lents employed in the advancement ef public good. We think it fit and becoming the friends of our church and state, to avow openly their obligations to those who distinguish themselves in the support of our approved establishments; and we judge it to be our especial duty to do this in seasons peculiarly marked by a spirit of rash and dangerous innovation. As members of an University, whose institutions embrace every useful and ornamental part of learning, we should esteem ourselves justified in making this address, if we had only to offer you our thanks for the valuable accession which the stock of our national literature has received by the publication of your important “ Reflexions." But we have higher objects of consideration, and nobler motives to gratitude: we are persuaded, that we consult the real and permanent interests of this place, when we acknowledge the eminent service rendered, both to our civil and religious constitution, by your able and disInterested vindication of their true principles; and we obey the yet more sacred obligation to promote the cause of religion and morality, when we give this proof, that we honour the advocate by whom they are so eloquently and effectually defended.' This address was conveyed to Mr. Burke by Mr. Windham, of Norfolk; through whom Mr. Burke returned his answer: MR. BURKE'S LETTER TO MR. WINDHAM. MY DEAR SIR, The valuable present I received from the resident graduates in the University of Oxford becomes doubly acceptable by passGentlemen so ing through your hands. eminent for science, erudition, and virtue, and who possess the uncommon art of doing kind things in the kindest manner, would naturally choose a person qualified like themselves to convey their favours and distinctions to those whom they are inclined to honour. Be pleased to assure those learned gentlemen, that I am beyond measure happy in finding my well-meant endeavours well received by them; and I think my satis lents employed in the advancement ef public good. We think it fit and becoming the friends of our church and state, to avow openly their obligations to those who distinguish themselves in the support of our approved establishments; and we judge it to be our especial duty to do this in seasons peculiarly marked by a spirit of rash and dangerous innovation. As members of an University, whose institutions embrace every useful and ornamental part of learning, we should esteem ourselves justified in making this address, if we had only to offer you our thanks for the valuable accession which the stock of our national literature has received by the publication of your important “ Reflexions." But we have higher objects of consideration, and nobler motives to gratitude: we are persuaded, that we consult the real and permanent interests of this place, when we acknowledge the eminent service rendered, both to our ligious cons interested and we 66 to promote the cate rality, when we give us p honour the advocate by whom eloquently and effStudly aliemen • The valuable gruent ing through your mind. kind things in the themselves to tinctions h of Look. Judges, --com underlings ants or re employment quire ability and 1 faction does not arise from motives merely selfish, because their declared approbation must be of the greatest importance in giving an effect (which without that sanction might well be wanting) to an humble attempt in favour of the cause of freedom, virtue, and order, united. This cause it is our common wish and our common interest to maintain; and it can hardly be maintained without securing on a solid foundation, and preserving in an uncorrupted purity, the noble establishments which the wisdom of our ancestors has formed, for giving permanency to those blessings which they have left to us as our best inheritance. We have all a concern in maintaining them all: but if all those, who are more particularly engaged in some of those establishments, and who have a peculiar trust in maintaining them, were wholly to decline all marks of their concurrence in opinion, it might give occasion to malicious people to suggest doubts, whether the representation I had given was really expressive of the sentiments of the people on those subjects, I am obliged to |