had slain his thousands, but David his tens of thousands;" under such circumstances, the writer could not think of retracting any one word he has advanced. But he owns that he ought to have considered the question in a different light. He ought to have considered the case of a Curate, venturing, on the protection of his license, to harass his principal by a needless and indecorous opposition, in trifling matters wherein silent acquiescence would have been proper, had unity of sentiment been impracticable. He ought to have remembered the gross opposition set up by the Curate of to his Rector, in annexing to a sermon preached by the former in favour of the Madras Schools, an eulogium of his own on the Lancasterian system. He ought to have remembered the culpable pertinacity of a Curate of-, who having rendered himself altogether unacceptable to the congregation, and thinned down their numbers to two or three gathered together, refused to take the hint, and full notice for his departure. The reply of the worthy incumbent to this gentleman was, by the way, much to the point. "I wish," said the subaltern, you only heard, sir, what people say of your preaching." "Me, sir, they must hear; but if they unhappily cannot avoid having one bad preacher, it is no reason why they should have two, when there is no such inevitable necessity." An incumbent is a fixture; a Curate, a moveable person; an incumbent is usually more advanced in life than a Curate; an incumbent may be presumed to have more solidity than his representative. The leaning therefore ought, generally speaking, to be to the former; and, in any dif ference, although certainly there may be hard cases and exceptions, it is right that the latter should give way. The In so various a miscellany of subjects as compose this volume, some repetitions must necessarily occur. The author has endeavoured to avoid them as much as possible, by digesting the principal matters in the form of distinct treatises, to each of which a chapter is allotted. laborious and multifarious duties of a subordinate minister in the first parish of England, both as to population and importance, will perhaps plead for any occasional imperfections in matter, style, or arrangement. Several subjects of importance remain to be discussed, and will occupy the half of another volume. The Indexes and Chronological Tables will complete the work. As this volume formed no part of the original summary, it is right and fair to state, that the Author takes upon himself, the whole responsibility of the sentiments advanced, on the different topics discussed. He would be sorry if his strictures on the Evangelical Clergy should give offence or pain to a body of his brethren, whose sincerity, zeal, piety, exemplary morals, and extensive benevolence, might seem to make amends for their irregularities, incorrect doctrine, illiberalities towards their orthodox brethren, and injudicious. approximations to bodies, who are playing them false. The provocation has justified the retort. This volume was printed and ready for publication nearly six months ago; but an unfortunate fire destroyed the work, just when the last sheet had come from the press. CONTENTS. CHAPTER XX. BIOGRAPHY AND ACTS OF PARLIAMENT CONNECTED I. Preliminary Observations on contemporaneous His- CHAPTER XXI. EVANGELICAL CLERGY. I. Remarks on Middleton's Ecclesiastical Memoir of the -XII. Toplady.-XIII. Walker of Truro.-XIV. CHAPTER XXII. From A.D. 1800 to 1810. EVANGELICAL CLERGY CONTINUED. I. The Plan of the Evangelical Body for purchasing small |