ordained for its widest and highest exercise, because untrammelled by a despotic priesthood. Let not Irishmen be misled by their provincial notions or peddling politics to look no farther than Ireland for the reward of their talents. England is the natural sphere for capacious views and enlightened labours. She opens widely her arms to every man who does honour to his kind; and from her, when their conduct and character merit it, are sure to obtain their reward.
Amused by these accounts of theatrical exhibitions on one side of the Channel, he was not at all disposed to submit to censures of it on the other. One of his friends, Archdeacon Plumptre,<!— Prior is confused: James Plumptre (1771–1832) with whom Malone corresponded at Clare College, Cambridge, was never Archdeacon; the Archdeacon of Cambridge is Charles Plumptre (d. 1779), but Malone never corresponded with him. --> was accused of this in sermons preached at Cambridge. Malone lost no time in defence and remonstrance. In reply, the Archdeacon denies the charge; alleges that he assails only abuses, not uses, of the stage; that he had quoted Archbishop Tillotson, and other eminent authorities holding the same sentiments, in opposition to Wilberforce, Witherspoon, Law, Mrs. More, who took extreme views of the subject; and for his own part, believed that many portions of an audience would be worse employed than in witnessing a well-written play. The critic was soothed, and sent him an additional sheet to the tract on the Tempest.
Amid correspondence on various topics—with the learned though eccentric Dr. Barrett (of Dublin) on certain historical incidents, Lysons on mistakes in the Monumenta Vetusta, Rev. Mr. Blakeway, Archdeacon Nares, Dr. Burney, Chetwood, and
