The POLICE. approved character, who might be conftituted the civil guard of the city of London and its fuburbs, and whofe institution would render it almost impoffible (if the rules for their conduct be properly obferved) to commit burglaries, or to knock people down and rob them in the streets, on their return home from taverns or private houfes. As to highway robberies, the remedy is very fhort. I fhall therefore begin with them. Let an act of parliament pass this feffion, to oblige every county in England to provide a proper patrole for all the high roads in the kingdoin, to confist of two men, mounted and armed like the light-horse, who fhould be ftationed at every poft-ftage, not exceeding ten miles, and be conftantly on the road, within their refpective diftricts, from fun-rifing till mid-night; a fufficient number being provided to relieve them. Or if this be thought too expenfive, leave it to the counties to choose their own means of providing for the fafety of travellers; but, as a motive to oblige them to this duty, extend the old act, and make them liable to refund the value of the effects ftolen from travellers, not merely between fun-rifing and fun-fetting, as the law now ftands, but from break of day to midnight. With refpect to ftreet-robberies and burglaries, in London, it is really aftonifhing, that fo refpectable a body as the nobility, gentry, and merchants of the metropolis, thould be fo ftupid as to confide the fafety of their lives and the fecurity of their effects, to the direction of trading juftices and parish veftries-by whom the nightly watch of the great cities of London and Weftminiler are appointed and managed. The imbecility, drunkennefs, and neglect of our watchmen, is notorious; and I am fully perfuaded, that if we had a fufficient nightly guard, the confequence, in a few months, would be a fucceffion of maiden feffions at the Old-Bailey. If then we would be thought a humane people, furely almoit any experiment is worth trying, to preferve the lives of our fellow fubjects, who are tempted to coinmit 43 capital crimes by our negligence, as much as by their own wickedness. and hanging fyftem of Police, mine is Sir John Fielding's is a tranfporting meant to prevent thofe fevere acts of bered, that he who through his negpublic juftice; and let it be rememligence throws the temptation in the way of the thief, is not wholly innocent, with refpect to fociety, of the theft itself. If, therefore, when my night, I will not join in advising and neighbour's houfe is ftripped in the endeavouring to carry into execution, the most effectual methods to extirpaté the crime of burglary, but will be content, because my own is not plundered; I am an unfociable churl, a ciety, and not fit to live in a civilized bad neighbour, a worse member of socountry. It is this idea which urges me to do fuch villainies; and my propofal is, all in my power to ftop the course of that the tenth part of the militia of London and Westminster be embodied, and inade the conftant nightly watch: That thefe fhould be picked men, not under the age of twenty five, nor above fifty; and that they fhould trole the streets the whole night, without crying the hours; an idle, detri-, pamental cuftom, which only ferves to give the thief notice when the watch minutes, and then compleat his robare coming, that he may retire a few hery, in the fucceeding half hour. A particular act of parliament muft regulate the duties of these select militia, and prefcribe the feverest punishments for any crimes committed by them. The detail of thefe reguletions, may be given in anot er paper; in the mean time, I with my correfpondents, would state their objections to the plan itfelf. murders will continue to be more fre F 2 death. 44 The POLICE. death. But we have no inftance of a midnight murderer choofing this method of putting to death the unhappy perfon whofe property he wants to plunder. On the contrary, every fpecies of cruelty has been practifed by affaffins in this kingdom, yet they are not more feverely punished than the man who steals a fheep. Is this just or equitable? It is faid, that the principle we go upon is justice, not revenge. But is it juftice to entertain idle preju dices concerning the horror of public executions abroad, when by one uncommon spectacle of this fort, you are to preferve many innocent, virtuous fubjects, from being butchered in the most favage, inhuman manner? And that this is the happy effect, I could produce a thousand proofs, but one will be fufficient for the prefent. A fervant was difcharged by a widow woman, who lived alone in a finall houfe at Mons in Flanders: As her behaviour had been very bad, when a lady applied by letter to the widow for the maid's character, the very freely wrote her fentiments, on which the lady refused to hire her, and unfortunately having a pique against the widow, he let the wench read the letter. This hardened wretch waited the opportunity of a folemn feftival, when the knew all the inhabitants, except fuch infirm perfons as her late mitrefs, would be at church; and TH then knocking at the door, the requested fome finall beer, in a plaintive, fubmiffive tone; the good woman, after fome debate, complied, and bid her go to the cellar and draw it. In paffing through the kitchen, under pretext of taking a mug, the likewife took an old knife, fo knotched, that it was more like a faw than a knife: Thus provided, the called out for help in the cellar, faying, the had pulled out the cock by mistake. The mistress upon this, though lame, made fhift to get down into the cellar to affift her, when the inhuman monfter feized her, laid her neck upon the barrel, and mangled her with the knife, till she severed the head from the body. Being convicted and condemned; with the fame knife one of the executioners began his office, and when the head was partly taken off, the other broke her limbs, as the lay fastened to a wheel horizontally fixed. I have only to add, that no murder has happened in that place fince this execution, which was in the year 1742. It may be objeted, that this happened in a Roman Catholic country; I thall therefore only add, that the lex talionis prevails in all the Proteftant countries in Europe. In short, in every country in Europe, except Great-Britain, a particular ex.emplary punishment is affigned for murder, which is, as it ought to be, more fevere than for robberies. Adventure of the GREEN PEAS. HE following anecdotes contain fome fingular and truly comic events, as they really happened at Paris, without any alteration, or addition of circumstances. In the fpring of the year, a young gentleman of great fortune, being deirous of prelenting something very rare to his mittrets, enquired in the fuburbs of Paris for Green Peas, and with great difficulty procured four half pint pottles; for each of which he paid fix Louis d'ors; a moft extravagant price; but it was the only vauable prefent he could think of, which the delicacy of his mikrets would not make her refufe. For the lady was of a haughty difpofition, and would not have accepted any thing which might fubject her to the imputation of selfishness. It is not certain if the Cavalier gave orders, that the fhould be informed of the price, or whether the feason of the year, and the knowledge of their rarity made her guess it; however, as fhe was more of the coquette, than the epicure, fhe could not help telling the mellenger, that the gentleman who bought them, apparently had more money than wit. Her Adventure of the Green Peas. Her mother, who was naturally avaritious, finding her of this opinion, propofed to fell the Peas; and after fome altercation the got the better of her delicacy, and made her confent to fend them to the market, where none had appeared, nor indeed was fuch a rarity expected. The old lady luckily was acquainted with a woman, whofe bufinels it was to give intelligence to the fewards of people of quality, of every thing fcarce, the first of its kind that was to be purchased. This woman undertook the commiffion to fell the Peas, and fet out in the intention to carry them to the hotel of the Prince de Condé, who was to give a fuperb entertainment that day to the foreign minifters. In the interval, another admirer of the young lady paid her a vifit, and the converfation turning upon the backwardness of the fpring, the accidentally mentioned the farcity of Green Peas, which made him conjecture fhe had a defire to tafte them: He therefore shortened his vifit, making fome plaufible excufe, and repaired to the most celebrated fruiterers in Paris; but to his mortification, all the intelligence he could procure was, that none had yet appeared, except four pottles, which an old woman had been feen conveying to the Prince de Condé's. The hopes of our enamorato now revived; he loft no time, and fortunately overtaking the woman, who knew him, before the reached the hotel, he thought himfelf very happy to obtain them at the moderate fum of thirty Louis. The emiffary, equally overjoyed, returned to her employers with the money, and told the young lady, who had purchased them. But though The had no objection to the money, the was extremely piqued to find her favourite lover had bought them, not doubting but they were defigned for fome formidable rival; and in this conjecture the was confirmed, by the abrupt manner in which he had fhortened his vifit, and left her. Diftracted with jealoufy, the imparted her fentiments to a female vifitant, and both were earnestly employed in railing at the infidelity of mankind; when behold one, of the fervants of the faf 45 pected lover was introduced, who brought a basket from his master, decorated with the flowers in season, and covered with nofegays, which being removed, the triumphant fair discovered the Green Peas, and thus her chagrin was inftantly converted to immoderate fits of laughter at this droll adventure. As for the vifitor, being quite familiar in the houfe, and fond of dainties, the infifted on eating the Peas, that they might not caufe any more confusion in the family. But as her motive was eafily difcerned, they went no further than the rules of politeness required, and only dressed one pottle. After the lady was gone, a new council was held, to deliberate on the difpofal of the remainder. The daughter had now no objection to fell them again, but the mother having a lawfuit in hand, thought it more for her intereft to fend them to her attorney, which was accordingly done; and occafioned a very warm difpute between. him and his wife: Madame loved good cheer, and infifted on regaling her friends with this rarity; but the attorney knew better how to ferve his own intereft, and fent them to the Marquifs ***, who had promised to procure him preferment. But fcarce were the Peas fet down upon the table, when the lover who had adorned the basket with flowers, came to visit the Marquifs, and seeing his present to his mistress, thus, as it were, fly in his face, he concealed his refentment, but took the first opportunity to pay a visit to his perfidious miftrefs; who very coolly thanked him. for his Peas, adding, that they had an excellent flavour: Enraged at her carrying the matter fo far, he then told her, that the muft wait till the Marquifs had talled them, before the gave her opinion of their goodness. The lady at a lofs to guefs his meaning, and confounded at the violence of his transports, demanded an explanations he then related to her the laft incident, but he not fufpecting what had happened, affirmed that they were not the fame Peas; this enraged him till more, and he required to fee the baker in which he himself had placed the, portles The Word Church, not underflood. 46 fo abfurd to fend his mistress her pre fent to him, yet he was convinced that they were the very fame Peas: The mother therefore was obliged to confefs the truth; it was then determined to facrifice the travelling Peas to the calls of nature; and they were ac cordingly confumed by the parties molt deeply interested in their fate. To the EDITOR of the OXFORD MAGAZINE. not underflood. taining a religious reverence of the term, as applicable to the Chriftian fyftem. Whereas, thofe numerous evils would be all prevented, by confidering that the Church of Christ is compofed of none but his fincere difciples; and that all who are fuch throughout the world, are members of that Church, however they may be denominated by their fellow-men. They are that fpiritual, myftical body, of which Chrift is the only governing, law-giving head. St. Peter fays, "they are as lively stones, built up a fpiritual houfe, an holy priesthood, to offer up fpiritual facrifices."-A very remote definition this, to what it is, as it stands in the vulgar idea of the Church. And it is not to be supposed, that this image of the Church will be reverenced by many who are called Chriftians; nevertheless, I prefume, there is no other juft definition can be given. The Word CHURCH, In an enlighted age, it is, which is Nan enlightned age, it is aftonifh almost idolized, fhould be fo extremely mistaken; and fcarcely by any of its admirers, whether learned or unlearned, thoroughly underftood. What I mean, is, the word CHURCH; which, with the Papilt, is ufed to fignify all who have the power or prefcribing to the faith and worship of that enormous community, whether the pope alone, the pope and œcumenical councils, or the councils alone. But when the word Catholic, is the adjective to the word Church, it then meaneth all thofe who own a vifible, infallible head, exclufive of all the rest of mankind. When afed by others, it is either fignificative of the Greek Church, or the religious ecclefiaftical establishment of this or that country, kingdom, or city. So the Galican, the Dutch, or the Church of Geneva; alfo the Church of England, or that of Scotland or Sweden. But when any articles, canons, or a liturgy is ordained, there the authority of the Church is faid to have refided in the clergy and their fupreme magiftrate; in which cafe the Church intends to exclude all the lajty, or people. And in a more vulgar, univerfal fenfe, the buildings which are confecrated, and fet apart for the places of public worship, are called the Churches, exclufive either of clergy or laity. So indeterminate, fo defultory and wild, is the fenfe of mankind about the word Church. But then, this will not countenance the pride, the vanity, the party-zeal, and cenforioufnels of Church-idolators. Men who value themselves upon their being the members of fuch or fuch a civil Church-eftablishment, or of fuch a fociety, who form themselves upon this or that human fyftem of theological opinions, we cannot wonder to find an ardent zeal for that ecclefiaftical conftitution which has great worldly emoluments fecured to her members. Á zeal that rifes to fanaticifm, if any attempts are once made to correct and A thousand evils have arifen from reform, even an attempt to remove the the want of fixing a juft ilea, and re-infringements made upon the religious liberty Dutch OEconomy. liberty of her fons, is foon followed with an alarming cry, of nothing lefs than blafphemy against her indefenfible, manufactured canon and liturgy. One of her infatuated priests here, and another there, vehemently declaring from their pulpits, "that it is the fin against the Holy Ghoft, to take away the obligation men are under to fubfcribe articles which they do not believe!" And rather than the people fhould be able to open their eyes, and fee the reasonablenefs of removing a rock of offence, they are deluded by the most falfe pretenfions, and the fhameful cant of a feriptural comment on the thirty-nine articles of the Church of England; and wickedly told, that they are the form of found words, which they are to holt faft.This would never be the cafe, did but men understand what is the Chriftian Church, what must be the fpirit of all its true members, and how ready every one will be to remove whatever grieves his brother, and hurts the peace 47 of his mind. All genuine Christians. will bear away all they can of one another's burdens, and fo fulfil the law. of Christ. No one may put a ftumbling-block, as an occafion to fall in his brother's way; but he will exprefs the utmost defire to remove from him, whatever is an encroachment, or em-. barraffment on his Chriftian liberty. But we must form an inauspicious view of the times, when we can see the mufical devotion of the pope's chapel advertised in our public papers, at the price of 10s. 6d. and a temple of debauchery erected, at an immenfe expence, among us, dedicated to all the Pagan deities. * O, infatuated Britain! how art thou fallen! and how great must be thy impending ruin!-anon the nations around will wail over thee. A LOVER OF THE CHURCH. DUTCH QEconomy, and the Mode of Book keeping in HOLLAND, exemplified in a fingular Anecdote. VERR nation hath its different EVERR nation, the French are famous for a certain gaieté de coeur, which renders them always lively, always pleafing, and extremely loquacious. Our countrymen, on the contrary, are very fparing of words, fententious, and filent to a proverb. The Dutch are heavy, dull and phlegmatic, to an excess. Such different difpofitions, as is natural, must produce very different cuftoins and manners amongst the people. In Holland, the meaneft trader wears a gravity becoming a privy counfellor; and as the people are thrifty and parfimonious, they are prodigioufly exact in keeping a regular account of the moft minute article relative to expence. This is fo national a virtue, that the moment a man becomes a bankrupt, he is cenfured or acquitted by the perfons appointed to look into thofe affairs, in proportion as his accounts are more or less regularly adjusted. Hence the merchants have their books under various titles, all comprehending the whole of their receipts and difburfements. As a proof of the exactnefs of the Dutch in this refpect, I will relate a ftory which I, the other day, heard from a gentleman of unquestionable veracity. It happened that a fhop-keeper, who had frequently facrified at the fhrine of Venus, was accufed of having gotten a willing damfel with child. The fact being clearly proved, the proper officer was fent to his houfe to demand a certain fum of money, as a fecurity for the woman's iffue not becoming burthenfome to the public. Perceiving the tradefman's wife in the fhop, the man expreffed a defire to fpeak with him alone. The fhopkeeper in return gave the messenger to understand, that he had no tranfaction to which his wife was not privy: "Why then, fays the perfon, I am come to demand two hundred guilders." "Two hundred guilders!" replied the |