THE воок OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH: IN A SERIES OF LETTERS ADDRESSED TO ROBERT SOUTHEY, ESQ. LL.D. ON HIS "BOOK OF THE CHURCH." BY CHARLES BUTLER, ESQ. Hæc à quovis alio quàm à me, scribi velim; à me, potiùs quàm à nemine! Baltimore, PUBLISHED BY JAMES MYRES, NEAR THE CATHEDRAL. 1834, .TO CHARLES BLUNDELL, ESQ. OF INCE-BLUNDELL, IN THE COUNTY OF LANCASTER. DEAR SIR, I REQUEST your acceptance of my REPLY to DR. SOUTHEY'S "BOOK OF THE CHURCH;"-a work with which you probably are not unacquainted. It abounds with the strongest criminations of the roman-catholic religion, and of the conduct of our roman-catholic ancestors. I do not recollect that a publication more offensive, either to the understandings or the feelings of the roman-catholics, has appeared within our memory. I willingly admit, that, to produce against our creed or conduct, all that research or fair argument can supply, is legitimate controversy; but surely, to conceal, or to represent our merits very briefly and imperfectly, and to display our defects at length, and with the highest colouring; to impute to our general body what, in justice, is only chargeable on individuals; or to estimate the writings or actions of our ancestors in the dark ages, by the notions and manners of the present age,-is a crying injustice. Does not doctor Southey too often fall into all these errors? Is he sufficiently aware, that the roman-catholics have sus |