those, who had conformed to the rules of the institution, and who could stand the test of a rigid examination. We might thus form scientifick artisans, a class of citizens at present unknown in our country; for, although the inhabitants of New-England have been distinguished by their useful inventions in mechanicks, yet as the inventors have seldom had the advantages of education, they might, by the assistance of scientifick knowledge, have been led to the most important discoveries. We have no regularly educated engineers in the country. Our mathematical instrument-makers are men without science, and a large portion of our young men, who study nautical astronomy, obtain their information abroad. Our surveyors would be less often obliged to guess at the width of a river, if they had studied trigonometry; nor would our mill-wrights make so poor a use of the powers of nature, if they were familiar with mechanicks. Could a few intelligent farmers, dispersed thro' the country, be made acquainted with the nature and properties of different soils, with the principles of vegetation, and a knowledge of the rudiments of mineralogy, they might practically disseminate the improvements, already made in agriculture, and greatly add to our present knowledge by their own experience. To afford proper instruction to these classes of citizens would be to give tools to the industrious labourer; to furnish him, who had beaten his iron from the crude ore, with the means of smelting it,and of applying the pure metal to the purposes of life. We should furnish a compass to direct the unskilled projector, wasting his efforts in the boundless ocean of experiment. With such institu Vol. IV. No. 4. tions the country would assume a new appearance; the powers of nature would no longer be feebly directed, and the energies of man would be exerted on beneficial objects. The same power would support the noble oak or more useful corn, which produces the noisome weed or cumbrous hemlock. Instead of founding new colleges and academies, publick and private liberality should be directed to institutions, already established; nor would vanity be less gratified by giving a name to a professorship, than it now is to a college or academy. It is not only necessary to increase the funds of the present instructors, but to introduce many useful branches of science, which are now no where taught in our country. Veterinary colleges are found both in England and France; but in this country no knowledge is to be acquired in that art, except what is picked up from jockies, the lowest of the community, or from our countrymen, who obtain their information from the position of the stars in the almanack. But it would lead us beyond our limits to point out the different objects, that should be taught at these institutions. Indeed should we exclude polite literature and the fine arts, almost every thing else, that can tend to the improvement of society, might be taught there with advantage. These institutions, as they would tend to disseminate the useful arts, would probably be approved by the disciples of the modern fashionable philosophy; and, notwithstanding that these men forget " ut omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci ;" notwithstanding they sacrifice the knowledge of our moral relations to the knowledge of squares and figures, the knowl edge of the human mind to the knowledge of mechanick arts and trades; yet, as we not only allow the utility of their plans, but aid their advancement, they will not surely deny the claims of literature upon publick patronage. May we not therefore hope for the union of all parties in perfecting a single institution for polite literature and the higher branches of science? To effect this grand object a radical reform would be necessary. The officers must be made independent of pecuniary concerns; and the highest inducements must be held forth to men of talents to become instructors. The scholars must be made gentlemen, and treated as such, that they may consider those placed over them as friends, who have an interest in their welfare, and not treat them with the indignity and contempt, due only to petty suspicious tyrants. An increased fixed salary, or an additional stipend from those, who receive the benefit of instruction, which last, as it would serve as a stimulus to exertion, might be preferable, might afford a liberal compensation to the present instructors; but, for the foundation of new professorships, an appeal must be made to publick and private liberality. If a number of poor lads of talents, selected from the different academies, were to be educated gratis, it would obviate all objection to the increase of expense. To render the duty of instruction less irksome, the students should not be admitted, till they are of an age to lay aside pueri!ities, and to duly appreciate the advantages afforded them. Higher qualifications should be required for admittance, that their time might not be wasted, as it now is, in obtaining, what ought to have been learnt at school. A strict examination should be passed, pre vious to advancing to a higher class, or to the attainment of a degree, that the idle and dissolute might be deterred by the fear of shame from entering those sacred walls. With such regulations, and with a liberal spirit,that would select for instructors men of talents, of whatever college or country, we might hope for a vigorous and flourishing university. The impurities, once removed from the fountain head, the stream would afford pure and delicious nourishment. Our academies with a little reform might prepare youth for either of these institutions; and the county treasury, without being much impoverished, might afford an increase of pay to the instructors. A law would be required to regulate the pay of the masters of common town-schools, in order to prevent ignorant school committees from engaging, as insructors, fellows still more ignorant than themselves, because they will serve cheap. We may be allowed to express a wish for the polite arts, although we have no hope for them. So little encouragement is given to them at present, that few can be expected to devote their time and talents to the acquisition of what, when obtained, will neither yield profit nor procure honours. Those few, whose taste and inclination are able to overcome these discouragements, forsake our rude regions to enjoy the invigorating patronage of more polished climes. But if we cannot expect the establishment of schools of painting or of sculp ture, we might at least imitate a sister State; and, by collecting models of those exquisite performances, which have excited the wonder and admiration of ages, create a taste in the publick for the fine, arts. For the Anthology. TO THE AMERICAN TRAVELLER, ON HIS SECOND LETTER, PUBLISHED IN THE ANTHOLOGY, vol. 4, page 71. SIR, Boston, April 7th, 1807. YOUR second letter from Rome was mentioned to me a few days ago. I perused it, and think it my duty to trouble you with some reflections upon it. I am a Roman Catholick, and in points of doctrine perfectly agree with my brethren in Italy and elsewhere; but neither they nor I hold such a doctrine concerning indulgences and persecution, as you attribute to us in your letter. Indulgences, you say, are permissions either general or more limited to commit offences, and are advertized for sale at Milan and in other cities. As a proof, you quote two inscriptions you read in the churches; in the following words: Indulgenza plenaria tutti i giorni della settimana. i. e. Plenary indulgence every day in the week. Indulgentiæ plenariæ et aliæ non plenaria quotidiana. i. e. Plenary indulgences, and others not plenary, every day. In these two inscriptions there is not a word about the sale of indulgences. I look in vain for venales, or another word of the same import, added to indulgentiæ. Where did you read, sir, from whom did you ever hear, that indulgences are permissions to commit offences? Not, I am sure, in any catholick writer, not from any member of our church. Had you asked even the ignorant beggars you met with at Loretto and in other places, whether indulgences authorized them to get drunk, steal, &c. &c. they would have looked at you with astonishment, and perhaps then mistaken a christian for an infidel. But what is an indulgence, you will ask, what do you mean by it? It is merely, sir, a dispensation from the whole or part of the pcnance, which is or ought to be prescribed according to the canons of the church to those, who have confessed their sins. The grant of an indulgence is of no avail, except to those who sincerely repent, are firmly resolved to reform, have made an humble confession of their guilt, are reconciled to their enemies, have restored ill-gotten property, &c. &c. This, sir, is our doctrine, as you will find it in our writers of every tongue and nation. Saint Paul put in penance a man guilty of incest, and granted him an indulgence the year following. Saint Ambrose, at Milan, subjected the emperour Theodosius to publick penance, and six weeks after, on Christmas day, granted him a plenary indulgence and admitted him to communion. We ourselves publish indulgences in our church in Boston; and if indulgences are permissions to commit offences, let our church be pulled down, and every Roman catholick be banished from this hospitable land. But, I dare say, sir, you do us the justice to believe, that instead of encouraging crimes, we do our best to prevent them, and with the blessing of God, not unsuccessfully. If I am not misinformed, the American Traveller's respectable name is inscribed a mong the benefactors of our church in this town; I acknowledge it with pleasure and gratitude, and feel happy in assuring you, that you have not contributed to the establishment of a school of corruption and idolatry. Prayers for the dead are mentioned by Tertullianus, Saint Chrysostom, St. Augustine, and other fathers of the church, as an apostolick ordinance. The Jews pray for the dead now, and did certainly when the second book of Maccabees was written, i. e. 140 years before Jesus Christ. There is no harm in praying during nine days,that departed souls may be admitted into eternal rest; but to expect they will infallibly be released from purgatory by such prayers is contrary to the doctrine of the church. This, however, and other practices, which you tell us are no better than gross idolatry, I shall not attempt to vindicate. Not that I agree with you on these points, but because my only object is to prove that Roman Catholicks have nothing in their doctrine or religious practices contrary to the welfare of society, and do not deserve to be hated by their fellow citizens, as they would, in my opinion, richly deserve it, were they licensed to commit crimes, or animated with a spirit of cruelty and persecution. Permit me however to relate to you an anecdote which may possibly reconcile you a little to the honours shewn to religious monuments at Rome. The celebrated French poet, the Abbé Delille, during his travels in Greece, wrote from Athens to a lady in Paris :* "In the yard of a private house I perceived a marble fountain; I went in, and discovered by the fine carved work, it was the remnant of an ancient magnificent tomb. Iprostrated myself, kissed the mar ble over and over again, and in the enthusiasm of my adoration I happened to break unawares the pitcher of a boy, who had come to fetch water. I must give you another instance of my superstitious love for antiquity. When, with a heart flushed with hope and joy, I entered Athens, the smallest broken pieces of ancient ruins were sacred things in my eyes. I filled the pockets of my coat and waistcoat with all the little bits of carved marble I could find." Yourself, sir, who are a literary gentleman, and an admirer of learned antiquity, must have felt some degree of the same enthusiasm, when walking on the classical ground where Virgil and Horace sung, Cicero harangued, and Livy wrote; when beholding the monuments of ancient Rome. Is it then in regard to religious monuments alone that every kind of enthusiam is to be reprobated? I must however inform you that we Catholicks are, like yourself, at perfect liberty either to reject or to admit the authenticity of the relicks and monuments, which you mention. Had you applied to any of the cardinals, or other ecclesiasticks in Rome, they would have told you so. From them also you might have learned what is an indulgence. You would have found in them the politeness of gentle men, and the amiable charity of real christians. None of them would have believed or called you an infidel, although they would have seen you were prejudiced against the religion they profess. and teach with sincerity. They would have assured you, and shewn * Euvres de Jacques Delille. Tom.1. you by their conduct, that perse. cution is not one of our tenets, neither can it be proved to be so by the two facts you allege, nor in deed by any others. John Huss, sir, if alive, would not be tolerated in this free and liberal country. The errors he broached were proved by their ef. fects, as well as by arguments, to be utterly inconsistent with the peace of society and the very existence of civil government. He caused violent seditions, in which he himself took an active part. A dreadful fanatical revolution ensued, which for many years deluged with blood the plains of Bohemia. In the very beginning of it the mayor of Prague, magistrates, priests were murdered. As for the massacre of St. Bartholomew's, I abhor as cordially as you do yourself the horrid deed of blood and perfidy. Excidat illa dies ævo, nec pectora crædant But, I tell you with a late writer, "Let the blame fall, where it is due, on the black vengeance of the unrelenting Charles IX. and on the remorseless ambition of the unprincipled Catherine of Medicis. They attempted to justify themselves by pretending, that the Huguenots were on the point of executing a plot to destroy them and to overthrow the government. This very calumny, which the king and queen invented to excuse their barbarity, is a sufficient proof they did not conceive it lawful to commit such crimes to serve their religion, for which indeed neither of them felt much zeal. As this savage villainy was contrived without the participation of the French clergy, so they were the most forward at the time to oppose its completion, and have ever Letters to a Prebendary. London 1800, since been the most warm in reprobating it. It is particularly recorded of Hennuyer, bishop of Lizieux, that he opposed to the utmost of his power the execution of the king's order for the murder of the protestants in his diocese. He answered the governour of the province, who communicated the bloody order to him: It is the duty of the good shepherd to lay down his life for his sheep. These are my sheep, though they have gone astray, and I am resolved to run all hazards in protecting them. The praise of this worthy and humane prelate is to this day in all our churches. Persecution then is no part of our doctrine, and I know it has no place in the creed of our protestant brethren. Yet have not catholicks been persecuted by protestants? Should you have any doubts on the subject, read, I beg of you, sir, the eloquent speech of the immortal Edmund Burke to the electors of Bristol in 1780. I can furnish you with authentick historical documents on this subject, and am not afraid to leave the decision to yourself. To your own candour I appeal now, sir, and wish to have you judge, whether, in the United States, Roman Car tholicks can with any propriety or justice be reproached with being persecutors? Your venerable forefathers, sir, fled, you well know, not from a popish, but from a protestant persecution. They landed here, and were at full liberty to shew, what was the spirit of their sect. Was it toleration? Many other virtues they possessed, no doubt; but to this they were utter strangers. Lord Baltimore, himself a Roman catholick, as well as his companions, fled from the same persecution. See them establishing themselves in Maryland: they |