Ossian Collection > Gentleman's magazine, and historical chronicle > Volume 66, Part 2

I 796.] Remarks on the A£l for Augmentation cf Curacie
of ::4 for a very obvious reafon. This
is ul'.i,l!v the age at which candidates
f ' r'-e Chuirh are ndrrntted inro 01-
The title they receive from the
' or the vicar, on this occnfion,
t ^iiflies them in the curacy, and :he
bil'iiip fixes the falary. The incom-
bcni, if he pleafes, may groan under
lii^ iiurden ; tiuc dignuy and opulence
i,: ! .-.I coiiriefcend to enter into a mi-
i>! ! mvefiigation of other people's di'-
rs and diilrefles.
;.ong thu'e difai^reeabie efFi-fls
1 may attend the execution of this
:>:e difl'cnfion, which it will natu-
txcite between the reftor and the
t :, is not the lenft. M.^nkiI•!d,
in ev.ry ft.iiion, are f'ubjefit to bu-
rn r. frailties, and the inliigation of
I'lr p.iffions. When the reftor
lis (.rcper'.y diminifhed, and his
sjency controlled by an arbitrary
!:,;;!ot;on; and when the curate is
d1 ictd in a fiate of eafe and ndepend-
i:; -, withou' bing ob'iged to his em-
■)! vti ; thtre c:n bs no ^re.it harmony
)tc\v tu liietn. The c^.iae wili have
1 , -.M-'Vate views; and, if any difpute
! atife, many of the psrifliioners
irtainly join in oppofition 10 the
ti.^.i. Without (uppofini; any ground;
■J, a legal coinplaiiit, ft; fituation of
cU.s,vman, who is thus deprived of
lis influence and authoriiy in his own
■af.lh, may be rendered extremely
nh.ppy._
1 .'i.re is, I tViink, no clafs of men
1 :u fiitituled to eftsem and conlidera-
D.i tiian the e! ier cleiev, who have
i'llr'u'lv and confcientioufl/ dil'charged
,cu- c:cleli,ilti:al duty fcr man. years,
,i<i whuie whole fupporr, in the la-t<^r
irt c t life, diptnds on the inc>me of a
tt!t re£tory, or the fmali t-thes of an
.ini!)''.' vicaraL;e.
C .i;;idcr the Utuation of thefe refptc-
ble iTiinifters of the cliurch. He has
■enthis patrimo:.y in ihe acqui/ition of
learned education, in order to quaiify
mfcif for the fiioerior pans of his pro-
Ifion, the eflicacioiis recommendation
piety and virtue from the pulpi?, nnd
e rational vindication of Chnuianity
jm the licentious doctrines of liber-
,ies, and tlie ablurdiiies of cnthuri<il(s.
a aft:r forty or fifty years he finds his
pes of piefcrmrnt vjnifhtd like a
:am ; hi'> friends are dea^i ; he is •over-
lelmed by the expences of a family,
^ deprefi'ed by the infiniiities of age.
le liberal i-rLtinicnti, w!,ic!i he has
■nifiKa by rtadiPi^ and r:flc6lion, add
a poignancy to his afHiflion ; and the
debts, which the irrefiftible calls of na-
ture have induced him to contrait, op-
preis him with a double load of anxiety.
As he hzs no inclination to repel the
iniquities of mankind, by an applicauoa
to the law, ths fraudulent rob him of
his dues, and the rapacioas part of his
creditors iuioofe upon him unjuH aJid
exorbitant rieir.ands. His profeffioa.
pr£clud-.-s birr; fiom increaling his incnie
by any fpecits of ti-affic ; and the prin-
ciples of honour and viituc teach him to
abhor the arct of the crafty, the ichemes
of the mercenary', and the a 'ulation of
great, iri-n. Under thefe, and man^
other dil'tdvantages, he finds iiimfelf
g ailualiy finking into imbscillit;', dc-
je6tijn, and defpair. It is a great mif-
take to imag'ne, that education will fup-
ply t!ie want of ari independent fortune,
or that geniu- alone will rale a man to
prefj-ment and opulence in tlie churcli,
A'as ! it is well known, that poverty
eclipres the m.cft brilliant virtues, and
obdrufls the energy of the fineft talents-
Or, wer-:: thefe vitcues and thefe talents
aftually dilplayed, they would be <}l\{'-
reijarded in the prefent arrangement of
liuman things. Preferment is verv fcl-
dom conferred on llie meritorious. Mo-
dedy and learning retire from public life,
and hmguifls in obfcurity. There they
remain urnoticed, unpatronizcd, unpre-
fcMcd. Tlie livings ami ilignities be-
li^nging to the crown are given to the
ions of the nobility, or ro thofe who
liave p-:rliamcntarv intereft, wiiiioutaav
regard to their qualifications. Private
pa:r«ns beftow their favours on their re-
lations, their dependents, or — :heir pa-
rsfites. The btiliops, indeed, are pru-
dent and confcientious men ; but they
hive their p^-culiar fiiends — miniRers
and ccurti-rs muft be obiited. On thefe
accounts ;.n impartial and liberal patro-
nage is not ro be expefted from the
beni-h. Bcfides, as the gentlemen of the
bnvn generally lucceed to their dtvatcd
(lations in the latter part of life, when
their eye-fight is obicured by age, and
ovcr/hadovved by the mitre, it is natural
to fiippo'e, tjiit they cannot eafily <iir-
t ni;uilh probiry ai)d leirning at a dif-
tance, in tlie humble vale or life*.
If this is the cafe, if the man of me-
rit, in the evening of his days, is fo far
from receiving any reward, tliat he is
••'• A few nobis exceptions muft be m..ds,
wh'cb I (ball take fomc other opportunity
to fpeofy.
fubjrct