be sustained, and the mind participate under another sky a part at least of the religious privileges it would have enjoyed at home.

In the next place, let the traveller bridle his curiosity. The present fallen condition of man is in part the result of unbridled curiosity; and a desire to see, to know, and to try things forbidden, is every day bringing down fresh curses upon human nature. Abroad, perpetual provocatives must be supplied to this thirsty passion of our nature; and he who indulges it by seeing every thing, will probably see much that ought never to be seen, and know much of which every good and wise man should unfeignedly desire to be ignorant.

Next, let our travellers beware of approximations to what is wrong-Sir Thomas More said of the casuists, that it was their office to teach " quam propè ad peccatum liceat accedere, sine peccato-how near a man may approach to sin without actually einning." A more mischievous lesson it is impossible, I conceive, to study. The great business of life is to draw a wide and strong line between ourselves and the path of disobedience to the will of God: and the best means of pursuing this object, is not by splitting hairs in morality-by fancying nice distinctions, and creating invisible differences-but by cultivating, under the assistance of God, a spirit of real love and devotion to him. Love is, after all, the best casuist, and will settle a thousand points which heartless school-men, and philosophers so called, will continue to argue for ever.

Finally, let the traveller remember that he is called not to import the principles or habits of foreign nations into his own, but to export to those less favored countries the principles and practices he has learned at home. The political constitution of Great Britain-the purity of her religious creed the free circulation of Bibles, of the formularies of the church, and of other devout books -the somewhat grave character of her population-her insular situation-her comparative exemption from the storm which has recently "swept over the earth, like a Levanter," shaking the foundations of religion to their utmost depths;-all these circumstances have conspired in some degree to elevate her in moral rank above the other nations of Europe. Now, if the inhabitant of a civilized country chance to travel among savages, he does not dream of degrading himself to their habits-he does not bore his nose, nor tear off his clothing, nor dine upon the companions of his expedition, nor choke his decayed parent in the mud of a river; -but he strives to cherish in these barbarians a love of cleanliness, and refinement, and gentleness, and morality; and thus gently rears them up to the habits and tastes of cultivated men. In like manner, when the rest of Europe has sunk below our own country in

the scale of morality, it is not just, nor humane, nor religious, nor sound philosophy, nor common sense, to descend to their moral barbarisms. It is our wisdom and our duty to 'shew them a more excellent way;" if possible, to rouse them from their criminal slumbers, and call them up to their proper level in the rank of humanity, England has, for a considerable period, under a far Mightier Ruler, swayed the political destinies of Europe; and shall she now truckle to receive her morals at the hands of the vanquished-to receive from them, opinions and practices which have been the very elements of their own degradation and ruin? Shall we, having planted our banner in the very heart of Europe, sit down in their Capua, and there unlearn all the principles in the strength of which we have triumphed? Rather let us, while we pity the conquered, respect ourselves. Let us watch over the ark of our own prosperity; and let us labor to impart to the prostrate nations of Europe, gifts which may avert the future tempest of war, and may render them practically great and happy, under whatever constitution or sky they may chance to draw their breath, or plead for mercy with a most compassionate God.

Having brought these humble observations to a conclusion, I' will merely add, that, should any of our dear countrymen in a strange land feel themselves depressed or disquieted by the picture which it has been here attempted to draw of the perils of their situation, they may, perhaps, be able to cheer themselves by the consideration that the power and the compassion of the GOD they serve are diffused over every spot of His universe; and that, even in the country they have left, there are those who love them-who ardently desire their welfare-and who lift their hands and their hearts to the Throne of Mercy, that the tender Father of this weak and guilty world may take them beneath the wing of His sleepless providence; may gently "guide them by His counsel," and at length "receive them up into glory."

1

ΤΟ

OBSERVATIONS

ON

THE PRESENT

AGRICULTURAL AND NATIONAL

DISTRESS;

ADDRESSED TO A NOBLE LORD.

BY VINDEX.

LONDON:

POSTSCRIPT.

20th August, 1822.

SINCE the first letters were published, in the Pamphleteer, No. 34-the Agricultural Distress has advanced with a rapid pace, and has now very nearly exhausted the capital of the Farmers, from one end of the kingdom to the other. Hitherto those unfortunate men have persisted, where it was possible, in prosecuting a losing trade; partly from habit, partly from inability to find any other employment whereby they could procure a livelihood-and partly, no doubt, from the hope that things were come to the worst, and must begin to mend. The event, however, has hitherto proved the fallacy of that expectation; and every article of produce, instead of advancing in price, has steadily continued to fall. Corn has declined considerably, although the last year's crop (that of 1821) was by no means immoderate; and sheep and cattle, how low so ever they might have been purchased when lean, have constantly been sold at a proportionably lower price by the time they were fit for the butcher; so that many intelligent Graziers have been obliged to sell both sheep and cattle, after keeping them upwards of twelve months, for less than their original cost: and although the Dairyman may not be equally pressed as the corn-farmer by wages and other outgoings, his business requiring fewer hands, yet when we perceive the staple article, cheese, reduced from 90 or 95 shillings the cwt., to 40 or 45 shillings, his loss we may be sure is likewise excessive, whatever may have been the reduction of his rent.

And here I would beg leave to observe, that the misconceptions of the people at large on the subject of rent, and its influence on the sufferings of the Farmers, is still surprisingly great, after all that has of late been said and written concerning it. Whenever the Farmers' misfortunes are mentioned, the common remark is sure to be" let the Landlords lower their rents then, and the Farmers will continue to live and thrive as well as ever:" as if the rent were to be considered as the sole existing grievance, the only cause of the overwhelming distress of the Agricultural body. But it is demonstrably certain, that the rent in many cases-particularly on arable farms—is an object of minor importance in the list of expenses: besides, in point of fact, rents have almost everywhere