102, 
" As to the reading of Thetis for Tethys in 
the firft Georgic, I find on examining 
that it is the reading of the Medicean. 
Yet whatever be the authority, and I 
think it high indeed, of that MS. fuch a 
reading would not fupport itfelf whatever 
MSS, might bein its favour.” 
As to the other paflage—azzhil iffe nec . 
aujus nec potuit’ in the admirable epifode, 
or rather epic hiftory of Nifus and Eurya- 
fus (for it 1s more than an epifode, as it 
does forward the main action) it could not 
be a double negative unlefs ze were changed 
to zon. It would then mean ‘ he dared 
every thing—there was nothing which he 
not dared.”’ 
I meditate an edition of Virgil as {mall 
as the very fmall and accurate Plantin 
edition of 1589, one of the fimalleft and 
moft correct books I know. 
With refpect to the Comet, it is very 
agreeable, and for the intereft of afirono- 
my to have thofe appearances announced 
as early as poffible. 1 obferved the article 
copied into the papers. But unhappily, 
the ftar, fgza, 1s by no means fufficiently 
explicit. Of what conftellation? whether 
Corona Berealis, Hercules, Bootes, Cyg- 
nusy Leo, Aquarius, Capricoraus, or Sa- 
gitarius, or Scorpio, or tome others which 
are all Jettered to «and beyond. It is 
almoft always neceflary to name the com- 
ftellation as well as the letter. And there 
ean be little room for doubting whether 
aftronomers of {uch eminence had done this 
in the criginal. As the article ftood, it 
conveyed noother information, in effeét, 
than that a Comet was on the 26th of De- 
eember fomewhere vifible in our northern 
heavens. It is true there are fome lettered 
ftars diftinguifhed by capitals, and which 
may be known (though not ufually or con- 
veniently fo indicated) by the letter only. 
But inthe moft modern charts I have feen, 
¥ know none of thefe that go down to S, and 
they are not of the Greer alphabet. Nearly 
of all celeftial phenomena, whoever would 
apprize the public of the appearance of a 
Comet, had need of being exact and full in 
copying the cefignation given of its pof- 
tion. 
Feb. 5, 18009, 
eee 
To the Editor of the Monikly Magazine. 
Fros Rutulusve fuat, nullo’ difcrimine ha- 
C. LorrtT. 
bebo: Virg. 
Rutulians, ‘Trojans, are the fame to me. 
‘ Dryden. 
SIR, 
S your magazine appears eminently 
calculated: and parily intended for 
promoting among men a reformation of 
Virgil—Comet—Religious Uncharitablenefs. 
f March 1, 
exifting abufes ; and, as your pages have 
already been oecafianally employed in 
pointing out a few of the peculiarities, and 
expofing fome of the inconfiftencies that 
diftinguifh and difgrace the various clafles 
of profefling Chriftians; it may not per- 
haps be improper or unneceflary to notice 
an inconfiftency, of which, though not, as 
I remember, remarked upon in your mif- 
cellany, it is to be feared Chrifians of 
every feét and denomination are more or 
lefs guilty. 
T aliude to that illiberal and uncharitable 
mode of paffing cenfure, by which Chrif- 
tians.of one perfuafion, without obferving 
a proper diftin@tion and regard relative te 
the difference of perfons and characters, too 
often afperfe thofe of another; and who, 
on account of the oppofite fentiments that 
prevail between them with reipeét to fub- 
jeéts of religion, reckon all of that perfua- 
fion equally culpable. The Methodift vi- 
Iifies indiicriminately the Churchman, the 
Churchman the Methodift, thé Calvinift 
both, and the Unitarian all. Each ima- 
eines himfelf poffefied of the true know- 
ledge of the Chriftian doGrine, and there- 
fore thinks himfelf privileged, and at li- 
berty, fhould he find azy, among thofe who 
diffent from him in opinion, that are vi- 
cious and profane, wantonly to indulge-in 
unprovoked aggreflions, and to traduce a/f 
as ignorant oi the nature and the power of 
Chriffianity. 
This blind zeal for the henour of a par- 
ticular feét, or the obfervance of a fa- 
vouritetenet, has, in all ages, and in every’ 
part of the Chriftian world, been preduc- 
tive to mankind of error, confufion, and 
mifery. Inthe times of ignorance and fu- 
perftition to how many was a difference 
in opinion the occafon of hatred, perfecu> 
tion, and death! And, in the pefent en- 
lightened period of the world, hew many 
zealots are there Rill unwilling to forget 
the petty ridiculous diftin€tions of party, 
and whofe prejudices and littlenefs of mind 
forbid them to be,candid enough to confefs 
that men of piety and virtue can anywhere 
exift, except within the narrow precincts 
of their own fe&t. But, though there may 
happen occafional difagreements’ among 
Chriftians with refpe&t to the circumftan- 
tials of religion, why fhould there be any 
about the effentials of it; and why fhould 
they forfeit the brighte gem that adorns 
the Chriftian,—charity ? 
I have been led into thefe refleétions 
from a moft uncharitable and unmerited 
inveStive 1 lately heard from a diffenting 
minifter, who, in the courfe of his fermon, 
aflerted that the clergy of the church of, 
England, 
\ 
