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unless he can better defend its Greeds , and uphold its credit , he merits none . Pp . 8—11 . He represents the writer of the
" Three Letters" as €€ volunteering aa attack , not particularly called for , " upon the Archdeacoa of Cleveland . In the beginning of that appendix , on which Mr . Welibeloved is now animadverting , this remarkable language
occurs : " The conclusiveness of rny arguments in favour of the divinity of Jesus Christ has been somewhat uneourteously denied by the Rev . C . Wellbeloved : " and in the next sentence the dignitary speaks of " Three
Letters addressed to him upon the mme subject . " Flow extremely unfair and incorrect this representation is , our readers must be sensible ; since they cannot but have perceived that the examination of Archdeacon
Wrangham ' s arguruents for the deity of Jesus Christ , occupies a comparatively small portion of the letters , and holds in them professedly a subordinate station . His opponent complains with reason o . f such a ruse tie guerre :
" You thus keep out of sight , " he says , " the injustice of which you have been guilty towards Unitarians , and of which i may confidently affirm that you have been convicted ; and , at the same time , greatty magnify the improprieties of temper of which you accuse me ; by leading your readers to conclude that they have
been manifested , not where some excuse might be offered for them , in , tbe repelling of misrepresentation and calumny ajmed at illustrious characters , but where they cannot for a moment be tolerated , ia the investigation of religious doctrines , and the interpretation of sacred Scripture /'— Pp . 11 , 12 .
Mr . Wellbeloved thiaks it of importance to state , what was really the purport [ purpose ] of the Three Letlers , " and what , if he mistakes not , they have effected : " They were designed to vindicate , and they have vindicated , as they proposed , the doctimea and the advocates of
Unitarianism ffona many severe , and unfounded , accusations , and have shewn how disingenuous , how disreputable , and how unsafe it is for one orthodox writer after another , to go on repeating charges against aa unpopular and a hated sect , without being * at him pains to examine the foundation on- which these charges rest /'—P p ^ tS , 16 «
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THa Archdeacon of Cleveland admits thai he is chargeable with * ' a few errors * incurred chiefly , during the hurry of various occupations by relying upon a memory once good , and still too confidently trusted . " 0 a this unworthy plea our author bestows the animadversion which it deserves :
** No one who looks into your last Appendix , can for a moment imagine that a failing and treacherous memory can be pleaded . That memory cannot be otherwise than fuMy stored and tenacious , ( whatever may be thought of the taste of its possessor , ) which can lay under contribution so many writers of all ages , and
of all descriptions , Christian Fathers and Heathen Philosophers ^ Racovians and Remonstrants , Dramatists and Divines , to furnish a heap of learned lumber , the dust of which cannot fail to * blind the eyes of the quick-sighted / and under the weight of which , it must be next to miraculous , if a poor Unitarian sciolist
escape being crushed to death *"—P . 17 . Convicted of unfairness * illiberally , and misrepresentation , and proved to have depended implicitly upon Magee ,
and Nares , and Rennell , and others of the same school , and not only to have retailed but even to have aggravated their blunders , Archdeacon Wraogham pleads , however , that he " no where professed originality . "
" But /* observes his opponent , ** neither a treacherous memory , no ? the burry occasioned by various avocations , no ? the acknowledged usfi of the works of former controversialists , can justify any one In
bringing against doctrines which he disapproves , and those who conscientiously maintain them , charges which he has not carefully examined , and which he cannot support , designed to undermine the credit of both /'—Ib .
Our author ' s grave and becoming remonstrance with the dignitary , on a mode of theological warfare so unsuitable to the serious subjects of religious controversy , contains a fearless challenge and a judicious caution :
" We do not see for peace , we do not expect friendship ; but we have a right to look for fair dealing and legitimate opposition- Put forth all your energies against our doctrines and our arguments ;
we have no fear fox * the result ; but meddle not with our motives , assail not our characters , refrain from misrepresentations ; do not seek to destroy our creed , by attacking qwv intellectual ,, literary , ov moral attainments . "—P . 19 .
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162 Review . — Wellbeloved ' s Letters t& Archdeacon JVrangham .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), March 2, 1825, page 162, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2534/page/34/
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