520 
he would have proposed a self-evident 
and inexpugnable truth. It is not‘conso- 
nant with historical truth, that religion, 
of some sort or other, is indispensable 
to the mass of mankind, since we know 
that whole nations have subsisted inde- 
pendently of such, and even without 
the knowledge of such a term as Deity ; 
and in, at least; equal prosperity with 
sions to which we leave our corre- 
spondents exposed. Other parts, which 
appeared to be neither relevant’to the sub- 
ject, nor in unison with the temper of the 
times, and therefore likely rather to revolt 
the taste than to reform the judgment, we 
have taken the liberty to omit; and we are 
free to acknowledge, that even in many 
parts of what we have preserved, there is 
a tone which, if any but ourselves had 
been the object of attack, we should have 
thought required some lowering ; and some 
hold and general assertions, which, unsup- 
ported as they are by any references to 
facts, we should not have thought proper 
to insert. And, let us add, we do not 
mean to permit this insertion to be either 
a precedent or a snare to draw us from our 
resolution, of never rendering the pages of 
the M.M. a channel either for theological 
or anti-theological controversy ; and that 
we) must see better reasons than are ob- 
. vious to. us at present, before’ we. lend our 
aid towards inflaming the passions on either 
side, ow any question, theological or politi- 
cal. That even the most important truths 
may be useful, they must be tempered, and 
be timed to the occasion—daring, and even 
vehement, upon just necessity ; but win- 
ning an easier way by conciliation, when- 
éyer it is practicable. 
.) With respect to the question at issue, 
whoever refers to the passage objected to, 
in our last Supplement, will perceive whe- 
ther there is in it any sacrificing at the 
fashionable shrine of complaisance, or even 
any upholding, or any impugning, of any 
doctrinal creed. We have stated, indeed, 
an opinion (which assertions without facts 
will not overthrow), that from all our expe- 
rience of the history and nature of the hu- 
man mind, the mass of mankind can no 
more exist without some religion, or some 
system of superstition dignified with that 
name, than wifhout bread; and, as we 
have already, in Christianity, the best that 
has ever yet been revealed, or devised, we 
have endeavoured to shew, that, if the 
priesthood will forbear to. mingle its doc- 
trines with the prostitution or the purposes 
of court politics and arbitrary power, the 
reflecting and benevolent unbeliever, even, 
(and such, whatever prejudice and bigotry 
may. say to the contrary, we know there 
as will feel no inducement to shake the 
faith of the multitude, Let the reader 
judge for himself, whether our correspon- 
dent has overthrown our argument. And 
here let the question rest.—Enir. 
Nearer Approach of the Sun! 
[July 1, 
those who were blessed with the pro- 
tection of a traditional religion.+ 
* * # esi 
Joun Lawrence. 
+ If our Correspondent is acquainted 
with the history of any such nations, we 
will be bold to say that he has the know- 
ledge all to himself.—-Epir. 
SN 8 BEST 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
Sir: 
OW great is the admiration called 
forth by the comparatively trifling 
circumstance of a hill being cut down, 
ora bend avoided ; or, in fine,a few fur- 
longs saved in the passage from one 
overgrown town or village to another, 
on any of our great high-roads! But 
should this saving amount to miles— 
good lack ! hardly could expressions be 
found that would adequately convey our 
feelings of admiration. This being the 
case in these trivial matters (no pun in- 
tended), with what delight and gratitude 
should we (in this sometimes sufficiently 
cold country) express ourselves towards 
that indomptible philosopher, who tout 
de coup (as the French have it) has 
brought the Sun 13,000,000 miles 
nearer to the earth; that is to say, 
from his formerly-computed distance of 
95,000,000 miles to 82,000,000! But, 
Sir, let us speak seriously on so mo- 
mentous an affair; for, assuredly, if at 
one stride his burning brightness has 
stolen such a march upon us, *tis time fo 
look sharp about us: though that’ will 
not much avail, for 82,000,000 miles 
will not allow many more such steps, be 
they for our weal or woe. IT allude, of 
course, to the observations of 4 Mr. W. 
Squire, (a great man, I suppose, in those 
parts), which I lately saw announced in 
a Bristol Newspaper, which not only 
upset the usual calculation deduced from 
the parallax observed in Transit of Ve- 
nus over the Sun’s disk, and heretofore 
held as the’standard of orthodoxy rela- 
tive to the position of the Dazzling 
Regent of the Day; but prove, by the 
occultation of a fixed star and Mars, in 
opposition to the Sun, that his real dis~ 
tance is only 82,000,000 miles, as above 
stated. Now, Sir, as notwithstanding 
the warmth of my admiration of so au- 
eust'a neighbour, I should, nevertheless, 
be desirous of his keeping a due dis- 
tance, I should be happy to learn from 
some of your 'star-gazing visitants, what 
degree of ‘confidence is to be placed in 
this report of his nearer approach, and 
how much nearer yet there is any ‘pro- 
bability of his being brought toward’ ’ 
Your's, &c. - QQ: 
