- of * 
1799] 
public library in fuch a town as this is 
no good friend to bookiellers ; till, how- 
ever, they are fupported ; for Norwich 
contains a great many literary and fcien- 
tific charaéters ; fo many indeed, that it 
has been called—though in the language, 
lefs of truth than flattery,—the Athens 
of England. We have a numerous body 
of the eftablifhed clergy, to a confiderable 
portion of which, it would be highly il- 
liberal not to afcribe a relifh for the 
luxuries of literature ; clerical gentlemen 
are men of leifure, and with the fhepherd 
Tityrus may exclaim ‘* Deus nobis hzc 
otia fecit;*> many of them, however, 
enjoy their ofiam, cum dignitate, and 
with the erudition of a {cholar unite the 
urbanity and accomplithments of a gen- 
tleman. Among our diffenting miniters 
alfo, are fome few of genius and learning : 
but the Diffenters loit one of their bright- 
eft ornaments in the death of Dr. Enfield. 
Dr. Enfield's literary character is known 
full well: his domettic virtues, the be- 
nignity of his difpofition, the mildnefs 
ot his manners, his fenfibility, and in 
fhort, the general excellence of his heart, 
comparatively can be known to few: to 
thofe few who enjoyed his intimacy and 
his friendfhip. 
Ergo QuinGtilium perpetuus fopor 
Urget ? cui pudor, et juftitie foror 
Incorrupta fides, nudaque veritas, 
Quando ullum invenient parern ? 
From the clerical order if we pafs on 
to the medical, we fikali remark with 
pleafure alarge proportion of its members, 
who are men of general fcience: men 
whofe profeffional knowledge, rich as it 
may be, conititutes a {mall portion only 
of their intellectual wealth. 
Norwich, I fuppofe, like every other 
place in the kingdom, contains fome few 
political inebriates: now ifa man is happy, 
good-humoured, and inoffenfive over his 
cups, one is difpofed to participate his 
hilarity, and rather to {mile at his antics 
than frown at his folly; but if he grows 
furious when he is drunk, if he breaks 
the glafles, upfets the table, and, like 
the young oilicer who Ficlling tells us 
threw the decanter at Tom Jones’s head 
in order fo point cut to him the weakne(s 
of his argument—puts every one who 
oppoles him. in fear of his life, it be- 
comes. neceflary to turn fuch a man out 
of theroom asa difturber of the company, 
without any regard to the nature of the 
beverage which intoxicated him; for in 
my opinion it dees not fignify one farthing 
whether he got drunk with French wine or 
with Exgli/h, nor is it of any fienification, 
that I know of, whether his toafts are 
Sketch of the State 
of Society in Norwich. 279 
‘the Brunfwick march to the armies of 
all tyrants’? and ‘* our fovereign; the 
majefty of the people’’, or whether they 
are ** curfe the council of five-hundred*” 
and “¢ damn the Directory.” 
We have foie ef thefe drunken quar- 
relfome fellows in this city ; ameng them 
too are men who, from their clevated fi- 
tuation in life, their education, and 
the company which we muft fuppofe 
them to have kept, ought to know bet- 
ter, and fhould fet an example of tem- 
perance and moderation te others who 
have not enjoyed their advantages; thefe 
gentlemen, however, ferve as a warn- 
img, and though the alternative which 
they make choice of is certainly difcre- 
ditable to themfelves, it ‘is perhaps not 
very important to the public. 
We are far more tolerant in matters of 
religion, than of politics: and certainly 
if perfect toleration is not to be allowed 
in both, fubjects of a pelitical nature are 
more cognizable before a human tribunal 
than thofe of a religious. 
It is an offence of the higheft magni- 
tude, with a violent and profane hand to 
ftil] the throbbings of devotion; it is im- 
pious and arrogant to prefcribe to a fel- 
low reptile what facrifice he fhall offer 
unto the throne of the Almighty, and to 
fay < thus only fhalt thou worthip him’: 
as well may we at once with an unhal- 
lowed voice fay to the creator ¢ thus only 
fhall thy creatures worfhip thee’, what 
caiuift can fhow the difference? 
_In Norwich we have churchmen, and 
diffenters of various denominations: Jews, 
Quakers, Catholics, and Proteftants ; 
each individual worfhips in his own 
way, and froma fincere belief, it is to be 
prefumed, that ‘‘ inevery nation he that 
teareth God and worketh righteouinefs is 
accepted with him,’ there are few (if 
any) who think ill of their neighbours for 
worfhipping in a manner different from 
themifelves. If it be true that, ** like the 
roots of corn, the fpirit of religion be- 
comes more productive by divifion*,’” we 
may here look forward toan abundant 
produce.of rich trait, 
In thisancient city area Dutch church 
alfo and a Frenchchurch: both of which 
were founded by thofe eminent philan- 
thropifts, Philip the fecond of Spain, and 
his illuftrious general the Duke of Alva. 
Nay, {mile not; for it is ftriétly true. 
It appears from Blomfieldy that in the 
year 1565, ‘* thecity being in much diftrefs 

* Aikin’s Letters to his Son. xi, *$ On relie 
gious Socicties. 
-Hiftory of Norfolk. vol. ii. p. 200. 
by 
