But all these fcandalous inconfiftencies, this flagrant contempt of decency and decorum will cease to create furprise when we confider WHO and WHAT the generality of Critics are. They moftly confift of the worthy difciples of John Calvin; a moody*, brooding, restless set of disappointed Prefbyterians, inhe

monition to the Reviewers, to which, it is more to be wished than expected that those Gentlemen would duly attend.

"It is to be wifhed," fays the Satyrift, that the Reviewers, fenfible of the influence their opinions neceffarily "have on the Public Taste, could divest themselves of their "partialities, when they fit down, to the execution of,

what, I hope," (alas! vain hope!) "they confider as "their SOLEMN DUTY. We fhould not then find them "recommending a work to favour deferving univerfal Re"probation and Contempt."-Nor, the Bard might have added, devoting to univerfal reprobation and contempt, a work deferving of applaufe and encouragement.

See BAVIAD and MAVIAD, New Edition, p. 75.

*"Every peevish, moody malecontent

"Shall fet the fenfeless rabble in an uproar."

ROWE.

riting all that malignant inveteracy of John Knox, which led to the fubverfion of the state, and the murder of his lawful fovereign; and difplaying the dark, gloomy fpirit of the Roundheads of the last century, with all their hypocrify, and more art than ever they poffeffed.

These men, enraged at the failure of their efforts to procure the repeal of that falutary law* which acts as a fafeguard both to our civil and religious establishments, which are fo

*This is the great stumbling-block of the English Dis "fenters. What can there be in this Teft-Act, that makes "them so unhappy? Why it prevents them from obtain"ing-not the Kingdom of Heaven, but lucrative employments. "Is it not amazing, that people, who are fo very godly "that they cannot conform to the established religion of the "Country, should trouble themselves about places and pen"fions? They are continually telling us, that their king"dom is not of this world, and yet they want to reign. I "think, however, it would be but right to grant them what "Helvetius was willing to grant the Priests; every thing "above the tops of the Houfes." PETER PORCUPINE

intimately blended with each other as to render their feparation and diffolution fynonimous terms; have long had it in contemplation to undermine the fabric which they have vainly endeavoured to take by ftorm. The writings of PRICE and PRIESTLY, the grand Champions of their party, having been ably and fuccefsfully oppofed by fome diftinguished Members of the Established Church, and in particular, by the learned Doctor HORSLEY, who alike fignalized his zeal and his talents in defence of thofe doctrines and thofe principles which were the objects of his Adverfaries attacks; for which conduct, he is at this moment honoured with the fixed hatred of the whole SECT; recourfe was had to more infidious manoeuvres ; to means less perceptible, but apparently more certain in their operations.

The most deep-laid, and, at the fame time, the most daring fcheme, which the fpirit I have described, perhaps, ever projected, was now conceived. This was the publication of

a Dictionary of the English Language, on the grand fcale of the Italian Dictionary of the Academy Della Crufca, in which all the words were to be illuftrated by quotations from authors who enforced the political and religious opinions of the SECT; fo that, if this notable project had been carried into execution, the Youths of Great Britain, while employed in the Study of the English Language, would have imperceptibly, but infallibly, have imbibed the rankeft fpirit of Democracy and Prefbyterianifm.

Fortunately for the nation, the infidious defign was detected by the active vigilance of a Society formed for the exprefs purpose of preserving the morals and the principles of the rifing generation from depravity and corrup tion. In this cafe expofure was tantamount to defeat; the scheme was rendered abortive, and it became neceffary to change their battery, and to employ lefs audacious, lefs decifive

means.

b

But the vigilance of the Society to which I have adverted was not confined to the mere fruftration of the project which firft excited their attention. They knew the temper and .fpirit of the enemy which they had to encounter; they knew that disappointment and defeat would only stimulate them to additional efforts; they knew their perfeverance to be equal to their malignity; they knew that though in their labours they resembled the Mole, in their views they resembled the Eagle. In confequence of this knowledge the Society wifely refolved to supply an Antidote for any poifon which they might deem it expedient to adminifter in future, and, therefore, encouraged the establishment of THE BRITISH CRI

TIC.

It was high time, indeed, that fome ftep fhould be taken for checking the progrefs of an evil which threatened our whole Syftem of Polity with deftruction. Before this period the SECT had acquired a vaft acceffion of