umpet to the hearts of the English people. The contagion of its
principles were also arrested by the weighty productions of his pen; in
which productions "his fancy laid all nature under tribute, collecting
treasures from scenes of creation, and from every walk of art to adorn
his pages." His sentiments had the more weight because they proceeded
from a mind which had ever been active in the great business of reform;
some traces of which activity were manifest in the statute-book. But the
reforms which Burke had ever advocated were founded in justice; those
which the French regenerators had adopted were subversive of all order,
and tended only to anarchy and desolation.

DEBATES ON THE TEST AND CORPORATION ACTS.

Since the decision of the last session relative to the test and
corporation acts, the Protestant dissenters had not relaxed in their
efforts to increase the number of their friends in the house of commons.
Moreover, they had held provincial meetings in all parts of the kingdom,
and by their public resolutions, in contemplation of a general election,
earnestly recommended the friends of equal and universal liberty to the
choice of electors. Unfortunately at these meetings, in their speeches
and resolutions, they warmly applauded the principles of the French
revolution; and they appear to have thought that this season of change
was favourable for pressing their old claims upon parliament. Under this
impression they resolved to bring the subject before the commons; and
instead of Mr. Beaufoy, the friend of Pitt, Fox, the tried friend of
liberty, was requested by them to become their advocate. Fox moved for
the repeal of the two acts in question, and supported his motion by a
long and able speech, in which he showed himself anxious to prove that
the application of his clients had nothing whatever to do with the
principles of the French revolution. It certainly did not emanate from
that movement, for the first application had been made three years
ago, when the keenest sagacity could not have formed anything like a
conjecture of the events which had taken place in France. It is most
certain, however, that the Protestant Dissenters, in seeking their
claims, had uttered language which savoured of a spirit of innovation.
It may have been only out of generous sympathy, but they had been among
the warmest approvers of the French revolution; and this gave offence
in high places. Hitherto, Pitt, although he opposed th