or his patriotic effusions
during the late war, than to all the psalm-singing admirals and
chaplains of the fleet put together. I know that crab Gambier, and the
methodist privateers who press all sail to pick up a deserter from the
orthodox squadron, do a great deal of mischief among our seamen; for as
Corporal Trim says, 'What time has a sailor to palaver about creeds when
it blows great guns, or the enemies of his country heave in sight? a
sailor's religion is to perform his duty aloft and do good below; honour
his king, love his girl, obey his commander, and burn, sink, and destroy
the foes of his country.' Here we have an occasional exhibition of this
sort on board the depot vessel in the harbour, when the _Bethel_ flag
~159~~is hoisted, and the voice of the puritan is heard from East Cowes
to Eaglehurst; as if there were not already conventicles enough on shore
for those who are disposed to separate themselves from the established
church, without the aid of a floating chapel, furnished by the
government agent to subvert the present order of things. On this point,
you know, I was always a liberal thinker, but a firm friend to the
church, as being essential to the best interests of the state. An old
college chum of ours, who has been unusually fortunate in obtaining
ecclesiastical preferment, thought proper to send me a friendly lecture
in one of his letters the other day on this subject, to which I returned
the following answer, and put an end to his scruples, as I think, for
ever: I have entitled it

THE UNIVERSALIST.

'to a friend who questioned the propriety of his
religious opinions.

'You ask what creed is mine? and where
I seek the Lord in holy prayer?
What sect I follow? by what rule,
Perhaps you mean, I play the fool?
I answer, none; yet gladly own
I worship God, but God alone.
No pious fraud or monkish lies
Shall teach me others to despise;
Whate'er their creed, I love them all,
So they before their Maker fall.
The sage, the savage, and refined,
On this one point are equal blind:
Shall man, the creature of an hour,
Arraign the all-creative Power?
Or, by smooth chin, or beard unshaved,
Decree who shall or not be saved?
Presumptuous priests, in silk and lawn,
May lib'ral minds denounce with sc