have been discovered. A partial edition of them was published in 1749, in his Catechism for the adult, by the Rev. John Hornyold, a distinguished member of the singularly loved and revered Roman-catholic family of that name, at Blackmore Park, in Worcestershire. That gentleman was afterwards ordained bishop, and was vicar-apostolic of the Midland district of English Roman-catholics. The Principles were published at Dublin, by Mr. O'Connor of Belanagare. On perusing this edition of them, Dr. Leland, the Historian, is said to have declared, that, if such were the principles of Catholics, no government had any right to quarrel with them. Dr. Coppinger, the Roman-catholic bishop in Cloyne, published them in his Prayer Book intitled, True Piety, or the day well-spent, now, at least, in its ninth edition. In 1785, the Rev. Mr. Joseph Berrington, to whom the public is indebted for many elegant and interesting works, brought them into general notice, by inserting them at the end of his Reflections addressed to the Rev. John Hawkins.

It has been confidently asserted, that the committee of the English Roman-catholics published an edition of The Principles. This is a mistake; but, in 1788, the committee sent to Mr. Pitt, with whom they were then in intercourse on the subject of the bill, which afterwards passed for the relief of the English Roman-catholics, a copy of The Principles. They accompanied it with a letter, dated the 9th day of May, 1788, in which they mentioned to Mr. Pitt, that "they took the li"berty to inclose a printed summary of their tenets, which they "were persuaded every Catholic would readily sign." The letter was subscribed by Lord Stourton, Lord Petre, Sir Henry Charles Englefield, Sir William Jerningham, Sir John Throckmorton, Mr. William Fermor, Mr. John Towneley, and Mr. Thomas Hornyold.

To give this copy of The Principles greater authenticity, the Honourable James Talbot, then vicar-apostolic of the London district of the English Roman-catholics, signed the first page of it, with his name.

The late Dr. Walmesley, the vicar-apostolic of the Midland

district of the English Roman-catholics, is known to have mentioned in a letter to one of his friends, that "The exposition of "the Catholic Doctrine, published in Mr. Berrington's book, appeared to him to be composed with great judgment and pre"cision."

Of Mr. Walmesley, thus presented to the writer's mind, (to copy a phrase of Doctor Johnson in his life of Smith, the poet), let the writer be permitted to say, that it is a just cause of reproach to the English province of the religious order to which he belonged,-(he was a Benedictine Monk),-that they have not favoured the public with an account of that gentleman's profound mathematical researches. He first became known, as a mathematician, by a Defence of Sir Isaac Newton's Doctrine of Fluxions, in one of the foreign journals. It was received with universal applause; and the academy of Berlin chose him a member of their institute; but he modestly declined the offer. In 1747, he entered into the discussions, to which the celebrated problem of the Three Bodies then gave rise; and his investigations of it, though scarcely known in his native country, were thought, on the continent, to be on a level with those of Clairaut, d'Alembert, and Euler. While he was thus advancing to the height of mathematical fame, he was appointed vicar apostolic for the Midland district of English Roman-catholics, and upon, or at least soon after his nomination to that situation, he gave up entirely his mathematical pursuits. This, it has been said, was owing to his having been once so completely subdued, while he was celebrating the sacred mysteries, by a mathematical distraction, as to find himself making diagrams, on the linen of the altar, with the patten, a thin plate, used by Catholic bishops and priests, in the ceremonies of the altar. It is also said, that, when his dereliction of mathematics was mentioned to d'Alembert, he expressed great concern at the loss which the mathematics would sustain in consequence of his adieu to them. He lived in an edifying discharge of every pastoral and every pious duty, to a very advanced age: but to the last, if a mathematical subject was mentioned, his countenance would lighten, and discover his suppressed affection for mathematic lore. He

published some mathematical works, which answer his great reputation, and probably left behind him valuable manuscripts. Under the direction of some religious gentlemen of his order, an excellent school has been lately established in Ampleforth, in Yorkshire. There certainly is a call on the superiors of this learned community, for a critical account of the life and writings of a member of their order, who did it so much honour. Very honourable mention is made of him by Montucla in his History of Philosophy.

The last and best edition of this valuable tract, was published in 1815, by the Rev. John Kirk, the Roman-catholic pastor at Lichfield. He has prefixed to it a laboured and curious enquiry respecting the editions and author of The Principles. By a variety of arguments and inferences he makes it appear highly probable, that the author of them was the Reverend Father, James Corker, Abbot of the Benedictine Abbey of Lambspring in Germany. The enquiry is ably executed and contains. much interesting matter. Mr. Kirk is now engaged in preparing for the press, a new edition, to be greatly enlarged, and continued to the present times, of Mr. Dodd's Church History of England, from 1500 to 1688. It is hoped that it will meet with encouragement: the work is important, and a better editor of it cannot be imagined.

Considering the variety of editions, through which the tract in question has passed, and the character of the editors, there cannot be a doubt of its containing a just and fair exposition of The Principles of the Roman-catholics, on the points to which it relates. As such, from Mr. Kirk's edition of it, we now present it to the reader.

ROMAN CATHOLIC PRINCIPLES

IN

REFERENCE TO GOD AND THE KING.

SECTION I.

Of the Catholic Faith, and Church in
general.

1. The fruition of God, and the remission of sin are not attainable by man, otherwise than in and by the merits of Jesus Christ, who gratuitously purchased them for us.

2. These merits of Christ, though infinite in themselves, are not applied to us, otherwise than by a right faith in him.

3. This faith is but one entire, and conformable to its object, which is divine revelation: and to which faith gives an undoubting assent.

4. This revelation contains many mysteries, transcending the natural reach of human understanding. Wherefore,

5. It became the divine wisdom and goodness to provide some way or means, whereby man might arrive to the knowledge of these mysteries; means visible and apparent to all; means proportioned to the capacities of all; means sure and certain to all.

6. This way or means, is not the reading of scripture, interpreted according to the private judgment of each disjunctive person, or nation in particular; But,

7. It is an attention and submission to the voice of the

Catholic or Universal Church, established by Christ for the instruction of all; spread for that end through all nations, and visibly continued in the succession of pastors, and people through all ages. From this church, guided in truth, and secured from error in matters of faith, by the promised assistance of the Holy Ghost, every one may learn the right sense of the scriptures, and such Christian mysteries and duties as are necessary to salvation.

8. This church, thus established, thus spread, thus continued, thus guided, in one uniform faith, and subordination of government, is that which is termed the Roman Catholic Church: the qualities just mentioned, unity, indeficiency, visibility, succession, and universality, being evidently applicable to her.

9. From the testimony and authority of this church, it is, that we receive the scriptures, and believe them to be the word of God: and as she can assuredly tell us what particular book is the word of God, so can she with the like assurance tell us also, the true sense and meaning of it, in controverted points of faith; the same spirit that wrote the scriptures, directing her to understand both them, and all matters necessary to salvation.— From these grounds it follows:

10. Only truths revealed by Almighty God, and proposed by the church, to be believed as such, are, and ought to be esteemed, articles of Catholic faith.

11. As an obstinate separation from the unity of the church, in known matters of faith, is heresy; so a wilful separation from the visible unity of the same church, in matters of subordination and government, is schism.

12. The Church proposes unto us matters of faith, first and chiefly by the Holy Scripture, in points plain and intelligible in it; secondly, by definitions of general councils, in points not sufficiently plain in Scripture; thirdly, by apostolical traditions derived from Christ and his apostles to all succeeding ages; fourthly, by her practice, worship, and ceremonies confirming . her doctrine.