Lo 
54 
, improvements of agriculture. 
- ts afferted by men of aliranks, and of moft 
. denominations. 
_ felyes, or a large part of them, ave :fappot- 
. ed. to Bs aflenting to the getter 
> tition. 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
eer eS 
. A FREE DISsERTAFION ON THE NA- 
SIONAL ADVANTAGES OF AR ABO 
LITION OF TITHES os PURCHA SE; 
AND (A MORE EQUAL PAYMENT OF 
PHE CLERGY. 

TY is notin this period of knowledge and 
~ experience to be proved, becaule-the ge- 
nerai voice of the public has eftablithed 
the fact, that Tzthes, as they now ftand, 
are a moit formidable bar to the oredteft 
This faét 
‘Even ‘the clergy thent- 
‘The difficuliy which lies in the 
way> of (cab of that body, who: hefitate 
eoncerning an alteration in the Tithe ty!- 
tem,-is, How a change shall be made which 
raay net higure ther particular I aac and 
endanger the flabiltty of-a national Religions 
Bflablfomeni ?---That a national religi- 
. ous eltablifiment is a national good, they 
, myay be well expeéted to believe, as an 
important truth ; and the opinion of many 
of the daity of the national church is, per- 
haps, equally ftrong in favour. of that 
principle. It fhall Ee granted, for argu- 
ment’s fake, or rather to preclude the ne- 
ceffity of argument in this place, that a- 
national religious eftablifhment may be a 
national good. * But the mode of {up- 
porting fach an eftablifhment on the im- 
mediate preduce of landed labour, is a 
queftion of immenfe magnitude. ‘This 
will be allowed in the abitra&, both by 
fi clergy and laity. 
Tf the difficulties which are eat to 
_ attend the prefent fy fem of ‘Tithes, could 
be happily obviated in a plan for an al- 
tered lyfiem, rezicn prefumes with autho- ° 
rity, that an univerfal acclamation of the 
jaity would enive! . That. it has not yet 
been faewn witha clearne(s equal to the 
importance of the fubj ret, may be allowed 
with probability, notwithfanding the pro- 
teffed candour, the learninc, and elo- 
“oF 

* J have faid may bey not hataule I amde- 
firous of infinuating a doubt onthe fubje& (for 
contention of difparag gement are not my ob- 
jets) but becaule it is not a demonffi ‘able pro- 
pofition. - Teis not denonffrable that a nationa 
religious ettablifhment is effential, either fo 
elie abaabenicat of seal religion or. the peace 
and profpe Siby. of evil goverment; but itis. 
better to haye it. chgughe under: rational 
teguiations of emolument,y thanto difturb un- 
geet iPily the pre jad: ces and tra NgBiLity Qk 
tiie people. 
Plan for the Abolition of Tithes. 
ral propo- 
- Ccompuained of. 
_fugget a mode of regulati ‘07, Suite d to the 
([Sup- 
quence ofages, But the-faé& of its not 
having vet ~ been happily fhewn, is ro 
proof dt the impoflibility” of the thing in 
~ ~queitio: egies And it cannot therefore Be a 
clear prefumptive proof, that the objeétlies 
beyond the power ef human fagacity, aid- 
ed “by a fineere defire to do good. 
if the well-meaning author of the effay 
‘fhould be thought ti have failed in his 
humble attempt'to ferve his country, he 
‘mutt fubmit without arrogance to fuperior 
epinion; and if ‘he fhall ‘fland acquitted, 
as he tulle he fhall, of any improper-mo- 
tives, he shall ftand ‘refigned to his ill fuc- 
eels. 
Many have been the fchemes of men of 
ea ‘ingenuity and more good- 
will, for a partial modification, princi~ 
pally i in preanin of the fuperior clergy, by 
promoting their eafe, and for fecuring 2. 
more amicable intercourfe between them 
and their parifhioners.---This, fo far as 
it may be practicable, would be a defire- 
able itep | ; but it has been obferved al- 
ready, and thould ever be kept in view, 
that their fhare of the Tithes of the na- 
tion, and the inquietudeg attendant upon 
them, are comparativery a fmall part of 
the grievance: and in juitice to the ge- 
nerality of the clergy, it muft be allowed 
to their honour, that, dependant as they 
are tor tubfiitence upon ‘Tithes, as by law 
eftablifhed, a {pirit of liberality pervades 
their order, which feems not to be gene- 
raily equalled among the lay impropria- 
tors. I-do not imtend a flattering ence- 
mium on the clergy ; but from clofe ob- 
fervation, I believe this to be a fact: and 
for a proof of my opinion I need only re- 
ter to the numerous modern decifions of 
courts in their favour, when queftions 
concerning their right have been agitated. 
But not. to digrefs from the fubject of 
propofed remedies; I repeat again that 
thofe {chemes which have been held forth, 
have generally been partial, and, as might 
be expected, from partial plans wholly i in- 
adequate to a national cure of the evil 
Hozw4t could.be pofivle to 
Je verel defcriptions of J Tithe tncuambrance in 
this country? The general anfwer to fuch 
an enquiry would be. thor t; and fuch as 
in the appr ehenfion of former fu per {titious 
times might have been productive of 
alarm; but now, neither alarming to rea- 
fon nor religion ; uae 
A COMPLE TE ANNIHIEATION 
OF 'TITHES THROUG HOUT THE 
REAUM! Lbs s. 
‘This, and nothing ert of this, its. 
pesiumed, would be effectual to the pro- 
duction 
