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to be ridiculed. That philosophy enlargeth the capacity, and extendeth the knowledge of man, we all know, for philosophy or reason is what distinguisheth him from the brute; and where charity does not exist there can be no religion. But taking the subject on her own statement of it, let my reader judge which system seems most friendly to man, and worthy of the attributes of the deity, that which inculcates annihilation (a doctrine I abhor) or that which teaches that God is glorified by having from eternity predestined 999,999 souls in a million to torments without end. True philosophy, however, and the gospel present no such picture of the divine attributes. The character of Florio is made contemptible, and that of Bellario wicked, with the evident purpose of discrediting philosophy. In the poetry there is little passion or tenderness. It seems to be all her own, with but little friendly embellishment. She talks of love

like a Dutch woman, as if she had never felt it; though at one period of her life nature was very sportive with her, and drove her to write at least valentines. In her, love seems to be only artfulness and cunning, and tenderness only selfishness.

If Hannah More has information and genius, (and that these are but factitious, I think will presently appear) she has not used either when choosing her theological system. Her divinity is indeed not calculated to increase our admiration of the divine perfections, or improve and enlarge our charity to In all she says on that subject there is a Je

man.

suitical mystery.

Let me here select some passages, as a specimen of her poetry and sentiments, for the gratification of my reader, who will probably not choose to be at the expence of 21. 2s. for eight volumes of inanity, much chaff and little wheat. In the following extract there is a false rhyme, “known & town.” "And pleasure was so coy a prude,

"She fled the more, the more pursued;
"Or if, o'ertaken and caress'd,

"He loath'd and left her when possess'd.

"But Florio knew the World; that science
"Sets sense and learning at defiance;
"He thought the World to him was known,
"Whereas he only knew the Town;

"In men this blunder still

you find,

"All think their little set-Mankind."

ANOTHER.

"This good and venerable knight
"One daughter had, his soul's delight:
"For face, no mortal cou'd resist her,
"She smil❜d like Hebe's youngest sister :
" Her life, as lovely as her face,
"Each duty mark'd with every grace;
"Her native sense improv'd by reading,
"Her native sweetness by good-breeding:
"She had perus'd each choicer sage
"On ancient date, or later age;
"But her best knowledge still she found

"On sacred, not on classic ground;

" "Twas thence her noblest stores she drew,

"And well she practis'd what she knew.
"Led by Simplicity divine,

"She pleas'd, and never tried to shine;

"She gave to chance each unschool'd feature,

"And left her cause to Sense and Nature."

As it is the object of these sheets to narrate some of the actions, as well as to make some remarks on the writings of Mrs. More, it will not, I conceive, be unacceptable to the reader, and it will be doing justice to the world, now that her controversy with the Curate of Blagdon is still raging, and while his friends, the clergy of the church, by her secret manœuvres are defamed by her and her co-adjutors, to contrast the sentiment in the last quoted passage, by inserting one from the "Controversy."

"Thus, Mrs. H. More refuses to the Curate of Blagdon, "contrary to every principle of equity, to every rule of jus"tice, what the laws of the land never denies to any cul"prit, to the most atrocious felon, to the most detestable "traitor; namely, a copy of the charge, and a list of the "witnesses. Yes, H. More, not openly but covertly, ac"cuses a regular bred clergyman of the church of Eng"land; with palpable design to ruin his reputation; to alien"ate his friends; and surreptitiously snatch from his possess"sion the moderate remuneration of unremitted attention " and assiduous labour; for no other apparent reason but "that he dared to apprize her of her teacher's extravagancies "in his own parish. THIS AND THUS, DID Mrs. H. "MORE," Bere's Cont. p. 3.

False rhymes enough—" come & room;” « known and bon-ton;" "own and town,"

Another sentiment extracted from Florio, with a contrasting action from the Blagdon war.

"When malice longs to throw her dart,

"But finds no vulnerable part,

"Because the virtues all defend,

"At every pass, their guarded friend;

"Then by one slight insinuation,
"One scarce perceiv'd exaggeration;

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Sly RIDICULE, with half a word,

"Can fix her stigma of―absurd ;

"Nor care, nor skill, extracts the dart,
"With which she stabs the feeling heart;
"Her cruel caustics inly pain,

"And scars indelible remain.”

"For Mrs. More's retractive behaviour, and her people's "uncommon virulence, I could not account, nor was I in"formed of it till the 5th of Aug. when Dr. Crossman, at "Monkton, gave me to understand that accusations against <6 me, which I could never see nor hear, had been sent by "Mrs. H. More to the Chancellor and the Bishop, that "those were forwarded to him; that in his reply, he spoke "of me as a person he had well known near 20 years; that "this his letter had been sent to Mrs. H. More; that in "consequence, the lady opened immediately a correspondence "with him, and added more accusations, and also enclosed "a letter of Mr. Descury's, containing similar matter."

One more sentimental selection from this poem, with a TRANSACTION, to prove how piously H. More can write, and how virtuously she can act. "That night no sleep his eyelids prest,

"He thought; and thought 's a foe to rest:
"Or if, by chance, he clos'd his eyes,
"What hideous spectres round him rise!
"Distemper'd Fancy wildly brings

“The broken images of things;

"His ruin'd friend, with eyeball fixt,

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Swallowing the draught Despair had mixt;
"The frantic wife beside him stands,

"With bursting heart, and wringing hands;
"And every horror dreams bestow,

"Of pining want, or raving woe."

"Dear Sir,

To Dr. CROSSMAN.

"Grosvenor Place, Jan. 17, 1801.

"I have heard so much of Mr. Bere's conduct, and am so justly offended at it, that I think it my duty to recom"mend it to you, to dismiss him from your curacy. Your own good sense and zeal for the cause of religion, will "immediately point out the propriety of it. I am, dear Sir, 66 your faithful and humble servant,

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"C. Bath and Wells."

Notwithstanding the object you proposed, pursued, and "had apparently once nearly effected, was to rob me of my "character; and although you then proceeded to deprive me "of my curacy and living, and degrade, and dismiss me,

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aged and infirm, stamped with ignominy, branded with "crimes, a houseless wretch, to wander about my solitary way, soliciting and living on the casual bounty of abhor"ing man," &c. Bere's Address, p. 2.

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We meet next with a short poem on the SLAVE TRADE; and almost in the threshold two obscure, lines are a stumbling-block.

"Since no resisting cause from spirit flows
"Thy universal presence to oppose."

But although I commiserate the guilt of the woman rather than despise her, a gleam of congenial fire, a spark of genius, even though it should be at second-hand, shall not pass unnoticed. I will be just, even to an enemy. Although I know whence they came, I like to see them, even in their present form.

"Perish the proud philosophy, which sought
"To rob them of the pow'rs of equal thought!

"Does then th' immortal principle within

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Change with the casual colour of a skin?

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