and in some respects harmless. In fact, the tide is now turning; and the damnatory and prescriptive provisions of Rome, for the security of her own heterodox and immoral literature, is one of the best weapons put in the hands of her opponents for its exposure and ultimate demolition. For these
deception. The subject is, the delicate one, of the power claimed by the Popes of deposing temporal sovereigns. The bishops of Rome have never ceased meddling with kingdoms, from the reign of the infamous Hildebrand; at one time playing off sovereigns against their subjects by persecution, at another subjects against their sovereigns by rebellion, insurrection, or secret assassination, as circumstances or interest required. The Earl of Shrewsbury knows that the power of deposing monarchs, particularly heretical, is in as full claim under Gregory XVI. as under Gregory VII.; and his present holiness relies upon his beloved son, John, that by means of the pious Institute, and by every other pious and practicable means, he will do his best to bring the necks of Britons under the servile yoke, both civil and religious, which was gloriously shaken off by some of our monarchs; and when one apostate monarch attempted to reimpose it, was again dashed to the ground by the honourable and British efforts of a Talbot and others—more noble by their actions than their birth, snd throwing forward a shade of infamy upon any degenerate descendant who should thereafter betray so righteous a cause. His infallibility, in a letter which deserves to be perpetuated, should have been better advised than to talk of his first namesake's enlightening Britain. His more enlightened sons have taken care to confine the enlightening to the Saxons, or Anglo-Saxons; because they knew well enough what answer can be given à fortiori to the larger claim, and indeed to the smaller likewise.—See Soames. The Pontiff might, perhaps, be thinking of the pretty story in the beginning of the second book of Beda's History, of the British youths exposed for sale
