over all opposition, and that Unitarianism would in time become the prevailing belief of the Christian world, and would overthrow all other systems. A violent spirit of hostility was now raised against the Dissenters, and particularly against Dr. Priestley; and the cry of Church and King was raised through the nation, an union of words, with respect to which Bishop Shipley well observed, that no one could suspect him of dislike to either part taken separately, but he knew, when thus united, they meant a church above the state, and a 'king above the laws, and such he hoped never to see in this country.

On the 14th of July, 1791, meetings were held in various parts of the kingdom, to commemorate the destruction of the Bastille. The more horrible parts of the French Revolution had not then begun. The King of France was then living at Paris, apparently in great popularity, and in strict harmony with the National Assembly. At Birmingham, however, where one of these meetings was held, the populace rose with the utmost violence, and after burning the Dissenting chapels, they proceeded to Dr. Priestley's house, though he had not been present at the meeting. He was with some difficulty prevailed upon to fly, for trusting in his own innocence and good-will to others, he thought it incredible that others should wish to injure him; but his family refusing to escape without him, he consented to accompany them. Thus his life was saved, but his house and his invaluable manuscripts, library and philosophical apparatus, were destroyed by the mob. The following four days, the town of Birmingham and the country for several miles round, appeared to be entirely under the dominion of the rioters, who demolished all the houses of the principal Dissenters, and rendered it necessary for all such to save their lives by flight. These violences, which were worse than any thing which had then taken place in the course of the French Revolution, were passed over almost with Impunity-one person only, and he one of the very meanest that was concerned in thein, being punished, and the ministers, instead of reprobating them as they deserved, when Parliament met, attempted to excuse them, and to divert the public attention from them; thus

shewing, that their dislike of the riotous and lawless proceedings in France, arose not so much from the wickedness and violence of those proceedings, as from their being directed against kings and nobles, and that they had no objection to equal violence being employed in this country against the Dissenters and the friends of liberty; while, to use the language of one of their most eloquent writers, in relation to those horrid excesses, which after the time of the Birmingham riots disgraced the course of the French Revolution, the Dissenters and the true friends of liberty felt sentiments of abhorrence too strong to be expressed in language for the popular violences and murders, or attempts at murder, on both sides the channel. These riots at Birmingham form the third instance in the course of the last century, of popular violence excited by the High-church party, while no instance can be adduced of the Dissenters having attempted to instigate the populace to any such deeds. Similar riots to those in Birmingham were excited in many of the principal towns of the kingdom, but in none did they rise to so great an excess. Mr. Pitt having, in his speech against the repeal of the Test Law, avowed in the most unequivocal terms, the right of the Dissenters to a full and complete toleration; Mr. Fox, in the year 1792, brought forward a motion for the repeal of the Penal Statutes, which still hung over the Unitarians, but Mr. Pitt opposed the motion on the ground, that those laws were fallen into disuse, to which it was a fair reply, that laws which were too cruel to be carried into execution, were a disgrace to the Statute-Book and ought to be repealed. The motion, however, was lost by a large majority, and here terminated for the present all attempts to enlarge the toleration of Dissenters.

In the year 1793, Mr. Winterbotham, an Independent minister at Plymouth, was tried for sedition, found guilty and imprisoned for four years, on the evidence solely of three infamous women, two of whom had been already convicted of perjury, and not one of whom, there was every reason to believe, had been present at the chapel on the day when they swore he had used seditious expressions, while there was every possible evidence to prove that he had never used such expres

sions. This iniquitous sentence being carried into execution determined Dr. Priestley to leave the country. Hitherto, trusting in his innocence, he had thought himself safe, since the violence of the populace had in a great measure subsided, but now he said, "I see innocence is no longer a security in England. I might, like Mr. Winterbotham, be condemned and punished for words which I had never uttered, for it cannot be at all difficult for my enemies to procure in support of any charge, however false against me, evidence equal to that on which he was convicted." This determined him to go to America in the year 1794. From this time to the year 1811, nothing public or remarkable happened to the Dissenters. In that year Lord Sidmouth made a motion that certificates should not be granted to any person who was not the regularly appointed minister of some particular congregation, and who did not bring a testimonial from three respectable householders that he was qualified for his office. To oppose this invasion of the Toleration Act, the greatest exertions were made both by the Dissenters and Methodists, against whom the motion was particularly directed, and in the course of a very few days, eight hundred petitions, signed by a vast number of respectable names, were presented against it, and it was im mediately negatived. In the following year most of the persecuting laws, from which the Dissenters had hitherto been exempted only on condition of taking the oaths in the Toleration Act, were repealed; and in 1813, the persecuting laws against Unitarians were repealed

without any opposition. Owing how ever to a mistake in drawing up the bill, its effects only extend to this island, and these laws are still legally in force in Ireland. It is to be hoped that Mr. Smith, who brought in this motion, will not long suffer it to remain thus imperfect. It is to be hoped too, that all the remaining restrictions upon the toleration of any class of Dissenters will speedily be removed.

I have now presented your readers with a brief sketch of the History of the Dissenters, with a view to excite their attention to this interesting subject. I hope also, that it may animate them to be more steady and consistent in their principles and conduct, to emulate the examples of good men of former times, not to suffer any temptation to lead them to make shipwreck of faith and of a good conscience, by using any hypocrisy in their religious worship, or by habitually frequenting that worship, which their consciences cannot approve. If all, who are Unitarians in principle, would be so in practice also, our congregations would be much fuller, and our ministerial labours would have an encouragement which at present they too often want. That this and every other effort for that purpose, may increase religious sincerity and zeal among us, is the fervent wish and prayer of

T. C. HOLLAND.

* It will be seen by reference to p. 443, that the Irish Unitarians are now put on the same legal footing as the English.

Letter of Lady Nithsdale's to her Sister, giving an account of the manner in which she effected Lord Nithsdale's escape from the Tower. [Communicated by the Rev. T. C. Holland, of Preston.]

DEAR SISTER,

M

Y Lord's escape is now such an old story, that I have almost forgotten it, but as you desire me to give you a circumstantial account of it, I will endeavour to recal it to my memory, and be as exact as I possibly

ED.

can, for I owe you too many obligations to refuse you any thing that lies in my power to do.

I think I owe myself the justice to set out with the motives which influenced me to undertake so hazardous an attempt, which I despaired of thoroughly accomplishing, foreseeing a thousand difficulties, which could never be surmounted but by the most particular interposition of Divine Providence. I confided in Almighty God, and trusted that he would not aban

don me, even when all human means failed me.

I first came to London upon hearing that my Lord was committed to the Tower. I was at the same time informed, that he expressed the greatest anxiety to see me; having, as he afterwards told me, nothing to console him till I arrived. I rode to Newcastle, and thence took the stage to York. When I arrived there, the snow was so deep that the stage could not set out for London. The season was so severe, and the roads so extremely bad, that the post itself was stopt. However, I took horses and rode to London through the snow, which was generally above the horses' girths, and arived safe and sound without any accident. On my arrival I went immediately to make what interest I could among those who were in place. None gave me any hopes, but they all to the contrary assured me, that though some of the prisoners were to be pardoned, yet my Lord would certainly not be of the number. When I inquired into the reason of this distinction, I could obtain no other answer, than that they would not flatter me. But I soon perceived the reasons, which they declined alleging to me; a Roman Catholic, upon the borders of Scotland, who had a very considerable party, a man whose family has always signalized itself by its loyalty to the royal house of Stuart, and who was the only support of the Catholics against the inveteracy of the Whigs, who were very numerous in that part of Scotland, would become an agreeable sacrifice to the opposite party. They still retained a lively remembrance of his grandfather, who defended his own castle to the last extremity, and surrendered it only by the express command of his royal master. Now, having his grandson in their power, they were determined not to let him escape out of their hands.

Upon this I formed the resolution to attempt his escape, but opened my intention to none but my dear Evans. In order to concert measures, I strongly solicited to be permitted to see my Lord, which they refused, unless I would consent to remain confined with him in the Tower; this I would not submit to, and alleged for excuse that my health would not permit me

to undergo the confinement; the real reason of my refusal was, not to put it out of my power to accomplish my design. However, by bribing the guards, I often contrived to see my Lord, till the day on which the pri soners were condemned; after that we were allowed, for the last week, to see and take our leave of them.

By the help of Evans, I had prepared every thing necessary to disguise my Lord, but had the utmost difficulty to prevail upon him to make use of them; however I at last succeeded, by the help of Almighty God.

On February 22d, which fell on a Thursday, our general petition was to be presented to the House of Lords, the purport of which was to entreat the lords to interfere with his Majesty to pardon the prisoners. We were, however, disappointed the day before the petition was to be presented, for the Duke of St. Albans, who had promised my Lady Derwentwater to present it, when it came to the point failed in his word. However, as she was the only English Countess concerued, it was incumbent on her to have it presented. We had but one day left before the execution, and the Duke still promised to present the petition, but for fear he should fail, I engaged the Duke of Montrose, to secure its being done by the one or the other. I then went, in company with most of the ladies of quality who were in town, to solicit the interest of the Lords as they were going to the House. They all behaved to me with great civility, but particularly Lord Pembroke, who, though he desired me not to speak to him, yet he promised to employ his interest in my favour, and he honourably kept his word, for he spoke in the House very strongly in our behalf. The subject of the debate was, whether the King had power to pardon those who had been condemned by Parliament, and it was chiefly owing to Lord Pembroke's speech that it passed in the affirmative. However, one of the Lords stood up and said, that the House would only interfere for those of the prisoners who should prove themselves worthy of their intercession, but not for all indiscriminately; this salvo quite blasted all my hopes, for I was assured that it aimed at the exclusion of those who should refuse to

subscribe the petition, which was 'a thing knew my Lord would never *submit to, nor, in fact, could, I wish to preserve his life on those terms.

As the motion had passed generally, I thought I could draw from it some sadvantage in favour of my design. Accordingly I immediately left the House of Lords and hastened to the Tower, where, affecting an air of joy and "satisfaction, I told all the guards I passed that I came to bring joyful tidings to the prisoners; I desired them to lay aside their fears, for the petition had passed the House in their favour. I then gave them some money to drink to the Lords and his Majesty, though it was but trifling, for I thought that if I were too liberal on the occasion, they might suspect my designs; and that giving them something would gain their good-will and services for the next day, which was the eve of the execution.

The next morning I could not go to the Tower, having so many things upon my hands to put in readiness. But in the evening, when all was ready, I sent for Mrs. Mills, with whom I lodged, and acquainted her with my design of attempting my Lord's escape, as there was no prospect of his being pardoned, and this was the last night before the execution. I told her that I had every thing in readiness, and that I trusted she would not refuse to accompany me, that my Lord might pass for her; I pressed her to come immediately, as we had no time to lose. At the same time I sent for a Mrs. Morgan, to whose acquaintance my dear Evans had introduced me, which 1 look upon as a very singular happiness; I immediately communicated my resolution to her. She was of a very tall and slender make, so I begged her to put under her own riding-hood, one that I had prepared for Mrs. Mills, as she was to lend hers to my Lord, that in coming out he might be taken for her. Mrs. Mills was then with child, so that she was not only the same height but nearly the same size as my Lord. When we were in the coach I never ceased talking, that they might have no leisure to reflect. Their surprise and astonishment when I first opened my design to them, had made them consent without ever thinking of the consequences.

On our arrival at the Tower, the first I introduced was Mrs. Morgan, for was only allowed to take in one at a time. She brought in the clothes, which were to serve Mrs. Mills when she left her own behind her. When Mrs. Morgan had taken off what she brought for my purpose, I conducted her back to the staircase, 'and, în going, I begged her to send me in my maid to dress me, that I was afraid of being too late to present my last petition that night, if she did not come immediately. I dispatched her safe, and then went partly down stairs to meet Mrs. Mills, who had the precaution to hold her handkerchief to her face, as was very nättrål för a woman to do, when she was going to bid her last farewell to a friend on the eve of his execution; I had indeed desired her to do it, that my Lord might go out in the same manner. Her eyebrows were rather inclined to be sandy, and my Lord's were dark and very thick; however, I had prepared some paint of the colour of hers, to disguise his with. I also bought an artificial head-dress of the same coloured hair as hers, and I painted his face with white and his cheeks with rouge, to hide his tong beard, which he had not time to shave. All this provision I had before left in the Tower. The poor guards, whom my liberality the day before had endeared to me, let me go quietly out with my company, and were not so strictly on the watch as they usually had been, and the more as they were persuaded, from what I had told them the day before, that the prisoners would obtain their pardon. I made Mrs. Mills take off her own hood, and put on that which I had brought for her, I then took her by the hand and led her out of my Lord's chamber, and in passing through the next room, in which there were several people, with all the concern imaginable I said, My dear Mrs. Catherine, go in all häste and send me my waiting maid, she certainly cannot reflect how late it is, she forgets that I am to present my petition to-night, and if I let slip this opportunity I am undone, for to-morrow will be too late hasten her as much as possible for shall be on thorns till she comes.' Every body in the room, who were chiefly guards' wives and daughters,