1799; ] 
writers could not poffibly know thatthe 
Jetter figned David Savile would precede 
it ; but if they had known it, they could 
{carcely have penned, in my opimion, and 
that of saany others, a more complete re- 
futation of it. AJ] that I could have 
wifhed for, is voluntarily fubitantiated by 
vouchers who have deen my pupils, dome 
at the beginning of my academical career}. 
others, during the proce{s; and fome at 
the period of my refigning my office. By 
your permiffion, Sir, I will now turn to 
my young friends; and by adarefling to 
them a few fenterces, through the medium 
of a Magazine fo extenfively circulated, 
give the public an idea of my views-and 
intentions. 
GENTLEMEN, 
I cannot but feel the moft lively fenfe of 
gratitude for your unfolicited teftimonial tomy 
character, judicioufly fupported by an appeal 
to faéts, and for the handtome and affectionate 
addrefs to me, with*which you have thought 
fit to accompany it. Accept, therefore, my 
unfeigned thanks ; and allow me to add, that 
my pleafure is heightened, by a confcioufnefs 
that Iam entitled to your eiteem, fo far as a 
real concern for your improvement and com- 
fort can deferve it. Beyond this I make no 
boaft—And now my fidelity in my official 
department being eftablifhed, upon the fame 
ground on which the credibility of the Gofpel 
itfelf refts, I mean the tefimony of compe- 
tent witneiies, can you, can the public ex- 
pect me to take notice of the infignificant 
letter figned David Savile? I have, indeed, 
at laft, drawn forth a name; but to David 
Savile himfelf I certainly never intend to 
addrefs one line fo long as 1 live; becaufe, 
though I have always treated him with ci- 
vility, which he acknowledged but two or 
three weeks before we parted, I am com- 
pelled to believe, by an irrefiftible body of 
evidence, that he is the worft enemy I have 
in the world: and becaufe any future re- 
peer tohe ‘by the fame pen, would pro- 
ably refemble the prefent, in which there 
is {carcely a fingle faét accurately and fairly 
ftated. This I have demonftrated in a paper, 
which I thought of inferting in the Maga- 
zine; but upon refle€tion have fuppreffed Hes 
perceiving that it would occupy more room 
in that ufeful work than I had a right to ex- 
pect, and convinced that your teftimonial, fo 
ftrongly expreffed, muft cruth the infinuations 
of an individual, who was never prefent at 
any one of my leétures, during the whole 
time of his refidence at Northampton. All 
that I fhall do, therefore, is to fele@& one 
Jpecimen of that writer’s rafhnefs and malevo- 
lence: and I feleét that in particular from 
among others, becaufe it relates both to 
yeu 
and me. 
He aflerts, with an air of great fo. 
Jemnity, that ‘* for aferies of years I haye 
been fending forth men, who have diminifhed 
many a once flourifhing congregation.» Now 
this, I ventyre to declare, as a general eller 
Lhe Rev. Mr. Horfey’s Explanation. 
93 
tion, is abfolutely falfe. I will not fiy thag 
there is not a fingle inftance of a diminithed 
fociety amongft you all, but I wiil fay that x 
do not know any inftance of the kind, where 
any one of my late pupilsisfettled. Inftances 
to the contrary, however, 1 do know, in fe- 
veral places; and that the congregations of 
fome of them -are at this moment ina very 
flourifhing ftate. Is this, gentlemen, the 
narrator of faéts, on whofe teftimony the 
public will xely? Is this the cenfor at whofe 
menaces we are to tremble, or by the fmart 
of whofe correction ‘* public repentance” is 
to be produced ? Can arrows from the quiver 
of fuch a man injure thofe againft whom they 
are directed? Alas! I feel quite invulnerable, 
while I folace myfelf with the advice of the 
Roman poet— 2 
“¢ Hic murus abeneus effo, 
Nil confeire fibi, nulla pallefcere culpa.” 
Here the public, I prefume, will make their 
comment; and here I fhall leave Mr. Savite 
to his own refleCtions, only reminding him, 
in my turn, of a heavenly voice, which lays, 
<¢ Lbou fhalt not bear falfe witnefs againft thy 
neighbour.” eae 
iam glad, gentlemen, that you have con= 
nected the encouragement of Free Enquiry 
with the faithful difcharge of my duty. I 
could not confciencioully engage in any plan 
of education, where it was reftrained or dife 
countenanced. Nor had I the leat reafon to 
fuppofe that this was wiflled, when I entered 
upon my office as theological tutor at North- 
ampton. I will conclude, therefore, with an 
extract from the firf? addrefs which I delivered 
to my academical family, to thew in what light 
I then confidered myfelf required by Mr. 
Coward’s truftees to conduét the ftudies of 
my pupils: 2 
*« It is not the defign of this inftitution, 
and it is very far from my inclination, to 
ufurp an authority over confcience, or to 
cherifh bigotry and party zeal. It contributes 
not a little to the credit of this feminary, 
that it has been conduéted for'a feries of years 
on generous and liberal principles: principles 
which I devoutly with may be ftil] cherithed, 
and without which its very exiftence is, indeed, 
infignificant and ineligible. Freedom of en- 
quiry, on all fubjeéts, is the birth-right and 
glory of arational being. In this fewainary it 
has been enjoyed; in this feminary it fhall 
be enjoyed. In the honeft fervour of an un- 
fettered mind, I fay, Heaven forbid, that the 
fatal hour fhould ever arrive, when freedom of 
enquiry thall be prohibited or reftrained My 
objet, gentlemen, is not to {tamp infalli- 
bility on any human fyftem of religion. Not 
to require your fubicription to articles of a 
faith before you have examined into ‘troth , 
of them. Not to bias your minds ng the 
proceis of examination, Not to encourage a 
fevere and illiberal difpofition towards any 
clafs of your fellow chriftians. But the 
higheft obje& of my ambition is to promcte 
a {criptural religion; and to enrich the church ~ 
det 

