ners.

thoroughly into the spirit of it, as to complete the plan, seems hardly probable. The collection for Prison Charities is very laudable; I wish it may be sufficiently extensive fully to answer the end of providing prisoners with comfortable food, guarding them against the infection of bodily diseases; and those more baneful, of the mind, contracted by their being crowded together: keeping them apart would certainly be more beneficial to their health, and solitude might produce reflections leading to repentance: whereas the pernicious effects of the present mode of confinement are too visible; young offenders are made proficients in vice by associating with the more hardened sinBut to effect the most desirable purpose of preventing this evil, would require a prodigious sum, as every gaol in the kingdom must be new modelled and considerably enlarged; for which I apprehend voluntary donations would not suffice; a parliamentary aid and regulation appears absolutely necessary. The proposal of a Statue in honour of Howard, is, I allow, generally approved; the generous intention deserves great applause. Yet, to speak sincerely (and my regard for thee will not permit me to dissemble), I must own I have some scruples, which I hope thou wilt do me the justice to believe arise not from a disposition to oppose my weak judgment to the public voice, but are the genuine dictates of a mind desirous to steer clear of prejudice. Is it not almost unprecedented, to erect statues of living persons?

(Jortin says, it was unusual to sacrifice to heroes till after sun-set); if this admits of an exception in monarchs, conquerors, and statesmen, who are stimulated to their glorious achievements by ambition, vanity, and love of fame, these were the incentives of Pagans, and prompted Cicero to request that Lucceius in writing history would begin with Cataline's conspiracy, and in favour of friendship, relate his exploits with some exaggeration. This passion was predominant in Horace, Virgil, Ovid, Pliny, and others of the ancients, who, doubtful of the soul's future existence, sought to obtain an imaginary immortalitya deathless name; and such have their reward, which excites emulation in their contemporaries, and imitation in their successors, influenced by similar motives: but would it not be degrading Howard to rank him in that class, whom I consider in a far superior light, as a Christian, actuated and impelled by solid piety and pure philanthropy, not seeking honour from men, but that which comes from God? Such a distinguishing token of worldly homage might be painful to him, and cause him to exclaim, Non mihi sed Domino sit Gloria! On the other hand, as scarcely any of the best men are wholly exempt from frailty, should there remain in him a latent spark of va-: nity, I tremble to think how it might be blown into a flame, that would extinguish his real deserts, and be the means of his forfeiting the title to an infinitely greater reward. What greater encomium

could be bestowed on him, than that text, so apposite and justly applicable, "I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me;" the proper text for his funeral sermon, when he shall rest from his labours, in behalf of the most wretched of mankind. The benevolent Hanway is out of danger, and not liable to be affected by sublunary praises. Honours paid to his memory may point him out as an excellent example to the present and future generations.

Intreating thou wilt pardon my freedom, I remain, with esteem,

Thy obliged respectful friend,

RICHARD How.

LETTER CXCI.

Mr. R. How to Dr. LETTSOM.

Aspley, 15, 3 mo. 1788.

It is a great satisfaction that amidst the reflections cast upon our Society by many authors, Marsillac's Memoir or Petition to the late Count de Vergennes, in behalf of his brethren, the people called Quakers, in Languedoc, obtained for them as free and complete a toleration, as is al

lowed by the late Edicts to other French Protestants; nor are they to suffer any inconvenience for the rejection of Water Baptism, though the Hugonots, by the most bitter invectives, and the exertion of their utmost efforts, strove to get the privileges confined to their own party; or at least that the Quakers might be excluded from enjoying equal liberty with other dissenters. They

went a step further than the old Bostonians, who first began to persecute when they were out of the reach of the lash; but the French Calvinists discovered the bitterness of their dispositions before the law for tolerating them had been enacted, and consequently whilst the rod hung over their own heads.

I rejoice to see the zeal for the abolition of slavery become almost universal: may the opposition to this inhuman practice be successful! In this single instance justice is done to our Society, who are acknowledged by all, to have begun, and set the laudable example, by pleading the cause of the distressed Africans, and freeing their own slaves from bondage. It is frankly owned by a bishop and member of parliament, to whom I applied to request their support of our petition. Fas est et ab hoste doceri. Let England then imitate the North Americans (her late enemies) in the extirpation of slavery. I am ashamed to repeat my request for the Pennsylvania Constitutions of the Society, instituted for procuring liberty to the negroes, and of the Pennsylvania Pri

son Society, the honour of which, I am informed, is chiefly due to our friends; which I am therefore the more desirous of, provided thou hast duplicates of both. R. H.

LETTER CXCII.

TASKERVILLE NEEDHAM, Esq. to Dr. LETTSOM.

Dear Sir,

Brussels, Oct. 5, 1781. I am much obliged to you for the valuable present with which you have been pleased to honour me, of your very curious and interesting History of the Origin of Medicine, by the hands of my friend Magellan. The text, at the same time that it gives due merit to the profession, shews the extent of your erudition; and the notes which attend it, must afford much pleasure to every reader. If I were to except to any part of them, it could only be to that kind of credit, which many seem to give occasionally to Voltaire, and the author of the Researches on various Nations. These two writers are so branded on the Continent for having given way in their narrations and representations to their unbridled imagination, that they have forfeited all right to historical faith, when they do not quote the original authors from whom they have extracted their assertions. This is rarely done, particularly by Voltaire, who, to give scope to falsehood and malice, has elimi