matter, may easily be imagined. But it is in that same peculiarly impressive form, that this new portion of spurious matter-this sub-substitute to every thing that ever came from Jesus (the one short and unexcludible prayer excepted) is also fitted to be administered.*

As to these self-styled CHIEF TRUTHS-as to this new Supplement to the Old Catechism

* In the abovementioned Report, of which so much more will come to be said, it is in two places recommended to all the Schools carried on in subordination to that National Society, and, to inforce the recommendation, therein mentioned as being sold to them by the Society at reduced prices: viz. in Appendix, No. VI. p. 190. under the name of Chief Truths of the Christian Religion; and again in No. VII. p. 193, under the shorter name of Chief Truths. In No. VI. it stands next but one to "Catechism broken into short questions." This was in August, 1812. At this time nothing of Our Saviour was included in the list but the "Sermon on the Mount." In No. VIL p. 193. come "Parables of our Blessed Saviour; Miracles of ditto; and Dis"courses of ditto:" over all these discourses and acts of the Blessed "Saviour" precedence is given to this National Society's Chief Truths. In the list of the abovementioned Books, mentioned in this same Report, No. VIII. p. 196, as being employed in the instruction administered in the Central School, situated in the Metropolis, it is not visible.-Is it then employed there, or is it not? If yes, why suppress the mention of it? If not, why refuse to the children of this one School the benefit of a source of instruction recommended to every other? In p. 192. "to preserve "uniformity of proceeding," stands at the head of the list of those which the Society is there made to declare to be "its only objects."

who the author of it is, my Lords the Bishops have not vouchsafed to inform us. Who the author is, and what the contents are-these are among the truths, as well as who the author is, among the secrets-which for the present purpose are not worth knowing. What, to the present purpose, it is quite sufficient to know, is-that in conjunction with, and subordination to, the Old Catechism, this new body of divinity, begotten by we know not who, but at any rate adopted by My Lords the Bishops,-is employed in the character of a subsubstitute to the only authentic and genuine accounts of the discourses and acts of Jesus-or, to speak more shortly and not less truly, to the religion of Jesus.

What, on this occasion, is moreover curious enough is to see how, as if by the shuffling of a pack of cards, the works of the " Blessed Saviour" are, without any the smallest distinction, huddled together in a promiscuous bundle along with those of the Rev. Mr. Ostervald, and the anonymous author of the CHIEF TRUTHS.

Not so those of MRS. TRIMMER. Her more holy name is distinguished and illustrated by capitals. What the Blessed Virgin is to the Church of Rome, this Blessed Matron is to the Church of England. In the Mother the Son finds a rival, and that rival a preferred one.*

"With a view to furnishing initiatory Books with greater

§. IV. Badness of this substitute in every respect: 1. as to faithfulness. No tests of it.

That which a formulary, employed in the way in which this Catechism is employed, ought to be, that which it of course professes to be, is—a true picture of the religion of Jesus: a miniature picture indeed; but, as far as it goes, a true one.

Of the religion, of which they thus undertook to give a picture, to give a true picture did not suit the personal interests, nor therefore the pur

"convenience, and at reduced prices, the Committee" (says the Report, p. 192) " have ordered to be deposited at Messrs. Riving"ton's, St. Paul's Church-Yard, Books of that description, in sets "of 50 each, for 100 Children, of which a list is subjoined.

In p. 193, after other matter, without any further title, comes what follows

"50 dozen Cards or Leaves, or National

Society Central School Book, No. 1. "50 National Society Central School Book,

£. s. d.

04 3

"50 Miracles of ditto

"50 Discourses of ditto

And MRS. TRIMMER'S " Teacher's Assistant,

"2 vol. in double sets at .

. 0 7 0 each set."

020

020

"Arithmetical Tables, per dozen

"50 Chief Truths.

.

poses and designs, of the authors of this formulary. From external circumstances this will, it is believed, be seen ere this Introduction is at an end; and from the formulary itself in the body of this work.

That which did suit their purposes was-to employ it as an instrument of corruption, for corrupting altogether the intellectual part, and to a great extent the moral part, of the minds thus impregnated the intellectual, through the medium of the sensitive part, that by weakness they might be rendered unable, because by terror they had been rendered unwilling, to discern the mischievousness of the dominion exercised at their expense: the moral part, that by their being themselves habituated to the practice of mendacity and insincerity in their own sphere, the spectacle of those vices, when practised at their expense in higher spheres, might in their eyes be rendered an object of indifference.

Not only that this object was pursued, but in particular by what precise means it was pursued, may be seen in the body of this work.

For those purposes, what was necessary was -that, in the composition of this formulary, their hands should be as free as possible from all checks, the effect of which might be to obstruct them in the pursuit of those same purposes.

For the fidelity of any picture, undertaken to be given of any mass of the matter of discourse, the nature of the case offers a sort of security, of which

neither the nature nor the importance, nor, in so far as the reputation of sincerity is regarded as necessary, the necessity, either is now, or was then unknown to any one. This is-need it be mentioned?-an accompaniment, composed of references and quotations. Intimately connected as are those two securities in their nature,-frequently as they are connected in practice, either of them is, however, not the less capable of being afforded without the other.

References without quotations present the most

common case.

Quotations without references are much less common, because much less natural: much less natural, because the object is-not merely that misrepresentation may not have place, but that all suspicion of its having had place may be excluded.

On ordinary ground-in the case of an ordinary history for example-references without quotations are commonly and may reasonably be accepted, as affording a security, sufficient for the nature and importance of the case.

But, in the instance here in question, no security, short of the very best and most efficient that the nature of the case affords, could either be suf ficient, or by any intelligent person be regarded as sufficient, or by any honest person-by any person who were not, for the sake of the profit of misrepresentation, content to expose himself to the just suspicion of it-be offered as sufficient.