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character of Vetusta, as here drawn, we have, however, this to object, that it represents an individual rather than a cluss: she is really of no class. Persons of her description in general do not pursue strong sensa tions, but rather general happiness, through a variety of means; and some, failing in the attempt, at last turn devotees. Their pleasures, and beauty, and health, bave left them, and then they seek comfort in religious exercises or austerities. It is the weakness of nature, not the pursuit of strong sensation.

Her niece, Selina, was of a mild and gentle spirit; but four years of gloomy admonitions from Vetusta had inspired her with dark and me. lancholy views of religion. She was taught to look upon the Supreme Being rather as a tyrant to be ap. peased, than as a God to be worshipped and a Father to be loved: all the terrors of revelation she pointed to herself, all its promises to others: and at nineteen was committed to the grave, the victim of a neglected education and a sptirious faith.

The remaining characters of Munster and Berkely are descriptive of two persons very different both in their principles and their end.

"Munster, for so I will call him, was a spoiled child. He lost his father early; and his mother, captivated by the strength of his attachment, which naturally centered all in her, requited it by anticipating all his whims, and indulging all his caprice and 1 temper. In consequence, he became peevish, headstrong, and passionate. Now and then, indeed, some better qualities seemed, as it were, to flash in his character. But the gleam was only for a moment, and seemed to leave a deeper gloom behind. His feelings were quick-his spirits variable. He loved and hated, worked and idled, laughed and cried, all in a moment, and always in excess.

"When sent to school, he was chiefly distinguished by quarrelling with the larger half of his school-fellows, and forming the rest into a party against them, of which his vehemence rather than his talents or induswry, made him the leader. And, the habits of school, he carried to college, where he

was chiefly known as a person whom no one liked, and whom every one feared. These numerous defects were, however, brightened by one more promising quality. He had acquired under the eye of his mother, who, though a weak, was really a pious woman, this, however, was, not to correct his life, a certain awe of gross sin. The effect of but to reduce it to a sort of alternation of sin and sorrows. Such a life could make no man happy ; and, especially one who had few friends to cheer him, little real taste for dissipation, and that kind of bilious habit, which is apt to divide the life of its victims between anger and melancholy. In such a state, therefore, he was not likely to remain long. And accordingly, on a sudden, he proclaimed himself a converted character. He his college occupations-not only his proforsook at once, not only his vices, but Aligate, but his moral companions. His acquaintance looked on with astonishment. The good trembled when they saw such hands laid on the ark of God. The bad scoffed to find religion with such a champion. But Munster went on his way, heedless both of the one, and of the other. He soon entered the Church, and became the curate of this very parish. And here, I shall endeavour to describe him, first, as a minister; and next, as the father of a

family.

"His doctrines were, in the main, those of the Scriptures, and of the Reformers. But then he held and taught them less practically than either. His grand maxim, for instance, was, " preach of faith, and works will follow "--whereas, the Bible and the

Church evidently deem the same attention due to both-concluding, that a man is just as likely to act as to think wrong."" p. 139.

"Neither did the spirit of moderation in these high authorities satisfy him. Sometimes he so magnified a truth, as to strain it to the dimensions of error. Sometimes he seemed to reduce the whole of religion to a single doctrine. In short, as some men' possess the art of giving error the air of truth, so he gave truth the complexion and the nature of error. Few men had a better creed; and few put a worse interpretation

to it.

"But, however defective his opinions might be, his life was far worse. Although ardent in the pulpit, and in the discharge of most other public duties, his zeal did not extend to the more retired duties of his office. He rarely, for instance, sought out in the remote corners of his parish those

lambs of his flock, who either had not yet found the heavenly pastures, or had, unhap pily, wandered from then. Those quiet

labours, which no eye sees, and no voice ap. plauds but that of God, had no charms for

him. To be heard, to be felt, to be admired, in the great congregation, was all he loved."" pp. 142, 143.

In his family, he is represented as unamiable, and even austere. His wife sunk under the pressure of a troubled mind. His son went to sea, and was not less remarkable for his profligate habits than his father had long been for his excesses in doctrine. The daughter, having in early life imbibed little respect for the judgment of a parent whose opinions she perceived to be frequently erroneous, experienced the usual misery of an elopement and a clandestine marriage:-after the lapse of twelve months, she returned, deserted, to her father's house. But his understanding was now in ruins: she found him pale and emaciated, and irrecoverably insane. The lapse of a few weeks put a period to his sufferings; but it was her melancholy fate to pass twenty long years, the remainder of her wretched life, in a neighbouring madhouse.

Of the manner in which this story is detailed we must certainly speak in terms of warm commendation: but, however faulty might be the doctrines, and however defective the character, of Munster, we are not convinced that they were likely to issue in madness. We esteem this conclusion of the tale not to be warranted by his previous situation, nor to be exactly consistent with the general spirit and tendency of the work. The insufficiency of his religious profession was obvious, without this awful illustration of it; and every moral and religious purpose would have been effectually answered by a catastrophe of a different sort. The instruction would have been equally valuable, had he abandoned his principles, or acknowledged his errors on a death bed, or expired without a sign.

CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 153.

melancholy scene to the character We turn with pleasure from this of Berkely.

in some qualities which belonged Berkely is described as sharing to each of his parents: he displayed, at intervals, the cheerfulness of one and the depression of the other; inheriting, at the same time, the most exalted piety from both. With him, filial affection was not merely a feeling, but a principle; and he delighted to represent God in the light of a father. Hence, even in the darkest of the Divine dispensations, he was ever ready to discover some ray of compassion, which bespoke a parental hand. On subjects of mysterious import he looked with reverence and awe; and never was there a mind less prone to contro versial disputation.

"In the pulpit, accordingly, he was remarkable for speaking, not in the language of the contending parties, but in that of God. I have heard him say, that in review

ing his own ministry, almost the only fact
on which his eye rested with satisfaction,
was the not being able to charge himself
with having voluntarily employed a single
Author.
text for a purpose uot designed by its great

"But, not only did he largely use the language of the Bible-he felt it his duty as far as possible, to imitate the style of reasoning employed in it, and especially in the ministry of Christ. Like him, he endeavoured to seize upon passing events or objects to illustrate his meaning-like him, him, to be simple, grave, spiritual, touching, to vary his subject with his audience-like tender. He used to say, "I think the language of Christ is often much mistaken. Soine. conceive themselves his imitators, when they confine themselves to the practical parts of religion; forgetting that every fundamental doctrine of religion is strongly urged by Christ, and that its more sublime and mysterious points, the union of God with man, the influence of the Spirit, the precise nature of the final judgment and happiness of man, are treated by him, with

a boldness and fulness, which would amount again conceive that they imitate him in acts to impiety in any other teacher." Others of rashness and enthusiasm forgetting that he rigidly conformed to existing rites-that he continued to worship even in those cor 4 I

rupt Jewish synagogues he was about to abolish that he did not even enter upon his ministry till he was thirty years of age. Now, both these errors Berkely avoided. He taught the truth, but taught it calmly. He touched the harp of the prophet, but not with that unholy vebemence which snaps its cords.

"In general, his manner in the pulpit was rather mild and paternal than energetic. But there were times, and those not a few, when a new spirit seemed to animate him. His favourite theme was the happiness of the saints in glory; and he really spoke of heaven as though he had been there. I have now his figure before me, as he rose up to address his congregation the first time after the death of his father.-No event had touched him at a more vital point. But, although as he mounted the pulpit, a sort of cheerless cloud hung upon his brow, in a short time a ray from heaven seemed to disperse it. He was not afraid to touch the chord which might be expected to awaken all the anguish of his soul-Others wept -but he was calm. He spoke of death, but it was of the death of the righteous, and of the blessedness which follows it. Soch was the impression of the scene, that as his hearers watched his glowing eye, his grey hair, his peaceful smile, his uplifted hand, his lighted countenance-and saw him, as it were, launch into other worlds, and bring back their spoils to enrich himself in this-withdrawing the veil from the sanctuaryspeaking of things to come as present, they looked at him almost as they would, at St. John rising from the dead, to add another scene to his celestial visions." pp. 171-175 “I had thoughts, sir, of shewing you this reverend man in the circle of his family

But the fact is, that his parish was only his

larger family, and his family his smaller pa

rish. Those who had seen him in the one,

could determine what his conduct would be in the other. It was the same flower transplanted to a somewhat different soil. Not, indeed, that he was among those who thought that the domestic should be sacrificed to the public duties of a clergyman. On the contrary, he felt that his first duties were at home; that this was the little garden which his God expected him, first, to rescue, and fence in from the waste. "That love," he said, "which pretends equally to embrace all mankind, with no peculiar affection for our own family, is a circumference without a center-or no love at all." But from the general harmony of his conduct, abroad and at bome, it would, as I

said, be mere repetition to describe his conduct in his own house. Here, therefore, sir, I stop, only stating to you one circumstance, that his monument is that white old stone on the right side of the altar. A hundred times have I seen the poor and the miserable steal up to that spot, merely to lay their hand upon the stone, as though they fancied virtue would come out of it, or as though it could be to them what the man it covered, had formerly been-a sort of guardian angela comforter-a friend. And such is the forbearance and compassion with which the heavenly "Comforter" views such acts of affectionate and chastised superstition, that I scarcely ever saw one of these pilgrims who did not retire with a happier countenance than he went. Others, I have seen, both in prosperous and adverse circumstances, approach the stone merely to inscribe some memorial upon it-some testimony, prompted by a full heart, to him who had taught them to bear the one with patience, and to enjoy the other with moderation. These inscriptions possibly even now remain; and, perhaps, you may feel disposed to decypher them."" pp. 177-179.

Whether it be, that the picture of this good man presents us with features peculiarly engaging, or that we love to dwell upon it from

its more than fancied resemblance to one, whose memory still lives in the hearts of many as well as in our own, we are not very anxious to determine. The same spirit and disposition may, doubtless, be found in the retreats of Westmoreland, and in the vicinity of the metropolis: and it is hard to conceive, that a clergyman like Berkely can be conmitted to the grave without excit ing, in many breasts, those mingled sentiments of reverence and love which filled the hearts of our venerable pair. They hastened to the tomb, and found on it some rude but cordial expressions of the people's love: they determined to be buried in the sepulchre where that man of God was buried; and their desire was fulfilled. "They were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their deaths they were not divided."

After so copious an account of this little volume, it seems unneces

sary to enter into any minute detail of its merits or defects. It is evidently the production of a man of observation and genius: it is full of lively remark, and displays a brilliant imagination: its sentiments are moderate; and its general tendency is to excite the temperate and wellbalanced feelings of the soul. We

are convinced that the author's object is to do good; and we have little doubt that this end will be attained.

The defects which we have had occasion to notice, will probably be obvious to the writer at first sight, on the perusal of his work in print. Garrulity is the privilege of age, and perhaps it was necessary to relieve the narrative of the Cushion by incidental conversations: but some of these conversations will admit of abridgment; and the good old lady of the vicarage might part with a few of her conceits without detriment to the tale. It is not absolutely necessary that the vicar's wife should be garrulous, nor the vicar take snuff. We could point, also, to certain sentences in the work, which seem to have been constructed without a sufficient regard to refined and delicate expression: and we know not whether the Cushion might not be made to deliver its record by some artifice more elegant and amusing than that of a manuscript -of a manuscript too, which no imagination can ascribe to the velvet,

all, that the manuscript has no better authority than that of the aforesaid thin and ill-looking person, to whom vulgar fame assigned one of the kindred occupations of a conjuror or an author.

There is also something very inartificial in the plan of the work; inasmuch as the cushion holds forth upon doctrinal and half-metaphysical, as well as on all manner of historical topics; and moreover talks seriously and devotionally for our direct edification, just as if it had itself a soul, and almost even a commission to go forth and preach the Gospel. We may, perhaps, appear to be fastidious; but it is a fastidiousness which has regard, not to a mere point of taste in composition, but also to seriousness and simplicity in religion. We cannot forget, when we read of Selina's being led to the "Comforter," to that Spirit who, with his holy fire, "dries up the tears of the miserable" (p. 105), that so says the Cushion;-that we are learning the most awful truths, and acquainting ourselves with the things of the Spirit, through the supposed pen of a writing cushion. There is also something not a little amusing in the gravity with which the good vicar and his wife go reading on, and profiting by what they read, without at all concerning themselves to know whether the Cushion did really write its own history or not. They seem to us, indeed, to think that the Cushion did write it. would also submit to the Author's

We

Quodcunque ostendis mihi sic incredulus reflection, an idea, which has often

odi

and which the writer himself is fain to attribute" to a thin, queer, illlooking, dirty, retired sort of man in the next village." In order to enter heartily into the story, we must indulge the idea, that the narrative presents a correct statement of scenes which the cushion witnessed, and of reflections which a thinking cushion would be likely to form; but this charm is in a great measure dissolved, when we discover, after

entered our minds as we perused his work: he appears to state some things loosely, and other things too strongly. Several of his remarks, with which we cannot exactly concur, are not wholly destitute of foundation; but they are sometimes urged in far too sweeping and comprehensive a manner. These, and such-like defects, however, are probably to be attributed to hastiness of composition: the work, indeed, shews many marks of baste in its com

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GREAT BRITAIN. PREPARING for publication:-A work on the Trinity, on a new Plan, by the Rev. James Kidd, Professor of Oriental languages at Aberdeen;-A Volume of Sermons, by the late Rev. S. Palmer, of Hackney;-A new edition of the works of Roger Ascham, Preceptor to Queen Elizabeth;-(By sub. scription) the Holy Bible, according to the Authorized Version, with a new Translation, and the original Hebrew and Greek Texts, accompanied by copious Notes, by Mr.John Bellamy, Author of the History of all Religions;-A new edition of the Bible, with the latest Collations, Notes, &c. in 3 vols. 4to. by the Rev. C. Wellbeloved, York.

In the press:-A treatise on finding the Latitude and Longitude, translated from the French of de Rossel, by Mr. Myers, of the Royal Academy, Woolwich; - Dr. Spurz. heim's Anatomical and Physiological Exa mination of the Brain, as indicative of the Faculties of the Mind;-An Account of the Expedition employed on the Conquest of Java, with maps, views, &c.;-Picturesque Representations, with Descriptions, of the Dress and Manners of Russia, Austria, China, England, and Turkey, in 5 vols. royal 8vo.; -Illustrations of Lord Byron's works;-The East-India Gazetteer, in one vol. 8ro.;The History of Persia, from the earliest Ages to 1810, by Sir John Malcolm, in 2 vols. 4to, with engravings;-A new Dictionary of all Religions, comprising the substance of Hannah Adams's View of Religions, &c. revised and corrected to the present time; to which will be prefixed Mr. Fuller's Essay on Truth; in one vol. 12mo.

At Oxford, the Chancellor's prizes were distributed as follows, viz.-The Latin Verse, Germanicus Cæsar Varo Legionibusque supre ma solvit, to Mr. W.A. Hammond, of Christ church-The English Essay, a comparative Estimate of English Literature in the 17th and 18th Centuries, to Mr. R, Burden, of Oriel;-The Latin Essay, de Ephorerum

apud Lacedæmonios Magistrata, to Mr. R. D. Hampden, of Oriel. Sir Roger Newdigate's prize for English Verse, Niobe, was assigned to J. L. Adolphus, of St. John's.

Anthony Carlisle, Esq. has communicated to the Royal Society an account of the family of Zerah Colburn, a native of Vermont, in North America; a youth lately exhibited in London for his extraordinary arithmetical powers; by which it appears, that they have in general supernumerary fingers and toes. This boy himself has a supernumerary finger and toe completely formed, having three perfect phalanges, with the ordinary joints, and well shaped nails. His father, Abiah Colburn, has also five fingers and a thumb on each hand, and six toes on each foot. His family consists of six sons and two daughters. Four of these sons have this peculiarity. The two daughters, and the fourth and eighth son, have it not. This peculiarity appears to have been derived from the mother of Abiah Colburn, Abigail Green, who inherited it from her mother, Kendall. This Kendall had eleven children, all of whom were marked by this peculiarity.

A method has been discovered by Smithson Tennant, Esq., whereby double the quantity of fresh water hitherto obtained may be raised from salt water in a ship's kettle by distillation.

Parliament has purchased Mr. Townley's collection of antiquities for the British Museum for 8,2001.

As Members of Parliament are frequently put to heavy expense in the postage of letters, which are inadvertently above weight, or over the daily number allowed by their privilege; it should be observed, that no letter to or from a Member of Parliament is free of postage unless it be under one ounce weight. And as the daily number is limited, which Members can send or receive free of postage, persons having seve ral letters to send to a Member, whose correspondence is extensive, should be careful not to send them all by the same post.

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