ADVERTISEMENT

In what I have said of the immoral tendency of a certain mode of antinomian and un-apostolic preaching, it ought to be observed, that many in the Church are as blameable as those out of it; but none are so pernicious in this respect as the Seceders. For the want of novelty in what is here said respecting the operation of the poor Laws, I trust it will not be thought necessary to make

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any apology. I am convinced that if the amelioration begins to be visible, it is owing to the accumulated evidence of individual information.804, 2131 Jogos De

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HAVING had occasion to address a friend of yours, some time since, on a subject materially connected with the welfare and high moral character of the country, I trust I shall be forgiven, if, once more leaving for a moment my immediate and appropriate avocations, and actuated, as I was then, by no other motive than regard to truth and humanity, I venture to submit to you some Thoughts on the Increase of Crimes" in the present day; and, together with this momentous topic, on the "Education of the Poor, and

the National Schools."

I have been led to address these Thoughts to youy in consequence of the part you have taken, the tempered energies, and the Christian spirit you have displayed, when enforcing the necessity of a revision of our criminal code.

In the letter to Mr. Brougham, I endeavoured to vindicate the more venerable and august establishments of education in this kingdom, My manner and motives have been impugned by those who admit the vindication to have been most triumphant; though I am conscious that I had no other motives of writing then, than I have now.

Previously to entering on the immediate subject of this address, I shall therefore take the opportunity of disclaiming some sentiments which have been attributed to me, by a writer in a widely

circulated and distinguished literary journal, who has, in other respects, ably and eloquently, discussed the subject of " Abuses of Charity."

Gratified as I must be by the praise of the answer to Mr. Brougham, as far as arguments are concerned, I feel myself reluctant to be considered as having been actuated by such base feelings as adulation or fear! I disclaim a shadow of either feeling. I had, and could have, no right to accuse Mr. Brougham's motives, and the cause itself I think as nationally important, as I believe the spirit that prompted the investigation was benevolent. I admit that I ought not to have spoken of abuses as" detected," when they were only to be enquired into, and when all the statements were ex parte. But there are great ABUSES in charitable funds to my own knowledge; and without any feelings of adulation which are abhorrent from my heart, I would not, with the exception I have made, retract a word, respecting the obligations of the country to that active benevolence which led the way to the enquiry.

Truth, and neither flattery" nor "fear," induced me to write as I did; nor can imagine that any dispassionate reader of the "Vindiciae Wykehamica" could think I meant to flatter Mr. Brougham, when, speaking of his inquisitorial manner, I compare him, in this respect, with the most obnoxious character in the Star-chamber OF CHARLES THE FIRSTU 27 kuuld be gragon #26 w

Injurious as this manner, and his ex parte statements have been to a cause so nationally important, I do not believe that he intended any direct injury to the venerable seats of English education ; but the STONE was put into his hand BY THOSE WHO DID ; and when it is remembered who, and what description of men, were in the constant habit of attending the committee, it might be conceived that they took advantage of his ardent characters to effect that task from which they shrunk themselves.

"So much for flattery: with respect to the other abjeet feeling, what should I fear? Phave no personal interest whatever; and as to a wish or a thought of seeing other establishments sacrificed, as long as Winchester was safe, I have expressly said, in language far from Hattery, Mr. Brougham has betrayed ignofalice of the very language of the statutes to which he appeals, and T should succeed in vindicating Winchester, I trust the Brow aimed at all similar establishments may lose somewhat of its direction and force,”

No other establishments, or charter, or endowments, were the objects of my writing. Let those concerned in them defetid them as I have done, who have no concern with Winchester, except that which arises from attachment to the place of my education. I hope I have not uttered a sentiment that might imply I wished any endowment to be condemned from ex parte statement. I have indeed

spoken of the abuses of Yeovil from the written evidence, but I did so because Yeovil and Winchester had been classed together as qually guilty. My meaning certainly was, that according even to this evidence, the cases of Yeovil and Winchester ought not to have been mentioned in the same century, for this simple reason, because one charity was at least in existence and florishing, and the other a non-entity, nor did it, appear what had become of its funds,

Without any professions of extraordinary humanity, most fervently should I rejoice, if in every case, where the poor had been deprived of their just rights, those rights should be restored; and that avarice, or fraud, deeming themselves secure in the possession of spoils unjustly acquired, should be deprived of those spoils, and brought to the bar of public animadversion.→ But, much as I should rejoice at such restitution on one side, and such justice on the other, I should far more sincerely rejoice, if, when an accusation was brought against any society or any individual, that society of that individual should be proved clear from such charges, as I hope I have proved Winchester to be. So far from wishing any sacrifice, from terror, or any other feelings, at the shrine of Wykeham, I can read with the greatest satisfaction, the plain yet forcible vindication of the charities of Croydon, &c.; and I should do the same, if what appears so black against Yeovil should come out, as spotless as the fame of Winchester. I thought it indeed absolutely essential, in vindicating a particular place from the charge of abuses, to show that my object was entirely remote from the possible imputation of wishing to screen abuses in generale (or)

There is another charge, which I am equally anxious to repel ; it is, that I have confined, what it pleases the writer, to call my "moaning" to the expression of regret, on account of the omission of two highly respectable names, in the list of honorable Commissioners saying nothing on account of the omission of other highly respectable names, and particularly that of the Chancellor of my own University.ss?

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Now, this last circumstance alone is sufficient, conceive, to justify meg for if there could be found a name entitled, most peculiarly to my veneration, it would be that of Lord Grenville,, to whom, on account of his high character, I gave my unbiassed support at the University Election for the Chancellor's Chairs

Sir. Wm, Scott, one of the members in Parliament for the same University, has received from me the same testimony of public respect. I can add, that among the honorable Commissioners, some are personally known to me, and there are none, for whom, as individuals, Í do not feel the sincerest conviction of their intelligence and integrity, as afo stvar na moj beza olurga siro : mas

But as Mr. Brougham had lamented the absence of two par ticular names from the list of honorable Commissioners, I surely might be allowed to join in the expression of that regret when I was bound to those whose names he had introduced, by many considerations of private regard, respect, and gratitude. Nor could this expression of my regret, in common candor, be conceived as implying the least disrespect to others, or being a mere " Echo" of Mr. Brougham. If it was an Echo, it was not an Echo of Mr. Brougham, but of the WHOLE nation.

If Mr. Brougham were to say, "that Milton's Paradise Lost" was a fine poem, my cordially joining in the sentiment would not be an "Echo" to him, when all judges of poetry think the same: nor could this expression of praise on one great Poem be deemed the least reflection on a poem such as "THE LAST OF THE GOTHS!"

- I trust the writer of that article will take in good part these observations; but I could not be entirely silent when I am represented as throwing a kind of slur on names which stand high in the national estimation; and when the writer is lost sight of, to bring -before the Public the feelings of the man, with which the public have nothing to do.

As to "sickening adulation," let those show it who would palliate grievances to flatter power," that thrift may follow fawning," &c.

I had no motives, no feelings, of this kind; I could have none. Nor had I the smallest desire to detract from the great services rendered to the nation by the existing ministry, though I am honored by the notice, and, may I say, friendship, of some of the most distinguished characters politically opposed to them. I have never concealed or compromised my own opinions.

Having thus endeavoured to set myself right before the public, respecting the motives and feelings which influenced me in addressing Mr. Brougham, on the subject of Winchester College, I hasten to the more immediate topic of this letter-the increase of crimes; and I am persuaded that if, in speaking of the best means of preventing these crimes, education, and the national schools, I should succeed in disposing your mind to a more just view of the Church, of which I am a member, I shall have done some service to it in this day of trial; and if what I address to you should dispose others to a more tolerant survey of the advantages derived from its ́establishment, I hope also I shall have done some service to the country:at all events, I shall have done my duty without any feelings of terror, and without any thought of interes!..

The first object we have to notice is the dreadful Increase of Crime. According to the statement of a noble Lord in the House of Peers the increase of capital convictions in the space of twelve