taken possession of the minds of some imperfectly acquainted with the subject that the principles and discipline of the Presbyterian church, as well as the patronising of its ministers, are essentially affected by their dependance on the crown; it may be proper to say a few words respecting the settlement and conduct of the Presbyterians in Ulster. In the reign of James I., the frish parliament gave an invitation to the Scots to settle in Ireland, for the purpose of promoting the reformed religion, and supporting the English interest. "The first Presbyterian ministers came over with this colony, under the sanction of government, not as Dissenters from the established church, but rather as comprenended in it; being so far encouraged and supported by the state, that all of them were inducted into the churches, and had the tithes, And Echlin, bishop of Down, and Knox of Raphoe, joined with their presbyteries in their ordinations.They frequently met and consulted with the bishops about affairs of cour mon concernent to the interest of religion. Some of them were mem bers of the convocation in the year 1631. The mutual moderation of the Episcopals and Presbyterians in Ireland, at that tinne, was of essential service to the settlement and plantation of Ulster*." It would seem from this, that the Presbyterians did not consider their princih ples or discipline injured or destroy ed, by their ministers receiving support from the crown, even at a time when zeal for truth and principle was much greater than it is at present. It may also be observed, that the arguments respecting freedom and patriotism, on which the writer of the Retrospect insists, will bear with equal or greater force against

Dr. Campbell's Vindication.

the Presbyterians of those early times, as those of the present day. There was then greater hazard of their losing their livings, from the disturbed and fluctuating state of public athairs-and, of course, it might have been expected, they would have been more slavishly devoted to the civil power; but nothing of this appears. The patriotism of Presbyterians was such, that the parliament particularly sets forth their usefulness, in farther civilizing, strengthening, and securing this realm against rebels at home, and all foreign invasion." The Presbyterians have always been distinguish ed for that loyalty, which is dictated by a regard for the constitution, and a love of country. They opposed the violent measures of government under Charles, though they consented not to his death. They resisted the authority of the Rump parlia ment, and refused the oath called the engagement, which stood in opposition to the constitution. They afterwards opposed the usurpation of Cromwell, though at the risk of forfeiting the salary which they then bal from government. I contend, therefore, that if support from goverment, even in the form of clas sification, (for we cannot. suppose that the salaries resulting from the tithes were all equal,) were not m consistent with the ancient principles and privileges of the Presbyterian church, nor yet hostile to the loyalty, to the patriotism of Presbyterian ministers, we have no reason to be alarmed for the safety of the Presbyterian interest, from the grant of R. D. made in modera times.

:

For the Belfast Monthly Magazine

(RAMBLE, CONTINUED.) From vol. 6, page 20. THESE persons were young men, dressed quite a-la-mode; they gave themselves what is usually called an air of consequence, and doubt Jess wished to impress on others their great importance; for in a tewminutes they disclosed in their minced chat, that they were persons of a very superior class, viza gauger, a clerk, in a department of the revenue, and an apothecary, who answered very agreeably to the word doctor. He however "bore his faculties more meekly" than the others, for they stunned my ears "with the loud laugh that speaks the vacant mind," and if dress, as a great moralist has observed, "ost denotes the man," these must have been very bright gentlemen indeed. The lough here being only about an English mile in breadth, we soon reached the beach close by the ruins of Ol derfleet-castle, and paying the fare, which was only one penny, I left my noisy companions, who were protesting to each other, as they groped their pockets, that they had no change! This I thought very strange, as they had previously agreed to give the boatman a fivepenny-bit, and I rather suppose, that their present affirmation arose from neither being willing to be the generous person, for fear of not being reimbursed by the others Be this as it may, I left them in this dilemma, and went to examine the forementioned ruin, thinking on the following words of the immortal Shakespear, that "nature had made strange fellows in her time." The present state of the ruin fully demonstrates the truth of an observation made by a late author, who says, " buildings are always best preserved in places little frequented;" for several of the adjoining houses evidently built of the stones torn from its walls. This peninsula, near the extremity of which this ruin stands, was formerly called Olderfleet, but now the Curran, which in the

are

Irish language signifies a Hook; the adjacent harbour is still in many modern maps and charts, called Oldfleet, which is certainly a corruption from its ancient name. History and tradition are silent as to the founding of this building, yet its shape leaves reason to suppose it to be one of those founded by the English, after their conquest of the country; it was formerly considered a most important fortress, as it protected the place against the visits of the Scots; in 1559, Sir Moses Hill, ancestor to the marquis of Down. shire, was governor. May 28th, 1603, James I. granted this peninsula to Sir Randel Mac Sorley Mac Donald, of Dunluce, and on the 14th Joly, 1666, he received a regrant of the same. The castle and lands were afterwards granted by James I. in the 10th of his reign, to Sir Arthur Chichester, and the right of the ferry between this place and island Magee, also the ancient church and lands of Chundumales, consisting of about 15 acres: Olderfleet lands were at the same time attached to the manor of castle Chichester, Island Magee. This place gives title of Baron to Trevor Hill, Viscount Dungannon. On the 25th April, or May, 1815, Lord Edward Bruce arrived here, andlanded from a fleet of barques about 6000 men; numerous bodies of the Irish flocked to his standard, and hoth massacred the English settlers; and Bruce defeating Richard de Burgo, Earl of Ulster, near Colerain, desolated the country in the mest wanton manner, and laid siege to Carrickfergus. But to proceed on my journey, I now set off to Larne, which was only about one mile distant: the sea on the left, each tide, overflows a large tract of land between it and the town, which could easily be reclaimed into excellent meadow, or pasturage; yet none of the gentle

men, I was told, evince even a wish to rob old Neptune of any part of his domain; which is really surprizing, as from the increasing value of land, a few years would pay the expense of the undertaking. Larne consists of an old and new town, the latter chiefly of one long street, pretty well built of stone, the houses of which have generally an a'r of neatness; in the old town the houses are also mostly decent, but the street and lanes are narrow, crooked, and badly paved, so that it has but an indifferent appearance. By accounts taken January 1st, 1808, the number of dwelling-houses in both was 421, and the families 563; containing 2512 persons, 1120 of whom were males, and 1392 females. The inhabitants, from their numerous places of public worship, seem rather of a religious cast, there being an established church, three dissenting meetinghouses, and a catholic and methodist chapels. There are two large book clubs here, that of the gentlemen is said to be extensive and well chosen, the other has also some valuable works; in the town is likewise a circulating library. Markets are held here on the first Monday of each month, for linen-yarn, &c. fairs are also held the 31st July, and 1st of December.

Here are

number wounded, among whom was the commandant; the latter one killed, and some wounded: the party of the army however kept possession of their barrack, till relieved next day by a detachment from Carrickfergus.

(To be concluded in our next.) For the Belfast Monthly Magazine.

DEFECT IN THE FRONT OF THE NEW CHAPEL.

CONSIDERING the new chapel

in Donegall-street, in an architectural point of view solely (for as to its other effects they are matters with which I never meddle, leaving every man to his own orthodory, as I wish to be left to mine,) I was much pleased with its progress, promising as it did to form an handsome ornament to an handsome street. But just as I thought the point had arrived at a state, when any blunder in it was akuost impossible, when even it was ready for the last coping stone, I have the disappointment to find that the ingenuity of man in going astray is beyond calculation, and that in laying this very last course, the bul ders have contrived to disfigure the whole pile, so as to take away much more from the appearance of the street than I hoped it would have added. It might be thought that when the front was so near completion, so great a change was impossible: but let any one consider how a handsome lady would look, dressed becomingly in every other respect, who to finish her toiler, should clap on her head a grenadier's cap, a judges wig, a coal-scurtle, or any other preposterous article, and he will have some idea how an incongruous ternization may spoil the look of a building, that but for it would have been ornamental to the town.

I admite the Grecian avanitecture b

gave themselves what is usually called an air of consequence, and doubtJess wished to impress on others their great importance; for in a tew-minutes they disclosed in their minced chat, that they were persons of a very superior class, viza gauger, a clerk, in a department of the revenue, and an apothecary, who sanswered very agreeably to the word doctor. He however "bore his faculties more meekly" than the others, for they stunned my ears " with the loud laugh that speaks the vacant mind," and if dress, as a great moralist has observed, "oft denotes the man," these must have been very bright gentlemen indeed. The lough here heing only about an English mile in breadth, we soon reached the beach close by the ruins of Ol derfleet-castle, and paying the fare, which was only one penny, I left my noisy companions, who were protesting to each other, as they groped their pockets, that they had no change! This I thought very strange, as they had previously agreed to give the boatman a fivepenny-bit, and I rather suppose, thas their present affirmation arose from neither being willing to be the generous person, for fear of not being reimbursed by the others Be this as it may, I left them in this dilemma, and went to examine the forementioned ruin, thinking on the following words of the immortal Shakespear, that "nature had made strange fellows in her time." The present state of the ruin fully demonstrates the truth of an observation made by a late author, who says, "buildings are always best preserved in places little frequented;" for several of the adjoining houses are evidently built of the stones torn from its walls. This peninsula, near the extremity of which this ruin stands, was formerly called Olderfleet, but now the Curran, which in the

Irish language signifies a Hook; the adjacent harbour is still in many modern maps and charts, called Oldfleet, which is certainly a corruption from its ancient name. History and tradition are silent as to the founding of this building, yet its shape leaves reason to suppose it to be one of those founded by the English, after their conquest of the country; it was formerly considered a most important fortress, as it protected the place against the visits of the Scots; in 1559, Sir Moses Hill, ancestor to the marquis of Downshire, was governor. May 28th, 1603, James I. granted this peninsula to Sir Randel Mac Sorley Mac Donald, of Dunluce, and on the 14th July, 1606, he received a regrant of the same. The castle and lands were afterwards granted by James I. in the 10th of his reign, to Sir Arthur Chichester, and the right of the ferry between this place and island Magce, also the ancient church and lands of Chundumales, consisting of about 15 acres: Olderfleet lands were at the same time at tached to the manor of castle Chichester, Island Magee. This place gives title of Baron to Trevor Hill, Viscount Dungannon. On the 25th April, or May, 1815, Lord Edward Bruce arrived here, andlanded from a fleet of barques about 6000 men; numerous bodies of the Irish flocked to his standard, and hoth massacred the English settlers; and Bruce defeating Richard de Burgo, Earl of Ulster, near Colerain, desolated the country in the mest wanton manner, and laid siege to Carrickfergus. But to proceed on my journey, I now set off to Larne, which was only about one mile distant: the sea on the left, each tide, overflows a large tract of land between it and the town, which could easily be reclaimed into excellent meadow, or pasturage; yet none of the gentle

1

men, I was told, evince even a wish to rob old Neptune of any part of his domain; which is really surpriz ing, as from the increasing value of land, a few years would pay the expense of the undertaking. Larne consists of an old and new town, the latter chiefly of one long street, pretty well built of stone, the houses of which have generally an a'r of

neatness; in the old town the houses are also mostly decent, but the street and lanes are narrow, crooked, and badly paved, so that it has

accounts taken January 1st, 1808, the number of dwelling-houses in both was 421, and the families 563; containing 2512 persons, 1120 of whom were males, and 1392 females. The inhabitants, from their numerous places of public worship, seem rather of a religious cast, there being an established church, three dissenting meetinghouses, and a catholic and methodist chapels. There are two large book clubs here, that of the gentlemen is said to be extensive and well chosen, the other has also some valuable works; in the town is likewise a circulating library. Markets are held here on the first Monday of each month, for linen-yaru, &c. fairs are also held the 31st July, and 1st of December.

Here are

large flour-mills and a linen-bleachfield, but the chief business is the cotton, chiefly the calico branch, the weaving of which employs a considerable number of hands, very few being employed weaving linen.There is likewise a manufactory of sail-cloth, and two small rope walks, Early on the morning of June 7th, 1798, a slight skirmish took place here between a party of the king's troops, and a large body of insurgents, in which the former, by the imprudence of the officers commanding, had three killed, and the same

BILFAST MAG. NO. XXXH.

number wounded, among whom was the commandant; the latter one killed, and some wounded: the party of the army however kept possession of their barrack, till relieved next day by a detachment from Carrick-fergus.

(To be concluded in our next.) For the Belfast Monthly Magazine.

DEFECT IN THE FRONT OF THE NEW CHAPEL.

new

in Donegall-street, in an architectural point of view solely (for as to its other effects they are matters with which I never meddle, leaving every man to his own orthodory, as I wish to be left to mine,) I was much pleased with its progress, promising as it did to form an handsome ornament to an handsome street. But just as I thought the point had arrived at a state, when any bhinder in it was alkuost impossible, when even it was ready for the last coping stone, I have the disappointment to find that the ingenuity of man in going asaray is beyond calculation, and that in laying this very last course, the bullders have contrived to disfigure the whole pile, so as to take away much more from the appearance of the street than I hoped it would have added. It might be thought that when the front was so near completion, so great a change was impossible but let any one consider how a handsome lady would look, dressed becomingly in every other respect, who to finish her toiler, shoull clap on her head a grenadier's cap, a judges wig, a coal-scartie, or any other preposterous article, and he will have some idea how an incongruous termination may spoil the look of a buiding, that but for it would bave been ornamental to the town.

I admite the Grecian architecture b