1797: 
mittees of correfpondence with focieties 
of a fimilar profeifion in other parts of 
the world; and committees, to whom 
muft be delegated the power of examin- 
ing and admitting new members. 
“Such men will clearly diftinguifh, that 
the ancient adminiftration of the com- ' 
pany was a bad one, which, like that in 
Warwick-lane, potfoned the corporation 
into torpor and ufeleffnefs---they will 
fee, that without a liberal plan of inter- 
nal management, which admits no 
diftinctions of members, but fuch as 
fuperior merit in knowledge and abilities 
point out, nothing will be achieved: 
a few crafty men will ufurp the wnole 
government, whofe intereft will confit 
‘in preventing general meetings, leit the 
lamp of emulation fhould be lighted, 
and left, while the new college fhone forth 
with all the fplendor of fcience, their 
-own little glory fhould be eclipled and 
loft ! 
But I hope, Mr. Editor, that this 
will net be the cafe, and that both you 
and I, who both with well to phyfic and 
furgery, fhall live to fee the college in 
Warwick- lane (purged of its pernicious 
bye-laws, in f{pite of the chicanery and 
delays of a and the new college of 
furgery, blend their zealous endeavours 
for the promotion of their fifter {ciences, 
the moft honourable to the profeffors, 
becaufe the moft ufeful to mankind at 
large. 
March 18, :1704- 
EE ee 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
HE lifts of diflenting congregations 
muft be peculiarly acceptable to a 
numerous clats of your readers; but I 
think they would be, ftill more fo, if they 
were accompanied with fome notices of 
their prefent ftate, the religious per- 
fuafion, anecdotes of former minit{ters, 
and the names of the prefent. 
The following errata occur in the lift 
of congregations in -Devonthire, which 
it is proper to correct: 
For Carfwood, certainly Cornwood mutt 
be meant. Hafordcombe thouid be Ifra- 
combe, the congregation of which is gone 
much to decay.  Medbury fhould be 
Modbury.  Prefcot, query, is there any 
fuch place in the county ?---For Lover- 
ton and Upettery, read Thorverton and 
Upottery. 
There was a congregation of inde- 
pendents at Braunton, but it has been 
extinét for fome years, though the 
minifter, Mr. Short, ftull lives in the 
: ; 
Diffenting Congregations... The Enquirer, No. XII. 29% 
village, having an eftate there. Yorring- 
ton has had no minifter for many ‘years, ° 
and is vifited, only occafionally, by one or 
two minifters in the neighbourheod. 
The academy for educating young 
men for the miniftry in this county, is 
at St. Mary Ottery, of which Mr. 
Buncombe was lately tutor, but not Mr. 
Reader, who fuperintended the feminary 
at ‘Launton. 
I may, perhaps, at another time, 
communicate a few hiftorical notices cf 
fome of thefe congregations, and am, fir, 
“Your's, &c.- 
March 11, 1797. j. W. 
ee 
THE ENQUIRER, No. Xi. 
Question :—Is Rhyme an Ornament, or 
a Defeé, in Verfe ? 
But THOSE THAT WRITE IN RHYME sTILL 
MAKE 
THE ONE VERSE FOR THE OTHER’S SAKE 
For ONE FOR SENSE, AND ONE FOR RHYME, 
] THINK ’s SUFFICIENT AT ONE TIME. 
Butler. 
HILE the fentimental reader values 
himfelf upon ‘“ being PROS: he 
knows not why, and cares not whcre- 
fore,’ the piloioon vical critic will not 
ane it quite abfurd, to inveftigate the. 
fources of the pleafures we derive from 
literary produétions ; and to diftinguifh 
fuch as are the genuine offspring of truth 
and nature, from thofe which.owe their 
exiftence to falfe opinion, or depraved 
tafte, and are prefexved by the mere 
force of habit and cuftom. ‘That we are 
ften pleafed with things which ought 
not to pleafe us, is aS true In matters of 
tafte, as in morals; and, in both cafes, 
it is only by bringing our feelings to the 
ftandard of ces that we can deter- 
mine whether they ought to be in- 
dulged. 
If, as we daily fee, it is in the power 
of fafhion, by the capricious ftrokes of his 
harlequin - wand, to vary, at pleafure, 
the forms of - beauty ; and, in endlefs 
» freaks, to make that w had to-day is 
enchanting, to-morrow odious and fhock- 
ing; why may not time and habit te 
able, by acontrary procefs, to reconcile 
us to abfurdities ; and to meee us fancy 
beauty and excellence, where there is, 
in yeality, nothing but whim and con- 
ceit=? Will it, then, in this age of in- 
novation, be thought too daring an in 
trufion into the my feries of facred p rely, 
if we venture to enquire, heehee the 
modern practice of writing verfe in 
rhyme, be fonnded in nature and reafon, 
and 




