On the whole, we have been much amused and gratified by the perusal of this Miscellany. We have, for a number of years past, noticed with attention the successive publications of this lively and sensible writer, from his out-set in the walks of literature; and it is but justice to observe, with respect to his general merit, that his progress has been marked by improvement.

It may seem singular if we take no notice of the Preface to this volume, and equally singular to notice last that which is presented first: but the Preface is itself peculiar, and may justify peculiarity in regard to it. After a few introductory remarks on the subject of his own work, the author observes that the opposite opinions of periodical critics have afforded him some amusement, some instruction, and some indignation; and, in want of a subject for this Preface, that of their character may not be uninteresting to the lover of literature.' Many may dispute the necessity of making out a Preface: but Mr. D'Israeli is a warm advocate for Prefaces, and therefore he was resolved to form one-out of Reviews and Reviewers, wanting another subject. We must confess that in this discussion he has many shrewd and just observations, and that he appears to have, in several respects, a due conception of the office of a Reviewer: but he, as well as others, seems alive to all the (unavoidable) defects of a periodical publication, and to all the requisites for it, but insensible to the difficulties attending it-opposing its excellence, obstructing even its mediocrity, in regard to talents in all branches, impartiality on all occasions, and consistency on every point. It is not our intention, however, to review this review of ourselves. As our business, indeed, is to criticise writers, we cannot be angry if writers criticise us;hanc veniam petimus damusque vicissim ; and our opinions, together with the hypercriticisms of any who may chuse to attack us, are alike at the bar of the public. Before that tribunal, then, we leave the remarks of Mr. D'Israeli; neither depressed by his disparagement in certain respects of all literary journals, nor elevated by the praise which, in some instances, he has bestowed on us in particular.

ART. V. A Descriptive Sketch of the present State of Vermont, one of the United States of America. By J. A. Graham, L. L.D. late Lieutenant-Colonel in the Service of the above State. 8vo. pp. 186. 6s. Boards. Fry. 1797.

THIS

HIS work is distributed into a series of letters addressed to the Duke of Montrose, which might have been called, with equal propriety, chapters or sections; for they have no

Dd 2

thing

thing epistolary excepting the address and subscription, which are constantly used and unnecessarily repeated.

Dr. G. is a determined panegyrist not only of his country but of himself; his spirited portrait, his claim of consangui nity to the noble house of Montrose, and the cause of the academical honour conferred on him, are proofs of the self-satisfaction with which he anticipates the universality of his work:

Should the following pages ever find their way into other languages, it will increase my satisfaction; as other nations will then see a Republican's sentiments of freedom secured to him by the equal laws of England: and contemplate, with astonishment, the opening scenes of grandeur and importance traced out by Providence on the immense continent of the new world: a world, on whose greatness, at a future period, must depend, in a greater or less degree, the councils, the safety, if not the fate of the rest of the globe.'

We were before ignorant that degrees were so promptly given even to eminent strangers: During my stay in London, the Principals of the Royal College of Aberdeen, being informed of my arrival in England, were pleased to confer on me a Doctor's degree of the Civil and Canon Laws, and sent a diploma to London accordingly.' P. 9.

It is an axiom with most political writers, that the true wealth of any country is the proportionate extent of population. To an insidious attempt, therefore, to promote the emigration of English subjects to America, we feel it our duty to oppose every objection which is warranted by experience. Many who, from a love of change or disgust, originating in opinions concerning religion or politics, hastened to "the new world," have experimentally discovered that solitude, or at most the intercourse with imperfect society, cannot confer happiness on enlarged and cultivated minds. The labourer or mechanic may there find his situation improved by increased wages. America may be the poor man's country: but the man of affluence, refinement, or learning, will know how to appreciate the more matured state of society, in which the power of communication is the great cause of reciprocal happiness. To be master of a desert, to establish a colony, and to build a town, may fill the mind with dreams of beneficence highly flattering to an individual; who, when he has put his theories in practice, will probably find that he has sacrificed the solid comforts of his fortune, and the advantages of rational intercourse, to a painful pre-eminence.

The subject opens in the third Letter:

• Vermont is one of the United States of America, bounded on the North by Canada; on the East by the river Connecticut, which divides it from New Hampshire; on the South by Massachusetts'; and

13

on the West by New York. It is about 155 miles long, and 60 broad: situated between 42°, 44°, and 45°, of North Latitude; and between 143, and 3° 36' of East Longtitude from the Meridian of Philadelphia; and is divided into eleven counties, to wit, Bennington, Rutland, Windham, Windsor, Addison, Chittenden, Orange, Caledonia, Franklin, Essex, and Orleans.

A chain of high mountains, running North and South, divides this State nearly in the centre, between the river Connecticut, and lake Champlain.

The height of the land is generally from 20 to 30 miles from the river, and about the same distance from the New York line.

The natural growth upon this mountain are hemlock, pine, spruce, and other evergreens, hence it has always a green appearance, and on this account has obtained the descriptive name of Vermont, from the French, Verd-Mont, Green Mountain.

On some high parts of this mountain, snow lies till May, and sometimes until July. The country, is generally hilly, but not rocky; it is finely watered; the soil is very fertile, and there is not a better climate in the world. The inhabitants are about 120,000. The bulk of them are emigrants from Connecticut and Massachus

setts.

The principal towns are Bennington, Rutland, and Windsor. The General Assembly hold their sessions alternately at Rutland and Windsor.'

We are next made acquainted with the constitution of Vermont, the house of representatives, general assembly of the state, supreme executive power, the laws, council of censors, courts of judicature, and the militia.

In his description of Benington, the capital of the county of the same name, the author calls the houses, magnificent and elegant :'

Mr. Moses Robinson has a superb brick house in Bennington, as also Mr. J. Robinson. Mr. Dewey, and Mr. Smith, have very elegant wood houses; but for real taste in Architecture, Mr. Titchenor's wood house is the best laid out and executed, according to the size of it, of any in the County.-His chimney pieces and hearths are of a beautiful clouded marble, as highly polished as any I have seen in London; and to his further honour be it spoken, Mr. Titchenor as sured me that most of these were excouted by his own hands.'

A monotonous style of panegyric prevails, whatever be the topics, whether men or things;-the land flows with milk and honey; and the leading families and characters,' individually noticed, are, as Marc Anthony says, "all honourable men ;"— who, in a very great proportion, practise the law.

From the last letter only we learn the immediate cause of Dr. Graham's visit to England, as agent of the Episcopal Church of Vermont, to the society for propagating the gospel in foreign parts:

In Religious Concerns, the first and most important obligation on man is obedience to his Maker. The peace of our minds depends so essentially on this, as that every man should be left to his full and perfect liberty, and to follow the dictates of his own conscience in all his communications with the Deity.

The inhabitants of Vermont have adopted this principle in its fullest extent. Some of them are Episcopalians, others are Congrega tionalists; some are of the Presbyterian, others of the Baptist persua-sion; and some are Unitarians, while others again are Friends, commonly called Quakers. As they all, at times, stand in need of each other's assistance in the common concerns of life; so are they all persuaded, that the Government has nothing to do with their particular and distinguishing tenets. It is not barely toleration, but equality in this respect, which the people of Vermont aim at. Their ideas are, that no one party shall have any power to make laws or forms obligatory on another; that each denomination may lay themselves under what covenants and civil contracts they please; but that Government shall not know any distinction between them: and that all professions shall enjoy equal liberty, without any legal pre-eminence

whatever.

Peace, quietness, and prosperity to the State, are the result of this religious freedom of opinion. No man is chosen to, or excluded from, civil offices, on account of his particular religious sentiments. The Clergy of the several denominations have no chance of assuming any power but among their own party. The people are under no obli gation to support any teachers, but what they chuse to lay themselves under, by special contract entered into between the pastor and his flock :-neither can any civil advantages be gained or lost, by belonging to one denomination rather than to another,

• The causes of, and motives to, contention, being thus taken away, there can scarcely remain any improper circumstance to inAuence men in their respective opinions. In this equality of all parties, religious professions become what they always ought to be-not matters of gain, honour, or civil distinctions; but of sentiment, persuasion, and conscience.

The settlement and support of the Ministers of Religion, has been assisted and encouraged by the Government. The earliest grants of lands in this State, were made by BENNING WENTWORTH, Governor of New-Hampshire. This Gentleman was of the communion of the Church of England. In the grants of land that were made by him there were three rights in each township reserved for religious purposes. One to the Society for propagating the Gospel in foreign parts; one for a glebe, designed for the use of an Episcopal Clergy; and a third for the first settled Minister, intended for his private property, to encourage the settlement of a Minister in the then new Plantations. In the grants of Townships which have been made by the Government of Vermont, two rights have been reserved for the support of a Clergy; one for a parsonage, designed for the maintenance of a Minister, and unalienable from that purpose; another to become the property, and designed to encourage the settlement of the first Minister. This right acerues to the first Clergyman who is settled in the

Торовья

Town, of whatsoever profession he may be. The salary of the Minister ariseth wholly from the special contract entered into between him and the people. These contracts are altogether voluntary: but when made, by a law passed October 18, 1787, are considered as being of equal force and obligation as any other; but no persons of a different denomination are affected by them. The Law has no particular reference to any sects, but considers them all as having a right to make what covenants they please, with the minister of their own choice, and being of course bound, by their own act, to fulfil such covenant.

• No embarrassments have attended any of the grants of land, which have been made for religious purposes, but those designed for a glebe; and those made to the Society for propagating the gospel in foreign parts. In many of the towns there were no Episcopal elergymen, nor any incumbent to take the charge of the glebe lots The Society have not concerned themselves about the lands which were granted to them. Both these rights have remained unimproved and uncultivated, except where individuals have gained possession of them; and it has been a great disadvantage to the State, to have such tracts of land lying waste. It has repeatedly been a matter of consideration in the General Assembly, what ought to be done with these lands. Instead of coming to any decision upon the matter, in October 1787, the General Assembly passed an act, authorizing the Select men of the several towns, to take care of, and to improve, the glebe and society lands for the space of seven years; and to apply the incomes to the improvement of the lands, those excepted, which were in the possession of an Episcopal Minister.

This Law had been, for a considerable time, but little attended to; till at length the Episcopal Church applied, by their agent, to the venerable Society, in London, for propagating the gospel in foreign parts, praying the Society to relinquish their rights to those lands in their favour; but the venerable Society declined making any such relinquishment. In the meantime, the General Assembly took upon themselves the right of sequestrating such lands, and appropriating them to the use of Public Schools and Literary Institutions: by which the primary intention of the Grantor (his Majesty's Governor of New-Hampshire) was defeated; and by which the Episcopal Church have lost the benefit originally intended for them.'

This volume is recommended by much typographical elegance, and vignettes well engraven on wood, in the manner of Bewick; a portrait of the author, also, as we have already mentioned, is prefixed; and though we found it necessary to object to the work in some particulars, it presents interesting information to the inquirer concerning the present state of America.