ple ones, it will be sufficient to most civilized, through all the consider matters in the simplest ranks of society, from the prince point of view. By the way, the to the peasant; and through all action of breathing mentioned the stages of individual existence, above, is a corroboration of this from the infant to the hoary eden hypothesis; we breathe incessantly, tulous. Is it conceivable how an unconscious of pleasure; but to a absolute, positive something, can person recovering from a severe attack of asthma, the pleasure of stant forerunners, will come ultieasy respiration is unspeakable. mately to change their character in the mind of the intelligent being, so as to make pleasure the necessary result of every possible impression. These considerations, I confess, appear to me, to prove the proposition; but it will be easy, no doubt, for him to whom they do not come with convincing evidence, In this corollary, without assuto point out that pleasurable emo. ming sensation as a certain passport tion, which is either not clearly to endless existence, it is simply referable to contrast, or which maintained, that where indewould exist at all, had no other finite duration is extended to impression, than that from which a sentient being, capable of recolit proceeds, been ever known. lecting its emotions and of explor Cor. 1st. The pains of the sen- ing their causes; pleasure will tient creation are necessary in tend ultimately to be the result of order to produce ideas of pleasure. all its impressions. This, like all other corollaries, This, I confess, does not appear can stand upon no other demon. to me, to be beyond the power of stration than that which establish. the associating principle, but ra es its proposition, and is to acquit ther to be its natural effect, conitself to the understanding, simply sidering that unless the pains have by à comparison between its own place, the pleasures will not folterms and that of its principal. It low; it reconciles the present may be proper to remark, however, that the production of pleasure in this instance is purely mechanical, requiring no exertion of intellect, and in fact little else than that the subject should be a sentient being; neither does it infer a future existence. But where a cause of pain is so violent as to produce dismemberment or destruction, it would seem either to point to a future state of existence, where it may produce its benefi. cial effect; or to impugn the in. finite power of Deity; for if this be established, I hold his infinite benevolence necessarily inferred, tain. and of course, whatever militates against his infinite benevolence is conclusive against his omnipotence. motley appearance of things with the attributes of infinite goodness and power in the Supreme Being; and in the means which he adopts for procuring the happy result, he exhibits himself as a wise and designing agent, as much as in any part of the animal or vegetable economy. Resignation will then deserve the name of rational, and the phrase of "seeing every thing in God, and God in every thing," instead of an unmeaning ebullition of over-heated devotion, may be the predicate of a state future indeed, yet possible, if not cerZERO. Glasgow, Jan. 10, 1812. Theological Query. SIR, Allow me to submit the follow Cor. 2d. The pains of the intelligent creation, in consequence of being associated, through inde. ing query to your theological cor finite time, with those pleasures of respondents ut every denomina which they will be found the con- tion:-Is it to be considered as a proof of ignorance, or of the thority Mr. Adam gets his intelli Unitarians in Transylvania. West Ham, Essex, SIR, Jan. 2, 1812. 1. That these Unitarians are To such as are acquainted with the largest body of Christians of ecclesiastical history, it is well their sentiment which we know of, known that the Unitarians of Po- as no other state in Europe can land, after their cruel expulsion furnish upwards of 160 congrega. from that country in 1661, did, ma. tions which openly profess the ny of them, settle in Transylvania, great doctrine of the Divine Unity. where their doctrine had been 2. That they have a civil estolerated from about the year tablishment, or, at least, a very 1563. Their numbers, circum- liberal toleration of their religiou, stances and doctrine have been as Mr. Markos is styled "Professfrom that period, very little known. or of the Unitarian College of I have lately met with a work Clausenburg". I believe that this called "The Religious World circumstance cannot be paralleled Displayed, &c. by the Rev. Ro- in the Christian world. bert Adam, B. A. Oxford; Mi. 3. That from their long settle- In a note, at the bottom of the page, we are informed that "this work of Professor Markes is entitled Summa Universæ Christianæ secundum Unitarios in usum Auditorum concinnata et edita; Mr. Adam also says that, the Unitarians in Transylvania have long had separate congregations, and have upwards of 160 at this day. I know not from what au. * Since writing the above, I have in vol. ii. p. 185, he says "Transylvania "It appoints persons for all the livings 4. That, though they live un- spread of liberal opinions; yet der the despotic government of there is a class of readers, among Austria, yet they enjoy a degree whom I most certainly include of religious liberty which Unitari- myself, who I think might be very ans in Britain are not legally en- materially benefited by having va. titled to! luable publications made more accessible to us. It must be evi To these probable conclusions I beg leave to add the following dent to every one that the purquestions. chase of the best writers on Unita 1. Have any of your learned rian subjects, for these last 40 correspondents seen the Latin co. years, is beyond the ability of py of Professor Markos's work many who from education are before mentioned? equal to obtaining much benefit 2. Is there any English trans- from the perusal of them; and lation of that work? gentlemen who have libraries, are 3. If any of your learned cor- not always willing to lend books, respondents are acquainted with from the consequent injury they the Latin copy, and there be no they must sustain from being freEnglish translation extant, would quently read. What I would proit not be of real service to the pose is, that some bookseller Unitarian cause in the British should collect all the books, for Islands and America to translate these last 40 years, on Unitarian the work into English? subjects, and let them out by the 4. May not some method be volume for hire, as in circulating devised (perhaps through a mer- libraries. I should hope, far from cantile medium) of opening a cor- such a plan being injurious to respondence with Professor Mar- the sale of books, it would prove kos, or some other respectable advantageous, as it would increase Unitarian in Transylvania, where readers and probably induce most by we may know more of the cir- to make some purchases: judging cumstances of our Christian bre- by my own feelings, I know nothing thren in that remote country? but the inability to purchase twould I am Sir, yours, satisfy me with an occasional read. SENEX. ing. Proposal of an Unitarian Circulating Library. Hampstead, Jan. 5, SIR, 1812. If this or any similar plan should be adopted in consequence of my writing, I shall feel plea. sure in the hope that I may have rendered some small service to a cause in which I am deeply in I am among the number of of those who look forward with terested. pleasure to the beginning of the month, when the pages of the Monthly Repository will give the A Friend to Inquiry. information of the great exertions Practical evil of the doctrine of the friends of truth are making. The book societies, in London and many parts of the kingdom, have, Original Depravity. I doubt not, done much for the the iminoral tendency of the Cal vinistic system, they are answered his level! What would an Evanby a charge of malignant detrac- gelical preacher (oh! misapplied tion. It may be useful therefore, term,) have said to such a crimifrom time to time, to record facts nal, who already held so firmly which undeniably prove this ten- the chief of the doctrines of grace! dency. And how mischievous is a national religion; which allows such men as this the Christian name, and lulls them, on the ground of their baptism, into a deadly repose or destructive hopes! The doctrine of Original Depravity is a favourite principle of the Calvinists; yet no principle seems more dishonourable to the Creator and more hostile to social peace, happiness and virtue. My experience convinces me that he that believes himself corrupt, is I am No Disciple of John Calvin. not far from being so. Virtue A Collection of Facts relating to unnatural! What better excuse for vice! Blackstone. Comm. B. iv. ch. 1. "To shed the blood of our fellow creature is a matter that requires the greatest deliberation, and the fullest conviction of our own authority: for life is the immediate gift of God to man; which neither he can resign, nor collected from the laws of nature or so- "We may even hope, that when the benevolent and more enlightened eye of philosophy shall have inspected that im Criminal Law. [Continued from p. 30.] But I wish merely to point out "The Criminal Law is in every to your readers a case in which country of Europe more rude and imperthe wretched principle of original fect than the civil." and universal depravity formed a covering into which atrocious guilt retreated from public igno. miny. You remember, I dare say, the name of Hodge, the West In dia Planter, who though not old, had gone through a long catalogue of cruelties and passed a busy life of murders. This ruffian was at length arrested in his career of blood and tried for his life, which was afterwards demanded in sacri. fice to justice. To the jury who sat upon his case, he is represented in the Morning Chronicle of July 8th 1811, as saying that "Bad as he had been represented, and bad as they might think him, he felt support in his affliction from "In free governments, the very act religion. As all men are subject of enquiring into the grounds and effects to wrong, he could not but of laws is a direct proof of increasing that say knowledge. It constitutes a presumpTHAT PRINCIPLE was likewise tive proof of such improvements in the INHERENT in him. He acknow- actual state of society as render the forledged himself guilty in regard to many of his slaves. What a principle must that be which places such an abuser of bumanity upon a level with the majority of mankind; or rather, which drags them down to portant part of legislation, the distribution of punishments, this will become less and less destructive, without being less efficacious, and be gradually con verted into correction of offenders." v. iii. p. 496. 8vo. mer code inconvenient or oppressive; and when the expedients proposed by inwishes of the community, it becomes telligent men harmonize with the silent the duty of every wise and honest legis lature to supply what is defective, and to correct what is mischievous." Philopatris Varvicensis, ii, 492. |