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The foregoing obfervations apply in fome measure to effay writing of every kind; but they are chiefly applicable to thofe effays that are published in fucceffion at fhort intervals of time, like that which you propose; and where they are not confined to a particular class of writers, but where full liberty is given for every individual to become a writer when he feels a propenfity to it, without any farther limitation than good manners and becoming politenefs requires. By means of fuch a publication, to purfue your own fimile, men may be faid to be introduced to a literary fociety, on the moft liberal plan, in which they may not only hear and obferve, but may also become active members of it. They may there converfe with freedom, on the footing of unbounded equality; but they are at the fame time compelled to act with propriety, and to think with juftnefs; because any deviation from this plan will immediately receive the correction it requires. What travelling therefore, and a general acquaintance with mankind, is to man in his private capacity, writing in a periodical work, is to literary perfons. It is only by mixing with fociety, on a footing of equality, that man can learn to rub off those rude inattentions to others, which felf love fo naturally produces in every individual, when confined to folitude; and to acquire that fuavity of manner, and attention to others, which conftitutes the highest pleasure of focial life, that is now denominated urbanity. In like manner, it is only when literary men mix with others in a periodical publication, where liberty is permitted to every one to do what he thinks proper, on a footing' of perfect equality, that they can properly feel their own weight, and be compelled to relinquish thofe ungracious felf-fufficient tones, which the fancied fuperiority that every man is disposed to ascribe to himself, before he has experienced the powers of others, fo naturally inspires; and to give that becoming modefty in reasoning, which conftitutes the highest polish of a literary character. It

has been remarked, that clergymen, who have confined their literary efforts to difcourfes delivered from the pulpit, are more apt to affume that dictatorial air, and dogmatic self sufficiency of manner, than other claffes of literary men. Nor can any thing be more natural : Such pulpit difcourfes, from the reverence due to the place where delivered, are never criticifed: The pastor therefore, has no opportunity of being ever convinced of the weakness or the futility of the reasoning. He of courfe concludes that his arguments are strong and unanfwerable; and delivers them with the tone and manner that such an idea will naturally infpire. It is perhaps to this circumftance we may afcribe the afperity of manner that so long prevailed among mankind with respect to theological controverfies and literary disputes managed by divines. Fortunately it has happened that periodical publications have now become so common in Britain, as to have afforded young divines more frequent opportunities of trying their powers fairly, than formerly. The confequence has been, that gentleness of manner, and liberality of fentiment, in disputed fubjects, begin to prevail even antong men of this clafs. In thofe foreign countries where fuch periodical performances are rare, the fame rudenefs and illiberality is ftill obferved to prevail in literary difputes; and we fhall in general find that the progrefs of nations in knowledge, but more efpecially their advancement in literary politeness of manner, will keep pace with the number of periodical publications allowed to circulate, and the freedom of difcuffion that is tolerated in fuch publications, when under proper reftrictions. As I doubt not, Sir, from the general character you bear, that your work will be conducted on the most liberal principles. I moft fincerely, from thefe and other confiderations, with you a continuance of health and fpirits to complete your plan, and that share of public fupport which may enable you to go forward in your enterprife with vigour and alacrity, MEDICUS.

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On Prejudices affecting the Truth of History. AMONG an ignorant people, human actions are never fairly appreciated: The delicate operations of the mind are not fufficiently adverted to; and a precipitant judgment is formed of the motives for every action, that is in moft cafes erroneous. Hence it happens, that men of great talents, when they appear among fuch a people, are either reprefented as monfters of wickednefs, or adored as angels; and, thofe who record the tranfactions of their life, will allow no fhare of good to thofe they condemn, nor the fmalleft imputation of wrong, to thofe whom they have taken delight to hon

our.

Among a civilized people, however, the cafe is much the reverte: Thofe who have adverted to the conftitution of the human mind, are fufficiently aware, that the beft are not exempted from the frailties and errors of human nature, and that the most wicked, are never fo thoroughly debafed, as not to have fomething about them that would deferve applaufe-while among the the ordinary run of mankind, virtues and frailties are fo equally balanced, as to make it often difficult to fay, which of them preponderate.

Hiftorians however, who give an account of paft tranfactions, find it a difficult matter to delineate juftly the character of perfons, whofe actions have been fo much mifreprefented by their cotemporaries. To weigh the whole with attention, and to form a juft judgment of the character of any perfon, from the contradictory accounts of perfons, who are in every refpect equally worthy of credit, requires an attention, and a painful refearch, that many wish to avoid. Hence it is ufual for the hiftorian of modern times, in characterifing ancient perfonages to follow with great

exactness, the outlines that have been left to him, by the annalist he copies from,-and thus the monftrous picture is perpetuated.

The prefent age, however, is' diftinguished from all thofe that have preceded it, by more frequent attempts to get the better of this delufion than formerly.-Several persons of great talents, have ftepped forward in defence of injured merit, and in fome cafes have proved far more fuccefsful than was expected. The champions of Mary of Scotland, have gone far to do away the flanderous reproaches, with which he has been too long loaded,—and an attempt to apologize even for Richard the Third, has not been without its effects.

But among all the confpicuous characters in the ancient ftory of Britain, Thomas Becket has had fewer favourers than any other :-Hume and Lyttleton have loaded him with blame without the fmalleft fcruple,nor has any one till the prefent time, ventured to speak one word in his unpopular caufe. The character of him we now prefent to our readers, is very different from that they have been accustomed to read,—and whether it be juit or not, it has an undifputable right to the claim of being well written; on which account, as well as the new ideas it fuggefts, we think to do our readers a pleasure by laying it before them.

Character of Becket, by the Reverend Mr. Berington.

66

Thus, in the 53d year of his age, died Thomas a Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Primate of England. Without incurring the imputation of a vain fingularity, may I fay, that the character of this man has never been fairly appreciated? When the Catholic draws the portrait, all his virtues are emblazoned, and his blemishes are loft in the glare of light. They view him as a faint; and unfortunately, fo impofing has that character been rendered, that the effential stains of mortality are not allowed to rest upon it. Since the recent date of the reformation, it fhould feem, that the moral

order of things has been inverted. Some virtues loft their name; and what had been religious, exemplary, and perfect above the reach of unaffifted nature, ceafed to be fo. The Proteftant then feized the pencil, and, viewing Becket, drew a portrait, on which were feen no lines of former beauty. On both fides is much partial judgment. The ancient hiftorians, I know, who lie before me, wrote with too warm an impreffion. The glare of miracles, they thought, was flathing round them; and the praifes of Rome and of Europe echoed in their ears. It is an apotheofis which they celebrate. But because this is too much, can we fit down with too lit tle, and fay that we are just?

"With fome enthufiafn on my mind, I confefs, I have defcribed the conduct of Becket. Every where I faw him great as other men, and on fome occafions I faw him greater. Real excellence there may be; but it is, by comparing only, that we judge. By his fide, the contemporary men of the day, the greatest the æra could produce in church or ftate, lofe all their fplendor. Alexander is an irrefolute and timid politician: The prelates of England bafely deferting a caufe, which their own confciences held facred, are courtly fycophants, and excite contempt: The facred college of cardinals, bribed by gold, forget their dignity, and bartering away the privileges of the Roman fee, publicly poft up their venality, and become the fhame of Christendom: Henry, the lord of many people, whom Europe then admired, and whom pofterity has called the greatest of English kings, through the quarrel which himself provoked, is wayward, vindictive, timorous, and deceptious, never fhewing one exertion which became a king, and ever indulging a train of affections, which would have dif graced his lowest vaffal: Becket, from the beginning, is firm, dauntlefs, compofed, and manly; like a deep and majestic river, he proceeds even in his courfe, hardly ruffled by rocks of oppofition, and true to the level he had taken.

* The Pope.

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