PREFACE. THE present series of Letters on the subject of the Scarborough Lancasterian Schools-thirteen in number-have been addressed to a private friend, at whose request they are now published. They form only the first part of what may properly be called the SEQUEL to the "HISTORY,"—in which the name of Dr. Murray, the President, is officially, and but sparingly introduced; being quite aware of his wish to decline as much as possible, any personal publicity or responsibility in the case; and in which opinion and determination, althouyh of late origin, the Author thinks there is manifest a very sound discretion. The second part of this continued series of Letters is now in course of preparation for the press, and will chiefly be devoted to the clearing up much of the "MYSTERY" which has long-too long-hung over the proceedings of certain prominent official personages, and their connexions, who have hitherto held, or appear to have held, a deleterious and disastrous influence over the President's mind; and in elucidating this subject it is not improbable that his public conduct may necessarily come under review, even more fully and prominently than in any former instance. But still, with that regard to truth, delicacy, forbearance, and gentlemanly feeling' which have characterised the Author's official correspondence with him upon this, as on all other occasions; and which he will ever study to maintain, under very forbidding and untoward circumstances. Considering therefore Dr. Murray's high official position in these School affairs (without dwelling uselessly on his many estimable private virtues, which no one doubts), and moreover the Author considering himself really obliged to him for many valuable hints, and certain unexpected discoveries and assistances, which were made known to him in the President's last official Letter, of 25th of January 1841; together with the significant silence and studied avoidance of all further interference in the business, either public or private, which has constantly marked his conduct ever since, all which must necessarily and of course be duly acknowledged in the forthcoming second part of these Letters. Scarborough, August 15th, 1842. MR. DAVIES'S FIRST LETTER ON THE LANCASTERIAN SCHOOLS AT SCARBOROUGH. LETTER I. "Value the friendship of one who stands by you in the storm; DEAR SIR, You are pleased to call upon me to explain to you what has been the course and effect of my publication of the existing differences with the Managers of the Lancasterian Schools here, after you had carefully read over, and considered the "HISTORY AND MYSTERY" of that Institution, composed and published more than a year ago, and had gathered from it so much information as to satisfy your own mind on the subject. I therefore cannot refuse complying with the reasonable request of one whose friendship I have long experienced, and whose wishes are with me, tantamount to commands, although such compliance may necessarily involve much additional trouble, and lead me into details which, otherwise, I would certainly have much rather wished to avoid. It is peculiarly painful to a generously confiding and sensitive mind, to meet with undeserved ill-treatment, instead of grateful requital, from those whose former professions and conduct would seem to have promised very different results, and to be compelled to abandon long-cherished friendships, because the real grounds of difference consist not in matters of private or party opinions, or secular and fleeting interests merely, but on those grand cardinal PRINCIPLES Of morality and sincerity, of truth and justice,—which combine the qualities, and enter into the very essence of civilized society, and which it is believed cannot be impugned, tampered with, or denied, without damaging and deranging the harmony and general welfare of the entire community, so far at least as its influence extends and operates. Coarse and vulgar minds indeed are rarely very susceptible of refined pleasures, and consequently are little regardful of the feelings and fortunes of others, when any prospect of advancement, or supposed personal advantage offers itself to their ambitious hopes or self-seeking gratifications. But with regard to Dr. Murray, the President of the Institution in question, and the writer's late professional friend, and also of the Rev. G. B. Kidd, the Independent Minister here, at whose meeting-house, during his pastorate, and that of his venerated predecessor the late Rev. Samuel Bottomley, he had been in the constant habit of attending for the space of thirty years (from the year 1810, when he first came to reside at Scarborough, until the present School controversy, forbad, as a necessary consequence, his longer continuance)-notwithstanding their avowed predilections and open partizanship, he nevertheless had reason to expect, and will still continue to indulge the charitable hope of better things from them. But they also well know, or might have learned, that he is neither to be diverted nor deterred from pursuing that course of honourable and fair dealing which his conscience approves, and which his position in society dictates, by the inferior consideration of the sacrifice of their private friendship (which he never courted, or wished to possess or retain without mutual desert at either side), or by paying much regard to his own personal ease or gratification, though at present, as they know, far advanced in years: and least of all swayed by mercenary motives, which by some doubtful "Friends" here (whom I will hereafter designate by their original appellation, Quakers, in order to distinguish them from the large and very respectable portion of "Friends" properly so called) have been, not very charitably, attached to him, for the purpose, as he cannot but believe, to inflame prejudice, and to influence him to submit to their views and wishes of secret, silent subserviency to them, and their associates, in opposition to the irresistible evidence of existing documents and plainly demonstrated facts, contained and set forth in the "HISTORY" aforesaid, and which it is obviously their wish, if possible, to bury in oblivion; but which it is his bounden duty, in justice to himself and in behalf of others, to keep alive and perpetuate, until satisfaction be obtained for him and them, in consequence of such preverse and reprehensible conduct on their parts. The same parties, first named, are also quite aware that rom the outset, and during the whole course of this School Controversy, as detailed at large in "THE HISTORY AND MYSTERY" already published, it has been the writer's principal and indeed invariable object to conduct it in such manner as to prove both to them and others, whether friends or foes, that his design was not alone to assert and maintain his integrity and consistency of character and purpose, in opposition to the invidious and unfounded aspersions industriously circulated to his prejudice, but chiefly to promote the ends of truth and justice in the administration of the School affairs, as the best and likeliest means to afford permanent benefit to the Institution itself-in its respectability and usefulness; upon PUBLIC grounds alone, not from PRIVATE pique, nor with any view or design to open up any PERSONAL quarrel, and especially as regards those with whom, for so many previous years he had lived on perfectly amicable, not to say intimate terms, of cordial friendship and mutual good offices. Furthermore, these same parties likewise know that the direct grounds of complaint, as stated in the writer's first official letter to Dr. Murray, the President, and inserted at pp. 3–6, of the "HISTORY" etc., related almost exclusively to certain irregularities and departures from the fundamental principles upon which the Schools were originally established, by divers Resolutions of PUBLIC MEETINGS holden for the purpose at the time of their formation, and upon the faith of which the writer and others advanced their money, and not |