other pieces are little more than Bolingbroke's language in easy verfe. The immortal THOMPSON, the fimple and naturally elegant GOLDSMITH, the humorous STERNE, the fublime BLAIR, the learned and inftructive GIBBONS, the nervous and perfuafive ROBERTSON, and the uncommonly great, tho' I am forry to say a Deiftical, HUME, are writers, who, for fublimity of conception, Philofophical reasoning, and eafy communication of ideas, have never been furpaffed by any Nation. To conclude this fection, the good and learned Swedenborg was highly favoured by heaven to elucidate the real meaning of the fcriptures. Of all the writers, either ancient or modern, I never read any thing on Divinity, equal to what he has advanced. Many may ridicule his opinions, as being founded on Vifion; but the fcriptures inform me, that fome in every age of the church, have been favoured with revelation, and why might not he? SEC с 165 с SECTION XI. ALTHOUGH I have fo freely given my opinion, especially with regard to the literal sense of the word, or meaning of the fcriptures, far be it from me, even to fuppofe, that they are not of God: Moft certainly they are, and contain the very esfence of divine truth, or every thing which can make us wife, happy and good. What I contend for, is, that they are written, and ought to be explained according to the fublime and wonderful doctrine of correspondence; and that most of the Clergy, whofe duty it fhould be, to make themfelves mafters of the original languages, in order to qualify them for expounding the sacred writings, are inadequate to the task, and confequently, are obliged to have recourse to vague literal explanations from which they form doctrines, that lead themselves and hearers into error and contradic tion. tion. Such are the illiterate journey-men of HUN TINGDON and WESLEY, and too many of our regular Clergy. 'Tis true, there are indolent quacks and conceited emperics in every profeffion, and in this country, they are more encouraged than in any other.-Such a fwarm of ignorant pretenders to medical knowledge; of fwindling pettifogging lawyers, and felf-new born, inspired parfons, all with their big wigs and babylonish garments, are not to be found in all Europe !---The island of Great Britain exhibits fuch an infamous fcene of impofture and deception, as perhaps no nation ever did, or ever will. Our laws are a chaos of infipid nonfenfe and confufion, rather calculated to fill the pockets of interested word quibblers and benchmen, than to impart juftice to the injured.---That laws are neceffary for the order and government of fociety, there can be no doubt; however, I will take upon me to say, that no nation ever vefted one tenth of the power, into the hands of illiterate fcribbling and low-bred men, as this has done: confequently, no kingdom is, or ever was, fo much pestered, harraffed and perplexed, with a jumble of confufed chicane ry. ry. What a fhocking thing it is, for any fet of beings to be continually in the power of merciless leeches, who, for money will fell a man's property or even his liberty! Should plain truth and reafon take place of quib. bling abfurdity, we might yet regain our natural rights---but till that time, thy fons and daughters, O! Great Britain, may bid adieu to happiness! till the glorious period arrives, that thou wilt seriously. take into confideration, how to subdue the haughty fons of cunning SOLON the lawyer, and humble their pride, thou wilt never be happy. Peace and concord will fly from thee, and thy children will be left to wander in the ways of ftrife and contention! I fay again, that we will never be happy, while we continue our prefent mode of conduct; on the contrary, we will fink deeper and deeper into the pit of troubles and miferies, which our political schemes are continually digging for us.-'Tis true, no nation is more more fanguine in boafting of its great liberties thari England, and yet, thofe who are well acquainted with the world, muft, I am confident, confess, that few nations have lefs claim to the appellation. Our criminal laws are founded on injuftice and confufion, and instead of affigning a proper diftinction and punishment between crimes, they are jumbled together, and the poor unfortunate wretch, who robs you of a few fhillings muft hang by the neck till he is dead, as well as the blood thirsty affaffin, who ushers you into eternity!-Our civil laws are also unjust in the extreme.-For inftance, if a perfon be arrested for debt in this kingdom, and cannot procure bail, he must go to jail, and there remain, perhaps a twelvemontlı, before he can bring the affair to trial.-This is what I call, executing a man firft, and judging him afterwards, to know if he be guilty of that, for which he has already fuffered! Our innumerable modes of proceeding, and the numerous advantages which a rogue always has in his power, to take of the in nocent |