tS-ZL] 



Reading Socic/y in ISorthainptonshlic. 



create offices, emoluments, and patroii- 

 Tifife, and is preparatory to (he execution 

 of a fiiroiirite scheme for annihilating 

 all the ttuupike trusts in the kingdom, 

 nnd for subjecting tliem, underauother 

 form, to the enlire control of the execu- 

 tive government. Tlie consequences 

 uiay be easily foreseen. Patronage and 

 inGuence will be extended, while the 

 revenue is increased. A fruitful source 

 of taxation will thus lie opened, and a 

 rentage on the tolls may furnish a cor- 

 rupt ministry with a succcuaneum for 

 (he oppressive iocouie tax. 



Yet if tiiis wild project should not Ix; 

 carried to the full ext<'nt h;'i-e antici- 

 pated, mnc'i evil will ineviiiihly follow 

 the adoption of this bill. A board of 

 coramissiofjcrs will lie nominated by 

 the crown, (whether icit/i or without 

 •pecuniary compensation i know not.) 

 ■wlio, having no interest in the state of 

 the roads, will, at first, beonly an empty 

 form, and will speedily dwindle into a 

 <lead letter. Engineers and inspectors 

 will be appointed with large salaries, 

 who, having other pursuits and occupa- 

 tions, will delegate their authority to 

 inferior officers. Tiiese, in their turn, 

 Bot being under the supcrinteudauce 

 and control of resident commissionei's, 

 will naturally become negligent and 

 inattentive, and the aciiuil manage- 

 ment of the roads will ultimately be 

 left in the hands of ignorant and un- 

 skilful labourers. 



Such a system muct unavoidably 

 augment the general expenditure, 

 which can only be defi-ayed by addi- 

 tional tolls, and by increasing the sta- 

 tute-duty of the respective parishes. 

 Thus our burthens will be multiplied 

 — I lie value of con-liguous property will 

 be depreciated — the roads deteriorated 

 — the travel'ie'- retarded — and the pub- 

 lic materially injured. 



Let, then, trie independent members 

 of Parlia'.neiit — tlie trustees of all the 

 roads — tlie land pr<)j)rietors in tlie ad- 

 joining parishes — and tlie public at 

 lirge, cordially unite to oppose a bill 

 so big with mischief to the interests of 

 individuals and the conimuuity. 



A MK,]\rBEll OF rARLIAMCVr. 



Cnrcrtillsh-x i'(f(ri\ Jan. \',',. 



To (he Editor of the Month' y Magazine. 



SIR. 



YOL' have justly advocated and 

 recomuiended Ma<;azine and 

 Rbadixu Societies ; certainly they 

 are admirable means of enlightening 

 Ihe mind. Thu:i we converge with (he 

 Month Lv .Ma>v.No. 35L 



115 



witty, ingenious, and learned ; we gain 

 copies of their ideas ; we acquaint our- 

 selves M'ith the affairs, actions, aud 

 thoughts of the living and dead, and 

 may daily add something to the stock 

 of our intellectual stores. In conver- 

 sation, however, which is free and ani- 

 mated, our mutual perceptions are 

 sharpened, and our thoughts ai-e more 

 vigorous and acute. Intteed, T think, 

 ennversation is a greater stimulus to 

 the faculties than reading. 



I lately paid a visit (o a friend of 

 mine at a village in Northani|)tonshire, 

 whore a society is formed, wliicli unites 

 as above mentioned, reading and dis- 

 cussion of various questions. 1 had the 

 pleasure of attending two of the meet- 

 ings wJiich are held the first Thursday 

 in every mouth. I was surprised to 

 find so much light thrown on the sub- 

 ject which foimed the question. Though 

 there were no sp(!echi(iers, theic was 

 miu'h good sense, general intelligence, 

 and knowledge displayed. 



The clergyman, a medical gentleman, 

 wlio lias served abroad in tiie army, 

 several independent gentlemen and re- 

 spec(able tradesmen, farmers and gra- 

 ziers, make up the numbers of the so- 

 ciety ; they meet alternately at eacli 

 other's houses at 7 o'clock in the even- 

 ing, where a cold supper only is pro- 

 vided. 



The following are among the ques- 

 tions which have been discussed lately. 



Is the present extensive use of machinery 

 beneficial to die country? 



Are capital puni?hineuts just or expedient 

 in any other cases thnn for nuirder? 



Are (he coni-laws an advautage to the 

 community? 



Whether the female mind (with the same 

 deajree of cultivation) is csipable of the saitid 

 degree of attainment as the other sex ? 



Is war in any case just or necessary ? 



Po;)ulalicn. 



How far may v.e Judge of the true cha- 

 racter of men, by an acquaintance with 

 pliysioKiiomy and cr.iniology ? 



Of all the arts and sciences, which is the 

 most useful? 



Ought emigration to be encouraged or 

 suppressed ? 



1 have not an opportunity of giving 

 (he decisions the society came to, nor 

 is it materia! to know in this place. I 

 have stated the existence of a society, 

 which I conceive worthy imitation. A 

 society of (his kind, forms one of the 

 r.;o;t rational, entertaining, and en- 

 liglitened modes of employing a leisure 

 liour, which I am acxiuaintcd with. 

 J. r. 



O 



For 



