Vols I] 
afefulnefs ; we might afk the refpectable 
bifhop of Landaff, the fame plain quef- 
tion *. From their well known candour, 
We Can participate their anfwer.. They: 
would doubtlefs confefs, that the Services 
of their funtion were. fufiiciently paid 
for. Now fuppofe (if it fhould. be deem- 
ed°-on mature reflection. for. the good of 
the church) that the fucceffors of the two, 
prefent archbifhops fhould. be allowed. 
each, double the prefent income of the 
two bifhops, laft mentioned, put together ! 
Will any man. fay, that fuch a mode of 
calculating would be degrading or im- 
proper? But if the fum be deemed in- 
futhcient, it may be increafed till par- 
liament be fatished. And thould par- 
hiagment think proper to fix the income of 
other fueceeding bifhops at 1so0ol. per 
ann. or vary them from 1500]. to 20001. 
fumicient outward dignity might be there- 
by provided for, and fufficient reward for 
thoie fpiritual labours, which, whenever 
they are moft effeStual and fincere, are 
fure to produce an internal reward, fa- 
perlor ta, al! other peffible benefits | 
It it fhould be thought right to retain 
exactly the prefent deicription of church 
Gignity, between the bifhcp and the com- 
mon minitter, it may be deemed a proper 
regulation, that no future dean, arca- 
deacon, &c. fhould have more than dauile, 
or treble, the highe# allowance to be 
limited by the common minifters of. the 
church.. ; 
It is not a principal obje& of this eflay 
to difcufs the quantum of allowance that 
would be proper to thofe claffes of the 
clergy, which may be deemed neceflary 
to the ceconomy of the church; but 
fone thoughts on the fubject flow, net 
unnaturally, out of the fubje& of tithes, 
when a fubditute for them is profefledly 
under contideration : and fuch a branch 
of our treatife will ‘be lefs liable to ob- 
jection, from the clergy and their beft 
friends, when it, thall be evident the- 
writer is far more a.friend than an enemy, - 
to them, by the general improvement of 
fectilar interefts which he prooples.. 
The inequality of allowance, to the 
lower ranks of the clerey, is fo fhame 
tho 
tas 

na 

* No perfon, furely, can attempt to juttify. 
the enormous difference, between the income 
from the fee of this good Many and thefe be. 
fore “mentioned ! : ; 
t It is probable, that, ia addition to the: 
epiftopal falary., the living, appertaining to 
Fae parifh in which the bithop, refides, may he, 
yetted’ in him; gut of which the chaplainy 
Feleeut ta pls howle, may be pay 
aa 
_ Plan fer the. Abolition of Tishes. 
fuppoted “to be 
O57 
fully great, on the prefent fyftem, that he 
muit be blind and callons to all generous 
fentiment, who cannet fee and diufapproye 
that inequality; and who can be filent 
when he has an opportunity of remark. 
ing, how ineffectual the prefent vexati- 
ous load of tithes is, te the comfort of 
thofe originally intended to be. main- 
tained by them? Jf the greater al of 
the livings in England and Wa. es. are 
too fmall for the decent fubfiftence: of 
a clereyman’s family, (which will be’ 
readily granted) and if the average 
falaries of the curacies paid to the non- 
refidences, are lefs than the wages, of 2 
mechanick, (which is confidered as. the 
fact) the abolition of tithes, and an 
equality of allowance in lieu of them, 
will furely be confidered as a friendly 
propofition! I will therefore hazard ay 
Opinion thus; : 
Suppofe then, parliament, fetting the 
education and pretenfions of an educated 
clergyman, above thole. of a common .ex- 
cifeman, (worle than whom many of thena 
are now paid) fhould propole to reward 
them with at deaf? f£.100. per annum. 
That this thould be the higheft fur to-be 
granted to any of the preient highly be,, 
nificed vicars and re&tors, I do nat pre- 
tend to luggeft; itis not my province te 
propofe an abfolute Limitation, to this, or 
a ium confhderably larger; but if a fcho. 
lar, who muft not work as other men, ig 
to be paid for his ftudies and his time, im 
a function called facred and important, 3£ 
it may not. be thought reafonable that he 
fhould have al lefs allowance annexed 
‘to his refidence, than £.r00 per annum, 
‘The allowance may be varicd upwards to 
£150, or £.200: fuch angmentations to 
be affixed to the mo populous dikvicis, 
and to bear certain preportion to. the 
whole number of livings; as. for inflanes, 
45 one to three, ox any other propertica, 
by way of siving encouragement to dup. 
poled merit, and aiding thofe clergymen 
who have large and increafing families. 
The collatioz of bithops. having beeg 
from tine immemorial, veffed ia the crows 
as tomporal bead of the church, it will of 
cote be deemed-rieht that, it thoai!d 
there remain; and. as fuch an appomts 
ment implies a fan&tion of high defcent, 
it may be confidered as, proper, that.all 
the prefent powers of appointment to liv. 
ings, may continue annexed to the aiffers 
ent bithopticks, becaule the bithops (thas, 
worthily. appoimted) wil} 
le likely to give general {atisfaGion in 
the felections they thall make. Indeed, i¢ 
wall uot apygara setter oF necefity cone 
: fequent 
roy 
peas 
