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ART. XII. The Favour of God the only Security in National Danger :-A Sermon, preached at the Parish Church of St. Lawrence Jewry, on Sunday the 12th of August, 1798; before the Guildhall Volunteer Affociation. By William Lucas, M. A. Lecturer of the United Parishes of St. Mary Magdalen and St. Gregory, Old Fish Street, and Chaplain to the Affociation. Pp. 20. Robinsons, London. 1798.

"HIS is a difcourfe delivered before a Volunteer Corps. The author has judiciously chofen for his fubject the certainty. and confolation of a national Providence, controuling the events of war, and, through the inftrumentality of fecond caufes, ordering all things according to the eternal counfel of his will. In traverfing this beaten ground, much novelty of expreffion, or acceffion of fresh arguments, was not, perhaps, to be expected. The fentiments, however, are conceived with piety, and fuitable to the occafion. The language in which they are conveyed is very good, but not remarkable for any striking beauties. Among thofe paffages which appear to us the most worthy of notice, and highly creditable to the worthy and refpectable author, we felect the following, with which we fhall conclude our obfervations.-Speaking of the means by which we may moft reasonably hope to fecure that divine favour which he had before proved effential to national fuccefs, he fays

"We have not only to contend with a diftant enemy, but with one near at hand: an enemy, of all others, whom we have most to fear, for ftrength, treachery, malignity, and every thing elfe, that can make war dreadful-Let us flee, then, for help to the God whom we have offended; let us, by prayer and repentance, deprecate his wrath; and let a fenfe of what he hath already done for us fill us with confidence and gratitude in return; let us learn, moreover, to compose our paffions, which have been exafperated and inflamed by party violence; to restrain that immoderate spirit of luxury and diffipation fo prevalent among us; and, fince from the arrogant and inadmiffible demands of the enemy, the continuance of the war is unhappily unavoidable, to make fuch economical regulations in our expences as may enable us to contribute with liberality and cheerfulnefs towards [the relief of*] the public incumbrances. And if we

*Not in the text, but neceffary to the perfect fenfe of the fentence, because to contribute to an incumbrance is to increase an evil.

have any true love for our country, any juft regard for the mainte nance of its credit, or any grateful fenfe of the bleffings [which] we enjoy under our happy establishment, now is the time to act, as people entirely convinced, that unanimity in our counfels, and economy in our conduct, are the only stays that can support the prefent burthens, and fecure the freedom and independency of thefe kingdoms from the threatened attempts of an afpiring and ambitious nation.”

PUBLICATIONS ON THE UNION.

ART. XIII. The Probability, Caufes, and Confequences of an Union between Great Britain and Ireland, difcuffed; with Strictures on an Anonymous Pamphlet, in Favour of the Measure, fuppofed to be written by a Gentleman high in Office. By the Rev. Dennis Taaffe. 8vo. Pp. 48. Hill, Dublin, 1798.

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T was eafy to collect from the Debates on this question in the Irish Houfe of Commons, that the fpirit of party was carried to an extraordinary height, and that the voice of reafon was loft in the cries of prejudice, and the clamours of faction. But we had no idea that this fpirit, fo fertile in evils of every defcription, could fuddenly rife fuperior to the ties of allegiance, and the bonds of duty. Yet, in many inftances, this appears to have been the cafe, as we shall have occafion to fhew in our review of the different publications on this interesting topic, which have been tranfmitted to us by our correfpondents in Dublin.

Of what religious perfuafion the author of the pamphlet before us may be, we cannot pretend to fay; whether a Diffenting Minifter, or a Catholic Prieft, we know not; but his political principles, if principles they may be called, are evidently those of a rank Jacobin, of an United Irishman. He begins by representing the state of Ireland to be bad as its worst enemies could wish it; and while his book breathes fedition, if not treafon, in every page, he gravely tells us, that all freedom of enquiry, whether by fpeech or writing, is treated as treason, and struck dumb by the terrors of martial law and military execution.” P. 4. The British Minifter he represents as a perfect monster: admonishing the Proteftants of Ireland to put no truft in him, he fays, "Oh! filly bigots! how little do you compre. hend the expanded views of the illuminated monfter. He can league himfelf just as cordially with emigrant Papift Priefts, with Popish Austria, and inquifitorical bigot Spain, to advance his own schemes;

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he would league himself with the Turk, Jew, Pagan, or even the Devil himself, for the fame end." (P. 6.) He regards England as a rapacious foreigner that wants firft to fubjugate, and then to plunder, her independent neighbour. In order that he may eafily answer the arguments of Mr. Pitt, he makes a fpeech for him, in support of the Union, and puts fuch fentiments in his mouth as would naturally enough proceed from a mind in which folly and profligacy were per fectly blended.

In the lying account which he makes the Minifter give of the caufe of the Irish Rebellion, and the conduct of thofe employed to fupprefs it, he, no doubt, makes ufe of the very language which he is himfelf in the habit of ufing." A banditti of exterminators long paraded through the North in the most public manner, to the terror and dif may of his Majefty's peaceable fubjects, exercifing with entire impunity every fpecies of cruelty and rapine on the defencelefs Catholics of Ulfter; all applications to the Caftle for redrefs or protection were fruitless; and this mifchief was tolerated for years, to the utter rain of thousands, and, therefore, not abfurdly fuppofed to have the fecret Support and countenance of G (The delicacy, or rather apprehenfion, of this feditious prater, in omitting to write the word Government at full length, is curious.) "The Catholic Peafantry of Ireland, finding no protection in the Laws of the Land, combined in their own defence; and thus two hoftile affociations overfpread the kingdom; hence the facility with which republican principles have been propagated-if Jacobins harangued, it was G cured for them a partial and favourable audience. Thus Republicanifm, from being confined to a few fpeculative men, through the crimes of a became the political creed of the nation." (r. 12.) This is really the prettieft apology for treafon and rebellion that we ever recollect to have feen or heard. The people of Ireland are thus addreffed: "Support a Conftitution from a participation of whose rights and benefits you are excluded; fupport a monopoly which crushes, degrades you, and makes you aliens on your native foil; fupport that which makes contempt, flavery, and beggary your inheritance; fupport that which brands you as unworthy to share the benefits of civilized fociety; and which, by ftripping you of every degree of political confequence, gives you as many tyrants as there are members of the privileged caft." (P. 14.) Was ever any Apoftle of Rebellion more eloquent ?

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We learn, however, fomething perfectly novel from this writerthat the Irish were formerly a polished and learned people, and have only been brutalized by their connection with us. Arduous in

deed was the talk of extirpating literature entirely from among them, for the very loweft and pooreft of the wretches have a ftrange hanker. ing after learning, not to be found among the fame defcription any where elfe; and, what is fcarcely lefs alarming, they have a fingular capacity too for feientific purfuit. To pick up a little learning, there is no hardship to which they will not fubmit; nakedness, hunger, and toil!" (P. 22.) "Your ftaunch and zealous blood-hounds

NO, VIII. VOL. II.

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(the Proteftants) may be driven by refentment into an alliance with Patriot Rebels." (P. 23.) The Proteftants, and all who were employed in fupprefling the rebellion, are objects of the vileft calumny, the most atrocious defamation, with this Reverend author.-"Traitors to their country, informers, fpies, butchers of their fellow-citizens, ravifhers of female honour, &c. There is no crime fo abominable they will not deliberately plunge into; command them to fcalp, or devour, the corpfes of thofe they murdered, to erect pyramids of fculls, &c. you fhall be furprized at the alacrity of their obedience, provided the reward lay not behind. There have been inftances of their biting. the palpitating hearts of the flain, and exclaiming, while they de voured the Cannibal repast, no food fe fweet as the heart of a Rebel.” (P. 24.) And this man has the impudence, and the profligacy, to tell the public, that "all freedom of writing. is ftruck dumb" !!! This paffage is followed by an effufion of Jacobinical wit, intended to render his Sovereign contemptible, in evident imitation of that profligate fcribbler ycleped Peter Pindar, though with much lefs humour, and fomewhat more malignity.

The Appendix, which occupies 18 pages, was written by way of Anfwer to the pamphlet reviewed in our laft number but one,. afcribed to Mr. Cooke; it contains no argument, and is remarkable for nothing but rancorous virulence, and open violation of truth. The author ridicules the idea of advantages being derived, in point of refinement and civilization, by the Irish, from a closer connection with the English. "Learn good breeding and politeness from the churlish, growling, and felfish race of Englishmen!" (r. 31.) He tells us, in the lying rant of modern Democracy, that England is waging war againft the independence of France; but that the English of yore would neither crouch to Kings nor Priests, regarding all fuch public officers, by whatever name decorated, as public fervants, refponfible for their miniftry, and liable to be cashiered for misconduct as they frequently were." (P. 36.) This favours of the fchool of PRICE. The only benefit, according to him, to be reaped by Ireland from the propofed Union is," a bountiful dividend of the moderate taxes and debt of England; our full proportion of no less a fum than five hundred million!" (P. 34.) If the "nonfenfical afcendency" of England, her "unjuft monopolies," her "vile machinations," be destroyed; then Christianity will not be difgraced by the horrid exceffes of its votaries, exceffes that argue more against it than e thousand fyllogifms; NO GOOD TREE BRINGETH FORTH BAD FRUIT, &c." (P. 40.) So that this Minifter of Religion deems Chriftianity not a good tree!!!

We have taken more notice of this miferable publication than it deferves, merely with a view to fhew the Spirit that marks many of the enemies to the Union; and, having exhibited fufficient proofs of the veracity and modefty of its author, we fhall now confign it to public contempt.

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ART. XIV. The Second Part of Taaffe's Reflections on the
Union. 8vo. Pp. 48. Mehain, Dublín, 1799.

N reading the Preface to thefe fupplementary reflections of the
We there learn that this

of his ftyle and the rancour of his heart.

political prophet, fo early as the year 1790, forefaw all the evils which Ireland was deemed to experience. That was the very period at which the leaders of the Rebels formed the project of that treafonable affociation of "United Irishmen," which was established the following year. It was very natural that fo zealous a partifan, as Mr. Taaffe appears not merely to have been, but actually to be, thould be admitted into their fecret councils, whence, of courfe, he would derive that knowledge which formed the bafis of his prediction. This will account at once for the fervour of his zeal, and the extent of his forefight. Accordingly he was among the foremost, if not, the firft, to detect the deep-laid plots of the British Cabinet, and found the alarm." From the year 1794 to the prefent period his fentiments, it feems, have been communicated to the public, at different times, through the medium of pamphlets. If the party have had many fuch writers in their pay, all the horrors and enormities which have been committed by the Irish Traitors can excite no aftonishment.

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The prefent tract might very naturally be fuppofed to have ceeded from the Committee of Irishmen at Paris, who have for fome years acted in the capacity of Minifters to the Directory for every thing relating to the intended republics of Great Britain and Ireland. It breathes the pure ftyle of the Directory throughout, and is admi rably calculated for the meridian of the Luxembourg. The rebellion in Ireland, we are told, was all defignedly raised by Mr. Pitt; and

when fects and parties were inflamed against each other, and the (British and Proteftant) afcendancy worked up to fury, breathing revenge and extermination, in comes Camden, with refufal, defiance, coercion, and terror, in his train; then commenced a government of paffion and revenge; a government of fpies and informers, a government of blood-hounds and terrorists." (P. 4.) Here the shoe Pinches. The wife and vigorous meafures of Lord Camden defeated the plots of treafon, and fruftrated the machinations of rebellion-Hinc iræ, hinc lachrymæ.

Were we difpofed briefly to characterize the atrocious calumnies uttered by this author against the British Government, the British Merchants, the British Army, in fhort, against every thing British, we should borrow the expreffion applied by an English author to certain critics, and call them the afpertions of a liar, in the language of Billingfgate.' More flagrant falfchoods were never devifed, more abominable defamation was never propagated, by man. His means and kis object are alike deteftable ;-the one calumny, the other rebellion. "If I am right in my conjectares, the rebels will again be stimulated to rife, with a view of renovating their conflict with the Yeomanry, thus preventing any thing

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