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towards an Arian, thus given by his pupil and biographer Dr. Kippis.

"Once I remember, some narrow-minded people of his congregation gave him no small trouble on account of a gentleman, iu communion with the church, who was a professed Arian, and who otherwise departed from the common standard of Orthodoxy. This gentleman they wished either to be excluded from the ordinance of the Lord's supper, or to have his attendance upon it prevented. But the Doctor declared, that he would sacrifice his place and even his life, rather than fix any such mark of discouragement upon one, who, whatever his doctrinal sentiments were, appeared to be a real christian." Biog. Brit. 2d ed. p. 307.

I must, however, agree with your correspondent, that Mr. Clark might be justly presumed to be no Arian, at least when chosen by Doddridge for an assistant. Which of the numerous forms of a trinity the Doctor approved, it may be difficult to ascertain. Yet, I think, he must be classed, by every reader of his Expositor, among those who believed "that God was some way one and some way three," to use the language of an orthodox opponent of the learned James Pierce, quoted in his " Western Inquisition," (p. 35.) Such a believer was not likely to prefer an Arian as a colleague in the direction of his Academy.

That Dr. Watts has also been "stigmatized by bigots,' is justly remarked by your correspondent. Yet bigotry is chargeable not so much with unfairly imputing to him great deviations from his juvenile orthodoxy as with attributing such deviations to mental debility, arising from age and nervous derangement. I well remember what ridiculous stories on this subject were given to the religious world about 30 years ago, I believe, through the medium of "the Gospel Magazine," which was the Evangelical organ of that day. These stories were chiefly attributed to Toplady, a scholar and divine, whose talents might have been better employed. The biographers of Watts, especially his friend Dr. Gibbons, a man of high integrity, clearly proved the falsehood of such reports. I wish they had proceeded further and given us from personal knowledge, and an examination of the writings of Watts, an account of the variations in his theological creed. From such an examination, it would probably appear, that he who in the days of his " younger assurance,' as he expresses it, taught the christian world to sing that extraordinary couplet

"This infant is the mighty God,
Come to be suckled and ador'd,"

.

required at last all the aid of Charity whom he had invoked "to find out Mr. Locke in Heaven," to prevent an orthodox brother from believing, that without doubt he must perish everlastingly." This language of an arrogant mortal who "as God sitteth in the temple of God," is indeed the peculiar disgrace of the churches of Rome and England! It is however a conclusion unavoidable from the doctrines maintained by the truly orthodox in all churches. I am Sir, yours,

Bristol, April 20, 1807.

T. J.

DUELLING.

SIR,

To the Editor of the Monthly Repository.

THE age in which we live is universally acknowledged to be one, in which civilization and the polite arts and sciences have made considerable progress. It will therefore be the subject of much inquiry, at some future period, how it has happened that amidst so many improvements, the barbarous practice of duelling should have continued to rage with unabated violence; that the laws of honour, as they are called, should have gained such an ascendancy over reason and religion and all the sensibilities of social life; that the tender relations of father, husband, son and brother, should have been sacrificed at their shrine; and that all this should have been allowed to take place without either of the parties having committed the slightest offence against any law, human or divine; and that the most amiable character should have submitted himself to take the chance of becoming the victim of the thoughtless, the rash and the turbulent, and what is worse, of the bacchanalian, in his cups, when wine had inflamed his passions and overwhelmed his reason.

It is not my intention to introduce to your readers the arguments of the moralist or the divine, or to point out the laws of our country which stand opposed to this pernicious practice. They are too well known to need repetition. But you will permit me to point out at once the cause and the remedy of an evil so dreadful in its consequences, so abhorrent to the feelings of nature, so contrary to the dictates of reason and religion.

It will readily be admitted that fashion, to whose decision all ranks submit with the most implicit obedience, has

been the mischievous instrument which has gained such an ascendancy over the human mind, that the laws of God and our country are set at open defiance. People are hardly aware how large is the empire of fashion, and what powerful and tyrannical sway she exercises over her subjects. It exceeds the power of the papal chair in its most flourishing state. It has neither rivers, mountains, nor oceans for its boundaries. In this country it has effected what the power of law or force could never have done; it has made all ranks forsake their native beverage for a foreign decoction of tea-leaves, while we see almost a rebellion raised up in the East Indies for attempting to shorten a mustachio by force. Fashion makes us submit to every deformity of dress ingenuity can invent, without a murmur or complaint.

Fashion! thou all-powerful goddess! I at this time invoke and call thee to my assistance to give the death-blow to this barbarous, this cruel custom, which thou hast established and confirmed; a custom which involves the happiness of all thy votaries, and which in one fatal moment of delirium converts the mansion of felicity into the abode of miserv and distress.

The remedy I submit for consideration is as follows:That an association be formed from the highest circles and of men of the most distinguished politeness in the kingdom; let it be called the association of honour, and all the disputes which can now only be settled by duelling be referred to them, and judgment thereon be given by their committee appointed for that purpose, whose decision shall be final, and the party so adjudged shall make the required apology. It would be a gem of the brightest lustre in the crown of his Majesty to be president of this society, nor is such a suggestion to be accounted visionary, when I inform you that a gentleman long resident in Russia assures me that Catharine the Great, treated duelling with such ridicule and contempt, that she effected in her vast empire, what I am now recommending here, and the practice of duelling in her reign totally ceased.

It may be objected that the decisions of this court of honour would be of no avail, but let the punishment of those who are hardy enough to resist the voice of fashion be considered and it will be found otherwise. The offender would not only be accounted dishonourable, but what has more weight, unfashionable and unpolite. He should receive no

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cards of invitation to any fashionable amusements, nor be received at court. He should in fact be excommunicated from all polite society, and, considered as he really is--a barbarian.

Thus would the laws of honour commence a new era and receive a new cast-and he who was disobedient to her commands, would be like Cain, a fugitive and a vagabond, wandering on the face of the earth with a punishment greater than he could bear.

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And you, my fair countrywomen, let me ask your aid. You have an influence in society, though secret, yet powerful. It is you who in a great measure form our characters and mould us as you please, honour me with your approbation and my feeble efforts will be crowned with suc

cess.

I have thus, Sir, sent you these imperfect hints, hoping some conscientious person whose influence in society is more extensive than mine, may improve and patronize such a

plan.

Hertford,

May 19, 1807.

I remain,
Your's respectfully,

R. F.

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ON THE APPLICATION OF THE TERM UNITARIAN."
To the Editor of the Monthly Repository.

SIR,

A NEW correspondent, while he endeavours to contribute his mite towards the information of your readers, begs you to accept his thanks for the able and impartial manner in which the Repository has been hitherto conducted. Nor is this praise intended as common-place flattery. All your readers, with whom I happen to be acquainted, highly approve of its general plan and conduct, and admire more particularly one characteristic feature-the impartiality with which arguments on both sides of controverted questions are admitted. In my individual opinion likewise, the value of the Repository is much enhanced by its direct tendency to expose the errors of that system of false christianity, to which long prescription has given the appellation of Orthodoxy, and to counteract the phrensy of evangelical illiberality, cant and nonsense.

In Dr. Magee's Discourses on Atonement and Sacrifice,

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p. 110, note10, is the following passage, on which, as my text, beg leave to make a few remarks.

"It is obvious that the sect to which I here allude, is that known by the name of Unitarians-a title by which it is meant modestly to insinuate, that they are the only worshippers of one God. From a feeling similar to that which has given birth to this denomination, they demand also to be distinguished from the other nonconformists by the appellation of rational Dissenters."

I am not surprised, Sir, as Dr. Magee regards us as the cff-scouring of Christians," even more to be dreaded than the declared and systematic deist," (pref. p. 2.) destitute of learning, good intentions, honesty and every good principle, that he is not willing to allow us the appropriate but honorable title of Unitarians, and that with a candour peculiar to himself he sneers at our modesty; while it is in our power to return the same compliment to his humility, which, good man, he frequently distinguishes by proud capitals! But the propriety of the appellation must be determined in a different manner, Mr. Editor.

It is a well known fact, Sir, that the Trinitarian controversy fairly amounts to this does the Divinity consist of three persons or one person? The great majority of Christians believe that the Divinity is constituted of three persons; and they are called, and call themselves, Trinitarians. By the same analogy of language, those who believe the Divinity to be only one person, call themselves Unitarians. Now, Sir, as these Unitariáns mean modestly to insinuate, that they are the only worshippers of one God, by parity of reason those Trinitarians mean to insinuate by their title, fwhether with equal modesty I will not say,) that they are the only worshippers of three Gods.

Inevitably as this conclusion follows from the Doctor's premises, it is far from being my intention to involve Trinitarians in general in the guilt of idolatry: my object is to expose the sneering haughtiness and malevolent insinuations of such high-churchmen and intemperate zealots as Dr. Magce. Indeed, doctor, I fear your cause is desperate, if in its defence you become (unwarily we know) the advocate of idolatry. But you are not the first, who has attempted to kill his enemy through his own body.

I leave Dr. Magee for the present, to consider, with your leave, Sir, what is the real line of distinction between Trinitarians and Unitarians; for some, I understand, are dubi

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