collar, with a knot of red riband on each side. On the upper part were written the words "No dog tax.' Unconscious, however, of the important place which he filled in the eyes of the multitude, poor Tray trotted along, as humbly as if neither he nor any of his species had ever assisted a Chancellor of the Exchequer in raising the supplies of the year. He was, however, a source of some amusement, and no inconsiderable share of political comment to many who saw him. The attention of a part of the crowd was next caught, and partly fastened, by the cries of two men bearing large cans of porter, who lustily bawled out" Here's Hunts's real reform stout, two-pence a glass." Whether it was the goodness of their beer, or the name they gave it, which drew custom, we leave others to determine; but we can state, that in a very short time their stock was exhausted, and every glass washed down the same toast-" Success to Hunt." Various little occurrences continued to occupy the attention of the people until near 2 o'clock. As this was far beyond the time at which Mr. Hunt was expected to arrive, numbers began to be impatient, who were fre quently relieved by the arrival of horsemen in full gallop from Barnet, with the tidings-" He is coming." Several of those persons brought verbal communications to Dr. Watson and his friends, either from Mr. Hunt himself, or from some of those who had gone further on to meet him. At last a gentleman on horseback was seen riding on from Highgate at full speed. It was at first thought to be Mr. Hunt, but on nearer approach the rider was recognized to be a friend of his (a Mr. Walker). He announced that Mr. Hunt was 2 miles off, and delivered the following note directed to Dr. Watson :

"DEAR SIR, Let nothing prevent my going down GoswellStreet to St. Paul's, and direct to the Crown and Anchor. We must not consult our own feelings, but must act for the public good. Every real friend of liberty must do that which will promote its cause, and leave self-gratification out of the question. I have always done this. "Your's, "HENRY HUNT."

"Barnet, Monday morning." The multitude pressed round Dr. Watson's carriage, and when he had done reading, expressed a hope that the procession would persist in moving down the City Road, as the whole line was thronged with eager expectants, who had prepared to do Mr. Hunt honour at his approach. Dr. Watson replied, that they would leave Mr. Hunt to determine for himself. At length, at a few minutes before 3, and after being announced by several horsemen, who coursed at one another's heels, Mr. Hunt's carriage approached. The road then be came agitated with unusual bustle.

The multitude on horseback, on foot, and in vehicles of various descriptions who preceded, and followed him, threw up such clouds of dust, that to breathe was difficult; and to see any distance was for a time impossible. Mr. Hunt was accompanied in the post chaise by two females elegantly dressed. To the great disappointment of many on the line through which he passed towards Holloway turnpike, the glasses of the chaise were up, but it was unavoidable from the quantity of dust. The shouts which rent the air on his approach might, we may safely assert, have been heard a mile on either side,

Joy appeared on every face, and we verily believe, if an individual had arrived for the purpose, and with the means of, paying off the national debt, he could not have met with a more enthusiastic reception. Before the chaise reached the turnpike, some of the crowd wished to unharness the horses, and drag it along themselves, but this Mr. Hunt would not permit. He proceeded on at a slow pace to the spot where his friends waited for him. There, having greeted Dr. Watson, Thistlewood, &c. and stopped for a few moments, he got into the landaulet, and the procession moved on in the following order;

Some hundreds of footmen bearing large branches of oak, poplar, and various other trees.

A footman, bearing the emblem of union-a bundle of sticks stuck on a pitchfork supported by groups of men on horseback and on foot. The Committees bearing white wands, and all wearing knots of red riband and laurel leaves in their hats.

A green silk flag, with gold letters and Irish harp; inscription Universal, civil, and religious liberty;" borne and supported by 6 Irishmen, and numerous other footmen.

A band of music.

Horsemen.

A white flag surmounted and bordered with crape; inscription in black, "To the immortal memory of the Reformers massacred at Manchester, Aug. 16, 1819."

Groups of horsemen and footmen.

A large tri-coloured flag, red, white, and green, with the words

66

England, Scotland and Ireland," in gold letters."
Groups of men, bearing white wands and red favors.

The old red flag, with the inscription "Universal Suffrage."
Two barouches, in which were some friends of Mr. Hunt.
Two carriages, in which were gentlemen connected with the press.
A sky-blue flag; inscription "The palladium of liberty, a free press."
Groups of footmen.

A carriage containing Messrs. Watson, Thistlewood, and Preston, and other friends of Mr. Hunt.

A scarlet silk flag; inscription in gold letters," Hunt, the heroic
Champion of liberty."

Groups of men on horseback and on foot.
A Band of Music.
Mr. HUNT,

Standing in a landaulet, drawn by six handsome bays, decorated with scarlet ribands.

Behind the carriage stood a man, bearing a large red flag, which waved over Mr. Hunt's head; inscription. "Liberty or Death." Groups of Horsemen and Footmen.

A white Silk Flag; inscription," Trial by Jury." [Most of the flags had small pieces of black crape fastened at the ends, out of respect to the memory of the unfortunate persons who fell at Manchester.]

The procession was closed by a crowd of pedestrians, extending back as far as the eye could reach. Standing, as we happened to be,

in a good situation, the whole assemblage presented one of the mos imposing spectacles we ever beheld. To a person in front, the ap proach of the procession seemed like that of a moving grove. The mixture of green boughs with the wands of the committees, gave no faint idea of the approach of Birnam-wood to Dunsinane. As soon as the foremost ranks had advanced near enough to give a view of those who followed, the scene was awfully impressive. The thousands and tens of thousands who moved slowly and regularly along, in one solid mass, when viewed through the close lines between which they passed-the houses and walls literally roofed and covered with human beings, and teeming with them at every door and window-would suggest the idea of an immense deluge of people, which in its passage had spread, and filled up every spot where it could find admittance, and covering what it did not sweep along. We are certain that we are rather under the mark when we say, that the crowds through which Mr. Hunt passed yesterday, and those by whom he was accompanied, were not less than 300,000 in number, and in this we only include those who were out of doors. The order and decorum observable in this immense multitude were truly pleasing, and evinced a firm determination on the part of those assembled to preserve order at all events. There was now and then, as might be expected in all great crowds, a slight interruption by the activity of the pickpockets; but these were partial, and soon put down. As soon as any deviation from the regular pace was observed, the cry of "Order" ran through the multitude, and order was speedily restored. It is impossible to describe the enthusiasm with which Mr. Hunt was received as he passed along. The waving of hats and handkerchiefs, the clapping of hands, the shouts of applause mingled with the sounds of musical instruments, and the voices of some thousands who accompanied them in the national air of "Rule Britannia," presented to the eye and the ear such a combination of scene and sound, as we believe has seldom, if ever, been equalled in London. Nor was this applause confined to the lower orders, or to those who mingled in the crowd. Persons of both sexes, of every rank and condition, in the houses and in the streets, joined in giving their tribute of applause. We noticed in several of the streets through which the procession passed, numbers of elegantly dressed females decorated with Mr. Hunt's favours, waving scarves, shawls, or handkerchiefs, of the same colour, and seeming fully to participate in the feelings of the thousands who passed beneath their windows. During this time, Mr. Hunt stood in the landau, (in which there was no other person), and with his head uncovered, and bowed respectfully to the crowds as he passed. He was dressed in a black coat and waistcoat, and white jean trowsers. His white hat he held for the most part in his hand. He looked rather pale, and a liatle fatigued, at first, but after a little time, he seemed to be much recovered. The whole of bis conduct and deportment in a situation which certainly required no small degree of address and coolness to support with effect, was throughout such as his bitterest enemy could not condemn, and as gave evident satisfaction to his friends.

OBSERVATIONS UPON THE APPROACHING TRIAL OF MR. CARLILE.

We are of opinion that it is our duty to point out to the public every species of tyranny which it behoves us to strain every nerve to overturn, or we should consider ourselves unworthy of the insignia which we have undertaken to bear unsullied, through every danger with which our liberties are threatened. An epoch is approaching when liberality and freedom of religious opinion must triumph in this country, or sink together with it into all the bigotry and intolerance of despotism, characteristic of the earlier ages of Christianity. We allude to the approaching trial of Mr. Carlile, for publishing Payne's Age of Reason, which, as our readers will perceive by the following letter from the Attorney General to Mr. Carlile, will come on early in October:

"SIR.-In answer to your enquiry, I have to state, that it is certainly my intention that the Informations against you which stand for trial at the adjourned Sittings in October, should be tried at those Sittings; and that the Information against you for publishing a blasphemous libel, which stands prior in order to the other in the list of causes, will first come on for trial.

"I am, Sir,

"Your obedient servant, "Lincoln's Inn, Sep. 7, 1819." "R. GIFFORD."

We confess that we view the approach of this trial with peculiar sensations of anxiety; although if the Jury be fairly chosen, we doubt not but a verdict of acquittal will be registered in despight of the influence of the Crown. Any opinions we could give upon the soundness of the doctrine he advocates would be of no avail, for from the line of defence Mr. Carlile is adopting, we doubt not but the opinions of the most eminent theologists in the kingdom will decide in his favour. We however hazard a few observations upon the injustice of suppressing the publications in question, whether rational or absurd. In the first place we ask, if every person has not a right to his own opinion in religious matters, as well as in others? That they have, the Spanish Inquisition will hardly have the audacity to deny. We agan ask if they have not a right to publish those opinions, however strongly marked either by profound reasoning, or absurd and visionory ideas of that which to all on this side of the grave is but at last conjecture. We anticipate the answer of the Attorney General, and fancy we at this moment see him emphatically addressing the Jury:“ Gen

tlemen, the publication of such works as the blasphemous ones alluded to in the information against the defendant, are calculated to undermine the morals of the people, and to ́sow the seeds of irreligion in the minds of the rising generation." &c. &c. Now we, who are totally disinterested in the trial, (except as far as freedom of opinion and liberality of sentiment are likely to triumph with Mr. Carlile,) and whose opinion ought to have a proportionate degree of weight, think that if Mr. Payne's Age of Reason be contrary to truth and common sense, it cannot be productive of immorality, for palpable falshood can be detected even by the most ignorant; and if the arguments advanced are sup❤ ported by any thing like reason, their publication should be allowed, and let them stand or fall upon their own intrinsie merit. Why, we ask, should the creed of a deist be more objectionable than that of a Jew or a Mahometan? It cer tainly contains more morality than either. Why should the doctrines, the really blasphemous doctrines, of Johanna Southcott have been tolerated? Why should she be allowed openly to sell passports to heaven, while a Deist is not allowed to promulgate doctrines founded only upon that reason which our Great Creator has bestowed, for the purpose of judging for ourselves of what is right and what is wrong? To us it seems like a direct insult to the Almighty, to neglect using that reassn, which was granted that our credulity might not be imposed upon by wicked and designing men, whether cloathed in the garb of sanctity, or in all the splendour of ministerial pomp and power. It certainly was not given (as the clergy would have us believe) that we might pin our faith upon the sleeve of others; nor will they quote precedents to prove that liberty of discussing religious topics was ever attended with evil consequences, for if such liberty had been withheld, the Papal Bull's would still have continued to scare the Goddess of Freedom from our shores, and the same gale that wafted her to more genial climes would have borne from our soil manly friendship, confidence, and every other virtue attendant upon the uncontrouled expression of public and individual sentiment, whilst in their place would be established distrust, treachery, sus-. picion, and a host of such evils as circle round the throne of a military despot

We now beg leave to address ourselves to those gentlemen who are likely to be summoned as Jurors upon this trial, not for the purpose of in any measure prejudicing their minds either one way or the other, but in order to explain to them, as far as our abilities enable us to do So, the