44796. | 
fhould have 
been thought of by the 
Poet. ; 
Tractas | ét in | cé | dis pér | ignés 
Rés or | dina | xs grande | manis 
Cui laa | ras ae | ter | nos ho | nores 
Jam ‘fal | gor ar | mo } ram fu | gacés 
Et cunc | ca ter | ra | rum fub | acta 
' Yella | ré vic | to | ram né | potes 
~ -'Tefta | tir au | di { timqte | Medis’ 
Non’ dé | cdlo | ra | vere | caedes 
. Mécim | Dio | naé | 6 fub | antro. 
‘The fame regularity is obferved in the 
other odes of this meafure, which is not 
to be reconciled with the common mode 
of fcanning, ‘and the licentioufnefs of the 
iambic mealure. But, perhaps, you will 
think an enquiry into the Horatian mea- 
fures of little importance in the prefent 
times, and condemn both the writer, and 
thofe of your readers who can employ 
themfelves _on fuch fubjects. Be it 
fo. A minute attention to thefe things, 
if interfering with other duties, may be 
blameable ; but if any of your readers 
fhould, by this fingle hint, find their 
pleafure increafed in reading their fa- 
_vourite poet, the end of the writer will 
be anfwered. I remain, fir, Your’s, 
| june &. PHILOMETER. 
i + ee 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
srRy -# 
AS a diffenter, and ftill more as one of 
++ the friends to ‘the intereft of truth 
and freedom,’ I regret with your corref- 
pondent Caftor (p.281) that our plans for 
hberal education have fo generally failed ; 
yet I take the liberty to differ from him 
as to the importance of an object, that ap- 
pears almoft exclufively to engage his at- 
tention, J mean the “providing fy!- 
tematical education, for thofe who are in 
future to conduét our public fervices.” 
There are two facts notorious among 
diffenters, and well worthy their regard; 
‘the frequent embarraffment of our preach- 
ers in-advancing life, and the prefent in- 
difpofition among our youth to be edu- 
<ated for the fervice of the pulpit; the 
Jatter circumftance may be partly attri- 
buted to doubts refpecting Revelation, 
more ufualthan formerly ; a ftate of things 
for the ifflue of which, asa Chriftian, I 
have no apprehenfion ; yet the circum- 
ftance (however explained) muft have an 
amiluence, almoft fatal, upon your Cor- 
re{pondent’s plan of Education. 
But I cannot, forget the firft, melan- 
choly fact I have ftated, and I am dif- 
pelted to afk, whether many ferious eyils 
UA igs : 
Education of Diffenting Minijiers. 
389 
might not be avoided, and every valuable 
purpofe more completely attained, by the 
occafional fervices of different individuals 
in a religious affenbly ; a confcquence 
- which feems as naturally to follow the ex- 
tinction of an order of preachers, as a 
nation becomes martial, when it ceafes to 
have a ftanding army. 
I forbear to purfue this enquiry where 
it would dircétly lead me, becaufe your 
pages are very laudably devoted to gene- 
ral improvement, and ought not to be 
long occupied by a concern, which can 
intereft only one defcription of readers. 
To thofe who are not Chriftians, it can 
be no cbje¢t of attention, and to Chrif- 
tians of the cftablithed church, I make no 
appeal; they confittently fubmit to an 
order of pricfis, claiming diitinétion on 
the acknowledged ground of divine ap- 
pointment ; on the contrary, if diffenters 
while they have refolutely oppofed fuch 
a fyftem, have yet maintained among 
themfelves an order of men, not, indeed, 
often claiming, yct generally receiving, a 
diftinétion nearly equal to what is pro- 
vided for the undignified national clergy, 
this is but one of a thoufand procfs from 
hiftory that all men are more zealous to 
affert their rights, than to fupport their 
confiftency. 
It may be objefted that diffenters main- 
tain no order of men, for every congre- 
gation appoints its own minifters; but here 
isa fallacy, for (elpecially among thofe 
called rational diffenters) none who can- 
not afford to fubferibe, have the privilege 
of choice; yet (waving th’s exception) to 
what does the privilege amount > One 
generation’chufes ayoung man, becaufe 
he is an object of preference ; the next 
generation finds hima pious and amiable 
man, but from age and infirmities an un- 
acceptable preacher, yet he depends for 
{upport on the pittance fubferibed for the 
fervices of the pulpit, and he is an ob- 
ject of compailion. What I have de- 
tcribed is no creature of fancy, I have 
too often feen the original; and as I doubt 
not but your Correipondent is actuated by 
the beft motives, 1 with he would look’ 
round his connections, and, perhaps, when 
he confiders how many of fuch excellent 
but afflicted charaéters he can difcover, 
he may, from a benevolent defign, be un- 
willing to employ his pen or his purfe, 
in promoting fuch fchemes, which if fuc- 
cefsful muft increafe the number; at the 
fame time he will encourage that ardour, 
which, I dare fay, he feels (though he 
has not expreffled it) to fe our youth in 
general, among the diffenters, educated 
Lk 
