MR. ZIMMERMAN, a mer

the purchase of burial-ground. By

lately in his 73rd year, seems to have rivalled in charitable donations many of those characters for which England is so famous. He was a native of Dantzic, and was the sole maker of his own fortune. During the course of his life, among other acts of liberality he had given 12,000 florins to the church-school of the old town of Koenigsburgh, 12,000 florins to the Reformed Church-School, and another sum of 12,000 florins for the erection of a school on the Haberherberg. He also gave 4500 florins to the community of the Old Town Church for

T

of a hospital for widows, established by his wife, with a sum of 15,000 florins: he also left to the poor of the Mennonite Community, of which he was a member, 15,000 florins, and to the city poor-chest 2000 florins. His other legacies were a bequest of 220,000 florins to the Old Town Merchant Society, towards a foundation, out of which might be paid annuities of 300 florins each to fifteen widows of decayed merchants, and annuities of 130 forins each to forty poor men

or widows of other classes. Morning Chronicle, Jan. 11, 1315.

FOREIGN.

HE late King of Sweden has published a very curious address. He says, he has received the Grand Seignior's permission to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land: in consequence, he invites ten persons to accompany him, one from each of the nations of Europe: they are to wear black robes, to let their beards grow, take the style and title of Black Brethren, and are each to be attended by a servant in black and grey livery. Notice of the willingness of an individual to accompany him, is to be published in some paper printed in the country to which he belongs; and all the Black Brethren are to assemble at Trieste, on the 24th of June. The Morning Chronicle, from which we extract the above, adds, Sir Sidney Smith, we suppose, has volunteered in his service.

DOMESTIC.

A List of the Committee of Deputies, appointed to protect the Civil Rights of the Three Denominations of Protestant Dissenters, for the year 1815. W Chairman, Park-street, WestILLIAM SMITH, Esq. M.P.

minster; John Gurney, Esq. Deputy Chairman, Serjeant's Inn; Joseph Gutteridge, Esq. Treasurer, Camberwell; James Collins, Esq. Deputy Treasurer, Spital-square; J.T. Rutt, Esq. Bromley, Middlesex; Ebenezer Maitland, Esq. Clapham-common; Samuel Favell, Esq. Grove-hill, Cam

berwell; B. B. Beddome, Esq. Walworth; Joseph Stonard, Esq. Stamford-hill; Henry Waymouth, Esq. Wandsworth-common; James Esdaile, Esq. Bunhill-row; William Alers, Esq. Fenchurch-street; John Addington, Esq. Spital-square; Thomas Stiff, Esq. New-street, Coventgarden; Joseph Bunnell, Esq. Southampton-row; William Hale, Esq. Homerton; William Burls, Esq. Lothbury; George Hammond, Esq. Whitechapel; Samuel Jackson, Esq. Hackney; William Esdaile, Esq. Clap ham-Common; James Gibson, Esq. Highbury-place, Islington; Robert Wainewright, Esq. No. 3, Gray'sInn Square, Joseph Benwell, Esq. Battersea; Edward Busk, Esq. Pumpcourt, Temple; John Bentley, Esq. Highbury.

MR

R. PARKES, the author of the" Chemical Catechism" has now in the press a serics of " Chemical Essays," which he designs to publish in four pocket volumes, including a variety of explanatory notes and a copious index. These Essays are writin a familiar style, so as to suit those chemical science, and they embrace readers who are not yet proficients in

an assemblage of curious and interesting subjects in the economy of nature,

*The Menonites are the General Bap

tists of Germany, Russia, and Holland, and are for the most part Unitarians and Universalists. They are said to be numerous in Friesland; and many of their ministers are distinguished for their learning and worth.

122

5. Doncaster. I preached four times and had some strangers to hear. I was informed there are persons in the town, as well as in the neighbouring country, who have not been in the habit of attending that meeting, who are favourable to Unitarianism.

At the four last-mentioned places I had never preached before.

6, Stain forth. Here the little congregation is going on very well, they meet regularly, and do what they can for mutual edification. I preached to them six times, and was always well attended.

7. Thorne. Though several of the first converts to Unitarianism in this town have been removed by death, the friends who remain continue firm, and the prospect of success is not diminished. I preached four times, and was very well attended with hearers.

8. York. I preached three times, and had pretty good congregations. It seems very desirable, if it could be attained, that the small towns and villages near York; places should be qpened for preaching in this might tend much to revive the cause in that district.

9. Stockton-on-Tees. I preached twice, had respectable congregations, and we had a conference-meeting on the Lord's day morning, which was conducted in a very edifying manner, and much good sense and zeal were discovered by the different speakers.

10. Sunderland. In this town a respectable Tradesman, who is become a well-informed and zealous Unitarian, conducts a meeting for Unitarian worship, and preaches to a few friends who meet with him, in a room in his own house once a fortnight on the Lord's day. The other Lord's day he goes seven or eight miles to preach to some Colliers, who have no other religious instructor. A meeting for conversation, prayer, &c. is also conducted by the friends who meet with the above worthy person. These are chiefly converts from the Baptists. I preached in a large room; it was a very rainy evening; but we had pretty good company.

11. Shields. Here are several Unitarians, and it is much to be wished they would form a little Society, and meet together regularly: this is the more practicable as some of them, I understand, were once local preachers among the Methodists. I preached in a meeting-house which was unoccupied, and had a good congregation.

12. New York, the name of a Colliery, a few miles from Shields. Here a plain illiterate man, of good natural sense and steady piety, who is become a firm Unitarian, is doing much to inform his neighbours by his sensible and proper conversation, enforced by a truly Christian spirit and conduct. He is frequently engaged in debate with them; and his method is, when they state what he thinks erroneous, to ask where they find it so expressed in The Book, meaning the Bible, and he then shows them where what he contends for is plainly expressed in The Book. I preached in his house to a company of his neigh

bours.

13. Lemington. This is a populous manufacturing village, about five miles from Newcastle. A number of persons who work in the manufactories have lately become Unitarians, and appear to have a good deal of zeal as well as intelligence. I preached in a large room, which was crowded with hearers.

14. Bedlington. This is another manufacturing village, about thirteen miles from Newcastle. I preached in a large school-room, which was crowded.

15. Morpeth. I preached in the townhall, to about a hundred persons.

I had not before preached at any of the six last-mentioned places.

16 Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Here I preached three times, once in the meetinghouse in Hanover Square, to a very respectable congregation; and twice in Mr. Campbell's place, to pretty large audi

ences.

General Remarks.

Mr. Campbell's firm and open avowal of his sentiments, when convinced of the truth of the Unitarian doctrine, and his manly and truly Christian defence of that doctrine, when attacked not in the most fair or candid manner, has not only done him credit as a Christian Minister, it has contributed much to the progress of free inquiry and divine truth.

A Tract Society being formed at Newcastle, it is hoped this will generate an annual Association among all our brethren on the eastern side of England north of York. This is certainly desirable, and cannot fail to be productive of much benefit. It is hoped that in every place in the whole district where there is an Unitarian, there will be a Subscriber to the Tract Society. Every one should do what he can to diffuse knowledge, to stir up others to inquire freely after truth.

It has deeply impressed my mind that if an Association, with a Tract Society, could be formed in the South-east of Yorkshire, to include York, Hull, Selby, Doncaster, and other smaller towns, it would be a very important thing. It might be held alternately at the four towns mentioned, and where held it would excite the attention of the public, and might promote free inquiry and the cause of divine truth. Our brethren in the places referred to will forgive my having suggested this matter, and perhaps think it worthy of consideration. The efficacy of such Institations depends in some measure on their locality; for they can do good only so far as they excite attention, and as the mem-. bers of them can be present at their annual meetings.

[To be continued.]

Proceedings in the Court of King's Bench, Monday, Nov. 14, against George Houston, for Blasphemy. THE Attorney-General prayed the judgment of the Court upon this defendant, who had suffered it to pass against him by default on a criminal information, which charged him to be the composer, writer, printer, and publisher of a blasphemous and profane libel on our Saviour and the Christian religion, and then set out several long passages from the several parts of a pamphlet called Ecce Homo. These extracts consisted of arguments against and ridicule of the established religion.

An affidavit by the defendant, who described himself," of Bellevue-place, Kings

land, Gentleman," was then put into the hands of Mr. Dealtry, the proper officer. Lord Ellenborough-Before whom is the affidavit sworn?

Mr. Dealtry-Before Mr. Justice Bailey. Lord Ellenborough-Upon what was the defendant sworn? How could it be upon the New Testament?

Mr. Brougham for the defendant, said, that if a person professed any other religion than the Christian, he might still be sworn according to the forms of that religion. If the oath had been informal, he requested time to amend it.

Lord Ellenborough-It is not informal, Sir; it is bad in substance. I remember the case of a woman who said all religions were alike to her; and Lord Mansfield repelled her from taking an oath. Are you prepared to suggest, Sir, what belief the defendant has, by which he may be sworn?

Mr. Brougham-My Lord, I have no knowledge whatever of the defendant's principles, but what I collect from my brief; and I desire that your Lordship will not mix me up with those whose causes it is my duty as an advocate to pleud; since, whatever the Court may say in the spirit of that insinuation, I will always repel. I repeat, that I know nothing of the defendant's faith, or want of faith; but, if his affidavit can be amended, I ask of the Court delay till it can be so amended.

Lord Ellenborough-There was no insinuation. Your request imports, that at a future time he may be able legally to take an oath the Court wishes to know how?

Mr. Brougham-I stated what was required by a regard for my character on a very delicate matter, and what was only due to it after the remark that had been made. I repeat in the face of this Court, that as often as I hear such insinuations, I shall use the first moment and the strongest expressions, distinctly and peremptorily to repel them. I am here as the retained advocate of the defendant.

Lord Ellenborough said the Learned Counsel was perfectly correct; he only meant to allude to him as the advocate, and it was quite proper and his duty to obtain delay in order to confer with his client on the matter.

Mr. Brougham-I shall confer in open Court with the plaintiff. He has heard what has passed, and if he is prepared to state how he can remedy the defect in the swearing, now is the time.

The Defendant was proceeding to entreat a day for this purpose; and Lord Ellenborough had asked him to point out any mode by which he might be sworn, when Mr. Brougham said he should be able to save the Court some trouble, by stating, that the defendant denied being the author of this libel, of which he had confessed' judgment as the publisher only.

His affidavit was then read. He also

read, for I had not the benefit of a previous perusal of it), that the defendant had represented himself as the author of it. I will not say he has falsely stated this (although he comes before the Court in a suspicious situation), but he may have been mistaken, and the improbability of the defendant's having so represented himself appears from the pamphlet itself, which, upon its face, professes to be a translation. It is in fact a compilation from the French infidel writers; and Mincham, possibly an illiterate man, and unaccustomed to the distinction between an author and a translator, may have mistaken the defendant's representation of the character which he bore as to the work.

The Attorney-General interrupted to say, that it did not appear by the title-page of the part before him that the work was a translation; but the Officer of the Court was understood to say, that it did so appear by that in his possession.

Mr. Brougham-I cannot speak from my own knowledge. Though I have seen, I have never read a single paragraph of the work, except the passages on the record; and am one of the many, many thousands, who would never have seen even these passages, if it had not been for this information. I have now stated the circumstances, upon which (by analogy to the case of Eaton), I said I was bold enough to expect the defendant would be visited with slight punishment. It is unnecessary to go into other matters. It has been stated, that the original author or translator in 1799 has been many years dead; and that all these facts were distinctly mentioned to the Attorney-General before Eaton's death, when, if untrue, they might have been contradicted by that person. The defendant, after he was aware of the tendency of the publication, used all means to suppress it, and refused large sums for copies of it; he did not advertise it; offered to give up the remaining copies, and to enter into a security that he had kept back none. It was therefore unnecessary in the Attorney-General to hold out the threat he made use of: he knows that months ago he received an offer that every copy should be given up. In an additional affidavit, the defendant has suggested the delicate situation in which a publisher stands; and the claims which that gives him to indulgence, should he overstep the observed bounds of legal publication, are manifest. He daily sees, in every bookseller's shop, lying for sale, yet safe and unmolested, works of the most eminent authors, containing the very sentiments and almost in the words of this book. He finds those writings in every library, public and private, throughout the country; in the hands, on the tables, of persons the highest in rank, of the most unimpeached prineiples, of the most unquestioned and'un

questionable respectability. Those distinguished personages he daily sees buying, showing, reading, lending, the books, both in foreign language and in our own, from which the present is a literal transcript. All this passes without the least notice taken, or risk incurred; and the defendant, in his trade of a publisher or bookseller (I know not which he exercises) is required nicely to balance the scale of danger and safety, cunningly to trace the line which separates what may from what may not lawfully be circulated; and with so many examples before his eyes, of the greatest booksellers and worthiest citizen concurring in the traffic of every species of infidel composition, beyond all risk of legal vengeance, he is called upon to refuse acting in the line of his business, or expose himself to the vengeance of a law whose course he can hardly follow. This is a large book, consisting, as the AttorneyGeneral says he has read it, of three hundred and fifty pages. If I were acquainted with it, I might be able to point out in the course of it, passages of less ribaldry, and more unexceptionable, than those which have been read, by way of countervailing the libel; but I have already said that my knowledge of it is derived entirely from the record; and but that for this prosecution, I lament to add I, as well as thousands and thousands who must now see it, would never have known of its existence. In concluding, I may be permitted to say one word respecting myself, from the delicacy of my present situation, and after what fell from the Court at an early period of the day. Of the book itself, or the principles of the defendant, I know nothing; it is needless to add, that I am merely his retained advocate: but this I will say from my own observation of these canting times, that there are many better Christians, as there are truer men, than those who go bawling out their faith in the high places; that we may be sincere, though quiet-devout, though charitable---nay, that a man may look forward to henefit by his piety in the way of reversion, though he has not the talent of turning it to present account by making godliness a great gain!

Mr. Justice Le Blanc said, that it was not correct to suppose that the defendant's punishment would be apportioned with any reference to the offence of the person alluded to; for, when he was brought up, the Attorney-General did not pray judg ment against him, and unless the prosecutor did this, the Court could not pronounce judgment. That offender was no more, and the Court would in charity suppose, that, before he died, he saw and repented of his errors. The defendant sinned with his eyes open against his better conviction, and, for the sake of gain, yielded to lend his efforts to aid the purposes of a man as bad as, (or worse than,)